Master Qi Yuan stared at Li Changshou, who was sitting cross-legged and froze momentarily before turning to glare at Ling E.

“Didn’t you say your Senior Brother was unconscious? He looks perfectly fine!”

Ling E blinked and suddenly pointed behind Master Qi Yuan, exclaiming, “Master, look! Senior Brother’s spirit has left his body!”

“Hmm?”

Old Master Qi Yuan turned around, only to see his eldest disciple giving him an apologetic smile.

A fragrant aroma wafted into Old Master Qi Yuan’s nostrils. Before the old master could react, the medicine’s effects had already worked on his spirit. As a Turbid Immortal whose foundation had already weakened considerably, Old Master Qi Yuan’s eyes rolled back, and his body slowly fell backward…

‘Li Changshou’ moved swiftly, pulling out a beast-hide sack and covering his master with it. He called out, “Shrink!”

This sack, crafted from over ten different spirit beast hides and custom-made as the ‘Master’s Special Edition’ human container, instantly shrank to the size of a purse. ‘Li Changshou’ handed it to Ling E.

Ling E sealed the porcelain bottle in her hand and said uneasily, “Senior Brother, plotting against Master like this… won’t he… scold us to death later…”

‘Li Changshou’ stood with his hands behind his back and transmitted his voice: “You know Master’s personality. If powerful enemies attack, he will surely charge to the front. I will explain everything to Master afterward. As we practiced before, Sister, wait here. When the temple bells ring and the disciples rush to Breaking Sky Peak, use the earth movement technique to take Master and me halfway to the ley lines. I need to use paper avatars to help in battle, so my consciousness won’t be here.”

Ling E’s expression turned serious as she replied, “Yes! Don’t worry, Senior Brother! I’ll take good care of you and Master!”

“Don’t worry too much. I will always guard you and Master,” ‘Li Changshou’ transmitted. “Even if we can’t protect Degree Immortal Gate this time, I will protect you both.”

Ling E bit her lip and asked softly, “Senior Brother, I still feel uneasy… What realm are you really at now?”

‘Li Changshou’ smirked, “Return to Void, eighth stage.”

“Oh,” Ling E pursed her lips, not asking further.

Li Changshou chuckled but didn’t waste more mental energy, as there were many places ahead that would require his attention…

This paper avatar sat before the medicine furnace and closed its eyes.

Ling E knelt beside her Senior Brother, tied the sack containing their master to her waist sash, and quietly waited for the bells to ring.

Although she didn’t know what powerful enemies were coming, if Senior Brother said so, it was probably true…

The other possibility—

This might be another small test from Senior Brother for her!

…

While the siblings were working together to knock out their master, three thousand miles away, in two different directions, two groups of ‘enemy forces’ had already charged into the most concentrated area of poison formations.

Viewed from above, one could see some ‘strange sights.’

Two swarms of locust-like black shadows flew close to the ground, stopping and starting, their formations occasionally disrupted.

From various terrains in front and to their sides, dense fog would spray out without warning, or powder would sweep over them in waves.

Even though they were already on guard, every time a poison formation activated, several figures would inevitably fall to the ground.

Li Changshou found this situation somewhat praiseworthy…

‘The opponent hasn’t figured it out yet.’

Logically, these people should have realized they were exposed after discovering the first poison formation.

What Li Changshou had worried about most was that these puppets would fly straight up into the sky and charge directly toward Degree Immortal Gate’s mountain gate, rendering the subsequent poison formations largely ineffective…

But as Li Changshou had hypothesized, after becoming ‘puppets,’ these demons, humans, and spirits had lost most of their ability to think and only knew how to follow orders.

This gave the poison formations quite good opportunities to demonstrate their effectiveness.

Calculating the distance between the two groups of powerful enemies and the mountain gate, they were now about twenty-five hundred miles away.

Li Changshou sighed inwardly and used two paper avatars to fully activate the remaining poison formations in these two directions.

If he had known the enemy would be so stubborn, he would have set up ten times as many poison formations in several directions. Perhaps that could have resolved half of this crisis threatening the sect…

Well, the elders hadn’t provided that many poison pills either, so there was no point in wishful thinking.

The two paper avatars that had completed the first half of their mission, hidden in tree trunks and pond bottoms, concealed themselves and temporarily withdrew.

Meanwhile, Li Changshou’s consciousness…

Instantly shifted to paper avatars [Explode] Number Three and Number Five!

In mere moments, from a dense forest and a stream just a few miles from the protective mountain formation, two cold-faced Daoists flew out.

They flew straight up into the sky, overlooking Degree Immortal Gate from the southwest and northwest directions.

The positions of these two Daoists perfectly corresponded to the two groups of incoming enemies!

The immortal energy around their bodies was fluctuating chaotically, surging throughout their forms.

Within Degree Immortal Gate, various immortal consciousnesses probed out and were immediately drawn to the forms of these two Daoists.

An elderly-looking elder muttered the thoughts of all the immortals: “What are these two fellow Daoists doing? Why do they look so unfamiliar…”

Snap!

In the darkness, Li Changshou snapped his fingers, quickly withdrawing his consciousness from the two paper avatars.

“Open your eyes and see!”

The two Daoists each threw back their heads and roared, brilliant immortal light bursting forth from within…

With those words, they self-destructed right outside the formation!

The thunderous explosion’s immortal energy transformed into waves of air pressure that surged forward, making the protective mountain formation tremble continuously!

This also left all the immortals of Degree Immortal Gate who witnessed this scene…

Completely bewildered.

What just happened?

Two Daoists suddenly appeared, shouted twice, and then directly self-destructed, just to shake the protective mountain formation.

Just to make some noise for them?

The Sect Master of Degree Immortal Gate was also awakened, emerging from meditation…

His Golden Immortal consciousness looked in both directions and immediately discovered the two groups of black shadows rapidly charging toward Degree Immortal Gate!

“Not good!”

This middle-aged-looking Daoist rushed out from his secluded meditation spot, appearing atop Breaking Sky Peak. He looked northwest, then southwest, and shouted, his voice carrying thousands of miles—

“What miscreants dare to attack my Degree Immortal Gate!

Elders and disciples of all peaks heed my command!

Prepare for battle, defend the mountain gate!”

The bell striker beside the main hall was immediately grabbed by two True Immortal stewards with anxious expressions, who used all their strength to ring the great bronze bell!

Those who had been in secluded cultivation, practicing, playing chess, chatting, enjoying time with their Dao companions—all were awakened by the Sect Master’s shout!

Figures rushed out from each peak…

Meanwhile, the two groups of mosquito puppets, still over two thousand miles away, finally realized that their movements had been exposed…

Elder Yuan Ze, wearing a wooden mask, along with two other ‘fake’ Golden Immortals, gave orders simultaneously in two directions!

The figures that had been flying close to the ground rapidly rose into the sky, forming two thick clouds, rushing together toward Degree Immortal Gate.

The three Golden Turtle Island cultivators, who had originally concealed their forms and auras, fully unleashed their Golden Immortal pressures!

Within Degree Immortal Gate, the Sect Master and another Golden Immortal aura soared into the sky in response!

Li Changshou observed secretly that the other Golden Immortal aura had rushed out from the Scripture Hall…

That was…

Elder Qi Ling?

Tsk, that Dao title was indeed strange!

Before Li Changshou could think further, rumbling sounds came from various peaks.

From the summits of sixteen relatively tall peaks, sixteen differently colored light pillars shot into the sky, continuously channeling spiritual energy into the protective mountain formation!

The protective mountain formation changed from its usual thin and smooth state, becoming thicker and stronger, its power fully unleashed!

From the southwest and northwest directions, two dark clouds charged fiercely forward, their speed compared to their previous ground-hugging flight… actually wasn’t much faster.

Reckless, frontal assault!

Having discovered the enemy tracks relatively early, Degree Immortal Gate also began methodically arranging their troops and formations.

True Immortals and Heavenly Immortals from various peaks began converging on Breaking Sky Peak, then were divided into two formations, each flying toward the outer peaks in the southwest and northwest.

Primary Immortals gathered atop Breaking Sky Peak, preparing to form arrays.

Disciples from various peaks were also led to the Hundred Mortal Hall of Breaking Sky Peak.

You Qin Xuan Ya led several Breaking Sky Peak disciples bustling back and forth, guiding these disciples and sect members who couldn’t participate in the battle to assemble orderly before the Hundred Mortal Hall.

There was no need to rush to escape right away.

The protective mountain formation was the first barrier.

The sect’s experts were the second layer of defense.

If the battle situation became unfavorable and it truly came to a life-or-death moment, these disciples and some Primary Immortals would be sent underground, leaving through the ley line transportation formation…

At this moment, the vast majority of immortals in Degree Immortal Gate were somewhat bewildered, not knowing why they were suddenly under attack by powerful enemies.

But they wouldn’t simply bare their necks for slaughter!

One by one, the immortals of Degree Immortal Gate put away their usual gentleness and smiles.

Some gritted their teeth, glaring at those distant ‘mysterious’ enemies rapidly charging forward, disturbing their peaceful cultivation.

Others had iron-gray expressions, their eyes full of fury, anger rising in their Dao hearts.

Although some showed nervous expressions and felt worried, most members of Degree Immortal Gate hadn’t lost their composure at this moment…

Meanwhile, on Small Jade Peak.

The various formations Li Changshou had arranged were already activated, making this place a dangerous ground.

Ling E had already shouldered ‘[Human] Number Three’ and, carrying their drugged master, used the earth movement technique to slowly make her way toward the ley lines…

Ling E’s delicate shoulders seemed to carry the future of Small Jade Peak!

At this moment, she also put aside her usual playful nature, her eyes constantly flashing with light, her alertness far exceeding normal people.

And in the empty medicine room, in a corner of the bookshelf;

A bamboo box was pushed open, and another paper avatar appeared, with the character ‘Heaven Eight’ written on its back.

The paper avatar jumped to the ground, swaying as it transformed into Old Master Qi Yuan’s appearance, holding three formation control jade tablets in his hand.

Li Changshou left a small portion of his consciousness here to observe the great battle within the sect.

Then he multitasked, retrieving the two paper avatars [Earth] Number Three and Number Five that had been controlling poison formations thousands of miles away, pulling them out from tree trunks and ponds.

Their work was far from over.

The two paper avatars moved almost completely in sync, each having original paper people jump out from their sleeves.

Then, the two paper avatars used the earth movement technique to feel their way toward where the poison formations had exploded.

Four paper people on each side, transformed into men and women of varying ages, followed closely above the paper avatars, flying forward…

While the puppets didn’t care about their companions’ corpses, Li Changshou couldn’t ignore them.

Besides those corpses, the paper people began dealing with the scattered poison mist, to avoid leaving behind any aftermath that might invite new karma.

Protecting the primordial world’s environment was everyone’s responsibility.

In two directions, a total of eight original divine ability paper people did the hard work, while the two paper avatars containing Li Changshou’s primordial spirit power hid underground in dark places, not daring to show themselves…

No choice, mosquito prevention work requires constant vigilance!

These two groups of eight paper people had a clear division of labor, coordinated tacitly, and acted efficiently and steadily.

Using poison-collecting treasure bags to gather the various lingering poisons;

Destroying previously untriggered poison formations;

Collecting corpses from various places, and incidentally taking away the opponent’s storage treasures…

After handling half the cleanup, thunderous sounds came from Degree Immortal Gate’s mountain gate.

Outside the protective mountain formation, five Golden Immortals had already engaged in battle, their fighting aftershocks causing this small piece of heaven and earth to change color.

The Sect Master of Degree Immortal Gate fought two enemies alone from the southwest direction, while Elder Qi Ling from the northwest direction blocked another Golden Immortal powerful enemy, preventing the opponent’s three Golden Immortal experts from approaching Degree Immortal Gate’s protective mountain formation.

Various treasure lights crisscrossed as both sides hurled magical bricks at each other!

But outside the protective mountain formation, those fierce crowds of Heavenly Immortals had begun bombarding the formation wall…

Li Changshou didn’t pay much attention, continuing with his busy work.

It wasn’t yet time for the [Heaven] paper avatar to make its appearance, and the opponent’s bombardment of the formation would take some time.

The paper avatars on both sides accelerated their actions, finally managing to gather the opponent’s left-behind corpses together before the protective mountain formation was bombarded open, and also cleaned up the lingering poison gas.

Then, two Luo Heaven treasure umbrellas were thrown into the air, opening two isolation formations.

Four paper people each threw out a soul-capturing pearl, conducting high-intensity searches for remnant souls, then respectively took out wooden fish, bronze bells, clappers, and suona horns.

Those striking wooden fish chanted the Scripture of Crossing Over;

Those hitting clappers chanted the Disaster-Dispelling Blessing Mantra;

Those shaking bronze bells chanted the Rebirth Mantra;

And those two paper people holding suona horns sprinkled True Samadhi Flames, completely igniting the corpses of demons, humans, and spirits in both locations, then took a deep breath and raised their heads to blow sorrowful melodies…

Starting now, in addition to forced crossing over after battle, funeral services were included!

Five Golden Immortals fought near Degree Immortal Gate, creating brilliant lights across the sky, and shaking the earth with their tremors.

Li Changshou secretly observed for a while, waiting briefly until the corpses on both sides had burned completely and all the scriptures had been fully chanted, leaving two large piles of black ashes on the ground.

This time, four paper people acted simultaneously, blowing away those ashes…

During special times, they could only sacrifice some sense of ceremony.

After all, there would be many more opportunities in this battle…

Eight paper people each cleaned up their traces, used the earth movement technique to burrow underground, and returned to the sleeves of those two paper avatars.

These two paper avatars officially ‘completed their mission,’ heading toward their previous hiding places, waiting to be recovered or destroyed by Li Changshou.

If Degree Immortal Gate could hold out, naturally there would be a chance for recovery, as paper avatars were not easy to craft;

If Degree Immortal Gate truly couldn’t hold out this time, there was no help for it—these paper avatars and paper people would all have to be destroyed, leaving not a trace behind…