Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: True Blood Complete and Homecoming
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Chen Shi offered up the hind leg of the sealed boar, then turned and headed back to the mountain stream.
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"He saw me staring at him the whole time and thought I wanted to eat his food, so he offered me the roasted hind leg."
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The great serpent Xuan Shan murmured silently to himself in his heart.
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He had a very clear grasp of Chen Shi's state of mind.
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However, he had already abstained from flesh and blood for three thousand years, never touching meat again. He inhaled the long winds and drank the dew.
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His ambitions were lofty. He wished to become like the true gods beyond the heavens—eternal and unchanging, neither eating nor sleeping, seated there watching the vicissitudes of the world.
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But...
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So fragrant.
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The great serpent Xuan Shan stared at the sealed boar's hind leg. He had to admit that this little fellow truly had some skill when it came to barbecuing—it had awakened his cravings.
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"I'm probably just being controlled by my cravings."
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The great serpent Xuan Shan hesitated for a moment before sampling the flavor of the sealed boar's hind leg.
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Sure enough, I'm being controlled by my cravings, he thought.
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After finishing the roasted sealed boar leg, the great serpent Xuan Shan's mind followed along as Chen Shi departed.
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"I wanted to be like a true god from beyond the heavens, beholding all the affairs of the mortal world. I thought a god's Dao heart was like bedrock—unshakable, unchanging. Yet a month ago, nightfall came a quarter hour early."
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The great serpent Xuan Shan's gaze grew ever more profound as he murmured silently, "Even true gods change; it's just that their changes are exceedingly gradual. A single shift from them might span dozens of generations of mortal birth, aging, sickness, and death. This recent change from the true god seems to have no impact on the world at all, but how could it truly have none? Perhaps... I too need to change..."
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This time consuming flesh and blood had stirred a faint ripple in his otherwise steadfast Dao heart. But he was far too ancient, and to him, Chen Shi was merely a fleeting passerby in his long life—someone who could offer him only a momentary insight into his Dao heart.
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At night, he sent dreams to the youth, guiding Chen Shi on how to breathe and exhale, how to circulate his true blood, sending it roaming through his body at will.
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When Chen Shi slept at night, he cultivated under this guidance. During the day, he would forget it all, only to remember again in his dreams and continue cultivating.
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After five or six days like this, the true blood exchange was finally complete.
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The great serpent Xuan Shan sent no more dream guidance.
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In his view, he had already repaid Chen Shi for offering the sealed boar's hind leg.
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Chen Shi closed his eyes. At this moment, he could sense the blood surging from his heart, carrying vast innate qi to every part of his body.
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With each heartbeat, the true blood rushed straight to the extremities and every inch of his frame. Every vessel, every organ, even the conditions on the surface of his skin—all reflected crystal clear in his mind!
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He could clearly sense the wounds on his skin, the scars left from old injuries.
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He could feel the breeze brushing over his skin's surface, the faint swaying of every single hair.
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He could even direct his qi and blood to heal his wounds, to mend his scars.
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This was the wondrous effect brought by exchanging true blood!
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Not only that, but with true blood refined, his five viscera and six bowels were constantly nourished by it. As qi and blood circulated, his organs grew ever stronger.
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The hidden flaws in his five viscera and six bowels, the congenital deficiencies—all were gradually made whole!
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This was the second stage of the Divine Embryo: Five Viscera All True.
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Only after exchanging true blood could the five viscera, under its nourishment, reach the state of Five Viscera All True.
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As Chen Shi circulated the Three Lights Righteous Qi Art, the Divine Shrine involuntarily manifested. Its divine light shone brilliantly, brighter than before. Even after he stopped circulating the technique, the shrine lingered, only collapsing after one or two breaths.
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Joy filled his heart.
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"If the Divine Shrine can persist even longer, I could try cultivating the sword arts from the Heavenly Heart Righteous Qi Art. But to learn that technique, I'll need to go to the private school in town."
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He had saved up some money—not sure if it would cover the tuition.
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Chen Shi left the Mountain Lord Temple. He hefted the massive pot—big enough to stew himself—with a picked-up turtle shell as the lid, and walked out of the mountains.
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After exchanging true blood, he no longer felt that intense hunger from before. No need to stay deep in the mountains hunting; he could go home.
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This true blood exchange had kept him away from home for many days. He missed Grandpa and Blackie Pot.
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It was his first time being away from home for so long, and he'd even taken the big pot for boiling medicine. He couldn't help worrying, fearing Grandpa's punishment.
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"But I really did eat the house bare. If not for relying on the mountains, I'd have starved to death."
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Chen Shi thought to himself, "Grandpa's definitely angry, and Blackie Pot's definitely been badmouthing me. But if I admit my mistake upfront, even if Blackie Pot stirs trouble, Grandpa won't beat me to death. At most, he'll hang me up and give me a thrashing."
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He passed by Gangzi Village and stopped in front of Granny Sha's door to greet her.
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Granny Sha eyed him warily and didn't invite him inside.
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"A doting mother spoils the child. There's not a single grain of rice left in my jar!"
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Granny Sha wailed.
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Chen Shi set down the big pot, lifted the lid, and pulled out over a hundred catties of spirit beast meat. He smiled.
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"I've eaten so much from you, Granny, so I brought some meat as compensation."
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Seeing this, Granny Sha felt utterly ashamed. Blushing, she said, "Truth be told, I've bought some rice. We can put food on the table now. Little Ten, stay and eat before you go?"
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Chen Shi could tell she wasn't sincere about keeping him for a meal, so he made excuses about missing home, shouldered the big pot, and left.
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The pot was piled high with the most delicious cuts from various spirit beasts. He couldn't bear to eat them himself. Besides honoring Granny Sha, he planned to honor Grandpa and his godmother at the stone stele.
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He returned to Huangpo Village and came to Grandma Yuzhu's door. He set down the big pot and knocked.
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When Yuzhu opened the door, no one was there—just a slab of spirit beast meat hanging on it, about a dozen catties or so.
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A knocking came from next door too. Yuzhu turned and saw Chen Shi hanging a similar slab of about a dozen catties on the neighbor's door.
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Grandma Yuzhu called from behind, "Girl, who's at the door?"
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"Grandma, it's that dead kid you mentioned."
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Yuzhu carried the meat back into the courtyard and whispered to her grandma, "He brought us this meat. Grandma, we haven't had meat in so long!"
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Grandma Yuzhu was astonished. She tiptoed out of the courtyard on her small feet and saw Chen Shi going door to door, hanging meat on each one without waiting for anyone to answer.
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Just like that, Chen Shi walked along, hanging meat as he went. Soon, more than half the spirit beast meat in the pot was gone.
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By the time he reached his own home, the pot was nearly empty, with only two or three pieces left.
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"This child's got a sense of justice. If he hadn't died back then..."
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Grandma Yuzhu sighed, then turned to instruct Yuzhu.
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"Remember, no playing with him! He's a dead kid!"
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Chen Shi pushed open the gate and carried the big pot into the courtyard. With two chirps, he called Blackie Pot over and fished a piece of spirit beast meat from the pot.
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Blackie Pot was overjoyed. Any thought of helping Grandpa scold him for being gone so many days vanished as he snatched the meat and scampered under the table to devour it.
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Chen Shi called into the hall, "Grandpa, I'm back!"
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"Hmph, so you still know to come back!"
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Grandpa emerged from the hall, a half-eaten candle pinched in his hand. Quite displeased, he scolded, "You leave without a word—why not just have the guts to die out there and never come back! Right, Blackie Pot? Blackie Pot! Where'd that mutt go? Can't even chime in and curse you out a bit..."
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After Grandpa grumbled a couple lines, Chen Shi pulled out the remaining spirit beast meat from the pot and grinned.
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"Grandpa, we'll eat this tonight!"
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Grandpa hung up the meat. He wanted to scold some more but didn't know where to start—and he couldn't bear to hit him anyway.
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"A few days ago, I took on a job and earned some money. Bought you a new set of clothes—they're in your room. Go see if they fit."
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Chen Shi hurried into his room. Over these days of exchanging true blood, he'd grown quite a bit taller. His old clothes no longer fit right, and he'd been wondering how to get Grandpa to buy new ones. He hadn't expected Grandpa to already have them ready.
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On the bed lay a full new outfit: an under-vest and undergarments for next to the skin; a light cyan robe; white trousers outside; a cyan-blue straight gown; a red silk sash; and a blue fragrant pouch.
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Chen Shi dressed neatly, and it fit perfectly.
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He was thrilled. As he was about to head out, his eye caught a hair-binding ribbon on the bed—red, but leaning toward rose.
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Chen Shi tied back his hair and stepped out the door.
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"What a handsome lad!"
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Grandpa praised.
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Chen Shi was over the moon. He thought about going out for a stroll but remembered how everyone in the village shunned him—even the dogs—and he had no friends. He gave up on the idea.
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"What job did you say you took, Grandpa?"
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He asked curiously.
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"Shanyin Village had an evil haunting. The Wang family's donkey died stiff as a board. Come midnight, the donkey came back to life, got up, and pulled the mill all night. At dawn, it sprouted claws and fangs and tried to eat people, chasing them all over the streets and biting several."
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Grandpa sorted medicinal herbs, speaking unhurriedly.
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"The village godmother wouldn't handle it—just because it turned evil inside the village. So they had to call me. I went and took a look. Turns out it had soaked in moonlight at night and become an evil. But since it happened in the village, the godmother ignored it."
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"What happened after?"
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Chen Shi asked.
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"After? I subdued the donkey and gave it back to the Wangs. Earned a tael of silver and bought you these clothes."
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Chen Shi was puzzled.
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"What do the Wangs want with an evil donkey for?"
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"Pulling the mill."
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Grandpa stated matter-of-factly.
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"The donkey died and became an evil—tireless. A bit of moonlight and it's full of vim and vigor. Can pull the mill night after night without rest. Earns way more than a single tael of silver."
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Chen Shi gave an "oh."
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"But I heard the donkey died yesterday. Probably worked itself to death doing too many jobs for the Wangs."
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Grandpa paused, then continued.
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"Then the Wangs skinned it and boiled it down into donkey-hide gelatin. Made another tidy sum. A single tael was too little."
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He sighed and shook his head.
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Chen Shi's eyes went wide.
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It could be like that?
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Excitement bubbled up in him unbidden. He glanced at Blackie Pot.
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"If the dog turned into an evil, could we keep harvesting black dog blood forever..."
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Under the table, Blackie Pot quietly shielded his piece of meat, fearing Chen Shi might crawl under and snatch it.
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Chen Shi had done exactly that before.
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Huangyang Village. Liu Fugui walked along the village path.
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He was still just a child and recovered quickly, but he often felt cold. He woke frequently from nightmares at night. As for using the toilet, he didn't dare go alone—always needed an adult to accompany him.
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The weather was mild, yet he wore a thick padded jacket, his face deathly pale.
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As he walked, he peered into the ditch. He remembered seeing a huge silver carp there and had made himself some hook and line today, planning to catch it.
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Just then, he bumped into someone—hard as an iron frame. Even through his padded jacket, it hurt.
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"Little brat, blind or what!"
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The man he'd bumped flew into a rage and kicked him straight into the ditch.
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Liu Fugui was dressed thickly. Panicked, fearing he'd drown, he flailed about—only to find purchase underfoot on that big silver carp. He grabbed hold.
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The ditch water wasn't deep. Pinning the thrashing carp, he looked toward the bank. The one who'd kicked him in was a youth of sixteen or seventeen, wearing a square scholar's scarf, a cyan jacket with a white collar, and black square-toed shoes. Quite proper—clearly a scholar from the city.
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Behind the youth were more young men and women in similar attire, ranging from fourteen or fifteen to their twenties and thirties—a group of six.
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Behind them were Embroidered Uniform Guards in red flying-fish robes over horse-face skirts, swords at their waists—thirty or forty strong.
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Their leader was a middle-aged man, burly of build and dark of complexion, with a full beard, thick black brows slanting down like inverted eights, and sharp black eyes. A three-barreled fire lance slung across his back. He exuded authority without a word, drawing every eye.
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"Little Yan, be civil to the country folk. If word gets out to the other great houses that the Zhao clan bullies children, we'll be a laughingstock!"
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A scholar in his twenties frowned slightly and scolded.
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"We're here to investigate Second Sister's disappearance—not to throw our weight around! All of you, keep it in check. No causing trouble!"
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The scholars all assented.
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"Third Brother's right."
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That third brother was Zhao Yue, third young master of the Zhao clan's Xuan Ying Mansion in Xinxiang Province.
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The Zhao clan was a great family, flourishing with many branches. Their ancestor had followed the Great Ming Taizu Emperor in conquering the land, earning great merits—so the Taizu Emperor spared his entire family.
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Later, the Zhao clan relocated to West Ox New Continent, far from the emperor's reach, and escaped the purges.
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In recent years, with imperial authority waning, the Zhao clan had seized the chance to rise, carving out holdings in Xinxiang Province on a grand scale and establishing the four mansions of Tian Lu, Di Gang, Xuan Ying, and Huang Ting.
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Second Miss Zhao and Zhao Yue's group hailed from Xuan Ying Mansion; Mansion Lord Zhao Yanlong was their father.
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But Xuan Ying Mansion was vast. Besides his principal wife, Zhao Yanlong had concubines, bed-servants, and outer lovers, siring no fewer than nineteen children.
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And that was just his direct line. There were many collateral branches from his siblings, all proliferating. Just the Zhao juniors of the next generation numbered two or three hundred in Xuan Ying Mansion alone.
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That was only Xuan Ying.
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Add the other three mansions, and it only grew.
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This was why Zhao Yue and the others traveled so cautiously—not to give other great houses any leverage, nor to hand rival branches from the other three mansions any pretext to attack Xuan Ying Mansion.
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Moments later, Zhao Yue sat in the seat of honor among the clan elders. The tall, imposing bearded Embroidered Uniform Guard stood at his back, chilling all who saw.
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Zhao Yue lifted his teacup, blew away a few lingering bubbles on the surface, sniffed the aroma, then lightly raised his eyelids to glance at the pitch-black mass of kneeling Huangyang villagers below. Helpless, he said, "Rise. I'm an official, true, but I'm not here on official business this time. You kneeling like this—if word gets out, it won't look good."
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The villagers of Huangyang hesitated, then slowly stood.
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Zhao Yue looked up at their sallow, gaunt faces, hesitated himself, then said helplessly, "On second thought, you'd best kneel. Seeing you stand makes this official uncomfortable."
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The villagers dropped back to their knees with a clatter, stock-still.
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Zhao Yue sipped his tea, set down the cup, and said flatly, "Out with it. Old Man Iron Brush stayed the night in your village, and a few days later he's murdered. Who's the killer? How dare you hire assassins against someone from my Zhao clan?"
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