Chapter 366
Chapter 366
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 368
Chapter Title: His Majesty is Sagacious
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Outside and inside the royal palace was already packed with crowds of people from the owl folk, yakshas, thunder apes, ghost herders, ghost foxes, ghost mothers, great-bellied ones, asuras, and other races. They all emerged from their respective tribes, gazing toward the massive black hound approaching with strides like a moving mountain.
They buzzed with discussion. The Hodou were a race straddling demons and ghosts, exceedingly noble in both, yet their numbers were vanishingly rare.
Even the patriarchs of various clans might never have laid eyes on a Hodou. Only a handful of ghost gods had glimpsed one, and even then, just in passing—never from such close range.
The overwhelming pressure from this black hound left them breathless. The thick divine-demonic monstrous power in its bloodline filled all the ghost clans with dread.
The clusters of demonic fire swirling around it like drifting clouds made their hearts pound in terror.
Many clan patriarchs present had awakened the power of ninefold bloodlines, their strength unmatched and far surpassing Black Pot's, yet in his presence, they felt utterly outmatched.
This was the suppression of a superior bloodline.
Though Black Pot was not yet fully grown and had only partially awakened his bloodline, it was enough to make these far mightier beings submit.
What shocked the major ghost clans even more was the youth standing atop the Hodou's head.
Like a moonlit tree in the courtyard, blooming vibrantly in the spring breeze.
Around thirteen years old, yet he stood tall and heroic, brimming with scholarly depth, his youthful innocence unable to mask his lofty ambitions.
At this moment, a ring of blood-light wheeled behind his head. He seemed to hear countless ghost gods from ancient times chanting solemnly in low tones. Then, a blood lake hell slowly formed behind him.
On the ground, the shattered bones gathered under an invisible force, fragments reassembling. As the blood lake hell roared and spun behind the youth's head, its tremendous regenerative power made the skeletal body once more incredibly sturdy.
Xiang Kun, Right Concubine, and the others watched in surprise as their Skeleton Sovereign slowly rose, drifting toward the hound's head to stand beside the youth.
The Skeleton Sovereign stood next to the youth. Meanwhile, the True Martial Evil-Exterminating Sword lying on the ground trembled violently, then shot up with a whoosh, its hilt falling into the youth's hand.
Xiang Kun, Right Concubine, and the others showed激动, slowly bowing toward the youth atop the black hound's head.
"We pay our respects to Sovereign Chen and pledge our undying loyalty to Sovereign Chen!"
Their voices boomed, and many of their clansfolk followed suit, bowing toward the youth on the hound's head. This scene carried a strange infectious power, causing the ghost clan commoners emerging from their tribes to bow as well.
Black Pot carried Chen Shi toward the palace, passing throngs of bowing ghost clansfolk. As he drew near, mighty ghost gods with towering statures from each tribe knelt on one knee in salute.
Black Pot gradually ascended the high platform to the palace front, turning around. Chen Shi and his skeletal body faced the vast, endless Heavenly Pool, watching powerful and extraordinary ghost gods along with countless ghost clan powerhouses bow to him. His heart surged with emotion.
Meanwhile, in the Juxian Tower and the sub-branch of the Red Mountain Hall Talisman Masters' Association, numerous skeleton imps either took to the streets or opened their doors and windows, watching the scene in profound shock.
Zhuge Jian murmured, "Perhaps one day, we'll see the title 'True King' reappear in the mortal world."
Situ Wen nodded emphatically. "It will surely shake the fifty provinces of West Ox New Continent! Not just the fifty provinces of the阳间—even Yin Mountain will resound with his true name."
"But there's still the Thirteen Great Families," Yu Tianceng whispered from behind them.
"Decadent fools—what's there to fear?" Li Tianqing said indifferently.
In the distance, patriarchs like Lei Qu and Chi Di from the major clans gazed excitedly at Chen Shi atop Black Pot's head. Lei Qu said, "The poems our clans have sung for generations were right. This sovereign who has come to save us embodies wisdom and valor, winning the adoration of the masses. He will revive our ghost clans and lead us back to our former glory!"
Chi Di's voice trembled hoarsely. "He will dispel the阴云, restoring the bright moon and blazing sun to the skies!"
No sooner had he spoken than a bright moon rose slowly around Chen Shi's body, accompanied by a scorching sun radiating astonishing heat. They orbited him, continuously tempering.
The elder patriarchs like Chi Di shuddered violently, staring dumbstruck at the sight.
In the palace, Wen Wuyu gazed at Chen Shi's back as he faced the ghost clan's multitudes and breathed a sigh of relief.
These past days, she had remained in the Heavenly Pool capital, guarding the shattered bones of Chen Shi's body. When his soul returned, the situation had been extremely bizarre; she had no idea if he lived or died. Now seeing him arrive hale and hearty—and in the flesh, no less—put her mind at ease.
She did not meet Chen Shi, slipping away quietly.
As she drifted off, she glanced back suddenly. The image of myriad subjects paying homage burned itself into her mind.
That scholarly playmate of her youth, full of knowledge and boyish charm, had now become the sovereign leading countless ghost clans, earning the loyalty of these ghost gods.
The scene shook her deeply, stirring an inexplicable sense of awe.
In Despair Slope, she had never witnessed anything like it.
Ever since her cultivation had reached initial success, she had been tasked with gathering intelligence from the underworld. All events collected by the Heavenly Listeners of Yin would be compiled here.
She had read countless tales, but reading and experiencing were worlds apart.
Only now did she realize that personal charisma could truly make ghost gods submit.
But should she report this?
What about the Yin Mountain Immortal incident, Tianzhen Daoist, and the True Martial Evil-Exterminating Sword—did those need reporting too?
Despair Slope had assigned her to the underworld precisely to identify anomalies threatening the mortal world. Hiding this would betray her master's tutelage.
She glanced back again. Chen Shi atop Black Pot's head seemed to sense her gaze, turning to smile and wave vigorously.
Suddenly, a warm current surged in Wen Wuyu's heart.
"I'll hold off reporting this to the sect for now. Wait until he's handled it properly, then report."
Her eyes flickered as she thought silently, "The priority now is whoever tried to release Tianzhen Daoist and corrupt him into evil. The Thirteen Great Families' bid to unify the underworld comes second. That person's threat is greater!"
In the palace, Peng Yan'er, Peng Ju, and the others were thrilled beyond measure. They led the palace guards in spreading wings and soaring into the sky to protect Chen Shi.
They were equipped with new-style fire lances from the阳间, iron caltrops at their waists. Situ Wen had come to the underworld these days, planning to team up with the unemployed Thousand Weaver Clan to teach them forging and firearm manufacturing. Perhaps they could first form a Divine Mechanism Battalion belonging to Chen Shi in Yin Mountain.
The Thousand Weaver Clan were those ghost clans with eight arms for weaving. Their hand-spun crafts were crude, ruined by阳间 fabrics, stripping their livelihoods.
But with so many arms, they surely had unique forging talents.
Zhuge Jian even planned to select some Thousand Weavers for the Divine Mechanism Battalion. With eight arms, they could wield four bird lances, firing in all directions—their combat power would be astonishing. This way, the Thousand Weavers would have work and sustenance, no longer rebelling.
If other ghost clans rebelled, the Thousand Weavers would make fine suppressors.
Chen Shi returned to the palace, only to see little yakshas, little ox-heads, and little horse-faces bustling inside and out, constructing ghost god yamen offices.
These yamen radiated outward from the palace center, built at startling speed.
Sang Xixi secretly told him that the sovereign's private coffers had nearly been squandered by Li Tianqing, Yu Tianceng, and the others. Sovereign Chen might soon be drinking northwest wind.
Chen Shi inquired in detail. While he was away from the palace, Li Tianqing and Yu Tianceng had been reorganizing the Heavenly Pool capital's court structure. Li Tianqing planned to transplant the Western Capital court's system wholesale: cabinet, chief minister, six ministries for internal affairs—hence the new yamen.
Yu Tianceng aimed to select elites from each clan for the Divine Mechanism and Divine Pivot Camps, training them into armies to conquer other ghost kingdoms.
Ghost clans usually fought as scattered individuals, a disorganized mob charging en masse in major wars, letting strength decide. Their reforms might irk traditionalists, but implemented, combat power could rise tenfold, even a hundredfold, steamrolling other fragmented ghost kingdoms!
Chen Shi told Sang Xixi to cooperate fully. "I don't mind drinking northwest wind—I'm a skeleton anyway; I don't eat or drink."
"His Majesty is sagacious!"
Sang Xixi praised, "For Heavenly Pool's revival, His Majesty tightens his belt, starving himself so the people can thrive like under Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang!"
"Who taught you to flatter like that?"
Chen Shi laughed and cursed, kicking her out of the palace. "Go to my private coffers and hand over all the funds to them."
Sang Xixi laughed. "Your Majesty, already done. Everything of value's been sold off. All that's left is your sovereign scepter, crown, and throne."
"What about my greatcloak?"
"Sold too. Useless on you anyway."
"Mm, mm."
...
Chen Shi's skeletal body sat on the throne, crown on his head. Black Pot shrank to puppy size, squeezing onto the throne with him, delighted—panting with tongue out, suddenly licking Chen Shi.
He licked again, then found Chen Shi delectable and shuddered.
Chen Shi was now just a bone frame—an irresistible temptation. Black Pot wanted to grab him, dash to a quiet spot, dig a hole, bury him, and dig him up to eat when hungry.—Of course, just a thought.
"I'm not really a dog," Black Pot thought, licking the skeleton's bones and swallowing hard.
Boom!
An explosion echoed from the Divine Mechanism Battalion. Peng Yan'er's wings stirred wind and thunder, instantly breaking the sound barrier as she streaked off, whipping up gales in her wake.
In one breath, she covered a hundred li to a distant peak, talons snatching the target, then winged back in another breath to the battalion!
Chen Shi, Li Tianqing, and the others watched from nearby, full of praise.
At that moment, Peng Yan'er's vital energy surged wildly, clusters of divine light roiling within and bursting outward. Uncontrollably, she activated the Blood Lake True Scripture, refining her bloodline. In moments, her bloodline power exploded, awakening further, strength climbing as her wings turned pure gold!
In short order, her bloodline power nearly doubled!
Her aura now rivaled Refining Void Merging Body cultivators!
Li Tianqing whispered, "Little Ten, ghost clans cultivating techniques lose all ghost-like traits. Especially after purifying bloodlines with techniques—they don't seem ghostly at all, more like... like..."
He hesitated, trailing off.
Chen Shi said, "The legendary god race?"
Li Tianqing nodded, then shook his head with a smile. "Their bloodline power is incredibly pure. Techniques stimulate awakening, especially after burning away the杂质, making it seem divine. But ghost clans are ghost clans—how could they match the legendary gods?"
Chen Shi smiled. "Maybe ghost clans are the fallen god race?"
Li Tianqing laughed. "Impossible."
Chen Shi gazed afar at the massive heavenly waterfall descending from the sky. "Where does this waterfall's water come from? Where did each clan's ancestral divine artifacts originate? Who are those gigantic god corpses hanging on Boundless Cliff, and why? Why do Xia Hua Divine Continent's copper coins appear in Yin Mountain?"
Li Tianqing looked toward the mountain-sized copper coin at East Palace. "Per my Li family's ancient records, it might be an immortal artifact from the Shang-Zhou era, called Fallen Treasure Golden Coin."
"What era?"
"Shang-Zhou era."
Li Tianqing continued, "Too ancient—spans countless divine dynasties. My Li family has scant records of those times. But with Fallen Treasure Golden Coin here, ghost clans might connect to Xia Hua Divine Continent. Look, prehistoric remnants here outnumber the阳间. Likely, ghost clans built a brilliant civilization here long ago. Sadly, destroyed for unknown reasons, turning it into Yin Mountain of the underworld."
Chen Shi recounted the ghost clan poems' mention of ghost clan's forgotten tongue. Li Tianqing was astonished. "Ghost clan's forgotten tongue sounds like True King's ascension to immortality!"
Chen Shi said, "I noticed too. And True King entered Despair Slope before the ascension. Perhaps ghost clan's forgotten tongue ties to Despair Slope as well."
Li Tianqing pondered deeply, but Li family records on Despair Slope were sparse fragments.
Chen Shi smiled. "I know a girl from Despair Slope. Maybe I can ask her."
Li Tianqing said, "You can trade on your looks for more intel."
Chen Shi fumed. "Ours is a pure friendship!"
Li Tianqing said gravely, "I know. But sell your looks to advance the friendship. You're True King—sacrifice a little."
Chen Shi laughed heartily. "Won't fall for it! You're definitely sent by Peng Jiao!"
Li Tianqing sighed. A year older than Chen Shi, he understood romance somewhat, but Great True King Chen was clueless.
"Maybe when he ages a year, he'll get it. But before severing the three corpses—after that, no worldly desires." He thought to himself.
Chen Shi left Heavenly Pool to his skeletal body, mind-guarding it with a thought. Internal and external affairs went to the Heavenly Pool cabinet.
"Time to visit Taihua Azure Palace and fulfill Tianzhen Daoist's wish."
In the palace garden, soil stirred. Chen Shi's skeletal body sat up from underground, telling Black Pot—who was burying a bone—"Black Pot, come with me to Taihua Azure Palace."
Black Pot jolted, realizing. Glancing at the buried skeleton Chen Shi, he thought annoyed, "I really am a dog!"