Why?

How had the primordial world become something he no longer recognized…

Curled up on the back of the divine beast Discerner, Ksitigarbha pressed his collar, his handsome face completely pale.

“Have they… have they left?” Ksitigarbha asked softly, his whole body trembling slightly.

This wasn’t fear, but rather anger—a bone-chilling anger!

What had happened to the primordial world?

Could it ever be good again?

He, Ksitigarbha, had studied overt strategies, covert schemes, calculations, and plans for so many years, yet in the end, a master practitioner spitting blood fell from the sky before them, jumped up to restrain them with a Primordial Treasure, and began extorting them!

What was this?!

This was bullying with force, this was oppression through power!

If he hadn’t reacted quickly enough earlier and fought desperately, now… now who knows what might have…

Ksitigarbha pressed his collar even tighter, glancing at the two fellow disciples who collapsed on the ground beside him, his gaze flickering uncertainly.

What had happened to all these Dao School masters?

Zhao Gongming with his legendary righteousness, Immortal Qiongjiao with her decisive killing intent…

These were famous Dao School masters since ancient times!

How could one simply collapse and not get up, while the other shouted “Aiya ya” and directly asked if they wanted to make this big or settle it quietly!?

Discerner sighed deeply and transmitted to ksitigarbha’s mind:

“Master…

Stop pretending, they’ve gone far away.”

“Let’s leave this place first, then discuss how to proceed,” Ksitigarbha said softly, a trace of coldness flashing through his eyes, his lips still trembling slightly.

He wrapped the two collapsed monks in immortal power and tossed them onto Discerner’s back;

A green mist appeared around Discerner, slowly carrying the three people away from the island, transforming into a streak of green light in the high sky, shooting toward the depths of the South Sea…

Before long, Ksitigarbha’s previously frightened expression returned to its usual calmness.

When he looked at the two monks, his gaze also carried slight disdain…

“Master, will this scheme succeed?” Discerner asked.

“Zhao Gongming’s sudden interference was something I hadn’t anticipated, making this difficult to predict.

Let’s observe quietly. What we need to do now is watch for their moves and catch their weaknesses.

This time was just a small scheme, testing their depths.”

Discerner stayed quiet for a moment, then said:

“Master, why not return to the Three Thousand Worlds for training? These Dao School masters’ hearts have become like the Nine Pollution Springs.

From these two encounters, it seems you’re not their match.”

Ksitigarbha looked down at the lines on his palm and thought to himself: “To achieve great things, one shouldn’t be discouraged by setbacks, but rather be ashamed of fearful retreat.

According to the information from within our teaching, Zhao Gongming’s changes began after contact with the Heavenly Court’s Water God, becoming unstoppable from that point;

During the Water God’s rise, Zhao Gongming also provided him considerable support.

And now, according to confirmed news from the Severing Teaching, Immortal Yunxiao, and the Water God are about to become Dao companions, with the Sage Lord having already approved this marriage…

The Severing Teaching and the Heavenly Court, these two forces, are likely to gradually bind together.”

Discerner advised: “Master, the Severing Teaching alone could wipe out your Spirit Mountain, and those Severing Teaching immortals act impetuously, hardly considering consequences.

Earlier when the three schools’ immortals went to Spirit Mountain to show off their might, the Orthodox Teaching’s many immortals were contemplating how to respond in a way that would bring both fame and profit to themselves and the Orthodox Teaching.

These Severing Teaching immortals barely thought it through, they simply held the mindset of storming Spirit Mountain and fighting whoever dared…

It’s best not to provoke such a major teaching.”

“Don’t worry,” Ksitigarbha’s eyes narrowed slightly, “I’ve calculated for thousands of years and determined that the Orthodox and Severing Teachings must have a conflict.

And we of the Western School will be the ultimate winners!”

“Tch, Master, the way you speak of this makes it sound like everyone in the Dao School is a fool…”

Ksitigarbha shouted in his mind: “This is the grand trend! Do you understand grand trends?!”

“Yes, yes, yes, Master is so formidable.

First, find the traitors in Spirit Mountain, that’s the task your teacher assigned you to make up for your mistakes…”

“Hmph,” Ksitigarbha crossed his arms, sitting cross-legged on Discerner’s back and sulking, but soon resumed his contemplation.

…

Meanwhile, on Breaking Sky Peak of the Transcendent’s Gate.

Li Changshou and Jiuwu together flew to a small grove behind Breaking Sky Peak’s rear mountain.

The peak had the most qi practitioners in the sect, making it somewhat crowded, with a sense of “every inch of land precious.”

After Li Jing joined Transcendent’s Gate and was accepted as a recorded disciple by True Immortal Du’e, he was arranged to cultivate here, with a couple of true immortal realm practitioners nearing the end of their lifespans responsible for guiding Li Jing’s entry-level cultivation and caring for his daily needs.

After all, as the Sect Leader’s junior martial brother, the sect’s provisions for Li Jing were several times that of ordinary immortal seedlings, with treatment in all aspects beyond reproach.

Of course, this also involved some small calculations that Li Changshou had made through the Sect Leader…

Letting Li Jing feel more of the warmth of home.

Li Changshou and Jiuwu didn’t directly visit, but instead applied concealment talismans, secretly greeted the old true immortal couple, and landed behind the pavilion to observe quietly…

It happened to be lunchtime, and Li Jing, dressed in clean short clothes, was heartily enjoying his meal with a bowl and chopsticks;

At the same table, the elderly grandmother and grandfather also held their bowls and chopsticks, watching this youth, who had grown significantly taller, with kindly gazes…

Overall, the atmosphere was quite warm.

The old woman advised: “Little Uncle-Master, eat more, these are spirit fish and spirit herbs that can improve your constitution.”

The old man asked: “How was your sword practice today?”

“I’ve almost mastered it!” Li Jing answered seriously.

“This sword technique is just to regulate your qi, not for killing enemies in battle. When practicing, pay more attention to how the qi circulates within your body, rather than trying to make the strikes more powerful…”

“Yes! Hehe!”

Behind the pavilion, Li Changshou looked down and exchanged glances with Jiuwu, each showing a slight smile before quietly retreating.

Li Changshou then fell into contemplation.

Wanting to scheme for someone’s life and death, with sufficient power, wasn’t difficult;

But wanting to change someone’s personality couldn’t be achieved through schemes alone…

“What are you thinking about?”

Jiuwu laughed beside him, “You weren’t at ease until you came to see for yourself, and now you’ve seen, are you relieved?

These two senior brothers and sisters have the best temperaments in the sect. They’ve always wanted children but couldn’t have any. If Li Jing weren’t our Sect Leader’s junior brother, they would have adopted him as their child long ago!”

Li Changshou smiled and nodded, walking with Jiuwu in this rare quiet place on Breaking Sky Peak, continuing to ponder in his heart.

It seemed they would need to take a comprehensive approach to cultivating Li Jing, not just focus on his personality.

“Senior Uncle,” Li Changshou casually asked, “Have you and Senior Uncle Jiushi… never thought about having children?”

Hearing this, Jiuwu’s waist trembled, his whole body shaking several times as he turned his head to give Li Changshou an awkward smile.

Li Changshou silently took out a bottle of pills from his sleeve and said softly: “Third-grade spirit pills for strengthening the foundation.”

“Th-thank you…” Jiuwu received it like a precious treasure, immediately taking out one pill and swallowing it. Then the short Daoist clasped his hands behind his back and sighed, looking up at the sky.

“Senior Uncle, what’s wrong?”

Jiuwu sighed: “Recently, I don’t know where Shishi heard it, but she was told that if you worship the Holy Mother’s statue, and accumulate sincerity day by day, you can receive the Mother’s blessing. She’ll bestow a clay figure in your dreams, and if you combine that with intimacy, you can conceive…”

“Cough!”

Li Changshou’s breath reversed, and he almost burst out laughing.

He hurriedly asked: “But this, this, and…”

“Your Senior Uncle Jiushi is afraid of missing the dream, so she deliberately goes to sleep every day, and before sleeping… alas!”

Jiuwu sighed, looking at Li Changshou with a complicated expression.

“Changshou, about this matter of offspring, can you think of some solution with pills? This old body can’t take it anymore.”

“This is limited by the Heavenly Dao,” Li Changshou smiled, “If immortals could have children at will, wouldn’t practitioners with celestial constitutions flood the world?

Therefore, the higher the cultivation, the more troublesome it is to have offspring…

Hmm?”

He suddenly raised his eyebrows.

Jiuwu quickly asked: “What is it?”

“I suddenly had some insights,” Li Changshou smiled, “Please accompany me for a moment, Senior Uncle. Regarding Li Jing’s matter, I might need to trouble you later.”

“Go cultivate first, these are just small matters,” Jiuwu waved his hand.

Li Changshou smiled without speaking, riding a cloud to an appropriate height before hurriedly leaving Breaking Sky Peak.

Although it was no longer necessary to maintain such a low profile within the sect, some habits had already been formed; following the principle that less trouble is better than more, these good habits couldn’t be casually discarded.

After leaving Breaking Sky Peak, Li Changshou directed most of his consciousness toward his paper clone in the Heavenly Court.

A heavenly soldier was currently reporting outside the study that Bian Zhuang, Deputy Commander of the Heavenly River, had urgent business.

“Let him in,” Li Changshou replied, transforming one paper clone into the appearance of an elderly immortal with white hair and beard.

“Yes!” The heavenly soldier outside turned and ran away.

Li Changshou waved his sleeve, opening the doors and windows while deactivating the formation around the study, letting the Heavenly Court’s abundant and pure spiritual energy flood in.

Shortly after, Bian Zhuang came running with his nine-toothed rake. He put away the rake at the door, clasped his hands in greeting, and called out:

“This humble officer Bian Zhuang pays respects to the Water God!”

“Commander Bian, no need for formalities.

Seeing Commander Bian’s sweating brow, is there some difficult matter?”

Bian Zhuang hurriedly said: “Water God, something big has happened!”

“What kind of big matter?” Li Changshou asked leisurely, neither fast nor slow, neither anxious nor flustered.

“Well,” Bian Zhuang was somewhat tongue-tied, looking nervously at the door.

Li Changshou understood, activating the formation that had just been lowered, and smiled: “Just speak, what are you afraid of?”

“It’s like this, just now, my family sent me a message talisman,” Bian Zhuang scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, “Water God, my family runs a Horizon Tower, you probably know…”

Li Changshou nodded with a smile: “I’ve heard of it, the business seems quite prosperous.”

“You jest, such a business isn’t presentable,” Bian Zhuang sighed, “Even though Horizon Tower has never done anything unconscionable, it’s still in that line of work…

I’ve said too much, please don’t mind.

It’s like this, on Lonely Spirit Island in the South Sea, we have a branch that opened recently.

Today, two elderly monks from the Western School and three ancient demon kings from the demon clan had a secret meeting there, discussing how to deal with the Heavenly Court and you, Water God!”

Li Changshou frowned: “Do they have any specific schemes?”

“Yes, but the branch’s people have limited cultivation, so they couldn’t hear the details clearly,” Bian Zhuang said solemnly, “Roughly, they plan to use alienation tactics to create discord between the Dao School and the Heavenly Court, and also use borrowed knife killing tactics to eliminate…

Ahem, to harm you!”

Li Changshou slowly narrowed his eyes, sitting in his chair in thought.

Soon, Li Changshou said: “Bian Zhuang.”

“This humble officer is here!”

“Thank you for the advance notice this time, but there’s something you must remember.”

Li Changshou earnestly advised:

“One should respect whatever profession they’re in, even the Horizon Tower is the same.

You should think about providing quality, professional service to guests, not about probing their situations or investigating their information.

Acting like this can easily ruin your establishment’s reputation.”

Bian Zhuang was stunned, then seemed to realize something, lowering his head and making a Daoist bow.

“Thank you for the guidance, Water God. I will advise my family that future correspondence should only be family letters!”

“Good,” Li Changshou responded with a smile, taking out a jade talisman containing two escape techniques and pushing it into Bian Zhuang’s hand.

Bian Zhuang was overjoyed, repeatedly expressing thanks, leaving with his smile reaching the back of his head.

“This fellow…”

Li Changshou shook his head but was completely clear-minded inside.

Bian Zhuang and the Horizon Tower had been used.

The secret meeting between the Western School and the demon clan was true, but what exactly they were plotting was worth pondering.

Choosing to meet at the Horizon Tower seemed to have a sufficient reason—the place was mixed with all sorts, easy to conceal oneself, and a perfect location that ordinary immortals wouldn’t think of.

But this was just a thinking trap…

The South Sea was so vast, the Three Thousand Worlds so expansive, finding a place for a secret meeting wasn’t difficult at all, why necessarily discuss such important matters in a crowded place?

Meeting in a small world where the Heavenly Dao’s power was weak would make it difficult even to be divined.

If they wanted to startle the snake from the grass, which snake were they trying to startle?

Thoughts turned in Li Changshou’s mind, and he soon had an answer.

Moving his consciousness to the paper clone storage in the Great Temple of the Sea God in Anshui City, Li Changshou chose one paper clone, transformed it into a young woman, and tunneled through the earth in circles for a moment;

After confirming no one was watching him, he went to the edge of the South Sea, jumping onto a familiar reef…

Taking up a clay ocarina, Li Changshou slowly began to play.

In this sea area, blood essence simultaneously leaked from dozens of swimming fish, quickly diluting in the seawater as the fish continued swimming back and forth.

In a secret cave at the foot of Spirit Mountain, Wenjing Daoist, who was in closed cultivation, frowned.

The sound of the ocarina…

[Spirit Mountain is alert, pauses all communication, and observes the situation again after a hundred years.]

—This was a signal established long ago.

Wenjing Daoist couldn’t help but sigh…

The sound of the ocarina also meant that it would be at least a hundred years before she could leave this Western School and return to the embrace of the Grand Magus in the rear court of Tusita Palace.

This queen will become the great commander of the Western School’s primordial fierce beasts!

Might even have her background whitewashed by the Western School!

But alas…

Wiping the corner of her mouth, Wenjing Daoist closed her eyes and clicked her tongue several times in light laughter…

‘Haven’t seen the Great Consort in so long, I do miss him.’

…

In Anshui City, after the young woman finished playing, she dove into the sea, heading toward Lonely Spirit Island in the South Sea.

To be safe, Li Changshou had to go check it out personally.

However, when Li Changshou was halfway there, two distinguished guests arrived at the Sea God Temple in Anshui City—it was Zhao Gongming bringing an unhappy-looking Qiongjiao on clouds.

Li Changshou naturally wouldn’t dare be negligent, going out early to welcome them and leading Zhao Gongming and Qiongjiao to the back hall.

Unexpectedly, the news brought by the Zhao siblings wasn’t much different from Bian Zhuang’s—both about the Western School and ancient demon kings meeting.

Then, Zhao Gongming also briefly described his encounter with the three from the Western School…

Zhao Gongming smiled: “This time we met a tough one, a Western Sage’s disciple wearing white clothes and riding a green-haired dog, who had some backbone, preferring death to submission, leaving me unable to succeed.”

Li Changshou blinked at these words: “What was his name?”

“Ksitigarbha?” Qiongjiao answered listlessly from the side, “Seems like that was it.”

Li Changshou immediately stood up, his expression still relatively calm, and said seriously: “Brother, Immortal, are you two busy right now?”

Zhao Gongming waved his hand, “If you have something, just say it!”

“Chase!”

Li Changshou said firmly: “Let’s try to take this opportunity to find him and destroy his divine soul!”

Zhao Gongming and Qiongjiao were stunned, having never seen such a decisive and ruthless side of Li Changshou before.