Chapter 140: One Stone Alarms a Flock of Birds

Flying through the clouds amid verdant mountains and crystal-clear waters, Li Changshou felt quite relaxed, his posture even straighter than before.

He absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, inhaled the vital energy of the sun and moon. Originally, the dark, cold, and endlessly vast primordial world suddenly welcomed a warm ray of sunlight...

"My path is not lonely anymore."

At last, he had found a rare sense of validation!

A touch of poetic sentiment stirred in Li Changshou's heart. He pondered for a moment and murmured,

"Though I have a strong backer, I must not let down my guard."

The arrival of Xuan Du Dashi had indeed given him a boost of confidence, like having a protective umbrella overhead. He had truly latched onto this powerful supporter and boarded the sturdy, spacious ship of Ren Jiao.

Yet, the core of Ren Jiao consisted of just two figures, and from the leader to the chief disciple, they both upheld the principle of wuwei, or non-interference.

Xuan Du Dashi's warning was meant to prevent Li Changshou from becoming arrogant or complacent just because he had gained favor from the Sheng Ren.

In truth, this warning held little significance for Li Changshou.

No sooner had he bid farewell to Xuan Du Dashi than he began pondering a question in his heart...

Why had he caught the eye of the Sheng Ren?

Li Changshou pondered deeply for a while.

First, it was because the Nanhai Shen Jiao had entangled itself with the causes and effects of the Heavenly Court and the Dragon Clan, drawing the attention of his own Sheng Ren.

Second, his previous actions and demeanor must have aligned well with the Sheng Ren's intentions, which was why the Sheng Ren had intervened to conceal the heavenly secrets for him and assigned him the task of bringing the Dragon Clan into the Heavenly Court.

Several intertwined clues unraveled slowly in Li Changshou's mind.

He understood clearly that this was not because his master had favored him for his handsome appearance and thus bestowed benefits.

To gain the protection of a Sheng Ren, he had to prove his own value and always adhere to the eight-character guideline: "qingjing wuwei, evade cause and effect"!

Likewise, he could not neglect his own cultivation; only by stepping into the realm of Changsheng Jinxian would he qualify to continue serving the Sheng Ren and receive their protection.

Li Changshou gave a bitter laugh and sighed softly in his heart...

Those who skillfully use pawns often end up as pawns themselves.

This was much like the saying, "The boy who slays the dragon eventually becomes the dragon"... more or less.

With his immortal sense sweeping the river valley and confirming that Xuan Du Dashi had truly left, Li Changshou guided his cloud downward toward the mountain forests below.

He slipped away quietly underground and hurried back to Du Xian Men.

In Li Changshou's view, latching onto Xuan Du Dashi's support had only two practical implications...

First, his previous bluffs had become reality, giving him more confidence in matters related to the Nanhai Shen Jiao.

Second, it directly alleviated most of the pressure from the Mosquito Dao Ren.

As long as Xuan Du Dashi appeared in the South Sea and uttered those words about not harming mortals, it would have the effect of startling a flock of birds with a single stone.

The Dragon Clan would likely assume that Xuan Du Dashi was showing up to back the Nanhai Shen Jiao, solidifying it as a source of incense merit for Ren Jiao.

The Dragon Clan, with their surface pride, current predicaments, and underlying fears, would cling tightly to this straw.

As for the Western Cult, the Mosquito Dao Ren would probably feel a slight sense of apprehension.

But Xuan Du Dashi had only said, "Do not harm mortals," without mentioning anything else, implying...

You can fight it out on the seas.

This statement fit the image of Ren Jiao's chief disciple perfectly.

When the Western Cult gathered merit in the western part of Nan Zambu Buzhou, they would likely exercise more caution.

If Li Changshou's predictions were correct, the Western Cult would continue trying to scheme against the Dragon Clan and draw them into their influence.

He needed to plan carefully and make full use of the Nanhai Shen Jiao. When the Dragon Clan felt overwhelmed, he would pull them into the Heavenly Court to become a force for the Jade Emperor...

Contending with the Western Cult for the Dragon Clan was like snatching food from a tiger's mouth.

Before today, with only the vague backing of the Jade Emperor behind him, Li Changshou naturally wouldn't dare attempt it.

But now, with a Sheng Ren acting to conceal the heavenly secrets for him—and the strongest among the six Sheng Ren at that...

As long as Li Changshou remained extremely cautious, avoided exposing his true identity, and steered clear of personal causes and effects, it might be worth trying!

This matter was the first task assigned by the Sheng Ren; it concerned his future prospects and personal safety, so he had to handle it with utmost care and give it his all.

Originally, after returning to the mountain, Li Changshou had planned to invite his master and junior sister for a meal of spicy frog and fish head hotpot to celebrate, and also study the two newly obtained jade talismans...

But now, he felt that the most important thing was to list out his upcoming schemes, as well as the possible reactions from the Western Cult and the Dragon Clan. Based on those possibilities, he should draw up a general plan to avoid being caught off guard.

He continued his underground escape until he was six hundred li from Du Xian Men.

Then, he changed direction and flew back on his cloud at the appropriate speed for a Gui Dao Jing disciple.

Just as Xuan Du Dashi had been slightly surprised to hear that he was the leader of the Nanhai Shen Jiao...

Now, with the Tai Qing Sheng Ren concealing the heavenly secrets, as long as Ao Yi didn't reveal anything, who could imagine that the leader of the Nanhai Shen Jiao was just a young disciple from Du Xian Men who hadn't even become an immortal yet?

This layer of disguise, in Li Changshou's eyes, had become one of his key trump cards.

And it was growing even more important.

In Xi Niu He Zhou, near Ling Shan, in the cave abode of Wen Jing Dao Ren.

A faint buzzing sound arose, and the figure of Wen Jing Dao Ren appeared out of thin air, standing before her two attending maidservants who were cultivating.

The two maidservants trembled all over, not yet having time to open their eyes, when Wen Jing Dao Ren waved her hand casually, turning them instantly to dust...

"Did I permit you to cultivate?"

Wen Jing Dao Ren said coldly, her gauze skirt fluttering as a faint sound of water echoed in the cave abode.

By the time the skirt settled, she had already seated herself in a treasure pool emanating rich spiritual energy.

With her slender fingers, she plucked a spirit lotus and slowly tore its petals into pieces...

This was her way of maintaining composure.

After all, those who had lived through endless ages often had quirks that others couldn't understand.

"What a treacherous Dragon Clan!

My children were buried by you just like that!

And you even scattered their ashes!"

Wen Jing Dao Ren gritted her teeth and cursed, but soon let out a slow breath.

It was just a setback, nothing more.

This time, the second leader had allocated her three-tenths of their race, and she had sent one-tenth to ambush the Dragon Clan forces, thinking it was a sure win.

Unexpectedly, the enemy was even more cunning, and her own precautions hadn't been thorough enough!

With so many of her race lost, as their queen, she naturally felt heartbroken.

But heartache aside, as long as the older members of her race remained, in another few tens of thousands of years, they could reproduce again...

Gradually suppressing her anger, Wen Jing Dao Ren's mind conjured up the image of that Daoist...

Xuan Du Dashi!

She had intended to vent by cursing, but her heart trembled slightly as she recalled the fear and helplessness she felt when Xuan Du had confronted her that day...

This man was not someone she could provoke.

"From now on, I must avoid the human race...

That Nanhai Shen Jiao indeed has the shadow of Ren Jiao behind it."

Wen Jing Dao Ren murmured softly, having already torn the petals into fragments and scattered them into the pool water.

It seemed she would have to target the Dragon Clan directly.

Generally speaking, for tasks assigned by the second leader, she had to produce results within a millennium.

Were there any exploitable weaknesses within the Dragon Clan?

Wen Jing Dao Ren pinched her fingers to divine, her narrow phoenix eyes narrowing slightly as a charming yet chilling smile curved at the corners of her mouth.

She remembered that in recent years, some Jiaolong soldiers had been quite discontent with the Dragon Clan, even sparking some rebellions...

"This could be put to good use."

Meanwhile, in the seas south of An Shui City.

"Is it really Xuan Du Dashi?"

"Absolutely certain, it was indeed Xuan Du Dashi. There's no doubt about it."

"So what if it's Xuan Du Dashi? Does our Dragon Clan need to rely on them?"

"That's right, the incense from the Shen Jiao is just something we're arranging for young nephew Ao Yi anyway."

Sitting in the Jiaolong carriage, Ao Yi listened to the words of the Dragon Clan elders outside and couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Some were still unwilling to admit the Dragon Clan's decline, stubbornly downplaying it by saying that Ren Jiao's chief disciple was nothing special.

But Ao Yi had seen it clearly—those two elders who were now shouting the loudest had nearly dropped their jaws when Xuan Du Dashi appeared!

Shaking his head, Ao Yi took out a palm-sized treasure mirror from his embrace and activated its restrictions.

Buzz—

The mirror vibrated slightly, and an image immediately appeared.

Ao Yi saw his father, whose depths he could no longer fathom, reclining on a seven-colored coral throne, with several gentle sea nymphs attending him—fanning him, massaging his legs, rubbing his shoulders, and serving tea.

As the Dragon King of the East Sea and the current patriarch of the Dragon Clan, he ruled the four seas, possessed countless treasures, and lived a life that was...

Boring, absurd, and tedious.

Then, an elderly voice called out tremulously from the side,

"Your Majesty, the Second Prince requests an audience."

Ao Yi naturally recognized this as his father's Gui Prime Minister.

"Ah, my son," the Dragon King opened his eyes, dismissed the sea nymphs, and gazed at Ao Yi through the mirror.

Ao Yi immediately sat up straight, feeling a bit tense.

"Father, your child reports back!"

"Hmm, I've already heard about the battles there. You did well."

Hearing this, Ao Yi's lips curved slightly, but he quickly lowered his head and said, "It was all due to guidance from a master behind the scenes. Your child dares not claim the credit."

The East Sea Dragon King laughed, "Your humility is a sign that your time at Jin'ao Island wasn't wasted.

Later, remember to send more treasures to the Shen Jiao. Our clan must not owe this Sea God any favors."

"Your child understands and will arrange it shortly.

Father, your child wishes to return directly to Jin'ao Island for cultivation."

"Go ahead," the East Sea Dragon King waved his hand. "My son is diligent, which brings me great comfort. As for sending the treasures, you needn't worry—I'll handle it myself."

With that, the mirror vibrated gently, and the image faded away.

Ao Yi let out a breath of relief and put the mirror away.

He was actually afraid his father would ask who the leader of the Nanhai Shen Jiao was; if he did, Ao Yi wasn't sure if he would answer...

'Brother Changshou, what can I do to repay you?'

The East Sea Dragon King's orders were soon conveyed.

As Ao Yi separated from the main forces and was escorted back to Jin'ao Island, a group of Xian Jiaolong soldiers, carrying dozens of large chests, headed toward An Shui City.

Never mind what was inside the chests—just the chests themselves were rare materials for refining treasures...

Two days later.

In the vast and empty Lingxiao Bao Dian of the Nine Heavens.

Dongmu Gong arrived on clouds from outside and entered the hall, bowing at the base of the high platform.

"Your Majesty, I have investigated the events at the Shen Jiao recently."

"Oh?"

The white-robed youth on the high platform, who was reviewing heavenly decrees, set down his jade brush.

"Speak."

"As you command. Someone schemed against the Dragon Clan, using the Nanhai Shen Jiao as bait to ambush their troops, but the Dragon Clan turned the tables with their own ambush.

The one scheming against the Dragon Clan is beyond my divination, but the attackers were the ancient fierce beasts, the Blood-Winged Black Mosquito swarm.

At present, only two factions could deploy so many of these mosquitoes..."

The white-robed youth nodded slowly, fully understanding Dongmu Gong's implication.

"They never take me seriously," the white-robed youth sighed, a flash of sharp light in his eyes that quickly faded, replaced by his usual amiable expression.

"Later, Dongmu Gong, take some rewards and go to the Nanhai Shen Jiao.

Since the decree isn't complete yet, this is the only way to appease this... this...

My dear minister..."

The Jade Emperor paused, pinched his fingers to calculate, and then chuckled bitterly, "Dongmu Gong, this time, remember to ask for this Sea God's name and title."

Dongmu Gong was taken aback, suddenly realizing that he didn't even know the slightest detail about the Nanhai Shen Jiao's leader—not even a pseudonym.

(The end of this chapter)