With the Shang Nation about to rise, how far could the Great Tribulation of Conferring Divinity be?

Because of the three immortal contracts established with him, the Water Deity of the Heavenly Court, Sister-in-law Jiandi, who had the Qin Xuanya, had already named the child in her womb ‘Qi’.

If Li Changshou’s memory calculations weren’t wrong, ‘Qi’ should be the ancestor of the Shang Nation.

Next, following Heaven’s Dao guidance, Jiandi would lead the remnants of the Honglin Nation to the northeastern part of the Southern Jambudvipa Continent, establishing a new nation there.

Shang rose under ‘Tang’, with ‘Qi’ as Shang’s ancestor and ‘Tang’ as his descendant, who would become the next common ruler of humanity…

Although Li Changshou had only instructed Kong Xuan to protect the new nation for a hundred years, from what Kong Xuan said, he intended to stay there for a long time.

—The Phoenix Tribe now only had Kong Xuan and that small peacock, making moving incredibly simple.

Moreover, their Phoenix Tribe relied on bloodline to enhance power, and the mortal world’s impure qi couldn’t affect their dao foundation. Living in the mortal realm for eight hundred to a thousand years wasn’t a big deal.

Li Changshou couldn’t help but recall the past…

He was this close to the Great Tribulation of Conferring Divinity.

Originally, he thought that in the Southern Continent’s mortal world, there wasn’t even a shadow of the Shang Nation yet, still in the period after the Xia Dynasty when immortal dynasties stood in succession, with various immortal sects of the Central Divine Continent projecting their influence to the Southern Jambudvipa Continent;

Those who controlled humanity’s lifeline were still a small handful of human beings who held power, and standing at humanity’s highest point was still the Dao Sect.

Judging from this situation, no matter how one looked at it, the Tribulation of Conferring Divinity should still be at least several thousand years away from arriving.

Unexpectedly…

Li Changshou had been searching for the prelude to the approaching Great Tribulation of Conferring Divinity, and when it came down to it, he had become a small part of its melody.

This feeling was quite marvelous.

But similarly, it also made Li Changshou somewhat melancholic…

He had truly become [A Brick in the Primitive Heaven’s Dao], moved wherever the Heaven’s Dao needed him.

Next, he must begin to provoke the Heaven’s Dao, testing its bottom line.

[Passive waiting is never as secure as taking initiative.]

Before the Great Tribulation of Conferring Divinity began, whether he could destroy Lu Ya was what Li Changshou most wanted to determine now.

If Lu Ya couldn’t be destroyed, regardless of what factors caused it, it would prove he couldn’t significantly alter the outcome of the Great Tribulation of Conferring Divinity, and his efforts should focus on protecting Elder Zhao and the Three Immortal Islands.

Ahem, this was to preserve the vital energy of the Dao Sect!

The righteous face of Shou.

If he could successfully destroy Lu Ya, and later let Nezha and the yet-to-be-born Ao Bing achieve a brotherhood that would move heaven and earth…

Li Changshou would truly dare to send the Western Teaching onto the Investiture of the Gods list, preserving a batch of great experts for the Dao Sect!

As for ascending to the Heavenly Court’s True Deity positions, and the possibility that the West might influence the operation of Heaven’s Dao…

This could be resolved by giving the West only a small portion of unimportant deity positions, while important positions would naturally be held by Dao Sect experts!

Simply put, they were more trustworthy.

For example, among the Eight Departments’ True Deities, the ‘Battle Department’ True Deity positions – the ordinary deity positions could be given to people from the West, while Dao Sect experts would take the True Deity positions responsible for managing the Battle Department’s various deities.

After all, when Western Teaching was forced to change to Buddhism, so many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas had nothing to do anyway and didn’t help much with Heaven’s Dao’s operation…

To be honest, from the perspective of reducing the burden on the Dao Ancestor and maintaining Heaven and Earth’s stability, including the West in the scope of the Great Tribulation of Conferring Divinity was a very necessary and meaningful matter!

Of course, these were just idle thoughts, and the most ideal scenario.

To be safe, Li Changshou had to consider more ‘non-ideal’ situations.

Namely, that he couldn’t make any changes to the Great Tribulation of Conferring Divinity, or that his current actions and calculations were all pushing the script toward the original Great Tribulation.

Then Li Changshou would have to make one final preparation…

In the original story of Conferring Divinity, Zhao Gongming died, and the Three Xiao Sisters angrily set up the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation, decimating most of the Twelve Golden Immortals’ cultivation, which brought out the intervention of the Sages.

Yunxiao and Qiongxiao died with their souls entering the Investiture of the Gods list, while Lady Yunxiao was caught by Laozi using the Universe Diagram and pressed under Qilin Cliff at Mount Kunlun.

‘Indeed, I still need to make some arrangements at Qilin Cliff later, and must develop some friendship with the Enlightenment Sect, best to have them owe me a few favors.’

If the calculations for Conferring Divinity failed then, he could also ask for help in rescuing Lady Yunxiao from under Qilin Cliff.

However…

Li Changshou shifted his divine consciousness back to his main body for a moment, looking at the Treasure-Falling Copper Coin lying quietly in his storage treasure.

How could the Conferring of Gods be unchangeable?

…

Speaking of Li Changshou’s Water Deity paper avatar, while drinking and chatting with high spirits with Kong Xuan and Zhao Gongming.

The capital city of Honglin Nation had once again quieted down.

Most of the immortals from the Measuring Immortality Gate had returned to their mountain gate, with only a few Celestial Immortals leading over thirty True Immortal officials, comforting the wounded in the city, helping mortals, and helping You Qin Xuanya handle family affairs.

With one word from the Heavenly Court’s Water Deity, the Dao Wei Immortal Sect naturally dared not trouble the Honglin Nation’s royal family, and actively restrained the two tribes’ armies from pressing their attack.

You Qin Xuanya’s mother was also reasonable, not making any unnecessary demands, expressing that surviving and being able to continue their bloodline was already the greatest fortune…

She only had people bring some palace treasures, bringing along several families and thousands of soldiers who were loyal to the Honglin Nation’s royal family, packed up some of the royal family’s wealth, and left the capital city overnight.

Many commoners in the city followed along out of fear of war, eventually gathering over a hundred thousand people…

These would become the initial foundation of the Shang Nation.

“Senior Brother Changshou?”

Hearing the soft call, Li Changshou, who had most of his divine consciousness invested in his ‘Water Deity’ paper avatar discussing how to arrange the ‘breakup ceremony’ with Zhao Gongming, shifted part of his consciousness back near the royal palace and slowly opened his eyes.

You Qin Xuanya had changed into her fire-red long dress, like dawn arriving early, flying through mid-air and landing gracefully before Li Changshou.

Then she bit her lip and lowered her brows, seeming to have something to say but holding back.

Li Changshou asked: “What’s wrong? Have you encountered another difficulty?”

“No…”

You Qin Xuanya transmitted: “With such misfortune befalling my family, I wanted to accompany Mother for some time, but Mother told me to return to the sect immediately, saying I shouldn’t have more entanglements with the mortal world…”

“Your mother is correct,” Li Changshou said. “Your cultivation realm isn’t too high yet, and your dao heart can still easily be polluted by the mortal world’s impure qi.

The four characters of ‘cutting off mortal ties’ are easier said than done.

If you want to stay in the mortal world for a few years, I can help speak to her.”

“No need, Senior Brother. Now that matters here are settled, I’ll return to the mountain.”

You Qin Xuanya looked toward the city where the smoke of war had temporarily ceased, murmuring: “Later I still need to go to the Heavenly Court to seek an audience with the Water Deity. Tonight’s life-saving grace from Water Deity and Senior Brother, I don’t know how to repay.”

—Since the last battle when Measuring Immortality Gate ambushed the demon tribe, she had known the Water Deity was Li Changshou.

Li Changshou smiled: “Don’t feel pressured by this matter. If tomorrow I encounter trouble and you can similarly stand up for me, that would be enough.”

“Xuanya will never fail Senior Brother in the slightest!”

When she said this, her eyes truly shone brighter than the most brilliant stars.

Li Changshou could feel that You Qin Xuanya’s current mental state had gained something compared to before tonight, and also lost something.

If she could use this opportunity to transform her dao heart, that would also be a good thing.

A few thoughts rippling in his heart, Li Changshou said seriously:

“Would you like to accompany me on a trip to the Netherworld?”

“Are we leaving now?”

You Qin Xuanya nodded in agreement without even thinking.

Li Changshou slowly opened his left hand, revealing two soul-capturing pearls, one of which leaked a trace of karmic burden.

You Qin Xuanya looked at it and cried out:

“Royal Father?”

“Yes,” Li Changshou said, “The other several dozen souls are your mother’s guards, who fought to the death earlier, their loyalty and righteousness worthy of admiration.

I know several friends in the Netherworld, I can ask if they can help reduce your royal father’s suffering. He truly has too much karmic burden, and would stay in the eighteen levels of hell for who knows how long.”

You Qin Xuanya bit her lip and said softly:

“Although a child shouldn’t say such things, it’s already an enormous blessing that Father’s soul remains. Please don’t trouble yourself, Senior Brother.”

“Very well,” Li Changshou nodded slowly, and together with You Qin Xuanya, they rode clouds directly leaving this city that had been in chaos for a night.

Li Changshou wasn’t flying particularly fast. His main body had already returned to Small Jade Peak, and what remained now was still that [Main Body] paper avatar.

Unless necessary, the main body naturally shouldn’t stay out long, minimizing the probability of unexpected situations.

“By the way, did you kill that masked woman?”

“Yes,” You Qin Xuanya nodded in agreement.

Li Changshou asked again: “What was her identity?”

“I didn’t ask,” You Qin Xuanya answered softly.

“Oh?”

Li Changshou couldn’t help but be puzzled, “Could it be you don’t want to know who she was? Why does she want revenge against your You Qin clan? Don’t you want to eliminate the root of the problem?”

You Qin Xuanya thought for a moment and said softly:

“She was Yuan Qing’s cousin, born to secular nobility in a neighboring small country, harboring feelings for Yuan Qing since childhood.

I recognized her when I removed her mask.

Yuan Qing’s treacherous heart deserved death by my hand, and his clan’s intent to rebel was also eliminated by Father – these are past matters, and the cause of tonight.

If I had asked about her background, the remaining people of the You Qin clan would have to bear this hatred…

Things have come to this, what’s the point of continuing?”

Li Changshou was slightly startled, looking at this fellow disciple sister who was already very familiar yet now carried a trace of unfamiliarity.

Just then, the sun star peeked out from the sea surface, today’s first ray of sunlight shining upon her, her slender neck, fair skin, and cold countenance bearing traces of fatigue…

Shining with a radiance Li Changshou couldn’t quite understand.

Li Changshou secretly praised.

Ah, Your Majesty still preparing to enter the world from the womb, the Heavenly Court this time might truly have found a treasure.

“Senior Brother, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Li Changshou stood with hands behind his back, facing the sun star just rising in the eastern sky, a faint smile hanging at the corners of his mouth…

This trip to the Netherworld was just to arrange matters for a mortal small nation’s ruler – his identity as Li Changshou, a disciple of the Measuring Immortality Gate, would be sufficient.

Though the journey was peaceful, it wasn’t entirely peaceful.

As he guided You Qin Xuanya along the way, the taut string in her heart gradually loosened. After exchanging a few words with him, she sat on the cloud and dozed off with a lowered head.

But on the other side, after Kong Xuan left to protect the Honglin Nation’s royal family, Elder Zhao was extremely excited, pulling Li Changshou straight to the Sea God Temple, beginning intense preparations for—

A breakup celebration!

Zhao Gongming had naturally figured it out – his and Golden Light Holy Mother’s prematurely ended ‘Dao companion’ relationship needed to be explained clearly to the Severing Sect as soon as possible.

If they separated quietly without a word, it would not only affect Golden Light Holy Mother’s reputation but also make people misunderstand his, Zhao Gongming’s, character, bringing shame to the Severing Sect!

In the back hall of the Sea God Temple, Zhao Gongming rubbed his hands together, pacing continuously.

“We must do it!

This matter must be handled beautifully, invite all those fellow disciples who were peeping last time!

Don’t mortal couples bow to heaven and earth when they marry?

Little brother, help your elder brother think – how do we do the opposite?

Also, don’t mortal couples wear wedding robes? Let’s wear black robes instead!”

At the side, Li Changshou held his forehead with one hand.

Seeing Elder Zhao so excited, he thought Elder Zhao had found new love and was eager to announce to the world that he and Golden Light Holy Mother were innocent!

Of course, Elder Zhao would never do such a thing…

Bian Zhuang’s temperament was formed in the special atmosphere of Skybound Pavilion, and after going to the Heavenly Court, his nature was further liberated.

In the primitive world overall, qi cultivators were still quite conservative, most immortals would be shy about experiencing temporary tribulations of emotion.

—Dragons and some demon tribes excepted.

With the matter with Golden Light Holy Mother concluded, Elder Zhao should be able to cultivate peacefully, quietly awaiting the arrival of the Great Tribulation of Conferring Divinity…

“Elder Brother,” Li Changshou smiled, “why don’t you first discuss with the other party involved?

Tell her all your worries and concerns, and be completely open with her.

This matter can’t just be forced by us; if she doesn’t agree, it would only have the opposite effect.”

Zhao Gongming’s eyes lit up, and he shouted with full vigor:

“That’s right!

Little brother, wait here, I’ll go speak with Junior Sister Golden Light about this matter, then come back to find you!”

With that, Zhao Gongming hastily left riding his precious pearl, not giving Li Changshou any chance to give more reminders…

“This elder brother, haste makes waste.”

This avatar of Li Changshou stood up, holding his horsetail whisk, walking toward the front hall, finding the Taiji painting he had hung earlier between the front hall and back hall of the Sea God Temple…

Li Changshou made a Daoist salute and bowed, respectfully holding up the genuine Heaven-Earth Ruler and Pagoda Lord to the altar.

A wisp of dao charm surrounded them, and the Heaven-Earth Mysterious Yellow Pagoda and Heaven-Earth Ruler instantly vanished…

“Master!”

Li Changshou suddenly spoke, bowing his head, “This disciple has doubts and wishes to seek Master’s guidance!”

That about-to-dissipate dao charm gathered again, this time appearing in Li Changshou’s heart, forming a faint word!

[Speak]

Li Changshou pondered for a moment, knowing that the Sage Lord should be able to hear his heart’s voice now, so he directly asked in his heart:

“Has this disciple’s cultivation until now changed anything?”

[Yes]

“Is this disciple now being influenced by Heaven’s Dao when making certain judgments?”

[No need for self-doubt, the Dao has its end]

Li Changshou’s heart rejoiced, and he deeply bowed to the Taiji painting, saying loudly: “Thanks to Master’s guidance! This disciple’s heart is at peace!”

[Heavenly Court, of utmost importance]

Heavenly Court, of utmost importance?

Li Changshou had just gotten excited — he was directly conversing with his own Sage Lord, and he had called the Sage Master, and the Sage had directly responded.

Seeing these six characters just formed, he was once again frozen in place.

The Heavenly Court is of utmost importance… what did these words mean?

That dao charm in his heart had completely dissipated, and Li Changshou couldn’t ask more, nor would he ask more, he could only make various wild guesses.

If the Sage Lord explained everything clearly to him, would that still be the Sage Lord?

Prestige is of utmost importance.

Had he been misunderstanding all along? Did Master Supreme Pure care less about the Dao Sect but extremely value the Heavenly Court?

No need for self-doubt, the Dao has its end – these words weren’t hard to understand, it should be the Sage telling him not to worry needlessly, that Heaven’s Dao cannot influence beings to make any judgments.

Otherwise, the primitive world shouldn’t be in its current state.

[Heaven’s Dao only needs to continuously influence some key figures’ judgments at key moments to gradually bind countless beings within Heaven and Earth;

Thus, the primitive world would become deathly silent, but the primitive world would become incredibly stable.]

After asking these three questions, Li Changshou had more confidence in his calculations about Conferring Divinity!

He could make changes, could calculate against the Western Teaching, though success was another matter, but the possibility definitely existed…

But the Sage Lord then used six characters to plunge Li Changshou into greater confusion.

Heavenly Court, of utmost importance.

So…

Even sacrificing the Dao Sect’s power to quickly fill the Heavenly Court and perfect Heaven’s Dao was acceptable?

Such an interpretation was a bit too frightening.

Soon, Li Changshou walked back to the Sea God Temple’s back hall holding his horsetail whisk, falling into deep contemplation.

Thinking carefully, Li Changshou realized that regarding the truth of the Great Tribulation of Conferring Divinity, he seemed to know much but actually knew nothing…

Should he go probe at the Holy Mother Palace?

Li Changshou looked at the several sets of comics he had drawn in recent years, and such a thought arose.

But immediately after, his main body and avatar both shuddered.

That white, prison-like world of ‘update demands’ – he didn’t want to be locked in there again.

Right, aren’t there many Holy Mother Temples in the mortal realm?

As a child of humanity, going to worship at the Holy Mother Temple, and incidentally burning a few sets of comic books as offerings to the Holy Mother – that would be reasonable and unimpeachable.