After Chen Shi and Li Tianqing left, Qingzhou experienced a period of chaos. So tried to take advantage of the turmoil to beco powerful bullies, oppressing n and won, seizing land, but soon, soone disguised as a Red Horse Bandit killed that person.
Afterwards, stories of the Red Horse Bandits spread throughout Qingzhou. Whether in the cities or the countryside, people talked about the Red Horse Bandits, saying they had appeared in a certain place and killed a certain tyrant.
For a ti, Qingzhou actually beca stable.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, an envoy from the Li Family arrived in Qingzhou. He discovered that Qingzhou's Governor, Salt Commissioner, Regional Commander, and other high-ranking officials had been killed, the prefectural yan had been burned, yet the common people were living and working in peace and contentnt, even better than when those officials were present.
The envoy investigated and quickly concluded that Li Tianqing and Chen Shi were the Red Horse Bandits. He imdiately used a Thousand-li Communication Talisman to contact the Quanzhou Li Family, saying: "Li Tianqing and Chen Shi have destroyed Qingzhou's power structure, the hearts of the people have changed. I fear it will be difficult to continue cultivating spiritual herbs. If Li Tianqing returns, capture him imdiately!"
"Li Tianqing?"
Upon receiving this news, the Quanzhou Li Family was greatly alard. They hurriedly reported it to the Li Family Sect Leader, Li Xiaozai. Hearing this, Li Xiaozai's expression changed slightly. He issued an order: "Imdiately detain Li Tianqing's parents! And also his grandfather, Li Jindou, detain him as well!"
The matter in Qingzhou was no small affair. It concerned not only the lives of several of the Li Family's Ancestral Elders but also the lives of the Ancestral Elders of other powerful clans!
If there weren't enough spiritual herbs to extend life and sustain vitality, I'm afraid that after the Ancestral Elders of the Thirteen Great Clans passed away, the foundational strength of these powerful clans would be reduced by nearly half!
Li Xiaozai's mind was in turmoil; the stakes were too great!
The other great clans would inevitably hold the Li Family accountable and demand punishnt for Li Tianqing's actions!
Who could bear the responsibility for such a thing?
He, Li Xiaozai, certainly couldn't bear it.
Not only could he not bear it, but the entire Li Family probably couldn't bear the punishnt from the other twelve great clans!
The Li Family might even face extermination because of this!
"Sect Leader, there are still spiritual herbs remaining in the dicine fields; they weren't all taken."
The envoy continued, "Originally, there were 542 spiritual herb plants in the dicine fields. Now, only 433 remain!"
Li Xiaozai breathed a sigh of relief. If all the spiritual herbs had been completely looted by Li Tianqing and Chen Shi, then there would be no room for maneuver. The other clans would likely declare war on the Li Family!
At that mont, the people who had just gone to capture Li Jindou and Li Tianqing's mother hurried back and said, "Reporting to the Family Head, Li Tianqing returned yesterday. He said he would take his mother to sweep the graves this morning. The two have already been gone for half a day."
Li Xiaozai felt a chill in his heart and hurriedly asked, "Where is Li Jindou?"
"Li Jindou has vanished without a trace. However, his father is still in Quanzhou."
Li Xiaozai composed himself. Li Tianqing's return to Quanzhou this ti was definitely to take away his mother and Li Jindou. As for why he didn't take his father, it was because the father and son had a poor relationship.
Li Tianqing's mother was a servant responsible for washing clothes. Li Tianqing's father, seeing she had so looks, forcibly took possession of her. Later, he never married her. Only after Li Tianqing was born and Li Jindou found out did he break his son's leg, forcing him to marry Li Tianqing's mother. Only then did Li Tianqing's mother gain the status of a concubine.
After Li Tianqing's father's leg healed, his temperant didn't change. He fooled around everywhere. Although Li Tianqing's mother had concubine status, she still suffered mistreatnt. His father didn't give her money, so she could only rely on washing clothes to make a living and raise Li Tianqing. Therefore, Li Tianqing didn't think much of this father.
"He is completely useless for coercing Li Tianqing."
Li Xiaozai frowned slightly and ordered the envoy to go to the spiritual plot imdiately to guard those spiritual herbs. If they encountered envoys from other great clans, they should not conflict with them.
He hurried to the Li Family's forbidden grounds and rang the alarm bell.
After a while, a Child walked out from the forbidden grounds and said, "Sect Leader, several Masters request your presence."
Li Xiaozai followed the Child into the forbidden grounds, his mood quite heavy.
The Li Family was a great clan that had continued for over six thousand years. The Li surna descendants had branched out and spread across the Western Ox New Continent, as nurous as the hairs on an ox, but the main lineage always remained in Quanzhou.
The main lineage of the Quanzhou Li Family was also divided into inner and outer branches. Inner referred to the Sect Leader's line and Li Family descendants within three generations. After three generations, they were called Li Family outer branch descendants, not as close.
As for Li branches that left Quanzhou, they were even more distant.
The Li clan would have one high-ranking official enter the Cabinet in the Western Capital court, competing for the position of Cabinet Grand Secretary. On the surface, that person seed to hold the highest status in the Li Family, but within the clan, that high official was rely the Li Family's mouthpiece. Those who truly held real power were the Sect Leader and the Sect Leader's line.
Sect Leader referred not only to the current Sect Leader but also to the successive generations of Sect Leaders.
The Li Family ancestral hall had incense offerings that had not been extinguished for over six thousand years. The heroic spirits of successive generations of Sect Leaders absorbed the energy of incense offerings and remained to this day. This was the greatest foundational strength of a powerful clan.
The second greatest foundational strength was the successive generations of Sect Leaders who were still alive!
The Li Family had four such Sect Leaders.
At this mont, the four Sect Leaders had been awakened by the alarm bell. Each sat within the Realm of Emptiness, quietly listening as Li Xiaozai recounted the Qingzhou incident.
The four Sect Leaders each fell silent.
"This matter is our Li Family's fault. If the other great clans demand accountability, we should admit our mistake."
The Great Ancestor Lord Li Yiran spoke, saying slowly, "Li Tianqing is the chief culprit. No matter what kind of genius he is, he must give an explanation to the other great clans. What is his current cultivation level?"
Li Xiaozai said, "He should be close to forming his Nascent Soul. He has a First-grade Divine Embryo. His cultivation speed is extrely fast, his progress astonishing."
The Great Ancestor asked, "What cultivation technique was he taught?"
"The Southern City Sect Yi Collection."
"The true transmission?"
"It is the true transmission."
The four Sect Leaders each frowned. *The Southern City Sect Yi Collection* was a comprehensive collection of cultivation techniques left by one of the ancestors, Li Zongyi.
"Was *The Yi'an Hall Collection* not passed on?"
"He is not of the Sect Leader's line; it was not passed on."
The Great Ancestor Lord Li Yiran instructed, "Find him, retrieve the technique, and hand him over to the other great clans for disposal."
He stood up and said to the other three Sect Leaders, "This matter also concerns another person, Chen Shi. Li Tianqing has made a mistake and must be punished. Chen Shi is the sa. What Chen Shi relies on is rely the demon in his brow and the Western Capital's Creation Little Five. Creation Little Five has been rampant for a while, actually using corpse clouds to coerce the Western Capital, plotting treason. Before, we just watched him commit evil, also wanting to force out the person who took the Innate Dao Embryo. But now, we still need to weigh Creation Little Five's true weight."
The other three Sect Leaders understood his aning and also stood up.
If Creation Little Five had sufficient weight, then they could continue to tolerate Chen Shi.
If Creation Little Five lacked weight, then Chen Shi's death date would arrive.
A holy land like the Great Bao Guo Temple could suppress ninety-nine demons. The Li Family's foundational strength was no weaker than the Great Bao Guo Temple's. Dealing with Chen Shi would be troubleso, but it wasn't impossible!
The Great Ancestor smiled and said, "It's been a long ti since I last went out for a walk. The last ti I ca out was eleven years ago, to weigh Chen Yindu's true weight."
The Li Family's Founding Ancestor laughed, "Chen Yindu indeed had so weight, but he also understood when to advance and retreat. I wonder what Creation Little Five is like."
They all stood up and walked out of the Li Family's forbidden grounds.
Li Xiaozai bowed to see them off. Only after the four Sect Leaders had left did he imdiately exit the forbidden grounds, gather manpower, and issue orders to arrest Li Tianqing, his mother, and his grandfather.
anwhile, in Xinxiang, Chen Shi hesitated for several days. When Sun Yisheng ca to visit again, he finally agreed to go to the Western Capital with Sun Yisheng.
"However, I want to bring a few people with to the Western Capital," Chen Shi said.
Sun Yisheng breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Young Master can bring a few attendants, but not too many. We'll travel via the official post roads. Each city we pass through will have official receptions. Too many people would be hard to explain."
Chen Shi said, "Don't worry, I won't bring many people. Also, don't call 'Young Master.' I hate that title. Call Chen Shi."
Sun Yisheng had to agree, saying, "When will Young Master Chen... I an, Chen... depart? This official can make preparations in advance."
Chen Shi frowned, reluctantly accepting this form of address, and said, "The morning of the sixteenth day of the first lunar month."
Sun Yisheng bid farewell and left.
During dinner, Chen Shi said to Black Pot, "It's not that I've forgiven Chen Tang. It's just that I really need to go to the Western Capital for the exams. Since Chen Tang has arranged the route, I'll go along with it, saving the trouble of searching through topographic maps."
Black Pot ate and didn't speak.
Chen Shi took two bites of rice, feeling his explanation wasn't clear enough, and continued, "I have no feelings for Chen Tang. On the contrary, I actually harbor so hatred towards him. He didn't attend Grandpa's funeral, and he never ca ho to see . He stopped being my father long ago. In my heart, he's just a stranger."
Black Pot glanced at him, put down his chopsticks, and listened to him seriously.
Chen Shi smiled and said, "Black Pot, after Grandpa left, having you by my side always makes feel like you're a living person, not a dog. You help cook, wash clothes, scrub pots and bowls, brew dicine... you take care of even better than Grandpa did. At night, you even cover with the quilt. You are my family. Having you is enough for . Besides, I still have friends!"
Chen Shi explained with a smile, "Look, I still have Li Tianqing, Hu Feifei, and Granny Sha, they're all my friends! And also Stone Ji Your Ladyship, Madam Zhuang, Xuan Shan... they're all very good to ..."
Black Pot stood up and placed his paw on Chen Shi's shoulder.
Chen Shi t the dog's gaze.
"Woof," Black Pot said.
Chen Shi said, "I really don't need a family mber. I've never even t Chen Tang..."
"Woof, woof."
Chen Shi lowered his head and said, "You're right. I just want to go see him... Let's eat, let's eat. The food is getting cold."
Black Pot sat down to eat.
Chen Shi steadied his emotions, thought for a long ti, and said, "Black Pot, you are my family. Whether I acknowledge my parents or not, you are the closest one."
The sixteenth day of the first lunar month gradually approached. Chen Shi called Black Pot, awakened Stone Ji Your Ladyship, and told Xuan Shan and Madam Zhuang to be more alert. Then he took the Wooden Cart, which rolled along with a rumbling sound, heading to the True King's Tomb.
Chen Shi left the Wooden Cart outside, carried down bundles of incense sticks, lit them first, and then carefully walked into the Ghost and God Domain of the True King's Tomb.
The power of the Ghost and God Domain activated. Chen Shi's body swayed with the space. He hurried to the front of the first Tomb Guardian Beast and inserted a bundle of incense sticks at its feet.
His figure moved swiftly, inserting a bundle of incense sticks at the foot of each Tomb Guardian Beast. Soon, he had placed all the incense offerings.
At this mont, the Ghost and God Domain of the True King's Tomb fully activated. One by one, the Tomb Guardian Beasts revived, transforming into colossal divine beasts that stood between heaven and earth, guarding the entrance to the True King's Tomb.
Chen Shi felt uneasy, holding the Western King's Jade Seal high. His face was sowhat pale as he looked at these Tomb Guardian Beasts.
The Tomb Guardian Beasts absorbed the energy of the incense offerings and did not attack him.
Chen Shi was overjoyed and put away the Western King's Jade Seal. "The jade seal is indeed useless. Bribing these Tomb Guardian Beasts with incense offerings is much more effective!"
Inside the small temple, the black-clad Xuan Shan looked sowhat confused. He glanced at Madam Zhuang, then at Stone Ji Your Ladyship, showing a puzzled expression. He whispered, "I clearly saw these divine beasts treating him with utmost respect. Why is Little Ten still being so cautious?"
"No manners! Call him Envoy!" Stone Ji Your Ladyship scolded.
The black-clad Xuan Shan was even more bewildered. What was this about an Envoy?
Stone Ji Your Ladyship snorted and said, "The Envoy is inherently kind-hearted. He feeds these poor divine beasts incense offerings so they won't be forgotten and grow weaker. You are an otherworldly cultivator. Reaching your current level wasn't easy, but in the True King's Era, you would be just like them, only responsible for guarding the gate."
The black-clad Xuan Shan remained calm and composed, not responding.
Madam Zhuang whispered, "Xuan Shan, if you and I join forces, we should be able to knock down this big-headed woman."
The black-clad Xuan Shan didn't respond.
His Dao Heart was serene; he wasn't concerned about this.
Chen Shi's purpose in paying respects to these Tomb Guardian Beasts this ti was still the various thods recorded on the stone steles.
Before, he had only skimd over them roughly. Now, he was going to the Western Capital for the exams, a trip that would take at least half a year, and he didn't know when he would return. Therefore, he first morized these cultivation techniques to study slowly on the road.
Outside the True King's Tomb, stone steles stood like a forest, recording all kinds of thods.
Stone Ji Your Ladyship, Madam Zhuang, and the black-clad Xuan Shan also watched these techniques through the small temple.
They were otherworldly cultivators. These techniques weren't very useful to them, but so of the spells among them were extrely useful, so they could take the opportunity to learn them.
It took Chen Shi two days to morize the various thods recorded in the stele forest. Just as he was about to leave, he inexplicably glanced at the portal of the True King's Tomb.
"Back then, to save , my Grandpa broke into the True King's Tomb from here and found the immortal technique inside, the Water-Fire Refining Art."
He composed himself and involuntarily took a step, walking towards the portal of the True King's Tomb, his heart pounding wildly.
The Water-Fire Refining Art was an immortal technique!
Cultivating it could lead to becoming a Corpse Liberation Immortal!
Inside the True King's Tomb, there might be techniques of the sa level, or even higher!
He walked to the portal of the True King's Tomb. The door creaked and automatically opened.
A cold wind blew from the tomb, chilling him to the bone, making him shiver.
He steadied himself and was about to walk in when suddenly a voice ca from behind: "Holy Envoy, the seals and traps inside the tomb are complex. Please take out the jade seal."
Chen Shi turned around and saw that the goat-horned, human-bodied Tomb Guardian Beast had now shrunk in size, though it was still about ten feet tall. It had sohow stepped behind him without him noticing.
"Holy Envoy?"
Chen Shi was surprised. He took out the Western King's Jade Seal. The jade seal flew up and floated in front of him.
The goat-horned, human-bodied Tomb Guardian Beast bowed and took the lead, entering the tomb's passageway. It said in a deep voice, "There are many seals, traps, and magic treasures inside the tomb. The slightest carelessness could lead to death. Even with the jade seal, one could still die inside. I will lead the way. Holy Envoy, please follow and do not take a wrong step."
Chen Shi hadn't expected it to be so accommodating. He imdiately followed it and said, "I want to learn an immortal technique. I wonder if you could make an exception?"
The goat-horned, human-bodied Tomb Guardian Beast said, "There are indeed immortal techniques inside the tomb. But which techniques are immortal ones, I do not know. The Holy Envoy will have to distinguish them himself."
Chen Shi looked around. The passageway was about ten feet high and ten feet wide, extending deep into the unknown. On both sides were vermilion murals, eternal lamps, and many side chambers of various sizes.
The large side chambers were as big as a room; the small ones were only the size of a fist.
These side chambers enshrined various strange magic treasures, connected by peculiar formations. Waves of energy emitted by these treasures continuously swept over Chen Shi's entire body. These treasures were probably detecting friend or foe.
Without the Western King's Jade Seal, these treasures would likely activate the mont an intruder stepped into the passageway, blasting the invader to death!
However, Chen Shi also saw that many side chambers and murals had been destroyed. So magic treasures were smashed flat, so were shattered into pieces, scattered about. So side chambers had collapsed; so eternal lamps were twisted and lted.
Besides that, there were corpses lying haphazardly on the ground.
These corpses had handso features and wore splendid clothing. Even in death, they emitted extrely powerful auras, like heavenly deities.
The corpses had not decayed, but strangely, they all shared the sa face.
"The destruction here was done by your grandfather."
The goat-horned, human-bodied Tomb Guardian Beast noticed his gaze and said, "Back then, he forced his way in here, fighting from the outside to the inside. A few of us brothers entered the passageway and fought him using the layout of the side chambers. These on the ground are his accomplices, whom we killed."
"These are..."
Chen Shi examined these heavenly deity-like corpses in surprise. Suddenly, his heart stirred. "They are Tianji! Talisman God Tianji!"
Ahead, the voice of the goat-horned, human-bodied Tomb Guardian Beast ca: "Holy Envoy, the library pavilion has arrived!"
Chen Shi walked forward. At that mont, a Talisman God Tianji on the ground, with only half its body remaining, twitched. Its head turned halfway on the ground. Seeing Chen Shi's face, it opened its mouth and said, "Chen Tang..."
The goat-horned, human-bodied Tomb Guardian Beast was about to lift its foot to crush it when Chen Shi hurriedly said, "Don't kill him!"
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