Chapter 133: Xiao Qiong Peak Wandering Plan

On the fourth day after returning from Danding Peak, in the underground secret chamber of Xiaoqiong Peak.

"Keep this up, and Du Xian Men will fall apart sooner or later."

Li Changshou sat in the chair behind his desk, tapping his fingers on the surface as he pondered deeply.

If Ling E saw him like this, she would probably confess immediately to all the shortcuts she took while modifying the spirit beast enclosure—slacking off, cutting corners, and everything else.

It was just his classic expression for plotting big schemes...

Suddenly, Li Changshou's eyelids twitched, and he paused his wandering thoughts, his fingertip halting briefly.

His immortal sense detected that Jiujiu Shishu was riding a large gourd, carrying a wolf-tooth club, and humming a tune—"Shixiong calls me to patrol the mountains~"—as she left Xiaoqiong Peak and flew toward the sect gate.

Li Changshou knew full well that Jiujiu Shishu had received a message from Jiuwu Shibo and was rushing to help him... show some concern for someone's physical and mental health.

If necessary, they could make that person decidedly unhealthy.

According to Li Changshou's earlier arrangements, Jiuwu Shibo had already escorted the Danding Peak true immortal attendant, Liu Feixian, out of the sect...

Although Jiuwu Shibo was skilled in using poison arrays for combat, having Jiujiu Shishu join him ensured they were well-prepared.

Why did Li Changshou immediately think of Liu Feixian?

It all stemmed from something Wan Linjun had mentioned earlier—that he had once obtained a Xiongxin Dan from Liu Feixian.

Li Changshou knew the whereabouts of every Xiongxin Dan he had refined; they were all prepared for the older generation of seniors with such needs. So, why did Liu Feixian have one?

That alone was enough reason to bluff and interrogate.

Half a day later, Jiuwu and Jiujiu returned together on clouds, with Jiujiu's wolf-tooth club dripping with blood...

Once they entered the sect gate, Jiuwu headed straight for Xiaoqiong Peak,

while Jiujiu hesitated for a moment before deciding to return to her own small abode on Potian Peak for some cultivation.

After all, that luxurious set of protective arrays she had built might as well be put to use; it would be a waste otherwise.

At the very least, she needed to catch up on some sleep to make it worthwhile.

When Jiuwu arrived at the pill room, Li Changshou did not show his true form and instead received him with a paper effigy.

As soon as they met, Jiuwu said angrily,

"It's this Liu Feixian who's behind it all!

His pill refining isn't up to par, and somehow he got wind of the Qing Shi matter!

He tried making his own version based on the formula he deciphered, but ended up with some evil pill!"

"Shibo, there's no need to get so upset," Li Changshou said with a smile. "This gives me the perfect chance to distance myself from the Xiongxin Dan affair.

Did you injure Liu Feixian?"

"Ah, I've known him for over a thousand years," Jiuwu sighed. "Of course, I didn't hurt him badly. I just followed your instructions, nephew, and gave him a good scare, and he spilled everything."

Li Changshou nodded slowly, and the two continued discussing how to hand over the Xiongxin Dan to Baifan Hall next.

From now on, Li Changshou would not supply too many; just twenty pills a year, as a way for him and Jiuwu Shibo to show respect to the sect's senior predecessors.

"It's just that I won't be able to split the profits fifty-fifty with you anymore," Li Changshou said with clear regret.

Jiuwu laughed. "These past few years have been thanks to your help.

It's actually a good thing to end it here, since most of the elders who truly need it have already used the Xiongxin Dan.

As for that Liu Feixian..."

Li Changshou asked, "Did you handle the matter thoroughly, Shibo?"

"Everything's taken care of except that Xiaosejiu was a bit heavy-handed, but it was all superficial wounds."

Jiuwu continued, "Don't worry, Changshou. He's already sworn a Great Dao oath, and the terms are comprehensive, with no loopholes.

Soon, Liu Feixian will go to seek an audience with the Sect Leader, but..."

"What is it? Shibo, feel free to speak."

Jiuwu pondered for a moment and asked, "Rectifying the sect's customs—it's easy to say, but how exactly should we go about it?

And what benefits does this bring us?

Why must we have Liu Feixian use this to atone for his mistakes?"

Li Changshou felt a quiet sense of relief; Jiuwu Shibo thinking this way meant he had made some real progress on the Great Dao!

Recalling the words his master often repeated, Li Changshou said softly,

"Shibo, first there is Du Xian Men, and then there is Xiaoqiong Peak.

Thus, if Du Xian Men prospers, so will Xiaoqiong Peak."

Jiuwu suddenly understood, his eyes wide with admiration beneath his thick brows.

"It's me who's been too narrow-minded!"

Li Changshou smiled and continued chatting with Jiuwu about other sect matters.

After seeing Jiuwu off, Li Changshou couldn't help but sigh to himself.

'The trend of Dao companions in the sect has become a chronic issue...'

Though it was a case of the higher-ups setting the example, started by the initial elders, and exacerbated by some unreliable big shot secretly interfering with the marital fates in the Renjiao lineage,

this path would only lead to negative effects, with no positive gains.

People have limited energy; if they spend it all on romance, how can they maintain their cultivation progress?

Unless the sect could acquire some advanced yin-yang harmonizing dual cultivation methods and give them out for free to disciples who register their Dao companions at Baifan Hall...

But just like poison and escape techniques, dual cultivation methods are also considered unworthy in refined circles.

In this vast primordial world, where the air is thick with spiritual energy, cultivation is all about treasures, divine abilities, and innate gifts, while methods like dual cultivation, poison, and escape arts are constantly looked down upon.

—Li Changshou mainly felt it was unfair for poison and escape arts.

He didn't think much of dual cultivation methods anyway.

Initially, Li Changshou had planned to use the Xiongxin Dan to make money in the sect and expand Xiaoqiong Peak's defensive arrays, and these years had been quite profitable.

But after this fake pill incident, he realized:

The Xiongxin Dan was starting to undermine Du Xian Men's foundations.

The sect's foundations lay not in its disciples, but in the number of Heavenly Immortals and their potential to reach the Golden Immortal realm.

The elders are the constants; the disciples come and go.

For Li Changshou to stay safe in the sect, Du Xian Men's enduring prosperity was the most important thing.

"In the end, this is just me worrying unnecessarily."

That said, how was the Sect Leader Wu You Dao Ren's cultivation of the 'Hum' character incantation coming along? Had his old injury recovered?

Uh, Li Changshou suddenly realized:

In the past, he worried about what the Sect Leader worried about;

Gradually, he started worrying about things the Sect Leader didn't;

Now, he was even worrying about the Sect Leader himself...

Li Changshou found it a bit amusing and helpless, but he didn't feel burdened—after all, it was all for his own survival.

If the sect's trends of Dao companions and indulgence weren't curbed, and it continued like this, Xiaoqiong Peak might be fine, but if the other peaks declined and lost their successors, what would be the point?

Though no immortal sect can last forever,

at least, until he had the ability to protect himself, Du Xian Men couldn't weaken.

So, these past few years, Li Changshou had been pondering this problem:

What method could he use to make his fellow sect members more cautious and diligent in their cultivation?

After thinking it over, it was still incredibly difficult.

Thus, taking advantage of this fake pill incident, Li Changshou had decided on the spot to go with the flow and make a 'selfless contribution.'

After all, in his plans, he still needed to hide in Du Xian Men for many long years.

Rectifying the sect's customs was essential!

But he couldn't be the one to do it directly...

Two days later, Liu Feixian, having recovered from his superficial wounds, rode a cloud back to the sect gate in a daze.

This true immortal attendant had a slightly plump build and a round face, looking absent-minded and lost in thought. He bowed at the gate, hesitated for a while, and then entered.

The gatekeeper elder—cough, the gatekeeper immortal—said with a smile, "Liu Shizhi, you don't look well. What's wrong?"

"Some troubles on my mind, thank you for your concern, Shishu," Liu Feixian replied with a dry laugh, offering a daoist salute, then lowered his head and headed toward Potian Peak.

As soon as he flew away, spreading his immortal sense, he overheard the gatekeepers chatting...

"I wonder who the scoundrel is that made fake Xiongxin Dan!

My Shizhi Xiao Wu can't handle it anymore, so he's decided to hand the Xiongxin Dan over to Baifan Hall for distribution."

"How are they going to divide it? When will it be our turn?"

"Ha, I'd love to catch that fake pill maker and beat him senseless to vent my anger!

I've already told my Shijie about it!"

At that, Liu Feixian tucked in his waist and flew faster.

When he reached the Du Xian Hall, he lingered for a bit, then suddenly rushed to the hall's restrictions, dropped to his knees, and shouted upward,

"Sect Leader!

The Du Xian Men attendant Liu Feixian requests an audience!"

A moment later, a soft hum was heard, and two elders guarding the main hall stepped out.

One said warmly, "The Sect Leader is in seclusion. What urgent matter do you have? If it's truly important, we can wake him."

"This..."

Liu Feixian said firmly, "Elders, this is a grave matter. I must speak to the Sect Leader in person."

"Oh?" The two elders exchanged glances and shook their heads. "According to sect rules, it must be reported through the hall elders. The Sect Leader bears the fate of Du Xian Men and his cultivation is of utmost importance."

"Speak up first!"

"I... I..."

Liu Feixian's eyes darted around, recalling Jiuwu's instructions, and he suddenly threw his head back, wailing loudly,

"I've shed blood for Du Xian Men! I've fought for Du Xian Men! I must see the Sect Leader!"

The two elders frowned deeply and were about to restrain him when a few coughs echoed...

The voice of Sect Leader Wu You Dao Ren resounded in their ears:

"Crying like that is unbecoming. Come in."

Liu Feixian wiped his face and quickly stood up, rushing into the hall in two steps...

In the underground of Xiaoqiong Peak, Li Changshou used his immortal sense to observe up to that point, then stopped prying further.

He didn't dare probe too deeply around a Golden Immortal, especially in the sect's main hall.

What happened next was partly as Li Changshou had anticipated:

The Du Xian Men attendant went to the Sect Leader to complain, tearfully describing how the rampant trend of Dao companions was greatly hindering the disciples' cultivation, and begged the Sect Leader to launch a 'new customs' and 'great cultivation' campaign.

Sect Leader Wu You Dao Ren accepted the advice, rewarded the attendant, and then summoned the peak masters and elders to discuss the matter.

Soon after, Du Xian Men launched a vigorous movement to rectify the sect's customs...

But the developments that followed were partly beyond Li Changshou's expectations:

With so many Dao companions in the sect, the rectification effort lasted three months and fizzled out without results.

The one who proposed it, Danding Peak's Liu Feixian, had been ambushed so many times lately that the elders placed him under special protection.

Li Changshou: ...

Fine, consider it a wasted effort; you can't force people to do the impossible.

To be safe, Li Changshou made some adjustments to his long-term plan of turning Xiaoqiong Peak into a treasure.

Starting today, he would gradually construct the outer great array, based on the existing core array foundations, to make Xiaoqiong Peak a solid whole.

Then, if necessary, activate—

The Wandering Xiaoqiong Peak Plan!

In the West Ox Hezhou, near the Saint's dojo of Ling Shan, in that hidden cave.

A golden light enveloped the enchanting figure lying on the bed, illuminating the cave with a radiant glow.

As the light faded, Wen Jing Dao Ren slowly opened her narrow phoenix eyes and murmured softly, "Second Sage, rest assured, Wen Jing will give it my all."

A vague and profound dao rhythm dissipated around Wen Jing Dao Ren.

Then, she sat up, casually grabbed a long robe to drape over herself, and strolled to the lotus pool in the cave.

Finally, she could see her children again...

A cold smile tugged at the corners of Wen Jing Dao Ren's mouth.

The Saint sat high above, able to erase her at any moment, yet still guarded against her every move.

This time, sending her to scheme against the West Sea Dragon Palace and South Sea Dragon Palace, he only released a third of her clan...

"Though the Dragon Clan has declined, they are not to be underestimated.

He wants me to apply pressure, then have Western Teachings convert the dragons to Ling Shan—truly, he intends to use my children's lives to pave the way."

Wen Jing Dao Ren pondered for a moment.

This matter was different from the previous scheme against Du Xian Men; it required careful planning, unlike that casual earlier plot.

Though the results had been alarming, nearly exposing her to that Renjiao senior brother.

'Scheming against the Dragon Clan now shouldn't involve the Three Teachings of Daoism, as the Dragons have no dealings with them, so I probably won't encounter that frightening senior brother again.'

At that thought, the corners of Wen Jing Dao Ren's mouth twitched slightly.

'It's rare to find a Saint's disciple who's kept me on edge for so long.

And that one who used puppets to destroy my puppets—you've piqued my interest.'