On the Path to the Great Dao

"Thank you, Madam Sha." Grandpa let out a breath of relief as Chen Shi regained consciousness.

The old woman set down her peculiar instrument and chuckled hoarsely. "Old Chen, no need for thanks between us. Without your Water and Fire Refinement, my soul-summoning technique alone might not have brought Little Ten back from the Netherworld. Even if it did, his body would likely have already rotted."

Grandpa dispersed the swirling water and fire above his head and turned to Chen Shi. "Little Ten, how do you feel? Does your chest still hurt?"

Chen Shi tried to respond, but his throat was dry and hoarse, unable to produce any sound.

"He’s been dead for seven days. His body was already cold. It’s a miracle we managed to retrieve him on the seventh day," Madam Sha said as she leaned close, prying open Chen Shi’s mouth to inspect. She smiled and added, "His throat muscles are slack; he can’t speak yet. Once his body warms up and he becomes familiar with his... corpse, he’ll regain his voice."

"Body, not corpse," Grandpa corrected her.

"What’s the difference?" She laughed until her eyes narrowed to slits. "Old Chen, your skills are impressive. Using that Water and Fire Refinement method—meant for cultivating corpse immortals—on Little Ten, ha! Now, since I saved your grandson, shouldn’t you pass that method on to me?"

Grandpa’s expression turned cautious. He shook his head. "I paid you for your services. However, I don’t have much time left. If you agree to become Little Ten’s godmother, I’ll teach you the Water and Fire Refinement in full."

"Become Little Ten’s godmother?"

Madam Sha’s face froze. She glanced at Chen Shi, hesitating. "Become his godmother? I fear I’m not strong enough for that… Should I take the gamble? Heh… I can’t do it!" She started wailing, her tone mournful. "Old Chen, are you trying to pass this hot potato before you die? You’re scared too, aren’t you? I can’t take it—I’m afraid I’d fail and become a sinner…"

Hearing her sobs, Chen Shi was puzzled. "Why is the old woman crying? Why does she say she’d become a sinner?"

Some time later, Chen Shi finally managed to speak and asked for water. Madam Sha gave him a drink, then shooed Grandpa out. Watching Grandpa load the still-immobile Chen Shi onto the cart, she began crying again for no apparent reason.

"Old Chen, you can’t take the Water and Fire Refinement to your grave!" she cried out. "Teach me, and I’ll even mourn you as if I were your daughter!"

Grandpa didn’t look back. "Then become Little Ten’s godmother."

"No way!" Madam Sha refused flatly. "Just take the technique to your grave, then. I’ll dig up your coffin later!"

The cart slowly creaked into motion, its charms glowing faintly.

Black Pot trotted ahead of the cart, leading the way. Chen Shi, lying on the bumpy wooden cart, swayed left and right as they left Madam Sha’s village behind.

Chen Shi strained to look outside. The village was unfamiliar; he hadn’t been there during the Moon Festival.

"Grandpa seems close with Madam Sha. She even knows my nickname," he thought. "I must have been here before, but I don’t remember it."

"Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!" Grandpa called for Black Pot, who looked puzzled as the cart took a different path. Then the dog joyfully returned to the cart.

"We’re not going back to Huangpo Village. We’re heading somewhere else," Grandpa explained to Black Pot. "Little Ten’s body is too cold, his blood isn’t circulating well. We need to stay at a yin-rich corpse cultivation site for a few days."

Black Pot nodded solemnly and resumed leading the way.

Chen Shi, his voice weak, called out, "Black Pot, thank you."

Black Pot paused briefly, wagging its tail before continuing.

"This is Gangzi Village, north of the mountains. Madam Sha is a good person. When you were born, she held you and praised your incredible potential," Grandpa began, seemingly to himself or to Chen Shi. "When you ranked first in the county exams among fifty provinces, she came to congratulate you. When you were injured, she was furious and ran around trying to summon your soul back.

"When I die, I’ll leave you a copy of the Water and Fire Refinement Method. Give it to her as thanks. She’s a person of loyalty and sentiment. If you give her the technique, she’ll feel indebted to you and will protect you in every way she can. She doesn’t dare to be your godmother, but she’ll do her best to look after you."

Listening to the creaking cart wheels, Chen Shi whispered, "Grandpa won’t die."

"Heh." Grandpa laughed, patting Chen Shi’s head. "Silly boy, no one lives forever. I don’t dare to stay too long. When the moon rises, I fear I won’t be able to resist the hunger…" He fell silent.

Changing the topic, Chen Shi asked, "Grandpa, is Black Pot just a normal dog? How could it enter the Netherworld to save me?"

"You doubt it too?" Grandpa’s expression darkened as he looked at Black Pot. "I’ve suspected it for a long time but haven’t caught any evidence."

Black Pot shuddered, sensing their gaze.

"Life in the Chen family is so hard," the dog thought bitterly. "Why is my life as a simple dog so full of challenges?"

The cart followed Black Pot deep into the mountains, navigating increasingly rugged paths with ease. After some time, they arrived at a picturesque valley surrounded by low peaks. At its center was a clear, dark pool of water that resembled an eye—its surface pure and reflective, its depths ominously black.

Next to the pool was an ancient manor shrouded in towering trees that blocked out the sunlight. Inside, it was so dark that it took a while for the eyes to adjust.

Black Pot sneezed several times, shivering in the cold air, and refused to enter the manor. Above its gates were the words "Mirror Lake."

The eerie stillness struck Chen Shi as strange. There were no mosquitoes, even though he couldn’t move and should have been bitten by now. Nor were there bird calls—nothing but an unsettling silence.

His gaze fell on a massive tree whose bark resembled overlapping dragon scales. Beneath it stood an upright black coffin, leaning against the trunk.

Chen Shi noticed several more dragon-scale trees and black coffins scattered around. The cart stopped under one such tree with a small upright coffin beneath it.

Grandpa opened the coffin and gently placed Chen Shi inside before closing the lid. Strangely, despite the freezing surroundings, the interior of the coffin gradually warmed Chen Shi, bringing strength back to his heart and body.

More astonishingly, lying in the coffin filled him with peace and familiarity, as if he had been here before. He drifted off into a deep sleep until Grandpa reopened the coffin, waking him.

Grandpa checked his hand. It was warm again, and his heartbeat was strong.

Chen Shi climbed out, stretched, and marveled at how fully recovered he felt, though questions swirled in his mind.

"Grandpa, have I been here before?"

"Yes."

"Did I lie in this small coffin before?"

"Yes."

"Was it when I ranked first in the county exams?"

"Yes. Back then, you were gravely injured. You slept here for a long time."

Grandpa packed up the cart and prepared to leave. Chen Shi solemnly closed the coffin, treating it with great care as if it were a second home.

As they left, Chen Shi noticed seven other upright black coffins beneath the trees, each exuding a powerful, oppressive aura. Something extraordinary lay within.

"This corpse cultivation site was discovered by me and some acquaintances—not really friends, just people who share a fear of death. We built this manor together," Grandpa explained. "Those who stay here must follow certain unwritten rules: don’t inquire about anyone’s origins, don’t reveal this place, and never bring more than two visitors at a time. Breaking the rules invites retribution from everyone—when they rise from their coffins, it’s terrifying."

Chen Shi chuckled. "No wonder Black Pot didn’t follow us in."

As the cart exited the manor, Black Pot rushed to join them. Nearby, a luxurious carriage stood in stark contrast to Grandpa’s rustic cart. Its frame was wood, its ornamentation of gold and pearls, and it was drawn by four majestic horses clad in gilded armor.

A white-robed man emerged, his elegant presence and star-like eyes exuding nobility. He carried a lacquered sword with intricate patterns and tortoiseshell detailing, drawing attention.

After exchanging pleasantries with Grandpa, the man—identified as Xiao Wangsun—entered the manor, heading for a grand coffin engraved with dazzling talismans. Its multiple layers of gold, silver, and jade boards sealed him inside.