Chapter 454: Such Vast Cold

Reverse thinking is a method of flipping one's conventional thought process when standard approaches fail to yield results. It is also one of Li Changshou's frequently used strategies for deduction.

When the methods he believes to be correct do not receive positive feedback, Li Changshou activates reverse thinking, making bold assumptions and cautious attempts to delve deeply into the essence of the problem.

Thus...

"Shishu, why did you bring me here?"

In front of Guanghan Gong, Lingzhuzi held up a bronze mirror and asked quietly.

Li Changshou smiled slightly, of course not voicing his true thoughts: first, to prove his own innocence as the Water God; second, to bring you along so that if the handsome you caught a glimpse of Heng E and acted a bit awkwardly, no one would blame you; third, to conveniently pick up some live-streaming equipment.

Li Changshou cleared his throat and whispered, "Lingzhuzi, have you forgotten the cultivation you need to practice?"

Dressed in a green and white robe, Lingzhuzi paused for a moment upon hearing this, then his eyes lit up with brightness, and he nodded solemnly.

To become the normal man that his master sees!

Li Changshou looked at the high walls ahead, enveloped in arrays, and said to Lingzhuzi, "Ahead is the legendary Guanghan Gong, home to the Three Realms' foremost beauty, Heng E.

As the saying goes, yin and yang coexist and support each other, the ultimate principle of heaven and earth.

If you want to transform yourself into what you wish to be, you must pass this test!"

Lingzhuzi said firmly, "I understand, Shishu!"

His delicate face was full of seriousness and resolve, like a primordial warrior setting out to slay a dragon, or a youth determined to reach the end at all costs and explore the truths of the world.

Li Changshou patted Lingzhuzi's shoulder and laughed,

"Wait here for now; I'll go scout the situation. Remember, don't turn on the bronze mirror just yet."

With that, Li Changshou rode a cloud forward, bowed with hands clasped at the gate of Guanghan Gong, and pointed a finger ahead.

The great array of Guanghan Gong trembled gently, leaving Lingzhuzi puzzled.

Li Changshou waited quietly for a moment. No matter how he calculated in his heart, Heng E could not possibly ignore his visit.

Sure enough,

After a short while, the palace gates of Guanghan Gong opened, and a small head peeked out tremblingly—it was the little jade rabbit.

From a distance, Lingzhuzi saw "Changgeng Shishu" conceal himself with a barrier and exchange a few words with the young girl, then hand her a jade talisman.

It seemed like he was saying:

"...I will enter Guanghan Gong in this form shortly, so please have Taiyin Star Lord prepare. There are a few questions and suggestions inside. Right now, many people have gathered in front of the Water God Mansion, and many immortals and gods are probing with their immortal senses, so it's quite the focus..."

Lingzhuzi tilted his head slightly, then quickly remembered his "manly principles," straightened his head, puffed out his chest, lifted his chin, and put on a serious expression.

Just like the heavenly generals.

Li Changshou floated back calmly and waited with a smile for a while.

Lingzhuzi, holding the bronze mirror, couldn't help but whisper, "Shishu, why don't we just go in directly? Why do we need to give them a heads-up?"

"Of course," Li Changshou laughed, "these kinds of things are always arranged in advance; you can't just spring a surprise attack."

Lingzhuzi nodded thoughtfully.

In front of the Water God Mansion, the original single bronze mirror had increased to three, and the three hundred meditation cushions prepared in advance were already filled with immortals and gods who were off duty that day, with even more crowding around the surroundings.

"Oh, General Li is here too?"

"This humble general has come to add to the Water God's manly prestige!"

"Immortal Weng isn't drinking at home and has come to join the fun?"

"Ha ha ha, with the Water God pulling off such a grand feat, how could this old man sit alone in his immortal abode? This is a grand event of the Heavenly Court, and I'm terribly curious!"

The excitement was beyond description.

It wasn't just the Water God Mansion; in the Yaochi and Yuegui Gong, there were also bronze mirrors, with groups of female immortals gathered around.

And these were only a small portion of the "audience."

Which qi refiner doesn't have an immortal sense? At that moment, countless immortal senses were locked onto the bronze mirrors in front of the Water God Mansion.

Some went further, with Heavenly Court immortals using cloud mirror techniques to aim at the bronze mirrors, broadcasting the scenes from various corners and immortal positions.

For example, at Dongmu Gong's residence, or even...

In the Lingxiao Baodian.

His Majesty the Jade Emperor held a memorial tablet, inside which was hidden a faint cloud mirror showing the scene from the bronze mirror. After waiting for a long time with no movement, he couldn't help but complain.

Why is Changgeng dawdling like this? He released the news yesterday about entering Guanghan Gong, and now it's this late in the day with still no action!

Just then, a female immortal rode a cloud from outside the hall, bowed at the base of the high platform, and called out,

"Your Majesty, Her Majesty requests your presence for a meal."

The Jade Emperor calmly set down the memorial tablet, casually crushed the cloud mirror, and pretended to be tired as he stretched.

"Very well.

I will go to the Yaochi now; you may return first."

The female immortal bowed again, "Your Majesty, forgive me, but Her Majesty has ordered this humble immortal to follow behind you and accompany you back."

The Jade Emperor's mouth twitched slightly, but he stood up calmly, adjusted his robes, and rode a cloud with hands behind his back, letting the female immortal follow.

A moment later, in a corner of the Heavenly Court, the newly arrived general Qin Tianzhu rode a cloud to the front of the Water God Mansion and squeezed into a spot at the edge to watch.

"Why hasn't the Water God made a move yet?"

"Could this bronze mirror be broken?"

"Ah, it's starting, it's starting!"

As they spoke, immortal light flowed over the three bronze mirrors, gradually revealing clear figures. Lingzhuzi poked his head out for a look, then quickly pulled it back.

They also heard the Water God's voice coming from the side:

"Yes, this has the restrictions activated. Remember to keep it held at your chest later; don't point it around randomly. After all, we're going to Guanghan Gong, the residence of female immortals..."

The scene on the bronze mirror shifted, revealing the face of the Heavenly Court Water God with his white hair and white eyebrows.

Li Changshou bowed with hands clasped toward the bronze mirror and said warmly,

"Greetings to all fellow colleagues in the afternoon. Today, I will be making a visit to Guanghan Gong.

Due to the fear of rumors, my face is thin, and I have many concerns, so I invite all of you to bear witness and accompany me on this exploration into Guanghan Gong.

This action has received permission from the owner of Guanghan Gong. To avoid disturbing the serenity there, the bronze mirror treasure held by my nephew Lingzhuzi will not transmit sound; I hope you all understand."

With that, Li Changshou performed a Daoist bow, and the immortals and gods in front of the various bronze mirrors returned the courtesy in unison.

Regarding the etiquette of primordial live broadcasts.

The scene then began to move, capturing Li Changshou's back as it slowly approached the gates of Guanghan Gong.

The gates of Guanghan Gong were slightly ajar, and Li Changshou raised his hand to knock lightly, calling out clearly,

"Heng E Xianzi, are you in the palace?

Earlier, when you went to Yuegui Gong, I was in a state of divine wandering, sensing the Great Dao, and could not awaken in time. Today, I specially come to Guanghan Gong to pay my respects as an apology for the previous matter."

A voice came from inside the door:

"Water God, please wait a moment; my master is bathing and changing clothes. It would be inconvenient for you to enter the palace now."

In that instant, the immortals and gods in front of the Water God Mansion became invigorated, as if they had already seen some extraordinary sight!

Li Changshou laughed, "In that case, I will just wander around outside the palace."

With that, Li Changshou rode a cloud with Lingzhuzi and floated to the base of the Yuegui tree, beginning to introduce this innate spiritual root and using the resounding sound of chopping wood to draw everyone's attention...

Many immortals and gods knew that there was a human expert in the Moon Palace who had been tirelessly chopping the Yuegui tree since the early days of the Heavenly Court's establishment in ancient times, though they knew little about this expert.

At that moment, Li Changshou, with the eyes of countless immortals and gods upon him, found the "enthusiastic qi refiner Mr. Wu" who had been focused on chopping wood for tens of thousands of years.

Wu Gang leaned on his large axe, his body enveloped in a faint halo of light, exuding an inexplicable aura of majesty that was transmitted through the bronze mirror.

Below is Wu Gang's public declaration:

"I am Wu Gang, the chief guard of the ancient human emperors. I am here protecting the safety of Heng E Dianxia. My cultivation is so-so, a Daluo Jin Xian for tens of thousands of years, following the path of combat. Lately, I haven't chopped any demons, so my hands have gotten a bit rusty.

Why chop the Yuegui tree?

My lady has sworn that she won't leave Guanghan Gong until the Yuegui tree falls... What? She went out before? Oh, the oath was actually not to leave the Taiyin Star; I must have remembered wrong.

Water God, you go ahead; I'll keep chopping. Please help persuade my lady."

With that, Wu Gang picked up his axe and, right in front of the bronze mirror, demonstrated his skill of chopping the Yuegui tree with an ordinary axe, deliberately releasing his powerful Dao rhythms to prove his words were true.

Among the male immortals of the Heavenly Court, half covered their faces with their hands, and half squinted with laughter.

Li Changshou continued with Lingzhuzi, leading the immortals and gods on a stroll around Guanghan Gong, capturing the serene scenery of the Moon Palace.

When they returned to the gates of the Moon Palace, the doors opened, and a graceful young girl stepped out elegantly.

She had changed from her usual attire into a long dress that gradually shifted from green to white, paired with a sheer shawl, her hair in double loops, and her face lightly made up, adding a touch of charm.

It was the jade rabbit girl.

"W-water God."

She dared not look directly at Li Changshou, bowed, and said softly, "My master asks you to enter and rest first. She is not yet ready; please, Water God, do not be angry."

Li Changshou nodded with a smile and said, "Thank you for your trouble."

With that, he rode a cloud into Guanghan Gong, walking with hands behind his back.

In front of the Water God Mansion, many immortals and gods whispered to their acquaintances:

"Is this the jade rabbit raised by Heng E Xianzi?

I never imagined that even a jade rabbit could be so elegant and spirited; who knows what Heng E Xianzi herself is like."

"Too bad she's a stutterer and speaks so haltingly."

"Yes, what a pity."

It seemed their focus was a bit off.

The immortals, gods, and immortals stared intently at the content displayed on the screen.

Lingzhuzi, responsible for holding the bronze mirror, showed some cleverness as he slowly adjusted the angle to capture the layout of Guanghan Gong.

It was more like a villa than a palace.

Nearby, a hundred flowers bloomed in competition, but among them, a single proud wintersweet stood out, overshadowing the rest;

In the distance, it had the standard features of an immortal residence—artificial hills, flowing streams, lotus ponds, and pavilions with immortal birds.

The first impression of Guanghan Gong was its chill and solitude; the vast palace was spotlessly clean, but the grand halls were filled only with faint immortal light, as if no voices or presences had been there for ages.

Li Changshou was led to a pavilion beside the lotus pond, guided to a waterside platform with three sides surrounded by water, where he sat to drink tea.

The jade rabbit girl trembled as she said,

"M-my master will be here soon."

"Thank you," Li Changshou said warmly, and the jade rabbit managed a forced smile before bowing her head and hurrying away.

Li Changshou invited Lingzhuzi to sit, but Lingzhuzi quietly refused and went to a corner with the bronze mirror to capture a full view.

It seemed as if to get back at Li Changshou for previously ignoring him, Heng E arrived half an hour later.

Li Changshou didn't mind this; from his past life, he knew women had no sense of time when dressing up. But many immortals and gods, especially Qin Tianzhu, felt Heng E was being too presumptuous, keeping a Heavenly Court official waiting like this!

But then...

A faint, almost ethereal sigh echoed, and suddenly, the scene on the bronze mirror overflowed with soft light.

The immortals and gods instinctively looked toward the center of the mirror, with many hot-blooded heavenly generals holding their breath, and those who had visited the Marriage Hall forgetting to blink.

At the edge of the bronze mirror, a faint blue immortal light entered the frame.

As soon as she appeared, it made old immortal elders blush, young heavenly soldiers stare wide-eyed, and female immortals dim in comparison, while upright gods were secretly shocked!

Her face was a picture of cool and alluring beauty, with willow-like brows, enchanting eyes, a jade-like nose, and cherry lips; every aspect of her features and curves was perfect—if even a hair were added or removed, it would detract by thirty percent.

Her willow waist was so slender it seemed it could be grasped in one hand, her neck long and fair, her skin crystal clear and translucent, with proportions refined to the utmost.

As she took a step forward, that single step embodied the beauty of time, the virtue of femininity, the essence of the moon...

She spoke a single line:

"I apologize for keeping you waiting."

Her soft, mesmerizing voice turned the earlier wait into something worthwhile.

Qin Tianzhu led the way, turning the Heavenly Court into a massive scene of true realization.

At that moment, everything in front of the Water God Mansion fell silent, until someone let out a light sigh, and the immortals all sighed in unison, yet stared unblinkingly at the mirror.

Such a woman—perhaps only Yaochi Wangmu could sit opposite her without losing ground.

But Wangmu was the foremost female immortal of the Heavenly Court, exalted and dignified, so no one dared compare.

By the Tianhe River, the group of heavenly generals guarding the "special setup" bronze mirror provided by Li Changshou were also sighing in unison.

Bian Zhuang stared blankly, murmuring, "I think I've truly fallen into romance this time."

"Tch," Ao Yi scoffed, "You say that three hundred sixty-five times a year."

"No! This time is different!"

Bian Zhuang clenched his fist and said firmly, "I must become a male immortal worthy of Heng E Xianzi!

Hey, Ao Yi, what are you doing?

Put away the Binding Immortal Rope; let's talk this out like brothers... Mmph! Mmmph!"

With a few swishes, two immortal treasures ropes bound Bian Zhuang like a dumpling.

Ao Yi kicked out, sending Bian Zhuang flying into the Tianhe River with a splash.

"Carry on watching; ignore him," Ao Yi said indifferently, and the Tianhe naval generals chuckled, watching as Bian Zhuang drifted away.

Polite conversation echoed from the mirror, mostly trivial, with everyone's attention on Heng E.

Soon, immortals and gods in front of the Water God Mansion praised,

"The Water God truly has remarkable composure; facing Taiyin Star Lord, he remains so calm, never letting his eyes wander or his words falter."

"We are far inferior to the Water God."

"Oh, come now, how can we compare to the Water God's realm?"

Indeed, Li Changshou was very composed at that moment and hadn't even used any artifacts from the "Hundred Beauties in Old Age" series to suppress himself.

In his direct perception, Heng E was beautiful, with her figure, appearance, demeanor, and aura all reaching the pinnacle, but it always felt like something was missing...

Hadn't he seen enough beautiful women?

Not to mention Yunxiao Xianzi, who was formed from the most beautiful clouds on the horizon, even Ling E, who was undergoing her own subtle transformations daily, and Xuan Ya, who was walking a different path of charm, might not lose to Heng E in the future.

As for Jiu Shishu, she was in a league of her own and not up for discussion.

Li Changshou was not far from Heng E, just five chi away, separated by an exquisite round table.

Her eyes were clear and captivating, but in that clarity, Li Changshou saw no spirit...

The woman before him was like an empty shell.

"Star Lord, when you went to Yuegui Gong earlier, I was in a state of divine wandering, sensing the Great Dao, and couldn't respond in time, which caused a small stir in the Heavenly Court. That's why I've come to visit; I hope you'll forgive any abruptness."

Heng E smiled shyly and nodded slightly to Li Changshou, saying, "It's truly an honor for the Water God to come in person; I am..."

As her warm and gentle words echoed in his ears, Li Changshou frowned inwardly.

Something was off; it was strangely familiar.

There was no danger here, but Li Changshou felt something was amiss.

"Star Lord," Li Changshou got straight to the point, "what was the purpose of your earlier visit to me?"

"It was just an old matter," Heng E sighed lightly. "I have heard that the Water God is full of wisdom and strategy, the right-hand man of the Heavenly Court and the most trusted wise star of His Majesty the Jade Emperor, so I wished to entrust something to you."

Li Changshou frowned and said, "Logically, as fellow immortals of the Heavenly Court, if you have a request, I shouldn't refuse.

But Star Lord, we have never met before, so entrusting something so rashly might not be appropriate..."

Heng E sighed softly, showing a touch of pitiful vulnerability, and whispered,

"Whatever benefits the Water God desires, as long as I have them, they can be given."

Li Changshou's mouth twitched slightly; he could already sense that something was wrong.

Undoubtedly, exclamations of "oh" must be rising across the Heavenly Court right now.

"Star Lord, please don't joke."

Li Changshou said seriously, "You can tell me what you wish to entrust. If it's something simple, considering we are both Heavenly Court immortals, I will naturally help.

If it's difficult, I'm afraid I cannot comply."

"Water God, are you truly..."

Heng E's gaze was deep, but she changed the subject, saying, "Please allow me to explain this matter slowly. Rabbit, go and bring some tea and snacks."

The jade rabbit girl responded sweetly and turned to leave.

Li Changshou stood up and said with a smile, "No need to trouble yourself; I have many affairs to handle. Perhaps later, Star Lord, you could write it as a letter, and I will reply."

"Why the rush, Water God?"

Heng E quickly stood up, blocking Li Changshou's path and nearly colliding with him.

Lingzhuzi blinked, unsure of the situation.

Heng E sighed lightly, stepped aside, and whispered,

"This Guanghan Gong is so cold and desolate; it's no wonder the Water God wants to leave quickly. Go ahead, then.

I am but a remnant of the ancient human race, a lonely spirit in the Moon Palace, unable to keep the Water God even for a moment."

Li Changshou: ...

What a formidable woman.

He felt like he was on pins and needles; undoubtedly, from His Majesty the Jade Emperor to the gate-guarding heavenly soldiers, they were all shouting for him to "stay" and hear what Heng E wanted.

Li Changshou didn't care about that; the only thing bothering him was that Heng E had brought up her identity as an ancient human princess.

He had just taken in nineteen ancient human warriors; who knows if they were from the same era as Heng E. It might not be wise to be too rigid with her.

Moreover...

At that point, Li Changshou was certain that the Heng E conversing with him was merely an incarnation!

Playing such tricks in front of him and thinking he wouldn't notice—that was truly...

Wielding a great axe before Pangu, playing with clay in front of Nüwa.

Speaking of wuwei in the Taiqing Temple, discussing solitude in the Lingxiao Baodian.

Li Changshou sighed and said gravely,

"Very well, for the sake of our shared human heritage, if the immortal has any troubles, I will help as much as I can without affecting myself."

"Heng E" smiled softly and curtsied, inviting Li Changshou to sit again.

At that moment, a faint breeze blew through Lingzhuzi's sleeve, silently drilling into the wooden floor of the pavilion and vanishing...

The jade rabbit brought immortal fruits, fine wine, and some tea snacks, then bowed and left.

However, "Heng E" never mentioned what she wanted to entrust; she just chatted idly with Li Changshou.

The immortals and gods in front of the Water God Mansion watched with great interest, many old immortal elders beaming with smiles.

But Li Changshou was cautious with his words, thinking carefully before speaking, and never once lost his composure.

In secret, one of Li Changshou's incarnations had already found a pavilion underground in Guanghan Gong, wrapped in immortal light.

With a dark expression, Li Changshou summoned a trace of Taiji Diagram's Dao rhythms, silently merging with the dozens of layers of arrays around, concealing his presence as he entered to investigate.

Unexpectedly, he burst into a somewhat messy room.

The floor was piled with thin clothing, and on both sides stood over a dozen large wooden cabinets filled with various dresses, along with rows of embroidered shoes, cloth boots, and straw sandals...

In the center was an ornate full-length glass mirror, and behind the cabinets were various furnishings—beds, screens, pools, wooden tubs, dressing tables, tables, and chairs—all complete.

A few wooden dolls floated in the pool.

Li Changshou heard a smug hum and followed the sound to see a woman—let's call her that—lying on a soft couch, eating fruits and drinking immortal wine...

Her back was curvaceous, her face unseen, with disheveled long hair scattered about. She lay there with her legs crossed, watching a palm-sized glass mirror in front of her, muttering occasionally.

"What Heavenly Court Water God, what Heavenly Court noble, what man above Mu Gong.

Become my servant; do anything for me in the future. This princess is the most beautiful female immortal in the Three Realms!

Ah ha ha ha!"

Li Changshou: ...

He turned silently, summoned the Taiji Diagram's Dao rhythms, slipped out of the array noiselessly, and gently closed the "door."

Disturbance over; farewell!

The Jianghu is vast; better not to meet again!

Is this... the scene of someone going stir-crazy from staying indoors too long?

He suddenly felt sympathy for the great shaman Yi, who had met a tragic end at the hands of the demon race and been turned into the core technique of the Zhanxian Feidao...

Should he just leave like this?

Li Changshou thought for a moment and quickly came up with a foolproof idea. He took a damaged recording orb in his hand, opened the array again, and entered.