Li Changshou barely hesitated before choosing—
The third option!
Go make himself familiar, without exposing the man's identity, and earn a bit of goodwill for the Sea God Cult.
In that instant, Li Changshou analyzed the worst possible outcome of taking the initiative to forge karma with this man.
He was completely unfamiliar with this white-robed man and did not know his character or temperament.
Moreover, Li Changshou had to consider that he was still backed by the Human Teaching. If he acted too proactively, would it displease the Human Teaching experts...
As his thoughts raced, Li Changshou's Paper Daoist slowly transformed into a white-bearded, white-haired old man with a kind and benevolent face.
When he had come to investigate the Sea God Cult before, this had been the form he initially used.
Holding a fly whisk, the old man emerged from a forest, deliberately concealing part of his trail while exposing a few disturbances in vital energy.
Before the Sea God Temple, half of the group that had been preparing to stroll through the city immediately noticed Li Changshou's Paper Daoist.
The gray-clothed old man stepped forward and whispered a few words behind the white-robed youth. The latter revealed a faint smile and led his subordinates onward toward the town, acting as though they had not noticed this suddenly appearing old man.
Li Changshou immediately understood something. Holding his fly whisk, he rode a cloud forward, pondering how he ought to "strike up a conversation."
He could not exactly say, "Fellow Daoist, please stay."
Nor could he casually walk over with a brick and say, "Fellow Daoist, did you drop this brick?"
Those eight guards would probably tear this incarnation of his apart on the spot.
Li Changshou continued to deliberate inwardly as he drew ever closer to the