Chapter 484: I've Done My Best

Last night, a gentle breeze and light rain brought a light drunkenness that dispelled all worries.

At dawn in the east, the rear hall of the Hai Shen Miao was left in disarray with scattered cups and plates.

The first to leave was Wen Jing Dao Ren, not because she was defeated, but because her blood mosquito power was completely exhausted. Moreover, to leave a good impression on the Great Mage, she had used a bit of clever strategy and refrained from absorbing the life force of that little flower cat. Once the blood mosquitoes formed by her divine powers dissipated, the little flower cat remained unharmed, though it developed a slight aftereffect: it became especially clingy to the Great Mage.

The second to bid farewell at dawn was Kong Xuan. He had more on his mind and, as he left, gave Li Changshou a meaningful glance.

Li Changshou simply pretended not to notice.

Could he really get directly involved in this? The main players in this love triangle were Kong Xuan, Wen Jing Dao Ren, and Xuan Du Great Mage. Aside from Wen Jing Dao Ren, who excelled at sneak attacks, schemes, and ambushes but was weaker in direct combat compared to the other two, who could he afford to provoke?

Most importantly...

The Great Mage clearly showed some resistance to the idea.

As the Great Mage was leaving, he furrowed his brow in deep thought, pondering for a long time before murmuring to himself:

"Changshou, could it be that Daoist Friend Kong Xuan has feelings for me that go beyond mere friendship?"

Li Changshou narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Senior Brother, you're overthinking it."

"That's a relief," the Great Mage sighed in relief. "This matter would be truly hard to handle. It's so comfortable sleeping alone; having someone else around would feel too restrictive."

Li Changshou calmly added, "Both of them are deeply smitten with you, Senior Brother—it's already far beyond just 'non-friendship'."

The Great Mage's eyes widened, and he paced back and forth before sighing, "Help me sort this out!"

Li Changshou spread his hands. "This involves too much. Wen Jing Dao Ren was personally recommended by the Teacher, and Kong Xuan is one of the rare experts in the world. Senior Brother, if you could attract Kong Xuan to join our Ren Jiao and become one of our experts... then in situations where top experts are needed, you could rightfully take it easy."

Tailoring advice to the person.

The Great Mage thought it over carefully and laughed. "That does make sense. As for finding a Dao companion, I won't entertain such fanciful thoughts. If Daoist Friend Kong Xuan could join our Ren Jiao, the Daoist sect's destiny would become even more solidified. Changshou, keep this in mind and do your best to handle it. I'll head back to Xuan Du City now."

With that, the Great Mage summoned yin and yang energies in his palm, slapped the Taiji Diagram onto Li Changshou's shoulder, and vanished in a flash.

No matter how Li Changshou looked at it, the Great Mage seemed to be fleeing in a hurry.

In the end, though, the Great Mage was truly carefree, viewing both Kong Xuan and Wen Jing Dao Ren as troubles and remaining completely unmoved.

The Great Mage had even left the Taiji Diagram with him, so Li Changshou knew in his heart that the Great Mage would surely hide away in Xuan Du City...

The next time he saw the Great Mage would probably be during the assembly at Zi Xiao Gong.

Li Changshou casually tossed out a handful of Samadhi True Flame, burning to ashes the tables, chairs, bowls, and cups that had been touched by Wen Jing Dao Ren and Kong Xuan.

Standing at the rear hall door, he let out a soft sigh, then used earth escape with his true body to vanish along the coast of the South Sea.

Half a day later,

Li Changshou returned to Xiao Qiong Peak, placing the Taiji Diagram, Xuan Huang Pagoda, Qian Kun Ruler, and Yan Guang Banner together in front of the treasure image of Tai Qing Saint, and bowed three times.

A faint Dao rhythm rose from the Taiji Diagram, and the four treasures were reclaimed to the side of Tai Qing Saint.

Seeing this, Li Changshou felt a weight lift from his heart.

It seemed he wouldn't need to have his true body appear anytime soon...

He brought Ling E out of the underground chamber temporarily, to the surface of Xiao Qiong Peak for some fresh air. Ling E brewed tea for him, brought out two plates of snacks, and then rode a cloud to play with Jiu Yu Shi.

Li Changshou sat in a rocking chair, gently swaying, toying with a golden "long life lock" in his hand...

Tong Tian Teacher Uncle had given such a valuable treasure right away—was it really hinting at something, as Ling E had thought?

This treasure had already introduced itself, sending a spiritual sense into his mind, manifesting as a somewhat cold female voice:

"I am the Chuan Xin Lock, sent by the Lord to obey your commands and serve as your personal treasure from now on."

Li Changshou calmly expressed his thanks and was now getting familiar with the power of the Chuan Xin Lock.

He didn't have many memories from his previous life related to this lock; its fame was far less than treasures like the Zhu Xian Four Swords, Qing Ping Sword, or Hun Yuan Golden Bowl from the Jie Jiao lineage.

But the fact that it could communicate directly with him was a mark of a supreme treasure.

This lock was named Chuan Xin and was a weapon of slaughter.

When activated, it could be used as a hidden weapon to assassinate ordinary Da Luo golden immortals with ease, or as an immortal rope to bind opponents while restraining their primordial spirits and sealing their immortal power.

It was truly a top-tier treasure for killing, looting, sneaking attacks, and ambushes!

It aligned quite well with Li Changshou's style of action.

Unfortunately, such a supreme treasure couldn't be casually poisoned; it required sufficient respect.

"Let's get along well from now on," Li Changshou said with a smile, holding the Chuan Xin Lock in his palm and beginning the initial refinement.

The Chuan Xin Lock didn't resist and actively deepened its bond with him, adapting to his primordial spirit power...

A gentle breeze rustled through the forest, and the leaves whispered.

Beyond the great array, white clouds drifted, and occasionally human Qi practitioners could be seen flying by.

Unconsciously, Li Changshou's mind wandered a bit, lingering on the clouds and playing with returning birds, before he let out a soft sigh, thinking about the next thousand years.

Would he be able to emerge unscathed after a thousand years?

But he didn't dare to jinx it...

After resting for half a day, he still had to return to the Heavenly Court to handle matters. This time, the Western Cult had a small victory and their destiny had risen slightly, so he needed to find a way to bring them down as soon as possible.

There were still over eighty years until the Feng Shen discussions at Zi Xiao Gong, and there was still a lot he could do before then.

Unbidden, a few questions arose in Li Changshou's mind...

Was Di Zang tricked by his master Jie Yin, or was the entire scheme under Jie Yin's control?

Had Yuan Shi Tian Zun and Tong Tian Jiao Zhu realized that a war between Jie Jiao and Chan Jiao was inevitable?

Yuan Shi Tian Zun had mentioned the "three friends," clearly recalling old affections from the past, but how much of that affection would fall upon Tong Tian Jiao Zhu's disciples?

Would Tai Yi Zhen Ren's mouth really trigger a civil war within the Daoist sect?

Li Changshou involuntarily yawned, feeling drowsiness wash over him, and a slight warning arose in his heart. He used the Empty Bright Dao Heart to verify from both sides and confirmed that the calamity destiny hadn't affected him.

It was probably due to the earlier ordeal of facing the saints, leaving his mind a bit fatigued.

'Divide the mind into regions and alternate rest,' he thought.

Li Changshou closed his eyes and entered a state of light slumber, with the great arrays of Xiao Qiong Peak fully charged and ready.

In a daze, Li Changshou seemed to have a dream.

In the dream, he saw a blood-red lotus flower absorbing turbid spiritual energy from a hazy mist.

The lotus had nine petals, but the tenth was slowly forming.

Li Changshou couldn't muster many thoughts; he was just "observing" the lotus, trying to decipher its message. Then, his vision blurred, and behind the lotus, the figure of a tall, thin old Daoist appeared.

The scene flashed by quickly, the lotus shattered, and Li Changshou's dream gradually faded.

Heavenly Dao rhythm?

Maintaining his Empty Bright state, Li Changshou keenly detected a wisp of Dao rhythm flowing away like a stream, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

He knew this was the Heavenly Dao giving him some kind of hint!

Combining this with the two previous instances where he had heard rumors that Ming He Old Ancestor might not be completely dead, this scene clearly suggested that Ming He Old Ancestor could revive soon.

After careful consideration, Li Changshou decided...

Not to accept this hint.

Dream visions that induce anxiety were common tactics of the Heavenly Dao.

If the Dao Ancestor Lord wanted to give a hint, he could just form a few characters directly, as he had done before by deferring it to combine with the next one.

At this point, Li Changshou could confirm that the Heavenly Dao was at least divided into three parts.

The first was the will of heaven and earth.

The second was the will of all living beings.

These two intertwined, based on the great Dao of the universe, giving birth to the Heavenly Dao, which was impartial, emotionless, and heartless, treating all things in the world equally, with the trend of evolution being the stability of heaven and earth.

The third was Dao Ancestor Hong Jun, who, after completing the Heavenly Dao, wasn't fully assimilated by it. Although he couldn't detach himself, he could greatly influence it in return.

The great calamity and destiny should be an evolution of the Heavenly Dao itself, with no direct connection to the Dao Ancestor.

Li Changshou could discern this so clearly because he had personally experienced the great calamity destiny, using it to eliminate Lu Ya Daoist, and during his recovery in the Hun Yuan Golden Bowl, the black shadow that appeared in his Dao heart was the original will of the Heavenly Dao projecting the calamity destiny.

It wasn't a living being but the will of the Heavenly Dao itself, overseeing him to avoid causing trouble and ensure the Feng Shen great calamity proceeded smoothly.

The Dao rhythm manifested when the Dao Ancestor sent him messages twice before was similar to the calamity destiny but slightly different.

Therefore, Li Changshou could be certain that the Heavenly Dao was trying to use him like a tool, deliberately giving this warning while his mind rested.

Why not just strike him with Purple Xiao Divine Thunder? That would be straightforward.

Li Changshou wouldn't take the risk; he'd stay home and cultivate peacefully.

If changes arose in the Blood Sea, he could take the opportunity to organize another gathering of Daoist experts from the three sects...

With Tai Yi Zhen Ren's mouth, what gathering couldn't be arranged?

That said, which part of the Heavenly Dao had decided to eliminate Senior Lang back then?

Li Changshou pondered carefully, but with the information he had, he couldn't draw a conclusion.

Yet, the answer to this question was incredibly important to him...

"Water God?! Water God!"

A sudden excited shout came from beside his ear.

Li Changshou quickly awoke, feeling refreshed and invigorated, his breathing smoother, and the mountain forest scenery even more pleasant.

He diverted part of his mind to the Water God Mansion in the Heavenly Court, activated a paper effigy, and glanced at its appearance in a bronze mirror.

White hair, white robe, slender face, benevolent and dignified with an air of maturity—it was his standard Water God persona.

Opening the door of the study, Li Changshou saw Qin Tianzhu's excited face and smiled.

"Marshal Qin, what's going on?"

—Earlier, after his trip to the underworld, His Majesty the Jade Emperor had rewarded him with a promotion to marshal rank.

Qin Tianzhu took a deep breath, eyes wide, and used all his strength to transmit two soft words:

"It's here!"

Li Changshou was a bit puzzled.

Qin Tianzhu slapped his thigh, grinning as he transmitted, "My junior sister—junior sister is pregnant!"

Li Changshou's eyes lit up, and he bowed with cupped hands, transmitting, "Congratulations to Your Majesty, felicitations to Your Majesty! This is a great joy!"

"Hehehe, hahahaha!"

Qin Tianzhu immediately threw back his head and laughed heartily, standing tall and imposing. "It's truly not easy! Both my junior sister and I are innate spirits, and now our Dao realms are quite advanced!"

Li Changshou gave a thumbs-up. "Your Majesty is full of vigor and brings blessings to all, so it's only right to have such good fortune."

As Qin Tianzhu laughed and Li Changshou offered congratulations, they created a somewhat bizarre silent scene, leaving the heavenly soldiers and generals in the Water God Mansion bewildered.

Soon after, Qin Tianzhu composed himself and called out loudly, summoning Li Changshou to the Ling Xiao Treasure Hall.

Li Changshou had thought the Jade Emperor would discuss promoting his divine position, but instead, the hall was sealed off, and they had a big drinking session.

In the end, the Jade Emperor passed out on the jade steps, and Li Changshou had no choice but to pretend to be drunk beside him.

From his previous life, Li Changshou knew:

Even if your tolerance was better than your superior's, you couldn't show it—otherwise, you'd either be pulled in to block drinks or cause annoyance.

Wang Mu's pregnancy aligned perfectly with the timing of the Seven Emotions Avatar's reincarnation.

Li Changshou broke into a cold sweat; if he hadn't personally sent the Seven Emotions Avatar to be reborn in the mortal world, he might have suspected some connection.

The Jade Emperor and Wang Mu didn't publicize the matter, but rumors spread in the Heavenly Court, with many record-keepers paying attention to movements in the Yao Pond, questioning any fairy they saw.

With such a major event, the usually idle affairs of the Heavenly Court were enough to stir the nerves of various immortals and gods.

Thus, ten months later,

There was no movement from Wang Mu's side, as the gestation period for innate spirits was different from mortals.

The woman that Li Changshou and Kong Xuan had found was about to give birth, so Li Changshou went secretly in his Water God form to Kong Xuan's place to provide protection.

Without any complications, the woman safely delivered a baby girl.

At that moment, the sky was filled with radiant clouds, clusters of auspicious vapors, and pink flower petals drifting over the city.

The baby girl didn't cry or fuss after birth; her big eyes observed everything around her, with a grass ring on her wrist. Even as a newborn, she was as exquisite as a jade carving, larger than an ordinary infant.

After the midwife received her reward and left, a heavenly immortal-level flying bird spirit, whom Kong Xuan had arranged in advance, stepped forward to care for her.

At this time, the memories and personalities of Xiao Ai and the others were still sealed and would awaken gradually as she grew, fully restoring to the original Seven Emotions Avatar by age sixteen.

This Dao body was personally created by Lady Niang Niang, providing seven vessels for the Seven Emotions' primordial spirits.

In the future, they could choose to take turns controlling this Dao body or coordinate to fight together seamlessly, without any sense of disconnection.

Before long, Kong Xuan in white robes and Li Changshou in green Daoist robes, along with several elegantly dressed immortal maidens, gathered by the bed to discuss.

Kong Xuan said, "Since she's the Seven Emotions Avatar, why not call her Seven Emotions?"

"No," Li Changshou replied. "Among the Seven Emotions, each avatar is relatively independent. Using one name to encompass them all wouldn't be fitting."

Kong Xuan laughed. "Then you name her."

"Great virtues like Lady Houtu bring benefits to all; she's the gentlest ancestor of the Wu Clan. The Seven Emotions Avatar is derived from her and fused with the seven emotions of all living beings. How about... Tie Dan Er?"

The room fell utterly silent.

The baby girl, who had been giggling foolishly, suddenly burst into tears, kicking her little legs as a faint aura of sorrow spread out.

Li Changshou smiled and said calmly,

"You seven are indeed already awake, so don't cause trouble. I won't give you such a name; I was just testing you.

This is the mortal world, where people value the seven emotions and six desires. Observe well here; if you need anything, you can always find me or Daoist Friend Kong Xuan. If you want to go somewhere, just let me know, and I'll arrange it.

But remember, if you use your divine powers to influence others and cause tragedies, I'll take you away from this colorful world and make you cultivate in the mountains."

The baby girl rolled her eyes slightly, yawned in her swaddling clothes, and fell asleep with her eyes closed.

Li Changshou smiled faintly, exchanged a glance with Kong Xuan, and left the room.

"Daoist Friend, I'll have to trouble you with this."

"On the contrary, I should thank you," Kong Xuan said seriously. "Whether it's looking after the Shang tribe or the reincarnated body of the Seven Emotions Avatar, it's all something that improves the destiny of my Phoenix Clan."

Li Changshou waved it off and laughed. "We're like family; no need for formalities. Since you and my senior brother are close, I'll naturally think of these benefits for you."

Kong Xuan's face softened with a gentle smile, then he sighed lightly. "Changshou, do you know? I've already decided on my yin and yang attributes, but I'm missing a strand of innate Xuan Yin energy as a catalyst."

Li Changshou asked quickly, "Where can we find that?"

"In the Chaos Sea," Kong Xuan replied, "or on the Tai Yin Star."

"Oh? The Tai Yin Star?"

Li Changshou pondered for a moment and smiled. "In that case, I'll make a trip to the Tai Yin Star and see if I can help you."

Kong Xuan felt a bit embarrassed and, after thinking it over, asked softly, "Do you have any tasks that need me to handle? It doesn't sit right with me to just receive your favors."

"Hey!"

Li Changshou flicked his sleeve, gazed into the distance where stars twinkled, and said solemnly,

"Without Senior Brother Xuan Du, I wouldn't be where I am today.

In my heart, I only hope that Senior Brother can live peacefully, with a suitable Dao companion by his side, wandering freely beyond the mortal dust and roaming the world at ease.

For now, I can only call you Daoist Friend, but one day, I still want to call you... Senior Sister."

Kong Xuan was startled, and she too gazed at the horizon, her eyes full of tranquility, lost in thought for a long time.

Li Changshou: ...

False matchmaking is just spouting lines like "love is a light, so green it makes you panic," or "I've got a shovel, I can dig up any wall corner."

True matchmaking focuses on the senior brother, painting a beautiful future for the admiring Kong Xuan, stirring her expectations, and then assuring her of full support to make it happen!

That's how Li Changshou repays his debts!

Hmm, later he'll think of a way to stabilize Wen Jing, so she can steadily work for Ren Jiao while also giving her more hope for the future.

Senior Brother, that's all your junior brother can do—these trivial matters.

"Tsk tsk..."

On the walls of Xuan Du City, the sleeping Xuan Du Great Mage couldn't help but turn over, pinch his nose, and continue his comfortable slumber.

Far away in the Chaos Sea, gray mists rose and fell, but those annoying extraterrestrial demons and outer beings were nowhere to be seen.

In a remote corner of the Blood Sea, the scene Li Changshou had dreamed about ten months ago was playing out.

Now, that blood lotus had formed eleven petals, with the twelfth taking shape as an outline and shadow, gathering the resentment, hatred, malice, and killing intent of all living beings, condensing boundless karma.

Behind the blood lotus, the figure of the old Daoist had become extremely faint.

Right then!

This dim realm was suddenly illuminated by purple light, waves of purple thunder surging like mad tides, instantly engulfing the blood lotus!

But after the thunder passed, the blood lotus remained unharmed, though the old Daoist behind it had vanished.

The boundless karma accumulated in the Blood Sea gathered once more, and in the center of the lotus, a pale white flame rose.

It was eerie, yet undisturbed.