MSBITRS Chapter 74 V1

Li Changshou was utterly baffled.

Why?!

Why were there suddenly three Heaven Immortal-level Daoists hovering over Little Qiong Peak?

Two of them were elders from the sect, but the third was a stranger—though he had seen him before at the entrance of Linhai Town, and his aura felt somewhat familiar…

And why?!

Why were Ao Yi and Jiu Wu wandering around aimlessly in the outer maze formation?

A young dragon-horned boy in the lead, a short Daoist trailing behind, the former anxiously searching for a way through while the latter grinned ominously…

And yet, somehow, they were both following the wooden signposts toward the small reception area he had set up.

How did these two even end up together?

It must be fate. A special kind of fate brought them together—turning them into two walking disasters…

What the hell is going on here?

Was this another setup by Uncle-Master Jiu Wu?

That didn’t make sense. His relationship with Uncle-Master Jiu Wu had been growing closer over the years, and the effects of the Dao Oath were still in place…

Hmm?

From the direction of the main peak, he could sense numerous Heaven Immortals gathering inside the usually sealed-off grand hall…

Li Changshou quickly put the pieces together.

Back in Linhai Town, he had overheard a group from the Jie Sect discussing their plans to visit an immortal sect for a Dao discussion and sparring session.

He never imagined they were coming for Du’xian Sect!

Ao Yi and Du’xian Sect had a bit of history.

After all, Ao Yi was the second prince of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, and in recent decades, relations between the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace and the immortals of the Eastern Continent had grown tense…

Could this little dragon be trying to stir up conflict between the Human and Jie Sects?

That didn’t seem right. Ao Yi didn’t seem that foolish. If he did something like that, the Jie Sect’s Grandmaster would cut down the Dragon Clan in an instant…

Then again… this little dragon wasn’t exactly the brightest…

Did drinking too much Jia Ren Mei damage his dragon brain?

Li Changshou pondered the situation. At first, he had been completely blindsided by the unexpected developments, but he quickly regained his composure.

At this moment, he could sense that the entire Du’xian Sect’s attention was focused on Little Qiong Peak.

Countless immortal senses and spiritual auras were locked onto the area surrounding the alchemy chamber…

Given how he had presented himself within the sect, his cultivation level should only be considered above average. That shouldn’t have been the reason for all this attention.

Every effect has a cause.

His previous encounter with Ao Yi before his tribulation was purely coincidental.

He was certain Ao Yi hadn’t recognized him back then—he had appeared as the same cold-faced Daoist the entire time, with his aura and even his body scent carefully altered.

So, the most likely explanation had to be…

The sparring match at the Eastern Sea’s Demonic Gathering.

This little dragon must have been stewing over the fact that he hadn’t been able to lose their fight. Unable to let it go, he had traveled all this way just to throw the match properly?!

Li Changshou let out a long sigh in the underground chamber.

“I’ll never understand how this dragon and that woman think.”

Now, what to do…

Li Changshou glanced at the paper effigy inside his alchemy chamber. The three sensory stones attached to it only flickered faintly—reacting to his immortal sense.

After a brief hesitation, he transformed into a wisp of green smoke and slipped back into the chamber.

Inside the alchemy chamber, Li Changshou disappeared for an instant before reappearing again.

He stepped onto the meditation cushion behind the alchemy furnace, sat down, and closed his eyes—pretending to be deep in contemplation, just as he had instructed his junior sister to do.

Since he was supposed to be in seclusion, he needed to at least make it look like he was making progress. He subtly adjusted his Turtle Breath Breathing Technique:

Surface disguise: Fifth Stage of the Returning Void Realm.
Inner disguise: Ninth Stage of the Returning Void Realm.
Deep disguise: Celestial Immortal Realm.

After setting up these layers of deception, Li Changshou meticulously reviewed every detail, ensuring there were no traces on Little Qiong Peak that could expose his secrets.

Meanwhile, Ling’e obediently stayed hidden in her grass hut, pretending to cultivate.

For once, his junior sister was handling things well.

He’d have to praise her later.

For now, his best course of action was to continue feigning deep seclusion—until the sect’s higher-ups called him out or the ruckus outside forced him to respond.

From there, he could shift the focus elsewhere as needed.

In the Grand Formation

Following the wooden signs step by step, Ao Yi and Jiu Wu finally arrived at the “Outdoor Tea Pavilion.”

They exchanged glances.

Ao Yi still had the appearance of a twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy. Including his dragon horns, he stood around six feet tall, a full head taller than Jiu Wu.

After reading the sign, Ao Yi frowned as he surveyed his surroundings, utterly perplexed.

Jiu Wu chuckled. “Prince Ao Yi, it’s obvious we’ve hit another fork in the road.”

Ao Yi scowled. “I’ve already found the paths through all the basic formations. Why can’t I get out of here?”

“This is a linked formation designed by Nephew Changshou.” Jiu Wu smirked. “Every exit from one formation leads directly into another. To break through, you need a profound understanding of formations.”

He added with a knowing grin, “Prince Ao Yi, don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Hmph!”

Ao Yi let out a cold snort and said indifferently, “I refuse to believe I’ll be trapped here today.”

With that, he pulled out an icy blue pearl from his sleeve. The moment it glowed, the spiritual flow of the formation ground to a halt.

Ao Yi smirked and turned back, quickly finding a new path forward.

Jiu Wu hurried after him, though the short Daoist’s grin only deepened…

Years ago, even he and Daoist Jiu Shi had gotten completely lost in this formation. Now, the array was even more refined and intricate than before.

While technically just a combination of basic formations, under Li Changshou’s meticulous design, it had truly become a masterpiece.

Half an Hour Later

Ao Yi stared at the wooden sign in front of him, his mouth twitching.

[Lost again?]

He had walked in a circle!

“Damn it!”

His elegant face was contorted from gritted teeth. Determined, he spun around and charged toward another path.

Inside the Alchemy Chamber

Li Changshou cracked one eye open.

That little dragon had some kind of formation-breaking treasure, but his actual understanding of formations was… laughable.

After some thought, Li Changshou secretly disabled several formation layers around the alchemy chamber, making it so the Heaven Immortal elders could see him meditating inside.

That should make things seem more reasonable.

Another Half Hour Later

Up in the skies above Little Qiong Peak, the three Heaven Immortals wore vastly different expressions.

The two Du’xian Sect elders were smiling, though they restrained themselves.

Even Yuan Ze, despite his usual sternness, had a faint smile—though his brows furrowed now and then.

From their vantage point, they could see Ao Yi running around like a headless fly.

Even Yuan Ze was starting to feel second-hand frustration.

Inside the formation, Ao Yi’s eyes were bloodshot, his breath ragged, and his patience nearly at its breaking point.

Jiu Wu hovered lazily behind him, making sure the dragon prince didn’t try to brute-force his way out.

At this rate, he wouldn’t even have to intervene.

Nephew Changshou had already taken care of everything.

Gradually, Ao Yi’s breathing became rapid…

However, he remained somewhat clear-headed. Though anxious, he did not act recklessly.

He had agreed to challenge the formation—if he could break through, it would be considered a victory!

The formation here was, indeed, only composed of basic arrays that even Nascent Soul cultivators could set up. Yet, inexplicably, he was unable to escape…

He couldn’t even locate the formation’s core or weak points!

Back in his training, he had learned so many formation principles… Had the dragon race truly fallen so far in the art of formations?

No! The dragon race can still rise again!

Jiu Wu whispered, “Prince Ao Yi, perhaps it’s best if we—”

“I’m breaking the formation!” Ao Yi turned and growled in a low voice.