Chapter 181: Honghuang Rectification One Small Step

Ling E had instructed me on that, she said you get nervous when interacting with women in public.

Jiu Jiu sat on the railing of the treasure ship, with a large gourd on her back, gently swinging her feet. Behind her was a dazzling array of formation light walls, and in her hand, she held a few wine-brewed spirit beans, casually tossing one up, tilting her head back and opening her mouth...

With a quick "ah-woo," she crunched away noisily.

"Although this master uncle doesn't think I have much feminine charm, I'm still a woman, so I've been holding back from seeking you out to play."

Nearby, Xiong Lingli overheard this, glanced down at her own muscular build, and quietly lowered her head, hugging herself tightly with both arms.

Li Changshou, sitting in the corner meditating, couldn't help but chuckle bitterly...

Master Uncle, do you have some misunderstanding about feminine charm?

'It turns out Ling E had given instructions in advance,' Li Changshou thought with a sudden surge of emotion.

This junior sister hasn't been doted on in vain.

I've decided!

From now on, instead of using paper effigies to monitor Ling E, I'll wait until the moment before I return to the mountain and then use a paper effigy to check what she's up to.

If Ling E is slacking off, daydreaming, or not cultivating properly, I'll reward her with ten years of house arrest to boost her cultivation realm;

If she's meticulously grooming herself or bathing and changing clothes, I'll reward her with five hundred recitations of the "Wen Zi Jing" to correct her misguided thoughts;

If she's eating barbecue in the spirit beast enclosure, then... I'll give her a good spanking behind closed doors;

Ahem, but if Ling E is diligently cultivating and meditating on the Dao, I'll formally teach her the original version of the paper-cutting effigy technique, giving her an extra means of self-protection.

Li Changshou went through these scenarios in his mind, feeling a bit sentimental.

That clever and delicate little girl from back then has now grown into a graceful young woman. Apart from her occasional mischief toward me as her senior brother, she's turned out quite well in every other aspect.

Especially in the last ten-plus years, Ling E has lost that impulsive streak that used to get her into trouble and has become much more steady.

This pleased Li Changshou greatly.

In the future, as long as Ling E stays steady, he naturally won't treat this junior sister unfairly.

Jiu Jiu sighed lightly:

"Ah, why didn't I ascend when I underwent my tribulation back then?"

Li Changshou smiled and said: "This disciple once read in the Daoist scriptures that whether one ascends or not depends not on aptitude or enlightenment, but on the accumulations before becoming an immortal and whether one's Dao aligns with the heavens and earth."

"Hmph," Jiu Jiu rolled her eyes, "You in the Gui Dao Liu Jing realm have no say in this!"

"Yes, yes," Li Changshou replied with his head lowered, "This disciple spoke out of turn."

"Um... I didn't mean your cultivation is low, don't overthink it."

Worried she might accidentally dampen Li Changshou's confidence in cultivation, Jiu Jiu thought for a moment and put on an air of elder wisdom to advise:

"Cultivation is about longevity and persistence, not rushing through day by day.

A temporary burst of speed doesn't guarantee high achievements later.

Some cultivators with outstanding talent and comprehension might become immortals in a hundred years and reach Zhen Xian in a thousand, but then they suddenly get stuck, unable to even reach Tian Xian, let alone achieve longevity.

So, cultivation... well, yes, it shouldn't be about momentary pride; you have to look at the long term!"

"Master Uncle's insight is profound!" Li Changshou replied with a smile.

Xiong Lingli, standing nearby, was full of admiration, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at this little senior sister.

Jiu Jiu waved her hand at Xiong Lingli a bit embarrassed, then suddenly thought of something and sent a voice transmission to Li Changshou:

"What are your plans for this little Xiong Lingli?

She's the sect leader's nominal disciple, so it would be more appropriate for her to cultivate on Po Tian Peak. Do you want me to take her to stay at my place?

My house is empty anyway—I'm practically a resident of Xiao Qiong Peak now!"

"Xiao Qiong Peak is quite serene," Li Changshou replied via voice transmission, "Xiong Lingli has the bloodline of the Wu people, and although she's already practicing inedia, she still enjoys eating. It's just right for her there.

Once we get back, I'll expand the spirit beast enclosure several times over, raise more delicious spirit beasts, and have her help manage them in her spare time.

That way, Xiong Lingli won't have to keep going out of the sect to hunt."

Jiu Jiu's eyes lit up at this, and she looked at Xiong Lingli, unable to resist smacking her lips...

Wouldn't that mean she could openly tag along with this sturdy little sister and freeload meals?

Xiong Lingli shrank her neck, timidly eyeing this senior sister who was petite overall but had impressively developed muscles in certain areas...

That gaze was strikingly similar to when she was starving!

Li Changshou chuckled: "We'll discuss it when we get back."

Jiu Jiu nodded eagerly, while Xiong Lingli glanced at her cousin, the Sea God, and then at Jiu Jiu, feeling utterly uncertain.

What on earth is Du Xian Men like...

Suddenly, Jiu Jiu extended her small hand and shouted: "Let's play Fight the Landlord!

This assembly was so boring—I dozed off more than twenty times before it ended!"

Li Changshou smiled, pulled out the deck of cards he'd prepared earlier, called Xiong Lingli over to join, and had his master uncle set up a layer of immortal force barrier around them to block outside views.

At first, Xiong Lingli said things like, "I'm not very smart, I probably won't get it right";

But after two rounds, this bear girl was already beaming, shouting things like "Four Tian Xians," "A pair of Jin Xians," "Boom, bang," "Team up for Fei Xian"—yelling louder than anyone!

While playing, Li Changshou still kept his mind on serious matters.

How could he stop Uncle Zhao's gang from randomly extorting people everywhere?

He had thought Zhao Gongming and Qiong Xiao were just acting on a whim, but from Wen Jing Daoist's experience, it seemed this brother-sister pair had started a full-blown prehistoric extortion saga...

There wasn't even a distress hotline in the primordial world, and Uncle Zhao's backing was rock-solid!

Today they might accidentally bump into Wen Jing Daoist; tomorrow, who knows, they could be ripping tiles off Zi Xiao Palace!

Li Changshou couldn't help but feel frustrated...

Back then, to deal with the hunchbacked old Daoist from Western Cult, he'd made that great Dao oath too airtight, and now it was hard to back out.

If he just washed his hands of it, he feared Uncle Zhao might cause a major incident and drag him into it;

But if he tried to intervene promptly, he didn't know how to go about it...

After pondering for a few days, Li Changshou even considered asking his own backer—Xuan Du the Great Mage—to step in and resolve it.

But calling on the Great Mage out of the blue would only wear down his goodwill toward me...

A backer isn't something you use lightly, and this matter isn't urgent enough yet.

Just as Li Changshou was at a loss, a casual remark from Jiu Jiu sparked an idea...

Jiu Jiu said: "I don't know why Ling E is so afraid of you as her senior brother. Can't you be a bit gentler with her?"

As her senior brother... senior brother...

Right!

Li Changshou slapped his forehead—how could he have forgotten about that big shot!

Jiu Jiu blinked: "Why are you hitting yourself? Such an exaggerated move—just to show you're annoyed?"

"No, this disciple just thought of a little cultivation tip," Li Changshou laughed, "Thanks for the reminder, Master Uncle. I'll be gentler with Ling E from now on.

You go ahead and play with Xiong Lingli; this disciple will go into seclusion for a bit!"

"Huh? You're not usually this diligent," Jiu Jiu grumbled discontentedly, "Always trying to show off in front of the sect's experts!"

Li Changshou didn't argue, just smiled with narrowed eyes...

This master uncle really is my lucky star.

He closed his eyes and focused, directing most of his mind back to the paper effigy under the Sea God Temple.

He switched to a 'fully charged' paper effigy, which floated out quietly, went to the main temple here, and entered the room prepared for paper effigies...

Now, he had a plan.

In Jie Jiao, aside from the Saint himself, if there's anyone who can control Zhao Gongming and Qiong Xiao, it wouldn't be the senior brother Duobao Daoist.

It's the eldest of the San Xiao sisters, Zhao Gongming's second sister—Yun Xiao!

For Li Changshou from his past life, the San Xiao sisters were quite familiar figures.

The reason they're known as fierce is mainly because, in the future Feng Shen calamity, to avenge their brother Zhao Gongming, they set up the Nine Bends Yellow River Array and used the Hunyuan Golden Bowl to strip away the three flowers above the heads of most of the Twelve Golden Immortals;

But that's just a small part of their exploits.

What's most impressive is that when the Saint personally tried to subdue them, the San Xiao sisters were bold enough to strike back at the Saint...

Of course, because of that, their fate was quite tragic:

The eldest, Yun Xiao, was taken by Lao Zi and suppressed under the Qilin Cliff behind Yu Xu Palace;

The second, Qiong Xiao, and the third, Bi Xiao, were directly killed, with their lingering souls added to the Feng Shen list, turning them into puppets of the Heavenly Dao, stripped of their freedom.

Their divine positions are also quite peculiar—just like the mundane world's "midwives."

At first glance, they handle the descent of human spirits, which seems like an important role; but think about it, their status is barely on par with the Moon Elder in the Moon Elder Hall.

As outer sect disciples of Jie Jiao...

It's truly lamentable.

However, even though Li Changshou knew all this early on, he couldn't worry about what comes later.

He's already on the verge of escaping the Feng Shen calamity and absolutely doesn't want to get involved again.

What he wants to do now is simply inform Yun Xiao about Zhao Gongming and Qiong Xiao's reckless extortion outside, and see how she reacts...

Of course, Li Changshou is completely unfamiliar with Yun Xiao and doesn't know her temperament from the myths.

What if she's overly indulgent toward her sisters and joins the extortion gang? That would really stir things up.

So, to be safe, he not only needs to let Yun Xiao know about this but also make her realize that it could bring endless karma to Zhao Gongming and Qiong Xiao.

'How should I handle this?'

Li Changshou sat in his chair, subconsciously tapping his fingers on the desk.

Everyone has some minor quirks;

For example, Ling E likes to bathe when she's bored, sometimes three times a day—morning, noon, and evening—and she even puts flower petals in the water, arranging them into patterns.

Um... don't ask how he knows; it's not important!

Li Changshou is very mindful of his own habits. Aside from tapping his fingers rhythmically on the desk when fully focused, he's eliminated most other fidgety behaviors.

'Have Wen Jing Daoist, the victim, go to San Xian Island to complain to Yun Xiao?'

Wen's background hasn't been exposed yet, so he could go to San Xian Island, but that might arouse suspicion from the Western Cult Saint...

Write a letter and have Ao Yi deliver it to San Xian Island?

Li Changshou pondered for a moment.

Ao Yi is busy with his honeymoon right now, and it's not great to keep sending him on errands...

'Why not just use my identity as the South Sea Sea God to tell Yun Xiao the whole story directly?

Overcomplicating things might backfire.'

Sometimes, the path of steadiness lies in simplicity, not complexity.

Li Changshou gradually stopped thinking, took out pen, ink, and silk, and began writing a formal letter of introduction.

San Xian Island isn't hard to find; he just needs to have Ao Yi ask around on Jin Ao Island to get a rough location.

The real challenge is how to meet Yun Xiao...

The setting sun's rays filtered through the window paper, casting light on the desk;

Li Changshou wielded his brush with care, putting considerable effort into this letter of introduction, revising it multiple times.

Once he finished, a sudden realization dawned on him...

Good thing he had decided to go to San Xian Island and discuss this with Yun Xiao.

If Zhao Gongming and the others caused a big mess later, Yun Xiao might come knocking and pin the blame on him!

"In this primordial world, every step is fraught with instability."

Li Changshou's paper effigy stretched lazily, tucked away the letter, picked up his duster, and used earth escape to head toward the South Sea.

Traveling through the sea with water escape would save a bit more immortal force than earth escape.

Meanwhile...

Deep in the South Sea, on a desolate island.

Three figures sat in a forest clearing, dividing up one storage treasure after another.

Qiong Xiao waved her delicate hands back and forth, counting seriously:

"Big brother one, me one;

Han Zhi one, me one.

Me one, me one;

Big brother one, me one..."

Zhao Gongming was somewhat amused and exasperated, naturally not quibbling over such trifles with his third sister.

Han Zhi felt a bit uneasy, wanting to say she didn't dare take these gains but afraid of being scolded by Qiong Xiao.

Soon, the division was complete, and Qiong Xiao clapped her hands, smiling contentedly.

"This feeling of getting something for nothing is great, big brother. Shall we go stroll around the West Sea?"

"Alright," Zhao Gongming stroked his beard with a smile, "But let's not take their things next time; it makes us seem like bandits.

Do you lack treasures, third sister?"

"Not at all," Qiong Xiao blinked, "But big brother, if we don't take these, what's the point of what we're doing?

We have to commit to our line of work!

Later, we'll distribute these cultivation resources to some discontented immortals in the sect."

Zhao Gongming pondered for a moment, then looked at Han Zhi and asked: "Is that the reasoning?"

Han Zhi's sense of justice made her want to shake her head, but Qiong Xiao glared at her discreetly, so she nodded weakly and gave a soft "Mm."

Instantly submitting...