The words of Sin and Karma Judge Jia Yuan struck Chen Shi with imnse impact.
Was this world of the Western Ox New Continent truly abnormal?
In truth, he had already sensed it long ago.
He had discovered very early on that the sun and moon of the Western Ox New Continent were sowhat bizarre, seeming vastly different from the sun and moon within the small temple.
Within the small temple, the sun rose in the east and set in the west, the moon waxed and waned, never hanging permanently in the sky. Moreover, there wasn't an enormous, colossal face behind the sun and moon.
More crucially, the righteous energy of heaven and earth emitted by the sun and moon contained no evil or demonic nature that could drive one mad or insane, nor any bizarre power that could turn people into evil spirits.
On the contrary, the righteous energy of heaven and earth emitted by the sun, moon, and stars could refine and purify evil and demonic natures!
Yet, if cultivators of the Western Ox New Continent absorbed too much moonlight, they were very likely to go mad, even transform into evil spirits!
Even an existence like his grandpa, Chen Yindu, would have his demonic nature flare up under moonlight, forcing him to hide in the underworld.
Furthermore, and even more peculiar, the cultivation system recorded in the True King's Tomb was vastly different from the cultivation system currently circulating in the Western Ox New Continent!
The cultivation system recorded in the True King's Tomb was: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishnt, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Body Unification, Three Corpses, Spirit Refining, Return to Emptiness, Great Ascension, Tribulation Crossing, Ascension.
The current cultivation system was: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishnt, Miniature Shrine, Divine Embryo, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Divine Descent, Emptiness Refining, Body Unification, Three Corpses, Spirit Refining, Return to Emptiness, Great Ascension.
The True King's Tomb system lacked the four realms of Miniature Shrine, Divine Embryo, Divine Descent, and Emptiness Refining, while the current cultivation system lacked the two realms of Tribulation Crossing and Ascension.
Although Chen Shi possessed a miniature shrine, he lacked a Divine Embryo. He was essentially missing the Divine Embryo realm. Moreover, having now cultivated to the Nascent Soul Transformation realm, if he refined his Primordial Spirit to a height of six *zhang* and advanced to the next realm, he would be unable to cultivate the Divine Descent and Emptiness Refining realms.
In other words, he would be missing these three realms!
Yet, currently, he only felt his cultivation path was perfectly normal, progressing smoothly without any obstructions!
He even felt that he could smoothly and normally break through and cultivate the Body Unification realm without needing the Divine Descent and Emptiness Refining realms!
But this very fact was itself highly abnormal!
Chen Shi pondered for a mont, then said, "Judge Jia, are you implying that when one cultivates to the Great Ascension realm and ascends, they transform into an evil spirit? That immortals beco evil spirits?"
Jia Yuan hesitated for a mont. "During the True King's Era, I was rely the Prefect of Gongtian Prefecture, a third-rank official. I wasn't among the most powerful existences of that era. The information I could access wasn't extensive, and I never cultivated to the Ascension realm..."
Wang Fu was the Registrar of the Court of Judicial Review during the True King's Era, and Zhu Shun was the Xinxiang Governor, both fourth-rank officials.
They beca judges after death and entered the underworld due to their own accumulated rit. But in the mortal world, they weren't the pinnacle experts under the True King's command. The top experts of that ti were concentrated within the imperial court, the Thirteen Great Clans, and the sacred lands of Buddhism and Taoism.
So things were beyond the reach of Jia Yuan and his peers.
Chen Shi inquired, "Then, what exactly do you all know?"
Jia Yuan said, "During the True King's Era, many prehistoric aberrant immortals were excavated from prehistoric relics. According to speculations by the top experts in the court at that ti, these prehistoric cultivators had already cultivated to the level of Dao Unification. But for unknown reasons, after being excavated and seeing the light of day again, they either rapidly aged and died, or would undergo Calamitous Transformation."
Zhu Shun added, "The True King gathered cultivators from across the land to forge and refine nine palace towers and pavilions, called the Nine Halls of the True King. Their purpose was precisely to suppress the Calamitous Transformation of aberrant immortals. In the few thousand years of my life, Calamitous Transformation occurred over ten tis, not a huge number. I don't know what happened after my death."
Wang Fu stated, "The Nine Halls of the True King could suppress the Calamitous Transformation of aberrant immortals in the early stages. However, by the middle and late stages, they could no longer suppress it. By then, the aberrant immortals would have completely transford into evil spirits, becoming imnsely powerful. Therefore, it was imperative to eliminate them as quickly as possible."
Jia Yuan continued, "So we speculated that the True King's Era was very likely destroyed by a Calamitous Transformation of an aberrant immortal. But during my lifeti, there was also a rumor that if soone crossed the tribulation and ascended, at the very mont of ascension, they too would undergo Calamitous Transformation and beco corrupted! This rumor caused widespread panic. As the Prefect of Gongtian Prefecture, I was even ordered to investigate the source of the rumor, to see which demonic entity was spreading seditious talk."
Zhu Shun exclaid in surprise, "I heard that rumor in Xinxiang as well! Brother Jia, did you find the source?"
Jia Yuan replied, "I did. It was so Heaven's Listeners spreading the rumor."
Chen Shi couldn't help but ask, "There were Heaven's Listeners even in the True King's Era?"
"Of course there were," the three judges answered matter-of-factly.
Chen Shi pressed further, "Where did the Heaven's Listeners co from?"
Jia Yuan said, "They ca from Despair Slope."
Chen Shi asked, "Where did Despair Slope co from? What is inside Despair Slope?"
The three n each shook their heads.
They hadn't had access to information at that level during their lives, and after death, they had even less opportunity to know.
"Go on and do your work," Chen Shi waved his hand, saying distractedly.
"Right away, Boss!" Wang Fu pinched his small round cap, smiling apologetically. "About the wages, could we get them daily... Pah, pah! I thought I was working at so other ghost's place! We can't accept money from our Benefactor!"
Chen Shi's gaze followed the three of them as they moved. He saw the three little ghosts diligently cleaning and tidying up everywhere, even throwing the broken-down paper girls and old ladies out of the courtyard—so paper figures were missing arms or legs because they weren't burned completely, so they were discarded.
Those discarded paper girls and old ladies wailed and lanted, unwilling to leave, but the three little ghosts had no kindness to spare. Once thrown out, they landed and instantly turned into a puff of ash, dispersing into nothingness.
They existed by relying on the Primordial Palace. Once they left the Primordial Palace, they would revert to their true form, which was nothing more than a handful of ash.
"The downfall of the True King's Era holds too many unsolved mysteries."
Chen Shi gathered his thoughts, organizing his chaotic emotions, activated the Xiao Lang Imperial Chapter Technique, and focused on cultivation.
Other cultivators couldn't cultivate in the underworld, but he was an exception. Although the underworld was overrun with ghosts and evil creatures, with Yin energy that could damage cultivation, he possessed the small temple, allowing him to constantly draw upon the Three Lights Righteous Energy from the Divine Continent for cultivation.
Nine layers of heavens manifested behind Chen Shi's head, each layer divided into eight poles. The nine heavens spread across the sky, extrely resplendent.
Chen Yindu's Primordial Palace was enormous, with a circumference of over ten *li*. Looking down from above, one often couldn't see the interior clearly, so cultivating here didn't risk causing a shocking spectacle.
Chen Shi had now cultivated to the Nascent Soul Transformation realm. His cultivation was growing increasingly profound, his Primordial Spirit powerful. Especially the ninth layer of heaven from the Xiao Lang Imperial Chapter Technique had already expanded to about ten *mu* in size, which was astonishing.
If the nine heavens descended, they could transform into nine layers of Primordial Spirit force fields, providing nine layers of protection, difficult to breach.
His Primordial Spirit was now one *zhang* and two *chi* tall, having made significant progress since his ti in the Western Capital. Sitting within the small temple's miniature shrine, regulating Yin and Yang, his own cultivation continuously advanced.
With this level of cultivation in the mortal world, he would be a top-tier expert in a local county town, and a major figure commanding respect in a provincial capital. However, in a place like the underworld where ghost gods were everywhere, his status was probably only slightly higher than that of the Little Yaksha. The underworld had many ghost gods and many Primordial Spirits.
Still, it was too slow. Chen Shi thought to himself.
Wang Fu walked past him, carrying a wooden bucket, chattering away.
Suddenly, with a *whoosh*, the Ox-Head little ghost vanished. The bucket and rag fell to the ground.
Wang Fu sat in a daze on a miniature shrine. Surrounding the shrine was a temple, not large, about three *zhang* long and two *zhang* wide. The interior was simple, containing nothing but the shrine and pillars.
This temple was filled with a crude, sandy texture, as if it might collapse at any mont.
But at that mont, a vast, righteous energy circulated within his body, surging endlessly. Wang Fu sensed the source of this righteous energy ca from the sky above this small temple.
He looked up and suddenly, dazzling sunlight shone down from above—light from another ti and space.
"Am I inside Benefactor's small temple?" he thought to himself. "Has Benefactor taken as a Divine Embryo?"
He didn't resist. Instead, he sat obediently on the shrine, actively helping Chen Shi cultivate. With his strength, he could easily get up and leave. However, he was a ghost god who knew to repay kindness; helping his Benefactor cultivate was perfectly appropriate.
Moreover, this temple was no ordinary temple.
"Eh!" He was utterly astonished. While helping Chen Shi cultivate, he felt his own divine power also being refined and condensed!
"What is going on?"
As a deity, he naturally possessed formidable cultivation during his life. But after death, without a physical body, he could only use the energy of incense offerings to forge a Golden Body for himself.
In incense cultivation, the Golden Body was crucial. If incense offerings continued unceasingly, the Golden Body could also beco extrely powerful, like that of a celestial god. However, incense offerings contained the miscellaneous thoughts of the common masses. When commoners offered incense to deities, their minds were filled with their own wishes—hoping for favorable weather and bountiful harvests, hoping to marry a virtuous wife, hoping for children, hoping to get rich. All sorts of miscellaneous thoughts converged into a stream.
While incense offerings could indeed make deities powerful, they also required fulfilling the people's prayers. When people's wishes were fulfilled, the energy of incense offerings lost its miscellaneous thoughts. But not all prayers could be fulfilled, so the energy of incense offerings contained many impurities.
Sitting on Chen Shi's shrine, Wang Fu actually felt the various miscellaneous thoughts within the energy of incense offerings continuously disappearing!
He involuntarily manifested his true form, feeling his Golden Body beco purer.
Unconsciously, night fell. Chen Shi awoke from his ditative state, released Wang Fu, and felt his Primordial Spirit full, his spirit vigorous.
Wang Fu's entire body shone with brilliant, exceptionally pure divine light. He felt his own cultivation had progressed significantly again, leaving him both shocked and delighted.
Jia Yuan and Zhu Shun ca before him, looking up in astonishnt.
"Brother Wang, how did your cultivation beco so pure?" Jia Yuan asked. "We thought you suffered when Benefactor took you away to cultivate. We never expected your cultivation to improve so astonishingly! What happened?"
Wang Fu recounted his experience inside Chen Shi's small temple. The two judges were each taken aback, then looked toward Chen Shi with expectant expressions.
The Horse-Face little ghost and the Little Yaksha deliberately walked back and forth in front of Chen Shi, hoping to be captured and taken inside for so improvent. However, Chen Shi remained unmoved and made no move to act.
"Why hasn't he captured us yet to enjoy the benefits?" the two judges secretly grew anxious.
Just then, knocking sounds ca from outside. Black Pot opened the door to look and saw Chen Shi's Three Corpses Gods standing outside, all smiles plastered on their faces. Peng Qiao grinned, "Master, co out quickly for so revelry!"
The three little ghosts each darkened their expressions.
Peng Qiao was about to say more when suddenly, a large, golden hand shot out from the door, grabbed its neck, and dragged it into the Primordial Palace.
Peng Zhi and Peng Ju were about to flee when two more golden hands shot out, seized the two corpse gods, and pulled them back inside!
The Three Corpses Gods plopped to their knees, trembling like sieves, looking at the three little ghosts before them in terror.
Chen Shi's Three Corpses Gods were extrely powerful. In the past, encountering these little ghosts, they could have casually killed them. But the three little ghosts before them now emanated boundless, vast divine power, filling them with fear.
Chen Shi said sternly, "If the Three Corpses Gods have found their way here, the ghost gods under Young Master Wei Yue will also find this place. These ghost gods are probably still monitoring the Primordial Palace and haven't had ti to notify Young Master Wei Yue yet! Gentlen, tonight I must go rescue my mother. The Three Corpses Gods will only cause trouble. Can you restrain them?"
"This is simple!" Wang Fu pointed a finger. Three golden ropes flew out, binding the Three Corpses Gods tightly. "I am the Soul Pursuit Judge. Binding corpse gods with my Soul-Binding Rope is effortless."
Chen Shi bowed deeply. "The ghost gods under the Young Master likely haven't returned to notify him yet. Tonight might be my last chance to rescue my mother! Chen Shi humbly requests your assistance!"
The three judges returned the courtesy. "Repaying a debt of gratitude is only right and proper. There's no need for such formalities! Benefactor, just go rescue her. Leave everything else to us!"
Chen Shi straightened up, called Black Pot, and was about to head out. He glanced back at Boat Girl's physical body and couldn't help but frown.
"Boat Girl still hasn't returned... I can't wait for her!"
He opened the door and, with Black Pot following behind, stepped out of Chen Yindu's Primordial Palace onto the Celestial Streets, heading straight for the Young Master's Primordial Palace.
The Celestial Streets were teeming with ghosts and monsters, bustling and lively. Many Three Corpses Gods were leading their respective masters out for revelry, having a great ti. So Three Corpses Gods were sneaking out to file complaints in the underworld, hoping for their masters' early demise.
The sky was also filled with traffic, vehicles rushing recklessly, frequently causing collisions where people and horses were overturned, smashing ghosts and monsters and sending their souls flying in all directions.
Chen Shi and Black Pot swiftly weaved through the ghosts and monsters, their speed increasing. Imdiately, two ghost gods on the Celestial Streets, one on the left and one on the right, rushed out from side alleys and began pursuing Chen Shi and Black Pot.
These two ghost gods were several *zhang* tall. The mont they moved, they saw an Ox-Head little ghost and a Horse-Face little ghost charging from behind, carrying buckets. They raised the buckets. Before the two ghost gods could react, their bodies deflated, rapidly shrinking, and were sucked into the buckets.
Chen Shi and Black Pot soared into the air, darting through the various streets of the Immortal Capital. Several more ghost gods took to the air, pursuing them.
One of them, a ghost god with a blue face and fangs, shouted, "Plague Ghost, Cold Ghost! You two go ahead first and notify the Young Master!"
Plague Ghost and Cold Ghost responded and flew out, about to accelerate, when they saw two little ghosts flying toward them. Two rags flew out, instantly transforming into vast heavenly curtains that draped down and enveloped the two ghost gods.
The blue-faced, fanged ghost god was startled and turned to flee, only to find a Little Yaksha standing behind it, smiling at it and forming a Ghost-Subduing Seal with its palm.
The Little Yaksha's figure was pitifully small, but the mont the Ghost-Subduing Seal appeared, the ghost god felt its opponent was thousands of *zhang* tall, imnsely majestic!
The Little Yaksha's palm descended, and the ghost god transford into a blue-faced cloth doll the size of a palm.
The Little Yaksha tied the doll to its waist, leaped and bounded with agility, disappearing into the crowd of ghosts and monsters.
Chen Shi and Black Pot soon arrived at the Young Master's Primordial Palace. They circled around from one side, reaching the darkness behind the Primordial Palace.
Only one Celestial Street led into the darkness, emitting a faint, eerie glow. The darkness flanking the street concealed an unknown number of underworld officers and ghosts!
Chen Shi took a deep breath, stepped onto this dark Celestial Street, and walked forward with Black Pot.
All around was silent, without any sound.
The earlier clamor of the Immortal Capital faded away. Only the footsteps of Chen Shi and Black Pot remained, faint but growing increasingly jarring to the ear.
They drew closer and closer to that Primordial Palace, gradually reaching the middle of the Celestial Street.
At that mont, a pair of faint, glowing eyes lit up in the darkness to the left, like two flickering flas.
"Black Pot, I'm counting on you for this fight," Chen Shi said in a low voice, taking out the Heaven-asuring Iron Ruler.
Black Pot stood behind him, violently shaking its body, growing larger and larger, clusters of demonic fire igniting.
"Whoosh—"
On both sides of the Celestial Street, within the darkness, pairs of eyes lit up one after another!
"Criminal Chen Shi, we've been waiting for you for a long ti!"
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