Chapter 230: To Be an Excellent Queen

How did she expose herself?

The voice transmission just now was naturally the familiar accent of the Nánhǎi Hǎi Shén.

This flat and indifferent "Wén" made Wén Jìng Dào Rén's heart tremble with various emotions.

She couldn't figure out if the Hǎi Shén was saying "Wén" or "Wēn"—the emotions represented by the two were clearly different.

In the crevices of the seabed rocks, Wén Jìng Dào Rén emerged from hiding and quickly calmed herself down.

From ancient times to the present, she had seen all sorts of storms and tempests—even the bloody sea battles of the past, she had observed from afar!

Just moments ago, she had been caught off guard by her identity being exposed, feeling guilty and knowing that the Nánhǎi Hǎi Shén held her life in his hands, which made her slightly panicked.

Wén Jìng Dào Rén quickly reacted, thinking that this Hǎi Shén, full of dirty tricks, might be trying to bluff her.

Then she heard:

"Next time you act so maliciously, I will report it to Doushuài Palace and ask the Great Mage to impose punishment on you."

The second voice transmission entered the heart of the puppet burly man, and Wén Jìng Dào Rén couldn't help but give a bitter laugh.

She was truly exposed, and completely so!

Where exactly had she slipped up?

The puppet burly man exhaled, turned around, and cupped his hands toward the surroundings, showing a somewhat awkward smile.

Wén Jìng Dào Rén was just about to use this puppet to explain a few things, but before she could speak, the Hǎi Shén's hidden incarnation sent a third voice transmission:

"Don't speak carelessly. Have this puppet withdraw to Nánhǎi, and you come to Ān Shuǐ Chéng to see me."

Hearing this voice transmission, Wén Jìng Dào Rén was left with only a bitter smile.

Not only was she exposed now, but she was once again completely under his arrangement.

She couldn't fight him; she simply couldn't.

What was the point of all this trouble she had caused?

She knew full well that in schemes and tricks, she was no match for the Hǎi Shén, and she couldn't directly attack him, yet she felt unwilling deep down.

What should she do next?

She had finally latched onto the Rén Jiào line, and as a forsaken queen abandoned by the great era of Hóng Huáng, she was on the verge of seeing a chance to turn her life around—how had it come to this?

If asked about her current state of mind, it was naturally full of regret.

If allowed to ask the Hǎi Shén one question, it would undoubtedly be why.

Exactly where had she exposed her identity?

Wén Jìng Dào Rén was utterly baffled.

She had thought that even if she couldn't find the Nánhǎi Hǎi Shén's true body, she couldn't reveal herself, so she had risked sending her true form to Nánhǎi to control this blood mosquito puppet that she had trained for so long.

Little did she expect, she was still exposed in the end.

The Nánhǎi Hǎi Shén was still the same Nánhǎi Hǎi Shén, with "mystery" written all over him.

Oh well, losing to him wasn't the first time, so she might as well discard this pride.

Wén Jìng Dào Rén sighed softly, transforming her true body into a blood mosquito, concealing all her qi, and stealthily heading toward the Hǎi Shén Temple in Ān Shuǐ Chéng.

As for the blood mosquito puppet carrying the butterfly, she followed the Hǎi Shén's words, hurrying toward Nánhǎi with an appearance of frustration and temporary retreat.

Tsk, I really bluffed her out.

In the Bǎi Fán Hall of the Potian Peak.

Lǐ Chángshòu let out a light breath, his mind turning over such thoughts, feeling both amused and exasperated.

He stood up, and the outer layer of his cultivation realm rose slightly but didn't break through to a full minor realm, his face showing some regret.

Lǐ Chángshòu bowed to the elders on both sides, then lowered his head and walked out of Bǎi Fán Hall, riding a cloud away from the place.

The elders, who were on good terms with him, had wanted to encourage Lǐ Chángshòu a few words, but seeing his gloomy expression, they didn't say much.

This matter was indeed hard to console.

After leaving Bǎi Fán Hall, Lǐ Chángshòu maintained his dejected expression, but his mind was filled with scattered thoughts.

Could it be that Wén Jìng Dào Rén, after betraying the West, had now betrayed Rén Jiào as well?

If that were true, their Saint might give him some hint, since Wén Jìng Dào Rén was key to the major plan of scheming against the West.

Or perhaps, Wén Jìng Dào Rén harbored resentment toward him as the Hǎi Shén and wanted to find his true body to hold leverage over him, gaining more say in matters?

Based on Lǐ Chángshòu's observations over these days, this possibility seemed quite likely.

Before speaking out, Lǐ Chángshòu hadn't directly confirmed it was Wén Jìng Dào Rén; he had only noticed a few elements and felt suspicious.

One element was the puppet.

A few days ago, he had discovered that this burly man at the peak of Tiānxiān realm seemed to have his mind controlled.

Although the opponent's actions showed no major flaws, Lǐ Chángshòu, who was skilled in using paper Daoist, could judge from details like the puppet's eyes and subtle movements that it was indeed a puppet.

In the Hóng Huáng world, methods to control someone's mind were countless, and Lǐ Chángshòu couldn't be sure if this was the blood mosquito puppet.

But the opponent's behavior over this period was indeed abnormal.

The puppet would provoke him to send out his incarnation each time, yet retreat at critical moments without striking a fatal blow.

The opponent incited mortals to cause trouble, but only in a small scale without any fatalities, showing great caution toward yè zhàng.

The puppet would flee as soon as it appeared at the Hǎi Shén Temple, seeming somewhat guilty.

Lǐ Chángshòu listed a long string of possibilities in his mind, and halfway through the process of elimination, the thought suddenly arose: could this be that mosquito causing trouble?

After hesitating for two days and pondering carefully for another day, Lǐ Chángshòu decided to bluff the opponent.

The words he used in the voice transmission were carefully deliberated and refined.

Especially that single "Wén," which carried significant meaning.

If the opponent wasn't Wén Jìng Dào Rén, this wouldn't directly expose his knowledge of her, protecting the Rén Jiào's hidden "excellent follower" in the West.

If the opponent was indeed Wén Jìng Dào Rén, just the word "Wén" or "Wēn" could show that he was angered by her and serve as an initial test of whether she had betrayed again.

What confirmed for Lǐ Chángshòu that the opponent was Wén Jìng Dào Rén was the puppet burly man's subconscious reaction.

There was a moment of shock and panic, mixed with a trace of disbelief, as if thinking, "Even like this, you can still recognize me?"

The subsequent two voice transmissions from Lǐ Chángshòu were just to further verify the puppet's identity and make some arrangements.

By now, Lǐ Chángshòu's spiritual awareness had returned to normal, with no sense of danger, but he still didn't dare let his guard down.

This fierce mosquito was truly hard to tame and gave him no peace!

What urgently needed confirmation now was whether Wén Jìng Dào Rén had betrayed Rén Jiào.

The method to judge was simple.

Next, if Wén Jìng Dào Rén came with her true body or the previous shén tōng blood mosquito, it meant there was a sixty percent chance she still stood with Rén Jiào.

If it was that burly puppet that came, the matter would be worth pondering.

Lǐ Chángshòu returned to his dān room on Xiǎo Qióng Peak, immediately activating the surrounding grand arrays and checking the anti-divination items on himself.

Just then, in the main Hǎi Shén Temple, he detected a faint "buzzing" mosquito sound.

She arrived quite quickly.

Lǐ Chángshòu's incarnation, hidden in the underground array, released his xiān shí, seeing a graceful figure appear in the back hall of the Hǎi Shén Temple, enveloped in a layer of mist.

But with his well-honed "mosaic-removing vision" from past cultivations, he technically saw through the mist to the alluring woman in blood-red gauze.

The fierce aura hidden in her bones and the dào jìng pressure that gave Lǐ Chángshòu some sense of oppression.

This should be the mosquito's true body.

Why was she dressed so revealingly?

Wén Jìng Dào Rén looked around, searching for the Nánhǎi Hǎi Shén's figure, but what she received was:

"Change into something more proper and wait for me in the northwest pavilion's study in the back courtyard."

Wén Jìng Dào Rén frowned slightly, feeling a bit indignant—how was her clothing improper?

But Lǐ Chángshòu transmitted again: "The Great Mage could be watching this place at any time."

Wén Jìng Dào Rén immediately turned around, condensing a layer of deep blue, simple long skirt, and even changed to the common Hóng Huáng women's cloud-like hairstyle.

Then, she concealed her figure and headed to the pavilion.

Lǐ Chángshòu thought to himself:

Did this mosquito really have those kinds of feelings for the Great Mage?

The king of all treasures, Zhào Gōngmíng, and his fangirl Jīnguāng Shèngmǔ; the Hóngméng fierce beast Mosquito Daoist chasing the Great Mage of Tàiqīng Wúwéi Xuāndū?

Good heavens, what kind of plotlines were these?

The style of this Hóng Huáng world was becoming more unpredictable than he expected.

Anyway, back to the main point.

Soon after, a paper Daoist in the form of an old immortal emerged from the underground paper Daoist repository and went to the pavilion.

After meeting Wén Jìng Dào Rén, Lǐ Chángshòu showed no anger or stern face; he maintained his usual kindly smile, as if he hadn't been the one troubled earlier.

Lǐ Chángshòu sat casually at the desk, and Wén Jìng Dào Rén dispelled the mist around her, habitually giving a charming smile.

"Sit down."

"I'd rather stand."

Lǐ Chángshòu gazed into Wén Jìng Dào Rén's captivating phoenix eyes, keeping his dào xīn clear, and tried his best to ignore the pressure she exerted.

Wén Jìng Dào Rén, meanwhile, locked eyes with Lǐ Chángshòu's paper Daoist, and soon she sighed softly, seeming hesitant to speak.

Lǐ Chángshòu smiled and said, "Daoist friend, do you harbor some resentment toward me?"

"Indeed," Wén Jìng Dào Rén slightly lifted her chin, "As a queen of my race, being subdued by you with just a few words naturally leaves me feeling."

"And then?"

"I myself am... oh, forget it!"

Wén Jìng Dào Rén suddenly sighed in defeat, sat down in a nearby armchair, and quickly spoke in a flat tone:

"It was just a momentary crooked thought on my part, wanting to find your true body and play a trick on you.

It started because not long ago, I received orders from the Western Teachings to use that Lock God Soul-Chasing Butterfly to track your true body and eliminate you in secret."

Lǐ Chángshòu's paper Daoist nodded calmly.

And at that moment, his true body in the underground chamber of Xiǎo Qióng Peak frowned tightly.

The plan to wander Xiǎo Qióng Peak couldn't be delayed even a day!

Wén Jìng Dào Rén continued, "I wouldn't really harm you; you hold my future in your hands.

I just wanted more means to counter you."

Lǐ Chángshòu said warmly, "Your words, I can only believe about fifty percent for now."

Wén Jìng Dào Rén furrowed her brows slightly, knowing this was the bitter fruit of her own actions, and said softly:

"I can make another Dàodào heavy oath, like last time, to prove I haven't betrayed you all."

"Very well, just a moment."

Lǐ Chángshòu said calmly, picked up a brush, wrote for a while, and produced a thousand-character Dàodào oath, using xiān lì to send it to Wén Jìng Dào Rén.

The mosquito thought to herself:

Soon, a trace of Tiāndào rhyme descended and then receded.

Wén Jìng Dào Rén sat there weakly, her eyes full of helplessness, and she smiled bitterly as she asked:

"Is there any other punishment?"

"Don't call it punishment," Lǐ Chángshòu smiled slightly.

To prevent similar incidents in the future, Lǐ Chángshòu decided to use a few minor schemes.

He sighed and said warmly:

"It's my fault for overlooking the resentment in your heart; I share the responsibility.

In the future, Wén Jìng Daoist friend, if you have any pent-up feelings, you can come to me to talk them out.

Wén Jìng, I know you resent the current world and hold grudges against the Tiāndào, but for living beings in existence, beyond survival, there are many other pursuits.

Have you ever thought about why you live?"

Wén Jìng Dào Rén frowned lightly and said, "Survival is the instinct of living beings; fearing death leads one to seek life."

"Not at all," Lǐ Chángshòu slowly shook his head and said earnestly, "Today, I'll teach you three new concepts."

Wén Jìng Dào Rén asked curiously, "Are there new concepts I've never heard of?"

"Of course," Lǐ Chángshòu picked up the brush on the expensive thin paper before him and wrote three lines of twelve large characters:

True self value;

True desires fulfilled;

Pursuits of living beings.

Then, Lǐ Chángshòu slowly began to speak, blending the words he used to motivate employees in his past life with some principles of Hóng Huáng cultivation, and carefully explained them to Wén Jìng Dào Rén.

Before long, Wén Jìng Dào Rén was drawn in by the principles and truths he spoke of. She stood up and walked to the desk, quietly listening to him.

These were, in fact, Lǐ Chángshòu's life experiences from his past.

To get young employees to work harder without raising their wages, talk to them about ideals.

To squeeze out the remaining value from veteran employees without promoting or raising their salaries, talk about self-realization.

Wén Jìng Dào Rén was essential "talent" for Rén Jiào and harbored some resentment toward him as the temporary supervisor.

So, on top of the first two, add sincerity and build rapport.

Lǐ Chángshòu most admired a successful businessman from his past life who could frame layoffs as contributing talent to society.

Today, he thickened his skin to instill some ideology in Wén Jìng Dào Rén's heart to avoid future troubles!

Unknowingly, it was deep into the night.

Wén Jìng Dào Rén's eyes sparkled with starlight, and a smile played on her lips. At the window of the pavilion in the Nánhǎi Hǎi Shén Temple, she bowed to the "old Sea God" and said:

"Thank you, Daoist friend, for the enlightenment."

"Go on your way."

"Daoist friend, rest assured," Wén Jìng Dào Rén said firmly, "I will become the expert essential to Rén Jiào and Tiāntíng.

I will ensure my Dao path is not in vain!"

"Excellent."

Lǐ Chángshòu smiled and said, "Handle the follow-up with the Lock God Butterfly as I mentioned earlier."

Wén Jìng Dào Rén nodded gently, gave Lǐ Chángshòu a faint smile full of emotion, sighed, turned into a streak of blood light, left a faint buzzing sound, and vanished swiftly.

This Mosquito Daoist...

She needs to become an outstanding queen.

Lǐ Chángshòu sighed inwardly. The paper Daoist in the form of the old immortal flicked out a bit of flame, turning the chair where Wén Jìng Dào Rén had sat and the stack of papers before him into ashes.