Chapter 247
Chapter 247
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 247
Chapter Title: Shepherd
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Li Tianqing said that in recent days, evils came every night to kill him, only for sword qi to surge in the temple and cut them down.
The Caishen Temple brimmed with battle intent, even manifesting visions of sword mountains and seas of fire in Chen Shi's mind—enough to ward off any evil from approaching.
They had dared to barge into the temple and try to kill Li Tianqing!
This meant the evils were under human control.
In other words, someone was manipulating the evils to assassinate Li Tianqing!
Chen Shi's eyes flickered. Manipulating evils?
Who could possess such ability?
"This person—how many evils can he control?"
He suddenly recalled what he had seen on the road: Qingzhou reeked of evil qi, with an abundance of evils that even appeared during the day. Were those also under someone's control?
Otherwise, why would evils show themselves in broad daylight?
Chaos reigned in Qingzhou City, shouts echoing everywhere.
A青 dragon coiled in the sky.
That was the phenomenon caused by a blade of sword light slashing down!
The sword light flashed and vanished, leaving only fading azure dragon qi in the air.
"This blade is incredible!"
Chen Shi exclaimed in awe, his curiosity piqued.
Li Tianqing had slain evils along the way—had some slipped into Qingzhou City too?
"Does the Ten Thousand Souls Banner count as an evil? Why did he chop it down too?"
He was about to hurry over when the thudding of hooves approached, a wave of heat blasting his face. Li Tianqing rode past in a whirlwind on horseback.
Chen Shi looked up to see him clutching a human head, with countless banknotes, gold, silver, and jewels swirling behind him as he sped away.
Chen Shi stood dumbfounded. "So Lord Guan Sheng is this kind of Wealth God!"
He chased after with all his might, only to hear someone shout behind him, "Lord Salt Supervisor was killed by the Red Horse Bandits!"
"Lord Salt Supervisor's vault has been completely looted by the Red Horse Bandits!..."
Qingzhou teemed with experts. Many unleashed their nascent souls, sending them flying in all directions to hunt the Red Horse Bandits.
But that azure dragon-like sword light had even cleaved the Ten Thousand Souls Banner—they dared not pursue too closely, their pace slowing bit by bit.
Chen Shi stuck close to the red horse. Each time Li Tianqing swung his blade from the saddle, an evil's head would roll along the path. The horse was lightning-fast; even at his maximum speed, Chen Shi couldn't catch up to man and mount.
Suddenly, a village appeared ahead. Li Tianqing eased his speed slightly as mountains of gold and silver and fluttering banknotes trailed him, nuggets tumbling into the courtyards of every household.
Chen Shi froze. Was the Wealth God enshrined in the temple a robber of the rich to aid the poor?
He rushed forward. The red horse carried Li Tianqing onward, distributing the Salt Supervisor of Qingzhou's gold, silver, and treasures to villages and towns along the way—dozens of taels per household.
After galloping through half the night, Li Tianqing had scattered every last coin. The red horse turned toward the Caishen Temple. As they neared, it slowed.
Chen Shi caught up to the horse just as Li Tianqing leaped down.
The steed neighed, its hooves trampling hellfire as it plunged into the underworld and vanished.
Li Tianqing reached out and seized the circling azure dragon qi around him, shaping it into a long blade that he tossed to Chen Shi.
Chen Shi caught it, but the blade dissolved into flying azure dragon qi upon touching his hand, whirling around him.
Li Tianqing hurled the Salt Supervisor's head over too. Chen Shi caught it reflexively, realized what it was, and hurriedly activated his Youquan游龙 Sword, flinging the head into the netherworld.
Only then did he notice Li Tianqing's eyes were closed.
Li Tianqing had raced over a thousand li through the night with his eyes shut, slaying countless evils, storming into Qingzhou City, beheading the Salt Supervisor, and looting his vault!
Li Tianqing strode into the temple with the gait of a dragon and tiger—utterly unlike his former steps—heading straight for the Divine Shrine inside.
Reaching it, he turned, slowly opening his eyes.
White light filled the empty chamber, illuminating the temple.
He gazed out at the rivers and mountains, his voice low and hoarse. "Why is this land plagued by evils, righteous qi in decline? What demon sows chaos in the world?"
His body shuddered faintly. A stream of pure qi rose and settled into the Divine Shrine.
Li Tianqing toppled backward. Chen Shi rushed forward, supporting him and easing him onto the bedding.
Li Tianqing fell into a deep sleep.
The azure dragon qi swirling around Chen Shi flew up and into the Divine Shrine.
At that moment, flapping sounds came from outside the temple. Chen Shi looked out to see numerous big-eared Heavenly Listeners descending slowly with ear-flaps, landing around the Caishen Temple and scribbling notes.
His heart stirred. He summoned the Youquan游龙 Sword and blew on it. It transformed into a bird and flitted to one Heavenly Listener's back, peeking at its records.
The notes detailed Li Tianqing's words and deeds.
Among them: "Rode red horse bearing azure dragon qi, slew 17 evils. Entered Qingzhou City at night, shattered gates, cleaved Ten Thousand Souls Banner, killed Salt Supervisor Lü Song, seized wealth and departed.
"Distributed wealth to villages like Cangshu, Heyin, Ge family. Scattered silver and coin among villagers.
...
"Suspect Chen Shi exited temple, followed trail, returned. Summoned sword turned bird, spied on this one from behind. Pretended ignorance; suspect continued watching.
"Suspect approached. Suspect behind this one. Suspect raised hand."
Chen Shi knocked the Heavenly Listener unconscious and flipped through its records.
One night, sunlight leaked through the temple door crack, drawing the Heavenly Listeners' attention. Thus, Li Tianqing became a key surveillance target, monitored closely by six of them.
Chen Shi kept reading. The Heavenly Listeners faithfully recorded every subsequent day: Li Tianqing's words, daily routines.
It included the evils entering the temple to assassinate him!
"Night, fifth watch: Someone demonic drove evil into temple. Azure light flared, slaying it.
"Night, fifth watch: Demonic figure returned, drove ten evils into temple.
"Night, fifth watch: Demonic figure came again."
Chen Shi skimmed the records, thinking, "Someone truly commands evils! And arrives every night at the fifth watch—fifth watch right now!"
Just then, a figure floated down from the sky, landing lightly before the temple.
The man wore black Daoist robes. Upon landing, he clasped hands at his chest in invocation. Five ghosts flew in, hauling an altar.
The black-robed man performed rites on the altar. Soon, hordes of evils swarmed from afar.
He pointed at the Caishen Temple. The evils surged toward it!
Sword light blazed inside; the evils fell dead one after another, failing to eliminate Li Tianqing.
The black-robed man frowned and prepared to charge in.
Suddenly, Blackie Pot's bark echoed from the temple. The man hesitated no longer, leaped from the altar. In midair, he shook his black robes with some spell, soaring away like a bat.
Chen Shi's mind stirred. The Youquan游龙 Sword became a bird and pursued the black-robed man.
The man flew to Qingzhou City, plunged into it, and vanished.
Chen Shi frowned slightly and recalled the Youquan游龙 Sword.
At dawn, Li Tianqing awoke, stretched, yawned, and laughed. "Last night was the best sleep I've had in ages! These days I've lived in fear of being hacked down, but after Little Ten arrived, I could finally rest easy."
Chen Shi rose and recounted the night's events. Li Tianqing was stunned and disbelieving.
Chen Shi handed over the Heavenly Listener's notes. Li Tianqing flipped through them.
Blackie Pot rose early, starting a fire in the yard to cook. Some yellow ginsengs and aconites helped with the fire. One yellow ginseng pinned an aconite, trying to shove it under the stove. The aconite yelled; the pair brawled again.
Blackie Pot grabbed a yellow ginseng, sliced off half its head, and tossed the piece into the pot for soup.
The mangled yellow ginseng wailed in terror. The others huddled in a corner, trembling quietly at last.
Li Tianqing finished the notes and cried out, "These past nights, I've done all these outrageous things!"
It was too bizarre—even the notes couldn't fully convince him.
He paced back and forth, then halted. "Why does the one trying to kill me want me dead? Did Lord Guan Sheng's will possess me and kill his kin? No, no—the very night his will took me, this person sent evils to kill me. So it can't be that."
Chen Shi pondered. "This person controls evils. Could it be revenge because Lord Guan Sheng slew those evils he raised?"
Li Tianqing shook his head. "He sends killers because I slay evils? As if the evils are his pets..."
He trailed off, eyes meeting Chen Shi's.
Chen Shi said, "Southern Sect talismans can create evils and control spirits!"
Li Tianqing replied, "Qingzhou's harsh laws breed countless evils, letting someone fish in troubled waters—raising Southern Sect evils amid them!"
Chen Shi added, "Lord Guan Sheng's will possessed you, and you killed many evils—including ones this person raised. You ruined his plans, so he wants you gone."
"But why raise evils at all?"
Li Tianqing nodded, then suggested, "Tonight, you sleep. I'll stay awake. Lord Guan Sheng's will might possess you instead."
"I'll see what happens."
Chen Shi, ever the kid at heart, was eager to try.
They agreed instantly.
Chen Shi resumed carving the small shrine and drawing talismans.
Night fell. After dinner, Chen Shi went to bed early.
Li Tianqing focused intently, urging his brain-rear divine light to shine around him, awaiting midnight.
As midnight neared, a阴 wind blew. Li Tianqing shivered, thinking, "Bad—this wind feels like netherworld qi, not divine!"
In his sleep, Chen Shi dreamed of Lord Wuwang emerging from darkness. Startled, he asked, "Where do you come from, Lord?"
Lord Wuwang bowed. "I've been fleeing netherworld ghosts and gods, nowhere to hide. I thought to shelter with the True King. Please take me in."
Chen Shi's face changed. He barked, "Foolish, Lord! Leave now, or it'll be too late!"
Lord Wuwang was puzzled when Chen Shi's dream cracked open with a snap, revealing an unfathomable abyss. At its bottom churned a sea of consciousness, thoughts roiling within.
Lord Wuwang gaped as mighty, terrifying netherworld demon gods climbed from the abyss—claws, tentacles, tongues reaching for him from afar!
Exhausted from evading pursuers, Lord Wuwang had hoped for respite in Chen Shi's dream. Instead, the demon gods in Chen Shi's sea of consciousness outnumbered his hunters!
He acted decisively, jamming his brush handle into the dream to avoid being dragged into the abyss!
But claws, tongues, and tentacles coiled around him, pulling him down while climbing out!
Lord Wuwang cursed inwardly. As the first demon god neared the rim, a dragon roar echoed in Chen Shi's dream. Sword light flashed; limbs severed in droves!
Lord Wuwang broke free and fled the dream!
He traced the sword light to a god-man with phoenix eyes, silkworm brows, and a face like crimson jujube striding in. The figure slashed at the abyss!
The demon gods tumbled back; the abyss slammed shut.
Lord Wuwang fled without pause, heart pounding in terror: What monsters lurk in the True King's body?
Li Tianqing watched Chen Shi in shock and uncertainty when a阴 wind gusted from between Chen Shi's brows. Chen Shi shot upright, startling him.
Whoosh—
Chen Shi flew from the hall.
Li Tianqing chased out.
A red horse thundering on hellfire galloped from the netherworld.
Chen Shi vaulted onto it, azure dragon qi coiling his body.
The temple's yellow ginsengs and aconites, used to the sight, glanced over and slept on.
With a neigh and a streak of azure light, Chen Shi rode off.
Li Tianqing rushed outside to see Chen Shi on horseback, carving through evils like chopping vegetables—every one in his path felled by a single slash.
Li Tianqing chased desperately as Chen Shi rode toward a county seat under Qingzhou's rule.
By the time he reached the city, chaos gripped it: gates cleaved away, Ten Thousand Souls Banner bisected. Voices screamed, "The County Magistrate is dead! Someone killed the County Magistrate!"
Hooves thundered head-on. Li Tianqing's eyes widened. In the firelight, Chen Shi sat the red horse, azure dragon slung across, clutching the magistrate's head in his other hand as he whooshed past.
Behind him, gold, silver, treasures, and banknotes swirled.
Just like the Heavenly Listener's records!
Li Tianqing pursued, but his cultivation lagged far behind—he couldn't keep up.
He returned to the Caishen Temple first. Near the fifth watch, Chen Shi returned, tossed him the azure dragon blade and head, and collapsed into sleep.
Li Tianqing settled Chen Shi, then activated his Thousand-Li Flying Sword Art, turning a hairpin into a fly that buzzed outside.
At the fifth watch, the black-robed man arrived as expected, rallied evils against the temple to no avail, and fled—unaware of the fly on his shoe.
At dawn, Chen Shi woke to Li Tianqing washing clothes in the yard. "You killed last night—blood splattered you. I took them off to wash."
Chen Shi sniffed his sleeve; sure enough, blood reeked. He stripped quickly.
Li Tianqing soaked the clothes. "Mission accomplished. I've found his lair."
"Wash up first. Once the clothes are done,
"after breakfast, we can see just who this bastard is!"
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