Just as the Black Panther spirit had given himself a blessing, several demon spirits returned to this place, chatting and laughing.

Li Changshou observed from the shadows and discovered that these demon spirits were merely returning to their caves, which were hidden in secluded spots within this shallow valley.

These demon spirits ‘accidentally’ discovered the cave that the Black Panther had just opened, and immediately sent their neighborly greetings.

They had captured the water spirit and beaten the Black Panther. Just as they were about to humiliate the water spirit in front of the Black Panther, a gentle breeze passed by. These demon spirits’ eyes rolled back, and they collapsed to the ground, their essence dispersing and demon cores losing their luster.

They were merely a Heavenly Immortal realm great demon leading several True Immortal realm demons. Li Changshou’s Golden Immortal realm paper avatar is very simple…

Dealt with them using a combination of poison powder and sedatives.

When one could avoid wasting immortal power, one should – this was in the paper avatar’s user manual.

Afterward, Li Changshou appeared outside the cave in the appearance of that round-faced elderly immortal, chuckling softly.

The Panther spirit pulled the water spirit Miaomiao outside. Upon seeing Li Changshou, his legs bent and he knelt down.

“Thank you for saving us, Senior! Thank you for saving us! Senior, you truly are…”

“Silence!”

Li Changshou and the female demon shouted sternly at the same time.

The Black Panther trembled and smiled bitterly.

Li Changshou continued: “Don’t even think about blessing this poor Daoist in your heart. My fate is thin, and I cannot bear such things.”

The Black Panther was caught between laughter and tears, and could only repeatedly kowtow.

“Thank you for saving our lives, Senior! Please come inside and rest!”

Li Changshou nodded calmly and said with deep meaning:

“Ah Bao, I saved you once, and perhaps I could save you a second time, but a third time, a fourth time – I may not necessarily be able to save your life then.

This poor Daoist will take his leave now. You and your wife should cultivate here in peace, and speak no more… of those words.

Rather than hoping everything goes as wished, it’s better to keep your feet on the ground and do things one at a time. Doing one thing is better than saying much – do you understand?”

The Black Panther fell into contemplation, then bowed deeply again. “This junior understands!”

Then, Li Changshou looked at the water spirit Miaomiao with a rather complex expression. Feeling puzzled, he asked: “This poor Daoist has some doubts, why is your wife…

Could it be that you harbor much dissatisfaction with your wife!”

“Senior, you misunderstand! This junior feels only gratitu—”

Slap!

A crisp sound rang out as the Black Panther spirit’s head flew to the left, his body spinning thirty-six times around an axis from head to toe!

That lightning-fast delicate hand maintained its final slapping position before calmly withdrawing to join its pair, folded atop their owner water spirit Miaomiao’s skirt.

She smiled somewhat embarrassedly and said softly:

“Reporting to Senior, nothing else, just quick hands.”

Li Changshou: …

Ah Bao quickly got up, touching the corner of his eye with his swollen right cheek.

“Made Senior laugh, made Senior laugh.”

“Very good,” Li Changshou nodded calmly and said, “I’ll take my leave now. Ah Bao, just focus on your cultivation.”

“Senior! Senior!”

The Black Panther spirit called out repeatedly, stopping Li Changshou’s form. Then he asked somewhat anxiously:

“Senior, could you tell this junior one truth?

Have you taken a liking to this junior’s mouth?

If you have, thinking of how you just saved my life, this junior will certainly offer my liver and brains…”

Li Changshou shouted: “Hold!”

The Black Panther spirit quickly shut his mouth, swallowing back his words.

“This poor Daoist does not want your loyalty, there exists no relationship between us,” Li Changshou carefully chose his words, “Nor am I scheming for anything from you. This poor Daoist also knows that your mouth’s power doesn’t work when forced.

To be frank, this poor Daoist merely found your divine ability somewhat rare.

The demons are rising, and they need talented individuals like you.

Just cultivate here in peace. Nurturing a demon for a thousand years to use them for a moment – there will be a place for you to shine.

Take these pills to aid in cultivation for you and your wife.”

The Black Panther spirit was immediately moved beyond words and made another Daoist bow to Li Changshou.

Li Changshou turned to leave, riding clouds into the high sky.

The Black Panther spirit shouted: “Senior, could you leave a name!”

From the misty clouds came the words:

“This poor Daoist is originally a solitary cultivator, rarely asking of worldly affairs while riding casual cranes. You may call me Daoist Lu Ya.”

The Black Panther spirit murmured in admiration: “Senior Lu Ya is truly a…

Cannot say, cannot say, whew!

The wife quickly makes an ancestral tablet with Senior’s name. Though I cannot speak blessings or think them in my heart, setting up a tablet and burning incense daily should be fine.”

“Husband,” water spirit Miaomiao came forward and said softly, “Thanks to the husband’s natural divine ability, we’ve received a great person’s care.”

“Good days are still… cough! Cough cough!”

The Black Panther spirit closed his mouth in time and said: “I’ll deal with the corpses first, wife please set up the tablet.”

“Mm,” water spirit Miaomiao responded softly, and this demon couple immediately began busying themselves.

On the other side, Li Changshou naturally hadn’t gone far. Hearing what the Black Panther spirit said, his eyes immediately curved into a smile…

He left two paper avatars in this place, convenient for protecting and monitoring this Black Panther spirit in the future.

He calculated the Heaven’s Court’s demon-sweeping matter in his heart.

The timing wasn’t quite right yet.

To put it bluntly, the Heaven’s Court lacked high-end combat power at this time. The overall strength of their forces wasn’t even comparable to the demons’ total strength – how could they sweep away demons?

The deep sea demon tribe was merely one branch of demonkind, and they had already lost many experts in the previous great war with the Dragon Clan, making them simple to deal with.

But among the demon court remnants entrenched at North Continent’s borders and West Continent’s borders, there was no shortage of powerful older generation demon experts. For the current Heaven’s Court, this would still be a nightmare difficulty.

Demon-sweeping was just one step in the plan for Heaven’s Court to demonstrate its might and for himself to earn merit. This Black Panther would now count as a strategic-level treasure person.

Later he would persua… cough, cultivate the Black Panther’s sense of identity with demonkind, have the Black Panther practice closed-mouth meditation, then sincerely go seek refuge with some powerful demon kings.

From the inside, use praise to break through demonkind’s defenses!

Li Changshou thought for a moment and had the two paper avatars monitoring the Black Panther move further away from him.

With such a double-edged sword, one couldn’t be too careful.

…

On Little Qiong Peak.

While Li Changshou was tracking that Black Panther, this place had already quieted down.

Li Changshou wasn’t optimistic about Ling’e’s ascension. After all, she lacked experience and trials. Most importantly, although she had solidified her dao foundation according to his methods, there still existed many gaps and flaws;

At most, she could only ascend to the middle-late stages of the True Immortal realm.

Originally, Jiu Yu had prepared various celebrations for Ling’e’s successful ascension, but due to Ling’e entering closed cultivation, these were all postponed.

Instead, You Qin Xuanya felt the pressure. When Ling’e began closed cultivation, she also began closed cultivation, seemingly unwilling to fall behind Ling’e.

This day, just after dealing with the Black Panther matter, Li Changshou was refining pills in the pill room, analyzing…

That character for ‘go’.

The methods of the Sage Lord were far beyond what he could comprehend at present.

He need not think too much about what the Sage wanted him to do.

The Sages had broken free from the shackles of the Great Dao, sitting on the banks of the river of time, watching the living beings constantly wander in the sea of suffering. What they saw differed from what living beings understood.

At present, Li Changshou could only exhaust his thoughts to make such an assumption:

As long as he had gone to contact the Black Panther at that time, regardless of what choice he made – whether calculating against the Black Panther, using the Black Panther, or even killing the Black Panther – it would lead to the storyline the Sage had seen.

No matter what guesses or calculations he made in his heart, as long as the Sage Lord didn’t directly intervene, it meant he hadn’t deviated from the development direction set by the Sage.

On being an excellent chess piece for a Sage.

And this game of chess…

‘When will I be able to jump out of it?’

No need to be any chess player, staying far away was quite good.

In the pill furnace, the Three Realm True Flame, reduced to less than half its power, continued to dance. The precious pills within were on the verge of taking form.

Several figures flew over from Breaking Sky Peak. Li Changshou pondered briefly, continued focusing on pill refining, and closed the outer formation of the pill room.

These precious pills were ‘Spirit Strengthening Pills’ being refined for Bear Lingli, used to compensate for the Wuren race’s innate spirit deficiency, allowing her strength to increase more quickly.

Now, the captain of Little Qiong Peak’s security team had become the third weakest in power, which was somewhat unreasonable.

By the way, the weakest was naturally…

Jiu Yushi.

His own master would never be at the bottom!

Master Wangqing rode the clouds with Jiang Lin’er at his side and Jiu Wu following behind, arriving together at Little Qiong Peak’s pill room.

Jiang Lin’er called out: “Changshou, are you refining pills?”

“Ancestral Master, Grand Uncle Master, Uncle Master, please wait inside for a moment. This disciple’s batch of pills will be done shortly.”

Li Changshou spoke warmly. Master Wangqing nodded with a smile, showing some appreciation that Li Changshou hadn’t abandoned the pills to receive them.

Though he was the sect’s Golden Immortal realm expert, it wasn’t such a big deal.

Soon, Li Changshou withdrew the furnace fire and slowly opened a crack in the black furnace’s lid, letting out a slight medicinal fragrance, then sealed the lid again to let the pills settle.

Turning around, Li Changshou made a Daoist bow.

“This disciple has been most discourteous.”

“No matter,” Master Fugui waved his hand. Beside him, Jiu Wu had already brought two chairs for the master and his wife to sit.

Jiang Lin’er cleared her throat and smiled: “Little Changshou, I’ve come this time to discuss Ling’e’s cultivation matters with you.

I specially brought my husband along mainly to set your mind at ease, so you won’t trick this Ancestral Master.”

Li Changshou said seriously: “Ancestral Master’s words are too heavy. How could this disciple trick you?”

At most, just arrange things a bit.

Jiu Wu giggled on the side, looking like he was enjoying the show.

Master Wangqing spoke up and asked: “When Ling’e was undergoing her tribulation, I was in closed cultivation and didn’t see it. I heard from Lin’er that she underwent a Nine Heavens Tribulation?”

“Yes.”

“Then what about you?”

Master Wangqing asked calmly, his eyes showing a piercing light.

Li Changshou felt slightly nervous and said softly: “This disciple’s aptitude seems inferior to junior sister’s.”

“Really?”

Jiang Lin’er crossed her legs and smiled, “I don’t believe it.”

It seemed that today Ancestral Master Jiang Lin’er had come to inquire about his background.

This kind of approach wasn’t hard to deal with.

When they spoke of reason, he would appeal to emotion; when they appealed to emotion, he would speak of reason.

“Grand Uncle Master, Ancestral Master,” Li Changshou said firmly, “This disciple was raised by Master, focused solely on cultivation, and even with some minor achievements now, dares not forget the master’s grace.

Ancestral Master, you should be able to sense that since your return to the mountain, has this disciple taken any actions harmful to the sect?

The reason Ling’e’s dao foundation is so solid is indeed because this disciple wholeheartedly guided her, and even used extremely precious, hard-to-obtain pills of various kinds!

This disciple truly doesn’t seek anything, only wishes for Little Qiong Peak’s eternal peace, wishes for the constant safety of close friends on their immortal path!”

—That Nine Transformations Golden Pill was still with Ling’e, as she hadn’t been able to see her senior brother after passing her tribulation.

These words were spoken with true sincerity, truly making Jiang Lin’er show a guilty expression, causing Master Wangqing to feel somewhat emotional, and even making the short Daoist Jiu Wu look up with a sigh, his eyes turning slightly red.

“Changshou, say no more,” Jiang Lin’er said softly, “I know you’ve worried yourself sick for Little Qiong Peak, worried yourself sick for your master and junior sister.

But…”

Her tone changed, and Jiang Lin’er revealed a crafty smile, “Today, we’re not here to ask about your cultivation level.

Let’s not do things sneakily among frank people!

Do you see this Golden Immortal from our sect beside me?

I’m here to fulfill my promise – to tie you up and throw you into Ling’e’s room!”

As she spoke, Jiang Lin’er thrust out her chest proudly, even patting it with loud thumps, “I, Jiang Lin’er, keep my word. Once something is said, it must be done!”

Master Wangqing slowly nodded and said: “I shall fully support my wife’s stated matter.”

Jiu Wu took out an immortal rope and smiled: “Changshou, you see… it’s quite difficult for me too, after all, it’s Master-wife’s instructions.”

Li Changshou: …

What a move – pointing east but striking west, catching one completely off guard!

However, this couldn’t stump him either.

Li Changshou frowned, suddenly making a light sound of surprise: “Sect Leader, why have you come?”

Master Wangqing, Jiang Lin’er, and Jiu Wu all turned their heads to look. Li Changshou lightly tapped his foot, his form turning into a wisp of green smoke, instantly using the earth escape technique, retreating into the outer formation in the blink of an eye.

And Jiu Wu immediately heard a transmitted voice…

“Uncle Master, if you have any sense of loyalty, volunteer to chase after me!”

Master Wangqing laughed lightly: “This little disciple is still so slippery.”

“Master! This disciple will give chase!” Jiu Wu shouted, not waiting for his master and master-wife’s approval before hurriedly leaving with the immortal rope.

Just as Master Wangqing was about to go forward together, he saw a brocade pouch embroidered with the character for ‘joy’ on the ground. He raised his hand to draw the pouch up.

Inside was a pill, apparently dropped accidentally by Li Changshou when he fled in such a hurry.

“Lin’er, let’s also go…”

“Husband dear!”

Suddenly hearing Jiang Lin’er call out softly beside him, her two small hands clasping his arm, Jiang Lin’er’s eyes somewhat dazed as she said softly: “Let’s go back first, let him off for now…”

“Lin’er, what’s wrong with you?”

“Quickly take me back, use your escape technique.”

Master Wangqing was suddenly confused but complied, the two transforming into a rainbow light, flying back to Breaking Sky Peak in an instant.

Outside the formation of the pill room, Li Changshou and Jiu Wu both poked their heads out to observe…

Jiu Wu asked puzzledly: “What kind of pill was that?”

“A type of immortal consciousness pill called Heart Fire Burning,” Li Changshou said calmly. “If held by one’s beloved, there’s no resistance possible.”

Jiu Wu couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath, “What a powerful spiritual pill!”

Li Changshou took out two bottles of pills.

These were third-grade foundation-strengthening spirit pills, three times as effective as Poison Dragon Wine, with the key point being that their medicinal properties could continuously disperse.

“New product, use well, keep secret.”

“Understood!”

Jiu Wu snapped his fingers, accepting the pills, immediately laughing with joy.

Coming along with his master and master-wife this time truly matched his expectations perfectly – his master and master-wife were easily sent away, and his nephew Changshou would still give him a thank-you gift.

Wonderful, wonderful!

“Changshou…”

“Uncle Master, please wait,” Li Changshou frowned slightly, suddenly having a premonition.

Calculating with his fingers, his divine consciousness descended upon the Sea God Temple in Anshui City, where he saw a familiar white-robed youth, and couldn’t help but make a light sound of surprise.