Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: Nannan's Origins
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Old Lady Wuzhu's foul mouth was probably something Grandpa didn't like.
Chen Shi thought to himself, "It's better to burn some paper figures of Grandma Yuzhu for Grandpa."
He returned home, where Hu Feifei had already set the dishes on the table. Seeing him reach for the chopsticks, she smacked the back of his hand and pouted, "Go wash your hands! You too! And you!
Chen Shi obediently took Tu Tu and Blackie Pot to wash their hands. Looking back, he said, "This afternoon, I'll take Tu Tu to visit Xuan Mountain and Granny Zhuang and the others, so she can get acquainted with the spirits in the mountains. That way, the child won't run around recklessly."
Hu Feifei said, "Prepare plenty of incense."
"Got it."
In the afternoon, Chen Shi took Tu Tu out. First, they paid respects to Godmother and Scholar Zhu.
Then they came to Grandpa's grave and bowed. He burned a few paper figures of young women for Grandpa.
They arrived at Xuan Mountain and met the great snake.
The great snake of Xuan Mountain stared at Tu Tu with deep,幽暗 eyes. After a long while, it finally said: "I can't discern her origins either."
Chen Shi had Tu Tu offer incense to the great snake of Xuan Mountain. Holding the incense, Tu Tu bowed to it. The great snake's body trembled slightly.
Tu Tu inserted the incense into the censer. The great snake of Xuan Mountain said, "Little Ten, are you going to see Granny Zhuang?"
Chen Shi nodded. The great snake of Xuan Mountain said, "Once you've seen Granny Zhuang, don't bow to her. One stick of incense is enough—don't exceed that."
Chen Shi was surprised but led Tu Tu away.
No sooner had they left than the great snake of Xuan Mountain let out a muffled grunt, blood trickling from the corner of its mouth. Its divine form emerged, swaying unsteadily.
Its divine form was that of a black-clad young man, now buffeted and swelling erratically, on the verge of dispersal!
"She nearly scattered my divine form with that bow! My blessings are deep enough, and my magic barely held up, but Granny Zhuang's blessings are shallower, and her cultivation weaker—she probably couldn't withstand it."
The black-clad Xuan Mountain hurried to the censer and blew on the incense, making it burn extremely fast until it turned to ash.
Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief, curiosity burning in his heart: "Luckily, I still have some lifespan left to endure the terrifying divine power hidden in that one stick of incense.
What exactly did Little Ten bring back? How can her blessings be so overwhelmingly mighty?"
Chen Shi brought Tu Tu to Granny Zhuang's place and had her offer one stick of incense. Tu Tu was about to bow to Granny Zhuang, but Chen Shi quickly stopped her. "Xuan Mountain said no bowing. Just offer the incense."
Tu Tu inserted the incense into Granny Zhuang's censer.
"Good child, good child."
Granny Zhuang, having received this one stick of incense, began bleeding from her eyes, ears, mouth, and nose—seven orifices streaming blood, making her look grim and terrifying. She smiled and said, "Granny's a bit overheated, so I won't keep you overnight."
Chen Shi noticed Granny Zhuang looked unwell and asked with concern, "Granny, are you alright?"
"No major harm. This old body still has some lifespan left, but my blessings are shallow and can't handle such a great tonic—I've been overwhelmed by the divine power."
The bleeding from Granny Zhuang's seven orifices grew heavier. She said, "You should go.
Visit the creek girl and the guoguos, but don't offer them incense or bow.
Their blessings aren't sufficient, and their cultivation is still shallow—they'd lose years of life."
Chen Shi was puzzled but took Tu Tu to find the creek girl and the guoguos. Tu Tu played happily with them, running wild all afternoon.
As dusk fell, Chen Shi took Tu Tu to the Mountain Lord Temple and offered one stick of incense to the Mountain Lord.
Qianyang Mountain Lord and Yellow Tiger were both in deep slumber, awakened by this incense. They exclaimed, "What has happened?"
The Mountain Lord saw Tu Tu and regarded her with shock and uncertainty. He returned one stick of incense, insisting they wait until it burned out before leaving.
Yellow Tiger followed suit and returned one stick as well.
"Does the Mountain Lord know Tu Tu's origins?" Chen Shi inquired.
The Mountain Lord said, "Her blessings are profound and far-reaching, her divine power vast and mighty—like the blue sky itself, in no way inferior to mine, perhaps even surpassing it.
I dared not accept her incense empty-handed, so I returned it."
Chen Shi asked doubtfully, "Isn't Tu Tu a little demon?"
The Mountain Lord hesitated. "Gods and demons are but labels men apply.
You could say so."
Chen Shi didn't understand. The Mountain Lord and Yellow Tiger worked together to absorb Tu Tu's incense, then turned back to stone and resumed their slumber.
Chen Shi led Tu Tu out of the Mountain Lord Temple. The moon had already risen outside, hanging in the night sky, casting its pale gaze over the earth.
These days, with Chen Shi away from home, many evils had emerged again on Qianyang Mountain.
Floating heads drifted through the air, occasionally emitting eerie cackles as they dangled long, scarlet, nimble tongues from above, ready to lasso a few people for fun.
Chen Shi lit a stick of incense for Tu Tu. "Bow to them."
Tu Tu clasped the incense with both hands and bowed to one of the floating heads.
Bang!
That floating head exploded into powder.
Delighted and astonished, Tu Tu bowed to another floating head. Again, a loud bang—the head detonated as well.
"This is fun!"
Tu Tu held the incense, bowing as she walked along. The floating heads in the sky exploded one after another with incessant bangs, like splendid fireworks under the night curtain.
She played gleefully, but Chen Shi pinched his chin, lost in thought.
The little girl was perfect in every way—a normal child—but these displays were anything but normal.
A阴风 blew in—it was Neck-Breaking Weed among the evils. Turning back would mean your neck snapped!
Tu Tu bowed toward the阴风. A miserable scream echoed from it, then the wind dissipated, splattering black blood on the ground.
"Save the child!"
The mountain woods rustled loudly with the cries of Hundred Infants. After Tu Tu bowed, explosions of Hundred Infants rang out from the forest.
That night, the evils of Qianyang Mountain felt an incomprehensible terror.
"Big brother, let's play again tomorrow!" Tu Tu said excitedly.
Chen Shi took her home, smiling. "Have Blackie Pot bring you out to play."
The next day, Chen Shi had Blackie Pot watch the child. He was about to head out to lie in the coffin when a tigerish ginseng doll poked out from the grass, bowing to him and beckoning him to follow.
Surprised, Chen Shi followed it to Xuan Mountain.
The great snake of Xuan Mountain, Granny Zhuang, and the other spirits of Qianyang Mountain had already gathered. Seeing him arrive, they all sighed in relief.
Granny Zhuang said, "I've already sent the guoguos to notify the powerful spirits in the mountains, as well as Granny Sha and the others, to come discuss Tu Tu's matter.
Such a mighty spirit has come to Qianyang Mountain—we must give them a heads-up."
As she spoke, the big shots of Qianyang Mountain arrived one after another at Xuan Mountain.
Qianyang Mountain was vast, home to many extraordinary powerful spirits who had coalesced divine forms and protected their domains.
Some Chen Shi had never even seen before.
"Uncle Qingyang!"
Chen Shi spotted Uncle Qingyang and went up to him.
Uncle Qingyang worked as Godmother by day and became an evil by night—a powerful presence on Qianyang Mountain, thus included in the summons.
Besides Uncle Qingyang, another mighty being arrived. The great snake of Xuan Mountain personally welcomed him and invited him to the seat of honor, treating him with great respect.
Uncle Qingyang whispered to Chen Shi, "That one is the Lord of Wuwang City—his cultivation is immeasurably deep.
Your grandpa once probed Wuwang City but couldn't uncover his true nature."
Chen Shi looked toward the Lord of Wuwang City. The lord was dressed as a scholar but had a burly build. As he sat there, his head was shrouded in radiant light, his features faintly visible.
The Lord of Wuwang City glanced at him and nodded lightly.
Chen Shi smiled back.
"Don't speak to him."
Uncle Qingyang seemed tense. "Wuwang City is his Ghost God Domain. Speak to him carelessly, and you could lose your tongue.
I once chattered too much, and he yanked out my tongue. Your grandpa and that vixen fox stormed in to snatch it back."
Chen Shi felt a chill and whispered, "What are the Lord of Wuwang City's origins?
Your grandpa suspected he came from the underworld and for some reason lingers in the阳 world.
He also suspected he might be a mature demon god.
We've probed his roots but never pinned down what manner of sacred being he is."
Uncle Qingyang glanced at the Lord of Wuwang City and lowered his voice. "He hides in Wuwang City, as if evading something—off to the underworld by day, back to the阳 world by night.
We saw he did no evil and was strong, so we didn't pursue further and let him settle on Qianyang Mountain."
He paused, adding, "Not out of fear, but no need.
Just one more neighbor."
Chen Shi gave the Lord of Wuwang City a deep look. From the divine light around him, he showed no sign of being a demon god or from the underworld—instead, he seemed utterly sacred.
The Lord of Wuwang City nodded slightly and smiled. "Young Friend Chen hasn't visited Wuwang City in ages."
Chen Shi was about to reply when Uncle Qingyang tugged his sleeve. Chen Shi smiled. "Busy with matters lately. I'll certainly come when I have time."
The Lord of Wuwang City gave him a deep look. "Don't go back on your word."
Chen Shi felt a chill; his tongue tingled restlessly in his mouth.
Just then, Granny Sha arrived up the mountain. He hurried to greet her.
Granny Sha's face was grave as she nodded to him in acknowledgment.
Chen Shi asked curiously, "Uncle Hu didn't come?"
"Little Liang doesn't belong to Qianyang Mountain. Besides, he's dead—a mere evil—so we didn't summon him."
Granny Sha looked around and saw Qianyang Mountain Lord and Yellow Tiger had also come to the peak, along with a white dragon atop the mountain. She said, "The big shots of Qianyang Mountain are mostly here."
Chen Shi said, "A new house was built recently by my doorstep, housing a boatman and his daughter. Should we notify them too?"
"They don't belong to Qianyang Mountain either. No need to summon them."
Granny Sha shook her head.
The great snake of Xuan Mountain looked around. "We can begin.
Everyone, have you seen the little girl from Chen Shi's household, Tu Tu? She harbors an incomparably powerful god-demon within, with boundless blessings. She merely bowed to me once, nearly scattering my divine form."
The crowd erupted in shock.
The great snake of Xuan Mountain walked both the demon and divine paths—a demon cultivator who also pursued the divine way. He was the longest-lived spirit on Qianyang Mountain, traceable to the late True King era.
His cultivation was profoundly unfathomable, his divine power immense—extreme attainment in every aspect.
His blessings were especially profound and vast.
Over six thousand years, countless common folk and mountain spirits had bowed to Xuan Mountain, entrusting it with their hopes and prayers.
That was blessings!
So-called blessings came from the thoughts of the masses—from cultivating virtue and goodness oneself, earning the remembrance and reverence of others. Only then were they true blessings.
The great snake of Xuan Mountain's blessings were the deepest and most profound among all spirits of Qianyang Mountain. For even he to nearly falter under Tu Tu's bow spoke volumes of how terrifying her blessings were!
Granny Zhuang said, "Tu Tu didn't bow to me—just offered one stick of incense.
I couldn't withstand it; the surge of extraordinary power nearly burst me apart.
As I absorbed her incense, the chants of billions of beings echoed in my ears—my divine form nearly shattered into pieces."
The crowd was horrified.
Though Granny Zhuang's cultivation fell short of the great snake of Xuan Mountain's, her roots spanned Qianyang Mountain, with six thousand years of ceaseless incense—her foundation immensely thick. Yet even she couldn't endure one stick!
Qianyang Mountain Lord said, "Her followers outnumber mine by far too much.
I accepted her bow and incense but had to return it."
The crowd fell silent, all turning to Chen Shi.
Chen Shi recounted how he'd found Tu Tu in Yudu's Rouge Alley and brought her home. "The first moment Tu Tu saw Blackie Pot at my house, she said it was an evil.
I argued with her at length, but she wouldn't change her view—yet she plays wonderfully with Blackie Pot."
Granny Sha was moved. "Even Doggy couldn't sway her perception?"
Chen Shi hesitated, then nodded. "And strangely, Blackie Pot not only couldn't influence her but fawns over her, utterly obedient."
The Lord of Wuwang City, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. "How old is Tu Tu?"
"A little over four, not yet five."
Chen Shi said, "Her mother was a prostitute in Yudu's Rouge Alley who died in childbirth to bring forth Tu Tu."
"A little over four—so more than four years ago."
The Lord of Wuwang City's expression shifted slightly, as if recalling something. "Over four years ago, Chen Yindu made a trip to the underworld."
Granny Sha's heart stirred. "Over four years ago, Old Chen did go once.
That was his eighth descent, though this old body wasn't involved."
The Lord of Wuwang City said, "That time, he asked me to help rescue Chen Shi's soul."
The crowd was stunned, all looking at him.
Chen Shi's grandpa had descended to the underworld multiple times seeking his soul. By then, they'd thought him mad—Chen Shi impossible to save.
Many had helped at first, but fewer and fewer over time.
Who knew Grandpa Chen had even sought the Lord of Wuwang City's aid—desperation indeed!
The Lord of Wuwang City said, "They brothers pestered me relentlessly, so I agreed to help."
Uncle Qingyang nudged Chen Shi and pointed at himself smugly.
"I have some influence in the underworld. We infiltrated the bureaucracy and found it in turmoil. We searched the Gods' Yuan Chen Palaces for the place where underworld ghost gods strictly guarded it. We once mistakenly stormed one such palace."
The Lord of Wuwang City continued, "Guards were tight, ghost gods stationed everywhere. We forced our way in by every means, killing to the heart. Looking up, we saw iron chains binding that Yuan Chen Palace.
Each chain bore a massive ghost god wielding axes and weapons, standing guard. We assaulted that Yuan Chen Palace but ultimately failed and had to flee in defeat.
After that, I owed Chen Yindu nothing more, and he stopped harassing me."
He paused, adding, "That time, one of the young fellows who descended with us was called Young Master Xiao."
Chen Shi's heart stirred—Young Master Xiao had once taken him to Wuwang City.
The Lord of Wuwang City said, "When we reached that Yuan Chen Palace, we saw a crescent moon hanging above it.
This shape—we'd never seen such a crescent form before."
He drew a crescent, utterly unlike those in West Ox New Continent.
West Ox's crescents were like eyes—two circles overlapping, the middle shaded.
But his crescent was two circles tangent, with no obscured part!
Chen Shi's heart stirred. He'd seen a similar crescent in the little temple and Mountain Lord Temple.
It was the crescent from the skies over Ancestral Divine Continent—the very same shape!
"That crescent seized the chaos to flee, throwing the guarding ghost gods into disarray and giving us our chance to escape."
The Lord of Wuwang City said, "That Yuan Chen Palace's name was Yanluo.
The direction that crescent fled toward should have been Yudu."