Chapter 469: Wenzhi Summons the Super-Tier Expert Group

The precious banner is kept close to the body, and the great array near the alchemy room is fully activated. Any thoughts of going out must be suppressed. Shishu Yushi and Lingli are both in cultivation, and I've already sent them a voice transmission to warn them. Also, these paper figures of mine must never leave your side...

In the secret chamber of Xiaoqiong Peak, Li Changshou instructed word by word, while Ling'e nodded continuously, her large eyes filled with utmost seriousness.

Finally, Li Changshou received a wisp of spiritual awareness from the Lidi Yanguang Banner. The banner said:

"Rest assured, I will protect your junior sister completely. Stop nagging."

Only then did Li Changshou cease his instructions. He bowed with a dao salute to the Lidi Yanguang Banner, and his figure transformed into a wisp of green smoke, vanishing from sight.

Had he become nagging?

Was he?

It was just that Bai Ze wasn't at Heichi Peak, and his main body had to go out, fearing that his junior sister might be affected by the calamity's fate.

Once out of Duxianmen, Li Changshou used his paper daoist to sense the situation with Ling'e. He found that she was already humming a tune, hugging a loose training robe, and heading to her exclusive room in the mountain's secret chamber...

Off to take a bath...

In the gentle breeze, Li Changshou's blurry figure appeared. He stroked his chin, shook his head with a light laugh, and a flash of green light appeared in his eyes. He transformed into a swift green light, flying rapidly into the East Sea.

It had finally come.

The Western Teach was likely getting anxious. The matter that Daoist Wen Jing had mentioned to him last time—now they were already making moves, earlier than the time points Li Changshou had predicted.

Was the Western Teach trying to reverse their passive situation before the discussions at Zixiao Palace about the Investiture of the Gods?

But they were fated to encounter misfortune...

Coincidentally, while Li Changshou was busy in the underworld with matters related to Lingzhuzi, he whimsically created the Trial Hall that even Yan Wang found frightening, which delayed him by half a month. That allowed him to sense the unusual Dao fluctuations deep in the Blood Sea and investigate accordingly...

Things were different now from before. His Path of Balance operated constantly, giving him a more sensitive perception of various anomalies.

However, if his paper daoist hadn't been active in Fengdu City at the time, he wouldn't have sensed it so promptly.

Naturally, Li Changshou couldn't rule out the possibility that this was a subtle reminder from the Heavenly Dao.

Moreover, he couldn't help but think deeper...

First, there was the issue of his merits being delayed, preventing him from condensing a golden body of merit. Then, the Western Teach stirring trouble in the Blood Sea, attempting to open a new cycle of reincarnation...

Li Changshou caught a whiff of a stale routine.

No rush, first call for help.

Even though the timing was earlier, his approach to handling this remained unchanged. He just needed to implement the plan he had prepared earlier.

He scattered transmission jade talismans everywhere and dispatched paper daoist incarnations to hurry about.

In less than half an hour, Li Changshou had notified the top Daoist experts he could reach, as well as one non-Daoist expert.

His words varied depending on the expert.

To the honest and straightforward Zhenren Huanglong, he simply said: "Shixiong, if you have time, please come to the underworld. Shidi has an important matter that requires a master to oversee."

Zhenren Huanglong didn't hesitate and headed straight to the nearest entrance to the underworld.

For someone like Zhenren Taiyi, he had to be more tactful: "Shixiong, I'm here in the underworld with Lingzhuzi, and we've run into some trouble. If you have time, please come to Fengdu City."

Although Lingzhuzi being in the underworld and the trouble weren't actually connected.

For Duobao, the senior brother of Jiejiao, Li Changshou had to directly explain the severity: stating that the Western Teach intended to open a second cycle of reincarnation to recover their sect's fortunes.

Since the three teaches—Western, Chan, and Jie—were all fated for the great calamity, there had to be a loser in the jie. Duobao naturally understood this logic.

This senior brother followed Li Changshou's instructions and called over three or four fellow experts from Jiejiao to rush to the underworld for support.

As for someone like Zhao Gongming, who was like family, Li Changshou just said one word:

"Come."

Keeping it short showed closeness; adding even one more word would make it distant!

Then, Zhao Gongming was on some island in the West Sea, holding the transmission jade talisman with a baffled expression. His divination yielded no results, and he didn't know where to find Li Changshou. Fortunately, he later received a message from Duobao...

This, of course, was all within Li Changshou's calculations.

He had his own selfish motives, deliberately avoiding Sanxian Island, hoping to keep Yunxiao out of this battle. But Duobao played it safe and also sent a message to Yunxiao...

Xianzi Yunxiao didn't hesitate. She instructed her two sisters and the other xianzi on the island to focus on cultivation and avoid causing trouble outside. She then brought the Hunyuan Jindou and hurried to the underworld.

Li Changshou's main body arrived at Fengdu City first, without alarming any spirits or souls along the way. He casually retrieved the paper daoist stationed there.

King Chujiang was urgently mobilizing troops, with large groups of yin attendants gathering in front of Fengdu City. But King Chujiang only knew that "there will be a battle in the Blood Sea," without specifics.

This situation was certainly not hidden from the Western Teach, but Li Changshou had his own countermeasures later.

The first to arrive at Fengdu City wasn't a Daoist expert.

A five-colored divine light streaked across the dim sky of the underworld, slipping through the unguarded great arrays of Fengdu City and landing at the Trial Hall outside the city. It revealed a slight smile toward Li Changshou.

Dressed in deep blue luxurious robes, with long hair half-coiled and falling forward.

Unique in the world, neither righteous nor evil, neither immortal nor divine.

The head of the Feng Clan, Kong Xuan!

"What matter has you so urgent?" Kong Xuan asked warmly, holding a five-colored feather fan and gently waving it. "This time, it had better be something significant, so I can repay this favor."

Li Changshou smiled: "Once everyone arrives, I'll explain everything at once. If you don't wish to get involved, you can leave then."

Kong Xuan nodded lightly: "I'll consider it carefully. Whom else have you invited?"

No sooner had she spoken than a large hole appeared on the nearby hillside. A slightly plump daoist rolled up his sleeves and jumped out, laughing:

"You sly Longgeng, staying in that secret realm with Shidi Lv Yue and not leaving! You didn't even bring your brother along!"

This daoist wore a light yellow robe, with a slight paunch, kind eyebrows, a loud voice, and an innate air of steadiness.

From the hole, it was clearly Duobao.

Li Changshou quickly said: "Duobao Shixiong, please don't say that. It's true I'm on good terms with Shidi Lv Yue, but it's just my incarnation handling some Heavenly Court matters in the Tianya Secret Realm."

"Humph!"

A cold snort came from the hole.

The sound of wind chimes followed, and golden light rippled like water. Shengmu Jinling, dressed in a golden gauze skirt, graceful and solemn, with a hint of anger in her eyes, approached.

She lightly rebuked: "Even if you don't care about your reputation, you should consider Shimei Yunxiao."

Li Changshou smiled: "Shijie, don't worry, I'll explain everything to her in detail.

Duobao Shixiong, Shengmu Jinling Shijie, this is Kong Xuan of the Feng Clan, a friend of mine. I've invited him to help today."

The three experts exchanged greetings, but there was no real intent to form deeper connections.

Each had an inherent pride.

Duobao examined the Trial Hall and chuckled: "What's this new oddity? Did you make it, Longgeng?"

Li Changshou replied: "The others might take a bit longer to arrive. Shixiong, would you like to go in and take a look?"

"Hmm?"

Duobao raised an eyebrow, laughed lightly with his hands behind his back, and said, "Let's try it. Could I, your brother, be afraid of some underworld toy?"

With that, Duobao sealed his own cultivation and strolled inside, and the place fell silent.

Soon after, a burst of aqua blue light bloomed in the heavens. A figure directly breached the outer great arrays of Fengdu City...

The yin si arrays: utterly frustrated.

And lacking in prestige.

Zhao Gongming, clad in battle armor with his fine beard fluttering, saw Li Changshou and was about to laugh loudly, but then noticed Shengmu Jinling nearby and immediately composed his face, his voice deeper and more mature than usual.

"Longgeng, is there some urgent matter?"

Before Li Changshou could respond, his mind stirred. He turned toward the eastern horizon and said:

"Old brother, wait a moment. I'll go welcome someone."

With that, his figure turned into a gentle breeze and swiftly departed toward the horizon.

There, a faint wisp of cloud drifted, hovering in the air without directly crossing the yin si arrays, waiting quietly.

When Li Changshou's figure appeared in the sky, the cloud gently dissipated, revealing the true form of a jade-like beauty. She smiled softly at Li Changshou.

Words couldn't capture her beauty like a painting, or her tenderness like flowing water.

Most precious was their mutual understanding, most comforting was the peace of mind, a glance revealing you beyond the clouds.

She wore her usual plain white dress, adorned with jade accessories and cloud slippers. A few strands of long hair drifted in the wind, her graceful and ethereal figure untouched by any worldly dust.

Li Changshou stepped forward and performed a dao salute, and she returned it with a slight bow. Then, she took a step closer, stopping five feet in front of him, and asked softly:

"Why didn't you call me for something like this?"

Li Changshou smiled: "I don't want you to enter the calamity's fate."

Yunxiao didn't know how to respond, showing a touch of a woman's demeanor—she slightly pursed her lips and glanced aside—but eventually, she regained the poise of a great divine being.

She said: "Whether to enter the calamity is destined by heaven, whether to exit it is up to us. It's hard to avoid by hiding."

Li Changshou nodded with a smile and added: "Let's wait here a bit. The three shixiong from Chan Jiao should be arriving soon."

No sooner had he spoken than colorful mystical light flashed in the distance. A jade tripod broke through the void, from which three streams of light flew out—Zhenren Huanglong, Zhenren Taiyi, and Zhenren Yuding.

Zhenren Taiyi glared and spotted Lingzhuzi, who was sitting and resting on the mountaintop below, and let out a sigh of relief.

Then, Zhenren Taiyi looked at Li Changshou, then at Xianzi Yunxiao beside him, and said with a hint of envy:

"You're really something, having an xianzi by your side. Why not just skip fighting and let a few of us handle it?"

Li Changshou laughed: "I was thinking of giving you shixiong more involvement, so I stirred things up a bit with my words. I didn't want you to miss this grand event."

Zhenren Taiyi laughed and scolded: "So, I should thank you?"

"No need. It's just what a shidi should do."

Zhenren Yuding said: "Enough chit-chat. What's going on here?"

Zhenren Huanglong added: "Longgeng Shidi, how many fellow disciples have you called?"

"The three shixiong, please follow me first."

Li Changshou glanced down at the confused Ox-Head and Horse-Face looking up, and sent them a voice transmission. Horse-Face dashed toward Fengdu City.

Ox-Head woke Lingzhuzi and hurried to the city as well, though a bit slower.

In front of the Trial Hall,

The experts Li Changshou had summoned were all assembled: Shengmu Jinling and Zhao Gongming from Jiejiao, Zhenren Huanglong, Zhenren Taiyi, and Zhenren Yuding from Chan Jiao, the non-Daoist expert Kong Xuan, and Xianzi Yunxiao, invited by Duobao.

—Duobao had entered the Trial Hall and hadn't come out yet.

Apart from Zhenren Huanglong, who lacked treasures and a bit of fortune,

And Zhenren Taiyi, whose cultivation was slightly inferior to his peers among the saint's disciples—almost caught up to by Li Changshou—

They were all top experts below saints in the great desolation!

Yet, Li Changshou's expression remained extremely grave. He shared the information he had with everyone through voice transmission:

The Western Teach had secretly operated in the three thousand worlds for tens of thousands of years, establishing incense fire divine kingdoms. Through incense merits and their secret methods, they trapped countless mortal souls that should have gone to the underworld for reincarnation.

The Western Teach planned to release these souls into the underworld, disrupting the order of the yin si. When the six paths of reincarnation became blocked, they would open a Wheel of Reincarnation Hall in the Blood Sea, sending these souls back to the world to establish the status of a second reincarnation cycle.

By doing so, the Western Teach could reverse their fortunes through creating a second reincarnation, strengthen their direct connection with the Heavenly Dao, and perfect their incense fire divine kingdoms, turning the mortals in those kingdoms into tools for extracting merits.

This would turn their previous passivity around.

After Li Changshou's voice transmission ended, the experts present all looked serious.

Shengmu Jinling's eyes flashed with sharpness as she transmitted: "The Western Teach is truly scheming. Incense fire divine kingdoms and a second reincarnation—their ambitions are no small matter. They've exploited the three thousand worlds, which we overlooked before."

Zhenren Huanglong sighed: "The Western Teach will stop at nothing for their great prosperity. Isn't the Heavenly Dao's heavenly secrets indicating their rise? Why are they still so impatient?"

Zhenren Taiyi transmitted: "Everything has a process. If the Western Teach doesn't put in effort, how will they know if they're useless?"

Li Changshou looked at Kong Xuan and said: "Daoist friend, I've asked you here because of your powerful divine abilities. This matter doesn't actually concern you."

"No problem," Kong Xuan smiled nonchalantly. "Your shixiong is enduring hardships guarding Xuandu City in the outer heavens, so I'll step up for you."

Li Changshou: ...

It was true that Dafa Shi Xuandu had gone to Xuandu City in the outer heavens, but whether it was hardships or not was another story.

Earlier, the Taiji Diagram had even complained that Dafa Shi Xuandu had learned bad habits from his little disciple—like sneaking attacks on the nests of extraterrestrial demons just to sleep peacefully!

"Thank you, daoist friend. However...

The situation might be more serious than we thought."

Li Changshou extended his left hand, and a black-and-white yin-yang fish slowly rotated as the Taiji Diagram manifested. Then, the Xuanhuang Pagoda appeared above his head, and he gripped the Kunlun Ruler in his left hand...

Zhao Gongming couldn't help but quip: "With this setup, you could sweep away everything below saints. Why did you call us?"

Li Changshou said seriously: "Old brother, you're mistaken. There are no strongest treasures, only stronger beings.

Teacher arranged so many treasures for my protection, indicating it's no simple matter. Everyone, shixiong and shijie, must stay vigilant and cautious."

Hearing this, the experts felt it made sense and were pulled into Li Changshou's logic of prudence.

Just then, a loud shout came from the Trial Hall nearby:

"Hey! What is this? I could pile spiritual treasures as high as you all! Don't come over, hey! Hey, hey, don't come over!"

The experts were all puzzled. Li Changshou quickly sealed the arrays and rushed in, helping out Duobao, who was sweating profusely.

The other three Jiejiao immortals immediately surrounded him. Yunxiao asked:

"Shixiong, what happened?"

"It's nothing."

Duobao took a deep breath, grinned, and unsealed his cultivation, his dao heart calming down. He looked at Li Changshou with genuine admiration.

"Longgeng Shidi, why did you create this place?

It's truly... truly remarkable!

I haven't felt this way in so many years—full of apprehension, not knowing what the next step might bring. But looking back, it's quite refreshing and beneficial for the dao heart."

Li Changshou said seriously: "This place is for Lingzhuzi to train his courage. It took a lot of my effort and many precious materials."

As he spoke, Li Changshou glanced at Zhenren Taiyi, who calmly stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the sky as if nothing had happened.

"Absolutely invigorating!"

Duobao praised endlessly and strongly recommended that his fellow disciples try it, but Li Changshou stopped him, transmitting that they should focus on the main task first.

Duobao was a bit reluctant.

Following the principle of tricking one if possible and sharing good things with close friends, Duobao secretly persuaded Zhao Gongming to go in for some dao heart training, which piqued Zhao Gongming's interest.

Shengmu Jinling asked: "What should we do next? Charge straight in?"

"That's not wise," Li Changshou transmitted. "The enemy's situation and details are unclear. Going in openly would alert them.

We should set up a diversion, slip out of their sight, and then wait for the right moment to strike at their vital points.

Don't move until we're ready, and when we do, make it count and ruin their plans!"

Zhenren Huanglong laughed: "Longgeng Shidi must have a good plan. We'll just follow your lead."

"Please, everyone, shixiong and shijie, enter the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk with me first," Li Changshou said. "We'll use it to conceal our tracks."

"Excellent!"

"Excellent!"

"I won't go!"

Zhenren Taiyi flicked his sleeve. "No need to persuade me. Even if you knock me out, I won't enter the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk again!"

Kong Xuan and Zhenren Huanglong were puzzled, while the other Daoist experts chuckled.

Li Changshou was prepared and said seriously: "Shixiong, don't you want to clear up the misunderstanding and reconcile with your incarnation of anger?"

Zhenren Taiyi curled his lip and rolled his eyes: "I'd rather not. Better not to meet!"

A finger tapped Zhenren Taiyi's shoulder, and his figure froze instantly, like a statue.

Zhenren Yuding calmly used his immortal power to lift Zhenren Taiyi and said: "Don't mind this. Let's not waste time."