‘Friend, you’re preaching to your patriarch.’

At that moment, though Li Changshou wanted to reply thus, he just smiled slightly and said: “I revere the Way of Humanity School.”

After speaking, he cupped his hands and walked into the street holding his fly whisk.

The preaching old Daoist didn’t persist, just made a Daoist salute, said excuse me, and returned to his seat on the street corner.

In this matter, Li Changshou naturally knew the cause;

Earlier Ao Yi had consulted with him through the statue, and he had agreed.

The East Sea Dragon Palace behind Ao Yi, seeing the Sea God Religion’s merit flourishing so abundantly with rapid development momentum, wanted to do some promotion along South Jambudvipa’s East Sea coast as well.

Li Changshou agreed to this matter, but still restated the old rules that the Sea God Religion must not leave the sea’s edge.

Sensing inwardly, he found the Dragon Palace’s actions truly swift – the East Sea side had already built over a hundred statues.

What slightly reassured Li Changshou was that now whether new or old statues, his features were all very blurry, barely showing facial features’ outlines, without that ‘divine essence.’

However, the Azure Dragon Great Protector statue standing beside his, slightly smaller in size, was different.

Especially on the East Sea side, the dual statues newly erected in those villages—

Li Changshou’s statues were all made of premium stone, carefully carved by East Sea Dragon Palace craftsmen, and meticulous in all details except the face.

Beside them, Ao Yi’s statues were made of premium jade, painstakingly polished by hundreds of craftsmen, faces clear, features proper, horn details extremely delicate, with precious clothes covering the jade statues…

Li Changshou truly wanted to advise them on this matter:

You… aren’t you afraid they’ll be stolen?

But considering the Dragon Clan’s joy at this rain after a long drought, and the primordial dragon family’s profound foundation, Li Changshou didn’t say more.

After all, his seven-tenths of the incense merit was secure, and Ao Yi’s two-tenths wouldn’t increase because of this.

The remaining one-tenth was divided among the various protectors and divine envoys, with a little bestowed by Li Changshou on followers who accumulated good deeds.

Over a hundred on the East Sea side, plus the South Sea coast, that… hmm? Why is there a delay in sensing and calculating…

Plus those three thousand six hundred ninety-two completed statues, and four hundred sixty-three under construction…

Ahem!

Li Changshou’s true body was cultivated in the cottage and this paper puppet here nearly cursed simultaneously in different places.

How did it suddenly become so many?!

Three and a half months ago when he checked, it was barely two thousand! How did it double now?

Did he lack this bit of incense merit?

Lack – well, one couldn’t have too much of this stuff, forming a merit golden body earlier was good.

But developing like this, could the Four Seas Dragon Palaces withstand pressure from all sides?

At this rate of development…

Could it be that in ten or twenty thousand years, after the Sea God Religion completed its route of seas surrounding land, the Great Tribulation of Canonization would come early, with the Three Schools’ Patriarch Lords suddenly appearing before him, Patriarch Tongtian holding the Zhu Xian Formation Diagram, Yuanshi Tianzun holding the Pangu Banner, and his Way of Humanity School Patriarch Lord Laozi coldly saying:

‘Friend, let’s discuss the Canonization Banner matter?’

Li Changshou’s entire being was instantly swallowed by shadows.

He had just felt the hidden dangers along the South Sea coast were temporarily resolved, not expecting new hidden dangers to appear.

—The development was too fast!

Indeed, once entangled with karma, it was very difficult to sever.

But Li Changshou quickly rallied.

The current Sea God Religion was incense merit he had semi-actively schemed for;

The Sea God Religion’s future path – Li Changshou had actually already thought it through when he started misleading the dragon.

Now as long as the Sea God Religion could stay stable, and the little dragons didn’t get hot-headed and let the West Sea Dragon Palace outflank the Western Paradise, there shouldn’t be major problems.

They shouldn’t try to outflank, right…

The Dragon Clan shouldn’t be so short-sighted.

What was the Sea God Religion’s way out?

Simple – submit to the Heavenly Court, return to the Way of Humanity School, and transfer to the Three Thousand Worlds.

As long as the Dragon Clan helped him bear this burden steadily now, Li Changshou would send them another opportunity in the future.

Recently, Li Changshou had actually thought of an [EMERGENCY] escape method – through renaming the religion, Li Changshou himself would withdraw, letting the Dragon Clan establish a grand vow to protect humans and take over the Sea God Religion.

The inspiration for this method came from the future event of ‘Laozi Transforming Barbarians into Buddhists.’

But, the hundred races competed in Heaven for reproduction;

In the primordial world, humans and dragons were also in competition – if he gave the South Sea Religion to the Dragon Clan, it would indirectly put pressure on humanity.

So, as long as the South Sea Religion remained stable and didn’t cause him trouble, Li Changshou would not do this if he could avoid it.

Now the Dragon Clan’s share of incense merit gathered on Ao Yi would at most cultivate a Dragon Clan master…

Sigh…

The two hundred and fourth day of officially becoming a religion’s patriarch…

Think, worry, and stay stable.

…

Over half a month after leaving the mountain gate, at Little Qiong Peak, Jiu Yu had come to play a second time;

Now Jiu Yu was drunk, occupying Ling’e’s bed, continuing to perform her after-drinking specialties.

Meanwhile, at Lin Dong City by the South Continent’s East Sea coast, Li Changshou’s consciousness residing in the paper puppet found a ‘wine house’ that offered lodging in the city and stayed there.

—The mortal world of the South Continent in the primordial world had been prosperous for at least tens of thousands of years, with wine houses and pleasure houses long since appearing.

Moreover, because South Jambudvipa was too vast and mortals’ walking ability was limited, customs and appearances varied completely between regions.

Divine sense carefully spread through the city, and Li Changshou quickly discovered somewhat sneaky Senior Uncle Jiu Wu.

Now Jiu Wu was using full effort to conceal his aura, and indeed concealing it quite well.

But Senior Uncle Jiu Wu forgot that this was the mortal world, and someone like him… counted as an extraordinary person.

Especially since Senior Uncle Jiu Wu wore elaborate Daoist robes, his whole being emanating an air of authority, making many mortals unable to resist gathering to watch and secretly pointing and discussing.

Fortunately, primordial humans didn’t know the story of the great official and young lady, otherwise seeing Senior Uncle Jiu Wu, they might actively offer comfort food like steamed buns.

Senior Uncle Jiu Wu also discovered he was somewhat eye-catching;

He imitated ‘Qi Yuan,’ randomly finding a wine house, throwing out two jade stones, requesting a suite, and constantly using divine sense to monitor this junior brother he had little interaction with.

Seeing this, Li Changshou thought briefly, revealing a smile on his lips.

He stayed in the room for three days and two nights, until night fell again and those innkeepers and servants worried whether he would starve to death were about to break down the door, Li Changshou finally decided to go out.

Li Changshou worried Senior Uncle Jiu Wu would disrupt his enemy-luring plan, wanting to actively contact Jiu Wu while maintaining initiative…

So…

Wearing his Master’s face, he took off his Daoist robes, changed into fine clothes, and carefully dressed up.

Li Changshou first wandered half a circle through the city, taking advantage of the dim night to reach the city’s most prosperous street at night.

Here lanterns lit up the sky, beauties everywhere, calls of “sir” constant, with magnificent wooden buildings and secluded courtyards.

Walk ten steps and hear music interweaving;

Travel a thousand zhang and still not see this street’s end.

Such prosperity in this place also indicated that Lin Dong City’s mortals were well-fed and products abundant – only with rich material support could they pursue such… spiritual life…

‘Qi Yuan’ disguised by Li Changshou now entered this street, finding a relatively elegant flower house and strolling in, seeming familiar with such places.

To catch leverage on Senior Uncle Jiu Wu, naturally had to start with Senior Uncle Jiu Shi;

Half a bottle of supreme grade immortal sedative powder, one recording sphere, and this matter would naturally be settled…

Meanwhile, secretly following all along, Jiu Wu now saw ‘Qi Yuan’ enter a small flower house and his eyes nearly popped out!

“Junior Brother Qi Yuan’s urgent expression along the way was rushing for this?!

How can this be, the mortal world is already mixed with turbid qi, and this place is even more of a miasma, if he has skin contact with flower house women of the mortal world, his bit of pure qi will definitely be polluted…

Could it be that after becoming a Turbid Immortal, he’s given up on himself?”

Jiu Wu hid at the street corner, stroking his chin in the struggle – he was a married man, he couldn’t enter such a place.

But…

Jiu Wu’s divine sense swept once, this place had no formation barriers, and everywhere was unbearable to look at.

“These actions are quite novel, I haven’t even…

Pah! What nonsense am I saying!”

Jiu Wu shook his head, about to turn and leave, but his mind moved and he muttered: “Can’t watch Junior Brother Qi Yuan step onto the wrong path, I should go scare him a bit, that would be good.”

Then, Jiu Wu stepped forward, quickly walking toward the establishment ‘Qi Yuan’ had just entered.

This distance of just several hundred zhang, for Jiu Wu, was truly somewhat awkward…

Just then a girl recruiting customers said:

“Oh, whose handsome young master is this, why dressed like this, out playing with your elder?”

Jiu Wu raised his head and glared at that girl;

She immediately turned pale, her rouge and powder falling messily, and breathing became difficult.

“Hmph!”

Jiu Wu swept his sleeve and continued forward, quickly reaching his destination.

The short Daoist had a cold face, standing before the flower house not planning to enter, about to deliberately release his aura…

Just then a transmitted voice entered his ear:

“Senior Brother Jiu Wu, please be patient.”

Jiu Wu started, then gave an embarrassed laugh.

‘My concealment method was truly crude, to be so easily discovered by Junior Brother Qi Yuan.’

Li Changshou imitated his Master’s voice, continuing to transmit to Jiu Wu’s ear:

“Senior Brother please don’t show any reaction, please carefully sense the southwest direction, nine hundred zhang away, that flower house…

There are several unusual demon auras there.”

Jiu Wu probed as told, then raised an eyebrow.

Then, Jiu Wu stepped into this building, casually throwing the local mortals an inferior treasure material – gold ingots, following what ‘Qi Yuan’ said and entering a private room on the second floor.

Just entering, Jiu Wu’s eyes darted around, carefully probing everywhere, finally staring at ‘Qi Yuan standing by the window.

Then, Li Changshou continued transmitting, reciting the Degree Immortal Gate’s thirty-six main rules.

Jiu Wu then lowered some vigilance, sighed, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked in, casually setting up an immortal power barrier, saying softly:

“Junior Brother, what are you doing in such a place?

Running so far, surely not specially for eliminating demons!”

‘Qi Yuan’ smiled bitterly and said: “This matter please allow me to report later, Senior Brother. I indeed am not here for any shady dealings, though this place… I did just discover something unusual.”

“Fine, according to your Little Qiong Peak’s rules, first make an oath.”

Jiu Wu raised his chin, making Li Changshou’s mouth twitch a few times before raising his hand to make an oath, saying that at this moment he truly had no schemes against Jiu Wu.

Naturally using ‘I Qi Yuan’s’ name.

Secretly, Li Changshou put away the recording sphere and supreme-grade immortal sedative powder…

Earlier he wanted to catch some leverage on Senior Uncle Jiu Wu, using the recording sphere to record some interesting scenes;

But accidentally discovering demon auras in a nearby flower house, upon careful investigation, Li Changshou found these demon auras somewhat odd.

Under the demon auras was merit;

Hidden in the filth was pure qi.

Li Changshou’s first reaction was that a merit spiritual treasure was hidden there.

Weighing the two, Li Changshou directly used Master’s name to invite Jiu Wu in to discuss, planning to later secretly give Senior Uncle Jiu Wu some hints.

If he and Senior Uncle Jiu Wu obtained a treasure here together, that wouldn’t be bad either…

After ‘Qi Yuan’ made the oath, the two finally sat by the window, both looking toward where the demon auras were.

Just then, at the flower house with those demon auras, there was some commotion—

Several thin ‘servants’ pushed out a dressed young man.

Following closely, in that lantern-filled, brightly lit place, a graceful figure walked out with lotus steps.

This woman was lightly dressed and voluptuous, holding a slender jade pipe, red lips gently exhaling a wisp of fragrant mist, with a colorful butterfly mark on her left forehead, her face quite alluring.

She walked two steps forward, standing before that young man, slowly opening her mouth:

“Young Master Xia, do you know what’s most pitiful about men?

Life is long but you are short, entering a flower house without money.

What, want to freeload?

This isn’t a charity I’m running here.”

After speaking, this woman snorted and took a draw on her pipe, her gaze sweeping past several people at the side, seeming to glance toward where Li Changshou and Jiu Wu were.

But she did not react, seemingly ignoring Li Changshou and Jiu Wu.

After she turned and entered the flower house, those passersby couldn’t resist following in.

In the private room, Li Changshou and Jiu Wu exchanged glances.

Li Changshou’s fake Qi Yuan picked up the teacup before him, took a light sip, and said softly: “Senior Brother, what do you think?”

Senior Uncle Jiu Wu pondered and replied: “What she said… does make some sense.”

“Hmm?”

“Ahem, speaking of the matter at hand, Junior Brother Qi Yuan, shall we join forces to eliminate demons here and protect local propriety, wouldn’t that be wonderful?”