Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Grandfather's Umbrella
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A hush fell over the governor's camp, soon shattered by a clamor of voices. All around Governor Zhao Tianbao, a cacophony erupted, followed by furious shouts from officials of the Provincial Administration, the Censorate, and the Military Command. They stormed out of the camp in pursuit of Chen Shi.
Then came the prominent figures of Xinxiang Province, wailing and cursing like they'd lost their own kin. They mobilized the Embroidered Uniform Guard and rode out to capture the rebel.
The lords of Tianlu Mansion, Digang Mansion, and Huangting Mansion charged ahead the fastest.
Among the Zhao family's four mansions, Zhao Yanlong of Xuan Ying Mansion had been caught mid-petrification, his nascent soul shattered and his body slain. Kinship stirred their rage—they burned to avenge him.
Governor Zhao Tianbao's face darkened. He lifted a foot, and with that single step, he was airborne, treading the clouds as if it were nothing.
His aura fully unleashed, everything within several li—man and object alike—felt crushed like under a Mountain-Shifting Talisman, as if bearing a golden mountain on their backs.
Behind him materialized his nascent soul, over ten zhang tall, towering and majestic.
The nascent soul's face twisted in wrath, like a furious Wisdom King, its ferocity and terror radiating overwhelming pressure.
The Embroidered Uniform Guards who had rushed out eager for merit froze instantly under his momentum, rooted in place.
The cavalry and soldiers from the other mansions halted their horses, unwilling to advance. Only the officials could somewhat resist Governor Zhao Tianbao's suppressive aura.
But they were merely making a show of it. With the governor's aura blazing, signaling his intent to personally execute the killer, they deliberately lagged behind.
The experts from Tianlu, Digang, and Huangting Mansions didn't stop, charging onward at breakneck speed, rapidly closing the gap with Chen Shi.
Though Chen Shi had activated his Galloping Horse Talisman, boosting his speed tremendously, how could he match the Zhao family's elites?
From afar, someone unleashed their golden core. Over twenty golden cores streaked along the provincial road. Wherever they passed, trees lining the path were pierced by countless invisible silver needles, leaves riddled with holes, trunks warping and bending!
The rivers beside the road boiled like cauldrons, bubbles gurgling up, steam rising in clouds!
Nascent souls followed, cracking the very earth of the road! This was the devastation from the spillover of golden core and nascent soul power.
Normally, when circulated in balance, they seemed harmless. But once spurred into action, their power turned terrifying.
The Zhao clansmen were furious beyond measure.
They'd slain a mansion lord—a family member—right before their eyes. Be it king or emperor, they'd kill the culprit for Zhao Yanlong. And this wasn't some exalted figure, but a snot-nosed brat!
Swift as they were, Governor Zhao Tianbao was swifter. On his second step, he hovered above Chen Shi.
At that moment, his heart suddenly grew utterly serene. The rage vanished without a trace.
Even his icy killing intent evaporated. His mind calmed like an enlightened monk's.
Serene to the point of no emotional ripples.
Below, the pursuing experts from the mansions also regained tranquil hearts, stray thoughts extinguished, killing intent gone. It was as if they'd spent lifetimes in monastic devotion, unwilling to crush even an ant—let alone slay a man.
Then, they spotted a black-clad youth holding an oiled paper umbrella by the roadside.
Governor Zhao Tianbao's heart chilled. He tried to tense up, but couldn't. Tried to summon fear, but it wouldn't come.
"Go!"
His reason screamed: an unimaginable expert. He wheeled around and called to the Zhao experts, "Back to the provincial capital."
The Zhao experts, faces equally serene, withdrew their golden cores and nascent souls, turning toward the capital.
The other officials who caught up halted, staring in bewildered suspicion at the governor and his men.
By the road, the black-clad youth with the oiled paper umbrella smiled faintly, watching Chen Shi speed away. Suddenly, a weathered, powerful hand seized the umbrella's handle, yanking it away.
Black-Clad Xuan Shan sighed helplessly. "Doll, this treasure can't fully suppress your demonic nature. It works by day, but come night and moonlight, you'll be in danger."
Chen Yindu gripped the handle casually. "Wrong."
"It's not me in danger. It's the world."
He opened the oiled paper umbrella and strolled off.
"Don't slaughter indiscriminately."
Black-Clothed Xuan Shan warned. "Your state is unstable now. Killing will hasten your fall."
Chen Yindu waved dismissively. "With this ordinary umbrella in hand, my heart is ordinary."
Governor Zhao Tianbao returned to his yamen. The Zhao experts went home. Everyone else did the same, deeming it bizarre.
Zhao Tianbao ordered a maid to brew tea. As it reached his lips, the monkish calm shattered, replaced by fury and fear. His hand trembled, clinking the cup against the saucer, spilling tea on himself.
He set the cup down, hand still shaking uncontrollably.
He couldn't fathom how his mindset had been tampered with. At his cultivation level, how could anyone affect him?
Yet it happened. Vengeance and rage forgotten, he'd returned home serenely, without a spark of murderous or rebellious intent the whole way!
He had no idea how to counter it—or even how it was done! Such a method was too horrifying!
The maid saw the spill and knelt to wipe it. Zhao Tianbao waved her off. Normally, he doted on her, sometimes spilling tea on purpose for her to clean, adding some thrill.
He recalled deflowering her that first time: deliberately unsteady with the tea, spilling it, letting her wipe until passions stirred.
She'd been willing, half-resisting at first.
But not today.
He steadied himself.
"Yanlong's vengeance cannot go unanswered!"
After a moment, composure regained, he murmured low, "Without avenging this great grudge, the Zhao family can't stand in Xinxiang Province! To become a noble house, enduring millennia, we must slay that boy, exterminate his clan, wipe out his kin! Pile corpses high, let rivers run red—to cow the other families!"
"So my grandson must die, must he?"
A voice came from outside.
Zhao Tianbao jolted, leaping up. An elder in a burial shroud entered the study, holding a green oiled paper umbrella.
The elder was tall and imposing. His shroud felt unsettling, his face faintly blue.
He faced Zhao Tianbao with utter poise, entering the governor's study like his own home, without a hint of unease.
"I've always worried that after I go, no one would care for my grandson. He'd suffer bullying."
"He's had a pitiful life, so much torment. I can't let him endure more."
"But I can't slaughter all his enemies and ill-wishers. So I'll handle one at a time. Only then can I rest in peace."
Chen Yindu held the umbrella in one hand, eyeing Zhao Tianbao. "You failed to discipline your house. Zhao scions ran amok, plaguing the countryside, bringing disaster upon your clan."
"I've been tolerant, letting your Zhao family off. Even when your kin struck at my grandson before, I watched without interfering."
"But not this time. I must act."
"Rest easy—I won't kill innocents. Just you."
Zhao Tianbao's eyes twitched violently, crushed by immense pressure.
"Eradicating a noble house is hard. I've tried many times."
"But wiping out your Zhao family? Not hard."
Chen Yindu said, "After you die, leaderless, someone will supplant the Zhao, pinning the Qianyang Mountain demonic shift on you."
"How many Zhao survive? Hard to say."
Zhao Tianbao shuddered in dread. "Who are you? I share deep ties with Strict Elder Yan of the Western Capital's Grand Secretariat..."
"Dead men hold no value."
Chen Yindu shook his head. "I'm no brute. I come to kill you, to end future threats."
"But resist if you like. Kill me, and you live—maybe even take my grandson too."
"Any last words?"
Zhao Tianbao knew the intruder wouldn't let grudges slide. "A moment, sir."
He ground ink, penned his testament, then set the brush down. "You've come prepared, sir, but I won't die meekly."
"Victory's uncertain! After you!"
He unleashed his nascent soul, merging it with his divine embryo!
A muffled boom echoed in the study. Window frames rattled, then silence fell.
Chen Yindu emerged with the green umbrella, closed the door behind him, and drifted away.
Rain began pattering down. Not heavy.
The elder, green umbrella in hand, walked into the rain, fading into the distance.
Much later, the maid tidying tea things discovered Governor Zhao Tianbao dead. Her scream pierced the study.
Chaos engulfed the Zhao residence in Xinxiang Province.
The governor's wife read his testament: After her death, other noble houses would strike the Zhao. The Qianyang Mountain demonic shift blame would fall on them. She mustn't raise alarm—gather young Zhao heirs and assets, flee Xinxiang incognito, preserve the bloodline.
She ordered preparations at once. The mansion descended into turmoil.
The great hall of a clan topples swiftly.
A noble house's fall often comes abruptly.
But Chen Shi knew nothing of it.
Having slain Zhao Yanlong, he fled wildly, catching up to Li Tianqing. Together they escaped back to Qianyang Mountain, hearts still pounding.
They crept toward Huangpo Village, fearing provincial powerhouses had arrived first to arrest them.
On the road, they saw people walking—porcelain curse not fully lifted, but moving!
"Little Ten, fish swimming in the water!"
Li Tianqing called out in discovery.
Chen Shi reached the ditch. Sure enough, fish darted at the bottom, some leaping free.
Suddenly, a long, resonant roar echoed from distant woods—booming, vast. Like a beast awakening. In the mountains, one might mistake it for a dragon.
Chen Shi had once tracked such roars, finding no source.
He felt shock and joy.
It lived.
Qianyang Mountain had weathered the demonic shift—and lived!
Back in Huangpo Village, ducks quacked, waddling out. But Yuzhu, their usual herder, wasn't with them—likely still recovering from petrification.
Chen Shi grabbed a duck. It laid an egg for him, wiggled its rear, and joined the flock.
Clutching the warm egg, Chen Shi waited. Moments later, Yuzhu shuffled out slowly—worried for her ducks, no doubt.
He hurried into the village. Villagers shuffled cautiously, greeting each other, spirits decent.
Chen Shi quickened to the center. The petrified divine tree had revived, lush and verdant. The girl perched in it, extending a hand as he neared—a bright red fruit in her palm.
He hesitated. She smiled. "Poisonous before. Not now."
He took it, bit in. Sweetness flooded his lungs.
Home, Li Jindou lay in Grandpa's recliner, legs amputated, wrapped in layers of white cloth to staunch bleeding.
Jin Hongying helped Granny Sha limber up. Young Master Xiao stood by.
All gravely wounded.
Blackie Pot wagged his tail, grinning welcome as they entered.
"Where's Grandpa?"
Chen Shi asked.
Just then, Grandpa's voice from outside: "Little Ten, I'm back."
Chen Shi turned. Grandpa stood at the door, green rain umbrella in hand, smiling at him.