Chapter 337: No One Understands Better Than I Do (Delay Time)

Li Changshou understood this principle in his previous life—behind every grand performance, there are numerous behind-the-scenes personnel working tirelessly.

When Niu Tou and Ma Mian made their stylish entrance, with a hint of self-consciousness and in peculiar, flashy poses, Li Changshou was working himself to exhaustion behind the scenes. He first used a micro array to amplify the sound and build the atmosphere, constantly adjusting his position around the periphery of the main hall, and fiddling with two chains to create sound effects...

The great mage hiding in the shadows watched this with a smile, already accustomed to such antics. Yun Xiao Xianzi's expression at that moment was quite subtle, her beautiful eyes gleaming as she stared intently at Li Changshou's moving figure. Li Changshou's way of handling things was completely different from the familiar methods she knew—verbal sparring, mutual background checks, and resorting to brick-smashing fights at the drop of a hat. Hmm...it was full of wisdom.

To give the great mage and Yun Xiao Xianzi a sense of involvement, Li Changshou actively shared his voice transmissions to Niu Tou and Ma Mian with them...

“Hold your heads high and be imposing—you need presence. You now represent the Wu Clan. The Wu Clan, the ancient kings of the earth, formed from the blood of Pangu Great God—how can you lose face in front of the Dragon Clan? What we need to do now is buy time; the priority is to bluff them, and think of these Dragon Clan members as nothing more than wooden statues or clay figures...”

With this encouragement, Niu Tou and Ma Mian's postures straightened even more, and their blood energy grew denser.

In the main hall of the Dragon Palace, this large-scale forced palace incident in Xi Hai was completely thrown into disarray by Niu Tou and Ma Mian's dramatic entrance.

“Di Fu Yin Si?”

“Wu Clan? When did the Wu Clan arrive at the Dragon Palace?”

“Your Highness, these two witches are quite strong—could there be some scheme at play?”

Ao Shi signaled to a Dragon Clan elder beside him with his eyes, and the elder immediately stepped forward, his aura surging as he formed a claw with his hand, a purple-red vortex slowly rotating in his palm. The elder said coldly: “Does Di Fu Yin Si intend to interfere in Dragon Clan affairs?”

Niu Tou and Ma Mian smiled coldly and said nothing, simply standing there with their arms crossed, like two imposing demons in helmets! The Dragon Clan elder frowned deeply, took two steps forward, and was immediately followed by three dragon-headed elders, vaguely encircling Niu Tou and Ma Mian.

Behind Niu Tou and Ma Mian, the group of Dragon Clan experts and immortal flood dragons guarding the Xi Hai Dragon King were also bewildered. If the reinforcements had been Heavenly Court generals or experts from the other three seas' Dragon Palaces, it would have been expected. But the sudden appearance of Wu Clan war witches, who had little connection to the Dragon Clan...the dragons were puzzled and deeply confused.

At that moment, a voice transmission entered the Xi Hai Dragon King's ear—it was from Li Changshou...

“Dragon King, it's me, the Heavenly Court Water God. These two Wu Clan experts, I temporarily brought in to help. The enemy is overwhelming, so we're using a delay tactic. Please cooperate and act composed, as if you have everything under control...”

On the throne, the Xi Hai Dragon King's originally hunched form straightened slightly. His eyes flashed with divine light before returning to their usual calm. This subtle detail made Ao Shi and the rebels even more wary.

Ao Shi narrowed his eyes and shouted lowly: “Whoever obstructs the Dragon Clan's revival today will be killed without mercy!”

At once, the four Dragon Clan experts in front surged with aura and lunged forward!

“Wait!”

Ma Mian glared with wide eyes and shouted suddenly, making the four humanoid old dragons halt abruptly! In an instant, hundreds of gazes focused on Ma Mian, but he calmly pulled out a stone comb...and tidied his flowing mane.

“Alright.”

The four Dragon Clan experts burned with anger and were about to continue when Niu Tou lightly coughed beside them. Following the voice in his mind from Shou, Niu Tou said:

“Before you make a move, think carefully—whether the Dragon Clan is subject to the wheel of reincarnation. We can't guarantee that in the future, some strange things won't hatch from your Xi Hai dragon eggs, you know.”

Hearing this, the four old dragons frowned and turned to look at Ao Shi. Ao Shi, gripping his treasure sword, stepped forward quickly and scolded: “I have no ties with Di Fu Yin Si—what do you two mean by this? Reincarnation is a Heavenly Dao matter; how dare you use it as blackmail!”

Niu Tou spread his hands: “Then go to the Heavenly Court and complain to the Heavenly Emperor.”

Ao Shi glared and scolded: “You Di Fu Yin Si minions, relying on reincarnation to act so recklessly!”

Ma Mian calmly added:

“Fellow Daoist, you're mistaken, hee-haw. We two are just carrying out our Yin Si duties, coming to Xi Hai to detain souls and send them to Di Fu for reincarnation. But seeing you all behaving so outrageously, we stepped forward to say a few words of justice.”

Niu Tou nodded: “To be fair, we're just bystanders—what happens here has nothing to do with us.”

Ma Mian said again: “But before you all act, can you consider what wrongdoing the Xi Hai Dragon King has committed?”

Ao Shi: “You!”

“Prince, don't be hasty—we're just saying a few words of justice.”

“If something like this kin-slaying tragedy really unfolds in the Xi Hai Dragon Palace, we can only suggest to the Yan Jun lords to assign quality reincarnated dragon souls to the other three seas' Dragon Clans.”

“Of course, we're just suggesting—as lowly Yin Si generals, we don't have much authority.”

At that moment, this pair bantered back and forth, mixing jest with seriousness, leaving the Dragon Palace dragons with black lines on their faces. Until Ao Shi couldn't hold back and shouted: “Kill them!”

The four dragon elders prepared to strike for the fourth time, but a vast pressure surged from behind Niu Tou and Ma Mian. The Xi Hai Dragon King had already stood up, coldly observing the scene. The four traitorous dragons fell silent at once, and Ao Shi subconsciously retreated half a step.

The Xi Hai Dragon King was about to angrily rebuke when another voice transmission from Li Changshou arrived; the Dragon King quickly decided and repeated Li Changshou's words:

“You all withdraw now and leave my Xi Hai, and I can, out of old affection, spare your lives.”

Ao Shi sneered: “Father, do you think two Di Fu Yin Si can turn the tide today? I advised you dozens of times, but you ignored it—our clan is groveling to that feeble Heavenly Court...Father, do you know what you look like bowing before the Jade Emperor? Like a fawning old dog, ha, ha ha!”

The Xi Hai Dragon King fell silent for a while. Li Changshou transmitted: “Dragon King, don't be provoked by him—put the overall situation first. As long as you and the Dragon Mother are safe, the Xi Hai Dragon Palace won't fall. What you need to do now is delay them; please respond as I prompt.”

“Sigh,” the Xi Hai Dragon King sighed softly, his eyes showing a hint of pity as he scanned the familiar faces behind Ao Shi. The Xi Hai Dragon King said: “Ao Shi, let those behind you come out. Since we've already torn faces, why hesitate? If you have backing, why not stand out openly?”

“Father, you're afraid.”

Ao Shi suddenly laughed and said lightly: “Father, you're actually scheming to delay, waiting for your three brothers to rescue you. Don't bother—they'll soon be too busy with their own troubles. Father, why not just abdicate and hand over a strand of your dragon soul? I won't make things difficult for you. But if you persist in your delusion!”

Ao Shi took a deep breath, raised the treasure sword in his hand, his whole body radiating golden light: “For the Dragon Clan's revival, I can only send you on your way. Everyone, if not now, when!”

Behind Ao Shi, the various Dragon Clan experts responded in unison, and waves of aura gathered. The Xi Hai Dragon King showed a touch of sorrow on his face; at that moment, inside and outside the hall, thousands of figures were poised to strike.

Ao Shi stepped forward, and the traitorous army was about to launch again!

“Wait!”

Niu Tou shouted again, abruptly cutting off their momentum and infuriating several old dragons to the point of wanting to tear them apart. But this time, Niu Tou calmly said: “You all fight your fight—don't hurt us brothers.”

“Hee-haw.”

Ma Mian calmly added: “We're just here to detain souls; if you don't strike hard in your battle, we'll have to handle the souls afterward.”

Niu Tou said: “Di Fu Yin Si never interferes in the killing of living beings; we only handle soul reincarnation, moo.”

With that, Niu Tou and Ma Mian turned around in front of hundreds of people and calmly walked toward the corner of the main hall. The entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop...

When the two witches reached the corner, turned around, and simultaneously lifted their hooves in a “please” gesture:

“Start your slaughter, moo.”

“Di Fu Yin Si, soul hookers, sincerely providing quality after-battle services, hee-haw.”

After saying that, Niu Tou pulled two coconuts from his chest, Ma Mian took two reed stems from his sleeve, they exchanged one each, skillfully broke the coconut shells, inserted the reeds, and leaned their burly bodies against the main hall wall.

This time, not just the rebel side, but even the Dragon Clan experts in front of the Xi Hai Dragon King had black lines on their foreheads. Are Di Fu Yin Si's soul hookers all like this?

Niu Tou and Ma Mian exchanged a glance, their eyes full of emotion...This experience, this thrill of strolling openly in front of a group of experts while they seethed with rage but couldn't act directly...it was the pinnacle of a witch's life!

The rebel side had run out of patience; Ao Shi roared: “Kill them!”

A Dragon Clan elder asked lowly: “Your Highness, kill the Di Fu Yin Si or...”

“Never mind Yin Si—today is for the Dragon Clan's revival!”

Ao Shi's eyes showed a hint of malice as he charged forward with his sword, followed by hundreds of Dragon Clan experts, while the dozens of Dragon Clan experts in front of the Xi Hai Dragon King also erupted with power, ready for a desperate fight.

But...a deep voice resounded throughout the main hall, shaking the surrounding clouds. Sounds of sutra recitation echoed everywhere, Dao rhymes flowed in the sea water, and strands of profound Dao rhymes overflowed, with a beam of golden light appearing in the center of the main hall.

This phenomenon made both sides stop again...

In this golden light, strands of water essence circulated, condensing into a lush...gourd vine. And on this gourd vine, seven gourds were growing, each gathering different Dao rhymes and swaying slowly.

At that moment, under the gourd vine, a figure materialized out of thin air. The dragons focused and saw a person with white eyebrows and white hair, a lean face, wearing a light white wide-sleeved robe, holding a dust whisk in his hand—who else could it be but the Heavenly Court Water God Li Changgeng?

Ao Shi's face changed, and the Dragon Clan experts showed shock, not knowing why the Heavenly Court Water God was here. They had clearly made airtight preparations and thoroughly searched every corner of the Xi Hai Dragon Palace beforehand.

Li Changshou was calm and composed, holding the dust whisk, his gaze sweeping inside and outside the hall as he smiled: “Dragon King, you can rest for now—I'll handle this place.”

The Xi Hai Dragon King sighed, bowed to Li Changshou, and sat back on the throne.

Suddenly, a sharp whistle sounded, and a purple arrow shot from outside the hall straight at Li Changshou's heart! The arrow was like a scorpion sting, emanating an obscure Dao rhyme!

Li Changshou raised his eyebrows, and a flash of golden light around him vanished. He didn't dodge or move, just stood there quietly, taking the arrow head-on! There was a light “ding” sound, and the purple arrow was directly deflected. Li Changshou's robe didn't even wrinkle, with a strand of profound yellow aura lingering around him before merging into his body. The purple arrow broke directly and was burned clean by a Samadhi True Flame that Li Changshou casually flung out.

Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda! Invulnerable to all methods, unbreakable except by innate supreme treasures!

Li Changshou chuckled: “Fellow Daoist, hiding outside and shooting dark arrows—why not come in for a chat? No need to hide—I know all about your backgrounds.”

As Li Changshou's words fell, several cold humphs came from outside the hall, and a group of figures in cloaks with fierce auras surged in, mixing with the Dragon Clan crowd.

At that moment, sounds of “huh” “huh” came from the side. Li Changshou turned his head and feigned surprise, smiling: “Oh, the two Di Fu messengers are here too.”

Niu Tou and Ma Mian chuckled. Niu Tou, with the reed in his mouth, said: “We're here to detain a soul, Water God—don't mind us, moo.”

Ma Mian shook his mane and said calmly: “When Water God strikes later, please leave some intact souls—we're waiting to report back. There are some quotas above, and dragon souls are rare, hee-haw.”

“Of course, of course,” Li Changshou laughed, “Dealing with these petty thieves doesn't require me to act personally. You two, look at this treasure!”

Thereupon, Li Changshou swept his dust whisk, and the gourd vine above his head slowly descended, landing directly in front of the Dragon Clan dragons and the Western ferocious beasts. The gourds flowed with seven distinct Dao rhymes, five of which were clearly the five elements.

With Li Changshou's identity, the prestige he had accumulated, and the strength he just showed in blocking the arrow with his body...this treasure's appearance made even Ao Shi's Adam's apple tremble.

What is this treasure?

A master hiding under a cloak said coldly: “Water God, do you think this is that ancient immortal vine that can stop us?”

“You all don't know—this immortal vine of mine has quite an extraordinary origin.”

With that, Li Changshou swept his dust whisk again. To delay time, why resort to fighting and killing? Just mystify and prolong it to the extreme.

Under the dust whisk, lightning flashed, and a thin bolt struck the leftmost gourd on the vine. The gourd exploded, golden light surged, and a child in short clothes and pants tumbled out. This child wore a small red gourd on his head, his whole body surging with Golden Immortal realm aura and a sharp metal intent.

After jumping to the ground, he immediately did several backflips, struck a simple pose, and shouted:

“I am Da Wa! With immense strength!”

The Dragon Palace rebel side all frowned, and a dragon immediately stepped forward, about to say he would fight him.

Suddenly, thunder crashed, and another lightning struck the second gourd on the vine. It exploded, and another child jumped out...After some intentional time-wasting showmanship, the child struck a pose next to Da Wa.

“I am Er Wa! With favorable winds for a thousand li!”

Then...

“I am San Wa! With steel muscles and iron bones!”

“I am Si Wa! Controlling heavenly fire!”

“I am Wu Wa! Draining the four seas!”

“I am Liu Wa!”

The Dragon Clan focused and saw only the voice but no person, and subconsciously looked up at the gourd vine, finding that the sixth gourd had indeed cracked. From where the voice came, they heard again: “Invisibility and stealth!”

So, most Dragon Clan looked toward the seventh gourd. Li Changshou deliberately kept them in suspense, not sweeping his dust whisk yet. The atmosphere in the hall grew heavier, and the six gourd children that had appeared—except for Liu Wa, who was a bit puzzling—the other five had linked auras, vaguely forming some array...But with just these, how could they withstand so many experts attacking?

Ao Shi narrowed his eyes and said coldly: “Water God, is this your method?”

Li Changshou smiled slightly, calculated the traces of the three-way experts in his heart, and found that he had completed most of the task. He swept the dust whisk again, and another lightning struck the seventh gourd. It cracked open, and from within...flew out a graceful figure.

It was a young maiden who stood beside Liu Wa, blushing as she waved the square handkerchief in her hand, saying coquettishly:

“I am Qi Wa, how annoying.”