Chapter 345: Keep One's Mouth Shut

Upon seeing Zhao Gongming hurrying over, Li Changshou calculated the days and roughly guessed what might be happening.

If his prediction was correct, it must be that Jin Guang Shengmu had changed into a different style of clothing and fainted near Luofu Cave. Zhao Gongming, on his way home, had stumbled upon her by chance, quickly brought her back to the cave for treatment.

Then, while they were alone, in a sudden moment of insight, Zhao Gongming had become aware of Jin Guang Shengmu's feminine beauty...

When he came to his senses, Zhao Gongming found himself confused by this unfamiliar subtle emotion stirring within him and hurried to seek advice from someone.

This was just a guess!

All of this was merely Li Changshou's reasonable speculation based on his understanding of Zhao Gongming's character.

It was absolutely not some clever scheme!

After all, Li Changshou held great respect for Zhao Gongming and felt deep gratitude toward the Jie Jiao immortals, and he disliked getting involved in other people's karmic affairs...

Zhao Gongming strode over, pulled Li Changshou's paper effigy to sit on a chair, frowned as if wanting to speak but holding back, and finally confided the truth to Li Changshou.

Well, it was indeed just as Li Changshou had guessed.

“Changgeng!

I thought Jin Guang Shimei was injured from fighting with someone, so I brought her back to the cave to treat her wounds... But then...

Changgeng, what am I supposed to do?

I never felt anything before, but suddenly...”

Zhao Gongming's face was full of torment, his beard even tangled up. “Right now, Jin Guang is in my cave, and Huo Ling Shizhi has gone to take care of her. That's why I slipped out.

If anyone asks, how should I explain it?”

“Just tell the truth, wouldn't that do?”

Li Changshou smiled and replied, while a divine servant brought tea. Li Changshou used his immortal power to lift the teacup and signaled for the servant to leave.

Zhao Gongming hesitated a bit, pondered for a moment, and sighed:

“I never noticed it before, but today when I saw Jin Guang Shimei, she had just changed into a new dress, and it felt like she was a completely different person...

This feeling is truly, truly quite wondrous.”

Li Changshou took a sip from his teacup, thought for a moment, and smiled:

“Elder brother, what do you think a Dao companion for Qi Refining practitioners is all about?”

Zhao Gongming's eyes narrowed with a smile, and he cleared his throat before saying grandly: “It's nothing more than...

One says, 'Fairy, let me escort you home,' and the other says, 'Dao friend, allow me to see you back,' and then they lock eyes, oblivious to everything around them, and part with lingering reluctance...

Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

Li Changshou couldn't help but laugh and shake his head. “My relationship with Yun Xiao Xianzi isn't quite at the Dao companion stage yet—it's mostly because of what happened in the peach blossom forest last time.

Elder brother, even in ancient times, there was the concept of 'fa cai lu di' in cultivation, and back then, the idea of a Dao companion was very pure.

By the end of the ancient era, with the rise of the human race, Qi Refining practitioners among humans often treated Dao companions as spouses, giving it a more worldly marital meaning.

Even if Yun Xiao Xianzi and I became Dao companions, it would just be about discussing the Dao, chatting casually, and supporting each other.”

Zhao Gongming nodded repeatedly and added: “But I always feel like Jin Guang doesn't want that kind of Dao companion with me...

And on Jin'ao Island, those who have formed Dao companion pairs are always talking about descendants and such.”

Li Changshou: ...

“This could get complicated.”

Zhao Gongming quickly asked: “Changgeng, what should I say to Jin Guang this time?”

Li Changshou set down his teacup and said seriously:

“Matters of the heart should just follow their natural course, and the changes involved are hard to predict. Last time, elder brother, you had no feelings for Jin Guang Shengmu at all, but today you're coming to me about this...

Sigh, Jin Guang is actually quite good.

Elder brother, this puts me in a tough spot. You need to first figure out your own intentions—are you rejecting it, accepting it, interested, or not?

Only then can I really help you.”

“What you say makes a lot of sense, Changgeng.”

Zhao Gongming stroked his beard and sighed, thinking it over carefully, then slowly shook his head.

“At this point, I'm actually a bit confused!

Changgeng, do you have any urgent matters to attend to? If not, why don't you come with me for a walk outside to clear my mind and help me sort out my feelings?”

Li Changshou's heart stirred, and he said:

“I was just planning to visit the Wu clan territory in Bei Ju Luzhou. Why don't you join me for a trip to the north?”

“Sounds good!”

Zhao Gongming agreed readily. As long as it meant not going back to Luofu Cave, anywhere would do.

Li Changshou asked Zhao Gongming to wait a moment, then used earth escape to go to his underground paper effigy storage, grabbed a few spares for backup, and set off with Zhao Gongming toward Bei Ju Luzhou.

Li Changshou had to admit that he did have an idea in mind—to get Zhao Gongming to join the Heavenly Court as an immortal god early on, which might help him avoid the Feng Shen calamity.

But the chances of success were slim, and Li Changshou didn't dare to scheme too much about it. He could only go with the flow and provide some guidance.

First, he needed to make sure Zhao Gongming had a very positive impression of the Heavenly Court, so there would be more room for maneuvers later...

There was no other way—Zhao Gongming's death was a turning point in the decline of the Daoist sects.

The more Li Changshou analyzed the trends of the Feng Shen events, the more he felt that saving Zhao Gongming would be extremely difficult. Even though he had already taken back the Falling Treasure Money and helped Zhao Gongming accumulate some merit, he still had little confidence.

After all, he had to consider the converging forces of fate, calamity, and destiny...

The biggest threat—the Nail Head Seven Arrows Book—was still in the hands of Lu Ya Daoist.

Speaking of Lu Ya Daoist...

Lately, the black panther couple hadn't dared to worship recklessly, and they had even removed Lu Ya's memorial tablet. Who knew what Lu Ya Daoist was up to now.

On the cloud road, Li Changshou smiled and asked: “Zhao Big Brother, do you know much about the Saint Niangniang?”

Zhao Gongming, lost in his thoughts, replied casually: “The mother of the human race, a listener of the Dao at Zixiao Palace...

Changgeng, why are you suddenly asking about this?”

“Just something that crossed my mind,” Li Changshou said, standing with his hands behind his back, watching the mountains recede rapidly in the distance. “If a war broke out between the human race and the demon race right now, I wonder if the Saint Niangniang would favor the humans or side with the demons.”

Zhao Gongming said: “You're overthinking it, Changgeng. A Saint wouldn't bother with such trivial matters.”

“You're right,” Li Changshou replied with a smile, and continued chatting idly with Zhao Gongming as they made their way unhurriedly to Bei Ju Luzhou.

Meanwhile,

At Emei Mountain, in Luofu Cave,

A white cloud hurried over, passing through the outer array with familiarity and arriving at the cave entrance, calling out:

“Gongming Shidi, is Gongming Shidi at home?”

A soft murmur came from inside the cave, followed by the sound of jade pendants jingling. Huo Ling Shengmu emerged gracefully.

She wore a long dress that seemed made of flames, with a tall and slender figure, a long neck, and a quite beautiful face.

Huo Ling Shengmu looked up and saw an old Daoist in an earthy-yellow robe standing on the cloud outside the cave. She subtly pinched her fingers in her sleeve and quickly recalled who he was.

“Jie Jiao's Huo Ling, greetings to Huang Long Shishu.”

—According to the order of entry among the three teachings' disciples, Huo Ling Shengmu's master, Duobao Daoist, had become a disciple of the Three Pure Ones before Huang Long.

Huang Long cupped his hands and frowned: “Is Gongming Shidi in the cave?”

Huo Ling Shengmu smiled: “Zhao Shishu had some urgent business and went to find the Sea God... no, the Water God. He asked me to watch over the place. Does Huang Long Shishu have any instructions?”

“The Water God...”

Huang Long Zhenren furrowed his brows, looking at the jade talisman in his hand, and sighed in disappointment.

Why had he suddenly gone into seclusion earlier? All those years without any sudden insights, and it had to happen right before the trouble in the East Sea, making him miss the Water God's message and fail to go help in the Four Seas...

He had come to find Zhao Gongming in the hope that Zhao Gongming would accompany him to Anshui City to see if there was any way to make amends.

He didn't have the face to go alone!

Thinking of this, Huang Long Zhenren sighed again and said:

“In that case, I shall take my leave. I apologize for the disturbance.”

With that, Huang Long Zhenren bowed to Huo Ling Shengmu and departed.

'How strange...'

Huo Ling Shengmu blinked lightly, shook her head slightly, and turned back into Luofu Cave.

There, another fairy who was pretending to be injured and not moving around waited for her to discuss their next steps.

In West Niu Hezhou, at Ling Mountain, under a tree's shade,

A peculiar divine beast was recounting the brief conversation between Huo Ling Shengmu and Huang Long Zhenren.

This beast was quite extraordinary in appearance alone: a tiger's head, dragon's body, lion's tail, dog's ears, a single horn, and kirin feet, standing over three zhang tall even when crouched.

At the beast's feet sat a young Daoist in tattered robes, meditating with his eyes closed. He slowly opened them now.

“Huo Ling Shengmu, in Luofu Cave?”

The Daoist smiled faintly and murmured, “Interesting.” He took out a jade talisman and wrote a few lines on it.

The divine beast behind him asked:

“Master, why use such underhanded methods for scheming?”

“Scheming is scheming—what's the difference between underhanded and not?”

The young Daoist gently pushed the jade talisman, turning it into a streak of light that flew toward another part of Ling Mountain.

His slender fingers were as delicate as a woman's, immaculate and refined.

“As long as it achieves the goal, it's a good scheme.

If a few words can probe the rift between Chan Jiao and Jie Jiao, and even spark more schemes, why not?”

“Yes,” the divine beast replied, lowering its head slowly.

The young Daoist closed his eyes again and sat in meditation, a pale blue lotus hovering behind him, with strands of peaceful Dao rhymes spreading out.

Bei Ju Luzhou, one of the prehistoric continents,

Bordering the North Sea to the north and Zhongshen Continent to the south, it was covered in perpetual poisonous mists, making everywhere dark and sunless.

After the ancient great war, when the Wu and demon races declined, the Wu clan swore an oath to reside forever in Bei Ju Luzhou to avoid extinction.

The remaining Wu clan members all entered this harsh, cold northern land, and their numbers today were unknown.

With the great rise of the human race, Bei Ju Luzhou gradually became a 'natural treasure trove' for human Qi Refining practitioners. Though it was full of poisonous insects, it also had many spiritual herbs, and along the border with Zhongshen Continent, demon clans rampaged, with demon kingdoms everywhere.

The place was dangerous, yet opportunities abounded.

Li Changshou had once ventured to Bei Ju Luzhou to help his master overcome a tribulation, but he had only stayed on the outskirts back then, as his cultivation was too low to go deeper.

This time, Li Changshou didn't need to prepare those talismans and pills.

Not only because he was just using a paper effigy avatar,

But also because he had the Jie Jiao's great disciple at his side, who was both powerful and reliable...

What was there to fear?

Zhao Gongming performed a divination and proactively released his own pressure, leading the way on the clouds with Li Changshou toward the north.

Along the way, poisonous insects fell silent, venomous beasts hid, and even the most arrogant fierce beasts and demon kings pretended not to notice the figures flying overhead.

The poisonous mists grew thicker, then gradually thinned.

Before long, Li Changshou saw vast expanses of North Primordial Cold Pines and knew they were approaching the Wu clan's territory.

He recalled that trip to Bei Ju Luzhou, when he and his poisonous senior sister had waited in a cave for their sect's immortals to arrive for support, and she had asked about the purpose of burning North Primordial Cold Pine wood.

Perhaps it was the subtle protection of Pangu the Great; after the Wu clan entered Bei Ju Luzhou, they discovered these pines, which could block the poisonous mists, and they became a barrier against the miasma.

Scanning with his immortal sense, Li Changshou spotted a long 'North Primordial Cold Pine defensive belt' stretching for five or six thousand li, several hundred li wide.

Beyond this belt lay a barren plain. Li Changshou had expected to see some thriving Wu clan tribes, but all he found were abandoned stone houses and the remnants of camps.

Zhao Gongming sighed softly: “The Wu clan is having a tough time.”

“Indeed,” Li Changshou sighed. “Descendants of Pangu the Great's bloodline, reduced to this.”

“There's a lot behind it,” Zhao Gongming shook his head. “The past is the past. Now, both the Wu and demon races have fallen.

But compared to the Wu clan, the demon race has been really lucky.”

Li Changshou thought for a moment and said: “Not entirely.”

“Oh?” Zhao Gongming asked seriously: “Though the demon race isn't as strong as the human race now, they're showing signs of revival, with demon kings popping up everywhere and many old-generation demon experts in hiding.

Besides, demons and spirits are hard to distinguish, and in our Jie Jiao, quite a few fellow disciples have ties with demon experts.

How is the demon race not stable?”

Li Changshou smiled: “Where is the demon race's destiny?”

“This...”

Li Changshou continued: “The Wu clan's destiny is protected by the Six Paths of Reincarnation Disk, left as a spark by the great virtue Houtu, who incarnated as the six paths.

The demon race's destiny has long been shattered, like scattered embers, barely held together by their foundations.

The Saint Niangniang is ultimately the mother of the human race, and her care extends only to certain demon clans.

Moreover...”

Zhao Gongming blinked: “Don't keep me in suspense.”

Li Changshou smiled calmly: “The Heavenly Court will soon recruit soldiers and train heavenly troops. The first to be targeted for establishing the court's authority will be the demon race.”

Zhao Gongming stroked his beard and laughed: “As expected of a Heavenly Court official, you're quite bold, little brother.”

“Elder brother, the Heavenly Court is destined to rule the three realms—it's its heavenly mandate,” Li Changshou said with a smile. “Now that it's just starting out, it already has the Dragon clan's support.

In time, with steady development, it will change dramatically every hundred or thousand years.”

Zhao Gongming nodded slowly, listening attentively, but...

Showed no sign of interest.

Li Changshou: ...

Can't persuade him, moving on.

Back to the main topic.

As Li Changshou and Zhao Gongming chatted, they arrived at a larger Wu clan tribe.

Looking down, this gathering place might not even match a small city in the southern continent, but at least it had some signs of life.

A dozen children wrapped in animal skins were each carrying trees as thick as their waists, laughing and running around, playing energetically, and occasionally knocking over boulders several feet in diameter...

Zhao Gongming smiled: “Shall we go down and take a look?”

Li Changshou thought for a moment: “Zhao Big Brother, how about we find a spot and have a few drinks?”

Zhao Gongming didn't quite understand, but he didn't refuse.

Li Changshou landed on a cloud in the forest, skillfully set up a grill, took out a large block of frozen spirit beast meat, and got to work.

Soon, the enticing aroma of meat filled the forest. Those dozen children, who had been playing with stones, caught the scent and gathered at the edge of the woods, watching from afar.

Li Changshou's sharp ears picked up the Wu clan language through the wind incantation.

After a quick calculation, he understood what they were saying...

At Kunlun Mountain, at a regularly held immortal banquet,

The well-dressed Du E Zhenren sat restlessly among over a dozen familiar friends, still thinking about how his drunken slip-up last time had damaged the reputation of the Ren Jiao great mage.

He really couldn't drink recklessly anymore...

“Dao brother, Dao brother?”

A voice called from beside him. Du E Zhenren quickly put on a smile and turned his head, seeing a friend he had known for thousands of years holding a wine cup and leaning in.

The friend lowered his voice and said: “Big news, just came from Yu Xu Palace—something Huang Long Zhenren complained about.”

“Oh?” Du E Zhenren perked up. “What kind of big news?”

“This involves the Jie Jiao outer sect's great disciple and the Saint's grand-disciple—can't spread it around carelessly!”

“Don't worry, you know me—I'll keep it under wraps!”