“Hahaha! It’s rare to see Dengming at a disadvantage. Why does my heart feel so refreshed!”

“This Dengming may not have powerful divine abilities, but that lamp is truly extraordinary.”

In a restaurant within a township of the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, Zhao Gongming was stroking his beard and laughing heartily, his armor constantly trembling.

The three of them sat around a circular table in the center of this spacious private room, each presenting a distinctly different style.

Kong Xuan maintained his otherworldly purity, like a being who had emerged from the Primordial Sea before chaos had separated and the primitive universe had settled, carrying an inherent sense of holiness and detachment.

Elder Zhao still maintained his heroic bearing. At this moment, due to his pleasant mood, a smile lingered constantly on his lips, giving off an inexplicable sense of joy.

Li Changshou’s paper avatar sat to the side, his white robes and hair emanating a faint white light. If someone were to glance at him, they might think they could understand everything about this ordinary deity of the Heavenly Court, but upon reflection, they would realize he was like a vast ocean, unfathomable…

The three drinkings and chatting here naturally used great divine powers to conceal the heavenly mechanisms, preventing their casual conversation from being overheard.

Kong Xuan asked, “Is this Dengming quite unpopular within the Dao sect?”

“More or less,” Zhao Gongming clicked his tongue. “Originally, our Severing Sect and the Enlightenment Sect often had friction because Master and Second Uncle had different philosophies about accepting disciples, and the earlier senior disciples had accumulated some grievances.

Every time there was even a minor issue, Dengming would fan the flames from behind, exaggerating matters, causing our Severing Sect to suffer many hidden losses.”

Li Changshou said seriously:

“Dengming’s actions, while appearing to suppress the Severing Sect on the surface, actually deepened the conflict between the Enlightenment and Severing sects.

This led to someone from the Three Schools stepping forward to hold a great conference on the origins of the Three Schools, using the prevention of Central Divine Continent’s sect oppression as justification, attempting to repair the rift between the Enlightenment and Severing sects.

But unfortunately, it only treated the symptoms, not the root cause…

Fundamentally, it has always been a conflict of ideologies.”

Zhao Gongming sighed: “Long ago, some predicted that there would inevitably be a great battle between the Enlightenment and Severing sects, yet no one knew how to bridge the gap.”

“Isn’t there the Water Deity?” Kong Xuan slightly raised his chin toward Li Changshou, causing Zhao Gongming to laugh helplessly.

Li Changshou said seriously: “I can only do my best, and the Human School originally follows the principle of peaceful non-interference, not getting entangled in too many karmic bonds.”

“Having taught Dengming a lesson today, there will certainly be some criticism from brothers within the Enlightenment Sect,” Zhao Gongming stroked his beard and sighed lightly. “I fear they’ll think this is the Human and Severing sects joining forces to deliberately exclude the Enlightenment Sect.

Little brother, what do you think should be done?”

“It won’t be too serious,” Li Changshou said. “Everyone in the Enlightenment Sect knows I carry many Severing Sect positions.

Later, I’ll invite Senior Brother Xuandu to leave his mountain and visit Senior Brother Guangchengzi at Jade Void Palace. This matter can then be resolved.”

Kong Xuan suddenly asked from the side: “When will he go?”

“That depends on Senior Brother Xuandu’s arrangements…”

“Never mind, I was just asking casually.”

Kong Xuan calmly replied, then picked up the immortal wine he hadn’t even glanced at before and took a small sip.

Seeing this, Li Changshou calmly changed the subject and asked Zhao Gongming:

“Weren’t you accompanying someone on an outing, Elder Brother? How did you return so quickly?”

Hearing this, Zhao Gongming’s expression immediately dimmed. He tried to smile, but halfway through, it transformed into a long sigh.

“Matters between men and women truly are a hundred times more troublesome than cultivation, ah…”

Kong Xuan became interested and listened carefully from the side.

Pure curiosity.

Li Changshou secretly thought ‘I knew it would be like this,’ but outwardly furrowed his brows in thought and said gently: “What’s wrong, Elder Brother? If something’s troubling you, feel free to speak about it.”

Zhao Gongming shook his head, raised the immortal wine Li Changshou had brought out and drank silently.

[Changshou’s Little Lesson:

When a friend shows such a melancholic expression in this situation and proactively makes a summarizing statement, it’s not that they don’t want to talk about it, but rather that their emotional state isn’t quite ready to speak, and they want to receive more attention before narrating.

Hidden beneath the pretend silence is a tsunami-like desire to pour out their hearts!]

Li Changshou asked with concern: “What exactly happened to Elder Brother? Did you disagree with Golden Light Holy Mother?”

Zhao Gongming gave a bitter laugh, looked at the wine cup before him, and said:

“Your elder brother doesn’t know how to tell others now, but Golden Light Junior Sister and I… truly aren’t suitable as Dao companions.

If this gets out, it will inevitably affect Golden Light Junior Sister’s reputation.

Ah—”

Kong Xuan said: “Why care about what others say? We beings should just focus on cultivating and comprehending the Dao.”

“Friend’s words are somewhat biased. No one can completely disregard others’ criticisms.”

Li Changshou gave an example from the side: “Suppose someone spread false news about Senior Brother Xuandu forming a Dao partnership with some immortal maiden…”

“Hmph!”

Kong Xuan coldly said: “I’d like to see who dares spread such rumors! I would ensure they could neither live nor die!”

“See?” Li Changshou spread his hands. “What Elder Brother cares about is how the fellow disciples of the Severing Sect will view this matter, just as you care about Senior Brother Xuandu.

It’s just different people, different matters, with varying degrees of concern.”

Kong Xuan seemed thoughtful, quickly nodded in understanding, and smiled: “Indeed, my perspective was shallow.”

Zhao Gongming said proudly: “When it comes to dealing with people and affairs, no disciple of the Dao sect surpasses my little brother!”

Kong Xuan deeply agreed with this and raised his cup to drink with Zhao Gongming.

Li Changshou: …

Is that a compliment?

Well, at least it sounds better than being called worldly-wise or deeply cunning.

After a cup of wine, Zhao Gongming opened up and detailed what had happened during his years traveling with Golden Light Holy Mother.

In Zhao Gongming’s own words, being with Junior Sister Golden Light… the atmosphere always felt strange.

They couldn’t find suitable topics for conversation, relying only on Golden Light Holy Mother’s ‘enthusiasm’ and ‘initiative’ toward Zhao Gongming to maintain a superficially intimate state.

Zhao Gongming had tried to chat about interesting matters, but after a few sentences, they would fall into silence…

They visited several great thousand worlds for sightseeing, staying for some time when encountering beautiful scenery, walking and stopping like this, but the final result was…

“My mind inexplicably grew weary.”

Zhao Gongming stroked his beard and shook his head. “Golden Light Junior Sister and I tried separating for several months, to see if we would have things to pour out to each other, but when meeting again, conversation was still inevitably somewhat awkward.”

Zhao Gongming sighed and said softly: “I always feel that being with Golden Light Junior Sister isn’t as relaxed and joyful as being with you, little brother.”

Li Changshou silently picked up his stool, moved it slightly to the side, and calmly said:

“Please show some self-restraint, Elder Brother.”

“Hey! I was just making a comparison!” Zhao Gongming laughed and cursed.

Kong Xuan tilted his head to the side, puzzled: “What does this mean? And why need self-restraint?”

“Hahaha!”

Zhao Gongming stroked his beard and laughed heartily, briefly explaining the legends of the ‘Pure Yang Daoist’ and ‘Double Yang Daoist’ that circulated in the primitive world.

Kong Xuan expressed that his horizons had been broadened, though he didn’t know how to comment.

Li Changshou smiled: “Elder Brother, do you now know what kind of woman you like?”

“I do know.”

Zhao Gongming smiled: “I originally didn’t need a Dao companion. Now that my Dao’s heart has been disturbed, I’m destined to pass through a trial of emotions.

If I must have a Dao companion, I hope she has Second Sister’s gentleness without her sternness, Third Sister’s wisdom without her wicked interests;

She need not sacrifice anything for me, nor must I change my nature for her. Our conversations shouldn’t need deliberate effort, a shared glance and smile would touch our spirits.

Best if her cultivation realm is close to mine, so we can understand each other. When we run out of things to say, we can discuss the Great Dao…”

Li Changshou picked up his jade chopsticks and placed two green vegetables on the plate in front of Zhao Gongming, advising: “Don’t just drink, eat some dishes, eat some dishes. How did you get so drunk?”

“Forget it,” Zhao Gongming shook his head, “such a woman would indeed be too difficult to find.”

Li Changshou’s mouth twitched – weren’t there several such women in the Severing Sect…

Kong Xuan couldn’t help but sigh: “After the division of Yin and Yang, things truly became too troublesome.”

“But because of this,” Li Changshou smiled, “the path of seeking truth through cultivation has become more colorful and interesting.”

Kong Xuan countered: “How does romance between men and women benefit the Dao?”

Li Changshou replied: “The character for ’emotion’ should be included within nature, using it to stabilize the true self and resist the Dao’s erosion of the heart.”

“Without severing the true self, one fears it would be difficult to truly achieve the Dao.”

“If achieving the Dao means abandoning one’s true heart and nature, what’s the point of transcendence?”

Li Changshou seemed to open up as well, discussing this matter at length:

“If one loses their nature and temperament, with actions and behavior all approaching the Dao, that’s merely becoming a puppet of the Dao – how can that be called achieving the Dao?

If a being asks: ‘Why do I seek truth and achieve the Dao?’

We surely can’t answer that it’s achieving the Dao for the sake of achieving the Dao.

Achieving the Dao is for freedom from constraints, for becoming invulnerable. If the heart has no desires, why seek this?

Therefore, achieving the Dao is absolutely not about being assimilated by the Dao, not about merging with it, and should no longer be constrained by it.

Dao sect classics say the three corpses represent good and evil of the true self, but the true self’s corpse isn’t chopped out – it’s shed like clothing.

What’s shed is the false and fake, what’s kept is the fundamental and true – this is truly severing the three corpses and transcending.

Returning to this matter, if one keeps a trace of emotion or attachment in their heart, perhaps when about to lose oneself in the Great Dao, it can provide guidance back to one’s true nature.

This is ultimately beneficial, and not contrary to cultivation.”

“Let me savor this carefully.”

Kong Xuan slowly nodded, sitting there in deep thought.

Zhao Gongming hummed thoughtfully from the side and asked:

“Which classic did you read this from? How come I’ve never seen it?

Also, little brother, you suddenly speaking so seriously about these matters – your elder brother is truly not used to it.”

Li Changshou: …

Must you spoil the moment!

This was merely to remind Kong Xuan that matters between men and women aren’t entirely unnecessary, and that those with Primordial Chaos constitutions easily become ‘servants of the Dao’ when cultivating to the end, losing their true selves.

But if one has attachments beyond the Dao in their heart, they can better resist the Dao’s erosion of their being.

He was simply worrying himself sick over a certain senior brother in the back courtyard of Doulu Palace!

Li Changshou suddenly thought of something and asked with a serious face: “Elder Brother, how far have you gone with Golden Light Holy Mother?”

“What do you mean how far? Temperature boundaries?” Zhao Gongming seemed confused.

“Hand-holding, embracing, kissing, consummation – which step?”

Zhao Gongming’s old face reddened, and he muttered: “The first step… occasionally.”

“Then there’s no problem,” Li Changshou slowly nodded. “If you had completed all four steps and then said your personalities weren’t compatible, I would truly have to report you to Biyou Palace.”

Zhao Gongming cursed: “How could I be so dishonorable!

By the way, what step are you and my Second Sister at?”

“Emotions within propriety’s bounds – every time we meet, we just chat and take walks. I should say we’re at…

half a step.”

Li Changshou calmly explained, erasing the pavilion scene that appeared in his mind.

Such private matters shouldn’t be discussed with others – asking about others’ affairs was enough.

Zhao Gongming thought for a moment, then asked: “When my Second Sister is with you, does she feel awkward?”

Li Changshou carefully recalled their interactions and shook his head with a smile, “Even if we don’t speak for several days and nights, we both feel quite harmonious.”

“Ahem,” Kong Xuan had come back to his senses by now, “if that’s the case, this poor Daoist has an unreasonable request.”

Having referred to himself as ‘I’ before, he now switched to ‘poor Daoist’ – this unreasonable request…

“Please speak, friend.”

“Next time you meet with Dao Friend Yunxiao, might I observe from the shadows?”

Kong Xuan knew this request was somewhat excessive and explained: “I also wish to understand these matters better.

Mother placed the Phoenix Tribe’s last hope in me. Now my realm has reached an impasse, the Primordial Chaos Precious Body no longer provides aid, and it’s time to determine Yin and Yang attribution.”

Li Changshou earnestly deceived:

“Friend, do you know that in matters of racial propagation, we humans can be considered experts in the primitive world?

Especially the first batch of humans personally molded by the Holy Mother, they preserved the true meaning of rapid human propagation!

Humans are moreover the protagonists of Heaven and Earth. If the Phoenix Tribe could form good relations with humans, their destiny would naturally be influenced…”

Kong Xuan couldn’t help but ask: “But where can one find that first batch of humans?”

“What a coincidence,” Zhao Gongming slapped the table, “our Severing Sect has two… Why are your eyes so frightening, little brother? Did elder brother say something wrong?”

Li Changshou said calmly: “Let’s discuss how to help handle elder brother’s subsequent matters instead.”

Zhao Gongming blinked, not understanding.

Kong Xuan squinted and smiled, saying: “If only I could see Dao Friend Xuandu once more.”

Zhao Gongming suddenly understood and awkwardly scratched his head;

Li Changshou raised his eyebrows, having gotten the idea, and stopped mentioning this matter for now.

As for how to help Zhao Gongming resolve his problem, Li Changshou had already prepared a plan.

At this moment, he directly took out a scroll and began explaining his thoughts.

By now, Golden Light Holy Mother also knew they weren’t suitable as Dao companions;

When they talked by the Dragon Treasure Pool on Golden Turtle Island, they had agreed – if either felt they weren’t suitable, they wouldn’t force each other.

—This backup plan came from the tips Li Changshou had given Holy Mother Huoling years ago.

Now that Zhao Gongming and Golden Light Holy Mother had reached this point, Li Changshou’s bringing out this plan could be considered a perfect resolution.

How could everyone in the world be ‘mutually fond and compatible’ lovers? Half of all relationships involve discussing whether they like each other when young and whether they’re compatible when older – the primitive world was no exception.

For some beings, lovers ultimately becoming partners was ultimately just a beautiful wish.

“However, little brother.”

Zhao Gongming pondered, “Isn’t it a bit excessive to make such a grand affair of the separation? Right now, no one knows about me and Junior Sister Golden Light…”

Li Changshou calmly reminded: “Don’t forget Senior Brother Duobao’s Earth Tunnel divine ability.”

Zhao Gongming first froze, then his forehead was covered in black lines;

Kong Xuan on the side calculated briefly with his fingers, then couldn’t help but laugh, repeatedly saying ‘interesting’.

…

In Doulu Palace, under the tree shade.

A young Daoist who had just put away the Taiji Diagram after watching the show and was preparing to cultivate for a while suddenly frowned.

Why had today’s wind… become boisterous again?