Chapter 46: The Kiln Factory is Terrifying—Let’s Head Back to the Village
Chen Shi unleashed his full strength, charging toward Li Tianqing with incredible speed. Only then did Tianqing realize that Chen Shi’s claim—that within fifteen feet, his speed outmatched spells—was no exaggeration.
Chen Shi closed the distance in a single step, the wind from his movement roaring like a primordial beast, suffocatingly oppressive. But what struck faster than his body was his fist.
As Chen Shi’s punch came crashing down, it was accompanied by a dull thunderclap. The forceful gust distorted Tianqing’s face, and he even felt his brain momentarily deprived of blood. The sound alone sent waves of terror through him; thunder carried a primal fear for cultivators, as it was reminiscent of tribulation lightning capable of shattering soul and spirit.
Though Chen Shi’s punch wasn’t nearly as devastating as heavenly thunder, its concussive sound rattled Tianqing’s focus. A less resolute practitioner would have crumbled under the psychological pressure alone, but Tianqing stood firm.
Tianqing’s Six Yin Jade Wheel technique had already been prepared. The defensive aspect of the technique manifested as spinning energy wheels formed of true qi, imperceptible to the naked eye.
As Chen Shi’s punch barreled toward him, one jade wheel spun around Tianqing’s shoulder, powered by the Taiyin Spleen Meridian, to intercept the blow. Simultaneously, another jade wheel, driven by the Taiyin Lung Meridian, launched toward Chen Shi’s neck with surgical precision.
The wheels’ intricate movements were a marvel of precision, their paths deadly and unpredictable.
To Tianqing’s shock, Chen Shi seemed to sense the jade wheels despite their invisibility. Though his eyes couldn’t see them, his body reacted instinctively, detecting the faint disruptions in the air caused by the spinning qi. This heightened perception stemmed from his Sacred Embryo Body. Every hair on his body could sense even the slightest changes in his surroundings, allowing him to anticipate the jade wheels’ trajectories before they struck.
Chen Shi’s fist instantly transitioned to an open palm, slamming downward to meet the first wheel. The moment his palm made contact, he flipped upward in mid-air, narrowly evading the second wheel as it sliced toward his waist. His movements were fluid yet explosive, as if he were stepping on the stars themselves.
The jade wheels rotated back toward him, their speed relentless. Chen Shi’s palm strike shattered the first wheel with a metallic clang, but before he could capitalize on the opening, Tianqing’s defensive setup forced him to retreat.
As Chen Shi landed fifteen feet away, five more jade wheels surged toward him, each moving at different speeds and angles. Tianqing pressed the attack, his steps forming intricate circles as he advanced. His hands shifted through six distinct mudras, each commanding a jade wheel with unparalleled precision.
Chen Shi countered with the Seven Stars Steps, his movements weaving through the storm of jade wheels with ghostly agility. Each step triggered bursts of starlight that enhanced his strength and reflexes, keeping him at peak condition.
The ground around them bore the scars of their clash—trees sliced cleanly in half, boulders fractured into shards. Yet despite the chaos, neither combatant landed a decisive blow.
Tianqing’s relentless assault pushed Chen Shi further away from the kiln, his jade wheels carving paths of destruction. Sensing the increasing danger, Chen Shi grabbed a nearby tree and hurled it like a javelin toward Tianqing.
The tree splintered mid-air as the jade wheels shredded it to pieces, filling the sky with a rain of wood and leaves. Amidst the debris, Chen Shi spotted the wheels’ patterns with his keen eyes. Using his insight, he weaved through the gaps and launched a punch aimed directly at Tianqing’s face.
Tianqing dodged the wooden shrapnel but couldn’t fully evade Chen Shi’s attack. Though the punch stopped short of landing, the force behind it left him rattled, his body defensively cloaked by spinning jade wheels.
Suddenly, Chen Shi noticed something: the ground beneath him bore the footprints left by Li Jindou, marking the boundary of the Ghosts-and-Gods Domain. Realizing Tianqing’s strategy, Chen Shi smirked.
“You’re trying to force me into the domain,” he said, stepping back into safety.
Tianqing hesitated, surprised that Chen Shi had seen through his plan. The fight reached a stalemate. Chen Shi withdrew his fist, and Tianqing dispersed his jade wheels.
The two boys sat down, breathing heavily. Chen Shi leaned back on his hands while Tianqing absentmindedly fiddled with blades of grass.
“I can’t kill a friend I’ve just made,” Chen Shi admitted.
“Me neither,” Tianqing replied. “You’re my only friend.”
“Same here.”
The tension dissolved into laughter.
Chen Shi shared the reason behind Li Xiaoding’s death, explaining how he had mistakenly believed Xiaoding had stolen his Divine Embryo. Tianqing nodded, acknowledging his cousin’s villainous past.
“I won’t reveal your secret,” Tianqing promised. “Li Xiaoding deserved his fate, and I won’t betray a friend over scum.”
Chen Shi brightened. “If we have time tomorrow, let’s catch some mayou! They’re strange beasts, like a cross between a horse and a monkey, and they’re great for farm work.”
Tianqing’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, and the two made plans for the next day.
Before long, their conversation was interrupted by a flash of radiant light from the kiln. Li Jindou, now a porcelain doll, staggered out of the domain, pursued by three towering kiln workers. Though his voice was incomprehensible, his frantic gestures spoke volumes.
The porcelain doll reached the boundary and collapsed. Under the light of his primordial spirit, his body began to revert from its porcelain state, but the transformation wasn’t complete.
“This domain is too dangerous!” Li Jindou gasped, sweat beading on his porcelain forehead. “Tianqing, Chen Shi, get me back to the village—quickly!”
Though neither boy understood his words, the urgency in his tone was unmistakable.