[SHOCKING! Great Master Xuandu bloodied the Asura Clan, chased the Rakshasa Princess to Spirit Mountain, and before Western Religion’s Sage Zhunti’s face, killed the Rakshasa Princess with one strike of his ruler, destroying her divine soul!]

[Primordial Chaos Quick News: Less than two hours after the East Sea Dragon Palace incident, massive waves arose in the Blood Sea. The Asura Clan, previously devastated since ancient times, was purged by the Human Sect’s Great Master for unknown reasons. The scene was chaos, reportedly over ten thousand hidden Asura Clan experts were directly crushed by the Taiji Diagram. The Asura Clan’s rising fortune was forcefully extinguished by the Great Master.]

[Declassified Information – So this is how the Ancient Blood Sea Ancestor’s Yuan Tu Sword fell into the Western Religion’s hands!]

Li Changshou had just finished writing his memorial but hadn’t yet gone to the Crystal Palace to ‘request punishment and report’ when East Wood Duke sent someone with several exciting pieces of news.

The Great Master was this fierce?

He went alone to challenge the Blood Sea.

When first hearing this news, Li Changshou indeed felt quite shocked – he had thought the Great Master, after being stabbed in the East Sea, felt embarrassed and returned to Doushuai Palace to sleep…

*Ahem*, to cultivate.

Unexpectedly, the Great Master had directly gone to the Netherworld Blood Sea and chased the expert holding the Yuan Tu Sword to Spirit Mountain.

Chased to Spirit Mountain?

Li Changshou keenly caught the key point.

Based on his understanding of the Great Master, could it be that the Great Master deliberately let that Rakshasa woman flee to Spirit Mountain, then killed her in front of the Western Religion’s sages and disciples?

Very likely!

Otherwise, with the Taiji Diagram alone, the Great Master could have suppressed the Blood Sea. Why did he call for the Xuanhuang Pagoda and Qiankun Ruler before the battle began?

Since their own Sage Lord didn’t stop this, it could be understood as the Dao Sect giving the Western Religion a warning.

As for the Yuan Tu Sword falling into Western Religion’s hands…

This innate spiritual treasure was a weapon of killing, its greatest feature being ‘killing without karmic consequences.’ This treasure was originally under Western Religion’s control, just hidden in darkness;

Now that everyone knows about it, this treasure belonging to Spirit Mountain indirectly limits the opportunities for this treasure to appear in the future.

Li Changshou looked at the memorial in his hand, his eyes showing slight peace.

With such a warning from the Dao Sect, the probability of the West behaving had increased significantly compared to before.

—Of course, this was just probability; Li Changshou wouldn’t make rash conclusions.

Picking up the memorial and his whisk, Li Changshou adjusted his expression to appear somewhat worried and helpless, then rode his cloud toward the Crystal Palace.

By now the immortals and deities had dispersed from the Crystal Palace, and the Jade Emperor sat on his throne reviewing memorials, as if nothing had happened.

Li Changshou came from outside the hall, first sighing at the doorway, then walking quickly forward;

But just as he reached the high platform, before he could speak, the white-robed Jade Emperor on the throne let out a soft sigh…

“An accumulation of one and a half kalpas…

Beloved Minister, how severe were the Dragon Clan’s casualties in the end?”

Li Changshou said seriously: “Though their essence is damaged and their foundation injured, the losses were minimal given the circumstances, all thanks to Marshal Huari’s sacrifice.

Your Majesty, this minor deity’s calculations were insufficient, planning lacking, and arrangements loose. Please punish me!”

“Why must you take all the blame upon yourself, beloved Minister?”

The Jade Emperor said gently: “The fault lies with the evil spirits causing havoc, with the Heavenly Court’s weakness, with the Dragon Clan’s old system. You’ve done your utmost, but alas, the power the Heavenly Court could give you was far from enough to deal with such strong enemies.

In this matter, the fault lies with me.”

“Your Majesty…”

“Enough, what are you arguing about, beloved Minister?”

This white-robed youth stood up, smiling as he walked around the jade table and descended the steps.

He glanced at the hall entrance, and brilliant light burst from the top of the Crystal Palace, enveloping the entire palace and isolating the guardian soldiers outside.

The Jade Emperor sighed and sat on the platform steps, patting the white jade stone beside him…

“Beloved Minister Changgeng, come, sit.

Today let’s set aside Emperor and Water God, and have a good talk about the Heavenly Court’s path.”

Li Changshou hesitated for a moment but still walked up the steps, sitting two steps below the Jade Emperor.

Seeing this, the Jade Emperor smiled and moved down one step himself, saying:

“Changgeng, when do you think the West will rise to power? If the West rises, how should our Heavenly Court respond?

Don’t be formal, I just want to hear your honest thoughts.”

“Your Majesty, your question puts this minor deity in an awkward position,” Li Changshou frowned, “The West is currently suppressed by the Dao Sect, and there’s only so much fortune in Heaven and Earth. If the Dao Sect prospers, it naturally won’t allow the West to rise greatly.”

The Jade Emperor asked: “You think the Dao Sect and West must have a battle?”

Li Changshou: …

From this time and place, looking at the Primordial Chaos trends, the next great tribulation should indeed change from racial warfare to sectarian conflict.

But the actual situation was…

The Dao Sect overall didn’t take the West seriously. The Dao Sect’s fortune was too strong, and extreme prosperity invited the Investiture of the Gods tribulation. Internal warfare between the three teachings allowed the Western Religion to frantically poach followers and acquire mounts, then later use the Journey to the West tribulation to connect with humanity, thus achieving complete ascendance.

This was Heaven’s script – he dared not speak freely about it, and could only say:

“Your Majesty’s words and this minor deity’s thoughts are… mostly similar, with small differences.”

The Jade Emperor immediately showed a satisfied smile, but then sighed again.

Today, the Jade Emperor was indeed quite dejected.

“Your Majesty,” Li Changshou asked softly, “Are you distressed about that Merit Golden Body?”

“If it were you, wouldn’t you be dist… *ahem*, correct,” the Jade Emperor nodded slowly, “But this Merit Golden Body of mine is just used for moving about the Heavenly Court, just for supervision.”

Li Changshou pulled out a treasure pouch from his sleeve, “Your Majesty, this minor deity has prepared a little something for you.”

“Oh?”

The Jade Emperor immediately showed interest, opening the pouch to find a large ‘pill’ inside, containing the power of the Five Elements and Yin-Yang.

Behind this ‘pill’ was a foot-long paper person…

Li Changshou smiled and said: “This is the highest quality among this minor deity’s avatar bodies, specially offered to Your Majesty.”

The Jade Emperor pushed the pouch back, then raised his hand and pointed a beam of golden light forward, smiling: “Beloved Minister, please look.”

That golden light transformed into an imposing and mighty man who cupped his fists to Li Changshou and said in a rough voice:

“This general Zhao Dezhu, greets the Water God!”

So many Merit Golden Bodies?

Li Changshou looked closely and felt somewhat sad.

This was just an ordinary avatar with early Golden Immortal realm strength, merely plated with a layer of merit on the outside…

But regarding the Jade Emperor’s act of putting on a brave face, Li Changshou dared not say anything, only stood to return the greeting while taking the opportunity to offer some flattery.

It seemed the Jade Emperor was determined to maintain the Heavenly Court’s discipline to the end.

The Jade Emperor withdrew this avatar and smiled again, asking: “Changgeng, when can I drink the wedding wine of you and Niece Master Yunxiao?”

“Your Majesty, Fairy Yunxiao and I are merely kindred spirits…”

“Mm, back then when I first came to the Heavenly Court with my Junior Sister, we were also first kindred spirits. Now in a blink of many years, Long Ji is almost grown up.”

“Your Majesty, this minor deity has a memorial here, would you like to review it first?”

“Changing the subject isn’t the style of my Heavenly Court’s Water God!”

The Jade Emperor’s eyes held some mischief as he casually accepted the thick memorial Li Changshou handed over and read it carefully.

Soon, the Jade Emperor looked at Li Changshou and frowned:

“Changgeng, have you been… provoked to anger by the Western Religion because of the Dragon Clan matter?”

“Why would Your Majesty ask such a question?”

Li Changshou was somewhat bewildered.

The Jade Emperor held the memorial and smiled, “Look at what you’ve written – the six-step plan to expand the Heavenly Army by a million within a hundred years…

A brief analysis of the Underworld’s reincarnation system’s importance to imperial authority…

The initial draft for incorporating and reforming the Underworld administration…

Six strategies for recruiting powerful cultivators from three thousand worlds…

Changgeng, are you planning to single-handedly elevate the Heavenly Court’s power to a new level within several hundred years?

And earlier, when you had Wood Duke report the Dragon Clan matter, you deliberately overlooked the Western Religion, only mentioning those troublemaking evil spirits.

Originally, I thought you were too cautious, unwilling to provoke the Sages;

Unexpectedly, you’ve been holding your breath, planning to first remove the Western Religion’s arms!”

Li Changshou stood and performed a Daoist salute, saying seriously:

“This minor deity’s memorial speaks only of wishing the Heavenly Court to grow strong soon, no longer suffering today’s humiliation, absolutely without personal revenge!”

“Don’t be anxious, Changgeng. I merely found this memorial so well-written that I couldn’t help teasing you a bit.”

The Jade Emperor said gently: “What this memorial speaks of was roughly mentioned in your Twelve Strategies years ago, and is what I’ve been pondering these years.

Let’s discuss this memorial today, come back and sit!”

“Ah, yes,” Li Changshou obediently returned to his original position.

The Jade Emperor unrolled the memorial, pondered for a moment, and began discussing it point by point with Li Changshou…

Li Changshou secretly wiped his sweat.

Fortunately, when writing the memorial earlier, he hadn’t deliberately pursued rhyming and ‘beauty,’ adding difficult-to-explain phrases.

Soon, the formation-wrapped Crystal Palace grew generally quiet, with only the voices of two people constantly discussing, deliberating, and occasionally joking…

The next morning, at Small Jade Peak.

Li Changshou walked out of the dan room, stretched in the morning sun, looking somewhat tired.

Having a long intimate discussion with the Jade Emperor to perfect the Heavenly Court’s first five-hundred-year plan on the spot had indeed consumed much of his mental energy.

Being a power minister of the Heavenly Court wasn’t easy…

His immortal awareness swept over the card room, easily seeing through to the situation inside.

The scene before him was so familiar…

In the second-floor room, wine jugs lay sideways, preserved fruits scattered about. Ling’e leaned against the bed platform dozing, You Qin Xuanya lay unconscious from drinking on the bed with Jiu Jiu;

Jiu Jiu’s small hands hugged You Qin Xuanya’s jade feet, her lips constantly smacking, her passive skill perfectly activated…

Look!

Just look at them all!

These three immortal maidens, called Cultivating Immortality Gate’s Golden Immortal seedlings, appeared unrestrained, ice-cold, or graceful and elegant in public, but in private drank and played every day, neglecting cultivation, finding joy in hangovers, clothes disheveled!

Then look at the new female cultivator in the first-floor meditation room who strived diligently in cultivation every day – Master Aunt Jiu Yushi!

Her attitude was extremely proper, rarely going out, focusing entirely on cultivation, and single-mindedly seeking the Great Dao!

Uh, Master-Aunt Yushi, how did you hit a bottleneck so early…

Li Changshou’s mouth twitched slightly.

Never mind, he pretended he hadn’t seen anything.

After basking in the sun for a while, Li Changshou lay in the rocking chair, closing his eyes to relax his mind.

He had already summarized this East Sea setback, and the conclusion was—

Not stable enough.

For future calculations, the first thing to achieve was knowing both oneself and the enemy.

How could he achieve victory in every battle if he knew nothing of the Western Religion’s true strength?

Furthermore, the Heavenly Court had too few trump cards, so expanding its arsenal was imperative…

Previous stability was limited to himself;

Now stability needed to expand to the forces he belonged to and could influence, only then could he keep up with the changing times of the Primordial Chaos, always standing on undefeated ground.

The Underworld was the Heavenly Court’s next key target.

Li Changshou had a premonition that the Western Religion would soon meddle with the Underworld.

This premonition wasn’t baseless.

First, because the Western Religion had already interfered in the Netherworld, even pacifying the Blood Sea Asuras;

Second, Li Changshou had heard of the concept of ‘Buddhist Countries’ in his previous life, and to build Buddhist Countries in the three thousand worlds, influencing the Six Paths of Reincarnation was the most convenient method—gathering believers to be reborn in one place.

This might also be one of the Western Religion’s long-term plans, using it to accumulate merit through worship.

Third, the resources that could be schemed for in Heaven and Earth were limited – the Dragon Clan, the Underworld – obtaining them meant great prosperity!

Now the Dragon Clan belonged to the Heavenly Court, and through this Dragon Clan incident, they had greatly shortened the cycle of absorbing Dragon Clan power. In the coming centuries, the Heavenly Court’s strength would see rapid growth.

Currently, in the Three Realms, the only place left with merit to gain and fortune to seize was the Underworld.

That Western Religion expert who planned this East Sea offensive probably had already set their sights on the Underworld administration.

Li Changshou now had lost all sense of underestimation, no longer thinking that incorporating the Underworld under Heavenly Court rule would be as easy as water flowing into channels.

He still needed careful calculation, and planning step by step.

Tomorrow he will send his paper avatar to the North Uttarakuru Continent to investigate the situation of the Shamanic Tribe…

‘Buzz~ Buzz~~’

Wenjing?

Li Changshou’s spirit sharpened, adding some suspicion, as his paper avatar appeared in the Sea God Temple’s inner hall, pointing at the beam to receive the Taiji Diagram’s protection.

That blood mosquito flying from the front hall smoothly transformed into the curvaceous Daoist Wenjing, still wearing her beloved blood-colored gauze robe, though with a more conservative inner garment.

This detail detail made Li Changshou quite gratified.

Before he could speak, Daoist Wenjing’s body trembled slightly as she covered her mouth and nose with her wide sleeve, muttering softly:

“The Great Master truly… makes one’s heart unsettled!”

Li Changshou said calmly: “About the Great Master striking at Spirit Mountain?”

“Mm!”

Daoist Wenjing took small steps forward, asking coquettishly: “Water God, when will you let this servant see the Great Master again?”

See him for what?

To let tears of emotion flood between your lips?

“The Great Master usually cultivates in Doushuai Palace, I can’t easily take you there.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Daoist Wenjing hurriedly said, “This servant isn’t ready yet…”

Li Changshou suppressed his urge to snark and asked: “Who was the one who schemed against the Dragon Clan this time?

Suddenly it feels like someone new is operating behind the Western Religion, and this person’s control over the overall situation is quite formidable.”

Daoist Wenjing said: “It’s a Sage disciple named Dizang, who recently emerged from closed cultivation.”

Dizang?

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva? The Divine Beast Who Knows All Sounds?

Li Changshou asked: “Does he have a… rather good mount?”

“That I don’t know,” Daoist Wenjing blinked, “But I heard people say that whenever he appears, he’s always riding a mount…”

“I see.”

Li Changshou smiled calmly, his eyes unconsciously narrowing slightly.

[Until hell is empty, I vow not to become a Buddha?]

Looking at it this way, he indeed would have to face off against the Western Religion in the Underworld.

However…

Combining the current situation at Spirit Mountain, why did he read a sense of helplessness in these eight characters?

Could it be that when the Western Religion changed its name, underwent internal turmoil, and reshuffled power, this Sage disciple was ‘accidentally’ squeezed out of the power center, forced to make great vows for self-preservation?

And connecting this to the transformation of barbarians into Buddhists…

Interesting!

Beside him, Daoist Wenjing silently retreated two steps.

For some reason, she suddenly felt that Dizang, who counted as a prominent Western Religion Sage disciple, seemed…

About to be in trouble?

Just then, a white cloud hurriedly flew over from the west – it was Zhao Gongming riding his cloud.

Li Changshou glanced at Daoist Wenjing, who immediately bowed and curtseyed, her body transforming into a strand of blood qi that quickly evaporated in the air.

Just as the Taiji Diagram’s cover lifted, Zhao Gongming had already hurriedly landed, striding forward with an urgent expression:

“Changgeng, quick! Help me think of a solution! This time it’s really serious!”