Chapter 407: The Great Mage's Heavy Gift

On the Bian River, the water army was practicing formations on the river's surface, overseen by the two deputy commanders from the bank.

"Bear brother, when do you think we'll get to lead troops and display our might on the Yaozu's territory?"

The Tianhe Water Army was under the jurisdiction of the Water God, but the Water God rarely involved himself, leaving the actual authority with the deputy commanders.

Bian Zhuang had a spirit grass in his mouth, lying on the grassy slope by the riverbank with his hands behind his head. His handsome face held a lazy expression as he casually posed the question.

Ao Yi, who was meditating nearby, didn't even open his eyes and replied dismissively, "Half a month ago, during the Tongming Hall council, the leader and Mu Gong had already decided on a strategy of delay. We won't get a chance to act until the Yaozu is worn down."

"Is that so... Whew..."

Bian Zhuang let out a comfortable sigh, a slightly roguish smile on his lips, and muttered softly, "What is the Tianting? I've truly learned something today.

"They say the Yinyuan Hall has already tied over a dozen red strings. A Tianxian-level Yaozu figure turned into a mud doll and exploded just the day before yesterday—most likely killed by a rival demon king.

"It's a pity, though. Yinyuan Hall can't interfere with the marital fates of immortals, otherwise what would we have to fear from the Yaozu? A few red strings would sort it out.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, the one in charge of dawn and dusk clouds is even more outrageous, plastering the anti-demon edict all over the clouds for every Yaozu to see. Who knows if most of them can even read.

"But the most brilliant part—do you know about it, Bear brother?"

"I don't know," Ao Yi replied indifferently, showing little interest in chatting.

"Hahaha! It's the Widespread Pestilence Department stepping in, making the demon soldiers run around with stomach cramps, only to get splashed with filth while relieving themselves!

"The northern continent's border is truly a spectacle now, fragrant and lively everywhere, hahaha!"

Ao Yi first gave a helpless smile, then shook his head with a light sigh: "The Tianting is using the powers of its various departments to erode the Yaozu's strength—this is something no one expected before.

"I just wonder if this will affect the Tianting's fortunes."

"Don't worry, if we can think of it, how could the Water God and Mu Gong not? Adults like them must have it covered."

Bian Zhuang laughed: "There are already divine officials constantly monitoring changes in the Heavenly Dao. According to them, not only will this have no negative impact, it's actually strengthening the Tianting's influence over the Heavenly Dao's operations because the righteous gods are frequently exercising their powers.

"Truly, I'm growing more impressed by our Water God and your leader every day."

"Mm," Ao Yi's smile at the corner of his mouth became much more genuine.

It was as if to say... as long as you praise the Water God, we're good brothers.

Just then, a white cloud drifted over from the distance. Bian Zhuang looked up and shuddered, quickly standing up.

"Oh! The Water God and Yue Lao are here!"

Ao Yi, however, remained quite composed. He had already detected their figures with his immortal sense and waited calmly for a moment before rising to greet them, calling out in unison with Bian Zhuang:

"We pay our respects to the Water God!"

On the Bian River, the heavenly soldiers and generals halted their activities and bowed to the two elders on the cloud.

Li Changshou waved his hand, signaling them to continue as usual, and landed directly in front of Bian Zhuang and Ao Yi with Yue Lao.

"Look, Yue Lao," Li Changshou said with a smile, "the expert on this matter is right here."

Yue Lao followed Li Changshou's gesture and saw Bian Zhuang, his brows furrowing as he whispered, "Water God, Bian Zhuang may be a bit frivolous, and his red strings change up to three times a day, but he's not that bad. As for truly tying red strings..."

Li Changshou chuckled: "Besides Deputy Commander Bian Zhuang, the Tianting can't find many people skilled at freely altering red strings. You'll just have to make do, Yue Lao."

"Very well," Yue Lao sighed, still a bit reluctant.

Bian Zhuang, who was bowing with his head lowered, couldn't help but tear up. Though he felt slightly insulted, his heart was filled with excitement.

After all this time in the Tianting, he was finally connecting with Yue Lao!

"Deputy Commander Bian Zhuang," Yue Lao said, taking out a blank scroll and an immortal brush with a faint smile, "I'll ask you a few questions, and I hope you'll answer honestly based on your own thoughts.

"Suppose, ahem, you, Deputy Commander Bian, fall for a beautiful woman who's already married, and her husband is at the same Tianxian level as you... How would you go about stealing her away?"

"Well," Bian Zhuang frowned, "are we even allowed to do that?"

Li Changshou laughed: "It's just a hypothetical. You're a man of good character and moderation, so you wouldn't do such a thing.

"This is for Tianting business, and because in our plan to disrupt the Yaozu, many demon kings are too naive. The red strings are already tied firmly, but they don't dare to speak up.

"I thought if we could give them some methods for courtship, it would speed up the internal chaos among the Yaozu.

"Deputy Commander Bian Zhuang, the task is weighty. I hope you'll share all your knowledge."

Hearing the Water God's heartfelt words, Bian Zhuang gradually straightened his back, his whole being radiating a holy glow. With mission in his left eye and duty in his right, he said seriously:

"Just a moment, Yue Lao, let me organize my thoughts!"

"Excellent!"

Yue Lao held his brush poised, waiting quietly.

Li Changshou narrowed his eyes in a smile and turned to admire the scenery of the Bian River, watching its waters surge through the clouds and imagining the scene when Mount Buzhou collapsed and the Bian River waters poured into the heavens...

"Leader brother," Ao Yi sidled over and asked via voice transmission, "is there any risk in using the Tianting's divine powers like this?"

"Hmm?" Li Changshou smiled. "In normal times, Yue Lao would face backlash from the Heavenly Dao for tying red strings recklessly, but this is an extraordinary period.

"Under the orders of the Queen Mother, targeting only the Yaozu who issued the anti-heaven edict, Yue Lao won't be punished by the Heavenly Dao. In fact, the more he does and the more he disrupts the Yaozu, the more merit and rewards he'll gain.

"This is about righteousness, and the meaning of forms and rules.

"By issuing that edict, the Yaozu has stepped into a vicious cycle against the Heavenly Dao, doomed to defeat, but we're the ones choosing the method."

Ao Yi showed a look of sudden understanding and pondered it carefully, then asked after a while: "So, is the Yaozu walking into its own doom?"

Li Changshou stood with his hands behind his back and said slowly: "It's not that the Yaozu is seeking its own destruction, but rather the higher-ranking demon kings, or that Lu Ya Daoist, want to use this opportunity to wipe out most of the Yaozu's remaining forces, thereby reducing threats to themselves.

"The Tianting is on the rise now, with human strength scattered among the major immortal sects and restrained by the Daoist path. The remnants of the ancient demon court are a thorn in the Jade Emperor's side.

"If the Yaozu doesn't take this path now, in a hundred years, or maybe three hundred, when the Tianting's forces are full and experts abound, they'll still be purged.

"The decision to issue the anti-heaven edict at this time proves there are still insightful figures among the Yaozu. We mustn't underestimate them."

Ao Yi thought about it for a bit longer, gradually digesting the words, and was about to ask more when...

"Ahem!"

Bian Zhuang cupped his hands, his eyes shining with confidence: "Yue Lao, feel free to ask. I'm ready."

"Then, please tell me, Deputy Commander Bian, if you were a demon king and fancied another demon king's wife, how would you get to know her?"

"You'd have to visit their lair several times first, befriend the demon king, and show off your own demeanor.

"Once the timing's right, find a way to send the demon king away and meet his wife alone, set the mood, speak tenderly, and proceed gradually while watching her reaction."

Yue Lao's mouth twitched as he jotted it all down.

Yue Lao asked again: "What kind of tender words? Could you share a few examples, Deputy Commander Bian?"

Bian Zhuang's face turned a bit red, but he quickly composed himself, his sense of mission and responsibility kicking in.

"Well, this is all a bit shameful, since stealing someone else's partner is wrong.

"I just... have a friend who's a senior in this area, and I've heard him describe it in detail. Generally, it's flowery talk, and the more advanced ones follow a progressive approach, like this:

"Ahem!

"Madam, I know this is improper and against reason, but I can't hide my admiration for you.

"The moon tonight is so beautiful, and looking at you, it's like being in the Moon Palace.

"May I see you a few more times? Even if it's just to chat like this.

"Madam, I'll only borrow one night of your life.

"Something like that..."

Beside them, Ao Yi and Li Changshou had black lines on their foreheads, but Yue Lao diligently recorded the words.

Bian Zhuang continued to speak eloquently, offering different strategies out of thin air.

Ao Yi and Li Changshou turned away in tacit understanding.

Li Changshou handed a porcelain bottle to Ao Yi and made a throat-slitting gesture.

Ao Yi nodded in understanding, calmly putting the bottle away, but then transmitted: "Leader brother, it was us who asked him to say this. Is it right to just beat him up like that?"

No sooner had he spoken than they heard Bian Zhuang add from behind: "If you get caught, you could still brazen it out and argue with the demon king who's come to catch you—yell something like:

"You might lose your dignity and face as a male demon, but your wife is losing her true destined fate!

"That should escalate it to no holds barred."

Ao Yi silently drew his sword, his slender dragon eyes flashing with ferocity, but Li Changshou quickly stopped him.

This second senior brother might still be useful in the future; they couldn't go that far.

Bian Zhuang, lost in developing new ideas, suddenly shivered for no reason, but his sense of mission and honor had taken over, so he paid it no mind and kept chatting with Yue Lao.

The northern continent's Yaozu didn't know how much longer they could hold out.

In the six months since Lu Ya issued the anti-heaven edict, Li Changshou had been busy in the Tianting. Once the various departments were running smoothly and the recruitment of heavenly soldiers and selection of heavenly generals returned to normal, he gradually stepped back.

He deployed several paper effigies to monitor the situation underground in the northern continent and check the "results" of the Tianting's immortals.

In the first half-year, Yinyuan Hall had the most achievements.

They tied red strings for single demon kings to erode their fighting spirit and give them attachments;

For married demon king couples, it led to dozens of cases of mutual conflicts, with over ten young demon kings killed or injured as a result.

Besides Yinyuan Hall, the next most effective was Leifa Hall, followed by Shenwei Hall and Shencui Hall.

The northern continent's border saw abnormal seasons, with demon gathering spots turning barren and spiritual energy growing turbid;

Heavenly thunder struck without warning, heavenly fire raged, and the western evening clouds often displayed phrases like "The Yaozu will perish," "The Yaozu is unjust," "The unjust will self-destruct," and "Fighting the Tianting leads to death," putting immense pressure on the Yaozu.

At this point, low-level demons had lost much of their morale, and other creatures kept their distance...

Amid the miasma of the northern continent, Wu clan hunters often appeared;

To the south, the northern immortal sects of Zhongshenzhou jointly sealed the border, preventing the Yaozu from entering.

Fortunately, Yaozu forces from other borders continued to provide reinforcements to the northern continent's rebellious army, allowing them to persist.

In just half a year, cracks had already appeared within the Yaozu, though they were suppressed by the group of ancient demons.

Li Changshou never caught sight of Lu Ya Daoist and hadn't heard any mention of a military advisor among the Yaozu in six months of monitoring, which puzzled him slightly.

Did Lu Ya come up with this himself?

It didn't seem like it.

Back on Xiaoqiong Peak, Li Changshou withdrew most of his focus and opened his eyes while quietly meditating in the bamboo grove.

Glancing at the lively game room, he couldn't help but smile.

It was rare for everyone to be together; Ling E, who had just emerged from seclusion, and Youqin Xuanya were in the game room chatting, drinking tea, playing the zither, and playing chess, while Jiang Lin'er, Jiu Jiu, and Jiu Yushi were deeply engaged in their card game.

Li Changshou rode a cloud to the spirit beast enclosure, checked on Xiong Lingli, who was in seclusion, and summoned Ling E and Youqin Xuanya from the pavilion. He also shared some Tianting matters with Ling E.

"Senior brother!"

"Senior brother Changshou."

The two light calls came as Ling E and Youqin Xuanya flew over on clouds, their sleeves fluttering, both stunningly beautiful but with distinct charms.

Ling E was like a flawless piece of white jade, her hair in an exquisite flowing cloud bun, wearing a pure white undergarment with a light green long dress embroidered with orchids, paired with a nearly translucent white waist-length skirt. Her figure was far beyond just "graceful."

Youqin Xuanya wore her preferred ice-blue long dress, her long hair in a ponytail, her snow-white swan-like neck and nearly perfect lines complementing each other, though her striking features overshadowed even that.

Of course, to Li Changshou, they could both be summed up with one word...

Eye-catching.

Li Changshou set up a barrier around the three of them, checked the sensing stone on himself and the jade talismans on his two junior sisters that blocked divine probes, and got straight to the point:

"Xuanya, how far are you from the Tianxian realm?"

Xuanya?

Ling E blinked. When had her senior brother gotten so familiar with Youqin senior sister!

Youqin Xuanya replied: "At least a dozen years of seclusion... Senior brother Changshou, is my cultivation progress too slow?"

"Cultivation isn't about speed; you've been very diligent," Li Changshou said warmly, taking two pill bottles from his sleeve and handing them to Youqin Xuanya with immortal power.

"These are pills to enhance cultivation and strengthen the connection between a cultivator and the Great Dao. You can only take one every ten years, so don't rush. Just advance steadily, and see how far they take you."

Li Changshou added a few cautious reminders, then asked: "Have you two heard about the impending conflict between the Yaozu and the Tianting?"

"Yes," Ling E said, "Many elders and masters in the sect are talking about it; you often hear it through the wind-charm spells."

Youqin Xuanya added: "But does the Tianting need more hands?"

"That's right, though not urgently," Li Changshou said. "The Tianting is in its ascendant phase, and I want to groom you, Xuanya, into a revered hero of the Tianting, so you need the foundation of the Tianxian realm.

"Currently, heavenly soldiers and generals are mostly men, but in terms of cultivator strength, men and women are balanced.

"If the Tianting can produce a heroic female general who's as formidable as any man, it would be a great boon."

Youqin Xuanya bit her lip, bowed with a fist salute, and said firmly: "I won't disappoint you, senior brother!"

"Very good!"

Raising the leadership profile of female cultivators in the Honghuang—it's all on you!

Of course, he couldn't say that out loud.

Li Changshou continued: "Ling E, how are your preparations for the trial going?"

"Well... isn't it in twelve years... Hehe, senior brother, are you really okay with sending me out to face this cold Honghuang?"

Li Changshou nodded: "Yes, I am, and very much so..."

Before he finished, the three heard a voice nearby:

"Ling E is going out for a trial? That's a fine thing."

The Grand Supreme!

Li Changshou turned to see a spinning Taiji diagram appear beside them—the innate treasure Taiji diagram, which he recognized instantly.

The Grand Supreme's voice came from it: "Changgeng, bring your two junior sisters over. Guess what I've brought you?"

Li Changshou was full of questions. He instructed Ling E and Xuanya to be polite, then led them into the Taiji diagram, which took them directly to the valley near Duxian Sect.

In the game room, Jiu Jiu glanced toward the spirit beast enclosure and muttered:

"How did they just vanish?"

"Are you missing them?" Jiang Lin'er asked with a narrowed-eye smile. "If you miss them, go check. A pair of Tianxians!"

"You already played two Tianxians earlier, master mother," Jiu Yushi said lightly. "I still have one here, you know."

"Ah, did I? Hahaha! I didn't cheat!"

Note: Some characters in the book may have incorrect values; as per the author's request, be like Ao Yi and don't emulate the second senior brother.