On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the villagers visited each other to exchange New Year's greetings. Chen Shi also got up early and went out to pay respects to the elderly in the village, saying a few auspicious words.
The young people in the village were also filled with joy. When they saw Chen Shi, they bowed and addressed him as Master Provincial Graduate, hoping to catch a bit of the literary aura from the Literary Star.
—The old folks in the village all said that Chen Shi was the Literary Star from heaven who had descended to the mortal world, which was why he could pass the provincial exam as the top scorer. There was also a rumor that on the day Chen Shi was born, his mother dread of an old woman herding a group of rabbits past her, and one of the rabbits jumped into her belly, clearly indicating a celestial star had descended.
After making his rounds, Chen Shi went to offer incense to his Godmother and Scholar Zhu. He also invited Stone Ji Your Ladyship out and had her offer three sticks of incense to the Godmother, and incidentally, one stick to Scholar Zhu as well.
"If that scholar ghost gets my incense offerings, he'll probably burst from the overload," Stone Ji Your Ladyship said.
However, after her stick of incense was offered, Scholar Zhu remained hanging peacefully on the crooked-neck tree, swaying in the wind, showing no signs of being about to burst.
Stone Ji Your Ladyship was startled. "That scholar ghost has so skill."
Chen Shi then went to pay respects to his grandpa, expressing his longing.
On the second day of the New Year, he brought fruits, vegetables, at, and eggs to Gangzi Village to pay New Year's respects to Granny Sha. Granny Sha had beco young and beautiful, and her doorway was crowded with young n from various villages, along with so ddling aunties. Seeing Chen Shi, they all started jeering, "A kid who hasn't even grown all his hair yet, coming to learn how to propose marriage! Get out, get out!"
Chen Shi let out a sharp shout, and a wisp of his aura spread out, pressing everyone to the ground. Only then could he enter Granny Sha's house.
Granny Sha had changed her clothes. She wore a pink cross-collared short jacket on the outside with white trim, and a woven gold horse-face skirt below. Her hair was adorned with butterfly and peach blossom hairpins, and red hair cords with dangling gold beads hung at her temples. Her waist was cinched, making her figure appear slender.
Seeing this, Chen Shi thought to himself, "No wonder so many suitors have co."
Granny Sha was quite happy to see him coming to pay New Year's respects. She chatted with him for a while and wanted him to stay for lunch. Chen Shi smiled and said, "Gran... Sister Sha, I still have to go pay New Year's respects to Madam Zhuang and Xuan Shan, so I won't stay."
Hearing him call her 'sister,' Granny Sha was overjoyed and laughed, "Good! Good! By the way, you should also visit Blue Goat. It's been dead for many years, lonely and isolated. In the past, it was always your grandpa who would chat with it during the New Year."
Chen Shi agreed.
Granny Sha added, "Take these people at the door away. They're driving crazy."
Chen Shi asked, puzzled, "Didn't Sister Sha lure them here? Look at the peach blossoms and butterflies hanging at your temples, the pink clothes you're wearing..."
"This old lady just wants to dress up beautifully! I don't want people blocking my door every day proposing marriage!"
Chen Shi summoned his Nascent Soul, lifted everyone up, and sent them several miles away, scaring them by saying, "That woman is a transford monster. At midnight, she eats people, starting with the toes, nibbling them slowly. I'm a talisman master, would I lie to you?"
The crowd scattered in panic.
Chen Shi then went to Madam Zhuang's house. Madam Zhuang was so happy to see him coming to pay New Year's respects that she couldn't stop grinning. She laughed and said, "Little Ten, how about Granny goes to stay in your temple for a few days?"
Chen Shi was both surprised and delighted and quickly agreed.
Madam Zhuang packed so snacks, probably planning to eat them in the small temple. She also placed the incense burner in a conspicuous spot, thinking that people from other villages might co to pay their respects to her, and the incense burner placed here could collect incense offerings.
Madam Zhuang entered the temple and climbed onto the miniature shrine to sit.
Chen Shi continued his journey, arriving at the mountain where the great snake Xuan Shan resided. This mountain was nad after him, called Xuan Mountain.
By now, many villagers and spirits from Qianyang Mountain had already co to Xuan Mountain to offer incense and kowtow to the great snake Xuan Shan.
Many of the mountain's spirits and monsters had also co. At the beginning of the New Year, coming to pay respects to Xuan Shan had already beco a rule in Qianyang Mountain.
Within Qianyang Mountain, humans, spirit beasts, and monsters lived and died, but only Xuan Shan endured eternally, unmoving and unshakable. In the hearts of the spirits, Xuan Shan was a deity, so all their beautiful wishes were placed upon him, which was why they paid respects.
Chen Shi offered incense to the great snake Xuan Shan. At that mont, the black-clad Xuan Shan descended from the head of the great snake Xuan Shan and said, "Little Ten, I heard you once captured Madam Zhuang and placed her in your small temple to help you cultivate. Is this true?"
Chen Shi's heart began to thump wildly, his mouth went dry, and he braced himself and said, "It is true."
He secretly groaned in dismay. This ti, with Madam Zhuang in the temple helping him cultivate, he could be said to be caught red-handed by Xuan Shan!
The black-clad Xuan Shan fell silent.
Chen Shi felt uneasy and didn't speak either.
The black-clad Xuan Shan was puzzled. "Why hasn't he captured inside yet?"
After another mont, Chen Shi felt a powerful pressure that nearly suffocated him. Just as he was about to release Madam Zhuang, the black-clad Xuan Shan said, "Why aren't you capturing into the small temple to cultivate?"
Chen Shi was stunned.
The black-clad Xuan Shan repeated it.
Only then did Chen Shi hear clearly and said timidly, "I don't dare. Also, the temple is already full..."
"Full?"
The black-clad Xuan Shan was slightly taken aback, then stepped into the small temple behind Chen Shi's head. Madam Zhuang and Stone Ji Your Ladyship were both sitting on the miniature shrines in the small temple. On another shrine sat a black dog in a cross-legged posture, looking serious and proper, clearly cultivating so incredible technique.
The black-clad Xuan Shan's expression darkened. It really was full.
He could probably chase Madam Zhuang and Black Pot down, and he couldn't move Stone Ji Your Ladyship, but wouldn't that be bullying the weak and fearing the strong?
At that mont, Black Pot opened his eyes, jumped down from the shrine, and patted the shrine, indicating that Xuan Shan could sit there.
The black-clad Xuan Shan was montarily stunned. He saw the dog quickly co outside the temple. Outside the temple, besides about an acre of land, there was a space of black sand.
The dog leaped and disappeared from the small temple, appearing outside.
Seeing this, the black-clad Xuan Shan hesitated for a mont, then nodded to Madam Zhuang and Stone Ji Your Ladyship with a friendly smile before finally coming to the shrine to sit in a cross-legged position.
As soon as he sat down, he imdiately felt the light of the sun, moon, and stars transform into the righteous energy of heaven and earth, arriving in waves like a raging sea, surging forth!
He adjusted his sitting posture slightly to assist Chen Shi in cultivation. He felt the righteous energy of heaven and earth circulating throughout his body, unknowingly refining the accumulated evil energy and demonic nature within him, making his Dao Heart clear and transparent, like a bright mirror hanging high, indescribably comfortable.
"What a wonderful place!" the black-clad Xuan Shan praised.
Chen Shi continued walking into the mountains with Black Pot, arriving at the Qianyang Mountain Lord Temple to offer incense to the Qianyang Mountain Lord and set out a fruit platter.
The Qianyang Mountain Lord awoke, retracting his aura. Yellow Tiger also woke up and played joyfully with Chen Shi for a while. He wanted to play a tiger-prey ga with the dog but was firmly refused by Black Pot.
Chen Shi ca to the mountain village where Blue Goat resided. Indeed, as Granny Sha had said, this Blue Goat was truly miserable, hiding in a tree hole and crying his eyes out.
Seeing Chen Shi coming to pay New Year's respects, he pretended to be tough again, acting indifferent to everything.
Black Pot cooked a al, and Chen Shi kept him company for lunch. Blue Goat was very excited, talking nonstop during the al about his past experiences with Chen Yindu.
Chen Shi had brought him several jars of wine, which he also finished drinking. Probably drunk, he started calling Chen Shi 'brother' again.
In the afternoon, Chen Shi went to visit the Hu Family Estate. The entire Hu family welcod him with great ceremony, exceptionally lively, making Chen Shi feel overwheld by the favor, not knowing what had happened.
Hu Feifei whispered, "Those two Ginseng Grass Fruits you gave the Clan Head brought him back to life. The Clan Head wishes he could turn into a female fox and marry you."
Hu Xiaoliang had originally been in a state between life and death, relying on the Ghost and God Domain to survive. After receiving Chen Shi's two Ginseng Grass Fruits, he gained several hundred more years of lifespan, so naturally, he was extrely happy.
Chen Shi was made thoroughly drunk by the fox spirits and didn't return that night, staying overnight at the Hu Family Estate.
Late at night, many female fox spirits tried to sneak into Chen Shi's room but were driven back by Hu Feifei guarding outside the door.
"Hu Feifei, you want to keep him all to yourself! Even if Master Chen becos the top scholar, don't think we'll call you 'grandma'!"
The fox spirits were very angry. A group of them stood with hands on hips, cursing harshly, saying things like she could only steal sick chickens or that she would reveal her fox tail when turning human.
The next day, Chen Shi woke up with a bit of a headache.
Hu Feifei asked, "When is Brother Chen planning to set off for the Western Capital?"
Chen Shi said, "Isn't it still very early to talk about going to the Western Capital? If I'm going to travel, it won't be until after the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth."
Hu Feifei's expression turned serious. "Our Xinxiang is extrely far from the Western Capital. The Western Capital is on the west coast. Running there from here takes at least forty to fifty days at the fastest. If sothing happens on the road causing delays, it could take even longer, possibly half a year. Many provincial graduates from the provinces east of Xinxiang Province set off before the New Year."
Chen Shi thought for a mont and said, "Then we'll set off after the Lantern Festival."
Hu Feifei asked, "What about Little King of Hell?"
Black Pot heard the sound and turned his head to look. Nannan turned the dog's face back, making him continue playing pat-a-cake with her.
Chen Shi hesitated for a mont and said, "We'll take him with us to the Western Capital!"
Hu Feifei said worriedly, "We can only take him. Leaving him at ho, neither of us would feel at ease."
Chen Shi went out again, visiting Fu Leisheng in Qiaowan Town. Fu Leisheng was both surprised and delighted to see him, smiling and saying, "I was planning to go to Huangpo Village to see you, and coincidentally, you ca over. When are you setting off for the Western Capital to take the exams?"
Chen Shi said, "I'll go after the Lantern Festival."
"It's better to start early for the exams than late. There are many evil spirits and bandits on the road, all waiting to make their move."
Fu Leisheng said, "They don't do business for three years, but when they do, they live off it for three years. There are fifty provinces in the Western Ox New Continent, and the number of provincial graduates is not small. But only about fifty to sixty percent of them actually make it alive to the Western Capital. Many provincial graduates die on the way."
Chen Shi was startled. "Shouldn't the governnt escort provincial graduates to the capital for the exams?"
"That was the rule in the past. During the True King's Era, various regions would escort provincial graduates to the capital. Later, they also did it for a period, but then they stopped."
Fu Leisheng said, "Every year, there are so many provincial graduates, and there aren't enough official positions to arrange for them. If a batch dies on the road, the pressure on the Western Capital is also reduced. When you go to the capital for the exams, you must be careful on the road."
Chen Shi took out several scrolls of scriptures and smiled. "I'm already at the Nascent Soul realm now, and my cultivation is also remarkable. I think I can handle it. Master Fu, I've copied a few cultivation techniques. See if any are suitable for you?"
Fu Leisheng smiled. "Cultivation techniques? At my age, reaching the Nascent Soul realm is the peak. What else can I cultivate?"
He took the scrolls of scriptures. The first scroll was "Treasure Moonlight Peacock Ming Wang Mantra." He opened it and looked, and his expression imdiately changed. This technique was for cultivating the Treasure Moonlight Peacock Ming Wang Golden Body, and it included mantra incantations.
The technique was divided into nine types of mantra incantations. Each mantra incantation was both a cultivation technique and a spell, as well as a thod for tempering the body and transforming the spirit!
After achieving so success, one could cultivate the Peacock Ming Wang True Body, with five-colored light standing behind like swords. Anyone within the Five Elents would be injured by the five-colored light swords!
And in combat, the Peacock Ming Wang Golden Body was even more terrifying, said to be indestructible like diamond!
Fu Leisheng steadied himself and opened the second scroll of scripture. This scroll was called "Inner Secrets True Treasury." It was an internal cultivation technique for the five organs and six viscera, belonging to the Daoist school. It could reveal the hidden scenes of the five organs and was a technique nearly akin to immortal arts.
Fu Leisheng's hand trembled as he opened the third scroll of scripture.
This one was called "Eight Powers Dragon Summoning Art," a combat thod that included spear techniques, extrely exquisite.
"Can I have all three?" Fu Leisheng's heart trembled as he looked up and asked.
Chen Shi smiled. "They were originally your New Year's gift. Just accept them."
Fu Leisheng's heart thumped wildly. Just monts ago, he had said he was too old and had no interest in any cultivation techniques, but now he felt the interest coming back.
These three techniques were clearly top-tier. If he could cultivate them successfully, the Nascent Soul realm was definitely not his end point!
Even Spirit Transformation, Divine Descent, Emptiness Refining, and Body Unification might not be his end points!
"Master Fu, we freeholders have a small organization called the Celestial Court..."
Chen Shi explained in detail, describing the principles of the Celestial Court, and smiled, "I wonder if Master Fu would be interested in joining the Celestial Court?"
Fu Leisheng smiled. "This is a righteous cause. Of course, I'll join. When will the True King raise the banner of rebellion?"
Chen Shi laughed heartily. "Master, what nonsense are you talking? I am utterly loyal to the court, without a trace of disloyalty! Our Celestial Court's goal is to restore the orthodox lineage of the gods of China, to help the court with its affairs. Who doesn't know the loyalty and righteousness of Xinxiang's Little Ten? In the future, don't ntion such foolish talk again!"
Fu Leisheng smiled. "Naturally, I won't ntion it."
He also had his own Celestial Court code na: Master.
Chen Shi bid him farewell and returned to Huangpo Village. Sangyu saw him and quickly said, "Master Provincial Graduate, you have a guest at ho."
Chen Shi was puzzled. "A guest? What guest? Where from?"
"I've never seen them before. They only said they were sent here."
Chen Shi grew even more puzzled, thinking to himself, "Could it be that Wuwang Prefect sent soone? He's being pursued by many ghost gods in the underworld and is desperate enough to try anything. My place might not be safer than the underworld."
He returned ho and saw a person standing rather awkwardly outside the door waiting. He wore a black gauze cap and a round-collared robe—an official, about thirty to forty years old. Seeing Chen Shi, he took out a portrait, compared it, hurriedly put the portrait away, and quickly stepped forward to greet him.
"This humble official, Sun Yisheng, has been ordered to co and welco the Young Master to the Western Capital."
Hearing this, Chen Shi was even more surprised and smiled. "Lord Sun, have you mistaken for soone else? My na is Chen Shi, not so Young Master."
Sun Yisheng smiled. "Young Master Chen, please don't joke. This humble official ca from the Western Capital, traveling through dust and hardship for several months to reach Xinxiang's Qianyang Mountain, Huangpo Village. Lord Chen Tang repeatedly instructed and gave the Young Master's portrait. How could I mistake you?"
"Chen Tang?"
Chen Shi felt an inexplicable emotion rise in his heart and said, "You were sent by Chen Tang? Chen Tang said I died and ca back to life, that I'm a monster created by my grandpa, a ghost from the underworld. Go back and tell him I'm doing fine on my own. I don't need his pity!"
Sun Yisheng hesitated for a mont and said, "Lord Chen Tang knows the Young Master is going to the Western Capital for the exams and is worried about your safety, so he ordered this humble official to co. Over in the Western Capital, there are many people planning to harm the Young Master..."
Chen Shi shook his head. "Go back and tell him I don't need his concern!"
He opened the door, walked into the courtyard, and shut Sun Yisheng outside.
Chen Shi sat in Black Pot's rocking chair, lost in thought, while Black Pot lay beside him.
After a long ti, Chen Shi went to the east room, rummaged through his grandpa's miscellaneous box, and took out that family portrait.
Grandpa sat in a chair, with the young Chen Shi sitting on his lap, being held by him.
Behind them were Chen Tang and a beautiful woman. Everyone was smiling happily.
Chen Shi looked at it for a long ti, carefully rolled up the painting, and solemnly put it back in the box.
The people in the painting were his family.
He had never t Chen Tang or his mother.
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