In the brief moments after surviving the tribulation, Elder Qi Yuan experienced a complex and lengthy emotional journey.

At first:

‘Heh, to think this poor Daoist dissolved into a Turbid Immortal before the heavenly tribulation…

And in front of everyone, so decisively using the dissolution pill, resolutely dissolving to escape death…

Haha, there’s no way to hold my head high in the sect anymore.’

Then Qi Yuan recalled how his disciple had knelt before him that day, pressing this immortal pill into his hands.

‘Never mind, this was all Changshou’s careful consideration.

As his master, I was focused on proving my resolve through death by tribulation but overlooked my two disciples’ earnest wish to keep me alive.

This immortal pill must have been difficult to obtain. Changshou must have suffered greatly for it. He just broke through to the Return to Void realm in the Northern Continent—how could I waste such devotion?

What’s wrong with being a Turbid Immortal?

The path ahead isn’t closed off. It’s far better than becoming a Ghost Immortal or having my soul scattered. I can still protect my two good disciples in the future—that’s enough.’

So, Elder Qi Yuan gave Li Changshou a Daoist bow.

More figures flew over from various directions to congratulate Qi Yuan.

Elder Qi Yuan was startled at first, but soon responded warmly with clasped hands, chatting casually with old friends he hadn’t seen in years.

‘A Turbid Immortal is still an immortal—tens of thousands of years of joy.

With diligent cultivation to reach True Immortal, taking more disciples, I can still make the Xiao Qiong Peak lineage prosper!’

Elder Qi Yuan’s face gradually lit up with joy.

Just then, surrounded by the crowd receiving congratulations, Qi Yuan suddenly heard his senior disciple’s transmitted voice…

“Master, if anyone asks about the dissolution pill you used, just say it was the Integration Immortal Pill.

The formula for the Integration Immortal Pill is recorded on a sheepskin in the corner of the second-to-last bookshelf in the northwest corner of the Dao Canon Hall’s outer chamber.

If anyone later asks if you have spare Integration Immortal Pills, you can at most promise three pills, preferably only to trustworthy immortals who are close to you and truly need them.

These are very hard to obtain, and they can directly kill immortals—they easily bring trouble.”

Qi Yuan paused, looking toward his two disciples in the crowd, then quickly nodded with a smile, indicating he had understood.

Li Changshou felt the last weight lift from his heart. Feeling refreshed and relaxed, he said to Ling’e with a smile: “Junior Sister, please stay here. If Master needs to serve tea to guests later, remember to be diligent.”

Ling’e hurriedly asked: “Senior Brother, where are you going? Aren’t you going to congratulate Master?”

Li Changshou smiled: “I’m going to rest for a while. Let’s wait until Master is less busy.

According to sect custom, becoming immortal is a major event. Many people will surely come to congratulate Master—there’s no need to rush.”

“Mm!” Ling’e replied softly, “Senior Brother, go rest! You’ve worked so hard lately. I’ll keep an eye on things here for Master!”

So, as many immortals rushed to Xiao Qiong Peak, Li Changshou quietly withdrew to his alchemy chamber.

He didn’t activate the outer formation, only opening the arrays within a hundred zhang of the chamber.

He moved a rocking chair outside, and sat before the chamber watching the distant forests and nearby waters, his eyes half-closed, gently rocking.

After all this busy work, Master had finally passed the tribulation.

With Master’s tribulation experience, his understanding of heavenly tribulation had deepened. Once his foundation was more solid, he could stop suppressing his realm and risk attempting the tribulation.

However, he couldn’t undergo tribulation within the sect—otherwise at least half of the trump cards he’d accumulated over a hundred years would be exposed.

Though speaking of which, Master’s pre-tribulation strength was truly weak—the Integration Immortal Pill had dissolved his body and soul almost instantly…

Eyes closed, Li Changshou softly hummed the immortal music that had played during Master’s transformation, soon entering a half-asleep state of dao comprehension.

Breathing in and out, his spirit merged with heaven and earth.

A nine-petaled lotus flower floated out from his chest, vibrant and lifelike. Its platform and petals contained Li Changshou’s comprehension of his dao—mysterious, natural, ineffable.

This small lotus silently dispersed in the wind, but it acted as a catalyst. More and more lotus flowers emerged from around Li Changshou, surrounding him as his half-closed eyes revealed traces of tranquility.

But he quickly came to his senses, dispersing the surrounding lotuses and sealing away the aura he had nearly exposed.

The alchemy chamber wasn’t truly safe—cultivation should be done in the underground secret chamber.

Who knew when a Heavenly Immortal expert like Elder Forgetting Emotions might casually sweep their immortal sense across Xiao Qiong Peak…

After resting in the chair for a while,

A white cloud flew over from the direction of the lake before the mountain.

Li Changshou immediately opened his eyes to look, saw the short Daoist standing on the cloud, and hurriedly closed the arrays near the alchemy chamber, rising to welcome him.

“Disciple greets Wine Uncle.”

Wine Wu laughed and scolded:

“Your master is hosting a banquet for guests over there, but you’re hiding here taking a nap while your junior sister’s little legs are about to run off!”

“Disciple dislikes crowds—I can only let Junior Sister do more of the work since she’s capable.”

Li Changshou replied with a smile. When Wine Wu approached the chamber, he reactivated dozens of surrounding arrays and clasped his hands: “Uncle, please come inside.”

“No need, I don’t have time now. This poor Daoist must leave soon, but stopped by to tell you two things,” Wine Wu waved his hand and pulled out a jade tablet from his sleeve, tossing it to Li Changshou.

Wine Wu said rather proudly: “Take a look—what is this?

Don’t say your Senior Uncle only drinks your baijiu without giving his ‘drinking and eating friend’ any benefits!”

Li Changshou: …

What drinking and eating friend—we’ve only drunk together seven or eight times these past two years.

And every time this uncle visited was the night before cellaring the Ganges Water baijiu he brewed for Aunt Wine Jiu!

Li Changshou caught the jade tablet with his left hand, letting it float beside him as he sent a strand of spiritual sense to probe its contents.

Oh?

The upper volume of the Effortless Scripture?

Li Changshou was slightly surprised, raising his head to look at Wine Wu on the cloud: “Uncle, is this… appropriate?”

“What’s inappropriate about it?” Wine Wu smiled with narrowed eyes. “It’s an unwritten rule in the sect that each generation’s top twenty disciples in cultivation can study the upper volume of the Effortless Scripture early. Ordinary disciples must wait until becoming immortal.

You should be at the sixth stage of Return to Void now, right? Definitely in the top ten of the sect.

As I recall, you broke through another small stage when drinking with this poor Daoist last time.”

Last time…

Li Changshou felt somewhat helpless. To avoid premature tribulation due to insufficient preparation, he had been suppressing his realm, unwilling to reach Return to Dao Nine.

But a few months ago while drinking and composing poetry with Wine Wu, he suddenly had an insight and accidentally comprehended…

Fortunately, he had left three buffer minor realms, and Wine Wu had been quite drunk at the time.

He listened as Wine Wu continued: “Don’t worry, this poor Daoist hasn’t revealed that your cultivation has reached Return to Void Six.

This upper volume of the Effortless Scripture is a reward for this mission. This poor Daoist worked hard to obtain it early for you from the elders at the Teaching Hall.

Well? Want to cultivate it?

This is our Spiritual Peak Sect’s true mountain-protecting dao inheritance!”

“I do,” Li Changshou nodded with a smile, but returned the jade tablet, “but disciple doesn’t wish to leave the mountain lately, I’m afraid I must disappoint Uncle’s kind intentions.”

Wine Wu’s large eyes beneath his thick eyebrows immediately narrowed, “This poor Daoist hasn’t even said what the matter is—how do you know it requires leaving?”

“It must be the Demon-Quelling Assembly that the East Sea Dragon Palace invited us to,” Li Changshou said seriously. “The news has spread through the sect for so long, disciple could hardly not know.

Many outstanding fellow disciples are competing to make their names at this Demon-Quelling Assembly. Why would Uncle need this lazy person to make up numbers?”

“Since they’re competing for it, why are you unwilling to go?” Wine Wu asked, somewhat puzzled.

Li Changshou pondered for a moment, then said: “During the previous training assembly, when we went to quell demons in the East Sea, we killed quite a few unruly shrimp soldiers and crab generals. This time our Spiritual Peak Sect will surely face difficulties from the East Sea Dragon Palace.

As Uncle knows, disciple truly doesn’t want to get involved in such troublesome matters.”

“You observe quite carefully,” Wine Wu chuckled softly, standing on the cloud in thought.

Wine Wu lowered his cloud further, saying worriedly:

“I didn’t want to trouble you with this, but Changshou, there aren’t many clever disciples in this generation. Yuan Qing, the most experienced in handling affairs, got himself executed for causing trouble.

This trip to the East Sea coast—it’s not just the East Sea Dragon Palace. Several immortal sects that don’t get along with us might send disciples to deliberately cause difficulties…

Several elders are worried our young disciples can’t handle provocation, that they might be easily goaded by others’ words into making a laughingstock of themselves.

Others in the sect don’t know you, Li Changshou, have a belly full of tricks…

Ahem, they don’t know Nephew Changshou keeps a low profile, but this poor Daoist knows you’re steady and thoughtful, scheming in your actions. That’s why I wanted you to come along—to remind the other disciples when necessary.

Moreover, my master will personally lead the team this time, with several sect elders accompanying us. Safety is guaranteed.

How about it? Consider it?

This is the Effortless Scripture—the true method of longevity.”

Indeed, Li Changshou was somewhat tempted by the Effortless Scripture, but…

“Uncle, disciple still wishes to cultivate peacefully in the mountains.”

Wine Wu’s mouth twitched slightly. He sighed, looking up at the sky: “Fine, your Senior Uncle isn’t such a villain—I can’t force you to do this.

Ah, it’s just that the sect’s disciple rankings should be redone, to check for omissions…”

Li Changshou thought briefly, clearly weighing the pros and cons, then slowly nodded and said quietly:

“Disciple will still appear as Return to Void Second Stage and will follow Uncle’s instructions to try reminding the fellow disciples to go along. But whether they listen or not is beyond disciple’s control.”

“Haha, don’t worry, they’ll have to listen,” Wine Wu tossed back the jade tablet. “Take it and study it well—reach Return to Dao realm soon.”

‘Knew you little thief wouldn’t take the bait without benefits. The Teaching Elder approved passing you this scripture a year and a half ago, but good thing this poor Daoist specially held it back for this moment.’

With that, Wine Wu turned his cloud around, a faint smile on his lips as he flew back the way he came.

Li Changshou stared at the jade tablet in his hand, falling into thought.

These past two years, suppressing his realm had become increasingly difficult. Once he entered Return to Dao Nine it would be beyond his control. With the Effortless Scripture, and finding a remote spot in the vast East Sea…

Plus he easily obtained the upper volume of the Effortless Scripture, and it wasn’t like the upper volume of some scam like the Nine Dragon-Subduing Palms…

This round was worth it, at least.

…

The second day after Qi Yuan became immortal, at dawn.

Lan Ling’e sat exhausted before the empty thatched cottage, massaging her shoulders.

Master had gone to feast with a group of uncles and seniors she’d never seen before at another peak last night. It had taken her two hours to clean inside and outside Master’s cottage.

“That bad Senior Brother, not even coming to help!”

Just as she complained, Lan Ling’e suddenly caught sight of a large gourd flying in from the horizon. Her cheeks immediately puffed up.

Aunt Wine Jiu was coming to find Senior Brother again…

These two had something going on!

In these past years, the longest this little aunt had gone without visiting Xiao Qiong Peak was just twelve days!

Hmph, we’re all female cultivators—is being a True Immortal so great?

No, developing to such proportions even as a True Immortal was somewhat ridiculous…

Looking down at her chest, Lan Ling’e was suddenly on the verge of tears.

‘Senior Brother must like big…’

“Excuse me?”

A greeting suddenly came from behind. Lan Ling’e instinctively jumped up, her skirts flying as she pressed her hand against a silver needle, warily looking toward the source of the voice.

Then Lan Ling’e paused slightly.

The newcomer wore an ice-blue one-shoulder dress and carried a broad-bladed great sword in its scabbard on her back. Her simply tied long hair swayed gently, and that gorgeous yet cold face looked quite familiar…

“Does Senior Brother Changshou live here?”