“Now this has become truly troublesome.”
On White Marsh’s back, the [“Great White Star”] paper avatar sat quietly, with the true body hiding within the paper avatar’s collar.
Li Chang Shou showed no hint of joy at this moment, instead wearing a worried expression. He gestured for White Marsh not to fly too quickly, muttering these words in a low voice.
White Marsh was also frowning slightly. Having observed everything just now, he roughly understood why Li Chang Shou would say it was troublesome.
How could today’s events be summarized by just the word “troublesome”?
It was an enormously troublesome situation.
Speaking broadly, this was Heaven’s Court rising to challenge the authority of the Three Teachings of the Dao Gate. Li Chang Shou was caught in between, having to balance both his position as a Dao Gate disciple and Heaven’s Court’s authority.
Fortunately, Li Chang Shou had already thought of a solution, kowtowing before taking action, pressing down with several weighty implications, marking Ju Liu Sun’s actions as purely personal gain, striving to preserve the Orthodox Teaching’s reputation.
But White Marsh felt…
Just one Ju Liu Sun was far from enough to quench the anger of both Heaven’s Court and the Severing Teaching.
Although he was one of the Orthodox Teaching’s Twelve Golden Immortals and a great power in the Primordial World, this incident diminished the Orthodox Teaching’s prestige while increasing Heaven’s Court’s destiny.
But it still fell somewhat short.
And was Ju Liu Sun really to be killed?
This wasn’t realistic either. As a personal disciple of the Second Sacred One of the Dao Gate, truly killing him would inevitably invite Sacred One’s retribution.
Who could be certain there wasn’t a deep master-disciple sentiment between Ju Liu Sun and the Second Sacred One? Moreover, even if the Sacred One took no action, it would trigger a series of crises within the Orthodox Teaching.
Even Sacred Ones, standing at the crest of the wave, with many concerns, couldn’t easily turn back.
White Marsh predicted that at most they could imprison Ju Liu Sun, or list his crimes and banish him from the Five Continents;
Or perhaps hand Ju Liu Sun over to the Primordial Heavenly Lord for punishment. The Primordial Heavenly Lord might indeed punish him severely for the sake of the Orthodox Teaching’s reputation.
The anger of Heaven’s Court’s immortals and gods would be hard to pacify.
This was originally a great opportunity for Heaven’s Court to become the Three Realms’ center of power, all depending on how they handled Ju Liu Sun.
‘The Water God’s mentioned trouble must be about this.’
White Marsh secretly sighed, already beginning to think along these lines for countermeasures, planning to offer some constructive suggestions later.
This was his responsibility as the intellectual support and mount of the Human Teaching.
Behind White Marsh, Yang Jian carried the unconscious Ju Liu Sun, slowly flying forward.
Though Yang Jian appeared expressionless, his eyes carried traces of contemplation.
How had he been exposed?
He had recently made quite good progress in studying transformation arts.
Yang Jian naturally understood the various difficulties of today’s events, hiding in the shadows watching for half a day, worried that the Orthodox Teaching and Heaven’s Court would come to blows.
He didn’t particularly approve of the Orthodox Teaching, having spent most of his cultivation time on Jade Spring Mountain, but since Master had given him Orthodox Teaching roots, Yang Jian naturally had a stance of protecting the Orthodox Teaching.
However…
Watching Li Chang Shou face hundreds of Orthodox Teaching immortals alone, thinking of everything involved, Yang Jian’s heart gave birth to a sense of indignation.
This Heaven’s Court authority who had once slapped him onto a cloud so hard he couldn’t be pried off—Yang Jian didn’t know why, but only reverence remained in his heart.
Although he had once been arranged clearly and thoroughly by this Uncle Master who liked to play old, completely unable to cause any waves, nearly causing his dao heart to go astray.
But being able to directly face the Western Sacred One;
Being able to firmly confront Broad Accomplishment Master today;
Being able to work tirelessly to establish Heaven’s Court’s authority, to realize a reasonable order to protect the weak, even directly expressing today such noble aspirations as Heaven’s Court’s prosperity and his retirement to seclusion…
Yang Jian couldn’t help but reflect in his heart whether he had been too willful before in trying to save his mother.
Probably.
‘When there’s a chance, I should apologize to Uncle Master Long Geng.’
Uncle Master Long Geng directly ordered with divine authority for him to take Ju Liu Sun back to Heaven’s Court, which didn’t conflict with his words from years ago about “following orders but not proclamations”—this was Heaven’s Court’s order.
As Yang Jian was thinking this, they had already reached the Middle Heaven Gate.
White Marsh suddenly stopped, and Yang Jian immediately stopped as well.
On White Marsh’s back, Li Chang Shou raised his hand to retrieve the Heart-Piercing Lock, replacing it with an immortal rope to bind Ju Liu Sun again.
“Yang Jian?”
“This marshal is here!”
Li Chang Shou said: “Take Ju Liu Sun to the Grand Jade Palace and seek an audience with His Majesty the Jade Emperor. State that Ju Liu Sun is the prime culprit who schemed this matter, but needs to be carefully interrogated to clarify the cause, previous events, and various details, to properly announce to the Three Realms.”
“Yes!” Yang Jian answered firmly, then frowned and asked, “Where is Star-Lord going?”
“To find a quiet place,” Li Chang Shou sighed, “to think about how to handle subsequent matters. I’ll come over later.”
At this point, Li Chang Shou waved his hand, pushing the several floating bronze mirrors around him to Yang Jian’s vicinity, riding White Marsh leisurely through the Middle Heaven Gate.
One by one, the Heavenly Marshals and soldiers knelt on one knee, lowering their heads to silently express their respect.
As Yang Jian carried Ju Liu Sun forward, these celestial soldiers and marshals immediately stood up, glaring fiercely at Ju Liu Sun, as if wanting to flay him alive.
Let’s set aside Yang Jian taking Ju Liu Sun, rushing to the Grand Jade Palace amid the surrounding celestial soldiers and marshals.
Let’s speak of Li Chang Shou and White Marsh quickly returning to the Great White Palace.
Entering the Great White Hall, Li Chang Shou dismounted from the goat, instructing White Marsh to transform into human form and wait in the corner.
Shortly after, the Jade Emperor’s avatar Quan Tong hurriedly arrived. Li Chang Shou immediately activated layers of great formations, and seeing Quan Tong’s eyebrows raised in joy, eyes full of delight, threw down a basin of Chang’e’s overnight winter foot-washing water.
“Your Majesty, this time things have become serious.”
Quan Tong froze for a moment, while White Marsh at the side revealed a knowing smile.
As mount and chief strategist, he naturally knew Water God’s difficulties.
White Marsh made a Daoist salute at the side, Quan Tong nodded in response, hurriedly asking: “Long Geng, isn’t this matter… something we made big?”
“It’s already out of control.”
Li Chang Shou sighed, his eyes carrying some worry, his voice faster than usual:
“Senior Brother Broad’s Accomplishment was too hasty, completely unable to stay steady!
Now not only has he put us in a passive position, but he will also be in a passive position going forward.”
White Marsh:?
Quan Tong: ???
Quan Tong said: “When Broad Accomplishment Master stood out then, although he put pressure on Heaven’s Court, from his position as Orthodox Teaching’s Great Senior Brother, this was something he had to do.
If he hadn’t tried to stop at all, just letting you take the person back, his authority as Great Senior Brother would have been completely lost.”
“Your Majesty might not know the specifics,” Li Chang Shou said seriously, about to speak, then raised his hand to gesture.
Quan Tong understood, immediately invoking Heaven’s Dao power to envelop this place, isolating all possibility of observation except for Heaven’s Dao itself.
Li Chang Shou even paced back and forth to express his current extreme frustration.
He walked for a while, organizing his thoughts, dispersing his Clear Void dao heart, before explaining the serious nature of the problem:
“The Orthodox Teaching’s internal unity is only superficial—they’re divided into factions!
Senior Brother Broad Accomplishment is the head of the Orthodox Teaching’s Twelve Golden Immortals, the disciple who strikes the golden bell in the Jade Void Palace, but he isn’t Second Uncle Master’s eldest disciple. Second Uncle Master’s eldest disciple is the South Pole Immortal Elder, who rarely appears and completely stays out of the great affairs of heaven and earth.
According to information True Lord Grand Unity revealed to me, the Orthodox Teaching is internally divided into at least three factions: one neutral, one following Broad Accomplishment Master’s commands, and one following the Orthodox Teaching’s Vice Sect Master Burning Lamp’s commands.
Broad Accomplishment Master is the nominal Great Senior Brother, his position equal to Many Treasures Daoist, slightly inferior to my family’s Senior Brother Mysterious Capital within the Dao Gate.
And Burning Lamp is an elder of the older generation, on good terms with Second Uncle Master;
He has extensive connections and isn’t even properly aligned, leaning toward Western Teaching, yet the Twelve Golden Immortals still have to call him Teacher.
These two factions have been constantly competing. Burning Lamp intends to set the Orthodox Teaching against the Severing Teaching, while Broad Accomplishment Master neither supports nor takes a stance on this matter. How many layers of meaning are inside, we can hardly see clearly.
This time Ju Liu Sun acting this way, there must be Burning Lamp’s shadow behind it—this kind of scheming approach is Burning Lamp and Maitreya’s usual method.
I initially suspected it was Burning Lamp!”
Quan Tong asked puzzled: “Then, Ju Liu Sun has already been captured. If we later question him and get him to reveal it was Burning Lamp’s instructions, what’s wrong with that?”
However, White Marsh drew in a sharp breath:
“Your Majesty, although Burning Lamp’s character isn’t great, he is indeed the Orthodox Teaching’s Vice Sect Master personally appointed by the Sacred One.
Capturing Ju Liu Sun can be seen as Ju Liu Sun being controlled by calamitous fate, doing something foolish;
But if we arrest Burning Lamp, this matter will completely blow up.
Water God, is this how it got out of control?”
“No.”
No!
White Marsh blinked, suddenly feeling somewhat… embarrassed.
“Arresting Burning Lamp was already within my calculations. Even if Ju Liu Sun doesn’t speak up, I have ways to bring him in,” Li Chang Shou shook his head. “The problem lies with Broad Accomplishment Master.
This Senior Brother was truly too hasty!
When he told me to wait then, giving me a look, I immediately understood he wanted to play the role of Great Senior Brother.
But he overacted!
Completely ignoring that the room for easing this matter was already very shallow, shallow enough to only fit one small fish or shrimp! He completely ignored the emotions of Heaven’s Court and the Severing Teaching’s immortals and gods!
When I captured Ju Liu Sun, Ju Liu Sun wasn’t his man—he could have let it pass with one or two superficial remarks. Later when I went to arrest Burning Lamp, he could then show such anger, using the break between us to transform the conflict between the Orthodox Teaching and Heaven’s Court.
Then we could find an opportunity to meet and smile to resolve our grudges, making both a beautiful story and minimizing damage to the Orthodox Teaching’s reputation.
But just now, he already brought out the Dao Gate’s non-aggression pact, and even had to use this Dao Gate non-aggression pact!
When I go to arrest Burning Lamp, what more can he say?
Separate himself from Burning Lamp? Then his position as Orthodox Teaching’s Great Senior Brother would be finished!
Taking such a large first step, completely blocking off his room for reconciliation, how can he move forward?
His threat just now must be taken seriously.
Such a grand Great Senior Brother, a figure ranking in the top three below the Three Teachings’ Sacred Lords, how could he be so unstable!”
White Marsh and Quan Tong exchanged glances, looking at each other in bewilderment.
A certain amount silently slapped his primordial spirit in his heart.
Quan Tong asked in a deep voice: “Why didn’t you transmit voice to tell him at the time?”
Li Chang Shou sighed: “This matter must be handled with complete openness, there can’t be any hint of favoritism, otherwise it would be self-defeating and inevitably backfire.
Moreover, the Senior Brothers and Sisters of the Severing Teaching were present.
Although Senior Brother Many Treasures didn’t come, who could be sure whether he had presented one of those magical treasures that could detect others’ voice transmission and spiritual communication?”
Speaking thus, Li Chang Shou gave a bitter laugh:
“This is my fault. After wounding Ju Liu Sun, I should have directly questioned him about whether others were directing him from behind and brought them back to Heaven’s Court together.
Now, if we don’t arrest Burning Lamp, all previous efforts will have been in vain. The matter can only be resolved half-heartedly, and it would be fortunate if Heaven’s Court could maintain its current dignity, let alone increase it.
But if we go to arrest Burning Lamp, Senior Brother Broad Accomplishment has forced himself to the edge of a cliff—he must take a stance to maintain the Orthodox Teaching’s dignity.
The Orthodox-Severing split would happen today.
Between Heaven’s Court and the Three Teachings, there would inevitably be a bias, with the Orthodox Teaching openly beginning to ally with the Western Teaching.
The Heaven’s Dao’s great situation has formed—the Three Teachings divided into left and right camps, both sides’ strength approaching balance, the killing inevitably becoming extremely brutal…”
White Marsh asked in a low voice: “Could this be the Western Teaching’s scheme?”
“Very unlikely,” Li Chang Shou shook his head. “Broad Accomplishment Master is no ordinary great power—he’s deeply hidden and quite sophisticated. It’s that he was too eager to display his Great Senior Brother’s bearing.
At its root, it’s still because of the Orthodox Teaching’s internal factional struggles.
I estimate that right now, this Senior Brother hasn’t yet realized it, still contentedly feeling that this matter can be concluded.”
Quan Tong asked: “What if we don’t let Ju Liu Sun reveal Burning Lamp, and instead direct the blame toward the West?”
“A Sacred One’s disciple secretly communicating with the Western Teaching? That would truly make the Orthodox Teaching a laughingstock.
Ju Liu Sun wouldn’t have enough lives for Second Uncle Master to behead. Ju Liu Sun will most likely bring up Burning Lamp to make us back off in the face of difficulty.”
Thus, in the Great White Hall, the number of people pacing back and forth increased from one to three.
The three pondered from all angles, discussing countermeasures and subsequent effects.
Only now did Li Chang Shou deeply experience how incredibly difficult it was to control the greater situation, and all had to be done under ‘open strategies,’ without making any small moves of secret voice transmission.
The more he thought about it…
Heaven’s Dao was terrifying.
The Dao Ancestor was terrifying.
And that Second Uncle Master sitting in the Three Pure Ones’ cottage, watching all of this from beginning to end, was also terrifying.
Among the three, Quan Tong was the first to give up thinking, sitting quietly at the side waiting.
White Marsh now finally showed some of his bearings as an ancient demon general and the Demon Court’s chief strategist. His several suggestions gave Li Chang Shou a sense of broadened perspective.
Suddenly…
“Long Geng, let me interrupt you for a moment,” Quan Tong pondered for several moments. “What you said earlier before the Jade Void Palace, in front of the bronze mirrors, about retiring after the Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods—was that true?”
Li Chang Shou’s eyes showed traces of a smile as he nodded: “Of course it was true.”
“This! I cannot allow this matter!”
“Your Majesty!”
Li Chang Shou made a Daoist salute, bringing out the explanation he had prepared for over two hundred years, saying seriously:
“After the Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods, Heaven’s Court’s True Gods will increase dramatically.
This small god is the one presiding over the Great Tribulation, the one representing Heaven’s Dao to invest them, and afterward, these True Gods will inevitably have very close relationships with this small god.
If this small god stays in Heaven’s Court, how can Your Majesty establish authority?
But Your Majesty need not worry, this small god will gradually fade from Heaven’s Court then, and won’t go too far from Heaven’s Court either. When Your Majesty wishes to summon me, you can summon me at any time.”
Pausing briefly, Li Chang Shou smiled and said: “Your Majesty must understand one principle: starting an enterprise and maintaining an enterprise are two completely different concepts. This small god’s expertise is not in maintenance.”
Quan Tong showed hesitation, closing his eyes and sighing deeply without speaking.
At the side, White Marsh’s eyes flickered with bright light, looking at Li Chang Shou with an expression exactly like looking at the world’s most precious, most delicious dish.
Going up the mountain wasn’t easy;
Coming down, was even harder.
…
Half a day after Ju Liu Sun was brought into Heaven’s Court by Yang Jian;
In the waterfall pavilion behind Jade Void Peak, Broad Accomplishment Master, Pure Essence Master, True Lord Grand Unity, True Lord Jade Tripod, and True Lord Yellow Dragon each sat formally, while the rest of the Orthodox Teaching immortals had already returned to their cave dwellings.
True Lord Yellow Dragon said: “This farce has finally passed.”
“This humble one once acted to cover up Junior Brother Ju Liu Sun’s aftermath,” Pure Essence Master said in a low voice. “At the time, I don’t know what I was thinking, just felt that if this matter was discovered, it would damage our Orthodox Teaching’s reputation.
But I never expected Heaven’s Court to take this matter so seriously, that even Junior Brother Long Geng had to go request instruction from Great Senior Uncle.
Great Senior Brother, should this humble one go to Heaven’s Court later to explain the matter of killing those scattered cultivators?”
“No need,” Broad Accomplishment Master waved his hand. “Long Geng is smarter than you and me, if he discovers anything unusual he will make his judgment.
Earlier this humble one just gave Long Geng a look, and he immediately understood, that no matter how much pressure this humble one applied, he firmly refused to yield.
Thus, we can also be considered to have preserved our Orthodox Teaching’s reputation.
That Junior Brother Ju Liu Sun would do such a thing, this humble one cannot escape blame, and will also go to request punishment from Master later.”
“Request punishment?” True Lord Grand Unity’s mouth twisted. “More like requesting merit, you are.”
Broad Accomplishment Master frowned: “Why does Junior Brother Grand Unity say this?”
“Nothing, I’m just saying,” True Lord Grand Unity picked up tea from the side and took a sip. “To be honest, Senior Brother, your emotions went too far this time.
You shouldn’t have brought up the Three Teachings’ non-aggression pact.”
“Not right…”
True Lord Jade Tripod suddenly spoke, opening his eyes to look at Broad Accomplishment Master, asking in a deep voice: “Great Senior Brother, do you have other schemes?”
Broad Accomplishment Master frowned: “What schemes could your elder brother have? It was all for our Orthodox Teaching’s reputation.”
Jade Tripod sighed: “Then if Great Senior Brother has no other schemes, the pressure Great Senior Brother previously put on Long Geng is likely to cause problems.”
Every team inevitably has one or two simple ones.
For instance, right now True Lord Grand Unity, Broad Accomplishment Master, and Pure Essence Master were all lost in thought.
Yellow Dragon promoted the dragon race’s traditional quality of asking when not understanding, puzzledly asking: “Could it be that Junior Brother Long Geng will become emotional? Thus favoring the Severing Teaching?”
True Lord Grand Unity: “Senior Brother, the current atmosphere isn’t suitable for jokes.”
“How could this humble one joke about such a major matter? Junior Brother Jade Tripod, what’s wrong?”
Jade Tripod slowly exhaled, asking concisely and half-rhetorically:
“If Ju Liu Sun reveals someone directing from behind, and Heaven’s Court cannot pacify the masses’ anger, they will inevitably send troops to demand the person—what shall we do?”
Pure Essence Master’s face showed shock, Broad Accomplishment Master’s expression instantly became extremely gloomy, and True Lord Grand Unity also showed sudden realization.
True Lord Yellow Dragon now finally realized the seriousness of the problem, saying in a low voice: “Long Geng can’t handle this matter?”
“Mass anger is hard to pacify,” Broad Accomplishment Master spat out these four words.
True Lord Grand Unity gave a cold laugh: “Is Long Geng our Orthodox Teaching’s disciple? Must he consider everything for us?”
Yellow Dragon couldn’t help becoming somewhat anxious.
The one who could direct Ju Liu Sun, and whom Ju Liu Sun would reveal, must be Lamp Lamp, Lamp Lamp Lamp Lamp…
Pure Essence Master said in a deep voice: “Junior Brother Ju Liu Sun should know this matter is no small thing, how could he continue to make it bigger?”
“His bones are very hard?” True Lord Grand Unity sighed. “If they were very hard he wouldn’t flutter in the wind, swaying left and right.”
As if to verify Grand Unity’s words, just as his voice fell!
*Boom! Rumble!*
Thunder suddenly struck above the Jade Void Palace, and the five Orthodox Teaching experts discussing here abruptly stood up.
Heaven’s Dao power rapidly became dense, dozens of golden dragons roared, and a black cloud carrying vast heavenly authority rushed over, bearing the Heaven Emperor’s imperial carriage, several Heaven’s Court ministers, and hundreds of thousands of celestial soldiers!
The Jade Emperor personally arrived!