Chen Shi retracted the Heaven-asuring Iron Ruler, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
Zhuang Wujiu had suffered a setback at Despair Slope, yet when outside, he maintained a lofty image, seeking a sense of superiority from him. How could Chen Shi tolerate that?
"This ti, even if he doesn't die, he'll be severely injured!"
Chen Shi examined the Heaven-asuring Iron Ruler; this thing was indeed incredibly useful. The only pity was that it could only be activated once each ti and had to be retrieved before his magical power was exhausted, otherwise it would fall down.
"Zhuang Wujiu was right, my cultivation is still too shallow. If I could activate this thing continuously, I could even try my hand against the Return to Emptiness realm!"
A strong sense of crisis arose in his heart, stemming from Zhuang Wujiu of Despair Slope. Eleven years ago, he was just a little brat playing with the Young Master and Zhang You. Eleven years later, he had cultivated to the Refining Spirit Realm!
The next realm after the Refining Spirit Realm was the Return to Emptiness realm!
Chen Tang was an existence at the Return to Emptiness realm, already one of the youngest Return to Emptiness realm masters in the world!
And Zhuang Wujiu had nearly reached this realm using only eleven years.
Zhuang Wujiu was ambushed by Chen Shi this ti and seed disgraced, but judging from his cultivation progress, he truly lived up to his reputation as a genius!
His achievents were enough to make people look up to him, even making the descendants of the Thirteen Great Clans look up to him!
"And yet, Zhuang Wujiu suffered a heavy blow at Despair Slope, forcing him to leave Despair Slope and seek a sense of superiority from . The person he needs to look up to is the one who stole my Innate Dao Embryo. Eleven years have passed, what step has this person's realm reached now?"
Chen Shi whispered to himself, "Return to Emptiness? Great Ascension? I'm afraid even these two realms are not enough to make people look up, are they? Could it be the Tribulation Crossing realm, which no one can set foot in..."
Chen Tang, without Chen Yindu's guidance and without the support of a great clan's heritage, broke through to the Return to Emptiness realm in middle age, already a peerless genius comparable to the core disciples and even the Sect Leaders of the Thirteen Great Clans. Zhuang Wujiu, backed by the mysterious inheritance of Despair Slope, cultivated to the Refining Spirit Realm at twenty, stunning the world even more.
But compared to that person, both of them seed dim and colorless.
Chen Shi wanted to reclaim his own Innate Dao Embryo, to avenge himself and settle his hatred. Sooner or later, he would have to face this person!
He currently had no Divine Embryo, using Stone Ji Your Ladyship and the white-robed fairy as his Divine Embryo, using his own Primordial Spirit as his Divine Embryo. Could he really catch up to this person?
Chen Shi whispered, "I have cultivated for three years and have already reached the Nascent Soul Transformation realm today, cultivating a one-zhang Primordial Spirit. Eleven years... within eleven years, I must break through to the Great Ascension realm, stand shoulder to shoulder with you, and even surpass you!"
In the following days, Chen Shi took Black Pot to the mountains outside the Western Capital to search for exotic beasts, intending to hunt a few to nourish Black Pot's body. The Western Capital was surrounded by mountains on three sides, all large mountains. Logically, the exotic beasts in these mountains should be no fewer than those in Qianyang Mountain. However, the exotic beasts here had long been captured by talisman master sects. After searching for several days, he found nothing.
Chen Shi had no choice but to take Black Pot to the market to buy exotic beast at, purchasing several hundred jin at once for Black Pot to eat.
However, Black Pot could only eat three to five jin at a ti; any more and he couldn't eat it.
Chen Shi was troubled and had no choice but to feed the remaining exotic beast at to the cart.
"Perhaps I can ask Zhong Kui for advice. He's very capable in fighting; maybe he knows how to make Black Pot improve his strength," Chen Shi thought.
However, Zhong Kui and Tie Chi, dragging their families along, had followed Third-Place Graduate Hu and Little King of Hell to Xinxiang and were not in the Western Capital.
Hu Feifei was the Third-Place Graduate of the current examination and was also appointed as an official, becoming the County Magistrate of Xinxiang County. The original county magistrate was transferred elsewhere. Hu Feifei took office with Nannan in tow, returning ho to be a grandmother. Zhong Kui and Tie Chi had thus followed her there.
Chen Shi took Black Pot to the Hanlin Academy. The Hanlin Academy was a place that gathered books from across the world, the location with the strongest literary energy in the entire Western Ox New Continent.
The Hanlin Academicians here were people of great learning from past imperial examinations. The top scholars of past generations often had to serve as officials in the Hanlin Academy for several years. Every year during the Classics Mat, great Confucian scholars would hold lectures, teaching the classics of Master, ncius, and other schools.
Its library was all-encompassing, rich in collections, with a vast array of books filling the various great study halls and academies.
Chen Shi arrived at the Hanlin Academy and summoned a minor clerk, inquiring about books and records concerning ghost gods.
The clerk hurriedly said, "Editorial Director, regarding ghost god bibliographies, there are fictional works and historical records. The fictional works are in the Miscellaneous Studies Hall, and the historical records are right here in our Historical Studies Hall."
He led Chen Shi to the Historical Studies Hall. The Historical Studies Hall was the largest hall within the Hanlin Academy. Books filled the hall to overflowing, countless in number. There were also so white-haired, elderly gentlen flipping through ancient texts, transcribing and excerpting.
They were scholars devoted to learning. Although they buried their heads in classics year-round, their knowledge was profound, their cultivation profound, having refined a vast righteous energy that made it difficult for ghosts and gods to approach.
When Black Pot passed by them following Chen Shi, he couldn't help but shiver several tis. They seed like majestic, righteous heavenly deities, towering between heaven and earth, suppressing him and making him dare not act recklessly.
Chen Shi also saw the extraordinariness of these elderly gentlen and quietly asked the clerk, "Who are they?"
"Book clerks, just like ."
The clerk looked at these white-haired elderly gentlen and said, "We were originally Presented Scholars and Provincial Graduates. After the imperial examinations, we were sent to the Hanlin Academy to serve as book clerks."
Chen Shi said in surprise, "Have they never been promoted?"
The clerk shook his head. "With no connections outside, one can only stay in the Hanlin Academy studying for a lifeti. I'm afraid my future will be the sa."
Chen Shi looked at these elderly gentlen. Although they were old, their cultivation was truly extraordinary. Their Primordial Spirits were refined to an incredibly pure state, their bodies filled with a vast righteous energy far more powerful than those high officials and nobles!
"Sir, this way."
The clerk led him to the Ghost God Section of the Historical Studies Hall. Chen Shi examined these bibliographies and saw labels on the bookshelves, classified by era. Starting from six thousand years ago, each century had a volu, each millennium a scroll.
Chen Shi didn't see any books from six thousand years ago and asked in confusion, "Where are the ghost god books from six thousand years ago?"
"Reporting, sir, there are none. Not only does the Ghost God Section not have them, but all other sections also lack any records from six thousand years ago."
Chen Shi frowned slightly. "In other study halls, there are also no records from six thousand years ago?"
The clerk shook his head.
Chen Shi pressed further, "No records from the True King's Era have been preserved at all?"
"There are so records, but they are also hearsay passed down by later generations, just fragnts."
The clerk said, "If you want to seek such rumors, go to the Fiction Section of the Miscellaneous Studies Hall."
Chen Shi waved his hand, indicating the clerk could go about his business.
The clerk left.
Chen Shi took out scroll after scroll of ancient books, carefully unrolling them. These ancient texts were very old; if handled carelessly, the paper could easily tear.
He read carefully but found the books recorded ghost gods that mysteriously appeared and disappeared in various places.
There were also records of demonic transformations in various places, as well as demon suppression and Celestial True Gods eliminating demons.
The historians recorded these in considerable detail, along with various thods for managing and suppressing demons.
There were also records of the activities of various Godmothers, as well as sacrificial activities of underworld ghost gods.
Chen Shi flipped through other books, rapidly skimming, gradually discovering so noteworthy points.
"Six thousand years ago, demonic transformations were rare. Across the fifty provinces of the Western Ox New Continent, the number of demonic transformations occurring in a year was only one or two. The closer to the present, the more frequent the annual demonic transformations beca. Especially in recent years, dozens of demonic transformations occur each year, exhausting the court's efforts to deal with them. In other words, demonic activity is gradually increasing!"
He still hadn't found how to make Black Pot quickly improve his strength. Feeling anxious, he imdiately left the Hanlin Academy and returned to the Chen residence, saying to Chen Tang, "Father, we can't delay any longer. The longer we delay, the more variables arise. You take Mother and ride the Wooden Cart, leave the capital imdiately, and return to Xinxiang. I'll stay in the Western Capital to stabilize the Thirteen Great Clans. Once you've gone far, I'll imdiately go to the underworld to rescue Mother's soul!"
Chen Tang knew he was always decisive and said, "Alright!"
He imdiately packed his luggage and valuables, prepared so food and drink, and stuffed them into the Wooden Cart.
Black Pot sat in the courtyard of the Chen residence. The maids and servants around paid no attention to Chen Tang's actions.
Chen Tang finished packing and quickly went to the main hall. He bowed respectfully to the longsword on the long table, reached out to grab the sword, and was about to turn and leave when he looked at Chen Yindu's spirit tablet again. Hesitating for a mont, he bowed to the tablet, then took it down, whispering, "Father, back then, after your massacre in the Western Capital, the Thirteen Great Clans were uneasy about you. But with in the Western Capital as a hostage, they felt assured and wouldn't move to eliminate you. Eleven years have passed. You have passed away, and Little Ten has grown up. Today, I am returning ho. Please watch over us!"
He went to the cart, placed the spirit tablet inside, tied the Xuanwei Sword at his waist, also placed the box on the cart, then picked up Chen Shi's mother and placed her in the cart, letting her sit on a cushion with her back against the cart fra, also padded with a cushion.
"I've prepared several hundred jin of exotic beast at on the cart. Put it in your Realm of Emptiness and rember to feed the cart on ti."
Chen Shi ca to the side of the cart and instructed, "Also, first go to Juxian Pavilion to withdraw so silver for the journey. At night, if you travel by night, hang the lantern. Although you are strong, there are many types of evil spirits. I'm worried you might slip up sotis."
Chen Tang noted each point and said, "After we leave, you will be the hostage. They won't let you leave the Western Capital. How will you leave?"
Chen Shi smiled. "I'll stay in the Western Capital. They won't try to kill you. Once you're far from the Western Capital, I'll leave through the underworld."
Chen Tang's gaze fell on his face, and a sudden pang of sorrow welled up in his heart.
He had always been unwilling to acknowledge this son. For three years, he hadn't returned ho once, not even going back to pay respects when his old father passed away.
He never expected Chen Shi to seek him out, find him, letting him experience the joys of family and father-son affection.
Even more unexpected was that Chen Shi would use himself as a hostage to ensure he and his wife could leave safely!
Chen Shi was only thirteen years old.
Chen Tang felt this sorrow flow from the depths of his heart, rising to his nasal cavity, reaching his eye sockets, making him almost unable to hold back tears. Yet he smiled and said, "Little Ten, protect yourself well. Your mother and I will wait for you to co ho in Huangpo Village. Our family of three will reunite!"
Chen Shi nodded solemnly.
Chen Tang got on the cart.
The Wooden Cart imdiately started rolling, moving outward.
Chen Shi quickly followed and said, "Black Pot!"
Black Pot followed Chen Shi. The Chen residence's maids and servants imdiately also quickly followed Black Pot. The group walked outward, left the Chen residence, and proceeded along Qianyang Street toward the outer city.
They exited the inner city, imdiately entered Chang'an Street, quickly crossed Chang'an Street, entered Nanjing Street, and arrived outside Juxian Pavilion.
Chen Tang jumped off the cart, entered Juxian Pavilion in a few steps, and after a short while, ca out with a stack of Silver Notes and about a hundred taels of silver. He swiftly exited the building and jumped onto the cart.
Chen Shi and the maids and servants behind them kept walking without stopping, following the Wooden Cart all the way toward the West City Gate.
Upon reaching the West City Gate, Chen Shi stopped.
Black Pot and those maids and servants also stopped.
Chen Tang looked back. The cart didn't stop as he waved to him.
Chen Shi waved back, watching them leave the city.
Black Pot had been deceiving the maids and servants, deceiving those passersby and Heaven's Listeners along the way. This could buy so ti. However, those monitoring them weren't just these maids, servants, and Heaven's Listeners. There were also the Thirteen Great Clans' informants on the streets, the outer city's garrison troops, the inner city's Divine chanism Battalion warriors, and the Directorate of Astronomy's various experts and magic treasures!
No matter how powerful Black Pot was, he couldn't possibly deceive everyone.
But what Chen Shi needed was a mont of ti, an opportunity for Chen Tang and his mother to leave the city safely.
"By now, these informants, garrison troops, Divine chanism Battalion, and the Directorate of Astronomy have likely reported layer by layer, alerting the high-level mbers of the Thirteen Great Clans."
Chen Shi watched the Wooden Cart disappear outside the city and thought to himself, "From now on, I am the Chen family's hostage."
He turned around and returned with Black Pot.
Those maids and servants who had run until they were panting suddenly woke up, completely unaware of why they were here.
Chen Shi didn't go ho imdiately. Instead, he took Black Pot around to wander, letting more informants see him, showing that he had not left the Western Capital.
"It's a pity the ti was too short, the minor heaven system hasn't been fully established yet. Otherwise, sending off my parents wouldn't have needed to be so troubleso," he secretly thought.
The minor heaven connected the fifty provinces of the Western Ox New Continent. It required one person capable of activating a Celestial Court token in each of the fifty provinces. However, Chen Shi's students were currently rushing to take up their posts in various places and hadn't arrived yet. Yu Tiancheng was refining Celestial Court tokens and had just started sending them out. The minor heaven system also hadn't begun testing the distance limits.
Therefore, Chen Shi had to stay behind as a hostage.
For the common people, the court was the court. But for the Thirteen Great Clans, the Thirteen Great Clans were the court.
Even if he and his father possessed cultivation and strength that reached the heavens and pierced the earth, they could not oppose the entire court, let alone the fact that the Western Capital still had the Nine Halls of the True King, such heavy treasures suppressing the fortunes of the Western Ox New Continent!
At this mont, within the Western Capital, various informants, garrison troops, the inner city's Divine chanism Battalion, and the entire Directorate of Astronomy were already in a panic, rushing toward Wenyuan Pavilion.
A short while later, the thirteen major officials of the Cabinet gathered in Wenyuan Pavilion. Before the thirteen major officials could even confer, they first transmitted the news to the Sect Leaders of the Thirteen Great Clans.
After the ssages were delivered, Yan Xianzhi, Xia Canghai, and the other twelve major officials all quieted down, quietly awaiting ssages sent back from the various great clans.
Clusters of Thousand-li Communication Talismans floated quietly in the air, emitting golden light within the flas.
Not long after, the first voice ca from within the flas.
"Chen Tang and his wife have left. Where is Chen Shi?"
"Reporting to the Sect Leader, Chen Shi is still in the Western Capital."
"Chen Tang is indeed ruthless and cunning, leaving Chen Shi behind as a hostage. Keep an eye on Chen Shi; don't let him run. Also, see Chen Tang off. Don't make things difficult for him, but don't let him look down on the Thirteen Great Clans either."
A majestic voice ca through. "You are permitted to open the Upper Realm and give him a small shock. Tell him that if he doesn't behave, the Thirteen Great Clans will not let him off lightly."
"We obey."
Chen Tang sat in the Wooden Cart, looking at his wife leaning there, dull and unresponsive. His mood was complex, a hundred different flavors surging in his heart.
The Wooden Cart gradually accelerated, going faster and faster, soon surpassing other carriages. Various talismans on the cart body lit up, and the Huagai also automatically opened. A celestial palace shone down, enveloping them.
"Whoosh—"
Clouds and mist sprouted from the Wooden Cart's wheels. It left the ground, rose into the air, with wind, thunder, fire, and lightning generated beneath its wheels. It sped away carrying electric light.
A warmth rose in Chen Tang's heart. Although Chen Shi often rode the cart, he had never activated these talismans on the Wooden Cart, making people think this cart couldn't fly—all for the sake of arranging their escape from the Western Capital today.
The Wooden Cart rose higher and higher, faster and faster. East Mountain ahead rapidly approached them.
At this mont, Chen Tang sensed sothing and looked back toward the Western Capital. He saw nine beams of immortal light rising from the ground, shooting into the clouds.
Those were the lights of Wenhua, Wuying, Huagai, Zhongji, Wenyuan, Dongge, Zhengyi, Jinshen, and Jianji—the nine immortal halls, the Western Capital's intimidation aid at him!
Chen Tang nervously grabbed the box and looked up at those nine beams of light. He saw the light swirling, opening up the sky, revealing just a corner of another world to him.
Large cauldrons stood in the sky, incense offerings curling like mist, forming rosy clouds. Behind the rosy clouds were glorious, brilliant deities, either standing or sitting cross-legged, their expressions solemn and dignified.
Deities, as far as the eye could see.
Chen Tang's face changed drastically. The wooden box in his hand seed to beco incomparably heavy.
Since ancient tis, countless heroes and talented individuals had supported their families' rise, flourishing for a ti, attempting to replace the Thirteen Great Clans, yet none succeeded.
Now, he knew the reason.
A voice sounded, entering Chen Tang's ears.
"From the fall of the True King's Era to the present, six thousand years have passed. The Thirteen Great Clans have one Sect Leader every fifty years, giving birth to nearly two thousand Sect Leaders. Their Realms of Emptiness have been refined into this sky, forming the Upper Realm. Ancestors of past generations are like gods, absorbing the world's incense offerings."
Yan Xianzhi walked forward, smiling. "Lord Chen Tang, I am following the Sect Leader's orders, inviting you to witness the heritage of our Thirteen Great Clans."
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