Chapter 328
Chapter 328
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: [TBD]
Chapter Title: The Stonecutter's Hidden Life
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Chen Shi stepped into the quarry, where the wind howled fiercely. Outside, all things were frozen solid, but at the foot of the mountain, there was some warmth, with ice and snow melting away.
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Tombstones were piled everywhere here, none of them engraved with names.
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Du Yiran was packing his belongings, tossing his axe and chisel into his Void Great Realm.
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He was dressed very warmly, with a sheepskin coat on the outside, wool underneath, stuffed with a cotton jacket, making him look quite fat—though in truth, he had grown thin with age.
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He wore a sheepskin hat pulled down tight. Years of wind and sun had darkened his face.
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Chen Shi had grown into a half-adult youth, taller than him now. Du Yiran was very old, so old that he had shrunk in stature.
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"Grandpa Du!"
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Chen Shi hurried forward, knelt, and kowtowed.
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"Chen Shi thanks Grandpa Du for saving my life!"
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Du Yiran continued packing as he said,
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"Get up. Your life or death has nothing to do with me. I only agreed to save you because I owed your grandfather, Chen Yindu, a favor. This is a matter between us old folks. No need for you to keep any gratitude in mind."
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Chen Shi kowtowed several more times heavily, then stood and said,
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"No matter what, Grandpa Du, you are my lifesaver. Why are you here? My grandfather said you were in the Huangshi Mountains doing... doing..."
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Du Yiran glanced up at him.
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"Doing evil?"
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Chen Shi nodded.
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Du Yiran coughed twice.
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"I knew he'd badmouth me.
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But I'm neither alive nor dead—might as well count as an evil spirit."
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He finished packing.
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"This isn't a place to linger. I scared off the Yan Family folks, but they'll come to their senses soon. My strength isn't as great as they imagine."
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He started down the mountain path, his steps quick. He spoke rapidly:
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"They'll realize my tombstones are useless against ghosts and gods, only good against the living—and ineffective from too far away. Then they'll come charging back! I'm old; I can't beat them."
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Ahead stood a small stone house, isolated and crude—likely Du Yiran's dwelling.
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Chen Shi hurried to catch up. Du Yiran opened the door and went inside.
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"You and the pup come in. Close the door. Oh, and check if anyone's followed us."
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Chen Shi shut the door as instructed, then reopened it at his words to peer outside. He froze in place.
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Just moments ago, beyond the door had been a frozen wasteland of ice and snow. Now it was a riverside under moonlight, with verdant hills in the distance and pleasant weather.
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He looked up. The moon hung in the west.
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Chen Shi dazedly closed the door, thought for a moment, then opened it again. The deer and green hills were gone, replaced by a vast lake shimmering under the moonlight.
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This time, the moon was in the south.
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Chen Shi closed the door, opened it—waves crashed outside, and in the distance stood coastal watchtowers manned by border troops. Voices called out:
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"That stone house has appeared again!"
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Chen Shi shut the door and went to the window of the stone house to look out. Monstrous beasts thrashed in the sea, attacking the shore, while soldiers on the watchtowers battled the demons.
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"The Thirteen Great Families have grown into a formidable force."
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Du Yiran's voice came from behind him.
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"If Yanluo Hall falls, all Ten Yama Kings will have fallen."
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Chen Shi's heart jolted. He turned.
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"What do you mean, Grandpa Du?"
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"The Ten Yama Kings—King Qingtian ranks fifth, commonly known as Yama.
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Besides Yama, the other nine Yama Kings have all fallen."
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Du Yiran set down his axe and chisel, removed his sheepskin hat, shed his thick sheepskin coat and cotton jacket, and hung them on the wall.
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"The Yama of Xuanming Palace vanished over a thousand years ago. Now, Xuanming Palace's Yama is a yin spirit of the Gao Family.
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Puming Palace's Yama disappeared over eight hundred years ago. Its current master is a deceased ancestor of the Li Family.
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Then there's Yuejue Palace, Taihe Palace, Mingchen Palace, Shenghua Palace, Bizhen Palace, Qifei Palace, and Suying Palace. Over the past millennium, the masters of these Yama Halls have gradually been replaced by members of the Thirteen Great Families."
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He stomped his feet to shake off the snow.
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"Back when we went to rescue you, we ran into several ghost-god battles. That was the Xia Family mobilizing forces, masquerading as demon gods to besiege Suying Palace's ghost gods.
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Your grandfather was too focused on finding you to notice.
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He's sharp—back in the day, he'd have spotted something off right away. But he was single-minded about you then, no attention to spare."
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He shook his head, washed his face, and went to the inner room to change into finer clothes of silk satin.
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He pushed open the door and stepped out. Chen Shi followed him outside.
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Daylight had broken.
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They weren't by the sea anymore, but in a small mountain town. The townsfolk seemed to know Du Yiran well, greeting him warmly and calling him Stonecutter Du.
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Du Yiran kept a stern face, as if everyone owed him a thousand taels. He merely nodded curtly to their chatter.
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Yet the people respected him deeply.
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Du Yiran took Chen Shi for breakfast: coarse rice porridge and noodle soup. He glanced at Chen Shi and Blackie Pot, then ordered several meat dishes.
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"You're growing lads. Eat more."
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He paused.
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"The Xia Family posing as demon gods is bizarre. Your grandfather won't investigate, so I will.
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That's how I ended up entering the underworld alone.
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I thought demon gods were stirring trouble at first, but as clues piled up, I realized the Thirteen Great Families had pulled off a complete swap in the underworld, replacing nearly all Ten Yama Kings.
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If Yama didn't have real skills, he'd have been swapped out long ago."
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Old as he was, he couldn't eat meat in the morning—only coarse rice porridge to nourish his stomach. He eyed the smoky hibiscus chicken soup before Chen Shi and swallowed.
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"How'd you end up here?"
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Chen Shi recounted his search for his mother's soul.
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"I'm planning to rescue her, but Yuan Morning Palace has too many guards. Couldn't make a move—and there's this massive thing like Blackie Pot guarding outside."
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Du Yiran said,
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"Eat your hibiscus chicken quick, before it cools."
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Chen Shi devoured it. The soup had chicken and soaked rice, spiced with pepper—fragrant, spicy, tender, and satisfying. Afterward, his belly felt warm and steamy.
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Du Yiran pushed a bowl of clear lamb stew with tofu toward him, gesturing to eat. Watching Chen Shi chow down seemed to satisfy him too.
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"Four years ago, your grandfather went to the underworld alone to find you. Told no one."
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Du Yiran glanced at Blackie Pot, who was scarfing down red-and-white duck hotpot at another table, pot raised to his mouth.
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He lowered his voice.
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"When he came back, he brought a palm-sized black pup from the underworld."
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Blackie Pot froze mid-gulp, ears perking up.
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"I went to see him and spotted this underworld dog.
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I meant to ask about his trip, but that little thing stunned me. It carries its own Ghost God Domain, even tried messing with my perception—scared me.
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I asked where it came from. Your grandfather said he picked it up.
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I didn't buy it and pressed. He said someone gave it to him."
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Blackie Pot's back was to them, but his ears slowly rose and tilted back, inching closer.
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Du Yiran eyed the ears, voice even lower:
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"I asked who. He said he struck a deal with an extremely powerful ghost god, who gave it as a gift.
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That was the transaction."
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Blackie Pot's head nearly bumped their table.
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Chen Shi coughed. Blackie Pot snapped upright.
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Chen Shi asked,
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"What deal did my grandfather make with that ghost god?"
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Du Yiran said,
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"The deal was: the pup stays safe, and so does your mother."
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Chen Shi froze and glanced back at Blackie Pot.
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Du Yiran finished his porridge with a sigh.
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"Full at last."
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Chen Shi stood to pay. Du Yiran pressed his hand down.
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"I'll handle it."
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Chen Shi laughed.
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"Grandpa Du, you barely ate. It was all me and Blackie Pot."
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Du Yiran shook his head.
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"You're like my grandson. Can't have you paying here.
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I'm old, stomach's weak—can't eat freely. But watching you two eat fills me with joy."
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He paid and led Chen Shi back, resuming the topic.
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"My solo underworld stint was full of dangers. I always escaped by the skin of my teeth, but walking night roads too long, I finally ran afoul of evil.
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I got caught in a big battle: Yan Family ghost gods posing as demon gods, besieging one ghost god.
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That ghost god had a strange crescent moon on his forehead, dark face, immense power.
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But two fists can't beat four hands. They captured him.
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In the chaos, a strange book flew into my body and merged with me.
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After that, weird things kept happening around me."
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Chen Shi listened quietly.
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"I was a stonecutter, carving tombstones for folks.
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In our Huangshi Mountains villages, many elders sense their time's near and pre-order graves and stones, so they came to me."
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Du Yiran was at Great Ascension Realm—money was no issue—but he preferred earning with his hands.
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Tombstones were his craft. Illiterate villagers needed him to inscribe names and titles.
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Pay was modest, enough to live on.
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Elders ordered stones expecting to die later, but often, once Du carved the name, they'd drop dead.
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Folks noticed the pattern.
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Anyone whose name Stonecutter Du carved on a stone died right away.
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Behind his back, they called him Du Yama, treating him as an evil spirit.
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To his face, utmost respect—getting their names on stones.
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"Later I learned outsiders came commissioning stones not for elders, but to off rivals."
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Du Yiran coughed violently here, aura of decay heavy. After a pause,
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"Those bastards ruined my name—such as it was. Can't have that.
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After, I only carved for the dead.
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One breath left? No name from me."
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Back at the stone house, Du Yiran said,
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"Chen Shi, the Thirteen Great Families' momentum is unstoppable. I can't block them, Chen Yindu can't, nor you.
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I saved those three judges because this book obligates me to do something for Yama.
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That's it.
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Chen Shi, I'm old. Can't fight the Yan Family, let alone the Thirteen."
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He fell silent.
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Chen Shi nodded gently.
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"I understand, Grandpa Du."
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Du Yiran said,
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"Good that you do.
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My vital energy's weak, stomach shot—body's decayed. Even meals, I can only watch you eat.
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Those underworld investigation years wrecked me. Not many left.
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Even if your grandfather showed up begging, I wouldn't act.
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Time to enjoy my twilight years. No more trouble."
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Chen Shi smiled.
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"Don't worry, Grandpa Du. I'm no troublemaker.
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Thirteen Great Families are mighty—let them be. We'll live our lives."
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Du Yiran relaxed, smiling.
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"Your grandfather's a villain, dragging Sha Qiutong, Qingyang, Hu Xiaoliang, and Azhuo into mischief. They're called the Five Lakes Six Great Villains. They tried roping me in—I refused flat out. Good thing I kept bailing them out, or they'd have sunk deeper into depravity."
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He opened the door.
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"Without me, they'd have fallen. I set them straight."
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Outside: icy wasteland, but not the quarry—somewhere else.
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Du Yiran said,
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"Chen Shi, I'm retiring now. Don't tell a soul. If Qingyang and them ask, say I'm dead. Head back to Immortal Capital. No send-off from me."
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Chen Shi said quickly,
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"Wait, Grandpa Du!"
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He channeled his mind, plucking several life-extending ginseng fruits from the little temple and placed them in Du Yiran's palm.
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"A token of my respect."
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Du Yiran glanced.
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"Ginseng fruits? Had 'em. Adds months at best—useless to me. Keep 'em, gift to others."
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Chen Shi smiled.
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"These are different—potent ones. Please take them, Grandpa Du. Just my heart."
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Du Yiran set them on the table.
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Chen Shi insisted he eat them before stepping out of the stone house.
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Bitter cold outside. Chen Shi looked back—the wooden door shut, and in that instant, house and all vanished.
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"Grandpa Du's divine abilities—profound beyond measure."
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Chen Shi couldn't help marveling.
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"Blackie Pot, to the underworld—we find those three judges!"
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A yin wind blew. Chen Shi and Blackie Pot vanished from the snowy plain.
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Inside the stone house, Du Yiran opened the door. Outside: pristine mountains, clear waters, birdsong and flowers. A waterfall cascaded like flying jade from the cliff ahead, splashing into the deep pool below.
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Du Yiran brewed tea, sat quietly in a recliner, rocking gently. Occasional violent coughs broke the peace.
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He truly was old. Those years following Chen Yindu to the underworld, battling ghost gods and demon gods, had piled injuries on injuries.
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Among the Five Lakes Six Great Villains, he was the eldest; even Chen Yindu called him big brother. He'd cared for the others most, exerted himself hardest.
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Later, solo-searching Ten Yama Kings' clues, ambushed repeatedly—yin energy had eroded his organs.
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"If I were younger, I'd have the vigor: help save your mother, aid Yama, fight the Thirteen Great Families. But I'm old."
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He gazed at the rainbow over the waterfall, murmuring,
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"Against the Yan Family, I only dare pre-carve stones for ambushes and sneak attacks.
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I bluff profundity, avoid facing them head-on.
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I'm really old. Friend Qingyang dead, Chen Yindu gone early; lovely Sha Qiutong now an old hag.
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Sky Fox clings to life via Ghost God Domain.
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He sighed. Quietly aging to death here—perhaps a blessing.
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Tea on the table had cooled.
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Du Yiran eyed the cup—too chill, bad for the stomach. Wouldn't drink.
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He looked at Chen Shi's ginseng fruits, hesitated, picked one, popped it in his mouth.
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"Isn't this just fruit from Qianyang Mountain's ginseng dolls? Back when I visited, I plucked 'em bald... Huh!"
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Du Yiran's body shook violently. Vital energy roared within like raging seas crashing on reefs!
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"This ginseng fruit packs a punch!"
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Vast vital power erupted from the stone house!
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"Boom!"
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Great Ascension Realm peak vital energy soared skyward, blasting off the roof. Next instant, the waterfall reversed, surging to the heavens!
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In the sky, vital energy formed a blood cloud dozens of li wide, flashing with lightning and thunder.
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A young, robust figure stood beneath the cloud.
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Du Yiran stared. He felt peak cultivation restored, back to his twenties.