‘Three for Ling’e, three for Master, three for You Qin…’

Li Changshou roughly calculated the amount of Pantao peaches needed and realized that unless he tried using some to refine pills, he would have too many to bring back to the sect.

To be safe, he couldn’t directly give Pantao to the Sect Leader, after all, the Sect Leader…

Knew too much!

Li Changshou vaguely felt that the Sect Leader knew things even he didn’t know, which led to slight discrepancies every time he tried to predict the Sect Leader’s reactions.

If he could refine pills with the effects of Pantao, Li Changshou would naturally offer them to the Sect Leader and some others in the sect, helping extend the lifespans of those True Immortal elders approaching their limits.

Beyond that, doing more would only cause problems.

The principle of “A dou of rice breeds gratitude, a dan breeds resentment” was something Li Changshou had deeply experienced in his previous life.

After distributing the peaches, Li Changshou suddenly realized that Poisonous Junior Sister was the least troublesome – no explanations needed.

Li Changshou offered the peach, she raised her hand to swear an oath, then began closed-door cultivation after eating it.

This made Li Changshou somewhat worried that Poisonous would follow her old path before immortality – focusing solely on cultivation without understanding how to strengthen her dao foundation, leading to unstable dao fruits.

You Qin Xian Ya was still far from her Golden Immortal tribulation, so there was no need to worry too much.

Once his position in the Du Xian Sect became more stable, he could secretly guide her cultivation.

Counting carefully, besides his ‘Paper Dao Clone social circle,’ Li Changshou only had these few trusted magical treasures- ahem, friends in the vast wilderness…

After reaching the Golden Immortal realm, Li Changshou increasingly understood the importance of ‘friendship.’

Every time he thought about how tens or hundreds of thousands of years later, Small Qiong Peak would have only him alone, he felt something was missing even with high cultivation and strong safety measures.

He didn’t enjoy liveliness but wanted it within his view. When his heartfelt weary, he could look from afar and feel as if he were part of that liveliness.

Therefore, for those who formed good karma with Small Qiong Peak, as long as it didn’t create karmic ties, Li Changshou would help if he could.

For instance, right now, he was flying at a moderate height on a cloud toward Dan Ding Peak, to deliver… peaches to Elder Wan.

A brocade box hung from his wrist, containing three Pantao peaches, some side dishes, and some longevity wine.

Today, Li Changshou would use the ‘Heart Fire Burn’ spirit poison pill as a lead-in, secretly guiding Elder Wan Lin Yun with his current understanding of the Supreme Clarity pill dao.

When Elder Wan realized this, he would use the excuse of receiving guidance from a People Teaching expert, then take out the ‘Enlightenment Pills’ and Pantao.

If he simply gave the pills and Pantao without explanation, Elder Wan probably wouldn’t ask questions, but it could easily leave a knot in the old man’s heart…

Li Changshou carefully considered for a long time before deciding to take on some risk himself, actively revealing some information to Elder Wan Lin Yun to dispel the old man’s doubts.

Entering Dan Ding Peak and seeing Elder Wan, Li Changshou bowed in greeting, the old friends sharing a smile.

Although Elder Wan’s kind smile still sent chills down one’s spine…

Li Changshou smiled and said, “Elder, have you been well lately?”

Elder Wan Lin Yun nodded with a smile, inviting Li Changshou to sit.

Setting out some dishes, bringing out good wine, taking out two or three pill classics and poison texts, two hours passed just like that.

Li Changshou’s plan proceeded fairly smoothly.

Elder Wan Lin Yun quickly discovered that Li Changshou’s pill dao attainments revealed today were beyond his comprehension.

Li Changshou then brought out Heart Fire Burn, sharing with Elder Wan Lin Yun this spirit poison pill’s refinement process and several improvements…

“Changshou,” Elder Wan Lin Yun sighed with emotion and gave a ‘cold’ smile, “Your achievements in pill dao are already beyond my reach, truly making me quite gratified.

I knew you had such comprehension ability and talent.

However… you’ve progressed too quickly.”

“Well, the disciple had some fortuitous encounters.”

Li Changshou glanced out the window, deliberately lowering his voice, saying softly, “Elder, please don’t tell others, but the disciple received three pill dao texts from a People Teaching expert.

Recently, disciple refined some spiritual pills that can help cultivators increase enlightenment and break through bottlenecks, specifically coming to offer them to Elder!”

As he spoke, Li Changshou took out several porcelain bottles from his robes, placing them before Elder Wan Lin Yun.

Elder Wan Lin Yun’s gaze gradually changed, from gratification to shock and back to gratification.

“Good, good… I knew you could have a bright future in Pill Dao, enough to comfort my remaining years.”

The old man waved his hand and continued:

“Such precious pills, the path of immortality is long, you should use them yourself. Even if you gave them to me, I could hardly take another step forward.

Cultivation is like climbing a mountain, and my mountain… is only this high.”

Li Changshou frowned deeply, making a profound bow to Elder Wan Lin Yun, saying solemnly:

“Elder, the dao has no limits, only the barriers in our hearts.

If constrained by barriers, naturally one can’t take a step. Please accept these pills, Elder. If you have the heart to take another step forward, perhaps these pills can lend you strength!”

Elder Wan Lin Yun slightly furrowed his brows, his eyes still showing that same tranquility, saying, “Enough, don’t…”

“Elder!”

Li Changshou bowed even deeper, declaring loudly: “In pill dao, without Elder leading disciple through the gate, how could disciple have today’s glory!

Please accept the disciple’s sincere intentions!”

Elder Wan Lin Yun frowned slightly, saying, “Get up, if you continue using emotion to force me like this, there’s no need to come next time.”

“Disciple wouldn’t dare!”

Li Changshou immediately raised his head, smiling at Elder Wan Lin Yun.

Elder Wan Lin Yun was already playing with the spiritual pills, quite attached to them, and more interested in the pill refinement methods.

Seeing this, Li Changshou took out three Pantao peaches, very naturally handing one to Elder Wan.

“Elder, please try it.”

“Mm,” Elder Wan casually took the Pantao, his gaze not leaving the porcelain bottles. He took a bite and froze like a stone statue…

Li Changshou smiled, “Elder, how’s the peach?

You’ve already eaten it, you can’t turn around and chase disciple away!”

Elder Wan Lin Yun frowned and glared at Li Changshou, “Where did you get these peaches?”

“Gifted by an expert, gifted by an expert. In any case, they weren’t obtained through trickery, Elder can rest assured.”

Li Changshou smiled, “Elder, you should start closed-door cultivation after eating today. These three peaches plus one spiritual pill are enough to let Elder break through one or two realms, Golden Immortal is within reach.

If you can break through to the Golden Immortal realm early, that would be the best thing for our Du Xian Sect. With endless remaining years, living as long as heaven and earth, free to research pills and poison dao, wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

Elder Wan slowly nodded, taking another bite of Pantao, saying ‘coldly’: “What other preparations do you have? Bring them all out.”

“There’s one more thing, instructions regarding the effects of these spiritual pills.”

Li Changshou waved his sleeve, and dozens of bamboo scrolls piled up in front of Elder Wan Lin Yun.

Li Changshou said seriously, “Please read through these before using the pills. If the disciple has understood anything incorrectly, you can correct me in time.”

Elder Wan Lin Yun: …

“Elder, please don’t tell others about this matter. A disciple wants to cultivate in peace, not wanting to… hmm?”

Li Changshou’s words paused as Elder Wan Lin Yun nodded with a complex expression.

At this time, Li Changshou frowned slightly and said, “Elder, disciple has some insights, let me meditate here for a while!”

“Good!”

Elder Wan Lin Yun raised his hand toward Li Changshou, enveloping him in a light green barrier.

If this sudden inspiration had occurred elsewhere, Li Changshou would typically remain expressionless while multitasking, secretly investigating the source of the inspiration.

But at Elder Wan’s place, such trouble wasn’t necessary.

Sinking his consciousness into his true body, Li Changshou seemed to see a faint light, carefully experiencing the spiritual sense appearing in his heart, yet gained nothing for a moment.

There was only a feeling… of having been observed.

Li Changshou quickly detected that his primordial spirit was covered in a layer of mysterious dao rhyme, this dao rhyme originating from Tower Lord’s mentioned Old Master Tu.

Someone had been spying on him, but was blocked by the Taiji Chart?

No, not right…

The Taiji Chart had been seen through! Otherwise, he wouldn’t have such strong sensations.

What was happening?

Had the two Western Teaching Sages acted? Had his background been exposed just like that?

Not quite right. If Western Sages had found him, he should feel extreme danger, not just this level of ‘something happened.’

Soon, not a trace remained in Li Changshou’s heart, as if the previous sensations were just an illusion.

This…

Shou was shocked.

Quickly bidding farewell to Elder Wan, he immediately rushed to Breaking Heaven Peak.

This time he didn’t bother asking the External Affairs Elder’s permission, going straight to beneath the Sage’s portrait, taking out three high-grade incense sticks he always kept ready in his sleeve, and making three serious kowtows.

The Sage’s portrait gently swayed, one corner slightly lifting. A trace of dao rhyme, without disturbing anyone, formed two large characters in Li Changshou’s heart:

[NO] [MATTER].

Li Changshou’s mind immediately settled by half.

Clearly, the earlier ‘Taiji Chart warning’ being broken was already known to the Sage Lord.

How much information was contained in those two characters “No Matter”…

Li Changshou kowtowed before the portrait for half an hour, carefully contemplating.

At this point, he could only make two simple deductions.

First, a Sage had tried to peek at his background, breaking through the Taiji Chart’s concealment, but was stopped in time by his own Sage Lord, thus his Sage Lord said no matter.

Second, a Sage had seen through his background, but his own Sage Lord felt it was no matter, thus saying ‘no matter.’

The option that could cause problems later was the second one; the first option needed no further discussion.

Could it be that the one who looked at him, Li Changshou, just now was the Lord of Yu Xu Palace or Bi You Palace?

Being bolder, it could even be… the Senior Lord of Zi Xiao Palace.

Why look at him?

And for what purpose?

Li Changshou formed a series of options in his mind, constantly thinking and using the process of elimination, finally leaving sixteen most likely scenarios, most involving the Great Tribulation of Investiture of Gods…

Just as Li Changshou was beginning to see some clues, his heart surged slightly again.

This time the message was quite clear, and the surge was very familiar—

An honored guest had arrived at the Sea God Temple.

Li Changshou dared not delay, his divine consciousness falling on the Sea God Temple in An Shui City, looking at the divine envoys practicing Wu Tribe battle techniques in the front and back courtyards, searching left and right, yet finding nothing unusual.

Today’s strange events came one after another…

Suddenly, from beside the divine statue came a deliberately lowered voice:

“Chang Geng… Chang Geng? Can you hear me? Chang Geng? If you can hear me, make your statue hop once!”

Li Changshou: …

That would only work if his statue could hop!

His divine consciousness looked toward the source of the voice, where there was a faint black shadow, this shadow’s shape… was slightly chubby;

Li Changshou also remembered this voice, it belonged to Sect Brother Senior Duo Bao Dao Ren.

But why would such a big shot act so secretively when looking for him?

When things were unusual, there was likely a trap.

Li Changshou’s divine statue remained motionless, while an old version paper clone of the Celestial Immortal realm emerged from underground, prepared to self-destruct at any moment.

However, just as Li Changshou’s paper clone showed its head, a large hand appeared from nowhere, grabbed his paper clone’s arm, and without explanation pulled him into a familiar… earth tunnel.

Judging by the tunnel, this slightly chubby, fair-skinned Daoist before him was Duo Bao Dao Ren.

After all, his unique divine ability was Void Tunnel Master.

“Chang Geng!”

Duo Bao Dao Ren pulled Li Changshou’s paper clone into a crouch, still anxiously looking around, then transmitted sound directly to Li Changshou:

“You’re in big trouble!”

Li Changshou held his breath but didn’t panic, remaining calm and composed as he asked, “Senior, what’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong, what else could be wrong,” Duo Bao anxiously said, “To tell you the truth, I just left Bi You Palace and rushed over immediately.

Do you know that Junior Sister Yun Xiao went to find Master at Bi You Palace!”

Li Changshou was completely confused – what did this have to do with him?

“Well, this disciple doesn’t know… does the Immortal Lady have some urgent matter?”

Duo Bao blinked, then chuckled:

“You little fellow, calling me just Senior, but calling Junior Sister Yun Xiao Immortal Lady.

No! No!

From today, you should call this poor Daoist… hmm… Immortal Man doesn’t sound too good either…”

Seeing Duo Bao still had the heart to joke, Li Changshou also relaxed a bit, cupping his hands said: “Immortal Senior?”

“That works, that works, though it sounds a bit formal. Later just change to calling me Senior Brother directly.”

Duo Bao coughed, not giving Li Changshou a chance to object, immediately explaining the cause and effect.

“Earlier, Master and I were eating peaches and listening to music in the palace… ahem, Master was teaching me how to cultivate diligently, when Junior Sister Yun Xiao suddenly came like this, frightening me into swallowing the peach pit!

Junior Sister Yun Xiao said she had doubts and wanted to ask Master for clarity.

Master didn’t dare take it lightly – Junior Sister Yun Xiao rarely asks about the dao, but each time her questions can make Master explain for a long time, and she often rebuts…

Sure enough, today Junior Sister Yun Xiao’s question stumped even Master.”

Li Changshou smiled, “The Immortal Lady is so formidable, even stumping the Sage Lord.”

“Now you’re being too distant!”

Duo Bao tucked both hands in his sleeves, crouching with Li Changshou in the corner of the earth tunnel, muttering, “What stumped the Sage Lord wasn’t Junior Sister’s question, but you, Chang Geng.”

Li Changshou’s smile instantly froze – it couldn’t be…

Duo Bao sighed, “Junior Sister Yun Xiao asked if she had entered the tribulation of emotions, as her heart kept having unsettled thoughts, constantly thinking of one person, seeing traces of this person even within the Great Dao.

By reason, after countless years of cultivation, she shouldn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t have such stirrings. Worried she had fallen victim to a scheme, she wanted to ask Master to investigate.”

“And then?” Li Changshou couldn’t help but ask.

Duo Bao Dao Ren laughed, “Master divined, was blocked by the Taiji Chart, then personally drew forth the Slaying Immortal Sword. Taking advantage when the Taiji Chart was unguarded, he broke through its power and saw…

You.”

Li Changshou: …

Case solved!

His earlier premonition was actually because Tong Tian Teaching Master had poked him from afar with the Slaying Immortal Sword!

The primordial chaos was truly too dangerous!

“Hehe, scared now?”

Duo Bao bumped Li Changshou with his shoulder, “Don’t worry, Master said that Senior Uncle insisted on protecting you, blocking his divination again.

But Master also said that just one look at you told him you won’t be ordinary in the future and have quite some karmic connection with our Severing Teaching.

Moreover, Senior Uncle would not use such matters to scheme against a Dao sect disciple, so Junior Sister needn’t worry too much.

See that? Master is speaking up for you!”

Li Changshou couldn’t quite make sense of it.

Why would Lord Tong Tian Teaching Master…

Duo Bao smiled:

“However, Junior Sister Yun Xiao truly isn’t easy to fool. She asked Master several more difficult questions about the tribulation of emotions, leaving Master somewhat at a loss for answers.

Think about it – how could Master, as the respected Teaching Lord, lose face before Junior Sister? So he said some profound things…

Next, Junior Sister will come to find you and ask five questions.

You need to answer according to what I tell you, matching Master’s divination exactly. This way, not only will your relationship with Junior Sister Yun Xiao become more stable, but it will also save our Master’s face.

Understand?”

Li Changshou frowned in contemplation, asking softly, “Senior, if the disciple says he doesn’t understand…”

Duo Bao Dao Ren’s eyes widened as he suddenly stood up, raising his left hand high toward the void, shouting:

“Where is the Zhu Xian Formation Chart!”