That evening, when Lady Jiu departed from Xiao Qiong Peak, she fled astride her great gourd, clutching her collar and concealing her face with soft whimpers…

Following her, Cultivator Jiu Wu, Cultivator Jiu Shi, and Master You Qin Xuanya took their leave, not wishing to intrude upon this precious moment at Xiao Qiong Peak.

For a brief time, Xiao Qiong Peak’s inhabitants increased from three masters and disciples to four.

Moonlight rippled across the lake’s surface as night winds carried the faint glow.

Before the thatched cottage, Maiden Ling E brought forth two meditation cushions, taking her place beside Senior Brother. The diminutive form of Wandering Cultivator Jiang Lin’er curled within a round chair, her deadly blade ever-present, clasping a wine flask and taking occasional sips.

She maintained her sobriety, regularly purging the wine’s influence to preserve her clarity while savoring the gentle warmth of intoxication.

With no outsiders present, Jiang Lin’er inquired how Elder Qi had achieved his transformation into an Impure Immortal through self-dissolution.

Elder Qi glanced toward his senior disciple and said softly, “It was through a Fusion Immortal Pill that Long Shou obtained from Grand Elder Wan.”

Jiang Lin’er responded with an enigmatic smile: “This Grand Elder Wan has greatly aided our Xiao Qiong Peak.”

Elder Qi nodded in agreement: “Master speaks truly. This Grand Elder Wan has never even exchanged words with this disciple…”

Smack!

Jiang Lin’er’s hand shot forth, striking Elder Qi’s forehead as she berated him through clenched teeth: “How did I fail to beat sense into you in those early days! You believe everything you hear, everything without question!”

Elder Qi could only offer a bitter smile and sigh: “Master, I am but an Impure Immortal now. Long Shou… I raised long Shou and Ling E. Naturally, I must trust in their words.”

The small hand continued to fall, though Jiang Lin’er withheld her strength. Elder Qi, though somewhat embarrassed, carried a smile in his eyes. Like a mortal finding joy in their elderly mother’s scolding, Elder Qi now found his contentment…

Jiang Lin’er continued her lecture: “What’s wrong with being an Impure Immortal? Why this dejection? Your original aptitude was inferior even to your Master’s. The chance of achieving Celestial Immortal status was minimal to begin with. Is it not equally fulfilling to reach True Immortal status through the Earth Immortal path and gain those years of life? If Jiang Yu doesn’t wish to see you and chooses to wander, let him wander! Even I, as his master, don’t fret over it, so what cause have you to worry? Or perhaps you wish for another spanking from your Master!”

“Master, I… this disciple accepts your guidance.”

From the side, Li Long Shou whispered something to Ling E.

Ling E produced the cards of the Great Deity game, smiling: “Ancestral Master, might we share in this simple entertainment?”

“Oh? What manner of thing is this?”

“Ancestral Master, you’ll understand once you see…”

Soon, the masters and disciples before the thatched cottage engaged in their contest of Great Deity, with Jiang Lin’er relaxing further and Elder Qi letting out rare laughter. During their play, Jiang Lin’er began sharing life’s insights, secretly consoling Elder Qi.

For instance: “Second Child, your Master has walked many paths and understood many principles, yet still cannot achieve true freedom. Why? Because of attachments. All humans have attachments – without them, we cease to be human and become truly heartless. It’s fine to have concerns, even to worry for your senior sister, but don’t sink too deeply. You’ve gained the Earth Immortal path with its lengthy years – take them slowly, one by one.”

Elder Qi nodded with a soft sigh, inscribing his master’s teachings in his heart.

Observing this, Li Long Shou felt the immortal pills he’d offered to his Ancestral Master had indeed been worthwhile…

During Jiang Lin’er’s stay at Xiao Qiong Peak, Li Long Shou did not retreat to his underground chamber. He decided to use these fifteen days, while his “destitute and fierce little Ancestral Master” had returned to the mountain, to accompany his lonely widowed master and his young sister in her budding youth.

He accompanied his master fishing for spirit fish by the lake, toured Xiao Qiong Peak’s scenic maze with his Ancestral Master, helped his junior sister butcher some fattened spirit beasts, and set up a mahjong table before the pill room, introducing his yet-unpromoted “Primordial Creation version mahjong” – the Divine Bird tiles.

Naturally, Li Long Shou maintained his surveillance of Immortal Rain Peak.

As for potential retaliation from Immortal Rain Peak…

Li Long Shou had already prepared countermeasures when he eliminated Cultivator Kuai Si. However, the worst scenario he’d anticipated hadn’t materialized; now with his Ancestral Master’s sudden return and venting of anger at Immortal Rain Peak, Li Long Shou’s preparations seemed to have found their use.

Currently, Immortal Rain Peak’s hatred is focused on his Ancestral Master.

Later, when his Ancestral Master departed the sect to continue her aimless… ahem, wandering… through the Three Thousand Worlds…

This naturally had both disadvantages and advantages.

The disadvantage: Immortal Rain Peak would likely transfer some of their hatred to the three masters and disciples.

The advantage: With the threat of his Ancestral Master, a Celestial Immortal specialized in combat, Immortal Rain Peak would show greater restraint.

Of course, for Li Long Shou, the greatest benefit was that if he wished to eliminate this hidden danger in the future, he could have his paper clone simulate his Ancestral Master’s presence and form…

As for how to respond later and what degree of response to employ, it all depended on Immortal Rain Peak’s reaction.

Their fate lay in their own hands – Li Long Shou merely prepared several contingencies.

…

In the depths where the East and South Seas converge stood Golden Tortoise Island, the renowned Severing Teaching sanctuary.

Today, Golden Tortoise Island bustled with activity. The time had come for Golden Immortals to lecture, and it was said that Even Greater Immortals would appear. Cultivators across the island gathered near several palatial halls.

There, the spirited Heaven Commander Qin Wan had constructed a simple combination formation and was explaining its intricacies to his fellow cultivators.

By the Treasure Pool, beneath the jade trees.

A gentle breeze stirred the young dragon prince’s wide blue robes and softly tousled his hair against his small horns.

Beside him, Han Zhi knelt upon a meditation cushion, continuously grinding ink.

To the left of the writing desk lay stacks of bamboo scrolls, their contents already committed to Ao Yi’s memory.

Upon the golden silk spread across the desk, row after row of elegant small characters carried Ao Yi’s recent labors.

The tactical theories and thoughts derived from “Twenty-six Steps of Enemy Repulsion” and “Step Twenty-seven: Raising Dust Chapter” now transformed into a clear and systematic military strategy under Ao Yi’s brush.

As the sun set in the west, lecture voices drifted across Golden Tortoise Island, and the ink-grinding maiden was called away by familiar senior sisters to attend the teachings.

Only Ao Yi remained motionless, carefully considering each sentence and writing character by character.

Finally, as only the last rays of sunlight remained over the sea, Ao Yi released a slow breath and set down his brush and ink.

The “Sea God’s Military Records” was complete!

Ao Yi read through it several times, unable to suppress his rising smile, his gleaming eyes filled with intense joy.

‘The Human Teaching’s military arts are truly brilliant. My Dragon Clan has accumulated countless years of history, yet lacks such stability-focused strategy. I wonder if that Senior Xuandu Great Law Master would approve of this.’

With these thoughts, Ao Yi could not contain himself. He closed his eyes to concentrate, barely managing to extend his divine consciousness through his divine statue to connect with the main deity statue nearby…

Shortly after, in the expanding main hall of the Sea God Temple in An Shui City, the two statues began their mental… ahem, divine consciousness exchange.

Li Long Shou, who had been accompanying his master in boat fishing, closed his eyes to enter the dream state, using his divine statue to construct a dreamscape and draw in Ao Yi’s divine consciousness.

In a flash, Ao Yi saw Li Long Shou standing at the foot of the divine statue and quickly approached with a smile.

“Brother Teaching Leader, have you been well lately?”

“Cultivating at home, naturally all is well.”

Li Long Shou and Ao Yi exchanged Daoist salutes. Ao Yi immediately expressed several statements of gratitude, which Li Long Shou listened to casually without taking them too seriously.

However, regarding Ao Yi, Li Long Shou had already given him ten points of trust – though on a hundred-point scale.

“Teaching Leader, I have recently organized those twenty-six enemy repulsion strategies into a military manual. Our Dragon Clan has an upcoming celebration, and I wondered if this manual might serve as a gift from our Sea God Teaching to my Royal Father?”

Li Long Shou pondered briefly and said: “Recite the military manual you’ve organized.”

“Need we ask the one ab-” Ao Yi pointed upward.

“No need,” Li Long Shou smiled. “This time, because your Dragon Clan repelled enemies without harming mortals, I now have full authority over some minor matters.”

Now, he finally didn’t need to speak in half sentences and leave things to the imagination.

Li Long Shou could directly indicate to Ao Yi that he indeed had someone behind him, someone their Dragon Clan had met before…

Now, he was officially authorized to mislead!

Ao Yi revealed a joyful smile and recited the military manual he had written.

Li Long Shou listened carefully for a while, discovering that Ao Yi had only grasped some surface understanding, and thus readily agreed, offering Ao Yi some guidance in passing.

After the previous year’s deduction and analysis, Li Long Shou had determined that the Dragon Clan could not defeat the Western Teaching.

It all depended on how much determination the Western Teaching had and what price they were willing to pay to subjugate the Dragon Clan for their use.

Li Long Shou had the advantage of foreknowledge and a direct understanding of the Western Teaching’s developmental thinking.

‘Orchid’ and ‘Slingshot’ were now single-mindedly recruiting people to the West, strengthening the Western Teaching’s power, then using that power to seek karmic fortune and thereby ensure the Western Teaching’s prosperity.

The Dragon Clan was too fat a piece of meat for the Western Teaching to let go.

If the Dragon Clan’s battle strength could be enhanced, they could also cause more trouble for the Western Teaching later, consuming more of the Western Teaching’s power, benefiting both the Dao School and Heaven Court, as well as Li Long Shou himself…

Additionally, the longer the Dragon Clan could resist, the more time Li Long Shou would have to plan their entry into Heaven.

In this matter, he could work both sides – completing the task given by the Sage Lord while also earning merit with the Jade Emperor, accumulating capital for his paper clone’s future ascension to Heaven.

During the previous year in his underground chamber, Li Long Shou had been calculating all of this.

Ao Yi said: “Then Brother Long Shou, I shall present this military manual to my Royal Father!”

“Mm,” Li Long Shou nodded slightly and smiled, “Later I will place a congratulatory letter in the usual spot, as a gift from the Sea God to the Dragon Clan. Remember to send someone to retrieve it.”

Hearing this, Ao Yi’s face immediately lit up with joy, and he could only nod repeatedly.

Li Long Shou also reminded Ao Yi several times never to reveal the Sea God’s identity;

This matter greatly concerned the senior figure above, as Human Teaching practiced non-action, and seeking this bit of karmic merit would invite ridicule.

A Sage’s face was no small matter.

Ao Yi repeatedly agreed and renewed the oath he had made that year.

Before Ao Yi left, Li Long Shou pondered for a moment and entrusted a matter to Ao Yi personally. Ao Yi agreed without hesitation.

Leaving the dream state, Ao Yi sat dazed behind his writing desk for a while before breaking into soft laughter.

Brother Long Shou truly…

Shows too much care for the Dragon Clan!

In this dragon’s life, to gain such a friend, what more could one want?

Ao Yi silently declared:

‘Henceforth, Ao Yi’s treasures shall be Brother Long Shou’s treasures!

Ao Yi’s karmic merit shall be Brother Long Shou’s karmic merit!

Ao Yi’s dao companion shall be!

Ah, Brother Long Shou’s young sister-in-law…’

Taking up his brush again, Ao Yi spread out the military manual he had written, marked the points Li Long Shou had guided him on, and would reorganize it tomorrow to truly complete this great work.

What delighted Ao Yi most was that, due to the Sea God Teaching’s influence, the Dragon Clan’s customs were quietly changing.

Though the changes weren’t too obvious at present, they were truly occurring…

Meanwhile, on Xiao Qiong Peak.

Li Long Shou opened his eyes and continued sitting on the bamboo raft, fishing.

Thinking of the Dragon Clan’s future situation and the several possibilities for the Western Teaching’s next move, he silently uttered…

What a pity.

…

The fifteen-day period passed swiftly. Though Jiang Lin’er’s eyes carried traces of reluctance, she still spoke to Qi Yuan of her intention to leave again, as she had planned.

After speaking, Jiang Lin’er went to the Hundred Mortal Hall to report her departure tomorrow to the sect.

For sect members like her who had achieved Celestial Immortal status, the sect wouldn’t obstruct their desire to wander;

Different from her previous departure was that Jiang Lin’er’s battle prowess was now highly regarded by the Du Xian Men’s upper echelons. They gave her three communication jade tokens, saying they would recall her if the sect had urgent matters.

Jiang Lin’er naturally agreed readily, even saying that if she encountered powerful enemies, she could bring some fellow cultivators back to assist.

Completely adopting the manner of a mountain stronghold chief.

On the night before Jiang Lin’er’s departure, Jiu Wu and Jiu Jiu came to bid farewell, leading to another feast and celebration.

But after Jiu Jiu fled in panic and Jiu Wu took his leave, another ‘distinguished guest’ that even Li Long Shou hadn’t expected arrived.

It was the sect’s peak Celestial Immortal expert, Immortal Master Wang Qing.