In the Sea God Temple, two Heaven Immortal guards stood in the corner of the backyard, carrying the spiritual painting of mountains and rivers.
If one could look closely at the painting for a while, they would be able to see that the two figures illustrated were like living creatures. Some of them raised their hands and cupped their hands.
The two figures were naturally Li Changshou’s paper effigy and General Dongmu. After exchanging some pleasantries, the two of them set up several isolation array formations at the periphery of the Sea God Temple. They entered a treasure map that could block immortal senses and divine deductions.
The map had quite a powerful background. It was a replica of the Connate Spirit Treasure Mountain River map.
In the map, the two of them exchanged a few pleasantries before General Dongmu explained the purpose of their visit.
“His Majesty, the Jade Emperor, had benefited greatly from the conversation with the Sea God. A few days ago, the immortals of Lingxiao Treasure Hall had gathered. His Majesty had already stated that he wanted to recruit the Sea God of the South Ocean and soon, there will be an edict that will reach this place. Fellow Daoist, from now on, you and I will be officials of the same hall.”
Li Changshou frowned slightly and asked, “How long does ‘soon’ refer to?
Fellow Daoist, please tell me how long it will be before the edict is issued.”
“If it’s fast, it’ll be a hundred years. If it’s slow, it’ll be two or three hundred years.”
General Dongmu stroked his beard and smiled slightly. There was an awkward look on his skinny face.
“Fellow Daoist, you should know about the current situation in the Heavenly Courts. Due to the fact that the Heavenly Courts’ current positions for the legitimate gods are mostly empty, the operation of the Heavenly Dao is mostly maintained by His Majesty alone. It will take at least a hundred years before the Heavenly Dao responds to an edict that bestows an official position of a god.”
Li Changshou smiled in his heart and said, “There’s no need to be anxious about this. Even if it’s a thousand years, it’d be fine. Moreover, General Dongmu, I have to ask you to go back and report to His Majesty. Even if I obtain the position as a god, I will not be able to go to the Heavenly Courts to hear the edict immediately. I can’t let a paper effigy fly to the Heavenly Courts. That would be a joke. When the time is ripe, I will go to Heaven and worship at the Lingxiao Treasure Hall. I will do my best for His Majesty.”
“Fellow Daoist, you’re not eager or anxious at all. You really have a good character.”
General Dongmu praised. He had obviously expected Li Changshou to say that.
After all, during the last meeting, Li Changshou had mentioned that it was temporarily inconvenient for him to go to the Heavenly Courts.
After the imperial edict was issued, Li Changshou would obtain the position as a god of the Heavenly Courts.
After that, he only needed to order the Divine Envoys to add the Jade Emperor’s portraits in the most popular temples and hang them on his and Ao Yi’s statues. He would then announce that the Sea God Sect had returned to the Heavenly Courts.
By that time, the merit from incense offerings would still be the same. It would not change at all.
The Heavenly Dao would also bestow Heavenly Dao merit on him, the Sea God. It was similar to giving him his salary…
However, the Heavenly Dao karma was not easy to obtain. General Dongmu had six problems to deal with during his visit.
The first five were matters that the Jade Emperor could not decide on. He wanted to hear the Sea God’s opinion. In fact, he wanted to confirm his value as a strategist.
Li Changshou was not in a hurry this time. After careful consideration, he gave his opinions for each problem, one by one.
In order to be safe, he restrained his “perspective” and gave the Jade Emperor his opinions which involved things that the Jade Emperor could see.
That was clearly different from the previous twelve pieces of advice that Li Changshou had concluded from his afterlife…
However, the last thing that General Dongmu asked about, which was a personal problem of his, was a tricky issue that caused Li Changshou to get a headache.
The matter involved the saints.
Li Changshou had a rough idea of the identity, fate, and even the story of General Dongmu.
Li Changshou could not help but sigh after hearing the detailed explanation given by General Dongmu. The old man in front of him… did not have it easy.
The so-called General Dongmu was actually the previous incarnate of Lu Dongbin, who was also known as General Dongwang, the famous Heavenly Courts Immortal of the Three Realms.
The Heavenly Courts had just been established. In order to suppress the Jade Emperor’s authority, the Saint had established a General Dongwang to control the male immortals of the Heavenly Courts.
It was nothing much. Although he had overlapping authorities with the Jade Emperor, General Dongwang was the Jade Emperor’s subordinate.
The problem was that the corresponding position of the General Dongwang was the Empress of the West, who controlled the female immortals of the Heavenly Courts.
The Empress of the West was the same person as the future Queen Mother!
She and the Jade Emperor were children who had been by the Dao Ancestor’s side in the Purple Cloud Temple. They were truly senior brother and junior sister.
According to General Dongmu’s secret observations, the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother were childhood sweethearts. They were the god-like figures of the Heavenly Courts.
However, General Dongmu often saw the Jade Emperor entering the Heavenly Courts’ Jade Pool. Sometimes, the two of them would go to the Jade Pool in West Kunlun together… Now, the General Dongwang and the Empress of the West had become the heads of the male immortals and female immortals of the Heavenly Courts, respectively. They were often among the immortals of the Heavenly Courts…
How could the Jade Emperor not be disgruntled?
Initially, General Dongwang had thought that even the Jade Emperor would not be able to touch him since he had been appointed by the Saint.
However, he… was soon taught to be loyal to the Jade Emperor!
He was well aware of the Jade Emperor’s abilities. Now, he was proud of being able to assist the Lord of the Three Realms!
Although the Jade Emperor did not mention the matter of the General Dongwang and the Empress of The West, the General Dongwang had no choice but to stay alert.
Hence, General Dongwang changed himself to General Dongmu. He was usually cautious and would never use his authority as a male immortal. He would do whatever the Jade Emperor said.
However, the Jade Emperor had yet to rise and did not have any useful subordinates.
If the Jade Emperor was fully-fledged and regardless of whether he wanted to take back his power or spare a thought for his reputation, he, the General Dongmu, would definitely…
He would definitely…
General Dongmu had been worried for many years and he could not discuss the matter with anyone. Lately, the Jade Emperor had been praising the Sea God of the South Ocean. Hence, he had no choice but to go there. “Fellow Daoist, you’re friendly and resourceful. Can you give me a way out?”
Li Changshou pondered deeply for a while. There was a look of dismay on the face of the elderly immortal who was actually the paper effigy.
General Dongmu stood up and bowed. He took out two storage Dharma treasures from his sleeve and said softly, “If you can give me some pointers, I will definitely thank you!” Li Changshou was not someone who would be moved by external objects, but General Dongmu had given too much…
Ahem, I can’t give you more pointers!
Li Changshou knew the best solution to that problem.
However, if he helped General Dongmu, he would be shaming the Saint.
No matter which Saint had set up the position of General Dongwang to irk the Jade Emperor, it was not karma that Li Changshou could afford to get embroiled with.
Li Changshou naturally knew that his life was more important than wealth.
Li Changshou sighed and said, “I can’t help you in any way. It mainly depends on how far you can retreat, Fellow Daoist.”
General Dongmu hurriedly said, “If I can live without worries in the future, the Dao Fruit of Longevity can be saved. I don’t dare to ask for more!”
Li Changshou thought for a while and could only say, “You can’t rush things. You can salvage the situation by taking three steps back.”
“May I ask, what are the three steps?”
“I really don’t dare to say much.” Li Changshou smiled and shook his head, pushing the two storage Dharma treasures back to him.
He did not want to get involved with that karma.
However, General Dongmu was the Jade Emperor’s messenger now. Li Changshou knew that he could not offend him.
He could only give General Dongmu an idea while not bearing the consequences of karma…
Why have you all been rushing to give me precious materials recently?
In the Pill Chamber of Little Qiong Peak, Li Changshou muttered to himself. He had secretly sent the paper effigy outside the sect to the edge of the South Ocean.
Dong Mugong insisted on letting Li Changshou keep the two storage Dharma treasures and expressed his gratitude to him. Clearly, what Li Changshou had given him was just a solution to treat the root of the problem. However, it was as if the door to a new world had opened…
Li Changshou secretly calculated and realized that the treasures he had obtained would be enough to last him for a few years.
After the internal sect competition ended, the peaks of the Immortal Du Sect quickly settled down. The young disciples resumed their daily cultivation.
Ling’e, Jiu Jiu, and Youqin Xuanya, who had just arrived an hour ago, were drinking and playing in the straw hut.
It was a fairies’ gathering. It was not appropriate for Li Changshou to appear, so he decided not to go over. Li Changshou took out a bamboo slip and engraved on it the various things that he had to do before the Three Sects’ Meet from that day onwards.
Firstly, he had to refine the array foundations, fill the array formations, and construct the core of the array formation system of Little Qiong Peak.
Secondly, he would continue to improve the Qi-Calming Turtle Breathing Mantra in order to deal with the situation, in case he could not escape the “calamity”. Li Changshou had already decided not to go to the Three Sects’ Meet. As long as the two Golden Immortals in the sect did not treat him, he would be able to handle it.
However, Li Changshou felt that that matter was definitely not that simple…
After those two matters, he would try to make money from alchemy.
That matter was not written on the bamboo slip. There were two things that he had to do. He had to monitor the movements of the people of the Immortal Downpour Peak and encourage his master to come out of seclusion.
Just like that, his cultivation life after the internal sect competition was restored to its normal state.
Li Changshou spent three years working before he managed to turn the treasures and the gifts from General Dongmu into the “defense systems of Little Qiong Peak.
Li Changshou was worried that the two storage Dharma treasures that General Dongmu had given him would have the effect of “tracking”. Therefore, he directly disabled them.
After checking every treasure and Spirit Stone in detail, he used the Secret Tome of the Magi to seal them one by one before stowing them away in his treasure pouch. The Dharma treasures inside were arranged by Li Changshou to be given to the paper effigy that was in charge of defense. It was impossible for him to place them by his side… Then, Li Changshou made calculations about the journey and trajectory of the paper effigy’s return. He made the paper effigy take a few detours before returning to the vicinity of the Immortal Du Sect. His master went out and brought the paper effigy back to Little Qiong Peak.
His current identity could not be exposed to the Jade Emperor.
He wouldn’t let the image of an “intelligent and cunning immortal” that he had painstakingly built up, be destroyed… After settling that portion of the array foundation, Li Changshou refined some pills. He calculated and reckoned that Little Aunt-Master’s wine was almost running out and hence, he brewed a batch of fine wine for her.
He had completely eliminated Beauty’s Charm. After all, that would result in some karma.
On this day… after being busy for a few years, Li Changshou wanted to relax.
That was what cultivation was like. One had to relax appropriately. If one was constantly tensed up, it would only result in mental and physical exhaustion.
At that moment, he took a stroll around Little Qiong Peak. It was a rare break. Moreover, it was easy for him to feel something from the bottom of his heart and gain enlightenment from time to time.
As he strolled through the forest, he breathed in the fresh air and sighed.
As he strolled around, he arrived at the spiritual beast enclosure that he had painstakingly built.
Li Changshou raised spiritual beasts mainly for their “medicinal value”. Some of the pills required spiritual beast blood. Other than that, there were also mutated beasts like the Three-Eyed Spider that could be used.
At this moment, he looked at the spiritual beast enclosure and felt that most of them were useless.
However, Li Changshou still had some feelings for them. Whenever he had nothing to do, he would tease the “Second Fatty” in the west head and “Ah Hua” in the east. He would be happy and at ease.
Today, Li Changshou walked to Second Fatty’s spiritual enclosure out of habit. The smile on his lips gradually disappeared.
Huh?
Where is Second Fatty?
The spiritual enclosure was intact. It did not seem like they had run out.
He scanned with his immortal senses…
Eh?
Why are more than half of the spiritual beasts missing from the spiritual beast enclosure?
Li Changshou immediately checked his junior sister, master, and Little Aunt-Master, who was sleeping soundly on Ling’e’s bed. He realized that there was nothing wrong with Little Qiong Peak. He usually scattered his immortal senses on Little Qiong Peak when he was refining the array foundations or cultivating. If anything abnormal happened, he would be woken up.
If nothing out of the ordinary happened, those images would turn into memories. They would not be able to enter his mind, and would merely be kept at the bottom of his heart.
Cultivators who cultivated for hundreds of years could be considered to be well-prepared.
At that moment, Li Changshou pinched his fingers to calculate and search his memories. Soon, he saw the daily scenes that he had subconsciously overlooked…
Three years ago, three beautiful girls appeared in the spiritual beast enclosure one afternoon.
Ling’e looked at the young beast that had died because she had forgotten to feed it. She was then extremely helpless. Youqin Xuanya sighed and said, “Junior Sister, my condolences.”
“That’s fine. Previously, I neglected this matter because of the internal sect competition. At most, I will get scolded by Senior Brother.”
Lingle shook her head gently and smiled. “Well, it’s an opportunity for me to show my skills today. Let’s go to the stream at the back and roast it. How about that?”
Jiu Jiu immediately cheered. Although Youqin Xuanya frowned slightly, she did not stop her.
Thus, half a month later…
“Little Ling’e, look at this one. Does it look sick?”
“Hmm… I think it’s sick.”
“Should we roast it or?”
“This kind needs to be stewed and made into soup. They’d taste the best that way.” “Yes!”
Thus, ten days later…
“It’s rare for Little Ya to come here today. Why aren’t there any cute spiritual beasts crashing into a tree?”
A certain Aunt-Master secretly raised her hand and pointed. Two spiritual beasts sprinted and hit a tree. They died on the spot. They were very fresh.
Seven days later…
“This one seems to be suffering a heatstroke!”
Three days later… “Wow, this looks like it has a mental demon! Little Ya, don’t you think so?”
“Yes!” Youqin Xuanya nodded.
“How… can you tell?” Xiao Ling’e called out guiltily.
Again… Again…
Li Changshou stopped his checking and raised his hand to support his forehead.
I can’t, I’m a little dizzy.
If he had come out of seclusion a year later, all the spiritual beasts in the entire spiritual beast enclosure would have been eaten up by the three female Qi Refinement cultivators! “Lan Ling’e!”
The young girl, who was copying the sutras under the willow tree, trembled and raised her hands to cover her eyes.
It’s over, the truth is out…
Ling’e heard a voice that sounded like a gust of cold wind from behind.
“Go. Ask your Senior Sister Youqin to come here. I have something to say to her.”
“Uh… Okay!”
Ling’e’s hands trembled. She lifted her skirt and rode a cloud, hurriedly flying towards the Heaven-Breaking Peak.