Chapter 416: The Light of the Righteous Path

What Tianting fears is that the Yaozu still retains considerable strength. Your Highness must absolutely not ally with that Western Lingshan.

In the vast grand hall, on the high platform throne, Lu Ya Dao Ren, disguised as an old Daoist, propped his forehead with one hand, his mind echoing Bai Ze's warning from that day, feeling inexplicably irritated.

At the side of the high platform, over a dozen elderly Yaozu members sat quietly, most of them showing a mix of shock and excitement, all because they had listened to the eloquent speech of the ragged old Daoist below the platform.

"...Your Highness, you need only deploy a small force to pressure the Wuzu in Beizhou, and that will unsettle Tianting. Tianting is currently focused on incorporating the Diyu and will not ignore the Wuzu in Beizhou. At that point, we can send the main army from behind to encircle them, dealing a heavy blow to Tianting.

I know well that Your Highness does not wish for a full-scale war with Tianting and is merely waiting for an opportunity to make Tianting realize the difficulty and negotiate peace. I am here today not to urge Your Highness to declare total war against Tianting.

Tianting is backed by the Heavenly Dao and is destined to rise greatly. Previously, some fools in the West tried to suppress Tianting's rise, which was a grave mistake and has led to Tianting holding grudges against us in the West—this was never the intention of our two teachers. It is well-known throughout Honghuang that the West is barren and lacks spiritual fortune.

I simply wish for the West to secure some divine positions in Tianting, to bring a bit more fortune to Lingshan. That is all I seek, nothing more."

The ragged old Daoist paused, looked up at Lu Ya Dao Ren on the throne, his gaunt face bearing a faint smile that made him seem approachable and kind. "I also know that Your Highness might have reservations and be unwilling to join hands with Lingshan."

As he spoke, the old Daoist took out a wrapped package from his sleeve and used his immortal power to send it toward the high platform. The package unwrapped itself mid-air, revealing a dazzling golden light, with a vast heavenly aura rippling through the hall, displaying the large seal within.

The Yaodi Seal!

Lu Ya and the over a dozen elderly Yaozu members suddenly stood up. The elders restrained their impulse to reach out, allowing the seal to fall into Lu Ya Dao Ren's extended right hand.

The ragged old Daoist laughed and said, "Last time, my junior brother Dizang promised items to the Yaozu, and I have brought them for you all this time. Dizang made a miscalculation with the Water God, leading to heavy losses for the Yaozu, and he has been reprimanded by our teacher.

That Tianting Water God is truly formidable to deal with... Your Highness, you surely don't really think the Water God will spare your life just because you initiate peace talks? Don't forget the battle at Yaosheng Mountain—he was incredibly ruthless in his methods.

He is different from you and me; he is from the Renzu, born after ancient times, and harbors deep resentment toward the Yaozu. All of you should carefully consider this. I won't force you to ally with us; I simply feel that:

In this world, though the Renzu are the protagonists, we ancient and prehistoric beings should at least be left with a sliver of space to survive. What do you all think?"

As the ragged old Daoist's voice faded, the hall fell into silence.

Near the hall's entrance, Wen Jing Dao Ren leaned against a stone pillar with his arms folded, while the silver-haired girl beside him held a treasure sword, her head lowered in silence.

Wen Jing's mouth curved with a slight smile, but in his heart, he couldn't help but ponder... 'I wonder if the aura I deliberately left earlier was detected by the Water God. Given the Water God's temperament, he should be monitoring this place constantly.

Tsk, another disciple of a great saint has emerged from seclusion and is intervening in the conflict between Western Teachings and Daoism. Lately, rumors in Western Teachings say that Daoism is facing a great calamity—who knows if it's true or false.

It's truly a case of an unyielding Water God and ever-changing disciples of the Western saints. Perhaps in a few days, this old Daoist will be taken down, and the Water God will casually say to Lingshan: Next one.'

The smile at Wen Jing's mouth gradually became more charming.

"Wen Yi," the girl transmitted, "who do we need to eliminate this time?"

The smile on Wen Jing's lips froze. He had told her countless times—she should call him Queen or something!

"Just call me sister," Wen Jing transmitted back, "It's still early for any confrontation, don't rush. Things outside aren't as straightforward as in the Blood Sea; here, it's all about schemes and cunning."

"Oh," the Luo Sha girl responded. Her silver-white hair flowed like water, slipping into her cloak as she pulled up the hood, "Then I'll rest, Wen Yi."

Wen Jing's forehead twitched with a vein, but he said nothing more. He continued leaning against the pillar with his arms folded, his alluring figure faintly visible, listening to the old Daoist continue to persuade the foolish Yaozu.

Why call them foolish? The old Daoist had said so much by now, yet these so-called Yaozu experts hadn't even questioned his identity...

Finally, just as the two sides were about to reaffirm their alliance and formally join hands, the Yaozu prince, who still had some sense, spoke up: "May I ask, senior, what I should call you?"

The ragged old Daoist smiled faintly and replied calmly: "My teacher is the Western Saint, and my name is Xu Bodhi."

What is a divine beast? It's something that can sense disasters in the northern part of Beizhou half a year in advance, even before the one causing the disaster has formed the intent, purely through the workings of the Heavenly Dao, foreseeing the catastrophe's arrival... This is essentially a traceable intuition.

Li Changshou truly envied Bai Ze's divine ability. How could there be such a vast difference between one living being and another?

For Bai Ze himself, this ability means timely evasion of disasters, sensing trouble and slipping away quickly. But now, in assisting Li Changshou the Water God, it produces extraordinary effects.

Tianting prepared half a year in advance, and the Wuzu in Beizhou received Li Changshou's warning before the Yaozu made any moves, completing their initial defenses according to his plan. Next, they just needed to wait for the Yaozu to deliver themselves.

On the third day that Wen Jing and that unfamiliar Lingshan expert, along with the silver-haired girl, appeared in Yaozu territory, hundreds of Yaozu kings gathered at an insignificant peak.

Lu Ya Dao Ren did not show himself, but over a dozen ancient Yaozu luminaries appeared together, igniting the Yaozu's morale and dispelling the previous gloom caused by Tianting's actions.

However, today, these Yaozu luminaries first criticized Tianting for being unjust and unrighteous, then shifted their words to the ancient Witch-Yaozu wars. The respected Lu Gong among the Yaozu stepped forward, bowed three times to the heavens and earth, and shouted:

"The Wuzu are savage and bully the innocent! Today, the Wuzu are gathering strength in Beizhou, intent on wiping us out and hunting Honghuang once more! To protect the world's purity and for the souls who perished at the hands of the Wuzu in ancient times, today, we Yaozu rise for a northern expedition to punish the Wuzu remnants! Let the light of righteousness shine once more upon the great land of Honghuang!"

The older generation of Yaozu mostly understood—they were using the Wuzu to force Tianting's hand. The younger Yaozu, less knowledgeable about the world's great affairs, were fired up, shouting in unison.

In an instant, demonic energy billowed at Beizhou's border, shrouding the sky and forming a massive illusory three-legged Jinwu above the nine heavens, suddenly building immense momentum!

Underground, Li Changshou's paper effigy observed from multiple angles and shook his head secretly. Western Teachings were truly ruthless. To destroy something, first drive it to madness—this was directly sending the Yaozu down the path of ruin.

That Lingshan saint's disciple, whose back Li Changshou had only glimpsed, was likely a formidable figure who had stayed hidden until now. These righteous words were absolutely not something this group of Yaozu could come up with on their own; they lacked the conviction and vision. It was probably crafted by that Lingshan saint's disciple.

But thinking carefully, what did these words represent? The Yaozu wanted to "act on heaven's behalf," to seize the moral high ground from Tianting. With just this declaration, Li Changshou could fully alert the Jade Emperor and have Tianting launch a full war against the Yaozu.

Of course, that would be a case of killing a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred to oneself, severely damaging Tianting's vitality.

"Let's play it steady." Li Changshou sighed, continuing to monitor the Yaozu's movements and inspect Tianting's deployments.

He needed to strike back decisively this time—not aiming for total annihilation of the Yaozu forces, but to eliminate part of their elite and reshape the balance of power between Tianting and the Yaozu.

Two days later, the Yaozu mobilized. One-third of their total forces left their gathering grounds in Beizhou. An army comprising a hundred Yaozu kings, several thousand Yaozu experts, and hundreds of thousands of Yaozu soldiers marched from Beizhou's border toward the Western Sea.

—The Yaozu soldiers varied greatly in strength, with most barely at the Yuanxian realm. Traversing the densest miasma areas of Beizhou would result in heavy casualties for them.

As for the Wuzu in Beizhou, they had previously suffered from the backlash of Renzu's fortune due to some ancient great witches supporting Chiyou against Xuanyuan Huangdi for the Human Emperor position, leaving their ancient strength greatly depleted. Facing this Yaozu army alone, they could only hold out briefly and were no match.

Moreover, based on Li Changshou's observations, during the Yaozu army's march to the Western Sea, tens of thousands of true Yaozu elites had already entered the Beizhou miasma, slowly advancing toward the Wuzu gathering grounds under the leadership of several hundred genuine Yaozu experts.

Adding in those Yaozu great powers who could arrive before the battle and figures like Lu Ya with his Zhanxian Flying Dagger... It was a four-sided ambush, an eight-directional encirclement, with the word "danger" flashing red above the Wuzu's heads.

Li Changshou secretly arranged his troops, with his paper effigies already positioned in the Diyu and Beihai Dragon Palace. The Longzu harbored resentment toward the West from a previous "glance of enmity," and this time, they brought considerable grudges. Nearly all experts from the Donghai Dragon Palace turned out to guard the Beihai Sea Eye and provide elite support to Tianting.

Now, among the four seas, with Western Teachings ceasing support for the few restless Haizu factions, the Haizu rebellions had gradually subsided, and the Haizu once again became a formidable force in the Longzu's hands.

However, the Haizu's overall strength was weak; shrimp soldiers and crab generals lost much of their power out of water, and the Longzu's "Xianjiao soldiers"—now the "Black Dragon soldiers"—still needed to guard the remaining three sea eyes.

Thus, Li Changshou only mobilized Longzu experts for direct combat this time. Of course, for safety, just a few days ago, he had secretly arranged a million-strong army of Haizu mixed with shrimp soldiers and crab generals, quietly arriving beneath the Beihai ice.

If Tianting's forces collapsed and the Wuzu suffered heavy losses in the upcoming battle, he would use the Water God treasure to unleash a massive tsunami, letting the million-strong army overwhelm the Yaozu.

However, this would cause immense harm to Beizhou's living beings, disrupt the ecosystem, damage Honghuang's species diversity, and inevitably harm the Wuzu while posing little threat to Yaozu experts. Unless absolutely necessary, Li Changshou would not truly wield the Water God treasure.

Judging by the Yaozu's marching speed, their army would reach the Wuzu gathering grounds in about two days. Accounting for the time to organize their forces, in roughly three more days, a bloody battle would erupt in the northern part of Beizhou.

As Li Changshou monitored everything, he carefully reviewed his arrangements for any oversights or weaknesses. At this moment, Bai Ze played a crucial role again!

The two of them studied together for a while, and Li Changshou used immortal power to create a sand table, using various colored flags as pieces to represent the forces, meticulously simulating the subsequent battles with Bai Ze.

The first war simulation in Honghuang!

Bai Ze had an in-depth understanding of the Yaozu, so he acted as their "commander," closely mirroring their real performance. They played out the strategies, factoring in Western Teachings' influence, repeatedly simulating attacks and defenses on the northern Beizhou landscape over a dozen times, with Bai Ze ultimately losing each time.

However, the losses for Tianting, Diyu, Wuzu, and Dragon Palace varied in each scenario. The most devastating outcome was the Wuzu suffering six or seven out of ten casualties, and Tianting's prepared army of hundreds of thousands losing three out of ten...

After discussing for half a day, the two refined Li Changshou's main and backup plans, giving him greater peace of mind.

Li Changshou smiled and said: "Having Mr. Bai's assistance is truly a blessing for Tianting."

But Bai Ze replied: "If the Water God had been born in ancient times and served the Human Emperor, I wonder how splendid the ancient Witch-Yaozu-Human wars would have been."

"War brings untold suffering to living beings," Li Changshou said seriously. "We must not describe it as splendid."

"Yes," Bai Ze bowed in a Daoist salute, "I misspoke. Water God, I have another plan that could shatter the Yaozu's morale and reduce Tianting's losses."

Li Changshou frowned slightly, already knowing what Bai Ze's plan entailed. He asked: "Does Mr. Bai truly hold such disdain for the current Yaozu?"

Bai Ze's eyes showed a hint of melancholy as he said softly: "I withdrew during the peak of the Yaoting, so I shouldn't speak of these things. But the friends I had in the Yaozu, the beings I admired, have all fallen with the Yaoting.

I simply cannot stand these despicable creatures who clung to survival since the end of ancient times, yet now invoke the Yaoting's name for their own gains. Lu Ya was once a youth whose resentment had faded, but after associating with them, he gradually became like this...

Ah, let's not dwell on it. Water God, this battle can count as my first contribution to Renjiao. I can't accept the saint's protection for nothing."

Li Changshou smiled: "Allow me to consider it."

"Very well." Bai Ze sighed lightly, and the two figures exchanged Daoist salutes. Li Changshou returned to Xiao Qiong Peak.

His paper effigy sat in the alchemy room, while his main body stretched in the underground chamber, went before the Taqing Saint's portrait, lit three sticks of high incense, and performed a full bow, quietly waiting for the saint's Dao rhythm to appear.

A moment later... No response?

Li Changshou blinked, about to speak, when he felt a faint ripple in the surrounding universe. Two strands of spiritual thought entered his Dao heart, transforming into a familiar and teasing voice:

"Ha ha ha! Little disciple! Your tower master is here to back you up again! Going to take down Ran Deng?"

"How've you been lately?"

The Tiandi Xuanhuang Linglong Pagoda! The enhanced, authentic Kunlun Ruler!

Li Changshou's Dao heart trembled. The spiritual treasures sent by the saint had given him a clear answer! If it were only the tower, it meant focusing on schemes and self-protection, without personally engaging in battle.

But with the Kunlun Ruler coming together, it signaled that he should represent Tianting in the fight, to some extent alleviating their shortage of experts. It seemed he would have to redefine what a "Tianting civil official" meant.

Li Changshou grasped the Kunlun Ruler, directly absorbed the Xuanhuang Tower into his body, bowed deeply to the saint's portrait, then turned and stepped out of the secret chamber.

Since he had the saint's approval, those hidden cards he hadn't revealed during the war simulations with Bai Ze could now be used in the actual battle.

Two days later.

In the Diyu, at the eastern stronghold of Fengdu City, Niu Tou gripped the jade talisman in his hand, his gaze full of determination, and waved his hand forward. Behind him, over a thousand burly figures with surging blood energy stepped out simultaneously, soon racing across the Underworld's land, kicking up clouds of dust.

In Tianting, at the Tianhe Navy's garrison. A hundred thousand Tianhe soldiers and three hundred thousand elite Tianting heavenly troops were fully assembled and ready. Dongmu Gong stood quietly at the front of the formation, waiting for the jade talisman in his hand to glow.

Ao Yi and Bian Zhuang stood behind Dongmu Gong, along with dozens of Tianting generals, all standing in silent readiness, awaiting the order to march.

In the Beihai Dragon Palace, beneath the ice pillars, waves of shrimp soldiers and crab generals shivered in the cold, dark seawater, waiting for an order that might never reach them. Amid the seawater, numerous azure dragons swam slowly, their scale-covered eyelids hiding eyes filled with icy resentment...

Beyond the heavens, at the only entrance to Shengmu Palace.

A cloud boat slowly emerged, carrying several chatting immortal maidens, drifting leisurely toward the Five Parts Continent.