Chapter 524: Roll, Dark Waves

A cup of tea and a word of reproach might seem like Ran Deng was simply being petty, but in the face-conscious Hong Huang, this could indeed serve as a legitimate excuse to stir up trouble. It was still a very reasonable excuse.

Yet, as Ran Deng was just uttering the phrase "but with deliberate intent" to build momentum for his challenge, a flash of green light accompanied by arcs of electricity streaked through the air. The star of the day, Tai Bai Jin Xing, who was about to be promoted to a second-tier orthodox god, and the Tian Ting Water God Li Changgeng, appeared directly in front of Ran Deng. Without a word, he shielded Long Ji behind him and sarcastically retorted, forcefully escalating the confrontation.

At that moment, the numerous immortals inside and outside the hall mostly felt that this Tian Ting authority figure was being overly domineering and completely disregarding the face of the Chan Jiao deputy leader. Of course, most immortals assumed that Tian Ting's Li Changgeng and Ran Deng Dao Ren were inherently at odds, with deep personal grudges, leading to this public clash. Two words: overbearing!

But a few immortals, upon careful thought and reflection, realized the matter was not so straightforward. As for the elegant female immortal behind the Water God, aside from her status as a Tian Ting princess, she was at least at the late Tian Xian realm, not far from Jin Xian, with a solid Dao foundation and a harmonious aura—how could she fail to hold a cup of tea steady?

At this point, depending on each immortal's understanding of the situation and their knowledge of Ran Deng Dao Ren, as well as the depth of their consideration, opinions could be divided into three, four, or even five layers. Those considering the third layer believed this was Ran Deng acting out of personal grudges, deliberately trying to intimidate the Water God and Tian Ting. Those at the fourth layer thought it might be someone else's scheme, aiming to worsen relations between Chan Jiao and Tian Ting. Immortals who could reach the fifth layer were rare as phoenix feathers—mostly senior disciples of Jie Jiao who knew Ran Deng's loyalties had shifted, or a few elite experts from Chan Jiao—they felt Ran Deng was intentionally undermining Yu Di of Tian Ting, using this as an opportunity to cause chaos.

But Li Changgeng was different... He saw it from the negative third layer.

Stripping away the surface, the core issue here was troublesome—who should the daughter of the current Tian Di occupy in the Tian Dao sequence? Long Ji held no divine position and was merely a wandering immortal in Tian Ting. Yu Di was unlike earthly emperors; his heirs had no legitimate claim to the throne, as the Tian Di was appointed by Dao Zu, or rather, by Tian Dao itself. In this context, Long Ji's situation was somewhat awkward.

In the original tribulation, Long Ji was demoted to the mortal world for a lapse in etiquette at a Pan Tao banquet. Later, she was schemed against by Fu Yuan Xian Weng—that old fellow who is now gone—and forcibly betrothed to her defeated enemy Hong Jin. In the subsequent great battle, both she and Hong Jin perished, with a wisp of her primordial spirit ascending to the Feng Shen list. From a free spirit to a god on the list.

When Li Changgeng first plotted the Feng Shen events, he had two guesses about Long Ji's story. First, it might have been Yu Di's intention, using Long Ji's sacrifice to demonstrate his impartiality on behalf of Tian Dao, thereby establishing his authority and consolidating his position in the rapidly expanding Tian Ting divine system after the great tribulation. Second, Long Ji could have been targeted by others, with someone using her to smear Yu Di.

But after ascending to Tian Ting... As his understanding of Yu Di deepened, Li Changgeng directly dismissed the first idea and became certain that someone had deliberately targeted Long Ji to trouble Yu Di. Now that Fu Yuan Xian Weng was dead, Li Changgeng had thought Long Ji's storyline had been altered, but unexpectedly, Ran Deng had jumped in... It was truly hard to guard against.

On his way here, Li Changgeng had fully calculated and analyzed three different "plot development paths," quickly grasping the key points. If he had chosen a relatively mild approach, Ran Deng might have temporarily held his tongue, but that spilled tea on his robe would become ammunition for later attacks. In fact, with just a word or two from one or two immortals or gods, Ran Deng could launch a full assault. If Ran Deng was determined to cause trouble today, he would surely question Long Ji's position in Tian Ting and further challenge whether Tian Ting truly upheld the impartial ideals of Tian Dao. It was all a routine. If Yu Di fell into such a trap, he might severely punish Long Ji and then feel inwardly frustrated.

So Li Changgeng stepped forward directly, standing in front of Ran Deng. With just two simple sentences, he classified Long Ji as his disciple, a grand-disciple of Tai Qing Dao, effectively removing her from the Tian Ting system. What was wrong with his own disciple wandering in Tian Ting and assisting him with affairs? This not only blocked Ran Deng's future excuses but was also the first point. Secondly, Li Changgeng took the opportunity to promote Ran Deng as the deputy leader, explaining that his disdain for Ran Deng stemmed from Ran Deng stirring up conflicts between Chan Jiao and Jie Jiao, thereby preserving Chan Jiao's face.

Beyond that, Li Changgeng had even deeper considerations. Yu Di's temperament. Li Changgeng had been observing and understanding Yu Di all along, as Yu Di was the being closest to Tian Dao, and from this, he had gained many insights. Ever since Yu Di leaped into the East Sea eye, Li Changgeng had worried whether Yu Di's temperament might be influenced by Tian Dao, gradually changing. The current Yu Di, dressed in white robes, bore the responsibilities of a Tian Di, with grand aspirations to establish a fair order in the three realms, protect the weak, and restrain the strong. Li Changgeng somewhat resisted the idea of Yu Di donning divine robes, his eyes losing their warmth and becoming numb, mechanically enforcing heavenly laws and growing indifferent to all living beings...

From this perspective, Li Changgeng could not allow Long Ji to be schemed against. Before Ran Deng could elaborate, directly flipping the table and protecting Long Ji was the most secure method. This was not underestimating Ran Deng as the "Ancient Buddha," nor abandoning his usual principles. Stability was etched into his marrow and must be upheld unwaveringly for ten thousand years!

Every action has pros and cons, and perfection is rare. Li Changgeng's handling of this also had drawbacks. After all, it was a strategy decided on the spot, so imperfections were to be expected. What were the drawbacks? At this moment, Li Changgeng was essentially bullying Ran Deng Dao Ren in full view of everyone; Ran Deng had only asked a question without directly attacking Long Ji, making it easy for him to play the victim and boost his own prestige.

Thoughts raced through his mind as Li Changgeng observed Ran Deng's reaction, while Long Ji behind him was still somewhat dazed. Publicly slapped in the face, Ran Deng's expression inevitably turned somewhat cold. But Ran Deng's depth and scheming were on full display, exactly as Li Changgeng had anticipated... he began to play the victim.

Ran Deng Dao Ren sighed deeply and said slowly: "I never thought that the Water God would have such deep prejudices against me. I was favored by Yu Qing Sheng Ren and appointed as deputy leader of Chan Jiao, and all I seek is the prosperity of Chan Jiao. I have never intentionally targeted the Water God or Jie Jiao. The doctrines of Chan Jiao and Jie Jiao differ, and conflicts have existed since ancient times—this is not my doing. Perhaps the Water God, due to personal attachments and closeness to Jie Jiao, holds some bias."

Li Changgeng thought to himself: ...He had still underestimated this guy's thick skin.

At this point, he needed to navigate around the traps in the other's words. Li Changgeng smiled and said: "Right and wrong lie in the hearts of people. Has Deputy Leader Ran Deng come today solely to oppose me? I know you have always held some opinions against me, but today is a special occasion approved by His Majesty Yu Di, inviting so many renowned figures from Hong Huang to witness my promotion to a divine rank. If Deputy Leader Ran Deng is deliberately stirring up trouble, it seems you do not regard Tian Ting or my Ren Jiao highly. If that's the case, I truly might have to go and complain to my second shishu."

Ran Deng's eyes narrowed, and he said indifferently: "Today, I came to congratulate the Water God on his divine promotion and will say no more. The misunderstandings between us will be resolved in due time. Perhaps as someone not of the Dao Men and not cultivating the saints' great Dao, I lack a sense of belonging to Dao Men, but my teacher showed me great kindness in ancient times, and I am devoted to Chan Jiao's interests."

If unaware of the "Ancient Buddha" matter, Li Changgeng felt he might have believed it. Unfortunately, the gazes of the surrounding immortals and gods toward Ran Deng mostly carried admiration and respect. This was the price of strongly protecting Long Ji.

Li Changgeng flicked his dust whisk and left with a parting shot: "I hope Deputy Leader Ran Deng's words match his actions," before leading Long Ji away to the side.

At this point, Long Ji vaguely understood the key issues. Having just completed her "maturation retreat," she looked at Li Changgeng's back with a touch of gratitude in her eyes. While Li Changgeng exchanged greetings with the experts from Chan Jiao and Jie Jiao, Long Ji lightly touched her forehead, silently scolding herself for being useless.

Just then, Li Changgeng's voice transmission entered Long Ji's ear: "Later, no matter who asks, just say it was a momentary slip of the hand. You may only tell His Majesty Yu Di and Queen Mother the full details. If my guess is correct, you were briefly distracted just now. Go prepare another cup of tea. Since I have accepted you as my disciple today, I will formally bring you into the Ren Jiao lineage here. Don't think about anything else; everything is under your master's protection."

Long Ji was startled, her fair face flushing with excitement. She bowed to Li Changgeng and hurried away with her head down.

By now, Li Changgeng had smoothly become the most eye-catching figure in the hall. With a few greetings of "fellow Daoist" and bows, he completely glossed over the earlier incident with Ran Deng. He exchanged glances with Yun Xiao, sharing a smile as they exchanged courtesies. He then chatted and laughed with the personal disciples of Jie Jiao and Chan Jiao, using his own efforts to slightly bridge the divide between the clearly separated immortals of the two sects.

Li Changgeng recalled various opening speeches, school addresses, and wedding emcee lines from his previous life and spoke loudly: "Thank you all, fellow Daoists, for coming despite your busy schedules. I, Changgeng, am deeply grateful! My good fortune today is due to my teacher's guidance, the care of my two shishus, the trust His Majesty Yu Di has always given me, and the support of my fellow brothers and sisters from Chan Jiao and Jie Jiao. From its establishment in ancient times to now, Tian Ting has been led by His Majesty Yu Di, who cares for all beings in heaven and earth, attends to the sufferings of immortals and mortals, and upholds the impartial ideals of Tian Dao. He has worked tirelessly to bring Tian Ting to its current state of impending prosperity. I, Changgeng, hope that all fellow Daoists will join Tian Ting in prosperity, letting the light of righteousness shine across the vast Hong Huang!"

Echoes of agreement came from around, all exchanging polite and complimentary words. Afterward, Li Changgeng moved about, first greeting each of the saints' personal disciples, then chatting briefly with his own people from Ren Jiao. At this gathering, it was inconvenient to remind Du E Zhen Ren to guard his words, so they simply exchanged courtesies and addressed each other as fellow disciples.

When Li Changgeng returned to Yun Xiao's side after making his rounds, just as he was about to share a few intimate words with her to ease the awkwardness from their last interruption by a certain "River God," Tai Yi Zhen Ren approached with his arms folded, bumping shoulders with Li Changgeng and laughing: "Why is Tian Ting so stingy? No wine banquet or dances arranged? How about inviting Heng E Xian Zi to perform a dance?"

Li Changgeng thought: ...Looking for trouble, this rascal?

Though annoyed, Li Changgeng maintained his smile and replied: "I don't know the exact arrangements; it was decided by Mu Gong. There should be a banquet later at Yao Chi inviting all the senior brothers and sisters. This place is just for inviting immortals and gods to witness the ceremony. It seems His Majesty Yu Di has summoned quite a few immortals and gods."

Tai Yi Zhen Ren muttered: "No wonder I don't see the Dragon Clan or the underworld here." Then he added, "What powers come with being a second-tier orthodox god?"

Li Changgeng laughed: "It's just serving Tian Dao; there's no talk of specific powers."

Tai Yi Zhen Ren blinked and shook his head: "Then forget it. I was thinking of having Ling Zhu Zi take a position in Tian Ting; he seems to like the atmosphere here."

"Where's Ling Zhu Zi today?"

"He said he was preparing a gift for you and went to see his good buddy earlier. He should show up when it's time for the presentation." Tai Yi Zhen Ren curled his lip and sighed: "It's something I never expected—my disciple turning his elbow outward... Apprentices grow up and leave, I suppose."

"It's probably related to character and demeanor," Li Changgeng said with a wink, then lightly chuckled and walked to the side.

Tai Yi Zhen Ren chuckled lightly, not upset, and turned to chat with the Chan Jiao immortals. Around Ran Deng, several Chan Jiao immortals had gathered. After all, in this public setting, even if Chan Jiao was divided into factions privately, they couldn't show it openly. The Jie Jiao fairy maidens were the most striking, but their aura when grouped together was so strong that it kept other immortals at a distance of about ten zhang.

Only Li Changgeng could blend in naturally, exchanging a few voice transmissions with Yun Xiao Xian Zi to resolve the earlier awkwardness. Yun Xiao advised: "There are many guests here today, so don't linger in one place too long. Though reputation is just fleeting clouds and water, these immortals have come to celebrate you. Don't neglect them and cause any discontent."

"Ah, yes," Li Changgeng replied obediently, then bowed with his dust whisk. "I will follow the immortal's guidance and continue mingling."

Yun Xiao's eyes held a hint of playful reproach, while Qiong Xiao and Bi Xiao covered their mouths and giggled. The sisters' movements and expressions were quite similar, and in their carefully adorned states, they were a beautiful sight.

As Li Changgeng turned to attend to the guests, Jin Ling Sheng Mu said: "Gong Ming... Zhao Gong Ming will arrive a bit later; he's on his way back from the three thousand worlds."

"Thank you for the reminder, senior sister," Li Changgeng replied with a smile, a spark of curiosity in his heart, though he didn't betray Zhao Gong Ming.

After circling the hall twice, Ao Yi hurried over and reported two matters to Li Changgeng. The first was about today's proceedings. As Li Changgeng had mentioned, this place was for the proclamation of the decree. Once it was read, a banquet would be held here to entertain the immortals and gods. Then, Li Changgeng could invite the Dao Men experts to Yao Chi for the feast, where Yu Di and Queen Mother would appear, along with Tian Ting's civil and military officials, the Four Seas Dragon Palace, the underworld's Yan Jun, and representatives from the Immortal Alliance, all waiting at Yao Chi.

Li Changgeng thought for a moment and voice-transmitted to Ao Yi: "Don't invite Ran Deng. Later, we'll use the unified excuse that it's a banquet for the Dao Men saints' disciples."

"Yes!" Ao Yi agreed immediately.

The second matter concerned Long Ji. Long Ji had already rushed back to Yao Chi to change into formal attire and inform Queen Mother about her formal apprenticeship. Queen Mother had sent someone to ask if the ceremony could be arranged at the grand banquet to make it more splendid. Li Changgeng naturally agreed, though he pondered in his heart how Long Ji might enter the tribulation in the future. Regardless of other factors, as the daughter of the Tian Di, if no one schemed against her, she likely wouldn't be forced into a marriage with a defeated enemy just because of "fate." If no one pushed the idea that "Zhou's rise is Tian Dao's mandate" and forcibly labeled Chan Jiao and Jie Jiao as righteous or evil, Long Ji probably wouldn't die in the great sects' conflicts, with a wisp of her primordial spirit on the Feng Shen list.

This was quite crucial. Li Changgeng clearly sensed that there were still undercurrents stirring today. Di Zang's congratulatory message had appeared out of nowhere, and as for Western Teachings this time, it was unclear whether they came to celebrate or cause trouble.

Rumble—

As he thought this, thunder suddenly rumbled outside the hall, and auspicious clouds gathered in the sky, with Tian Dao's power growing denser. A procession descended slowly from the heavens, led by two rows of golden-armored war gods, followed by Dong Mu Gong in splendid robes, stepping on the clouds with a golden, radiant Tian Di decree in his left hand.

Finally, the main event had arrived.

Just as Dong Mu Gong appeared, holding the Tian Di decree, in a certain corner of Tian Ting, in a residence, the closed-eyed Yu Di incarnation, the Tian Ting general Qin Tian Zhu, suddenly had his eyelids tremble slightly. Since this incarnation had been exposed, Yu Di hadn't used it much. But adhering to the principle of "resolutely not admitting it," Yu Di hadn't dissolved it but kept it secluded in the residence, planning to patch it up later for reuse as a fifth incarnation.

At this moment, Qin Tian Zhu, who shouldn't have awakened, suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp with golden light.

"Who dares intrude upon Tian Ting!"

A light laugh was heard, and from under a tree in the courtyard corner, a faint figure gradually solidified—it was a slightly plump man in patched robes, his face somewhat blurred. He bowed and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, forgive me. I have come uninvited and hidden my presence, only to see you smoothly today..." In his heart, this person sighed lightly. Di Zang had truly been suppressed by the Water God. Why go through the Water God for negotiations with Tian Ting?

"Your Majesty, may I have half an incense stick's time... Your Majesty?"

Qin Tian Zhu closed his eyes, and his form suddenly shattered, turning into a pile of golden sand that scattered in the wind.

In the Yao Chi throne, Yu Di opened his eyes, a slight curl at the corner of his mouth, and continued enjoying the dance before him, his eyes carrying a hint of amusement. These Western Teachings fools were truly naive, secretly seeking out his discarded incarnation. What if that made his dear Changgeng misunderstand? Not even a proper request for an audience—they were still living in a dream, directly coming to negotiate... Did they think Tong Ming Hall was for show, Tian Ting's divine positions useless, and him, Yu Di, some mountain bandit?

Beside him, Queen Mother asked softly: "Why is Your Majesty smiling?"

"It's just some trivial matters," Yu Di said with narrowed eyes and a light laugh, utterly content.