Chapter 694: E's This Wave, Must Have Presence

Chapter 695: You Don't Understand

Well, Changgeng is good in every way, but the congratulatory speech he wrote is a bit hasty.

Before taking the stage, Tongtian Jiaozhu sat by the Hua Chi on the side peak, gazing at the jade talisman in front of him and murmuring softly, with some hesitation.

The speech began by aiming to portray a relatable image of the sect leader, using simple language like "a day of gentle breezes and sunny skies," "favorable winds bringing harmony," and "distinguished guests from the three thousand realms of splendor gathering here."

Who was he?

In the Hong Huang world, he was one of the top figures, a dignified saint among the Sanqing.

How could he use such straightforward and commonplace words?

He should start with a discourse on the Great Dao, touch on some divine arts and mystical methods, share a couple of embarrassing stories from when his disciples first joined, and recall how he, as their master, sat on a high mound, telling them colorful tales.

Don't misunderstand—this was an essential course in the Jie Jiao, focusing on the multiple uses of rainbow light in combat.

This approach was the true style befitting a saint.

Tongtian Jiaozhu tucked the jade talisman into his sleeve, clasped his hands behind his back, and watched the lively scene in the great hall.

As for the great calamity, that could be dealt with later.

"Shizu" had sent his grand-disciples to fill the karmic cycles, and as their master, since he couldn't defeat Shizu, he could only endure in silence and see if there was any way to turn things around.

What else could he do?

He had once thought of teaming up with his second senior brother to convince their eldest senior brother to take on their teacher in a fight.

But as soon as that idea crossed his mind, his second senior brother had already taken a stand against him.

In truth, even he, the youngest and most hot-blooded of the three friends, understood that his second senior brother's temperament was steady—he wouldn't act without solid assurance and was easily swayed, yet deep down, even more protective than himself.

The conflict between the Chan Jiao and Jie Jiao had extended to the Sanqing, and their teacher's scheming was truly masterful.

Trying to go against their teacher, he was still too young.

Tongtian Jiaozhu sighed softly, hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the male and female immortals making merry, his eyes distant yet seemingly bright.

What was Changgeng's true attitude toward their teacher?

This was what worried Tongtian Jiaozhu the most right now.

He felt that in recent years, little Changgeng had suddenly toughened up, whereas before, he had been quite compliant, always thinking about self-preservation.

In Tongtian Jiaozhu's view, that was an extremely valuable quality, far superior to his disciples who were always going on about "how could my Dao suffer insult."

Could it be that Changgeng had acquired some means to ensure he wouldn't be erased by their teacher?

Did such a means even exist?

Tongtian Jiaozhu furrowed his brow slightly.

Within the scope of the Heavenly Dao, their teacher was invincible, with only their eldest senior brother able to restrain him a little.

The six saints could barely maintain balance with the Heavenly Dao's power, but as the Heavenly Court grew more prosperous, he already felt increasingly powerless.

Their teacher's plans for the Heavenly Court over these yuan hui were crystal clear to him as a saint.

For the Three Realms, the Heavenly Court represented order, and its rise promoted that order.

But for their teacher, the Heavenly Court was a counterweight, one that could shatter the balance between saints and the Heavenly Dao.

Tongtian Jiaozhu chuckled and shook his head.

He could already feel the obvious pressure from the Heavenly Dao, and undoubtedly... the two saints of the Western Jiao were probably struggling to breathe.

These major saintly sects—the three Daoist teachings plus the Western Jiao—were essentially their supports as saints.

The order of the heavens, inherited from ancient times, was upheld by these saintly sects.

The six saints were the foundation of the Heavenly Dao: on one hand, saints advanced the evolution of the Heavenly Dao, forming a key part of its power through the Hong Meng Zi Qi.

On the other hand, the order of the Heavenly Dao in past ages was achieved through the influence of these saintly sects.

The rise of the Heavenly Court marked the Heavenly Dao's direct intervention in the order of the heavens.

Once the positions of the righteous gods in the Heavenly Court were filled by the great calamity, the Heavenly Dao would reach perfection, and even if the six saints united, they wouldn't be a match for their teacher.

Moreover, the six of them could never unite, nor did they have reason to.

Now, the saints were on the brink of being eliminated by the Heavenly Dao.

He wondered how much Changgeng understood about the Heavenly Dao.

Tongtian Jiaozhu's brow furrowed even deeper.

Earlier, when Sui Ren Shi had attacked the heavens, Li Changgeng was in the human ranks, which was rather unwise.

Their teacher was not to be challenged; why must Changgeng insist on this momentary pride?

In fact, it was already quite good that Changgeng had led a few of his disciples away; he didn't need to do more, as more action meant taking on greater risks.

Well, he should remind him later to stay true to his original intentions, remain steadfast, and be prudent to the end—flee when necessary.

The future of Hong Huang...

This Hong Huang had no future since the Hong Meng Zi Qi was distributed in the Zi Xiao Gong.

Leaving was already the best choice.

The wedding has begun; invite the master!

As Pang Bao's call rang out, it was time for him, as the master, to take the stage.

Tongtian Jiaozhu glanced down at his formal attire—essentially just his dao robe with an added long vest, embroidered with dao patterns that even Da Luo Jin Xian couldn't decipher.

He took a step forward, and light and shadows swirled around him, instantly transporting him before the throne, facing his disciples and guests.

He raised his hand in greeting, and Zhao Gongming led the resplendently dressed Jinling Shengmu forward. The two slowly ascended the platform under everyone's gaze and knelt before Tongtian Jiaozhu.

Zhao Gongming was overcome with emotion and declared loudly:

"Disciple Gongming, pays respects to Master!"

Jinling Shengmu, amused by Zhao Gongming's excitement, revealed an unusually gentle side and said softly:

"Disciple Jinling, thanks Master for years of guidance."

"Good, good! Ha ha ha! Rise, rise."

Tongtian Jiaozhu laughed with his hands behind his back, looking at his two cherished disciples, his eyes sparkling and his young face warmed by a gentle smile.

He sighed with a laugh and said...

Uh, what was he going to say...

"Ahem, today with gentle breezes and sunny skies, favorable winds bringing harmony, distinguished guests from the three thousand realms of splendor have gathered in my humble Bi You Gong to witness the wedding of my beloved disciples, which is truly a fortunate event for Jie Jiao."

In the audience, Li Changgeng smiled faintly.

The script I wrote must have impressed Shishu.

"Xing Jun, why don't you come over here?"

"Brother-in-law! Want to join us over here?"

"Changgeng Shidi, come over for a couple of drinks!"

After Tongtian Jiaozhu finished his fatherly speech, Zhao Gongming and Jinling Shengmu paid respects to their master and the heavens, then, escorted by Bi Xiao and Qiong Xiao as the wine-bearing fairies, they drank the union wine together, held two lotus flowers in bloom, and the wedding proceeded without much involvement from the bride and groom.

Tongtian Jiaozhu, of course, wouldn't mingle with the juniors; after presiding over the wedding, he quietly withdrew.

Zhao Gongming was pulled away by the Jie Jiao immortals for a round of toasts, and Jinling Shengmu was dragged off by the female immortals, taking over half the space in Bi You Gong's great hall.

As Li Changgeng looked for a seat, this situation arose.

Anyone who dared to call out directly was no ordinary Jin Xian—they were prominent figures from various factions.

Li Changgeng smiled and politely declined the invitations from the Xian Meng vice leaders, shook his head at Bi Xiao to refuse, ignored Lv Yue's call, and calmly walked to the Heavenly Court reserved seats, sitting next to that muffled heavenly general.

As soon as he arrived, Yue Lao and the heavenly soldiers and generals stood up quickly, bowing and greeting Li Changgeng.

Once they were seated, Li Changgeng winked at the heavenly general and transmitted:

"Your Majesty, my apologies. Your incarnation technique has become so advanced that only Tongtian Shishu might have recognized your true origin here."

"Hmph!"

The heavenly general turned to look at Yue Lao, making beads of sweat like little mushrooms form on Yue Lao's forehead.

What was going on?

Li Changgeng just smiled without saying more and began inviting his Heavenly Court colleagues to eat and drink.

The heavenly general—Jade Emperor's latest incarnation—soon adjusted his mindset, coughed, and took the initiative to toast Li Changgeng, saying quietly:

"This humble general is Dong De Qi! It's an honor to share a table with Xing Jun."

Li Changgeng: ...

Was His Majesty Jade Emperor hoping his restless minister would get the hint?

"General Dong, you're too kind. Thank you for escorting Yue Lao here."

Yue Lao frowned at Dong De Qi. How rude—this general didn't even know to yield his seat to Xing Jun.

Was a spot next to Xing Jun something just anyone could take?

Truly outrageous; if there weren't so many great immortals and gods here, he would have scolded him.

Yue Lao raised his wine cup carefully and toasted Li Changgeng with a smile:

"Xing Jun, please help yourself. This humble god will drink up."

"Cheers, cheers," Li Changgeng said with a smile, clinking cups with Yue Lao.

The two then discussed the various issues currently facing the Hall of Unions, though it was more of a light conversation, just for show.

When the Jie Jiao immortals began presenting gifts to Zhao Gongming and Jinling Shengmu, Yue Lao represented the Heavenly Court and, led by two female immortals, offered some colorful robes and veils.

The Dragon Clan didn't disappoint; though only two elders attended, their shimmering treasure chests piled up in the corners of Bi You Gong.

This made many male and female Qian Xian and Kun Xian exchange glances, entertaining bold thoughts of a sham marriage.

The gift from Li Changgeng was simply placed in a treasure pouch and tucked into Zhao Gongming's embrace, without any fanfare.

Ling E presented a few dresses she had sewn herself to Jinling Shengmu, making her smile so widely she couldn't stop, praising Ling E's clever hands.

Ling E giggled, then pulled out some infant clothes from her basket, turning Jinling Shengmu's face flushed red as the female immortals burst into laughter.

Seizing the moment while standing to give gifts, Huang Long Dao Ren brought his junior disciples Jiang Shang and Shen Bao over to Li Changgeng's side.

Huang Long whispered:

"Shidi, let's share a table."

"Please, Shixiong," Li Changgeng replied, rising and gesturing, his gaze briefly passing over Jiang Shang and Shen Bao without lingering.

Huang Long Dao Ren gave a bitter laugh and sat next to Li Changgeng, letting out a long sigh of relief.

Before arriving, he had felt immense pressure, but only upon getting here did he truly experience what it meant to sit on pins and needles.

Pins and needles sprinkled with salt, no less.

Before Li Changgeng arrived, Jie Jiao immortals would occasionally pass by Huang Long, huffing or glaring.

Some even deliberately discussed the conflicts between Chan Jiao and Jie Jiao, claiming Chan Jiao had acted ruthlessly and taken advantage in the previous battles through deceit.

Huang Long Dao Ren just kept his head down, and his two junior disciples didn't dare breathe a word.

Finally, with Li Changgeng's arrival, he managed to slip to Li Changgeng's side. Huang Long Dao Ren had a thousand grievances and a hundred frustrations he wanted to pour out to Li Changgeng.

But he only heard Huang Long Dao Ren say:

"Ah..."

"Ah! This wedding feast is truly uncomfortable."

Shen Bao sighed on his own, smiling bitterly at the wine cup in front of him. "I came thinking I could make an effort for the three teachings, but now I see it's all an illusion, impossible to reverse.

Xing Jun, with your talent for governing heaven and earth, is there any way to do something for the three teachings?"

"Well..."

Li Changgeng hesitated, sitting there in thought for a moment.

It was within his expectations that Shen Bao would ask this; this black leopard was unclear about his own position, and due to his complicated background, he couldn't even decide whether he leaned toward Chan Jiao or Jie Jiao.

Dong De Qi chuckled:

"The matter you're asking about is the greatest dilemma in the heavens today. My Xing Jun is troubled by it day and night and is already quite worn out.

In this setting, it's best not to bring it up, lest it dampen everyone's spirits."

Shen Bao frowned at Dong De Qi and said firmly:

"Dao You... you don't understand."

The certain Tian Di glared with wide eyes.

Yue Lao added:

"General Dong, you've only been in the Heavenly Court for a few decades and don't know the full story. We in the Heavenly Court should remain neutral and not interfere in the great calamity.

Come, let's drink. Today, we only talk of carefree matters, not worries."

"Huh?"

Jiang Shang raised his wine cup, sizing up Yue Lao in his wedding robe, noticing the embroidered full moon and laurel tree on it, and thinking of some legends, he asked quietly:

"Are you perhaps the god who manages marriages, the Old Man Under the Moon?"

"Oh, my apologies," Yue Lao said with a squinted smile. "And you are?"

"Jiang Shang, styled Ziya."

"Oh-ho!"

Yue Lao perked up, glancing at the smiling Li Changgeng nearby, wanting to say a few polite words but afraid of slipping up.

The name Jiang Shang was all too familiar to him!

Back then, Xing Jun had come to him, asking to arrange some marital fate for Qi Yuan Dao Zhang's reincarnation.

The old immortal hadn't enjoyed life in his previous existence, so this one should make up for it—a way for Xing Jun as his disciple to show care.

But Xing Jun had also said that the reincarnation had no connection to him anymore, as per Niang Niang Nu Wa's decree from back then, so Yue Lao was on alert and knew not to mention such things.

Yes, and he had to cover for Xing Jun.

Yue Lao sighed:

"You're Jiang Shang? Ha ha ha, you're truly the biggest matchmaker I've ever seen!"

Jiang Shang straightened up a bit, feeling quite curious.

"I should thank Yue Lao for your care."

"Ah, no need for that. It's all just official business," Yue Lao laughed. "In the Hall of Unions, we never force matches; we only trim the threads of fate. It's your own deep blessings."

Jiang Shang stood with his wine cup:

"I'll toast you a cup."

"You're too kind," Yue Lao said, raising his cup in return.

Huang Long snorted a laugh but didn't expose the twists and turns, only saying:

"Changgeng Shidi, I'll toast you too... Thank you for the Dragon Clan matter."

Li Changgeng shook his head with a smile and didn't elaborate, tossing out a casual topic instead: discussing which ancient innate great powers had formed dao companion pairs and what the rituals were like back then.

Huang Long chatted away smoothly, showing off the Chan Jiao immortals' style and successfully livening up the table's atmosphere.

Soon, Zhao Gongming and Jinling Shengmu began toasting, starting with Li Changgeng's table.

The immortals there raised their cups in welcome, and Zhao Gongming was already flushed, his eyebrows dancing with joy, making for a festive sight.

"Changgeng, we're... all in the wine!"

Li Changgeng nodded with a smile, then took a treasure pouch from his sleeve and handed it to Zhao Gongming.

Zhao Gongming asked puzzled:

"Why two gifts? Is there some meaning behind it?"

"The first one was from Ren Jiao to Big Brother and Big Sister-in-law," Li Changgeng laughed. "This one's from me personally to Big Brother and Big Sister-in-law."

"Then I must take a good look," Zhao Gongming said curiously, peering into the pouch, with Jinling Shengmu also probing it with her immortal sense.

Soon, Jinling Shengmu's face turned red as she saw the familiar three hundred and sixty scrolls of paintings.

Zhao Gongming's eyes lit up at the bottles and jars in the corner.

Li Changgeng said pointedly:

"Here, I wish Big Brother and Big Sister-in-law a speedy arrival of a precious child!"

"Ha ha, ha ha ha!"

Zhao Gongming burst into hearty laughter and carefully stowed the pouch.

Jinling Shengmu bowed slightly:

"Thank you, brother-in-law."

Just then,

Lv Yue hurried in from outside the hall, whispered a few words to Duobao Dao Ren, who raised an eyebrow and quickly approached Li Changgeng.

Li Changgeng swept his immortal sense and showed a hint of confusion.