Earth Store’s panic lasted but a moment before he regained his composure.

If handled improperly, today would be a deadly tribulation for him!

Events were transforming too quickly. Earth Store now completely couldn’t determine whether the Dao Schools were acting deliberately to target him, a “nameless figure,” or if all this truly was just coincidental…

Earth Store could only gamble now – gamble that his teacher would protect him.

Earlier, he had secretly suggested using the Primordial Chaos Fierce Beast for their purposes, and now he had the merit of planning the East Sea battle to increase the sect’s foundation…

Thinking of this, the young Daoist felt extremely depressed.

He had cultivated for several grand kalpas, always staying behind the scenes. He had just returned from traveling the Three Thousand Worlds, preparing to make some grand moves, but unexpectedly, after just two actions, he encountered such a crisis!

Could it be that he truly…

Had peaked at his debut in Primordial Chaos?

The East Sea battle strategy was supposed to be the beginning of his grand plans, but who would have thought it would become the swan song of his scheming ways?

Earth Store let out a light sigh and slowly sat down.

Divine Hearing shifted its massive head and transmitted: “Master, aren’t you going to do something more?”

Earth Store transmitted back: “This must have already alerted the teacher. If I do more, I might make mistakes. Better to quietly wait and follow the teacher’s arrangements.”

Divine Hearing lay there listening to the chaotic thoughts from afar, its long tail swaying gently, and transmitted again:

“Master, I estimate you’re beyond saving this time. Remember to find me a good new home – your Western School has several female disciples who are quite nice.”

Earth Store smiled helplessly, sitting there with closed eyes to maintain his spirit, quietly awaiting the coming storm…

Speaking of distress, the crowd of old Daoists on Spirit Mountain was truly the most distressed at this moment.

They had been watching the excitement with the mindset of “Dao School internal warfare is great fun” and “if the Dao Schools don’t fight, nothing matters,” but how did it suddenly…

Become a fire burning themselves, leaving them at a loss!

As shown by the Cloud Mirror technique, the Enlightened and Severing Schools had gathered over a thousand immortals, following behind Grand Magus Xuandu, Many Treasures Daoist, and Broad Completion, majestically advancing westward!

None looked kindly disposed of, their eyes containing severity.

These weren’t just immortals from those Central Divine Continent immortal sects – these were people who had heard the Original Spirits’ teachings and came from the Original Spirits’ domains. Among them were many experts who, if not considering the Original Spirits’ intervention, could level their Spirit Mountain a hundred times over!

“What are we to do?” An old Daoist lost his composure.

“How dare they groundlessly tarnish our reputation?” Another old Daoist was filled with righteous indignation.

That hunchbacked old Daoist frowned and asked: “Who plotted this matter?”

All the old Daoists remained silent, each only shaking their heads.

Just then, three golden lights flashed, and three more old Daoists appeared, landing before the crowd, their golden light gradually fading. They too wore tattered clothes.

From the extent of damage to their clothes, one could judge that they had reached the Western School’s power center – absolute high-level figures!

—After all, the cloth on their bodies could only cover some crucial parts.

Sure enough, this group of old Daoists by the Treasure Pool all addressed these three as Senior Brothers.

These three were Original Spirit disciples serving at the two Original Spirit Lords’ side. Their simultaneous appearance now showed that matters had truly reached a critical degree of urgency.

The three spoke in succession, their voices spreading into the minds of all present old Daoists, beginning the Western tradition of…

Shifting blame.

Thus and so, this and that.

All Spirit Mountain disciples understood how to handle the aftermath. Several old Daoists hurriedly left and found a middle-aged Daoist, bringing him to the Treasure Pool’s side.

This middle-aged Daoist was somewhat confused, still thinking he was about to rise and receive the sect’s recognition, when an old Daoist suddenly acted, his finger touching the back of the middle-aged Daoist’s head.

The middle-aged Daoist’s body trembled and collapsed to the ground;

A golden light flashed, and he suddenly opened his eyes, standing up straight, his gaze and expression identical to the old Daoist beside him who had just acted!

“Soul capture…”

Earth Store muttered: “Thus, many thanks to the teacher.”

That Divine Hearing beast lowered its head and sighed, transmitting: “Master, if someday you can’t hold on, better free me early and let me find another good family.

Your school doesn’t treat living beings as living beings.”

Earth Store frowned: “Mind your words.”

Divine Hearing slowly turned its head, continuing to listen to those noisy ‘thoughts’ getting closer and closer to Spirit Mountain, saying nothing more.

Meanwhile;

On that large patch of white clouds approaching Spirit Mountain.

The Three Schools’ crowd of immortals weren’t flying particularly fast at this moment, firstly to maintain formation, and secondly to give the Western School more pressure.

Currently, Grand Magus Xuandu stood before the Dao School crowd, and speaking of pressure, he certainly felt some;

After all, he was usually accustomed to being lazy and had never led so many junior brothers and sisters to cause trouble together.

At this time, the Dao School’s decision-making power was concentrated in his, Many Treasures’, and Broad Completion’s hands. Every step had to be carefully considered and its consequences analyzed.

Since the Human Race’s great prosperity and the Demon Emperor’s fall, the Grand Magus had rarely needed to expend much mental effort, and his thoughts were somewhat sluggish now.

However, no matter!

There was still the [Human School’s Golden Card Junior Brother, Jade Emperor’s Envoy and Great Minister, Old Lord’s Favorite, Dao School’s Pride, and Joy] treasure pers… ahem, provisional junior brother!

If not use him now, then when?

Thus, the Grand Magus found the paper figure currently hiding in Yellow Dragon True Person’s sleeve and transmitted:

“Changgeng, how do you think the Western School will respond?”

Li Changshou carefully chose his words and replied: “If they’re clever, they’ll not admit to this matter. Whether through confusion and disruption or thick-skinned denial, they’ll ultimately let this matter fade away.”

Hearing this, the Grand Magus felt somewhat puzzled and asked back: “This seems like the most obvious approach, why consider it clever?”

Li Changshou smiled and explained: “Grand Magus, you always pose such difficult questions.

This method seems simple but demonstrates their ability to withstand the Dao Schools’ pressure.

Results obtained purely through force of calculation don’t count as evidence. Once this matter is disrupted, it’s easy to confuse the focus, since it originally arose just from a rumor.

This way, the Western School’s prestige remains undamaged, and their sect will unite internally because of this matter.”

“Hmm?”

Many Treasures Daoist suddenly turned his head to look at the Grand Magus and transmitted:

“Elder Brother Xuandu, are you discussing with Changgeng? Why not let everyone discuss it together?”

The Grand Magus nodded with a smile, and Many Treasures Daoist had already taken out a conch-shaped spiritual treasure from his sleeve.

This spiritual treasure sent out a strand of Dao resonance to the Grand Magus, Yellow Dragon True Person, Broad Completion, Li Changshou’s paper figure, and Zhao Gongming. They immediately began conversing through thought transmission, extremely secretly.

Li Changshou’s eyes lit up – what a good treasure!

The Grand Magus repeated the earlier question, and Li Changshou explained again.

Zhao Gongming asked: “Then, what would be the unclever moves?”

Li Changshou smiled: “Old Brother, the middle strategy would be to find someone to take responsibility, claiming they sought revenge and spread rumors because they were bullied by Old Brother Zhao, taking all the blame for this matter. This would prevent us from pressuring Spirit Mountain.

However, this would show that the Western School still fears our Dao Schools, which would be unfavorable for their internal morale and directly damage Western School’s face.”

“And the worst strategy?” Yellow Dragon True Person frowned and asked, “It wouldn’t be just sealing Spirit Mountain with a great formation and acting like a turtle hiding in its shell, would it?”

“Brother Yellow Dragon cuts right to the point – that indeed would be their worst option,” Li Changshou said solemnly. “If we forcefully attack Spirit Mountain, it would offend the Original Spirit Lords and easily let them turn the tables on us.”

Grand Magus Xuandu smiled: “Changgeng, do we have any clever plans for this visit to Spirit Mountain that would let us make them suffer losses while being unable to speak out, let us show our might, yet not incur the Western School’s hatred?”

“Senior Brother…”

Li Changshou forcefully swallowed back the words “I’m just a person”!

When a superior assigns a task publicly, even if there are difficulties, one must overcome them and face the challenge head-on!

As Li Changshou was pondering this, Zhao Gongming’s eyes suddenly lit up.

He knew this one!

“Why don’t we all use lying…”

“Old Brother!”

Li Changshou quickly interrupted.

In front of so many immortals from the Three Schools, and with all six Original Spirit Lords in the world watching this place, they couldn’t casually try to scam anyone.

Li Changshou said:

“This humble one thinks that whether today’s actions can be perfect depends on controlling the ‘degree.’

Our visit to Spirit Mountain uses the rumor-spreading as a pretext – seemingly demanding accountability, but actually demonstrating might.

In recent years the Western School has been restless, acting increasingly recklessly, doing many unsavory things to our Three Schools openly and secretly. This is a good opportunity to make them settle down.

Therefore, what needs to be done next is to make their Original Spirit disciples bow their heads, so they won’t dare act rashly in the future.”

Broad Completion smiled and asked: “How can we make them bow their heads?”

“Thanks for Senior Brother’s guidance!”

Li Changshou pondered for a moment and continued: “The specifics still depend on how they react before we can make plans.

Broadly speaking…

If they act thick-skinned and shameless, then we need to take decisive action to intimidate them, perhaps injuring several of them.

If they use a scapegoat, then we firmly insist there must be more plotters behind the scenes, making them hand over more masterminds.

If they avoid coming out, that’s simple too – we just need to mock them a few times and spread this matter throughout Primordial Chaos. We won’t need to do much more to achieve our goal of showing might. This would be equivalent to them admitting to the matter, and we can throw more dirt on them, damaging their Western School’s reputation for compassion and affecting their Western fortunes!”

After these words, Grand Magus Xuandu, Broad Completion, and Many Treasures Daoist all nodded together.

Broad Completion praised: “No wonder you’re Uncle Jade Emperor’s most trusted immortal deity. With just a few simple sentences, you’ve arranged the Western School so thoroughly.”

Many Treasures smiled and said: “Speaking of ruthlessness, Changgeng, you’re the ruthless one – from just the crime of spreading rumors, you’re forcing the Western School to lose face and even bringing up the matter of hidden masterminds.”

“Ah, Senior Brother, you can’t say it like that!”

Zhao Gongming immediately stood up and said, “Changgeng is doing this for our Dao Schools’ prestige!

Moreover, based on my understanding of Changgeng, these methods are already restrained and modest – he hasn’t even brought out his more ruthless strategies.

Right, Changgeng?”

Li Changshou: …

Original Spirits!

The place they were going to – there were Original Spirits there!

Even more ruthless strategies!

This time, taking the opportunity to teach the Western School a lesson was one thing, but if they flipped Spirit Mountain upside down, how could he, a common minister of the Heaven Court, keep his life?

At this time, still some distance from Spirit Mountain, the Grand Magus deliberately walked to the Yellow Dragon Daoist’s side, letting Li Changshou’s paper figure slip into his sleeve.

After all, Li Changshou was a Human School disciple, it would be more convenient to offer strategies from the Grand Magus’s side…

Golden Spirit Holy Mother, seeing this, transmitted to Many Treasures Daoist:

“Senior Brother, were you all conversing secretly?”

Many Treasures Daoists nodded with a smile and briefly transmitted Li Changshou’s earlier strategies for dealing with Spirit Mountain.

Golden Spirit Holy Mother pondered briefly, then asked Many Treasures Daoist several crucial questions, such as ‘how to respond if an Original Spirit appears.’ Many Treasures Daoists answered according to Li Changshou’s earlier plans.

Golden Spirit Holy Mother praised: “This future dao partner of Junior Sister Cloud Maiden is so thorough in his actions, our Severing School disciples should interact with him more.”

“Naturally,” Many Treasures squinted and smiled, transmitting, “When I find a chance, I’ll trick him into visiting our teacher at Azure Pond Palace.

According to my deduction, he has only paid respects to the Old Lord and hasn’t been to Supreme Clarity Temple yet.”

“Oh?” Golden Spirit Holy Mother nodded lightly, not commenting on this.

She suddenly thought of something, looked toward the Grand Magus’s sleeve, then shook her head and smiled, her beautiful eyes full of realization.

Many Treasures Daoists transmitted: “What is it?”

Golden Spirit Holy Mother replied slowly:

“Nothing, just suddenly realized that this Heaven Court Water God is quite the emotional character.

He single-handedly protected the Dragon Clan in serving the Heaven Court. Previously when the Western School acted and the East Sea’s eye was broken, the Dragon Clan suffered heavy casualties because Water God Junior Brother missed one move in his strategy, unable to prevent it in time.

Just a few days later, he turned around, grasped some leverage over the Western School – their mere strategy of spreading rumors – and used it to make his move, borrowing the situation to scheme until all three of our schools were alerted, with the three Senior Brothers who manage school affairs all stepping out to suppress Western Spirit Mountain…

What’s incredible is that this move not only shows the Dao Schools’ might and unites the Three Schools, but also vents anger for the Dragon Clan, while allowing his dao heart to remain stable without feeling guilt over this matter…

Anyone could only praise him for his dedication to the Dao Schools…

Junior Sister Cloud Maiden truly has good taste!”

Many Treasures Daoist turned his head to look at the Golden Spirit Holy Mother, couldn’t help but quietly transmit:

“Sister, aren’t you overthinking this?

This matter was planned together by Changgeng, me, Junior Brother Yellow Dragon, Junior Brother Gongming, and Senior Brother Xuandu…”

Golden Spirit Holy Mother shook her head and looked again at the Grand Magus’s sleeve.

“This is exactly where he’s most brilliant.

At this moment he doesn’t even show his face, yet we need to be grateful to him, and the Western School’s hatred won’t fall on him at all.

Naturally, I don’t find anything inappropriate about this matter, I just feel his schemes and calculations run so deep, that it’s truly somewhat frightening… In the future, if Senior Brother has any uncertain sect matters, you can fully seek his counsel.

Our Junior Sister Cloud Maiden’s dao partner – might as well make use of him.”

“Alright!”

Many Treasures agreed with a smile, no longer saying more.

Ahead, the clouds scattered and mountains passed, a mountain covered in golden light appeared on the horizon. Though still thousands of li away, they could feel a harmonious, stable Original Spirit dao resonance.

Spirit Mountain – they had arrived.

The Grand Magus transmitted to everyone:

“Look fierce.”

The crowd of Dao School immortals first smiled, then each put on stern expressions, emanating killing intent as they pressed majestically toward Spirit Mountain.

They stopped in the clouds a thousand li away.

Many Treasures Daoist stepped out first, a gleaming treasure sword appearing in his hand, shouting toward Spirit Mountain:

“This is an Original Spirit’s domain – we Dao School disciples will temporarily not offend it.

Western School, let those Original Spirit disciples who can make decisions come out immediately!”

While the first half shouted about not offending, the second half was so full of anger, making those old Daoists on Spirit Mountain gnash their teeth in anger, furious but unable to speak.

Shortly after, Spirit Mountain erupted in golden light!

A doorway opened in the great formation here, with hundreds of figures flying out from within, rising to the same height as the Dao Schools.

Three old Daoists stepped forward, walking at the front, each laughing loudly as they led Spirit Mountain’s cultivators forward several hundred li.

However, the custom of both sides meeting with “haha” was based on the principle that neither side had hostile intent.

Today, no matter how much the Western School’s cultivators laughed like geese, the Dao School crowd just maintained cold expressions, arranging themselves in a line in the clouds, each looking unfriendly.

This made the laughing side quite awkward…

An old Daoist spoke: “This place is our Western Spirit Mountain. Dao School friends, coming in such force, what guidance do you seek?”

“Guidance?”

Many Treasures Daoists stepped out again…

No choice – among the Three Schools’ Senior Brothers, he was the youngest. Broad Completion entered the sect earlier, and the Grand Magus’s position was higher.

Many Treasures’ eyes widened as he directly shouted:

“Someone in your Western School spread rumors and caused trouble, ruining my disciple’s reputation, and nearly caused internal strife in our Dao Schools, almost triggering a war between two schools!

If your Western School doesn’t give us an explanation today, this matter won’t end!”

The first three old Daoists simultaneously used their ‘Playing Dumb’ triple combo—

“Oh? Such a thing happened?”

“How come we don’t know about it?”

“This must be some misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding?”

Zhao Gongming coldly snorted and stepped forward stroking his beard; most of the Western School’s old Daoists’ expressions changed, their eyes filled with fire.

Fortunately, today Lord Zhao’s legs were very steady, he just opened his mouth to shout:

“Our Three Schools’ many disciples used the Heavenly Dao treasure to calculate that the rumor-spreader is within your Western School, and even received protection from the Twelve-Petaled Golden Lotus!”

An old Daoist replied: “Friend Gongming’s words are mistaken!

Our Western School has always acted openly and honestly, keeping our two teachers’ teachings constantly in mind. The Western School’s rising momentum has come step by step with difficulty – how would we scheme against the Dao Schools and needlessly create karma?”

At this moment, Zhao Gongming received a transmission from Shou and immediately let out a laugh, scolding:

“The Western School always acts openly and honestly? Aren’t you embarrassed to say such words?

Turn around and ask these fellow disciples of yours – which one doesn’t have one or two matters they dare not speak of to others?

If anyone doesn’t, step forward and make an oath, let the Heavenly Dao bear witness!”

The Western School crowd immediately fell silent.

In secret, Li Changshou smiled slightly. His paper figure taking notes in the Sea God Temple’s back hall immediately added a small line under Zhao Gongming’s character column:

[Master-level treasure specifically for dealing with the Western School!]

Then they heard a Spirit Mountain old Daoist shout: “This matter must be some misunderstanding. Fellow Daoists please remain calm while I ask!”

After speaking, this old Daoist turned to look at the hundreds of disciples and said:

“Among you, who did this?

If you did it, step forward and admit it honorably, don’t tarnish our Western School’s reputation!”

All the Spirit Mountain cultivators remained silent.

And Li Changshou was also waiting in secret…

When he offered strategies earlier, he had held something back, not directly mentioning one possibility.

—Earth Store stepping forward to admit fault and using self-punishment to quell the Dao Schools’ anger.

If so, Li Changshou would directly raise Earth Store’s threat index by several levels!

However, after the Western School crowd remained silent for a while, a middle-aged Daoist flew out, sighed dejectedly, and said:

“This matter was my doing.”

Li Changshou breathed a sigh of relief…

Fortunately, this Earth Store didn’t dare step forward at this time, probably harboring quite a bit of selfish intent. There would be many more opportunities to scheme against him in the future.

The several Dao School leaders – the Grand Magus, Many Treasures, and Broad Completion – all smiled inwardly, thinking of the words ‘middle strategy.’

How to respond to the middle strategy?

Zhao Gongming’s entire body erupted with energy, his presence covering heaven and earth as he shouted:

“Just you alone dared to scheme against the Dao Schools?

Speak! Was there someone behind the scenes directing you to sow discord in the relationships between the Three Dao Schools!”

Just then, Many Treasures Daoist heard a transmission and immediately stepped forward two paces, saying coldly:

“Junior Brother Gongming, bring out your oath scroll and let him swear to prove this matter was his doing!

If the Heavenly Dao detects he’s lying, he must be protecting those who schemed behind him!”

Hearing these words, the Spirit Mountain cultivators’ expressions changed.

This episode – they seemed to have seen it somewhere before…