When the Dragon Clan came, they brought vast floods.

When the Dragon Clan left, they carried away nearly a hundred dragon corpses, like an elderly person in their twilight years, sighing softly with each step.

Comparing the Dragon Clan to the elderly was, from a certain perspective, quite apt.

The Dragon Clan’s body was already aged, their vital essence long depleted, yet their hearts refused to accept aging, wanting only to revel, taking every chance to dance wildly.

Truly not fearing they might dance themselves to pieces, buried in the great tomb of primordial beings.

That graveyard had already buried endless beings.

Li Changshou sighed inwardly. Compared to the Dragon Clan, though the Phoenix Clan now had only a few members remaining, they were quite stable.

Sister-in-law Kong Xuan had nearly escaped the great tribulation and was an important member of their Ren Jiao School, the existence Master Wen Jing most aspired to, happy and fulfilled.

The small phoenixes cultivated from the blood essence of two Primal Phoenixes, though not yet appearing in the primordial world, were thriving healthily, secretly continuing the Phoenix Clan bloodline.

The Golden Peng Bird needed no mention – since being stunned by Star Lord Tai Yin’s slap and then being convinced by Li Changshou’s persuasion, it had become the Heavenly Court’s super enforcer.

Cutting from the Southern Heavenly Gate to the Three Thousand Worlds, from the Three Thousand Worlds to the Chaos Sea.

As long as his teacher didn’t directly break with the Heavenly Dao, Golden Peng could live quite comfortably.

The Dragon Clan…

Ao Yi’s still somewhat immature shoulders truly couldn’t pull this half-sunken ship.

Yet there were still so many fearless dragons, living in drunken dreams aboard the ship, singing night after night.

Dragon maidens knew not their clan’s peril, still singing “Hundred Flowers Wilt” in the sea.

Hmm, he would need to counsel Ao Yi later, to prevent any depression in his heart.

Whether the Dragon Clan gained or lost depended on the perspective taken.

As for the current situation, they had traded the sacrifice of over a hundred experts to avoid future catastrophes from their self-inflation.

Momentary humiliation for eternal existence.

The Dragon Clan’s ability to struggle from the end of high antiquity to today had its own “self-regulating mechanism,” and the dragon suppression matter wasn’t as simple as it appeared on the surface.

After the Dragon Clan left, Li Changshou kept the division of Celestial Generals including You Qin Xuan Ya to handle the aftermath here and settle those mortals who had fled to the mountains.

The dragon suppression matter had progressed quite smoothly.

At this moment Li Changshou wasn’t quite sure if he was delighted that Nezha need not kill himself, or gratified that the Dragon Clan had been successfully integrated into the Heavenly Dao system, planting a future firework.

Regardless, his previous plans concerning the Dragon Clan and Nezha were ninety-eight percent complete, with only slight regret.

—Li Changshou had originally intended to eliminate those dragons who chose to “give humanity a profound lesson,” but during the recent battle, most of these dragons had hidden rather far back.

He could only rely on the Dragon Kings’ self-adjustment after returning.

Li Changshou’s true body didn’t leave directly, first making a Daoist salute to the Zheng Jiao crowd of immortals, then flying before the four Jie Jiao immortals including Zhao Gongming under everyone’s watching eyes.

All beings present kept perfectly quiet, pretending they hadn’t seen anything.

Li Changshou still maintained his elderly immortal appearance, finding it inappropriate to change his form in public. Arriving before them, he advised earnestly:

“Yun, this object is for your protection, you shouldn’t frequently reveal it. If future opponents become wary of it, its effectiveness will naturally be greatly reduced.”

Yun Xiao smiled and nodded, retrieving that jade statue, and gazing at Li Changshou’s face.

Li Changshou blinked once, and she withdrew her gaze, a touch of red passing across her cheeks, but in a moment returned to that cool demeanor, standing quietly in the clouds.

Qiong Xiao gave a thumbs up, smiling: “Brother-in-law, how heroic!”

“Third Sister overstates,” Li Changshou cupped his hands, openly and directly accepting this form of address.

—Yun Xiao was the Second Sister, and Old Zhao was the Big Brother.

Jin Ling Sheng Mu asked: “Just now you had the Dragon Clan subdued, why didn’t you eliminate all their experts, or make them swear Heavenly Dao oaths?

Why let them go so easily?”

Li Changshou hummed slightly, transmitting: “There are some calculations here. The Dragon Clan had no great fault, killing several dozen dragons today is sufficient to demonstrate Heaven’s might.

The great tribulation is in motion, fewer unstable factors are also good.

These lost Dragon Clan experts can also fill the tribulation’s ash quota.”

Jin Ling wore an expression of having known all along, not asking further about this matter.

Zhao Gongming smiled: “This Li Jing isn’t bad, he’s a real man, bring him to visit often in the future.”

“Taking him as my adopted son was quite muddled,” Li Changshou sighed, “Originally thought it was just a joke from the Du Xian Sect elders, didn’t expect it to become real.”

Jin Ling Sheng Mu said: “Just that his cultivation is rather weak, and this time he’s lost even more of his Dao progress.”

“Ah, can’t say that,” Zhao Gongming said, “I observe this Li Jing has great fortune, he’ll definitely advance further, he’s probably also a child of the great tribulation.”

Li Changshou slowly nodded, not revealing this matter, only saying:

“Later I’ll bestow several treasures on him, as long as he can cultivate to the Golden Immortal realm, the rest isn’t a big matter.”

Jin Ling Sheng Mu seemed to want to speak but stopped, glancing at the group of Zheng Jiao immortals gathered near Li’s mansion, only giving a light snort.

Li Changshou smiled: “Senior Sister need not worry, though Li Jing’s three sons are all Zheng Jiao disciples, it won’t affect my stance in the great tribulation.

I always stand with the Heavenly Court, Ren Jiao, and the Dao Gate.”

“Alright then, it must be difficult for you,” Jin Ling Sheng Mu shook her head, “Though we show no hesitation in dealing with the Western Path when it comes to facing Zheng Jiao, it’s always somewhat difficult to act.”

“This matter, we’ll take it one step at a time.”

Zhao Gongming sighed with hands behind back, “We haven’t yet conflicted with that side, if we can delay past the great tribulation, that would also be good.”

“I fear the Heavenly Dao won’t allow it,” Yun Xiao said softly, and several powerful beings all fell silent.

“Let’s head back first,” Qiong Xiao said, “There’s nothing more here, let’s return to the island for tea.

Brother-in-law, will you come?”

“Still have much official business, so I won’t go over.”

Li Changshou made a Daoist salute, smiling: “Still, thanks to you all for coming to support. But self-preservation comes first in the great tribulation, going out like this is truly somewhat dangerous, we should be more cautious in the future.”

“Mm,” Yun Xiao responded softly.

The two exchanged several glances, seeming to have words to confide in each other.

Yun Xiao nodded slightly, casually summoning a cloud to cover the four people’s forms, together dispersing into clouds…

This escape technique, she had long since mastered.

Li Changshou stood quietly with their hands behind their back for a while, looking down to see You Qin Xuan Ya quietly standing on the mountain gazing at this scene.

Seeming to notice Li Changshou looking down, You Qin Xuan Ya immediately turned and walked toward some mortals nearby, busying herself independently.

Before long, the Zheng Jiao crowd of immortals returned to Kunlun Mountain, and Chen Tang Pass’s flood waters were sent back to the East Sea.

Li Changshou specifically appointed You Qin Xuan Ya’s division, having her handle the subsequent repairs here, his true body returning first to the Heavenly Court, his consciousness moving to the paper Daoist here.

Today’s forceful suppression of dragons was also a kind of deterrent to other forces.

Such as Maitreya and such.

Thinking carefully, Li Changshou feared he would become a demon in many dragons’ hearts today, there would naturally be dragons harboring hatred for him.

But this had no impact on his thousand-year plan, nor was it something worth paying attention to.

Better to think about… Shi Ji’s disciple, the Azure Cloud Boy.

This boy’s life was somewhat more important than Maitreya’s.

Li Changshou had a faint feeling that Maitreya would appear again, reaching out his chubby claws toward Nezha once more.

Currently, he was the Heavenly Dao’s sword in the open, Maitreya had become the Heavenly Dao’s hidden poison blade.

More wonderfully, the two of them were now directly opposed, and if given the chance to eliminate the other, would show no mercy;

The Heavenly Dao, accurately speaking should be the Dao Ancestor, naturally was happy to see Maitreya occupy some of his attention.

The Human Emperor’s campaign against Heaven had affected the Heavenly Dao’s will.

The Heavenly Dao couldn’t directly interfere with the great tribulation or influence beings’ minds, this was beings’ bottom line;

Even influenced by the great tribulation’s fortune, though the two were identical in essence but different in form, beings could barely accept it.

Senior Sui Ren naturally wouldn’t turn to ash for anything, but everything needed to be achieved slowly.

With fifty percent confidence to confront the Heavenly Dao, wouldn’t that just be following Senior Lang’s old path, what difference was there from seeking death?

‘Fighting against Heaven is truly exhausting.’

Li Changshou’s true body transformed into flowing light entering the Eastern Heavenly Gate, going to report what had happened to His Majesty the Jade Emperor, while various Celestial Armies and Generals were also quickly returning to position.

Throughout the Heavenly Court, beings were privately discussing the average combat strength of the Heavenly Court’s civil officials.

Then most Celestial Soldiers dejectedly discovered that judging by battle results, the civil officials’ average combat strength was higher than the military officers’.

Just very unpromising.

At Chen Tang Pass, the two batches of paper Daoists Li Changshou had secretly arranged once again concealed themselves deep underground.

The ‘Wang Chang’an’ avatar had been staying by Lady Yin’s side, immediately taking her back to Li Manor after the waters receded, to see the Li Jing father and son already sleeping unconsciously on their beds.

Li Changshou’s divine consciousness saw:

Nezha had returned to child form, grown two sizes larger than before, with a snot bubble at his nose tip, sleeping carefree and very deeply.

Li Jing had been meditating, but after taking the pills to nourish his primordial spirit, couldn’t resist nodding off.

Sleep, for cultivators, was also the most effective method of restoring spirit.

Li Jing’s depletion of primordial spirit power this time was too great, already affecting his own Dao progress, making his already not high Dao realm even worse.

Could only continue working hard.

Tai Yi True Person was quite heavily injured, but currently quite spir… well, not too spirited.

He sat pale-faced at the stone table outside, smiling quite happily, fingers continuously tapping his thigh, just short of directly singing a verse, offering an embarrassing performance.

Nezha had completely mastered the killing qi, past life, and present life merged, henceforth he was both Nezha and could be considered the Spirit Zhenzhu Child.

This was indeed worth Tai Yi True Person’s foolish joy.

Li Changshou’s paper Daoist had just brought Lady Yin when Tai Yi True Person stood up, calling out to Li Changshou: “Changshou! Thank you! Hahaha!”

Li Changshou: …

Just very sudden.

He hadn’t planned to reveal this avatar yet, and later could only emulate His Majesty the Jade Emperor, changing identity and perspective to view the world.

Tai Yi was truly too careless.

Two young people ran out from the chamber, one appearing somewhat mature, one still looking like a youth – naturally Jin Zha and Mu Zha.

Jin Zha called out first: “Disciple Jin Zha pays respects to Uncle Master Changshou.”

But Mu Zha hurriedly ran to Lady Yin’s side to support her: “Mother, are you injured?”

“Mother’s fine, Mother’s fine,” the still-young Lady Yin patted Mu Zha’s hand, having no time to pay respects to Tai Yi and Yu Ding True Person, hurriedly rushing through the door to see the condition of the children’s father and youngest brother.

Li Changshou nodded to acknowledge Jin Zha, who tactfully bowed and withdrew, going inside for the family reunion.

Yu Ding True Person, Tai Yi True Person, and Li Changshou exchanged several glances, then all threw back their heads laughing, the sound quite unrestrained.

Tai Yi said: “For calculations and schemes, truly no one can outplay you.”

“Senior Brother, you could completely use a more sincere way of praise,” Li Changshou said, “Body language would be enough.”

Yu Ding True Person asked: “Has Changshou been injured?”

“Some minor internal injuries, nothing serious.”

Li Changshou sucked in a breath through his teeth, switching to voice transmission: “The Dragon King’s cultivation was truly formidable. I only exchanged a few moves with him and almost couldn’t handle it.

It was still the old Dragon King deliberately losing, otherwise today would have been hard to conclude.”

Yu Ding True Person slowly nodded, transmitting: “The Dragon Clan’s foundation is truly terrifying, and this is with the ancient dragons guarding the Sea Eye still unmoved. We were indeed somewhat in danger this time.”

Li Changshou smiled and transmitted:

“There was no danger. I, Zheng Jiao, the Dragon King, humanity, and the Heavenly Court each got what we needed.

The East Sea Dragon King as clan leader and ruler, though seemingly holding power of life and death, cannot act unilaterally in everything. He must first consolidate power before he can use that power, otherwise he would face power’s backlash.

The old Dragon King understands this principle better than anyone, so he chose to use this momentum to suppress the unruly dragons within the clan – I’m just bearing the blame.

After all, he’s currently the most ancient king in the primordial world, absolutely not simple.”

Tai Yi True Person twisted his mouth, “Putting it that way, this poor Daoist truly feels somewhat unsatisfied, wanting to take another trip to the Dragon Palace.”

Yu Ding True Person silently took out a familiar magical treasure pearl;

Li Changshou’s foot moved slightly, blocking Tai Yi True Person’s possible retreat path, saying seriously:

“This matter ends here, the Dragon Clan need not enter the tribulation further.”

Tai Yi True Person gave an embarrassed smile and shook his head, not saying more.

…

“Alas—”

East Sea, Crystal Palace.

The seawater seemed to have become somewhat turbid, the atmosphere inside and outside Crystal Palace extremely heavy.

The other three seas’ Dragon Kings didn’t say much, after returning to Crystal Palace, they led their elders back to their respective homes.

They had lost.

Lost without dignity, their spirit mostly beaten away, as if henceforth the Dragon Clan could only work for the Heavenly Court, “enjoying their twilight years” in the Four Seas.

The East Sea Dragon King supported himself on the throne’s armrest, slowly sitting back in his seat, the broken horn on his head gradually growing complete.

He waved his hand, and the Dragon Clan elders below bowed and withdrew;

Several old dragons wanted to stay, but the old Dragon King waved again, and these old dragons also lowered their heads and left.

With a creak, the great hall’s stone doors slowly closed, and the old Dragon King’s eyes narrowed, that complex gaze lost in unknown thoughts.

He must be thinking of when the Heavenly Court had just risen – though the Dragon Clan had experienced the Sea Eye breach disaster, they had hope, had a future.

A stagnant pond had vitality again, this made him as clan leader happier than gaining more dead water.

Then he thought of that day, when Ao Yi returned hurriedly with a heavy expression, kneeling before the great hall, softly saying two words.

Bloodshed.

At that time, the great tribulation like a knife was about to fall, the Dragon Clan hadn’t entered the tribulation, but Dragon Clan children who had become various local water gods had committed one shameful act after another.

They could only kill one to warn a hundred, temporarily suppressing the increasingly frivolous and arrogant spirit within the clan.

But the Dragon Clan hadn’t walked many steps on that seemingly bright path before starting to deviate…

As clan leader, he was helpless about this, because this was the pride etched into dragon bones over countless past ages.

They disdained doing evil, yet wouldn’t deliberately pursue a good name;

They were originally unrestrained, roaming freely through Heaven and Earth, yet always couldn’t overcome the word “tribulation.”

As clan leader, he represented the clan members’ will. When clan members walked toward another path, he could only rush to walk in front, using this to slow their hasty steps.

Today’s events…

Ah, today’s events…

The old Dragon King took out a jade token from his sleeve, his dragon hand trembling slightly, remembering the scene that day.

‘Royal Father, this is a letter from Elder Brother Teaching Lord, the jade token seems to have more than one layer of restrictions, your child hasn’t opened it.’

When first seeing this jade token, the old Dragon King was also moved by its contents.

At first glance, the token’s outer layer described the Dragon Clan’s current series of problems and detailed solutions.

Detailed down to setting each step, some key lines.

And when the Dragon King opened the second layer of seals and read the contents, he fell into hesitation.

Inside were five provisions, namely those announced today by Star Lord Tai Bai – limiting Dragon Clan authority, reducing Dragon Clan divine authority, placing Heavenly Dao restrictions on the Dragon Clan, requiring cloud and rain matters to be precise to the smallest degree, and so on.

This was putting a shackle on the Dragon Clan.

The Dragon King initially didn’t want to agree, but the explanation below made him fall into great hesitation.

‘The Dragon Clan’s calamity stems not from the Dragon Clan’s unwillingness to give up the position of Heaven and Earth’s protagonist, nor from the Dragon Clan’s thoughts being too old-fashioned, but is the way of beings’ succession, the principle the Heavenly Dao follows.

After the Dragon Clan submits to Heaven, though seemingly stable, the inflation of private desires will gradually bring trouble to the Dragon Clan.

The order established by the Heavenly Court cannot tolerate any being trampling it, otherwise, Heaven’s might would be completely lost. The Dragon Clan is the easiest to cross the line in the Heavenly Court system, and also the easiest typical case to catch.

The tighter the Heavenly Dao’s restrictions on the Dragon Clan, the lower the Dragon Clan’s spirit, and the more stable their situation will be. Appropriate bloodshed can extend the Dragon Clan’s future fortune.

If the Dragon King also has a heart for contention, the Dragon Clan may be in danger.

May the Dragon King consider thrice.’

Actually, the Dragon King understood these principles very well in his heart, they were all familiar old topics.

What truly made the old Dragon King make up his mind, choosing today’s path, was the third layer of seals that opened itself after observing this jade token thirty-six times.

That was row after row of dense small characters, appearing then quickly disappearing, but the Dragon King saw them and remembered them crystal clear.

How could he forget?

How could he forget what was said inside?

[Why were there no Four Sea Eyes in ancient times, the Blood Sea once extremely prosperous, gathering Heaven and Earth’s yin qi and killing qi, when did the saying of Nine Filth Springs arise?

If the Sea Eyes are outlets for the Nine Filth Springs, why could they be completely sealed by merit bestowed by the Heavenly Dao? If the Heavenly Dao has such mighty power, why does the primordial world still have the Nine Filth Springs danger?

Ancestor Dragon and First Phoenix were originally Pan Gu God’s left and right arms, what exactly happened in ancient times that they would rather shatter the primordial world than stop fighting?

Senior has cultivated from ancient times until now, the answer is in Senior’s heart, no need to answer Shou.

After the great tribulation there is still one tribulation, the Dragon Clan’s choice then will be crucial for beings.

If Senior trusts Shou, please follow the arrangements recorded in the first layer. If Shou luckily survives, the Dragon Clan is promised not to perish after the tribulation. If Shou perishes, the Dragon Clan can also exist long in the primordial world through their submissive loyalty to the Heavenly Court.

The Dragon Clan need only add flowers to brocade, not send coal in the snow.

Also, Ao Yi is Shou’s brother, and Shou doesn’t wish him involved inside.

Tai Qing disciple Li Changshou, respectfully.]

“Ah…”

In the old Dragon King’s hand, that jade token turned to fragments floating gently away, Ao Yi’s report that day still echoing beside his ear.

‘Royal Father, this is Teaching Lord’s view of our Dragon Clan’s only chance.’

Only chance…

Tribulation after tribulation…

“The young are formidable, tsk, the young are formidable.”