Chapter 125: Must-Visit Attractions of the Crossing Immortal Gate

“Jiao Zhu Ge Ge, no, Chang Shou Xiong, so you were holding back against me earlier.”

Ever since the first day of the Du Xian Men disciple competition, when the wolf-tooth club from Xiao Qiong Peak rose to fame in that battle, Ao Yi had this thought bubbling up in his heart, and it quickly became unstoppable.

The Du Xian Men disciple competition had now reached its sixteenth day, with the battles to determine the top thirty-six from the initial one hundred and eight drawing to a close.

Ao Yi had witnessed Li Chang Shou in action more than twenty times, and upon careful observation, he noticed some ‘unique’ aspects about Li Chang Shou.

Or rather, some exceptionally outstanding qualities.

First, his foundation was solid; Li Chang Shou’s magical power was pure and abundant. When facing cultivators slightly higher in realm than himself, he often relied on fu arrays that consumed more magical power, ultimately securing narrow victories.

Second, Li Chang Shou’s Tu Dun technique stood out as more refined compared to the Tu Dun techniques used by other Du Xian Men disciples…

Although Ao Yi didn’t know why, when he watched his Jiao Zhu Ge Ge enter the earth, it was so smooth and natural, forming a profound Dao rhythm all on its own.

It was a delight to the eyes and truly admirable!

That was what a real Tu Dun technique looked like, whereas the other Du Xian Men disciples using Tu Dun...

Tsk, it was probably just a minor trick for burrowing into the ground.

It lacked that essence that Li Chang Shou had.

“Chang Shou Xiong must have been chosen as the merit proxy by the experts of Ren Jiao for reasons I can’t see.”

In the past couple of days, Ao Yi had felt a bit helpless in his heart.

The Du Xian Men competition was nearing its end, and tomorrow should be the final day, when they, as guests, would leave.

Ao Yi had chosen to come along to Du Xian Men precisely to find an opportunity to chat face-to-face with Chang Shou Xiong.

Although his cultivation had been going smoothly lately, he had encountered a few setbacks in his personal feelings...

After all, they were young dragons—who doesn’t have some twists and turns in love and hate?

At that moment, Ao Yi didn’t know if there would still be a chance during this trip to Du Xian Men to sit with Chang Shou Xiong in that lakeside thatched hut, discussing the Dao and having a heart-to-heart talk...

“Xiao Yi?”

A call came from ahead.

Ao Yi immediately snapped out of his thoughts, stepped forward two paces, and stood behind the slender-faced Daoist, whispering,

“Qin Shi Shu, I’m here.”

This Qin Shi Shu was a Qi Refiner from Jin Ao Island, named Qin Wan.

He was a named disciple of the Sage Tong Tian Jiao Zhu, having joined Jin Ao Island early and listened to the Sage’s lectures. He had also taken blades for his brothers, making him quite renowned among the Jin Ao Island Qi Refiners.

Back in the day, when the Twelve Golden Immortals of Chan Jiao emerged from Yu Xu Gong and made their mark in the Hong Huang, gaining fame across the three thousand worlds, the Qi Refiners of Jin Ao Island were not to be outdone and formed their own Ten Heavenly Lords.

Although they didn’t gain as much fame, and their momentum was a few levels weaker, with their cultivation not quite comparable...

Still, their Ten Heavenly Lords were now considered a fairly famous and capable group within Jie Jiao!

Qin Wan was the eldest among the Ten Heavenly Lords.

He was highly skilled in cultivation, proficient in Dan Dao, expert in array formations, and had many friends, making him quite well-known in Jie Jiao.

Qin Wan’s visit to Du Xian Men this time was to build goodwill with the Ren Jiao lineage and clarify that the Jin Ao Island Qi Refiners had not intended any hostility before.

How to express the goodwill of Jin Ao Island?

Qin Wan had prepared some gifts, planning to present them to the top three disciples of Du Xian Men later.

But Qin Wan felt that wasn’t quite enough.

So, he called out to Ao Yi and said warmly,

“The sect competition is almost over. Didn’t you and Han Zhi mention that you have some friends here?

Go and bring your friends over; I’ll give them some dan medicines.

We don’t want people saying that us Jin Ao Island Qi Refiners lack manners.”

Ao Yi smiled slightly and replied, “Shi Shu, please wait a moment. I’ll ask the Du Xian Men attendants first, then bring them up...

Han Zhi, do you want to come along?”

The young girl sitting on the chair nearby turned her head and nodded lightly, smiling in agreement.

Ao Yi had originally thought to fly together on the clouds, but Han Zhi stepped back half a pace, signaling for him to go first while she followed behind.

A hint of dimness showed in Ao Yi’s eyes as he and Han Zhi flew out from the jade platform, one ahead and one behind.

Qin Wan observed this but only shook his head with a smile, saying nothing more...

Young disciples always enjoyed these futile romantic pursuits.

Smoothly, Ao Yi and Han Zhi obtained permission from a Du Xian Men elder and, accompanied by the sect attendant Jiu Wu who had received Ao Yi before, flew to the river valley slope to find Li Chang Shou.

Ao Yi opened with,

“Chang Shou Xiong, my Qin Shi Shu wants to see you!”

Li Chang Shou smiled slightly.

If he hadn’t been passively monitoring everything with the Feng Yu Curse and known that the Jin Ao Island Jin Xian just wanted to give some rewards, Ao Yi’s sudden statement would have made him think he’d exposed something.

Then, Li Chang Shou couldn’t help but feel a bit exasperated.

Because Ling E had suddenly broken through, accidentally revealing her true cultivation, their Xiao Qiong Peak duo had attracted a lot of attention.

Now that the ‘heat’ had finally died down a bit, Ao Yi and Han Zhi were stirring things up again...

The curious gazes from fellow disciples hadn’t stopped these past few days!

But this wasn’t the time to worry about such minor things.

Li Chang Shou pondered for a moment and asked deliberately, “Yi Xiong, do you know why your esteemed Shi Shu is summoning me?”

“This...”

Ao Yi thought for a moment and said it was just to give some rewards.

Li Chang Shou found a reasonably safe excuse to decline going, then glanced at his nearby junior uncle and junior sister, who both looked kind and innocent...

A short while later;

Under Jiu Wu’s accompaniment, Han Zhi brought Ling E and Jiu Jiu to receive the rewards, while Jiu Wu’s expression was a bit awkward.

Nephew Chang Shou didn’t know what was wrong—he didn’t even care about rewards from an old-school Jin Xian...

Qin Wan wore a kind smile, handed over a few bottles of Xian Dan to Ling E and Jiu Jiu, and warmly encouraged them a couple of sentences, expressing the friendliness and kindness of the Jin Ao Island Qi Refiners.

The three teachings are one family, and the three friends laugh at Kun Lun.

Ling E and Jiu Jiu bowed in unison to express their thanks, and Jiu Jiu was much more proper in the presence of a strong expert.

Qin Wan nodded with a smile, and Jiu Wu quickly understood, stepping forward to bid farewell and leading the two away.

“Han Zhi, why hasn’t Ao Yi returned?”

Hearing Qin Wan’s question, Han Zhi hurried to say,

“Reporting to Shi Shu Zu, Uncle Ao Yi is chatting with his friend Li Chang Shou and will return shortly.

Li Chang Shou hasn’t competed today, so he was afraid coming for the reward would delay the battles.

That’s why he didn’t come up together.”

Qin Wan nodded slowly, sweeping his immortal sense over and seeing Ao Yi chatting with a Ren Jiao disciple below, without paying much attention.

To Qin Wan, this was just a trivial matter.

But as soon as that thought crossed his mind, he remembered something else. Turning to Han Zhi, who was seated behind, he smiled and said,

“I heard that last time, Xiao Yi had a sparring match here at Du Xian Men and ended up at a disadvantage. Who was that against?”

Han Zhi replied softly, “It was this Li Chang Shou.”

“Oh?” Qin Wan said, “So, those two became friends through fighting?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Han Zhi also smiled slightly. “I always hear Uncle Ao Yi talking about how great his Chang Shou Xiong is.

Speaking of this Chang Shou Xiong, he’s quite capable. Though he hasn’t become an immortal yet, the linked small arrays he set up even trapped my master inside...”

She paused, and Han Zhi’s face darkened a bit.

Naturally, she was thinking of her unfortunate ‘former master’, who knows where he is now in some remote mountain, struggling in a leopard’s den just to fill his belly...

Qin Wan comforted Han Zhi a couple of sentences, then pondered briefly, his eyes showing interest.

Someone who hadn’t become an immortal yet could set up arrays that trapped a Tian Xian?

This Qin Tian Jun was the type to act on his thoughts immediately.

He stood up and went to the side, speaking a few words to a Tian Xian realm elder of Du Xian Men.

That elder quickly reported the matter to the sect leader, and Wu You Dao Ren naturally agreed, making some arrangements.

But as soon as Qin Wan made a move, the Jin Ao Island Qi Refiners, who had been bored for half a month here, all stood up, indicating they wanted to go to Xiao Qiong Peak to observe.

Hearing that Du Xian Men had such an ‘interesting place’, the experts from the other Ren Jiao lineages also showed some interest.

And so...

Down below, Li Chang Shou, who was discussing poetry, songs, and life philosophy with Ao Yi and had been listening to everything via the Feng Yu Curse, felt his heart twitch.

It seemed he couldn’t avoid this situation today.

Was this renowned Ten Heavenly Lord also up to something shady!?

As a veteran Jin Xian of Hong Huang, why was he suddenly competing with a junior like him?

Was there some scheme at play?

Li Chang Shou’s thoughts raced, and Jiu Wu hurried over through the air.

Beside the jade platform, with Wu You Zhang Men personally accompanying, dozens of figures flew on clouds toward the direction of Xiao Qiong Peak.

On the river valley slope, Jiu Wu grabbed Li Chang Shou’s arm and shouted,

“No time to explain, come with me quick—a group of senior experts is heading straight for your linked arrays!”

Li Chang Shou put on a shocked expression, though his heart was full of doubts.

If his composite great array was exposed because of this, he’d have forged a karma with the Ten Heavenly Lords.

“Shi Bo, I still have battles...”

The short Daoist urged, “Count your next two matches as wins. Once you handle that side, come back and make them up!

That’s several Jin Xians and a group of Tian Xians!

Who knows, you might become famous from this!”

Li Chang Shou: ...

Ren Jiao’s exclusive rough language.

Meanwhile, above Zhong Shen State, in the Ninefold Heavenly Vault.

In front of Yue Lao Hall, two child attendants sat obediently, holding up two wooden boards.

The left one read:

Heavenly Dao protects this place.

The right one read:

Attending the court assembly.

Heavenly Court was holding its decennial Ling Xiao Bao Dian assembly, with immortals and gods gathering at the central Ling Xiao Bao Dian in the eighth heavenly layer.

Heavenly Court itself was a merit treasure, and Ling Xiao Bao Dian was its core, refined jointly by several Sages.

Yet, for all its golden splendor and majestic dignity, the ruler of the three realms seated on the high platform in the hall felt just as awkward and helpless.

Nothing else—the nominal lord of the three realms was now merely a minor uncle in Dao Men, just putting on a show here.

Orders not transmitted to the Five Continents, laws not reaching the Four Seas;

In the three thousand great worlds, only the names of the Six Sages were heard, with few paying attention to this insignificant new Heavenly Court.

Even the young-faced, white-robed Jade Emperor on the throne often joked that he might as well go back and ring the bells for the Dao Ancestor...

In today’s assembly, the foremost seat was empty, reserved for Tai Shang Lao Jun, but unless there was something major, this Sage’s good corpse incarnation wouldn’t appear.

Besides that, although most positions for Heavenly Court’s orthodox gods were vacant, the various immortals and gods stood neatly in four rows.

Heavenly Court still had to maintain its facade.

Yue Lao, as the orthodox god in charge of marriages, stood a bit further forward despite his lower cultivation.

However, this old fellow rarely spoke, just listening quietly from the side.

As usual today, Yue Lao listened with his head down as the civil and military officials reported some trivial matters.

Heavenly Court’s decrees couldn’t reach the three realms now, so they really didn’t have much to do, just cooperating with this ‘diligent’ emperor to put on a show of ‘exhausting themselves for the greater good.’

But the emperor on the throne was clearly not satisfied with this.

“My dear ministers.”

The white-robed youth lowered his eyes, looking at the jade slip in front of him, and spoke calmly, his voice echoing through the great hall.

“As Dong Mu Gong said, the lands of the Five Parts Continent are full of unauthorized god temples worshiping wild gods, which is not in line with the heavenly order.

However, our Heavenly Court’s forces are weak, so we cannot rashly attack them.

Yet, recruiting these wild gods into Heavenly Court with orthodox god positions doesn’t seem right either—it would undermine our Heavenly Court’s dignity.

Do any of you have good strategies?”