Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: The Legend of Qianyang Mountain Man
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Li Jindou was utterly shocked. His porcelainization was intensifying, eroding the flesh he had just restored.
His two legs were still in a porcelain state, and it looked like it was about to spread to his thighs and waist. He hurriedly steadied his mind and fought against the porcelainization with all his might, but waves of shock still surged in his heart.
The Qianyang Mountain Man was a legend in West Ox New Continent. No one knew his real name—only his moniker. The Heavenly Heart Righteous Qi Art he created was used in nearly all private schools across West Ox New Continent. It was the easiest to learn,
the easiest to sense qi, the easiest to build a foundation, and the easiest to receive the descent of a true god's bestowal of a Divine Embryo. The Heavenly Heart Righteous Qi Art was plain and unadorned, allowing cultivation up to the Divine Embryo Realm. It seemed ordinary, but the foundation it built was the most solid. The spell it paired with true qi was simple, called the Midnight-Noon Evil-Slaying Sword—a total of six forms, all basic sword moves, far inferior to the arts of the major clans.
But one thing was universally acknowledged: the Midnight-Noon Evil-Slaying Sword was the most powerful among all basic arts!
Some even said it could be enhanced with variations to create spells of immense power and exquisite techniques, stronger than the foundational spells of those clan powerhouses.
Anyone who practiced this art revered the Qianyang Mountain Man as their master.
He never imagined that by chance, coming to this rural area and staying with this family, this unassuming old man was actually the Qianyang Mountain Man!
Even more legendary was the Qianyang Mountain Man's *Compendium of Talismans*, a must-read for all cultivator talisman masters—and indeed for anyone practicing spells!
Because talismans and spells were one and the same. Talismans and seals seemed to require cinnabar, black dog blood, yellow paper, and the like to draw, gaining power only after completion, but in truth, talismans were spells.
The structure of a talisman was the structure of a spell!
For example, the Supreme Eight Trigrams Protective Talisman, drawn on paper, was a protective charm. Activated as a spell, it became a remarkable technique!
The *Compendium of Talismans* recorded thousands of talismans—which meant thousands of spells. It could be called a complete encyclopedia of spells. How could cultivators not value it?
Even in the great clans, those aspiring to cultivation made it required reading.
"To think I was injured by the Qianyang Mountain Man himself—truly a blessing of three lifetimes!"
Li Jindou was both shocked and delighted. He thought to himself, "I've studied the Compendium too. Should I kowtow to him later to show my respect? No, that would be too obvious. I can't act so worshipful. I need to be reserved! Right! When he was at the height of his fame, why did he suddenly vanish?"
He was greatly puzzled. The Qianyang Mountain Man was renowned throughout the world, yet he suddenly vanished without a trace, his whereabouts unknown—like he had died.
But in his lifetime, he had become a legend.
Admired by countless people.
"Where's that little rascal Li Tianqing? Have him kowtow a few extra times for me to express my respect. Strange, where has that kid run off to? He's been gone all day, not even coming to check on Grandpa!"
He was puzzled in his heart. Li Tianqing was always obedient, sticking by his side, but now he was like a wild goat on the loose, nowhere to be seen.
In a valley on Qianyang Mountain, Chen Shi and Li Tianqing were catching goats.
The two worked together and had already caught four goats.
Li Tianqing's spells were incredibly precise. Each time his jade wheel flew out, it accurately struck the towering tree where a goat was perched, sending the goat tumbling down with the branch.
As soon as it hit the ground, Chen Shi would stride forward, pin it down with one hand, and tie it up with a rope using the other.
Chen Shi handed the goats to Blackie Pot to watch. The goats were large, standing as tall as an adult when upright, stronger than a man, but they behaved obediently in front of Blackie Pot, sitting quietly on the ground, not daring to flee.
There were other young people in the valley—students from the Bridge Bay Town private school, also catching goats. Seeing how many they had caught, they cast envious glances.
Catching goats both honed spells and supplemented household income. Chen Shi planned to catch more, sell them, and save money to attend the town private school.
The two had a great time, and by noon, they had caught six.
"Enough for today. Let's sell them in town!"
The two were full of excitement as they led Blackie Pot and the goats to the market. The six goats fetched three taels of silver—not much, but both were thrilled.
The boy, the dog, and their goats weaved through the bustling market crowds. The streets were lined with tempting foods, fresh and fragrant, their aromas wafting everywhere. Chen Shi first bought two jin of exotic beast meat from the butcher and gave it to Blackie Pot, then took Li Tianqing stall-hopping, sampling a bit from each— just enough for two or three bites.
They went from stall to stall, eating from the east end of the market to the west.
Li Tianqing's belly was round, his hands and mouth greasy. A bit uneasy, he said,
"We ate too much. Is the money gone?"
Chen Shi laughed. "Three taels of silver—we've only spent less than half, and most of that was Blackie Pot's two jin of exotic beast meat. Two jin costs one tael."
Exotic beast meat was pricey because it contained vast spiritual energy, which scholars needed for cultivation. Chen Shi had once hung over ten jin of spirit beast meat at every household in Huangpo Village, equivalent to giving each family seven or eight taels of silver.
Full and satisfied, the two boys and the dog were ready to walk home, but Chen Shi stopped him and flagged down an ox cart heading to the village. They paid ten coppers, lay back in the cart gazing at the sky, and listened contentedly to the creaking wheels.
Li Tianqing stared at the clear blue sky, stretched lazily, and laughed. "I wish we could live like this forever, carefree. But I need to grow up fast to take care of Mom and Grandpa."
Chen Shi pillowed his hands behind his head, legs crossed and swinging. "Me too. I need to grow up quick. I still have to look after Grandpa—he's getting weaker and weaker."
Li Tianqing turned sideways, looking at him earnestly. "Little Ten, I don't think your grandpa is as weak as you imagine."
Chen Shi sighed. "You've only just come to my house and haven't spent much time with Grandpa. He's the stubborn type, pretending to be strong, but he's actually very frail. Adults are all like that."
Li Tianqing nodded. "Adults are like that. Mom acts strong in front of me, but I've caught her wiping tears in secret several times."
Seeing him sad, Chen Shi quickly changed the subject with a grin. "Tomorrow, how about I take you fishing for big kun fish? We'll buy a thicker rope so we won't worry about the big kun biting through it!"
Li Tianqing's eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes! Yes! Tie the big fishhook to my back—I'll be the bait!"
Blackie Pot nearby rolled his eyes. These two kids probably hadn't been to school yet and didn't know how many ways there were to write "death."
"Not using you as bait. We'll tie the iron hook to Blackie Pot and use him to fish."
On the southern slope of Qianyang Mountain, Xuan Ying Mansion Lord Zhao Yanlong led the mansion's elites to a temporary halt for rest. Zhao Yanlong looked up at the sun still high in the sky—plenty of time before sunset.
He withdrew his gaze. A Zhao family steward had already ordered everyone to wear Peach Talismans, with carts hung with them too.
Talisman masters were distributing talismans. Every Zhao clansman, regardless of closeness, received a Golden Bell Talisman, an Evil-Warding Talisman, and a Protective Talisman—these were lifesavers, enough to preserve their lives if evils struck.
The Embroidered Uniform Guards also wore Evil-Warding Talismans. The group divided into three shifts: the first shift offered up Divine Shrines, their divine lights illuminating the surroundings, while the second and third rested.
After half a shichen, the second shift offered their shrines, and the first and third rested. They rotated like this!
Seeing the steward's arrangements in order, Zhao Yanlong waved his hand. "Enter the mountain!"
Xuan Ying Mansion's forty-eight Zhao clansmen and two hundred sixty Embroidered Uniform Guards marched grandly into Qianyang Mountain, heading toward the Kiln Works.
It was the route his daughter Zhao Minrou had taken.
Zhao Minrou's first entry into the Kiln Works had been chasing Chen Shi; she hadn't memorized the path.
Her escape from the Kiln Works had been another route: over several mountains, through the southern slope, to the provincial post road, then along it to Xinxian Province.
For safety, Zhao Yanlong chose the southern slope entry.
"By now, Second Uncle has probably killed Chen Yindu and his grandson Chen Shi, right?"
Zhao Yanlong thought, "He didn't come home for dinner last night. Was he delayed? If he could join us to breach that Ghost God Domain, it'd be a sure thing."
He felt a bit regretful.
Still, with Xuan Ying Mansion's strength, they could certainly probe the Kiln Works domain.
He was confident of that!
Zhao Minrou had crossed the southern mountains, taking over half a month and losing most of her companions, barely escaping Qianyang Mountain. Zhao Yanlong's group reached the Kiln Works before nightfall, having lost only two Embroidered Uniform Guards—to falls off cliffs.
Zhao Yanlong ordered the area outside the Kiln Works cleared of trees for camp, hanging Peach Talismans all around, planning to overnight there.
"This is the kiln that fired porcelain burial goods for the True King—surely clues to the Tomb of the True King lie inside!"
Zhao Yanlong smiled faintly and first sent a few Embroidered Uniform Guards into the Kiln Works. The moment they stepped into its bounds, their bodies shrank dramatically, turning in a blink from adults into porcelain dolls not even a foot tall!
"As expected."
Zhao Yanlong picked up the porcelain dolls, examined them closely, and crushed one doll's leg to test its hardness.
After a moment's thought, he smiled. "Father, Fourth Uncle, Fifth Uncle—you three have the highest cultivation. Stay outside to monitor the Kiln Works. If we encounter danger, please cast spells to rescue us, but do not enter."
Zhao Cunping, Zhao Cunsi, and Zhao Cunxiang each nodded and took positions on sides of the Kiln Works, activating their nascent souls in a triangular formation.
Zhao Yanlong then gathered his siblings—eight in total. "Everyone, let's enter the Kiln Works and see what Ghost God power it holds!"
The group laughed. "It's just a porcelain-firing Ghost God Domain. How much power could it have? The lord is too cautious."
They entered one after another. Even activating their nascent souls couldn't resist the domain's force—they all porcelainized into dolls.
"What we're seeking is the source of this Ghost God Domain: a four-headed, eight-armed porcelain statue, many times larger than normal ones."
Zhao Yanlong had also become a porcelain doll, his voice like birdsong. Though others couldn't understand, the eight with him could.
"Find that statue, control this Ghost God Domain, master this place, and the Kiln Works will be ours! Finding the Tomb of the True King will be easy then."
Chatting and laughing, they pressed deeper into the Kiln Works.
Chen Shi, Li Tianqing, and Blackie Pot were still on the ox cart, which moved slowly and steadily. They would surely arrive home before dark, so the boys weren't hurried at all.
Suddenly, the cart stopped. Surprised, they sat up and looked out.
Nearby, a caravan—likely traveling merchants with seven or eight carts of mountain goods and grain—tried to pass through the mountains, planning to leave Qianyang Mountain before night and find a nearby spot to camp. Unfortunately, they met another caravan head-on, mostly furs, also on this mountain road.
Two carts collided while passing, flipping over. Scattered goods piled up, blocking the road so neither side could pass.
Instead of clearing the vehicles, the two caravans argued over fault, faces red and necks thick.
Dozens from both sides blocked the road tight.
"If you don't clear it soon, it'll be dark, and you'll all feed the evils!" the ox cart driver shouted.
Chen Shi jumped. Li Tianqing whispered, "You country folk are that bold?"
"Most bold ones get beaten to death."
Seeing them still arguing, the boys jumped off to bypass via the mountain stream.
"There's red fish in the stream!"
"These fish—why are they suddenly sinking?" Li Tianqing said excitedly, then puzzled. Chen Shi approached and saw fish swimming in the stream, some sinking to the bottom. Suddenly, more seemed unable to swim, dropping straight down.
Chen Shi fished out a red fish—heavy as lead. It was a porcelain fish!
He froze, then looked up urgently toward the Kiln Works.
In the mountains, an incomparably savage aura shot skyward, turning into a beam of red light straight to the clouds. It then draped like a curtain, like an invisible giant pot covering several li around. The red curtain pushed outward in all directions—wherever it passed, insects and fish porcelainized into porcelain!!
In the fields, a gentle breeze blew, corn stalks swaying lightly, ears nearly ripe for harvest.
But the wind passed, and stalk after stalk porcelainized. A Xinxian rat clutching corn tried to stuff it in its mouth and bit hard, shattering teeth.
The corn in its paws also turned to porcelain.
At the red light's origin, a four-headed, eight-armed porcelain statue of the Doumu Bodhisattva grew larger and taller, soon towering over the forest like a small mountain in the Kiln Works. It swung a porcelain treasure, smashing Zhao Yanlong's siblings to pieces in one strike!
Zhao Yanlong fled madly toward the Kiln Works' edge, shrieking, "Retreat now—"
In Huangpo Village, Li Jindou sensed the anomaly, his face changing drastically. "Who the hell awakened the Eight-Armed Doumu Bodhisattva Statue? Tired of living? Wait—"
His face ashen: "Demon! A demon is sealed in the Eight-Armed Doumu Bodhisattva Statue! Its demon domain is spreading!"