Chapter 538: Two Religions in Action

Nüwa Niangniang also instructed me to visit the Shengmu Palace, and I should head there as soon as possible.

With this in mind, Li Changshou emerged from the earth vein, withdrew the yin and yang energies left by the Taiji Tu, and quietly entered the compound grand array of Xiaoqiong Peak, making his way to the secret chamber.

The task personally assigned by Daozu had been analyzed by him for three months, leading to one very useful conclusion.

Speculation was futile.

The struggles at that level had already surpassed even the games played by saints.

The information he had was far too limited; he had only heard Daozu recount events from the past, and jumping in recklessly meant no one could predict what might happen.

The incarnation of Pangu's lingering will felt like a massive trap.

Daozu appeared to leave the choice of 'kill' or 'protect' in his hands, but in reality, Daozu had already made a biased decision—seek stability.

Li Changshou sighed lightly.

If he hadn't even thought of that, then all those years in the Honghuang had been wasted.

The bad news was that he had become a blade in Daozu's hand.

The good news was that Daozu would moderately protect him when he was useful.

What he needed to do was become stronger in the shortest time possible—at least gain the ability to survive in the Chaotic Sea—and create a backup plan.

Many things in the world originally had no backup plans, but after seeking stability enough times, one could create them.

After three months of contemplation, Li Changshou's final decision brought him back to the starting point—

Cling desperately to Teacher Taiqing's thigh!

All future actions would revolve around Teacher Taiqing!

This was because Li Changshou had discovered that Daozu seemed to harbor some wariness toward his own saintly teacher.

If he stripped the emotions from the message Daozu had told him and restored it to some extent, what story could he piece together?

In ancient times, there had been an unknown competition between 'the Honghuang's friend of women, Lang Qianqiu' and 'the great winner of the primordial era, Hongjun Daozu'.

The goal of the competition was to see who could first attain dao through strength and reach the level of Pangu God.

Regardless of whether Lang Qianqiu had truly gone mad, he must have mobilized all the vast resources he had accumulated from the primordial to ancient times, getting ahead of Daozu on this path.

Daozu, for reasons not fully clear—assuming it was to protect the Honghuang—teamed up with the Heavenly Dao to forcibly suppress Lang Qianqiu and erase all traces of his existence.

Everyone connected to Lang Qianqiu, except for Nüwa Niangniang who had become a saint and thus untouchable by the Heavenly Dao, either died or vanished. Only Heng'e had forgotten parts of her memories and awakened after ten thousand years of slumber...

The biggest question here was whether Hongjun Daozu had lied about this.

Personally, Li Changshou leaned toward believing Daozu had told the truth.

After all, beings like him, who had drifted from Earth's old home, had thoughts more complicated than most...

Analyzing from this angle, the lingering will of Pangu God must have no connection to Lang Qianqiu; otherwise, Hongjun Daozu would never have let him, someone who might spare Lang Qianqiu, handle it as a 'stable backup'.

After three months of analyzing the limited information, Li Changshou had pulled out countless strands of his own hair.

Fortunately, he had now found a solution!

Inform the teacher!

Kneeling honestly before the enshrined portrait of Taiqing in the secret chamber, Li Changshou called out:

"Disciple requests that Teacher grant the treasure pagoda."

A faint Taiqing dao rhythm appeared on the portrait, and Ta Ye's spiritual thought echoed in Li Changshou's heart, followed by the pagoda dropping from the air and landing on his head.

Ta Ye's spiritual thought said:

"What's up, are you heading to Sanxian Island to find Jin Dou's sister?"

But Li Changshou replied:

"Ta Ye, I have some serious business for now... When we communicate like this through spiritual awareness, could it be monitored by the Heavenly Dao?"

Ta Ye chuckled.

"What's a innate spiritual treasure?

An innate spiritual treasure is born from the innate dao itself. I'm a tower formed from the first strand of primal xuanhuang energy, infused with merit from the teacher's enlightenment. Though not the highest grade, I have the ability to ward off all laws.

The Heavenly Dao could only probe our exchange in places like Lingxiao Treasure Hall or Zixiao Palace!"

"That's good. Ta Ye, please relay some words to the teacher for me."

Li Changshou carefully chose his words and murmured them in his heart to the Xuanhuang Tower, then placed the tower before the Taiqing portrait.

"Teacher! Your disciple returns the treasure pagoda!"

A corner of the Taiqing portrait gently swayed, creating a shallow vortex in the universe, and the Xuanhuang Tower vanished with a grumble.

"After all that fuss, you're just making me do this?"

Li Changshou smiled calmly. This was just expanding new job opportunities for Honghuang's innate spiritual treasures.

True encrypted messaging!

After waiting a while, a slight ripple stirred in Li Changshou's dao heart, and the Taiqing dao rhythm descended, forming six large characters:

Follow the ancestor's command; your teacher is with you.

The teacher's style was as concise as ever.

Li Changshou bowed his head in respect, lit three sticks of incense, and then left the secret chamber, feeling much lighter.

Once Daozu informs me, I'll go deal with that thing, whether to kill or spare it— the teacher will be watching the whole time.

My sense of security has finally improved a bit.

His current strength was too low; he could only probe frantically at the edges of saintly games, let alone Daozu's schemes.

Could Daozu read minds directly?

Not exactly.

Only when the Heavenly Dao or karmic forces invaded his inner thoughts could Daozu possibly know his ideas; that somewhat frightening question in Zixiao Palace was likely just an inference.

Li Changshou had originally planned to see Ling'e and teach her some dao methods, but as soon as he used Smoke Escape from the secret chamber, waves of insights flooded his heart.

So, he sat in his usual spot on the rocking chair, closed his eyes, and carefully savored them, quickly falling into a state of enlightenment.

His trip to Zixiao Palace had truly accumulated a wealth of 'material.'

Strands of dao heart insights flowed like streams through his spiritual platform, filling in the incomplete dao rhythms.

Li Changshou set aside part of his mind to ponder matters related to the Heavenly Dao.

To perfect the Dao of Equilibrium, he couldn't avoid insights into the Heavenly Dao.

The existence of the Heavenly Dao itself was profoundly mysterious and wondrous, a resonance of the Great Dao and Pangu's will.

At this point, the composition of the Heavenly Dao was quite clear.

The first part was the Heavenly Dao itself, formed by the resonance of all living beings' wills with the Great Dao—the main body.

The second part was the Heavenly Dao's will and the incarnation of great calamities, which could be seen as a branch of the main body, though quite special.

The third was Hongjun Daozu, who held 'chaolimit management rights.'

The fourth was the lingering will of Pangu, which had evolved on its own since ancient times and was on the verge of becoming a sentient entity.

The part his Dao of Equilibrium needed to influence was the first one.

Gradually, Li Changshou immersed himself in the Great Dao, entering a state of complete forgetfulness, with strands of profound and obscure dao rhythms floating around him and his long hair occasionally stirred by spiritual energy...

Half a month later, a loud explosion echoed outside the alchemy room, making Xiaoqiong Peak tremble slightly as the arrays flashed wildly before quickly quieting down.

"Hmm?"

In the thatched cottage by the lake, Ling'e was startled awake by the noise. She set down the jade slip in her hand and, barefoot, rushed out the door, looking toward the alchemy room.

Had her senior brother blown up the furnace again?

Ling'e blinked, her eyes full of worry. She stepped onto a white cloud, held the array-passing jade slip, and hurried toward the alchemy room.

But as soon as she flew a hundred zhang, she felt something lightly poke the top of her head, and a familiar laugh sounded in her ear:

"How did you come to like this kind of outfit?"

Ling'e instinctively took two steps forward and turned gracefully to look behind her, only to see her senior brother had appeared at the edge of the cloud without her noticing.

This...

Her immortal sense hadn't detected his presence at all!

Well, the gap in their strengths was growing even larger.

Ling'e felt a bit disappointed.

Li Changshou examined the little celestial immortal before him up close. She wore a simple short skirt of white silk with light blue flowers, her hair in two 'su dumplings,' making her look playful and adorable.

Ling'e giggled, her face flushing as she tiptoed and spun once on the cloud.

"Good-looking?"

"Good-looking it is," Li Changshou said, stroking his chin with a serious critique, "but it lacks a bit of maturity and poise—it's too childish."

Ling'e complained discontentedly:

"Senior brother, if you're going to praise, just do it—why add criticism? This junior sister is just playing to her strengths and trying to distinguish herself from Yunxiao Jiejie."

Li Changshou couldn't help but smile, stepping forward half a pace and gently pinching Ling'e's cheek.

Tsk, that familiar smooth feel.

"Focus on your cultivation; the Golden Immortal tribulation is unavoidable for anyone. If you want eternal life, you must face it—that's where you should put your efforts!"

Ling'e's face turned red, and she covered her pinched cheek with her hand, puffing out her cheeks.

Li Changshou turned away, took a step, and his figure dissipated like smoke, reforming under the willow tree by the lake. He summoned two meditation cushions and sat down calmly.

"Come here. Today, I'll lecture you on the Golden Immortal Dao.

As for Immortal Alliance matters, you don't need to worry about them anymore. I have enough energy lately and will handle them personally.

Ao Yi and Lingzhuzi are not far from their Golden Immortal tribulations, so don't slack off and fall too far behind them."

"Okay!"

Ling'e nodded earnestly, lightly tapped her foot, and floated down, pulling the cushion closer to sit next to her senior brother, her eyes sparkling with determination.

Li Changshou exhaled gently and began expounding the Taiqing Wuxing Longevity Dao;

Phantom images of green lotuses formed at his lips and circled around Ling'e.

During the lecture, Li Changshou's gaze drifted to the artificial peak across the small lake, and unrelated thoughts crossed his mind.

Earlier, to make suitable clothes for Lingli, he had made Ling'e go through a lot of trouble.

Later, he still needed to visit Doushuai Palace to see if the Little God-Slaying Spear had been refined. He could also ask Laojun to make a set of size-adjusting clothes for Xiong Lingli.

Oh, and Yang Jian's Sanjue Two-Bladed Spear should be put on the agenda—probably another favor for Laojun.

'Subduing a divine flood dragon and turning it into a weapon' was just something to fool mortals.

Anyone with a bit of immortal knowledge knew that it must have been the weapon that first transformed into a three-headed flood dragon; the battle was Yang Jian taming the weapon.

Thinking about it, as a disciple who handled so many affairs, he probably kept Laojun quite busy.

At Yinquan Mountain, in Yuding Zhenren's cave abode.

While Li Changshou was lecturing Ling'e, Taiyi Zhenren, Yuding Zhenren, and Huanglong Zhenren were gathered at a stone table in the cave, drinking with a rare guest.

Yang Jian, who had just completed another 'perfect' training expedition two years ago, was currently sparring with Lingzhuzi on the back mountain.

From that last expedition, Yang Jian had obtained a drop of Gonggong Zuwu's original essence blood;

Though he hadn't fully refined it yet, his strength was already impressive, and Lingzhuzi no longer had to hold back.

This left Lingzhuzi, who had been cultivating for so long, feeling a bit frustrated, so he had been intensifying his physical training lately.

Yang Chan sat on a nearby tree branch, her face flushed and her feet swinging happily, seemingly in a good mood.

Witnessing this, the leader of the Twelve Golden Immortals, Guangchengzi, sighed:

"These two nephews are truly outstanding. Given time, they will surely become the pillars of our Chan School."

Yuding Zhenren said softly: "Senior brother, you flatter us."

But Taiyi Zhenren snorted with a laugh: "Strength aside, my precious disciple is especially favored by Changgeng Shidi."

Huanglong Zhenren, who had recently started growing a beard to try a new look, laughed and stroked his mustache at the words.

"Shidi, you're joking. Whether Changgeng Shidi favors Lingzhuzi or not doesn't affect his cultivation."

"No, no," Taiyi Zhenren shook his head repeatedly with his wine cup, "If not for that, why would senior brother come here today?"

Guangchengzi smiled without speaking.

Huanglong Zhenren gave an awkward laugh and asked:

"Senior brother, what exactly happened in Zixiao Palace? Why did the teacher order us not to wander into the Southern Continent after returning?"

"Ah," Guangchengzi's smile faded, and he sighed, "The events that day are hard to sum up in words.

Don't ask too much about this; it concerns the stability of the Dao Gate and the peace of the three teachings.

The Fengshen Great Calamity is becoming clearer, with the Heavenly Court as the lead, and Heavenly Court Jade Emperor Shishu and Changgeng Shidi as the key figures.

The reason I came today is to ask you three, who are close to Changgeng, to go and gauge his thoughts."

Yuding Zhenren frowned slightly and said gravely: "That might not work."

"Exactly," Taiyi Zhenren pursed his lips, "Senior brother, are you thinking of having us compete with Yunxiao Xianzi for Changgeng?"

Guangchengzi pondered for a moment and said seriously: "This matter is no trivial thing; we must handle it with care. Don't speak lightly."

Huanglong asked: "But if we do this, aren't we using our friendship with Changgeng? He's so clever..."

"So, it's just to gauge his thoughts," Guangchengzi said warmly. "It's not forcing Changgeng to choose between the two teachings, but to let him know that if Changgeng plans to target the Western Teachings later, our Chan School can offer some assistance."

Taiyi Zhenren raised an eyebrow: "Is that all?"

"That's all," Guangchengzi's eyes flashed with complexity. "You don't know what I saw in Zixiao Palace."

Huanglong Zhenren leaned in and asked: "What did you see? We won't leak it."

"I saw..."

Guangchengzi started to speak but recalled the teacher's warning, then chuckled lightly.

"Ah, the most unexpected thing was seeing... a glimpse of Changgeng's backside."

With a puff, Taiyi Zhenren sprayed his immortal brew all over Yuding Zhenren's face, while Huanglong Zhenren's eyes widened in shocked silence.

Guangchengzi laughed a few times and briefly described the scene of Daozu beating Li Changshou, leaving the three immortals with wonderfully varied expressions.

Meanwhile, on Sanxian Island, the eight major disciples of the outer and inner gates of Jie School were nearly all gathered, and Duobao Daoist, sitting in the main seat of the pavilion, was telling the same story—but far more vividly than Guangchengzi.

"...And guess what?

When Shizu swung the Zixiao Heavenly Punishment Whip, Changgeng was sent flying more than three zhang high, then enveloped in flashing lightning and thunder, floating in the air unable to land.

The scene!

Whoa! The power of heavenly punishment was incredibly sharp, and the thunderous explosions were endless!

You think this was because Shizu disliked Changgeng?"

Qiongxiao, Bixiao, and Gui Ling Shengmu on the left nodded in unison, while Yunxiao, Jin Ling Shengmu, and Zhao Gongming on the right showed full concern.

Duobao Daoist smiled smugly, cupped his hands toward the side, took a breath, and continued:

"Not at all!

Daozu was making a statement to the Western Teachings that Changgeng is his favored grand-disciple.

That punishment whip was all show; the Zixiao divine thunder was loud but only struck where Changgeng had the most flesh—his backside.

What does that mean?

It's just like in the mortal world when someone in the family grabs a mischievous child for a spanking!

What is closeness? That's closeness!

And Shizu didn't act on a whim; he knew Changgeng's personality—afraid of trouble and good at evasion—so he subdued him first, threw him down unable to move, then presented the Fengshen Bang and the God-Striking Whip, letting them fall into Changgeng's hands and settling the matter of the Fengshen Great Calamity.

The two saints of the Western Teachings even called out... Teacher, our West is barren!

Shizu glanced at them, almost saying directly, 'You've been at it for so long and the West still hasn't prospered— all bark and no bite.'

Of course, Shizu saved face for the two Western saints and just smiled, saying, 'I'm getting old, my hand shakes a bit. It seems this thing is fated for Changgeng.'

With that, he left without lingering, thus officially assigning Changgeng to oversee the Fengshen Great Calamity."

Duobao Daoist let out a long breath, and his fellow disciples and sisters praised the outcome one after another, clearly delighted.

Then, Duobao Daoist turned to the elegant and graceful Yunxiao Xianzi and said with a smile:

"I've said all this just to ask one thing...

Junior sister, when do you plan to see Changgeng?"

Yunxiao furrowed her brows slightly and said seriously: "He and I have only been apart for a few decades. Why rush to meet?"

Duobao Daoist was at a loss for words, waving his plump hands a few times before stammering out:

"This isn't... well, don't you miss him?"

A faint blush crossed Yunxiao's fair face. She stood up, turned away, and was about to retort, but after facing her true heart, she gently pursed her lips and said softly:

"I... naturally want to see him more.

But with the great calamity descending and him overseeing it, I'm afraid seeing him might cause him to show bias and harm himself."

"Junior sister, you're mistaken!"

Duobao Daoist stood up and laughed: "The great calamity is one thing, and matters of dao companions are another—they shouldn't be confused.

If you can't find a reason to see Changgeng, I'll prepare one for you!

Here!"

As he spoke, Duobao Daoist took a jade slip and a three-inch miniature immortal sword from his sleeve and handed them to Yunxiao Xianzi.

"Teacher once found a treasure site in the Chaotic Sea, where Changgeng has a great opportunity. Teacher's Trap Immortal Sword can take you there.

Now that the Zixiao Palace discussions on the Fengshen matter are over, we won't clash directly with Chan School, and the Western Teachings won't dare act. This is the perfect time to retrieve that treasure.

Most importantly, you two can use this chance to spend some time alone.

In the Chaotic Sea, there's no Heavenly Dao surveillance; even saints can't find you, and supreme treasures can't spy..."

Seeing Yunxiao still hesitating, Duobao Daoist pressed on:

"Don't forget, our Jie School's doctrine is to seize a thread of vitality.

Waiting around won't get you anything.

The great calamity is upon us—who knows what will happen? What if... junior sister, do you want to leave regrets?"

Yunxiao Xianzi frowned slightly and slowly clenched the jade slip and small sword in her hand.