In the Celestial Court, at the Hall of Divine Might, before the Dreaming Instrument…
After the second time bestowing a dream upon the disciple Lan Ling’e of Duxian Sect…
The golden-armored celestial officer withdrew his mind from the Dreaming Instrument, furiously grabbed a spear, and gritted his teeth:
**”He still refuses to come?! And claims he’s refining pills?!
Moon Elder, I shall go down myself and drag him up here!”**
The Moon Elder was taken aback and hurriedly stepped forward to stop him.
Though he knew in his heart that the celestial officer was merely putting on a show—after all, no matter how small the Dao lineage of the Human Sect was, it was still a Dao lineage. The Duxian Sect might not even regard two minor celestial officials of the Heavenly Court with much respect, let alone allow them to seize someone directly.
But still, they were the ones seeking assistance…
“Celestial officer, you mustn’t! Let’s discuss this matter thoroughly and plan carefully!”
After much persuasion, the golden-armored celestial officer finally “calmed down.”
The Moon Elder asked, “What did they say?”
The celestial officer replied, **”His junior sister was quite polite and observed all formalities. She said her senior brother is at a crucial stage of pill refinement and cannot be distracted.
She also asked what our purpose was in seeking him. If it was an urgent matter, she requested that we inform her instead.”**
“This…”
The Moon Elder was immediately troubled.
This wasn’t something that could be casually disclosed—it involved his reputation. If word reached the Jade Emperor, he would undoubtedly be reprimanded.
After pondering for a while, the Moon Elder said, “Would the celestial officer be willing to trouble himself one more time and visit his junior sister again? This old one will be deeply grateful.”
“Moon Elder, you’re too courteous. It’s just a trivial matter!”
The celestial officer turned back to the Dreaming Instrument, but he couldn’t help but grimace.
Each time he cast a dream, his primordial spirit suffered significant depletion. If he did this a few more times, he might faint on the spot…
At Duxian Sect, inside the pill-refinement chamber…
Li Changshou listened as his junior sister described the earlier encounter, then gave her a few instructions.
Not long after, Ling’e suddenly paused and seemed to see a misty cloud before her.
“Senior Brother! It’s happening again!”
“Go on,” Li Changshou said with a smile, nodding.
Ling’e closed her eyes and quickly entered the dream realm, while Li Changshou remained beside her, closely observing her condition.
She was simply asleep…
There was no fluctuation of Dao resonance or any other peculiar movement.
Li Changshou reached out and poked her arm. Ling’e softly murmured, as if half-asleep.
“The Heavenly Court truly lives up to its role as the ordained ruler of the Three Realms. Even bestowing dreams must involve some kind of heavenly artifact.”
Sweeping his divine sense over Xiao Qiong Peak, Li Changshou fell into deep thought.
The one behind all this might not just be the Moon Elder.
The Moon Elder was most likely just a tool, much like the golden-armored celestial officer…
The Calamity of the Investiture of the Gods was still far off, and the Heavenly Court had only recently been established. Even the Jade Emperor had to tread carefully. The Moon Elder, who was assigned by the Jade Emperor, was likely a cautious individual as well.
At present, when the personal disciples of the Three Teachings ascended to the Heavenly Court, they still addressed the Jade Emperor as “Martial Uncle Haotian” instead of “His Majesty,” and the Jade Emperor had to treat the second-generation disciples of the Daoist sects with utmost courtesy…
The Human Sect had only a handful of Dao successors, but behind it stood the Supreme Purity Saint.
The Supreme Purity Saint’s incarnation, the Grand Supreme Elder Lord, was already residing in the Heavenly Court’s Doushuai Palace. The Jade Emperor would not dare to scheme against the Human Sect, nor did he have any reason to.
Furthermore, at this stage, the Heavenly Court was still essentially the back garden of the Daoist sects, and the Western Sect had yet to extend its influence there…
The Chan and Jie Sects were gradually growing apart, but they hadn’t reached the point of open hostility.
The Human Sect had so few Dao successors that there was no friction with the other sects, making it unlikely that they were behind this either.
By process of elimination…
Could it be that some high-ranking figure within the Human Sect believed that their lineage was too sparse and sought to use the Red String of Fate to encourage internal growth among the Daoist lineages?
That would be similar to how he had planned to use love gu to encourage the reproduction of a rare pair of spiritual beasts…
Who could this high-ranking figure be?
The founding ancestor of Duxian Sect, Du’e Zhenren, who was cultivated in Kunlun Mountain?
Unlikely…
As a registered disciple of a Saint, their sect’s founder was a cautious cultivator who kept a low profile and would not dare to bear such karmic repercussions.
After all, just hearing a Saint preach was enough to claim the title of a “registered disciple.”
After much consideration, the Human Sect had only one personal disciple who had both the leisure, the ability, and the influence to manipulate the Moon Elder and shift the culture of the Human Sect’s successors…
Grandmaster Xuandu!
That was the most likely answer.
But this time, it was the Moon Elder who sought to contact him, and Li Changshou recalled his own strange experiences in recent times…
Right now, it seemed highly likely that his romantic fate had been tampered with by the Grandmaster, and the Moon Elder was here to clean up the mess.
“I knew it! How could it be poison? Why would anyone inexplicably develop feelings for me?”
Li Changshou raised an eyebrow but soon found himself puzzled again.
If Youqin Xuanya’s fondness for him was indeed orchestrated by the Moon Elder, then why had he been chosen?
Could it be that… he had already been targeted by the Grandmaster?
He would have to probe for information later.
As for the matter of romance, he at least had his junior sister as a shield.
—That was one of the very few benefits he had foreseen when his master took in Ling’e as a disciple.
**”The workings of Heaven are truly unfathomable.
The vastness of the Primordial World… we are but mayflies.”**
Li Changshou sighed softly and continued to strategize a way to turn the situation to his advantage.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he patiently waited for his junior sister to wake up while also activating the surrounding formations.
Since the Moon Elder dared not offend anyone and was seeking him—the weakest party involved—for either intimidation or negotiation…
Then, what could he gain from this?
No, he shouldn’t be too greedy…
“Adapt to the situation and strive for a peaceful resolution.”
As a mere disciple of Duxian Sect, he had his path carefully planned out. There was no need to climb social ladders—maintaining control over his fate was far more reassuring.
That said, if he could establish some rapport with the Moon Elder, it would certainly make things easier for himself, his master, and his junior sister when they ascended to the Heavenly Court…
After all, as the overseer of marriage, the Moon Elder undoubtedly had vast connections.
This could be his way in.
He needed to handle this with great care.
Moments later, Ling’e awoke.
After a brief moment of contemplation, she relayed the Moon Elder’s message, as delivered through the golden-armored celestial officer and then through her:
**”The Moon Elder said that while counting the clay figurines of destiny, he accidentally damaged yours.
He feels deeply uneasy and wishes to meet with you to discuss this matter and check if you have suffered any anomalies.”**
Li Changshou immediately understood.
The Moon Elder’s attitude suggested that he was there to resolve their karmic entanglement.
That made things much easier to handle.
Ling’e, slightly anxious, whispered, **”Senior Brother, are you alright?
If your clay figurine was damaged, does that mean you won’t have any romance in the future?”**
“I don’t know either,” Li Changshou said, shaking his head. “Very well, I shall meet with him.”
Regardless, the other party had approached him with sincerity.
All he needed to do was maintain the demeanor of a humble disciple of Duxian Sect and play his role accordingly.
“Junior Sister, stand guard for me.”
“Alright!”
Ling’e responded crisply, nimbly jumping up from the reclining chair while clutching a few treasure pouches in her hands.
Li Changshou lay down on the chair, pressing two paper figurines into his palm as he tried to relax his mind, slowly stretching out his consciousness…
Sure enough, he gradually entered a misty dreamscape.
Ahead, atop a mountain peak, stood an immortal pavilion. Inside, a thin elderly man dressed in a red ceremonial robe was bowing toward him, gesturing for him to enter.
Li Changshou felt as if he were standing on a cloud. With a mere thought, he guided the cloud forward, approaching the elder and bowing in greeting.
“Li Changshou, disciple of Du Xian Sect, greets the esteemed senior.”
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152