[Lost your way?]

Creeak, creeak…

The wooden sign swayed gently in the breeze.

A group of immortals with distinct features and celestial bearings stood before the swaying wooden sign, the atmosphere… somewhat awkward.

Naturally, none of them used their immortal power to forcefully disperse the containment formation here—they were all figures who cared about face, how could they do something so undignified?

Someone laughed first, and then all the experts folded their hands behind their backs, laughing confidently.

Outside the formation, Li Changshou, Ao Yi, and Jiu Wu stood in a line from high to low, standing properly, with Ao Yi wearing a slight smile.

Then came the voice of Lord Qin Wan of Golden Turtle Island from within the formation:

“The arrangement here truly deserves to be called marvelous.

Using the method of interconnected formation bases, converting various similar formation positions, one ring connecting to another, one formation leading to the next, the only way to break it is to forcefully disperse the containment formation…

Not to mention that because the one who set this up has low cultivation, the formation base’s power is insufficient and the grand formation can be easily dispersed.

If this poor Daoist were to refine such formation bases and use this method to arrange them, even Golden Immortals might be trapped.

Marvelous, truly marvelous, hahaha!”

Outside the formation, Li Changshou heard these words without any ripples in his heart.

If such an established Golden Immortal of the Severing School, a veteran Golden Immortal, couldn’t see through these arrangements, that would truly be laughable.

Similarly, Li Changshou felt no joy from the praise, but rather quite relieved.

Relieved that his Turtle Scripture had just withstood the gaze of a Golden Immortal level being…

From this perspective, today’s events weren’t without benefits.

—This verified that the path he had set early on for concealing his aura hadn’t gone wrong.

If he couldn’t avoid the Three Schools’ Source Flow Assembly coming up, the improvements to this technique would also require much less effort.

Sensing briefly, he found the group of old immortals walking slowly within the formation, continuously commenting on and discussing the Dao of formations, each appearing to have gained some insight…

What could they see? What could they gain?

This was essentially just a maze and containment formation at the True Immortal level.

Hmm?

Li Changshou suddenly had a flash of inspiration, a small lightning bolt crossing his mind, and he turned his head to look at Jiu Wu, his eyes suddenly widening.

Jiu Wu shuddered, “Changshou, why are you looking at me like that? Why are your eyes so frightening?”

“Nothing, nothing.”

Li Changshou immediately masked his expression, but huge waves arose in his heart.

He had almost forgotten that these Ten Heavenly Lords would also be figures on the Investiture of the Gods list in the future!

The Ten Heavenly Lords’ most formidable ability was their Ten Ultimate Formations!

In the future Investiture of the Gods war, the Ten Heavenly Lords would be important figures from the Severing School who entered relatively early in the middle phase, laying down the Ten Ultimate Formations and killing some cannon fodder from the Enlightenment School’s side before being arduously defeated by the Enlightenment School.

Similarly, it was precisely because the Ten Heavenly Lords were consecutively defeated and their Ten Ultimate Formations were successively broken that it drew out Zhao Gongming, that outer disciple, pushing the Investiture of the Gods war to its “climax.”

None of this should have anything to do with Li Changshou…

But what if…

What if…

What if Lord Qin gained a tiny bit of inspiration from these little formation arrangements he had made, upgraded their Ten Ultimate Formations to a chain version, and during the Investiture of the Gods tribulation, actually took down several of the Enlightenment School’s Twelve Golden Immortals!

Then…

For him, a Human Dao disciple, there should, possibly, probably be no karmic connection…

Right?

Li Changshou couldn’t help covering his face with one hand.

He suddenly wanted to take his master and junior sister right now, find an opportunity to sneak to the Heavenly Court, and shout: “The South Sea Ocean God comes to join you!”

No, if he truly angered the Sages, even the Jade Emperor couldn’t protect him, he could only cling tightly to his own Supreme Clarity Sage’s thigh…

This was truly a disaster out of nowhere.

Just as Li Changshou was worrying, he heard Sect Leader wuwei’s somewhat weak voice transmission in his ear:

“Changshou, ahem… dissolve the grand formation…”

Li Changshou hurriedly stabilized his state of mind and dissolved the formation.

The group of old immortals walked out of the formation laughing.

Fortunately, they hadn’t investigated this place in detail, just took a simple tour, not discovering those formation bases beneath the surface that hadn’t been activated.

The Crossing to Immortality Sect’s leader Wuwei walked at the front, pointing at Li Changshou and saying with a warm smile:

“These small formations here were arranged by this little disciple.”

Ao Yi and Jiu Wu immediately retreated to both sides, revealing Li Changshou, showing quite good coordination between man and dragon.

Instantly, all gazes converged on him.

Li Changshou’s body tensed, he bowed slightly, his forehead showing slight sweat, his expression showing just the right amount of nervousness, his internal immortal power like dead water, while the simulated Return to Dao realm magical power also circulated slightly faster…

Fortunately, the gazes gradually moved away, not discovering anything.

Then came a wave of praise, some saying the Human Dao lineage was indeed extraordinary, with good teachers producing excellent students;

Others say this youth would certainly achieve great things in the future, and in ten thousand years, the path of formations would gain another talented individual…

The Turtle Scripture had withstood the second wave of Golden Immortal bigwigs’ gazes, but Li Changshou couldn’t feel happy about it at all.

If today’s events changed the course of the future Investiture of the Gods war, that would be enormous karma!

If the Sages calculated backward, he would have nowhere to escape!

Yet…

They heard Lord Qin laugh and say:

“Sect Leader Wuwei, this poor Daoist would like to use some treasures to exchange for the method of arranging these chain formations, to take back and play with my brothers and sisters, would that be possible?”

No! Must say no!

Quickly say it’s a Human Dao secret that cannot be transmitted, great Sect Leader!

Li Changshou shouted in his heart;

Unfortunately, Empty Void Sect Leader Ji Wuwei couldn’t hear Li Changshou’s inner voice and waved his hand, “Don’t speak of treasures, it’s just a small method of handling formation bases.

Changshou.”

Li Changshou showed hesitation and said softly: “Disciple is here…”

Jiu Wu thought Li Changshou was frightened and quite righteously stepped forward, saying: “Reporting to Sect Leader, Changshou has already presented the method of interconnecting formation bases to the sect.”

“Oh?” Ji Wuwei immediately smiled until his eyes narrowed, looking at Li Changshou with increasing favor, even having thoughts of taking him as a disciple, “Get it later and present it to Elder Qin!”

Jiu Wu hurriedly agreed.

Qin Wan smiled and said: “I can’t just take benefits without giving anything in return, otherwise my Dao heart would be uneasy.”

As he spoke, Qin Wan took out a white jade flute from his sleeve. This jade flute was completely suffused with light, spiritual light flickering on it, with strands of green light circling it.

It was a magical treasure with excellent quality and spirituality in all aspects.

It even barely reached the threshold of a ‘Post-Heaven Magical Treasure’!

Qin Wan handed the white jade flute to Ji Wuwei, smiling: “Sect Leader Wuwei, please don’t refuse, otherwise this poor Daoist will feel uncomfortable.”

Ji Wuwei accepted the white jade flute with a smile, wrapped it in immortal power, and casually sent it before Li Changshou, saying:

“Quickly thank Elder Qin for bestowing the treasure?”

Li Changshou held the white jade flute with both hands and said softly: “Thank you, Elder, for bestowing the treasure.”

Then they heard the Sect Leader laugh: “Little Five, go get the method for refining interconnected formation bases now, and get three hundred years’ worth of monthly supplies for Changshou, as the sect’s reward for him.

From now on, the sect’s formation techniques are available for Changshou’s use, and if Changshou needs formation-refining treasures, the Hundred Ordinary Palace can allocate more.”

Jiu Wu’s face brightened with joy, and he immediately accepted the order, riding his cloud hurriedly toward Breaking Heaven Peak.

Li Changshou could only suppress the helplessness in his heart and bow to thank the Sect Leader.

At least he had gained some benefits.

After Ji Wuwei showed his attention to and nurturing of talented disciples as the Crossing to Immortality Sect’s leader, he led the various old immortals back to the jade platform on clouds to continue watching the ceremony.

Lord Qin Wan also felt quite satisfied with his gains and specifically looked at Li Changshou several times before leaving, memorizing Li Changshou’s aura and appearance.

On the way back to the jade platform, this eldest brother of the Ten Heavenly Lords had already started frowning occasionally; seemingly calculating in his heart how to improve the Ten Ultimate Formation of his ten siblings…

Li Changshou watched these bigwigs leave, and after they left, he couldn’t help rubbing his brow;

Ao Yi smiled beside him and said: “Brother Changshou, can you play the flute? Why not play a tune?”

Li Changshou forced an ugly smile, looked at his formation, and reactivated the containment and maze formations.

In his heart, he couldn’t help but imagine such a scene:

[Under the dark sky with swirling yellow sand, two armies faced off on the ground and in the air, with flying beasts, walking beasts, strange people, and extraordinary experts scattered everywhere.

Suddenly one army retreated quickly, and ten huge vortexes appeared between heaven and earth, these vortexes interconnecting, with killing intent sharp within them, waves of murderous energy.

Nine men and one woman appeared within these vortexes, shouting together:

‘Enlightenment School immortals, do you dare enter our Ten Ultimate Chain Killing Formation!’]

Li Changshou held the white jade flute in his hand, immediately feeling both crying and laughing.

Ao Yi hurriedly asked: “Brother Changshou, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Li Changshou sighed, looking at the ‘tea room’ not far away, “Let’s return to the competition grounds later, let me catch my breath here first, let’s talk here.”

“Mm,” Ao Yi responded, also showing a depressed expression.

Ao Yi and Li Changshou sat in the forest tea room;

Li Changshou took out tea leaves, brewed a cup of clear tea, and began to think about what problems might arise from the formation base interconnection method spreading.

Although the method for refining interconnected formation bases that he had presented to the sect was an early discarded version.

But that version was still usable, and following the initial version’s train of thought to study deeply, it wasn’t impossible to develop better methods…

Thinking again, he had only provided a tiny bit of technical support;

The Sage Lords wouldn’t bother to quibble with a small disciple like him over this, right?

Although one should always prepare for the worst in everything, this matter…

Still needed comprehensive consideration.

Li Changshou put the white jade flute on the table, saw Ao Yi’s gloomy expression, and said: “What’s wrong, is cultivation not going smoothly? Or has the Dragon Clan encountered some trouble again?”

“Sigh, the Dragon Clan is the same as always, and cultivation is quite smooth,” Ao Yi sighed, “Brother Changshou, you’re considered an expert in this area, can you help resolve my confusion?”

Li Changshou smiled and said: “Go ahead, what don’t you understand about the path of formations?”

Ao Yi’s young face showed some embarrassment as he said softly: “It’s not about formations, nor cultivation matters, it’s… that thing between men and women.”

Li Changshou: …

Brother, which eye of yours saw that I was an expert in this area?

Li Changshou frowned and said: “Is it about you and Hanzi?”

“Well, Brother Changshou noticed,” Ao Yi scratched his head and said softly, “I know this is somewhat inappropriate, Hanzi is considered my niece in the sect.

But ever since her master had that incident, I’ve had some thoughts in my heart that I shouldn’t have.

Brother Changshou, do you think I… have some kind of illness?”

“Don’t overthink it,” Li Changshou shook his head and said.

He took out a treasure pouch and took out several sticks of incense from it, crushing all these incense sticks, using magical power to gather them into a ball, slowly kneading it.

Li Changshou casually asked: “Have you revealed your feelings to her?”

“Yes,” Ao Yi said seriously, “As a dragon clan man, if I like someone I should say it straightforwardly, being coy isn’t true to one’s nature.”

“Were you rejected?”

“Mm… mm,” Ao Yi hung his head, “She said she doesn’t have those kinds of thoughts about me, said she feels like I’m like a younger brother to her.

Sigh, I don’t know what happened, since that year, when I met those cold-faced old Daoists in the South Sea, after they…

After that, my human form stopped growing.”

Li Changshou nodded calmly, feeling somewhat embarrassed inside, kneading the ‘incense’ ball in his hands, pondering…

“I have some medicinal wine here, do you want to try it?”

“Hm?” Ao Yi blinked, “What kind of medicinal wine?”

“For supplementing yang energy, specifically for men, after drinking it, your body might have some reactions… but no, this aspect has nothing to do with whether your human form grows or not.”

Li Changshou slowly kneaded in his hands, also considering this matter in his heart.

Ao Yi was now considered his important tool person… um, important merit business partner, he should help if he could.

“Brother Changshou,” Ao Yi looked at the three ‘giant’ incense sticks gradually taking shape in Li Changshou’s hands, “what are you doing?”

“Going to offer incense to the ancestral masters later,” Li Changshou smiled bitterly, “Nothing else, just seeking peace of mind.”

Ao Yi was stunned for a moment, then showed understanding.

No wonder Brother Changshou could be chosen as the merit proxy…

This method of offering incense to the Sages was completely different from what he had seen from others!

Learned something, really learned something.

Just then, that group of old immortals returned to the jade platform, still discussing the matter of the chain formations, each showing great interest in the conversation.

But a middle-aged-looking Celestial Immortal elder of the Crossing to Immortality Sect couldn’t help but step forward at this moment, smiling: “This little Changshou isn’t unique in the path of formations, in the path of alchemy, he also…”

“Cough! Cough cough!”

Wuwei covered his mouth and coughed several times, glaring fiercely at that elder, who came to his senses and hurriedly closed his mouth.

Thus, the old immortals became even more puzzled in their hearts…