Chapter 411 The Theory of the Black Pool

　　In the Immortal Du Hall, Ji Wuyou looked at the divine beast who was standing proudly. He lowered his head again and read the jade token in his hand for the fourth time.

　　Come, come!

　　The Great Daoist Master personally gave the order!

　　The seemingly ordinary jade token had such profound Dao runes left on it, causing its material to sublimate!

　　Ji Wuyou shouted, “Quick! Arrange a circle for Senior Bai Ze!”

　　The elders in the hall, Li Changshou and Ling’e, who were standing at the side, fell silent. Bai Ze’s elegant face almost collapsed. An elder at the side hurriedly reminded, “Sect Leader,arrange a place to stay!” “Ahem, ahem! Yes! Arrange a place for Senior Bai Ze!”

　　Ji Wuyou hurriedly cupped his hands and bowed. “Senior, please don’t blame me. My Dao heart was agitated for a moment and I could not control myself. After all, the Great Daoist Master personally gave me an order.” The auspicious beast frowned and looked at Li Changshou. However, Li Changshou’s words echoed in its heart.

　　“Don’t say anything. Don’t ask. Just nod.”

　　Bai Ze nodded slowly. Her beautiful figure flickered with seven-colored light, causing the elders to be in a daze.

　　Li Changshou said, “Sect Leader, Senior Bai Ze likes to be secluded. Why don’t you find a mountain near our Little Qiong Peak and use it as a place for Senior Bai Ze to rest? Sect Leader, please give the order not to let anyone disturb Senior’s meditation.” “Alright.” Ji Wuyou immediately agreed. Bai Ze’s gaze shifted back and forth between Ji Wuyou and Li Changshou. He pursed his lips and did not expose them.

　　The entire process of settling Bai Ze down was quite stable.

　　Apart from Li Changshou and his junior brother, only Ji Wuyou and the elders knew the origins of Bai Ze.

　　It was not difficult for Bai Ze to hide himself from the disciples of the Immortal Du Sect. Ji Wuyou first used his immortal power barrier to wrap the empty mountain beside the Little Qiong Peak and let Bai Ze choose a place to stay. After hearing Li Changshou’s voice transmission, Ji Wuyou took the opportunity to give the Sect Leader’s order to let Li Changshou be in charge of the construction of Bai Ze’s Cave Abode and the various array formations of the “Black Pool Peak”. The Hundred Mortal Hall would be in charge of the application.

　　The name of the Black Pool was just a cover.

　　After the Sect Leader and the elders left the Black Pool Peak, Li Changshou reminded Ling’e softly. Ling’e turned around and flew back to the Little Qiong Peak, leaving Li Changshou and Bai Ze alone… Bai Ze, who was lying beside a pool, could not help but sigh. Li Changshou pondered for a while and sighed in his heart.

　　In the end, he still could not kill him.

　　Previously, in Perfected Du’e’s Cave Abode, he had been singing the same tune with the Great Daoist Master. They were only teasing and harming Bai Ze seventy percent of the time.

　　The remaining thirty percent was that there was a disagreement between Li Changshou and the Great Daoist Master…

　　Li Changshou could clearly sense that the Great Daoist Master had a general sense of justice.

　　The Great Daoist Master did not like to be involved in karma. As his Dao realm was high and he had lived for a long time, he had seen too much sorrow, joy, separation, and tragedy. Therefore, he was usually indifferent to the life and death of living beings. However, the Great Daoist Master was definitely not a cold-hearted person. For example, today, the Great Daoist Master felt that Bai Ze did not commit a heinous crime and did not need to be killed.

　　Moreover, Bai Ze had the intention to join the Ren School. It was suitable for Bai Ze to enter Ren School as an auspicious beast. Therefore, he kept teasing Li Changshou to let Bai Ze go once. The Great Daoist Master naturally thought that way. After all, apart from the Saints, the Great Daoist Master could be fearless… However, Li Changshou could not. Li Changshou was already in the middle of the Primordial vortex. He did not want such a huge hidden danger to remain! That was especially so after knowing that Bai Ze had been secretly observing him for so long. Li Changshou felt that most of his trump cards might have been discovered by Bai Ze!

　　Bu Yang was really worried.

　　However, Li Changshou and the Great Daoist Master did not argue. They had different opinions. The Great Daoist Master and Li Changshou each took a step back and gradually reached a consensus during the process of bullying Bai Ze. Then, the duo attacked at the same time and used their trusty methods to control Bai Ze…

　　During this process, Bai Ze looked like an innocent victim, but in fact, he had already achieved what he originally wanted — joining Ren School. At that moment, the greatest blow that Bai Ze had suffered was not being controlled by the Great Daoist Master and Li Changshou. It was also not that Li Changshou had easily broken the situation and found his hiding place.

　　He had misjudged the Water God’s ambition from the beginning…

　　He was supposed to be the ruler of a generation. Why did he not have the heart to be the ruler of the world and only wanted to be carefree?

　　What about the situation?

　　What about the overall situation? No, what are the conditions of the Water God!?!

　　The strongest Saint was standing behind him, and he was also standing in the Heavenly Dao. His schemes were astonishing, and his cultivation speed was terrifying. He even used the method of Heavenly Punishment every few days to interact closely with the Heavenly Dao!

　　If he did not make a name for himself under such conditions, wouldn’t it be a joke? To be honest, Bai Ze had seen the Water God before.

　　Bai Ze naturally knew that it was because the Water God knew to be appropriate. Even if he angered the person in the Purple Cloud Palace, he would only be given a slight punishment. Moreover, he would always give off the vibe of a grandmaster looking at his grand-disciple, gritting his teeth, and hating him for not fighting… What are these?

　　Isn’t the Water God one of the two emperors that the Heavenly Dao has reserved? Therefore, when Lu Yin looked for him, Bai Ze saw that he could not escape the karma of the demons and took half a step forward. The plan he had given Lu Ya was to advance and retreat. Wasn’t it because he was advancing and retreating?

　　However… when he saw it, his heart was set. When he saw it, it was gone.

　　Bai Ze successfully arrived at the Water God’s side and became a life-threatening child of Ren School. In the future, he would probably be seen dead beside the Water God’s main body. Don’t talk about scheming against the luck of the world. In the future, he could really live the rest of his life in peace and sleep with the world…

　　Bai Ze sighed and closed his eyes slowly.

　　Who could he blame for the path that he had chosen for himself?

　　Li Changshou seemed to be able to see through Bai Ze’s thoughts. He smiled and said, “Senior, don’t be disappointed. Ren School values peace and quietness. Senior Brother and I will not force you to do anything. Senior, you have already helped us greatly by not standing on the demons’ side.” Li Changshou’s thoughts changed very quickly. Since I can’t defeat Bai Ze, I can only increase my affinity with him! Bai Ze frowned and said, “There’s no one else here. I’ll ask you again. Fellow Daoist, can you honestly tell me? Fellow Daoist, are you really not interested in authority?”

　　Li Changshou smiled and said, “If I’m not wrong, Senior, you can’t detect the density of the Heavenly Dao, right?”

　　“That’s right. I need to avoid the Heavenly Dao.”

　　“No wonder Senior would misunderstand.” Li Changshou shook his head slightly. He raised his hand and placed two meditation cushions and a short table beside the pool. He made an inviting gesture. Li Changshou said, “Actually, Senior, you neglected the simplest principle. If I say it, you will understand the karma here.” “What logic is that?” “If not for my personality and my pursuit of peace and quietness, why would the Saint of Ren School choose me?” Bai Ze was stunned. Then, he fell silent. He buried his head in his front paws and sighed. “I have been smart all my life but I got caught in a moment of folly!”

　　Li Changshou smiled and shook his head. Bai Ze was depressed for a while. “Senior, you only need to maintain your original appearance in front of outsiders in the future. When we meet privately, you can do whatever you want.” Bai Ze slowly raised his head. His emotions were much more relaxed than before. Clearly, he had discovered his fatal mistake and temporarily accepted his current identity… He was the carriage driver of Ren School.

　　Bai Ze restored his figure of a middle-aged Daoist. There was a red mark on his forehead that looked like a teardrop. A strand of long hair on his forehead turned silver, giving him a demonic vibe.

　　Bai Ze was dressed in a loose white robe and sat opposite the short table. He smiled bitterly and said, “What exactly do I want?”

　　“It’s more stable and less bumpy. I’ve resolved karma.”

　　Li Changshou paused and smiled. “Of course, there are additional shackles. However…”

　　“Yes?” Bai Ze asked with a bitter smile.

　　“Isn’t the cause and effect of this matter also proof of Senior’s Heavenly Fate mystical ability to seek luck and avoid calamity?” Li Changshou cupped his hands and chuckled. “I’m really envious!” Bai Ze did not know whether to laugh or cry. He wanted to complain, but he did not know what to say. He stared at the pool in a daze.

　　After a while, Bai Ze exhaled slowly. His smile was more carefree. Bai Ze’s eyes were distant as he said slowly, “After the ancient times, I thought that my life would be empty. I could only search around slowly and finally find an uninhabited place to sleep in for the remaining days of my life. It’s also because I saw you previously and the current Heavenly Courts. I can’t help but think of the difficulties of assisting the former Emperor to create the ancient Heavenly Courts, the difficulties of becoming a powerful saint, and my Dao heart regenerated. I never thought that I would have made a mistake.”

　　Li Changshou smiled and said, “Why would I be interested in controlling the fate of countless living beings?” Bai Ze said, “Standing at the peak of all living beings and watching the prosperity and decline of the world, wouldn’t that be great?”

　　“All living beings are not these lifeless grass, nor are they fish that have yet to awaken their intelligence. They each have their own thoughts, desires, needs, doubts, and joy. They were born for a journey in the world, not to worship the figure at the peak of all living beings. The desire for power is just one’s own desire. Why use the words heroic, extraordinary, king, and supreme to beautify it? In the end, they are just stronger living beings. The weaker living beings will only be satisfied physically and mentally.” Li Changshou took out a pot of wine from his sleeve and two jade cups. He then poured a cup of wine for Bai Ze.

　　“Senior, you should know what I’m talking about. Senior, you were able to hide during the peak of the demon race. You should understand such simple logic.”

　　Bai Ze looked at the wine in his cup and smiled. He shook his head and sighed. “It’s indeed all in the past. I never thought that I would only understand this logic when the Demon Court was destroyed. Fellow Daoist, you have only cultivated for a few hundred years and have already seen through it so thoroughly. The desire for power is not his own desire. All living beings are born just to walk a journey in the world. It’s not unreasonable for me to lose to you…”

　　Li Changshou smiled and his eyes were filled with sincerity. He said, “It’s purely luck that I can win against you, Senior. It’s also a blessing that my junior sister brought.” “Um.” Bai Ze held the cup of wine and slid it across his mouth. A smile appeared on his gentle and handsome face. “Do you dare to say that you don’t have any desire for power?” “In comparison, it should be lower.” Li Changshou smiled and said, “I’m not interested in ruling others. In comparison, I prefer peace and quietness. Senior, on the other hand, you enjoy helping the wise Lord. Could it be that he is also driven by his desire for power, but he lacks the courage to shoulder the karma of all living beings, so he wants to help a living being reach the peak of all living beings and obtain his sense of fulfillment and existence?”

　　Bai Ze was stunned. He carefully listened to Li Changshou’s words and nodded slowly.

　　“I do enjoy this. However, it’s not that I don’t have the courage to shoulder the karma of all living beings. Instead, I feel that I’m not worthy. If I can assist the wise Lord to ascend to that position for the second time, then succeed and retreat, and leave my name in the world… It would really be great! Ah, I can only think about it now. Hahahaha!”

　　Bai Ze laughed loudly. His laughter was filled with lingering thoughts. He finished the wine in his cup in one gulp. When he looked up, his eyes were still flickering Li Changshou smiled and said, “Senior, are you willing to serve the Heavenly Courts now?”

　　“No.” Bai Ze shook his head slowly. “Fellow Daoist, there is no place for me in the Heavenly Courts today.”

　　“There are days and nights in the sky. The Dao is divided into Yin and Yang… Forget it. It’s not the time to talk about that.” Li Changshou suddenly interrupted himself and deliberately made things clear. Coincidentally, Ling’e flew over from outside the mountain with a tray in her hand and a few dishes…

　　After a while, Ling’e put down the dishes and said, “Enjoy.” Then, she winked at her senior brother and rode a cloud away.

　　However, Bai Ze was energized. He looked at the exquisite dishes in front of him and sniffed them gently. He picked up a mouthful of white jade cabbage with his chopsticks, placed it in his mouth and chewed carefully. Then, he praised, “Although the taste is not good, the color is not complete, and the fragrance is too strong, it contains the effort and affection of a girl towards her Senior Brother. It’s rare and precious. Hahaha!” Li Changshou smiled and said, “Senior, you like delicious food too?”

　　“When I’m living in vain, my only pleasure is to make some delicacies and taste them with others. I’ll taste them alone.” Bai Ze looked around. “This place is simple. When I build a house, I’ll show you something.” “Senior, wait a moment. Since you’re an expert in this field, I might have to show you my skills.”

　　After saying that, Li Changshou threw out two paper effigies and quickly buried them on the stage.

　　He personally went back to the Little Qiong Peak and chose two precious and rare spiritual beasts to rear. He picked two plump spiritual fish and brought them back to the Black Pool Peak.

　　Sometimes, it was enough to get closer to each other and have a common hobby.

　　Bai Ze took the initiative to challenge Li Changshou to a cooking competition. Li Changshou explained all the conditions before nodding and agreeing. The two of them acted as judges and displayed their skills beside the pool in the desolate mountain.

　　Bai Ze had been immersed in the Culinary Dao for many years. His culinary skills were much better than Li Changshou. Every dish was extremely exquisite. However, Li Changshou’s advantage was that he had many tricks up his sleeve. Moreover, he had mastered a new flavor that was rarely seen in the Primordial World. In the end, he used a dish of thinly-sliced fish, newly seasoned spices, and a sentence like “high-end ingredients usually only require simple cooking” to shock Bai Ze into a god. The two of them then exchanged toasts and drank until they were slightly drunk. They seemed to have completely lost their hostility. After all, Bai Ze was being controlled by Li Changshou. He did not dare to be too arrogant. He asked Li Changshou to call him by his name and suggested they continue discussing culinary skills in the future. Li Changshou thought for a while and called Bai Ze “Mr. Bai”. Hence, as Bai Ze addressed Li Changshou as “Mr. Bai”, he gradually lost himself. He actually felt closer to Li Changshou…

　　However, Li Changshou had never thought of completely increasing his affinity with him. While they were chatting happily, Li Changshou sorted out his thoughts and deliberately pierced Bai Ze’s scar…

　　“Mr. Bai, in this competition between you and me, I won because of my junior sister’s good fortune. However, it’s also because of you, Mr. Bai.” Bai Ze frowned. “How can I trap myself?” Li Changshou pulled his right sleeve with his left hand and poured the warm wine into Bai Ze’s cup. He seemed to be talking about something trivial. “The power of the Dao is difficult to calm. The number of days is difficult to determine. The hearts of living beings are difficult to calm. In the past, on the top of the mountain of Buzhou, you established an alliance with the demon gods and established the Saint Race. You obtained the power of the Heavenly Dao and fought against the Magi. You fought against the world and assisted the Demon God. You had been appointed as the Demon General and enjoyed the respect of the entire demon race. The Demon Court gradually fell into depravity. You cherish your reputation and retreated in a hurry. Although you escaped the karma of the Great Magi-Demon War, you did not escape the karma of the demons. Lu Ya had sought help from Senior this time, but Master did not care. You gave Lu Ya the strategy of gathering demons to seek the heavens. You sacrificed demons to help the Heavenly Courts, Lu Ya, and Master. Previously, you told me that the saints and demons are different. Master considered himself a noble saint and despised the ferocious demons. However, he had forgotten that the saints and demons are just two different terms. You are all from the same race. Mr. Bai, you should be on the side of the demons, but you pushed the demons to the edge of life and death without any hesitation. Isn’t this going against your luck? How can you win?” Li Changshou sighed slightly and raised his wine glass. “Now, the main characters of the world are humans. Your actions are not wrong in the eyes of outsiders. They will even praise you for your righteousness. However, Mr. Bai… Since you have become a gardener and enjoy the joy of nurturing flowers and watching them bloom, you have to endure the loneliness of seeing the withered flowers falling into the mud. This is the Dao of gain and loss. It is also the Dao of balance of the world. I’m not asking you to assist the demons. At this moment, Mr. Bai, you are under my control. I am also opposing the demons. However, I, Li Changshou, do not want to be the next demon and demon king in your eyes. Therefore, I won’t plot against Mr. Bai’s schemes, schemes, and other abilities. When the Great Daoist Master wanted to kill you, I had never let go of my killing intent towards you. Mr. Bai, you are not a living being worthy of admiration, nor are you a talent that I cherish. In order to be known as a famous person in the Primordial World, you must not come occasionally or leave when you are in the doldrums. Mr. Bai, you are not worthy now.”

　　Li Changshou finished the wine in his cup and slowly stood up.

　　Bai Ze frowned and stared at the cup and plate on the short table in front of him. He did not even know when Li Changshou had left.

　　When Bai Ze returned to his senses, he heard Li Changshou’s voice… “I will come back to drink with you in three days. I hope that you can refute my words today. After all, it’s hard to find someone like you.” The first move of increasing favorability: Conquering The Heart.