On the way back to the Sea God Residence after leaving the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, Li Changshou squinted and smiled.
He felt that it was not bad to use his position for personal gain…
No, that’s not right. Both public and personal matters are beneficial. How can it be called abusing my authority for personal benefits?
Li Changshou looked at the Da Yu Hydrology Diagram in his sleeve, which was shining with golden light. He felt extremely comfortable.
That would save him a huge amount of merit!
In a while, the treasure would only need to be slightly refined to become a top-grade Postnatal Merit Numinous treasure that could attack and defend!
According to Li Changshou’s prediction, as long as he completed his exploration of the rivers and lakes, the Heavenly Dao would still give him merit. This treasure might be able to improve again! Therefore, when he left the Lingxiao Hall just now, Li Changshou felt a little touched when he saw the Jade Emperor’s emotional gaze…
He felt a little embarrassed.
The twelve-year Dragon-Subduing Plan had been fully activated. Li Changshou had already made arrangements. Next, he would not do everything personally. After visiting Chan School and Jie School, he would go to the Dragon Palace to greet the Dragon King of the East Ocean. Then, he would travel to the South Continent in public and wait for the Immortal Peach Banquet to begin.
Whether or not this plan was the most effective was actually debatable.
However, to Li Changshou, that was the most stable plan. It was also the plan that he could carry out without offending both sides…
After returning to the Sea God Residence, Li Changshou placed the Heavenly Emperor’s Demon-Slaying Sword in the most eye-catching position in the main hall and bowed with a Dao salute.
Then, he moved a rocking chair and basked in the sun of the Heavenly Courts, waiting for General Dongmu to deliver the immortal peaches.
There was a Heavenly General who served tea and a fruit platter that the Fairy of the Jade Pool had given to the Queen Mother. Li Changshou enjoyed it leisurely… Although the paper effigy tasted a little lacking, he still had to put on an act.
If he did not have so many paper effigies, his life in the Heavenly Courts would be extremely carefree, comfortable, and boring.
Speaking of the Queen Mother, Li Changshou had never seen the Heavenly Queen’s true appearance since he had ascended to Heaven.
Actually, Li Changshou had deliberately avoided the Queen Mother and did not pay a visit to her.
Avoid suspicion?
There was no need for that.
Li Changshou was not that conceited to think that his paper effigy that was in the form of an old dragon would be misunderstood by others. Usually, he did not even interact with female immortals. At most, he would joke with the Heavenly Generals.
Li Changshou was not going to meet the Queen Mother because he was worried that the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother would have conflicts regarding the authority of the Heavenly Courts.
The Queen Mother was similar to the Jade Emperor. The Dao Ancestor had let the two of them manage the Heavenly Courts back then.
In name, the Queen Mother’s authority was not inferior to the Jade Emperor’s.
Now, Li Changshou did not understand the relationship between the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother. However, the authority of the Heavenly Courts was gathered in the Jade Emperor’s hands. The Queen Mother only cultivated in the Jade Pool.
Therefore, there was a risk of being misunderstood by the Jade Emperor if he took the initiative to visit the Queen Mother. He would not suffer any losses if he did not visit the Queen Mother.
Comparing the two, it would be easier to take the easy way out. The word ‘steady’ suddenly emerged from his core.
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Li Changshou chuckled. The old immortal paper effigy was resting with his eyes closed. Amidst the sounds of the wind, there were whispers outside the wall, the orderly footsteps of the Heavenly Soldiers patrolling, and the soft laughter of the fairy on a distant immortal mountain.
He heard the noises but did not pay much attention to them.
The real reason he went to the Chan School and Jie School to meet the person in charge of the education, was actually to meet Guang Chengzi and Daoist Duobao.
It was easy to meet the people from Jie School but the Deputy Sect Master Randeng of Chan School was tougher to deal with. He had to make preparations in advance to prevent the other party from making things difficult for him.
Li Changshou had heard from General Dongmu that there were not many guests at the Heavenly Peach Banquet previously. The remaining immortal peaches in the Jade Pool’s treasure vault were very serious. Many of them would turn into spiritual energy and dissipate after a thousand years, causing a serious waste.
Therefore, the Heavenly Courts should not be stingy with sending gifts to the Chan School and Jie School.
How should I hint to His Majesty that I want to eat some peaches too?
Although the immortal peaches were not of much use to him, his master, junior sister, Aunt-Master, Grandmaster, and future wife would definitely benefit from consuming them.
After his junior sister ascended and came out of seclusion, it would be quite appropriate for her to get some immortal peaches to celebrate.
As he thought about that, Li Changshou multi-tasked. Half of his attention was left in the Sea God Residence of the Heavenly Courts, while the other half returned to his main body.
His immortal senses checked the various parts of the sect carefully. After confirming that everything was normal and that there were no mental demons, he retracted his gaze.
At that moment, a beautiful figure flew out of the Heaven-Breaking Peak and headed towards the Little Qiong Peak.
She was wearing a rainbow-colored dress and an icy-blue, elegant dress. Her long hair was not combed back with some sideburns, but was tied into a simple ponytail. Her jade-like face was cold and beautiful at the same time. One could not help but wonder what she looked like when she smiled.
“Isn’t Toxic Junior Sister going into seclusion?”
Li Changshou was also puzzled.
He had just helped her deal with her mental demons. Now should be the time for her to gain enlightenment. Why would she go out?
Could it be that she was still depressed and troubled?
“Forget it. I’ll help you to the end. I’ll go all the way.”
Li Changshou sighed softly and took the initiative to go out. He stood outside the Pill Chamber and closed the various array formations. He quietly waited for Youqin Xuanya to fly over.
Youqin Xuanya, who was about to head to the chess room, noticed Li Changshou’s figure. The white cloud under her feet immediately made a turn and landed directly on the Pill Chamber…
When she jumped down from the cloud, her skirt fluttered slightly. Her jade-like feet were flawless, and she was quite pleasing to the eye.
“Senior Brother Changshou.”
Xuanya cupped her fists and bowed. She pursed her thin lips slightly and revealed a faint smile. Her eyes were clearer than the starry night sky, and she felt safe and happy.
“Junior Sister Youqin.” Li Changshou cupped his hands and returned the greeting. He smiled and said, “Have you encountered any difficulties in your cultivation recently?”
Youqin Xuanya hummed softly and nodded seriously. She looked a little ashamed…
Ash… ashamed?
“I’ve disappointed you, Senior Brother.” Youqin Xuanya’s face. “When I was cultivating, I was almost taken advantage of by my mental demons. Although my Dao heart has stabilized, this is really…”
Li Changshou smiled and said, “It’s just a mental demon. Most of us Qi Refinement cultivators have to experience it. There’s no need to worry about it.” “Instead, Junior Sister, you should reflect on why there are gaps in your Dao heart and avoid being taken advantage of by your mental demons.”
“I will remember what you said, Senior Brother Changshou.”
Youqin Xuanya looked up at Li Changshou and said in a low voice, “Can you walk around the mountain with me? I have a few questions that are related to the gaps in my Dao heart. I want to ask you, Senior Brother.”
Li Changshou was rendered speechless.
Could it be that she wants to share her inner demon experience with me?
That was true.
Li Changshou and Youqin Xuanya strolled casually in the forest outside the Pill Chamber. Youqin Xuanya explained the general situation of the mental demons.
In fact, she did not want to lie. She endured the embarrassment and told him how she could cultivate happily with the “Senior Brother Changshou” that was transformed from the mental demon.
It was very pure and innocent.
“Senior Brother Changshou.” Youqin Xuanya turned to look at Li Changshou’s side profile and asked softly, “There’s something I don’t understand. The mental demon had once been rude to me, specifically, it moved forward…” “There’s no need to explain the details!”
Li Changshou interrupted Youqin Xuanya and smiled. “I roughly understand the problem. The dual cultivation life that you yearn for, is about cultivating together and talking about it together. You two will wander the world, play the zither, and walk the path of immortality together. This is actually what many Qi Refinement cultivators think about Dao companions. It’s quiet and elegant. It’s not
bad.”
Youqin Xuanya blinked and whispered, “Senior Brother, I’m not asking about that…”
Li Changshou smiled and said, “What is it then?”
“Um…”
Youqin Xuanya pondered for a while. Then, she pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows. A gentle breeze blew through the forest. “I asked Master just now. Master said that the inner demons are actually my obsession. I have also asked my heart. I was still a little confused, so I came to look for you to find an answer, Senior Brother.” “Yes.” Li Changshou said seriously, “Junior Sister, just say it. If I can give you an answer, I will give it to you.”
“Then… Um…”
Youqin Xuanya groaned softly. She lowered her hands in front of her and interlocked her fingers.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she only said a few words after a while.
Li Changshou waited patiently and finally heard Youqin Xuanya say, “Senior Brother Changshou… I might have… thoughts about you that are different from Dao companions…” Li Changshou could not help but support his forehead with one hand.
Could it be that she had taken the inner demon’s act of stretching out her ‘Claws of Anlu Mountain’ as her inner obsession? That was reasonable. However, that was just ahem, that was just an intense method that Li Changshou had used to scare her.
Moreover, in the mental illusion realm, he was really just putting on an act. He did not do anything beyond his bottom line!
What should I do…
Should I coax her like she’s a child, and tell her that it is not right to think that way? Should I tell her that it is not pure and make her blame herself so that she will feel guilty?
That is not right or ethical.
Li Changshou deliberated over his words and raised his head with his hands behind his back. Through the gaps in the forest, he looked at the white clouds in the sky.
He said warmly, “Junior Sister, before we cultivate, we were all mortals. Mortals are weak. They have to reproduce to maintain the stability of their race and allow their bloodline to expand. Therefore, some things are fixed in the bloodline, including the reproduction of the human race. The thought that appeared in your heart is actually very normal. If a Golden Immortal is not heartless, how can he or she have no desires? Therefore, you don’t have to feel ashamed and feel that you are not pure enough. Desire, emotions, and feelings are all a part of you. Learning to control, face, and overcome them is also a form of cultivation.”
Youqin Xuanya was deep in thought. After some thought, she heaved a sigh of relief.
The knot in his heart had indeed been untied.
Li Changshou smiled and said, “Moreover, Junior Sister, your thoughts are indeed very simple. Let me give you an example. Do you know how a mortal couple does things in detail to obtain children?”
Youqin Xuanya immediately answered, “I’ve read about it in a book. It’s said that Yin and Yang should be intertwined in order to give birth to living beings. The two of them would sit facing each other and place their palms together. Both of them would circulate their Dharma powers and immortal power. With the essence of Yin and Yang as a guide, the Qi of Life will be formed before returning to the woman’s stomach.”
A few question marks appeared on Li Changshou’s forehead. “Who taught you this? This is a mistake.”
Youqin Xuanya blinked in confusion. She bowed to Li Changshou and said seriously,
“Senior Brother Changshou, please teach me!”
“I’ll teach you!”
Li Changshou could not help but blush. He hurriedly said, “You should ask your master about this or ask Ling’e, Aunt-Master Jiu, and the others.
There are differences between men and women. This is not something that can be easily taught.”
Youqin Xuanya could not help but feel even more puzzled. Li Changshou took the initiative to change the topic and began to talk about the “whereabouts” of his fellow disciples.
Youqin Xuanya was the current Head Disciple of the Immortal Du Sect. Naturally, she paid attention to that matter and was easily distracted by Li Changshou.
An hour later, she returned to Heaven-Breaking Peak with her doubts.
Li Changshou wiped the sweat off his forehead and sighed in his heart. He felt that he should send a memorial to the Jade Emperor and specially ask him to establish some lessons about reproduction in the Primordial World.
There should be quite a lot of merit from that… probably.
“Put their palms together and sit cross-legged. Tsk, you actually thought of that.”
Li Changshou shook his head and floated back to the Pill Chamber.
Back then, when the Dao Ancestor established the Heavenly Courts and the Saints established the Heaven and Earth, the Goddess Nuwa had used the Connate Numinous treasure, the Red Embroidered Ball, to settle the matters regarding marriage and establish the three marriages of Heaven, Earth, and Man.
The Heavenly Marriage referred to the marriage between the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother. The master-disciple pair set an example for the marriage of the Three Realms. However, because the Heavenly Courts were relatively weak, it did not affect them much. They had written the marriage template into the Heavenly Dao.
After that, the various races decided on the etiquette of marriage.
It was unlike the ancient times when the Magi and the human race mainly relied on the clan gatherings to get together and matchmake. At that time, the custom was that the women would launch a surprise attack on the men they liked. They would then knock them unconscious and carry them back to their tents.
When Li Changshou read about such customs in the ancient books, he could not help but imagine.
If women of a certain tribe were to vie with each other for a handsome man, wouldn’t his head be smashed by a stick?
Ah, the Primordial World…
Not only women, but men also had to protect themselves.
After sending Youqin Xuanya off, Li Changshou waited for half a day. When the sun was setting in the west and the moon was about to appear above the sea of clouds, General Dongmu arrived with a group of Heavenly Soldiers.
After seeing Li Changshou, General Dongmu made some small talk and took out two treasure pouches.
“There are a total of 300 peaches of the best quality,” General Dongmu said with a smile. “Chan School and Jie School will be receiving a hundred each and the Ren School will also receive a hundred. This matter was decided by the Queen Mother.”
After saying that, Li Changshou blinked and immediately understood what she meant.
Who is from Ren School?
Apart from the Saint, isn’t it just me and the Great Daoist Master?
Those one hundred peaches were clearly for Li Changshou!
Li Changshou sighed in his heart, but he remained calm on the surface. He put away the immortal peaches and said, “General Dongmu, do you have any other instructions? I’ll go to Golden Ao Island tomorrow morning.” “Well…” General Dongmu turned to look at the door of the Sea God’s Residence and said softly,” There’s a small problem. It was entrusted to me by the Queen Mother. Sea God, do you lack disciples? I don’t mean disciples who cultivate and get imparted the Dao. I mean disciples who learn to be scheming and devise strategies. They will have nothing to do with Ren School. If you lack a disciple, just give me a word and I will send one to you immediately.”
Li Changshou could not help but frown slightly. He whispered, “Who can make the Queen Mother help him like this?”
General Dongmu sent a voice transmission. “It’s the flesh and blood of His Majesty, the beloved child of Her Majesty. However, they have never announced it to the public…”
Li Changshou pondered for a while. “What does His Majesty say about this?”Li Changshou”
“This matter was suggested by His Majesty.”
“That’s fine.” Li Changshou smiled and said, “How can I not respect His Majesty’s orders? Where is this prince? I’ll go and pay him a visit.”
“He’s outside.” General Dongmu turned around and said while facing the door, “Your Highness Long Ji, come in. The Sea God has
agreed!”
