Taking out scissors…

Drawing a weapon?

The moment Old Man Moon pulled out his golden scissors, several Dragon Elder officials and Dragon Clan guards immediately rushed in front of Ao Yi.

Countless immortal spiritual senses watching this place also focused intently on the golden scissors in Old Man Moon’s hands…

Not only were the onlookers confused, but even Li Changshou was momentarily bewildered by Old Man Moon’s puzzling behavior.

What was going on?

Was there some sort of “burning rage” poison permeating the Dragon Palace, or was this fellow named Bian Zhuang simply born asking for a beating?

One drawing his sword at the sight of him, another directly pulling out scissors…

Regardless, Li Changshou couldn’t let Old Man Moon truly lose his composure.

The Jade Emperor was supervising right beside them – this concerned not only Heaven’s dignity but also Old Man Moon’s rice bowl of merits!

Li Changshou swiftly pressed down on Old Man Moon while transmitting a low shout:

“Old Man Moon, this is the Dragon Palace! What are we here for!”

Old Man Moon startled awake, but with his scissors gleaming conspicuously in hand, it was too late to put them away.

At this moment, Old Man Moon’s eyes carried a plea for help as he blinked desperately at the Sea God before him.

How to handle this?

Li Changshou was also at a loss.

Should Old Man Moon break into an impromptu performance about “look how bright and sharp these scissors are”?

Wouldn’t that still be improper?

In that split second, thoughts raced through Li Changshou’s mind;

Within a single breath’s time, he had formulated a solution and immediately transmitted instructions to Old Man Moon on how to cover this up.

Only to see Old Man Moon raise those drawn scissors and smoothly bring them to his wrist…

The scissors opened with several snips, and Old Man Moon cut two pieces of red cloth from his ceremonial robe’s sleeve, both containing pure and concentrated merit power.

Old Man Moon’s peripheral vision swept past Bian Zhuang before landing on Ao Yi, his face already wearing a smile as he warmly said:

“Before entering, I shall first present the first wedding gift on behalf of His Majesty the Jade Emperor!”

Beside him, Ao Yi and several Dragon Clan experts immediately breathed sighs of relief.

Seeing Old Man Moon’s earlier manner, they had thought he was going to stab someone with those scissors…

At once, Old Man Moon used merit power to form four large characters on the two red cloths — “Groom” and “Bride”;

He then handed these merit-infused red clothes to Ao Yi.

Following Li Changshou’s instructions, Old Man Moon smiled and said:

“Prince Ao Yi, please have these worn by yourself and Princess Jiang Si’er.

When wearing them, you two must face each other, thinking of one another, and pin these on each other’s chest outside the wedding attire.

This will bring good fortune, symbolizing sweetness and mutual respect.

Other gifts will be presented later according to Dragon Clan customs!”

So it was just presenting gifts, and they had thought something was about to happen…

Nearly half the assembled guests withdrew their immortal senses, finding it anticlimactic.

“Thank you, Old Man Moon! Thank you!”

Ao Yi received the two red cloths with cupped hands, while Old Man Moon’s ceremonial robe sleeve glowed with immortal light, restored to its original state.

Li Changshou said from the side: “Brother Yi, why don’t you go pin it on Princess Jiang Si’er now.”

“Good, good!

Brother, please keep Old Man Moon and the other Heaven guests company, I’ll go find Sisi right away!”

Ao Yi was overjoyed, secretly glancing at the vacant-eyed Bian Zhuang, before hurrying off with the two red cloths toward the hall where Jiang Si’er waited.

A Dragon Clan elder stepped forward to take Ao Yi’s place, smilingly inviting the nine Heaven delegates to enter the main hall and be seated.

Other Heaven soldiers who had come along were also received by Dragon Clan experts and invited to side halls for the feast…

According to Dragon Clan wedding customs, guests with invitations need not bring gifts, nor would guests be asked to “give money” at the entrance.

Give money to attend a feast?

Did they look down on the Dragon Clan, thinking the Dragon Clan couldn’t afford to host guests?

That would be an insult to their Dragon Clan!

However, gifts were also a form of blessing – if guests brought gifts, they could present them directly to the newlyweds after the wedding began and the couple had made their entrance.

The main procedures of a Dragon Clan wedding were generally similar to those of mortal weddings in South Jambudvipa but more complex and particular.

Just now in that emergency, Li Changshou’s quick thinking had saved Old Man Moon’s “career”…

He could say he had done right by his old friend.

Li Changshou secretly glanced at the Heaven General played by the Jade Emperor’s avatar, pondering several possibilities…

Could it be that Heaven was so short on troops that they needed His Majesty’s avatar to personally play bit parts?

Surely not.

No matter how diminished Heaven’s prestige was, they should still have some Golden Immortal experts… right?

The Jade Emperor’s avatar was currently “playing” just a Heaven General in the Heaven Immortal realm. Analyzing rationally, His Majesty probably wanted to join in the excitement or add a measure of responsive strength to their side.

How should he handle this?

…

The nine Heaven delegates’ seats were arranged next to the cultivators from Golden Turtle Island.

When Old Man Moon entered, many figures in the main hall rose to bow, while most Dragon Clan experts remained seated motionless.

The East Sea Dragon King merely sat on his throne, smiling and nodding at Old Man Moon, before continuing to feign intoxication and rest with closed eyes.

What surprised Li Changshou was the reaction of the Golden Turtle Island cultivators.

TheSevering Sect (Sect) immortals, mindful that Heaven was established by the Three Pure Ones, all rose to greet Old Man Moon when he approached their vicinity;

Qin Wan of the Ten Celestial Lords even came over to exchange pleasantries.

Old Man Moon displayed his professional expertise, maintaining a gentle smile and responding appropriately to whoever came to chat, neither revealing flaws nor showing gaps.

Li Changshou’s paper avatar naturally took seats together with Old Man Moon’s group of nine.

As soon as they sat down, Li Changshou transmitted a query to Old Man Moon about what had happened earlier;

Old Man Moon’s expression turned somewhat embarrassed as he sighed softly and transmitted an explanation.

That clay figure of Bian Zhuang had been constantly harassing the clay figure of Ao Yi, and Old Man Moon had been agonizing over this for over ten years, frantically cutting Bian Zhuang’s red strings. When he saw the actual person just now, he really couldn’t help himself…

Red strings, unbroken for twelve years…

Li Changshou didn’t know whether to laugh or cry – this Bian Zhuang had truly stirred up a bit of trouble.

After some contemplation, Li Changshou sat deep in thought.

He was thinking about the matter of the Jade Emperor’s avatar coming here.

Judging by Old Man Moon and the others at the table’s behavior, they were unaware that the Jade Emperor’s avatar sat right beside them.

And this avatar of the Jade Emperor seemed to have replaced a fairly active Heaven General in Heaven, chatting and drinking with others after being seated, showing no flaws.

If Great Master Xuandu hadn’t reminded him, Li Changshou definitely wouldn’t have been able to tell either.

How should he deal with the Jade Emperor?

After much consideration, the best approach was actually to pretend not to know the Jade Emperor was present, do what needed to be done, remind Old Man Moon not to embarrass Heaven, and respond to changes with constancy.

Meanwhile;

In that warm chamber, the Great Master also began asking about Old Man Moon’s earlier actions with the scissors.

The Great Master had naturally noticed that Old Man Moon had inexplicably gotten excited earlier but was immediately pressed down by Li Changshou.

Li Changshou dared not conceal anything and explained in full detail about his previous journey with Ao Yi to the Edge of Heaven east of the East Sea, and how he cross-dressed to thwart Western schemes.

The Great Master couldn’t help but laugh, repeatedly saying “As expected of you.”

“Changshou, how exactly is your mind constructed?

How do you come up with these strange yet brilliant ideas?”

Just as the Great Master finished speaking, while Li Changshou was still pondering how to imperceptibly attribute the leader’s praise back to the leader…

An anomaly suddenly arose in the Crystal Palace!

A vast and magnificent pressure descended upon the Crystal Palace without warning!

The many experts present all changed expression dramatically, thinking some supreme being had arrived;

Inside and outside the Crystal Palace, hundreds of thousands of beings simultaneously looked up toward the sea surface.

This was…

Heaven’s Might!

Suddenly, four golden lights plunged into the East Sea, instantly disappearing into the Dragon Palace!

The largest beam of golden light directly entered Old Man Moon’s crown, causing immortal light to surge around him as his cultivation realm slightly increased!

Another two equally substantial golden lights flew to another hall, entering Jiang Si’er and Ao Yi!

Ao Yi and Jiang Si’er, who had just pinned the “Groom” and “Bride” red clothes on each other, were also caught off guard.

“Where did this Heaven’s Merit come from?”

Jiang Si’er exclaimed softly, while Ao Yi looked down at the small red cloth on his chest, his eyes full of disbelief.

At this moment in the Dragon Palace main hall, from Dragon Clan to guests, all eyes fell on Old Man Moon.

Just as Old Man Moon was about to say it had nothing to do with him, Li Changshou’s voice transmission reached his ear…

“Stay calm, don’t say much no matter what they ask, just respond with a knowing smile and let them make their assumptions.”

Though somewhat puzzled, Old Man Moon knew this was a future Heaven official trusted by the Jade Emperor, and immediately followed the instructions.

This old fellow smiled, squinted his eyes, and focused on picking up food and drinking.

Soon after, several Dragon Elders came to toast him, indirectly probing about how Heaven’s Merit had come about;

Old Man Moon responded with just a knowing smile.

These Dragon Elders immediately understood – that this merit must be Heaven’s wedding gift. They each expressed their gratitude to Old Man Moon, instantly raising the Dragon Clan’s favorable impression of Heaven by several levels.

Ao Yi also hurried back, toasting and thanking Old Man Moon, asking where these two portions of merit came from.

Old Man Moon continued with his knowing smile.

Ao Yi immediately understood – this must have been arranged by his Patriarch Brother and cast grateful looks at Old Man Moon and Li Changshou’s paper avatar.

Soon after, Qin Wan brought two other Ten Celestial Lords figures over to chat with Old Man Moon, asking about Heaven’s Merit…

Old Man Moon maintained… his knowing smile.

In the main hall, these heavyweight guests were all discussing ‘why Heaven would bestow merit’.

At Old Man Moon’s table, a certain unnamed Jade Emperor avatar raised his wine cup to toast Old Man Moon, transmitting:

“Venerable Old Man Moon, this must have been arranged by the Sea God, right?”

Old Man Moon still just smiled knowingly.

His Majesty seemed to understand something, lowered his head in thought for a moment, and revealed a slight smile.

‘Ceremonial’ merit.

Suddenly, a Sea Clan elder puzzledly asked: “Weren’t there four beams of merit that descended earlier? Where did the fourth beam go?”

A Dragon Elder laughed and said: “That beam of merit went to the two Highnesses’ bridal chamber.”

The assembled immortals seemed to half-understand, but could more or less explain it away.

That warm chamber was protected by Dragon Clan formations, and ordinary Golden Immortals couldn’t probe it;

The experts present, such as the Dragon Clan elders and Great Immortal Wu Yun, couldn’t detect anything unusual when using their immortal senses to investigate that warm chamber.

They could only assume that beam of merit power had flown up to the newlyweds’ bed…

The fourth beam of merit was naturally obtained by Li Changshou.

At this moment Li Changshou was explaining to the Great Master how this merit had likely come about;

The Great Master, who had just been laughing about the Bian Zhuang matter, now offered another round of praise, growing increasingly fond of this future junior brother the more he saw.

This amount of merit power…

One couldn’t say “amount” – just looking at the quantity, it was equivalent to ten years’ worth of incense merit income for the South Sea Divine Teaching.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step – merit accumulates bit by bit like this, only then can one forge a Merit Golden Body in the future…

Compared to this bit of merit, Li Changshou truly hoped nothing would go wrong next.

Li Changshou kept switching between crystal mirrors, looking at Ao Yi and Jiang Si’er, checking the Jade Emperor’s avatar at Old Man Moon’s table, then watching the Dragon Clan troops stationed near the Dragon Palace…

Overall, everything was proceeding according to his arrangements.

“Changshou, shall we go tour the South Sea?”

The Great Master said: “I just divined that blood-killing qi has gathered in the South Sea – I fear there will be a fierce battle.”

Li Changshou carefully considered and said: “Great Master, let’s leave the South Sea to the Dragon Clan to handle. I think staying here to observe is our best option.”

“Very well,” the Great Master nodded slightly, relaxing comfortably in his chair, “just call out when you need to take action.”

“Thank you for the test, Great Master.”

Li Changshou responded, then stared intently at those crystal mirrors.

Unfortunately, they still couldn’t see the South Sea region.

Though the Great Master’s divine powers were strong, they weren’t unlimited – he could only monitor the seas near the East Sea Dragon Palace from within the East Sea Dragon Palace.

At this moment, Wen Jing Daoist was already hiding in some bay on the South Sea seafloor, leading to a dark mass of shadows.

She wore a blood-red dress, her long hair floating slowly in the seawater, her alluring figure emanating a faint glow.

But the tens of thousands of beings in that dark cloud behind her only knelt motionless, not daring to raise their heads to directly look at this Queen.

Suddenly, a golden light flashed in the sea as a long “air bubble” appeared in the water. Inside it, space was torn open, and a golden light-wrapped fierce beast flew out from the spatial rift.

This was a three-foot-long fierce insect, its whole body gleaming with golden light, with six blade-like thin wings on its back.

Judging by its form, this was probably… a golden cicada.

A perverted- ahem, mutated one.

The six-winged golden cicada flew directly to ten zhang before Wen Jing Daoist, the sharp intent emanating from its back wing blades almost able to cut her face.

Wen Jing Daoist snorted, ignoring this “colleague”.

The golden cicada transformed, becoming a young Daoist with delicate features and a gentle smile. He slightly nodded to Wen Jing Daoist and said calmly:

“How are preparations on your end, fellow Daoist?”

Wen Jing Daoist said: “The troops are ready.”

The golden cicada nodded and said: “According to the two Vice Patriarchs’ arrangements, this poor Daoist will act together with fellow Daoists later.”

“Hmph, coming to hold me back!”

Wen Jing Daoist said irritably, but that golden cicada Daoist just smiled calmly, standing there in the seawater without saying more.

One could tell their relationship was not particularly harmonious.