As soon as East Wood Lord finished speaking, a celestial soldier stepped out of formation outside the Sea God Palace and jumped inside with two steps.

This celestial soldier walked quickly with head lowered, wearing a silver helmet and armored battle skirt. From afar, they appeared no different from a male soldier, just slightly shorter.

When she came closer, she saluted Li Changshou and East Wood Lord with clasped hands, slowly raising her lowered head to reveal a proper and delicate face tinged with youthfulness.

Like a maiden in her early teens, if she were among mortals, she would appear to be thirteen or fourteen years old.

When she spoke, her voice was rather clear and crisp:

“Long Ji pays respects to Wood Lord and Sea God!”

“Your Highness is too courteous,” Li Changshou smiled and returned a Daoist salute.

Although Long Ji was the daughter of the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother and a princess of Heaven, she held no corresponding divine position in the Heavenly Court. She was considered part of the Jade Emperor’s ‘family members,’ so such formalities were appropriate.

However, Li Changshou felt quite emotional inside.

Long Ji, the future Star-Lord of Marriage after the Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods, was yet another person connected to that fateful event.

His connection to the Great Tribulation truly was an entangled mess that could neither be cut nor untangled…

As Li Changshou’s thoughts turned, memories related to Long Ji came flooding back. After some calculations, he organized all the information he knew.

[During the Great Tribulation, Long Ji was quite skilled in magic, taking the side of the Enlightenment School and actively helping King Wu of Zhou. Originally the daughter of the Heavenly Emperor, it was said she was banished to cultivate in the mortal realm for making a mistake. Li Changshou couldn’t remember her battle achievements clearly, only that she was persuaded by some immortal and the Old Man under the Moon to marry one of her defeated opponents.

That defeated opponent was some pretty boy who wasn’t very capable, named Hong Jin or something.]

Based on Li Changshou’s understanding of his old friend the Old Man under the Moon, for him to arrange such an unconscionable match, there must have been some force or power scheming behind the scenes.

This was all Li Changshou knew about Long Ji’s general situation.

East Wood Lord said from the side: “Princess Long Ji, why not show your true form and take the Sea God as your teacher?”

“Yes,” Princess Long Ji softly agreed, as a faint immortal mist arose around her.

When the immortal mist dispersed, her armor vanished, transformed into a light white immortal dress, with jet-black hair falling like a waterfall.

At this point, Long Ji was a few inches shorter than before, her figure much more delicate, and could truly be described as ‘adorable.’

Looking carefully, Li Changshou saw she was just a young girl, one who had just entered early adolescence.

However, speaking of which, since the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother were both primordial beings, was their daughter’s growth cycle calculated by years or by kalpas?

This Princess Long Ji must be at least several thousand years old, right?

If she still maintained such a youthful appearance during the Great Tribulation, then his old friend the Old Man under the Moon and that immortal, as well as that Hong Jin… wouldn’t they be committing a crime?

Hmm, as an ordinary trusted minister of His Majesty the Jade Emperor, he should quickly propose a complete set of heavenly laws and regulations.

The young Long Ji stepped forward, gracefully bowed to Li Changshou, and respectfully called out: “Long Ji pays respects to Teacher.”

“Ah, do not call me Teacher, I dare not accept such karmic bonds so easily.”

Li Changshou smiled and said: “Since Your Highness wishes to learn the art of strategy from this minor god, I shall thick-facedly accept this task. But Your Highness should just call me Sea God, no need for all this ‘Teacher’ business.”

Long Ji couldn’t help but look toward East Wood Lord, who smiled and nodded, thinking Li Changshou was just being modest.

In reality, he was truly afraid.

Wood Lord smiled and said: “Whatever the Sea God says, that’s how Your Highness should do it.”

Princess Long Ji immediately called out crisply: “Sea God!”

Only then did Li Changshou smile with satisfaction, taking out several bottles of pills from his sleeve as meeting gifts.

He had thought Princess Long Ji’s visit today was just to greet him and go through the motions, but unexpectedly, after East Wood Lord left…

This princess stood in a corner of the Sea God Palace, curiously examining everything, her whole being radiating a kind of spiritual nature.

“Your Highness, you…?” Li Changshou’s eyes showed some confusion.

“Mother told me to stay by Sea God’s side to learn and observe,” the young girl smiled and blinked, with a hint of craftiness, “Sea God, may I stay here?”

“Your Highness, to be frank.”

Li Changshou said seriously: “This is merely my avatar here, and usually this avatar spends most of its time cultivating, quite boring really.”

“Don’t worry, Sea God, I need to cultivate too!”

Long Ji smiled and said: “Since Mother said for me to stay by Sea God’s side, I naturally must follow Mother’s orders. When Sea God needs to go out or do anything, if convenient bring Long Ji along, if inconvenient, just pretend Long Ji isn’t here. Long Ji is here to be Sea God’s attendant, running errands and doing chores is no problem, and I definitely won’t bring you any karmic trouble or increase your burdens, nor shame our Heavenly Court.”

Li Changshou secretly praised her.

This princess’s every word and action was quite proper, her manner carried its own dignity, graceful and neither proud nor impatient, truly a promising seedling.

Worthy indeed of being the flesh and blood of the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother.

Li Changshou smiled and said: “If that’s the case, Your Highness might as well go to the Jade Pool to prepare, then come see me again tomorrow morning. I will be setting out tomorrow to visit the high immortals of the Three Schools and Dragon Kings of the Dragon Clan. Your Highness can tour around with me, and also form some good connections.”

“Thank you, Sea God!”

Long Ji was overjoyed at hearing this and didn’t insist on staying at the Sea God Palace.

After sending Long Ji off, Li Changshou fell into deep thought.

‘What exactly is His Majesty’s… intention?’

Using the process of elimination, first, eliminate the most absurd option—[The Beauty Trap].

The mighty Jade Emperor, Ruler of the Three Realms, with the Purple Palace backing him, how could he arrange his preciously treasured daughter for a beauty trap on him, a mere Sea God?

Next should be eliminating the [Supervisor] option, the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother shouldn’t do such a thing.

Rather, East Wood Lord’s stated reason was most credible—Her Highness was here to learn strategy and calculation.

But how should these strategies and calculations be taught?

He, Li Changshou, was just a bit more stable in doing things, considered things a bit more thoroughly, prepared a bit more completely, and didn’t have any special qualities worth teaching others.

He couldn’t possibly teach Princess Long Ji the art of mind-mapping diagrams and cultivate her divergent thinking abilities…

Li Changshou sat in his rocking chair, quite troubled, and could only change his perspective.

‘Still better to treat Her Highness as a supervisor.’

With this mindset, Li Changshou found it easier to accept, and in his daily role as Sea God, he didn’t have anything that needed hiding anyway.

Thus, early the next morning…

As soon as Li Changshou’s consciousness settled into the paper avatar at the Sea God Palace, he discovered a slight figure standing outside the palace gates—naturally, it was Long Ji.

She had wrapped her hair in a cloth bundle on her head, and changed into light white Daoist robes and cloth boots, truly looking somewhat like a ‘Dao child.’

Li Changshou rose and walked toward the gates, while the young girl outside quickly turned around.

“Has Your Highness been waiting long?”

“Long Ji greets the Sea God!”

Long Ji bowed slightly and said: “Please, Sea God, call me Long Ji. Yesterday you said that from today on, I would be Sea God’s attendant Dao child.”

“Then, this minor god shall be presumptuous.”

Li Changshou gave a light laugh and handed over the fly whisk in his hand.

Long Ji immediately stepped forward, taking the fly whisk with both hands, properly holding it in her arms as she followed behind Li Changshou.

Li Changshou waved his sleeve, summoning a white cloud, and took Long Ji toward the Palace of Satisfaction.

Yesterday Li Changshou had thought for a long time, and still decided to give the Primordial Way’s share of peaches to the Grand Priest for him to ‘distribute.’

Though a small matter, it couldn’t be treated carelessly.

However, what Li Changshou hadn’t expected was…

The Grand Priest wasn’t sleeping—ahem, cultivating in the Palace of Satisfaction!

In the front courtyard of the Palace of Satisfaction, Little Gold said with a grin: “The Grand Priest has returned to the Supreme Clarity Temple, saying he had matters to report to the Holy One.”

Little Silver also added from the side: “The Lord of Lao rode his ox out a few days ago and isn’t in the palace either. Brother Morning Star, do you have some difficult matters? The two of us can help you too!”

Li Changshou: …

Help with what?

Take some of the Lord of Lao’s treasures and go down to shout at the monkey ‘Sun Xingzhe,’ ‘Zhe Xingsun’?

“It’s nothing difficult,” Li Changshou smiled, taking out a brocade box from his sleeve, saying with a smile: “Queen Mother gave some peaches of immortality as gifts to the Three Schools of the Way, I specially brought them over. There are thirty-six peaches inside, you two must not steal any to eat, wait for the Grand Priest to return and he will reward you.”

“Oh!”

Little Gold and Little Silver nodded in agreement, not thinking much of it.

Peaches of immortality? In those first few thousand years when the Heavenly Court was established and the Palace of Satisfaction just built, immortal sisters would bring them every few days.

Later because they got tired of eating peaches, they even fed quite a few to the green ox.

Afterward, Li Changshou took Long Ji and bid farewell, riding the cloud toward the East Heaven Gate.

Princess Long Ji thought briefly, took out a jade talisman, and wrote down a passage within it.

Li Changshou smiled and asked: “What did you write?”

“Please look, Sea God.”

Princess Long Ji handed over the jade talisman, and Li Changshou glanced at it, letting out a few light chuckles.

This Princess Long Ji had recorded everything he had just said to Little Gold and Little Silver and even wrote a short evaluation afterward.

The evaluation read:

[Today the Sea God entered the Palace of Satisfaction seeking the Grand Priest, intending to hand over Mother’s gifted peaches for the Grand Priest’s disposal. Though a small matter, it shows the Sea God’s careful and measured conduct.

The three words ‘not overstepping bounds’—easy to say, hard to do indeed.]

Li Changshou handed the jade talisman back, praising: “Much watching and learning is easy, much thinking and contemplating is hard. Hope you maintain such habits, and in the future, you can independently support a great banner for the Heavenly Court.”

Long Ji somewhat shyly stuck out the tip of her tongue, her cheeks flushing slightly as she softly agreed.

Li Changshou continued: “Let’s go, we’ll visit Golden Turtle Island next. After leaving the Heaven Gate, the primordial world still has many dangers. If we encounter danger, self-preservation comes first, and this minor god will also protect Your Highness in escaping.”

“Rest assured, Sea God, Long Ji definitely won’t cause any trouble.”

“Good.”

Li Changshou nodded with a smile, taking Long Ji out of Golden Turtle Island toward the East Sea.

Although he very much wanted to open a tutoring class for Long Ji, supplementing the ‘Scripture of Stability’ and ‘Treatise on Schemes,’ these were all secret teachings of his Small Jade Peak, still not suitable for revealing.

Moreover, Princess Long Ji’s identity was quite sensitive, with many differences from Ao Yi, and couldn’t be treated the same way.

The Grand Priest went to see the Holy One.

Li Changshou pondered for a moment. In that case, he would just keep the remaining sixty-four peaches, finding an opportunity to take a dozen or so back to the Gate of Deliverance for his Master and the others to taste.

…

Half a day later, before Golden Turtle Island, Li Changshou rode his cloud slowly, and several immortals of Golden Turtle Island came out to welcome them.

Long Ji followed behind Li Changshou playing the role of Dao’s child, and no one paid her much attention.

While Long Ji went from initial calmness to gradual shock, to inexplicable amazement, her gaze toward this Sea God also constantly changed.

‘What kind of figure is this, who has served the Heavenly Court and assisted Father?’

Although Long Ji appeared young, she had cultivated for no short time and had moreover read extensively through classics in the Jade Pool since childhood, knowing various secrets and legends.

Golden Turtle Island was a famous cultivation place of the Extinction School, with paths to the Blue Wandering Palace here, and many disciples of the Holy Ones. Usually, they didn’t even acknowledge the Heavenly Court.

But today, when the Sea God came to Golden Turtle Island, first Golden Immortals came to welcome him, and then the Ten Lords of Heaven invited him to feast.

If they hadn’t just come from the Palace of Satisfaction, one might think the Sea God was someone from the Extinction School.

When Li Changshou mentioned that he wanted to see the Extinction School’s Senior Brother, the great disciple of Holy One Supreme Clarity Teaching Master, before the Ten Lords of Heaven could agree, Elder Duobao directly appeared on Golden Turtle Island, calling out “Brother Sea God” and coming forward to warmly converse with Li Changshou.

Li Changshou exchanged pleasantries for a while, explained his purpose, and took out the Heavenly Court’s gifts.

Elder Duobao blinked, took out a peach of immortality, and peeled it, taking a bite of the crystal clear peach flesh, immediately feeling refreshed throughout his mouth, comfortably humming a couple of times.

“These peaches are quite good, I’ll keep some to offer to Master to taste. The rest, fellow disciples present can divide and eat them, don’t waste the goodwill of the Sea God and Heavenly Court.”

All the Extinction School immortals agreed.

But just as Elder Duobao finished speaking, he suddenly thought of something;

As Golden Light Holy Mother excitedly jumped over, preparing to divide the peaches, Elder Duobao added:

“Keep nine more aside, to give to Brother Sea God to take with him.”

“Yes, Senior Brother,” Golden Light Holy Mother blinked, unable to hold back a covered laugh, “Senior Brother, do we need to give return gifts too?”

Li Changshou also hurriedly said: “Elder, this isn’t appropriate.”

“What’s appropriate or inappropriate about it!”

Duobao personally took action, taking out a spirit treasure grade jade box from his sleeve, selecting nine peaches of the best appearance and highest age from within, and placing them in the jade box.

Then Elder Duobao waved his hand, “Such delicious peaches, how could we not send them to Three Immortal Island? The Three Xiao sisters are the pillars of our Extinction School!

Sea God, let’s go, trouble you to make another trip with me.”

Li Changshou ‘well-ed’ for half the day, finally just smiled and agreed, taking the jade box, and with the somewhat dazed Long Ji, followed Elder Duobao together toward Three Immortal Island.

On the way, Long Ji only saw…

A certain rumored Senior Brother of the Extinction School, huddled together with the Sea God, constantly whispering something, and occasionally letting out strange “hehe” laughing sounds.

At this point, Long Ji was just shocked, mainly shocked by the Sea God’s vast network of connections.

Another half hour later, when they arrived at Three Immortal Island and met the renowned Three Xiao Immortal Ladies of the Extinction School, there was only amazement left in Long Ji’s eyes.

Was this Lady Yunxiao truly someone who should exist in this world?

But that wasn’t even the main point.

The Sea God taking a private walk in the woods with this Lady Yunxiao, chatting and laughing casually—what kind of situation was this?

Lady Yunxiao even personally peeled a peach of immortality and handed it to their Sea God…

The Sea God said with his mouth that this was just an avatar and wouldn’t taste much by eating it, but his body honestly accepted it.

The Sea God with Elder Duobao…

The Sea God with Lady Yunxiao…

Long Ji pursed her small lips, standing in the corner, listening to the other two immortal ladies chatting and playing around, silently taking out her jade talisman to record her current state of mind.

Meanwhile, in the Nine Heavens Palace, Great Crimson Heaven.

Clouds and mist were misty and ethereal, immortal light surrounded everything, there was nothing, no god, no immortal, no spirit, only the mysterious remained.

And deep in these clouds and mist, in a small Daoist temple, the Grand Priest sat properly with a smile at the small hall’s entrance, always having a kind of… unaffected innocence.

Shortly after, the Grand Priest softly said toward the hall:

“Master, what do you think of the disciple’s previous suggestion?”