Chapter 411: The Black Pool Discussion

In Du Xian Dian, Bai Ze gazed at the divine beast standing proudly with its head held high, then lowered his head once more to read the jade talisman in his hand for the fourth time.

"Come, come to life!The Da Fashi personally ordered it!This seemingly ordinary jade talisman bears such profound Dao rhymes that its material has undergone some kind of sublimation!"

Ji Wuyou shouted:"Quick! Go arrange a pen for Senior Bai Ze!"

The several elders in the hall, along with Li Changshou and Xiao Ling'e standing nearby, all fell silent at that moment.

Bai Ze's elegant face nearly twisted into a donkey's grimace.

"Zhangmen," an elder quickly interjected, "It's a residence, arrange a residence!"

"Ahem, ahem! Yes! Arrange a residence for Senior Bai Ze!"

Ji Wuyou hastily bowed in a Dao salute. "Senior, please don't take offense. I was momentarily overcome by excitement, unable to control myself, especially since it was the Da Fashi who gave the order."

Bai Ze frowned as he looked toward Li Changshou, his mind echoing the words Li Changshou had said earlier.

Don't say too much, don't ask too many questions—just nod along.

Bai Ze slowly nodded, his graceful form shimmering with multicolored light, leaving the elders somewhat entranced.

Li Changshou added from the side: "Zhangmen, Senior Bai Ze prefers seclusion. How about finding a mountain near our Xiao Qiong Peak as his dwelling? Please issue an order, Zhangmen, to ensure no one disturbs his quiet cultivation."

"Excellent," Ji Wuyou agreed immediately.

Bai Ze's gaze shifted back and forth between Ji Wuyou and Li Changshou, his lips twitching slightly, though he chose not to expose the truth.

The entire process of settling Bai Ze went fairly smoothly overall.

In Du Xian Men, only Li Changshou and his junior sister, along with Ji Wuyou and a few elders, knew Bai Ze's true background.

It was not difficult for Bai Ze to conceal his form from the other disciples.

Ji Wuyou first used immortal power to create a barrier around the vacant mountain next to Xiao Qiong Peak, allowing Bai Ze to select his dwelling site.

Then, upon hearing Li Changshou's voice transmission, Ji Wuyou issued a palm gate order, tasking Li Changshou with full responsibility for overseeing the construction of Bai Ze's cave dwelling and the various arrays on this 'Hei Chi Peak,' with all materials supplied by Bai Fan Dian.

The name Hei Chi was merely a cover to mislead others.

Once Ji Wuyou and the elders had left Hei Chi Peak, Li Changshou quietly instructed Xiao Ling'e a few words. She turned and flew back to Xiao Qiong Peak, leaving only Li Changshou and Bai Ze alone...

Lying by a pond, Bai Ze let out a weary sigh, his face full of disinterest.

Li Changshou pondered silently in his heart and sighed inwardly as well.

In the end, he hadn't been able to eliminate him.

Earlier, in Du E Zhenren's cave dwelling, when he and the Da Fashi had bantered and pressured Bai Ze, only about seventy percent of it was genuine teasing and coercion.The remaining thirty percent stemmed from a difference of opinion between Li Changshou and the Da Fashi...

Li Changshou could clearly sense that the Da Fashi possessed a universal sense of justice.

The Da Fashi disliked entangling with karma, and due to his profound Dao realm and long lifespan, he had witnessed countless joys and sorrows, tragedies of living beings, so he usually appeared indifferent to the life and death of creatures.

But the Da Fashi was not a cold-hearted person.

For instance, today, the Da Fashi felt that Bai Ze's crimes were not severe enough to warrant immediate execution.Moreover, since Bai Ze intended to defect and his abilities as an auspicious beast made him a suitable addition to Ren Jiao, the Da Fashi kept teasing him, advising Li Changshou to spare Bai Ze this time.

Of course, the Da Fashi could think that way, as he feared nothing except the saints...

But Li Changshou could not afford that.

Already caught in the vortex of the Great Desolation, Li Changshou absolutely refused to leave such a massive hidden threat behind!

Especially after learning that Bai Ze had been observing him secretly for so long, Li Changshou felt that most of his trump cards might have been exposed!

He truly could not rest easy.

Yet, Li Changshou did not argue with the Da Fashi. With their differing opinions, they each compromised a step, reaching a consensus through their joint pressure on Bai Ze.

Subsequently, the two brothers acted together, using their respective reliable methods to restrain Bai Ze...

In this process, Bai Ze appeared as an innocent victim, but in reality, he had achieved his original goal—

Defecting to Ren Jiao.

However, the greatest blow to Bai Ze was not being restrained by the Da Fashi and Li Changshou, nor was it Li Changshou easily uncovering his hiding place.

It was that, from the very beginning, he had misjudged the Water God's ambitions...

The promising generation of a wise ruler and overlord—how had it come to this, with no interest in dominating the heavens, only seeking personal freedom and tranquility?

Where was the grand vision?

Where was the big-picture thinking?

Wait, what kind of conditions did the Water God have!

Backed by the strongest saint and standing in the great trend of the Heavenly Dao, with astonishing schemes, terrifyingly fast cultivation progress, and even occasional intimate interactions with the Heavenly Dao through heavenly tribulations!

With such conditions, why not seek fame and glory, instead adhering to quiet inaction? Wasn't this just toying with him, Bai Ze?

Honestly, Bai Ze had only seen the Water God survive so many heavenly tribulations without dying.

Bai Ze naturally knew this was because the Water God acted with restraint. Even when provoking the one in Zi Xiao Palace, it was merely a light punishment, carrying a flavor of an elder scolding a junior, frustrated at his lack of ambition...

What was this?

Wasn't the Water God clearly one of the predestined dual emperors of the Heavenly Dao?

So, when Lu Ya sought him out, Bai Ze, seeing no way to escape the karma of the demon clan, simply stepped forward half a step.

The strategy he gave Lu Ya was one of advancing to retreat, just as he himself was advancing to retreat.

But...

He had aimed carefully, set his heart on it, gone all in—and lost everything.

Bai Ze successfully reached the Water God's side, becoming a ku ming driver for Ren Jiao's chariot, likely to spend the rest of his endless days under the Water God's watchful eye, with no chance for grand schemes, truly able to live out his life in peace, slumbering with the heavens and earth...

At this thought, Bai Ze sighed deeply, slowly closing his eyes.

Who could he blame for the path he chose?

Li Changshou seemed to see through Bai Ze's thoughts and smiled:"Senior, don't be disheartened. Ren Jiao upholds quiet inaction, and neither I nor my senior brother will force you to do much.Just by not siding with the demon clan, you've already helped us greatly."

Li Changshou's mindset shifted quickly.

Since he couldn't eliminate Bai Ze, he had to build goodwill!

Bai Ze frowned and said:"This place is private now, so may I ask you one more question, my friend? Will you tell me honestly?Do you truly have no desire for power?"

Li Changshou replied with a smile:"If I guess correctly, you can't probe areas where Heavenly Dao power is dense, right?"

"That's right, I need to avoid the Heavenly Dao."

"No wonder you have this misunderstanding," Li Changshou shook his head slightly, raised his hand, and placed two meditation cushions and a low table by the pond, gesturing for Bai Ze to sit.

"Actually, you've overlooked the simplest truth. Once I explain it, you'll understand the karma here."

"What truth?"

"If I weren't this kind of person, if I didn't pursue quiet inaction, how would the saints of Ren Jiao have chosen me?"

Bai Ze was startled, then laughed wryly, burying his head in his front paws and sighing:"Clever for a lifetime, clever for a lifetime!"

Li Changshou shook his head with a smile, letting Bai Ze stew in his thoughts for a while before saying:"From now on, Senior, you only need to maintain your true form in front of others. In private, when we meet, feel free to be as you wish."

Bai Ze slowly lifted his head, his emotions much lighter than before, clearly having accepted his current situation due to realizing his fatal mistake...

As the driver for Ren Jiao.

Bai Ze transformed back into the form of a middle-aged Daoist, with a teardrop-shaped red mark on his forehead and a strand of silver hair on his brow, adding a touch of exotic allure.

Dressed in loose white robes, Bai Ze sat across the low table and said with a bitter smile:"What was I really aiming for?"

"More stability, less turbulence, and resolving your karma."

Li Changshou paused, then smiled:"Of course, also an extra chain.But..."

"What?" Bai Ze asked with a bitter smile.

"This whole matter, from cause to effect, isn't it also proof of your divine ability to seek fortune and avoid disaster?"

Li Changshou cupped his hands and chuckled:"It's truly enviable!"

Bai Ze was somewhat amused and exasperated, wanting to retort but not knowing where to start, and ended up staring blankly at the pond.

After a moment, Bai Ze exhaled slowly, his smile gaining a touch of ease.

With a distant look in his eyes, he said softly:"After antiquity, I thought my life would be empty and desolate, wandering aimlessly until I found a deserted place to sleep forever, merging with heaven and earth.But when I saw you and the current Heavenly Court, I couldn't help thinking of the hardships of assisting the first emperor in establishing the ancient Heavenly Court and strengthening the sacred clan, so my Dao heart stirred with new resolve.Little did I know, it was all in vain."

Li Changshou laughed:"Where would I have any interest in controlling the fates of countless beings?"

Bai Ze said:"Standing at the pinnacle of all creatures, witnessing the rise and fall of heaven and earth—isn't that delightful?"

"Creatures are not mere shallow grasses, nor are they fish without spiritual intelligence.They each have their own thoughts, desires, needs, confusions, and joys; they are born to journey through heaven and earth, not to worship the figure at the pinnacle.Power is merely a personal desire—why glorify it with words like heroism, extraordinariness, sovereignty, or supremacy?In the end, it's just stronger beings dominating the weaker ones for their own satisfaction."

Li Changshou took out a jug of wine and two jade cups, pouring one for Bai Ze.

"You should know what I'm saying, Senior. You managed to half-hide during the demon clan's peak, so you shouldn't overlook such simple truths."

Bai Ze looked at the wine in his cup, chuckled and shook his head, sighing:"Indeed, it's all past clouds.I didn't realize until the demon court fell what you, who have cultivated for only a few hundred years, see so clearly.Power is merely a personal desire; creatures are born to journey through heaven and earth.Losing to you isn't without reason..."

Li Changshou smiled, his eyes full of sincerity:"Winning against you was pure luck, and also thanks to my junior sister's good fortune."

"Then," Bai Ze lightly sipped from his cup, his handsome face showing a faint smile, "dare you say you have no desire for power?"

"Relatively speaking, mine is quite low," Li Changshou said with a laugh. "I'm not interested in ruling others; I prefer peace and quiet.On the other hand, you, Senior, find joy in assisting wise rulers.Is that also driven by power, but without the resolve to bear the karma of creatures, so you seek fulfillment and a sense of existence by helping another reach the pinnacle?"

Bai Ze was taken aback, carefully pondering Li Changshou's words, and slowly nodded.

"I do find joy in that, but it's not because I lack the resolve to bear the karma of creatures—it's that I'm not the right material for it.If I could assist another wise ruler to that position and then retire successfully, leaving the name of Bai Ze in heaven and earth...Truly!Ah, now I can only think about it, ha ha ha!"

Bai Ze laughed twice, his laughter full of regret, and drained his cup in one go. As he tilted his head back, a glimmer appeared in his eyes.

Li Changshou said with a smile:"Senior, would you be willing to serve the current Heavenly Court?"

"No," Bai Ze shook his head slowly. "With you in the Heavenly Court, there's no place for me."

"Heaven has day and night, the Dao has yin and yang...Forget it, this isn't the time to discuss that."

Li Changshou suddenly cut off his own words, intentionally leaving it hanging.

Just then, Xiao Ling'e flew in from outside the mountain, holding a tray with several dishes...

A short while later, Xiao Ling'e set down the dishes, said "Enjoy," and winked at her senior brother before flying away on a cloud.

Bai Ze perked up at the sight of the exquisite dishes. He sniffed them gently, and without waiting for Li Changshou, picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of the white jade cabbage, chewed slowly, and praised:"Though the flavor isn't the best, the color isn't perfect, and the aroma is a bit overpowering, it's wrapped in the sincere affection from your junior sister to her senior brother—truly precious, truly precious! Ha ha ha!"

Li Changshou laughed:"Senior, you enjoy fine food too?"

"In my idle days, my only pleasure was preparing delicacies and sharing them with others or savoring them alone," Bai Ze glanced around. "This place is simple for now. Once I build my dwelling, I'll show you my skills."

"Wait a moment, Senior. Since you're an expert in this, I might have to show off a bit myself."

With that, Li Changshou summoned two paper Daoist figures, who quickly set up a stove and table here.

He personally returned to Xiao Qiong Peak, selected two rare domesticated spirit beasts, caught two plump spirit fish, and brought them back to Hei Chi Peak.

Sometimes, sharing a common hobby was enough to bring people closer.

Bai Ze initiated a challenge, wanting to compete with Li Changshou in cooking skills.

Li Changshou clarified all the conditions before agreeing. The two served as judges for each other, showcasing their talents by the wild pond.

Bai Ze had immersed himself in the culinary arts for years, surpassing Li Changshou in every aspect, with each dish exquisitely prepared.

But Li Changshou won with his variety of styles and rare new flavors. In the end, he amazed Bai Ze with thinly sliced raw fish, freshly made wasabi, and the line, "High-end ingredients often only need simple cooking."

The two then drank and chatted, getting slightly tipsy, and any hostility between them seemed to vanish completely.

Though Bai Ze was still under Li Changshou's control and didn't dare overstep, he suggested Li Changshou call him by name directly and continue discussing cooking in the future.

After thinking it over, Li Changshou addressed him as "Mister."

Thus, with each "Mister," Bai Ze gradually lost himself, developing a sense of closeness toward Li Changshou...

But Li Changshou hadn't intended to fully build goodwill today.

As they talked happily, Li Changshou zhengli'd his thoughts and deliberately poked at one of Bai Ze's sore spots...

"Mister Bai, in our earlier contest, my win was due to my junior sister's good fortune, but it also relates to you weaving your own trap."

Bai Ze frowned. "How did I weave my own trap?"

Li Changshou pulled back his right sleeve with his left hand, poured warm wine into Bai Ze's cup, and spoke casually, as if discussing something trivial:"The momentum of the Dao is hard to calm, the numbers of heaven hard to fix, and the hearts of creatures hard to settle.In ancient times on Buzhou Mountain, you and the demon gods formed an alliance, established the sacred clan, seized the great trend of the Heavenly Dao, and rivaled the witch clan for control of heaven and earth. You assisted the demon emperor, were appointed as demon commander, and enjoyed the reverence of the entire demon clan.Later, as the demon court fell into corruption, you cherished your reputation and chose to withdraw wisely, becoming a recluse. Though you escaped the karma of the witch-demon war, you didn't escape the karma of the demon clan.When Lu Ya sought your help this time, you casually gave him a strategy to gather the demons and challenge heaven, sacrificing the demon clan to benefit the Heavenly Court, Lu Ya, and yourself.In your earlier words to me, you distinguished between the sacred clan and the demon clan; you saw yourself as part of the noble sacred clan, disdaining the vicious demon clan. But you forgot, sacred clan and demon clan are just two names.You are all one race.You should have stood on the demon clan's side, yet you unhesitatingly pushed them to the brink of destruction—isn't that going against fate? How could you win?"

Li Changshou sighed slightly and raised his cup:"In today's world, the protagonists are the human race. From an outsider's view, your actions are correct, and people might even praise you as righteous.But, Mister Bai...Since you've chosen to be this gardener, enjoying the pleasure of cultivating flowers and watching them bloom, you must also endure the desolation of their withering and turning to mud. That's the way of gains and losses, the balanced way of heaven and earth.I'm not asking you to assist the demon clan again now. With you under my control, I'm opposed to the demon clan.But I, Li Changshou, don't want to become the next demon clan or demon emperor in your eyes.So, I don't seek your schemes, your strategies, or your other skills. When the Da Fashi wanted to spare your life, I never let go of my intent to kill you.You're not a creature worthy of admiration, nor a talent I cherish.Only by coming in times of glory and leaving in times of hardship can one be called a true scholar of the Great Desolation.You, at this moment, don't qualify yet."

With that, Li Changshou drained his cup and slowly stood up.

Bai Ze furrowed his brow deeply, staring fixedly at the cups and plates on the low table, not even noticing when Li Changshou left.

When Bai Ze came to his senses, all he heard was Li Changshou's voice lingering...

"I'll come back in three days to drink with you again, Mister. I hope by then, you can offer some rebuttal to what I said today.After all, true confidants are hard to find."

Brushing favorability, first style: Attacking the heart.