Chapter 368
Chapter 368
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 370
Chapter Title: Qingyang and the Grave Grass
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“That eight-year period?”
Chen Tang’s mind shook greatly. He knew she was referring to the eight years when Chen Shi had died.
As for that history, Chen Shi himself had no memory of it anymore. But Witch Qingyu, due to her longing for her son, had fallen into soul-loss syndrome, her soul leaving her body to search for him in the underworld.
She was just a frail woman, and only a soul at that, drifting aimlessly in the underworld where she could die in the jaws of ghosts and monsters at any moment. Yet miraculously, she found Chen Shi.
She should know what had happened to him during that time.
Witch Qingyu said, “When I found him, he was in a sea of fire formed by demonic flames.”
During that period, Witch Qingyu had made a name for herself in the underworld. Many ghosts and gods knew of this madwoman searching for her son.
By all rights, one should go to the underworld bureaucracy to search for a loved one’s soul—ghosts from the阳间 all fell under the bureaucracy’s management. But Witch Qingyu wandered in a daze, unaware of this, and strayed into territories of the underworld not under the bureaucracy’s jurisdiction. She had no idea where Chen Shi had gone and staggered forward in madness, as if some wondrous force was always linking their mother-son bond.
Drifting in the underworld, she survived for over a year without dying to ghosts, ghost gods, or demonic creatures—a true miracle.
In the second year of her entry into the underworld, she stumbled into a sea of demonic fire and was about to be burned alive when she found the son she longed for day and night.
“Little Ten was standing on the shoulder of a demonic god. That demonic god was unparalleled in stature, with a fleshly body like a ghost or monster, yet bearing incomparably profound demonic qi.”
Witch Qingyu showed a bewildered expression and said, “It was very strange. I couldn’t tell if he was demon, ghost, or man... There were many similar freaks gathered around Little Ten. They formed a secret society, a great force, calling Little Ten ‘Prince.’ When they spoke to him, they used a very strange language I’d never heard before.”
She pondered for a moment, trying to repeat a phrase she’d heard, but her mouth went numb, unable to utter it.
With her nascent soul leaving her body, Witch Qingyu used it to speak, making it much easier.
“Om ba di la er he bo tou ru mo er he san mo ye sa da chi san he.”
As her nascent soul finished the phrase, rays of light burst from beneath its feet. It was as if she had invoked some profound, mystical power from another time and space, surging into her body!
A massive phantom appeared behind Witch Qingyu, standing in the void, its visage vast and indistinct.
Chen Tang’s heart jolted. He looked up but still couldn’t see the full form of that phantom!
A thousand-zhang nascent soul was the limit for a cultivator’s soul. After reaching the Great Vehicle Realm, the soul reached a thousand zhang; upon body-soul fusion, the flesh could transform to a thousand zhang, embodying heaven and earth—no more than that.
Thus, whether gods, demons, or ghosts, a thousand zhang was the limit for their fleshly bodies, impossible to exceed.
The only thing Chen Tang knew that surpassed this was the True Gods from beyond the heavens!
And after Witch Qingyu recited that strange, tongue-twisting language, the phantom manifesting behind her absolutely exceeded that limit!
Chen Tang’s mind reeled. He couldn’t comprehend this extraordinary power at all!
The terrifying phantom behind Witch Qingyu gradually faded.
“I didn’t learn much—just this one phrase.”
Witch Qingyu said bashfully, “But Little Ten seemed fluent in that language, often conversing with them. They treated Little Ten well and took good care of us mother and son. But I always felt they harbored ill intentions toward him. Later, the King of Hell set a trap, captured me, and lured Little Ten in...”
Chen Tang asked doubtfully, “Why would the King of Hell capture you two? He’s responsible for maintaining justice in the underworld bureaucracy and the operations of the underworld. Why capture you for no reason?”
Witch Qingyu’s eyes darted, a bit guilty, and she said, “I don’t know what happened. We mother and son didn’t break any laws...”
Chen Tang stared at her.
Witch Qingyu quickly said, “Little Ten’s coming out!”
“You’re hiding something from me!” Chen Tang said.
Chen Shi walked over. Witch Qingyu hurried to greet him, smiling. “Little Ten, did you learn it? Your dad’s a fool. He was supposed to teach you himself, but he insisted on ‘no jade unpolished,’ so he had Old Du and the others polish you up.”
“Mom, I learned it.”
Chen Shi smiled. “But the star chart keeps changing. Just memorizing it isn’t enough—you need to learn sensing and deduction. Dad was right not to teach me. We don’t piss in the same pot...”
“How do you talk like that?” Witch Qingyu laughed, punching him playfully.
Chen Tang watched the mother and son, feeling both were hiding something from him.
He felt again like an outsider in the Chen family.
After a moment, Chen Shi came over and said, “Dad, I need to take Black Pot out for a while.”
Chen Tang said, “Am I the last in the family to know?”
Chen Shi looked surprised, glancing up at him. He didn’t know what was wrong with his dad—his words carried a note of resentment.
“I’m probably the least important person in our family—not even as good as Black Pot,” Chen Tang said.
Chen Shi protested, “It’s not like that, Dad...”
Chen Tang said, “Your mom’s hiding something from me, and you’re heading out with Black Pot but not me.”
Chen Shi thought for a moment and said, “I’m going to Taihua Azure Palace. If you want to come...”
“I’m not going.”
Chen Tang shook his head. “Qiongyang Patriarch of Taihua Azure Palace is unfriendly to me because I’m not her son.”
Chen Shi said helplessly, “Then next time. I have some ties with Monk Wuchen of Great National Protection Temple. Next time to Great National Protection Temple...”
Chen Tang shook his head. “I won’t go to Great National Protection Temple either. Nor Bodhi Dojo or Moonlit Paradise. I can’t go to Supreme Vast Origin Palace or Celestial Master Mansion. Your grandpa caused trouble at all those places.”
Chen Shi fell silent for a moment, then stammered, “Where can you go?”
Chen Tang thought and said, “Seven or eight of the Thirteen Great Families are off-limits too. But you can go—you’re the grandson generation, and grandparents dote on grandkids.”
Chen Shi thought it over. Even going to Taihua Azure Palace himself might not be safe, so he decided to call on Uncle Qingyang.
Chen Shi found Qingyang, told him about it, and Qingyang was delighted, urging him to set off quickly.
Chen Shi prepared travel supplies. Qingyang laughed. “No need to prepare for me—I eat grass!”
Chen Shi loaded food and living items onto the wooden cart, said goodbye to Chen Tang and Witch Qingyu, then turned back to see Qingyang harnessed to the front of the cart, ropes around him.
Chen Shi stared in shock and hurriedly said, “Uncle Qingyang, you don’t need to pull the cart! Untie yourself quick—the cart runs itself!”
Qingyang shook his head. “I like pulling carts. You and Black Pot sit tight.”
Black Pot jumped onto the cart. Chen Shi had no choice but to climb on and say, “Uncle Qingyang, we’ll go through the Minor Heavens...”
Qingyang handed him a small leather whip. Chen Shi was stunned.
“Hah—”
Qingyang pulled the cart skyward. Astral winds and gales blasted their faces, and the wooden cart seemed about to fall apart!
Chen Shi and Black Pot clung desperately to the cart frame to avoid being flung off.
The wooden cart felt it couldn’t hold up and quietly extended an arm to grasp the canopy, activating it.
The canopy whooshed open, radiant light shining down to shield the cart. The astral winds were blocked outside, and Chen Shi and Black Pot breathed a sigh of relief.
“Whip me! Whip me quick!” Qingyang called back.
Chen Shi’s face was ashen, his hand trembling with the whip, afraid to strike.
Qingyang looked back.
Chen Shi had no choice but to raise the whip and crack it on Qingyang’s rear. With a snap, Qingyang roared, revealing his true form—massive as a mountain ridge, feet treading thunderfire, eyes shooting golden light, streaking through the sky.
Thunder and lightning crackled around the cart, born from the canopy’s fierce friction with the air. The cart raced toward Taihua Mountain amid the bolts. Even shielded by the canopy, Chen Shi and Black Pot heard the rumbling thunder.
Taihua Mountain lay deep in the heart of West Ox New Continent. Back then, it was the land thickest with demonic qi, infested with countless demonic beasts. The eighteen patriarchs of Taihua Azure Palace subdued the demons, but fifteen perished in battle, leaving only three to finally secure a foothold on this great peak.
Later, the True King granted them this mountain, naming it New Continent Taihua Mountain, establishing Taihua Azure Palace’s lineage once and for all.
But Qingyang rarely got out to play. Upon reaching Taihua Mountain, he stopped, not entering but veering the cart through twists and turns into a stretch of peaks.
After a moment, the cart halted before a cluster of graves. Chen Shi and Black Pot got off to rest. Chen Shi’s legs were shaky, Black Pot trembling nonstop. Qingyang hopped onto a grave mound, lowered his head to munch the grave grass, soon stripping one mound bare.
“Grave grass is tender and hearty—the roots soak up so much nutrition!”
Qingyang said to Black Pot, “Want some? It’s delicious.”
Black Pot tried a skeptical bite, eyes lighting up at the crisp, tasty flavor.
Chen Shi took out incense and lit some on the devoured grave mound, lest the occupant get angry.
Qingyang and Black Pot devoured a dozen-plus mounds until full. Qingyang lounged against a grave, eyes half-closed, hind legs crossed, front hooves behind his head, slowly chewing cud. “Little Ten, light me a few sticks to aid digestion.”
Chen Shi lit incense for him.
Qingyang absorbed the fragrance while chewing cud, utterly relaxed, on the verge of sleep.
Black Pot, belly bulging, gestured for Chen Shi to do the same for him.
Chen Shi lit some for him. Suddenly, he sensed something and looked toward a distant peak, where rosy clouds shot skyward and temple halls towered—Taihua Azure Palace, no doubt.
“Does Uncle Qingyang know Tianzhen Daoist?” Chen Shi asked.
Qingyang opened his eyes, thought, and shook his head. “No. What does he do?”
Chen Shi said, “The Daoist boy who tended the pill furnace for True Yang Patriarch. From the True King era. He followed the cultivation system from华夏神洲 in the True King era. He was killed just before ascension. I encountered his remnant obsession after death, and he passed me Yin-Yang Tempering to refine away evil qi.”
He activated Yin-Yang Tempering. A bright moon and blazing sun appeared in his nascent soul’s Dao field, orbiting him and emanating yin-yang qi. Whenever sun and moon drew near, yin and yang fused; with a tempering of sun and moon, a refining of yin and yang, the evil qi in Chen Shi’s body was purged.
Qingyang was astonished, sitting up to observe closely. “This art is remarkable—top-tier even in Taihua Azure Palace! If it refines evil qi and halts evil transformation, why was he killed?”
Chen Shi shook his head. “His Yin-Yang Tempering had basically solved evil transformation from Body-Soul Fusion to Ascension Realm.”
Qingyang frowned, yanking some grave grass into his mouth, munching puzzledly. “Why kill him? Letting him live to research solving evil change would’ve been better, no?”
Chen Shi said, “I wonder the same. He was slain by the True Martial Evil-Exorcising Sword. He had an obsession to return it and be buried back on Taihua Mountain.”
Just then, sword lights streaked toward them, landing with whooshes. The lights dispersed, revealing Daoists in outer azure robes, inner white garments, and cloth shoes.
Sword lights swirled around them, then reverted to flying swords that shot to their backs, clinking into sheaths.
Chen Shi stood, smiling. “Are you all senior brothers from Taihua Azure Palace?”
The Daoists ignored him, rushing to the graves. Their faces changed, frosty with rage as they glared at Chen Shi, Black Pot, and Qingyang. “You dare intrude our Taihua Azure Palace forbidden zone and eat our patriarchs’ grave grass! Such audacity!”
Chen Shi gaped. “These are your patriarchs’ graves...”
The mounds looked utterly desolate—not like those of a great clan, untended. Chen Shi had thought them mere wild graves, never imagining Taihua Azure Palace patriarchs lay within!
Had he known, he never would’ve let Qingyang graze here—he’d have picked other mounds.
Qingyang said to him, “These are indeed Taihua Azure Palace patriarch graves. I’ve sent off over a dozen patriarchs here, watched them buried. The first year after burial, the grave grass is tenderest...”
“Insolent!”
The Taihua Azure Palace Daoists flushed with fury, unleashing swords without a word. Flying swords stabbed at Qingyang!
Clangs rang out—the swords couldn’t harm Qingyang in the slightest.
Qingyang nonchalantly pinched one sword, using it to pick his teeth.
“These villains are formidable!”
The Daoists paled in shock, recalling their swords. Sword lights whirled around them, lifting them skyward with whooshes as they fled, shouting, “Get reinforcements quick!”
But one Daoist’s sword was taken by Qingyang for tooth-picking. Without it, he couldn’t fly, paling as he cried, “Senior brothers, what about me? Don’t leave me!”
Chen Shi reassured him, “Senior brother, we’re not bad people. I’m Chen Shi of Xinxiang, the top scholar of this year’s fifty provinces. If you don’t mind, call me Top Scholar Lord. I and your Azure Palace...”
Before he finished, the Daoist looked terrified, as if seeing a ghost, and bolted downhill yelling, “The Chen family demon has come to the mountain to desecrate our patriarch graves in vengeance!”
The Daoist stumbled, foot slipping off the cliff edge.
Chen Shi rushed to the edge and peered down. The Daoist lay sprawled at the bottom.
With deep cultivation, the Daoist sprang up, limping away at top speed—no major harm done.
Chen Shi puzzled, “I’m clearly the new top scholar lord, not a bad guy. Why’d he call me a Chen family demon?”
Qingyang chewed cud and said, “Blame your grandpa’s deeds. After resigning office, he came to Taihua Azure Palace and nearly became the next headmaster, so they made a rule: anyone from Xinxiang surnamed Chen is a demon.”
Chen Shi still puzzled, “Grandpa nearly became headmaster—shouldn’t that earn respect?”
Qingyang corrected, “I said ‘nearly became,’ not ‘nearly became.’ Becoming and nearly becoming aren’t the same.”
Chen Shi pondered the distinction when suddenly, sky-filling sword lights erupted from Taihua Azure Palace, arcing gracefully through the air straight toward them!
Sword lights landed one after another, dispersing to reveal Daoists of all ages and genders.
The Daoists’ faces were iron-hard. The one who’d fled earlier stepped forward, pointing at Chen Shi, Black Pot, and Qingyang. “Headmaster, it’s them—they ate our patriarchs’ grave grass!”
The headmaster hurried forward, bowing deeply. “Disciple Changying Daoist humbly invites Ancestor Qingyang back to the palace!”