Chapter 744: Meeting the Master

"Greetings, Old Lord." Li Changshou, in his false form as Subhuti, rose and performed a Daoist bow to Old Lord Taishang, casually placing the spirit herbs into a jade box.

Lest there be any misunderstanding, he wasn't claiming ownership of the spirit herbs. Neither in his guise as 'Subhuti' nor in his true identity would he dare contend with Old Lord Taishang for them. He held the jade box forward and pushed it towards Old Lord Taishang with his immortal power, a hint of regret on his face, but little hesitation. This move was very much in character for Subhuti.

Who was Old Lord Taishang? A divine being of what caliber? A titan of what domain? If Old Lord Taishang were to simply take the spirit herbs, it would diminish his reputation. Although a certain Saint had once played with their reputation to the point of absurdity, Old Lord Taishang, being highly revered, would never take advantage of a junior for free. This held true even if the junior had once been an enemy of the Human School and the Heavenly Courts. Old Lord Taishang didn't need to concern himself with such matters.

As expected, Old Lord Taishang slightly raised his hand, causing the jade box to float above the head of his green ox. He calmly asked, "What kind of pill do you need?"

'Subhuti' bowed his head and replied, "It is far more appropriate for these herbs to be offered to you, Old Lord, than to be wasted in this junior's hands. Please accept them, and consider it a gesture to forge a good affinity with this junior."

"Pills," Old Lord Taishang said simply, his tone implying he had no desire to forge such an affinity with Subhuti.

Li Changshou couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Both of his teachers were truly endearing.

'Subhuti' looked up, gazing at Old Lord Taishang, a faint, peculiar glint in his eyes. Old Lord Taishang subtly frowned, unable to decipher the meaning of that gaze.

Subhuti said in a deep voice, "Old Lord, this disciple indeed lacks a certain pill. Previously, due to injury, my Dao realm was sealed, and my Dao foundation became unstable. I humbly request Old Lord to bestow upon me a precious pill to stabilize my Dao foundation."

"Oh?" Old Lord Taishang looked at the jade box, then at Subhuti, before dismounting from the ox's back. "Come."

The green ox mooed, then transformed amidst a flash of light into... a young boy. Little Silver! The green ox wasn't home after all; he must have gone down the mountain to play the role of the Bull Demon King!

Li Changshou's true body twitched uncontrollably at the corners of his mouth, and he couldn't help but cover his eyes, guiding his Subhuti false body forward. Little Silver carried two meditation cushions, not even glancing at Subhuti, and placed them on the grass nearby.

Old Lord Taishang sat cross-legged on one cushion. 'Subhuti' bowed his head and moved forward, hesitating slightly before finally sitting opposite Old Lord Taishang.

Old Lord Taishang calmly said, "Extend your hand." His expression reminded Li Changshou of the traditional Chinese doctors he had seen in his previous life.

Li Changshou obediently extended his left hand. Old Lord Taishang pointed a finger at his palm, his expression one of faint disdain. He soon shook his head slightly, motioning for the boy, Little Silver, to return the jade box to 'Subhuti'.

"Beyond help."

"This?" 'Subhuti' hastily said, "Old Lord, although this junior has committed many wrongs, they were ultimately due to youthful ignorance and the pursuit of fame and gain. Now I understand that everything eventually returns to emptiness. I implore Old Lord..."

"The Dao realm is also emptiness," Old Lord Taishang said blandly. He stood up, pushed away the jade box containing the spirit herbs, and walked to one side. Little Silver transformed back into the green ox, then carried Old Lord Taishang away slowly along the path they had come, their figures disappearing into the mist.

'Subhuti' sat there, lost in thought for a long time, looking forlorn, until the meditation cushion before him dissipated into dust. Only then did he sigh and put away the jade box in his hand.

The entire process appeared utterly normal. Old Lord Taishang disdained to act against an old remnant of the Western religion like Subhuti, and Subhuti, in turn, treated Old Lord Taishang with great respect. Moreover, everyone knew Old Lord Taishang was a paramount authority in alchemy and artifact refining in the Primordial World, so it was perfectly reasonable for him to seek pills with spirit herbs. Finally, Old Lord Taishang showed displeasure, realizing that the Heavenly Dao had sealed 'Subhuti's' Dao realm, which could not be remedied with pills. Hence, he simply said, "Beyond help." Naturally, Old Lord Taishang was unlikely to mock Subhuti. After declaring 'beyond help, farewell, and no need to see me off,' he rode away on his ox, a rather elegant departure.

However, in reality...

When Old Lord Taishang touched Subhuti's palm with his finger, strands of spiritual perception arose within his Dao heart, much like a spiritual treasure communicating with a living being. At this moment, as the green ox traversed the void, Old Lord Taishang carefully savored that spiritual perception, revealing no expression.

What did Li Changshou say? He immediately recited the formula for the 'Heart Fire Burn' pill on the spot. After proving his identity, he promptly stated his intentions:

'Old Lord, this disciple is using Subhuti's body to play a game with the Dao Ancestor. There is one matter that requires your intervention... it concerns the spirit monkey Wukong. He is my disciple, and also a pawn of the Dao Ancestor. I wish to grant him more advantages, so he might have a bit more power to resist when the Dao Ancestor schemes. His character is not a concern; although the monkey is arrogant, he possesses a compassionate heart for all living beings. Later, he will cause trouble in the Heavenly Courts due to drunkenness and will go to bother the Tushita Palace. I ask Old Lord to prepare some pills for him to enhance his own strength. This disciple has embedded a grand formation within him, to protect him at crucial moments. The more spiritual energy he possesses, the stronger this formation will be.'

Old Lord Taishang's lips twitched slightly as he rode the green ox—the 'Silver Edition'—to the next herb-gathering spot.

And as these spiritual perceptions arose in Old Lord Taishang's heart, a wisp of transmitted sound echoed in the depths of Li Changshou's Dao heart, slowly dissipating. That was a spiritual message proactively transmitted to Li Changshou by Old Lord Taishang when he touched his palm. Compared to Li Changshou's lengthy discourse, this spiritual message was brief, but the words within it made Li Changshou's nose tingle slightly:

'Taiqing is safe, our original forms are of one mind, and I knew of your return long ago. Do not overexert yourself. If matters cannot be resolved, then break them to establish something new.'

This... Li Changshou's heart trembled. This brief contact, this short exchange, brought him much peace of mind. Old Lord Taishang must be a hidden move left by his teacher. On the surface, he has no connection to his teacher, merely an avatar embodying the Taiqing Saint's will to 'protect the Heavenly Courts'. Even the Heavenly Dao was deceived, believing Old Lord Taishang's existence was beneficial and harmless to the Heavenly Courts and the Heavenly Dao. Yet in reality, Old Lord Taishang and Taiqing were of one mind and virtue... their relationship was quite profound and mysterious.

Li Changshou suddenly realized something. A Taiji diagram appeared in his mind; as it slowly rotated, two figures appeared in the 'eyes' of the yin and yang fish: his teacher and Old Lord Taishang. Hiss— That's it, the Great Dao of Yin and Yang! His teacher and Old Lord Taishang must be two sides of the same entity. And his teacher had managed to split his Dao heart into two, separately deducing the Dao of Yin and Yang, then reuniting them to form his own supreme Dao! His teacher and Old Lord Taishang were indeed two separate beings. Due to the opposition of Yin and Yang, these two beings were perfectly delineated and unable to interfere. However, due to the principle of Yin and Yang's mutual aid and coexistence, these two beings were essentially one: Taiqing! Only by doing this—splitting oneself, with one side representing Yin and the other Yang, mutually generating and restraining, merging and separating—could the Great Dao of Yin and Yang be pushed to its absolute limit!

In the battle in the Purple Heaven Palace that day, Old Lord Taishang had indeed participated. It wasn't Old Lord Taishang himself, but Old Lord Taishang's Great Dao. His teacher, Taiqing, was able to suppress the other five Saints and defeat the Dao Ancestor in combat precisely because when Taiqing's Dao merged with Old Lord Taishang's, they could, for a brief moment, enter the realm of Yin and Yang Unification, the Primordial Limitless. His teacher's combat power was comparable to a Primordial Limitless Saint!

Unfortunately, his teacher was not a true Primordial Limitless Saint, nor could he bear to draw half of the Primordial World's spiritual energy to achieve his own Great Dao Sainthood. To become a Saint by drawing half of the Primordial World's spiritual energy—this was a precise conclusion reached through joint calculations by mighty ancient powers and great cultivators. However, the 'spiritual energy' here did not refer to the various elemental or unaligned spiritual energies floating within the Primordial World, but also included the spiritual energy stored within living beings as magical power and vital essence. When the power of living beings was at its peak, achieving true Sainthood required slaughtering powerful living beings and releasing the spiritual energy they occupied. His teacher Taiqing could always do this, but he never did. Alas... Without becoming a true Saint, he couldn't sever the Dao Ancestor's connection to the world's origin. But becoming a true Saint would cause heavy losses to the Primordial World, and the power of living beings would completely plummet, unable to rise again. If his teacher initiated the tribulation of Sainthood, powerful cultivators would surely escape, and the spiritual energy of the world would ultimately be controlled by a few powerful beings. That would spell the end for the Primordial World's Qi cultivators.

Li Changshou suddenly understood why his teacher had always been reluctant to accept many disciples. Old Lord Taishang must have intentionally come to see him today. To ensure he wouldn't worry too much or overexert himself, his teacher was providing a safety net, allowing him to pursue another path with peace of mind. Indeed... his teacher was truly formidable.

"Sigh." 'Subhuti' appeared to sigh in disappointment, but in reality, it was an expression of his inner thoughts. He looked up towards the Five Continents, his expression somewhat grim. Next stop, continue embedding the 'nails'. To not disappoint his teacher, and for the legacy of Pangu that his teacher carried. The final battle. It was very close.

"Sister, tea is ready." In the soundproof formation in a corner of the main hall of the Kunpeng Secret Realm.

Ling'e wore a grass-green short skirt, her long hair styled in maiden's loops. The jade pendant at her waist jingled, and the necklace on her fair neck emanated a faint immortal glow. Years had passed in a blink, yet Ling'e remained unchanged. After all, she was already a Golden Immortal, and her days here were quite leisurely. Her senior brother had been sitting cross-legged in the center of the hall, secretly plotting a rebellion against the heavens in the Primordial World, shouldering everything himself. She felt a pang of heartache watching him, but she couldn't help much. She could only quietly accompany him, waiting and preparing. If her senior brother lost, she would gently comfort him and help him overcome his emotions. If he won, she would cheer and encourage him, ensuring he felt the atmosphere of victory.

Tap, tap, two sounds as the teacups were placed on the low table in the center of the soft couch. Ling'e settled down, resting her chin on her hand, observing Sister Yun Xiao, who was smiling and expressing thanks nearby. Yun Xiao was tinkering with a miniature formation disk, contemplating ways to improve it while Li Changshou was unavailable. Compared to Ling'e, Yun Xiao's changes were even more negligible. She was, after all, an innate mighty figure, and less than a millennium had passed, which felt like a mere blink. Yun Xiao finally understood the frustration of having her beloved close by, yet unable to converse with him. But every day she maintained light makeup, wanting him to see her at her best the moment he opened his eyes, just as she was now. Her long hair was coiled into cloud-like buns, her cheeks fair and luminous. From her slender fingertips to her eyebrows, she exuded a natural, gentle, and delicate grace. Not to mention male immortals, even Ling'e often found herself mesmerized by Yun Xiao, and would never tire of seeing her, not in a thousand years, not in ten thousand.

Yun Xiao's fingers paused slightly. She smiled gently at Ling'e and softly asked, "Was that commotion earlier Senior Brother Xuandu returning?"

"Mmm," Ling'e sighed, slowly resting her forehead on the low table. "This time, he went out and killed some old villains of the Primordial World, gathering quite a bit of true spirit power. Everyone is now full of drive, thinking that if they continue to accumulate like this, they will one day be able to fight their way back to the Primordial World."

Yun Xiao put away the miniature formation disk. Two jade talismans, written by Li Changshou, appeared in her hand. She softly asked, "Then what do you think?"

Ling'e said weakly, "Senior brother will surely win..."

Yun Xiao smiled faintly and added, "To contend with the Dao Ancestor to this extent, he has already given us enough reason to be proud. We'll just quietly wait for him to finish these matters, then retire with him here. Everything will be fine."

"Hehehe," Ling'e suddenly burst into a silly giggle.

Yun Xiao softly said, "Don't laugh like that. We should always maintain some decorum."

"Sister!" Ling'e sat up, blinking her bright, intelligent eyes. "Let's prepare everything for the wedding in advance!"

"That... might invite ridicule," Yun Xiao chuckled. "They might say we're too eager to get married."

"Who cares what they say," Ling'e retorted. "According to Senior Brother's previous plans, and the several times in recent years he's shown expressions of light laughter and teasing, it's clear he's very close to success. Based on this junior sister's long-term observations, Senior Brother's chances of success are definitely over ninety-five percent. Otherwise, he wouldn't occasionally show relaxed expressions. Sister, let's make some preparations in advance. When Senior Brother wakes up, we can just start banging gongs and drums right away, how about it?"

Yun Xiao pondered for a moment, then softly said, "It's not impossible, but be careful when opening the formation. Don't let anyone see."

Ling'e excitedly asked, "Should we invite Aunt-Master Jiu Jiu and the others to help?"

Yun Xiao thought for a moment and shook her head. "No, this hall, besides you and me, even Qiong Xiao and Bi Xiao are not allowed to enter. Let's not add to his troubles. He previously said that this Kunpeng Secret Realm might have the Dao Ancestor's informants, and after careful consideration, I also believe that must be the case. The Dao Ancestor would indeed do such a thing; otherwise, he wouldn't be at ease with so many anti-heavenly beings gathered here."

Ling'e quietly asked, "Sister, who do you find most suspicious?"

"A few of our junior brothers and sisters," Yun Xiao said softly, looking towards where Li Changshou was. "This matter is not yet conclusive. Let's wait until he wakes up to discuss it. We only have these powerful cultivators left. If this matter causes widespread panic, it would be quite detrimental. He probably intends not to investigate this matter, using such informants to lull the Dao Ancestor into a false sense of security."

Ling'e looked thoughtful, recalling for a moment before whispering, "Indeed, there were a few who came to ask me about Senior Brother's condition, showing a tiny bit too much concern."

Yun Xiao smiled gently, continuing to study the jade talisman in her hand. She softly said, "Don't overthink it. Just see what he decides."

"Mmm," Ling'e sighed softly, resting her chin on her hand as she gazed at Yun Xiao's profile. "Sister, why don't you go play cards with them for a while? Don't you ever feel bored always staying in the hall?"

Yun Xiao chuckled softly. "After all, I'm an innate being. I've lived through vast stretches of time." As she spoke, she looked at Li Changshou's figure, a hint of worry finally appearing in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Sister?"

"I just fear that after a long time, the novelty will fade, and that feeling of never tiring of each other will be gone, leaving him a bit disheartened."

"Sister, you're overthinking," Ling'e giggled. "He'll definitely never tire of looking at you!"

Yun Xiao smiled without speaking, saying, "It's just these worries. Lately, I can't help but have such random thoughts." Her words were gentle, her aura soft. The two continued to chat within the soundproof formation, sharing their inner thoughts, which eased much of their mutual apprehension.

In the center of the main hall, Li Changshou remained quietly cross-legged, his own body showing no change. Only occasionally did a faint smile touch the corners of his mouth, and his brows no longer furrowed slightly.

***

Heavenly Courts, Imperial Horse Stable.

The monkey, dressed in a grand red official robe, strode into the main hall with his hands behind his back, looking left and right everywhere, brimming with self-satisfaction. "Excellent, excellent. The celestial horses today are also full of vigor. Later, I'll continue herding horses by the Heavenly River! The Heavenly Courts gave him a paltry official position as Stable Master, thinking he knew nothing. An official who raises horses for the Jade Emperor—isn't that just an old horse monkey raising black bears for himself? Humph, humph. This Great King will first scout around, find a good place in the Heavenly Courts. Tomorrow, after subduing the Heavenly Courts, I'll bring my monkey kin here to enjoy the good life."

The monkey shook his hands, and his wide sleeves fell back, revealing his furry paws. He declared with a flourish: "Someone! Open the stables for this official!"

No sooner had the monkey finished speaking and an immortal official was about to respond than a shout came from outside the Imperial Horse Stable.

"Someone! Prepare a horse for this Marshal!"