Chapter 423: Time Management

Hehehe, Changgeng, how does this painting look? Is it divinely executed and quite extraordinary?

A teasing remark pulled Li Changshou back from his thoughts.

Looking up, he saw Zhao Gongming stroking his beard and leaning forward, his old face almost pressing close, his eyes gleaming with a strange light.

Li Changshou: ...

“Thank you for the gift of brush and ink,” Li Changshou said with a smile, standing up and bowing toward the direction of Jinao Island, then carefully rolling up the canvas.

“I’ll definitely place this painting at home and offer it respects whenever I have time.”

Zhao Gongming paused briefly, chuckling, “This treasure map isn’t meant to boost your courage...

Oh well, if that’s how you see it, there’s no harm.”

Li Changshou sighed softly, gesturing for Zhao Gongming to sit, and asked with a furrowed brow, “When did you start watching?”

“I’m not sure,” Zhao Gongming adjusted his sleeves and cleared his throat. “When Shizun summoned us, I arrived a bit early and happened to see you there:

Oh, so-and-so, please give me your hand.”

Li Changshou’s mouth twitched wildly, his face flushing, but fortunately, he was just a paper daoist here, with expressions controlled by immortal power.

Ah! Was there no privacy in the Honghuang? Didn’t the Honghuang saints respect their disciples’ privacy?

If Tongtian Jiaozhu were in a past life, he’d be hung up and cursed by thousands of righteous heroes!

The dust of a saint falling on any living being is an unbearable mountain.

Zhao Gongming laughed, “You know, Shizun calls you Xiao Changgeng, quite affectionately.”

“Oh?” Li Changshou’s eyes lit up.

That was fine, then.

“What else did he say?”

“He told us to keep in touch with you more and build relationships,” Zhao Gongming picked up some mortal fruits from the plate and ate them with relish. “Shizun said that the Daoist sects will face a great calamity, but the heavenly secrets are chaotic, and even saints can’t see the truth.

Shizun has gone to the Chaos Sea to search for treasures, probably looking for the Chaos Bell.

Of the three treasures from the creation of the world, only the Chaos Bell remains unclaimed by Shizun, which has always been a thorn in his heart.

Back when Shizun became a saint, he nearly attacked the demon court, but fortunately, he was stopped by Dashibo.”

This Tongtian Jiaozhu... truly straightforward and boldly spirited.

Li Changshou asked curiously, “Ge, aren’t you worried about hearing about the great calamity?”

“Calamities come and go; I’m used to it.”

Zhao Gongming sighed slowly, smiling as he said:

“From ancient times onward, without the repeated calamities sent by the Heavenly Dao, how many living beings would just sit in meditation until they merge with the Dao?

Now, with the three Daoist sects having three saint lords, any calamity shouldn’t be a big problem.

Changgeng, you’re still young and haven’t experienced a great calamity yet.

When it comes, the entire Honghuang Five Parts Continent will be enveloped in invisible calamity fate that the eye can’t see. Divination and fortune-telling will all be suppressed, those in seclusion will be shaken awake by the Dao’s vibrations, and no one will know if the thoughts arising in their hearts are influenced by the calamity, pulling them into it.

During the Witch-Demon War, most Daoist disciples were warned by the Heavenly Dao not to get involved recklessly.

Xuandu Shixiong, being the oldest pure yang human from ancient times, was already in the midst of the calamity. At the critical moment, he charged to Wuzhuang Temple with several treasures from the Human Sect, and without a word to Donghuang Taiyi, he went straight into battle.

Tsk tsk, Donghuang Taiyi, with the Chaos Bell in hand, was a fierce one who could stand against a saint, but he was repelled in that first clash by the Great Mage.”

Zhao Gongming spoke with great enthusiasm and delight, then shifted the topic:

“In the last calamity, the Human Sect stepped up with the Great Mage. In this one, could it be that you’re the one to step up, Changgeng?”

Li Changshou shook his head with a smile and asked, “Ge, have you ever thought about why calamities arise?”

Zhao Gongming replied, “From ancient times, there are many theories about why great calamities occur, and Shizun has hinted at a couple. One widely accepted view is that the world has its limits, and as the number of living beings grows and their strength increases, it causes instability in the Honghuang world, like with spiritual energy.

Spiritual energy takes a long time to form; I’m not talking about spirit stones here, which are just vessels for storing spiritual energy.

As more and more spiritual energy turns into magical power and cultivation, used by cultivators to enhance themselves, the spiritual energy in the world gradually depletes, leading to changes in heaven and earth.

To prevent this, the Heavenly Dao sends down great calamities to suppress the power of living beings.”

Li Changshou nodded slowly, pondering carefully.

He had heard these principles before, but connecting them to what the Great Mage had said about the Xuan Capital war gave him new insights.

If the power of living beings is too weak, it invites outer demons to spy;

If it’s too strong, it makes the world unable to bear it, leading to the decline of heaven and earth.

In that case, the human race, which can survive without cultivation and also become experts to protect the world through practice, truly fits the Honghuang best.

Perhaps the way of balance among all things lies here.

Li Changshou closed his eyes, on the verge of enlightenment, but remembering there were matters to discuss, he temporarily set aside his insights to savor later.

Li Changshou said seriously, “Ge, although the three sects are strong, we can’t afford to be careless.”

“Relax,” Zhao Gongming waved his hand. “Just focus on assisting the Heavenly Court, little brother, and put your efforts into romance—cough, I mean, into improving relations among the three sects.

If there’s anything on the Jie Sect side, I’ll let you know right away.

By the way, when are you going to visit Sanxian Island?”

Li Changshou sighed, “Everything takes time. I’ve only just parted from the fairy, so going to visit too soon could disturb our dao hearts.

Ge, do you have any free time in the next few decades?”

Zhao Gongming leaned in and whispered, “Do you need me to take out that demon prince?”

“Let’s not say ‘take out,’ that sounds too harsh,” Li Changshou leaned closer and smiled. “I just feel that if he’s not eliminated, he’ll be a major threat later.

I plan to submit a memorial as soon as the Jade Emperor returns from his tribulation, calling for a full offensive against the demon clans on the northern border.

Now that the demon prince has allied with the Western Sect again, there’s a chance their saint disciples might act in secret, so we’ll need powerful figures to hold the line for the Heavenly Court.”

“You’ve asked, so of course I’ll help, brother.”

Zhao Gongming whispered, “Going alone might not be steady. How about I call Duobao Shixiong and Jinling along? The three of us together—unless a Western saint steps in, we can handle any situation.

But...”

“Ge, just say what you need.”

“Could you perhaps compile something like a ‘Compendium of Love Words’?

Shizun wants us to promote the trend of dao companions in the sect. Though a few disciples are quite clever, most are good at cultivation but not at this sort of thing.”

Zhao Gongming stroked his beard and chuckled, “If you could lend a hand, Changgeng, we’re all family, so it’s not about helping or not—just give a shout if you need anything.”

Li Changshou: ...

This ge has gotten so cunning compared to before!

Love really makes people grow, especially the kind that ends in failure.

“What’s the issue with that?” Li Changshou said seriously. “I’ll hurry and compile one, putting all my effort into refining it carefully.

Ge, I plan to advise the Jade Emperor to establish a position for Heavenly Court guest officials and formally invite you, Duobao Shixiong, and Jinling Shijie to support the Heavenly Court. What do you think?”

Zhao Gongming stroked his beard and said, “I’ll follow your arrangements.

For those two, I’ll test the waters for you later. Duobao Shixiong probably won’t refuse, but Jinling might not like it... We should also inform the Chan Sect to avoid any disputes.”

“Don’t worry, ge.”

Li Changshou glanced sideways.

This was the second time Zhao Gongming had called Jinling Shengmu just by her name, without any suffix!

There was definitely something going on, but Li Changshou didn’t pry and instead chatted with Zhao Gongming about the upcoming Heavenly Court war with the demon clans in the north.

Sunlight spilled onto the edge of the inner hall, making the room gradually brighter, and the laughter echoing within the thick arrays grew even more cheerful.

Li Changshou planned to place the saint’s brush and ink that Zhao Gongming had given him in the secret chamber of Xiaoqiong Peak, as a reminder to himself.

The profound meaning in Tongtian Jiaozhu’s painting wasn’t something Li Changshou dared claim to fully understand, but it always gave him a sense of...

Being held at the point of the Zhuxian Four Swords.

Ah, what’s it like to have a romance in the Honghuang under a saint’s watchful eye?

After seeing Zhao Gongming off, Li Changshou’s mind returned to the Water God Manor in the Heavenly Court, handling the follow-up affairs of the demon war.

There was no real cause for celebration; this was just a direct clash with the demon clans, and bigger frictions might follow.

Tongtian Jiaozhu had already divined the great calamity for the Daoist sects, so the Western Sect’s leader had probably done the same. At this point, the Western Sect would likely restrain their sharp edges and wait for the calamity to descend.

Of course, if they had divined enough details, they might continue their old tactics and escalate conflicts between the Chan and Jie sects.

Figures like Ran Deng and the other turncoats would become key pieces...

What did he need to do now?

Li Changshou tapped his fingers on the desk, spread out a memorial titled “Twelve Major Crimes of the Demon Court Remnants,” and reviewed it carefully.

This was enough to condemn Lu Ya Daoist on moral grounds.

As one of the “three major observation experiments,” if Lu Ya Daoist was truly eliminated before the great calamity, the Fengshen script would inevitably change drastically.

But he feared the Heavenly Dao might select someone else—or several people—to fill Lu Ya Daoist’s role...

Putting away the memorial, just as Li Changshou thought about strolling in the courtyard, his immortal sense detected a little fairy arriving on clouds outside the Water God Manor—it was Longji, who had been “guarding” Yao Pond.

With a smile at the corner of her eyes, she was probably here to congratulate him on the victory.

At that moment, in a side residence of the Water God Manor, several heavenly generals called out Nezha for their routine sparring, as per Li Changshou’s rules—every so often, they’d train with him.

Nezha’s changes... could be described as very subtle.

Dressed in a long robe, his delicate face showed a touch of anticipation, at least a bit less shyness than before.

Uh...

Li Changshou pictured Longji and Nezha standing together and shook his head after thinking it over.

They really didn’t match.

“Teacher!”

Lost in these random thoughts, the girl in the short skirt landed lightly in front of Li Changshou, standing prettily as she cupped her fists in salute. “Your disciple is here to congratulate you!”

Her short skirt today was quite unique, with a gradient like dusk approaching from afar.

Li Changshou glanced at her a couple more times, and Longji’s face turned slightly red, but she tiptoed a bit, saying happily, “Teacher, you were truly amazing this time, wiping out so many demon elites!

When Father returns, I wonder how he’ll reward you!”

Li Changshou said seriously, “This achievement belongs to the Heavenly Court warriors; don’t speak carelessly.”

“Oh,” Longji stuck out her tongue, “What were you looking at, Teacher... Uh, that sister looks so refined; is she a disciple you’re training?”

Li Changshou almost laughed and replied, “He’s Nezha, the disciple of Chan Sect’s Taiyi Zhenren, staying here for a while. Don’t get too close to him.”

“Yes, your disciple will follow Teacher’s guidance,” Longji said, gently furrowing her brow and pondering, adding a few hundred words of analysis in her mind about why Li Changshou warned her.

Could it be that Teacher was afraid she might develop feelings for Nezha...

Longji’s face reddened, and she looked at Li Changshou expectantly.

Li Changshou, for once, misunderstood and said seriously, “Don’t overthink it. Nezha is here to complete his cultivation path toward a more masculine energy. At this stage, he can’t have too much contact with women.

When he reaches the next stage and needs a gentle woman to awaken his protective instincts and sense of responsibility, I’ll ask you to help.”

Longji nodded in a daze, not quite understanding.

Li Changshou smiled warmly and invited her inside, beginning to check the homework he had assigned earlier, which made Longji groan in distress.

With the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother away, Li Changshou didn’t dare slack off on guiding Longji.

Incidentally, he also needed to keep an eye on her to prevent any schemes against her, or he wouldn’t know how to explain it to the Jade Emperor.

As an ordinary minister of the Heavenly Court, meddling a bit in the Jade Emperor’s family affairs was within his duties.

Upon reflection, Li Changshou realized he was handling far too many things these days; the chaos from Lu Ya Daoist’s heavenly indictment had completely erased the leisure he had at the start of his vacation.

The Heavenly Court’s minor affairs didn’t require his attention; Mu Gong handled them. But for major matters involving the demons, Mu Gong would consult him.

Meanwhile, he had to allocate some focus to the northern continent, constantly monitoring demon movements and noting any hidden experts;

Beyond that, Li Changshou was responsible for maintaining relations with the Dragon Clan and the Underworld, checking on that black panther’s solitary state after being “broken up with,” tutoring his junior sister for her upcoming travels...

Cultivation remained the top priority; no matter how busy, he had to seize moments for enlightenment, or how else could he surpass the older generation?

Time isn’t about how much you have, but how you allocate it.

Amid his busyness, Li Changshou still found moments to refine pills, drink tea, cook, write letters to Yunxiao Xianzi, tease E occasionally, and even relax at the gaming hall, losing a bit of spirit stones and wine.

In the blink of an eye, another ten years passed.

The demons made no major moves, and Li Changshou hadn’t noticed time slipping away. The day he and Ling’e had agreed for her to descend the mountain arrived in a rush.

That day, Li Changshou stood with his hands behind his back, strolling to the front of Ling’e’s thatched hut.

To show respect for his junior sister, he had brought his true body this time and changed into a new daoist robe.

“Ahem! Time’s up.

Pack your things and get ready to go!”

Uh, that sounded a bit ominous.

Just then, a rush of water sounds came from inside the hut, followed by Ling’e’s cry, as if something had happened.

The hut fell silent instantly.

Li Changshou waited calmly without extending his immortal sense, but after a while, he saw a few drops of water drip from the wooden boards, mixed with a trace of blood...

Li Changshou: ...

“If you don’t come out, I’m coming in,” Li Changshou stepped forward.

“Senior brother, don’t! I’m not dressed...

Senior brother, I think I’ve had a qi deviation... cough cough, demonic possession... oh, my chest hurts so much...”

Li Changshou shook his head in disappointment and turned to leave, saying, “Suit yourself.”

The hut quieted again, and its owner blinked, realizing the script didn’t match what she had planned.

He really wasn’t coming in?

Li Changshou silently counted in his mind, from one to thirty-six. Just as he reached the willow tree, the hut’s window was pulled open, and Ling’e poked her head out, shouting, “Senior brother! I’m fine now!”

Li Changshou turned around, scowling, “No more qi deviation?”

“Heehee,” Ling’e made a face, “I must have been wrong; it was just a muscle cramp...”

Li Changshou sighed inwardly.

This girl, ever since Yunxiao Xianzi’s visit, acted like she had found a backer, and his senior brother authority had taken a big hit.

This training trip was also a chance to curb that tendency, or she might get out of hand in the future.