On the Path to the Great Dao

Chen Shi arrived outside the city and found a secluded corner. He stuck the candied hawthorn stick into the ground, glanced around to confirm no one was nearby, and hurriedly relieved himself for a moment.

Almost died holding it in.

He continued on his way with Blackie Pot. When he reached Bridge Bay Town, the townsfolk were just returning from burying the floating corpses. Fu Leisheng was among them. Chen Shi greeted him and said,

"Sir, I'd like to witness the power and strength of the Nascent Soul Realm."

Fu Leisheng gave him a deep look and said,

"Come with me."

The two arrived outside the town. Fu Leisheng circulated his cultivation art, and a Divine Shrine with a Divine Embryo manifested behind his head. The embryo contained an unimaginably terrifying pressure that caused the ground around him to sink slightly.

"My Nascent Soul is concealed within the Divine Embryo, nurtured by it to grow stronger. But I haven't cultivated to the Out-of-Aperture stage yet, so I can't show you the Nascent Soul itself."

Fu Leisheng lightly raised his hand. Suddenly, the earth beneath Chen Shi trembled faintly with cracking sounds. A massive block of soil, spanning two or three zhang wide and thick as eight or nine chi, rose from the ground, carrying Chen Shi into the air over ten zhang high!

"My true qi is far more abundant than a ninth-turn Golden Core!" He focused his mind, and the huge soil block carrying Chen Shi flew higher and higher, gradually reaching a height of a hundred zhang—Fu Leisheng's limit—before stopping. It then descended slowly, returning to its original position moments later.

Fu Leisheng said,

"A force field formed from nascent energy surrounds my body, deployed through the Divine Embryo. Any spell entering it will be restricted. You can give it a try."

Chen Shi said,

"Alright!"

Before the words left his mouth, a small temple had already manifested behind his head. A burst of sword qi shot out, its speed startling even Fu Leisheng!

This sword qi used the simplest thrusting form. As it pierced into Fu Leisheng's Nascent Soul force field, it was like an invisible sword master lunging forward, channeling all his power into the blade straight at his throat!

The sword qi sank into the force field like mud, slowing more and more. In an instant, friction generated heat, igniting flames around it. It finally halted three inches from Fu Leisheng's throat.

Fu Leisheng stared at the strike that had nearly pierced his throat, beads of fine sweat emerging on his forehead unbidden.

He hadn't expected Chen Shi to act so swiftly— the word "good" barely out, and the sword qi was upon him. Moreover, its power was so ferocious that it almost breached his Nascent Soul force field!

"Luckily I blocked it, or he would've pierced my throat with one sword."

He was just about to speak when Chen Shi suddenly shifted his footing and closed in, his fist smashing toward his face!

This punch carried tremendous domineering force. As the fist blasted out, it boomed like thunder.

Fu Leisheng's ears rang with the rumbling, his mind shaken, even giving rise to a trace of fear. The Nascent Soul hidden in his Divine Embryo became somewhat unsteady.

"If his fist were any stronger, producing true thunderous sound, even Nascent Soul Realm experts would fall one punch at a time, blasted to death outright!"

Just as this thought crossed his mind, Chen Shi's fist reached his face. Flames flickered around the fist, veins and muscles bulging beneath the skin, vital blood surging. It was even more ferocious and domineering than the sword qi, arriving at his chin.

But advancing further became arduous, posing no real threat to Fu Leisheng.

Chen Shi let out a fierce shout, his feet stepping in the Big Dipper pattern. Hands and feet working together like gale-force winds and pounding rain, he launched a mad assault on Fu Leisheng!

Every punch and kick boomed with thunderous sound, constantly reverberating. Though none landed on Fu Leisheng, they shook his Nascent Soul force field relentlessly, jolting his body and sending him involuntarily floating backward!

Chen Shi pressed his frenzied offensive, his vital blood growing ever more vigorous. Under the onslaught, Fu Leisheng kept drifting back, yet every strike from Chen Shi failed to truly reach him.

Fu Leisheng grew alarmed and suspicious. If this continued, his Nascent Soul force field might be shattered outright!

He wants to kill me!

Bombarded by Chen Shi's vital blood, Fu Leisheng actually felt fear arise, only snapping awake afterward. He thought to himself,

"His battle intent is too overwhelming; it's clouding my judgment! Strange—clearly just a child, yet he possesses such terrifying battle intent!"

At that moment, under Chen Shi's savage barrage, the Nascent Soul force field finally shattered. As Chen Shi's fist neared his face, Fu Leisheng couldn't help but raise his hand to block the blow.

Both their bodies jolted violently. Chen Shi retreated a step.

Though Fu Leisheng blocked the strike and forced Chen Shi back a step, his own vital blood churned wildly, like a water-filled bottle shaken madly, the liquid swirling inside. His face flushed red involuntarily as he thought,

"Such vigorous vital blood!"

He took a long breath to steady it, then stepped forward and said gravely,

"Chen Shi, that was the pressure from my mobilized Nascent Soul mana!"

He raised his palm and slammed it down. In that flip, Chen Shi suddenly felt the world spin. The next instant, he smashed brutally into the ground, with no chance to resist or dodge!

Fu Leisheng pressed his palm downward. The earth boomed and shook, sinking sharply around Chen Shi as the center!

Boom!

A massive palm print spanning two or three zhang appeared crystal clear, with Chen Shi right beneath it.

He pushed against the ground with both hands, trying to rise, but was pressed flat again by the force field's power!

Fu Leisheng withdrew his Nascent Soul power, allowing Chen Shi to stand.

"Is the gap really this big?" Chen Shi frowned and murmured.

Fu Leisheng said,

"One realm, one heaven. Your Golden Core is already quite strong—far more abundant than many fourth- or fifth-turn Golden Cores. But with a full realm gap, even if you cultivate to ninth-turn Golden Core, you'd still be far inferior against Nascent Soul."

Chen Shi recalled hearing Yan Jingsi's footsteps yet sensing no presence from him, while he could clearly sense Fu Leisheng.

"Could Sir Fu completely restrain all his aura?"

Fu Leisheng complied, gathering his aura fully. Chen Shi sensed again and could still detect it. He immediately said,

"There's a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator whose footsteps I could hear, but I couldn't sense any aura from him at all. Which stage of Nascent Soul is that?"

Fu Leisheng's expression grew solemn. He said,

"That's the Six Harmonies stage. After the three essences—vitality, qi, and spirit—unite to form the Nascent Soul, one then unites hand with eye, eye with body, and body with Nascent Soul, achieving Six Harmonies. At Six Harmonies, the Nascent Soul and flesh body become one. Internal vision of the five viscera and six bowels reveals no aura leaking out. Controlling the Nascent Soul at Six Harmonies is like controlling one's own body. Only then can the Nascent Soul exit the aperture without harming the body. The person you describe has refined his Nascent Soul to the Six Harmonies stage."

He elaborated further,

"That person's Nascent Soul sits in the void, impervious to all arts. His body is equivalent, also sitting in the void and impervious. I've only just entered Nascent Soul Realm and grasped this much; I don't know more."

Chen Shi bowed and said,

"I've learned much. Sir, it's getting late; I must head home."

Fu Leisheng nodded lightly, watching him head toward Qianyang Mountain. Suddenly, he called out,

"Chen Shi!"

Chen Shi stopped. Fu Leisheng said,

"A gentleman does what he should and avoids what he shouldn't. Know what is doable and do it; know what isn't and don't. These words from Mencius—ponder them carefully."

Chen Shi's expression, originally grave, relaxed. He smiled and said,

"The words of the ancients surely hold wisdom. Thank you for the guidance, sir."

Fu Leisheng breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

"Good that you understand."

Chen Shi departed.

Fu Leisheng returned to Bridge Bay Town.

"Sir Fu is truly kind, quoting Mencius to teach me."

Chen Shi said to Blackie Pot,

"Mencius must be a disciple of the Master. What he said makes perfect sense—a gentleman fights when he can win, skips when he can't. Assess before fighting; if the opponent is too strong, don't. Mencius is fierce, inheriting the Master's lineage. I think I should buy Mencius's books to cultivate my temperament."

Blackie Pot felt something was off, but Chen Shi's words rang so true he couldn't refute.

Chen Shi returned to Huangpo Village, fetched black dog blood, and drew talismans through the night.

He drew over a dozen Giant Strength Talismans, plus Spring Rain Talismans, Prayer Rain Talismans, Galloping Horse Divine Travel Talismans, Golden Light Talismans, Child Scriptures, One General Scriptures, Ten Generals Talismans, Nine Palaces Ward-Evil Scriptures, Eight Trigrams Body-Protection Scriptures, Alliance Might Scriptures, Total Merit Scriptures, and more. Five of each kind.

He also drew over ten types of Thunder Talismans, five of each.

After finishing, Blackie Pot was a circle skinnier and utterly listless.

Chen Shi pasted all the talismans meticulously onto his clothes. He then rummaged out every incense candle at home, leaving only enough for two days, and lit the rest for the Three Ghost Kings.

As the saying goes, sharpen your spear on the eve of battle—even dull, it'll shine.

After devouring so much incense, they should at least grow a bit stronger. Chen Shi thought.

During his bout with Fu Leisheng, he hadn't mobilized the Three Ghost Kings. Otherwise, using them as the Divine Embryo would have skyrocketed his combat power, making it far less easy for Fu Leisheng to handle.

The Three Ghost Kings, receiving Chen Shi's incense bounty, panicked at the sheer volume.

"Why does this feel like a last meal before execution? Death row dinner! Chen lad's probably about to pull off something huge! No way—I'd rather eat long-term meals!"

Realizing doom loomed, it tried fleeing Chen Shi's small temple but couldn't escape. Despair set in as it muttered,

"One misstep, eternal regret. I shouldn't have coveted those few sticks of incense. I'm such a fool, really..."

That night, the incense burned without cease, leaving the Three Ghost Kings ever more uneasy.

The next morning, Chen Shi rose early, went to Huangtu Gang to worship Godmother and offer incense to Scholar Zhu, then headed straight for the Tomb of the True King.

Outside the tomb, Chen Shi steadied his mind. Without taking out the Western King jade seal, he entered the Ghost God Domain directly, rushing to the stele forest before the tomb.

Around him, the world shifted abruptly. Stone statues awakened one by one but remained still, watching as the quirky Holy Envoy dashed panic-stricken to the stele forest. He stared at the stone stele engraved with the Heavenly Canopy Demon-Subduing Great Method, scanning it at top speed.

The tomb guardians crouched in place, their auras blazing, then watched the Holy Envoy bolt away in a flash, vanishing without trace.

"The temperamental Holy Envoy—always rushing in and out in a hurry."

A Tianlu yawned and said,

"He awakens us but leaves without a word of instruction."

"Maybe the Holy Envoy is just too busy," a Baxia guessed.

They petrified one after another, resuming their slumber.

Chen Shi fled the Tomb of the True King and returned to Huangtu Gang, heart still pounding wildly, vision blacking out from excitement. He thought,

"Got it! Got it! The Heavenly Canopy Demon-Subduing Great Method is finally mine—and I emerged unscathed, like strolling through an empty realm!"

This Heavenly Canopy Demon-Subduing Great Method was the countermeasure he'd conceived after seeing Yan Fang's grotesque art of the twelve flying skulls.

Heavenly Canopy was the Northern Pole's Canopy Marshal, Supreme Heavenly Lord, corresponding to the Yao Guang Star—also called Breaking Army—in the Big Dipper.

This art was of the same lineage as Chen Shi's Three Lights Righteous Qi Art. Its Big Dipper Refining and Yao Guang Tempering methods perfectly aligned with the Heavenly Canopy Demon-Subduing Great Method.

Under the crooked-neck willow tree, Chen Shi studied the art closely. It was quite complex—far more so than the Three Lights Righteous Qi Art—and included spells, making it hard to pick up, unlike the straightforward Three Lights Righteous Qi Art.

Still, the Heavenly Canopy Demon-Subduing Great Method was a close-combat art, right up his alley.

"This art probably requires looser clothing."

Chen Shi thought it over, stripped off his clothes and folded them neatly, leaving only shorts, then silently cultivated the Heavenly Canopy Demon-Subduing Great Method.

After a full day of practice, he achieved minor mastery.

That night, after dinner and a medicinal soak, he rose to cultivate in the courtyard until the villagers couldn't take it and cursed him out. Only then did he stop.

The next morning, Chen Shi awoke, washed up, performed his usual routine—worship Godmother, sacrifice to Scholar Zhu, breakfast—then called Blackie Pot and set out.

Upon reaching Bridge Bay Town, he weighed out two jin of exotic beast meat to feed the dog, then hurried straight to Lei County.

At Lei County's teahouse, the tea clerk led him to the back courtyard, where over a dozen pigs, dogs, cows, and sheep lounged with swollen bellies.

"Blackie Pot, herd them and keep them from straying."

Chen Shi instructed. With Blackie Pot and the big-bellied livestock in tow, he walked smiling toward Xuanwu Pavilion.

Arriving outside Xuanwu Pavilion, the Yan clan youths and servant girls inside heard a clear child's voice from beyond the gate.

"Is Elder Yan in? It's Chen Shi here. Grateful for your hospitality, I've brought some local specialties as thanks."

Yan Rong and the others exchanged surprised glances upon hearing this. Yan Fang said,

"That kid was cowed by Little Uncle the day before yesterday—why dare come back today? What 'specialties' has he brought?"

Yan Rong said,

"Ignore the rest for now. Let's see what medicine he's selling in his gourd."

They headed out to greet Chen Shi.

At that moment, the sky suddenly darkened, as if rain were coming.

Everyone looked up and marveled,

"It was bright sunshine just now—how'd it turn overcast so fast?"

Chen Shi stood outside Xuanwu Pavilion, shaking his shoulders and surging his vital blood as he chanted the divine incantation.

"Heavenly Canopy, Heavenly Canopy, Nine Origins Evil Child. Five Dings Bailiffs, Gao Diao Northern Elder. Seven Planets, Eight Spirits, Supreme Vast Fury. Elongated Skull Giant Beast, Grasping the Emperor's Bell!"

His Golden Core blazed within, true qi surging through his body. His frame shook as bones elongated and muscles gradually bulged!

His vital blood erupted violently, spilling outward. Crimson qi gradually formed phantom images of two more heads—stern brows in a row, fangs sprouting from mouths, faces full of savage flesh, expressions hideous!

Chen Shi's body continued growing taller. Vital blood under his ribs morphed into new arms, while his original pair's muscles swelled, arms lengthening!

Three heads, six arms. Vital blood coalesced, forming an Emperor Bell with the hand seals!

"Prime Bird Three Gods, Yan Commands Kui Dragon. Might Sword Divine King, Slays Evil, Erases Traces. Purple Qi Rides the Heavens, Crimson霞 Blazes. Devours Demons, Eats Ghosts, Body Sprawls Swilling Winds!"

Chen Shi strode forward, vital blood roiling. His body towered ever higher. The other arms each pinched seals. A second artifact, a third—momentarily, he wielded six: yue axe, bow and arrow, sword, bell, halberd, and tether!

"Flame Emperor's Fierce Blood, Big Dipper Burns Bones. Four Brights Shatter Frames, Heavenly Mechanism Annihilates Kin! One Stroke of the Divine Blade, Myriad Ghosts Shatter Themselves. Hasten, Hasten, Hasten—like the Northern Emperor's Radiant Might! By mouth decree, by law command!"

Thunder roared massively. Chen Shi's vital blood surged, dyeing his hair red. The crimson ribbon binding it snapped with a pop, blood-red locks floating upward, standing over a chi tall.

Vital blood clouds bloomed around him, one after another, drifting nearby. Scorching blood qi formed thick crimson armor before and behind him. His massive feet burst his shoes. Even in loose robes, Chen Shi now felt somewhat constricted.

Like a god-demon from the Northern Pole descending to purge demonic miasma!

Boom!

Xuanwu Pavilion's main gate shattered in a quake. Chen Shi kicked it flying, servants and all. Yan Rong, Yan Fang, and the others approaching head-on saw the gate bearing down with the two slow footmen and scattered in horror.

Chen Shi leaped inside.

"Today, I'll send the county magistrate on his way!"

End of chapter.