Chapter 384: The Best Reward for Warriors Is...

Just having been scolded by his master, Li Changshou turned around and saw that ethereal fairy in her flowing white robes, as light as a feather. A mix of emotions stirred in his heart.

It wasn't that he felt embarrassed about being reprimanded in front of someone; rather, it was mainly because Duxianmen had indeed been exposed.

Although during the previous ambush on the demon clan at Duxianmen, Li Changshou had done his best to stage it as a "Heavenly Court preemptive strike," he couldn't hide it from someone as perceptive and intelligent as Yunxiao, who excelled at calculations.

Yunxiao stepped forward gracefully, her embroidered shoes gliding over the muddy ground without a trace of dirt.

"Cough," Li Changshou cleared his throat and took a couple of steps to meet her, bowing in a daoist salute.

Yunxiao returned the gesture from a short distance away, her voice soft as she said: "May I hear about what happened before?"

Li Changshou asked: "Is it about my master's mundane immortal realm, or the recent events?"

Yunxiao's smile grew a bit warmer as she gently replied: "If you wish to speak, I am willing to listen. It will help me understand you a little more."

Li Changshou couldn't help but chuckle and said: "Wait for me a moment; I'll have my main body come here."

Yunxiao nodded in agreement. Li Changshou's paper effigy swayed unsteadily and transformed into a paper figure, sinking into the ground.

Before long, Li Changshou left the mountain gate and arrived on a cloud. He had originally planned to tell a few jokes to bring a gentle smile to Yunxiao's face, just like in their previous meetings. But today, for some reason, Li Changshou let out an unexpected sigh...

"I'm sorry, my state of mind is a bit unsettled today."

Yunxiao shook her head lightly and said softly: "Are you planning to only meet me when you're in a good mood?"

"It's not like that; it's just..."

"Talk to me about it. If your master was too harsh in scolding you, I could go and reason with him."

Li Changshou laughed lightly at that, knowing Yunxiao was joking.

And so, the two of them strolled and chatted on the hillside. Li Changshou recounted the entire sequence of events with the fox girl and explained the change in the red string of fate with his master.

Li Changshou said candidly: "In both encounters with that fox girl, my mindset did shift a bit—I was less cautious and more dismissive. My master was right in pointing that out, and I'll reflect on it myself."

After thinking carefully, Yunxiao said: "What your master said has some merit, but he overlooked your circumstances. You started from a weak position, cultivating from a mortal to the Golden Immortal realm, and got involved in the great sects' conflicts too early. One wrong step could mean your end. At the time, to conceal your true self, you couldn't reveal that you were acting through another's appearance. Dealing with the fox girl was a dilemma for you. Just on that point alone, your master was being self-assured and unreasonable."

Li Changshou thought to himself: ...Why does it feel like the fairy is slightly displeased about my master scolding me?

Li Changshou smiled and asked: "Are you speaking up for me?"

Yunxiao gazed at Li Changshou, and as their eyes met, they both turned away at the same time.

Li Changshou said warmly: "My approach was indeed a bit rough, and besides...It's only natural for a master to discipline his disciple. Respecting the teacher and upholding the dao is the way of us daoist disciples."

"Why did your master become a mundane immortal?"

"This story is a long one," Li Changshou gestured invitingly, and together with Yunxiao, they found a pavilion nearby. As they sat down to rest, he began to recount his master's tale of love and hardship.

Childhood sweethearts, immortal companions on the path—her foundation destroyed, his mentor killed... Thanks to the "first comic training" at Niangniang Palace, Li Changshou's storytelling skills had improved significantly by now. Yunxiao listened intently, and upon hearing how Wan Jiangyu perished in the poisonous mists of the northern continent, she sighed repeatedly in regret.

"Acquired beings truly have a hard time cultivating; they face so many trials, compounded by the malice of human hearts."

Li Changshou thought: Actually, it's not that difficult... At least, not for me personally.

"I think my master had it the worst," Li Changshou lamented. "He was a promising immortal seedling, but schemed against by villains. His foundation was ruined, and he nearly had his soul scattered in a heavenly tribulation. He endured a millennium of torment in the sect. When my master underwent his tribulation, I hadn't yet become an immortal, so I had no choice but to use a poisonous pill to make him undergo body dissolution and become a mundane immortal. Looking back, it's quite regrettable. If he hadn't rushed to break through, and I'd convinced him to wait another century... But in the end, the world rarely offers perfection; it's best not to dwell on it."

Yunxiao asked: "Why was your master in such a hurry to break through?"

"One reason was external pressure—he had fallen far behind his peers; the other was that after a millennium of self-abandonment, he had given up on the chance of immortality in his heart. For him, facing death was a release."

Li Changshou stared at his fingertips and said: "I'm not my master, so I don't know the depth of his inner torment. That's why I didn't dare advise him to wait another century. They say to empathize with others, but it's hard to truly feel what they feel."

"That's exactly why," Yunxiao said softly, "some things need to be spoken aloud, not kept bottled up. I came because I heard you were punished with lightning by the Queen Mother of Yaochi, and I wanted to check on you. I didn't expect to find you being lectured by your master again... If you have any troubles, you can share them with me."

This isn't much of a setback... Li Changshou was about to respond that way, since it really wasn't a big deal—not even a minor adjustment on his cultivation path. But he smiled to himself and, seeing Yunxiao's earnest expression mixed with a hint of expectation, he felt a sudden playful impulse.

He nodded solemnly and said: "It might be because things have gone too smoothly for me lately, and being scolded by my master, who doesn't know the full story... Sigh, about the Heavenly Court matter, I promised the Jade Emperor to keep it secret, so I couldn't tell the Queen Mother, and getting punished was only fair. Lately, the pressure has really been mounting."

"How can I help you relieve it?"

Yunxiao paused, bit her lip slightly, and her cheeks flushed for a moment as she added: "I'm not skilled at dancing."

Li Changshou looked at this otherworldly fairy before him, whom he had somehow drawn back into the mundane world. Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, her eyes held the stars, like the most exquisite immortal brew—merely catching its scent left him intoxicated.

He had intended to tease her a bit, but an unexpected wave of guilt washed over him. This powerful figure from the primordial world was rarely so proactive in caring for him, and most importantly, she trusted him so deeply! How could he think of tricking her into "dancing with shadows"?

"It's really nothing," Li Changshou said with a smile, his eyes full of sincerity. "These aren't big issues at all."

Yunxiao didn't believe him.

She glanced at the bench by the pavilion railing, floated over, and sat at one end, saying softly: "When my third sister was stuck at a bottleneck for several yuan meetings and grew anxious, I comforted her this way to ease her mind. Would you like to try?"

"Um..."

Might as well try!

"Come and lie down..."

Li Changshou perked up, looking at the bench where Yunxiao gently patted with her hand, then at her slightly flushed face as she tried to act composed.

Yunxiao lowered her head slightly and said softly: "Don't be so hesitant..."

Li Changshou wasn't entirely sure what to do, but he followed her lead. He sat beside her first, then lay down on his side next to her, his hair tie pressing against her skirt.

"Like this?"

Is this how innate beings comfort each other? Sitting beside and humming tunes or telling stories?

"You need to come a bit closer."

Before Li Changshou could react, he felt Yunxiao tap his forehead with her finger. He instinctively lifted his head and leaned back, and when her finger tapped again, his head was already resting on her lap.

Her gentle hands massaged his forehead, infusing his body with cool streams of energy, while she carefully combed his hair and hummed a soft melody.

This...

Is this the legendary ultimate move, the knee pillow?

Though this was the primordial world, and Li Changshou was just a minor figure with some influence in the Heavenly Court and the daoist sects, in that moment, he truly wanted to shout out that praise from his past life.

Yunxiao! You're the best!

As dusk fell, Li Changshou rode a cloud back to Xiaoqiong Peak, his spirits high and his eyes gleaming.

He wandered around the mountain for a while, checking in on his grandmaster and uncles drinking and playing in the gaming room, then visiting his junior sister who was deep in dao enlightenment, and finally his master, who had already begun secluded cultivation.

Humming a tune from "Yearning," he headed to the spirit beast enclosure, deciding to slaughter one for a celebratory drink—after all, he wouldn't have to deal with the Heavenly Court's trivial matters for the next fifty years.

"Cousin, you're here!"

Xiong Lingli tossed aside the yard-long fierce beast on her shoulder, dusted off her hands, and hurried over.

"Mm," Li Changshou replied with a smile, walking with his hands behind his back along the enclosure's path, humming that faint tune.

Xiong Lingli blinked, looking at him as if he'd turned into a ghost. Why did the Sea God suddenly seem a tad... flirtatious?

"Lingli."

"Yes, Cousin?"

"Is that Ducky Duck overheated?"

"Got it!"

Xiong Lingli snapped her fingers, turned, and pounced on it. She knocked it out with a punch, slaughtered it, plucked it, and quickly prepared the most tender, crispy parts, presenting them to her Sea God cousin.

Li Changshou nodded with a smile, pulled a bottle of pills from his sleeve, patted her shoulder, and said earnestly: "You've been doing great on Xiaoqiong Peak, and it's time to boost your strength so you can take on bigger challenges. This is a pill I specially refined for your constitution. Take one a year, and in ten years, you'll surpass ordinary shamans; in a hundred, you'll rival a battle shaman."

Xiong Lingli blinked: "What's a battle shaman?"

"It's very strong, that's what matters," Li Changshou advised. "Don't overuse these pills—one extra could damage your bloodline."

"Yes! Thank you, Cousin!"

Li Changshou smiled with narrowed eyes, took the meat, and drifted back to his pill room.

Settling into his recliner, he set up a grill, poured himself a cup of Pantao brew, and drank alone, feeling utterly content.

It wasn't until the waning moon hung in the sky and the night was filled with stars that his joyful mood faded, and he slowly frowned.

Was there any plan to more securely protect Lord Zhao and Sanxian Island? He had already calculated all scenarios clearly, with countermeasures for various variables... The only thing left was to boost his own strength as much as possible, so he could exert more initiative during the Fengshen calamity.

Condensing a merit golden body was undoubtedly the fastest path! His current merit golden body was still short by about two legs' worth. The merits from the underworld and the demon clan—after a century of careful planning, he was determined to claim them.

The demon clan side was straightforward: eliminate karmic burdens for merits; the underworld was more complex, involving how to complete the six paths of reincarnation and fill the gaps in the Heavenly Dao, which would require immense effort to investigate...

Li Changshou had a vague sense that Houtu, the great virtuous one who had pierced him with a few swords and pricked him twice, was key to the underworld's issues. By transforming into the six paths reincarnation disk, was there some unknown drawback? Or perhaps the Heavenly Dao wouldn't allow Houtu to retain her own consciousness?

Li Changshou pondered this deeply, feeling quite troubled, as his paper effigies couldn't enter the six paths reincarnation disk to check.

If he could get Lord Ta to protect him and borrow more power from the Taiji Diagram to ensure safe entry and exit... Maybe he could boldly go in and see what was really going on.

Should he try paying respects to the sages? Li Changshou set down his wine cup, thinking about how to broach the topic with them. He couldn't just say he wanted merits—that wouldn't do; even if the sages knew he was after a merit golden body and that earning merits was his main drive, he couldn't state it outright. He needed to be subtle, with the right tone.

Simply citing his concern for the six paths reincarnation disk and Houtu—how could he borrow Lord Ta and the Taiji Diagram that way? Asking the Grand Supreme to help him? It wasn't entirely impossible...

Just then! Dong—A bell rang from Duxian Hall, and immortal lights flickered across the mountain gates as the peak masters hurried to Duxian Hall.

Qi Yuan, who had just started his seclusion that afternoon, rushed out of his hut with his duster in hand and leaped onto a cloud to join the peak masters' meeting.

What could have happened? This bell was only used for urgent matters.

Li Changshou extended his immortal sense, easily piercing through Duxian Hall's arrays to see inside.

The Duxianmen sect leader, several supreme elders, dozens of elders, and the various peak masters were gathered, discussing not internal sect matters, but... the secular immortal dynasty under Duxianmen's protection: Honglin Kingdom.

Duxianmen protected three small nations in total, providing them security and sending disciples to eliminate demons or evildoers within their borders. In return, these nations offered substantial "tribute," which was a major source of income for Duxianmen.

This model was widespread in Central Divine Continent, and Duxianmen had adopted it.

Among the three, Honglin Kingdom had expanded and developed the fastest, providing the most "filial offerings" to Duxianmen. They even had true immortal realm officers patrolling its borders regularly.

But this wasn't some heavenly blessing... Yesterday, two powerful tribes from Dongsheng Divine Continent had joined forces, breached Honglin Kingdom's border fortress, and advanced their army deep inside. The enemy immortals had already slain dozens of Honglin's generals.

When immortals got involved in mortal wars, it was usually for "beheading" key figures—killing mortals directly would accumulate karmic burdens, which they avoided.

Honglin Kingdom was in crisis and had urgently requested aid from Duxianmen, who had sent several true immortal realm officers yesterday.

However, those officers were captured upon arrival, though fortunately not killed.

Because of this, Duxianmen sect leader Ji Wuyou had summoned the sect's experts to select three hundred immortals and twenty heavenly immortals to rush to Honglin Kingdom tonight.

Youqin Xuanya, as the Honglin Kingdom princess, couldn't be absent.

Thanks to Li Changshou's earlier guidance, Youqin Xuanya had broken through to the late true immortal stage and was close to heavenly immortal, making her a key talent in the sect.

With Honglin Kingdom's situation so dire, the sect had even assigned two supreme elders to accompany her for safety...

"Honglin Kingdom..."

Li Changshou pondered briefly; with so many "experts" from the sect involved, Youqin should be fine. To be extra cautious, he decided to send a golden immortal realm paper effigy to follow secretly and keep an eye on things.

But as soon as he made up his mind, that familiar dao rhythm surfaced in his heart, forming those words he had seen before: Alright, Honglin Kingdom's affair was ninety-five percent related to the "Shang nation."

Li Changshou looked up at the sky, sitting in his rocking chair and waiting a while, then smiled faintly and bowed toward the heavens.

Without Lord Ta... the joy was diminished quite a bit.