Tricking Zhao Gongming

Outside the stone door, Zhao Gongming stood with his hands behind his back, clad in an embroidered Daoist robe, his face resolute and his eyes bright and piercing, exuding an air of heroic boldness.

As one of the most favored disciples under Sect Leader Tongtian, he held an extremely high status within the Jie Sect, usually appearing as elusive as a dragon, rarely seen. Yet today, he had condescended to visit the cave dwelling of an Outer Sect Disciple, naturally causing quite a stir.

The remaining disciples watched from afar, murmuring among themselves, all curious as to why this renowned Senior Brother Gongming had come looking for Chen Changsheng.

Inside the cave dwelling, Chen Changsheng's thoughts raced.

Zhao Gongming... a key figure in the Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods, chivalrous by nature, formidable in strength, but also quick-tempered. In the end, because he meddled in the affairs of the Three Xiāo, he was cursed to death by Lu Ya using the Seven Arrows Book of the Nail Head, suffering the Death of Dao and losing all his treasures.

A textbook tragic figure, the Jie Sect's poster child for reckless stubbornness.

If he's coming to me, it's most likely because of that guardian battle. My little act of "clairvoyance" has finally caught the attention of a big shot.

Whether this is a blessing or a curse remains to be seen.

But no matter what, I can't avoid this meeting.

Chen Changsheng took a deep breath, activated the Innate Stealth Technique to its fullest, and disguised his aura to seem even weaker than a nascent Earth Immortal, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness.

He pushed open the stone door, bowed respectfully to Zhao Gongming, and put on a face of just the right amount of fear and reverence.

"Outer Sect Disciple Chen Changsheng pays respects to Senior Brother Gongming! I had no idea you would honor me with your presence; I failed to welcome you from afar. Please forgive my offense."

Zhao Gongming's gaze was like a torch as he looked Chen Changsheng up and down.

At first glance, he couldn't help but frown slightly.

This junior brother before him had a pale complexion, a floating aura, and weak fluctuations of spiritual power—truly looking like someone whose vitality had been severely damaged.

Was this... the disciple who had dodged a death sentence by relying on "instinct"? He seemed utterly ordinary, even a bit too frail.

"No need for such formalities." Zhao Gongming waved his hand and got straight to the point. "I heard that during the trip to the Flowing Fire Meteor Abyss half a month ago, you were unable to go because you suddenly suffered a 'Qi deviation.' Is that true?"

"Reporting to Senior Brother, it is true." Chen Changsheng lowered his head, putting on an expression of deep shame. "Your disciple's cultivation is shallow, and my Dao heart is unstable. I nearly caused a great disaster and brought shame upon the sect."

"Oh?" Zhao Gongming looked at him with interest. "But I think your 'Qi deviation' came at a very convenient time. If not for it, you would probably be nothing but ashes now, just like those fallen junior brothers."

Here it comes, the real topic!

There was no way around it; his spur-of-the-moment "Qi deviation" was far too clumsy.

Everyone knew it was an act, but in public, such a petty and shameful matter wasn't something people would dig into—they'd just silently scorn him in their hearts.

No help for it; he could only blame his own thick skin.

But hearing Zhao Gongming bring it up with such pointed amusement, Chen Changsheng's heart tightened. His face showed even more fear as he waved his hands repeatedly. "Senior Brother flatters me; I wouldn't dare take such credit! I was just lucky, a fluke, pure luck!"

"Luck?" Zhao Gongming smiled, a hint of probing in his expression.

"Those who cultivate the Dao never believe in pure luck. Fortune is often closely tied to one's own Dao attainment and resonance with heavenly secrets. Little Junior Brother, this isn't the place for conversation. Would you allow me to come inside for a chat?"

"Senior Brother, please!" Chen Changsheng stepped aside and welcomed Zhao Gongming into the cave dwelling.

The cave was sparsely furnished, with nothing but a stone bed and a meditation cushion.

Zhao Gongming didn't mind. He sat down casually and looked at Chen Changsheng again.

"Speak. How exactly did you foresee the danger? We are fellow disciples of the same sect; you can speak freely. If there truly is a mysterious method of warning, it would be a great boon for our Jie Sect."

Chen Changsheng knew that ordinary excuses wouldn't fool this Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal.

He hesitated for a moment, a trace of struggle appearing on his face, before finally seeming to make up his mind. He smiled bitterly and said, "To be honest with Senior Brother, I... I actually had a dream."

"A dream?" Zhao Gongming raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, a nightmare." Chen Changsheng began his performance, a hint of lingering fear in his eyes.

"The night before we were to set out, I dreamed that my most beloved pearl was stolen by a swarm of vicious black flies. I chased after them with all my might, but I could never catch up. In the end, I watched helplessly as the swarm flew into a patch of blood-colored mist and vanished without a trace."

What he was describing, of course, was the future loss of Zhao Gongming's Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Pearls.

But to Zhao Gongming's ears at that moment, it meant something entirely different.

His most prized treasure was precisely those twenty-four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls! They were the foundation of his Dao path, the thing he cherished most!

An Outer Sect Disciple like Chen Changsheng could never know his secrets. Yet this dream vaguely echoed his own situation!

For the first time, Zhao Gongming's expression turned serious.

"Dreams are illusory; it could be a coincidence. Would you dare to defy the sect's orders based on just a dream?"

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"Not entirely." Chen Changsheng shook his head, his expression turning grave. "After I woke up, my mind was unsettled. I felt as though a great calamity was imminent. We disciples of the Jie Sect cultivate the Supreme Great Dao of following the heart's intent and severing obsessions. Since such a strong warning arose in my heart, I felt I should not go against it. Rather than rush off to die in confusion, it was better to follow my true nature, preserve my useful life, and serve the sect better in the future. I just didn't expect that in my panic, I would truly lose control of my mind and suffer a Qi deviation..."

A mix of truth and falsehood, but it perfectly dressed up "cowardice and fear of death" as "following heavenly signs with a clear Dao heart."

Zhao Gongming fell silent.

He looked at this junior brother of low cultivation, but a storm was raging in his heart.

Following his heart and avoiding the tribulation...

How many among their Jie Sect could grasp this seemingly simple truth?

Most Jie Sect disciples were bold and combative, emphasizing a spirit of "contention"—contending with others, contending with heaven! But precisely because of this, the disciples attracted immense karma and were mostly hot-tempered.

Now, as the killing aura of the tribulation gradually rose across heaven and earth, even a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal like him felt a tremor of fear.

Yet this junior brother before him, relying on a faint, elusive intuition, decisively dodged a certain death situation.

Was this a stroke of divine inspiration, or... was the Dao he cultivated fundamentally different from others?

"Well said, 'preserving a useful body.'" Zhao Gongming let out a long sigh, his gaze toward Chen Changsheng completely transformed—from initial scrutiny to appreciation, even a trace of admiration.

"Junior Brother, your name is Chen Changsheng, correct?"

"Yes, Senior Brother."

"I'll remember you." Zhao Gongming stood up. "Today, hearing your words surpasses a hundred years of my bitter cultivation. Take this token. If you encounter any trouble in the outer sect in the future, you may come to me with it."

A dark iron token engraved with the characters "Gongming" flew into Chen Changsheng's hand.

This was Zhao Gongming's personal token! With it, who in the outer sect would dare provoke him?

"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Chen Changsheng accepted the token with "flattered surprise."

Zhao Gongming nodded and turned to leave. Reaching the doorway, he paused and asked with his back to him, "Junior Brother Changsheng, in your view, in this Primordial World on the brink of storm, how should we Jie Sect disciples conduct ourselves?"

This was both a test and a genuine request for guidance.

Chen Changsheng knew this was the most critical step.

He said solemnly, "This disciple's words carry little weight and dare not speak recklessly. But this disciple believes we should 'sheathe our edge, solidify our foundation, and await the right moment.'"

Zhao Gongming's form trembled. He stood there for a long time, then finally did not look back, transforming into a streak of light and soaring into the sky.

He was gone, but outside Chen Changsheng's cave dwelling, chaos erupted.

Everyone had seen it—Senior Brother Zhao Gongming entered with a scrutinizing expression but emerged with a grave countenance, even bestowing his personal token!

What exactly had Chen Changsheng said to Senior Brother Gongming?

No one knew.

All they knew was that from that day on, a mysterious existence whom no one dared to provoke had appeared in the outer sect of Golden Ao Island.

And inside the cave dwelling, the most stirring and magnificent prompt in the system's history rang through Chen Changsheng's mind.

Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have successfully influenced a key figure of the Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods—Zhao Gongming!

Your 'Dao of Survival' philosophy has been successfully implanted into the Dao heart of a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, producing an incalculable impact on the future direction of the Jie Sect! This is an act of defying heaven and changing fate!

Obtained Heavenly Dao-level rewards: One thousand years of cultivation! Supreme Divine Ability Great Freedom Head-Shrinking Technique! Main quest unlocked—[Great Revival of the Dao of Survival]!

Quest Name: Great Revival of the Dao of Survival

Quest Description: The Investiture of the Gods Tribulation approaches. The Heavenly Dao is merciless, and even saints are but pawns. The Jie Sect's Myriad Immortals Paying Homage appears prosperous, but in truth, the great mansion is about to collapse, destined to become ashes of the great tribulation. As a successor of the Dao of Survival, you have the responsibility and the duty to change this tragic fate.

Quest Objective: During the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation, ensure your own survival and guarantee the survival rate of core Jie Sect disciples (inner sect and above) exceeds 80%.

Quest Success Reward: Great Dao Merit, a fragment of Primordial Violet Qi!

Quest Failure: Turn to ashes along with the Jie Sect.

Chen Changsheng stared at the four characters "Primordial Violet Qi," his mind buzzing, completely stunned.

The foundation of becoming a saint?!

This system... was playing this big?!