Chapter 655: Countdown to the Sealed God Tribulation

Li Changshou, carving out time from his packed schedule, used a Heavenly Court decree and the might of the Heavenly Way to pinpoint Xū Pútí’s location. He then led Bai Ze and Jin Peng in a four-pronged attack, herding Xū Pútí towards the Chaos Sea.

When Xū Pútí was discovered by the Western Cult disciples, he was covered in wounds, a picture of utter misery.

This took place outside the great array of Ling Shan.

Xū Pútí wore tattered Daoist robes, his body marked with bloodstains. His mind was clouded, and wisps of a bloody aura swirled around him, clearly the residue of a life-saving divine ability. He seemed to have just survived a fierce battle and barely escaped back to the primordial world.

Perhaps it was because Xū Pútí hadn’t strayed too far from the Heavenly Way’s reach, or perhaps the Western Cult saint had secretly intervened, preventing the Heavenly Way from rejecting him.

The great array of Ling Shan activated, and a giant hand seized Xū Pútí, pulling him into Ling Shan. At that moment, Li Changshou’s connection to Xū Pútí was severed.

It was Jieyin Saint who had personally acted.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the Three Thousand Worlds, on Jin Peng's back:

Li Changshou was lost in thought, head bowed. Beside him, Bai Ze had transformed into a three-foot-tall auspicious beast, sitting with his hind legs tucked under him, one hoof stroking his goatee.

Li Changshou smiled and said, "Why doesn’t Mr. Bai take human form?"

"Oh, I forgot," Bai Ze replied with a laugh. Amid waves of immortal light, he transformed into the appearance of a mustached scholar and sat cross-legged next to Li Changshou.

Jin Peng flew even more steadily, a smile curving his beak. His status as the second mount of Renjiao was now firmly established.

Uh, although it didn't feel as exciting as he had imagined.

Bai Ze glanced towards the Chaos Sea, stroked his beard thoughtfully, and asked, "Why didn't you finish off Xū Pútí earlier?"

"The Ding Tou Seven Arrows Book," Li Changshou sighed. "I was always worried that he had hidden it somewhere else, so I wanted to corner him completely. I never expected him to escape by sheer luck."

Bai Ze’s eyes crinkled with a smile as he hummed in agreement with Li Changshou.

Li Changshou maintained a calm expression and gently winked at Bai Ze.

Thus, the two masters of strategy shared a light laugh.

Bai Ze had already figured it out: Li Changshou’s pursuit and deliberate release of Xū Pútí must be part of a deeper scheme. And the Ding Tou Seven Arrows Book wasn't just an excuse—it was woven into Li Changshou’s multilayered plans.

Bai Ze chuckled and said, "With your current divine position and merits, Water God, are you still wary of the Ding Tou Seven Arrows Book?"

"I'm not afraid for myself, but many of the direct disciples from Chan and Jie sects lack sufficient merits," Li Changshou replied, shaking his head with a serious expression.

"This Ding Tou Seven Arrows Book can be seen as a deadly weapon created by the Yao Court using the rules of the ancient Heavenly Way. The Heavenly Way can't deny its existence, or it would be denying itself. It's a sinister treasure that uses merits and destiny to seize the lives of great powers."

"It seems it has fallen into the hands of the Western Cult now."

Bai Ze asked curiously, "Why are you so certain the Ding Tou Seven Arrows Book was with Xū Pútí?"

"First, it aligns with the Heavenly Way's trend of reducing the strength of living beings. Second, back in the day, Xū Pútí was the one in the Western Cult who had the closest contact with Lu Ya. He tricked many old demons into action, and the Yao Emperor’s seal was likely delivered to Lu Ya through Xū Pútí. Third, I’ve secretly investigated within the Yao clan and questioned those old demons, and when Ran Deng’s lamp was extinguished, we didn’t find the Ding Tou Seven Arrows Book. After all the calculations, it's most likely that Xū Pútí had it, perhaps as part of some exchange with Lu Ya."

Li Changshou paused. "Now, it’s probably in Ling Shan."

"Hiss!"

Bai Ze inhaled sharply and said firmly, "If a saint uses this to secretly plot against a major disciple of the Jie sect, it could spark an all-out war between the Chan and Jie sects."

"War is inevitable," Li Changshou sighed lightly. "What I'm thinking about now is how to preserve more of the Daoist school’s vitality, ensure its lineage endures, and maintain its place in the world. Ideally, my two uncles won’t completely break ties—though their relationship might worsen, they won’t become enemies. And afterward, I can retire smoothly."

Bai Ze laughed softly, "Your grace in achieving success and stepping back is truly admirable, Water God."

"Don't flatter me," Li Changshou replied with a smile. "It's just that I'm afraid of death."

Bai Ze nodded in understanding, pondered for a moment, and asked a question that had long been on his mind:

"By then, could there be an extra room on your Xiaoqiong Peak, Water God?"

"You're welcome to come anytime, Mr. Bai, but you'll still need to hand over the Lin Tian Hall to someone trustworthy."

The swiftly flying Jin Peng added, "Teacher, your disciple wishes to follow you into seclusion beyond the heavens!"

"Ah, no need for that, Jin Peng," Li Changshou said seriously. "You're different from me and Mr. Bai. Mr. Bai is naturally inclined to seclusion and leisure—he was, well, invited by me to serve as a strategist."

Bai Ze’s mouth twitched a few times: "Invited is invited; it was I who made a miscalculation in our game of wits, and my wisdom fell short of Changgeng’s."

"Luck, just luck," Li Changshou said modestly, smoothly changing the topic. "Jin Peng, you have the fate of the Feng clan on your shoulders. You need to serve well in the Heavenly Court so you can support your Feng clan at critical moments."

Jin Peng sighed with his head lowered, but he quickly rallied, flapping his wings even faster.

He wasn’t one to hesitate; he knew he bore his clan’s destiny and couldn’t act on impulse.

Jin Peng laughed and said:

"Teacher, in this great calamity, let your disciple carry you through the storms! Wherever your gaze falls, my spear will follow—without regret in life or death!"

"How did this suddenly turn so passionate?" Li Changshou chuckled, then continued, "Mr. Bai, you should head back to Lin Tian Hall from here. Try not to get too close to the Five Parts Continent; it’s full of hidden dangers that clash with your auspicious aura."

"Understood, thank you for your concern, Water God."

"And one more thing," Li Changshou said, his smile fading as a hint of thoughtfulness crossed his face. He quickly added, "Please relay this message exactly to Junior Sister Jiu: I’ll handle Heavenly Court affairs after the Fengshen calamity and then retire to the Chaos Sea. By then, Xiaoqiong Peak will have seven or eight inhabitants. If she wishes to come, there’ll be plenty of pills and wine, though it might get a bit lonely over time."

Bai Ze's eyes lit up, and he said with a smile, "So, in the end, you can't let go of Shengnu Hall."

"I can only make this promise," Li Changshou said, rubbing his brow. "Matters of the heart are a hundred times more complicated than schemes. When I first felt something for Junior Sister, she didn’t understand love at all, and her feelings were unclear. Now that my Dao heart is fully occupied by another, I can't respond to hers anymore. Ultimately, I hope she can move past this and stay in the primordial world, living freely and without worries. But if she can't, I’ll still lend her a hand."

Bai Ze muttered quietly, "From what I see, Yunxiao and Ling'e wouldn’t mind…"

"Not all relationships bloom into something more," Li Changshou said, his gaze distant. "The heart has limits. If you don’t control greed and selfishness, even with profound cultivation, you’ll be consumed by your own desires. Besides, just with Yun and Ling'e, I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it in the future. Over time, all sorts of little issues will surface. Every couple sees the best in each other during the passion, but as time passes, they must tolerate the flaws. Especially with two great stars attracting and orbiting each other—it's easy to calculate; but with three, the changes are endless and unpredictable. You can pass these words on to Junior Sister Jiu, but skip the part about me once having feelings for her, to avoid influencing her judgment."

"Got it!"

Bai Ze nodded seriously. "I'll deliver every word faithfully. Still, Water God, living in the Chaos Sea would be more lively with more friends around."

"We'll see about that later," Li Changshou said, gazing at the scattered stars in the void and the glowing spots from various worlds.

He wondered how much of his words the Heavenly Way and Ancestor Hongjun would believe.

Seclusion? That would only work if the world truly stabilized and he could return anytime.

Several months later, in the thatched hut on Xiaoqiong Peak:

Li Changshou slowly unrolled the scroll before him, examining the symbols that pointed to various things, and let out a soft breath.

Without a constant mechanism to monitor the Heavenly Way’s feedback, all his schemes left him with a lingering unease.

From hundreds of years ago, he’d been building up the idea of retirement, with all arrangements pointing in that direction. But whether he’d fooled the Heavenly Way was impossible to judge. Still, the lack of greater resistance suggested that the Heavenly Way or the ancestor had tacitly approved his plan.

"Tsk..."

After Senior Lang’s death, the primordial world had become a dead end.

The only chance to break it was through the Fengshen calamity.

Li Changshou waved his hand over the scroll, and flames engulfed it, reducing it to a small pile of ashes in an instant, leaving the ordinary wooden table unscathed.

The Fengshen was now in its countdown.

Li Changshou closed his eyes, as if in a trance, his mind shifting among his paper effigies, observing the "actors" in the grand primordial stage of the Fengshen drama.

Shen Bao had gone to the edge of Xi Niu He Continent, mingling with a group of demons, and was not far from his Golden Immortal tribulation.

Di Xin was still in infancy, already immune to a hundred poisons and as tough as steel, fair and plump, looking nothing like a future tyrant.

At Xuanyuan Tomb, festivities went on nightly, with a few demonesses influenced by the Heavenly Way enjoying their last carefree days.

In the capital of Da Yin, a kitchen maid finally got her chance to shine, earning the recognition of a female general.

Wen Zhong was diligently handling affairs in the court, cultivating the ways of governance and humanity, building his ladder for advancement.

At the Da Shi mansion, that erudite grand historian was chatting and laughing with ministers and visiting lords, skillfully mastering the art of human relations.

Across the southern continent, capable individuals were quietly lurking, while the Heavenly Court turned a blind eye.

The Jie and Chan sects each placed their pieces, but both sides avoided direct conflict, maintaining a fragile peace.

At three years old, Zi Shou; Ji Chang officially succeeded as the Lord of the West, increasing tributes to the Shang state while developing agriculture but reducing the military. Emperor Yi was quite pleased with this.

That year, Zi Shou was startled by a horse and knocked it over with his head.

At six, Zi Shou faced droughts and floods.

Emperor Yi ordered the capital moved, shifting the Shang state’s city from Yin City to Zhaoge City, and used the opportunity to purge some overly powerful nobles, restructuring the power center.

The Shang state’s power rebounded, and to deal with the surplus of slaves domestically, they launched an expedition against a major unconquered nation to the southwest.

Li Jing seized this chance to join the expedition army and, with help from his in-laws, rapidly accumulated military merits.

At nine, Zi Shou; the expedition army returned victorious.

Li Jing was appointed as a high-ranking general in the court, displaying exceptional abilities, but he requested to return to Chentang to guard against demons and protect the borders for the Shang state.

Zi Shou was delighted and rewarded him generously, upgrading Chentang Town to Chentang Pass and appointing Li Jing as its commander, overseeing a thousand li around it.

As commander, he was essentially a regional governor.

That same year, Li Jing took his wife Yin Shi to Chentang Pass and secretly taught her cultivation methods. The couple lived leisurely and freely.

At twelve, Zi Shou; eight hundred lords paid homage in Zhaoge, with the Shang state prosperous, its governance stable.

Wen Zhong was promoted to junior tutor and began educating Zi Shou.

Yet beneath this peace, Li Changshou saw the awakening ambitions and the grotesque faces baring their teeth.

He, the grand historian, began to fade from Zhaoge’s view.

At thirteen, Zi Shou; the palace collapsed, a beam crashing toward him, but the strapping youth caught it with one hand and calmly continued sipping his tea.

Nothing unusual—he was used to it.

Wen Zhong secretly visited the Da Shi mansion to meet Li Changshou, and they talked for several hours before Wen Zhong departed using an escape technique.

Within months, Wen Zhong revealed his full capabilities, breaking a sinister curse array hidden in the Shang palace, and accompanied Zi Shou on a campaign against a rebellious state, earning great merits.

That year, at the newly built Chentang fortress, on the high walls, Li Jing supported his pregnant wife, a warm smile on his lips.

His eldest son was already racing toward rebirth on a fast horse.

Meanwhile, Taiyi Zhenren was still wandering the mortal world, unable to find a suitable couple.

At the same time,

Deep beneath the East Sea, in the Dragon Palace:

The East Sea Dragon King and two elders who had survived from ancient times stood before the empty dragon nest.

After a long silence, the East Sea Dragon King took a dragon egg from his mouth and placed it in the nest, then crushed the jade talisman in his hand.

One old dragon whispered, "Are we truly going through with this?"

"Yes," Ao Guang said gravely. "Now, we can only trust Taibai Star Lord. Even if it fails, it's the fate of our dragon clan to face this calamity."

The two old dragons nodded, and the three gazed at the slowly trembling dragon egg, their expressions complex.

At sixteen, Zi Shou; his marriage alliance with the Jiang family was set;

At eighteen... nineteen... twenty-one...

In the mortal dynasty, power struggles never ceased, but this heir stood firm like a rock.

In the Heavenly Court, on Xiaoqiong Peak, by the lakeside hut:

Li Changshou gently swept his sleeve, and another scroll turned to ashes before him.

He chuckled lightly, his eyes gleaming with a touch of anticipation.

He looked up toward the direction of Zixiao Palace, as if seeing the imposing elder lounging casually in the bamboo grove, gazing back at him.

The chessboard: the world.

The players: not saints.

Li Changshou chuckled again, withdrawing his probing gaze, and shifted his mind to the edge of Xi Niu He Continent, watching the rolling tribulation clouds and the trembling middle-aged Daoist beneath them.

Shen Bao's voice quavered as he looked up at the Golden Immortal tribulation he had drawn, his Dao heart twitching, yet he murmured,

"This... this is the legendary Eight Wastelands and Eight Summons Heart Devil Tribulation, ranked seventeenth among Golden Immortal tribulations!

Eh, it seems I said something like this before.

It's over, it's over—after all my efforts, it's all for nothing!

Alas, why does Heaven treat me this way? I'm done for!"

Li Changshou thought: ...

This wave—if you say it’s not the poisonous blessing of self-interest, even Maitreya wouldn’t believe it!