Chapter 567: Reinforcing Xuandu City

A sigh echoed softly, accompanied by drifting white clouds, fading into the distant horizon.

In the Heavenly Palace, the sky never seemed low, but Mu Gong's emotions were now filled with stifling unease.

The thought that he might have caught the attention of the Xifang Jiao and ended up on their list of targets made Mu Gong's once calm Dao Xin ripple with turmoil.

Who would want to become ashes in a calamity? Who would willingly bury their eternal Dao fruit?

Yet, in the Honghuang world, saints held supreme power. If a saint from the Xifang Jiao struck at him, what could he possibly do to counter it?

After hearing Taibai Jinxing's analysis of future events in the Lingxiao Baodian, Mu Gong's heart felt...

Ice-cold.

It was as if a voice constantly whispered in his ear:

No hope left, just wait for the end; eat and drink while you can.

"Should I try to leave behind an heir?"

"If I'm schemed against and killed by the Xifang Jiao, my wives should be treated well by the Heavenly Court, right?"

Once you enter the Heavenly Court, it's like sinking into a deep sea, and carefree wandering becomes a thing of the past.

After floating through the Heavenly Court for so many years, had he forgotten the joy of cultivation?

There was no way around it...

After much deliberation and hesitation, Mu Gong barely held on for half a month before he couldn't resist any longer and appeared in front of Taibai Palace.

He adjusted his expression to look utterly haggard, paid attention to his trembling voice, and used an aged tone with a quavering end to add some emotional impact.

Taking a deep breath, he lifted the hem of his ornate robe and hurried forward with small steps. Reaching the front of Taibai Hall, he cried out:

"Chang Geng, save me! Chang Geng, save me... Hmm?"

Mu Gong's words stopped abruptly. He raised his hand to cover his bumped nose tip and stared at the layers of light barriers that had suddenly appeared in front, stunned.

What a powerful protective array—it had completely hidden its fluctuations.

As Mu Gong marveled, the nearby heavenly soldiers and generals didn't dare look around, each pretending to be a statue.

After waiting outside for a while, Mu Gong couldn't help but call out again:

"Chang Geng? Is Chang Geng at home?"

How strange—Chang Geng always left a paper Daoist when he went out, so why was there no response this time?

Inside Taibai Hall, Ling E, who had come to check, looked at the old immortal outside the array, craning his neck to look around. She thought of her senior brother's instructions...

'If I'm out this time and can't spare the attention later, tell anyone who comes looking that I'm in a critical stage of closed-door cultivation and can't be disturbed.

Remember, you must be careful yourself and not draw any attention. The Heavenly Court is in an unstable time.'

Ling E couldn't help but tug at her hair. Her senior brother was making her inform others again...

What should she do?

A spark of inspiration flashed in her mind. Ling E blinked and turned back, floating toward Xiaoqiong Peak.

Soon after, the petite and clever Xiong Lingli hurried over carrying a large green stone. Ling E closed the protective array from inside and reopened it immediately, while Xiong Lingli casually threw the green stone at Mu Gong.

Mu Gong was startled at first, then smiled calmly. As a Golden Immortal, he casually raised his left hand to stop the incoming green stone.

Recalling the past, he had been full of vigor on the human battlefield;

Looking back to ancient times, he had laughed and fought demons...

A crisp sound rang out, making the nearby heavenly soldiers and generals jump in surprise, but the green stone halted steadily just three inches in front of Mu Gong.

Mu Gong calmly placed his left hand behind his back, hiding the unnatural bend in his left arm under his wide sleeve. Though his face was pale, he still wore the smile of a senior expert.

On the green stone was written:

Taibai Jinxing is in a critical stage of closed-door cultivation.

Mu Gong nodded in understanding and said with a smile, "Then I'll come back later, I'll come back later."

With that, Mu Gong turned and drifted away gracefully, his posture unfluttered, leaving the heavenly soldiers and generals in awe.

Truly worthy of being the most senior civil official in the Heavenly Court.

Where had Li Changsheng gone?

Straight to Xuan Du City, of course.

The matter with Yang Jian had just been resolved, and before Li Changsheng could rest, he received a 'transmitted image' from his teacher.

At the time, Li Changsheng didn't rush over immediately. Instead, he had Jin Peng take his paper Daoist to a great thousand world not too far from Xuan Du City, sparing no expense to build the 'landing point' for a one-way teleportation array.

Then, he personally oversaw the construction in Tian Hall in secret, creating the 'starting point' for the one-way teleportation array in another great thousand world not far from the Five Parts Continent.

The teleportation array was one-way, with the starting point keeping a sufficient buffer distance from the Five Parts Continent and the landing point from Xuan Du City, cutting about ninety-five percent of the journey.

This way, he could quickly support Xuan Du City without risking the array being used by external demons if Xuan Du City fell.

This was his balance between stability and efficiency.

The most crucial issue followed.

Who to send to defend Xuan Du City?

In the image his teacher sent, his senior brother looked a bit disheveled, but the Taiji Chart had sealed the Honghuang world's entrance, and his senior brother's magical power was abundant, his condition still decent.

Otherwise, his teacher wouldn't have just sent the image; he would have descended directly to Xuan Du City and set up a barbecue grill.

Dao soldiers were just manifestations of divine abilities, so losses didn't need to be mourned.

'Why didn't the teacher personally eliminate Kun Peng?'

This doubt arose in Li Changsheng's mind, but after thinking it through, it made sense.

If the teacher handled everything himself, what was the point of having two disciples?

Li Changsheng had considered the possibility of Kun Peng causing trouble before, but due to his confidence in his senior brother and the fact that Xuan Du City wasn't a place ordinary beings could reach, he hadn't interfered much.

In reality, this was all stirred up by him.

First, he had destroyed Kun Peng's old shell in the Chaos Sea but didn't spread the news as Kun Peng had planned, foiling Kun Peng's feigned death scheme.

Then, to plot against Maitreya, he exposed Kun Peng's second primordial spirit, making Kun Peng's feigned death completely meaningless.

Later, Kun Peng sent the external demon Du Shuren to make contact, and under the gaze of the Heavenly Dao, Li Changsheng directly refused Kun Peng's 'invitation,' leading to Xuan Du City being wildly assaulted by external demons...

Though Li Changsheng didn't fully understand what Kun Peng was up to, he was certain that Kun Peng had some connection with Senior Lang.

And Kun Peng was probably interested in him as Senior Lang's fellow townsman.

Unfortunately...

Li Changsheng was currently acting in harmony with the Heavenly Dao and favored by the Dao Ancestor, so he had to avoid any association with Senior Lang at all costs.

What was Kun Peng's intention?

Li Changsheng quickly came up with three plausible possibilities.

First, Kun Peng was secretly colluding with the Xifang Jiao, deliberately appearing to clear Maitreya's name or to lure away defenders.

Second, Kun Peng wanted to stir up chaos, pressure the Honghuang world, and profit from the internal strife among the Six Saints.

Third, Kun Peng wanted to draw him out into the outer heavens.

Because of the earlier incident with Du Shuren's message from Kun Peng, the third possibility seemed the most likely.

If so, a major problem arose.

Assuming his teacher knew everything from ancient times to now and chose to send him this image rather than a direct order, did that mean his teacher also wanted him to meet Kun Peng?

This was indeed a big issue.

Li Changsheng held immense respect for his teacher, and in his eyes, his teacher's inclinations defined the rights and wrongs of past events.

Recalling how his teacher had once concealed that 'annual record'...

Li Changsheng couldn't help but feel a bit confused.

Between Senior Lang and Hongjun Dao Ancestor, who was right and who was wrong?

More precisely, who had more justification?

Analyzing an event from different angles could yield different conclusions. Aside from pure evil, malice-driven desires, and endless greed, there were no absolute rights and wrongs.

"Who should I ask to help defend Xuan Du City?"

After thinking for a moment, Li Changsheng had his candidates.

The key for those going to Xuan Du City was a firm Dao Xin, resistant to external demons.

Among the experts he could call upon, those with strong Dao Xin included Uncle Zhao, who had few obsessions and whose Dinghai Divine Pearls were perfect for major battles.

If Uncle Zhao went, Holy Mother Jinling wouldn't stay behind—after all, they were a couple fighting demons together.

As for Yunxiao...

Li Changsheng instinctively wanted to avoid sending her into outer dangers, but in terms of firm Dao Xin, she was among the top five among Daoist disciples.

Ignoring that would be favoritism clear to Zixiao Palace!

So, when sending jade talismans, he also sent one to Sanxian Island.

After dispatching several jade talismans, Li Changsheng considered another problem.

If he brought too many Jie Jiao immortals to Xuan Du City and a great war erupted in the Three Realms, wouldn't that directly harm Jie Jiao?

Hmm, need to balance it.

Li Changsheng turned his gaze to Chan Jiao and sent a jade talisman to Yuxu Palace and another to Qianyuan Mountain.

As per old common knowledge, an excellent team needed a stable initiation point and a reliable taunt point to cover the main output.

Taiyi Zhenren was key.

In less than half a day, the first group of experts supporting Xuan Du City gathered at the 'starting point' of the one-way teleportation array.

From Jie Jiao, Holy Mother Jinling led the team, with Zhao Gongming, Yunxiao Fairy, and Holy Mother Guiling joining.

From Chan Jiao, it was Huanglong Zhenren, Taiyi Zhenren, and Yuding Zhenren.

—The jade talisman Li Changsheng sent to Yuxu Palace only mentioned that Xuan Du City was in urgent need and asked Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren to hurry over for support, without requesting extra help.

The Ren Jiao disciples were few, just Li Changsheng himself, plus the two mounts waiting at the other end of the array.

After the experts assembled, Li Changsheng briefly explained the situation in Xuan Du City, pointed out the suspected appearance of Yao Shi Kun Peng, and distributed a batch of Heart-Clearing Pills to the immortals.

Though they were all great powers of the Honghuang, pills from Ren Jiao were still rare treasures.

Upon hearing about Kun Peng, Holy Mother Jinling and the others looked extremely grave, knowing the danger ahead, and steeled themselves fully. Each stepped into the teleportation array, crossing layers of space.

This teleportation shattered the spirit stones on both ends of the array, with the consumed materials worth enough to run Duxian Gate's mountain-protecting array for a thousand years.

Long-distance teleportation was convenient but wasteful.

If part of the Taiji Chart's power could be spared outside Xuan Du City, Li Changsheng wouldn't have 'wasted' it like this.

The waiting Jin Peng transformed his body to a hundred zhang in size, carrying the great powers on his back.

Bai Ze shifted into his auspicious beast form, standing on Jin Peng's forehead, his three colorful feathers gently swaying as he sensed the fortunes ahead.

Li Changsheng thought for a moment and said, "This time, I won't show myself directly."

"What's wrong?" Zhao Gongming asked with concern.

Li Changsheng replied, "Kun Peng might be looking for me, and I don't want him to find me."

Taiyi Zhenren's eyes lit up, and he laughed, "You've even hooked up with Kun Peng?"

"Rude words! What do you mean by hooked up?

It's just that earlier, when I went out with the fairy, we killed Kun Peng's old shell."

Li Changsheng flicked his sleeve and turned to the quietly standing Yunxiao Fairy, saying with a smile, "Fairy, may I borrow your cloud sleeve to hide in?"

Yunxiao didn't mind and raised her hand to open her flowing cloud sleeve, gesturing for Li Changsheng to enter.

Li Changsheng leaped up, shrinking to three inches tall mid-air before diving into Yunxiao's sleeve.

This way, he could observe secretly while also covering Yunxiao with the Xuanhuang Pagoda.

Yunxiao Fairy seemed to realize belatedly that this was quite intimate after Li Changsheng's main body entered her sleeve. Especially since he was a bit restless against her arm, occasionally brushing or poking, making her cheeks flush slightly.

Li Changsheng was full of emotions at that moment.

With his body shrunk, he closely observed Yunxiao Fairy's arm skin and discovered...

A fairy's skin truly had no pores!

The group of experts hurried to the gap in the Heavenly Dao barrier, arriving at the entrance of a dark void vortex.

Bai Ze said, "The path ahead is slightly ominous; everyone, be careful."

A voice came from Yunxiao Fairy's sleeve:

"Mr. Bai and Jin Peng, stay here as support. If any fish escape the net or troublesome external demons appear, try to intercept or at least delay them."

Bai Ze and Jin Peng both agreed, standing guard at the vortex.

Holy Mother Jinling said, "Prepare your divine abilities and treasures; there's likely a tough battle ahead."

"Understood."

"Understood."

Holy Mother Jinling summoned her Dragon-Tiger Ruyi and manifested her six-armed form, each jade arm holding various combat treasures.

Taiyi Zhenren called forth the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Hood, with nine fire dragons surrounding him.

Yunxiao Fairy took out the Hunyuan Jindou and held it in her left palm, lightly poking her left sleeve with her right hand to remind a certain Heavenly Court official to behave and not distract her.

Zhao Gongming activated his twenty-four Dinghai Divine Pearls and gripped his Goldwood Whip.

Li Changsheng noticed a detail: there was now a stronger connection between the twenty-four Dinghai Divine Pearls and Zhao Gongming, making their power flow more smoothly.

Thinking about it, even ordinary Heavenly Court officials felt overwhelmed borrowing treasures like the Xuanhuang Pagoda, Lidi Flame Light Banner, or Kunlun Ruler, as if performing a comedy routine in their minds.

Uncle Zhao had twenty-four pearls—if each had its own spirit, wouldn't that be...

Terrifying just to imagine.

Yuding Zhenren manifested his familiar jade cauldron above his head, with colorful lights enveloping Taiyi Zhenren's primordial spirit.

To prevent any mishaps, absolutely top-notch.

Huanglong Zhenren glanced at Holy Mother Guiling, hoping for some comfort, but saw her enveloped in a soft green glow, holding a jade flute with over a dozen instruments floating behind her.

Holy Mother Guiling exuded a pure aura, brewing waves of primordial spirit fluctuations.

A true hidden expert against external demons.

Huanglong Zhenren thought: Maybe I should guard outside?

"Charge!"

Holy Mother Jinling shouted lightly, and six streaks of light shot up, plunging into the vortex ahead.

Huanglong Zhenren's mouth twitched twice before he turned into the seventh streak of light...

Within the vortex, dense Heavenly Dao power seemed to cross layers of barriers and traverse endless space.

Li Changsheng carefully sensed it, feeling the subtle distortions of various Great Daos and the wonders hidden in the Heavenly Dao's gaps.

His immortal sense was confined to his body and couldn't extend outward; most of his six senses failed, leaving only his eyes to catch the faint flashes in the darkness.

The Heavenly Dao power was so thick it felt oppressive, but it sparked many insights in Li Changsheng's mind, which he suppressed.

Empty Bright Dao Heart, activate!

Suddenly, light burst forth ahead. Li Changsheng's immortal sense spread out instantly, revealing the battle in Xuan Du City.

They emerged right below the Taiji Chart. It rotated slowly, with yin and yang energies shredding and repelling the countless black mists assaulting it, without a single tremor.

This confirmed Li Changsheng's earlier thought...

As long as the Taiji Chart was there, external demons couldn't breach Xuan Du City's final line, and Kun Peng must have some ulterior motive for leading the assault!

As for Kun Peng...

Li Changsheng looked up from Yunxiao's sleeve, through the Taiji Chart's illusion, and saw the short figure standing with hands behind his back, surrounded by shadows.

Under the Taiji Chart's light, the void from the Chaos Sea's edge to the Honghuang world's boundary was packed with countless external demons.

Among them, besides Kun Peng, several figures exuded immense pressure.

One had half its body hidden in the Chaos Sea, towering like a mountain with colorful tentacles around its waist, vaguely outlining a 'thick-skirted woman' form.

Another was dragon-shaped with bony wings, a terrifying beast.

Yet another shifted shapes freely, its aura strange and containing dozens of incomplete Great Daos...

Innate gods and demons!

Xuan Du Great Mage sat cross-legged in the center of the Taiji Chart, with two figures shuttling around him, desperately blocking the external demons' attacks on the chart and himself.

Though two fists couldn't fend off four hands and the great mage was effectively trapped at the world's entrance, he showed no injuries and handled it with ease, as if he could hold out forever.

Li Changsheng remained silent, just instructing the others not to reveal his presence, and observed in secret.

He sensed his senior brother's suppressed anger and, without overthinking, said to Yunxiao Fairy:

"Yun, reach your hand in here."

Yunxiao Fairy extended her right hand into her sleeve, taking the Kunlun Ruler and Xuanhuang Pagoda that Li Changsheng handed her. Her slender fingers lightly poked his chest.

Li Changsheng coughed twice, lay down against her arm, and sighed through transmission:

"Oh no, oh no, I'm gravely injured. I won't get up without some benefit."

Yunxiao Fairy transmitted a soft "tsk" in response, her voice gentle and light, then focused on the impending battle.

Zhao Gongming shouted lightly, "It's really Kun Peng!"

Holy Mother Jinling snorted coldly and charged upward first!

The other Daoist experts activated their treasures and burst out from the Taiji Chart without hindrance!

Xuan Du Great Mage suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of anger in them.

Yunxiao Fairy called out, "Senior brother, catch this treasure!"

The Kunlun Ruler flew from Yunxiao Fairy's hand as a gray streak, piercing through several shadows and reaching the great mage, who grasped it firmly with his raised right palm.

The great mage stood tall!

At that moment, a small pagoda flew to the top of his head, scattering thousands of Xuanhuang auras.

"Everyone, just guard the Taiji Chart."

The great mage said calmly, then looked up at Kun Peng, the gods and demons, and the horde of external demons above.

With the small pagoda floating over his head and Xuanhuang auras raining down, the great mage's figure appeared extraordinarily imposing.

"These past few days, have you enjoyed beating me? You scum."