Chapter 663: The Spirit Pearl Will Reincarnate

When Li Changshou first infiltrated Chaoge City, he carefully considered his options for the Six Qing positions. After several comparisons, he ultimately chose the Da Shi position.

Of course, the main reason for selecting Da Shi wasn't because it was the most leisurely job.

He swore on Bian Zhuang's innocence that if he were insincere, Bian Zhuang would remain in a state of pure yang for his entire life.

As an ordinary minister in the Heavenly Court, the top advisor to Yudi, a renowned old immortal in the Honghuang world, and the designated junior disciple of the Renjiao great mage, Li Changshou couldn't afford to be tied down by mortal royal affairs.

Historians were a unique presence in mortal dynasties. Most of the time, whatever the emperor ordered them to write, they had to write. In the Shang state, there was a rule that "the king does not punish historians," though at worst, he might arrange an assassination or sudden death in secret.

The Da Shi position didn't require much hands-on work; it came with a team of scribes responsible for recording major events in Shang, such as sacrifices, military campaigns, and celebrations.

While in Chaoge City, Li Changshou mainly focused on studying human history. He occasionally appeared to share human folktales and recount the curious stories of Xuanyuan Huangdi and his three thousand concubines, which earned him a great deal of prestige.

The Xuanyuan harem was an inexhaustible source of spiritual wealth for the Honghuang human race.

Those who understand, understand.

After Emperor Yi passed away and Di Xin ascended the throne, many events unfolded on that rainy night—chaos, warfare, and bodies piled up at the palace gates. Yet, in Li Changshou's records, it was simply summed up in one line:

Emperor Yi passed away, and his eldest legitimate son, Zi Shou, succeeded him as Emperor Xin.

After writing that line in the Da Shi office, Li Changshou placed his pre-prepared resignation letter on the desk and summoned his deputies, speaking to them warmly.

"Sir, why are you suddenly resigning?"

Li Changshou smiled and said:

"My age is catching up with me, and my strength is waning. My eyesight is failing."

With that, he stood up, and his deputies rushed forward to support him, but he waved them off.

In Shang, resigning from office didn't require going to the king's palace, even for the Six Qing or the Three Dukes—just leaving a letter was sufficient.

A common reason for resignation was advanced age, but if someone claimed to yearn for the outside world in pursuit of freedom, they would be seen as truly noble scholars in the eyes of Shang's literati.

Li Changshou didn't seek fame, so he used the simplest excuse.

He walked out of the Da Shi office and settled into the ox cart he had arranged earlier, comfortably half-reclining on the cushions. He gazed at the drifting white clouds as the cart headed toward the city gates.

There were no crowds of people seeing him off, nor any spectators.

Just as when he arrived, his departure was quiet and unassuming.

He took away neither a single cloud nor the dreams of any young maidens.

Staying in Chaoge City longer held little meaning for him. With Di Xin on the throne, the wheels of the great calamity were already spinning rapidly.

Although he had changed many things, the overarching script of the Heavenly Dao remained fundamentally unaltered.

What had he accomplished during his years in Chaoge City?

He had done quite a bit, but in the grand scheme of the world's destiny, it was all relatively insignificant.

Still, it felt a bit... disappointing that no one came to see him off.

"Da Shi! Master Da Shi!"

A somewhat familiar voice called out from behind, and Li Changshou's mouth twitched slightly.

Well, this farewell might have been better left unsaid.

The ox cart stopped unsteadily outside the city gates, and Wen Zhong arrived with a group of guards on horseback, shouting loudly from behind.

Li Changshou jumped down from the ox cart and stood with his hands tucked in his sleeves, waiting.

Wen Zhong rushed over, dismounted, and bowed deeply, asking urgently:

"Da Shi, with the new king just enthroned, do you have any dissatisfaction?"

"This, well, no dissatisfaction," Li Changshou replied with a smile. "I can't keep playing around in the mortal world forever. The conflicts in Chaoge City have temporarily subsided, so it's time for me to return."

Wen Zhong frowned and pondered, wanting to persuade him to stay, but feeling that their statuses were too disparate, he simply said:

"I haven't had the chance to receive more of your guidance, and now you're leaving like this—it's truly a regret for me, Wen Zhong."

"Hahaha," Li Changshou waved his hand. "Tai Shi—oh, wait, Tai Shi, you're too kind.

Come, let's sit over there. I'll share a drink with you and chat a bit."

With that, Li Changshou turned and walked toward a nearby grove of trees.

Wen Zhong hurried after him, stepping ahead to say:

"I'll make the arrangements, as your disciple."

Once they were in a spot hidden from mortal eyes, Wen Zhong set up a barrier, conjured a table and chairs, drove away the insects in the grove, and placed two jugs of fine wine on the table.

By the time Li Changshou sat down, Wen Zhong had already filled the wine cups.

Li Changshou said with a smile:

"No need to be so formal; please, sit with me."

"Yes," Wen Zhong replied, maintaining the demeanor of a disciple, and sat upright across from Li Changshou. His once white-haired, aged appearance now looked middle-aged.

Wen Zhong sighed softly and whispered:

"I'm afraid I've made a fool of myself in your eyes, Shishu. All these mortal affairs must seem like child's play to you..."

"You're underestimating the human race," Li Changshou said, turning to glance toward Chaoge City.

"Mortals don't cultivate, so they have heavier selfish desires and more private thoughts. The complexity of the human heart surpasses that of Zhongshen Continent by dozens of times, especially in the mortal courts.

Even with much corruption, it's still a good place to temper one's Dao heart.

By the way, Wen Zhong, how has Di Xin handled his two elder brothers?"

"He hasn't punished them," Wen Zhong said with a smile. "Zi Shou is quite fair in this regard. His brothers went to great lengths against him, yet he's only assigned them idle positions and confined them to their residences."

Li Changshou remarked in surprise:

"Does Di Xin seek a reputation for benevolence?"

Wen Zhong pondered for a moment and said:

"On the court, all those who colluded with the two princes will be executed tomorrow, with their clans wiped out."

Li Changshou paused and said:

"Well, it's probably just some emperor's tactics."

"Shishu, what do you think of Zi Shou?" Wen Zhong asked quietly.

Li Changshou laughed and said:

"I'm not going to speak lightly about him to you now. You'd probably just take it back to Jie Jiao and say I was commenting on Di Xin this way or that.

My dear Shizhi, for you, which is more important: being the Tai Shi of Shang or a disciple of Jie Jiao?"

"Of course, being a disciple of Jie Jiao is most important," Wen Zhong said seriously. "Without my master's guidance, I wouldn't be where I am today."

"And then?"

"It's just that, with the great calamity upon us, Jie Jiao is also seeking ways to break through it," Wen Zhong explained. "If the calamity involves a change in the southern continent's rule, doesn't that point to Shang?

Earlier, Jie Jiao won a round, and the Chan Jiao disciples backed off."

Li Changshou said:

"Do you really think Jie Jiao won those two times?"

Wen Zhong was taken aback and asked:

"Shishu, are you saying we actually lost?"

"I won't discuss this further with you," Li Changshou shook his head. "I can't show favoritism; I have to treat Chan Jiao and Jie Jiao equally."

In truth, Di Xin's smooth ascension brought no real benefits to Jie Jiao.

But as Wen Zhong grew closer to Di Xin and Jie Jiao's ties to Shang strengthened, Chan Jiao would likely be pleased.

It was simply because, from the perspective of the great sects, the chances of Shang's dynasty changing hands remained the highest.

In other words, Zi Shou might have won the small battle in the palace, but he might not win the greater war of the heavens.

The control of that greater war was held in the hands of forces far beyond what Di Xin could imagine.

"How has Huo Ling been lately?" Li Changshou asked.

"She went to the border as a general," Wen Zhong said with a bitter smile. "I wanted to help my Shijie, but she insisted on making her own way and told me not to interfere."

"Hahaha!" Li Changshou clapped his hands and laughed. "Huo Ling Shizhi is quite stubborn at heart."

"Ah..." Wen Zhong sighed lowly. "Many fellow disciples have asked me to arrange positions for them in the mortal world so they can enjoy some prestige.

With the great calamity at hand, it's fine if I, Wen Zhong, get caught up in it, but if I drag my fellow disciples into this, it makes me uneasy."

"Is that so?" Li Changshou narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Shizhi, you're not trying to gauge my thoughts here, are you? To see if you can get more Jie Jiao disciples into Shang?"

"Well..." Wen Zhong looked embarrassed, stood up, and bowed. "Shishu, your insight is truly sharp. I couldn't hide my little scheme from you."

Li Changshou's smile gradually faded, and he said calmly:

"Wen Zhong, just for that statement, even if I killed you on behalf of Tongtian Shishu, it wouldn't be unjust."

Wen Zhong furrowed his brows and asked:

"If you think I've done wrong, Shishu, I'm willing to accept the punishment. But I don't know where I went wrong."

Li Changshou replied:

"The Heavenly Court promotes the separation of immortals and mortals, yet you're allowing outsiders to take official positions in Nanzhou—this is against the heavens."

Wen Zhong argued:

"But Shishu, with the calamity imminent, this is just a temporary measure. If cultivators take official roles in Nanzhou without seeking pleasure, exploiting resources, or oppressing mortals, what's the harm?"

"How can you be sure others are like you? What if some immortal toys with mortals and ruins their lives?"

Li Changshou paused briefly before continuing firmly:

"Rules are mere words until they're enforced—that's what makes them real rules!"

"Then why didn't the Heavenly Court step in earlier when you and the Chan Jiao disciples entered the mortal world to uphold this rule?"

"The calamity is in motion, and there must be pieces on the board—you're already part of the game," Li Changshou said indifferently. "Do you really think the Heavenly Court is unaware of this?

What do you suppose I'm doing here?

I'm just watching all of you!"

Wen Zhong fell silent, standing there with a furrowed brow.

Li Changshou drained his cup and sighed:

"Our paths have diverged, so there's no point in further discussion. Wen Zhong, take care of yourself."

"Shishu... ah." Wen Zhong sighed lowly, about to say more, but Li Changshou had already risen and drifted toward his ox cart, stepping out to the edge of the grove in one stride.

The faint Dao rhythm that flowed during his movement left Wen Zhong startled, momentarily forgetting to follow.

Then, a voice transmission reached his ear—it was Li Changshou's four lines of advice:

"The immortal path is ever peaceful; why speak of mortal chaos? Don't wait until it's beyond repair, then turn back to question your original intent."

Clear enough, wasn't it? No room for misunderstanding.

This Wen Zhong had truly lost himself in endless calls of "Shao Shi." As a third-generation disciple of Jie Jiao, he was overstepping by dictating the fate of the entire sect.

And now, coming to him for favors!

If Jie Jiao's way of facing the calamity was to huddle together like a turtle in its shell, then Wen Zhong had already become a handle for the calamity to grasp.

Li Changshou really wanted to wake him up with a scolding, but doing so would not only offend the Heavenly Dao but also be unfair.

He flipped onto the ox cart, rested his head on his arm as if dozing, while the ox driver sat nearby, softly urging the beast on. The green ox plodded forward slowly toward the distance.

After Li Changshou left, Wen Zhong emerged from the grove, his eyes slightly dazed and his expression downcast.

He began to reflect on whether he had been wrong, and if he had placed Di Xin and Shang on a pedestal that outweighed his other priorities.

Gazing at the ox cart carrying Li Changshou, Wen Zhong stood lost in thought until the cart rounded a hill and vanished into the fields, then he turned back toward Chaoge City.

"Shao Shi, today I learned three new literary pieces!"

"Shao Shi, don't worry—Shou has been plagued by strange events since birth and has survived many disasters through sheer willpower; he's come to terms with it."

"Shao Shi, can Shang's territory expand further? Beyond the northern snow-capped mountains on the map, is there more world?"

"Shao Shi, are Shang's problems truly only internal?"

"Shao Shi..."

"Tai Shi, are you returning to your residence or heading to the palace?"

A sudden call interrupted Wen Zhong's thoughts.

He snapped back to reality and realized he was already back in the city, near his own mansion.

"Return to the residence... no, go to the palace."

Wen Zhong murmured, only now realizing that as the Tai Shi of Shang with great power, he could no longer refer to Zi Shou as Zi Shou—he had to address him as the king.

My king, this world is vast, and there are many capable people. We are but drops in the ocean.

Perhaps only someone like Shishu Changgeng, a true master, can achieve true freedom and follow his heart.

But in Nanzhou, in this land protected by heavenly rules and soon to be a battlefield for the two sects...

As long as I, Wen Zhong, stand firm, Shang's rivers and mountains will not fall.

With that, Wen Zhong lightly kicked his horse's belly and galloped toward the grand palace gates.

Several days later, about seven or eight hundred li north of Chaoge City, an ox cart slowly stopped in front of a magnificent temple. The former Da Shi of Shang calmly made his way there.

Glancing up at the temple's plaque, Li Changshou nodded with a smile.

Shengmu Temple.

Well, he'd put in some effort to charm his way in and aim for an honorary abbot position.

This was exactly:

Leaving Chaoge, arriving at the temple courtyard, quietly awaiting the Shang ruler's procession.

When Di Xin arrives, the great calamity begins, though it will take just over a decade.

Thus, nine years later.

In Chentang Pass, at the commander-in-chief's residence in the backyard.

A senior household servant sat in the shade of a rockery on a rattan chair, with a maid holding a large oiled umbrella beside him and two other servants fanning him. He watched the drama unfolding in the pavilion.

How refreshing.

How leisurely.

Then came Li Jing's anxious voice:

"Madam, Madam, please hear me out!

Jin Zha is doing well in his cultivation—we saw it with the shadow orb, didn't we? He's received plenty of care from Chan Jiao and is now a fine young man, full of vigor. He even sends us a letter every year, right?"

"I'm talking about Mu Zha! He's only nine years old!"

"Yes, yes, but isn't it because Jin Zha has excelled and brought honor to our Li family that the Chan Jiao masters came again, wanting to take Mu Zha as a disciple?"

Li Jing sighed:

"I don't want to part with our son either, but these masters are immortals, and this is a rare immortal fate.

That Cihang Daoist—you've met him, Madam—he looks so kind and gentle; he certainly won't beat or scold Mu Zha."

"You! Ah!"

Yin Shi sighed lightly and sat on the bed, weeping softly.

Li Jing embraced his wife, offered a few apologies, and joked:

"Madam, now that we're missing three of the five elements, we should keep trying.

The next one, Shui Zha, will depend on you!"

"Are you saying our children are just for completing the five elements?"

"Of course not, of course not," Li Jing laughed. "Madam, you've started cultivating immortal arts, and our lives are long. Having more children will make things lively, won't it?

Imagine when Jin Zha and Mu Zha return after their studies—our family together, safe and sound—that would be a wonderful human bliss."

"Ah," Yin Madam sighed. "For the next child, can we keep him with us?"

"Of course," Li Jing agreed quickly. "I swear to you, Madam, I'll personally raise the third son and won't let him go out for cultivation."

"That's more like it."

"Madam, shall we give it a try now? Maybe we'll have a daughter..."

"Tch! It's still daytime, and you're the commander-in-chief—have some shame!"

Li Jing chuckled lightly and held Yin Shi as they stood by the window, gazing at the western clouds.

Indeed, Mu Zha had just been taken by Cihang.

There was a small hiccup when Mu Zha was taken as a disciple—Puxian Zhenren, who had been "pre-arranged," also wanted to take him, but after some debate between the two masters, Cihang Daoist secured the win.

Before Mu Zha left, Li Jing gave him the same "manly" education as before.

Li Jing's three tried-and-true methods for raising children: military drills, demon slaying, and heartfelt talks.

They worked quite well.

Li Jing was now prepared to welcome Nezha's arrival, though Taiyi Shixiong's timing was still unknown.

However, Li Changshou had checked his portable copy of the Earth Book and found that Nezha's reincarnation was not far off.

Although Li Changshou couldn't directly bypass the calamity's fate like Yudi and make unchecked calculations of the Heavenly Dao, with these "small tools," he could still get useful information.

After thinking it over, he felt it wasn't entirely secure, so Li Changshou pondered a plan and sent a paper effigy to Qianyuan Mountain.

To play it safe and consider every angle.

Lingzhuzi, or little Nezha, might not be as central to the "X's Disappearance" plan as Yang Jian, but he was still a young one that Li Changshou had watched grow up—a loyal direct lineage of Taibai Palace. He couldn't let him suffer any grievances.