Chapter 430: Di Ting Loses Face, Online Survival

At the edge of the Donghai, a streak of light shot swiftly through the air and came to a halt at the unremarkable spot known as Tianya Haijiao, a place not famous enough to draw Daoist couples for their ritual visits.

Dressed in a robe of deep blue-green, the young man had disguised his features, and his slender frame appeared somewhat frail, as if confirming his oft-repeated claim of being a "Heavenly Court civil official, unskilled in combat spells."

Naturally, this was Li Changshou's true form.

Taiqing Laoye had given him a warning—well, more like a vision—and instructed him to rush here immediately to rendezvous with several other disciples of the Saints. Together, they would head to the fringes of the Three Thousand Worlds to deal with the invasion of extraterrestrial heavenly demons.

These extraterrestrial heavenly demons had breached the order of the Heavenly Way and infiltrated that small world. They were experts at causing chaos, burrowing into the hearts of local beings and mingling with Qi refiners, thereby evading the strikes of the Zixiao Shen Lei.

The Heavenly Way had now sealed off that small world and issued an alert to the Saints. Each Saint had dispatched their disciples to gather at Tianya Haijiao on the Donghai.

Li Changshou represented the Ren Jiao, as it currently had only him, two attendants, one ox, and one... well, an old mountain goat that had burned through its budget.

No sooner had Li Changshou arrived than several streams of light burst from the Donghai. He turned to look, and the first figure he spotted was a graceful silhouette, bringing a warm smile to his face. But as his gaze swept further, his brows furrowed deeper.

The Jie Jiao Saint must have foreseen that the Ren Jiao would send the Heavenly Court Water God, along with treasures like the Qiankun Chi and Xuanhuang Ta, without needing any divination. Thus, they had sent Yunxiao Xianzi, giving the two a chance to interact more...

Clever, very much in the style of Tongtian.

The other disciples of the Saints, though less prominent, were all familiar to Li Changshou—at the very least, they had teamed up during the "Seven Afflictions of Emotion" ordeal.

There was Duobao Dao Ren, whose earthen cave could suppress ancient and modern strongholds and was first among the Three Teachings' treasures.

Then Zhao Gongming, the most active of the Jie Jiao's eight great disciples, known as the "Little Timely Rain of the Primordial Chaos."

And from the Chan Jiao, the experts in yin-yang rhetoric and silent composure: Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren.

But once the five Daoist masters had assembled, Li Changshou with his darkened expression and the other five disciples with their varied looks all turned their gaze to the young Daoist riding a shaggy green dog, who dared not land on the island.

This young Daoist had a handsome face and an awkward smile at the corners of his mouth, while his green-haired dog trembled incessantly, its once-majestic beastly features now etched with pure terror...

It was Dìzàng of the Xifang Jiao.

Duobao Dao Ren snapped his fingers, his hands behind his back holding two conch-shaped innate spiritual treasures.

Suddenly, the Daoist immortals could hear the telepathic conversation between Dìzàng and his mount:

"Go on, I'm not afraid—why are you? We're here on our teacher's orders, doing good for the heavens and earth!"

"Master, can't you go alone? Give me a few days off, won't you? You're a Saint's disciple; they won't kill you out of respect for the Saint's face. But I'm just an innocent beast you tricked—go near the Water God, and he'll skin me alive...

They've got the pot ready! What won't the Water God do? His tricks are so dirty, Master, you know that better than anyone. Even our beastly role model, Bai Ze, isn't a match for him!"

Dìzàng scolded, "That's the Hunyuan Jindou! Get moving, or if Yunxiao Xianzi strikes, we're both done for!

That fierce one... do you know how many innate great powers she killed in ancient times? The Hunyuan Jindou can trace back origins and strip a Daluo Golden Immortal down to a mere Golden Immortal!"

"This is all because I told you about it... really, Master! Why did you have to fight for this job?"

Amid the complaints, the Ting divine beast shuddered all over as it carried Dìzàng forward slowly.

Dìzàng wore a smile, his eyes gleaming faintly with light, exuding an air of serene compassion—truly dignified and outstanding.

"Ha! Heh!"

Taiyi Zhenren couldn't hold back; he laughed first, then turned away, his shoulders shaking.

Zhao Gongming stepped forward at once, about to summon his twenty-four Dinghai Shenzhu.

Duobao Dao Ren transmitted a message: "Junior brother, junior sister, this isn't the time to kill Dìzàng."

Zhao Gongming nodded and said, "It's kind of you two from the Xifang Jiao to make the effort, but this crisis with the extraterrestrial demons is something our Three Teachings can handle. We won't trouble you, fellow Daoist."

Dìzàng replied calmly, "Though our Western land is barren and harsh, we still have the will to protect the Primordial Chaos heavens and earth. Please, don't make things difficult for us, brother."

Duobao Dao Ren thought for a moment and chuckled, "We should still mind the face of you two from the West. As for this one..."

"Poor Daoist Dìzàng," Dìzàng said with a smile from atop Ting, "greetings to all you senior brothers and sisters."

Yunxiao Xianzi calmly put away the Hunyuan Jindou, while Li Changshou smiled, glancing at Ting's somewhat evasive eyes.

Taiyi Zhenren tsked twice: "Don't go calling us senior brothers and sisters willy-nilly. Just say 'fellow Daoist.' Who knows when you Xifang Jiao might claim our caves or treasuries have some 'affinity' with you."

Dìzàng looked a bit embarrassed.

As the eldest in rank here, Duobao Dao Ren called out, "The situation is urgent; let's head over together first."

With that, Duobao Dao Ren traced a circle with his finger, and a earthen cave appeared in the void beyond, extending into the unknown.

Yunxiao Xianzi summoned a white cloud, carrying Li Changshou and Zhao Gongming as they followed.

Yuding Zhenren also summoned a white cloud, bringing Taiyi Zhenren close behind.

Dìzàng's side was more cumbersome; with Ting's four legs shaking and unable to move properly, he had to use his own immortal power to envelop it before proceeding at a measured pace on the beast.

As soon as they entered the cave, Ting and Dìzàng heard laughter from ahead...

Li Changshou said, "Duobao senior brother, this earthen cave of yours seems to isolate the heavens and earth. I wonder if even the Saints can see through it."

Ting trembled immediately, and Dìzàng's face darkened.

Fortunately, Duobao Dao Ren laughed and replied, "I haven't tested it, but probably not. Saints have transcended the Great Dao, their divine abilities beyond comprehension."

The two from the West breathed a sigh of relief.

Duobao's earthen cave allowed them to traverse the heavens and earth, so their flight speed inside wasn't too fast—otherwise, with Dìzàng's pace, they might not have kept up.

Dìzàng said nothing more, simply following quietly, waiting for a chance to make his presence felt later.

It took real courage for Dìzàng to join this mission. After all, the extraterrestrial heavenly demons were enemies of the Primordial Chaos and all living beings. This operation was sanctioned by the Heavenly Way to eliminate hidden threats, so more experts were better than fewer, and no major tradition could afford to stay away.

If they turned on each other here, it would invite punishment from the Heavenly Way and displeasure from the Saints.

Dìzàng admitted he was taking a gamble. He couldn't be sure if the Water God would strike him down without a word.

But soon, Dìzàng realized that he—or rather, Ting—no longer posed much threat to the Water God. Ever since the Water God had appeared riding Bai Ze, Ting hadn't uttered a single word about him...

Suddenly, they heard discussion from ahead; the six disciples of the Three Teachings were now standing on the same cloud, chatting.

Duobao Dao Ren asked, "Changgeng, have you been worrying about the demon clan matters lately?"

"It's not really worrying," Li Changshou replied. "I'm just waiting for His Majesty the Jade Emperor to return from his tribulation, then launch a full assault on the demon clan."

He sighed, "The Heavenly Court has been established for so many years, and His Majesty has been waiting for a great war to establish its prestige. I can't handle everything myself."

"Hahaha!"

Zhao Gongming stroked his beard and laughed. "His Majesty the Jade Emperor is truly straightforward. With you by his side, Changgeng, all the petty threats are nothing to fear!"

This was basic yin-yang rhetoric, just to make a certain Western disciple uncomfortable.

Taiyi Zhenren snorted, "Speaking of which, those demon clans and such have been schemed against by a third-rank god like Changgeng until they're utterly useless."

This was advanced yin-yang rhetoric; Dìzàng's face darkened, and Yunxiao Xianzi lightly furrowed her brow at Taiyi Zhenren.

Li Changshou narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled. "Don't underestimate these forces opposing the Heavenly Court, senior brother Taiyi. They're not so easily dismissed with a few words."

Yuding Zhenren nodded gently. "Changgeng is right."

Taiyi Zhenren rolled his eyes but remembered that his disciple Lingzhuzi was studying under Li Changshou and always wrote back about how enjoyable it was, so he held his tongue.

To Dìzàng, Yuding Zhenren's words were a subtle blow, making him sigh inwardly.

Had the Water God truly bound the Three Teachings together?

If so, he was indeed a great enemy of the West...

Thanks to Duobao Dao Ren's earthen cave, a journey that would have taken even Yunxiao Xianzi several days was shortened to half a day.

Once the cave reached the thunder barrier outside that small world, Duobao Dao Ren and Zhao Gongming went ahead to scout, leaving the others to wait in the cave.

Dìzàng dismounted from Ting and stepped forward, a faint glow around him illuminating the dim cave.

Yunxiao Xianzi and Li Changshou stood at the cave's end, side by side.

Li Changshou had his hands behind his back, Yunxiao Xianzi's delicate hands folded in front of her, as they exchanged whispers about amusing incidents.

When Li Changshou mentioned the mishap with the mud figures in the Jade Emperor's Hall of Marital Fate, and Yunxiao was listening intently...

Dìzàng walked straight up to Li Changshou, bowed with a Daoist salute, then straightened up and smiled.

"Water God, this humble monk greets you."

Li Changshou paused, gave Yunxiao Xianzi an apologetic smile, and turned to Dìzàng with a hint of helplessness.

Taiyi Zhenren, standing nearby with arms crossed, tsked in amusement: "Is this the legendary mutual respect between rivals? Dìzàng fellow Daoist, are you here to disrupt their golden match just because you can't stand to see their bond grow?"

Dìzàng frowned. "Have I interrupted?"

"A little," Li Changshou said with a smile. "Do you have something important?"

Dìzàng laughed. "In the realm of heaven and earth, our positions are opposed. After several remote clashes, this humble monk holds great respect for the Water God. Today, as we join forces against the extraterrestrial heavenly demons, I thought we could compare our contributions—who performs greater deeds?"

Li Changshou replied, "With Ting's aid, fellow Daoist can easily discern the voices of hearts, so you're sure to have the upper hand."

"Cough, cough!"

From the corner of the cave, Ting shakily stepped forward two paces and weakly coughed, speaking in human tongue:

"This little beast's old injury has flared up; I can barely move anymore. Master... take care. In your contest with the Water God, I'm afraid I won't be able to help... you..."

Ting's two-zhang-long body collapsed in the cave, its breath shallow, immortal light flickering.

Dìzàng's forehead was lined with black veins, and Taiyi Zhenren struggled to stifle his laughter, while even Yunxiao Xianzi's eyes showed a trace of amusement.

Li Changshou said seriously, "Fellow Daoist Dìzàng, we're here to protect the heavens and earth. We shouldn't compete. Let's each do our part. Striving for victory isn't the way to solve problems, and this won't change our opposing stances, so there's no need for much interaction."

With that, Li Changshou cupped his hands and turned back to chat with Yunxiao via transmission.

Dìzàng nodded with a smile and returned to Ting's side. Glaring at the feigned corpse, he nearly kicked it but restrained himself.

As Li Changshou's gaze swept over, Ting shuddered and quickly sat up, its majestic face now the picture of innocence.

Dìzàng transmitted in his mind, "What are you so afraid of?"

"Master, the Water God carries the scent of Bai Ze. Bai Ze could scheme against us with ease, and now that he's allied with the Water God, only a Saint could counter it. Is face more important than life? The Water God might not truly want to kill you, but from what Bai Ze hinted from afar, he really wants to kill me."

"Hmph," Dìzàng snorted coldly and sat quietly beside Ting.

Just then, Duobao Dao Ren and Zhao Gongming returned through the cave.

Zhao Gongming said, "Changgeng, we've scouted the situation in this small world. Many beings here are aware of the extraterrestrial heavenly demons infiltrating, and they're not in total panic. But those possessed by the demons show little difference from normal beings, which makes it tricky."

Duobao Dao Ren added, "There are quite a few beings here who are descendants of those who once guarded Xuandu City. We should try to protect their lives if we can."

Li Changshou asked, "How far is Xuandu City from here?"

"There's no real distance," Zhao Gongming laughed. "It's in the thinnest part of the Heavenly Way's power, at a weak point, with Xuandu City sealing that gap."

"That's good," Li Changshou said. "What we need to do today is eliminate or expel these extraterrestrial heavenly demons. I've never dealt with such enemies before, so I won't offer reckless advice. Please, Duobao senior brother, take the lead."

Duobao Dao Ren looked to Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren.

Taiyi Zhenren smiled. "Just handle it, Duobao senior brother. We're ready to follow orders."

Yuding Zhenren nodded slightly.

"Excellent," Duobao Dao Ren said with a gentle smile. "Next, we need to locate the extraterrestrial heavenly demons. Those possessed often have slightly darkened eye circles... Changgeng, do you have any good plans? Searching one by one is troublesome, and there are indeed many beings here."

Li Changshou laughed. "Fellow Daoist Dìzàng's mount is perfect for this—perhaps that's the main reason the two Saints of the West sent him."

"Oh?" Duobao Dao Ren raised an eyebrow, asking deliberately, "How should we use it?"

Taiyi Zhenren tsked. "It's not like we're refining its Yuan Shen into a tool."

Ting shuddered at once.

Li Changshou said, "What senior brother Taiyi said is one possibility, but let's have Ting explain itself.

Well..."

Whoosh—

A gust of wind swept by, and the divine beast Ting transformed into a green blur, appearing before Li Changshou faster than Dìzàng could see.

The majestic beast shrank its form, sat on the ground, and nuzzled its head lightly against Li Changshou's leg.

"Water God, just give the orders. We're best at listening to the hearts of all beings."

Dìzàng's eyes gradually lost their luster as he pulled an iron pot from his sleeve, snapped his fingers, and set a fire beneath it...