Insane!

The Dragon Clan was simply going mad!

In the clouds, witnessing the scene before a group of elder dragons, Li Changshou couldn’t help but cover his face in embarrassment. Behind him, Dragon Princess Longji was desperately holding back her laughter, while Young Dragon Ao Yi’s delicate face had turned completely red.

What happened?

Well, what else could it be…

It all started when Li Changshou delivered an impassioned speech in the East Sea Dragon Palace, calculating every step and pressing forward relentlessly, directly securing the Dragon Clan’s core territory—the East Sea Dragon Palace.

The East Sea Dragon King took the lead in swearing allegiance to the Heavenly Court, staking the Dragon Clan’s destiny on it. Meanwhile, Li Changshou had included some reasonable requests from the Dragon Clan in the imperial decree, which had already been sent back to Heaven with the East Wood Minister under the protection of dragon experts, to be presented to His Majesty the Jade Emperor.

As for the other three Dragon Palaces, Li Changshou wasn’t ninety-eight percent confident yet, so he decided against going to persuade them directly, to avoid alarming the Western forces and jeopardizing their plans. Although the East Sea Dragon King was the current clan leader of the Dragon Clan, the Four Seas Dragon Palaces maintained a degree of independence.

After much consideration, Li Changshou decided to use the East Sea Dragon Palace as a foundation to bring the South Sea and North Sea Dragon Palaces onto Heaven’s side. As for the West Sea… that was somewhat problematic, so they would wait and observe for now, paying lip service while striving to secure three out of four.

Then, following his plan, Li Changshou brought Dragon Princess Longji to begin inspecting the waterways in the South Jambudvipa Continent.

Li Changshou had anticipated that the Dragon Clan would send elders to accompany him. However, he completely underestimated their enthusiasm.

The Dragon Clan not only sent more than ten elders, but the Dragon King also dispatched Ao Yi to serve under Li Changshou. Moreover, the Dragon King even requested three ancient elders who guarded the sea eye to frantically protect the Sea God… or rather, his paper clone.

After they arrived in the South Continent, Li Changshou had barely finished inspecting a small waterway when the three ancient elders began darting about excitedly.

First, one elder dragon came over, pulling Li Changshou to a nearby mountain, pointing at a shimmering stream below, and said with a smile: “Sea God, look! I’ve named this place Hidden Dragon River. We can appoint a River God here!”

Soon after, another elder dragon arrived, dragging Li Changshou to a nearby human village, pointing at a small pond at the village entrance, asking with a smile: “Sea God, what name should we give to this great marsh?”

Before the words had even faded, a distant elder dragon called out: “Come look! There’s an extremely deep abyss here! We should appoint a River God for this place!”

Li Changshou: …

That’s a well!

That’s just a well the villagers dug themselves, uncle!

“Everyone…” Li Changshou could only try to maintain his composure as he explained diplomatically, “We need to follow proper procedures. I understand your enthusiasm, but… we must maintain certain standards.”

The elder dragons immediately offered embarrassed smiles.

“We were a bit too eager, indeed too eager. Please don’t mind us, Sea God, please don’t mind.”

Li Changshou smiled and said, “The South Continent is where human destiny converges. Inspecting waterways and installing Water Gods can both enhance human fortune and protect mortal safety, while also allowing local River Gods to accumulate merit. This is both beneficial and righteous work, not merely seeking profit for the Dragon Clan. I ask for your understanding and support.”

“We understand! We understand!”

“Of course we support this!”

“In that case,” one ancient Dragon Clan elder called out, “all you young dragons go back! We’re enough to protect the Sea God! Why are you all running around? Think you’re good-looking? What if you frighten these lovely mortals?”

The group of elderly dragon-headed figures bowed in unison, not daring to say more, and hurriedly departed on clouds.

Though it might be inappropriate to say… it was truly embarrassing for the dragons!

One ancient elder dragon moved closer to Li Changshou, first giving an awkward laugh before muttering: “Sea God, from today onwards, we three brothers will be your guards in the South Continent. I’m Ao Ao, their second brother. This is Ao Fei, who’s sixth, and this is Ao Pi, who’s eighth! If you can’t remember our names, just call us Two-Six-Eight!”

Li Changshou clasped his hands and apologized, addressing them as “Senior” three times.

With fewer elder dragons crowding around, Li Changshou could finally relax somewhat.

Ao Ao brought out a flying treasure, transforming it into a small boat.

Li Changshou boarded with Ao Yi and Dragon Princess Longji, thus beginning their long ‘journey’ of inspecting the South Continent’s waterways.

The South Jambudvipa Continent was vast, with countless rivers and lakes. Investigating even a single river was no simple task—it wasn’t just flying above the river, glancing at the treasure map in hand, nodding, and saying “The river’s still here” before turning to leave.

How could such perfunctory work gain the Heavenly Dao’s approval?

According to the rules Li Changshou set, to investigate a river, they first had to trace its source, locate its origin, record all tributaries, document its course, and note where it entered the sea.

Moreover, he would sketch the river’s general shape and surrounding terrain, marking in detail the depth of each section, rapids, silted areas, and accident-prone locations.

Additionally, they needed to calculate the river’s seasonal changes throughout the year and its course changes over the past millennium.

Before submitting this proposal to the Jade Emperor, Li Changshou knew this would be an enormous and tedious workload that might not be completed even in twelve years.

But this task had to be done, and after completion, Li Changshou estimated he could earn considerable merit.

This wasn’t mere calculation.

Earning the Heavenly Dao’s reward through effort was perfectly reasonable, and entirely different from exploitative schemes.

Thus, Li Changshou set out from the East Seashore, accompanied by three ancient Dragon Clan experts, following Yu the Great’s flood control map, wielding a spirit treasure brush, and began inspecting the South Continent’s waterways.

Seeing Li Changshou’s meticulous work, the three dragon elders felt more at ease. They neither rushed nor disturbed him, each concealing their presence while maintaining their guard duty.

However, for his two followers, this process was somewhat…

Rather monotonous.

The small boat drifted in the clouds, following the river’s course slowly.

Dragon Princess Longji sat at the stern wearing loose Daoist robes, somehow ending up leaning forward with her legs together, her delicate hands supporting her cheeks, gazing absently at Li Changshou’s back as he wrote and drew in the boat’s thatched shelter…

Beside her, Ao Yi sat cross-legged, occasionally glancing at Longji, his heart slightly troubled.

‘Sister-in-law?’

‘Impossible, how could Master Brother be interested in such a young lady? Especially with Sister-in-law Ling’e at the mountain, this young lady, though refined, doesn’t compare to Sister-in-law Ling’e’s excellence.’

‘Ah, she’s the Jade Emperor’s daughter—could the Jade Emperor intend to arrange a match, and Master Brother couldn’t refuse?’

Ao Yi pondered briefly, having already imagined an entire drama of “Heavenly Palace’s Absolute Love: My Immortal Wife Chapter Twelve-Three”!

Just then, Li Changshou’s voice came:

“Ao Yi?”

“Brother!” Ao Yi quickly stood up.

Without turning his head, Li Changshou continued dipping his brush and drawing, saying calmly, “Don’t overthink things. Princess Longji is here to learn some strategic wisdom from me.”

Ao Yi couldn’t help but purse his lips and blink, his delicate face full of embarrassment.

Mind… mind reading?

Master Brother must know mind-reading techniques!

Li Changshou continued, “Return to the East Sea Dragon Palace and borrow a small force from the Dragon King under your command. I’ve arranged for Heaven’s hundred thousand water troops to conduct drills near the South Sea, East Sea, and North Sea Dragon Palaces. I need to map the waterways here and can’t divide my attention, so you’ll oversee this matter. Don’t let conflicts arise between the Dragon Palace and Heaven’s troops, and watch those celestial soldiers and generals carefully—don’t let them accept favors from the Dragon Clan and damage Heaven’s dignity.”

“Rest assured, Brother!”

Ao Yi clasped his fists in agreement, immediately turning to leave.

A Dragon Clan elder appeared, ready to escort Ao Yi back to the East Sea Dragon Palace.

Li Changshou paused his writing in thought, then turned with a smile and said, “Oh right, that Bian Zhuang will also bring several celestial generals to attend banquets at the Dragon Palace. Remember to arrange proper hospitality. If you still harbor some dissatisfaction with him, you can administer a minor punishment, letting him know his place and curb his attitude.”

Ao Yi couldn’t help but mutter, “Brother, how should I punish him?”

“Do I need to teach you this?” Li Changshou said helplessly, “Just get Bian Zhuang drunk, surround him with some ugly fish and shrimp spirits, and when he sobers up, have them all call him ‘Young Master’ in unison. Of course, I’m just giving an example. Bian Zhuang is now the Deputy Commander of Heaven’s River Army and somewhat favored by His Majesty the Jade Emperor, so don’t go too far.”

Ao Yi’s eyes immediately lit up as he declared firmly, “I won’t disappoint you, Brother!”

He turned around, cracking his knuckles, already prepared for some grand mischief!

After Ao Yi left, Dragon Princess Longji blinked and pondered before finally coming to her senses, covering her lips as she giggled softly.

She took out her jade recording token and wrote in it:

[The Sea God is not only steady and meticulous but also possesses an interesting personality. Moreover, he’s quite mischievous, deliberately setting a trap for his deputy commander, using strange-looking sea women to catch…]

“Princess Longji,” Li Changshou’s voice drifted over again, “There’s no need to record such minor matters. If others learned of this, they might think I’m intentionally making things difficult for Bian Zhuang, and his prospects would be concerned.”

Longji instinctively sat up straight, goosebumps rising all over her body, her eyes filled with shock.

How did the Sea God know what she was writing in her jade token?

This token was bestowed by her mother and was supposed to be a treasure… supposedly…

“Yes, I’ll erase it right away.”

Longji quickly agreed and erased the words from her jade token.

Li Changshou continued drawing the waterways, his smile fading as he diverted much of his attention elsewhere, preparing for possible interference from the Western Religion at any moment.

The matter of recruiting dragons required a balance of haste and patience at this point.

Over the next eleven years or so, he only needed to find time to meet with the South Sea and North Sea Dragon Kings. As for the rest… he would let the Dragon Clan figure things out themselves.

Speaking of which, the Western Religion’s movements were indeed rather slow…

After being tense for half a month, Li Changshou finally detected traces of the enemy.

Suspicious figures had been appearing at various Sea God temples, but the spirit envoys from Bear Village had already evacuated the temples.

During these two weeks, Li Changshou had modified his previous strategy from ‘complete concealment’ to ‘active baiting,’ letting the elite spirit envoys emerge from their underground safe houses to move about in the main Sea God temple.

According to the original plan, notices were posted everywhere announcing that the Sea God’s spirit envoys would be advancing their divine power.

Li Changshou increased the intensity, leaving countless clues at various locations. These clues pointed directly to the main Sea God temple, leading the hired killers sent by the Western Religion to the vicinity of Anshui City.

The renovated Sea God temple could easily accommodate over fourteen hundred spirit envoys.

These past two weeks, every time Li Changshou’s divine consciousness swept over his Sea God temple, he couldn’t help but imagine the classic narration from a program in his previous life:

[Spring has arrived, and once again it’s the season when the Wu People become active.

In Anshui City by the South Sea, powerful shouts filled with strength echo through the air.

Look, the Wu People have emerged from their dwellings, gathering in the spacious plaza and backyard of the Sea God temple, flexing their proudly maintained muscles, lifting everything they can except buildings and foundations, thus displaying their strength.

Strength is the best medicine for the Wu People when facing unknown fears.

These spirit envoys don’t rely solely on strength to attract potential mates; they each have their special talents.

For instance, ‘clapper talk,’ ‘folk songs,’ ‘storytelling,’ and ‘tale crafting.’ They gather in small groups, honing their specialized skills as Sea God Religion envoys, while comparing the number of cities they’ve preached in…]

In short, these two weeks had been quite leisurely for the vacationing spirit envoys.

The reason prompting Li Changshou to modify his strategy was quite simple—

The Netherworld sent Wu!

At this moment, mixed among those spirit envoys were several dozen true Wu tribe members—pure-blooded battle Wu from ancient times!

Such Wu tribe members were irreplaceable; once lost, they could never be replaced, and they rarely appeared in the Netherworld’s activities.

Yet this time, Li Changshou had managed to invite back nearly fifty of them!

That day, when Li Changshou brought several Wu People to the Netherworld, they reached Fengdu City without hindrance and met their old friends Ox Head and Horse Face.

Upon seeing Ox Head and Horse Face, Old Third Bear, and the other Wu People burst into tears immediately.

Once emotions were properly conveyed, Li Changshou began gravely explaining what had happened.

What kind of temperament did Ox Head and Horse Face have?

When they heard that the Wu People serving the Sea God were being targeted by the great Western Religion—that the West, unable to deal with the Sea God directly, was taking out their frustration on the Wu tribe’s descendants!

The two soul-collecting envoys became furious on the spot, removing their masks and stomping their feet, cursing and swearing. Without another word, they picked up several Wu People and vanished swiftly.

Not half a day later.

Ox Head and Horse Face returned carrying Old Third Bear and the others, bringing dozens of enraged, aggressive old brothers with them.

They followed Li Changshou back to the Sea God temple, mixing in among the spirit envoys, ready to counterattack at any moment.

If one asked why the Netherworld’s Wu tribe didn’t fear the Western Religion with its Sages…

Their ancestor was Pangu himself—who dared to challenge that!

Their Wu tribe had fought against Heaven above and Earth below, countless powerful beings throughout history. Since ancient times, they had been known as the overlords of the earth just by hunting. Today, facing the Western Religion, they felt no fear whatsoever.

Incidentally, Ox Head and Horse Face, representing the Great Wu Sacrifice, expressed deep gratitude to the Sea God for his concern about the Wu People’s safety.

If Li Changshou hadn’t stopped them, they probably would have brought back another pile of local specialties…

That was roughly the situation.

Li Changshou certainly wouldn’t remain a mere spectator. On one hand, he quietly prepared his paper clone army—this battle couldn’t rely entirely on the Wu tribe.

On the other hand, he brought thousands of miles around Anshui City under his paper clone surveillance system, with several paper clones simultaneously extending their divine consciousness, integrating information, and projecting it to his main body’s mind.

The Western Religion’s people had nowhere to hide; they were discovered as soon as they showed themselves.

This time, the West had sent very few experts, with none at the level of Wen Jing or Jin Chan Zi. Most were of demon ancestry, along with some remnants of deep-sea monster clans.

The Western Religion thought dealing with the Wu People would be as easy as turning their palms over.

Within three days of the Western forces arriving at the South Sea shore, hundreds of powerful demons had appeared within hundreds of miles outside Anshui City.

Several demons skilled in concealment had already disguised themselves as mortals and sneaked near the Sea God temple to gather intelligence.

After careful consideration, Li Changshou decided to move the battlefield outside the city, or else there would certainly be massive civilian casualties in Anshui City.

Therefore, Li Changshou secretly consulted with Ox Head and Horse Face, establishing a strategy for taking the initiative to attack.

On the fourth day, at dusk, the powerful demons began gathering outside the city, presumably preparing for a night raid.

Li Changshou decided to strike first, first transmitting careful instructions to Ox Head and Horse Face, while transforming a Golden Immortal realm paper clone to match the build of a Bear Village spirit envoy.

Then he called several spirit envoys, and five or six strong men swaggered out of the Sea God temple’s main gate, walking casually through the bustling market outside.

After browsing for a moment, Li Changshou stopped in front of a melon vendor who was a disguised demon.

He bent down to pick up a large melon, tapping it lightly with his finger.

The demon vendor reacted quickly, smiling and saying, “Sir, are you thirsty? Just take it and eat it, may the Sea God protect you.”

Li Changshou: …

Even the blessing was wrong!

Li Changshou gave a cold laugh and asked, “Is this melon guaranteed to be ripe?”

“Huh?”

“I’m asking you, is this melon guaranteed to be ripe or not!”

The demon vendor still seemed somewhat confused.