In the core of Fengdu City’s inner district, a celestial island hovered above the abyss, its disc-shaped structure wrapped in rosy light. In this dim and low-hanging realm, countless streams of light, like summer fireflies, flew in from all directions, absorbed by the massive disc.

Endless streams of mortal souls walked along ten enormous black chains, escorted by the Dark Guards from the Ten Yama Halls to the front of the Wheel of Reincarnation…

This wasn’t the first time Li Changshou had witnessed such a scene.

Once again before the Six Paths Wheel of Reincarnation, though still here to send someone to reincarnate, Li Changshou’s mindset was entirely different this time.

Last time, he had felt quiet contentment and joy, escorting Elder Rain Master Xuanjiang to reincarnate, finally setting aside a lingering concern and fulfilling an unfulfilled wish in his master Turbid Immortal’s limited immortal life.

This time? Pure frustration.

Absolute frustration!

“Moo~ Water God, sir, when that person went for their tribulation, were you perhaps the… you know… of the Heavenly Court?”

“Cease such nonsense!”

Li Changshou looked at the thumbs-up gesture beside him and said seriously: “The Heavenly Court exists to maintain celestial stability and defend the order of the Three Realms. One must not speak so carelessly! Divine positions don’t represent authority—we are merely beings who assist in the operation of the Heavenly Dao.”

Ox-Head and Horse-Face hurriedly nodded, trying to think of some flattering words, but found it rather challenging for their Wu tribe nature…

Logically speaking, if not to make their simple-mindedness appropriate, why would the Pangu God have given them strong bodies and combat prowess that required minimal thinking to hunt powerful prey?

The three of them were flying along the massive iron chains below the Yama Hall, heading toward the Six Paths Wheel of Reincarnation below.

Li Changshou considered for a moment and decided to… make some inquiries first.

Li Changshou transmitted his voice: “Friends, how would you describe Elder Houtu?”

How to describe it?

Ox-Head frowned and muttered: “Water God, you’ve suddenly asked such a question, we don’t know how to respond, moo.”

Horse-Face beside him kept stroking his sleek mane and explained: “Water God, sir, we two only saw the Mistress in ancient times. After the establishment of the Underworld, we’ve only heard the Mistress speak a few times. But don’t worry, Mistress is our Wu tribe’s gentlest ancestor!”

The gentlest ancestor…

That’s good, Li Changshou felt slightly relieved.

Yes, the previous Mistress he encountered was purely coincidental. Mistress Houtu should be similar to… the Yunxiao Immortal of his Dao sect.

Great Virtue Houtu, who transformed into the Six Paths, benefiting countless beings!

He wondered what kind of bearing and demeanor she would have!

With such mild anticipation, Li Changshou was led by Ox-Head and Horse-Face onto the celestial island.

He could feel the space being stretched and extended.

The Reincarnation Island that appeared cramped from the outside was quite vast; the Eighteen Levels of Hell it suppressed below were equivalent to eighteen small worlds.

“Sir, come this way.”

Horse-Face made a welcoming gesture, leading Li Changshou toward the side of the Six Paths Wheel of Reincarnation.

To meet Mistress Houtu, they naturally couldn’t take the reincarnation passage.

At the side of the seven-colored disc, heavily guarded by the Underworld forces, stood two giant stone statues—one male and one female, corresponding to Yang and Yin, both in a single-knee kneeling posture, towering over thousands of zhang-like mountains.

They served as the base of the disc, and the Dao charm they contained slightly moved Li Changshou.

The two statues faced away from the Wheel of Reincarnation, as if bearing the weight of all beings’ reincarnation on their shoulders.

Then…

Where to go?

Li Changshou frowned as he looked at the stone statue before him, his immortal consciousness searching back and forth, yet finding no trace of a doorway, formation, or restriction.

Ox-Head and Horse-Face continued leading the way, bringing Li Changshou to a ‘cliff face’—if Li Changshou’s common sense wasn’t wrong, this should be the front of the big toe of the base statue’s foot.

Horse-Face took out the stone tablet bestowed by King Qinguang and gently waved it at the front, then Ox-Head and Horse-Face exchanged glances, their eyes revealing a hint of solemnity as they took a light breath.

“Ox, are you ready?”

“Horse, you forgot our child, moo.”

Were these two War Wu about to perform some Wu tribe secret incantation?

Li Changshou immediately became fully alert—he had always held great interest in the Wu tribe’s secret incantations that could affect the Great Dao without using spirit power!

The next instant, the two Soul-Collecting Marshals opened their mascot-like mouths and shouted in unison:

“Mistress! The Heavenly Court’s Water God seeks an audience! There are important matters to discuss!”

A beam of light shot down from the smooth cliff face above, shining upon Li Changshou’s paper avatar body, directly whisking him away.

Just then!

High! Energy! Ahead!

Li Changshou’s vision went black as he completely lost connection with that paper avatar…

Eh?

This?

His paper avatar had lost connection with his main body?!

In the Crossing Immortals Gate, Li Changshou’s main body emerged from a dark corner, calculating with finger seals in the elixir room.

His avatar wasn’t destroyed by someone; this situation was purely a technical issue.

Within the Six Paths Wheel of Reincarnation existed a special small world that had no pathways of communication with the main Hongmeng world. His ‘mental connection’ type paper avatar would directly lose connection upon entering that realm!

What to do?

The Emperor’s soul fragment was still with that paper avatar!

Did he need to go to the Netherworld in his true form? Enter an unknown, unfamiliar, absolutely sealed small cosmos that might even be able to block the perception of Sage Lords.

Although Great Virtue Houtu was greatly compassionate and merciful, and logically shouldn’t do anything to him, but…

What if?

Going in true form rashly wasn’t steady at all!

Li Changshou was still pondering how to handle this situation, hesitating and unable to make up his mind.

Suddenly, he sensed that paper avatar’s existence again, and immediately shifted his consciousness over!

Netherworld, beside the Wheel of Reincarnation.

Ox-Head, Horse-Face, and the surrounding Underworld Dark Guards who were watching the commotion all tilted their heads, looking at a light black vortex that appeared on the cliff wall.

A light snort came from the vortex, and an old Daoist with white hair and beard was ‘spat out,’ rolling twice on the ground, his immortal power seemingly about to disperse at any moment!

The vortex disappeared accordingly…

Within a li radius, dead silence!

Ox-Head’s face paled as he shouted: “Mistress! Please reconsider, moo! This is a ranking deity of the Heavenly Court, moo! The Emperor’s most trusted immortal, and also the Human Dao Sage’s new disciple, a close friend of various Dao sect bigwigs, moo!”

Horse-Face stared blankly at this scene, his sleek mane disheveled in the cool breeze.

“It’s over, we’ve… declared war on the Heavenly Court…”

Fortunately, the old Daoist on the ground managed to twitch his fingers in time, slowly getting up, immortal light flickering all over his body, quickly recovering from his disheveled state back to his immortal bearing.

Li Changshou immediately checked his belongings—the Emperor’s soul was intact, and the spare paper avatars were fine.

Just…

Why were there two transparent holes in the soles of his feet?

And several tiny needle holes in his fingers?

Two strands of hair on his back seemed to have been braided into small plaits…

Li Changshou’s mouth twitched slightly, suddenly having a not-so-wonderful premonition.

“Ahem!”

Li Changshou cleared his throat, filling the holes in his feet with immortal power, and smiled:

“There was some issue with my avatar. Friends, could you please invite a Yama King to come and help me inquire about this matter with the Mistress?”

Ox-Head and Horse-Face exchanged glances and hurriedly agreed. Ox-Head turned and ran off at full speed, truly leaving everyone in the dust.

Li Changshou continued examining this paper avatar up and down, while his mind echoed:

‘Mistress is our Wu tribe’s gentlest ancestor.’

Are… are you sure?

…

Soon after, King Qinguang and King Chujiang hurriedly arrived. Seeing Li Changshou standing there in one piece, they both sighed in relief.

“Please don’t blame us, Water God,” King Qinguang smiled, “It was our oversight, we didn’t consider that your avatar was different from others.”

—The so-called difference was that the vast majority of avatar methods in Hongmeng created avatars with a certain degree of independent consciousness.

But Li Changshou’s paper avatars took a different path, having only one ‘mind’ in the main body, while all other paper avatars were merely puppets and paper figures.

The two types of external avatar methods each had their advantages and disadvantages. Li Changshou’s self-created paper avatar technique was more suitable for his situation.

Li Changshou smiled:

“Could the two Yama Kings enter this realm and inquire with the Mistress?”

King Qinguang and King Chujiang exchanged glances and immediately nodded in agreement, saying:

“Of course, of course.”

“If there was any offense to the Water God earlier, please don’t take it to heart. We only feel grateful to you, Water God, otherwise we wouldn’t have let you get so close to the Mistress.”

“It’s fine,” Li Changshou made a Daoist salute. The two Yama Kings turned to the cliff face, called out loudly, and were drawn in by two beams of light.

A truly voice-controlled door.

Li Changshou carefully contemplated and realized that there seemed to be a small calculation from the Underworld’s Dark Office at play.

They seemed… eager to have him meet Great Virtue Houtu.

Li Changshou inwardly sighed. If this was the case, he feared it would be difficult to see this ancient powerhouse again in the future…

Without absolute necessity, his true body shouldn’t move rashly.

After just a few breaths, another vortex appeared on the cliff wall. King Qinguang and King Chujiang jumped out, casting slightly apologetic glances at Li Changshou.

King Chujiang said: “Water God, the Mistress is aware of this matter. The Six Paths Wheel of Reincarnation is prepared and ready for reincarnation at any time.”

King Qinguang also smiled: “Water God, regarding today’s matter, please don’t take it to heart. We truly didn’t know…”

“No need to mention it further,” Li Changshou smiled and made a welcoming gesture, having decided to not involve himself too much, not think too much, just focus on completing his task and return to report to the Heavenly Court early.

King Qinguang made a welcoming gesture, and Li Changshou returned the courtesy and invited the two Yama Kings to lead the way back to the Yama Hall.

However, just as the two Yama Kings turned around, Li Changshou’s forehead was instantly consumed by black lines.

He saw that on King Qinguang’s back was stuck a light green turtle formed from immortal power!

The turtle was drawn incredibly lifelike. When examined with immortal consciousness, there was nothing there, but it could be seen with the naked eye.

Looking at King Chujiang’s back, there was a drawing of a woman in a side-lying pose that needed sacred light to cover it. The craftsmanship was quite exquisite, to the point where the image seemed to make sounds!

‘Mistress is our Wu tribe’s gentlest ancestor.’

Seeing this, Ox-Head and Horse-Face shuddered and hurriedly rushed forward, causing a small commotion at the scene.

Li Changshou looked up at the solemn and majestic stone statues, inwardly grateful—that he hadn’t acted on impulse earlier and come to the Underworld in his true form.

If one ignored the small accident that occurred in the middle, the Emperor’s soul fragment’s reincarnation process would have gone quite smoothly.

Li Changshou was very satisfied after seeing the rich and fulfilling life trajectory that the ten Yama Kings had set up for the Emperor.

After reincarnation, the Emperor would be born into an ordinary mortal city lord’s family in South Jambudvipa, becoming the city lord’s only son, naturally gifted in both civil and military affairs, handsome and dashing, with a childhood sweetheart and beautiful maidens…

Perhaps by coincidence, this city lord’s surname was also Hua.

Could it be that the Heavenly Dao was moved and gave the Emperor’s avatar Hua Ritian a small advantage?

Li Changshou suddenly felt that this move of the Emperor was very likely arranged by the Heavenly Dao Lord!

After Li Changshou read through the script, King Qinguang wrote it into the Book of Life and Death. Then all ten Yama Kings moved together to temporarily clear the area around the Six Paths Wheel of Reincarnation.

Li Changshou held the brocade box and delivered that soul fragment to the light gate of the Six Paths Wheel of Reincarnation.

Li Changshou’s heart remained undisturbed as he experienced the mysteries of reincarnation up close. Under the watchful eyes of the ten Yama Kings, he flicked that point of light into the Six Paths Wheel with his finger.

Rumble—

Muffled thunder suddenly sounded in the Netherworld, and purple-red lightning dragons appeared in the low sky.

Countless ghosts trembled, the Underworld guards were terrified, and a brilliant golden light shot out from behind the Six Paths Wheel of Reincarnation, rising to the sky and disappearing into the depths of the Netherworld.

The Blood Sea surged, fierce beasts roared, and beings throughout the Netherworld fell into anxiety and unrest.

In South Jambudvipa, streaks of rosy light appeared between heaven and earth, auspicious signs emerged everywhere in the South Continent, and legendary divine beasts frolicked across the horizon.

The Heavenly Court was surrounded by immortal light, and the Jade Imperial Palace was wrapped in lightning curtains…

At this moment, before the Underworld’s Six Paths Wheel of Reincarnation, streams of golden light descended, simultaneously enveloping the ten Yama Kings.

Merit! And a considerable amount of merit at that!

Li Changshou quickly realized that the Emperor’s soul reincarnation had completed the Heavenly Dao’s deficiency, perfectly connecting the Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. Thus, the Heavenly Dao bestowed merit, giving them rewards for facilitating this matter.

But most of the ten Yama Kings couldn’t understand what had happened, and King Chujiang said in confusion:

“How did we follow the Heavenly Dao while helping to cheat?”

This made Li Changshou smile.

…

While sending the Emperor to reincarnate, Li Changshou had already arranged paper avatars to secretly protect the South Continent.

And he, as the Heavenly Court’s Water God, having completed this task, bid farewell to the ten Yama Kings, reunited with Ao Yi and the celestial soldiers, and grandly returned to the Heavenly Court.

In the carriage, Li Changshou took out an ancient text about talismans to study carefully, but his mind kept returning to the miserable state of his paper avatar after losing connection.

When the paper avatar was separated from his main body, Li Changshou’s paper avatar retained a portion of spirit power, but this portion of spirit power didn’t record anything.

It seems that beings with the suffix ‘Mistress’ were all extraordinary existences.

Well, except for Mistress Yunxiao.

During these decades while the Emperor experienced life, he would need to spend more effort on the Heavenly Court.

Tomorrow he would meet with East Wood Lord, check in at Tongming Hall, and as for whether the Heavenly Court would encounter any dangers…

With the Lord of Doulu Palace present, there wouldn’t be any problems.

His “hundred-year vacation” was about to start overtime again.

Returning to the Water God Palace, he didn’t see Princess Longji, but Li Changshou didn’t mind, thinking she must have left for some matter.

But just as he had sat down in his study, preparing to shift his consciousness back to Little Qiong Peak to joke with his master, Longji hurriedly came riding on a cloud. Entering the Water God Palace, she called out:

“Master, Master! Mother requests your presence at the Jasper Pool!”

Li Changshou thought of his previous ‘conspiracy’ with the Emperor, and this scene was actually within their expectations.

Just didn’t expect it to come so quickly.

“Very well,” Li Changshou calmly stood up and went out to meet her.

Longji stepped forward quickly, slightly furrowing her delicate brows. Seeing no one around, she transmitted her voice: “Master, Mother seems very angry. When I passed by, her expression was rather frightening.”

Li Changshou smiled slightly, “Don’t worry, the Mistress naturally won’t make things difficult for a mere Water God.”

At worst, he’d just have to throw his teammate under the carriage. Who told the Emperor to make such a big commotion when his soul reincarnated?