“People must experience the lashes of cultivation life to stand independently between heaven and earth, to compete with the sun and moon for radiance, to seek longevity and safety.

Cultivation cannot be smooth sailing, so we must try our best to avoid karma.

Moreover, there are always calamities brewing in this world, so we must have sufficient strength and experience some hardships in advance to survive well during these tribulations…”

“Is this… the reason Senior Brother was hung up and beaten by Master for two hours?”

In Li Changshou’s thatched cottage, Ling’e couldn’t help but laugh and cry, frowning as she looked at her Senior Brother lying face down on the grass bed.

The severity of Senior Brother’s beating just now was the second worst Ling’e had seen since entering the mountain.

She didn’t know what had come over Master; he hadn’t been this angry for a long time.

“Senior Brother, what exactly did you do?”

“Heh, that’s not important,” Li Changshou’s mouth twitched slightly, “Although there were some unexpected issues in the process, Master’s spirits should be lifted now.”

“Hm?” Ling’e blinked gently, somewhat confused.

Originally, Li Changshou had planned to let his master stroll around the town, then arrange for one or two female Qi Practitioners of lower cultivation to actively approach his master, thus helping him regain some confidence.

This wouldn’t have caused much karma, just talking, and with him controlling the Heart-Burning Pill’s effects, it wouldn’t have caused mutual attraction between parties.

Who would have thought…

The person went, the chatting came, the pill shattered;

Although it was just a brief moment, the scene of a group of female Qi Practitioners mixed with strange others swarming toward his master was truly…

Memorable, and deeply impressive.

What also surprised Li Changshou was that group of suddenly berserk spirit beasts…

If Li Changshou hadn’t reacted quickly at the time, directly using the “Person” character paper doll to carry his master out of town during the chaos, and then quickly escaping through earth tunneling, perhaps… they would have been left to bear the town’s losses!

Their little poor peak couldn’t afford that.

However, this experiment unexpectedly discovered that the Heart-Burning Pill seemed to have unexpected effects on spirit beasts and demon beasts.

With this lesson, Li Changshou decided to temporarily seal away the Heart-Burning Pill, keeping it as another trump card to use later as needed.

Indeed, after creating the [Counter-Investigation Pill], he should have stopped in time.

However, Li Changshou’s original concept was to use the Heart-Burning Pill in future battles to disturb the opponent’s state of mind, thus achieving victory;

This attempt to help his master was also a ‘field evaluation’ of the medicine’s properties and effects…

Moreover, the Heart-Burning Pill that shattered was only a first-grade spirit pill;

Li Changshou currently had several third-grade Heart-Burning Pills in hand, though he didn’t know if they could affect the mental state of Celestial Immortal ‘experts’ during battle.

This wasn’t easy to test.

“Senior Brother, shall I help massage you?”

“No need, no need,” Li Changshou sighed, “These minor injuries can be recovered at any time. This time your Senior Brother’s actions weren’t stable enough, let this serve as a warning.

Go keep Little Senior Uncle company, don’t let her come here, or it will surely add injury to injury.”

“Then… alright…”

Lan Ling’e left the thatched cottage, looking back every few steps, somewhat worried.

Li Changshou drew in a sharp breath, lying there silently taking out a stone tablet, beginning to repair and improve the Stability Scripture.

Suddenly some laughter came from the neighboring cottage. Li Changshou’s divine sense swept over to see his master actually repeatedly changing Daoist robes, his whole person beginning to radiate vitality…

Although there were twists and turns, after such trouble, the effect seemed to have been achieved.

In the underground secret chamber of the pill room, Li Changshou’s true body smiled slightly, looking at the paper doll in the cottage that had taken the beating for him, and began today’s dao comprehension.

…

After coming to express gratitude last time, Dongmu Gong hadn’t appeared at the Sea God Temple for two consecutive years.

Li Changshou wasn’t anxious about this, his attitude was very stable.

If he could connect with the Jade Emperor, this potential stock would naturally be good; if not, then it was because his advice was too shallow, and he would just continue to work as a minor official in the Heaven Court seeking divine positions later.

Having gains and losses is the principle of the heavenly way.

Moreover, this was only two years after all. For beings above Golden Immortal like the Jade Emperor and Dongmu Gong, perhaps just one session of closed cultivation or slight enlightenment wasn’t enough for them to handle some major matters…

What slightly relieved Li Changshou was that Elder Wan Lin Yun had safely returned from the North Continent, and specially summoned Li Changshou over to admire those few fierce-looking poisonous insects.

Afterward, Elder Wan Lin Yun began closed cultivation to try making Divine Sense Poison Pills; those two paper dolls thus remained by Elder Wan’s side.

Although Li Changshou had considered whether to secretly provide Elder Wan Lin Yun with some of the Heart-Burning Pills he had already refined…

After careful consideration, Li Changshou dismissed this idea.

Elder Wan Lin Yun was quite concerned about face, and Li Changshou also wanted to see what kind of Divine Sense Poison Pills the elder could refine with his poison pill expertise.

And incidentally, grab a few to expand his trump card library.

These two years, cultivation days finally returned to their usual stability.

After discovering the secret to improving work efficiency, Ling’e and Senior Sister You Qin’s progress on the Spirit Beast Enclosure was very pleasing, completing construction in just over a year.

Li Changshou waved his hand and exempted this ‘verbal debt’.

After the Spirit Beast Enclosure was completed, You Qin Xuan Ya felt she had delayed too many cultivation years during this time, and returned to her cave dwelling for long-term closed cultivation.

Speaking frankly, You Qin Xuan Ya’s self-control was quite good; previously she had merely fallen victim to Senior Uncle Jiu Wu’s strange techniques.

Recently, Li Changshou wanted to ask Jiu Wu a question…

Living in drunken dreams on Little Qiong Peak every day, what meaning did the defensive formations of her pavilion, built with a thousand years of family fortune, still have?

However, Jiu Wu’s cultivation had always been like this, belonging to the ‘no enlightenment once, but eat for a hundred years when enlightened’ type.

Following one’s heart and moving according to one’s heart was indeed the true meaning of the Non-Action Scripture.

Jiu Wu’s overall cultivation progress was three to four-tenths faster than those ‘same-age same-aptitude’ Qi Practitioners who closely cultivated every day.

But achieving complete non-seeking and non-action was truly too difficult; Senior Uncle Jiu Wu’s way… was half due to excessive drinking.

There hadn’t been any obvious movement from Rogue Rain Peak, and Kuai Si’s disappearance hadn’t had much impact on Rogue Rain Peak;

From top to bottom of Rogue Rain Peak, from widow to disciples, they all viewed Kuai Si’s death as the result of seeking fights due to excessive bravery, unfortunately being killed in retaliation…

This saved Li Changshou considerable mental effort, and he decided to monitor Rogue Rain Peak for another three hundred years.

If no one mentions this matter again, then let it be.

If someone brought it up again… then Li Changshou would have to plan again to thoroughly resolve this bit of karma.

Li Changshou had thought this peaceful period could continue until the opening of the Central Divine Continent’s Daoist grand event [Three Teachings Origin Conference] and thus placed his daily focus on comprehending the dao and improving the Turtle Formula.

Unexpectedly, after just two years of peace…

This day, Jiu Wu came flying urgently from the direction of Pill Cauldron Peak, immediately alerting Li Changshou.

He had taken away two bottles of Masculine Heart Pills just half a month ago, it wasn’t yet time for ‘delivery’.

“Changshou! Quick! Something’s happened!”

“Oh?”

Li Changshou stepped out of the pill room to welcome him, “Senior Uncle, speak slowly.”

Jiu Wu urgently said: “There’s a problem with the Masculine Heart Pills!

A Celestial Immortal elder ate a Masculine Heart Pill, and today his mind became confused and his behavior became crazy.

He’s currently being treated by various elders at Pill Cauldron Peak!”

Li Changshou frowned, immediately detecting something strange about this.

The Masculine Heart Pills were refined by him, every medicinal ingredient passed through his hands, and the medicinal properties of every pill were also carefully checked by him.

Moreover, in these few years, almost all the elders in the sect with Dao companions had used them, and there were at least eleven or twelve old True Immortals who had used them to stimulate their aged mindsets…

This thing only had the effects of ‘flights of fancy’ and ‘surging emotions’, and after Li Changshou improved the pills, he had specially reduced the amount of emotion stone water.

Jiu Wu said: “This matter has already alarmed the Supreme Elder, what should we do?”

“Senior Uncle, are you sure it was because of eating our Masculine Heart Pills that he became like this?”

“According to what this elder said, indeed…”

“Let’s go take a look.”

Li Changshou rarely showed a solemn expression, jumping onto Senior Uncle Jiu Wu’s cloud, and together they left Little Qiong Peak, heading toward Pill Cauldron Peak.

On the cloud path, Li Changshou’s thoughts constantly turned, already using divine sense to observe various places on Pill Cauldron Peak, analyzing in his heart the possibility that others had deliberately schemed this.

When he jumped down from the cloud, he transmitted a few words of instruction to Jiu Wu, then headed toward a pavilion where seven or eight old Daoists had gathered.

Fortunately, Elder Wan Lin Yun was also here, saving Li Changshou much explanation.

Jiu Wu said: “Nephew Changshou has arrived!”

The several old Daoists in front immediately turned to look, most wearing worried expressions, some holding Masculine Heart Pills in their hands, presumably analyzing their medicinal properties.

A middle-aged Daoist with disheveled clothes sat in an armchair, head lowered in sleep;

Li Changshou immediately caught a trace of Bewildering Soul Scattering Powder, presumably Elder Wan Lin Yun had acted to make this person fall unconscious.

“Changshou, is there an antidote for these Masculine Heart Pills?”

“Although this poor Daoist has taken a Masculine Heart Pill before, it was stable, why would there be such hidden dangers?”

“Elders, don’t be anxious,” Li Changshou made a Daoist bow, “Could you allow this disciple to come forward and examine this elder’s condition in detail?

Although this disciple’s cultivation is shallow and pill dao insufficient, since these Masculine Heart Pills were refined by me, perhaps I can spot something.”

Elder Wan Lin Yun said: “Let Changshou take a look.”

The other elders immediately cleared a path, and Li Changshou made another Daoist bow, passing by the various elders’ sides.

—Being careful was one thing, courtesy should also be maintained.

Li Changshou didn’t display immortal power, but placed one hand on this unconscious elder’s arm, quietly sensing.

Soon, Li Changshou had formed a judgment in his heart and turned to look at Jiu Wu.

“Senior Uncle, when presenting the pills, did you instruct that after taking Masculine Heart Pills, one cannot take other pills with similar medicinal properties within three days?”

Jiu Wu immediately nodded, answering: “Not one of the matters you instructed me about has been forgotten, nephew.”

Li Changshou nodded slightly, saying: “Please could several elders bear witness and help search this elder’s storage treasure to see if there are any remaining Masculine Heart Pills.”

Before the others could speak, Elder Wan Lin Yun had already stepped forward, saying: “I’ll do it.”

The other several elders could only swallow their words.

Cold-faced peak tyrant, intimidating people’s live.

Although searching another’s storage treasure was quite impolite, and forcibly opening their storage treasure might damage its restrictions;

But Li Changshou knew he must explain this matter clearly at this time, to avoid inexplicably taking the blame.

Soon, Elder Wan Lin Yun broke open the other’s storage treasure restrictions, searched within for a while, and took out a jade bottle, pouring out three light blue pills.

Li Changshou casually drew one over, held it between his fingers, then shook his head and stepped back two paces, not saying more.

The other several elders immediately came forward to examine the medicinal properties of the remaining two pills, deducing what ‘performance’ these pills would have, and soon their expressions changed slightly…

“Who refined these pills?”

“They appear identical to Masculine Heart Pills, but the Masculine Heart Pills refined by Nephew Changshou have peaceful and righteous medicinal properties within, how do these two pills exude such an evil air?”

Elder Wan Lin Yun coldly snorted, about to act and wake the unconscious elder.

He finally had a satisfactory junior, yet someone had framed him like this!

“Elder!”

Li Changshou hurriedly called out, “Elder, don’t be hasty.”

Elder Wan said firmly: “How can this matter not be urgent? Those who recklessly refine pills harm others greatly, and have wrongly damaged your reputation!”

Li Changshou smiled bitterly, secretly observing the expressions of the several elders present, and sighed:

“This matter indeed should not be publicized.

The person who refined these pills must be a senior within the sect, and it was because this disciple’s cultivation is too shallow and Masculine Heart Pill production too little, that seniors analyzed the pill formula and refined them themselves.

This disciple never thought to seek profit or fame from Masculine Heart Pills, they were only meant as gifts for Senior Uncle Jiu Wu, to help Senior Uncle Jiu Wu’s ambitions.

Later, because various elders had need, Senior Uncle Jiu Wu presented the Masculine Heart Pills to them.

This disciple has spent considerable effort on these pills, to the point of neglecting cultivation, but these pills are truly not easy to refine.

So the root of this matter still lies with this disciple.”

Elder Wan Lin Yun frowned, about to speak, when Li Changshou continued:

“This disciple will later go with Senior Uncle Jiu Wu to present the Masculine Heart Pills to the Hundred Ordinary Hall, henceforth to be distributed by the sect.

Please could the elders help secretly tell other elders who need Masculine Heart Pills to no longer seek Senior Uncle Jiu Wu, but directly go to the Hundred Ordinary Hall.

This disciple still has pills in the furnace, so will take leave first.”

With these words, Li Changshou made a Daoist bow and turned to leave the hall.

Only then did these elders come to their senses, hurriedly calling out:

“Changshou, don’t be angry about this matter, we will give you an explanation.”

“Changshou, perhaps these pills shouldn’t be put in the Hundred Ordinary Hall…”

But Li Changshou didn’t even look back.

Given the situation, he displayed the aloofness and pride of a ‘young pill master’.

“Hmph!”

Elder Wan Lin Yun’s bronze staff struck the ground, making the other elders tremble again.

“Living for tens or hundreds of thousands of years, yet still not as good as a junior!

If I find out who refined these fake pills to harm people, I definitely won’t let them off!”

…

Meanwhile, just as Li Changshou flew out of Pill Cauldron Peak on his cloud, Jiu Wu hurriedly caught up from behind.

But before Jiu Wu could speak, Li Changshou had already said softly: “Senior Uncle Jiu Wu, I remember there’s a sect steward on Pill Cauldron Peak named Liu Feixian…”

“That’s right, what about it?”

“Senior Uncle, come closer…”

Li Changshou bent down and whispered a few things in Jiu Wu’s ear.”