Chapter 157: Good Deeds The Small Vest

"Excellent!"

From atop the high platform in the Hall of Divine Mists, the white-robed youth's loud exclamation made Dong Mu Gong, standing below, tremble involuntarily.

Meanwhile, the Jade Emperor Haotian burst into hearty laughter, lightly patting his desk repeatedly and exclaiming in wonder.

"Chang Geng, my beloved minister, what you've said deeply resonates with me! I have been pondering this matter for years, and today, at last, a beloved minister has offered such counsel! Hahahaha! Why have I only encountered Chang Geng now? Hahahaha! The Four Seas can finally be pacified!"

Dong Mu Gong lowered his head, not daring to utter a word, but his heart swelled with admiration.

He had obtained this counsel two hours earlier at the South Sea Sea God Temple. Upon receiving it, Dong Mu Gong immediately rushed back, moving with exceptional speed, and presented it to His Majesty.

It had been years since he had seen His Majesty the Jade Emperor so joyful...

Dong Mu Gong somewhat understood the underlying meaning of the Emperor's every word. The phrase "had it on his mind for years, today finally a beloved minister offered counsel on this matter" suggested that His Majesty hadn't quite realized this aspect himself and now felt a sense of sudden enlightenment. This fellow Daoist Chang Geng is truly extraordinary!

"Congratulations, Your Majesty," Dong Mu Gong said, bowing. "Now that a strategy to appease the Four Seas has been found, the Three Realms will surely be united in allegiance soon."

"What you say is a bit exaggerated, Mu Gong," the Jade Emperor said with a smile. "Currently, several Sages oversee the Three Realms, and the Three Daoist Sects safeguard the stability of Heaven and Earth. Whether they align their hearts with me isn't overly important; the stability of the Three Realms is what truly matters."

Dong Mu Gong was visibly moved, though a secret smile played in his heart. Ever since His Majesty met the South Sea Sea God, his demeanor and actions had become noticeably more prudent. Naturally, as a minister, he dared not elaborate on this, only lowering his head and sighing with emotion: "Your Majesty's broad-mindedness is truly beyond this old minister's reach."

Haotian smiled faintly, gazing at the still-warm piece of silk before him. His eyes were filled with admiration, and his heart swelled with emotion.

"Subduing the Dragon Race to pacify the Four Seas; bringing clouds and rain to manifest heavenly might. Controlling lakes and seas to stabilize Heaven and Earth; leveraging naval forces for grand schemes!"

This memorial, offering such profound counsel, made Haotian realize that the Heavenly Court was at a pivotal moment for its rise. It was as if he had suddenly found a grand door, and once pushed open, it revealed a bright and unobstructed path!

At the end of the memorial, Li Changshou had also included two sentences. The first sentence read: "Never rush things; it is wise to leverage existing forces, guide the situation to one's advantage, and seek victory through stability." The second sentence, however, was quite intriguing.

"Adding flowers to brocade is far inferior to sending charcoal in the snow..."

Haotian carefully pondered the words, quickly gaining understanding, and a confident smile touched the corner of his lips.

"Mu Gong!"

"Your old servant is here."

"Go to Tongming Hall and check on the decree I issued."

"Yes, your old servant will go at once."

With that, Dong Mu Gong turned and left swiftly. Haotian, seated behind his desk, brushed his fingers over the memorial and chuckled to himself again.

"Though the Human Sect may not have many followers, it truly contains many extraordinary individuals."

When Mu Gong hurried back and reported that the decree was only thirty percent complete, Haotian nodded gently and said: "Please trouble Mu Gong for one more trip. Take some top-grade spiritual herbs and precious medicines to Doushuai Palace as a gift for Laojun to use in his alchemy."

Dong Mu Gong bowed his head in acknowledgment, exited from the side of the main hall, and rode a cloud towards a Heavenly Court treasury.

"Chang Geng, Chang... Geng..."

Haotian stood up, stretched his limbs, and stood with his hands behind his back beside the desk, gazing at the slowly revolving stars on the dome of the Hall of Divine Mists. "Does this Daoist name refer to a particular master from the Human Sect? Elder Brother Taiqing has only a handful of registered disciples; who among them would be associated with this Daoist name?"

In the vast, empty hall, the Jade Emperor Haotian murmured softly, but the slowly drifting clouds on the floor offered no answer.

His Majesty suddenly had another thought. He carefully re-examined Li Changshou's memorial for a moment, then took out other memorials from his desk and compared them. Soon after, the Jade Emperor's eyes lit up. He casually drew a piece of silk towards himself, picked up a brush, and began writing lines of small characters. Moments later, His Majesty summoned a civil minister who was waiting outside the hall for decrees, and with a wave of immortal power, sent the finished silk down to him.

"Inform all my subordinates in the Heavenly Court that from now on, all memorials, regardless of who submits them, must follow this exact format. Any errors will result in a forfeiture of ten years' merit salary."

As the Jade Emperor finished speaking, the minister below promptly bowed his head in acknowledgment.

At that very moment, a golden light flashed from the golden orb atop the Hall of Divine Mists and vanished into the Heavenly Court. The Jade Emperor naturally understood the meaning of this phenomenon. As soon as he spoke, the Heavenly Dao reacted, bestowing Heavenly Dao merit upon the South Sea Sea God specifically for the 'memorial format.' The merit condensed into visible golden light, and this amount of meritorious power was actually quite significant.

The Jade Emperor chuckled softly; he felt that the merit bestowed was actually too little. Alas, even as the Jade Emperor, he could not freely allocate Heavenly Dao merit; otherwise, he wouldn't have been stingy in the slightest.

Meanwhile, on the treasure ship, which had not yet left the borders of East Victory Divine Continent, golden lights suddenly shimmered around Li Changshou. He immediately opened his eyes and, with a surge of magical power, stirred his robe to swiftly conceal the golden lights.

What was that?

Li Changshou peered inwards and saw his primordial spirit surrounded by dazzling golden light, his tiny primordial spirit figure completely submerged in a pool of merit! This sudden influx of merit was infinitely purer than the incense merit he had previously collected!

This... Had his memorial been seen by the Jade Emperor, who then specifically bestowed this merit as a reward?

Li Changshou swiftly refined the merit. After fashioning boxer briefs for his primordial spirit figure, he now began to dress it in a small waistcoat. His life safety index instantly increased by three ten-thousandths!

Throughout this process, Li Changshou's mind was taut, his immortal sense monitoring every direction. Thankfully, the anomaly around him had not disturbed anyone on the ship. None of the seven sense-detection stones on his person had lit up. Twelve *zhang* away, in another corner of the treasure ship's aft deck, Youqin Xuanya was already in a state of deep meditation.

Li Changshou thought for a moment, decided against any rash moves, and instead focused on refining the sudden influx of merit.

*'Your Majesty the Jade Emperor... this is truly too generous!'*

Li Changshou sighed in admiration, knowing this merit was hard-earned—it was a reward gained only by meticulously planning the entire Dragon Race's destiny. Clearly, he, who hadn't yet officially ascended to Heaven, had somewhat misunderstood the situation...

Li Changshou swiftly realized another problem. If merit descended directly, would the Jade Emperor sense it? If this incident exposed his identity, it would be a true misfortune rather than a blessing, leaving him with nothing to be pleased about.

*'I need to figure out a way for my paper avatar to temporarily store this merit power, and then have the Heavenly Dao, when it distributes 'salaries' in the future, deposit them into this sub-account...'*

Li Changshou began to deduce, and soon became lost in thought.

If there was one trait that people didn't necessarily need, in Li Changshou's view, it was this overly fervent curiosity. He had repeatedly warned Wang Qi not to lightly try the Poison Dragon Wine. Yet, before twelve hours had even passed, Junior Brother Wang Qi...

On the second day of their journey towards the Central Divine Continent, the treasure ship glided leisurely through the clouds. Most of the cultivators on board, regardless of their cultivation level or whether they were simply putting on a show, had found spots to meditate.

After Li Changshou had finished creating the merit waistcoat for his primordial spirit, he quietly slipped away from Youqin Xuanya's side and found another corner to settle in. He had just settled down and taken out a piece of paper, condensed from the essence of a young spiritual tree, which he began meticulously cutting with his fingers, when Wang Qi arrived, hunched over and in a hurry.

Wang Qi, whose cultivation was already at the fifth stage of the Dao-Returning Realm, was now flushed red, with steam rising from his head and divine light flickering in his eyes. His usual carefree demeanor was utterly absent.

"Senior Brother Changshou... that wine, is there, is there an antidote? I accidentally drank a cup!"

Li Changshou: ...

*'Beyond help, just take him away, next.'*

Of course, he couldn't say such things directly; they were fellow disciples, after all. Li Changshou forced a wry smile. "Where would this wine have an antidote? Junior Brother Wang, I warned you time and again, yet you still...!"

"I was just a bit curious..."

Wang Qi couldn't help but stamp his foot. "Senior Brother, what am I to do?"

"You and Senior Sister Yan'er have already become Daoist partners; this shouldn't be so difficult."

Wang Qi hissed, "With all these eyes watching, the Sect Master and the Grand Elder are observing!"

Li Changshou: ...

As if the defensive formations you've set up in your cave dwellings within the immortal sect could truly block the immortal senses of these masters if the Sect Master and elders wanted to peek! Li Changshou naturally knew how powerful the immortal sense of late-stage Heaven Immortals was. Only the comprehensive defensive array that Martial Aunt Jiu Jiu had commissioned him to build for her pavilion, at great expense, could barely withstand such probing... Of course, he couldn't say this directly, lest it cause unease among the Daoist partners within the sect. If it caused some young disciples, who secretly enjoyed seeking thrills and were quite bold, to feel such shame that inner demons arose and they suffered qi deviation, the karmic repercussions would be immense.

Li Changshou pondered for a moment, then said: "For this matter, why not seek help from the Sect Master? Ask him to intervene and help you refine the excess Yang energy within your body. The Sect Master is actually very caring towards us young disciples, and for this, you can only go to him. If you approach other elders, you're bound to be scolded and punished."

Wang Qi considered carefully and realized this was indeed the most logical approach. "I've caused trouble for Senior Brother Changshou!" Wang Qi bowed in a Daoist salute, sighing inwardly. "I'll go request an audience with the Sect Master now. If he decides to punish me, I'll accept it."

Li Changshou nodded slightly. This Junior Brother Qiqi did show some responsibility; after secretly drinking the Poison Dragon Wine, he hadn't brought the trouble to his Daoist partner. As he watched Wang Qi hurry away, hunched over, Li Changshou couldn't help but shake his head...

What a mess.

Good thing he hadn't given Wang Qi the Ambition Pill, otherwise Wang Qi wouldn't merely be hunched over now; he'd probably be at the ship's bow, embracing the railing and dancing wildly...

Li Changshou closed his eyes to rest, continuing to monitor his surroundings and, incidentally, keeping an eye on Wang Qi's situation. On this treasure ship, Li Changshou had already identified the fastest escape routes. If they were attacked en route and the enemy proved stronger, he could retreat at the fastest speed to call for reinforcements... —Having a legitimate excuse during a strategic retreat was, in fact, quite important.

Li Changshou's immortal sense detected Wang Qi knocking on the door of the luxurious suite on the treasure ship's top deck. After Wang Qi entered, he immediately dropped to his knees with a thud, confessing to Sect Master Ji Wuyou that out of momentary curiosity, he had drunk the Poison Dragon Wine. Daoist Wuyou was somewhat puzzled. He glanced at Wang Qi, then asked him to produce the Poison Dragon Wine. Ji Wuyou then dipped a finger in the wine, meticulously analyzed its medicinal properties, and couldn't help but chuckle softly. He then asked Wang Qi where he had obtained the item.

Wang Qi hesitated for a moment, then, not daring to conceal anything, revealed Li Changshou's involvement, even insisting that he had sought it out from Senior Brother Changshou himself and that it had nothing to do with him. Daoist Wuyou couldn't help but stifle a laugh, saying gently: "Don't be nervous. This item is actually quite good, and I, this poor Daoist, will not punish you. I've already sent word to summon your Daoist partner. Look behind you..."

Wang Qi turned his head to see Liu Yan'er rushing into the suite, kneeling beside him with a bewildered expression. Then, Ji Wuyou smiled, his hands clasped behind his back, and without giving them a chance to speak, he gracefully floated out of the suite. The Sect Master activated the formations around the suite and personally set up an additional barrier for them. Wang Qi and Liu Yan'er hadn't even processed what was happening before they found themselves trapped inside, unable to leave.

After completing this, Ji Wuyou ascended to the top of the treasure ship, admiring the magnificent landscapes between heaven and earth, and couldn't help but sigh: "Youth is truly wonderful... *cough, cough, cough!*"

As Ji Wuyou coughed and lowered his head, he happened to spot Li Changshou meditating in a corner by the ship's rail. The Sect Master of the Immortal Ascension Sect immediately showed a flicker of interest, and his figure floated down. Li Changshou promptly rose to greet him, feeling a slight helplessness in his heart, and respectfully called out, "Your disciple greets the Sect Master."

"Mm, no need for formalities," Daoist Wuyou said, casually setting up a sound-isolating barrier, and getting straight to the point. "That Poison Dragon Wine from earlier, and the Ambition Pills you refined, do you still have them with you?"

Li Changshou immediately produced three bottles of Ambition Pills and six jars of Poison Dragon Wine, placed them in a treasure pouch, and presented it to the Sect Master. "Sect Master, your primordial spirit injury doesn't seem to have fully healed yet. These two items, used together... are highly restorative..."

"What nonsense are you thinking? Where would I, this poor Daoist, get a Daoist partner? It's been several *yuanhui* since I've been alone." Daoist Wuyou said in a low voice, "I actually have a few old friends. They've lived for so long that their attitudes have become detached, and they are quite at odds with their Daoist partners, often distressed by such matters. *Cough, cough...* You handled this matter well. Later, when we arrive, you and Xuanya should follow me. I'll introduce you to the true masters of the Three Immortal Sects."

Li Changshou's heart remained unperturbed, but he managed to put on a slightly excited expression, saying in a low voice: "Many thanks, Sect Master. Your disciple accepts the order."

Daoist Wuyou smiled contentedly, put away the treasure pouch, and just as he was about to turn and leave, he suddenly remembered something.

"Changshou, you and our Human Sect's Grand Master Xuandu..."

Li Changshou's heart instantly tensed. Had the matter of him secretly connecting with the Grand Master... already been exposed?