Granny Sha had once said that Chen Shi's soul was too strong, causing his Three Corpses Gods to be terrifyingly powerful. In the future, when he eliminated the Three Corpses, it would likely be much more difficult for him than for others.
The Lower Corpses God, Peng Qiao, seed to sense the commotion in the rear hall. It ca to the front of the hall, its massive eye blocking the doorway as it peered inside.
"Master, you're in there, aren't you? Co out quickly! I know of several won with beautiful faces and graceful figures. Tonight, I'll take you to have so fun, enter their dreams to frolic among the clouds and rain, and enjoy a pleasurable ti!"
At that mont, two other Corpses Gods crawled out from the halls on the left and right. From the left hall ca the Upper Corpses God, Peng Ju, handso in appearance, like a refined gentleman, treating others with great amiability.
The Middle Corpses God had a bulging belly, exuding an air of nobility, and was many tis fatter than the current Chen Shi.
They also bore Chen Shi's face.
These two Corpses Gods also ca to the door. The Upper Corpses God, Peng Ju, smiled and said, "Tonight's moonlight is just right. We should go to the brothel to listen to music!"
The Middle Corpses God, Peng Zhi, laughed, "Great idea! I know a place with excellent exotic delicacies. Perfect for a hearty feast!"
The Lower Corpses God, Peng Qiao, coaxed persuasively, "Master, you've saved up so much money in the underworld. If you don't spend it, can it still be considered money? Stop sleeping, co out. We three brothers will take you to have fun!"
The other two Corpses Gods also tried every ans to persuade and entice Chen Shi to co out and join them in a life of debauchery.
"Master, rest assured, they cannot enter," said the little yaksha.
Chen Shi asked curiously, "Why can't they enter?"
The little yaksha explained, "Probably because the Primordial Palace corresponds to Master's body. The front hall corresponds to the groin, the left and right halls correspond to the five senses and the five internal organs, while this place is the Divine Court. The Upper Corpses God uses the five colors to tempt you, depleting your vital essence. The Middle Corpses God makes you commit evil deeds, reducing your rit. The Lower Corpses God uses beauty to tempt you, draining your lifespan and vital energy. They beco active after Master falls asleep. Since Master's life should not end yet, after falling asleep, his soul hides within the Divine Court, allowing him to avoid the Three Corpses Gods."
Chen Shi looked at the boat girl, showing a questioning expression.
The boat girl shook her head. "I don't know either. I am a ghost god. I haven't experienced these things and am completely ignorant about them."
Chen Shi humbly sought instruction from the little yaksha about the Three Corpses Gods. The little yaksha told him everything it knew, saying, "The Three Corpses Gods will try every possible thod to sever Master's path to immortality, making you overindulge in food and drink, live a life of unrestrained debauchery, and indulge in sensual pleasures. They first make you violate other n's wives and daughters in your dreams, then cause your Dao Heart to collapse in the waking world, leading you to commit the sa absurd acts as in your dreams. Master will beco increasingly weak, and the Divine Court will beco harder and harder to defend. At that point, when Master's lifespan is exhausted, his rit gone, and his blessings depleted, the Three Corpses Gods will break through the door and devour Master's soul and Primordial Spirit."
Chen Shi asked for guidance, "How can one resist them?"
The little yaksha said, "Listening to decadent music, gazing at dazzling colors, tasting delicious flavors, slling exotic fragrances, desiring upon slling delicious food, being moved by seeing beautiful won, and indulging evil thoughts in one's heart—all these will strengthen the Three Corpses Gods. To weaken the Three Corpses Gods, one should cultivate the Pure Yang thod, using one's own body as a furnace and cauldron, gathering the mind and spirit into the body, observing the entire body internally, preventing the essence from leaking outward, allowing the qi to grow naturally. When thunder and lightning spontaneously generate within the body and the body becos pure yang, the Three Corpses Gods will naturally be slain."
Chen Shi was extrely surprised. "How do you know all this?"
"I have worked in many households. So people, controlled by the Three Corpses Gods, overindulged in food and drink, lived lives of unrestrained debauchery without moderation, and indulged in sensual pleasures. They quickly emptied their bodies, allowing the Three Corpses Gods to invade their Divine Courts, devour their souls, and et their demise."
The little yaksha continued, "I have also seen people of the Dao who cultivated the Pure Yang thod. Their ntal will was unbreakable, they refined their physical bodies to pure yang, and the Three Corpses Gods were slain by the thunder and lightning transford from their pure yang qi."
Chen Shi asked, "Do other little yakshas also possess your level of knowledge?"
The little yaksha replied, "I've encountered a few of my kind outside. Talking with them, I found them muddle-headed."
Chen Shi bowed deeply to it, extrely sincere, and said, "You have taught a great deal and have been kind to . Please accept my bow!"
The little yaksha hurriedly kowtowed and said, "You are the Master. I am just a worker. How can I accept such a grand gesture from the Master?"
It kowtowed with a thumping sound. Chen Shi's expression changed imdiately. He quickly pulled it up, made it stand properly, then kowtowed to it, returning the kowtows it had just given.
The little yaksha was at a loss, grabbing its small round hat with both hands, not knowing what to do.
After finishing his kowtows, Chen Shi said, "You have been kind to . If I accepted your grand gesture, wouldn't that an I don't distinguish between kindness and obligation?"
At that mont, it beca quiet outside.
Chen Shi moved to the door crack and peered out. The three Corpses Gods were nowhere to be seen in the courtyard.
The little yaksha said, "They've gone down to the underworld to file a complaint. Whenever it's nightti, the Three Corpses Gods of a cultivator will try every thod to make you go out and fool around. If you don't go out and fool around, they will go down to the underworld to file a complaint, telling the judge which won you violated that day, how many exotic delicacies you ate, and all your indulgent activities, so the judge can reduce your lifespan."
Chen Shi was startled. No wonder people on the Dao path must slay the Three Corpses. Otherwise, with them speaking ill behind your back every day, even the longest lifespan would eventually be whittled away.
"What benefit do these Three Corpses Gods gain from killing ?" he inquired.
The little yaksha said, "By killing the Master, they can take the Master's place in receiving incense offerings. They don't have to work and still have money to spend, living a carefree and unrestrained life."
"What if these Three Corpses Gods are killed by soone while they are out?"
"If the Three Corpses Gods are killed outside, they will still be reborn in the Primordial Palace and won't be weakened much."
"What if I sneak out while the Three Corpses Gods are away filing complaints?"
"When they go to the underworld to file a complaint, the round trip takes about half an hour. If Master goes out, you must return within half an hour. Otherwise, you will be blocked by them. They will take you to seek pleasure, indulge in debauchery, and ruin your Dao foundation."
Chen Shi praised, "You really know a lot. Why work in other people's Primordial Palaces?"
The little yaksha said gloomily, "If I don't work, how can I survive?"
Its deanor was desolate. "The money on the Treasure Tree can only be picked by the Master. We cannot pick it. We can only earn money by working."
Chen Shi opened the hall door and walked out, smiling. "Since we've co to the Immortal Capital, how can we not go out and take a look?"
The boat girl and Black Pot followed.
The little yaksha dared not go out, fearing it might be caught by the Three Corpses Gods. It had no money for debauchery.
Chen Shi went to the Treasure Tree, picked off more than half of the money from his own Treasure Tree, turned back, and stuffed it into the little yaksha's hands, saying, "You have instructed , and I have no way to repay you. This money is for you. May you grow up quickly."
The little yaksha hurriedly bowed in thanks.
It dared not go out and still returned to the Divine Court, closing the door.
The boat girl's expression turned serious. "Top Scholar Master, this is your first ti in the Immortal Capital. You don't know the rules here. Later, follow and don't wander around. The Immortal Capital has many rules that are easy to violate. Let's first familiarize ourselves with the geography. Tomorrow morning, when the Three Corpses Gods are not causing trouble, I will take you to find your mother's Primordial Palace!"
Chen Shi nodded.
Two yakshas and one dog walked out of the Primordial Palace. Only then did Chen Shi notice nurous chains spreading in all directions, locking his Primordial Palace in place.
This place was quite far from other Primordial Palaces. One had to walk a distance to reach other Primordial Palaces.
"Back then, my father and I suppressed the Master right here."
The boat girl reminisced about the past, sighing with emotion. "At that ti, my father and I had great power and were very imposing. Later, after you were rescued, we had no choice but to flee."
She sighed.
Both he and the boat girl were in the form of large yakshas, ghostly in appearance. Walking on the Celestial Streets of the Immortal Capital, they didn't attract much attention.
The Immortal Capital at night was bustling with people and ghosts coming and going, extraordinarily lively. Handso n and beautiful won were everywhere, with lights, wine, and sensual pleasures.
Walking forward along the Celestial Street, besides Primordial Palaces on both sides, there were also brothels, taverns, and gambling houses run by ghosts. In the air, there was a long river with painted pleasure boats, also scenes of debauchery.
"Make way, make way!"
So ghosts were racing horses on the Celestial Street, shouting loudly. The boat girl led Chen Shi to step aside to avoid being hit.
On both sides of the road, many ghosts held trays, letting people place bets. The betting money was also paper money carrying the energy of incense offerings.
Those horses were not ordinary horses but exotic breeds from the underworld, with fanged mouths and sharp claws for hooves, galloping swiftly like the wind.
Suddenly, with a loud bang, the rider on horseback and the ghost horse collided with a little yaksha who had been pushed into the middle of the Celestial Street. The little yaksha was torn apart, head separated from body. The ghost horse also tumbled and rolled, and the rider on its back was thrown off and died on the spot, causing the ghosts on both sides to burst into laughter.
Although the rider was dead, he seed still alive. It was just that he had been a vivid ghost before, but now turned black and white, dull and wooden. He had probably transford from a ghost into a Jian, numb and unaware.
Chen Shi saw a nearby Primordial Palace gradually dimming, and the road leading to this Primordial Palace also gradually turned transparent. Presumably, the deceased was the owner of this Primordial Palace.
He followed the boat girl, passing through these ghosts. He saw more: racing carriages, people betting their lives, singing, dancing, sword swallowing, fire spitting, performing magic tricks, cooking sheep and slaughtering cattle, and performances of beheading by guillotine that failed. It was truly extraordinarily lively.
Just monts ago in the Primordial Palace, one could never have imagined it was so bustling outside!
Many Horse-Face imps carried sedan chairs, passing by him with brisk steps. The masters sat in the sedan chairs, embracing won, left and right, having a joyful ti.
Chen Shi looked at these Horse-Face imps, then looked at the boat girl.
The boat girl said calmly, "When we were young, we also earned pocket money this way. Just trying to make a living. But back then, I didn't encounter a great benefactor like Top Scholar Master."
Chen Shi inquired, "Was it tiring?"
"Of course it was tiring. Nearly half of the Horse-Faces who carried sedan chairs with died from exhaustion within a year."
Chen Shi stopped walking and saw a group of Ox-Head imps cleaning the Celestial Street, sweeping it clean.
These Ox-Head imps were diligent and very efficient with their hands and feet.
There were also so Ox-Head imps specifically carrying people on their backs, letting others ride on their necks, grabbing their horns, and running wildly through the streets.
The entire Immortal Capital was imrsed in a life of luxury and dissipation. In the taverns and restaurants, various exotic delicacies and flowing banquets satisfied gluttonous custors.
The sounds of string and wind instrunts, songs and dances rising, beautiful won and handso young n, one performance ending and another beginning, dazzling to the eye.
The Immortal Capital was like a city of desire, filled with an extrely joyful atmosphere.
"Why is this place called the Immortal Capital?" Chen Shi inquired.
The boat girl said, "Living here feels carefree and is many tis more pleasurable than in the mortal world. For ordinary mortals, the mortal world is very bitter. Of course, this place is the Immortal Capital."
Chen Shi pondered for a mont, then nodded slightly.
Along the way, people kept dying. So died indulging in a life of luxury and dissipation. So ghosts, however, simply turned black and white as they walked, probably dying from being forgotten.
The ghosts of the Immortal Capital ford a massive industry, trying every thod to earn paper money from the owners of the Primordial Palaces. And the Three Corpses Gods were their best helpers.
However, in the eyes of these Primordial Palace owners, these brothels and taverns were real, these handso n and beautiful won were living flesh and blood. But in Chen Shi's eyes, these buildings were rely paper houses, and the graceful, moving singing girls and dancing girls in the brothels were just paper figures.
Having died and co back to life, his eyes could see ghost gods, allowing him to see through the truth beneath this prosperity.
"Huh? There are Heaven's Listeners here too?"
Suddenly, Chen Shi noticed a Heaven's Listener hanging upside down on a nearby house, listening attentively and writing and drawing.
His heart stirred slightly. "Has the influence of the Heaven's Listeners penetrated deep into the underworld?"
Just as he thought this, he suddenly saw a massive ghost god walking hunched over along the Celestial Street. Wherever it passed, nurous ghosts hurriedly avoided it.
The ghost was about six or seven zhang tall, with a head of red hair standing upright. Its two eyeballs bulged outward, very large, as if about to jump out of their sockets.
"Red-Haired Ghost? The Young Master who lured Xiang Tianyu into the Buddhist hell had a Red-Haired Ghost by his side!"
Chen Shi's heart jumped. He imdiately chased after that Red-Haired Ghost.
The boat girl hurriedly chased after him, saying rapidly, "Top Scholar Master, ti is almost up! The Three Corpses Gods are about to return!"
Chen Shi turned a deaf ear, walking briskly and closely following that Red-Haired Ghost.
The Red-Haired Ghost's body was massive. With each step it took, Chen Shi had to run four or five steps to keep up.
That Red-Haired Ghost moved through the Celestial Street. The form of the Celestial Street was not fixed. Many streets intersected above, below, left, and right. If one wasn't familiar with this place, it was impossible to find the way back!
The boat girl was secretly anxious. They only had half an hour. Even if they turned back now, it was probably too late.
The Red-Haired Ghost walked through the complex Celestial Street, ca to a courtyard, pushed the door open, and walked in.
Chen Shi arrived outside that courtyard and stood motionless.
The boat girl caught up to him and complained, "Now we can't make it back. We'll definitely be caught by your Three Corpses Gods, and they'll take us to indulge in debauchery!"
Chen Shi examined that courtyard and suddenly said, "This is a Primordial Palace, right?"
The boat girl was slightly taken aback. After examining it, she nodded. "It is a Primordial Palace. However, that Red-Haired Ghost is very dangerous, extrely powerful!"
"Master, caught you!"
Chen Shi's Three Corpses Gods appeared, blocking them. They picked up Chen Shi, laughing, "Master, we'll take you to have fun!"
Chen Shi quickly said, "I still have two friends!"
Peng Ju, Peng Zhi, and Peng Qiao, the Three Corpses Gods, stopped and looked back at the boat girl and Black Pot.
The boat girl and Black Pot thought, "This is bad." They were about to flee but were also caught by the Three Corpses Gods.
After a mont, the two humans and one dog sat in a brothel. In their ears was decadent music. So graceful female yakshas and robust male yakshas danced gracefully around Chen Shi and the boat girl, whose face was dark.
Two more female yakshas climbed onto the table in front of Chen Shi, kneeling and crawling, posturing coquettishly.
Black Pot stared at the fine wine in front of it, its face also dark.
On its left and right sat two female dogs, frequently urging it to drink.
The Three Corpses Gods watched them, looking like their conspiracy had succeeded, gathering together and snickering quietly.
"Attack his weakness. No need to worry he won't succumb!" the Lower Corpses God, Peng Qiao, whispered.
"When he dies, all his property will be ours!" the Upper Corpses God, Peng Ju, laughed.
The boat girl crushed the wine cup in her hand. So this is how Chen Shi's Three Corpses Gods attacked their weaknesses?
The species are completely different. How do you attack?
Chen Shi rested his chin on his hand, ignoring the posturing female yakshas. Suddenly, he clapped his hands heavily and said, "This Young Master's Primordial Palace has been maintained until now, for at least thirty years! He holds an extraordinary position in the underworld! But he should be a living person! A living person with an extraordinary position in the underworld. Could he be another underworld marshal?"
The boat girl said, "Top Scholar Master, your mother's Primordial Palace is near that courtyard. That Red-Haired Ghost led a group to chase us last ti."
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