Chapter 572: This Kunpeng is Exceptionally Proactive

Ah...

From the time of Pangu, all spirits held him in highest reverence.

In his spiritual platform, Li Changshou's yuan shen let out a soft sigh.

The vast Hong Huang could not contain a single Pangu, and after his passing, no trace of the Pangu God remained among the endless spirits, leaving only legends of the creation to be passed down.

He couldn't help but reflect on the past and present, thinking of Hongjun Daozu, Tian Dao, Lang Qianbei, and the six saints of this world.

The Dao is boundless, yet cultivators have their limits;

The world Pangu God wished to see ultimately halted in ancient times, and once spirits ascended to the realm of saints, they naturally sealed off the paths for those who followed.

How should his own path of equilibrium position itself in this world?

Li Changshou's yuan shen returned to tranquility, discerning and absorbing the insights accumulated in his Dao heart.

"It's been quite a while now."

Such a thought arose in his mind, and he faintly sensed that Tai Bai Palace in Tian Ting was safe, with no disturbances in the world related to him, so he settled into the state of enlightenment.

Tian Ting was guarded by the Jade Emperor, Bai Ze was in the three thousand worlds, his senior brother and several Dao Men experts were by his side, the Tai Ji Tu and Xuan Huang Ta protected him, and a strand of his mind wandered outside his body...

If even this setup wasn't secure for cultivation, Li Changshou might as well find an excuse to freeload a retreat in Tai Qing Guan.

The process of Pangu God's fall had given Li Changshou a tremendous shock.

He asked himself that if he were in that position, he could never be so free and composed in facing death.

Change always comes with bloodshed.

Li Changshou understood this principle all too well, and as Tai Bai Xing Jun, he was the one steering such changes, always prepared to let others bleed.

Hong Huang.

Tian Dao.

Equilibrium.

Spirits.

The blood-red mist around Li Changshou dissipated, and the surging vital energy from the "Pangu Visualization Diagram" earlier settled into stillness within his body.

A strong physical form served only for combat; it didn't determine one's true power.

Rather, the depth of one's comprehension of the Dao and the height of one's Dao realm decided one's standing.

Gradually, Li Changshou immersed himself in the Dao, as if entering a dream of opening the heavens and splitting the earth.

He lost track of time, unaware of how many years passed.

A slight disturbance stirred in his mind, and Li Changshou opened his eyes, his gaze filled with confusion at first, before the confusion quickly faded, and a divine light flashed in his eyes, causing muffled thunder to echo throughout Xuan Du City.

The Dao trembled.

Though this retreat brought no major breakthrough in his Dao realm, his understanding of the Dao became more profound.

Consequently, the path he needed to walk forward appeared clearly before him.

"Wake up?"

From nearby came the Grand Mage's gentle call. Li Changshou smiled and nodded, looking toward the Grand Mage meditating on the city wall and the fairy standing just dozens of zhang away from him.

Yun Xiao's lips curved into a gentle smile as she nodded in greeting to Li Changshou;

In the distance, Zhao Gongming and Jin Ling Sheng Mu flew over together.

The great array of Xuan Du City was complete, and the other Dao Men immortals had already returned to the Hong Huang world, not lingering here.

Li Changshou calculated with his fingers and realized he had been in cultivation for over seventy years.

Lesser gods of lower rank might at this point ask something like "Is Tian Ting stable?" or "Has anything major happened in the world?"

But Li Changshou knew such questions would yield no results and only disrupt the atmosphere.

So, he said warmly, "Have you been here all this time?"

"Mm," Yun Xiao nodded slightly.

"Thank you," Li Changshou said, rising to perform a Dao salute, and Yun Xiao returned the gesture with a bow, feeling the mutual respect between them.

This respect was quite important to Yun Xiao.

Compared to the composite array of Xiao Qiong Peak, the one for Xuan Du City was much simpler in overall structure but used far more precious materials.

This array emphasized durability and efficient use of spiritual energy, allowing for rapid transfer of array energy in the short term.

Its highlight was the seamless switching between three states: defense, attack, and energy-saving.

Li Changshou held nothing back this time, as this place concerned the stability of the three realms and the world's defenses, so he couldn't afford to be careless. He shared all his insights on linked arrays.

It was also a small gift to these familiar Dao Men experts.

Zhao Gongming and Jin Ling Sheng Mu approached, and Li Changshou bowed in greeting, inviting Yun Xiao to join him as they went to the Grand Mage's side.

The Grand Mage laughed and said, "Changgeng, the array you designed is truly excellent. Now, I can sleep—cough, I mean, guard this place securely."

"You've worked hard, Senior Brother," Li Changshou replied, giving a thumbs-up, then asked about any major events in the three realms during his retreat.

Zhao Gongming chuckled, "I knew you'd be concerned about that, so I've been waiting here, having Mister Bai deliver updates every three years.

Everything is fine everywhere, so relax.

Oh, and Mister Bai reported that a certain saintess came looking for you twice but couldn't find you, and he didn't mention you were in retreat."

A saintess?

Could it be Jiu Shishu?

Li Changshou showed a look of sudden realization and laughed, "She must be out of wine... Senior Brother, if there's nothing else here, I'll head back to Tian Ting first. I don't want to delay any important matters."

"Go ahead," the Grand Mage said, waving his sleeve as the Qian Kun Ruler flew out, about to land in front of Li Changshou.

But Li Changshou pushed it back and said seriously, "Kun Peng Yao Shi is eyeing the three realms, so the Qian Kun Ruler should stay with you, Senior Brother."

"Very well," the Grand Mage agreed, patting Li Changshou on the shoulder and sighing,

"Now your cultivation and realm are sufficient for self-protection, but remember, when facing a saint directly, you must ask our teacher for help in advance.

Sometimes our teacher is lost in thought and might not notice your situation right away."

"Mm," Li Changshou agreed with a smile.

His senior brother might have some misunderstanding...

Did he really think he could protect himself now? Not quite—he was still far from it.

Besides, why would he ever face a saint head-on? Last time with Yang Jian, he was just representing Tian Ting and the Jade Emperor, and even then, he was only prepared for a verbal spat.

Fighting was out of the question—it would never happen in this lifetime.

The Grand Mage suddenly sent a voice transmission: "If Kun Peng attacks again, should I ask something for you...?"

"Senior Brother, don't talk to Kun Peng too much," Li Changshou quickly replied via voice transmission. "He's just playing mind games. I can roughly figure out what's in his possession.

This matter is too sensitive and tied to my origins. If I tell you, I'd be dragging you into this mess."

"Can you ensure a safe retreat?"

"For now, I have about an eighty percent chance," Li Changshou said, gazing at the Chaos Sea beyond the array. "But some things are bound to happen. I just need to do my best, avoid complications, and that should improve my odds."

"That's good," the Grand Mage said with a nod and a smile, his eyes full of reassurance. He stopped the transmission and said warmly, "If there's anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to speak up."

Li Changshou pondered for a moment: "Senior Brother, there might actually be two things coming up soon."

After all this time, he wondered if the comrade "Wen Jianguo" in the West still held firm loyalty to Ren Jiao.

Also, to build Kong Xuan's goodwill toward Ren Jiao, it was time to arrange for the title of his elder sister-in-law.

Hmm, once back, he'd set up a Nine Revolutions... heart fire burn.

The Grand Mage took out the "Pangu Visualization Diagram" from his sleeve and muttered, "Why do I feel like you're scheming against me?"

"How could that be!" Li Changshou denied quickly. "Senior Brother, if you keep that diagram, I can just paint another one when I get back."

Zhao Gongming couldn't help but ask, "Changgeng, what did you realize this time? I stayed at that world entrance for over ten years and only saw some scattered images."

Hearing this, Li Changshou's mind recalled the simple conversation between Pangu God at his fall and Lang Qianbei.

"Ah... It's a rare honor to witness Pangu God's majesty, to know what the pinnacle of spirits truly is, and to realize how shallow my own Dao is.

The road ahead is long, and the Dao is endless.

Senior Brother, Elder Brother, Jin Ling Shijie, Yun, may we all pluck the fruits of the Dao together and comprehend the true meaning of transcendence."

The group exchanged glances, some saying "good," others smiling lightly.

In that instant, Li Changshou suddenly noticed he stood in the middle, subtly encircled by them.

Xuan Du City had returned to quiet, but Li Changshou was worried about Tai Bai Palace and didn't stay longer.

On the way back, Zhao Gongming and Jin Ling Sheng Mu deliberately went ahead, conveniently luring away the golden peng bird that had been waiting on the other side of the entrance for its teacher.

Li Changshou understood Zhao Gongming's intentions but still felt uneasy about various matters.

Yun Xiao rode the clouds through the void under the starry night, with him sitting beside her. He closed his eyes and shifted his mind, quickly "patrolling" the three realms.

Nüwa Niangniang was right—give Li Changshou a bit more power, and he'd probably end up monitoring the three realms constantly.

After half an hour, Li Changshou opened his eyes and exhaled.

Yun Xiao smiled and asked, "Feeling at ease now?"

"Yes," Li Changshou replied. "The Four Seas Dragon Palaces are fine, Tai Bai Palace is as stable as ever, the Six Paths of Reincarnation are steady, Tian Ting is still in a semi-sealed state, and Mu Gong is safe.

It's just that the human emperor of Nan Zhan Bu Continent is about to be born, so that needs close watching."

Yun Xiao blinked and whispered, "You have to worry about so many things every day—how do you still manage to achieve enlightenment?"

"This brings up time management," Li Changshou said.

"Hmm?"

"It's about allocating the twelve shichen of a day properly... How about we continue this chat over a game of chess?"

Li Changshou took out a chessboard from his sleeve, and Yun Xiao showed a gentle smile, her eyes sparkling with a hint of anticipation.

Being alone together, the atmosphere was important.

At this stage, he couldn't force conversations or come across as too talkative. Instead, through shared activities, he could keep things light, comfortable, and relaxing for both.

As the pieces fell, their conversation drifted further afield.

Yun Xiao, like the Grand Mage, seemed to share the same concern and asked,

"Do you really not need to go to the Chaos Sea? Is what Kun Peng has that important to you?"

Her implication was that if it was, she'd think of a way to retrieve it.

Li Changshou laughed, "It's just Kun Peng's tricks—don't worry about it, and definitely don't risk yourself for that."

"Mm," Yun Xiao responded gently, as if holding back more words, but she said no more.

Seeing this, Li Changshou chuckled inwardly.

He said, "Do you want to ask about my origins?"

Yun Xiao looked at him with a touch of guilt and said softly, "Tian Dao, Grand Master, and our teacher have all acknowledged you—I shouldn't ask..."

"What's wrong with that? If you're not curious about me, I'd be worried."

Li Changshou drew several barriers around them, and Yun Xiao immediately set up two layers of immortal energy shields.

For extra caution, Li Changshou held the Ta Ye in his palm and extended his right hand to Yun Xiao.

Understanding, Yun Xiao reached out her left hand to touch his, and their eyes met as their divine senses resonated in each other's minds.

This way, they could maximize the secrecy of their conversation, ensuring no other spirits or treasures overheard.

Whether Tian Dao could monitor divine senses was uncertain, but what Li Changshou was about to say, Daozu already knew.

Li Changshou pondered for a moment and said, "Where should I start?

Some things I haven't confirmed yet, and I don't know how I came to be, so let's skip that part.

You can think of it as my previous life not being in Hong Huang, but in some corner.

That might have been the future of Hong Huang or a world beyond it, where the Dao principles were different but the state of spirits was similar... I can't say too much about that, as it might affect your cultivation.

In my previous life, I was just an ordinary mortal, living cautiously for half a lifetime, only to succumb to illness in the end.

That's about it."

Yun Xiao blinked and asked softly, "Then why did Kun Peng say your homeland seems so special?"

"Probably because of the ideas there.

It's complicated, and I can't explain it fully in this world."

Li Changshou thought for a moment, then said seriously, his gaze fixed on Yun Xiao, "We'll talk in detail after the wedding."

Yun Xiao was startled at first, then frowned slightly, her face flushing red as she averted her eyes from Li Changshou's playful gaze.

She lightly bit her lip and murmured,

"How can you suddenly... be so improper."

"How is that improper? It's a major life event."

A hint of longing flashed in Li Changshou's eyes, but he wisely changed the topic to spare her embarrassment.

Dating a great female immortal in Hong Huang required a hundred times more effort.

Meanwhile, in the Chaos Sea, at the spot where Li Changshou and Yun Xiao had last shared a kiss in terms of Dao principles, in the half-ruined cave:

Impossible!

This is absolutely impossible!

Why hasn't that outsider come looking for me after all this time?

Was my hint too subtle, or is he just that dense?

In the cave of Kun Peng's old shed form, Kun Peng took human shape and paced back and forth, his gaze sharp.

Dammit!

I'm just one step away from erasing the mark that bastard left on my yuan shen and regaining true freedom!

I even risked showing up at Xuan Du City—doesn't that show enough sincerity?

Though, it was partly out of necessity.

Kun Peng didn't understand why, based on reports from the heavenly demons infiltrating Hong Huang, rumors of "Kun Peng's incarnations" and "second yuan shen" suddenly spread overnight.

He had arranged his old shed almost flawlessly—even when it encountered that hot-tempered saint in the Chaos Sea multiple times, not a single flaw was revealed.

So why, after his old shed was reasonably and logically killed by that outsider, did rumors exposing his schemes start circulating in Hong Huang?

As for the Maitreya from Western Teach mentioned in the rumors...

Just a shortsighted fool, not worth worrying about, and with no real connection to him.

Western Teach only had Jie Yin as a real threat; the rest were insignificant.

Kun Peng slowed his steps, his eyes flashing with ruthlessness, quickly followed by deep wariness.

He absolutely couldn't underestimate beings with the same origins as that bastard.

These outsiders were each more cunning and ruthless than the last, ten or a hundred times over!

Of course, this particular outsider probably couldn't match that one from back then—that one was the slyest Kun Peng had ever known.

Did I make a mistake somewhere, or is my notorious reputation making this outsider too afraid to come to the Chaos Sea?

Thinking about it frustrated Kun Peng.

He didn't see himself as a particularly evil spirit—in the mainstream views of Hong Huang's various eras, he was just a vicious one, far from "extremely wicked."

In ancient times, he simply followed Hong Huang's rules: killing, plundering, hiding, and using any means to grow stronger.

That was the survival mode for spirits during the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation and the end of ancient times.

During the Yao Court era, he was often just the emperor's mouthpiece, taking the blame for many evils while the Yao Emperor reaped the benefits, securing his position below the two emperors and above all demons.

His title as Yao Shi mainly came from his role in constructing the Zhou Tian Star Dou Great Array.

Many times, the Yao Emperor sat on his throne, waiting for someone to speak up.

The emperor couldn't just say, "As the heavenly court patrolling for Tian Dao, we can slaughter other spirits and refine treasures to strengthen ourselves."

No, the emperor would discuss it with him first, offer some rewards, and have him propose it in court;

Then, the two emperors would hesitate, show reluctance, and he'd persuade them, framing it as for the greater stability of the world...

In the end, the benevolent reputation went to the emperors, and the infamy fell on him, the vicious Yao Shi.

But Kun Peng didn't mind.

"Humph! You little brat!"

Kun Peng narrowed his eyes, his killing intent surging, and fumbled in his sleeve, pulling out several black treasure beads, which he tossed aside.

With a few bangs, shadows of women emerged from the beads, kneeling on one knee behind Kun Peng.

They weren't spirits of Hong Huang but were similar, with faces and figures matching those of Hong Huang's fairies—even in a world where fairies often glowed, they were beauties with a subtle "exotic charm."

A faint smile played on Kun Peng's lips.

This outsider's weakness might be the same as that bastard's—vulnerable to these.

Just wait!

I'll make sure you learn the consequences of toying with me!

"Listen up, all you fiends!"

Thus, three months later.

In the backyard of Tai Bai Palace, at Xiao Qiong Peak, in front of the pill room, under the bright sunlight.

Ling E, wearing a short skirt and with her hair in two buns, sat on a cushion by the pill room door, her hands forming seals as she meditated quietly.

Li Changshou half-reclined in a rocking chair, a bronze mirror floating before him, with snacks and hot tea nearby.

In the mirror, Yang Jian was in the midst of a fierce solo battle, with a group of heavenly soldiers and generals beating drums and waving flags in the air to cheer him on.

In this era of Tian Ting's overall low profile, having an active general like this, whom Western Teach daren't retaliate against, was quite beneficial.

Since Yang Jian had chosen this path, Li Changshou would help promote him a bit, boosting his reputation and influence.

He hadn't schemed at all this time—it was just going with the flow.

Soon, Ling E opened her eyes and asked, "Senior Brother, do you want to change the tea?"

"No need to bother," Li Changshou said casually, as if mentioning something trivial. "If there's a chance later, I'll take you back to my homeland for a visit."

With that, Li Changshou stood up and stretched.

It was about time to descend and oversee the succession of the universal ruler and the founding of the Shang tribe.

He wondered if Tian Dao would grant some merit this time to patch up his pitiful ninety-eight percent exclusive merit golden body.

"Oh."

Ling E responded, lowering her head to read the jade slip, and only after Li Changshou left on the clouds did she suddenly pause.

Homeland? Paying respects to Senior Brother's parents? Officially gaining his recognition?

Li Changshou was utterly astonished as his immortal sense focused on the pill room, only to see a small mushroom cloud rise from Ling E's forehead, her graceful figure swaying, her eyes swirling with spirals.

What on earth had she thought of?

'Later, if we have a boy, name him Li Zheng; if a girl, Li Xiang! Or Hao Ran, Yan Ran—whatever Senior Brother likes! Hehe...'