In the shadows of Chen Tang Pass’s western wall, two figures crouched in a corner carrying a large gourd, watching the ‘placement’ ceremony taking place above.

General Li Jing of Chen Tang Pass was placing the Li family’s treasured heirlooms—the Xuan Yuan Bow of Heaven and Earth and the Sky-Shaking Arrows—atop the city walls to suppress evil spirits and adjust the overall feng shui of Chen Tang Pass.

Li Changshou’s avatar, the Li Manor’s senior servant Wang Chang’an, let out a relieved sigh and said, “Thanks to Master Bai’s help, we were able to restore such treasures. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known how to resolve this situation.”

Bai Ze gave an awkward laugh. Though he wanted to ask why Li had left his duties at the Celestial Court to come all this way just for this, he glanced at the tiny components hidden in his sleeve—no more than 0.1 percent, and certainly not enough to affect the treasure’s function—and displayed a humble, refined smile.

Bai Ze praised, “Water God’s ingenuity is unmatched, setting up what’s called a child-lock restriction on this treasure. Without an adult’s hand covering a sufficient area, the restrictions cannot be activated, directly preventing children from accidentally triggering such treasures. Brilliant, truly brilliant!”

“Ah, but Master Bai’s craftsmanship is divine.”

“No, no, Water God’s talent is exceptional.”

“Master Bai’s creativity is unique.”

“Water God is the friend of immortals…”

“Ahem,” Li Changshou coughed, reminding Bai Ze that some things could be said while others needed careful consideration. Bai Ze quickly stopped and exchanged glances with Li Changshou, and they both laughed heartily within the barrier.

A sneer of derision came from the large gourd nearby, which Li Changshou casually stuffed back into his storage pouch.

Bai Ze looked around and asked quietly, “Water God, on my way here, I heard some unfavorable rumors about you.”

“Oh?”

Li Changshou smiled calmly, inwardly sighing.

As a court official of the Celestial Court and the tenth-ranked deity in the Heavenly Order, possessing divine authority over transformation and execution, directly gathering human ancestors to rebel against the Heavenly Way did seem somewhat inappropriate in terms of position.

Being criticized was unavoidable, and he didn’t mind…

“Water God,” Bai Ze whispered, “That day, Chang’e Immortal burst into the Palace of Grand White, entered the small Qiong Peak in the back garden with reddened eyes, and later left the Palace of Grand White in a comfortable, happy mood?”

Li Changshou: …

“Yes, that happened.”

“Tsk, how careless, Water God,” Bai Ze whispered. “The charm of the Three Realms’ greatest beauty is indeed hard for any man to resist, but we must consider our methods and public opinion. Now the whole Three Realms knows, and even if, taking a huge step back, nothing happened between you two, we must consider the face of Immortal Yun Xiao and the Severing Sect disciples.”

“I…”

Li Changshou lowered his head with a bitter smile. “Truly, matters of life and death go unnoticed, while gossip spreads throughout the Three Realms.”

Bai Ze asked puzzledly, “What happened? What occurred?”

“Nothing,” Li Changshou sighed softly, patting his robes as he stood up. “Let’s return, Master Bai. The murderous energy in the Five Continents is too dense now; staying here too long will affect your auspicious nature.”

[Continued in next section due to length…]

The dark clouds pressed down over the city, thunder rolled continuously, and chaotic gusts of wind blew through various parts of the Li Manor. In the pavilion of the back courtyard, maidservants and elderly women rushed about constantly.

Even with her cultivation, Lady Yin kept calling out in a low voice, though her voice was drowned out by several loud-voiced midwives:

“Quickly! Quickly! Hot water!”

“What are you standing there for? Third Young Master is coming!”

“I see the head! Oh my, why- why is this head so big? I can’t see the end of it!”

“It’s a lucky star, a lucky star! These are heavenly omens!”

On the back wall of the Li Manor, Li Changshou stood silently, his fingertips brewing a faint red light.

Modifying perception.

He was modifying the midwives’ perception so they wouldn’t notice the strangeness of this birth.

Due to constantly purifying the spiritual embryo’s murderous energy and its continuous growth, protecting Lady Yin resulted in forming a thick ‘spiritual membrane’ around the spiritual embryo.

Such a spiritual embryo being born would be too shocking for the mortals here, which was why Li Changshou was employing these means.

In the ancestral hall, Li Jing knelt before four portraits, continuously kowtowing and praying for blessings to the Jade Emperor, Great Law Master of the Mysterious Capital, Grand White Star, and True Person of Deliverance from Suffering.

In the dark clouds above the Li Manor, True Person Taiyi and True Person Yuding stood silently, both frowning as they watched the formation-covered Li Manor, waiting for the first cry of the infant.

To the east of Chen Tang Pass, Golden Winged Great Peng sat on an ark, drinking alone, with several thousand celestial soldiers watching all directions behind him.

North of Chen Tang Pass, Yang Jian sat on a tree branch in a dense forest, his Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear stuck in the ground below, one leg dangling out as he gently stroked a small white dog.

Several hundred li west of Chen Tang Pass, Bear Lingli stood atop a cliff with her hair in twin tails, backed by rows of elite celestial soldiers, including the Six Friends of Mei Mountain and over ten Mei Mountain experts.

To the south, Celestial Marshal Quantong leaned on a great sword, wearing a dramatic cape, humming a tune that few male immortals in the Celestial Court could hear, his expression quite relaxed.

Today, anyone who interfered with the spiritual embryo’s descent would be considered an enemy of the Celestial Court.

Yet Li Changshou, who had arranged all this, still felt somewhat uneasy.

After all, the Spirit Zhenzhu had too close a connection to him.

“He’s coming! He’s coming!”

“My Lady, push harder!”

“He’s out!”

Chaos erupted in the birthing chamber, and the entire Li Manor suddenly fell silent. The long-awaited cry of an infant did not come.

At that moment!

A beam of red light shot skyward, piercing through the pavilion’s roof toward the heavens!

BOOM—

Lightning flickered through the dark clouds above, and gusts of blood-tinged wind swept down from the sky.

Li Changshou formed the Stabilization Hand Seal with his left hand. Spiritual energy surged from all directions around the Li Manor, instantly forming twelve layers of barrier walls to forcibly contain the red light.

True Person Taiyi and True Person Yuding acted simultaneously, their wide sleeves sweeping as the Great Dao thundered. The dark clouds in the sky were immediately dispersed by two waves of Dao force, allowing brilliant sunlight to shine upon the Li Manor!

Rejecting unusual phenomena.

Rejecting special treatment.

Li Changshou’s brows suddenly furrowed as the red light from the birthing chamber seemed to resist being suppressed. The ‘flesh sphere’ began to tremble continuously, with waves of murderous energy starting to surge outward.

Like three years of suppressed anger demanding release in this moment.

Li Changshou spread the five fingers of his left hand, and the midwives and servants in the birthing chamber instantly fell unconscious, their forms turning to streams of light as they were quickly moved to the courtyard.

Lady Yin watched the flesh sphere weakly, her eyes filled only with warmth, having long known these circumstances would occur.

Her child, whose birth was delayed by more than two years, was inside this spiritual membrane, equivalent to a three-year-old child.

“Zha’er… Zha’er?”

This call made sense, given Li Jing’s naming abilities. Though the third son’s name hadn’t been decided yet, it would certainly be ‘Li Something Zha.’

The flesh sphere trembled lightly, then without warning, leaped toward Lady Yin’s embrace.

Li Changshou’s eyebrows raised, making a split-second judgment.

Do not interfere.

His hands moved faster than illusions, forming seal after seal. A thin layer of green light appeared around Lady Yin.

The flesh sphere collided with her, but without much force, and what impact remained was mostly absorbed by the green light, allowing Lady Yin to hold it steadily.

“Zha’er…”

Lady Yin called softly, her voice trembling from weakness.

“Mother has you now, Zha’er… Don’t be afraid…”

Thinking of the suffering her third son had endured, remembering that day more than three years ago, and that young man who smiled apologetically to her in her dream.

Lady Yin’s pale lips quivered, tears glimmering in her eyes before falling onto the flesh sphere.

“Mother will protect you, Zha’er. Both your father and mother will protect you.”

Outside the birthing chamber, Li Jing hurriedly leaped down from the air. His divine sense had already observed the situation inside, but just as he was about to enter, the flesh sphere’s spiritual membrane suddenly burst into seven-colored flowing light.

Where Lady Yin’s tears had fallen, points of flowing light gathered, and the somewhat ugly flesh sphere’s spiritual membrane slowly dissolved.

Brilliant light erupted!

Li Jing could barely keep his eyes open but still strode forward quickly.

Lady Yin could only tightly close her eyes, feeling her arms suddenly empty. She instinctively reached out to embrace and caught a small body, pulling it tightly to her chest.

Wave after wave of warm spiritual energy circulated, enveloping Lady Yin, nourishing her body depleted from childbirth.

Within the spiritual energy, a soft call reached the ears of the Li couple, the two True Persons in the clouds, Li Changshou, and all the immortals observing this place with their divine sense.

“Ya?”

As the light gradually faded, in Lady Yin’s arms was a child who appeared to be two or three years old, raising his small hand to touch Lady Yin’s cheek, his large eyes reflecting her tear-filled gaze.

Li Jing let out a long sigh of relief beside them, having unknowingly knelt on one knee by the bed, his large hand reaching out to carefully grasp the child’s crystalline small hand.

“Mo… ther…”

On the wall, Li Changshou clasped his hands behind his back and slowly closed his eyes.

Good things were happening lately after all.

In the clouds, True Person Taiyi looked up and sighed lightly, his eyes full of emotion, while True Person Yuding beside him also appeared relieved.

North of Chen Tang Pass, Yang Jian’s lips curved in a slight smile.

This time, he was an elder martial brother.

Hmm?

Yang Jian’s expression suddenly changed as the third eye on his forehead opened to look at the sky. He couldn’t help but rise from the tree, floating in midair, raising his hand to grip the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear.

“Uncle-Master, Uncle-Master!”

“Mm, I’ve seen it,” Li Changshou’s voice sounded in Yang Jian’s ears. “Don’t worry, let me handle this.”

Yang Jian’s heart immediately steadied.

He suddenly realized that his first call had not been to his master, but to this Uncle Master who had once kept him so busy he could barely breathe.

Hum—

The Great Dao trembled, and a black cloud appeared again in the previously clear sky.

Above the East Sea, Golden Winged Great Peng instinctively gripped the small Spirit-Slaying Spear beside him, which was now trembling slightly, as if sensing some presence.

“What is this?”

True Person Taiyi frowned as he looked, then said in a low voice, “The murderous energy left in the world by the Demon Ancestor! Why has it appeared here?”

True Person Yuding said, “Let’s protect the Spirit Zhenzhu…”

“Let me handle this.”

A soft voice sounded beside them, and a swift breeze blew past, materializing into Li Changshou’s form.

His youthful appearance, his true face.

Li Changshou narrowed his eyes and shot skyward.

Above the black cloud, a fierce face suddenly appeared, silently roaring at Li Changshou.

The Great Dao trembled in unison!

In the Li Manor, the infant in Lady Yin’s arms trembled slightly, two black flames appearing in his bright large eyes. Li Jing’s heart shook violently, but he forcefully resisted drawing his sword.

A flash of jade light appeared, and that small jade cauldron manifested above the infant’s forehead, directly suppressing the flames in his eyes.

The black cloud in the high sky seemed to sense something, that face showing traces of urgency. The black cloud transformed into a giant stone, pressing straight down toward Li Changshou, attempting to devour him before charging into the Li Manor.

“Hmph!”

Li Changshou’s voice spread for ten thousand li: “What demon dares to run wild in territory guarded by my Human Dao disciples!”

He spread his left hand, activating the Eight-Nine Mysteries Art. A phantom appeared around his body, and flowing light wove together in the high sky, forming a giant hand a thousand zhang in diameter!

Indestructible Dharma Body!

The giant hand surged upward. Li Changshou’s left hand made a grasping motion, seemingly effortlessly and casually gripping that murderous energy, then lightly squeezed. The giant stone and fierce face were directly crushed, the black cloud exploding into streams of murderous energy about to scatter in all directions.

“Spirit-Slaying Spear, come!”

With another light shout from Li Changshou, the small Spirit-Slaying Spear in Golden Winged Great Peng’s hand above the East Sea directly vanished, reappearing ‘slowly’ in Li Changshou’s grasping left hand.

Li Changshou called out: “Ghosts of eight directions submit, murderous energy of ten heavens surrenders!”

The Spirit-Slaying Spear transformed into the shadow of a black dragon, raising its head to roar. The dragon’s mouth opened, and streams of murderous energy shot toward it, swallowed in one gulp.

Shortly after, no murderous energy remained in the sky.

In Lady Yin’s arms, the small infant had fallen into a deep sleep, and the jade cauldron had vanished without a trace.

Li Changshou’s form stood in the air for a moment. After the Spirit-Slaying Spear in his hand stabilized, he casually flung it, transforming it into a black light that shot toward the East Sea, caught by Golden Winged Great Peng’s raised hand.

“Heaven and Earth are bright, our Dao shines clear, and the Human Dao is here, to eliminate evil and destroy demons!”

With this chant, Li Changshou’s form shot toward the Nine Heavens like a shooting star, his figure unrestrained, without any intention of looking back.

After all, his paper avatar was still here… ahem.

After all, real men never look back.