Chapter 356
Chapter 356
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 357
Chapter Title: Leader
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Chen Shi's curiosity was piqued. "What other outrageous thing happened to me?"
Wu Qingyu said, "It's not a big deal. Just don't get too close to Nuan Nuan in the future. Our mother and son were both captured by her."
Chen Shi grew even more suspicious.
Nuan Nuan was the reincarnation of Lord Qingtian, the final trump card of the Ten Kings of Hell, known as the Iron-Faced Impartial Judge, the only Yama who hadn't been captured by the Thirteen Great Families.
Could it be that their mother and son had committed countless atrocities in the underworld, which was why they fell into the hands of Lord Qingtian?
Chen Tang devised all sorts of demon-extraction methods, considering every possible scenario, then dragged Granny Sha, Du Yiran, and the others to rehearse them.
Chen Shi arrived at the Little All-Heavens. In the time he'd been extracting demons, Yu Tiancheng and the others had already built it up to a considerable scale, complete with pavilions, towers, and gardens. The palaces here were designed by Chen Tang, directly modeled after the Six Ministries, with six palace systems set up for Personnel, Revenue,
Rites, War, Justice, and Works.
With the current small number of people in the Heavenly Court, the Six Ministries were more than sufficient.
Personnel Ministry: Du Yiran; Revenue Ministry: Chen Tang and Shao Jing; Rites Ministry: Li Tianqing and Sha Qiutong; War Ministry: Green Sheep and Heavenly Fox; Justice Ministry: Zhuge Jian and Ah Zhuo;
Works Ministry: Situ Wen.
The Rites Ministry held primacy, managing the various supreme arts from the Tomb of the True King, transmitting cultivation methods and spells, as well as handling talent selection for forces like Red Mountain Hall and Luban Sect.
Next was the Works Ministry under Situ Wen, primarily focused on replicating the court's various firearms, as well as refining talisman soldiers and magical treasures.
The Revenue Ministry managed finances and the distribution of talisman soldiers and magical treasures.
The Personnel Ministry handled appointments of incense masters and hall masters across the regions.
The Justice Ministry monitored for corruption or bribery, while also investigating difficult cases from various places.
The War Ministry dealt with evils and demonic transformations that local forces couldn't handle.
Chen Tang had personally designed the Heavenly Court's Six Ministries, far superior to the original heavenly structure, and it made full use of everyone's talents.
Currently, each ministry in the Heavenly Court had only thirty to fifty people, often low-level clerks from the court's Revenue Ministry, or disciples of Chen Shi,
with another portion selected from talents in Red Mountain Hall and Luban Sect.
Within the Little All-Heavens, there was also a dedicated documents office for liaising with hall branches everywhere, managed by the private tutor Fu Leisheng. They traveled between the hall branches via Heavenly Court Tokens to relay messages, and were not included in the Six Ministries.
Of the fifty provinces in West Ox New Continent, forty-seven already had Heavenly Court hall branches, though established under the name of the Red Mountain Hall Talisman Masters Association. They recruited talisman masters, aided the common folk in slaying evils and spirits. Moreover, it allowed talisman masters to support their families, learn superior cultivation methods from Red Mountain Hall, and receive better guidance.
Zhuge Jian said to Chen Shi, "From the reports compiled from the various hall branches, as the heavenly changes intensify, evils and spirits are increasing rather than decreasing. The talisman masters of the Talisman Masters Association have done their utmost to help more people and resolve more spirits, but the spirits keep multiplying. Not only that, some places seem to have demon seeds appearing."
"Demon seeds?"
Chen Shi's expression grew grave. "How do you distinguish a demon seed?"
Zhuge Jian said, "It's very hard to distinguish. Some demon seeds disguise themselves as heavenly materials or earthly treasures about to emerge. Last time, one appeared in Red River Province. This demon seed hid beneath the Red River, blooming with light at night that illuminated the sky, flickering illusions. Many cultivators thought a magical treasure was about to emerge and rushed over, seeing vague palace halls at the river bottom. So they dove in to seek treasure. Any cultivator who went died, none returned alive. Our Red Mountain Hall talisman masters heard of it and suspected a demon seed, so the hall master of the Red River branch reported it to the Little All-Heavens. We went to investigate and confirmed the river scene was an illusion emitted by the demon seed to lure people in."
Chen Shi frowned slightly.
"Red Mountain Hall has many experts. I dispatched some people and dealt with that demon seed."
Zhuge Jian continued, "Similar demon seeds are easy to spot and deal with. But some mix in with crowds, making them hard to find. Their speech and actions are no different from ordinary people—they eat, drink, shit, and sleep, indistinguishable. But at night, they come out to devour people. Those around them have no guard up and get eaten suddenly. Our Red Mountain Hall talisman masters have discovered several such cases. But these demons are very powerful, and we've lost quite a few talisman masters because of it."
Chen Shi was about to speak when a documents clerk came to report, "Instructor, there's someone outside claiming to be Tong Qianqiu, Sect Leader of Medicine King Sect, looking for you."
Chen Shi laughed upon hearing this. "The medicine master is here!"
He perked up and immediately left the Little All-Heavens. Zhuge Jian followed him out, where at the village entrance, a yellow cloud floated in the sky, shrouding the surroundings. A massive yellow tiger hid beneath the cloud, accompanied by a lean, winged elder leading many medicine masters to the outskirts of Huangpo Village.
The elder glanced at them and hurried forward. "Which of you two is Top Scholar Chen Shi?"
Chen Shi smiled. "Sect Leader Tong, long time no see. Have you visited the Medicine King's ancestral temple?"
That elder was indeed Tong Qianqiu. In the underworld, they had both been skeletons and never seen each other's true faces. Today was their first real meeting.
Tong Qianqiu hurriedly bowed. "Without Top Scholar Chen, my Medicine King Sect might never have returned to the ancestral temple, let alone received the Medicine King's guidance!"
The Medicine King Sect medicine masters behind him bowed in a rustle.
Chen Shi helped them up, smiling. "It was only my duty. No need for such courtesy. Please rise."
Tong Qianqiu's gratitude overflowed. "To be honest, my Medicine King Sect has had many unworthy sect leaders—my master was unworthy, my ancestral master unworthy, the great-grand ancestor unworthy, even the great-great-grand ancestor unworthy. The Medicine King lineage had long lost most of its heritage. Today, we've finally returned to our roots, and it won't be long before we can make Medicine King Sect prosper again. Your righteous act has given us a rebirth!"
Zhuge Jian watched, filled with utmost admiration. "Worthy of the True King. We were just saying we lacked medicine masters, and here Medicine King Sect delivers themselves. Sect Leader Tong is utterly devoted to the True King—even if the True King told him to rebel, he'd dare do it!"
He wondered inwardly: During this time, hadn't Chen Shi been beaten to death, turned into a corpse at home exorcising demons? How, as a corpse, had he won over Medicine King Sect and pulled such a major force into the Heavenly Court?
Chen Shi said, "Sect Leader Tong, I have something to discuss."
The two went to a secluded spot, where Chen Shi candidly explained how Red Mountain Hall lacked medicine masters and had many injured talisman masters. Tong Qianqiu laughed. "That's no trouble for us. You've shown such great righteousness, and we have no way to repay it. From now on, leave healing and pill-refining for Red Mountain Hall to Medicine King Sect."
Chen Shi expressed thanks.
Tong Qianqiu said, "No need. Our Medicine King Sect was originally practicing medicine around Boling Province, rich in herbs. But since the ancestral temple is at Qianyang Mountain, we'll relocate Medicine King Sect there!"
He hesitated, then added, "Top Scholar Chen, is my unworthy disciple Sang Xixi still alive?"
Chen Shi was startled. "Xixi hasn't returned?"
Tong Qianqiu shook his head. "She hasn't. She didn't heroically sacrifice herself?"
Chen Shi laughed. "How could she have? She's now the Minister of Internal Affairs in Tianchi Kingdom, a very high position."
Tong Qianqiu was dumbfounded, utterly clueless as to how this had happened.
"This girl became Minister of Internal Affairs in Tianchi Ghost Kingdom. When she returns to the living world, I'll pass the sect leader position to her, making her Medicine King Sect Leader."
Tong Qianqiu blinked. "What did I miss?"
Chen Shi remembered something and said to Tong Qianqiu, "I need Medicine King Sect's help to send a large group of people into Tianchi Kingdom. I—cough cough—have some matters that need their handling."
"I?" Tong Qianqiu's hearing wasn't great.
Chen Shi tried to keep his expression normal, forcing his smile not to look too exaggerated.
"Before you stands the new sovereign of Tianchi Kingdom, leader of the one hundred and twelve ghost tribes, the eternal undying light of Yin Mountain's one hundred thousand great peaks—Chen Shi, Sovereign Chen!"
Tong Qianqiu jumped in fright, unable to believe it.
When Medicine King Sect went to the underworld for herbs, who didn't risk their heads on their belts? Sometimes literally taking their heads off and tying them to their belts.
Medicine King Sect of Boling Province lost dozens of disciples to this every year!
In Tianchi Kingdom, they were the lowliest skeleton ghosts, bullied by other ghost tribes, facing all sorts of dangers, with no status whatsoever!
Chen Shi was also a skeleton ghost tribe member in Tianchi Kingdom—how had he become its sovereign?
He thought of something else: Where had the previous Tianchi sovereign gone?
Tong Qianqiu's heart skipped a beat. "Sovereign Chen has experts everywhere. He must have secretly sent people to eliminate the previous sovereign, allowing him to smoothly ascend the throne!"
In the following days, Tong Qianqiu entered the Little All-Heavens and was shocked by its sights. He met the other Heavenly Court members and probed sideways, indeed finding Chen Shi surrounded by experts everywhere, further confirming his guess.
Harboring ambitious thoughts, he found Chen Shi and stammered out his desire to join the Heavenly Court.
Zhuge Jian said to Chen Shi, "True King, the Heavenly Court is short on manpower right now. In my view, we shouldn't be picky."
Chen Shi glanced at Tong Qianqiu, who nervously said, "I'm a bit old, but my medical skills are absolutely top-tier. Those imperial physicians in West Capital are like children before me!"
Chen Shi reluctantly agreed. "Very well, let Sect Leader Tong join the Heavenly Court. Your code name will be Medicine Master."
Tong Qianqiu breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, "Finally in. Even if I give the sect leader position to my unfilial disciple Xixi, my status won't be lower than hers!"
He had his own plans.
In these two years, heavenly changes had grown more frequent, evils multiplying in the countryside. Relying solely on Medicine King Sect's power, survival would be hard.
If a mutation occurred someday, with Red Mountain Hall Talisman Masters Association's help, Heavenly Court's many experts, and the Medicine King himself presiding, it would be as steady as Mount Tai!
"And Medicine King Sect has connections in the underworld," he thought secretly.
Relocating Medicine King Sect from Boling Province to Qianyang Mountain would take time. Tong Qianqiu handed it to other sect stewards while preparing fake-death spirit drugs, setting up a spirit hall and coffins. He had Shao Jing, Yu Tiancheng, Li Tianqing, and dozens more lie in the coffins, swallow the fake-death drugs,
and await the effects.
"Everyone, rest assured. Once the drug wears off, you'll revive."
Tong Qianqiu said, "When you see the underworld bailiffs, don't panic. Money makes ghosts push mills—we Medicine King Sect have experience bribing them!"
The group lay down in the coffins, claiming not to be nervous but hearts pounding wildly.
Their heartbeats sped up, eyelids grew heavy, then hearts stopped. Suddenly, they found themselves in the eerie spirit hall, amazed.
Tong Qianqiu also sat up from his coffin, his flesh body still in it. He said gravely, "Wait—the bailiffs are coming! Have the paper money I gave you ready!"
Soon, yin energy flew in. An underworld bailiff poled a small boat over the drifting yin energy river-like haze to them.
Tong Qianqiu, Li Tianqing, and the others flashed paper money infused with incense aura. The bailiff, a horse-faced ghost tribesman, saw no other ghosts around and quietly pocketed it. "No next time."
Having been soul-hooked, they boarded the small boat, which carried them toward Tianchi Kingdom.
Near the Tianchi capital, the boat stopped.
Tong Qianqiu led them ashore. The bailiff turned into yin wind and vanished.
Tong Qianqiu led them toward the capital. "Let's go. We'll pay respects to His Majesty!"
Soon, dozens more skeleton ghost tribesmen appeared in Yin Mountain Tianchi capital, looking around curiously at everything, chattering nonstop.
They even crowded around higher ghost tribesmen like they were rare specimens, exclaiming repeatedly.
"You're moving too slow!"
Tong Qianqiu grew impatient. "When will we reach the palace to see His Majesty?"
The capital's ghost tribesmen frowned at these little ones. These skeleton imps had surprisingly strong power, each with nascent souls!
But was Sovereign Chen gathering so many skeleton imps to build his own court retinue?
Prince Xiang Kun watched darkly as the skeleton imps headed to the palace. If Chen Shi built his own retinue, his position would solidify, making it ever harder for Xiang Kun to seize the throne later!
"Your Highness, what now?" a ghost god beside him asked.
"Wait."
Prince Xiang Kun said lowly, "In the capital now, with those old fogeys around, it's hard to move against him. He has experts like Big-Headed Ghost Woman by his side too, so we can't strike lethally. We can only wait for the perfect moment!"
His eyes flashed. "I have the patience, but other ghost tribe powerhouses don't. They'll surely act to try killing Chen Shi! That's when opportunity arises!"
In Huangpo Village, Chen Shi, Granny Sha, Chen Tang, and the others prepared and returned once more to the yellow earth slope in the underworld.
Wu Qingyu watched them enter the underworld, softly saying, "My husband thinks meticulously, but there's always that one leak in a hundred precautions, and he doesn't adapt well. Demon extraction has many variables and likely oversights. I'll trouble you to watch closely."
Beneath the yellow earth slope, the massive shadow of Huo Dou slowly vanished,潜入 the underworld.
Wu Qingyu recalled the cyan ghost hand on Chen Shi's chest, the image of its owner's boundlessly powerful figure surfacing before her eyes. She sighed softly, murmuring, "We're starting the demon extraction—who knows if it's good or bad. But Little Ten is normal now, no longer your emperor. You can't keep my son in the underworld forever——"