Chapter 138 - Teaching a Lesson!

Chapter 138 - Teaching a Lesson!

Confusion atop the bewildered tree, a sage-like tremble before the idol.

How did it suddenly become so effective?

Li Changshou's mouth twitched incessantly. He hadn't uttered a word, not even a whisper. Just lit incense, bowed to the ancestral deity here, and now... this hint of Daoist rhyme, naturally familiar.

Back then, for this hint of Daoist rhyme to descend, Uncle Jiu cried, and Sister Poison cried, even modifying lines and barely managing to get the painting to manifest. Now...

Is it just so casual?

Li Changshou immediately woke up in his heart, lying obediently, full of emotion.

Finally, he's starting to become familiar in front of the sage!

Though his safety factor didn't skyrocket in a straight line, it thickened many times over compared to before! But what puzzled Li Changshou somewhat was...

This hint of Daoist rhyme had been lingering around him, yet he neither heard any instructions nor felt any enlightenment in his heart.

Moments later...

The Daoist rhyme lingered, but the painting had returned to calm.

And the two elders who had sensed that hint of Daoist rhyme just now also looked puzzled, noticing nothing else amiss.

Both elders looked at the three "high incense sticks" and couldn't help but think: "It should be because the incense was different."

Moments later... Only Li Changshou could feel the Daoist rhyme still present, but at this point, the painting showed no abnormalities, and the onlookers were no longer paying much attention.

After all, Li Changshou had come to burn incense not once or twice...

Although Li Changshou was puzzled and confused, he still lay quietly, waiting for the next instruction from the sage.

However, it wasn't just Li Changshou who was baffled at this moment... ...

Ninth Heaven Pavilion, behind the Coiling Spirit Palace, under that familiar old tree.

Today's wind, though not noisy, carried a strange scent...

Oh, it's the two little boys of Laozi attempting to refine elixirs. Seems like this furnace is about to fail again.

The venerable monk Xuan Du, dressed in a black robe, sat cross-legged on the mat under the tree, frowning as he calculated. In his mind, there was an image of a young disciple kneeling silently before the teacher's portrait, neither speaking nor uttering a word, just kneeling there.

This situation...

Naturally, it was the beloved teacher, Laozi, using a miraculous power that even Venerable Xuan Du couldn't comprehend, to directly transmit 'sympathy.'

But Venerable Xuan Du was puzzled at the moment.

He calculated and deduced, only to know that this situation occurred at the Eastern Zoudu Immortal Gate, which was almost destroyed last time. As for what this young disciple sought, or why he was kneeling, he had no clue.

At this moment, all corners of the Immortal Gate were peaceful, with no major incidents.

"If the teacher is alarmed, there must be some major event..."

Venerable Xuan Du pondered for a moment and began to deduce the young disciple's past and what had happened to him.

The result...

"Interesting, someone has obscured his destiny?"

Venerable Xuan Du raised an eyebrow, waved his left hand in the air, and slowly swayed his fingertips like ink splashing, conjuring a virtual image of a Taiji diagram floating above his palm. With his right hand forming a sword gesture, he gently pointed at the virtual image of the Taiji diagram.

Venerable Xuan Du closed his eyes and concentrated on his deduction.

Soon, a trace of enlightenment dawned upon Venerable Xuan Du.

The person he sensed in his heart right now was named Li Changshou, a young disciple of the Eastern Zoudu Immortal Gate, less than two hundred years old...

"Is it over?"

Venerable Xuan Du was somewhat surprised.

He carefully pondered the information deduced through the Taiji diagram and raised an eyebrow afterward.

A junior disciple's destiny, he couldn't deduce even with the help of the Taiji diagram's power.

That was a bit too much.

Venerable Xuan Du deduced again, and this time, he quickly determined that his teacher had intervened before to obscure something for this young disciple...

It seemed to have happened not long ago.

Interesting.

How many years had it been since the teacher last intervened?

After the battle between the witch and the demon, the three emperors and five ancestors of the human race retreated to the Fire Cloud Cave, and the six sages lived in seclusion, never showing themselves to the world.

Now, the teacher actually took the initiative to help a 'remote' disciple of the Daoist lineage obscure destiny...

What exactly is the big deal?

Venerable Xuan Du dared not ask his teacher directly.

That would easily lead to a punishment of confinement, and every time would be at least ten thousand years...

Since this matter revolves around this young disciple, he could just go and ask him directly.

Venerable Xuan Du stood up slowly, his robe flowing like water, and a trace of enlightenment arose in his heart...

[Dragon Clan Enters Heaven]

—This was the hint given by the teacher.

Venerable Xuan Du suddenly understood.

The young disciple kneeling below was a key figure in the "Dragon Clan Enters Heaven" event!

As for how the Dragon Clan entered heaven, why they entered heaven, and what role this young disciple could play in this matter, these were things that Venerable Xuan Du didn't know at the moment...

Venerable Xuan Du couldn't help but furrow his brow and muttered: "Teacher, can't you just directly communicate with your disciple?

This way, it would make the disciple realize directly, making him feel that his own Dao is meaningless."

With that, Venerable Xuan Du felt another trace of enlightenment arise in his heart...

[Next time, definitely] Venerable Xuan Du: ...

He sighed dejectedly, and with a step, Venerable Xuan Du disappeared into the Coiling Spirit Palace.

The Ninth Heaven Pavilion was elusive, with no one knowing who entered or left the Heavenly Gate.

With just a few steps, the chief disciple of the Daoist School had traversed countless mountains and rivers.

With a glance back, he passed by continents in a hurry...

In just a moment, Venerable Xuan Du appeared directly above the Eastern Zoudu Immortal Gate, standing on the thin and slippery array.

Yet no one could see him. With a sweep of his divine sense, Venerable Xuan Du smiled faintly. Leaving aside other matters, the tradition of pairing disciples within the Immortal Gate was quite good.

There were so many pairs within the gate.

If they could increase their efforts and bear more offspring, how could the Daoist School not prosper?

Venerable Xuan Du pointed a finger at Pofeng Peak, and his figure disappeared quietly, without disturbing a soul.

Pofeng Peak, Bai Fan Palace.

Li Changshou, who was lying there, felt the Daoist rhyme around him slowly dissipate.

At first, he breathed a sigh of relief, then felt somewhat lost.

The sage hadn't given any instructions...

Could it be telling him to be bold like the South Sea Divine Cult and claim to have a sage behind him?

Li Changshou quickly dispelled this somewhat arrogant thought.

The Eastern Zoudu Immortal Gate was originally founded by the named disciples of the sage.

The head of his own sect probably wouldn't even receive such treatment from the sage...

Especially the "Chicken Leg," who was famously quiet and inactive, never meddling in affairs.

Kneel a little longer?

Yes, just a little longer.

As he thought in his heart, a transmission entered his ears, with a clear voice: "Come to the Eastern Zoudu Immortal Gate, three thousand miles southwest, see you."

Huh? Li Changshou frowned, swept his divine sense around, and then immediately retracted it. Nothing gained.

He got up and glanced at the portrait of the saint. There was no trace of any spiritual resonance, though he felt puzzled. Nevertheless, he decided to continue praying here for a while.

If the person transmitting the message was a skilled member of the Person Teaching, why didn't they just show up in the Degree Immortal Sect? That in itself was a bit of a problem.

After a moment...

That thread of transmission came again:

"Didn't you hear the transmission just now? I'm a grand master of the Person Teaching. If you're making an offering in front of the teacher's portrait, there must be some difficulty you're facing. So, I've come to see what's going on."

Li Changshou was surprised, but then he became skeptical.

Is this really happening?

He had just burned three incense sticks in front of the saint's portrait, without saying a word, and now he's managed to summon the saint's sole disciple to come and see him?

While it was possible, how did it look...

It seemed less believable than "I, Xuan Du, Am Playing with Spirit Stones"!

Li Changshou murmured, "How can the senior prove their identity?"

"Hmm?"

Xuan Du Grand Master was also taken aback. In all his years of cultivation, it was the first time he encountered such a situation.

'How do I prove that I am me?'

This young disciple was really interesting.

After pondering for a moment, Xuan Du transmitted a few sentences of the Doctrine of Non-Action directly to Li Changshou. Then, he followed up with two sentences that were in the same vein as the Doctrine of Non-Action but even more profound.

Seeing Li Changshou still showing a puzzled expression, Xuan Du Grand Master couldn't help but feel a bit amused. He projected a trace of his own spiritual resonance to Li Changshou through the air...

Under the circumstances, the grand master had no choice but to transmit four words:

"Dragon Clan Ascension."

Upon hearing this, Li Changshou immediately understood something and found a logical point.

In fact, Li Changshou had determined from this trace of spiritual resonance that the other party was a terrifying figure in terms of cultivation...

If someone wanted to harm him, the Degree Immortal Sect would probably be wiped out directly from the Eastern Victory Divine Continent.

In the presence of such a figure, he currently had no room to maneuver.

Finally, Li Changshou stood up in front of the portrait of the saint.

With a calm expression, he went to find a familiar elder to ask for the mountain gate token and then headed out of the hall.

After leaving the Hundred Varieties Hall, Li Changshou muttered to himself again:

"Senior, should I invite our sect leader?"

"No need. You're here, and if I were a villain wanting to harm you, why would I say so much to you?"

"Please don't blame me," Li Changshou muttered, "I didn't react in time. I'll go and meet him now."

With that, he flew towards the mountain gate using clouds, smoothly passed through the mountain gate with the token, and headed southwest, flying leisurely for hundreds of miles.

Xuan Du Grand Master did not continue to urge him.

After looking around for a while with his sense stone, Li Changshou finally landed in a forest, used earth shifting, and swiftly shuttled two thousand miles.

'Should I use a paper person to probe first?'

Li Changshou pondered for a moment but quickly dismissed the idea.

With such a high-level expert, whether or not it was Xuan Du Grand Master, he couldn't afford to play tricks...

With sincerity, exchange for opportunities.

Repeatedly searching with his divine sense, he found no trace of anyone;

But when Li Changshou jumped out of the ground and flew towards "three thousand miles away," he had a feeling. As he looked down, he saw a young Daoist in black robes sitting by a stream in a valley. This person was roasting a few fish over a fire, looking relaxed and content.

At that moment, Li Changshou's heart settled down mostly. Descending on clouds, he slowly landed ten yards away, deeply bowing:

"Disciple of the Degree Immortal Sect, Li Changshou, pays respects to the senior!"

Xuan Du Grand Master shook his head and sighed, holding the roasted fish, and said:

"I've been practicing for quite some years, and I've never seen a disciple as verbose as you... Hmm?"

Suddenly, as if he had discovered something, Xuan Du turned his head to look at Li Changshou, chuckling.

"The method of concealing your cultivation is quite clever. I didn't pay close attention before and overlooked it. Your cultivation... Why are you still just a young disciple? Why hasn't the Degree Immortal Sect given you the position of an elder?"

Li Changshou pondered for a moment, lowering his head:

"Disciple underwent Tribulation only a few decades ago. During the Tribulation, I was fortunate to ascend and gain such cultivation. But before the Tribulation, I was just an ordinary disciple in the sect. If I suddenly revealed such cultivation, I'm afraid I would be seen as an outsider by my fellow disciples. So, I used this method to conceal it. It was not intentional deception, nor did I harbor any ill will toward the sect."

Xuan Du nodded slowly, saying:

"These are small matters. Come over and sit. The more formalities you observe, the less I like it. We in the Person Teaching don't have so many rules... But I understand now why the teacher asked me to come and talk to you. There are ascenders, but someone who ascends like you is rare. You're a talent."

Li Changshou raised his head and smiled, carefully scrutinizing the young Daoist in front of him.

At first glance, he seemed ordinary;

But upon closer inspection, Li Changshou felt like the Daoist in front of him was like a towering mountain, yet he didn't give off any oppressive feeling, and he couldn't be penetrated at all.

The grand master was just casually sitting here, holding a twig in his hand with half-cooked fish on it, yet he seemed to blend in with nature, harmonizing with the heavens and earth, without any sense of disharmony.

At this point, Li Changshou finally confirmed that this person was indeed the second-ranking big shot in the Person Teaching.

Grand Master Xuan Du!

"Why are you in a daze?"

"The first time I've seen a senior like you, it feels like a dream."

Li Changshou exhaled slowly, took two steps forward, and sat in front of Xuan Du, extending his hand: "Let me roast some."

"You're quite courteous."

"The elderly have their requests, and it's only natural for the disciple to serve. It's the least I can do."

Hearing this response, Xuan Du suddenly squinted, handing over the firewood, then stretched lazily.

Xuan Du seemed to remember something and said casually:

"Oh, by the way, I broke your marriage destiny figurine before. We've formed a bit of a connection. Did you use the elixir that Brother Due Er Dao passed on to you last time? How was the effect?"

"I didn't use it," Li Changshou smiled, "There was nothing wrong with me, and I wanted to save the elixir for my senior who has embarked on the path of the Earth Immortal. Senior... I'd like to ask, can a Cultivator of Impurity only cultivate to the level of an Earth Immortal?"

"Yes, Cultivators of Impurity can only pursue the path of the Earth Immortal. You're... going through a tough time." Xuan Du nodded slowly. "Just... accept it."

Li Changshou:...

A real chat genius.

"Speak up, what troubles you?" Xuan Du Grand Master looked at Li Changshou, "Since the teacher asked me to come find you, I'll help you out of your predicament. Also, what's your connection with the Dragon Clan?"

Li Changshou smiled bitterly, saying, "Does the grand master know about the South Sea Divine Cult?"

Xuan Du calculated with his fingers and said, "I've heard about it recently. The Heavenly Court is spreading the news that the Jade Emperor's nephew greatly appreciates this divine cult and intends to incorporate the wild gods of this divine cult into the official gods."

Li Changshou sighed, "The disciple is the leader of the South Sea Divine Cult... the Master."

"Oh?" Xuan Du's eyes lit up. "If you put it that way, I'm interested! You're not even two hundred years old, how did you become the leader of the South Sea Divine Cult? Back then, I also secretly messed with a divine cult, and it fell apart in just a few hundred years... Ahem! Tell me, what's going on?"