So, half a month later…
—
Returning from Linhai Town, Li Changshou was quite satisfied with his haul. Since he had decided to put his wealth-building plans on hold for now, he focused on gathering materials for setting up defensive formations, reducing his stockpiling of herbs and medicines.
One couldn’t have both fish and bear paws at the same time—given the current circumstances, fortifying Little Qiong Peak’s defenses was the highest priority.
His paper avatar had smoothly returned from Linhai Town, tracing a slanted figure-eight pattern on its way back.
When he found his master…
Beside that old tree stump, a rhythmic snoring could be heard.
The paper avatar glanced at the detection stone and confirmed that no one was probing the area. After carefully surveying his surroundings, he approached the stump, his body swaying slightly as he murmured, “Small, small, small…”
He reverted to his true form—a thick paper effigy.
With a heavy backpack strapped to his back, the paper effigy hoisted a square box over its head and ran toward the stump. With a soft grunt of effort, he tossed the box forward, letting it land gently on the stump.
“Hmm?”
The sleeping tree stump suddenly dissolved into a mist, and from within, Qi Yuan, the old Daoist, stretched lazily and stood up, glancing at the box by his feet.
“Master, I brought the box back.”
“Already done?” Qi Yuan chuckled and tucked the box into his sleeve, heading toward the mountain gate.
Li Changshou’s consciousness returned to his real body, and he began relaying what had happened to his master via voice transmission—
The Qi Refiners from Golden Ao Island had come to the sect for a Dao discussion, and he had sparred with Ao Yi and emerged victorious.
Qi Yuan sighed in regret, lamenting that he had missed such an exciting event…
“Master, there’s no rush for you to go out again,” Li Changshou reminded. **”For now, please focus on your closed-door cultivation and avoid leaving the mountain as much as possible.
During the Dao discussion, the members of the Jie Sect lost all three matches—one to Venerable Wangqing and two to me. I’m concerned that there may be follow-up repercussions.”**
Qi Yuan glanced at the distant mountain gate and muttered, **”What kind of repercussions could there be?
The Jie Sect wouldn’t go as far as causing trouble with our Ren Sect’s Dao lineage over something so trivial.”**
“It’s not about fearing the Jie Sect,” Li Changshou transmitted, **”it’s about preventing someone from using this incident as a pretext to stir up trouble.
Tensions between the Jie and Chan Sects have been increasing—who’s to say someone won’t…”**
“Won’t what?”
“Use a borrowed knife to kill.”
Qi Yuan shivered involuntarily and muttered again, “Changshou, should we report this to the sect?”
**”Master, we are insignificant in the grand scheme of things. To be cautious, it’s best to observe quietly.
Besides, if I can think of this, how could the powerful figures in the sect not?”**
“That’s true.”
Qi Yuan nodded in agreement, finding the reasoning sound.
Meanwhile, in the alchemy room, Li Changshou sensed that his junior sister was approaching. He continued transmitting to his master, “Master, let’s discuss this after you return. There’s another matter I need to inform you about.”
With that, Li Changshou deactivated the outer defensive formations of the alchemy room, allowing Ling’e to enter.
However, his spiritual senses remained locked onto his master until he safely entered the mountain gate.
His master’s cultivation was too weak—whenever he went out, it was nerve-wracking.
Li Changshou sat cross-legged, deep in thought, considering whether Ao Yi’s visit and the Dao discussion would be exploited by others.
In Linhai Town, he had overheard many people discussing the event, which had drawn his attention to its potential consequences.
Of course, those discussing it were only praising Venerable Wangqing’s strength. No one even mentioned the young disciple who enjoyed using earth escape techniques to ambush opponents.
That suited Li Changshou just fine.
In his view, among the many factors leading to the great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods, the Western Sect played a particularly large role.
Looking at the outcome of the catastrophe, the Western Sect had gained far too much.
Guiding people, snatching treasures, collecting “pets”…
Had the lingering friction between the three sects, ever since the split between the Three Purities, been subtly fueled by the schemes of the Western Saints?
That question…
“Senior Brother~”
A delicate, honeyed voice called out from outside the room.
His junior sister had arrived. Every so often, she would pull stunts like this.
Li Changshou turned his head toward the voice, only to see Ling’e raising her left hand, using her wide sleeve to cover her face as she slowly stepped into the alchemy room.
“Junior Sister, I’m busy contemplating serious matters. What are you doing?” Li Changshou chuckled. “Did you get stung by a hundred-poison bee?”
“Senior Brother, you’re awful!”
Ling’e pouted before bashfully removing her sleeve…
Revealing—
Revealing—
A face heavily caked in makeup, covered with bits of paper mimicking wrinkles—
An old face.
Seeing his senior brother’s stunned expression, Ling’e smirked inwardly, took a graceful step forward, and deliberately lowered her voice:
“This old woman greets you.”
Li Changshou opened his mouth, but not a single word came out.
He remained seated on his cushion, completely frozen, like a stone statue.
In the South Sea, on a desolate island barely a hundred miles from the mainland, three Daoists knelt trembling on a jagged reef, their faces deathly pale.
Bzzzz—
The faint hum of a mosquito grew clearer amidst the crashing waves. Though all three were True Immortals, cold sweat dripped continuously from their foreheads.
Suddenly, a formation materialized out of thin air, sending wisps of gray mist swirling in all directions. The surroundings darkened as if night had fallen.
Blood-red light gathered to the side, coalescing into the silhouette of a woman clad in a flowing crimson dress.
She was beautiful in an eerily unnatural way, her features too enchanting, her figure exaggeratedly perfect. The blood-red robe was the only thing covering her body as she walked barefoot toward the kneeling trio.
Extending a slender, delicate finger, she gently touched the forehead of one of the Daoists. With a slow inhale, her eyes fluttered shut, and a faint crimson glow flickered across her bewitching face…
The True Immortal didn’t even have time to scream before he disintegrated into dust, vanishing with the wind.
The woman exhaled a soft hum, admiring her elegant fingers. Then, in a sultry voice tinged with a raspy edge, she murmured:
“What a dreadful taste.”
“I told you to search the South Sea for the so-called Sea God’s true form, and yet, here you are—groveling before me, begging for mercy.”
“What? Did you assume that just because I’m not starving, I wouldn’t feed?”
The two remaining Daoists immediately lowered their heads, their bodies shaking violently, not even daring to breathe too loudly.
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152