Chapter 359: Longevity Calculated as Demon, Le'er Supports

Given that 'seizing the sword and detonating it' only has an 80% success rate, why not adopt a different strategy? With some elaborate planning, we could ensure the successful capture of the 'Witch Soul' sword while inflicting even greater casualties on the demon race. By doing so, even if half of the karmic-laden great demons here manage to escape, the overall gains might actually be more substantial.

While all this strategizing is ultimately aimed at accumulating merit... but with sufficient confidence to balance both personal needs and our side's interests, why wouldn't one be delighted?

Consequently, Li Changshou and the Jade Emperor's two avatars quietly withdrew to an inconspicuous corner of the underground grand formation. Li Changshou spent half an hour contemplating and another half an hour devising the complete strategy. In total, within just one hour, he had developed a full and comprehensive plan, which he then discussed in detail with His Majesty the Jade Emperor. Although, by the end of their discussion, the overall plan required less than 0.1% modification... nevertheless, it was crucial to give His Majesty the Jade Emperor, who had been observing with eager anticipation, a necessary sense of involvement!

Due to limited time and the spur-of-the-moment nature of the decision, Li Changshou didn't have enough time to formulate many comprehensive backup plans. Therefore, he used the current plan as his primary approach, incorporating several contingencies at points where variables were likely to arise. Even if unforeseen circumstances arose, the development of events would be steered back to the predetermined main course!

The overall strategy for dealing with the demon race was quite straightforward: a simple 'besiege the stronghold to target reinforcements' tactic. More precisely, it involved feigning a siege of the area, ensuring the karmic-laden great demons couldn't escape with the sword. This would then alert various demon factions aware of the situation, prompting them to send reinforcements. Once they arrived, the 'Witch Soul' sword would be seized, and a massive spiritual explosion would be triggered, incurring minimal losses for their own side.

—Any demon who knew about the refining of the 'Witch Soul' sword could hardly be considered 'innocent'.

While it sounded simple, executing the plan would be incredibly intricate. How could they stabilize the demons, making them decide to 'guard this place' rather than 'flee with the sword'? Furthermore, how could they ensure the demon race wouldn't grow suspicious during the initial phase of the plan, allowing their reinforcements to enter the hundred-li radius? The greatest challenge throughout this process was how to ensure the Heavenly Court would be seen as righteous, gain public approval, and establish its might, all while Li Changshou himself remained free from karmic entanglement... This would necessitate a blend of both overt and covert strategies.

To be safe, Li Changshou conveyed his sole concern to the Jade Emperor...

"Your Majesty, if we manage to significantly wound the demon race this time, there's a slight chance a Saint might intervene, which, if not entirely negating our efforts, would certainly cause some trouble."

"Chang Geng, rest assured," the Jade Emperor's avatar stated solemnly. "Based on these arrangements, the demon race's defiance of heavenly will can be firmly established. Regardless of other factors, the mere presence of that evil sword here is enough to condemn the demon race! Should the Saint backing the demon race insist on protecting them, I will have no choice but to go to Zixiao Palace to explain the full circumstances and seek justice from the Dao Ancestor!"

Li Changshou chuckled, "Your Majesty, that's bold."

"It is for heavenly destiny."

Since the one to bear the responsibility had been found... *cough*! With the Jade Emperor prepared to face Saint Nuwa, Li Changshou no longer harbored many reservations and immediately began preliminary preparations.

The preparations would primarily be carried out in three parts:

First, mobilizing sufficient paper-avatars to the location, each equipped with enough immortal beans.

Second, the Heavenly Court would prepare 300,000 troops, with the Jade Emperor ready to act behind the scenes, constantly leveraging the power of the Heavenly Dao to build momentum.

Third, their side needed to find a demon king who wasn't particularly intelligent, but possessed decent strength and some influence...

This third point was particularly crucial. Both Li Changshou and the Jade Emperor had an avatar hidden within the underground grand formation, quietly lying in wait, ready to launch an attack at any moment. After settling these two avatars, the seemingly 'ordinary' Heavenly Emperor and 'ordinary' influential minister each became busy.

In the High Heavens Palace, the Jade Emperor summoned Dong Mu Gong, ordering him to immediately mobilize troops. Within three days, 300,000 Heavenly Court soldiers were to be assembled and stationed at the Central, West, and South Heaven Gates, awaiting further orders. There was no need to question the specific orders; publicly, they would simply declare it was for military training.

On the periphery of the underground grand formation, Li Changshou's paper-avatars carefully began to move, taking up several crucial positions...

In the world as it currently stood, opportunities to earn great merit were few. The extermination of demons had long been part of Li Changshou's strategic calculations. He had previously intended to use the demon race for military training *after* the Heavenly Court's current recruitment drive of a million soldiers, with his paper-avatars interspersed among them to harvest merit from karmic-laden great demons. However, with the matter of the Witch race serving as a catalyst, and faced with the dilemma of the straightforward spiritual explosion plan, Li Changshou resolved to undertake a grander operation. He aimed to accrue a substantial amount of merit from the karmic-laden great demons of the demon race, thereby accelerating the completion of his Merit Golden Body! Although the time allotted for preparation was relatively short, he could still plan as comprehensively as possible...

Directly above the underground grand formation, in a certain mountain forest, one of Li Changshou's paper-avatars observed a small demon he had just knocked unconscious. He, who had initially only intended to extract some information, revealed a faint smile. First, he sealed the demon's soul. Then, he removed the demon's cloak, absorbing its essence, and draped it over himself. Li Changshou transformed his appearance, using a shape-shifting spell to assume the small demon's form. He then directly extracted the demon's soul and encased it in Samadhi True Flame.

A moment later, the demon's soul awoke, trembling within the fiery enclosure.

Li Changshou said coldly, "I will ask one question, and you will answer it. If your answer is irrelevant, your soul will be scattered to the winds. If you answer all my questions, and seeing that your karmic burden is not deep, I may allow your soul to reincarnate."

The small demon's soul almost burst into tears.

Li Changshou deliberately waited for a while, allowing the small demon's soul to calm down before he began his interrogation.

"'Where is this place? And how many demon kings reside here?'"

"'Th-this place is called Demon Ascending Mountain, and there are six great... great kings...'"

Li Changshou nodded and then asked, "Are there any unusual occurrences here?"

The small demon's soul cried out tremblingly, "'Nothing unusual! My Lord... I'm just a small demon who has cultivated for a few thousand years, with no great abilities. My daily task is simply to patrol the mountain, to see if any human Qi Refiners trespass.'"

Li Changshou slowly nodded, and the Samadhi True Flame gently contracted, causing the demon's soul to shriek instantly.

"'Mercy! Please, my Lord, mercy! I've seen it a few times: several seniors emerged from underground and went to Nanzhou to devour humans! I reported this to my King, and he ordered me to keep quiet, or he'd wipe out my entire family!'"

"Hmph!" Li Changshou withdrew the True Flame, gazing at the dispirited demon soul, and asked calmly, "Are there any rumors concerning Demon Ascending Mountain?"

"'Rumors... rumors... there are rumors!'" The small demon's soul shuddered. Under the threat of utter annihilation, it no longer cared about holding back. "'I heard older generals mention that this is a crucial location for the resurgence of the Saint race, and the kings here are all selected talents with limitless futures...'"

"'Describe in detail everything you know about the six demon kings in this area, starting with your own king.'"

"'Yes, yes... my King is wise, mighty, and skilled in battle! He's said to possess an indestructible golden body!'"

"Hm?"

"'No, no, no! That old demon on this mountain is a wretched-looking, repulsive rhino demon, thick-skinned and incredibly tough. He's also extremely lustful, with three cave dwellings on the mountain and six wives he forcibly abducted. He brags to us daily, claiming his charm is so astonishing that these female demons throw themselves into his arms!'"

"'Continue, the more detail, the better.'"

Thus, half an hour later...

*Clang! Clang!*

A 'small demon' clad in light armor and a cloak swayed out from the mountain forest, a wisp of ash drifting behind him, settling back into the earth. He swayed with every two steps—his head, his waist, and the wooden mallet in his hand all swayed. After striking his wood block a few times, he adopted an operatic tone and called out:

"'Our great King is wise and bright, he sent me out to patrol the mountain! Peace reigns everywhere, humans dare not trespass!'"

This drew the attention of the small demons and monster beasts in the mountains, who paused to watch.

—There was no helping it; this was the local small demon's patrol slogan, and Li Changshou couldn't arbitrarily change it.

Naturally, this patrolling small demon was Li Changshou's paper-avatar, transformed by a shape-shifting spell. The original patrolling small demon's corpse had been incinerated, and its soul was currently confined within a precious pearl by Li Changshou. Afterwards, Li Changshou would fulfill his promise and allow it to reincarnate. Carrying this precious pearl allowed him to ask the small demon for information at any time, preventing any accidental slip-ups later on...

Just like that, Li Changshou, tapping his wood block and swaying, wandered around the mountain for half a circuit before heading back. Transforming into a demonic wind, he flew to the mid-slope of the third peak of Demon Ascending Mountain. There was a valley there, and at its deepest point lay a cave dwelling with intertwining, labyrinthine passages that stretched in all directions, housing thousands of demons. This was the Rhino King's demonic lair!

Without any alarm or incident, Li Changshou, disguised as the patrolling small demon, easily infiltrated the cave. He frantically gathered intelligence and successfully met the local demon king, directly assessing the rhino's strength... He was at the peak of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, yet merely a mediocre 'watered-down' demon with patchy demonic power. It was evident that this rhino demon was merely a gatekeeper, responsible for guarding the underground grand formation. His low strength didn't matter; the key was his status as a 'Demon King' and the strategic location of Demon Ascending Mountain.

To be safe, Li Changshou inspected the demon king's cave several more times, ensuring no masters were lying in ambush before finally initiating the official plan.

Act One of 'Scheming Against Demons': The Immortal Maiden Descends!

"Ao Yi, do you wish to gain merit?"

High above the clouds, Ao Yi, who was silently hovering with eight members of the Witch race on his back, paused in surprise upon hearing his Sect Leader Brother's telepathic message. He then heard Li Changshou chuckle:

"'This time, there's a task that requires direct involvement. The risk isn't high, and the merit reward should be considerable. It would be too easy for my paper-avatars to reveal a flaw.'"

Ao Yi immediately nodded, his dragon eyes filled with determination.

Soon, Ao Yi followed Li Changshou's instructions, flying to Central Divine Continent to settle the eight Witch race members there. He left the paper-avatars he carried with them for future 'contact'. These eight Witch race experts were also a valuable fighting force, which Li Changshou naturally wouldn't waste.

Ao Yi immediately hastened to the rendezvous point with Li Changshou, where, in a dense forest, he found Li Changshou's paper-avatar, disguised as a young Daoist. And... A barrier, and a dressing table...

"'Brother! What do you need me to do?'"

Li Changshou said earnestly, "'Come, first disguise yourself as Miss Ke Le'er. This matter is quite complex, and I will explain it to you step by step.'"

"'Uh...'"

Ao Yi blinked, then, seeing his Sect Leader Brother's serious expression, he could only step forward quickly. Whatever the Sect Leader asked, he would naturally do, even if it meant sacrificing his dragon soul.

Li Changshou explained, "'For this matter, illusion spells and shape-shifting techniques are easily seen through. Directly applying makeup is the most reliable approach.'"

"'Brother, are you planning to prank Bian Zhuang?'" Ao Yi asked this, already obediently seated before the dressing mirror, mentally recalling some small tricks his wife used when applying makeup, and began to work on himself.

"'Why would I prank Bian Zhuang?'" Li Changshou chuckled, "'It's like this: I need you to stage a performance later, deliberately pretending to be injured and then rescued by a demon king. Afterward, you'll incite this demon king to declare war on the Heavenly Court.'"

Ao Yi's hand trembled, and his eyebrows were smudged.

"'This... is that even possible? It sounds as if that demon king would have to be out of his mind.'"

"'It's up to us,' Li Changshou smiled calmly. 'Romantic affection is the easiest way to make living beings lose their heads. Let's give it a try; if it doesn't work, we have backup plans.'"

"Mhm!"

Ao Yi nodded lightly and deftly began to draw his eyebrows and apply blush. Li Changshou, watching from the side, was slightly surprised. "How are you so proficient?"

"'Well,' Ao Yi chuckled shyly, 'I often help Si'er with her makeup...'"

"'You and Si'er are quite devoted to each other,' Li Changshou remarked calmly, shifting the topic. He smiled and asked, 'When do you plan to have a child? As your elder brother, my celebratory gift is always ready.'"

Ao Yi murmured, "'It's still too early... The Dragon race has recently faced hardship, and overcoming these difficulties together is the most pressing matter.'"

"'A little celebration wouldn't hurt either,' Li Changshou said, pulling out several Daoist robes from his sleeve and beginning to ponder how to refashion them into small immortal dresses."

Ao Yi glanced over and quietly mumbled, "'Si'er even has a wardrobe here with me, Brother. Don't worry, I'll just change into something from there later.'"

Upon hearing this, Li Changshou couldn't help but subtly retreat two steps. This young dragon certainly has some peculiar tastes.

Now, back to business.

After Ao Yi had finished grooming himself, the long-unseen Ke Le'er reappeared, dressed in an immortal gown, wearing cloud-treading boots, with long hair gathered into a cloud bun, and his Adam's apple concealed... Most crucially, Li Changshou produced two sachets: one for Ke Le'er to wear at the waist, and another for him to keep as a spare. A fifth-grade spiritual pill: Heart-Scorching Flame.

With these preparations complete, Ke Le'er quietly ascended to a high altitude. Li Changshou's paper-avatar transformed into a silver-armored Heavenly General, then released sixteen paper figures imbued with his original divine powers, transforming them into sixteen Heavenly Soldiers. Under the cover of night, Li Changshou conjured several bolts of divine lightning from his palm! Thunder clapped loudly, and lightning flashed across the sky. A graceful figure stumbled and plummeted from the clouds, followed by a dozen or so pursuing figures.

Coincidentally, this graceful figure fell upon Demon Ascending Mountain, with over a dozen Heavenly Soldiers and Generals in swift pursuit! And, for good measure, a loud shout echoed, alerting the demons of the area:

"'The Heavenly Court is apprehending a criminal immortal! All creatures, stand clear!'"

Demons within several hundred *li* were all startled, as streams of demonic sense extended to probe, each feeling a mix of surprise and uncertainty. Just then, from within the Rhino King's cave dwelling, a certain 'patrolling small demon' shouted loudly:

"'Report— Great King! Heavenly Soldiers and Generals are pursuing a female immortal onto the mountain! They're currently engaged in fierce combat on the back mountain, merely dozens of *li* away by mountain path!'"

"'I know, what's the rush?'"

Amidst the gruff reply, the burly giant soaking in the pool stood up. His transformed appearance wasn't ugly, save for his nose, which had transformed into a bull's horn, appearing somewhat out of place. The rhino demon leaped from the pool, summoned his battle armor, and hoisted his iron axe. Employing the 'demonic wind' divine ability, a common technique among demons, he swept up over ten demon generals and more than a hundred small demons, heading towards the back mountain.

Dozens of *li* of mountain path were covered in an instant, and the rhino demon soon spotted the 'fierce battle'. A female immortal, her gown stained with blood, with wounds on her waist and shoulders, wielded two short swords, exchanging blows with the Heavenly General... However, with just a single glance at the immortal maiden, the Rhino King's bull-like eyes immediately grew hazy; in his eyes, this immortal maiden, far from being disheveled, appeared utterly radiant, her graceful form enveloped in a soft glow. She was so captivating that it made the bull... his heart flutter.

Just then, the Rhino King heard the sound of heavy breathing. He turned his head and saw that his accompanying demon generals and soldiers were all flushed and panting.

"'What are you staring at?!'" The Rhino King roared, "'All of you, turn around! I'll hack you to pieces!'"

The group of demon soldiers and generals collectively shivered and quickly turned their backs. The Rhino King then looked back at the immortal maiden and Heavenly General's duel, his bull-like eyes gradually filling with tenderness. With a *clang*, his bull axe fell to his feet. He intertwined the fingers of his two large hands, resting them beside his broad face, gently rubbing.

"'Ah, I might be falling in love at first sight again...'" Gradually, even his bull-like eyes took on the shape of peach blossoms.

From the fierce battle, the Heavenly General's enraged shouts could be heard: "'Don't force my hand and make me kill you! Return with me to the Heavenly Court to report!'"

"'Brother!'"

'Immortal Maiden Ke Le'er' cried out resolutely, "'My destiny is my own to decide! I will never become your tool to curry favor with those powerful deities!'"

"'Brother'? 'Destiny'? Currying favor with powerful deities!" The Rhino King's eyes lit up, and he instantly conjured up a grand drama in his mind. He heard the Heavenly General yell again, "'I'm doing this for your own good!'"

"'If it's for my good, then set me free and let me find my own destiny!'"

No sooner had the 'immortal maiden' finished speaking than she was swept by the Heavenly General's spear. Her graceful figure was flung through the air, crashing to the ground, only for her to defiantly rise again. The Rhino King instinctively took half a step forward, raising his hand from a distance, attempting to catch the falling immortal maiden, but he was still far too removed.

"'Your destiny?'" The Heavenly General, with a cold expression, raised his hand and gestured. Over a dozen Heavenly Soldiers each halted their forward charge. The Heavenly General stated calmly, "'That, then, is your destiny.'"

"'No!'" The immortal maiden, leaning on her sword, shakily stood up and cried out, "'My intended, he is tall and robust, powerfully built, with the strength to protect me!'"

The Rhino King looked down at himself, and his well-developed chest muscles began to throb rhythmically.

"'My intended can ride clouds and mist, wear armor, wield sharp weapons, and don a red cloak, standing tall and unwavering!'"

The Rhino King silently drew out a red cloak and draped it over himself, then recalled his great axe from the ground into his hand.

"'My intended will eventually appear before me, whether he be demon or fiend, human or immortal...'"

"'Wretch!'" The Heavenly General roared furiously, "'Today, I will grant your wish! Consider it as if I never had a sister like you!'" With that, he swept his long spear, aiming a merciless blow at 'Immortal Maiden Ke Le'er'!

Just then, a fierce wind erupted from the side, and an iron axe swept forth, directly knocking the long spear aside! The Heavenly General retreated with the momentum, his eyes wide. The sixteen Heavenly Soldiers swiftly flew to his side, protecting their general. After the fierce wind subsided, a burly figure was seen standing before the immortal maiden, head held high, chest out, raising a great axe, his large red cloak flapping loudly. He subtly turned his head, looking at the stunned immortal maiden behind him, his rhino horn nose having vanished at some point. Exhaling a wisp of white mist, he declared in a deep voice:

"'Fear not, immortal maiden, I am here...'"

"'Immortal maiden! I've come to save you!'"

The Rhino King frowned, looking in the direction from which the shout had come. He saw a demonic wind flying through the air, and the Lion-Head King from the adjacent mountain peak leaping down. This demon was enveloped in golden fur, his strong muscles subtly rippling, and he even exuded a faint floral scent... The Lion-Head King had actually concealed his proudest feature, his lion's head, transforming into a handsome, blonde-haired man. His large red cloak fluttered slightly behind him as he waved a hand:

"'General Rhino, stand down. You are no match for this Heavenly General.'"

"'General, my foot! We're all upstart demon kings who seized our own mountains; who are you to put on such airs?!'"

Just as the Rhino King was about to launch into a furious curse, a cold snort suddenly came from the side. A handsome, muscular man, transformed from a wolf demon, leaped out, also draped in... a large red cloak...

"'Marshal Lion, General Rhino, step aside! Neither of you are a match for this Heavenly General!'"

And then two more demonic winds swept in...

A faint line of embarrassment appeared on Ke Le'er's forehead as he discreetly glanced at the 'Heavenly General'—Li Changshou's paper-avatar. A telepathic message entered Ke Le'er's mind...

'The moment to test your acting skills has arrived. Tricking one is the same as tricking five or six; my paper-avatar will be there to support you, so don't worry.'

Ke Le'er...

The Heavenly General glared furiously at the demons and said coldly, "Are you demons perhaps intending to meddle in our affairs?"

The Lion-Head King chuckled, "Great..."

"'Brother-in-law above!'" The Rhino King took a large step forward, shouting, "'The immortal maiden is tired today; why not let her rest for a few days before giving Brother-in-law an answer! We're all family here, let's not damage our harmony!'"

"'Begone!'" The Heavenly General roared furiously, poised to advance with his spear. However, these several demon kings collectively unleashed their might, revealing that there were indeed two Golden Immortal Realm demon kings among them...

"'Fine! You all just wait!'" Li Changshou, in the guise of the Heavenly General, gnashed his teeth and cursed, then turned and rode the clouds, hastily departing with his sixteen Heavenly Soldiers.

Immediately, these five burly demon kings turned to face Ke Le'er and simultaneously declared:

"'Immortal Maiden!'"

They then simultaneously cut themselves off, glancing at one another, their eyes flaring with intense hostility! Before long, these five demon kings began to brawl fiercely, though fortunately, Ke Le'er's repeated calls of 'brave warrior' stopped them in time.

As Li Changshou had advised, Ke Le'er opened the restriction on his treasure pouch, deactivated the Heart-Scorching Flame, and then, leaning on his sword, stood up and went into the forest to tend to his 'injuries'... The five demon kings exchanged glances, each letting out a cold snort, then eagerly trotted after him.

Li Changshou...

Alright, this first act was completed smoothly enough. Act Two, 'The Immortal Maiden's Woes, and Fury for Beauty,' also needed to be staged promptly, as delay would inevitably lead to complications. While preparing for the next scene, Li Changshou also had to ensure Ao Yi's safety; it was merely an act, and Ao Yi certainly couldn't be genuinely taken advantage of by these demon kings!

In addition, the troop mobilization operation was already underway. Closing his eyes for a brief moment of adjustment, Li Changshou reallocated his mental energy and began activating his various 'carriage' paper-avatars:

Mobilizing the Mountain Gate Defense paper-avatar contingent;Mobilizing the Anshui City Defense paper-avatar contingent;Mobilizing the East Sea Dragon Race Co-Defense paper-avatar contingent;Mobilizing the South Sea Surveillance paper-avatar contingent;Mobilizing the West Sea Ocean Eye Guard paper-avatar contingent;Mobilizing the North Sea Ice Plain Reserve paper-avatar contingent...

Even though sixty percent of his paper-avatars were currently converging on this desolate corner of the Primordial World, Li Changshou still felt somewhat uneasy. Thus, one of his Water God paper-avatars proactively hastened to Tushita Palace.

Half an hour later...

At Immortal Ascension Gate, Little Qiong Peak, by the entrance to the Elixir Chamber, a small Taiji diagram slowly materialized, from which a miniature pagoda emerged. The miniature pagoda shimmered with water-like ripples, seemingly calling out to something. Ling'e, who was meditating on a futon by the door, couldn't help but open her eyes, hazily observing it... A large hand reached out from the side, supporting the miniature pagoda, and Li Changshou's voice resonated in Ling'e's mind.

"'Continue your cultivation undisturbed; I'm stepping out for a bit.'"

"'Oh,' Ling'e replied, blinking her long eyelashes, then closed her eyes once more, returning to her state of enlightenment."

Li Changshou gazed at the miniature pagoda in his palm, listening to the 'Tower Lord's' boisterous protests in his mind, and couldn't help but smile faintly.

Alas... When did my own true body become my ultimate trump card?

To play it safe, I'll keep the Xuanhuang Pagoda above me and act as a firefighting squad.

The Heavenly Court still lacks a contingent of high-level enforcers...