Chapter 466: Heavenly Way Bond Holder

In his previous life, the phrase "inserting a flag" that Li Changshou often heard was essentially the same as jinxing something.

It referred to the idea that when you confidently declare your intention to accomplish something, it inevitably leads to unexpected twists, setbacks, or ironic reversals that end up being amusing.

But this was really just a subjective perception. Failures left a deep impression, while successes that went smoothly were quickly forgotten, a logical fallacy similar to "survivor bias."

Li Changshou didn't buy into superstitions like that, so...

This time, he was absolutely set on condensing his merit golden body!

He, the Water God, had declared it! Even if Daozu himself appeared or Pangu were resurrected, they would have to show some respect and postpone it for another day.

To be fair, ever since he was reluctantly roped into managing the Hai Shen Cult, he had steadily accumulated merit through events like dealing with the Longzu, aiding the Tianting, and countering the demon surge—all while doing a few good deeds along the way.

Of course, in the process of gathering merit, he had always been upright and honest, avoiding theft or robbery—he just played things a bit cautiously.

Tactics were unavoidable in such games.

Finally! Today, he had reached this milestone!

Li Changshou had calculated that once he facilitated the Youming's reforms and integrated its judicial system into the Tianting framework, the merit he gained would be abundant enough to allow him to filter out any impure incense-based merit when condensing his golden body.

At that moment, Li Changshou felt completely secure...

With several backup plans in place.

On top of helping the Youming merge with the Tianting, he had also addressed its various flaws and outdated practices, one by one, improving its overall operations.

The more merit, the better—better to be overprepared. At worst, he could just make his merit golden body a bit larger!

Leading Lingzhuzi, who was full of eager anticipation, Li Changshou rode the clouds to the eastern side of Fengdu City.

Before they even descended, the two burly men roasting spirit beast meat on the mountaintop sluggishly noticed Li Changshou's figure...

With his white hair, white eyebrows, and kindly demeanor, along with that distinctive aura of innate spirit tree essence—who else could it be but the Tianting Water God?

"Hey! Quick! The Water God is here!"

One of the burly men called out, and the two of them hurriedly put on their respective headpieces, reclaiming their true selves. They leaped down from the cliff and summoned a group of Wuzu warriors.

A moment later...

Niutou bellowed,

"Bow before the Water God!"

From the ranks behind, the warriors roared in unison,

"Bow before the Water God!"

Then Maimian shouted,

"May the Water God have boundless blessings!"

The warriors echoed loudly,

"May the Water God have boundless blessings!"

Niutou seamlessly followed up with another roar,

"Water God is invinc—"

Smack! A whisk struck Niutou right on the nose, cutting off the word "incible" mid-sentence.

Li Changshou appeared in front of Niutou, his gaze lowered. Due to the dim light of the Youming, the upper half of his face was shadowed, making the smile at his lips seem coldly intent.

"Watch your words."

Niutou swallowed hard and stammered,

"Yes, yes, this humble general understands."

Li Changshou floated back onto the cloud, his smile unchanged, but now it felt warm and reassuring.

"Marshal Niutou, Marshal Maimian, allow me to introduce someone. This is my junior nephew,"

Li Changshou brought Lingzhuzi forward,

"the disciple of Yu Ding Zhenren from Chanism, Lingzhuzi."

Niutou and Maimian exchanged glances, unsure of the Water God's intentions, but they quickly stepped forward to pay their respects, bowing and scraping.

Lingzhuzi curiously eyed the two and stepped forward gracefully to offer a daoist salute.

"Greetings to the two marshals. Lingzhuzi offers his respects."

Niutou chuckled,

"This young lady is quite lovely, moo."

Lingzhuzi suddenly felt awkward.

Maimian elbowed Niutou and quickly added,

"Fair immortal, please don't take offense. My brother just speaks without thinking..."

Li Changshou laughed,

"Lingzhuzi is a young man."

"Huh?"

Niutou and Maimian were both stunned, and their straightforward Wuzu nature showed as they simultaneously glanced downward toward Lingzhuzi's waist.

Lingzhuzi's face turned bright red, and he didn't know where to put his hands and feet.

"Ahem,"

Li Changshou cleared his throat,

"I brought Lingzhuzi here for this very reason. He's quite innocent and gentle, and I thought it would do him good to interact with you all and build up some manly spirit.

You two are fine Wuzu lads, the epitome of masculine vigor in the world—he's sure to learn a lot from you."

Maimian hurriedly said,

"Water God, you're praising us too highly..."

Before he could finish, a deep, resonant voice like an ancient horn boomed from the side,

"It's a small matter, Water God. Leave it to us, moo."

Niutou squared his shoulders, puffed out his massive chest, and his headpiece seemed to glow with a newfound radiance.

"Just leave it to us."

Li Changshou smiled,

"Very well. You all chat first. I'll head into Fengdu City to meet with a few Yan Jun. Once I handle my affairs, I'll need to do some construction work in the Youming."

Niutou and Maimian didn't fully grasp what "construction work" meant, but they agreed and stayed behind with Lingzhuzi, sending subordinates to report in the city that the Water God had arrived for an inspection.

Soon, Fengdu City buzzed with activity.

Several Yan Jun came out to welcome Li Changshou, and they entered the Yanluo Hall together to discuss the joint memorial to the Tianting.

Meanwhile, back with Lingzhuzi...

A crowd of towering Wuzu warriors surrounded him, packing in so tightly that not even air could pass through, all eyeing him curiously.

Niutou grinned slyly, then started pondering the task the Water God had assigned.

Maimian glared at Niutou and pulled Lingzhuzi aside, then conferred quietly with Niutou and a few warriors...

Lingzhuzi, in turn, looked around curiously.

Were these the "good friends" that Uncle Changgeng had mentioned he would introduce?

They certainly seemed much stronger than the heavenly generals.

As Lingzhuzi extended his immortal sense, he overheard the group of straightforward Wuzu folk muttering away, not bothering with sound transmission:

"The Water God has finally given us something to do, so we need to handle it properly, moo.

Manly spirit—does that have something to do with muscles?"

"Superficial! How can you be so superficial?

Does that mean half the women in our clan have manly spirit?

The Water God is from the human race, so manly spirit must mean qualities like responsibility and a sense of duty, neigh."

Niutou glared with his bovine eyes,

"Are you trying to argue with me?"

"I'll stand my ground, neigh."

Zzzzt—

As Niutou and Maimian locked eyes, sparks seemed to crackle in the air.

A warrior nearby whispered,

"Why don't you two just fight it out? Whoever wins, we follow their lead."

"Hmm?"

Niutou and Maimian turned simultaneously, both flashing mild smiles.

The warrior instinctively stepped back, only to be grabbed by a hoof on each shoulder and dragged into a rocky crevice...

In that corner of the Youming, the wails of wronged souls blended perfectly with the warrior's cries of pain.

Witnessing this, Lingzhuzi's subtle Adam's apple bobbed, and he sat obediently, quietly worrying about his own fate...

Right then!

A voice transmission reached Niutou and Maimian's ears. The two hook soul marshals, in the midst of their brawl, exchanged glances and sighed in relief.

As long as the Water God had a plan, that was fine—they had been afraid they'd have to think up something themselves...

Three days later, in front of the Yanluo Hall.

The ten Yan Jun had finally wrapped up their hall affairs, with permission from Niangniang Houtu, and gathered with Li Changshou. They rode the clouds amid laughter and chatter, slowly leaving Fengdu City.

This was the scene:

In the Youming hall, the Water God smiled, and the ten Yan Jun paid homage to the heavens.

As they flew east of Fengdu City and approached the Yixiantian Pass, the ten Yan Jun all had dark lines on their foreheads...

On the other side of Yixiantian, dust billowed and shouts filled the air.

Dozens of Wuzu warriors, posing as Youming agents, had split into two groups and were brawling shirtless, trading punches and kicks with full force, leaving most of them bruised and battered.

Surrounding the fight were dozens of scantily clad, beautiful female souls;

Some held wooden signs reading "Brother Lingzhuzi is the strongest" or "Brother Lingzhuzi is the handsomest," while others cheered and screamed at the top of their lungs...

Outside Yixiantian, a crowd of cultivators waiting to conduct business in the Youming didn't dare approach to request passage.

The hot-tempered King Chujiang immediately scolded,

"What in the world is this? They're holding back in a fight? This is utter chaos!"

King Qin Guang quickly explained,

"Water God, please don't misunderstand. This is an ancient tradition of ours, a way for Wuzu men to show friendship. It's not the agents causing trouble."

Another Yan Jun couldn't help but ask in confusion,

"It seems like there's a strange figure mixed in there."

The ten Yan Jun focused their gaze, and Li Changshou nodded with a smile.

In the midst of the melee, Lingzhuzi—whose robe was either torn or discarded—clenched his small fists, his body enveloped in immortal light, exchanging punches and knee strikes with two Wuzu warriors;

His fair face was swollen and bruised, a chip missing from his front teeth, and his eyes burned with determination.

Though not skilled in close combat, he was now holding his own against the warriors' unstructured, deliberately slowed attacks...

Niutou and Maimian sat in the corner sipping tea, keeping an eye on things to ensure their subordinates didn't seriously injure the Water God's junior nephew.

Li Changshou hurriedly said,

"Please don't worry, Yan Jun. I asked the two hook soul marshals to handle this.

This is my junior nephew, Lingzhuzi. He's a bit too delicate and has been troubled by it.

I specially brought him here to witness the Wuzu's masculine prowess and learn from it."

Upon hearing this, the Yan Jun's eyes lit up.

"I see! Water God, you've chosen the perfect place!

Our Wuzu men worship Zu Wu and are all upright, stalwart heroes!"

"In ancient times, Da Wu Kuafu chased the sun, pushing himself to exhaustion rather than giving up—that's the essence of manly persistence."

"Back in the ancient era, our Wuzu had an ancestor called the Water God, like Gonggong. He was quite the match for you, Water God, always having new companions and being a true man..."

The speaking Yan Jun trailed off, shrinking his neck as the other nine Yan Jun glared, nearly pouncing to restrain him.

What a problematic mindset!

An awkward silence hung in the air, but just as Li Changshou was about to change the subject, Lingzhuzi suddenly erupted, drawing their attention...

With a fierce roar, Lingzhuzi headbutted the warrior in front, making his head spin, then agilely dodged a side tackle and landed a punch in the opponent's abdomen, dropping him like a shrimp.

Lingzhuzi's forehead glowed with spiritual light, his primordial spirit turning jade-like, with immortal power enhancing his body!

The excited warriors nearby rushed in, swinging fists and kicking legs...

Suddenly, visions from his time at the Shui Shen Manor flashed in Lingzhuzi's mind—scenes of close-quarters combat with the heavenly generals. His movements grew fluid, his strikes precise and fierce;

These ordinary warriors, posing as agents, couldn't match him in hand-to-hand combat and were knocked down one by one, piled at his feet...

A moment later, Lingzhuzi stood atop a small mound, hair disheveled and drenched in sweat. He threw his head back and roared, tearing open his thin undergarment with both hands,

"Is there anyone else?"

Niutou signaled, and several stronger warriors stripped off their armor and charged, pinning Lingzhuzi down for a thorough beating.

If Master Taiyi saw this, he might finally rest in peace.

Some yin-yang master probably felt slighted.

Li Changshou asked the Yan Jun,

"Does the Wuzu have any combat techniques involving weapons?"

King Qin Guang laughed,

"Don't worry, Water God. I'll have Niutou and Maimian fetch some from the clan and arrange proper sparring partners to help this Daoist disciple... build up his manly spirit."

"Many thanks, Yanluo."

"You're too kind, Water God."

The ten Yan Jun and Li Changshou continued on the clouds, and the brawl at Yixiantian finally subsided.

King Qin Guang descended to instruct Niutou and Maimian, and Li Changshou casually handed over the blueprints for the "Youming Courage Building" to the Youming—no need for him to handle the construction himself.

Then, Li Changshou looked at the bruised Lingzhuzi, who gave him a shy smile, and passed him a pouch containing paper effigies.

"You've made good progress, so stay with the Wuzu for a while.

Remember not to wander off and keep in touch with me anytime.

This training is just preparation—the main event comes later."

"Yes!"

Lingzhuzi cupped his fists, wincing as it pulled at his injuries.

Li Changshou chuckled, handed over a few bottles of spirit pills, patted his shoulder, and rode the clouds to rejoin the Yan Jun, heading toward the edge of the Youming.

In his heart, Li Changshou felt a touch of emotion...

Lingzhuzi and Yang Jian truly lived up to being children of the great calamity. Their cultivation progress and combat skills were advancing by leaps and bounds.

Naturally, Lingzhuzi still needed to reincarnate.

But considering Nezha's innate divine abilities and power, reincarnation would likely just seal Lingzhuzi's memories while preserving his strength.

What level of power would Yang Jian and Lingzhuzi reach during the Fengshen Bang?

As Li Changshou chatted with the Yan Jun, he pondered this deeply.

Regardless, he needed to invest more effort in these two young heroes—not just for more influence in the great calamity, but also because...

"Water God, how exactly will this great calamity unfold? Do you have any inside information?"

King Chujiang's question interrupted Li Changshou's thoughts.

Li Changshou shook his head with a smile,

"The secrets of heaven are obscured; probably no one knows the details."

The conversation then turned to the great calamity, and the ten Yan Jun, having survived the ancient catastrophe, expressed their worries about whether the Youming would face similar pressures.

The entire Youming was filled with wronged souls, and the six paths of reincarnation were constantly backed up, with half the souls dissipating into pure spirits before they could reincarnate.

"If that happens, Niangniang will be heartbroken."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Li Changshou spoke soothingly, steering the topic back to the Youming reforms to liven up the atmosphere.

The whole process was meticulously arranged by Li Changshou, complete with seven or eight contingency plans.

Approaching the East Heaven Gate, the ten Yan Jun lined up in a row, adopting the poise of exalted immortals and concealing the yin energy they had accumulated in the Youming, as they advanced with Li Changshou.

At the Heaven Gate, the three divine swords atop it emitted dazzling light, and the gate guards led the heavenly soldiers in a neat salute.

Li Changshou flicked his whisk, and golden light shone ahead, with ranks of heavenly soldiers lining the path from the East Heaven Gate all the way into the clouds.

What a grand display.

Arriving at the Lingxiao Hall, Li Changshou said,

"Please, Yan Jun."

The immortals and gods inside the hall turned to welcome the ten Yan Jun; the white-robed Jade Emperor on the high platform maintained a faint smile.

The ten Yan Jun bowed deeply, and the Jade Emperor said warmly,

"My dear officials, rise. In the future, a simple daoist salute will suffice when entering the hall—no need for such formalities."

King Qin Guang replied,

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Li Changshou presented the memorial from the side, stating that the Youming would henceforth fully obey the Tianting.

He also offered a letter personally written by Niangniang Houtu, urging the emperor to cherish all beings and make good use of the six paths of reincarnation.

The Jade Emperor was overjoyed, summoning the Heavenly Emperor's seal and stamping the memorial with the seal of heaven. Auspicious clouds drifted in from outside the hall.

Suddenly, lightning flashed and thunder roared!

In the seventh heaven of the Tianting, a burst of golden light formed a grand hall out of nowhere, with a plaque reading "Wuyue Shrine," containing five empty divine seats!

As the golden light faded, the hall was enveloped by heavenly forces and vanished into the Tianting, leaving only a misty aura in its place.

The Jade Emperor said,

"Heaven senses this; the divine seats have manifested. From now on, the God of the East Mount shall oversee the Youming, managing the connection between heaven and earth."

The ten Yan Jun, the immortals in the hall, and even the Jade Emperor turned their gazes toward Li Changshou.

Li Changshou: ...

What did this have to do with him? Wasn't this originally Huang Feihu's seat after the Fengshen Bang?

He was just here to earn some merit; he didn't want to work permanently for the Tianting.

Just then, beams of golden light emerged from the roof of the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, merging into the ten Yan Jun and also descending toward the Wuyue Shrine's location.

The seats were empty, but the merit arrived first.

Merit!

Li Changshou kept a portion of his focus in the Lingxiao Hall, standing there with his whisk, maintaining the air of a lofty sage who saw fame and fortune as mere illusions.

In reality, his true body was in a hidden corner of the secret chamber beneath Xiaoqiong Peak, eagerly awaiting!

The merit golden body!

The ultimate safeguard in the great wilderness!

An extra thirty percent assurance of safety!

He just needed to envelop his true body with the merit golden body for an additional layer of protection during the calamity!

This was a historic moment—it was...

Crack—

A thin bolt of purple lightning struck without warning, illuminating the dim corner. It pierced through the heavy arrays of Xiaoqiong Peak and countless barriers, landing right in front of Li Changshou!

In that purple lightning, he sensed a rhythm he had never directly felt before—profound, harmonious, complete, and vast!

This rhythm coalesced into three words in his heart:

"I'll owe you.

Li Changshou sat there stunned, mouth half-open in an "ah," before quickly recovering. He leaped up from his hiding spot and offered a daoist salute to the above!

This startled Ling'e, who was passing by a vase, nearly making her cry out.

"I obey, honorable one!

Whenever you have the merit to spare, bestow it upon me then. I'm in no rush!"

The rhythm quietly dissipated from his spiritual platform, and Li Changshou let out a breath, unaware that his back was soaked in cold sweat.

Tsk, schemes like getting something for nothing were truly the forte of his master's generation.

Ling'e whispered,

"Senior Brother, who were you talking to?"

"Well, an elder of great virtue, who embraces the world, possesses profound morals, and whose dao originates from the source."

Ling'e tilted her head, and Li Changshou silently added in his heart, If not for your golden immortal tribulation being in that great one's hands, how could I bow so easily?

He would have to... hold a sword to his neck and tearfully demand, "Write me a promissory note!" before agreeing!