Chapter 73: Immortal Awareness Sweeps, Half Sound Sleeps…

This battle was crucial for his future plan to gain fame.

From the clouds, Ao Yi gazed at the Mount Du Immortal Sect’s gate, a place he once yearned for, but his mindset now was far from what it had been at ten years old. He came here specifically to find Li Changshou. Ao Yi didn’t even know Li Changshou’s exact name or his specific status within the Du Immortal Sect, but he knew he had to reclaim his dignity at the Du Immortal Sect today, settling the score from that day long ago!

Although the ‘Exploding Dragon’ performance at the Monster Purge Assembly back then was Ao Yi’s own act, the ‘achievement’ was credited to Li Changshou. Ao Yi felt that to become famous throughout the Four Seas without blemish, that competition from when he was ten years old had to be reversed! He could also use this opportunity to establish an image of ‘learning from past mistakes and striving harder,’ then fight the strongest young cultivator in the Du Immortal Sect, and subsequently challenge the strongest young cultivators from all immortal sects in East Victory Divine Continent, thus soaring to glory as a dragon.

He wanted to set an example for the Dragon Race, first gaining their recognition. He wanted to establish himself as a role model for the dragon descendants and solidify his influence! After that, he would find a way to gradually, step by step, make the Dragon Race shed their inflated pride; this was the only path to saving the Dragon Race.

Ao Yi slowly took a breath, pondering how to speak later. His five Jie Sect ‘senior brothers’ had already arrived outside the Du Immortal Sect’s grand formation, not entering through the main gate but directly releasing their auras. Jinao Island cultivators, here to cause trouble... ahem, they were here for a Dao discussion!

When several cultivators from Jinao Island suddenly came to visit, the entire Du Immortal Sect was immediately alerted by the sound of bells within the sect. Initially, when the bells rang, all peak masters and elders who were not in seclusion rushed to Potian Peak. But soon, the Vice Sect Master and several elders felt that such a reception was too grand for cultivators who were merely visiting friends.

Jinao Island was a renowned Jie Sect cultivation ground in the Great Desolation, and the Du Immortal Sect, in comparison, was relatively obscure, its scale incomparable. However, the Du Immortal Sect was ultimately a Human Sect lineage; too much fanfare to welcome a few unknown Jie Sect immortals would be a loss of face. If a famous Jie Sect immortal or deity had arrived today, such as Zhao Gongming, the greatly renowned senior disciple of the Jie Sect’s outer sect cultivating in Emei Mountain’s blessed land, the Du Immortal Sect would naturally have all its immortals come out to personally greet him. But only a few Heavenly Immortals had arrived.

Soon, most peak masters and elders were sent back, leaving only a dozen or so Heavenly Immortal realm elders. These elders, along with Vice Sect Master Zhongyu, brought a few more quick-witted True Immortal deacons to host the visiting Jinao Island cultivators. Jiu Wu, in the eyes of these elders, was considered a relatively shrewd ‘junior.’

Following the elders’ orders, Jiu Wu bustled about. When the eight Jinao Island visitors were invited into the main hall of Potian Peak, the ‘Du Immortal Hall,’ he brought several Potian Peak disciples to serve fragrant tea. If guests arrived at the Dragon Palace, the ones serving tea and water would be exclusively beautiful sea maidens. The Du Immortal Sect, however, did the opposite; those serving tea and water were well-mannered male disciples with stable cultivation foundations. This was probably the difference between a faction and an immortal sect.

The guests and hosts took their seats. After exchanging glances, before any words were spoken, a bout of hearty laughter began, accompanied by stroking of beards. Jiu Wu, being well-traveled, knew this was a standard procedure; the longer the laughter, the more it indicated a lack of hostility. The Great Desolation itself didn’t have that many amusing things.

After the laughter subsided, Vice Sect Master Zhongyu of the Du Immortal Sect was the first to speak: “Daoist friends’ visit to our Du Immortal Sect truly brings honor to our humble abode...” Both sides exchanged a few pleasantries, and the Jie Sect cultivators stated their purpose, saying they came to discuss the Dao with the Du Immortal Sect. All the Du Immortal Sect elders present smiled, and someone immediately went discreetly to invite the most highly cultivated elders within the sect to bolster their presence.

Dao discussion and lecturing were quite prevalent in the Great Desolation; it was essentially about sharing one’s understanding of the Dao, comparing, clashing, and exchanging insights. However, even before the Dao discussion began, the Jie Sect entourage put forward a request that, in Jiu Wu’s opinion, was somewhat absurd.

A Heavenly Immortal with a middle-aged appearance spoke slowly: “At the last Monster Purge Assembly, my junior brother Ao Yi was just ten years old. He was sent by the Dragon King of the Dragon Palace to compete with an esteemed disciple of your sect, and he was defeated by your esteemed disciple. This time, my junior brother has passed his tribulation and ascended to immortality, and he wishes to spar again with that esteemed disciple of your sect. Would that be convenient?”

Upon hearing this, several Du Immortal Sect elders exchanged glances, and one elder chuckled, “It’s just a spar between young juniors; it’s not a big deal. However, Prince Ao Yi is a son of the Dragon King, and his cultivation progress is incomparable to our human junior disciples. Now that Prince Ao Yi has become an immortal, there’s no need to insist on sparring with one of our younger disciples, is there?”

Hearing this, Ao Yi immediately stepped forward, bowed to the Du Immortal Sect elders, and said: “To be honest, a knot has formed in my heart ever since that incident. Fearing that this matter might become a demonic impediment to my future cultivation, I brazenly came here, wishing to spar with that esteemed disciple of the Du Immortal Sect once more. During the spar, I will ask several of my senior brothers to seal my cultivation realm.”

“This...”

Several Du Immortal Sect elders immediately showed expressions of difficulty.

“It’s not a big deal to begin with,” Vice Sect Master Zhongyu said with a smile. “Someone, go summon Xuan Ya.” A True Immortal deacon immediately took the order, turned, and quickly left the Du Immortal Hall, heading towards the other side of Potian Peak.

Ao Yi thought back for a moment, then added, “The disciple who sparred with me that day should not have been this disciple named Xuan Ya. I vaguely heard someone call him... Changshou.”

“Changshou?”

“Which peak is that disciple from?”

For a moment, several Heavenly Immortal elders of the Du Immortal Sect who had been in perennial seclusion began to calculate with their fingers, their faces showing confusion. The other elders, who were aware of the matter, simply smiled without speaking.

Seeing this, Jiu Wu’s thoughts raced. ‘So, this Dragon Palace Prince has joined the Jie Sect, and he’s here today to get revenge on Junior Nephew Changshou! Changshou’s true cultivation is currently only at the eighth stage of the Void Return Realm, significantly weaker than Ao Yi, and dragon divine abilities are quite formidable. There’s no one backing Little Qiong Peak, so if I don’t explain a thing or two for Little Changshou, I fear he might be tricked by this little dragon!’

Thinking of this, Jiu Wu immediately stepped forward, bowed, and declared loudly: “Changshou is a disciple of Little Qiong Peak, Senior Brother Qiyuan’s senior disciple. At the last East Sea Monster Purge Assembly, it was I who recommended him to go. But I heard from Junior Sister Jiu that Prince Ao Yi should have won that spar. Junior Nephew Changshou missed a move and stepped out of the designated boundary!”

The Du Immortal Sect elders present, along with the several Jinao Island cultivators, all turned their gazes towards Ao Yi once more. Ao Yi pondered for a few moments, his youthful face clouded with gloom, and sighed: “No, I lost. From every perspective, I lost. I was injured by Daoist Changshou’s talismans and recuperated for over a month, while Daoist Changshou was unharmed. At that time, he must have deliberately given me half a move to spare the Dragon Palace’s dignity. I came here today specifically to seek out Daoist Changshou, to settle this karma, and to thank him in person...”

These words were spoken quite sincerely. An elder of the Du Immortal Sect chuckled, “Jiu Wu, go summon Changshou.” “Understood... yes,” Jiu Wu replied, bowing his head, then quickly turned and rode a cloud towards Little Qiong Peak.

On the cloud, Jiu Wu was already contemplating various countermeasures. The elders within the sect definitely wouldn’t want to see their own disciple lose a match. If Ao Yi sealed his cultivation to the Fourth Stage of the Void Return Realm, which Junior Nephew Changshou was pretending to be, and then they sparred, Changshou’s true cultivation would be exposed to the eyes of Heavenly Immortals from both sides, wouldn’t that bring shame upon the Du Immortal Sect? He had to persuade Junior Nephew Changshou to abandon his disguise and fight this match with all his might!

Jiu Wu made up his mind, pulled out a few immortal treasures from his person, intending to give them to Li Changshou to refine on the way. However, what Jiu Wu didn’t expect was... he found the place empty.

Jiu Wu’s immortal sense swept over the area; only Little Ling’e was meditating and cultivating inside the thatched hut by the lake. The spiritual energy around the alchemy lab flowed, seemingly calm, but the dangers within... he knew. Jiu Wu dared not enter the formation. He floated above the alchemy lab, circulated his immortal power, and shouted with all his might: “Changshou!” “Changshou—!”

Inside the alchemy lab, ‘Li Changshou’ was ‘napping’ on a rocking chair. However, his true body was hidden in an underground secret chamber, eyes closed in concentration in a corner. His mind and attention were focused on the paper effigy twenty thousand li away. As long as someone entered the outer grand formation, the jade token in his hand would vibrate, waking Li Changshou. This was also one of the significant flaws of the paper effigy at that time: once outside the range of his immortal sense, his mind needed to be entirely attached to it.

Jiu Wu called twice but received no response, growing so anxious that he sweated profusely and circled frantically in the air. Ling’e poked her head out from the thatched hut, remembered her senior brother’s previous instructions, and quickly called out: “Uncle Jiu Wu! My senior brother has gone into seclusion to break through!”

Hearing this, Jiu Wu stomped his foot on the cloud in frustration. “Oh dear! Why go into a breakthrough seclusion at a time like this! What am I going to do!” Ling’e, confused, was about to continue speaking, but Jiu Wu had already ridden his cloud away in a hurry.

To go into a breakthrough seclusion meant a cultivator chose to seclude themselves without distractions to break through a bottleneck, not emerging until successful. While it was unfortunate that Li Changshou was in breakthrough seclusion, it was still an explanation he could take back. However, as a Du Immortal Sect deacon, Jiu Wu couldn’t help but think a bit more...

‘Simply saying Changshou is in breakthrough seclusion might make people think he’s avoiding the fight, and why would a Void Return Realm disciple go into breakthrough seclusion for no apparent reason? It would definitely make Changshou disliked by several face-conscious elders within the sect. What should I do? And I’m bound by that oath, so I can’t reveal any of Changshou’s secrets... Wait! Formations!’

The linked formations outside the Little Qiong Peak alchemy lab were designed by Changshou and set up by his junior sister; this could barely be considered a display of Changshou’s formation abilities. Jiu Wu’s eyes lit up, and an idea had already formed in his mind.

Riding his cloud back to the Du Immortal Hall, seeing Jiu Wu return alone, the expressions of the elders within the sect immediately became rather unpleasant. The hall, which had been filled with pleasant conversation, quickly fell silent. “Jiu Wu, what happened?” The thin-faced, crane-haired Zhongyu said calmly, “Why hasn’t that disciple come?”

“Reporting to the Vice Sect Master,” Jiu Wu said, bowing his head, “Unfortunately, Junior Nephew Changshou has gone into breakthrough seclusion to break through his realm. I dared not disturb him, fearing he might take a wrong turn during a critical moment of enlightenment.” Upon hearing this, Zhongyu chuckled softly, stroking his beard, and looking at the Jie Sect Heavenly Immortals, sighed, “Please forgive us, everyone. Our Du Immortal Sect disciple, Changshou, has been diligently cultivating recently and has gone into breakthrough seclusion. Perhaps Prince Ao Yi could choose any other disciple from our sect to spar with, how about that?”

To the side, Youqin Xuanya, who had just arrived, wearing a red dress and carrying a great sword on her back, stepped half a pace forward. She was about to step out and directly challenge Ao Yi, but she was subtly pulled back by her own master. Jiang Jingshan, who had come with Youqin Xuanya, frowned as she glanced at the long sword hanging from Ao Yi’s waist. Jiang Jingshan sensed the fluctuation of a spirit treasure.

Ao Yi stepped forward again, pondering for a few moments, his expression a little hesitant. Coming to the Du Immortal Sect to spar with that person from back then was a plan he had deliberated for a long time. Moreover, the words had already been spoken. He had also told his senior brothers that a shadow of demonic impediment had formed in his heart because of this matter. To simply substitute someone else was absolutely out of the question. His plan could not be disrupted just like that!

“How long will his breakthrough seclusion last?” Ao Yi asked in a low voice, then said, “After my senior brothers conclude their Dao discussion and lecturing, I will wait outside the mountain gate until he breaks through.” The old and middle-aged Daoists present were immediately moved by Ao Yi’s persistence.

Jiu Wu observed discreetly, seeing an elder about to speak, who would surely ask him to find a way to wake Changshou. “Ahem!” The short Daoist quickly spoke first, stepping two paces forward and bowing: “Reporting to the Vice Sect Master, all elders, and all seniors! Although Junior Nephew Changshou is in seclusion, his true skill is not in talisman magic, but rather... in formations!”

Mulling over how to circumvent the oath he had made that day, Jiu Wu slowly introduced the Little Qiong Peak formation array, designed by Li Changshou and implemented by Jiu Jiu, proposing another sparring solution. ‘Alas, Changshou, this uncle can only help you this much.’

A moment later, a cloud flew towards Little Qiong Peak. Two Heavenly Immortal realm elders from the Du Immortal Sect, accompanied by Elder Yuanze from Jinao Island and two young maidens, observed from a distance on the cloud. Hanzhi watched Ao Yi’s back and asked worriedly, “Is Junior Uncle good at breaking formations?” “No worries,” Elder Yuanze waved his hand dismissively. “The formations here don’t look particularly profound. How could they trap Junior Brother Ao Yi?” Hanzhi couldn’t help but palm her forehead, and her gaze, along with that of the maiden beside her, immediately filled with worry.

Below, Jiu Wu led Ao Yi, slowly descending outside the grand formation of Little Qiong Peak’s alchemy lab. Jiu Wu gestured for Ao Yi to enter, then stepped into the formation together with Ao Yi.

It was at this exact moment.

The paper effigy, currently wandering in Linhai Town, immediately turned and went to a nearby ‘inn,’ rented a room equipped with various formations, and then set up several layers of formations himself, leaving the paper effigy sitting there as if cultivating. As the paper effigy held several porcelain bottles and closed its eyes, Li Changshou’s mind was instantly pulled back to his true body.

Who was trespassing on the formation? With a slight sweep of his immortal sense, Li Changshou’s brow instantly furrowed in confusion. This... What was going on?

Due to the delay before his mind returned, Ao Yi’s eyes were already dizzy, and he, along with Jiu Wu, saw the wooden sign... Lost?