Should he take this chance to scheme against Dipankara?

Within Yellow Dragon Daoist’s sleeve, Li Changshou’s paper figure transformed into a small insect, carefully pondering this matter…

If he were to induce Dipankara to increase his efforts in fanning the flames and stirring up trouble, it would be easy to make the Enlightened School immortals notice their Vice Patriarch’s abnormal behavior.

But Li Changshou immediately dismissed such thoughts.

The timing wasn’t right – it wouldn’t work. With that old fellow’s vigilance, it would be extremely difficult to trap him!

Moreover, now was not the time for additional complications.

Having gathered so many pillars of the Dao schools, properly executing the predetermined steps would already be a great achievement.

The second act, “Two Schools Move Together in Central Continent, Remembering Bitterness and Sweetness of Old Feelings,” had now officially begun!

Li Changshou estimated that by now, those who had spread the rumors were likely frightened.

Though not scared to death, they were probably breaking into cold sweats, their Dao hearts trembling slightly, feeling restless while frantically plotting how to avoid disaster befalling themselves…

Probably.

Of course, simply frightening Earth Store wasn’t Li Changshou’s ultimate goal. This small warning was just a minor objective achieved along the way.

He had more important things to do.

Today’s grand performance, broadly speaking, was to realize his previously laid grand calculations for the God-Making Ceremony;

More immediately, it was to stabilize the Dao School environment and gain more time for Heaven Court’s steady development.

It could also be used to enhance Heaven Court’s reputation, promote the Heavenly Emperor’s prestige, increase Heaven Court’s influence in the Five Continents, and end the uncontrolled scheming method of spreading rumors…

In comparison, frightening Earth Store was truly just an afterthought.

“Before counting successes, first count the risks.”

Learning from past mistakes, Li Changshou thoroughly considered various situations before finalizing the current script.

First, this was just a minor matter that couldn’t trigger too great a conflict between the two schools.

Second, Elder Brother Broad Completion and Elder Brother Many Treasures already knew the entire plan, while the involved parties – Zhao Gongming, Fire Spirit Holy Mother, and Yellow Dragon True Person – were all cooperating in putting on this show.

Even if some deviation occurred due to “unpredictable human hearts,” there were two insurance measures in place:

The Grand Magus, who possessed multiple supreme treasures, could appear at any time to mediate;

That treasure made by the Jade Emperor gathering “Heavenly Dao Power” had long been waiting, ready to be used at any moment.

Of course, concerning the Three Schools’ peace and the Dao Schools’ prosperity, considering just these points was far from enough.

Li Changshou had deeply analyzed the Original Spirits’ intentions and pondered his own Supreme Clarity Original Spirit’s wishes before employing the strategy of “borrowing a pretext” and “appearing to criticize before praising.”

All signs so far indicated that although Supreme Clarity Original Spirit maintained stillness and non-action, not questioning worldly affairs, he didn’t want to see internal warfare within the Dao Schools, much less see his sworn brothers become mortal enemies…

Reasonably speaking, without the God-Making List matter, the Three Schools could never truly become enemies; the two brothers might have some verbal disputes normally, but they could hardly fight to bloodshed.

Furthermore, what couldn’t be ignored was the influence of the Western School’s two Original Spirits…

He wasn’t underestimating the Western Original Spirits, but regarding today’s matters, this was already the “worst” situation. If the Western School’s two Original Spirits wanted to intervene, they could only fundamentally expand the conflict.

That would mean deploying their double agents planted within the Three Schools for a bloody battle, thus triggering real warfare.

But doing so would be equivalent to sacrificing the pieces they could use during the God-Making Catastrophe ahead of time.

Regarding this, Li Changshou would welcome it with open arms, estimating he might even be rewarded by the Supreme Clarity Lord with unlimited usage rights to one or two supreme treasures…

As he continuously contemplated, calculated, and observed, waiting for the momentum of these hundreds of immortals from both schools to reach its peak, Li Changshou’s paper Dao figures hidden in both camps secretly transmitted:

“Ah…

Elder Brother, you can make your entrance now!”

He almost called out “Ekko God”!

As soon as Li Changshou’s words fell, Broad Completion of the Enlightened School and Many Treasures of the Severing School stepped forward simultaneously.

They both carried their hands behind their backs, emanating intense pressure!

Within a thousand-li radius, clouds stilled and winds ceased;

Beyond a thousand li, wild winds danced and living beings trembled in fear, as if heaven and earth were about to shatter. Many cultivators in various immortal sects felt restless, their spiritual senses continuously trembling.

The two Senior Brothers stopped a hundred li apart. Many Treasures Daoist cupped his hands and said:

“Elder Brother Broad Completion, you and I are quite in sync today.

Regarding today’s matter, this humble one would like to hear how your Enlightened School explains it first!”

“How to explain?”

Broad Completion smiled faintly, his uniquely remarkable face showing traces of anger.

“Junior Brother Many Treasures!

You and I entered the sect early, both cultivating in that small courtyard for quite some time!

The Three Schools share the same origin and flow, originally one family – you understand this more clearly than many junior brothers and sisters.

Why did you insult Junior Brother Yellow Dragon today? Where do you place Junior Brother Yellow Dragon’s face? Have you forgotten that the Dao Schools are one family?”

“Insult? I truly don’t know where to begin!”

Many Treasures Daoist’s eyes widened, his round face containing anger as he shouted:

“Moreover, even if I did insult him before, so what?

Yellow Dragon has cultivated until today, also being a prominent expert of the Dao Schools, yet he doesn’t maintain his position or protect juniors, instead spreading rumors and gossiping behind others’ backs!

My disciple Fire Spirit originally went to Luo Fu Cave to care for injured Junior Sister Golden Light, but unexpectedly he saw this and immediately spread rumors that my disciple and Junior Brother Gongming were dual cultivating together!

What kind of senior is this, what kind of expert?

Bah!”

“You!”

Broad Completion frowned deeply, then calmed his mind and said indifferently: “It seems, Junior Brother, you are determined to escalate this matter.”

Many Treasures Daoist’s clothes fluttered as he sighed deeply: “Isn’t this matter big enough already? My disciple wants to die to prove her innocence!”

At this moment, Broad Completion and Many Treasures Daoist’s eyes met, seemingly with countless thunderbolts appearing behind both of them, striking toward each other before finally dissipating into nothingness…

No matter how one looked at it, both Senior Brothers had truly become angry.

The immortals of both the Severing and Enlightened Schools, although half were somewhat confused, had all taken out their magical treasures by now…

Swords were drawn and bows were bent – a storm was brewing!

By Spirit Mountain’s Treasure Pool, dozens of old Daoists watched with tears in their eyes, their hearts filled with emotion.

In a corner beside Divine Hearing, a young Daoist wearing tattered clothes twitched his mouth corners. He held his breath, also observing the scenes in the cloud mirror.

At this moment, he couldn’t even wait to hear Divine Hearing’s narration…

At Degree Immortal Gate’s Small Jade Peak, Li Changshou, wearing loose robes and sitting in a rocking chair, currently had his eyes closed, wearing a faint smile as he gently waved the palm-leaf fan in his hand.

Beside him, Spirit Moth pretended to be in meditation but secretly glanced at her senior brother, accidentally becoming entranced by his smile.

Li Changshou had no time to mind his junior sister, as he was currently full of praise in his heart…

‘Both Senior Brothers are truly formidable.’

From their first words, one could tell they were veteran actors.

Their abundance of emotion, their quick immersion into their roles – every glance, even every tone of voice, was handled so appropriately!

If what they were saying wasn’t from the script Li Changshou had given them, he would believe at this moment that these two Senior Brothers were truly about to engage in battle…

Formidable, truly formidable.

One must never underestimate the experts of the Three Schools!

Looking at the meeting place of the two schools’ immortals in Central Divine Continent.

Many Treasures Daoist and Broad Completion remained silent, confronting each other briefly before disputes arose again.

This time it wasn’t just Many Treasures Daoist – the Severing School’s Golden Spirit Holy Mother and Turtle Spirit Holy Mother, along with the Enlightened School’s Supreme Unity True Person and Pure Essence Child all took the stage. Six disciples of the Original Spirits debated across a hundred li.

Naturally, behind them, Broad Completion and Many Treasures Daoists were transmitting voice instructions, reminding them what to say and what not to say.

Li Changshou secretly observed, trying to grasp these big shots’ personalities.

Golden Spirit Holy Mother was beautiful with a sweet voice- ahem!

Golden Spirit Holy Mother belonged to the tough-but-quiet type, quite opposite to Cloud Maiden’s gentle tone. This Golden Spirit Holy Mother spoke with thorns from the start, wanting to fight after just a few words, her temper being quite explosive.

Turtle Spirit Holy Mother belonged to the extremely patient type, mainly focusing on reasoning, with clear logic and organization, firmly grasping the point that “the Severing School’s side is the victim” and continuously counterattacking.

The Enlightened School’s “debaters” also refused to yield.

The conventional Pure Essence Child held onto the core viewpoint of “Dao Schools are one family – why must there be verbal insults,” speaking with reason and evidence, advancing and retreating appropriately.

And that teacher of Nezha, one of the top ten overprotective figures in Primordial Chaos – Supreme Unity True Person particularly caught Li Changshou’s attention.

This True Person appeared youthful, had high cultivation, and gave off an impression of being unrestrained and carefree, not taking things to heart. His Daoist robe of blue mixed with red, with its inner collar carefully selected, was quite particular.

That flowing elegant hair, with two strands of silver-white, was very similar to the hairstyle of Forgetting Emotions Superior Wang Fugui from Degree Immortal Gate…

Just a coincidence.

This Supreme Unity True Person didn’t speak many times, but his few words nearly caused both sides to start fighting directly:

“If you don’t want others to know, then don’t do it yourself.

Going to someone else’s cave and being seen, yet blaming it on our Junior Brother Yellow Dragon.”

Li Changshou shook his head internally and controlled his paper Dao figure in the Sea God Temple to write down a small line:

[Supreme Unity True Person, extremely protective, Level 4 in sarcasm.]

Li Changshou continued to observe secretly, finding that he completely didn’t need to manage anything anymore, as several big shots had fully grasped the rhythm of the entire scene.

The arguments continuously escalated, both sides burning with anger;

Various immortals were restless, with some already starting to use jade tokens to call for people.

A great battle within the Dao Schools was almost about to begin today!

However, before Li Changshou could remind them “the time has come,” Elder Broad Completion raised his head to look at the white clouds in the sky, sending a sigh throughout the area.

“How did it come to this…”

Hearing this, Many Treasures also showed a rather complex expression, his gaze sweeping around, his entire person seeming to have aged considerably.

“Aren’t we all taught by the Masters? Why must we oppose each other today, with neither side willing to yield?”

The crowd of immortals from both schools: …

Weren’t you two the first ones arguing?

In heaven and earth, the two originally clashing auras now quietly softened.

Broad Completion looked at Many Treasures Daoist, suddenly revealing a bitter smile, and said:

“Junior Brother, you’ve gotten thinner.”

Many Treasures lowered his head to look at the sea of clouds below, sighing: “Traveling abroad is never as satisfying as eating in the small courtyard.”

“Indeed, back then Master Uncle would deliberately feed you some primordial treasure materials, angering my master into constant lectures.”

“Hehe,” Many Treasures Daoist laughed embarrassedly, “Back then I even ate many of Elder Brother’s treasure materials meant for refining, and got hung up and beaten by Elder Brother, almost becoming cured meat.”

Turtle Spirit Holy Mother immediately covered her mouth and laughed lightly, while Supreme Unity True Person across from her rolled his eyes.

Among the immortals of both schools at this time, half could maintain rationality, analyzing the Senior Brothers’ intentions;

Of the remaining half, a small portion was more emotional and had already been moved by this conversation, while others were completely confused, wearing expressions of ‘little question mark, do you have many friends?’

Many Treasures sighed: “Back then, Yellow Dragon would just sleep all day in the pool, still an ornamental dragon.

I used to tease him every day, but now, I can’t even scold him once.”

—This sentence skillfully resolved the point of conflict raised by the Enlightened School.

Yellow Dragon True Person accordingly stepped forward, making a Daoist bow to Many Treasures Daoist in the air, letting out a long sigh:

“Elder Brother Many Treasures, I was narrow-minded and made a big fuss over nothing. You certainly can scold me, even a hundred times if you wish.”

“No, no, I was somewhat inappropriate,” Many Treasures Daoist sighed, making a Daoist bow to Yellow Dragon True Person, “I was too hasty before, speaking impatiently, causing Junior Brother Yellow Dragon grievance.”

“Elder Brother Many Treasures!”

Yellow Dragon True Person returned a deep Daoist bow.

At this moment, the hostility in the scene largely dissipated, and immortals from both sides knew that fighting would not break out today.

Some were moved, though not too many;

Immortals like Pure Essence Child who had experienced cultivation in the small courtyard back then felt it most deeply.

The old Daoists watching the excitement by Spirit Mountain’s Treasure Pool were also sighing repeatedly at this moment, each shaking their heads, about to disperse.

There would be no more entertainment to watch today.

However, the subsequent changes in events caught even the crowd of old Daoists on Spirit Mountain off guard…

From that cloud mirror came Yellow Dragon Daoist’s emotional voice:

“If Elder Brother trusts me, I can swear an oath here that I never spread rumors slandering Niece Fire Spirit!

My friendship with Junior Brother Gongming is quite deep, and I know Junior Brother Gongming is upright and honest, single-mindedly pursuing the great Dao!”

Zhao Gongming immediately flashed forward, saying:

“I’ve been thinking about this matter, and the more I think about it, the more I feel someone must be deliberately sowing discord, intending to shake the foundation of the Dao Schools!”

Many Treasures and Broad Completion exchanged glances, nodding together.

Most immortals from both schools frowned, thinking carefully, and indeed found great peculiarity behind this matter!

Just then, a light laugh was heard from the sky:

“It’s fortunate you haven’t started fighting. I already have a way to investigate this matter.”

A white cloud slowly descended with the voice, upon which stood a plain-looking but quite charming young Daoist, who was none other than the only publicly known disciple of the Human School.

“Elder Brother Xuandu!”

“Greetings to Elder Brother Xuandu!”

The crowd of immortals from both schools bowed in unison, and the Grand Magus smiled and returned their greeting, then revealed a somewhat grave expression.

“Junior Brothers and Sisters, please come forward,” the Grand Magus called out, and immortals from both sides came forward, gathering around him.

The Grand Magus took out a palm-sized ‘small island’ from his sleeve, raised his hand, and gently tossed it. This small island slowly expanded beneath the immortals’ feet, shortly transforming into a celestial island ten li in diameter, floating above the sea of clouds.

“Fellow Junior Brothers and Sisters, please hear me out!”

Grand Magus Xuandu said gently: “Earlier I was delayed for some time, precisely because I went to request Uncle Jade Emperor to invoke the power of the Heavenly Dao to condense a stone stele.

This stone stele is named the Heavenly Emperor’s Righteous Virtue, and its function is to borrow the power of the Heavenly Dao to trace the source of a matter and promote righteousness between heaven and earth.

Using this stele to resolve this matter couldn’t be more appropriate!

Why don’t we go before the stone stele together, gathering the power of the Three Dao Schools, to investigate who is the true culprit of this matter!”

All immortals praised this idea. Grand Magus Xuandu made a welcoming gesture and walked shoulder to shoulder with Many Treasures Daoist and Broad Completion, being the first to descend below.

Shortly after, hundreds of immortals from both schools gathered at the peak of the celestial island, looking at that stone stele, discussing in low voices…

This stone stele had eight large characters carved on its left and right sides reading ‘Win People by Virtue’ and ‘Win People by Reason’. Like the night sky, the jet-black surface of the stele emitted faint starlight, containing the rich power of the Heavenly Dao.

The Grand Magus raised his hand and pushed out a beam of immortal light, followed by Many Treasures Daoist and Broad Completion in turn, each injecting a beam of immortal light into the stone stele.

Yellow Dragon True Person made a Daoist bow to the stone stele, saying emotionally:

“May the Lord Heavenly Dao bear witness, please clear this disciple’s name!”

Clouds and mist immediately appeared on the stone stele, within which manifested the appearances of various beings, blurry figures laughing and retelling, showing the process of how rumors were continuously passed on and changed.

Streams of human shadows flashed by rapidly, the power of the Heavenly Dao growing increasingly dense;

Li Changshou secretly swept his immortal consciousness across, even capturing a familiar figure…

Du!

Ahem, he must have seen wrong, should have seen wrong.

The images suddenly began to slow down, clusters of mist locking onto the source of the rumors.

Many Treasures Daoists shouted lowly: “Fellow Junior Brothers and Sisters, if not now, when?”

The Severing School crowd responded thunderously, beam after beam of immortal light injecting into the stone stele;

On the Enlightened School’s side, Broad Completion raised his hand making a gesture, and over a hundred immortals also acted simultaneously, streams of immortal power injecting into the stone stele!

The stone stele trembled slightly, the mist retreated, yet revealed a scene of water curtains, blocking what lay behind.

The Dao School crowd was puzzled.

Dipankara Daoist said: “Everyone, this matter likely involves the Original Spirit Lords, perhaps we should…”

“Hmph!”

Grand Magus Xuandu gave a cold snort, and all the Original Spirits’ disciples looked toward Dipankara.

Dipankara immediately changed his words, saying softly: “After finding out, we can consider carefully.”

“Summon the Taiji Diagram!”

Grand Magus Xuandu shouted lowly, his left hand raised high, and the primordial treasure Taiji Diagram, palm-sized, slowly appeared from his palm, shooting out two streams of yin-yang energy into the stone stele.

That water curtain instantly exploded apart, revealing within…

A gently swaying twelve-petaled golden lotus!

At this instant, all the Dao School immortals fell into silence.

The crowd of old Daoists by Spirit Mountain’s Treasure Pool now had greatly changed expressions, their foreheads written with the characters ‘Unwarranted Disaster’, their gazes somewhat panic-stricken.

And that young Daoist in the corner had already turned pale, stood up, walked two steps toward Spirit Mountain’s back mountain, then suddenly stopped in his tracks, like a clay statue, his fingers trembling slightly…

His mind was shaken, struggling between heaven and man.

At Degree Immortal Gate’s Small Jade Peak.

Li Changshou felt the power of the Taiji Diagram at his Original Spirit gradually increased another notch, clearly the Original Spirit Lord had intervened, protecting him from Western reverse derivation.

Thus, he stood up and bowed to the sky, the smile at his mouth growing more profound.

Through this matter, he had understood.

The Three Schools’ experts were not just one or two, but batch after batch.

Facing these senior predecessors, one must maintain reverence.

In his heart rang out two shouts heard by his paper Dao figure, but Li Changshou no longer intervened much in this.

The following matters could be presided over by the Grand Magus and several Dao School leaders, he would simply watch the show, while fulfilling his duty as the firefighting team.

Those shouts were:

“Call all Junior Brothers and Sisters!”

“Severing School immortals, follow me to Spirit Mountain!”