Although Li Changshou very much wanted to go to Three Immortal Islands first to relax, he was still fundamentally an official with principles and ultimately chose to return to Heaven first to report recent events to His Majesty the Jade Emperor.

As Heaven’s current spokesperson, his every move would be interpreted as Heaven’s will, so he had to maintain good communication with the person in charge.

Even if it was after the fact.

Thus, Li Changshou first returned to Taibai Palace to hide his true body, then went for a stroll in his paper avatar, meeting Marshal Quan Tong, who was also strolling around waiting for him.

Li Changshou called out “Marshal,” the Jade Emperor’s avatar said “General,” and the two avatars found a secluded spot.

They set up a small table, started a grill, brought out some Jade Pool special wine, played some heavenly tunes, sat on stools with legs stretched out, discussing matters of the Three Realms, evaluating Emperor Yi, Emperor Xin, the Dragon Kings, and the Judge of Hell.

A deeply comfortable atmosphere.

“Changgeng, have you gained anything from these years among mortals?”

Quan Tong chewed on the ordinary meat Li Changshou had brought back from the mortal realm, seemingly enjoying it immensely.

Li Changshou pulled a scroll from his sleeve—his previously compiled ‘Record of Capable Mortal Officials.’

“Your Majesty, there are indeed many promising talents among mortals. What they lack is only perspective. Brought to Heaven for training, they could achieve great things.”

Li Changshou paused, and out of concern for his safety, offered some small praise for the Heavenly Way:

“The Heavenly Way previously showed that at least one-third of the righteous deity positions must be given to humans, mostly to be fulfilled by current mortal civil and military officials. This could be considered the Heavenly Way’s care for humanity. After all, having more deities of human origin in Heaven would ultimately mean more protection for our human race.”

Quan Tong looked at it for a while, slowly nodded, and smiled: “Good work, Changgeng, good work.”

But clearly, Quan Tong’s attention was not on this.

He carefully put away the scroll and after some small talk, seeing Li Changshou wouldn’t bring it up himself, had to actively steer the conversation to the battle at Chen Tang Pass, asking about its causes.

Li Changshou sighed lightly: “This matter… is difficult to explain briefly.”

“Then take your time,” Quan Tong smiled. “Today we’ll just eat and drink here. You don’t have another appointment, do you? Hmm? Beloved Official Changgeng?”

Li Changshou: …

“Of course not. Reporting these years’ gains to Your Majesty is of utmost importance, but since Your Majesty is concerned about Spirit Zhenzhu Boy, this minor deity will start from the beginning.”

Then, Li Changshou began narrating Spirit Zhenzhu Boy’s first arrival in Heaven, trying to be as detailed as possible.

Quan Tong listened with great interest, occasionally asking questions about Heaven-related matters.

It seemed the Jade Emperor had already divined Spirit Zhenzhu Boy’s reincarnation’s destiny through the Heavenly Way, knowing this would be another future general of Heaven, and was quite attentive.

When Li Changshou mentioned his previous premonition that the Western Sect’s Sage would surely take revenge for this matter…

“They’re still not satisfied?”

Quan Tong’s mouth twisted as he immediately cursed:

“With all the dirty deeds the Western Sect has done in secret, the Dao Sect destroying them wouldn’t be excessive, yet they have the face to talk about revenge!”

Li Changshou smiled: “Does Your Majesty have some unknown dark history about the Western Sect?”

“The Western Sect’s Sage positions were problematic to begin with.”

Quan Tong shook his head, clearly unwilling to say more about it, only saying: “Changgeng, next time if something like this happens, directly use Heaven’s name and borrow the Heavenly Way’s suppression.”

Li Changshou sighed:

“Yang Jian previously revealed his identity as Heaven’s battle general, but that Sage showed no intention of backing down. Your Majesty, although Heaven is now considered ascendant, with significant progress in both strength and influence, we still lack the means to deter such Sages. In the Western Sect Sage’s eyes, abandoning face means abandoning restraints, allowing unbridled action.”

“Unbridled?”

Quan Tong shook his head, saying calmly: “Changgeng, you’re wrong to think this way. Except for Elder Brother Taiqing, the other five Sages must interpret the Master’s intentions.”

Li Changshou nodded, not daring to offer any grand opinions on this.

Regarding the Dao Ancestor, one could never be too careful.

“Changgeng, continue about Spirit Zhenzhu Boy’s matter. What happened next?”

“Ah,” Li Changshou sighed, first setting the emotional tone, then slowly relating how Lady Yin was struck by killing energy and Spirit Zhenzhu Boy voluntarily took on the burden.

Even the Jade Emperor’s avatar was nearly moved to tears.

“This child has a kind and generous heart, ah… Has that killing energy been resolved?”

“It’s not completely resolved yet, but with Master’s talisman, stabilizing himself shouldn’t be a problem,” Li Changshou said. “Your Majesty need not worry, I will keep watch over this matter for the next few years and have prepared a series of arrangements for him. We won’t let anything happen to him again. However, Your Majesty, there’s one matter I need to report in advance.”

“What matter?”

“Regarding the Dragon Clan.”

“Oh?”

The Jade Emperor’s avatar immediately showed renewed interest.

…

After chatting with the Jade Emperor for two days and three nights, then rested for several days at Little Qiong Peak, letting his paper avatar be active in various places.

Half a month later, Li Changshou returned to the Taiji Diagram and Heaven-Earth Ruler before his Master’s portrait, and then his true body slipped out of Heaven again, heading for Three Immortal Islands to fulfill his previous promise.

According to his Master’s feedback, the Western Sect’s two Sages wouldn’t be able to get out of bed—ahem, wouldn’t be able to move freely for these few years.

But Li Changshou still didn’t dare be careless, staying hidden whenever possible throughout the journey, sneaking into Three Immortal Islands’ formation like a thief.

By the way, on this trip, Li Changshou specifically chose to detour through the Middle Heaven Gate to check on Bai Jian’s situation.

The Canonization Platform had been built seven or eight-tenths complete by Bai Jian’s great hands.

It was a square high platform, appearing somewhat ordinary, as if built from giant stones and wood, but actually, each level had profound considerations, able to connect with the registers of Heaven, Earth, and the Human Realm.

After so many years of hard labor, Bai Jian had received reasonable punishment for his previous arrogant behavior.

Li Changshou knew when to stop, and spoke with Bai Jian, saying that later during the rush period, they must send a team of Heaven’s soldiers to help with the finishing work.

Bai Jian felt quite guilty about this, repeatedly apologizing to Li Changshou, saying he had been lazy and negligent.

Li Changshou comforted Bai Jian with a few words, and on behalf of Heaven awarded him a ‘Canonization Medal,’ moving Bai Jian to near tears.

As he was an old general of humanity, Li Changshou couldn’t bear to deceive him too much, and thus magnanimously put past matters to rest.

He wasn’t an evil deity after all.

Arriving at Three Immortal Islands, he met with his beloved fairy.

Li Changshou pretended to be exhausted and immediately leaned against Yun Xiao’s side. Though Yun Xiao was somewhat reserved, she still actively let him rest in her embrace, gently massaging his shoulders.

A trace of cool energy flowed, making Li Changshou quite comfortable.

Before Yun Xiao, Li Changshou didn’t want to mention any great matters of heaven and earth, and Yun Xiao didn’t ask much about these things.

The two spoke of romance, discussed their future, enjoying a relaxed and pleasant time together.

But Yun Xiao still advised Li Changshou a few times, telling him not to directly confront Sages—without becoming a Sage himself, he could never win such confrontations.

Li Changshou humbly accepted all the fairy’s criticism.

Playing the zither under the moonlight, painting, and drinking wine, the two stayed in that pavilion guarded by the jade statue, never feeling the slightest tedium.

But Li Changshou couldn’t delay too long—he had a whole set of plans that needed to be implemented step by step.

Li Changshou’s gaze now turned to the northwestern region of the central South Jambudvipa Continent.

Zhou.

The Zhou state’s strength had actually already surpassed many of the eight hundred feudal lords, but much of the time, they deliberately concealed their power.

Having learned from bitter experiences, they didn’t dare show off at all.

In the era of Ji Chang’s father Ji Li, Zhou already showed signs of rising power. On one hand, they increased tributes to the Shang state, gaining the trust of the then-Shang King Wen Ding, and becoming the “big brother” among Western feudal lords.

Ji Li constantly expanded Zhou’s territory, occasionally absorbing small states with whom he had private grudges, but mostly conquering the “barbarians” to the northwest.

Wen Ding, Emperor Xin’s grandfather, thought this was great, expressing that Ji Li had a good spirit, rewarding him generously, then luring Ji Li to the great Yin City, imprisoning him, and ultimately starving him to death.

Since then, Zhou has lived in constant fear. Ji Chang didn’t even dare to succeed to the throne, returning most of the Shang King’s rewards, tightly concealing their strength, shrinking into a ball, not daring to move.

—This was also the main reason why both the Enlightenment and Severing Sects overlooked Zhou while searching for a new king in various places.

In the art of survi—ahem.

In the way of stability, Li Changshou quite admired Zhou’s decision-makers, but only to this extent.

Whether the South Continent’s royal power belonged to Shang or Zhou made no difference to Li Changshou, nor did he have any special emotional investment in it. Li Changshou only cared about the safety of those close to him.

Planning these things, arranging these things, was all just to make it convenient to save people during the Great Tribulation.

[Initial Heart]

While at Three Immortal Islands, Li Changshou was also paying attention to the changing situation in the South Continent. The most recent major event was Emperor Xin summoning various feudal lords to Chaoge City.

This seemed to be Emperor Xin beginning to accelerate reforms, weakening the feudal lords’ actual power and strengthening Shang’s control over them.

For the past nine years, this was exactly what Emperor Xin had been doing.

Two years ago, he first rehabilitated the taboo name of “Yi Yin” from previous Shang rulers, and strongly promoted Fu Yue, a slave used heavily during the Wu Ding period, laying the groundwork for his subsequent actions.

When the time was ripe, Emperor Xin began employing talented individuals from among the slaves, especially in the military, promoting many minor commanders.

Although this caused dissatisfaction among military families, because Emperor Xin maintained proper control, it didn’t cause incidents.

Royal power, ministers, social classes, feudal lords…

Over these years, Emperor Xin had walked a tightrope among various forces, carving out a small path and establishing absolute control over Shang. Besides the old ministers who assisted him as regents, he also had a group of capable officials.

Only then did he have the grand ambition to move against the feudal lords.

Li Changshou calculated briefly and knew this gathering of feudal lords in Chaoge City would likely be the turning point where Shang and the feudal states gradually fell out.

He estimated Emperor Xin wanted to reclaim the “right of punitive expeditions and warfare” for himself.

The various feudal lords and Shang’s old power structure that had been suppressed by Emperor Xin would likely resonate with each other, forming considerable resistance and beginning to attack Emperor Xin from other angles.

For example, Emperor Xin’s recent implementation of replacing human sacrifices with cattle and sheep in rituals, then rewarding the military with the sacrificial animals afterward.

In many elders’ eyes, this violated taboos and was a sign of national doom.

How could one not use living people in sacrifices to Heaven and Earth? It wasn’t as if Shang lacked slaves.

The Jade Emperor and Goddess of Earth: …

They felt somewhat offended by these people.

The reason Li Changshou was observing Chief of the West Ji Chang was actually because of another Canonization general—Lei Zhenzi.

If he remembered correctly, Ji Chang should have heard a baby crying in the wasteland while heading to Chaoge City, brought back Lei Zhenzi, and adopted him as his hundredth righteous son.

Subsequently, Lei Zhenzi was taken as a disciple by passing Yun Zhongzi.

What needed to be arranged still needed to be arranged—at the very least, he should go through the motions, follow procedure, and maintain a sense of ceremony.

But Li Changshou found this quite troublesome.

He didn’t know Lei Zhenzi’s exact background or parentage, and his paper avatar couldn’t shadow Yun Zhongzi—being discovered by Yun Zhongzi would be inexplicable.

Therefore, he could only secretly watch Ji Chang’s convoy, looking for a chance to intervene.

But Li Changshou never expected…

[Yun Zhongzi directly brought Lei Zhenzi over, placing him on Ji Chang’s path, using thunder and lightning to attract their attention.

After Ji Chang picked up the baby, named him, and adopted him, Yun Zhongzi quickly appeared, actively revealed his identity, and took Lei Zhenzi back to the mountains to raise and teach, saying Lei Zhenzi would come down the mountain to assist Ji Chang in the future.]

The Immortal’s intervention turned out to be pointless.

Yun Zhongzi’s move to “establish karmic ties” and “increase fortune” was indeed played beautifully.

Yun Zhongzi seemed to be guarding against someone trying to steal his disciple, protecting Lei Zhenzi in secret throughout, giving Li Changshou no opportunity at all.

Something wasn’t right.

Deep underground, Li Changshou’s paper avatar stared at Yun Zhongzi’s departing figure, quickly falling into thought.

Why had the Enlightenment Sect actively approached Ji Chang?

Had they discovered the so-called Mandate of Heaven with Zhou, or had they seen Zhou’s hidden strength and decided to bet on them?

Li Changshou carefully considered for a while and analyzed that this had no impact on himself, then left using earth travel.

Not being able to arrange things with Lei Zhenzi left a tiny hidden danger in his thousand-year plan. He couldn’t possibly try to steal those two immortal apricots.

But it didn’t matter—he still had many backup plans and future opportunities to contact Lei Zhenzi. Making arrangements later shouldn’t be a big problem.

This Yun Zhongzi was quite crafty indeed.

Li Changshou gave a light laugh. His true body bid farewell to Yun Xiao and returned to Heaven for stable seclusion, focusing most of his attention on the soon-to-be-born little Nezha.

Thus, three months later…

…

“Li Changgeng!”

At the edge of the Chaos Sea, Maitreya clenched his fists, his eyes carrying traces of anger as he stared at the lightning screen before him.

He had been rejected by Heaven and Earth again.

And all of this stemmed from the crimes Heaven had listed against him!

What second primordial spirit of Kun Peng—how could the Heavenly Way believe such words?!

Maitreya took a gentle breath, the chaotic energy around him surged toward him but was blocked by his immortal power.

Except for primordial beings like Kong Xuan who could break down chaos energy and absorb it, or like Kun Peng who possessed certain taboo inheritances and could build spirit energy formations;

Living beings in the Chaos Sea constantly consumed their spirit power without being able to replenish it.

Maitreya was now in exactly such an awkward situation.

Especially after accidentally discovering a secret location in the Chaos Sea earlier and fighting with several ancient demon generals. Although he gained some benefits, the cost was truly considerable.

Maitreya previously liked to roam the Chaos Sea, bullying those ancient beings who had escaped and gradually weakened, because he could return to the primordial world at any time to replenish spirit energy.

But now, he had lost this huge advantage.

Everything stemmed from that Human Sect disciple!

That Human Sect disciple who abused his divine authority!

Some distracting thoughts arose in Maitreya’s dao heart, but he casually smoothed them away, gave a cold snort, and turned to return to his hiding place in the Chaos Sea.

“Maitreya.”

A somewhat elderly call suddenly arose in his heart. Maitreya was stunned, looking around somewhat alertly, preparing to flee at any moment.

“Maitreya.”

That call came again, this time seeming to be right beside his ear.

Maitreya whirled around to see an old Daoist in gray robes standing quietly behind him. This old Daoist’s features were blurry, his dao rhythm had a kind of “viscous” feeling, yet it made Maitreya’s dao heart inexplicably tremble.

Almost instantly, Maitreya’s whole body tensed, his heartstrings nearly snapping.

He had experienced this feeling before, had sensed it before—his dao had left a clear memory.

Nothing could escape its calculations, no spirit could escape its constraints.

Its name!

Heaven…

“Do you wish to return to this realm?”