Sometimes, a thousand lies cannot match a single truth from the heart.

Though a thousand truths might still fall short against a well-laid scheme…

Regarding the matter of enlightening Master Fugui, Li Changshou carefully deliberated and meticulously planned. He realized that rather than using any excuse to have Elder Jiuwu present the illustrations, it would be better to directly tell Elder Jiuwu about this matter and get him involved.

Thus, a paper crane message flew to Breaking Sky Peak, and Elder Jiuwu quickly arrived on his cloud.

Li Changshou waited at the entrance of the pill room. Seeing Elder Jiuwu’s beaming expression, Li Changshou’s mood also lightened considerably. In his heart, he found himself humming an old popular tune from his previous life…

‘Ah, give me a cup of forgetting water, to forget my name is Wang Fugui~ Hey hey~’

*Ahem*, be serious, stay calm.

Perhaps because it had been too long since Li Changshou had given him any tasks, Elder Jiuwu’s vigilance had decreased significantly. He descended directly from his cloud in front of Li Changshou.

Jiuwu smiled and said, “Changshou, how is your cultivation lately? You’ve already reached the seventh stage of the Dao? Not bad, not bad. Those cultivation prodigies ahead of you have already started preparing for their heavenly tribulation. You should also start thinking about it early.”

Li Changshou smiled slightly and said, “Indeed, tribulation is a major matter.”

With two Nine Cycles Golden Pills as a foundation, Li Changshou had recalculated that he would probably be ready for the Golden Immortal tribulation in about two to three hundred years.

“Changshou, did you call me here for something important?”

“Elder Uncle, let’s talk inside.”

Li Changshou made a welcoming gesture. Jiuwu, not suspecting anything, strode into the pill room with his hands behind his back.

Li Changshou activated the formation array around the pill room, brought over two cushions, and after inviting Jiuwu to sit, pondered for a moment…

He omitted the matter of the emotion of water and told Jiuwu about yesterday’s awkward situation between Senior Wangqing and his own Ancestral Master.

“Is this true?” Jiuwu asked with wide eyes.

“Yes,” Li Changshou nodded. “The two of them stayed under the tree for an entire afternoon. My Ancestral Master clearly expressed his desire to take things further, and Senior Wangqing agreed, and then… there was no then.”

“Hiss—”

Jiuwu drew in a sharp breath, his eyes full of shock.

“No wonder! Master called me over last night and asked me a question that I couldn’t figure out even after thinking about it for half a day. Now I finally understand!”

“Oh?” Li Changshou’s eyes brightened. “What did Ancestral Master ask?”

“Master asked, hehe,” Jiuwu shrugged with a somewhat crude expression, “about what Shishi and I usually do when we’re together.”

Li Changshou smiled, “How did you answer, Elder Uncle?”

“Well, I certainly couldn’t… hehe, couldn’t say anything improper.”

Jiuwu sighed, “I only talked about how we communicate daily, without… hehe. At the time, I didn’t understand Master’s meaning, but even if I had known Master was asking about this, I wouldn’t have dared to give Master advice about such things. I never imagined that Master has been so singularly focused on cultivation all these years. It truly makes me, as his disciple, feel ashamed.”

Jiuwu paused, then asked, “Changshou, you’ve always been full of clever ideas. Do you have a solution for this matter?”

“Yes,” Li Changshou took out his ‘Newlywed’s Treasury’ and handed it to Jiuwu. “Elder Uncle, please take a look.”

“Is this another Spring and Autumn diagram?”

“No, this one is more technical, the details aren’t quite… ahem!”

As Li Changshou spoke, he couldn’t help but blush. It was one thing to work on it himself, but quite another to show it to someone else.

Jiuwu solemnly opened the treasury and immediately squinted his eyes to study it carefully.

“Changshou, I didn’t know you understood so much! The drawings are very detailed and clear at a glance. This is a treasure, truly a treasure, hehehe.”

Li Changshou said seriously, “This is a proper instructional item, Elder Uncle, please don’t laugh.”

“We’re all hundreds of years old, who wouldn’t understand these things?”

Jiuwu paused and smiled bitterly, “Ah, I almost forgot, my Master doesn’t quite understand this. Come to think of it, though this item is good, it seems to be just the beginner version… hehe, is there an advanced version?”

Li Changshou: …

“This was created solely for the matter between Ancestral Master and Senior Uncle. As your junior, I’m about to face my tribulation and shouldn’t be distracted,” Li Changshou said seriously.

“Understood, understood,” Jiuwu quickly nodded. “You’re right, just focus on preparing for your tribulation. Then, I’ll take this back and present it to Master.”

Li Changshou cautioned Jiuwu several times not to say that he had drawn it, which left Jiuwu somewhat puzzled.

“If Senior Uncle learns this was created by your junior, he might associate it with my Ancestral Master and misunderstand something,” Li Changshou explained. “My Ancestral Master only knows of such matters through hearsay…”

Jiuwu pondered for a moment and said, “Don’t worry, Changshou. I’ll say this was gifted by one of the sect elders.”

Li Changshou gave him a thumbs up, and Jiuwu let out another “hehe” laugh before quickly returning to Breaking Sky Peak on his cloud.

Though Jiuwu had left, his “hehe” laughter seemed to linger in the air for three hours, causing Li Changshou to unconsciously join in with a few “hehe”s of his own.

Half a day later…

Jiuwu hurriedly returned to his cloud, winked at Li Changshou, and said, “It’s done.”

“Did Senior Uncle look at it?”

“He did,” Jiuwu said happily. “I saw Master open the treasure diagram, and by the way, I also gave Master several of the Spring Arrival scrolls that you had given me.”

Li Changshou slowly let out a breath of relief. Then, as he and Jiuwu looked at each other, these two unlikely friends of different heights and ages immediately… broke into “hehe” laughter.

This laughter carried their good wishes for their elders;

This laughter conveyed their blessing for a relationship;

If everyone contributes a little “hehe,” the primordial world will have a beautiful tomorrow.

…

After sending out the treasure diagram, Li Changshou had planned not to meddle further in this matter.

What else could he do?

He couldn’t act like those matchmakers in the mortal world who give instructions from outside the newlyweds’ chamber on their wedding night, could he?

He sent a message to Ling’e not to return to the thatched cottage for these few days, but to cultivate in the chess room near the spirit beast enclosure, to avoid affecting Little Master’s performance.

Li Changshou then focused his attention mainly on the Dragon Palace banquet, keeping just a bit of awareness of the changes at Small Qiong Peak.

But what Li Changshou hadn’t expected was…

After three or four days, there was no sign of Senior Wangqing;

Another three or four days passed, and still no trace of Senior Wangqing.

Even until the dragon palace celebration was nearing its end and guests were starting to leave, on Senior Wangqing’s side…

There was still no movement.

Could it be that his treasure diagram had made Master Fugui too shy?

Li Changshou was confused and somewhat dejected. All his effort couldn’t just be wasted like this for no reason.

Li Changshou waited patiently for two more days, but Senior Wangqing and his Ancestral Master still hadn’t met.

Jiang Lin’er was also puzzled, thinking that the previous incident had upset Senior Wangqing, and personally went to Breaking Sky Peak. However, she was informed by Senior Wangqing’s senior disciple, Jiu Yiyi, that Senior Wangqing had suddenly gained some insights and gone into closed cultivation.

Gone into closed cultivation…

Gone into closed cultivation…

‘Could it be… that he’s in closed cultivation studying that treasury? Isn’t that something even mortals could understand at a glance?’

As this possibility occurred to Li Changshou, he couldn’t help but place a hand on his forehead, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

“Friend Sea God, shouldn’t we be leaving as well?” Old Man Moon transmitted his voice to ask.

Li Changshou gathered his spirits and looked around at their surroundings. The banquet was already nearly half empty.

“Yes, it’s time to return.”

Li Changshou transmitted some instructions to Old Man Moon about what to say to the dragon palace’s farewell party later. Every word spoken by Old Man Moon here represented Heaven’s attitude, so these details had to be attended to.

For example, earlier when Li Changshou and Old Man Moon had addressed the Dragon King as “Lord Dragon King” rather than “His Majesty the Dragon King,” this was one of the details Li Changshou had previously instructed.

At present, the Heaven contingent and Li Changshou, the South Sea God, all stood up together.

Nearby, a sea maiden immediately transmitted a message backward, and two dragon-headed elders along with a white-haired turtle immortal hurriedly came over with smiles.

Old Man Moon smiled and said:

“In the blink of an eye, I’ve been away from the Marriage Hall for over a month. I fear the work has piled up like mountains, so I must now bid farewell. Here, I once again congratulate Ao Yi on finding such a worthy wife.”

“Many thanks, many thanks, Old Man Moon,” the East Sea Dragon King’s Turtle Prime Minister repeatedly cupped his hands and smiled, “The Dragon King still has guests to entertain, so this humble immortal will see you all out of the Crystal Palace.”

“Very well,” Old Man Moon nodded with a smile, and the several heavenly generals behind him also cupped their hands in salute, which the two dragon-headed elders and the turtle immortal each returned.

The group left the main hall, walked through the pearl corridor, passed the front courtyard filled with various treasures, and headed toward the Crystal Palace’s main gate.

From far away, Old Man Moon saw that familiar figure;

This time, Old Man Moon didn’t lose his composure, but instead frowned and focused, his eyes showing some sympathy.

Li Changshou immediately transmitted, “Old Man Moon, don’t expose this matter. I will deal with this Bian Zhuang later.”

Old Man Moon blinked imperceptibly, and Li Changshou nodded with a smile, saying nothing more.

Finally, Old Man Moon restrained himself from looking at Bian Zhuang again;

Old Man Moon left the Crystal Palace, exchanged some pleasantries with the three dragon palace escorts, and after the dozens of heavenly soldiers caught up to join them, they ascended toward the sea surface.

Li Changshou watched Old Man Moon and the Jade Emperor’s avatar disappear into the distance, sighing slightly in his heart.

Hold on, old friend.

Hopefully, your excellent performance this time can balance out your scolding of the Jade Emperor in his mind.

If His Majesty the Jade Emperor gives you a hard time, don’t blame him for not stopping you then…

He really couldn’t have stopped it.

Then, Li Changshou turned to the turtle immortal and smiled, “Third Prime Minister, now that the East Sea matters have concluded, I should return as well.”

“Why doesn’t the Sea God stay a few days at the dragon palace?”

The Turtle Prime Minister hurriedly said, “His Majesty the Dragon King still wishes to have late-night talks with you, and has specifically instructed me to ask you to stay a few more days.”

Li Changshou smiled and said, “I’ll be at the Sea God Temple. If there’s any matter to discuss, just come find me there.”

“Could you wait half a day then?” The Turtle Prime Minister held Li Changshou’s arm. “His Majesty still wants to give you a generous gift.”

“There’s no need for that,” Li Changshou said seriously. “Brother Yi is the second leader of my Sea God Church. My coming to offer advice to the dragon palace was out of concern for Brother Yi and in consideration of how the dragon clan usually protects the Sea God Church. As for gifts… sending them to Anshui City would be fine.”

The Turtle Prime Minister blinked, almost thrown off balance, and quickly nodded in agreement.

Li Changshou’s paper avatar made a Daoist salute and then used a water travel technique to head directly southwest.

Before leaving, Li Changshou didn’t forget to look at the despondent Bian Zhuang sitting there;

His lips curved slightly as he dispatched one of his paper avatars hidden near the East Sea Crystal Palace to head toward the East Sea’s end of the world.

Naturally, he would deal with the aftermath after Bian Zhuang left the Crystal Palace.

Uh, would he be beaten up by Ao Yi’s people?

Probably not, Bian Zhuang was just a bit too infatuated with Ke Le’er…

‘If I were Ao Yi, or if someone was coveting my female paper avatar, how would I handle it?’

Li Changshou habitually put himself in their shoes to think but quickly shook his head.

First, he would never cross-dress;

Second, if his paper avatar caused such trouble, he would just destroy the paper avatar.

Better to die than bend, that’s the principle!

“Ah, let’s think about what’s going on with Senior Wangqing instead.”

Li Changshou split his attention, using one part to guide this paper avatar disguised as a young Qi refining cultivator toward the South Sea using water travel technique, while the other part pondered how to investigate Senior Wangqing’s situation.

Ask the Sect Leader to approach Senior Wangqing.

That wouldn’t be very appropriate. It would be better to ask Elder Wan Linyun to visit under the pretext of gifting pills, to see if Senior Wangqing was truly in closed cultivation or deliberately avoiding his Ancestral Master.

Li Changshou knew Fugui was reserved;

But being this pure and innocent to such an extent was truly somewhat… unreasonable.

However, just as this thought crossed Li Changshou’s mind, a faint premonition suddenly arose in his heart.

He glanced at the sensing stone tied to this paper avatar’s wrist. The previously unlit sensing stone was now softly glowing with a deep purple light.

Li Changshou imperceptibly changed direction, releasing two small paper fish from his palm;

Soon, through the primordial spirit power carried by the paper fish, he detected more than ten figures following him…

A mix of True Immortals and Celestial Immortals, with two at the peak of Celestial Immortal realm?

They seemed to be rebel sea clan forces…

These sea clan rebels had set their sights on him, the South Sea God. Did they not know this was just an avatar?

Li Changshou pondered briefly, abandoning the idea of ‘going along with their plan to see their purpose’;

He shouldn’t have any contact with the sea clan rebels.

If they ambushed him, he could collect their remnant souls and then see what had happened.

At present, he continued to use water travel techniques in the sea without showing any signs of awareness, while urgently mobilizing his paper avatar army hidden in the East Sea.

Since they came to cause trouble for him alone, they probably… wouldn’t mobilize forces exceeding a hundred thousand.