Chapter 174
Chapter 174
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: Underworld Rescue
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Outside Gongzhou City, a hundred li east along the river, there was a town built on Guishan Mountain on the left bank of the Min River, called Guishan Town.
This day, a young monk walked up on foot, accompanied by a graceful and enchanting girl at his side. Her face was veiled, her beautiful features faintly visible, drawing sidelong glances from passersby.
Suddenly, a massive rumble came from the direction of Gongzhou. Monk Wuchen hurriedly turned to look, his eyes widening in shock. He saw a gigantic black canopy slowly rising from within Gongzhou City, spreading outward to envelop the entire area within a hundred-li radius!
"Some fool really went and messed with Chen Shi."
The underage witch Ying Rumeng giggled.
"Luckily we got away fast, or else..."
"If the demon inside him caught my scent, it probably would've come hunting me down and eaten me alive."
Monk Wuchen said in astonishment, "Chen Shi has a demon inside him?"
Ying Rumeng replied, "I took one look—pitch black, with hundreds of eyes staring at me from the darkness."
"The one that came out is probably the weakest. The deeper you go, the stronger they get."
Monk Wuchen felt a chill.
Within the demon domain, all was pitch black, save for the lights still shining in Gongzhou City—radiance from the primordial spirits, divine shrines, divine embryos, and spells of numerous experts.
Tianyang Boy, the Qingyi Musician, and Dao Qianqiu—the three scattered immortals—each bore wounds, filling all the loose cultivators in the city with dread.
At this moment, there were ten scattered immortals in the air and twelve on the ground, totaling twenty-two.
The gathering of scattered immortals was set for the next few days, so many on their way to Gong Mountain Ridge were stopping in Gongzhou beforehand.
Some scattered immortals arrived early at Henggong Mountain to visit friends.
Each had made astonishing achievements in their respective fields and took pride in them. For instance, the Qingyi Musician excelled in music and regarded it as his most precious treasure, more important than his life.
"Chen Shi"
humiliated him by saying he couldn't even grasp basic spells and wasted his time playing the qin, nearly driving him to death from rage.
The purple-robed cultivator Dao Qianqiu prided himself on his profound knowledge, yet "Chen Shi"
declared his poetry utter nonsense.
Tianyang Boy believed no one could uncover his origins—with the body of a child, he had cultivated to the Returning Void Realm, poised to ascend to the Great Vehicle—only for "Chen Shi"
to expose his past three lives, along with experiences from even earlier incarnations, like a lantern show, utterly humiliating him.
Scattered immortals were often deeply obsessed, passionate about exploring the secrets of West Cow New Continent and delving into various Dao arts and divine abilities. Their obsessions fueled their remarkable achievements.
Intelligent people are always proud and arrogant, with flaws in their temperaments. This "Chen Shi"
demon seemed to keenly sense the weaknesses in their Dao hearts and strike at them precisely,
damaging their Dao hearts and making them restless and irritable.
"Chen Shi"
swept his gaze over the scattered immortals, unconcerned, and laughed, "To encounter all of you right after emerging into the world—truly my fortune from three lifetimes."
His figure suddenly blurred. In the next instant, he appeared before Han Gongwang, reaching out to grab and yank. Han Gongwang's primordial spirit trembled and was actually pulled from his body!
"Chen Shi"
opened his maw wide, about to send Han Gongwang into his mouth.
The crowd looked up to see "Chen Shi's"
head suddenly swell to many times the size of his body. Forget swallowing Han Gongwang's primordial spirit—devouring them all would take but a single bite.
Han Gongwang sneered. Thunder birthed from the void, countless bolts deriving from his body, spiraling outward in a bloom that spanned several mu, striking "Chen Shi"
head-on.
Those were阴雷 yin thunder. Normal thunder was called阳雷 yang thunder, containing indomitable yang qi that excelled at shattering all阴邪 yin evils.
Yin thunder, by contrast, was thunder from the underworld, harboring extreme yin qi. It crumbled yang qi like dry rot,
one bolt enough to claim a life or shave away cultivation.
Ordinary cultivators refined away as much yin qi from their bodies as possible—be it golden core, nascent soul, or primordial spirit.
Once the primordial spirit achieved pure yang, one no longer feared the Nine Yang Orthodox Qi of heavenly thunder, making tribulations far easier.
But a strike from yin thunder shattered the painstakingly tempered pure yang body, slashing cultivation—a supremely insidious blow.
Han Gongwang had extraordinary mastery over yin thunder. Where it passed, "Chen Shi"
was left numb inside and out, an indescribable comfort.
He shoved Han Gongwang's primordial spirit into his mouth. Han Gongwang's cultivation was formidable; he had severed his three corpse spirits and refined a pure yang primordial spirit. It instantly ballooned enormously, hands bracing "Chen Shi's"
upper palate, feet against the lower, striving to prevent being swallowed.
Attacks from the other scattered immortals arrived. The Qingyi Musician's music sliced like invisible blades into "Chen Shi's"
back, producing puffing sounds that shredded his clothes, leaving only faint white marks on his skin without breaking it.
Tianyang Boy's palm force surged in. "Chen Shi"
raised a hand to block, sending Tianyang Boy flying back again.
"Chen Shi's"
tongue coiled around Han Gongwang, yanking hard toward his stomach. Upper and lower jaws clamped down, while he flipped his hand for a palm strike, clashing head-on with Daoist Cao and involuntarily retreating a step.
Daoist Cao roared. His primordial spirit stood tall behind him, forming a Void Great Realm. Within that Void Great Realm shimmered a Dao sect paradise—heaven and earth in harmony, mountains and rivers in splendor, a vista painted in utmost beauty.
The so-called Void Great Realm was a Dao sect's paradise, or a Buddhist's Pure Land.
Cultivators at this stage were equivalent to immortals. With primordial spirit returned to void, they forged a Void Great Realm, birthing blessed paradises or spiritual mountains leading to bliss.
Daoist Cao was a Returning Void Realm existence. Though he hadn't broken through the void to Great Vehicle in nine years, his power was profoundly deep, far surpassing Tianyang Boy's. After his first palm was blocked by Chen Shi, he stepped forward, flipping his second palm down!
Dao light blazed in his Void Great Realm, mobilizing the full might of the paradise. One strike equaled the pressure of an entire small world crashing down!
"Chen Shi"
took the blow, his body shuddering as he retreated another step.
Daoist Cao's bellow thundered like lightning. He advanced again, flipping his third palm down!
"Chen Shi"
caught the third palm, retreating yet another step. At last, he dragged Han Gongwang's primordial spirit into his belly and praised, "You've tempered yourself quite tough."
Daoist Cao spat a great mouthful of blood, his aura wilting.
Three strikes, and he hadn't injured "Chen Shi"
at all—yet he himself was shaken and wounded.
"He ate Han Gongwang!"
Dao Qianqiu cried out in shock.
"Chen Shi"
jabbed a finger. Daoist Cao raised a hand to block, his body jolting as demonic qi erupted from him like a deflating bellows. "Chen Shi's"
demonic qi flooded his body, blasting his primordial spirit from his flesh.
"Chen Shi's"
long tongue lashed out, coiling around Daoist Cao's primordial spirit, ready to swallow him as well.
Lord Changping sat steadily in midair, his snow-white long beard whipping and dancing, transforming into a host of white flood dragons that howled forth, wrapping "Chen Shi"
from head to toe, leaving only his head exposed.
"Chen Shi"
struggled to retract his tongue, trying to pull Daoist Cao's primordial spirit into his mouth. Daoist Cao's primordial spirit braced with limbs against his nose and chin, resisting desperately.
Lord Changping chuckled and shot two beams of golden light from his eyes toward "Chen Shi's"
exposed head, laughing, "Daoist Cao, no need to panic. Watch me behead him."
Those two golden beams were tangold qi, indestructible. They circled "Chen Shi's"
neck three times. Blood flowed from the neck, but the head didn't fall. A ferocious gleam crossed his face as his eyes shot two demonic beams at Lord Changping.
His left pupil gazed right, right pupil left; the crossed demonic beams hissed, sending Lord Changping's hoary head flying from his neck!
This elder's power was mighty; he didn't die. His headless body soared up at once, chasing his head. Hands cradling it, he cried, "Impressive!"
"Chen Shi's"
eyes unleashed two more demonic beams, severing all the white flood dragons formed from his white beard.
With a fierce shake, he snapped the bindings and burst free, charging straight at Lord Changping while shouting, "Let's see how long you last!"
Lord Changping clutched his head and fled madly. Daoist Cao's primordial spirit still clung to "Chen Shi's"
face like an octopus, battling the tongue's pull.
"Hold on, Daoist Cao!"
Scattered Immortal Yuan Shan charged in, pointing skyward. Myriad thunders rampaged in the heavens, howling down along his finger to crash onto "Chen Shi."
"Chen Shi"
staggered from the strike, then flickered to Yuan Shan Scattered Immortal's side. His body spun, right leg sweeping heavily into the scattered immortal's neck.
Yuan Shan Scattered Immortal spun away like a windmill. Before he could steady himself midair, "Chen Shi"
had caught up, raising a fist to smash into his head.
The two plummeted from the sky, crashing outside Gongzhou City with a boom.
The scattered immortals hurried over at top speed. Feng Feihua offered up a golden needle that streaked like lightning toward "Chen Shi's"
back.
That golden needle was no ordinary item. She had acquired it while traveling the world, passing a village.
The village had a bizarre incident: a well suddenly gushed golden water. Anyone approaching disintegrated to dust.
She sat by the well, refining the golden qi from it. Once depleted, a gleaming golden pillar emerged from the depths.
Feng Feihua knew this prehistoric treasure had surfaced for her sake, so she refined the golden pillar into a needle.
Since forging this golden needle, no spell or treasure resisted it—not even the golden body of Great Guoyuan Temple!
In the end, legend held that someone borrowed her golden needle to duel Zen Master Kuzhu. Kuzhu Zen Master's Great Wheel Bright King Golden Light Curse showed its might,
but the golden needle arrived behind "Chen Shi."
He didn't even glance back, pinching backward with his right index and middle fingers, clamping the needle the instant it pierced!
Feng Feihua's face flushed red as she poured her power into it, yet "Chen Shi's"
fingers didn't budge.
"Feihua, let me assist you!"
Another scattered immortal, Liu Santong, robes fluttering, landed beside Feng Feihua and joined her in urging the needle.
"I'll help too!"
The third scattered immortal, Luan Haozhi, arrived. The three stood shoulder to shoulder, each forming sword mudras. Towering primordial spirits rose behind them, vast and boundless, divine light piercing the darkness as they jointly drove the golden needle.
The needle's tip pressed against "Chen Shi's"
back, nearly piercing skin.
The immense force shoved "Chen Shi's"
body sliding forward, unable to stand firm!
Lord Changping, Yuan Shan Scattered Immortal, Tianyang Boy, Qingyi Musician, and the others immediately flanked from left, right, above, and below—some from behind—unleashing spells toward "Chen Shi!"
Meanwhile, Daoist Cao's primordial spirit still clung to "Chen Shi's"
face, resisting his tongue.
"Chen Shi"
suddenly flipped and leaped up, his arm twisting a full rotation. For a normal person, that angle would snap the arm into pieces, but he emerged unscathed.
The golden needle thrust out and missed entirely.
By the time it flew back, "Chen Shi"
flicked a finger—ding!—deflecting the needle whistling away.
"How do we even fight this?"
Feng Feihua, Luan Haozhi, and Liu Santong saw the scene and despaired.
He dodged the golden needle outright, or flicked it away if he couldn't—no way to land a hit!
Without hitting him, everyone here would die!
"Only those few Great Vehicle Realm old monsters could subdue this demon!"
Feng Feihua despaired inwardly. Those Great Vehicle old monsters appeared only rarely, like dragons unseen, surfacing occasionally at gatherings—hard to find otherwise.
The last time she saw two of them was ten years ago, when Chen Yindu brought Chen Shi to a scattered immortals' gathering, alarming two nearby Great Vehicle old monsters who emerged to warn Chen Yindu not to cause trouble.
"Chen Shi's"
speed was too fast, ghostly. He vanished from sight in a flash, reappearing beside a scattered immortal. The others could only rush to rescue, or that one would be done for—killed or eaten!
In mere breaths, of the twenty-two scattered immortals, seventeen were wounded, one beheaded, one with primordial spirit on the verge of being swallowed, and another dead!
Tianyang Boy was horrified, thinking: Half an incense stick at most! He'll wipe us all out! Where is our hope?
He suddenly abandoned the group and fled, but the next instant he tumbled back from the horizon into Gongzhou City.
"Chen Shi's"
demon domain was stronger than even the underage witch Ying Rumeng's—even he couldn't escape!
Granny Sha and Young Master Xiao wound through Gongzhou City's alleys and twists, finally tracking Li Tianqing's soul to find him and Black Pot. Man and dog were hauling a wooden cart, dodging and hiding about the city.
"Little Ten is dead!"
Granny Sha shouted.
Li Tianqing shuddered violently, halting abruptly. Tears welled in his eyes as he cried, "What? Impossible!"
Before he finished, Black Pot reared up, shoving him aside to face Granny Sha.
"Keep cooperating!"
Granny Sha said solemnly.
Black Pot nodded solemnly.
Young Master Xiao landed and patted Li Tianqing's shoulder sympathetically. "Don't grieve pointlessly. It wasn't looking for you."
"You're like me right now—not even as good as a dog."
Granny Sha produced a brazier from somewhere, its basin charred black with scorch marks.
Etched on it were the names of various underworld deities, filled with yellow paper talismans and maps of the underworld's mountains and rivers.
"These days, using the Sheep Horn Heavenly Spirit Lamp to illuminate the underworld, I've divided the underworld into nine major regions and redrawn the map."
Granny Sha unrolled a map that floated in the air, gradually revealing the underworld's terrain.
The paper map seemed to melt into the air, leaving only the mountains and lands.
Granny Sha pressed her palm lightly, and the underworld map settled on the ground, ten zhang long and wide.
She took out clothes Chen Shi had worn. Black Pot sniffed them.
Granny Sha lit the brazier. "I'll track the soul. You save him!"
She shook the King Wen drum. With the drumbeats and rustling, burning yellow talismans rose from the brazier, flames leaping a man's height, the talismans glowing ever brighter.
On the flames' reverse appeared the underworld's rivers and mountains.
Granny Sha sensed Chen Shi's soul's position, nudging the brazier across the underworld map. Suddenly she looked up. "Right here! Black Pot!"
Whoosh—Black Pot leaped into the flames. Landing, he found ghostly yin qi all around, dim and dank.
Like a mobile mountain, hellfire blazed around him, billowing thick smoke. He sniffed in the swamp, then bounded across it, vanishing in a cloud of dust—