On the Path to the Great Dao

Chen Shi wiped the blood off his knife on his sleeve and looked at the scattered corpses in the camp, his face as calm as still water.

"Confucius said, 'If one finds oneself in a situation, one should adapt to it.' Since your duty was to protect my enemy, your deaths are not unjust."

He began walking toward Li Xiaoding.

Li Xiaoding could kill him with a single spell, but Chen Shi felt no fear. For some reason, an unshakable confidence filled him—he believed he could take down Li Xiaoding before he could even activate a spell.

It was strange; this was the first time he had killed anyone, yet he felt no trepidation. From the moment his hand gripped the knife, his only thought was how to kill his opponents as quickly as possible.

The black dog remained crouched by the table, staring blankly at the sprawled bodies. It still couldn’t reconcile the decisive killer before it with the playful, carefree boy it had known as its master.

The old Chen Shi had been mischievous and cheerful, an airheaded youth. But now, he was like a god of slaughter.

Bang!Bang!Bang!

Chen Shi’s fists pounded relentlessly, each strike carrying immense force as he shattered the golden bell barrier protecting Li Xiaoding. With firm strides, he closed the distance between them.

Though Chen Shi was much shorter than Li Xiaoding, only reaching his chest, his overwhelming aura caused Li Xiaoding to stumble backward and collapse onto the ground. Propping himself up with his hands, he scrambled away in terror. "Bro-brother, d-don’t…"

Chen Shi grabbed him by the collar, trying to lift him. But whether because Li Xiaoding was too heavy or because the fight had drained him, Chen Shi couldn’t manage it.

Despite having wiped out all his opponents, fatigue swept over him as the adrenaline wore off. His hands trembled slightly, and he felt weak. Taking a deep breath, he activated the "Three Lights Righteous Energy Technique," which eased his condition somewhat.

That earlier battle had seemed swift and clean, but the exertion had been immense. A gnawing hunger crept in, making him crave food.

"Please don’t kill me!"

Li Xiaoding burst into tears, his pants soaking as he lost control.

Though his cultivation level far surpassed Chen Shi’s, his true qi vastly more potent, and his body protected by numerous talismans, his terror robbed him of all will to fight.

Like a lamb waiting for slaughter, he allowed Chen Shi to hoist him slightly.

"You stole my Divine Embryo, and you still want to live?"

Chen Shi snarled through gritted teeth. "You had someone crack open my skull and take my Divine Embryo. You didn’t think I’d survive, did you? You should’ve driven a rod into my brain and turned it to mush! But you left me a sliver of life, and now I’ve come for revenge!"

Li Xiaoding’s body went limp, his face ashen.

His own talent had always been mediocre. Indulgence in food, drink, and pleasure further eroded his capabilities, leaving him unable to cultivate a Divine Embryo. He wasn’t even able to pass the scholar’s exam without his family buying him a spot.

But his family wasn’t worried. They didn’t push him to work hard, allowing him to live carefreely.

One day, his Third Uncle brought him a fresh Divine Embryo, claiming it would transform his life. "Once this embryo is transplanted into your shrine," his uncle said, "you’ll immediately ascend to the Divine Embryo stage. Becoming a scholar, or even a master alchemist, will be within reach."

When he asked about the embryo’s origin, his uncle told him not to worry—it had all been handled. Comforted, Li Xiaoding accepted the transplant.

Everything went smoothly. He passed his exams, and the reputation of his "genius" spread widely, earning him admiration from other noble families. Even young ladies from prominent households began to take interest in him.

But he never imagined his uncle had left loose ends. The victim had survived, mastering some sinister abilities, killing all his Jin Yiwei, and now sought vengeance!

"Do you know what I’ve endured these past two years?"

Chen Shi snarled, his voice dripping with rage. "Do you know how much I’ve suffered? How much humiliation I’ve endured…"

Li Xiaoding’s body shuddered suddenly. A glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes as he stammered, "W-wait… warrior…!"

Li Xiaoding hesitated, finding it odd to call a boy barely in his teens a "warrior," but he forced himself to do so. "Wait, warrior, you said your Divine Embryo was taken two years ago? But I only transplanted someone else's Divine Embryo last year! Warrior!"

He cautiously yet boldly continued, "Could it be that you’ve got the wrong person?"

Chen Shi, about to lash out again, froze at those words. The killing intent in his heart lessened slightly as he asked suspiciously, "Are you saying you only transplanted a Divine Embryo last year?"

Li Xiaoding nodded fervently, his expression a mix of pleading and grievance. "Yes! After the transplant last year, I participated in the county exam and became a scholar. This is well-documented; you can investigate it yourself!"

Chen Shi faltered, his hands loosening as he let go of Li Xiaoding.

Li Xiaoding collapsed onto the ground, disregarding the pain. He hurriedly continued, "If you lost your Divine Embryo two years ago, then the one who took it wasn’t me—or anyone from my family. A Divine Embryo separated from its host disintegrates quickly; it couldn’t possibly be preserved for a whole year!"

"Impossible?"

Chen Shi muttered, shaken. "So, you’re saying you didn’t take my Divine Embryo, and I’ve killed the wrong person?"

Li Xiaoding grew increasingly agitated. "Not only the wrong person! You’ve killed my seven guards, nearly killed me, and even murdered Ding family’s Zi’e!"

Chen Shi’s expression flickered, uncertainty clouding his face.

He had acted on the assumption that Li Xiaoding was the culprit, based on speculation from Zhao Er and others. They had mentioned Li Xiaoding’s sudden rise during the county exam, attributing it to a stolen Divine Embryo. From that moment, Chen Shi had fixated on Li Xiaoding as his mortal enemy.

But now, in hindsight, their claims had been mere conjecture.

"So, I really killed the wrong person…" Chen Shi murmured.

"You did!" Li Xiaoding shouted, his frustration boiling over. "Why didn’t you ask before attacking—"

Slash!

A cold gleam flashed across Li Xiaoding’s neck. His words ceased abruptly as his hand flew to his throat. He made guttural choking noises, blood gushing from the wound.

Blood filled his lungs, causing him to cough violently. Bubbles of blood rose from his throat and mouth as his eyes widened in disbelief.

Chen Shi wiped the blood from his knife onto his sleeve again and glanced at the struggling Li Xiaoding.

"But I didn’t kill the wrong person. Even though the Divine Embryo you took wasn’t mine, you still stole someone’s. That person wasn’t as lucky as I was. I survived, but they didn’t. People like you deserve to die."

Chen Shi turned away and walked back to the table. He placed the knife in his bookcase, packed up his brushes, ink, and paper, and slung the case over his shoulder.

"I’ve avenged him," he muttered to himself. "It’s a pity I can’t kill all the nobles who destroy the futures and lives of the poor."

Feeling lightheaded and famished, his stomach growled loudly, making him feel as if his chest was stuck to his back.

Just then, the aroma of cooked food wafted through the air. Following the scent, Chen Shi discovered a large pot of stew simmering near one of the yurts. Li Xiaoding and his men had caught some wild game and cooked it. The meat was now tender and ready to eat.

Lifting the lid, he saw chunks of meat, fatty and lean, with bones still attached, bubbling in a rich broth. The stew smelled divine.

Chen Shi should have left this dangerous place immediately to avoid complications, but hunger had drained his strength. Tossing the lid aside, he grabbed the pot by its handles and carried it to the table.

Thud!

Placing the pot on the table, he sat on his bookcase and began wolfing down the meat. Ignoring the heat, he tore into the chunks, stripping the meat clean and spitting out the bones.

The black dog, finally recovering from the earlier carnage, quivered slightly. However, its instincts kicked in when it spotted the discarded bones, and it scrambled to grab them.

"Pathetic," Chen Shi scoffed with a smirk. He tipped half the pot’s contents onto the ground. "Go ahead, eat quickly. Fill your belly for the road ahead."

The black dog shivered, unsure whether "the road ahead" meant carrying burdens or facing its end. After some thought, it concluded that its young master wouldn’t kill it—after all, it was just a dog and couldn’t carry blame. Relieved, it happily devoured the meat.

Man and dog feasted together, one at the table, the other beneath it.

Once their hunger was sated, Chen Shi strapped on his bookcase and glanced around. He was surprised to see no sign of ghosts from Li Xiaoding or his men.

"Could Grandpa have been right about some nether force dragging souls to the underworld? But if that’s true, why weren’t Zhu Xiucai and the three water ghosts taken?"

Calling the black dog, Chen Shi prepared to leave. He felt thirsty from the heavy meal, so he picked up a large melon that had rolled out of Zi’e’s basket. Smashing it open with a fist, he ate the sweet fruit in big bites as he left the camp and disappeared into the forest.

"By nightfall, when the moon rises and evil stirs, these bodies will be gone. No one will trace this back to me, no matter how skilled they are."

Not long after, Chen Shi emerged from the forest to find a wooden cart parked by the roadside. His grandfather, wearing a straw hat, sat nearby, as if expecting him.

Chen Shi paused, startled, before walking over.

Grandpa tossed him some clothes. "Change into these. You’re covered in blood—it’ll bring trouble."

Chen Shi nodded obediently, quickly swapping out his clothes. As he wondered what to do with the bloodstained garments, they suddenly caught fire and turned to ash.

Realizing this was Grandpa’s doing, Chen Shi marveled internally. "Confucius said, ‘Do not look upon what is improper.’ As long as no one sees it, it’s not a crime. Grandpa is meticulous; he must have done plenty of shady things in his time!"

Still, Chen Shi couldn’t discern whether Grandpa had used a spell or some other means.

The two climbed onto the cart. Runes on its wheels glowed faintly as the cart rolled along the road toward Huangpo Village.

"Did you make any money as a talisman maker this time?"

"I did."

"How much did you get from the aggrieved party?"

"Fifty taels of silver, a whole ingot."

"Hand it over. I’ll keep it safe for you."

"…Grandpa, I want to keep it myself."

"Kids can’t hold onto money—it slips through their fingers. Clench your hand; see the gaps between your fingers? Grandpa’s hands don’t have gaps. Give me the money. I’ll save it for your future wedding. Would Grandpa cheat you out of your money?"

"No."

Reluctantly, Chen Shi handed over the silver, dreaming of the day he’d get married.