Chapter 318
Chapter 318
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: [TBD]
Chapter Title: Farewell and Pursuit
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Chen Shi withdrew the Heavenly Span Iron Ruler, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
Zhuang Wuji had suffered a setback at Despair Slope, yet outside he maintained his lofty image, seeking a sense of superiority from him—how could he tolerate that?
"This time, even if he doesn't die, he'll be gravely injured!"
Chen Shi examined the Heavenly Span Iron Ruler. This thing was indeed incredibly useful, but unfortunately, it could only be deployed once each time. He had to recall it before his mana was depleted, or it would simply fall from the sky.
"Zhuang Wuji was right—my cultivation is still too shallow. If I could deploy this treasure continuously, even the Void Return Realm wouldn't be beyond my reach!"
A strong sense of crisis welled up in his heart. The Zhuang Wuji from Despair Slope, who eleven years ago had been just a little kid playing with the young masters and Zhang You, had cultivated to the Spirit Refining Realm in a mere eleven years!
The stage after the Spirit Refining Realm was the Void Return Realm!
Chen Tang was a Void Return Realm expert, one of the youngest in the world!
And Zhuang Wuji had approached that realm in only eleven years.
Though Zhuang Wuji had been ambushed and humiliated by Chen Shi this time, his cultivation progress proved he truly lived up to his reputation as a genius!
His achievements were enough to inspire awe, even among the core disciples of the Thirteen Families!
"But Zhuang Wuji took heavy blows at Despair Slope and had to leave, seeking superiority over me. The person he looks up to is the one who stole my Innate Dao Embryo. After eleven years, what realm has that person reached?"
Chen Shi murmured, "Void Return? Great Vehicle? I'm afraid even those two realms aren't enough to inspire awe. Could it be the unreachable Tribulation Realm..."
Chen Tang had broken through to Void Return in middle age without guidance from Chen Yindu or the backing of a great family's resources, making him a peerless genius comparable to the core disciples or even sect masters of the Thirteen Families. Zhuang Wuji, backed by the mysterious heritage of Despair Slope, had reached Spirit Refining by age twenty, astonishing the world.
Yet compared to that person, both paled in comparison.
To reclaim his stolen Innate Dao Embryo and avenge himself, Chen Shi would eventually have to face that man!
Without a Divine Embryo now—relying on Niangniang Shiji and the White-Clothed Immortal as his Divine Embryos, with his own primordial spirit as the core—could he really catch up?
Chen Shi murmured, "In three years of cultivation, I've reached the Incarnation Realm today, forming a one-zhang primordial spirit. In eleven years... in eleven years, I will break through to the Great Vehicle Realm, stand shoulder to shoulder with you, and even surpass you!"
Over the next few days, Chen Shi took Blackie Pot into the mountains outside Western Capital to hunt exotic beasts, planning to capture a few to nourish Blackie Pot's body. Western Capital was surrounded by mountains on three sides, vast ranges where exotic beasts should be as plentiful as on Qianyang Mountain. But the talisman masters had long since swept them clean. After several days of searching, he found nothing.
Chen Shi had no choice but to take Blackie Pot to the market and buy hundreds of pounds of exotic beast meat at once, feeding it to Blackie Pot.
But Blackie Pot could only eat three to five pounds at a time—any more, and it couldn't manage. Chen Shi fretted and ended up feeding the leftovers to the wooden carriage.
"Perhaps I can consult Zhong Kui. He's a great fighter; maybe he knows how to boost Blackie Pot's strength." Chen Shi thought.
However, Zhong Kui and Iron Chi, with their families in tow, had followed Hu Tanhua and the Little King of Hell to New Township and were no longer in Western Capital.
Hu Feifei, the Golden Tanhua, had been appointed magistrate of New Township County after the previous one was transferred elsewhere. Hu Feifei had rushed to assume her post with her daughter in tow, returning home to play grandma. Zhong Kui and Iron Chi had gone along.
Chen Shi brought Blackie Pot to the Hanlin Academy, the repository of the world's books and the place of densest literary spirit in all of West Ox New Continent.
The Hanlin scholars here were great scholars from past imperial exams, with top scholars often serving several years in the Academy. Every year during the classics lectures, great Confucians would expound on the works of Confucius, Mencius, and other sages. Its library was vast beyond measure, filled with books from academies and universities everywhere.
Chen Shi arrived at the Hanlin Academy and summoned a minor clerk, inquiring about books on ghosts and gods.
The clerk hurriedly replied, "Compiler大人, books on ghosts and gods include novels and records. The novels are in the Miscellaneous Studies Hall; the records are in our History Hall."
He led Chen Shi to the History Hall, the largest hall in the Hanlin Academy. Books filled the shelves to the rafters, countless volumes, with some white-haired old gentlemen poring over ancient texts, transcribing and excerpting.
They were scholars, immersed in classics year-round, yet their profound learning had forged deep cultivation, refining Vast Righteous Aura that kept ghosts and gods at bay.
As Blackie Pot passed by them with Chen Shi, it shivered repeatedly. They seemed like towering gods of majestic righteousness, upright and unyielding, suppressing it and keeping it from acting out.
Chen Shi also perceived the old men's extraordinary nature and quietly asked the clerk, "Who are they?"
"Book clerks, like me."
The clerk glanced at the white-haired elders. "We were originally jinshi or juren who, after the exams, were sent to the Hanlin Academy as book clerks."
Chen Shi said in surprise, "They've never been promoted?"
The clerk shook his head. "No connections outside—one's stuck in the Hanlin Academy studying for life. I'm afraid I'll end up the same."
Chen Shi looked at the old men. Though aged, their cultivation was remarkable—their primordial spirits refined to utmost purity, their Vast Righteous Aura far stronger than that of high officials!
"Sir, this way."
The clerk led him to the ghosts and gods section of the History Hall. Chen Shi scanned the catalog; labels on the shelves were sorted by era, starting six thousand years ago—one volume per century, one tome per millennium. Not seeing books from six thousand years prior, Chen Shi asked in puzzlement, "Where are the ghost and god books from six thousand years ago?"
"In reply to sir, there are none. Not just in the ghosts and gods section—every section lacks all records from six thousand years ago."
Chen Shi frowned slightly. "No records from six thousand years ago in the other halls either?"
The clerk shook his head.
Chen Shi pressed, "No records at all from the True King Era?"
"There are some, but they're just hearsay from later generations, fragments here and there." The clerk said, "If sir wants legends on that, go to the novels section in the Miscellaneous Studies Hall."
Chen Shi waved him off to get back to work. The clerk left.
Chen Shi pulled out ancient scrolls, carefully unrolling them. These tomes were so old that carelessness could crumble the paper.
He read meticulously, finding records of ghosts and gods that mysteriously appeared and vanished in various places.
Also accounts of demonic outbreaks everywhere, and their suppressions by True Gods from Beyond the Sky.
The historians had recorded in detail, including various methods for subduing and sealing demons.
There were also activities of Godmothers in various regions, and sacrifices to underworld ghosts and gods.
Chen Shi flipped through other books, skimming rapidly, gradually noting points of interest.
"Six thousand years ago, demonic outbreaks were rare—just one or two per year across West Ox New Continent's fifty provinces. But the closer to the present, the more frequent they became. Especially in recent years, dozens each year, exhausting the court. Demonic activity is growing stronger!" Still no leads on rapidly boosting Blackie Pot's strength, his anxiety mounting, he left the Hanlin Academy, returned to the Chen Residence, and said to Chen Tang, "Dad, we can't delay any longer. The longer we wait, the more variables arise. Take Mom in the wooden carriage and leave the capital immediately for New Township. I'll stay in Western Capital, holding the Thirteen Families steady. Once you're far away, I'll head to the underworld to rescue Mom's soul!"
Chen Tang knew his decisiveness. "Alright!"
He immediately packed luggage and valuables, stocked some food, and loaded it into the wooden carriage.
Blackie Pot sat in the Chen Residence courtyard, while the maids and servants ignored Chen Tang's actions.
Once packed, Chen Tang hurried to the main hall, bowed to the treasured sword on the long table, grabbed it, and turned to leave. He glanced at Chen Yindu's spirit tablet, hesitated, bowed to it, then took it down and murmured, "Dad, after your massacre in Western Capital back then, the Thirteen Families distrusted you. But with me as hostage here, they trusted you wouldn't be eliminated. Eleven years passed; you've gone, and Little Ten's grown. Today, I'm heading home—please watch over us!"
He placed the spirit tablet in the carriage, strapped the Xuanwei Sword to his waist, put the chest aboard, then lifted Chen Shi's mother, seating her on a meditation cushion against the carriage frame, padding behind her with another.
"I've stocked hundreds of pounds of exotic beast meat in the carriage. Store it in your Void Great Realm and feed the carriage on schedule."
Chen Shi came to the carriage and instructed, "Also, stop by Immortal Gathering Pavilion first and withdraw some silver for the road. At night, if traveling, hang a lantern. You're strong, but evils come in many forms—I'm worried you might slip up."
Chen Tang noted it all. "After we leave, you'll be the hostage—they won't let you leave Western Capital. How will you go?"
Chen Shi smiled. "With me in Western Capital, they won't strike you down. Once you're far from the city, I'll leave via the underworld."
Chen Tang's gaze lingered on his face, a sudden pang in his heart.
He had refused to acknowledge this son. In three years, he hadn't visited home once, not even returning to mourn his father's passing. Yet Chen Shi had sought him out, letting him taste familial joy and father-son bond.
Even more unexpected, Chen Shi would take his place as hostage, ensuring their safe departure! Chen Shi was only thirteen.
The pang surged from his heart to his nose and eyes, nearly bringing tears, but he smiled. "Little Ten, protect yourself. Your mom and I will wait for you in Huangpo Village. We'll reunite as a family of three!"
Chen Shi nodded solemnly. Chen Tang boarded.
The wooden carriage rumbled to life, rolling outward. Chen Shi hurried alongside. "Blackie Pot!"
Blackie Pot followed Chen Shi; the maids and servants quickly fell in behind, the group exiting the Chen Residence along Qianyang Street toward the outer city.
They left the inner city, entering Chang'an Street, speeding through to Nanjing Street, arriving outside Immortal Gathering Pavilion.
Chen Tang leaped down, dashed inside, and soon emerged with a stack of silver notes—over a hundred taels—leaping back aboard.
Chen Shi and the trailing maids and servants kept pace unbroken, following to the west city gate.
At the west gate, Chen Shi halted.
Blackie Pot and the maids and servants stopped too. Chen Tang turned back, carriage unstopped, waving. Chen Shi waved, watching them exit the city.
Blackie Pot had hoodwinked the maids, servants, passersby, and Heavenly Listeners along the way, buying time. But surveillance included not just them and the Listeners, but Thirteen Families' street informants, outer city guards, inner city's Divine Mechanism Camp soldiers, and the Supervisor of Heaven's experts and treasures! No matter Blackie Pot's prowess, it couldn't fool everyone.
But Chen Shi only needed these moments for Chen Tang and his mother to exit safely.
"By now, the informants, guards, Divine Mechanism Camp, and Supervisor of Heaven have reported upward, alarming the Thirteen Families' higher-ups."
Watching the wooden carriage vanish beyond the city, Chen Shi thought, "From now on, I am the Chen family's hostage."
He turned, leading Blackie Pot back.
The winded maids and servants suddenly snapped awake, bewildered at finding themselves there.
Chen Shi didn't head straight home but wandered with Blackie Pot, letting more informants spot him, proving he hadn't left Western Capital.
"Too bad time was short; the Lesser Heaven system isn't fully established. Otherwise, sending my parents off wouldn't be this troublesome." He mused inwardly.
The Lesser Heavens connected West Ox New Continent's fifty provinces, requiring someone in each able to activate a Heavenly Court Token. But his students were only now taking posts; Jade Heaven City was just starting to distribute tokens. The system's range limits were untested.
Thus, Chen Shi had to stay as hostage.
To the world, the court was the court. To the Thirteen Families, they were the court.
Even with heaven-shaking power, father and son couldn't oppose the entire court—let alone Western Capital's True King Nine Halls, suppressing the continent's destiny!
At this moment, Western Capital's informants, guards, Divine Mechanism Camp, and Supervisor of Heaven were in chaos, all rushing to Wenyuan Pavilion.
Moments later, the Thirteen Grand Secretaries gathered in Wenyuan Pavilion. Before deliberating, they relayed the news to the Thirteen Families' patriarchs.
Once sent, Yan Xizhi, Xia Canghai, and the others fell silent, awaiting replies from the families.
Clusters of Thousand-Li Sound Transmission Talismans hovered, flames emitting golden light.
Soon, the first voice emerged from the flames. "Chen Tang and his wife have left—where is Chen Shi?"
"Reporting to Patriarch, Chen Shi remains in Western Capital."
"Chen Tang is ruthless indeed, leaving Chen Shi as hostage. Watch Chen Shi closely—don't let him escape. Escort Chen Tang out, don't trouble him unduly, but don't let him slight the Thirteen Families."
A majestic voice rang out. "Permit opening the Realm Upon Realm for a little shock. Tell him: if he doesn't behave, the Thirteen Families won't spare him."
"Understood."
Chen Tang sat in the wooden carriage, gazing at his wife slumped woodenly against the frame, emotions complex, flavors myriad.
The wooden carriage accelerated, gaining speed swiftly, overtaking other vehicles. Its runes lit up; the canopy unfurled automatically, a heavenly palace shining down to envelop them.
Whoosh—
Wheels birthed clouds and mist, rising into the air, wind, thunder, fire, and lightning churning beneath, streaking away in electric glory.
Chen Tang's heart warmed. Though Chen Shi often rode the carriage, he'd never activated its runes, making it seem flightless—just for this day, to spirit them far from Western Capital.
Higher and faster it climbed, East Mountain rushing toward them.
Sensing something, Chen Tang looked back at Western Capital. Nine immortal lights shot skyward, piercing the clouds.
Radiance from the Wenhua, Wuying, Huagai, Zhongji, Wenyuan, Dongge, Zhengyi, Jingshen, and Jianji Halls—Western Capital's warning to him!
Chen Tang tensed, clutching the chest, head craned to the lights. They swirled, parting the sky, revealing a glimpse of another world.
Massive tripods stood in the heavens, incense smoke curling like clouds, veiling majestic gods—standing or seated, solemn and dignified.
Gods without end.
Chen Tang's face changed; the chest felt impossibly heavy.
Since ancient times, countless heroes had risen families, flourished briefly, seeking to supplant the Thirteen Families—none succeeded.
Now he knew why.
A voice sounded in his ear.
"From the True King Era's fall six thousand years ago, the Thirteen Families have had a patriarch every fifty years, birthing nearly two thousand. Their Void Great Realms are fused into this sky, forming the Realm Upon Realm. Ancestors like gods, absorbing worldly incense."
Yan Xizhi stepped forth, smiling. "Lord Chen Tang, by the patriarchs' order, I invite you to witness our Thirteen Families' foundation."
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