Chapter 163
Chapter 163
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 163
Chapter Title: Dog
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The young monk was none other than Wuchen. He was polite and refined, making it hard for anyone to feel ill toward him.
Yet his eyes betrayed uncontainable excitement, mingled with fear and trepidation. Clearly, he placed great importance on Kuzhu's life or death.
His knees were slightly bent. If Chen Shi and Li Tianqing's responses shifted, he had two choices: kneel or flee.
Chen Shi's heart stirred. He stepped forward and barked, "Wicked disciple, why haven't you kowtowed upon seeing your master?"
Wuchen the monk paled, his legs buckled, and with a thud, he chose to kneel.
Only after his knees hit the ground did realization dawn. He let out a low chuckle.
His laughter grew louder and louder, eventually deafening, utterly heedless of how it might attract the mushroom giants.
"Master tried to possess you all, but he capsized in the gutter in the end!"
His excitement was no longer concealed. Kneeling on the ground, he threw his head back in wild laughter. Tears streamed down his face as he laughed. "I'm alive! I'm finally alive! My fate is finally in my own hands!"
He guffawed. "All these years, I've lived in constant terror, walking on eggshells. I couldn't even sleep soundly, fearing I'd never wake again! Finally, my life is mine! Thank you, thank you both!"
He kowtowed vigorously to Chen Shi and Li Tianqing several times.
Chen Shi hastily dodged, unwilling to accept such a grand gesture. "We plotted to slay Kuzhu only because he tried to possess us. It wasn't to save you."
Li Tianqing, unable to bear it, said, "Brother Wuchen, please restrain your grief."
Such extremes of joy and sorrow could harm the Dao heart, leaving one vulnerable to demonic invasion.
Wuchen the monk prostrated himself on the ground and wailed.
"I passed the county exam as a xiucai at twelve and was taken as a disciple by Master.
I was overjoyed. What sort of existence was Zen Master Kuzhu? To become his disciple was a blessing from my previous life.
He wept snot and tears bubbling from his nose, spilling his tale to the two. Only upon arriving at his temple did I learn that Master had taken more than just me. There were over a hundred xiucai who entered alongside me.
Master had his own temple outside, where we xiucai lived in seclusion from the world.
I thought to myself, I must exert a hundred times the effort to stand out among my fellow disciples and catch Master's eye."
Chen Shi tugged at Li Tianqing's sleeve and jerked his chin.
Li Tianqing spotted numerous mushroom giants approaching and felt a chill.
Wuchen the monk sobbed. "Master taught us the Great Wheel Wisdom King Vajra Mantra for our cultivation.
A year later, we fellow disciples had made some progress. Master cast us into the illusions of the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, calling it a trial.
The Demon-Suppressing Pagoda's illusions formed a demonic domain. I thought it mere a trial—until my good brother Wuxin had his head crushed by a claw."
Li Tianqing immediately circled around Wuchen with Chen Shi, slipping away before the mushroom giants could close in.
Behind them came Wuchen the monk's choking sobs.
"My close fellow disciples, one by one, were gutted by the demons in the domain. Some had their heads twisted off, some had their intestines yanked out and garroted with them, others were dismembered and served at banquets.
I was terrified. That was when I realized how cruel this trial truly was!"
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing had burst through the encirclement of mushroom giants. The two men and the dog turned back to see mushroom giants emerging from four streets, converging on the same spot.
"Wuchen probably won't escape this calamity," Li Tianqing said.
Chen Shi replied, "We've been starving so long we lack the strength to fight, let alone save anyone."
Li Tianqing nodded.
They had to conserve their energy. Refraining from rescuing Wuchen was the best choice.
Boom!
A sudden thunderous roar echoed, the sound waves shaking their Golden Cores relentlessly, as if lightning had exploded right by their ears!
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing whipped around. Behind Wuchen floated a twenty-foot golden Buddha statue. Wuchen threw a punch, and the golden Buddha followed with one of its own, unleashing rumbling thunder that blasted through a mushroom giant's head!
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing's eyes widened.
Wuchen was bathed in brilliant golden light. He flipped into the air, his right leg lashing out. The golden Buddha mirrored him, its right leg whistling through the air to sweep the umbrella cap clean off a mushroom giant! The cap flew away under the immense force!
The decapitated mushroom giant staggered, then crashed to the ground.
Wuchen strode through the air, shouting, "I'll kill! Only if I'm more terrifying than those demons can I survive the demonic domain's illusions!"
He kicked in a human-headed mushroom's skull, hoisted a mushroom giant, and smashed it into another:
He stomped the eyes of a pair of eye-mushrooms on the ground, bodyslammed an oncoming mushroom giant flying, then treaded steps in midair to catch up. His hands plunged into its chest, tearing the mushroom giant asunder!
"No one will take my life!"
Wuchen the monk fought free of the encirclement, then wheeled back in, his voice furious.
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing watched the young monk dispatch every last mushroom giant in a few bounds. Their hearts skipped a beat.
"Wuchen's strength is extraordinarily refined!" Li Tianqing said in puzzlement. "Why didn't Zen Master Kuzhu choose him?"
Chen Shi speculated, "Could it be that Kuzhu thought we were better?"
No time for further thought. They hurried toward the Canal Elders Association headquarters.
Wuchen the monk stood in the center of Changfeng Street, his expression calm as a placid well, still lost in recollection.
In the first trial, he and over a dozen fellow disciples survived. The other ninety-odd perished.
"You're fine seedlings," Zen Master Kuzhu had laughed to them. The dead little monks lacked affinity with Buddha Dharma—they were mere sacks of stinking flesh, unfit to become spirit children.
But they were different.
By surviving, they had taken a step closer to becoming Buddha's spirit child.
"A year later, the second trial," Zen Master Kuzhu had said.
Wuchen and those dozen-odd disciples cultivated even harder, daring no slack.
Slack, and you wouldn't survive!
Amid his diligent practice, he toyed with the idea of escape. Some brothers had already tried.
Three fellow disciples sneaked away. For days, no sign of them. Wuchen was thrilled, thinking they'd escaped.
It inspired him—until one day, Zen Master Kuzhu manifested the Buddhist hells with his mighty spell. There, the three writhed atop knife mountains and in boiling oil vats, miserable beyond words.
After that, no one dared entertain flight.
The second year's trial: four survived.
Wuchen got along splendidly with the other three, supporting each other to endure.
Third year's trial: two survived.
The other was Wule, his closest friend.
Fourth year's trial: no demons in the field, no illusory demonic domain—just Wuchen and Wule.
They understood. Master needed only one spirit child to accompany him to Buddhahood.
In that brutal clash, Wuchen emerged the survivor.
He stepped from the trial ground. Smiling, Zen Master Kuzhu draped the spirit child's robes over him.
"Wuchen, you're worthy of Master's choice. You'll attain Buddhahood with me."
Zen Master Kuzhu laughed.
He followed Kuzhu in cultivation, traveling far and wide, encountering many extraordinary figures and bizarre events.
Kuzhu doted on him, imparting the finest techniques without reservation.
"Spirit child, only by cultivating arts identical to mine can you merge perfectly with me—become me, become Buddha," Zen Master Kuzhu had said.
Back then, still a youth, he hadn't grasped the meaning. Later, he came to understand: what it meant to "become me, become Buddha."
He wanted to flee, but knew the vast world offered no escape.
He stayed by Kuzhu's side, watching the zen master age. Strangely, Kuzhu never possessed his spirit child.
Later, he overheard Kuzhu mention a child xiucai, the ideal spirit child.
Kuzhu grew ever older, still desperately seeking a spirit child superior to Wuchen.
He felt relief—and jealousy.
He'd clawed from mountains of corpses and seas of blood, even slain his dearest friend. Why wasn't he the best?
Until this time, when Kuzhu received word from Xijing and rushed to Gongzhou with him.
"Chen Shi—is he the child xiucai Master obsessed over?"
Wuchen gazed in the direction Chen Shi had left, murmuring, "He doesn't seem all that special.
Probably had his supreme divine embryo dug out and blended into the crowd."
With a flicker, his figure vanished.
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing arrived at the Canal Elders Association headquarters. Black Pot led the way, striding straight into the grand compound.
Guarding the gates were four Golden Core cultivators. Spotting the dog and the two behind it, they straightened up even more.
Even after the two men and dog entered, the four remained vigilant, one thought dominating: perform well, earn promotion and wealth.
Why they thought so, they couldn't say.
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing followed Black Pot deep into the headquarters. They saw courtyards filled with fish and dragon sculptures, plus statues of black-robed, black-faced old ladies entwined with black dragon-like creatures. Incense burned prosperously.
The headquarters sprawled large, linking to the river, the air thick with a fishy stench.
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing trailed Black Pot to the kitchen.
The kitchen bustled, over a dozen cooks feverishly preparing delicacies.
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing exchanged familiar greetings with the cooks, then gorged themselves until their bellies bulged. Black Pot ate until its gut dragged the ground, finally sated.
Chen Shi eyed a massive cutting board in the kitchen yard, atop which lay a fish several zhang long. The two exchanged a glance, hoisted the fish, and headed out.
Just then, a voice said: "Who are you? Where are you taking this fish?"
Chen Shi's heart jolted. Altar Master Cao Yunshen entered with over ten others, eyeing them unkindly.
The ten-odd beside Cao Yunshen were Gongzhou's top officials!
Governor Fei Tianzheng, Transport Salt Commissioner Cui Yongzhi, Judicial Commissioner Ma Weigong, General Xia Chuli, Tea-Horse Commissioner Gu Ping'an...
"So the kitchen staff were cooking for Cao Yunshen to host these bigwigs!"
He inwardly groaned. So many powerhouses—with Black Pot's abilities, could it fool them all?
Black Pot tensed, gazing at Governor Fei and the rest, straining to alter their perceptions.
Failure meant Chen Shi and Li Tianqing would be slain on the spot!
Too many experts.
Fooling them simultaneously was next to impossible!
Black Pot had strained to fool two or three before, but over ten? Agonizing!
Chen Shi bowed. "We've orders to deliver this fish to the front courtyard."
"Go on, go on," Cao Yunshen chuckled, waving them off.
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing hoisted the fish and headed out.
Suddenly, Governor Yan—suspicion in his eyes—said, "Hold on.
Aren't they cooking in the kitchen? Why to the front courtyard?"
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing halted, glancing at Black Pot.
Black Pot strained on Governor Yan's mind. The governor blinked dazedly, then smiled. "I see.
Off you go."
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing said nothing, yet he acted as if they'd explained.
The pair hurried from the kitchen. Black Pot, drained, barely kept pace.
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing slowed. From the kitchen came Cao Yunshen's voice: "Though my Canal Elders Association monopolizes the Kun River, with this demonic upheaval, even we won't hold out long.
Our catch must feed the association's disciples and offer tribute to you lords—we'll exhaust our stores sitting idle."
Governor Fei Tianzheng's voice followed. "Can we eat Min River Granny?"
Chen Shi's eyes widened. Min River Granny was the Canal Elders Association's enshrined spirit. They owed their foothold on the Min River to her!
Governor Fei proposed devouring Kun River Granny—unafraid of backlash?
Cao Yunshen laughed. "Governor, Red Mountain Hall's Blood Ta Sui tastes better than River Granny."
Laughter erupted. "Eat the Blood Ta Sui—and River Granny too!"
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing's hearts lurched. Li Tianqing noticed Chen Shi slowing and whispered urgently, "Little Ten, hurry!"
Chen Shi shook his head and stopped outright. "These dozen lords aren't here to dine—they're here to force surrender.
Let's hear how the Canal Elders Association responds."
Li Tianqing halted. They pricked their ears.
Cao Yunshen's voice pleaded from the kitchen. "My lords, Granny is a carp-dragon who's cultivated a millennium. Her path was hard-earned! As a boy by the river, starving, Granny surfaced and fed me river bounty.
Our village enshrined her yearly. She's our godmother, our deity!"
"Altar Master Cao, don't forget: your Canal Elders Association was backed by the yamen," came Governor Fei Tianzheng's voice. "I propped you up to control the canals.
How many benefits did I grant? Disasters averted? Now, in crisis, repay my nurture."
Cao Yunshen said: "But Granny is our godmother, our savior, our—"
"The Canal Elders Association is just a puny sect," General Xia scoffed indifferently. "Altar Master Cao, what right have you to haggle?"
Cao Yunshen fell silent. Moments later: "My lords are right.
Cao will offer Granny for your tasting."
Footsteps approached. Chen Shi and Li Tianqing hastily lifted the fish to leave when Cao Yunshen's voice boomed thunderously, ears ringing: "Granny, flee! Brothers, open the floodgates!"
Boom!
A massive crash. Buildings splintered. Cao Yunshen spewed blood, hurtling toward them. He smashed into the ground with a thud, bones shattering, shards piercing chest to heart.
"Granny, flee..."
He struggled up, but a foot stomped his head, grinding him down.
Governor Fei Tianzheng, face twisted in rage, crushed Cao Yunshen's skull into the dirt. "The dog I raised dares betray me!"
His gaze swept coldly to Chen Shi and Li Tianqing. Black Pot darted before Chen Shi, meeting his eyes.
Governor Fei averted his gaze, turned, and laughed. "Gentlemen, the dog is executed.
To the feast—the meal's ready."
End of chapter.