How to describe this Human Sovereign before him?

Emaciated, and weary, but with eyes bright and piercing, that gaze seemed able to penetrate every corner of one’s heart.

When Li Changshou gave his name and actively made a Daoist salute, and Emperor Xuanyuan introduced Li Changshou’s current ‘achievements’ from the side, the extremely weakened Suiren threw back his head in hearty laughter.

That rough laughter seemed to contain endless mystical powers, making one unconsciously want to laugh along, while also imagining how majestic and glorious this skeletal old man must have been in ancient times.

“Good, good! For the Heavenly Court to have a minister of human origin who can speak before the Jade Emperor, that’s excellent, hahaha!”

Suiren cupped his hands and said in a resonant voice: “Would young friend come down for a chat?”

“Senior gives this junior too much face,” Li Changshou made a Daoist salute and immediately rode a cloud downward.

Among the retired Human Sovereigns, only Emperor Xuanyuan and Sovereign Lord Yu followed him down, while the others remained above, watching with smiles.

Suiren frowned and coughed several times, looking down at his ruined body with apparent distaste;

He casually undid his tattered clothes, exposing his nearly withered body without hesitation, then opened space-time to take out and don a set of clean robes.

Li Changshou had already landed on the magma lake. Suiren’s eyes immediately crinkled in a smile, and just as he was about to step forward, shadowy chains appeared around him.

The power of Heaven’s Dao!

As this old Human Sovereign took just half a step forward, the magma beneath his feet instantly solidified, those chains silently transforming into silver feathers that scattered in all directions…

Such strength.

Li Changshou inwardly praised, feeling his Dao’s heart tremble at the pressure emanating from the old Human Sovereign’s step.

It seemed this old man, though tortured by demonic qi until withered in appearance, still retained his majestic bearing from the days when he strode across the heavens.

“Pardon the unsightly display.”

Suiren said hoarsely, coughing twice before sweeping his long sleeve to raise a low table and four chairs from the ground, gesturing for them to sit as they pleased.

Emperor Xuanyuan smiled at Li Changshou, taking seats with Sovereign Lord Yu on either side. Seeing this, Li Changshou didn’t decline, but pulled his chair back two feet, said his thanks, and sat properly.

“Cough, cough cough.”

Suiren lowered his head coughing twice, his trembling fingers opening space-time to retrieve a set of stone wine vessels.

“I don’t have any good wine, just some I brewed years ago. Don’t know if it’ll suit your taste.”

Li Changshou stood up and said: “Senior, let me.”

“The guest should remain seated.”

Suiren said with a smile, but his words carried a faint majesty. Brooking no doubt or argument, even a peaceful gaze emanated great dignity.

“In these recent ten thousand years, has there been any turmoil in the Southern and Central Continents?”

Li Changshou pondered, while Yu smiled from the side: “Senior can rest assured, the four seas are peaceful, without disturbance.”

“That’s good,” Suiren nodded, taking out a long pipe, tapping it against the table corner with familiarity, filling it with some tobacco leaves, and taking a ‘pa-za’ puff after lighting it.

Emperor Xuanyuan waved away the smoke with a frown: “Senior, though you have Fire Virtue, what’s the meaning of this fire-making smoke?”

“Cough, cough cough!”

Suiren sighed: “This is all I have to look forward to now, can’t you let me enjoy it?

By the way, what position does young Li currently hold in the Heavenly Court?”

“Star-Lord of Great White and Water God,” Li Changshou smiled, “Usually there isn’t much specific work, just walking around looking at things, offering some strategies to His Majesty the Jade Emperor.”

“Oh? A strategist? How is your physical body so powerful?”

“Just some self-defense techniques, making Senior laugh at me.”

“Has the Heavenly Court become so strong?”

Suiren’s brows furrowed slightly as he sucked on the jade mouthpiece, sighing: “If so, our human race faces even more restrictions, and the separation of immortals and mortals likely cannot be changed.”

Sovereign Lord Yu smiled from the side: “Senior, don’t let Changxing fool you, he’s no ordinary civil official.”

“An ordinary civil official couldn’t go smash a Saint’s temple gate at Spirit Mountain,” Emperor Xuanyuan’s mouth twitched slightly, “Being a military general in the Heavenly Court truly brings immense pressure.”

“Oh?” Suiren’s eyes lit up as he smiled while looking at Li Changshou, “Come, tell me in detail, let me see what kind of descendant our human race has produced.”

Li Changshou hurriedly said: “Junior’s few accomplishments aren’t worth mentioning, it’s just that I had some luck, with Master’s guidance all the way, the Jade Emperor’s care all the way, and all my Heavenly Court colleagues’ struggles all the way, that I achieved some results.

And the foundation of all this is because I was born human, protected by human destiny.

Looking back, without Senior Suiren cutting through thorns and brambles, lighting humanity’s torch forward from darkness, without all the seniors’ painstaking efforts laying a solid foundation for humanity’s rise, how could there be my today?”

The several Human Sovereigns who had retreated to wait on the lake’s surface looked at each other upon hearing this, each stroking their beards and laughing heartily.

Emperor Xuanyuan and Yu by the lake bottom also wore slight smiles, but Suiren straightened his face and said:

“How did you become so glib, offending no one with a few words?

In ancient times, someone like you would have been strung up and beaten in the army! You’re now humanity’s representative in the Heavenly Court, how can you be so slippery? You must have humanity’s proud bones, an unyielding backbone!

Cough, cough cough!”

Li Changshou blinked and hurriedly said: “Senior, Junior genuinely admires all the wise ancestors, I’m not deliberately trying to curry favor.”

Emperor Xuanyuan smiled from the side:

“Senior, think about it, what would Changxing need to curry favor with us for?

He’s the main orchestrator of this current Great Tribulation, appointed by the Dao Ancestor and personally conferred by the Jade Emperor;

The Heavenly Court was quite declining six or seven hundred years ago, but it was this fellow sitting before you who single-handedly outmaneuvered the Western Paradise, captured dragons, and slew demons, forcefully propping up the Heavenly Court.

Now from up in the heavens to down below, from the Purple Void Palace to the Six Paths Reincarnation Disc, Changxing can go anywhere. Great Virtue Houtu is familiar with him, he comes and goes freely in the Holy Mother’s Palace, and when six Saints discussed the Canonization Tribulation in the Purple Void Palace, he was even caught by the Dao Ancestor and spanked thirty-six times until his clothes tore, yet nothing happened to him.

When a junior praises you out of respect, do you get angry about this?

You think everyone should be like me, arguing with you for no reason – that’s what you call an unyielding backbone?”

This…

Li Changshou frowned at Emperor Xuanyuan, finding that even his thick skin couldn’t handle this situation.

Suiren looked Li Changshou over and smiled: “Is that so? Then I apologize to you, I wrongly took you for a spineless one.”

Yu laughed: “He’s not soft at all, quite hard actually.”

“Seniors, please stop talking about me,” Li Changshou said seriously, “I wonder if Senior Suiren has a way to suppress your demonic qi? Though this time had some effect, it seems to only treat the symptoms, not the root cause.”

Suiren couldn’t help laughing twice before sighing: “You’re kind.

But there’s no need to trouble yourself, I’m now sustained by this demonic qi, already neither immortal nor demon.

If I weren’t still concerned about some matters, I would have gone with my old friends to drift with the wind long ago, and wouldn’t be suffering here.

To eliminate the demonic qi, only soul transformation would work.”

Li Changshou hurriedly said: “If so, it’s not entirely hopeless, Senior, look.”

He pointed to Mei Wenhua who was sitting cross-legged behind them recovering her spirit, and transmitted a few explanatory words. This time Suiren truly frowned in silence, his eyes showing traces of shock.

Mei Wenhua: A precious example of humanity taming outer realm demons.

“How did our human race produce such an unusual person as you? Unusual in a good way, unusual in a wonderful way,” Suiren sighed, “If humanity had a few more youngsters like you, I could rest easy and depart.

But there’s no need, demons have their benefits, and divinity has its constraints.

This way is fine too.”

Li Changshou immediately understood in his heart, roughly knowing that Suiren didn’t want to diminish his power just to relieve his pain.

Yu smiled: “Senior jests, extraordinary people like Changxing only appear once in tens of great kalpas.”

“Speaking of extraordinary people.”

Traces of emotion showed in Suiren’s eyes as he sighed: “The one I admire most is Donghuang Taiyi. He was humanity’s great enemy, but setting his stance aside, he was truly a world-shaking hero.

It’s just a pity that the demon race slaughtered humanity, creating a blood feud that can never be reconciled.”

Li Changshou asked: “May junior boldly ask, when did Senior succeed to the position of Human Sovereign?”

“Before the demon race raised their butcher’s knife against our human race,” Suiren’s eyes were full of memories before he closed them with a light sigh, letting the pipe in his hand waft wisps of smoke as he sank into memories, unwilling to wake.

Li Changshou secretly wondered if he should invite the nineteen demon soldiers to visit Fire Cloud Cave.

But thinking again, that might tear open some old wounds. For stability’s sake, maintaining the status quo would be better.

“Little Li.”

“Junior is here.”

“Does the Jade Emperor harbor wariness toward humanity?”

“None at all,” Li Changshou said seriously, “His Majesty the Jade Emperor is a Heaven Emperor with grand aspirations. Though directly appointed by the Dao Ancestor, he has maintained his integrity.

Before the Heavenly Court rose to power, His Majesty the Jade Emperor once sailed on the Western Sea…”

At the lake bottom volcano crater, Li Changshou took control of the conversation topic and began to speak at length;

Speaking of the Jade Emperor’s virtues, telling of the demon race’s decline, pointing out humanity’s current main problem – immortals eroding the mortal world – and explaining in detail how the Heavenly Court was handling it.

Emperor Xuanyuan and Sovereign Lord Yu listened intently, while Suiren would occasionally point out one or two key aspects, making Li Changshou ponder long before giving appropriate answers.

Above the lake, several Sovereign Lords had already ridden clouds to rest at the side, and their conversation naturally centered around Li Changshou.

Though they weren’t familiar with him, each offered high praise.

Half a day later, Emperor Xuanyuan, Sovereign Lord Yu, and Li Changshou flew up together from the lake bottom.

The volcano sealed by the great formation at the lake bottom returned to its original appearance, and now Suiren sat cross-legged in the magma lake, wisps of black qi circling him, at least a hundred times more comfortable than before.

Yu smiled: “If we could bring this… A dao friend here every hundred years, Senior Suiren’s predicament could be largely resolved.”

“Mm,” Li Changshou nodded in agreement, “I must continue trying later to see if we can save more celestial demons, letting them bathe once again in the light of Heaven’s Dao.”

Hearing this, Mei Wenhua nearby became instantly excited, her eyes full of reverence.

Emperor Xuanyuan’s eyes crinkled in a smile as he invited Li Changshou to a nearby pavilion.

This time, they would finalize various details of the scheme against Kun Peng, as well as what the retired Human Sovereigns of Fire Cloud Cave needed to do.

A scheme centered around Xuandu City officially raised its curtain.

…

The Netherworld, at the Reincarnation Tower outside Fengdu City.

At the top of the Reincarnation Tower, Ksitigarbha sat unchanged in his old position for ten thousand years, leaning against the window sill, enjoying the ghostly wind’s caress, his face showing compassion.

In the corner opposite Ksitigarbha, Maitreya sat rather casually, flexing his fingers, his gaze somewhat dim.

At the stairway entrance, that green-furred great dog was now curled up black and blue, two spirals rising from its head, the entire divine beast swollen up, clearly having been thoroughly beaten.

Maitreya still seemed unsatisfied, saying coldly: “Junior Brother, if you don’t control your dog better, your elder brother will truly have to kill it.”

“When the Heavenly Court ordered it to assist in searching for outer realm demons, how could it refuse?”

Ksitigarbha calmly asked: “Elder Brother, have you suffered some grievance in these hundred years that you’ve come here to vent?”

“Tsk tsk,” Maitreya gave a light laugh, “This poor Daoist couldn’t appear before because the Heavenly Court was pursuing me closely, and I had some important matters to handle.

But this poor Daoist didn’t listen to Junior Brother’s advice and insisted on feuding with that Great White Star-Lord, falling into his traps several times.

This person is different from you and me, what he thinks in his heart is truly hard to fathom.”

Ksitigarbha showed helplessness, “Why can’t Spirit Mountain and the Heavenly Court coexist?”

“Junior Brother means to have Spirit Mountain bow to the Heavenly Court?”

“What would be wrong with that?”

“Such words are truly somewhat rebellious. This poor Daoist doesn’t mind, but don’t let our two teachers hear them.”

Maitreya’s smile grew deeper, but his eyes became somewhat unfocused as he spoke slowly:

“Sometimes one can’t help but wonder what exactly our two teachers meant by ‘great prosperity.’

For people, at Spirit Mountain’s peak, we had hundreds of disciples and over a thousand followers, and now we’ve spread our footprints across three thousand worlds, with so many hidden forces.

Yet still, it doesn’t count as great prosperity.”

“Great prosperity lies in the momentum of destiny,” Ksitigarbha said slowly, “Only when great destiny gathers can it be called great prosperity.”

Maitreya said: “But so-called great destiny is nothing more than what Heaven’s Dao bestows, so one could say – whoever Heaven’s Dao wishes to prosper, can achieve great prosperity.”

Ksitigarbha shook his head slightly, “Heaven’s Dao merely seeks stability for Heaven and Earth, and living beings are part of Heaven and Earth.”

“Living beings are living things, Heaven and Earth are dead things, Heaven’s Dao is rules.

Heaven’s Dao constantly tightens the boundaries of the Great Dao that living beings can reach, restricting their power – is this truly just for Heaven and Earth’s stability?”

“What else?”

“This poor Daoist has no answer,” Maitreya smiled and sighed slowly, “How long has it been since you and I discussed the Dao? Shall we have a session today?”

“No need,” Ksitigarbha calmly refused, “You and I are no longer on the same path, nor do we follow the same Dao.”

“The path lies beneath our feet, how are we not on the same path?”

“Eyes divided left and right, the path ahead already differs.”

Maitreya said: “All things in the world exist within one Heaven and Earth, the paths of all beings lead to the same end – ultimate extinction.”

But Ksitigarbha replied: “Extinction is merely for the next rebirth, Heaven and Earth too should have their reincarnation.”

Maitreya said: “After reincarnation, will Heaven and Earth still be this Heaven and Earth? The Dao principles will have changed, the Primordial World will be no more.”

Ksitigarbha fell into silence, sitting there in thought.

Maitreya smiled and leaned against the wall, staring blankly at the tower’s peak.

After who knows how long, Maitreya stood up and smiled: “If Junior Brother has nothing more to say, this poor Daoist will take his leave.”

Ksitigarbha frowned and asked: “Will you continue fighting?”

“No, no need,” Maitreya waved his hand and patted his belly, “Last time when Yang Jian came to smash Spirit Mountain, the Saints on both sides had already shown their stance. Spirit Mountain and Jade Void Palace joining forces is already both sides’ tacit understanding, doing more now would mean more mistakes.

But this poor Daoist and that Great White Star-Lord still have some personal grudges.”

“Elder Brother, don’t forget, you were the one who provoked him first.”

“So what if I was?”

Maitreya’s smile suddenly turned somewhat grim as he said coldly: “After cultivating for so many years, I just want some satisfaction in my heart, I must at least give him some color to look at.”

With these words, Maitreya swung his sleeve and his form vanished.

Ksitigarbha frowned in thought for a while, but still shook his head and sighed, raising his hand to draw the Kalavinka over from the stairway, removing its restraints and healing its injuries.

Another half day later, at the exit of Fire Cloud Cave.

Li Changshou, along with Bian Zhuang and Mei Wenhua, made Daoist salutes bidding farewell to the several Sovereign Lords who had come to see them off;

Emperor Xuanyuan stepped forward voluntarily, smiling: “I’ll escort Changxing a bit further to discuss some specific matters.”

The several Sovereign Lords smiled in agreement, each riding clouds to disperse.

Emperor Xuanyuan said “please” and led Li Changshou out of Fire Cloud Cave;

Bian Zhuang and Mei Wenhua waited behind while Emperor Xuanyuan took Li Changshou for a stroll along the edge of this great marsh.

Fragrant grass grew thickly, with red flowers and green willows.

Li Changshou transmitted: “Does Senior have other matters to instruct about?”

“Some small matters,” Emperor Xuanyuan steadied the sword at his waist and said slowly, “You now control the Canonization Tribulation, with the original intent of canonizing some proper gods for the Heavenly Court.

Today I’m being thick-skinned, wanting to ask you for a god position, not needing a high-ranking powerful post, just being able to form an immortal body and live peacefully would be enough.”

Hearing this, two words immediately floated up in Li Changshou’s heart.

Bai Jian.

Sure enough, when Li Changshou inquired briefly, Emperor Xuanyuan mentioned this name and the past events of his decisive battle with Chi You.

Xuanyuan sighed: “In my life, I’ve never wronged anyone. In my early cultivation years, I took a wrong path and incurred three thousand love debts, but I held to my principles and took responsibility for them to the end.

All the generals who followed me obtained good endings and peaceful rest, only Bai Jian, whose primordial spirit was wounded at the time, could stay suppressed at the bottom of the deep sea.

Taking this opportunity, I must help him.”

Li Changshou said seriously: “For such a figure, I expect His Majesty the Jade Emperor would also be interested. Let me return to the Heavenly Court to report this matter and discuss it properly with His Majesty.

Seniors can rest assured, it’s ninety-eight percent certain.”

Xuanyuan immediately showed his classic eye-crinkling smile, “If you say it’s ninety-eight percent certain, then I won’t worry. Don’t make it too difficult.

How certain are you about dealing with Kun Peng this time?”

“The arrangements haven’t been fully laid out yet, so it’s hard to judge,” Li Changshou said seriously, “Whether Kun Peng takes the bait is still uncertain. Senior should wait for my news – when I crush the jade token, proceed according to plan here.”

“Should we cut off Fire Cloud Cave’s connection with the outside world starting today?”

“Acting too early could startle the snake in the grass,” Li Changshou thought seriously for a moment, “Better to keep everything normal, I still trust the seniors of Fire Cloud Cave.

Just… Senior, do you enjoy drinking?”

“What? Afraid I’ll mess things up while drunk?”

Emperor Xuanyuan immediately straightened up, giving a calm smile:

“How can one pacify the world if one’s home isn’t peaceful? How can one govern the four directions if the inner palace isn’t managed? You know my strength.”

Li Changshou: …

Fine, this was a professional – no, a master-level harem operator.

They chatted for a while longer, and when Li Changshou asked about Suiren’s remaining wishes, Emperor Xuanyuan’s words left him unable to recover for a long time.

It wasn’t until he had led Bian Zhuang and Mei Wenhua to fly near the Middle Heaven Gate that he finally gave a light sigh.

What Emperor Xuanyuan had said was:

‘Changxing, you should be able to guess – the reason Senior Suiren holds on so stubbornly is simply that he can’t stop worrying about humanity.

Though humanity prospers greatly, the position of Heaven Emperor was assigned by the Dao Ancestor to the Jade Emperor, so humanity is destined to be restricted by the Heavenly Court;

A series of events not recorded in the classics occurred at the end of ancient times, and one can determine that Heaven’s Dao indeed acted secretly, causing the separation of human immortals and mortals, and locking destiny to the mortal world of the Southern Continent.

In other words, Heaven’s Dao doesn’t want to see humanity lose control, so it imposes restrictions.

Senior Suiren is the counter-restriction to Heaven’s Dao – he just lies there at the lake bottom, watching the heavenly vault, and if these heavens raise the butcher’s knife against humanity again, he will leap up from the earth.

The matter of overthrowing the Heavenly Court, humanity has done it once, and wouldn’t mind doing it a second time.’

Perhaps, this was a true Human Sovereign, humanity’s true hero.

“Mei Wenhua?”

Li Changshou turned to look at the woman who was lost in thought and asked: “Can you sense the whereabouts of the other three celestial demons… victims who entered the Primordial World with you?”

“Yes!”

Mei Wenhua’s eyes showed some urgency, “My Lord, when will we act? I can’t wait to tell them the truth and save them from their misery.”

Li Changshou casually asked: “Where are they now?”

“I can only sense their general directions,” Mei Wenhua quickly pointed in three directions, “Mei Liangbing is in this direction, closest to us, Mei Xingqing is in this position, second closest, and furthest is Mei Dixian.”

Li Changshou couldn’t help but twitch the corners of his mouth several times.

Kun Peng’s skill at naming was quite flamboyant – just unknown whether he had been influenced by Senior Liang.