Chen Shi's gaze t Zhuang Wujiu's. Zhuang Wujiu gave him a slight smile, taking the dossier on Chen Shi's departnt from Venerated Lord Guangxiao's hand.
Chen Shi withdrew his gaze and walked out of the Hanlin Academy.
"Just who is this Zhuang Wujiu?"
His heart was montarily unsettled. Zhuang Wujiu had only spoken a few words to him, but they revealed a great deal of information!
First, Zhuang Wujiu had seen Chen Shi eleven years ago!
Second, when Zhuang Wujiu saw Chen Shi, Chen Shi's Innate Dao Embryo was still present; Chen Shi had not yet died!
Third, Zhuang Wujiu knew Chen Shi's Innate Dao Embryo had been excised, that he had fallen into death!
Fourth, Zhuang Wujiu's status was above that of the Heaven's Listeners!
The first three points indicated that Zhuang Wujiu most likely knew who had taken Chen Shi's Innate Dao Embryo!
It was even possible that this person was Zhuang Wujiu himself!
Furthermore, his relationship with the Heaven's Listeners was also thought-provoking.
The Heaven's Listeners were inherently extrely mysterious, like people from another world.
Although they also lived on the Western Ox New Continent and looked exactly like humans, they were completely out of sync with normal people.
Their whereabouts were bizarre, their living habits a mystery. No one had even seen them eat, sleep, pee, or shit!
It was as if they didn't need these functions!
And yet, they could be seen everywhere.
Around the mansions of so high-ranking officials, Heaven's Listeners often appeared. They would flutter their large ears, floating in the air, hanging upside down from trees, crouching on roof ridges, standing in crowds, listening to their target's words, monitoring their target's actions, faithfully recording everything.
They would also surveil individuals they deed dangerous. Such Heaven's Listeners often lurked around Chen Shi.
They would also appear at the sites of major events, recording these incidents.
They would even take the initiative to strike, eliminating so dangerous figures they considered a threat to them.
Their information was absolutely far more accurate than that of the Western Capital's imperial court. They knew everything under heaven, everything that happened on the Western Ox New Continent.
What was even more peculiar was their abilities. Even the spells and supernatural powers used by the lowest-level Heaven's Listener apostles surpassed many provincial graduates and could even rival quite a few great clans.
They could transform their qi and blood into multiple arms. This kind of combat thod was extrely precious; very few cultivators knew how to cultivate it. Yet they only used it to make recording more convenient for themselves.
Their ears could enlarge at will, and this fell within the category of creation arts. Many cultivators had little understanding of creation arts; physical transformations were only touched upon by so evil arts like the creating livestock spell or the Buddhist Sect's Sixteen-Foot Golden Body.
As for the more powerful Heaven's Listener officers, they even possessed abilities similar to a Ghost and God Domain, causing ears to sprout all around to aid their surveillance.
Where did the Heaven's Listeners co from? Were they truly human or so other creature? Whom did they serve? Where did they transmit the information they gathered?
These were things Chen Shi had no way of knowing.
Now, the appearance of Zhuang Wujiu made him realize that the Heaven's Listeners were probably under the command of figures like Zhuang Wujiu.
But where did Zhuang Wujiu co from?
"However, if Zhuang Wujiu wants to get accurate information about from the Heaven's Listeners, he's dreaming."
Chen Shi let out a relieved sigh. There were indeed many Heaven's Listeners outside the Chen residence. During Chen Shi's daily outings, Heaven's Listeners did indeed lurk around, monitoring and surveilling his every word and action. However, what they saw and heard was what Chen Shi allowed them to see and hear.
Because Black Pot had always been by Chen Shi's side. What the Heaven's Listeners saw and heard had been altered by Black Pot.
Hanlin Academy, the academic hall.
Zhuang Wujiu sat upright. Suddenly, his neck made cracking sounds. In the blink of an eye, heads sprouted from his neck, and arms erged from under his armpits. They unfolded the dossier and began flipping through it rapidly.
He still felt the reading wasn't fast enough. One head struggled outward, actually growing a body from within, standing up and separating from the main body.
The other heads followed suit, each stepping out from the main body. Then, eyes grew on their foreheads, palms, and even the tips of their ten fingers. The eyeballs rotated, rapidly reading the information in Chen Shi's dossier.
The Heaven's Listeners had listed Chen Shi as a separate departnt, recording his daily life, diet, and activities, whom he encountered, what he said, and which areas warranted vigilance.
The dossier flipped pages on its own, rustling as page after page turned. Soon, Zhuang Wujiu had read about one-tenth. He frowned slightly. The other three Zhuang Wujius each walked over, rging with his main body. The various heads successively vanished into his physique.
"Wrong. The things recorded by the Heaven's Listeners are completely wrong."
Zhuang Wujiu waved his hand. The dossier on the table instantly burned to ashes.
Among the Heaven's Listeners' records, there was also quite a bit of useful information, but most of it was false. Trying to find the truth amidst this overwhelming sea of false information was as difficult as climbing to heaven. He didn't even know if these so-called true pieces of information might be traps intentionally left by Chen Shi. So, it was better to simply not look.
"That Child Prodigy is quite interesting. Soone who could receive the True God's gift of an Innate Dao Embryo is indeed extraordinary. Even without the Dao Embryo, he is absolutely no ordinary person."
Zhuang Wujiu praised softly, then murmured, "I really want to know how strong you would be now if you had lived with the Dao Embryo. I'd very much like to see you again. However, official business cos first."
Chen Shi returned to the Chen residence. Zhang You was already waiting at the gate, with Black Pot lying under the nearby Wooden Cart.
Zhang You asked with a smile, "Young Lord Chen, have you already t Zhuang Wujiu?"
Chen Shi glanced at Black Pot in surprise and asked, "How does Young Lord Zhang know I would et him?"
"Because I've already t him in advance."
Zhang You said, "I should have notified you first, but Zhuang Wujiu's background is imnse. It forced to only dare et you here after you two had t. Moreover, I had to rely on Black Pot's power to obscure the Heaven's Listeners' perception."
Chen Shi raised his hand, inviting him inside for a detailed discussion, and said with a smile, "Young Lord Zhang knows about Black Pot?"
Zhang You smiled, "A few days ago, while my Founding Ancestor was in the Western Capital, he sensed a mysterious expert around you, Young Lord Chen, attempting to alter the perceptions of the surrounding people. He imdiately knew it was Black Pot's doing. As for going into the Chen residence for a detailed talk, that's unnecessary. The Chen residence has already been infiltrated by the various great clans like a sieve. It's better to just talk for a while on the street."
He hesitated for a mont, then said, "I can't tell you much. What I can say, I will tell you. Eleven years ago, the forr Sect Leader of my Zhang Family was awakened upon hearing news of the Innate Dao Embryo's ergence. He imdiately took , who was only eight years old at the ti, straight to Xinxiang County."
Chen Shi's body trembled slightly, and he couldn't help but shiver, knowing what event Zhang You was about to speak of.
Black Pot also suddenly perked up, crawling out from under the cart onto the street, vigilantly looking around to guard against eavesdroppers.
"The Zhang Family has influence and informants everywhere across the fifty provinces of the Western Ox New Continent. Therefore, our family was the first to know about the True God bestowing the Innate Dao Embryo."
Zhang You stood by the wall, recalling the past, and said, "Because the matter was of great importance, the clan elders awakened the forr Sect Leader. At that ti, I was already being grood as the next Sect Leader, because at eight years old, I had obtained a first-grade Divine Embryo, the Purple Jade Divine Embryo. But all the elders in the clan believed the Innate Dao Embryo was superior. Because a Divine Embryo, once excised, cannot be preserved for long, the forr Sect Leader had to take there. When I arrived at Xinxiang County, I discovered I wasn't the only child brought by family elders."
He recounted in detail his mories of that incident in Xinxiang County.
Back then, he was only eight and didn't understand what the Innate Dao Embryo everyone was fighting over ant. He didn't know many people, didn't know where the other children ca from, but the forr Sect Leader was very familiar with the elders behind these children. When they t, they would exchange a few jokes, everyone laughing heartily, teasing each other.
Thinking back now, those children must also have been highly valued seedlings from other great clans, brought to Xinxiang County by clan leaders of Sect Leader-level figures, attempting to seize the Innate Dao Embryo for imdiate transplantation.
"Although I don't rember the situation too clearly, I can say with certainty that the Thirteen Great Clans were basically all involved."
Zhang You said, "Besides the Thirteen Great Clans, the forr Sect Leader also showed great respect to one child. He was the Young Master in his childhood. The forr Sect Leader also addressed him as 'Young Master'."
Chen Shi raised an eyebrow. The Young Master was also involved in that struggle back then?
"The Young Master was a few years older than , already twelve or thirteen, about the sa age as you are now."
Zhang You said, "Besides the Young Master, the forr Sect Leader also showed great respect to several oddly dressed people, chatting and laughing with them. While the adults talked, us children gathered to play. Back then, we were all minors, without much cunning, so we played very happily. As for the clashes and killings among the adults, we didn't inquire, nor did we hold grudges against each other, even if we were opponents. Among us was Zhuang Wujiu."
Chen Shi raised an eyebrow lightly and said, "The Young Master once said he knew exactly who took the Innate Dao Embryo. Could that person be Zhuang Wujiu?"
Zhang You hesitated, then shook his head, "I don't know. Exactly who obtained the Innate Dao Embryo, even my Zhang Family's forr Sect Leader didn't know. He was injured in that struggle and fled back to the Zhang Family with in disgrace. The battle at Xinxiang claid too many lives. Those who died were all masters among masters. Many smaller-scale clans also ca to fight for it. The elite forces of those clans were completely wiped out, their nas erased. I was just a child in the Divine Embryo realm back then; I couldn't understand many things. However, Zhuang Wujiu did say one thing to . He said he ca from Despair Slope."
Chen Shi's heart thumped violently twice.
The term 'Despair Slope' had been ntioned to him by Creation Little Five.
Creation Little Five had threatened the Thirteen Great Clans with the lives of countless people in the Western Capital, defeated the ancestral founders of the Thirteen Great Clans, and forced Li Family's Great Ancestor Lord Li Yiran and Great Ancestor Li Qianfeng to tell him exactly who killed Chen Shi and took the Innate Dao Embryo.
At that ti, the ancestral founders of the Thirteen Great Clans told Creation Little Five that the one who killed Chen Shi and took the Dao Embryo was inevitably connected to what lay behind Despair Slope.
After that, Creation Little Five left and hadn't been heard from since.
And this Zhuang Wujiu was actually a visitor from Despair Slope!
"Back then, the visitors from Despair Slope brought not just Zhuang Wujiu, but two other children, a boy and a girl. However, I only got along with Zhuang Wujiu, the Young Master, and the others. I couldn't connect with them and didn't know their nas."
Zhang You said, "After that, I parted ways with Zhuang Wujiu. The Young Master also left the Ren Family and went to Prince Zheng's Mansion in Yudu. Later, I heard of a great upheaval erupting in the Western Capital, where many people died. Only then did I learn that your grandfather had fought his way to the Western Capital. Young Lord Chen, all I can tell you is this much."
Chen Shi looked at him deeply and said, "What about the Heaven's Listeners? Brother Zhang, you must know sothing about them, right? I just saw Venerated Lord Guangxiao of the Heaven's Listeners perform a kneeling bow to Zhuang Wujiu."
Zhang You hesitated, then said, "I've heard from the elders in my clan that the origin of the Heaven's Listeners is incredibly ancient. They appeared not long after the Ming Dynasty's people set foot on the Western Ox New Continent. They monitor every move of the Ming Dynasty's people, recording their words and actions."
Chen Shi exclaid, "They're not human?"
Zhang You hesitated for a mont, then said, "They might not be the sa kind of human as us. These Heaven's Listeners might also co from Despair Slope, following its commands. Young Lord Chen, I should go."
He definitely knew other things but found it inconvenient to tell Chen Shi, and Chen Shi didn't want to press him.
"Brother Zhang, why are you helping ?" Chen Shi inquired.
Zhang You smiled, "Perhaps because my Zhang Family owed you from back then."
Chen Shi stared into his eyes. Zhang You hesitated, then decided to tell the truth, "I don't think the Zhang Family owes you anything, because my family didn't obtain your Innate Dao Embryo. The reason I'm telling you this is because you pulled up in the Buddhist hell. You not only saved as a person but also saved my Dao Heart. To be honest, I really intended to roast and eat Yu Lingzi back then. I was too hungry..."
He fell silent for a mont, then said, "But I knew that if I ate a person, my Dao Heart would forever remain in the Buddhist hell. Even if I escaped, my Dao Heart would sink into hell, struggling to get out! You saved ."
"When I was eight, I learned about you, knew there was a Child Prodigy ranked first across the fifty provinces, a genius of unparalleled talent. I also knew of your death. Later, I heard you had been reborn and were coming to participate in this Spring Examinations. I wanted to et you, to see what was so extraordinary about you that the True God would bestow upon you a better Divine Embryo. I originally harbored intentions to compete, but after you saved , I no longer had such thoughts."
"As the next-generation successor of the Zhang Family, I will inevitably control the clan in the future and must consider the Zhang Family's interests. I might even beco your adversary. Therefore, while I am still young, still possess a scholar's righteous spirit, I make this small repaynt for your salvation, just to express a fraction of my gratitude."
He paused here for a mont, then said, "If I beco your enemy in the future, Young Lord Chen, you must rember that the of that ti, for the sake of the clan, will absolutely not hold back because you saved and my Dao Heart. I hope you won't show rcy either. Farewell."
He perford a deep bow, his hands reaching the ground.
Chen Shi returned the courtesy. When he straightened up, Zhang You had already turned and left.
Chen Shi watched him walk away and said with a smile, "Black Pot, this person is sowhat interesting. I suddenly rember when I led the provincial graduates to the Nine Halls to kill the Young Master, he stood behind , lending his support. So, among the scions of great clans, besides Li Tianqing, there are also good people. Black Pot, let's go! We'll go monitor Zhuang Wujiu, see what this kid is up to!"
His interest piqued, he imdiately headed towards the Hanlin Academy with Black Pot.
However, upon arriving at the Hanlin Academy, he couldn't find Zhuang Wujiu. Chen Shi was puzzled. At that mont, Black Pot stared at the ground and barked twice.
"Zhuang Wujiu is in the underworld? What's he doing in the underworld?"
Chen Shi was astonished. Black Pot stomped his foot, and a sudden gust of yin wind arose, pulling Chen Shi down into the underworld!
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