Chapter 206: Great Dao Oath, One-Click Five in a Row

"Is Fellow Daoist the incarnation of the Hai Shen?"

In the Hai Shen Grand Temple of Lingnan City, amidst the bustling crowd offering incense, Li Changshou's paper Daoist, disguised as an old immortal, had just emerged from the backyard when he was abruptly blocked by a yellow-robed elder who arrived on a cloud. The elder's expression was tinged with urgency, and upon seeing Li Changshou, he quickly asked his question.

Li Changshou had encountered many senior experts before, but... someone so impatient—cough, so frantically eager—was quite rare.

Li Changshou smiled and said, "How should I address you, Fellow Daoist?"

"I am Huanglong from Yu Xu Gong. Are you the Hai Shen?"

Huanglong?

Li Changshou's Dao heart trembled slightly. Through his paper Daoist, he gazed at the tall, thin elder before him, quickly regaining his composure as calculations raced through his mind.

"So it's Senior Huanglong. My apologies for the oversight! Senior, there are many mortals here. Let's step aside to talk."

"Ah, yes, quickly!"

Huanglong Zhenren gestured invitingly, almost ushering Li Changshou hastily toward the back hall.

Meanwhile, the local temple master and the two Xiongzhai divine envoys had already led the temple staff to hold back the crowd of worshippers at the main hall's entrance, preventing anyone from approaching...

In the back hall, Li Changshou observed Huanglong Zhenren up close, feeling a mix of emotions.

This was the one known for being bound in the Feng Shen events, the only direct disciple of a sage from the Dragon Clan, the one who could force a 'forty-sixty' split with any expert below the sages... the inheritor of the Zulong bloodline?

Earlier, Li Changshou had considered whether to seek out Huanglong Zhenren for help, perhaps having him stand up for the Dragon Clan at a critical moment to alleviate their pressures...

But unexpectedly, before he could take the initiative, Huanglong had come to him on his own.

Li Changshou wasted no time and got straight to the point: "Senior, you seem flustered. Has something happened?"

He added, "This junior is indeed the Hai Shen of the South Sea, merely gathering incense offerings here. Please forgive the humble display, Senior."

Huanglong Zhenren whispered, "Incense and merit are good things—who's laughing at that?

"Fellow Daoist, to be honest, I... well, it's Zhao Gongming, my junior brother, who sent me here!"

Li Changshou couldn't help but twitch his mouth, smiling bitterly. "Could it be that Senior Gongming has... lain down again?"

Huanglong Zhenren's eyes lit up. "Fellow Daoist, you truly are a divine figure! You've deduced it so accurately!

"Yes, he's lain down again!"

"Was there blood spitting this time?"

"Ah, yes..."

"I..."

Li Changshou raised a hand to his forehead, about to complain that Zhao Gongming might be addicted to this ploy, unable to go a day without it, when Huanglong Zhenren hurriedly explained: "Zhao Gongming, my junior brother, acted to help me out of a bind. He had no choice but to injure two Daoists from Xi Fang Jiao, and then he lay down..."

"Oh?" Li Changshou asked quickly, "So, Senior's meaning is that Zhao Gongming was acting chivalrously, helping others in need?"

"Exactly!"

Huanglong Zhenren said seriously, "I've just realized it now.

"Those two from Xi Fang Jiao were clearly trying to trick me out of my treasures!

"I don't have many treasures to begin with—how malicious their intentions were!

"Fellow Daoist, my junior brother Gongming instructed me to come and seek a clever plan from you. Please advise us quickly; my junior brother and I will be eternally grateful."

How does this Zhenren seem a bit... straightforward?

It must be an illusion; probably just an illusion.

This could only mean Huanglong Zhenren was deeply concealing his true nature. In the primordial world, where were there any truly straightforward people?

Hongyun Daoist was just a beautiful accident from the ancient era of the primordial world.

Li Changshou stood up and paced, pondering for a moment, his bound silver hair swaying gently...

He hesitated;

Instinctively, he wanted to avoid this karma and send Huanglong Zhenren to Sanxian Island for help.

But, first, since he was carrying out a sage's orders regarding the Dragon Clan's ascension to heaven, building a good relationship with Huanglong Zhenren now and making slight arrangements could have significant effects;

Second, gratuitously offending Zhao Gongming over this wouldn't be wise.

Yet, gaining Zhao Gongming's goodwill for nothing wasn't necessarily a good thing either.

Third...

Forget it; it was time to tell Xi Fang Jiao and Zhao Gongming how to truly counter the ploy of feigned injury, and where the fatal flaw in this scheme lay.

By doing so, he could make Zhao Gongming abandon this tactic entirely and completely sever his own ties to this matter.

After thinking it through, Li Changshou stamped his foot and gritted his teeth, making a rare choice against his instincts...

"Senior Huanglong, please take me along so I can hear the full details!"

"This..."

Huanglong Zhenren hesitated, knowing that bringing Li Changshou would drag him into this karma. "Fellow Daoist, just tell me how to proceed."

"The matter is complex and troublesome," Li Changshou said. "Later, I'll hide in your sleeve and won't show myself. Please cover for me, Senior, and I'll communicate secretly with Senior Gongming."

"Excellent!"

Huanglong Zhenren's doubts vanished, and he nodded in agreement.

Li Changshou's figure shifted, transforming into a thick paper Daoist that slipped directly into Huanglong Zhenren's sleeve.

Huanglong Zhenren paused, praising, "Fellow Daoist, you've cultivated such a marvelous incarnation—truly unprecedented."

"You're too kind, Senior," Li Changshou replied with a smile.

Huanglong Zhenren didn't dwell on it, enveloping Li Changshou's paper Daoist with his immortal power before swiftly leaving the back hall and soaring into the sky, turning into a faint yellow rainbow that sped toward the depths of the South Sea.

Along the way, through clouds and mist, they covered thousands of miles in an instant.

En route, Huanglong Zhenren quickly recounted his earlier encounter to this Hai Shen incarnation.

Li Changshou pondered and sighed inwardly...

Xi Fang Jiao was probably plotting against Huanglong Zhenren, aiming to draw him away from the Dragon Clan's conflict and prevent Yu Xu Gong from getting involved.

Indeed, Xi Fang Jiao was determined to severely damage the Dragon Clan on the day of Ao Yi's wedding...

The plan that Wen Jing Daoist knew was likely just a part of Xi Fang Jiao's overall scheme; he would need to replan carefully to feel secure.

Regardless of Huanglong Zhenren's actual combat strength or whether he would become the standard measure for experts in the Feng Shen calamity, his cultivation was undoubtedly profound and mysterious.

Before long, they arrived at the hidden great array in the South Sea. Huanglong Zhenren broke through it again and entered.

Li Changshou glanced at the scene and nearly laughed out loud.

Three sage disciples lay on the sea surface...

One was spitting blood, and two were glaring— the sight was strangely bizarre yet oddly harmonious.

Zhao Gongming had faced two opponents and still come out on top, looking far more "miserable" than them.

'I, Changgeng Daoist, would call you the king of feigned injury in the primordial world!'

Cough, time for serious business.

In the feigned injury scheme Li Changshou had provided to Zhao Gongming, there were always serious flaws, and not just one.

The fundamental reason Zhao Gongming and Qiongxiao could succeed repeatedly was that they were strong enough;

If it were anyone else, they'd have been reduced to ashes long ago.

This time, the two Xi Fang Jiao experts thought they could trap Huanglong Zhenren with the same ploy because together they could suppress him...

After Zhao Gongming appeared, he didn't need to do much; just testifying for Huanglong Zhenren would have made the opponents slink away.

But Zhao Gongming couldn't stand seeing fellow Daoists suffer, so in a fit of anger, he injured the two, making the situation harder to resolve.

Now, the opponents were indignant and unwilling to let it go, having truly suffered losses in cultivation... turning them into real victims...

This added some difficulty.

Moreover, you couldn't kill sage disciples, so force wasn't an option.

Along the way, Li Changshou had several counter-strategies in mind, all variations of reversing the feigned injury.

Upon arrival, he had selected the most reliable plan and immediately sent a secret message to Huanglong Zhenren and Zhao Gongming...

This plan was called—the swap beams for pillars, pull the rug out, steal the concept, make Da Luo fear, Heavenly Dao oath bombardment method!

And so, after some muttering instructions.

Seeing Huanglong Zhenren still hesitate, Li Changshou sent another message: "If this isn't handled properly, Senior and Senior Gongming might both face trouble. Xi Fang Jiao is not to be underestimated, Senior."

Huanglong Zhenren nodded firmly, resolving to plot against the two from Xi Fang Jiao. He sent back, "I won't drag my junior brother Gongming into this!"

With that, Huanglong Zhenren, as instructed by Li Changshou, put on an indignant expression and stepped forward... helping Zhao Gongming to his feet.

Zhao Gongming was a bit puzzled at the moment;

Because he had just received Li Changshou's secret message, telling him not to speak and to observe quietly while letting Huanglong Zhenren handle it...

So Zhao Gongming calmly stood up and watched to see how his elder brother Huanglong would perform.

"Ah!"

Huanglong Zhenren walked across the waves to the two Xi Fang Jiao experts and sighed. "When did I ever offend you two Daoists?"

The two immediately blinked repeatedly, but they were completely immobilized.

Huanglong Zhenren continued, "Junior Brother Gongming, please retrieve your treasure pearl."

"Eh?" Zhao Gongming was a little uneasy, but after another secret message from Li Changshou, he nodded and took back the Dinghai Shenzhu.

The two Xi Fang Jiao experts jumped up at once, glaring angrily at Zhao Gongming.

"Zhao Gongming!

"You've harmed our cultivation—today, we'll settle this! Let's go to Biyou Palace!"

"No need for such trouble," Huanglong Zhenren sighed. "Please come with Senior Brother Gongming and me back to Yu Xu Gong. I'll seek an audience with our teacher and let him resolve this."

The two were stunned. How could this be...

Not following the script?

Weren't they the ones at a disadvantage now?

Huanglong Zhenren summoned a white cloud and sighed. "Everyone, please. Even if I have to kneel before my teacher's statue, I'll ensure he comes out to judge this matter today.

"Here, I swear a great Dao oath—Junior Brother Gongming's injury of you two is my responsibility alone!

"Even if my teacher strikes me down, I'll have no complaints!"

A muffled thunder rumbled, as the Heavenly Dao responded.

The two Xi Fang Jiao experts furrowed their brows, realizing they had lost the initiative.

Wasn't this Huanglong supposed to be honest and simple-minded?

How had he changed so drastically?

Meanwhile, Li Changshou, hidden in Huanglong Zhenren's sleeve, couldn't help but smile slightly.

The best way to counter feigned injury, of course, was to involve the... cough... sages.

The ploy relied on the victim's reluctance to fight back, fearing embarrassment or publicity;

To break it, make the one being feigned upon seem like they'd rather self-destruct than suffer injustice...

In this case, the two from Xi Fang Jiao were the ones scheming. If it went before a sage, how could they hide it?

Just guide the narrative slightly, framing it as these two trying to feign injury and trick someone, only to get hurt by the victim's allies.

That would shame the Xi Fang Jiao sages!

And the two Xi Fang Jiao sages, feeling guilty, could only discipline their disciples in private...

The two ragged elders exchanged glances, both showing wariness, having thought of the same thing.

As per Li Changshou's instructions, Huanglong Zhenren added, "You two, please come along.

"Or we could go to Western Spirit Mountain, overseas Biyou Palace, or even Heaven's Doushuai Palace.

"Otherwise, how about we three each swear a great Dao oath?

"I'll go first..."

Huanglong Zhenren cleared his throat, bowed toward the sky, and declared, "This disciple Huanglong beseeches the Heavenly Dao: If I intentionally harmed or previously plotted against these two Daoists, may I be struck by the Zixiao Divine Thunder!"

The heavens remained silent.

Key word—previously.

Huanglong Zhenren turned and sighed. "Daoists, it's your turn."

"When did we agree to swear such an oath?"

"Huanglong Daoist, we only... forget it. We have urgent matters and don't wish to dwell on today's events. Farewell!"

The two Xi Fang Jiao experts retreated in defeat.

"Wait!"

Zhao Gongming, without waiting for Li Changshou's message, understood how to play along and stepped forward!

"You two want to leave without swearing? Do you have something to hide?"

The pair's faces changed, and they tried to escape, but the space around them was already sealed. The twenty-four Dinghai Shenzhu appeared and swiftly suppressed them...

Huanglong Zhenren watched in a daze, but Li Changshou sent another message: "Senior, just observe. Let Senior Gongming handle the rest."

Huanglong Zhenren nodded subtly and quietly watched, gaining new insights.

Half an hour later, the two Xi Fang Jiao experts sighed in resignation and each swore a new great Dao oath, promising secrecy and not to venture out for the next five hundred years...

The power of the Heavenly Dao over the South Sea that day was denser than usual by several times.