On the Path to the Great Dao Chapter 327: Tomb-Engraver 35

The Soul-Pursuit Judge Wang Fu and the other two judges scanned the area, their faces changing instantly. The twelve Realms of the Void stretched thousands of li across, brimming with boundless power, and towering Primordial Spirits hundreds of zhang tall descended from the sky, approaching from all directions.

These Primordial Spirits belonged to masters of the Return to Emptiness realm. As they moved, the twelve Realms of the Void shifted with them, exerting imnse pressure.

At the sa ti, above them the sky suddenly beca translucent like glazed glass. A figure a hundred zhang tall slowly rose, holding a teal veil like a fishing net. He twisted his waist, turned, and forcefully cast it down.

"Shua——"

Teal light filled the heavens and dropped from the sky, forming a massive teal canopy that covered a thousand-li radius of land.

Dozens of other hundred-zhang giants descended from the sky, each wielding huge banners that snapped in the wind. As they landed, they planted their flags around the periter of the teal canopy.

Electric sparks crackled across the banner surfaces, and teal dragons made of lightning crawled out from the flags, climbing upward, their bodies stretching over ten li long.

The lightning did not stop, and the dragons extended even further.

Chen Shi had once seen the Zhao Family’s Heavenly Dragon Demon-Suppressing Formation in Xinxiang, but it was far smaller than this formation. It seed the Zhao Family had only obtained an incomplete version back then.

The Zhao Family’s Heavenly Dragon Demon-Suppressing Formation had been designed to imprison the Evil Bodhisattva, but this formation was even more powerful. It aid to lock down the three major judges and the underworld officers under their command, completely sealing them!

"With such a heaven-spanning net, did they also seal off the yang world?" Chen Shi thought. "If they didn’t seal the yang world, we could escape there."

The Soul-Pursuit Judge and the others could not enter the yang world, but Black Pot could shuttle between yin and yang.

Suddenly, one of the underworld officers under Wang Fu turned into a wisp of teal smoke and tried to flee.

There was a sizzling sound as the smoke slamd into the teal canopy, struck by countless bolts of lightning, and fell.

"Do not attempt to run."

A white-haired elder approached, smiling, "Soul-Pursuit, Sin-and-Karma, Knife-Mountain — the three judges. The Yan Family has been searching for you for a long ti. Today we finally catch you in one net."

The Knife-Mountain Judge Zhu Shun sneered, "You Yan Family think you can hold us? Do you take judges so lightly?"

He produced his judge’s brush, "The Yan Family has already betrayed the True King! Without the judge’s brush in my hand, you cannot control the Knife-Mountain hell!"

His body shimred, instantly transforming into a thousand-zhang deity, blazing gold from head to toe, enveloped in the energy of incense offerings. The masses chanted, and with a roar the place where incense surged projected a vast Knife-Mountain hell into existence.

Countless ghosts in that Knife-Mountain hell walked upon blades and axes, struggling, limbs drenched in blood, emitting piercing screams.

This was a unique ghost-god domain where ghosts were punished by blades; even if cut to pieces, they revived and underwent the tornt again and again in an endless cycle!

Zhu Shun’s judge’s brush condensed the power of the Knife-Mountain hell; his magic swelled like a tide, his voice rolling like thunder, "Under the True King’s command, new Xinxiang Governor Zhu Shun, today I purge demons from the underworld!"

Zhu Shun had been a cultivator in the True King era. He served as Xinxiang Governor and loved the people like his own children. The commoners of Xinxiang built him a temple and fashioned a golden body for him after his death because of his benevolence.

Many ritorious cultivators of that age were chosen as underworld judges when the Ten Kings of Hell manifested to set underworld law. The King of Hell selected him from the Yin Spirits and appointed him as the judge of the Knife-Mountain hell, entrusting him with the judge’s brush.

The Soul-Pursuit Judge Wang Fu laughed heartily and manifested his own thousand-zhang golden body, raising his judge’s brush like a spear. He thundered, "Under the True King’s command, Registrar of the Court of Judicial Review Wang Fu, today I purge demons from the underworld!"

He too had been a great rit-holder in the True King era. Serving as Registrar of the Court of Judicial Review, he earned a temple and a golden body after death. His duty was to pursue souls, overseeing all underworld officers of the River of Forgetting, commanding Ghost Kings, Day Wandering Gods, Night Wandering Gods, the Black and White Impermanence, Ox-Head, Horse-Face, Leopard Tail, Bird Beak, Fish Gill, Yellow Hornet, and the other ten underworld marshals.

The Sin-and-Karma Judge Jia Yuan emitted a long roar, manifesting a thousand-zhang golden body and raising his judge’s brush, murderous energy surging, "Under the True King’s command, Prefect of Gongtian Prefecture Jia Yuan, I vow to die to guard underworld order! While this god remains, the doctrine endures!"

He was likewise a major ritorious figure of the True King era, once Prefect of Gongtian Prefecture who rightly examined wrongful cases. After death he was enshrined as the Sin-and-Karma Judge to judge cultivator sins and pass sentencing.

Chen Shi looked at the three judges. Their golden bodies emitted dazzling divine radiance that illuminated heaven and earth, sweeping away the underworld’s gloom and fog, forcing underworld demons and monsters to retreat. Ghost-gods kept their distance.

He found himself a little stunned.

Although the three major judges had long since died, they did not exude gloomy ghostly qi. Instead, they radiated a vast righteous energy and a sacred aura.

They were different from the underworld ghost-gods Chen Shi had seen before. Those spirits were powerful, yes, but saturated with chilling ghostly qi and malevolence. These three judges, though ghost-gods, possessed uprightness — perhaps this was the so-called rit.

They were great rit-holders who beca gods after death. Even as Yin Spirits they still carried austere righteousness.

"The three judges control the three judge’s brushes," Chen Shi relaxed a little. "Against the Yan Family’s siege, they should be more than a match."

The twelve Return to Emptiness masters were formidable, but the three judges’ strength surpassed them. This battle could very well see those Yan Family masters buried here.

At that mont, a roaring tide of white bones surged toward them. Countless bones rose and ford a long bone whip, grasped by a towering judge who swung it roaring through the air.

That judge was the Earth Judge who had once fought Zhong Kui; his strength was formidable. His voice rumbled, "Soul-Pursuit Judge, in this fight you will face not only my Yan Family’s juniors, but us as well!"

As his words fell, the ground split open. Scalding earth gushed out and rivers of magma erupted from beneath. The Fire Judge crawled out of the magma, wielding a lava river as a whip, murderous intent blazing.

Chen Shi’s heart trembled slightly, "The Fire and Earth Judges are all part of the Yan Family? Were they Yan Family mbers who pursued Zhong Kui back then?"

As he considered this, more underworld marshals advanced. Their auras were powerful—though inferior to the Fire and Earth Judges, they were still remarkable—numbering up to seventeen marshals.

Wang Fu, Jia Yuan, and Zhu Shun felt increasingly heavy-hearted.

Over the years the Yan Family had sched to gradually weaken the Yama Halls left by the True King and replace them. Today they sought to complete their plan.

In the distance, the Red-Haired Ghost stood within the shadowed clouds, and the Young Master Wei Yue stood on his shoulder, looking on with a faint smile, "Today, my Yan Family finally clears all obstacles for my father Wei Ling. The Thirteen Great Clans’ goal advances another step. These stubborn old gods are obstacles that should have been eradicated long ago for the future peace and prosperity… Strange, how did Chen Shi get in here?"

He furrowed his brow slightly.

He had guessed Chen Shi went to the Immortal Capital, so he ordered ghost-gods to block Chen Shi’s Primordial Palace. Unexpectedly, the kid escaped the Immortal Capital and ca here to stir matters up.

"If the formation activates, he will certainly die."

Wei Yue said softly, "The man is talented, but a pity he cannot be used by ."

The Red-Haired Ghost said, "Young Master, there are over a hundred demon gods hidden within Chen Shi. If he dies, those demon gods might erupt…"

Wei Yue smiled, "This is the underworld; demon gods are everywhere. Let him be. My Yan Family’s thousand-year plan will not stall for a single Chen Shi!"

Before his words finished, the battle erupted.

The Fire and Earth Judges whipped their weapons toward the three major judges. At the sa ti, Yan Family marshals and underworld officers activated their treasures to assault the three judges, while the twelve Yan Family masters in the yang world struck simultaneously!

This battle had been carefully planned; the Yan Family must seize control of the Yama Halls!

The Soul-Pursuit, Sin-and-Karma, and Knife-Mountain Judges’ faces grew grave. Each poured their divine power to the utmost and t the enemies head-on!

Wang Fu used his brush like a spear, slicing the magma whip of the Fire Judge, cleaving it into three sections. He vaulted up and slamd his spear-down toward the Fire Judge’s forehead.

Before his judge’s brush could strike, spells and divine abilities from all sides, and one treasure after another, slamd into him!

Under the teal canopy the terrifying power fluctuated without cease. Just as the cataclysmic force was about to swallow Chen Shi and Black Pot, a massive stone stele smashed through the teal canopy, crashing down with a thunderous roar!

Underworld rocks and stones were hurled into the air, and several underworld officers were blown back by the impact of the stele!

The stele landed directly in front of Chen Shi, shielding him from the residual shockwaves of the spells and divine techniques!

Chen Shi had planned to flee to the yang world with Black Pot to avoid the underworld’s battle, but upon seeing the stele he froze, imdiately abandoning the thought of escaping back to the yang world. He looked up along the great stele.

The stele had a base carved from granite, its texture hard and finely polished. A large rectangular fra had been chiseled into its surface, clearly a tombstone.

The deceased’s na would be carved in the fra. If descendants cared, an epitaph or life deeds would be inscribed on the stone.

At this mont, a newly chiseled line of characters appeared on the tombstone.

"Yan Shiji, born in Jiajing year 6587, died on the first day of the sixth month, hour of Zi, first quarter of the year 6643."

As Chen Shi read, suddenly a powerful Return to Emptiness Yan Family strongman intercepted a blow aid at Jia Yuan, his flesh decaying, mouth spewing blood, collapsing and dying!

"Shiji!" an elder nearby cried out in sorrow.

Chen Shi was stunned, "That man died? Yan Shiji? The death ti on the tombstone is exactly the sa!"

He followed the stele upward and saw a gaunt huge hand whose knuckles were coarse and long-fingered, callused and rough.

Following the hand upward revealed an elder’s face, etched with deep gullies and ravages of age.

The elder’s features had been weathered by wind and rain, displaying extre age and desolation, his visage enormous against the sky.

"The old man from the quarry!" Chen Shi’s heart leapt.

Those in the battle also noticed the falling steles and were startled, but they were already committed and could not stop; they had to continue fighting.

"Send people to the yang world to kill that old man!" the Earth Judge shouted.

Imdiately, so Yan Family masters returned to the yang world.

A clanging sound ca from the sky like chiseling on stone, and an ancient voice sounded from above.

"Yan Shichuang, born in Jiajing year 6592, died on the first day of the sixth month, hour of Zi, first quarter of the year 6643."

The chiseling sound halted briefly, then a gigantic stele crashed from the sky. At the mont it struck the ground, another Return to Emptiness Yan Family elder scread and bled from seven orifices, dying on the spot!

The chiseling resud.

The elderly voice in the sky spoke again, "Yan Jing, born in Jiajing year 6582, died on the first day of the sixth month, hour of Zi, first quarter of the year 6643."

Another stele thundered down from the heavens.

An old woman who had just caused Zhu Shun’s seven apertures to bleed suddenly froze mid-fight, dropped to her knees, motionless. Her head slumped forward and she was dead!

"Quickly, go kill him!" Sixth Uncle Yan Qinghu barked.

The chiseling resounded. Yan Qinghu’s face contorted in fury; he no longer cared to besiege the three judges, and his figure shot through the underworld back into the yang world. Moonlight fell on an icy field where an old man stood amid countless tombstones, swinging chisel and axe, carved characters ringing out.

"Stop!"

Yan Qinghu activated his divine technique. In an instant the snowflakes across a hundred-li sky froze, then transford into the sharpest blades, cutting toward the old man!

This was a divine power recorded in the Yan Family’s Lingshan Hall Collection: the Ice-Heart Demon-Slaying Slash!

At that mont the old man had just finished carving a tombstone and muttered, "Yan Qinghu, born in Jiajing year 6556, died on the first day of the sixth month, hour of Zi, first quarter of the year 6643."

Yan Qinghu suddenly felt all vitality within his body stripped away. In the blink of an eye he aged and died.

"You are the Tomb-Engraver among the Six Great Villains, Du Yiran!"

He seed to recall sothing. A glint of spirit flashed in his eyes as he staggered toward the old man, voice urgent.

"The Book of Life and Death is in your hands! Give it to —"

He had barely finished speaking when he lost all strength and collapsed.

His divine technique went wild, turning into howling winds that scattered snowflakes through the air but had lost their power.

The old man paid him no heed, swinging chisel and axe to carve the next tombstone.

"Boom!"

Another stele fell from the sky into the underworld. With an ancient voice echoing from beyond the heavens, yet another Yan Family strongman t his instant death!

Horror gripped everyone. The Fire Judge roared, whipping his long lash toward the old man as the stele fell!

An arc of light flashed behind the old man’s head. Inside that arc, a Primordial Spirit’s gigantic hand, several li wide, t the magma lash.

The old man’s body trembled slightly and astonishingly caught the lash.

"A Great Ascension Realm practitioner!"

The Fire Judge’s tone turned solemn. He sheathed his whip and shouted, "Everyone, retreat imdiately!"

He gathered up the remaining Yan Family masters and rode a roaring fire-dragon away.

The Earth Judge and the other underworld officers, seeing this, dared not linger and fled!

The old man tossed down another stele, but by then the Fire Judge had already dragged the Yan Family out beyond the steles’ influence, neutralizing their effect.

The Soul-Pursuit, Sin-and-Karma, and Knife-Mountain Judges were wounded and shaken, still dazed.

Chen Shi laughed, "You three don’t leave. Wait for here!"

He intended to return to the yang world with Black Pot. Seeing that the last stele had failed to take effect, his eyes brightened as he said, "Judge Wang, help keep this stele safe. Don’t lose it."

The Soul-Pursuit Judge Wang Fu was about to reply when Chen Shi was already astride his dog, rushing into the yang world.

Among the ice and snow, the old man left a field of steles behind and disappeared.

Chen Shi imdiately sped to the quarry and soon arrived outside. He called out loudly, "Grandson of Chen Yindu, Chen Shi, requests an audience with Uncle Du!"

A hoary voice ca from inside the quarry, "That bastard Chen Yindu never taught you manners? You should call Grandpa Du! I’m not like Granny Sha—she refuses to admit age. I accept it."

—The last of the Five Great Villains, and the strongest aside from Chen Yindu, the Tomb-Engraver Du Yiran, finally appears! Old Du has made his entrance, please vote for the chapter.