We all understand the reasoning, but…

Just going to retrieve Senior Uncle’s reincarnated self back to the mountain – why make such a grand show of it?

On the surface, there was one Golden Immortal, three Celestial Immortals, one True Immortal, one apparent Primordial Immortal, one Mundane Immortal, and one Return-to-Dao realm disciple making up the numbers.

That is, Upper Immortal Wangqing, Jiang Lin’er, Jiu Yiyi, Jiu Jiu, You Qin Xuan Ya, Li Changshou, Elder Qi Yuan, and Little Ling’e.

Naturally, the Li Changshou summoned by Jiang Lin’er was the paper avatar remaining in the mountains.

If one counted the paper avatars Li Changshou brought along to protect his master and junior sister, this battle force would be more than enough to attack a small immortal sect…

Today’s matter had some karmic connection to Li Changshou’s recent explosions around the Degree Immortal Sect.

Testing the limits of paper avatar divine abilities led to constant spiritual explosions, with shockwaves regularly impacting the mountain-protecting formation, preventing Upper Immortal Wangqing and Jiang Lin’er from peacefully entering closed cultivation.

So Jiang Lin’er, having nothing better to do, came to Little Qiong Peak to guide her disciples and grand disciples, engaging in some recreational activities beyond cultivation. Together with You Qin Xuan Ya, Jiu Jiu, and Ling’e, they constantly used their delicate fingers to polish those exquisite jade cubes.

After several rounds of mahjong, Jiu Jiu asked: “Senior Sister-in-law, when are we going to bring that person back?”

Jiang Lin’er blinked, declaring “No time like the present!” and summoned all the immortals and Daoists from Little Qiong Peak, leaving only Xiong Lingli to watch over the spirit beast enclosure.

Incidentally, Jiang Lin’er also overturned her previously established plan, letting Elder Qi Yuan directly face this matter, allowing him some sense of participation.

At this moment, on two white clouds heading south, two distinctly different atmospheres prevailed…

On the front cloud, Upper Immortal Wangqing stood with hands behind his back, followed by a nervous Elder Qi Yuan and Li Changshou, who lowered his head in contemplation, feigning profundity.

On the larger cloud behind them, the atmosphere was filled with feminine chatter and continuous laughter;

‘Standard Immortal’ Jiu Yiyi steered the cloud at the front, while the ‘Extremely Fierce’ Little Ancestral Master, ‘Heinously Evil’ Aunt Jiu, ‘Oblivious Sister’ Blue Ling’e, and ‘Ice-Fire Dual Extreme’ You Qin Xuan Ya appeared to be playing cards and enjoying themselves, but were constantly discussing subsequent arrangements…

Ling’e used the Wind Speech Spell to transmit: “Won’t it be too shocking for Master to meet directly?”

“There’s no other way. Better a sharp pain than a long one, better an intense pain than a sharp one,” Jiu Jiu hummed lightly. “Now that things have reached this point, we must cut through the mess swiftly!”

Jiang Lin’er nodded: “Mm! You’re older, so you’re right!”

You Qin Xuan Ya quietly pondered for a moment before softly saying: “Grand-Uncle, in this disciple’s opinion, we might as well tell Uncle Qi Yuan on the way, to prevent any mishaps.”

Jiang Lin’er pondered for a few moments, discussed with everyone for a while longer, and finally settled on the perfect method to comfort Elder Qi Yuan!

— Release Changshou.

Li Changshou: …

After hearing his ancestral master’s transmission and turning to see his ancestral master, aunt, and junior sister collectively raising their fists to cheer him on from the cloud behind, Li Changshou could only raise his hand to his forehead and think carefully.

A moment later, Li Changshou transmitted some instructions to Jiang Lin’er;

Jiang Lin’er immediately nodded in agreement and called out to Upper Immortal Wangqing with a smile: “Dearest husband, come over and give some guidance to Xuan Ya and Ling’e about their cultivation methods.”

Li Changshou’s arm immediately broke out in goosebumps, while the Degree Immortal Sect’s Golden Immortal expert Upper Immortal Wangqing, who had been standing with hands behind his back in a master’s pose, turned with a light smile upon hearing this, his toes lightly tapping as he floated to the cloud behind.

Upper Immortal Wangqing smiled: “Lin Lin, mind your behavior in front of so many disciples, don’t let them mock us.”

Li Changshou: …

Somehow, a torch burning with True Samadhi Flame appeared in his hand.

After Upper Immortal Wangqing flew to the cloud behind, Elder Qi Yuan noticeably relaxed;

As that cloud passed Elder Qi Yuan and Li Changshou, the master-disciple pair, Jiang Lin’er called out proudly: “Hurry up you two, we’ll wait for you at the edge of the mortal realm!”

Li Changshou: What kind of provocative words are these?

After Upper Immortal Wangqing, Jiang Lin’er, and their group had flown far ahead, Elder Qi Yuan finally relaxed, raising his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his brow.

“Sigh,” Qi Yuan sighed, “Master wants to play in the mortal world, yet makes such a grand display of it.”

Li Changshou laughed internally – half of this grand display was actually for you, Master…

Then, looking at this master who had inducted him into the sect and guided him onto the Dao path, Li Changshou felt an inexplicable sourness in his heart.

The perfect resolution is rare in worldly matters. When there was still a possibility to repair Master’s Dao foundation, his cultivation was shallow and his abilities meager. Besides the method of the Fusion Immortal Pill, he couldn’t think of other strategies to help Master weather the heavenly tribulation.

Now, he had cultivated the Changshou Dao Fruit, gained the Supreme Clarity Pill Dao, and could even request Nine Cycles Golden Pills and Nine Cycles Spirit Pills.

But Master had already become a Mundane Immortal…

When Li Changshou first met Grand Master Xuandu, he had already inquired about this matter. Grand Master Xuandu had given a clear response – Mundane Immortals follow the path of Earth Immortals. It was neither illness nor deviation, requiring no rescue and impossible to rescue.

Perhaps this was simply Master’s destiny.

“Master,” Li Changshou pointed at the cloud, and a low table with two chairs appeared there.

Of course, he didn’t possess the divine ability to create objects from clouds – he was merely taking items from his storage treasure.

Li Changshou took out a wine flask and smiled: “Care for a drink?”

“Ah,” Elder Qi Yuan frowned, “Your Ancestral Master and Grand-Uncle are right ahead, what’s the point of drinking!”

“Master,” Li Changshou showed a worried expression and said softly, “This disciple has troubles weighing on his heart, yet knows not whom to confide in…”

Elder Qi Yuan spoke seriously: “Cultivation most fears unclear thoughts. Come, sit down, and I shall drink with you. Share your troubles with me.

Rest assured, I will keep your secrets, telling no third party.”

On the cloud ahead, several delicate ears perked up.

Elder Qi Yuan used his somewhat turbid immortal power to set up a barrier around them, earnestly pulling his senior disciple to sit.

Li Changshou sat drinking with his master, initially fabricating some cultivation dissatisfactions, but gradually, the conversation drifted to past events…

When his master was slightly drunk and emotions were properly stirred, Li Changshou suddenly transmitted:

“Master, Daoist Kuai Si died in the Thunder Tribulation Formation – I killed him.”

Elder Qi Yuan first froze, then as realization dawned, his hands trembled as he stared at Li Changshou, “You- Changshou what nonsense are you speaking! Such things cannot be spoken of lightly!

Is it… truly you’re doing?”

“Yes,” Li Changshou’s expression was solemn as he continued transmitting, “After disciple’s immortalization tribulation, I achieved ascension, with strength no weaker than the True Immortal realm.

Before the sect’s grand competition, using paper avatar methods, I tracked Daoist Kuai Si to the Northern Uttarakuru Continent’s border, employed some techniques, and eliminated him in the wilderness.

Soul and body are both destroyed, leaving no trace.

Master need not worry, none can trace it to disciple!”

Elder Qi Yuan lowered his voice, transmitting: “Paper cannot wrap fire, what’s done is done, how can they not trace it to you?

This matter…

I shall take responsibility for this!

Remember, you have nothing to do with Kuai Si’s death, it was all my doing!”

Li Changshou: …

“Master, that’s not the point. If anyone questions Little Qiong Peak about Daoist Kuai Si’s matter, the disciple has methods to resolve it. Master can rest easy.”

“Truly?”

“Truly! The disciple would not jest with the lives of us three master and disciples.”

Qi Yuan worried: “I am already useless, you and Ling’e absolutely cannot make mistakes… how could you be so rash, what happened to your usual caution?”

“Disciple is steady, mm, steady…”

“Master,” Li Changshou cleared his throat, carefully choosing his words, several times opening his mouth only to fall silent, unsure how to speak of what was to come.

He could speak flowery words to deceive powerful experts or speak venom when facing ancient spiritual beings.

But at this moment, Li Changshou truly didn’t know how to proceed.

Fearing his master would be shocked, yet also fearing his master’s Dao heart would tremble and he would faint with a “hiccup”…

Prepare a heart-warming stove for Master?

No use, things have reached this point, there’s no better way!

If necessary, he would temporarily seal all of Master’s cultivation, waiting until Master’s mental state calmed before slowly unsealing it.

At this point, Li Changshou took out a bronze mirror from his sleeve.

Though he hadn’t yet cultivated the Cloud Mirror technique, he could use the paper avatar method – what the paper avatar saw, he saw, projecting his heart’s vision onto the bronze mirror was no difficult task for him.

Li Changshou looked at the mirror for a while before handing it to Elder Qi Yuan.

Clouds and moon birthed in the mirror, hazily revealing wondrous scenes.

In the mirror appeared a young woman walking through a garden, carrying a short sword. Reaching a shaded corner by the wall, she gently practiced some stances, carefully contemplating.

Her face was beautiful, at thirteen or fourteen already growing into elegant grace. Having been previously planted with immortal seed, untainted by worldly impurities, she now emanated an inner and outer sense of spiritual beauty.

A maid brought tea to the side, and this young woman picked up the teapot, drank directly from it, then carefully practiced sword techniques, quite absorbed.

At first glance at the young woman in the bronze mirror, Elder Qi Yuan’s whole body trembled;

At second glance, Elder Qi Yuan’s eyes widened and brows furrowed, unable to resist standing up, seeming to want to dive into the bronze mirror.

Li Changshou smiled: “Master, in a few hours, we’ll reach this place, and can directly meet her, bringing her into the Degree Immortal Sect.”

“Really?”

Elder Qi Yuan’s voice trembled as he spoke, then tears flowed freely as he seemed both lost and suddenly enlightened.

“How would disciple dare deceive you about this?” Li Changshou said with a smile.

Qi Yuan sighed softly, holding the bronze mirror, carefully examining and observing, his gaze gradually revealing… fatherly affection.

Wait…

Fatherly affection?

Li Changshou, being thorough and responsible, still asked to be sure: “Master, you… understand?”

“Ah, you’ve made it so obvious, how could I not understand?”

Elder Qi Yuan sighed, holding the bronze mirror, smiling with worldly vicissitudes and endless bitterness, muttering:

“Senior Sister, is this also your arrangement…”

Li Changshou couldn’t help but tilt his head – what’s this about?

Qi Yuan continued muttering: “Rest assured, Senior Sister.

I will certainly teach her with all my might, helping her become a talent like Changshou.

Senior Sister’s daughter is my daughter, Qi Yuan will certainly treat her as my flesh and blood, just like Changshou and Ling’e!”

On the cloud ahead, Jiang Lin’er and Jiu Jiu couldn’t help but burst out laughing with a “pfft.”

Li Changshou sighed: “Master… this is Senior Sister Wan Jiangyu’s reincarnation.”

Elder Qi Yuan froze, and Li Changshou quickly transmitted the details of Wan Jiangyu’s demise and reincarnation to his master.

At once, Elder Qi Yuan laughed and cried, slapped himself several times, finally holding the bronze mirror while sobbing uncontrollably…

These reactions were all within expectations, fortunately, Master didn’t seek death or insist on reincarnating himself for another life.

The most troublesome hurdle had finally been crossed.

…

The two white clouds continued flying toward the Southern Jambudvipa Continent, with Qi Yuan now obviously overly excited, pacing back and forth on the cloud, unable to stay still for a moment.

At Jiang Lin’er’s command, she ordered Qi Yuan to make himself appear younger;

Elder Qi Yuan agreed but didn’t know how to proceed.

Amid laughter and jokes, led by the Golden Immortal Wealthy Lord, they soon caught sight of the Southern Continent.

Just then, Li Changshou’s heart unexpectedly trembled, and his divine consciousness stirred with a premonition as if something was happening at his Sea God Temple.

Li Changshou pondered briefly, but this time didn’t hurry to project his consciousness there.

Having just driven away Supreme Immortal Denglamp days ago, the Western Faction, seeing that “soft” approaches weren’t working, likely wanted to try something “hard.”

Li Changshou’s strategy toward the Western Faction was already calculated, but exactly what cards they would play, what measures they would take, this couldn’t be predicted – he could only counter as things developed.

Li Changshou smiled: “Disciple will cultivate for a moment, having some insights.”

Getting Jiang Lin’er’s permission, he immediately sat cross-legged;

Under the curious gazes of Ling’e, You Qin Xuan Ya, and Jiu Jiu, this paper avatar closed its eyes.

His consciousness descended on Anshui City, and Li Changshou’s eyes brightened.

Before the Sea God Temple, twelve figures stood in the street, their bodies emanating a murderous aura, thirty-two arms holding various weapons.

The first four figures each had four arms, wearing blood-colored battle armor, clearly not to be trifled with, while the eight figures behind had two arms and two legs, no different from the human physique.

These uninvited guests had several notable characteristics.

First, their bodies emanated blood qi and killing qi;

Second, the males had fierce faces and sturdy builds, while the females had beautiful faces and tall figures, most with heterochromatic eyes;

Third, their personal qi fluctuations equated to True Immortal and Celestial Immortal realm cultivators, their strengths varied, but their Dao rhythms were quite consistent, seeming to share a single great Dao related to killing.

They were…

Asuras?

The remaining Asura tribe from the Blood Sea had also been subjugated by the Western Faction.

These Asuras needn’t speak – they had already frightened the mortals into weak-kneed flight.

— They gave mortals a chance to escape, clearly not wanting to incur the karmic burden of killing mortals.

As a group of divine envoys from the Sea God Religion was about to rush out, Li Changshou immediately transmitted secretly, ordering these divine envoys to retreat at once, while summoning the true dragon protectors from the South Sea’s edge to assist.

The underground paper avatar vault opened, with avatar after avatar flying out;

Dozens of li away at the South Sea shore, successive dragon roars rang out!

However, several blood-colored figures appeared from the South Sea, pouncing fiercely toward the dragon roars.

Among the twelve Asuras before the Sea God Temple, one swung forward a silver-white long blade, releasing a dazzling ten-zhang-high blade light that directly split the Sea God Temple’s gate, leaving a deep furrow in the ground.

Another female Asura shouted in a somewhat strange tone:

“Sea God, come out and face death.”

“Hmph!”

A cold snort sounded, and a figure walked out from the Sea God Temple’s main hall – white-haired and lean, his usually kind face full of anger – it was Li Changshou’s elderly immortal skin paper avatar.

As this paper avatar stepped out of the front hall, dozens of paper avatars were already in position underground, half prepared with miniature formations, half ready with poison powders and pills.

After entering the Golden Immortal realm, Li Changshou’s strength comprehensively leaped forward;

The number of paper avatars he could control simultaneously had also slightly increased… by several times…