Chapter 530: Water Floods the Sea God Temple

Where has A Niu gone?

Li Changshou pursued him out of Nanhai, flying into the Sanqian Shijie, and continued his search through the void, passing by over a dozen Daqian Shijie along the way.

The more the Huangjin Rope in his hand lifted, the closer he was getting to Qingniu.

“Is this a leisurely trip, or some kind of honeymoon?”

Li Changshou furrowed his brow slightly, feeling a mix of unease in his heart.

What if, when he found the old ox, the silver-haired girl Tieshan was holding a baby in swaddling clothes, while Qingniu stood by grinning and fanning the air gently with a Bajiao Fan?

As these thoughts crossed his mind, the Huangjin Rope trembled lightly.

Li Changshou looked up and saw a cluster of lights in the distance with his naked eye. Upon closer sensing, he realized it was a bustling world teeming with life.

He used an escape technique to approach stealthily, tying the Huangjin Rope around his wrist to prevent it from flying out and binding Qingniu on its own if they met.

After all, he didn't want to interrupt Qingniu's affairs.

But Li Changshou never imagined that when he finally located Qingniu, the ox was actually...

About to make a mistake!

Most Daqian Shijie were places where immortals and mortals mingled, and this one was no different. The city where Qingniu was located was divided into upper and lower sections: above was a magnificent “Immortal Island,” with towering pavilions and halls forming its own immortal city.

Below the island was a lake that mirrored its outline, surrounded by rows of densely packed houses that bustled with activity.

By the time Li Changshou arrived, it was already nighttime.

In the upper immortal city, the streets of flower houses glowed with colorful lanterns, and waves of music drifted out. Various grand isolation arrays and protective arrays shimmered with immortal light, obscuring the crescent moon that hung like a subtle arch in a woman's brow.

He transformed himself into a middle-aged Daoist, landed outside the immortal city, held an immortal treasure fan, paid a bit of spirit stones, and entered smoothly, heading toward the flower house where Qingniu was.

What on earth was going on?

Using his immortal sense, Li Changshou detected that Qingniu had taken human form, with horns on his head and dressed in a long robe, sitting in a private room of the flower house and drinking heavily.

In front of him, over a dozen beautifully adorned women danced gracefully, each quite attractive and with cultivation at the Yuanxian Realm...

Tonight's expenses were surely not cheap.

Li Changshou couldn't help but wonder in his heart.

Had Qingniu fallen out with Tieshan? Or had Tieshan met another ox first? Or maybe the couple had argued, and Qingniu had come here in anger to drown his sorrows?

Li Changshou found a simple teahouse and secretly observed Qingniu for a while, realizing that Qingniu was indeed drowning his sorrows—the ox hadn't even glanced at the dozen or so fairy-like women in front of him.

“Ah...”

Qingniu sighed softly, looking at the two small Bajiao Fans in his palm, his eyes full of melancholy, and murmured:

“Little Fanzi, what did I do wrong? Why did you suddenly want to drive me away?”

Li Changshou sighed inwardly, knowing that this old ox had likely been heartbroken and come to this place to indulge himself, only to find that no other women caught his eye or touched his heart.

A stone-hearted, devoted ox.

So, Li Changshou didn't reveal himself directly; he just watched from the sidelines for a bit.

After half an hour, the women, eager to earn their keep, stopped dancing and gathered around Qingniu.

Two courtesan fairies called out sweetly, “Great King,” and tried to lean into his arms, but Qingniu frowned, hesitated for a moment as if to open his arms, then suddenly leaped back, leaving them to miss their mark.

Drunk without the wine, he swayed a little, tossed a treasure pouch from his sleeve, and said with a wrinkle in his brow:

“All of you, leave. I want to be alone... And don't call me Great King—I'm not a demon clan.”

The group of fairies, professional as ever, asked no questions, bowed their heads, and hurried out, leaving only the words: “Call us anytime you need.”

Once the door closed, Qingniu sighed again, sat back in his original spot, and stared blankly at the cups and plates before him.

After a while, he murmured: “I should go back.”

He started to rise, but a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes.

“But why did Little Fanzi want to drive me away? What did I do wrong?”

He sighed deeply again, gazing at the two Bajiao Fans in his palm, lost in thought for a long time.

“If only Changgeng Shixiong were here...”

“What's the matter?”

A warm voice sounded beside him, making Qingniu startle. He jumped up with a “thud,” his thick brows and wide eyes full of shock as he looked toward the window.

There, a green bird spread its wings and flew in, wrapped in a wisp of innate yin-yang energy that allowed it to merge effortlessly into the surrounding arrays, transforming into the figure of a young Daoist standing before Qingniu.

This aura, this Dao rhythm, and the familiar power of the Taiji Chart!

“Changgeng Shixiong!”

Qingniu let out a howl and lunged forward in two steps, dropping to the ground and hugging Li Changshou's paper Daoist's legs, bursting into sobs.

Li Changshou: ...

As the mount of Laojun, what kind of decorum was this?

“Shixiong, what's happened to you?” Li Changshou sighed gently and said, “Life always has its share of dissatisfactions, and it's the same for oxen.”

“Then can you help me?”

Li Changshou replied helplessly: “Shixiong, I'm here to take you back.”

“Then can you help me?”

Qingniu looked up at Li Changshou, his big eyes brimming with tears, even the Vajra Bracelet disguised as a nose ring now smeared with snot.

“I...”

Li Changshou couldn't help but press his hand to his forehead and sigh: “Of course I'll help you. Get up first and tell me what happened.”

Qingniu perked up instantly, sprang to his feet, turned to grab a wooden chair from the side, and invited Li Changshou to sit.

“Don't bother,” Li Changshou lifted the hem of his Daoist robe and sat down in front of Qingniu. “What exactly happened?”

“Well,” Qingniu sighed, “I'm not entirely sure myself. After leaving the Blood Sea, I just accompanied her to wander around and clear her mind. We went from the East Sea to the West Sea, then from the West Sea to Nanhai, and finally out into the Sanqian Shijie.

All along the way, we got along really well. I started calling her Little Fanzi, and she began calling me Little Niuniu...”

“Pfft!”

Qingniu's face turned red, and he said shyly, “Changgeng Shixiong, don't laugh!”

“I was just thinking of something amusing,” Li Changshou waved it off. “And then?”

“Then, nothing much else,” Qingniu sighed. “Her mood was up and down, but she was always quite gentle. Whenever we saw some scenery, it would stir her emotions.

I was worried she might do something rash, so I stayed by her side the whole time, until about two years ago...

We were at a snowy mountain, admiring the snow and spending a wonderful night together.

Uh, sorry, Shixiong, I forgot you're still at the 'proper etiquette' stage with Yunxiao Xianzi.”

Li Changshou's forehead twitched with a vein, and he suddenly felt like leaving right then.

Forget it—for the sake of Laojun's convenience, he'd endure it.

Li Changshou said: “I asked why you're here today and how you argued with Tieshan, not about how far your relationship went.”

“Oh, right.”

Qingniu scratched his head awkwardly and said in a low voice: “I really don't know why. We were getting along so peacefully, wandering and stopping in the Daqian Shijie, staying wherever we liked.

But yesterday, at a lakeside cottage where we'd lived for half a year, I made some grilled fish and was about to call her to try it, when she suddenly...”

“What happened?”

Qingniu sighed and looked down: “She said I entered the door with my left foot, that we're not fated, and that was the end of it.”

“Hmm?”

Li Changshou's face was full of question marks, but then he thought of some possibilities. “Is she still at that cottage?”

“No,” Qingniu said softly. “She scolded me and told me not to bother her, then flew off on her own.”

“The Yuan Tu Jian is with you?”

“Yes,” Qingniu pulled a sheathed sword from his sleeve, its cold killing aura flowing—it was undoubtedly the Yuan Tu Jian.

Li Changshou's expression changed, and he said in a low voice: “This is getting complicated.”

“Wh-what's wrong?”

Li Changshou rolled up his sleeve to reveal the Huangjin Rope, shook off Qingniu's aura from it, and said quickly: “I'll explain on the way. First, infuse Tieshan's aura into this!”

“Okay,” Qingniu's face turned serious as he activated the Huangjin Rope. Its tassel swayed gently, pointing southwest.

“Let's go!”

Li Changshou urged in a low voice, grabbed Qingniu's arm, and used Wind Escape to dash out.

Clearly, the excuse about the left foot was suspicious!

From Qingniu's description, their relationship was deeply affectionate. Tieshan wouldn't have acted this way unless something unexpected happened.

The best evidence was the Yuan Tu Jian in Qingniu's hands.

From Li Changshou's perspective, Tieshan's actions might stem from two reasons:

Either she was still troubled by her inner demons and wanted to end it all alone;

Or she had suddenly sensed a powerful enemy approaching, with immense pressure possibly from the Asura clan or Western Teach.

The latter was more likely.

Based on Tieshan's personality, it was probably that she had fallen into a dark train of thought, not wanting to involve Qingniu, and ignoring his formidable strength, so she sent him away to face it herself.

Fortunately, although Qingniu had come to the flower house to wallow, he had only drunk and watched the dances without actually crossing any lines.

They sped through the wind and chaos, heading straight into the outer heavens.

At first, Li Changshou used Wind Escape to carry Qingniu, but once Qingniu snapped out of it, he transformed into his true form and let Li Changshou ride him, charging through the void and breaking open the cosmos.

Qingniu muttered anxiously: “Little Fanzi, please don't let anything happen to you. It's all my fault for being so stupid and letting you go alone.”

Li Changshou comforted him: “Don't worry. Good people have their own fortunes, and she's tied to our Renjiao by karma. The great sect's destiny will protect her.”

“What if something happens to her?”

Qingniu's words grew urgent, his cow eyes glowing brightly as his nose ring flew up and four white clouds formed under his feet.

Whoosh!

His speed surged again, his iron-like body rippling through the cosmos with layers of waves!

How could the mount of a saint be just steady and reliable?

In less than half an hour, the Huangjin Rope trembled lightly, and Qingniu braked sharply, nearly missing a small world.

“It's here!”

Li Changshou said firmly. Qingniu reverted to human form, grabbed Li Changshou's paper Daoist, and plunged into this small world with its five elements, landing in a valley at its edge.

Before they even touched down, their immortal sense had already spotted the scene deep in the valley.

Tieshan knelt among a few peach blossom trees, a stone tablet before her engraved with a small Bajiao Fan, as if it were her own tombstone.

She sat amid the blooming peach flowers, combing her silver hair, dressed in her favorite immortal skirt.

“Little Fanzi!”

Qingniu roared, released Li Changshou's arm, and rushed down.

Li Changshou shook his head at the sight, concealed his aura, and didn't hurry to follow.

Tieshan, lost in thought before the tablet, was startled and looked up, her lips quivering as she said:

“Why did you come here!”

“I'm here to get to the bottom of this,” Qingniu's burly form landed among the peach blossoms, stirring up a gust that scattered petals everywhere. “Do you really hate me that much?”

“Yes,” Tieshan turned her head away, suppressing her emotions as she said coldly, “I'm sick to death of you. You're always clinging to me!”

Qingniu rushed to her side, his face flushed with agitation.

“You're lying! If you really hated me, why engrave that fan on the tablet!”

Tieshan's pretty face tensed, but her eyes gradually reddened. In the end, she couldn't hold back and said softly:

“Why did you have to find me? I've been content with our carefree days together, and now it's time to settle the scores.

I betrayed my clan and my teachers...

I deserve to die here...”

“Nonsense!”

Qingniu bent down, pulled her up roughly but without much force, and stared into her eyes. “You saved your clan!

If not for you pleading with Changgeng Shixiong, the Asura clan would have been wiped out by the Heavenly Troops and the Underworld!”

“It's not the same,” Tieshan lowered her head, murmuring with tears streaming like broken pearls. “And none of that matters now—she's already coming.

Back when the Yuan Tu Jian fell into Western Teach's hands and they refused to return it, I was ordered to go to Western Teach to take charge of it, joining as a princess of the Asura clan.

But now, I've betrayed them and given the Yuan Tu Jian to Renjiao...

By their rules, I won't meet a good end. You don't know how ruthless they are—Western Teach hides so many experts, so many Hong Meng ferocious beasts.

She's almost here. Please go—this is my debt to them!”

Qingniu pressed his lips tightly and held Tieshan firmly in his arms, his muscles bulging.

“Whoever wants to harm you has to go through me first!”

Tieshan cried: “You're no match for them. Why are you being so foolish? Just leave...”

“If I'm not enough, there's still...”

“Ha.”

Qingniu's words were cut off as a gentle yet chilling laugh echoed through the valley.

Darkness fell over a radius of a thousand miles, and cold winds swept in. Qingniu tensed up, holding Tieshan tighter, his nostrils flaring with white smoke as his fighting spirit ignited!

Bolts of blue-white lightning streaked across the valley, casting three ferocious shadows on the eastern, southern, and northern mountain walls.

But both Qingniu and Tieshan turned to the west, where Qingniu's expression grew solemn, sensing a faint pressure.

There, among the jagged rocks, a graceful figure slowly approached.

Dressed in blood-red robes that made her lips look like flames, with cascading black hair accentuating her flawless figure, she walked lightly three feet above the ground, her phoenix eyes narrowed and a faint smile on her lips.

Qingniu released Tieshan and stepped in front of her, facing the figure directly.

Tieshan's legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground, her eyes full of despair as she murmured:

“Aunt Wen, please don't hurt him—it's all my fault...”

The newcomer was Wen Jing, the great leader of the Hong Meng ferocious beasts in Western Teach.

“Heh.”

Wen Jing Daoist's smile was alluring, and another thunderbolt struck the sky, revealing pairs of black wings flecked with gold behind her.

“How long has it been since you left the Blood Sea, and you've already forgotten your origins and your clan's plight, picking up human ways?

This man has decent cultivation—it'd be a shame to waste him here. I wonder what his blood essence tastes like.”

At the same time, shadows appeared from the three sides: two men and one woman, three more Hong Meng ferocious beasts.

One of them said coldly: “Leader, there's no point in talking. Retrieving the Yuan Tu Jian is what matters.”

Qingniu said firmly: “You’re the ferocious beasts raised by Western Teach?”

“Using the word 'raised' is a bit offensive,” Wen Jing Daoist chuckled, her gaze falling on Tieshan, as if deliberately or casually, and she asked Qingniu about his background.

“And what about you? What's your origin? Care to introduce yourself?”

Qingniu's nostrils flared slightly. He reached up, yanked off his nose ring, and his aura began to skyrocket. His body grew to three zhang tall, enveloped in green flames.

Just then, a light laugh came from the air as the white-haired, white-browed elder appeared out of nowhere, descending on a cloud with the Dao rhythm of equilibrium flowing around him.

Wen Jing Daoist and the other three ferocious beasts paled instantly.

Li Changshou's gaze swept over Wen Jing Daoist and the three beasts beside her, his smile warm as he said:

“Hello, everyone. Meeting in such a remote place must be fate.

Finally, I have another reason to make things difficult for Ling Shan.”

Qingniu's deep, resonant voice followed, answering Wen Jing Daoist's question:

“I'm the ox from Doushu Gong, raised by Laojun!”