Chapter 645: Xiao Shen Speaks a Fair Word

The great battle at Ling Shan was still raging, and the great immortal of Kunlun had already perished.

The immortals of Chan Jiao looked on in shock, wondering aloud what deep-seated grudges were at play.

Zhao Gongming lay among the clouds, his breath faint and life hanging by a thread, which truly alarmed most of the Chan Jiao immortals.

However, while others might not understand Zhao Gongming's tactics, how could Guang Chengzi not see through them?

Immediately, Guang Chengzi sent out Taiyi Zhenren. Taiyi Zhenren strolled around Zhao Gongming with his hands behind his back, muttering at first,

"Oh, this injury is severe, truly severe."

"Healing this will take several yuan hui."

"Don't waste a Da Luo immortal's blood; it could be used to refine pills or something."

Sniff... tsk, it's the scent of severing the benevolent corpse and the malevolent corpse.

Then, he said with a serious expression,

"This poor Daoist, on behalf of Chan Jiao, offers heartfelt condolences to you, Dao brother. If it turns out your injury was caused by our disturbance, Chan Jiao is willing to take responsibility and make every effort to help you recover."

A question mark slowly formed above Zhao Gongming's head.

This... this script doesn't seem right...

Zhao Gongming slightly opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of Taiyi Zhenren's narrowed eyes and light smile.

A moment later, within the sealed area of the Dinghai Divine Pearls.

Zhao Gongming was surrounded by three figures: Huanglong Zhenren, Taiyi Zhenren, and Yuding Zhenren from Chan Jiao.

Indeed, facing multiple opponents had its limits. Although he delayed Chan Jiao for some time, their response was swift. Taiyi Zhenren volunteered to stay behind with Yuding and Huanglong, while the rest of the Chan Jiao immortals took a detour.

Zhao Gongming had originally planned to make the Dinghai Divine Pearls go out of control to temporarily trap the Chan Jiao immortals, but Yuding Zhenren sent a voice transmission saying, "Forgive me," and green light shone in his eyes, interfering with Zhao Gongming's connection to the pearls.

The opportunity vanished in an instant, and the Chan Jiao side quickly flew off.

Zhao Gongming could only feign unconsciousness and secretly crush his communication jade talisman.

Taiyi Zhenren chuckled and sat down cross-legged beside Zhao Gongming, inviting Yuding Zhenren and Huanglong to join him.

Once the Chan Jiao immortals were beyond the range of Zhongshen Continent, Taiyi Zhenren whispered with a smile,

"Alright, stop pretending. We all know each other here.

We're all mixed up with Changgeng, so none of us are purely innocent.

You're essentially just holding us back right now, right?

By the time they get there, the fight will be over. Western Teachings will have few disciples left, and Jie Jiao will have a solid victory."

"Cough! Cough!"

Zhao Gongming coughed weakly, using immortal light to prop himself up into a sitting position, and said feebly, "This poor Daoist has temporarily suppressed the injury. Thankfully, it's not a dead end.

What a narrow escape."

Yuding Zhenren sat nearby, gazing up at the sky.

Huanglong Zhenren asked softly, "Gongming, my junior brother, are you truly injured?"

"Of course," Zhao Gongming replied seriously, followed by a few weak, trembling coughs.

Now, rushing to Ling Shan would be pointless. The Chan Jiao side was only there to mediate, and everyone present knew he was blocking their path.

It was all based on this mutual understanding.

Huanglong Zhenren took a bottle of pills from his sleeve, hesitated slightly, and offered it to Zhao Gongming with both hands.

"This pill..."

Zhao Gongming's mouth twitched slightly.

He retracted his earlier thought about their mutual understanding.

"Ah," Yuding Zhenren sighed deeply, "I wonder if there will come a day when we face each other in battle.

With the Fengshen calamity, everything has become unpredictable.

Looking out, the Great Desolation is filled with devastation."

Zhao Gongming transmitted weakly, "With Changgeng as our junior brother, cough, cough, there should be some turning point."

"Yes, yes," Taiyi Zhenren laughed, "With Changgeng around, how can the Heavenly Way or the great calamity possibly affect anyone?"

"Don't speak nonsense," Huanglong Zhenren warned seriously, "Changgeng is working for the Heavenly Way, not against it. If our master hears this and misunderstands Changgeng, what then?"

Yuding Zhenren said, "Let's not dwell on such matters. As the human race often says, things depend on human effort; there must be a third way."

Zhao Gongming let out a soft sigh, sitting in the circle surrounded by the three Chan Jiao Zhenren, feeling a full sense of security.

He said 'weakly,' "If there ever comes a day when our two teachings clash, let's all show mercy."

Yuding Zhenren nodded slowly, while Taiyi Zhenren seemed unconcerned, but sensing some probing presence, he said no more.

Zhao Gongming also seemed to notice, whispering, "Cough, cough, this poor Daoist's injury still needs tending."

With that, he closed his eyes to meditate, his weak breath trembling lightly.

Huanglong, Taiyi, and Yuding Zhenren exchanged glances and sat down around Zhao Gongming.

It was hard to say whether Zhao Gongming was delaying them or they were keeping an eye on him.

Because Li Changshou had been strengthening ties between Chan Jiao and Jie Jiao immortals, these few were quite familiar with each other, and for the time being, they coexisted peacefully and harmoniously.

But soon, at Ling Shan, the confronting Chan Jiao and Jie Jiao immortals and gods presented a very different scene.

With Zhao Gongming unable to stop the Chan Jiao immortals, Jie Jiao, under Jinling Shengmu's orders, unleashed all their techniques and divine powers.

For someone like Lv Yue, who relied on 'accumulation' for his deadly poisonous pills...

He directly turned the whole place green!

Western Teachings had already been retreating steadily, their great arrays falling one after another. By the time the Chan Jiao immortals arrived at Ling Shan, the entire mountain had been leveled, leaving only a bald, half-mountain standing on the cracked ground.

The Saint's dojo was a heartbreaking sight.

The Ling Shan grand hall floated in the air, with only dozens of injured old Daoists inside, desperately activating a great array to withstand the relentless attacks around them.

This array was imbued with dense Heavenly Way power, the only thing preventing Jie Jiao from flattening Ling Shan.

At the array's core, Dizang's figure was somewhat faint.

He sat cross-legged, eyes closed in concentration, his eyelids trembling as if enduring immense suffering, yet his expression was unyieldingly firm.

Dizang was already a god in the Heavenly Way sequence and should not participate in the great calamity's conflicts among the major teachings.

But he had returned anyway, riding the Tisheng to come back. He had been ambushed by Jie Jiao, but relying on Heavenly Way protection and carrying Tisheng, he charged into the grand hall, saving the last 'bloodline' of Western Teachings.

Dizang knew he would likely be targeted harshly by that man afterward.

Yet, as a disciple of Ling Shan, he could not bear to see his origins evaporate like this.

Look at Ling Shan.

Green blood stained the earth, the scene both tragic and spectacular!

The senior disciples of Western Teachings, who held status equal to Dizang, numbered only nine left, all wounded. Six had damaged their cultivation by forcibly burning their primordial spirits, leaving irreversible Dao injuries.

Of the experts recalled from the three thousand worlds, seventy percent had died in battle, and another twenty percent had escaped in the chaos.

The ordinary Saint disciples of Ling Shan, once used for show, suffered heavy casualties. The last few dozen fierce beasts and demonic beasts had half died or been injured, with most now hidden in the West Sea under Wen Jing Daoist's lead.

The Chan Jiao immortals arrived and stood silently, occupying the eastern side of Ling Shan.

Guang Chengzi called out loudly, "Fellow Jie Jiao members, please show mercy! We are all major Saint teachings, so why not leave them a trace of their incense?"

The Jie Jiao immortals looked to Jinling Shengmu, the highest-ranked among them. She raised her hand gracefully, and beams of light retreated from around the grand hall, arranging themselves in rows behind her.

The imposing presence of thousands of experts made even the Chan Jiao side feel the pressure.

As Jinling was about to speak, she heard a voice transmission.

It was Li Changshou guiding her on how to wrap things up.

Jinling Shengmu's expression softened slightly. She first retracted her Dharma body, bowed her hands to Guang Chengzi, and said,

"Guang Chengzi, my senior brother, has Chan Jiao come today to join forces with the human and Jie Jiao teachings against a common enemy and destroy Ling Shan?

In that grand hall, there are the last remnants of Ling Shan, including half of their senior disciples.

We at Jie Jiao will yield this merit to Chan Jiao. We are all Daoist teachings, originating from ancient times as one family, so there's no need for excessive politeness."

Guang Chengzi...

The Chan Jiao immortals showed various expressions, half of them embarrassed, the other half silent.

Guang Chengzi said calmly, "Your words are laced with hidden barbs, Dao friend, which truly embarrass this poor Daoist."

Qiongxiao Xianzi snorted with a laugh, "Sister, listen to that. You call him senior brother, but he calls you Dao friend. You see Chan Jiao as family, but they don't see us that way."

As soon as she spoke, the Jie Jiao immortals, already seething with killing intent, glared and furrowed their brows, nearly charging at Guang Chengzi.

But just then!

A light rebuke came from beside Qiongxiao, and the Jie Jiao immortals halted in unison, standing obediently in place.

"Don't cause trouble."

Qiongxiao quickly lowered her head, looking aggrieved, her lips pouting.

It was Yunxiao who had stepped forward, worried that Qiongxiao's words might spark a war between the two teachings, and timely scolded her younger sister.

The effect was quite good.

With Yunxiao Xianzi having spoken, she had to follow through. She stepped forward half a pace and said to Guang Chengzi,

"Since you Dao friends have come, may I ask your purpose?

Is it to protect the Western Teachings, or to advance and retreat with us at Jie Jiao? Please, Guang Chengzi, give us a clear answer."

Guang Chengzi pondered for a moment. Beside him, Chijingzi wanted to speak, but Guang Chengzi raised his hand to stop him.

Who didn't know?

Chan Jiao's intervention here was to ally with the Western Teachings' Saints against Jie Jiao.

If word of today's events spread, he, as the senior brother of Chan Jiao, would be ridiculed by cultivators across the world.

But if there were other options, why would he do this?

The great calamity didn't offer choices; it demanded action.

Someone had to play the villain, and it was better if he did it alone rather than the entire Chan Jiao.

He shouldn't have left those junior brothers who were close to Changgeng with Zhao Gongming.

If Taiyi were here, he could have mocked him when he said what was coming next.

That way, the scorn Chan Jiao immortals had to bear might be lessened.

Guang Chengzi sighed lightly, his eyes flickering with light, and he smiled faintly, saying warmly,

"This poor Daoist came today to plead for Western Teachings.

Leave some leeway in your actions; don't go too far. Western Teachings is already decimated, so we can't completely cut off the lineage of Jieyin and Zhunti, our two uncles."

Many Jie Jiao immortals were furious at these words and shouted,

"Guang Chengzi, what do you mean? You call us Dao friends but refer to the Western Saints as uncles?!"

"If Chan Jiao wants to advance with Western Teachings, we'll fight today!"

"Absurd! Truly absurd!"

Jinling Shengmu raised her hand, and the uproar was silenced.

She said, "Dao friend, your words are a bit too harsh. Jie Jiao has formed a deadly feud with Western Teachings today. If we don't eliminate them completely, the consequences will be endless."

"But think about it, Jinling Dao friend," Guang Chengzi replied, "Does Jie Jiao really care about the remaining disciples of Western Teachings? There are only dozens, and they may not survive the great calamity.

The two Saints of Western Teachings are what Jie Jiao should worry about most.

If the Saints act recklessly and kill Jie Jiao immortals, how will you defend against it?

By sparing these disciples, Jie Jiao holds the Saints' weakness. If the Saints strike, you can counter them.

The reasoning is that simple."

Jinling Shengmu furrowed her brows slightly.

It wasn't that she couldn't argue against Guang Chengzi; rather, she found his words quite reasonable.

If the Western Teachings Saints became desperate, it would be troublesome indeed.

Yunxiao Xianzi saw this and knew what Jinling was thinking. She was about to step forward to reason with Guang Chengzi and explain the dangers.

But as she moved, a voice transmission reached her ear:

"Let me handle this. Don't draw too much attention in the great calamity."

Yunxiao Xianzi couldn't help but purse her lips, a warm current flowing through her heart. Though her beloved was being a bit nagging and overbearing today, every word was out of concern, every phrase full of worry.

A sharp cry echoed—

A golden line streaked across the sky, and Jinpeng's call resounded through West Ox He Continent, spreading a profound, serene, and balanced Dao rhythm.

Guang Chengzi breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Jinling Shengmu pursed her lips lightly but said no more.

Jinpeng circled down rapidly. Li Changshou stood on Jinpeng's back, appearing as the elderly immortal Taibai Jinxing, holding a dust whisk with a solemn expression.

He arrived in the air, perfectly positioned between the Chan Jiao and Jie Jiao camps, right above the Ling Shan grand hall.

Jinpeng circled once and transformed into a heavenly golden-armored god, guarding the old immortal's back with an air of pride and intimidation.

As the saying goes,

Eastern Taibai, known as the Golden Star, upholds the Heavenly Court with great renown.

Grasping the true essence and balance, he attained enlightenment at Taiqing's seat.

After appearing, Li Changshou first bowed with a Dao salute to Guang Chengzi, then to Jinling Shengmu, and said calmly,

"Respected senior brothers and sisters, may this humble god interject a few words and handle some minor matters?"

Guang Chengzi smiled, "No need for formality, junior brother. If you can mediate today's events, it would be a perfect resolution."

Li Changshou smiled slightly, half-closed his eyes, and said,

"You're mistaken, senior brother Guang Chengzi.

My teacher, the Grand Pure One, has already acted, representing the Human Teachings in supporting Jie Jiao against Western Teachings.

I am here on Heavenly Court business, unrelated to the conflicts among Chan Jiao, Jie Jiao, and Western Teachings.

In the great calamity, I am tasked with overseeing this tribulation and should not express opinions lightly."

Pausing, Li Changshou looked toward the floating Ling Shan grand hall.

Dizang, meditating inside, suddenly sensed something and changed expression, opening his eyes at once.

Li Changshou flicked his dust whisk and sternly rebuked,

"Wheel-turning King Dizang, you have left the underworld without regard for the affairs of reincarnation, acting on personal sentiments and violating your oath to the Heavenly Way. Do you know your crimes?"

Dizang stood up immediately, looking up through the hall's roof at Li Changshou.

Li Changshou extended his left hand, and dense Heavenly Way power surged from all directions, forming clouds and then a massive hand that reached down, tearing open the array sustained by Heavenly Way power and seizing Dizang directly.

Li Changshou's sleeve fluttered, and Dizang turned into a streak of light, entering his sleeve, completely immobilized.

In that instant, the heavens fell silent.

This silence wasn't due to the easy breaching of Western Teachings' final defense, but purely because of Dizang's display.

The moment the massive hand grasped him, immortal light around Dizang surged but was suppressed by some force. He seemed unable to resist at all, effortlessly restrained by Li Changshou.

It was the suppression of the Heavenly Way sequence.

The mundane principle that an official one rank higher crushes another was fully demonstrated in this vast Honghuang world.

This was the rule of the Heavenly Way!

It was also the rule that those immortals and gods sealed in the Fengshen List had to follow.

After capturing Dizang, Li Changshou didn't even glance at the remaining Western Teachings disciples and said with a smile, "With matters here settled, this humble god will return to the Heavenly Court."

He turned to leave, as if unwilling to linger.

"Changgeng, junior brother!"

Guang Chengzi called out, "If your official duties are done, please stay as the second disciple of our grand master and discuss today's events!"

Jinling Shengmu added, "Changgeng, junior brother, could you make a decision? Should Jie Jiao eradicate them completely or not?"

Li Changshou paused, looking troubled. After a moment of thought, he said,

"Very well, I'll say a few fair words."

The Jie Jiao immortals mostly smiled knowingly, while the Chan Jiao immortals showed expressions of anticipation.

Li Changshou turned back, landing with Jinpeng in the space between the two camps, at the same height as the thousands from Jie Jiao and hundreds from Chan Jiao.

He looked down at the half of Ling Shan and then at Western Teachings' remaining assets—the grand hall.

"How are there so many unfamiliar faces?" he wondered aloud. "Are they not the core disciples of Western Teachings?"

The Western Teachings immortals felt instant despair.

Jinling Shengmu snorted, "Junior brother, you may not know, but Western Teachings is quite cunning.

They hid their true senior disciples for cultivation and sent the converted ones to wreak havoc everywhere, bearing the karma."

"I see," Li Changshou said, staring intently at the Ling Shan grand hall before nodding with a smile. "Well, I've noted them all. Now we'll be familiar faces."

Guang Chengzi asked, "Junior brother, what do you think should be done with today's matter?

We at Chan Jiao came to advise a cease-fire; better to resolve grievances than perpetuate them."

Li Changshou said seriously,

"At this point, resolution is probably impossible. But one thing you said is right, senior brother—it should stop here.

Western Teachings, from ancient times to now, has strengthened idle immortals and the rootless, committing many evils for their own rise, so they deserve this calamity.

But Western Teachings is still a Saint teaching, and Saints are the foundation of the Honghuang world—this is a heavenly rule we must follow.

To the Heavenly Way, good and evil are not fixed.

Western Teachings has repaid their karma to the Daoist schools today, spitting out their accumulated debts with interest. They've suffered greatly, so calling it quits is fair.

But..."

Li Changshou paused, looking at the Western Teachings experts like Jiaye in the hall, and smiled warmly.

"With karma settled, grudges should fade away.

Fellow Daoists of Western Teachings, why not swear an oath to the Heavenly Way? From today, cease all opposition to the Daoist schools, focus on rebuilding Ling Shan, and cultivate virtue. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"Li Changgeng! Don't push us too far!"

An old Western Teachings Daoist jumped up and cursed, "How can our hatred subside? If you have the guts, kill this poor Daoist! Poor..."

Whoosh—

A flash of lightning and immortal light struck. Before the Daoist could finish "Poor," a beam pierced his neck. Experts on both sides tried to block it but were too late.

The heart-piercing lock dragged out the Daoist's primordial spirit and crushed it instantly.

Li Changshou casually waved his right hand, and the lock vanished. He smirked and muttered,

"Ah, such a request—I've heard it for the first time in a millennium of cultivation.

Western Teachings' style is indeed unique."

The immortals present all felt a chill.