Battle, battle, battle…

Li Changshou manipulated space with his Heaven-Earth Ruler, pushing his escape techniques to their limits. He focused his mind, returning to his core self, calculating the most reliable method to save people.

Before the powerful demon clan members arrived, he had to defeat the scorpion spirit—master of the Treasure Light Shuttle—and this three-headed tiger demon, then rescue Master and Elder Wood!

Master!

As shadows intertwined and the Heaven-Earth Ruler fluctuated, Li Changshou’s heart suddenly jolted.

What was happening to him?

His dao heart trembled continuously. Though Li Changshou’s form didn’t pause, he actively retreated dozens of zhang from the tiger demon’s side.

The Heaven-Earth Ruler swayed gently as his form flickered repeatedly, throwing off the scorpion spirit—whose gender was indiscernible behind that pure white mask—far into the distance.

Li Changshou dove forward, lightning blooming from his palm. Thunder curtains crashed down from all directions toward the tiger demon. The demon’s wings surged with streams of blood light, wrapping itself in bloody radiance to resist the lightning.

Lightning Escape!

Li Changshou merged into the lightning, gripping the Heaven-Earth Ruler as he charged once more toward the massive tiger demon.

But in his dao heart, he was consumed by great confusion.

How had he… gotten so worked up?

The master must be rescued, but coming alone to the Northern Continent wasn’t the most stable or wisest option. Such an intense battle now would more likely put Master in danger.

If it were his usual self, his thoughts would have been either “divert attention” or pressure the demon clan, or he should have brought along several experts…

Senior Zhao and Fairy Yunxiao were already on the list of those destined for this great tribulation. If he didn’t want them to act, he could have found Golden Dragon True Person, Grand Unity True Person, or Jade Tripod True Person—experts who hadn’t met misfortune in the original tribulation…

At worst, he could have offered heavy rewards.

With his status as the Human Teachings Holy One’s disciple, how could they refuse his request for aid?

Why had he cut off this line of thinking about “asking for help” when it came to Senior Zhao and Fairy Yunxiao?

Something was wrong…

The Shang tribe’s rise, the sudden descent of tribulation fate, Master’s unexpected departure, and his dismissiveness and self-satisfaction when trying to stop Master.

At that time, his inner thought had been “It’s just going to Heaven Palace.”

Just… going?

What was happening to him?

Hidden in lightning, continuously attacking with the Heaven-Earth Ruler, Li Changshou had completely thrown off the ancient scorpion’s offensive behind him with his escape techniques.

Amid the intense battle, Li Changshou pondered and reflected, searching for the source of his anomaly.

But regardless of his reflection, he had already charged here in a moment of impulse, about to fall into the encirclement of ancient demon clan powerhouses—this was an unchangeable situation.

He seemed to have been influenced by something.

Now, his dao body and primordial spirit were battling demon clan powerhouses, but in his deepest consciousness, he was playing chess with some unknown existence.

Li Changshou’s vigilance reached its peak!

Goddess Nuwa’s slightly dismissive voice seemed to still echo in his heart:

“That person has become an indispensable part of Heaven’s Dao evolution.”

Heaven’s Dao, tribulation fate, Senior Wave…

Suddenly, Li Changshou thought of Fairy Yunxiao, whom he knew relatively well—she was gentle as water, graceful and kind, full of reverence for the Holy Ones, yet during the tribulation she still descended and joined her two sisters in attacking the Holy Ones.

All living beings in heaven and earth exist within Heaven’s Dao.

The Great Dao is fifty, Heaven evolves forty-nine, and the Severing Sect’s teachings were about seizing that one line of survival.

One line…

Of survival…

Amid the fierce battle, Li Changshou now completely understood!

His eyelid twitching earlier wasn’t because he sensed tribulation fate—his cultivation realm was far below White Marsh’s, and even White Marsh needed calculations to sense tribulation fate, how could he sense it in advance?

When his eyelid twitched and traces of danger arose in his heart, it was Heaven’s Dao making its move on him!

Or rather, Lord Heaven’s Dao wanted to use him for something in the great tribulation!

Headache.

Though he appeared to be battling demon clan powerhouses now, he was contending with the great tribulation. Although this contention wasn’t particularly intense, from this angle of deduction…

Elder Wood probably couldn’t be saved.

No, he couldn’t make such a definitive judgment—this might still be a thought produced under tribulation fate’s interference.

Even if the possibility that “this wave is Master’s destined tribulation” was extremely low, he couldn’t ignore this possibility.

There was also the possibility that Heaven’s Dao had long discovered his intention to save people during the Investiture of the Gods tribulation, using Master as bait, borrowing the demon clan’s hands to eliminate him!

The bottom line now was self-preservation and saving Master, securing this bottom line before considering saving Elder Wood.

Otherwise, he couldn’t save anyone.

But how to save them?

To contend with the great tribulation—no, wrong, the great tribulation was driven by Heaven’s Dao, this was something he couldn’t resist, striking against it would be like an ant trying to shake a tree…

He needed to compete with the force influencing him, to see the great tribulation’s bottom line and “elastic space,” consider the problem from this angle, and find a solution.

Fortunately…

He had made preparations early.

When plotting about the Investiture of the God tribulation, he had already considered such circumstances.

He remembered his hundreds of teachings to Ling’e:

“So-called trump cards are means that can reverse the situation at critical moments.”

And such means, he never lacked!

Whoosh—

A piercing whistle exploded beside his ear!

In the interval of Li Changshou’s lightning release, that Primordial Treasure-grade silver-white shuttle reappeared, attacking Li Changshou’s face.

Li Changshou’s form was currently in a reclining position, the Mysterious Yellow Pagoda above his head scattered streams of seven-colored aurora, Mysterious Yellow qi thoroughly wrapped around Li Changshou.

Tower Lord’s leisurely voice sounded in Li Changshou’s heart:

“Little disciple, go all out. Being able to awaken in time is worthy of being my disciple. This is your final trial before becoming my disciple.”

Tower Lord was reminding him, affirming his line of thinking.

Thank you, Tower Lord!

Li Changshou took a deep breath, completely ignoring the shuttle attacking from the side, and closed his eyes.

In his consciousness world, he suddenly pressed the pause button.

The “single instant” of time’s river was infinitely stretched in Li Changshou’s heart.

Heaven Palace Water God Manor, Jade Emperor, and Queen Mother’s tribulation bodies’ location, Shang tribe location, Sea God Temple’s various locations, Little Qiong Peak, around the sect gate, near the four seas’ dragon palaces, near the Underworld Fengdu City, Blood Sea edge, World’s End vicinity, Northern Uttarakuru Continent border vicinity…

Fairy Yunxiao’s boudoir, Ling’e’s sleeve, in front of Youqin Xuanya’s dressing table…

All paper dao people instantly paused their primordial spirit power fluctuations!

Fortunately, the two Golden Immortal realm paper dao people in this tiger demon’s mouth had very weak mental connections with Li Changshou, not affecting Li Changshou’s deployment of this… divine ability.

It couldn’t be called a divine ability, it was just a small technique Li Changshou developed to deal with such “tribulation fate attacking the heart” circumstances.

At his spirit platform, Li Changshou seemed to fall into a peaceful world, shadows originating from himself appeared in all directions, near and far, high and low, in all positions…

Birth, aging, sickness, death.

Joy, anger, sorrow, happiness.

Countless voices overlapped and interwove, transforming into waves of sutra chanting, resounding throughout Li Changshou’s dao heart!

The mind returns to one.

Nothing exists but self.

Dao constantly generates.

Still and bright void.

A point of water-blue light bloomed from Li Changshou’s primordial spirit’s forehead, instantly sweeping across all areas of his spirit platform, making his dao heart incomparably peaceful, incomparably tranquil.

Trump Card: Void-Bright Dao Heart!

He saw it!

Li Changshou saw those spider silk-like black qi outside this water-blue light, stuck to his dao heart, stuck outside the Taiji diagram’s dao rhyme.

This was the great tribulation’s fate manifested in his consciousness.

But now Li Changshou’s heart had no fluctuations, calmly opening his eyes, at this moment he…

Had no emotions.

Divine ability Void-Bright Dao Heart activated, and the world in Li Changshou’s eyes suddenly changed. The originally extremely fast-flying silver-white shuttle seemed to slow down slightly in his perception…

Those demon clan powerhouses rushing here who were about to arrive, whom his immortal consciousness had captured earlier, now appeared as clusters of various colored light spots through the miasma’s separation, about to rush here in one or two breaths.

This was the moment of victory!

Void-Bright Dao Heart operating, Li Changshou’s consciousness calculated seven possibilities, eight methods, and nine plans, and captured the most stable plan among them.

The Heaven-Earth Ruler gently pointed, and a three-chi void appeared in front of Li Changshou’s face, outside the Mysterious Yellow qi barrier.

Divine Ability: Small Space Transfer.

Borrowing the Primordial Treasure-grade Mighty Heaven-Earth Ruler, Li Changshou’s deployment of its object-moving ability was so smooth, and silky!

Whoosh!

That silver-white shuttle appeared out of thin air in the blood screen stretched out by the tiger demon, right in front of the tiger demon’s central head.

In Li Changshou’s deduction, this kind of shuttle was incomparably swift, and the reason why its space convergence and poison release intervals were so short was very likely because these two “functions” had been refined into “one” by that ancient old scorpion spirit.

All things in heaven and earth are balanced. Except for Primordial Supreme Treasures, perfection cannot exist. This is true for treasures, and true for treasures’ “functions.”

Such refinement, although making the sneak attack process seamless, had an absolute weakness—

Unable to stop the treasure’s eruption.

Just like now!

That silver-white shuttle was moved by Li Changshou and the Heaven-Earth Ruler in front of the tiger demon, erupting with sky-full white light and then instantly converging, releasing the poison that could easily paralyze Golden Immortals in a flash…

This kind of poison should have come from this scorpion spirit itself, but this wasn’t important.

After performing a Small Space Transfer, Li Changshou’s form flashed again, striving to distance himself from the scorpion spirit. Two streams of light shot out from his double sleeves, rushing toward high heaven.

The paper people wrapped in light streams simultaneously let out a “Ha!”, and more light streams emerged from the “backpacks” on their backs…

Like festival fireworks, directly exploding across the sky!

Void-Bright Dao Heart, mental power maxed out!

Dozens of paper dao people wearing backpacks transformed into dozens of shadows; they formed groups of three or four, quickly gathering their immortal power, igniting the paper people attached to eight paper dao people, simultaneously activating eight sets of Earth-Killing Spirit Explosion Arrays!

Did they think that during that fleeting “Thus, XX years later,” Li Changshou did nothing?

Thanks to the Holy Mother Goddess for the ordinary Primordial Spirit Tree!

These Earth-Killing Spirit Explosion Arrays were just to block enemies. Li Changshou’s Void-Bright Dao Heart distributed ninety-nine percent of his consciousness to control the paper dao people’s explosion.

But the remaining one percent of consciousness was enough to support battle.

Look at the tiger demon’s location!

That shuttle erupted, the three-headed tiger demon’s central head immediately drooped, large patches of tiger skin were burned by poison, its tiger body violently trembling.

The right head howled and cried in pain. Though it had three heads, it didn’t have three primordial spirits. Now it was nearly severely injured by its companion’s treasure!

Li Changshou gripped the Heaven-Earth Ruler and charged forward, leaving a string of afterimages behind, seeming to have splitting techniques, simultaneously appearing at this tiger demon’s abdomen, head, back, tail…

The Heaven-Earth Ruler continuously pointed forward, dozens of “black holes” silently appeared, space appeared distorted, and this tiger demon’s massive body was stretched and compressed, twisted and curved like a long snake.

Just at this moment!

In the distance, eight shining orbs appeared in heaven and earth, eight spirit explosions erupting simultaneously, temporarily blocking the demon clan powerhouses rushing to provide aid!

Nearby…

The tiger demon’s left head’s left eye suddenly widened, filled with terror.

Li Changshou, Mysterious Yellow Pagoda above his head and Heaven-Earth Ruler in hand, appeared directly before the tiger demon’s left head. The Heaven-Earth Ruler bloomed with streams of cyan-blue light, fiercely slashing at this tiger demon’s neck.

The heavy ruler had no edge, yet it could sever heaven and earth!

“Break!”

Li Changshou shouted, his whole body’s immortal power surging into the Heaven-Earth Ruler. The usually elegant Heaven-Earth Ruler, who even argued with gentleness, burst out with Tower Lord-flavored crude words in Li Changshou’s heart.

One ruler slash fell, the tiger demon’s left head’s neck suddenly split open, the ‘wound’ being a pitch-black spatial fracture!

Urgent air-breaking sounds came chasing from behind as the scorpion spirit charged again. Li Changshou’s form flashed, easily avoiding the scorpion spirit’s killing strike. Lightning bloomed from his hand, crashing toward the tiger demon’s left head that was just beginning to fall.

Just one step away…

Save Master, retrieve Elder Wood.

The lightning avoided the tiger demon’s mouth. Li Changshou performed Lightning Escape, urgently rushing forward. He only needed an instant to appear beside the tiger head’s tightly closed mouth, using his left hand’s punch to shatter the tiger demon’s teeth, saving Master and Elder Wood!

His dao heart trembled slightly, Tower Lord gave a warning.

Behind him, that voice transmitted to his ears through spatial resonance carried anger and hatred!

“Please, treasure, turn around!”

A beam of white light extremely quickly cut into the lightning!

…

A moment ago.

Speaking of White Marsh rushing all the way, passing through clouds and mist, he quickly arrived at the border between East Victory Divine Continent and Northern Uttarakuru Continent, charging into Northern Uttarakuru’s thick miasma.

Now he was…

I panicked, very panicked.

Receiving Li Changshou’s voice transmission saying ‘Master and Elder Wood were held hostage by the demon clan,’ White Marsh’s heart skipped a beat, and the thought that emerged was unusually real:

Would the Water God think he was a traitor?

When he had sensed Friend Qi Yuan’s fate path, he felt that Friend Qi Yuan had good fortune ahead!

Moreover, it was a great opportunity, the kind of soaring high, fortune vast as the eastern sea!

Hiss—

Could it be that a Turbid Immortal’s fate was too thin to bear it?

Or had his divine ability been too deeply influenced by heaven’s mechanisms, leading to the opposite judgment?

This shouldn’t be, couldn’t be!

He had previously relied on ‘seeking fortune avoiding calamity’ to dodge the great tribulation, emerging unscathed from the great tribulation.

White Marsh, in his struggle, lightly sighed in his heart.

Initially looking at the Water God from afar, he felt the Water God was wise and clever, ruthless in methods, skilled at balancing situations, and truly first-rate ‘Second Heaven Emperor’ material.

But after coming to Water God’s side, associating with Water God for a long time, he discovered…

This fellow’s heart was a bit dirty, but not completely cold-blooded and ruthless. At least toward humans, toward relatives and friends, toward those close friends around him, this Water God was quite friendly.

Water God’s current position in the dao gate had a hint of awkwardness.

He was a good seedling noticed by the Grand Pure Holy One, just one bow at Grand Pure Temple away from becoming the strongest Holy One’s disciple;

But the awkwardness lay in that Water God still had Master Qi Yuan who had raised him since childhood, and this Qi Yuan was almost the weakest immortal, a contemporary Turbid Immortal.

Moreover, with Water God there, he might even be the number one among Turbid Immortals.

Generally speaking, ordinary cultivators like Old Dao Qi Yuan absolutely couldn’t cultivate a disciple like Water God.

—Ling’e was even more so, she was completely cultivated by the Water God, her conduct style gradually approaching her senior brother’s.

Water God already had a master, if he was now taken as a disciple by the Grand Pure Holy One if this matter spread…

Wow, the strongest Holy One snatching a disciple from a Turbid Immortal?

Though no one dared to criticize this, it was just such a matter.

According to White Marsh’s understanding of Water God, at this time Water God should already have an avatar kneeling before the Holy One’s portrait, but the Holy One lord probably wouldn’t directly save a Turbid Immortal, this truly didn’t conform to reason…

Even pampering wasn’t done like this.

Now Water God was a bit impatient, charging alone into Northern Continent territory, where there was a group of ancient demon beasts hiding, several demon beasts were followers of the former Demon Emperor, their strength not weaker than the Ten Great Demon Marshals.

Though Water God had the Heaven Earth Mysterious Yellow Spiritual Precious Pagoda protecting him, judging from Water God’s battle with Land Pressure, Water God’s cultivation realm should not have entered the Great Luo realm. If surrounded by the enemy, he would likely encounter trouble.

Very easily becoming an unmovable mountain that couldn’t be broken through.

Rumble—

Heaven and earth’s space like drums, ten thousand poisons howling like madness.

The living beings in the miasma clouds were now frantically fleeing, the living beings’ panic projected into White Marsh’s heart.

Ahead, within a hundred thousand li radius.

Northern Continent’s year-round undispersing, mountain-heavy miasma clouds, now like the ocean in the wild wind and sudden rain, constantly surging, shaking!

White Marsh had transformed into his true form, layers of water-colored ripples rotating in his eyes, the three long feathers on his head flickering with weak fine light. He saw the most dynamic core area.

That place was originally the Northern Continent’s most concentrated miasma area, but now…

Sky clear and earth bright!

Under the azure sky, the sun star’s light was somewhat dazzling, there were layer upon layer of ‘cloud rings’ in the sky.

Sixteen massive demon beasts charged inward from outside the gap in the miasma clouds, and within…

White Marsh’s pupils contracted.

He happened to see Li Changshou performing Lightning Escape, was struck out of the lightning by a white light, and saw that tiger demon’s severed head not a hundred zhang from Li Changshou…

A Golden Crow surrounded by white flames, carrying boom after boom of sound, carrying layer upon layer of spatial wrinkles, extremely quickly penetrated that tiger demon’s head!

“Land Pressure, you dare.”

Li Changshou’s cold low shout, his form diving downward, but a great seal smashed from the tiger demon head’s location, instantly growing hundreds of zhang tall, forcefully ‘squeezing away’ Li Changshou.

Demon Emperor’s Seal!

“Hahahahaha!”

Daoist Land Pressure’s pleased and proud loud laugh transmitted from behind the great seal. Land Pressure’s Golden Crow claw forcefully grabbed out the already poison-fainted and severely injured Elder Wood.

Looking at those two paper dao people, killing intent flashed through Land Pressure’s eyes, in his dao heart, a bit of mad destructive thought arose.

Opening his mouth, behind Land Pressure’s fire tongue, an extremely powerful Sun True Flame brewed!

Li Changshou’s eyes widened, Heaven-Earth Ruler directly smashing on the Demon Emperor’s Seal. Though limited by the cultivation realm, he couldn’t display the Heaven-Earth Ruler’s true power, he barely managed to flip away the Demon Emperor’s Seal.

He saw Land Pressure’s true form three-legged Golden Crow, mouth aimed at his two…

Two paper dao people who had just restored connection but couldn’t move!

Land Pressure’s bird eyes, reflecting Li Changshou’s form, were full of mockery.

Land Pressure presumably didn’t know what was in those two paper dao people’s sleeves…

Just an instant, just a breath!

White Marsh in the distance had now thought of something, his form frantically charging forward, his voice through immortal consciousness exploding beside Land Pressure’s ear:

Such panic, such alarm.

“Stop! Even if you kill Elder Wood don’t touch those two trans…”

Whoosh—

White flames erupted, and a paper dao person made a forceful throwing motion, in the shortest time, with the clearest judgment, throwing out the beast skin bag…

But the Sun True Flame came too fast, just a shallow flame flower wrapped around the Spirit Beast skin bag, licking it open.

Within appeared an old dao’s figure…

Turbid Immortal, True Immortal realm…

Streams of light surged around this old dao, those were protective spirit treasures Li Changshou had left for Master but were directly broken by the Sun True Flame.

The “Human” character paper dao person flying from the old dao’s sleeve was destroyed by the flames just as it burst out immortal power.

In an instant, the old dao was wrapped in Sun True Flame, burning even faster than that paper dao person…

After all, this was the Golden Crow clan’s original divine ability.

But these backups Li Changshou had left bought Master one more instant of opportunity, one more chance to speak.

The old dao was first stunned, raising his head to see Li Changshou frantically charging over, his form already not ten zhang from himself. Disregarding his whole body’s severe pain, disregarding his terror at imminent destruction, he just urgently shouted:

“Quick leave! Don’t come… over…”

Flames engulfed the old dao’s face and tore apart the old dao’s primordial spirit, and the extremely high temperature reduced the old dao’s fragile dao body to slightly more than ashes.

Li Changshou pounced, pounced empty, that opened left hand grabbed a handful of fine ashes…

Master…

Mas…

Blank, silent.

Li Changshou stood there dazedly. Because Void-Bright Dao Heart suppressed the seven emotions and six desires, now those scenes kept cycling in his heart…

A tear slowly slid from the corner of his eye.

A trace of blood faintly seeped from the corner of his mouth.

In his heart it was like a knife was sliding, cutting…

Like waking from a dream, Li Changshou looked toward Land Pressure who had already flown far away, and saw those massive demon beasts surrounding, with slightly trembling voices…

“You, you killed him?”

Land Pressure frowned deeply, saying indifferently: “So what if…”

“You killed him.”

Li Changshou closed his eyes, slowly exhaled, and opened his eyes, those pupils full of bloodshot, those eyes surging with an anger Land Pressure couldn’t understand.

White Marsh flying from afar unconsciously stopped a thousand li away.

Dangerous.

Incomparably huge danger!

White Marsh’s whole body’s fur stood on end, his divine ability frantically warning, followed by a bitter smile, closing his eyes in a long sigh.

The demon clan was finished.

“You killed him!”

Li Changshou’s voice became incomparably deep.

Land Pressure was about to say something, but saw divine light surging around Li Changshou, a scroll slowly appearing behind his back.

The scroll opened, and heaven and earth suddenly became dim!

Within the painting appeared the sun moon and stars, appeared prosperous mortal world, endless immortal mountains, quiet clouds, and towering palaces.

Just a six-chi long scroll, upon it, seemed to be only clouds and mist, but within the clouds and mist, it was performing all beings, performing heaven and earth, performing the connections between all things and all spirits.

Human divine ghost, demon spirit demon.

The scroll gently swayed a vast, obscure, complex, extremely simple dao rhythm wrapped up Land Pressure, who was still hesitating whether to try hitting away the Mysterious Yellow Pagoda, and sixteen ancient giant demons.

In just an instant, Li Changshou lowered his head and spat blood, faint light appearing all over his body.

He had ignited his primordial spirit power.

Like cultivators only do when fighting to the death, igniting primordial spirit power, is destined to greatly damage essence and energy by igniting primordial spirit power.

Trump Card: Dao.

‘Land Pressure.

Toward you, I shouldn’t have sought stability several times, shouldn’t have thought that you were one of the great tribulation’s destined ones and would have Heaven’s Dao’s protection, shouldn’t have waited for absolute certainty…’

Suddenly, Li Changshou raised his left hand, faint light surging in his palm.

That cold, void, emotionless voice resounded everywhere.

“All

Things

In

Balance.”

A beam of black light appeared behind Li Changshou, directly vanishing, as if Heaven’s Dao power had strangely appeared, yet completely different from Heaven’s Dao power, directly wrapping up the sixteen demon beasts and Land Pressure within.

Instantly, these demon beasts seemed to be sealed, their bodies suddenly shrinking, their cultivation realms mysteriously disappearing by half!

Land Pressure transformed into human form, his whole body lightly trembling, recovering his youthful face, looking at Li Changshou in complete bewilderment…

But following this, the bewilderment vanished. He threw Elder Wood far away, and just like the demon beasts beside him, fell into boundless rage, his eyes full of killing intent, almost wanting to devour Li Changshou.

This was the rage Li Changshou had balanced to them!

The disguise on Li Changshou’s face vanished, returning to that young dao practitioner’s original appearance.

Crack, crack crack…

Subtle breaking sounds are continuously transmitted from within Li Changshou’s body. He stood in the air, his smile full of bitterness.

Master, you never knew what dao your disciple achieved.

Master, you never knew…

Li Changshou raised his hand and pointed at his heart. Streams of seven-colored dao rhyme condensed into pitch-black, spider web-like tribulation fate, lightly pointing toward Land Pressure.

A strand of black qi coiled around Land Pressure’s primordial spirit, making Land Pressure even more enraged.

Void-Bright Dao Heart, self-shattered.

‘Draw tribulation fate into me, descend tribulation fate into you.

Land Pressure.

Perhaps before it was irreconcilable because of its stance, because of benefits, because of preventing future troubles.

But today…

I am your tribulation!’

That treasure map rustled, water-blue dao rhyme continuously washing this heaven and earth. Land Pressure and sixteen experts roared together, pouncing toward Li Changshou like madmen.

Li Changshou’s long hair danced, dao robe fluttering, and Mysterious Yellow Pagoda sank into his crown, covering his primordial spirit. Their left eye was ice-blue due to dao’s manifestation, right eye was blood-red from the killing intent in his heart that could no longer be suppressed.

Great Yu’s Water Control Map, manifest;

Water God’s Treasure Black Martial Flag, manifest;

Gripping Heaven-Earth Ruler, one step broke the heavenly vault!

“Die!”

Suddenly!

A heaven-covering earth-shadowing great hand appeared in the southwest direction, grabbing toward the thousand-li range covered by Li Changshou’s dao rhyme.

Another light sigh drifted in the nine heavens above.

In high heaven, an old dao sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion revealed his form, beneath that cushion was water-fire taiji form.

The old dao’s face was withered, seeming to have no dao cultivation on his body, and his eyes also lacked spirit. When he raised his left hand, his wide sleeve danced in the wind, fingertip lightly flicking.

That heaven-covering earth-shadowing great hand with a diameter exceeding several thousand li shattered in an instant, vanishing to nothingness.

The old dao spoke somewhat laboriously, raising his eyes to look toward the direction that great hand had come from, his faint voice giving people thunder-explosion impact…

“Get lost.”

In the southwest, separated by who knows how far, the old dao carrying the treasure tree trembled all over, yet dared not meet the gaze of the old dao in the nine heavens above, lowering his head and saying:

“Senior Brother, apologies.”

Then turned and left, vanishing without a trace.

The old dao in the nine heavens above made no further gesture, lowering his head to look at the great battle below.

All things in the world seemed like passing clouds to the old dao, heaven, and earth’s great dao seemed to have no connection to him, him sitting there was the dao itself, a single hair could perform boundless true meaning.

The old dao did not interfere much, just quietly watching thus, watching Li Changshou below like a demon, using the Heaven-Earth Ruler to smash demon beast heads, single-handedly tearing apart demon beast wings…

Those demon beasts falling into such dao rhyme simultaneously fell into a boundless rage.

This was Li Changshou’s dao, born from taiji dao, named All Things in Balance.

When All Things in Balance dao deployed, it could pull strong enemies into the same cultivation realm as oneself, everything could be balanced, and everything determined whether balanced by this ‘domain’s’ ruler.

This dao was not yet perfect, otherwise Li Changshou would have stepped into the Great Luo realm;

Moreover, this dao was not yet complete, Li Changshou was using the burning primordial spirit method to temporarily gain the power to catalyze this dao.

If burning primordial spirit time was too long, it would inevitably affect his dao cultivation.

In the nine heavens above, the old dao’s finger flicked again, and seven or eight fierce demon beasts’ movements stopped. The Mysterious Yellow Pagoda suddenly erupted with streams of mysterious yellow qi, and those seven or eight demon beasts were instantly crushed to powder by this mysterious yellow qi.

Li Changshou directly pounced on Land Pressure. The latter exhausted all effort to recite ‘Treasure please turn around’, but a blue light shot over, the great gourd now seemed ineffective, slightly trembling.

Li Changshou lowered his head and spat two mouthfuls of blood – it was him temporarily ‘balancing’ such a powerful magic treasure using a broken magic treasure he held.

The price was primordial spirit injury, but worth it!

Li Changshou threw the Heaven-Earth Ruler. Land Pressure hurriedly transformed into a three-legged Golden Crow but was directly struck down by the Heaven-Earth Ruler.

Li Changshou pounced like a madman, disregarding the weakened Sun True Flame’s eruption, directly pressing down on the Golden Crow’s neck, left hand raised high, Heaven-Earth Ruler again in his grip, smashing down on the Golden Crow one ruler, two rulers…

The Heaven-Earth Ruler fell like sudden rain!

Just at this moment, a beautiful figure appeared on the horizon. She was tens of thousands of li away the previous instant, took one step, and appeared around the old dao.

The woman’s grace was unmatched, face holy, gentleness carrying solemnity’s precious appearance, golden light gently flickering around her body.

She arrived before the old dao, slightly bowing, saying:

“Senior Brother.”

The old dao kept watching the situation below, saying indifferently:

“No need to plead.”

The woman smiled helplessly, standing quietly waiting on the clouds, also not looking much below.

In heaven and earth, the wind was whimpering, poisonous insects wailing…

Waiting for that young dao practitioner below to tear apart the Golden Crow, carrying the Golden Crow’s already mangled head, staggering steps in the air, walking back to where that Turbid Immortal had dispersed.

The dao rhyme permeating within a thousand li floated back, drilling into Li Changshou’s body.

Knees bending, Li Changshou powerlessly knelt, the weak flames burning all over his body extinguishing, eyes closed.

‘Changshou ah, Master has no other thoughts now, you and your junior sister be well, Master goes to Heaven Palace to pave the way for you.’

‘Fool! Is this how you teach your junior sister? Seeing righteousness but not acting, how can you be counted among us cultivators!’

‘You run, you run again! Come back here!’

‘Disciple ah, you’ve been in Master’s gate for over nine years, Master has decided to bestow you a dao title, your name Changshou is too vulgar, from now on you’ll be called Xiaoyao how about it? More vulgar? Then how about Cloud Crane? White crane in clouds, didn’t you want to ride a crane and fly?’

‘Good disciple, today Master brings you into the Immortal Gate, henceforth hope you cultivate well, cannot have half point of slackness, strive to achieve cultivation success early, step on the immortal path, seek long life, obtain that share of carefree dao fruit…’

Knuckles pierced into palm flesh, and drops of fresh blood scattered, Li Changshou forgot to collect his blood.

No, he couldn’t just give up like this.

Master still had hope, Master still had hope, method – must find method…

True spirit!

Master might have true spirit remaining, though the Sun True Flame just now was fierce, it only burned for an instant!

Li Changshou threw out seven or eight soul-catching pearls from his hand, immediately kneeling in void space, continuously catalyzing the soul-catching pearls…

Streams of remnant souls gently shining!

What else was needed?

Still needed merit! Incense fire merit! In Nezha’s story, after picking bones and cutting flesh he had wanted to rebuild an immortal body using incense fire merit.

Yes, just like this!

Feeling the streams of weak remnant souls in the soul-catching pearls rapidly dispersing, Li Changshou dared not wait long, and drew out his merit, directly injecting it into several soul-catching pearls.

Take it, take it all, he was willing to exchange this body of merit!

In an instant, streams of golden light flickered, piecing together Old Dao Qi Yuan’s phantom, but this phantom was about to disperse with one flash…

No, no!

“Master…”

Drip—

Familiar water drop falling sound.

Li Changshou’s vision blurred, seeming to see a familiar pool, screen, carpet, pavilion, and the goddess sitting by the pool water.

She smiled asking gently:

“Want help?

Specially cultivate human souls, can also give him heaven-endowed talent.”

“Yes!” Li Changshou didn’t know what to say, immediately nodding.

The goddess extended her left hand, “Five hundred!”

Li Changshou nodded heavily: “Yes!”

The goddess laughed lightly. Li Changshou again felt time’s flow, freed from that pale situation, before his eyes again was Master’s phantom about to disperse…

Li Changshou’s dao heart rose again. Before he could act, a beam of golden light fell from high heaven, wrapping Master’s remnant soul within.

Also a tiny bit of golden light like summer night fireflies flew over from the side, merging into the remnant soul, making this remnant soul increasingly substantial.

The words merit arose in Li Changshou’s heart, immediately drawing out his merit, and giving to these remnant souls.

He wished Master would take all his merit, but when merit was consumed by one-tenth, that remnant soul was already wrapped in golden light, unable to absorb more merit.

Goddess Nuwa’s voice transmitted from high heaven:

“Your Master has died today, the reborn spirit has no connection to you, acceptable?”

“Acceptable!”

Goddess Nuwa spoke again: “Just send his soul to the Six Paths Reincarnation Plate for nurturing.”

Golden light withdrew. The woman in the nine heavens above smiled slightly, looked at the old dao sitting beside her, and smiled without speaking.

Just at this moment, a seven-colored vortex suddenly appeared on the ground, sutra chanting arose, ethereal song arose, and a phantom flew out from the vortex, followed by a faint sigh:

“Ai, finally got out once, still have to do soul-collecting envoy’s work, I’m too miserable…”

Earth Mother Goddess!

No, Little Ai!

Li Changshou suddenly turned around, that phantom had already flown before Li Changshou.

She looked at Li Changshou whose face still had undried tears, palms stained with blood, revealing a somewhat helpless smile.

“Death is greatest, mourn properly and change…

Mourn properly and change is all to make me change less, I’m too difficult…”

“Thank you, Goddess!”

Li Changshou immediately called out.

Little Ai sighed, raising their hand to point at Old Dao Qi Yuan’s now regathered soul, transforming the soul into a ball of golden light.

“Ai, I’m going back, cannot stay out long.”

Li Changshou made another dao courtesy, “Thank you, Goddess!”

Little Ai shook her head, her figure flashing, vanishing together with the seven-colored vortex on the ground.

In Li Changshou’s heart, the Grand Pure dao rhyme gently swayed, a somewhat blurry scene slowly appearing;

Compared to the previous two ‘video messages’, this message given by Teacher Grand Pure was affected by some interference.

The scene was very simple, at the Six Paths Reincarnation Plate in the underworld who knows how long later, Old Dao Qi Yuan’s soul finishing nurturing period, accompanied by a beam of golden light flying out from the Six Paths Reincarnation Plate’s back, flying into a patch of dark clouds, reincarnating.

Thunder flickered in the dark clouds, lightning-like dragons, yet thunder reflected a huge upright shadow, this was the phenomenon of an ‘extraordinary person’ descending into the world.

It was a bear, with two huge wings on its back, this was called flying bear form in the primordial chaos, indicating a generation’s talented person of wisdom and world-shocking strategies.

Could reincarnate be good, could reincarnate was good, talented person or not…

Li Changshou lightly exhaled, a string in his heart snapped, internal immortal power exhausted, primordial spirit weak and dispirited, head plunging from the air, losing consciousness.

And at this time, in Li Changshou’s heart, the last bit of mental power suddenly thought of something!

Flying bear form, Investiture of the Gods tribulation…

Holy!

Jiang Ziya?!

His own Master was Jiang Ziya’s previous life?

Qi Yuan, origin of the Qi state?!

“Shit…”

Li Changshou’s mouth corner twitched, instantly losing consciousness, and two streams of light shot over from two directions, one stream stopping, revealing Zhao Gongming’s figure.

Zhao Gongming laughed lightly, watching his second sister catch Li Changshou, gently stuffing Li Changshou into the Chaos Origin Golden Dipper.

Senior Zhao looked toward the distance, Elder Wood’s figure smashing onto a mountaintop, his whole body shuddering several times.