Chapter 122: The White-Clad Man in the Sea God Temple

A standard battle among Gui Dao Realm refining qi cultivators;

A fierce contest for the immortal seedlings;

As that sword hovered just half an inch from Li Changshou's neck, with Li Changshou having "exhausted his magical power," he dejectedly dropped the spiked club in his hand and sighed,

"I admit defeat."

In front of him stood Liu Sizhe, the immortal seedling from Du Lin Peak, his entire body trembling with erratic energy, his eyes betraying a hint of regret.

It was a narrow victory, truly a narrow one;

His defeat was purely due to Li Changshou's convincing acting.

Liu Sizhe sheathed his long sword, hesitating as if he wanted to say something.

"Senior Brother, why didn't you use Earth Escape..."

Li Changshou glanced at the armor and robe glowing with dense treasure light around Liu Sizhe's waist and smiled bitterly, "Junior Brother, you already have a complete countermeasure for it, so why even ask?"

Liu Sizhe suddenly understood, though he felt something was off, he couldn't quite put his finger on it and thought Li Changshou's words made perfect sense.

Before Liu Sizhe could react further,

Li Changshou let out a soft sigh, cupped his hands toward Liu Sizhe, and rode a cloud back toward his seat.

To match his state of depleted magical power, Li Changshou made the white cloud under his feet even thinner, and while flying, he didn't forget to take a low-quality immortal pill to restore his energy.

Gazes from all around turned toward him, with less of the previous wariness and fear, and more respect and admiration.

In his heart, Li Changshou secretly calculated,

'This duel should help offset the fierce image I accidentally built in my previous encounters.'

Although maintaining that image didn't really affect him much,

A more positive one would still be beneficial for his continued survival in Du Xian Men.

"Senior Brother Li!"

Liu Sizhe suddenly called out from behind, "Your spiked club!"

Li Changshou turned his head slightly and replied with a smile, "Consider this magical tool a gift to you as a memento."

Liu Sizhe's expression shifted, and he looked down at the "immortal weapon" on the ground, his heart stirring with a few ripples.

But as Liu Sizhe bent down to pick up the spiked club, it flew away on its own, landing in a pair of fair, delicate hands...

The renowned Jiu Jiu of the Wine Character Nine Immortals had appeared out of nowhere, chuckling as she said,

"Nephew Li Changshou forgot, this treasure was already reserved by your uncle. My apologies, Nephew Liu."

With that, Jiu Jiu waved her hand and rode a cloud toward Li Changshou and Ling E.

Liu Sizhe bowed toward Jiu Jiu's retreating figure, but as the sect's attendants urged him to leave the arena, he lowered his head and departed with a sense of quiet satisfaction.

It was truly a battle worth savoring.

After a few steps, Liu Sizhe suddenly snapped back to his senses...

What did Earth Escape have to do with striking weak points with the spiked club?

Watching his junior uncle bring back the spiked club he had deliberately discarded, Li Changshou couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time...

"Uncle, it's just a magical tool."

Jiu Jiu glared at him and snapped, "I like it, got a problem?

Seriously, if you don't want it, at least ask me or Little Ling E if we want to use it!

This thing might not be very powerful, but its shape is unique and intimidating!

Just carrying it on your shoulder gives off an aura of deterrence."

Ling E covered her mouth and chuckled softly, wanting to say something but afraid of slipping up, so she just smiled without speaking.

Li Changshou had made many such items back in the day, and she had two or three scary-looking but practically useless magical tools herself.

There was no helping it—when he made them, Li Changshou hadn't yet delved into the art of refining tools.

If Li Changshou were to make a spiked club now, he would definitely enhance it with the weapon's characteristics, adding designs like 'earthly fiend energy to corrupt protective immortal light' or 'high-frequency vibrations to break defensive treasures.'

He even had a marketing pitch ready for promoting such spiked clubs.

Picture the strongest warrior from Bear Village hoisting a spiked club, raising an eyebrow, and saying in a gentle voice,

"In battle, a spiked club and the crown of the head are a perfect match...

Oh yeah~"

The effect would surely be impressive.

Of course, this was just a private joke—the spiked club was merely a magical tool with a touch of mischief.

If Li Changshou were to fight at full strength now, he had poisonous pills, micro-arrays, divine abilities that fully unleashed his cultivation, plus Samadhi True Flame, thunder techniques, and many hidden cards yet to be revealed.

From his last battle against the blood mosquito puppets, he had also gained a spiritual treasure long sword of considerable power;

And that poison-warding pearl, he had naturally claimed for himself.

All these preparations for combat were just to handle situations where he had to fight, not to seek out battles proactively.

His unwavering pursuit was to cultivate steadily in the mountains, ideally being remembered by no one in the world except the Heavenly Dao itself...

There was no way around it—the ceiling of the Great Desolation was just too high; immortality was merely the first step toward becoming a true expert;

Even as a so-called expert, if you didn't know how to avoid great calamities, you'd still end up as dust.

Now, only his merit golden body and innate spiritual treasures could barely warm his helpless and lonely heart, giving him a sliver of precious security...

Jiu Jiu was over there posing endlessly with the spiked club, while Ling E commented quietly beside her;

Li Changshou maintained his Wind Whisper Incantation to monitor the surroundings, a faint smile of contentment on his lips.

The sect's public opinion was starting to shift.

His loss in this match had quietly dissipated much of the shadow looming over his fellow disciples' minds.

Next, as long as he didn't encounter... well, better not even think about that.

For now, he'd stick to staying adaptable and unchanging.

Through the Wind Whisper Incantation, Li Changshou occasionally picked up some odd noises, and with a sweep of his immortal sense, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

In various spots on the hills and in the valleys, a few disciples were getting ideas from his fight with Liu Sizhe, taking precautions against Earth Escape and earth spikes.

For example, padding mirror-shaped treasures behind them...

Or modifying their magical armor into oversized shorts...

Quite creative, really.

The duels continued one after another, with most disciples giving it their all.

Ling E was quite lucky, facing no strong opponents for five straight days and easily securing four wins with her immortal treasures, putting her on par with her senior brother.

On the sixth day, the seventh day...

The sect's grand competition pressed on, and the rankings for the initial trials gradually became clear.

Li Changshou naturally advanced into the top three hundred sixty, but Ling E, having lost one match, needed at least three more wins in the next five days.

Ling E felt a bit torn about this.

In one of her earlier duels, if she had revealed her true cultivation, she could have won...

On the seventh night of the sect's grand competition, with Jiu Jiu off carrying her new spiked club to freeload at Du Xian Hall,

Ling E seized the opportunity and whispered,

"Senior Brother, if I don't make it into the top one hundred eight at the end, will there be... any punishment?"

Li Changshou turned to look at his junior sister, her face showing a touch of unease in the moonlight.

Had he been too demanding of her?

She was, after all, just a child in her tens of years...

Li Changshou smiled faintly and sent a voice transmission, "It's nothing major, just sweeping the pill room or washing clothes for me. Just go with the flow and enjoy it.

For this sect competition, do whatever makes you happy."

Ling E breathed a sigh of relief, stuck out her tongue at Li Changshou, and said, "Why didn't you say so earlier? I've been worrying about it for days."

"Remember our three rules."

"Oh," Ling E turned her head toward the starry sky, quickly composing herself.

It was worth mentioning that in these seven rounds of the initial trials, You Qin Xuan Ya had won almost every match with overwhelming dominance.

Even when her opponents used Earth Escape, You Qin Xuan Ya handled it calmly, her sword control techniques already masterful; her immortal sword flew into the earth and effortlessly forced her opponents out.

This chief disciple had now become the pride and beauty icon of Du Xian Men's young disciples...

She possessed outstanding talent, was protected by immortal treasures, and lacked nothing in divine abilities or spells. In battle, she was fully focused, extremely serious, and quick to react.

Some busybodies began discussing what kind of intense sparks would fly if the "peak state" of Little Qiong Peak's spiked club met Chief Disciple You Qin Xuan Ya.

But after twelve rounds of the initial trials, Li Changshou hadn't faced You Qin Xuan Ya.

And even if he did face the "poisonous" junior sister, Li Changshou already had a plan in mind...

When it came to admitting defeat, he was a professional.

—Certified by the Dragon Palace, no less.

On the day the initial trials ended, lost in thought, Li Changshou felt a sudden surge of intuition in his heart;

After more than ten years, this unbidden premonition had returned without warning, seemingly related to something personal.

What could have gone wrong?

Any intuition like this meant something was happening, though whether good or bad was unclear.

Li Changshou first looked toward the jade platform, wondering if some golden immortal had seen through his disguise, but he quickly ruled that out.

He calculated silently in his mind; there were no wars or bloody incidents at the South Sea God Religion...

Hang on, something's off.

Li Changshou soon noticed a slight anomaly; one of the god statues was in an unusual state.

He didn't dare send his divine sense to check carelessly, investigating cautiously instead.

At the same time, one of his paper effigies hidden underground awakened and quietly approached the temple.

Not just Li Changshou—Ao Yi was also furrowing his brow.

But Ao Yi's cultivation was only at the Primal Immortal Realm, still a step away from True Immortal, and as the second cult leader and Great Azure Dragon Guardian, he only vaguely sensed that something was afoot.

Ao Yi swept his immortal sense over Li Changshou's location but saw no abnormalities with "Big Brother Cult Leader," so he didn't pry further...

The affairs of the Sea God Religion were naturally handled by the Dragon Palace on Ao Yi's behalf.

Ao Yi's focus now was on earning merit while cultivating, to awaken his full bloodline power as soon as possible and become a pillar of the dragon race!

On the other side, Li Changshou's paper effigy quickly neared the anomalous temple and began a careful immortal sense search, soon discovering the issue.

It seemed a remarkable figure had visited his temple...

There was a white-robed young man, a gray-robed elder, and eight figures in green robes with thick auras, acting like guards.

Shockingly, those eight guards were all at the Heavenly Immortal Realm...

Li Changshou was secretly astonished. Through the sounds, he glanced at the white-robed young man and immediately noticed strands of golden light swirling around him...

This was clearly the state of merit protection and heavenly safeguarding!

"Oh?"

The white-robed young man seemed to sense something and turned toward the Sea God statue, but he just smiled.

"Let's go; we've alerted the owner here."

"Yes," the gray-robed elder replied with a bow and followed the white-robed young man, leading the eight Heavenly Immortal guards toward the gate.

Who could this person be?

Li Changshou pondered intensely, suddenly forming a bold guess.

A young man in white robes, with unfathomable cultivation, such merit protection, and such an entourage...

Could it be!

The paper effigy immediately retracted its immortal sense and activated the Wind Whisper Incantation to listen passively.

He heard the white-robed young man, after leaving the Sea God Temple, say to the elder beside him with a smile,

"After visiting so many wild god sites in the South Jambudvipa Continent, aside from those under Daoist worship, this place is still the most decent.

Teaching mortals to do good, protecting their well-being, rewarding the virtuous with merit, and punishing evildoers.

But claiming credit that belongs to the underworld's cycle of reincarnation isn't quite right."

The elder laughed and said, "Have you chosen this place then?"

"Let's look a bit more. This spot has dragon race involvement, and that race is always arrogant, considering themselves ancient relics. I don't really want to deal with them."

At this point, Li Changshou's heart had a moment of realization.

Two options immediately flashed in his mind.

First, go out and make contact, seizing this chance to connect with a true rising star of the Great Desolation!

Second, let things take their natural course...

From their discussion, it seemed the white-robed young man was considering incorporating wild gods and expanding his influence.

The choice...

He had to decide quickly...