Chapter 368: Small Schemes, Great Revenge

Why?

This Honghuang world has truly transformed beyond recognition...

Huddled on the back of the Ditian divine beast, Dizang adjusted his collar, his handsome face ashen.

"Have they... gone?"

Dizang whispered, his body trembling slightly.

This wasn't fear; it was rage, a cold rage that permeated his very being!

What had become of Honghuang?

Could Honghuang ever be restored to its former glory?

Dizang had spent years diligently studying overt and covert schemes, calculations, and strategies, only to have an expert spitting blood fall from the sky right before them. The expert then leaped up, restrained them with an innate spiritual treasure, and brazenly demanded a ransom!

What was this?!

This was bullying by power, oppression by force!

If he hadn't reacted quickly and fought desperately just now, who knows what might have happened...

Dizang tightened his collar further, glancing at the two fellow disciples slumped beside him, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.

What had become of the Daoist experts?

The upright Zhao Gongming, the decisive Qiongxiao Xianzi...

These were renowned Daoist masters from ancient times!

How could one simply collapse and refuse to get up, while the other cried "oh no!" and immediately asked whether they should escalate or resolve the issue?!

Ditian let out a low sigh, transmitting a message to Dizang's mind:

"Master...

Stop pretending; they've already gone far away."

"We should leave this place first and discuss our next steps."

Dizang replied softly, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes, though his lips still trembled slightly.

He wrapped the two old Daoists on the ground in his immortal energy and tossed them onto Ditian's back.

A veil of green mist appeared around Ditian, carrying the three of them as they slowly vanished from the island, transforming into a streak of green light that shot towards the depths of the South Sea...

Before long, the anxious and fearful expression Dizang had worn earlier returned to its usual calm.

When he looked at the two old Daoists, his gaze held a touch of disdain...

"Master, will this scheme succeed?" Ditian asked.

"Suddenly having Zhao Gongming interfere was something I didn't foresee; the outcome is hard to predict.

We'll just wait and see how things unfold. What we need now is to observe their actions and exploit any weaknesses.

This was just a minor scheme, a way to test their depth."

Ditian fell silent for a moment, then continued:

"Master, why not return to the three thousand worlds for some training? These Daoist experts have hearts as corrupt as the Nine Filth Springs.

From what I've seen in recent times, you don't seem to be a match for them."

Dizang lowered his head, examining the lines on his palm, and thought to himself: "To achieve great things, one should not be disheartened by setbacks but should feel ashamed of retreating in fear.

According to the information from our sect, Zhao Gongming's transformation began after his contact with the Water God of Tian Ting; from then on, it spiraled out of control, and he provided considerable assistance to the Water God's rise.

Moreover, reliable news from the Jie Sect confirms that Yunxiao Xianzi is about to form a Daoist union with the Water God, and the Saint has already approved this marriage...

It seems the Jie Sect and Tian Ting are slowly binding themselves together."

Ditian advised: "Master, just the Jie Sect alone could wipe out our Ling Shan, and those Jie Sect immortals act impulsively without much consideration for consequences.

Earlier, when the three sects' immortals flaunted their power at Ling Shan, the Chan Sect immortals were contemplating how to respond to benefit their own sect and personal gains.

But those Jie Sect immortals didn't overthink it; they were simply driven by the urge to storm Ling Shan and cause chaos, no matter the cost...

It's best for a small sect like ours not to provoke them."

"Don't worry," Dizang narrowed his eyes slightly, "I've deduced for thousands of years that the Chan and Jie sects are destined for conflict.

And we in the West will be the ultimate victors!"

"Tch, Master, you're talking as if everyone in the Daoist sects is a fool..."

Dizang roared in his mind: "This is the grand trend! Do you understand the grand trend?"

"Yes, yes, yes, Master is always so impressive.

First, let's find the traitor on Ling Shan; that's the task your teacher assigned for you to make amends..."

"Hmph," Dizang folded his arms, sat cross-legged on Ditian's back in a sulk, and soon resumed his contemplation.

Meanwhile, on Potian Peak of the Duxian Sect.

Li Changshou and Jiuwu flew together to a small grove in the back mountains of Potian Peak.

This peak had the most qi refiners in the sect, making it feel somewhat crowded, with every inch seeming valuable.

After Li Jing was accepted as a nominal disciple by Master Du'e, he was placed here for cultivation, under the guidance of an elderly true immortal couple whose lifespans were nearly exhausted. They were responsible for teaching him the basics, as well as handling his daily needs.

As the sect leader's junior brother, Li Jing received offerings several times that of an ordinary immortal seedling, with treatment in all aspects being impeccable.

Of course, this also involved a little scheme by Li Changshou through the sect leader...

To let Li Jing experience more of the warmth of family.

Li Changshou and Jiuwu didn't visit directly; instead, they affixed invisibility talismans and signaled the elderly true immortals secretly before landing behind the pavilion to observe discreetly...

It happened to be mealtime, and Li Jing, dressed in clean short robes, was devouring his food with gusto.

The elderly couple at the table with him, the grandmother and grandfather figures, watched the boy—who had shot up in height—with kind smiles as they held their bowls and chopsticks...

Overall, the atmosphere was quite warm.

The old woman advised: "Little Martial Uncle, eat more. These are spirit fish and spirit herbs that can help improve your constitution."

The old man asked: "How did you do with today's sword practice?"

"I've pretty much mastered it!"

Li Jing answered earnestly.

"This sword form is meant to regulate your qi, not for combat. When practicing, focus more on how the qi circulates within your body, rather than making your strikes more powerful..."

"Understood! Heh-heh!"

Behind the pavilion, Li Changshou and Jiuwu exchanged a glance, each smiling faintly before quietly retreating.

Li Changshou then fell into thought.

Scheming to determine someone's life or death is easy enough with sufficient power.

But changing someone's personality isn't something schemes alone can achieve...

"What are you thinking about?"

Jiuwu chuckled. "You had to come see for yourself to feel at ease, right? Well, now you've seen it—feel better?

These two senior brothers and sisters are among the most good-natured in the sect. They always wanted children but couldn't have any. If Li Jing weren't the sect leader's junior brother, they'd have probably adopted him as their own by now!"

Li Changshou nodded with a smile and strolled with Jiuwu in this rare secluded spot on Potian Peak, continuing to ponder in his mind.

It seems I need to cultivate Li Jing from every angle, not just focus on his personality.

"Martial Uncle," Li Changshou asked casually, "Have you and Martial Uncle Jiushe ever thought about having children?"

Jiuwu shuddered at the question, his body trembling as he turned to Li Changshou with an awkward smile.

Li Changshou quietly pulled out a bottle of pills from his sleeve and whispered: "Third-grade spirit pills, for strengthening and nourishing the body."

"Th-thank you..."

Jiuwu accepted it like a treasure, immediately taking a pill before sighing deeply, hands behind his back.

"Martial Uncle, what's wrong?"

Jiuwu sighed: "I don't know where Jiushe heard this from, but she says that by worshiping the statue of the Saintly Mother day after day, with enough sincerity, the Mother will bless you in a dream with a clay figure, and then, combined with... well, you can conceive."

"Cough!"

Li Changshou nearly choked, suppressing a laugh.

He quickly asked: "But this, this has to do with..."

"Your Martial Uncle Jiushe is so afraid of missing the dream that she goes to sleep on purpose every day and does things before bed... Ah!"

Jiuwu sighed again, his expression complex as he looked at Li Changshou.

"Changshou, could you think of a way with your pills? This old body of mine can't take it anymore."

"It's a limitation of the Heavenly Dao," Li Changshou replied with a smile. "If immortals could have children freely, wouldn't qi refiners with immortal spirits overrun everything?

The higher the cultivation, the harder it is to have offspring...

Hmm?"

He suddenly raised an eyebrow.

Jiuwu asked hurriedly: "What is it?"

"I've just had some insights," Li Changshou said with a smile. "Could I trouble you to accompany me for a bit? There might be more favors to ask regarding Li Jing later."

"Go ahead with your cultivation; it's all minor matters," Jiuwu waved it off.

Li Changshou smiled without responding, summoning a cloud and flying to a suitable height, hurriedly leaving Potian Peak.

Though he no longer needed to be overly discreet in the sect, some habits had become second nature; following the principle of avoiding unnecessary trouble, he wouldn't discard these good habits easily.

Once away from Potian Peak, Li Changshou directed most of his mind toward the paper effigy in Tian Ting.

A heavenly soldier was reporting outside the study: the deputy commander of the Tianhe Navy, Bian Zhuang, had an urgent matter to discuss.

"Let him enter."

Transforming the paper effigy into an elderly immortal with white hair and beard, Li Changshou responded.

"Yes!" The heavenly soldier outside turned and hurried away.

Li Changshou waved his sleeve, opening the doors and windows while deactivating the outer arrays of the study, allowing the pure and abundant spiritual energy of Tian Ting to flow in.

Soon after, Bian Zhuang rushed in, carrying his nine-tooth rake, stowed it at the door, and saluted with a fist:

"This humble officer, Bian Zhuang, pays respects to the Water God!"

"No need for such formalities, Commander Bian.

You look sweaty; is there some trouble?"

Bian Zhuang replied hastily: "Water God, something big has happened!"

"What kind of big matter?" Li Changshou asked calmly, without any rush.

"Well," Bian Zhuang hesitated, glancing guiltily at the door.

Li Changshou understood and reactivated the array, smiling: "Go ahead; no need to worry."

"It's like this: just now, my family sent me a message via jade talisman," Bian Zhuang scratched his head awkwardly. "Water God, my family runs a Tianya Pavilion; you might know about it..."

Li Changshou nodded with a smile: "I've heard of it; the business seems quite prosperous."

"You're too kind; this kind of business isn't really presentable," Bian Zhuang sighed. "Even though Tianya Pavilion has never done anything unscrupulous, it's still in that line of work...

I might be saying too much; please don't mind.

Anyway, we recently opened a branch in the isolated island of the South Sea.

Today, two old Daoists from the Western Sect and three ancient demon kings from the demon clan met secretly in the pavilion, discussing how to deal with Tian Ting and you, Water God!"

Li Changshou frowned: "Did they have any specific schemes?"

"There were some, but our branch staff has limited cultivation, so they didn't catch all the details," Bian Zhuang said seriously. "From what they heard, it seems they plan to use a divisive tactic to create rifts between the Daoist sects and Tian Ting, and a borrowed knife strategy to eliminate...

Cough, something detrimental to you!"

Li Changshou slowly narrowed his eyes, pondering in his chair.

Soon, he said: "Bian Zhuang."

"This humble officer is here!"

"Thank you for reporting this in advance, but remember one thing."

Li Changshou advised earnestly: "In any profession, one should respect it. Even for Tianya Pavilion, think of providing excellent and professional services to your guests, not prying into their secrets or gathering intelligence.

Acting like that could ruin your own reputation."

Bian Zhuang was taken aback, then realized something and bowed low.

"Thank you for the guidance, Water God. I'll warn my family to keep future communications to family matters only!"

"Good," Li Changshou acknowledged with a smile, handing over a jade talisman containing two escape techniques.

Bian Zhuang was overjoyed, thanking him repeatedly, his mouth grinning from ear to ear as he left.

"This guy..."

Li Changshou shook his head, but his mind remained crystal clear.

Clearly, Bian Zhuang and Tianya Pavilion had been used.

The secret meeting between the Western Sect and the demon clan was real, but their exact schemes warranted deeper thought.

Choosing to meet at Tianya Pavilion seemed justified—it's a place of mixed crowds, easy to hide in, and an unlikely spot for suspicion.

But that was just a mental trap...

With the vast South Sea and the three thousand worlds, finding a discreet meeting place wasn't hard; why choose a crowded spot for such important discussions?

They could have met in a minor world with weak Heavenly Dao influence, making it hard to divine.

If this was meant to flush out something, what exactly were they trying to startle?

Li Changshou's thoughts raced, and he quickly arrived at an answer.

He shifted his mind to the paper effigy storage in the Anshui City Sea God Temple, selected a paper effigy, transformed it into a young woman, and used earth escape to circle around for a while to ensure no one was watching.

Only then did he head to the South Sea edge and leap onto a familiar reef...

Picking up a xun, Li Changshou began to play it slowly.

In these waters, dozens of fish suddenly emitted strands of blood aura, which quickly diluted into the sea, and the fish continued swimming as if nothing had happened.

In a hidden cave at the foot of Ling Shan, the Daoist Wenjing, who was in seclusion, furrowed her delicate brows.

The sound of the xun...

Ling Shan is on alert; suspend all communications and observe the situation in a hundred years.

This was a prearranged signal from long ago.

Wenjing sighed involuntarily...

With the xun sounding, it meant at least another hundred years before she could leave the Western Sect and return to the embrace of the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord in the Doushuai Palace backyard.

This queen might truly become the commander of the Hongmong fierce beasts in the Western Sect!

She could even have her origins whitewashed by the Western Sect!

Alas...

Wenjing wiped the corner of her mouth, closed her eyes, and let out a light chuckle...

'It's been so long since I've seen the Great Consort; I really miss him.'

In Anshui City, the young woman finished playing and dove into the sea, heading toward the isolated island in the South Sea.

For caution's sake, Li Changshou had to check it out himself.

However, midway, the Anshui City Sea God Temple received two distinguished guests: Zhao Gongming and Qiongxiao, who arrived on clouds with displeased expressions.

Li Changshou didn't dare neglect them and went out early to welcome them, leading Zhao Gongming and Qiongxiao to the back hall.

Unexpectedly, the news they brought matched what Bian Zhuang had reported: a meeting between the Western Sect and the ancient demon clan.

Zhao Gongming briefly described his encounter with the three from the Western Sect...

Zhao Gongming laughed: "This time, I ran into a tough one. There was a Western Sect disciple in white robes riding a green-haired big dog who had some backbone, preferring death over surrender, so I couldn't get anywhere with him."

Li Changshou blinked: "What was his name?"

"Dizang?" Qiongxiao replied absentmindedly from the side. "I think that was it."

Li Changshou stood up at once, his expression calm but serious: "Old brother, Xianzi, are you two busy right now?"

Zhao Gongming waved his hand: "If there's something, just say it!"

"Chase!"

Li Changshou declared firmly: "Let's see if we can catch him this time and destroy his divine soul!"

Zhao Gongming and Qiongxiao were both stunned, unaccustomed to seeing Li Changshou so decisive and ruthless.