Chapter 753: Soaring Forward, Zixiao Palace [Large Cup]

What is happening in this world?

Li Changshou, in his third avatar—an elderly Human Immortal—stood on a desolate mountaintop in East Continent, watching the swirling grey mist gather above him.

The heavenly tribulation was about to descend!

What exactly happened here?

It all began when the Handsome Monkey King of Mount Huaguo was conferred the title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Most celestial beings in the Heavenly Court had reservations about this. Youqin Xuanya advised the Cloud Palace, debating and refuting some points with the fake Grand White, which caused a slight deviation in the Journey to the West tribulation, previously unforeseen by the Heavenly Dao, thus alerting the Dao Ancestor.

The Dao Ancestor meticulously examined the Three Thousand Great Daos, detected traces of the Dao of Heavenly Demons, went beneath the Tower of Reincarnation to destroy the spirit core of the Heavenly Demon Venerate, and thereby realized Li Changshou's completed calculations.

Anyone encountering such a situation would be enraged; anyone who believed they had won, that their opponent had fled in disarray into the Sea of Chaos, and who had savored a millennium of 'victory's thrill', only to discover it was all part of the opponent's elaborate scheme, would inevitably feel a strange unease. The Dao Ancestor felt just like that... Everything was developing in directions he could not control; the 'One That Got Away' was no longer merely an indelible existence within the rules of the Great Dao. He had long been manipulated and calculated by Li Changshou!

To regain the initiative, the Dao Ancestor chose to sabotage his own script and began a series of actions. Sun Wukong, with his mind controlled, mistakenly entered the Tushita Palace, consumed the elixirs within, and was then cast by the Heavenly Dao to hide within Mount Huaguo. The Dao Ancestor directly controlled the minds of the remaining experts of the Demon Court, causing these demon masters to gather on Mount Huaguo.

Within three days, Mount Huaguo became a bustling place; heavenly soldiers descended fiercely, intending to annihilate the demons of Mount Huaguo, launching a lightning-fast offensive. While the fierce battle on Mount Huaguo raged, a large number of demon experts were being annihilated. The fake Grand White suddenly appeared, claiming to act on the Jade Emperor's command, to kill the monkey-kind beings under Sun Wukong's command. The Dao Ancestor's move aimed to provoke Sun Wukong into battling the Heavenly Court, thereby triggering the greatest variable in the Journey to the West tribulation.

The Dao Ancestor's logic was not particularly complex—the only opportunity in the current world to impact the Heavenly Dao and cause slight turmoil in the Primordial World was during the Great Sage Equal to Heaven's havoc in the Heavenly Palace, as Li Changshou was most likely to act at that moment. The Dao Ancestor disrupted his own steps, essentially aiming to throw Li Changshou off balance and force him to reveal himself. The effect was quite evident: Li Changshou stepped forward.

However, this was a 'lucky hit' for the Dao Ancestor. Li Changshou stepped forward simply because he didn't want his disciple to be sad after today. How could he not understand the Dao Ancestor's intentions? But with things having come to this, he could only accept the challenge. The last sliver of winning possibility still had a chance to be pried from the Dao Ancestor's grasp.

This was a battle concerning countless beings in the Three Realms; he had to be utterly cautious, allowing no room for error. At the same time, this was also a battle concerning his disciple's future destiny. There was no need to distinguish between the importance of the two; Li Changshou also did not wish to sacrifice Sun Wukong for the victory of the entire battle. The so-called inherent tragedy was merely an excuse for insufficient ability. If he couldn't even protect a single disciple, how could he claim to protect all beings in the world in the face of the Heavenly Dao's selfishness?

This time! Li Changshou would not, as he did last time, allow the Heavenly Dao to destroy the Jie Sect, allow the Dao Ancestor to seal his teacher, or allow the Dao Ancestor to arbitrarily bully beings connected to him!

The third avatar actively appeared, gazing up at the Purple Heaven Palace, using the Dao aura of the Dao of Balance to attract the Dao Ancestor's attention. He cupped his hands in a gesture of greeting, almost shouting 'Fellow Daoist'. The Dao Ancestor's response was swift and decisive; without revealing any Dao aura, he directly mobilized immeasurable Heavenly Dao power, transforming it into layers of tribulation clouds that converged towards the third avatar's location.

In just an instant!The Dao of Balance, revealed to the world;The figure of the old Daoist standing on the mountain peak with his hands clasped behind his back;The boundless tribulation clouds of the heavenly calamity, and the continuously brewing purple-black divine lightning...Drew the gazes of the strongest beings in the world!

In the Saint Mother's Palace, Empress Nüwa, who had been reading by the pond, flickered and appeared at the pavilion's entrance, gazing at Li Changshou's location. In the Cloud Palace, the Heavenly Emperor, clad in yellow robes and wearing a coronet, stood up, gazing at the jade table before him, his body trembling slightly. In the Palace of Doumu Yuanjun, Zhao Gongming pushed away the Jie Sect Immortal in front of him and stared at the sea of clouds below. In the hidden abode of Li Changshou's first avatar, Subhuti, on Spirit Mountain, the figure of Saint Jieyin had vanished, and the chanting in the Grand Hall of Buddha Duobao ceased. On Kunlun Mountain, in the Three Friends Courtyard behind the Jade Void Palace, the middle-aged Daoist reclining under a tree paused his book-flipping, then revealed a slight smile and gently shook his head.

That figure;That somewhat unfamiliar figure, yet one that seemed capable of encompassing the entire world.The disciple of Grand Purity...

"Chang Geng!""Changshou?"

However, at this moment, no one knew why Li Changshou had suddenly appeared. Even the quick-witted Dao Ancestor was slightly bewildered, unsure why Li Changshou would choose such a moment to reveal himself. From the Dao Ancestor's perspective, Li Changshou's actions were clearly irrational, lacked a specific purpose, and were not an opportune moment for Li Changshou himself. —This was what Li Changshou had previously told the Dao Ancestor: there was a fundamental difference in their perspectives.

The second avatar secretly entered the body of Mount Huaguo. Taking advantage of the widespread chaotic battle, Li Jing's pagoda spinning in the air, and the Heavenly Court's protective formation not yet withdrawn, he rushed to where the monkey soldiers were gathered. Every monkey spirit enveloped by a special karmic hindrance of the Heavenly Dao was one of the monkey-kind beings whose names Sun Wukong had erased from the Book of Life and Death in the Underworld. From Li Changshou's sleeve, specks of starlight flew out; one by one, miniature formation plates, secretly crafted by this avatar beforehand, scattered from the ground, instantly forming seventy-two teleportation arrays. Arrays connected with arrays, spells intertwined with spells.

Within the beams of light cast by the Heavenly Court's protective formation, the monkeys were either startled, bewildered, or filled with hot blood, wanting to resist the Heavenly Court's slaughter alongside their demon brethren, or attempting to flee but trapped by the light beams. Just then, strands of immortal light, like vines, wrapped around the ankles of these monkeys. The Dao aura of Qiankun diffused outwards.

High above Mount Huaguo, Li Jing gazed at the 'Grand White Star Lord' before him, a hint of confusion appearing on his composed face. Li Jing asked, perplexed, "Why do mere monkey-kind beings concern His Majesty so much? Star Lord, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"Marshal Li Jing," the fake Grand White said with a smile, "This is merely a misjudgment caused by Sun Wukong's origins. Previously, Sun Wukong was thought to be a sky-patching stone refined by Empress Nüwa, and thus considered a talent worth cultivating. However, now that the Heavenly Court marshals are discontent, he must be slain to appease their anger. These monkey-kind beings disrupted the order of reincarnation, a wicked consequence brought about by Sun Wukong himself, and thus they must be killed."

Li Jing's brows furrowed tightly; he wanted to speak but only his beard twitched. The fake Grand White glanced at the location of Li Changshou's third avatar and chuckled, "Marshal Li Jing, do not hesitate. I will bear full responsibility for this matter."

"Is acting like this not treating these demons as living beings?" Li Jing said gravely, "Although the demon race is an ancient remnant, there are many cruel, bloodthirsty, and malicious individuals among them. However, most of the lesser demons here, with their low cultivation, are no different from mountain spirits. The monkey-kind beings are also like this. The Heavenly Court exists to protect the Three Realms and to shield the weak from the strong. Does treating these beings in such a manner now violate the Heavenly Court's original intention? Star Lord, perhaps we should first imprison these monkey-kind beings in my pagoda. Later, if His Majesty commands their execution in the Cloud Palace, I will personally annihilate their souls. Would that be acceptable?"

"Impossible," the smile on the fake Grand White's face gradually faded. Just as he was about to speak, a strange Dao aura suddenly erupted from beneath his feet. Li Jing and the fake Grand White simultaneously looked down, only to find no trace of monkeys within the multiple light beams cast by the Heavenly Soldiers' protective formation. Only a few monkey hairs drifted gently downwards. Li Jing was stunned, but the fake Grand White sneered, uttering a few words: "Qiankun Shift, Mustard Seed World. So, fellow Daoist, this was your purpose. Truly impressive tactics."

Immediately, the fake Grand White bypassed Li Jing, radiating intense heavenly might, the five-pointed star on his forehead shining brightly. He gently flicked his whisk, and Sun Wukong, who had been placed in his 'birthplace' and was about to awaken, fell into slumber once more; then, he took out a jade talisman from his sleeve and scattered it forward. The talismans carved on the jade amulet burst forth with dazzling light, and a dense sea of spiritual energy surged like tides, condensing into dark red mountain peaks above the fake Grand White's head. The fake Grand White's voice echoed everywhere: "All heavenly soldiers, return to your formations."

Li Jing was about to speak, but found he couldn't open his mouth, couldn't move his body, and his primordial spirit had been restrained at some unknown moment. The fake Grand White raised his left hand high, his wide sleeve falling, his wrinkled palm seemingly holding up heaven and earth. "By the command of Heaven, I shall now annihilate the demon race of Mount Huaguo here." Before his words fully fell, his left hand casually swept downwards. Behind him, hundreds of mountain peaks crashed down upon Mount Huaguo; it was as if dozens of suns had appeared in the sky, immense waves of heat surging through the world. Countless heavenly soldiers and generals watched, their eyelids twitching. On Mount Huaguo, seven great banners fluttered in the wind; countless demon beings looked up at the approaching doomsday, their eyes filled with despair.

Li Changshou watched this scene, feeling a slight helplessness in his heart. This was the Dao Ancestor. He could always personally intervene without restraint, even against insignificant remnants of the demon race, he could justifiably summon spiritual energy ten or even a hundred times their power. Heavenly fire meteors. Mount Huaguo's main peak collapsed with a rumble!

And amidst this magnificent spectacle, living beings wailed, grieved, and called out in despair. The world was finally no longer so silent. Yet, more gazes shifted away from this place, moving towards an unknown desolate mountain tens of thousands of miles away. A faint chuckle echoed between heaven and earth; any Qi Refiner above the Great Luo Realm clearly sensed the Dao aura of the Dao of Balance. Following closely, a clear voice resounded from various parts of East Continent.

"Li Changshou, disciple of the Dao Sect, requests an audience with the Dao Ancestor."

His response was the rumbling thunder from the constantly churning tribulation clouds above his head. Li Changshou murmured, "It seems I'll have to find a way to withstand this heavenly tribulation." No sooner had he spoken than a thick, bucket-sized bolt of purple-black divine lightning struck from the sky, instantly shattering half of Li Changshou's avatar, which dissipated directly into grey smoke.

Li Changshou, however, remained motionless. The old Daoist's fragmented body slowly fell, but from the right sleeve of this old Daoist, another old Daoist figure flew out. How could the Heavenly Demon's methods not have a backup?

"Dao Ancestor, do you not wish to talk with me again?" Before his words finished, another bolt of purple-black divine lightning struck, destroying this avatar almost instantly, leaving not even a speck. A deep hole appeared in the center of the desolate mountain below, with dark red magma visible at its deepest point. Another faint chuckle, and from the mountain forest on the left, a middle-aged Daoist walked out, hands clasped behind his back, looking up at the tribulation clouds in the sky.

In the Purple Heaven Palace, the Dao Ancestor's face immediately fell. In the Kunpeng Secret Realm, Li Changshou also felt somewhat unwell at this moment, having forcefully experienced the sensation of being 'annihilated' twice. Most of these Qi Refiners with flawed Dao hearts had previously committed great evils but had not faced retribution. Li Changshou could thus be considered to be acting on behalf of Heaven through the Dao Ancestor's hand. While it was somewhat disrespectful not to say 'excuse me' when seizing their Dao hearts, there was no alternative in such special circumstances, and he could only plan for the long term.

Li Changshou looked up at the tribulation clouds in the sky and said calmly, "Dao Ancestor, do you perhaps want me to fight my way to the Purple Heaven Palace?" This was his second move: a feint.

As if to confirm his words, waves of spiritual energy suddenly erupted from deep within the earth. These spiritual energy fluctuations were very faint; initially, they might have been no more than dust, but then, this dust transformed into stones, and the stones into mountains. With the Immortal Du Sect as the center, within an area of several thousand miles, spiritual energy suddenly erupted!

From within the tree trunks in the forests, figures emerged; in mountain streams and rivers, paper figures floated to the surface, quickly transforming into human size, then flying out of the water with lifeless eyes. In valleys, abandoned ore veins, forests, and even within the earth's veins! Specks of light illuminated, and figures stood up! They were indistinguishable by gender, their expressions often repetitive, previously like sand and withered wood, now devoid of any spiritual essence.

Paper Daoist: Self-detonation mode.

At the gathering point of the tribulation clouds, Li Changshou's controlled avatar flicked its sleeve, and beneath the tribulation clouds, 'Qiankun ruptured openings' appeared one after another. More than a hundred of them! From within the openings, specks of light poured out, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of figures densely swarmed forth! Carrying mottled spiritual energy comparable to that of Human Immortal Qi Refiners, and wearing mostly identical painted skins, they swarmed into the tribulation clouds like countless flying insects! Thunder roared, and the power of the Heavenly Dao surged forth. But there were simply too many Paper Daoists appearing suddenly; the tribulation clouds were somewhat unable to react in time. The Paper Daoists, rushing from all directions, embedded themselves into the tribulation clouds in the shortest possible time, not giving the clouds a chance to erupt. Their talismans simultaneously activated, and the accumulated spiritual energy within them burst forth!

Li Changshou stood with his hands clasped behind his back in front of the mountain forest, watching the scattered tribulation clouds, a slight smile on his lips. A ray of sunlight fell upon him, feeling quite warm. The tribulation clouds were difficult to gather for a moment; Li Changshou unhurriedly opened more portals. This scene made it seem as if the entire world was his own backyard garden. Another batch of Paper Daoists flew in from an unknown location. But this time, the Paper Daoists did not self-detonate; instead, they began 'stacking arhats' around Li Changshou's avatar. Each Paper Daoist transformed into a component, quickly assembling into a giant, hundred-zhang-tall figure. A streak of immortal light swept over, concealing the intertwined limbs of the Paper Daoists within the figure, transforming it into Li Changshou's face and form. He wore a common Daoist robe, his long hair gathered into a Daoist bun, and he stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the sky. Most of the spiritual energy within these Paper Daoists was called upon by Li Changshou, shaking many Great Daos in this place and broadcasting his voice throughout the world:

"I am back. In fact, I never truly left. All parties need not act. Those dissatisfied with the Heavenly Court, hold your grievances for now. This is now a contest between me and Dao Ancestor Hongjun. No one needs to get involved. If I lose this round again, may you all be well; do not worry about me."

This...

In Fire Cloud Cave, the army of heroic spirits, already prepared to set off, was now frowned upon and halted by Emperor Xuanyuan. In the Saint Mother's Palace, Empress Nüwa gently furrowed her brow, and the flame that had just begun to ignite in her eyes swiftly receded. In the Heavenly Court's Palace of Doumu Yuanjun, Saint Mother Jin Ling, who had been prepared for an emergency delivery, intending to join the battle immediately after giving birth, was now considerably shaken. Beside Saint Mother Jin Ling, Youqin Xuanya had now fainted. —She had been knocked unconscious by Saint Mother Jin Ling, who perceived Youqin Xuanya's intense emotional fluctuations.

In the Purple Heaven Palace, the Dao Ancestor revealed a faint smile, raising a hand and pointing at the Creation Jade Plate before him. In East Continent, a divine lightning bolt struck, shattering the avatar Li Changshou had painstakingly condensed, and the paper figures dispersed into ashes. The Heavenly Dao trembled, and Li Changshou's voice was directly intercepted and quickly suppressed. As if there had been no previous turmoil in the world; just like a dream witnessed by only a few masters.

But at this moment, the Heavenly Dao could perceive, and the Dao Ancestor could perceive, an unusual surge of activity in the power of humanity and living beings, which had been confined by the power of the Heavenly Dao. In the Heavenly Court's Cloud Palace, His Majesty the Jade Emperor revealed a faint smile at the corner of his lips, glancing down at the mostly perplexed celestials and immortals below, and then... stretched. In front of the main hall of the Palace of Doumu Yuanjun, Zhao Gongming was laughing and delighted, slapping his thigh, then trying to stifle his laughter again. Most of the celestials and immortals were somewhat bewildered, wondering why the voice they had just heard and the Dao aura they had perceived felt so strange yet faintly familiar. Furthermore, two or three high-cultivation Jie Sect Immortals suddenly found an additional figure in their Dao hearts. A name was stuck at the tip of their tongues, but they couldn't call it out or utter it.

"No, this isn't right," Zhao Gongming frowned. "What is junior brother doing with this display? It makes no sense. Could he have been discovered and forced to reveal himself? Yet, it doesn't feel like junior brother's character." The celestials and immortals from the Jie Sect exchanged glances, unsure what to say. It wasn't just Zhao Gongming; at this moment, all the Primordial World mighty beings who remembered Li Changshou and had perceived the situation just now were puzzled, unable to understand what had happened. What about the rest? He had come forward, spoken such morale-boosting words, and told various forces to simply observe, claiming he would confront the Dao Ancestor alone. Shouldn't there be a grand entrance next?

The Dao Ancestor, the Heavenly Dao, several Saints, and many mighty beings all began searching the world, hoping to find other clues. In a sense, Li Changshou had already seized the initiative.

In Mount Mei, within the mountain forest filled with laughter and joy. True Monarch Qingyuan Miaodao, Yang Jian, flipped the roasted fish before him, glanced at Yang Chan'er, who was chasing butterflies accompanied by a maid, and couldn't help but smile slightly. Inexplicably, the vertical eye on his forehead trembled slightly, opened on its own, and then quickly closed. The voices that had just been intercepted by the Heavenly Dao now spontaneously appeared within Yang Jian's mind.

'I am back. In fact, I never truly left...'

For some reason, Yang Jian raised his hand and reached into his sleeve, pulling out a sealed treasure pouch. He had forgotten who had spoken these words into his ear: "This item is of great importance. There are no treasures inside, just some words and some strategies of mine. Should there come a day when I leave this world, and the world or the Heavenly Court faces an insurmountable crisis, or if you feel yourself once again falling into that desperate state of mind previously controlled by me, the seal upon it will dissipate on its own. At that time, you may open it and take a look; inside, you will find my strategic advice left for you." These words seemed to have been spoken in a hidden place, abruptly remaining deep within Yang Jian's memory. He just couldn't recall who the speaker was, only remembering that the person's voice was gentle, earning his considerable respect, yet also making him somewhat hesitant to face them. Previously, Yang Jian had checked this brocade pouch several times, but the seal on it had never opened. But today, at this very moment! The opening of the brocade pouch... had abruptly opened.

In the Kunpeng Secret Realm, at Li Changshou's true body. Black and white energies flashed through Li Changshou's eyes; the Primal Supreme Treasure, the Taiji Diagram, appeared before him, then vanished directly. In the main control room of the Kunpeng, Grand Master Xuan Du, who was observing the 'navigation route' before him, felt his eyelid twitch. He opened his left hand, and black and white energies condensed in his palm, slowly forming the Taiji Diagram. This was a 'divine ability' of the supreme Taiji Diagram, allowing for free teleportation between its embedded 'seeds', ignoring all obstacles. Of course, these seeds were difficult to embed; only masters with a deep understanding of the Dao of Yin-Yang, working in conjunction with the Taiji Diagram, could achieve the goal of traversing the Sea of Chaos. A faint spiritual sense echoed in Grand Master Xuan Du's mind, and his expression immediately became somewhat solemn.

'Senior Brother, the plan is ahead of schedule. Everything is under control. I'll delay the Dao Ancestor for a bit; it's up to you now.'

Xuan Du gently took a breath, immediately transmitted a message to Kong Xuan, and then directly activated the Taiji Diagram. The Yin-Yang energies completely enveloped the vast Kunpeng. Five-colored divine light erupted from the Kunpeng's tail, and the Kunpeng, already at the peak of extreme speed, at this moment... pierced through the chaotic Qiankun within the Sea of Chaos!

Li Changshou exhaled softly, mentally re-enacting the final steps. There were no longer so many branching possibilities; the deduction tree had reached its final branch. He would also have to face this battle head-on. What he had deployed at this moment were merely a few minor trump cards. Being able to attract the attention of the world and inform Empress Nüwa and the Human Sovereigns in Fire Cloud Cave not to intervene had already accomplished most of his predictions. In the direction of Heavenly Demon methods, the true trump cards lay with Subhuti and the Dao of Unbinding.

After some thought, he transmitted a message to Yun Xiao, asking her and Ling'e to enter the hall. He prepared some words in his mind, intending to say directly as they gracefully entered: "It's time for the decisive battle."

Li Changshou said solemnly, "I will personally go to the Primordial World shortly. I'll return once I'm done. You don't need to worry about my safety. I have absolute certainty of being able to retreat safely, and I won't force anything if it's impossible. There are still one or two of the Dao Ancestor's informants in the Kunpeng Secret Realm. Their strength is insufficient, and their minds have been affected. You can just trap them later; there's no need to make a fuss or punish them."

Yun Xiao immediately said, "I can go with you."

Li Changshou felt a little awkward.

"Sister," Ling'e called out softly, raising her hand to take Yun Xiao's soft hand, smiling at Yun Xiao with pursed lips, and whispered: "We just need to wait for Senior Brother to return. If we go with him, we won't be able to participate in the confrontation between the Dao Ancestor and Senior Brother. Instead, we might easily become hostages for the Dao Ancestor should he resort to desperate measures. Later, you and I will leave behind two Paper Daoists, escape into the Sea of Chaos, and avoid the Dao Ancestor's informants. That is the important matter."

Li Changshou: ...

Finally, his junior sister had grown up!

Yun Xiao still insisted, but Ling'e gently persuaded her with a few words, giving her senior brother a 'don't worry, she'll look after Sister Yun Xiao' expression.

Li Changshou said gently, "From here to the Primordial World, if there's no Taiji Diagram to assist, it would take Yun Xiao at least several decades to arrive, even with her magic power."

Ling'e blinked, then her lips twitched slightly, and she couldn't help but palm her forehead. How could I forget that! Ling'e, who had planned to form the strongest support group with Sister Yun Xiao after Senior Brother left, instantly teared up, looking pitifully at Li Changshou.

Li Changshou gave in, sighing: "Alright then, call anyone who wants to come along, and all of you enter Yun Xiao's Primordial Golden Dipper. I'll take you all with me. We'll go wherever we go, together. Thankfully, I'm well-prepared this time."

Yun Xiao pursed her lips, glancing at Li Changshou with a hint of apology. Li Changshou, of course, knew what she felt apologetic about: simply that she felt she wasn't being helpful and was stubbornly causing trouble, feeling somewhat guilty. But as Ling'e had just said, in a game against the Dao Ancestor, unless one was at the level of the Five Saints before the Six Saints, no one could participate. Li Changshou waved his hand, telling them to quickly go call others.

Then, he closed his eyes and said solemnly: "Four Plum Protectors, do not hold back. This is the final tough battle."

The Four Plum Protectors answered in unison, their faces glowing with a sacred radiance. They firmly believed that they were currently contributing to the salvation of more beings; even if these beings were completely different from their extraterrestrial Heavenly Demons, such an act still held profound significance. The Dao of Heavenly Demons was unleashed by them to its utmost!

The Primordial World;The Five Continents;By the lotus pond on Spirit Mountain.

'Subhuti' opened his eyes, staring blankly at the water for a while, as if burdened by something, and gently sighed. He then heard a warm voice beside his ear; it was Saint Jieyin speaking slowly: "Subhuti, do not fear. That person can no longer stir up waves; what just happened was merely a feint."

Li Changshou truly felt a touch of reluctance in his heart. He stood up, bowed in Daoist fashion towards Saint Jieyin's abode, and then let out a long sigh. Some words are better left unsaid than spoken; some matters, ultimately, must reach this point. He whispered, "Teacher, this disciple wishes to borrow an item."

Saint Jieyin frowned slightly, keenly noticing the subtle change in Subhuti's tone. Light flickered, and Saint Jieyin appeared beside the lotus pond, his eyes fixed on 'Subhuti'. "What item?"

Li Changshou pointed a finger at the lotus pond; from within, a golden cicada flew out, wrapped in seals. Following Li Changshou's gesture, it became an inch long and was lightly pinched by him. "The golden cicada."

Jieyin's brow twitched, and he gazed at his beloved disciple before him. "You..."

Li Changshou bowed his head in a Daoist salute. When he stood up again, his grey-white hair slowly turned raven black, his body grew three inches taller, his shoulders broadened by half an inch, and his face transformed into Li Changshou's original appearance. "Regarding the matter of borrowing Subhuti's name, this junior apologizes to you, Senior. Subhuti died long ago from his inner demon, and I am that inner demon."

Jieyin's face aged significantly in an instant, his eyes holding a hint of anger. "Are you not afraid this humble Daoist will strike you down here?"

"Senior, you cannot." Li Changshou gently shook his head, the Dao aura around him suddenly becoming empty, profound, and his own form like thin mist. "Empty tranquility without self; without self, ethereal stability." Li Changshou seemed to vanish from the world, and within the thin mist, a purple-black chain materialized, then shattered with a 'ping'. That faint voice resounded: "Though all things ultimately return to emptiness, my Dao and my heart remain constant. Why return to emptiness? It is merely an illusion projected by the Dao of Time. My Dao remains ever unmoving, emptiness does not come from before. All myriad things and sentient beings, all that is tangible, are not illusions; the surging tides naturally reach their end. What is seen is 'process'; what is seen is without 'end'. I exist, therefore there is no emptiness."

Li Changshou's form solidified once more, yet his Dao realm ascended rapidly. He said no more, cupped his hands towards Saint Jieyin, and, holding the golden cicada, prepared to leave Spirit Mountain.

"Where are you going?" Jieyin suddenly asked.

"To the Purple Heaven Palace, before the Dao Ancestor," Li Changshou replied with a smile. "Our Dao discussion is unfinished; I still have a confrontation with him. Senior, rest."

Before his words faded, Li Changshou's figure had already vanished. High above West Niuhe Continent, a meteor streaked towards the firmament, and the Three Thousand Great Daos trembled in unison.

Trump cards: Patriarch Bodhi, Dao of Unbinding.