The Jade Emperor’s avatar, Qin Tianchu, was now feeling quite… perplexed.

This was the first time Qin Tianchu had witnessed Li Changshou discussing battle tactics and enemy countermeasures with other experts, particularly in ways he had never encountered before.

Poison pills.

The Jade Emperor didn’t have much impression of poison pills, given that he originated from the Purple Void Palace and was a primordial being. Before he could venture out into the world, he had already been chosen as the Heavenly Emperor.

His previous understanding of poison pills was limited to the basic concept that “poison pills are an offshoot of pill cultivation, and toxicity is a characteristic of medicinal pills.”

Among poison experts the Jade Emperor had encountered, the one before him now was naturally Lu Yue of Nine Dragons Island. The poison pills Lu Yue had just demonstrated were unparalleled in the Primordial World!

When Lu Yue explained his methods of deploying poison, he said:

“Generally, one releases the poison pill, activates it with immortal power, or prepares it beforehand as powder or mist. During combat, when crossing paths with the enemy, one delivers the poison.”

Qin Tianchu privately noted that such methods of poison deployment hadn’t exceeded his imagination.

However, Li Changshou furrowed his brow slightly and commented:

“Senior Brother, using poison in this way wastes the greatest advantage of poison pills—the element of surprise.

Senior Brother, look at this item. While it appears to be a horsetail whisk, hidden beneath its silver strands are poison-coated needles that can harm enemies silently when activated with immortal power.

And look at this one—it seems to be a common lantern, but when you activate this magical treasure, as the lantern lights up, it secretly releases wisps of bewildering fragrance…”

Qin Tianchu frowned, wondering why their Water God would need to study such things.

Lu Yue drew in a sharp breath, carefully examining these ingeniously crafted magical items, and said softly: “Though these are excellent treasures, they require poison pills that are colorless and odorless.”

Li Changshou continued: “Actually, it’s very difficult to achieve true colorlessness, odorlessness, invisibility, and tracelessness. Many poison pills that pursue peak lethality cannot maintain these other qualities.”

“Exactly!”

Lu Yue’s eyes lit up as he exclaimed happily: “That single statement proves you’re truly an expert in this field!

Then how should one deploy poison pills?

I haven’t pondered this matter before, please enlighten me, Changgeng.”

Li Changshou smiled and said:

“Didn’t we agree to discuss everything openly?

If I didn’t trust Senior Brother, I wouldn’t dare bring these out. Your poison pills are truly unparalleled under heaven, and that’s no exaggeration.

Face-to-face poisoning can be divided into several methods, but everything is founded on pill refinement techniques and subsequent processing skills.

The first approach is to divert the enemy’s attention during combat, then cleverly release the poison.

Look at this sword of mine, Senior Brother. It’s just an ordinary immortal treasure, but when activated, it releases dazzling golden light that can conceal most poison dispersals…”

Lu Yue took the sword Li Changshou presented, fondling it admiringly while praising:

“This is truly excellent…”

Qin Tianchu couldn’t help but turn away, finding it somewhat unbearable to watch.

Then he heard Li Changshou continue:

“The second approach is deploying poison pills through formations.

Please look, Senior Brother. This is a miniature formation I refined that can only be used once. The formation has two effects: temporarily trapping enemies and killing them with poison mist.

Its advantages are quick deployment, wide coverage, and the ability to inflict mass casualties on enemy forces.”

Lu Yue was immediately overjoyed, holding the chessboard-sized miniature formation while continuously praising:

“Impressive, impressive! The ingenuity of this design rivals three pill formulas!”

Li Changshou spoke slowly, continuing to explain the ways of using poison, from immortal power activation, magical item activation, and formation activation, to basic tactical applications like creating something from nothing, sneaking through the back door, making a feint to the east and attacking in the west, and deceiving heaven to cross the sea.

Lu Yue listened with utmost attention. At this moment, he felt as if even the evil qi in his divine soul was being purified…

To be honest, he wasn’t very popular within the Severing Sect, and now he felt a suppressed emotion surging and flowing in his heart.

In friendship, the most precious things are recognition and appreciation.

Qin Tianchu couldn’t help but ask: “Water God’s understanding of poison pills is so profound, yet why haven’t we seen Water God use poison pills against powerful enemies before?”

“Commander Qin doesn’t know,” Li Changshou sighed. “I started cultivating recently and haven’t broken through in poison pill crafting yet, unable to refine Golden Immortal-grade poison pills.

After serving the Heavenly Court, the Grand Pure One would bestow protective treasures every time I went out, making poison pills redundant for me. I merely kept them as protective measures for my avatars.”

Lu Yue, the cultivator from Nine Dragons Island, was quite generous.

After hearing so many of Li Changshou’s poisoning techniques, Lu Yue was already somewhat restless;

Now hearing Li Changshou speak thus, Lu Yue immediately took out a ring, stuffing it with six Golden Immortal-grade poison pill formulas, some precious medicines, and two books recording his poison-crafting experiences, all at once giving them to Li Changshou.

The gift was truly too generous; Li Changshou almost dared not accept it, as the karmic debt would be considerable.

But he truly wanted it.

Lu Yue smiled and said:

“Changgeng, if you refuse, you’re looking down on your elder brother.

Since you can tell me so many methods of using poison, how can I not give you methods for refining poison pills?

No matter how powerful the poison pills are, they’re useless if the enemy dodges when you use them, aren’t they?”

Li Changshou: …

Actually, regarding poison deployment, he hadn’t even revealed his trump cards.

Moreover, he had only spoken of general methods at this point. To implement them, just the process of converting poison pills into poison mist involved numerous details and considerations.

Li Changshou’s thoughts turned in his mind as he accepted the ring and cupped his hands to Lu Yue, saying, “Thank you, Senior Brother!”

“Now that’s more like it!”

Lu Yue’s eyes crinkled in another smile as he advised:

“But Changgeng, though poison pills are powerful, they shouldn’t be used indiscriminately.

It’s like swords—when used to eliminate evil, even a demon’s weapon can be a good sword; when used for the wanton killing of the innocent, even the most divine immortal sword is nothing more than an evil blade.

In the end, it’s people like us who use poison that bear the karma. Don’t carelessly invite karmic obstacles.”

Li Changshou stood and bowed, saying: “Senior Brother’s teachings today, Changgeng will keep them in heart!”

“Come,” Lu Yue beckoned, “let’s think about whether there are more approaches to using poison…”

Li Changshou smiled and took out a paper figurine, “Does Senior Brother know my paper avatar technique?”

“Who in the Primordial World hasn’t heard of it?”

Lu Yue looked at the paper figurine and pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up: “What if we filled the paper avatar with deadly poison and had it explode among enemy ranks!”

“That’s just one possibility…”

Li Changshou chuckled softly and continued chatting enthusiastically with Lu Yue.

These two immortals—one was the Heavenly Court’s Water God, gradually gaining fame in the Primordial World for his wisdom and calculations, always having new tricks—ahem, always having ingenious strategies;

The other was a disciple of the Severing Sect’s True Person, and though his fame didn’t match that of the Severing Sect’s Eight Great Disciples or Seven Attendant Immortals, his poison pill crafting abilities had been verified by the Jade Emperor’s avatar as truly unparalleled.

These two had come together, and their conversation grew increasingly animated, showing signs of becoming sworn brothers right there and then…

Qin Tianchu silently moved his wooden chair to sit opposite the two, observing.

He could actually sense that these two seemed to be destined close friends, now forming a kind of complementary, mutually enhancing relationship.

To what extent would this develop?

Qin Tianchu seemed to see that behind these two, there was a gradually opening abyss, and when they turned to gaze into the abyss, the abyss grew two legs…

And ran away.

Unconsciously, another two hours passed.

Qin Tianchu silently served himself dishes and wine, comforting himself not to look to the side.

Li Changshou and Lu Yue were crouching in a corner, watching over a five-zhang-tall pill furnace, discussing the ‘invisibility’ of poison pills;

Though they were both somewhat unyielding in their words, they had already begun occasionally putting arms around each other’s shoulders, quite intimate.

Qin Tianchu sighed in his heart…

In these two hours, what had he heard?

Space-shifting techniques combined with paper avatar self-destruction, using this to spread toxins at the fastest speed…

This was just the basic operation.

What shocked Qin Tianchu most was that the ultimate mystery of the divine ability [Sowing Beans to Create Soldiers] that Li Changshou had developed to the extreme had two variations!

One was the poison immortal bean path, the other was the medicinal pill ‘bean’ transformation, directly using Golden Immortal poison pills as beans to create poison soldiers… and both these approaches had already been verified in Li Changshou’s hands, the technology long since mature!

Qin Tianchu was still thinking about the conversation from half an hour ago.

At that time, Lu Yue had posed a soul-searching question: “Changgeng, with such methods at your disposal, why didn’t you use them in the great battle against the demon tribe?”

Li Changshou smiled and said:

“This is the way of being an official in the Heavenly Court—the heavenly soldiers and generals can’t be treated as mere decorations.

If I claimed all the merit for myself, how would the various generals and marshals feel?

Moreover, I’m a civil official. I can’t always go to the front lines to fight. I must cultivate a group of generals to share the Jade Emperor’s burdens.”

[At this moment, a certain Jade Emperor avatar’s mental state underwent some subtle changes.]

As the saying in the Primordial World goes, all talk and no practice makes a false master.

Li Changshou and Lu Yue were caught up in their animated discussion, and Lu Yue was already getting itchy fingers, wanting to find a few Daluo Golden Immortals to test his newly acquired techniques.

Li Changshou said: “Senior Brother, be patient. Soon, people from the Western Religion will come to pressure Sky’s Edge Pavilion. We can then identify those bearing karmic obstacles and eliminate them instantly to intimidate the opposition.”

“Very well, we must not let Sky’s Edge Pavilion suffer any harm!”

Lu Yue said quite seriously.

“Rest assured, Senior Brother. If the Western forces push too hard and show no respect, you and I will turn their world upside down.”

“Excellent!”

Lu Yue raised his right hand, and Li Changshou, understanding the gesture, clasped hands with him. They looked at each other and smiled, their heroic spirit surge… surging halfway before wilting.

Li Changshou said in a deep voice:

“Senior Brother, we can’t just rush headlong into confrontation when our blood is hot. To be safe, we need to make some preparations.”

“Oh?”

Lu Yue asked puzzled: “What do you mean?”

Li Changshou explained: “The conflict between great religions is intricately complex.

Now that the Severing, Enlightenment, and Western religions must face their tribulation, if Senior Brother acts directly, it would mean open hostility between both sides.

Let’s disguise ourselves slightly, use aliases—even if they recognize us, as long as we don’t slip up in our words, we can insist it was someone trying to frame us and deliberately sow discord!”

“Brilliant!”

Lu Yue’s eyes lit up, “We’ll do as you say, Changgeng, but how should we disguise ourselves?”

“First apply powder to the face, change our appearance, preferably with a thin mask, then use transformation techniques and illusions—that should suffice.”

“Where can we find such thin masks at this moment?”

“I brought some,” Li Changshou took out several treasure pouches from his sleeve.

“You brought… you’re a paper avatar, who in the world doesn’t know that now? What did you bring these for?”

Lu Yue couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time.

“These are essentials for traveling,” Li Changshou smiled, “Please look, Senior Brother.”

With these words, Li Changshou took out a thick paper figurine from his sleeve. This paper figurine was wreathed in immortal light and transformed into a middle-aged Daoist, then casually tucked the ‘Li Changshou’ beside him into his sleeve.

A golden core slowly rotated, waves of immortal light surged around the paper avatar, and several drops of spirit beast blood spread in various places. This paper avatar emanated a sense of flesh and blood.

Even Lu Yue and Qin Tianchu, staring at it now, couldn’t directly determine whether this was a living person or a transformed paper being.

Li Changshou smiled and said: “Previously revealing my whereabouts was just to make clear the Heavenly Court’s attitude. Otherwise, how could Elder Madam Bian have spoken with us directly?”

While speaking, Li Changshou took out two masks from the treasure pouch. He and Lu Yue put them on together, each using techniques to change their auras, then exchanging poison pills and poison-deploying magical items.

Lu Yue smiled and said: “Why don’t we choose a more striking title, like Some-Something Double Killers?”

Li Changshou pondered, “Since we use poison, we naturally can’t directly mention poison. Why don’t we each carry a sword and call ourselves swordsmen?”

“Excellent!”

At once, Lu Yue found two Posterior Heaven Grade spiritual treasure swords, and they both strapped them to their backs.

Lu Yue said: “Why don’t we call ourselves the Heaven-Cleaving Double Swords? Isn’t that name dominating!”

Pfft! Qin Tianchu, who was drinking, turned his head and spat out a mouthful.

Li Changshou hurriedly said: “Your junior brother serves the Heavenly Court, why should we antagonize Heaven?

How about this—let’s call ourselves the Wind and Wave Double Swords!”

Qin Tianchu couldn’t help but say: “Why don’t you just call yourselves ‘Against Heaven’s Harmony’ and be done with it?”

“Eh? Hahaha!”

Lu Yue clapped and laughed heartily, “That name is perfect, it fits!

Let’s use this name—it will also remind us that if we use poison to kill the innocent indiscriminately, it will be against Heaven’s harmony.”

“Indeed,” Li Changshou cupped his hands to Qin Tianchu and smiled, “Thank you, Commander Qin, for naming us.”

Qin Tianchu’s mouth twitched several times, and he could only wave his hand, sitting there in a daze, not knowing what to say.

Li Changshou continued: “Senior Brother if the Western forces bring a large number of experts to pressure Sky’s Edge Pavilion, they will surely make a grand showing.

Before coming here, I observed the layout of this small world—three sides have strong formations while the front formation is weaker. The opposition will initially aim to apply pressure, and there’s an eighty percent chance they’ll gather outside the grand formation.

Why don’t we take positions in advance and lay an ambush?

When the time comes, we need only silently eliminate their experts at the Golden Immortal level and above. The crisis at Sky’s Edge Pavilion will resolve itself, and we can make the opposition wary.

Rest assured, Senior Brother, I will later divert their attention away from Sky’s Edge Pavilion. What’s most precious about Sky’s Edge Pavilion to the Heavenly Court is its years of accumulated intelligence, which can help the Heavenly Court quickly integrate the Three Thousand Worlds.”

“We’ll do everything as Changgeng says!”

Lu Yue nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of the sentiment ‘What more could one ask for with such a junior brother?’

Seeing this, the Jade Emperor’s avatar Qin Tianchu fell into deep thought;

Wasn’t Lu Yue’s current state something that frequently appeared on him as the Heavenly Emperor?

Worth pondering…

At that moment, Li Changshou’s Golden Immortal paper avatar took Lu Yue and stealthily flew outside the small world, finding a hidden spot to deploy the Mustard Seed Universe technique to conceal their forms.

Li Changshou had already decided to firmly keep Lu Yue, this poison expert, under his control through clever manipulation…

While hiding, they continued exchanging techniques for refining and dispersing poison.

‘If Elder Wan Linyun were here, the atmosphere might be even more lively.’

Li Changshou couldn’t help but feel emotional.

Meanwhile, Li Changshou left his previous paper avatar at Phoenix-Attracting Pavilion, waiting with Qin Tianchu for Sky’s Edge Pavilion’s response.

Half a day later, Bian Zhuang hurriedly came to invite Li Changshou and Qin Tianchu to the great hall they had visited before, to discuss matters face-to-face with those elderly women of Sky’s Edge Pavilion.

Li Changshou naturally wouldn’t refuse, having long anticipated such a situation.

He had to demonstrate the Heavenly Court’s sincerity, show the Dao Sect’s support, and make Sky’s Edge Pavilion feel sufficiently secure before he could strive for their full support.

Then, using Sky’s Edge Pavilion’s connections as a stepping stone, quickly gathered various forces and attracted those whose interests had been threatened by the Western Religion to join the alliance…

An anti-Western Immortal Alliance could raise quite a commotion within twenty or thirty years!

Thus, they could buy more time for the Heaven-Overseeing Palace, creating a more stable environment…

Moments later, in that remote great hall in Sky’s Edge Pavilion’s secret realm, Li Changshou debated with over ten elderly women in front of His Majesty the Jade Emperor.

Starting from examples of the Western Religion’s dealings with the demon tribe, he spoke of the Western Religion’s urgent desire for great prosperity, then mentioned how the Western Religion failed to win over the dragon clan and, in their humiliated rage, destroyed the sea eye and forcibly seized the dragon clan’s treasure vault…

In each incident, every word was true, carrying its persuasive power.

Subsequently, Li Changshou deliberately revealed, in front of the Jade Emperor’s avatar, the Western Religion’s calculations and their current dire situation in the Five Continents, forcing them to increase pressure on the Three Thousand Worlds…

And so on.

This debate continued for half a day, and finally, these ten-plus elderly women were convinced by Li Changshou.

Meanwhile, Li Changshou secretly reminded Elder Madam Bian that two or three of the elderly women’s previous viewpoints seemed somewhat problematic, telling her to keep a close eye on them.

Qin Tianchu watched what could be called a ‘grand performance’ from the side, occasionally pondering and nodding involuntarily, almost being convinced by Li Changshou that the Heavenly Court would certainly win and could easily sweep away all opposition…

The Water God’s silver tongue was worth half the Heavenly Court’s battle strength.

Elder Madam Bian personally wrote a reply letter in front of Li Changshou and then sent someone to deliver this reply to the force that had previously threatened Sky’s Edge Pavilion…

The opposition promptly began gathering experts and sent another jade slip message to Sky’s Edge Pavilion, declaring they would personally visit in three days, demanding a different answer from Sky’s Edge Pavilion!

Late at night, in Phoenix-Attracting Pavilion, Bian Zhuang had just delivered the jade slip message from the opposition…

Bang!

The Jade Emperor’s avatar Qin Tianchu slammed the table and said through gritted teeth:

“These people truly don’t take our Heavenly Court seriously? They know Water God is here, yet they still dare to make such threats!”

Li Changshou said gently: “The Western Religion has no choice but to act this way.

They’ve managed the Three Thousand Worlds for so long, this is like their home court. If they let us gain a foothold so easily, they might as well surrender directly.”

Bian Zhuang also said: “Water God, should we call for reinforcements from the Heavenly Court?”

“No rush,” Li Changshou calmly shook his head, “There will be a way to break the deadlock later. Just tell your grandmother not to worry. Sky’s Edge Pavilion won’t need to deploy a single soldier.

In the worst case, we’ll use delaying tactics, and I’ll reveal my identity directly.”

Bian Zhuang nodded, showing no worry at all, and turned to report to his grandmother…

After Bian Zhuang left, Li Changshou looked at the still-angry Qin Tianchu and transmitted:

“Your Majesty, during this journey, this minor deity feels you seem to have changed quite a bit.”

Qin Tianchu’s attention was indeed diverted, and he smiled: “Oh? How have I changed?”

“You’ve become more composed,” Li Changshou continued transmitting, “Earlier, when Bian Zhuang and Senior Brother Lu Yue spoke somewhat offensively, Your Majesty didn’t seem to get angry.”

“I thought it was something else.”

Qin Tianchu shook his head somewhat dismissively: “After experiencing tribulation in the mortal realm, I understand many things.

When I am the Jade Emperor, what they revere is the Heavenly Dao behind me and the Grand Pure One.

When I am Qin Tianchu, I’m just an ordinary Heavenly Court commander. They don’t know the truth—how can that be considered offensive?”

Li Changshou nodded with a smile.

“Three days later, Changgeng, don’t hold back. Act as you see fit.”

Qin Tianchu’s eyes revealed a trace of coldness, “I will act from Lingxiao Palace to ensure that when you and Lu Yue eliminate the enemy forces’ beings, you won’t incur any karmic obstacles.

I want to see just how far they can go in disregarding the Heavenly Court!

Since they’ve chosen to be enemies of the Heavenly Court, it doesn’t matter whether they have merit or karmic obstacles.

Your use of poison this time has my approval. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. If we don’t intimidate these petty characters in time, it will only cause more trouble!

If forces loyal to the Heavenly Court are still bullied by them, there’s no point in me being the Heavenly Emperor!”

“This minor deity obeys! We won’t show mercy this time!

And Your Majesty need not worry, this minor deity has already summoned more avatars to come here, traveling by flying techniques. They can arrive in two days!”

Qin Tianchu slowly nodded and closed his eyes in thought, presumably returning his divine consciousness to the Jade Emperor’s main body.

And so, three days later…