Chapter 114: Demolishing Xuanwu Pavilion
The water wheel stood about two or three zhang tall, inscribed with hydraulic talismans and Dragon King runes. It carried the force of ten thousand catties as it slammed thunderously into Black Tortoise Pavilion.
Countless shards of splintered wood flew in all directions. The first floor of Black Tortoise Pavilion was nearly smashed through, with wooden support beams snapping one after another. The water wheel itself shattered into pieces!
Black Tortoise Pavilion was built entirely of wood. Though it used high-quality timber reinforced by various talismans, most of those talismans were meant to suppress intruders inside the pavilion, with only some for structural reinforcement. The water wheel, however, was inherently sturdy and further empowered by its own talismans. The two collided and mutually destroyed each other!
The Yan family disciples and handmaids guarding the first floor of Black Tortoise Pavilion hadn't even reacted before the massive impact shattered their bones and tore their tendons, sending them flying outward.
Yan Rong blended into the crowd, his heart in chaos.
"Why is Chen Shi trying to kill us? Could it be because Yan Qing hired assassins to kill him the day before yesterday, and now he's here for revenge?"
He had just thought this when a sharp whistling sound pierced the air. Yan Qing's body was impaled by a shard of wood!
The splinter was a broken section of the lintel beam, its jagged end stabbing through Yan Qing's abdomen and piercing out through his spine!
"Piercing Sword Style!"
Yan Rong's heart filled with dread. This was Chen Shi's Piercing Sword Style, incredibly powerful. Yan Qing, at the fourth revolution of Golden Core, couldn't block it at all and was run through by a mere piece of wood! Not everyone flung outward by the impact was killed outright. After all, they were cultivators—most were still alive. While still airborne, they saw the wooden shards transform into deadly flying swords, shooting toward them!
Behind those wooden shards, Chen Shi moved with blinding speed, his steps treading the air as clusters of starlight exploded beneath his feet, flowing across his entire body.
At that moment, he once again manifested the Canopy Marshal Dharma Body: three heads and six arms, with fiery red hair fluttering wildly. But the six arms didn't grasp battle axes, bows, or arrows. Instead, each pinched a sword mudra.
Six arms, six sword styles: pierce, flick, slash, cleave, sweep, wipe. The sword mudras thrust forward, flicked up, slashed flat, cleaved vertically, swept in clouds, wiped horizontally. True qi infused into the wooden shards, making them move with his will and turning them into the most terrifying weapons!
Chen Shi charged through the air, his footwork bizarre, as if stepping on the Big Dipper stars. He didn't move in a straight line, and the sword mudras of his six arms changed at lightning speed.
Yan Rong watched as familiar figures in the air were pierced through by the flying wood shards, his heart aching unbearably. But he knew this was a life-or-death moment—Chen Shi would surely come for him next. He immediately activated his Golden Core, heedless of whether the surrounding Yan family disciples, servants, or handmaids were in range. Everything within his Golden Core force field shattered and incinerated into ash!
In midair, he spun around to face Chen Shi head-on. He surged his vital blood and pushed his true qi to the limit, staring deathly at Chen Shi while allowing his own body to plummet toward the Dragon Rearing Pool below!
Suddenly, the sword mudras of Chen Shi's six arms all shifted to Piercing Sword Style. The six arms thrust forward in unison!
Whoosh—
A pillar that had supported Black Tortoise Pavilion flew up, refined into a sword by Chen Shi. It whistled through the air, hurtling toward him!
The pillar entered the Golden Core force field and exploded repeatedly, turning to blazing flames that burned to ash in an instant!
Yan Rong hadn't even exhaled in relief when an invisible sword qi burst from the ashes, piercing through the Golden Core force field and running through his body!
"You are the first opponent to last three exchanges against me. Quite impressive."
Chen Shi's steps were like flight. He took six or seven strides through the air before landing on the surface of the Dragon Rearing Pool.
Yan Rong's corpse flew more than ten zhang through the air before nailing into the wall outside the martial hall.
Chen Shi's legs sank, depressing the water surface. With a calm expression, he stood on the water and turned to gaze at the collapsing ruins of Black Tortoise Pavilion.
The pavilion's first floor was smashed to bits, and the second and third floors had caved in. Some people were still fleeing from within the pavilion.
These people had originally planned to ambush Chen Shi. But with the pavilion collapsing, if they didn't rush out, they'd be buried inside.
"Yan Jingsi isn't here?"
Chen Shi felt a twinge of disappointment. Beneath his robes hung all sorts of talismans he hadn't yet used.
At that moment, Blackie Pot herded the pregnant pigs, dogs, cattle, and sheep to the edge of the Dragon Rearing Pool. The livestock acted as if possessed, completely ignoring the recent battle scene without the slightest panic or fear.
Of course, Chen Shi and the others acted equally possessed, blind to Blackie Pot's oddity. Even more bizarre, not a single spell had struck these beasts amid the chaos.
Chen Shi retracted his vital blood, his body shrinking smaller and smaller. The other two heads and four arms dissolved into vital blood, but this blood—tainted by divine and demonic essence—couldn't return to his body. It fell heavily to the ground, splattering everywhere.
The Canopy Marshal Subduing Demons Great Law required vital blood to manifest the divine form. Once the divine form's power was exhausted, the Canopy Marshal body dispersed.
Even if voluntarily dispersed, the vital blood polluted by divinity and demonic nature couldn't be reabsorbed and had to be discarded.
Thus, this combat technique was not to be used lightly, as employing it gravely damaged one's vitality.
"Even if Yan Jingsi was at the county yamen, he should have heard the commotion and come by now."
Chen Shi frowned slightly. His goal on this trip wasn't Yan Rong, Yan Qing, or the others—it was Lei County's magistrate, Yan Jingsi.
However, if Yan Jingsi had been here, he would have shown himself already. Then Chen Shi could have activated all his talismans to summon heavenly thunder.
He walked ashore, lifted the hem of his robe, and climbed the stone steps. In moments, he reached the top of the artificial mountain and looked out.
In the direction of the county yamen, the Ten Thousand Souls Banner still floated in the air, untouched.
"Yan Jingsi isn't in Lei County!"
He descended the mountain.
Along the way, a few unremarkable Yan family disciples attacked him. Before they could release any spells, they were slain by a streak of invisible sword qi.
Some handmaids spotted Chen Shi and screamed in terror, scattering in all directions. But Chen Shi refrained from killing them.
His goal this time was Yan Jingsi. As long as they posed no threat, he was happy to show mercy.
Chen Shi arrived at the rear courtyard of Black Tortoise Pavilion but didn't enter. He cleared his throat and called out,
"Is the Madam at home? This junior Chen Shi would like to ask where the County Magistrate has gone."
Panic filled the rear courtyard as the womenfolk fled in disarray, hiding everywhere.
After a moment, a woman's soft voice came from within.
"The Master left yesterday for the provincial capital on official business.
The new province of Xinduo has a new Governor, a relative of the Yan family. On his first day in office, the Master went partly to report on duties and partly to visit relatives and friends."
"Thank you, Madam."
Chen Shi bowed.
"When the County Magistrate returns from the provincial capital, please inform him that this junior came by. Seeing he wasn't here, I left in haste.
If the County Magistrate has the inclination, he can find me in Huangpo Village, Xinduo County."
The woman replied from behind the wall,
"I will certainly tell the Master."
Chen Shi turned and left Black Tortoise Pavilion, Blackie Pot and the herd of pigs, dogs, cattle, and sheep in tow.
Someone in the county city had heard the sounds of fighting from Black Tortoise Pavilion. Curious onlookers had already gathered outside, watching as Chen Shi drove the livestock out. No one else emerged from the pavilion.
"Are you here to kill the County Magistrate?"
Someone asked excitedly.
Chen Shi shook his head.
"No, I'm here to deliver livestock to the County Magistrate's household."
"What happened inside?"
Others crowded forward to ask.
"Some Yan family disciples got into an internal fight and killed a bunch of people.
Excuse me, excuse me."
Chen Shi parted the crowd and, with Blackie Pot, herded the livestock out of the county city.
After traveling six or seven li out of Lei County, Blackie Pot suddenly barked. Chen Shi looked over—a ewe was about to give birth.
Chen Shi quickly stopped, gathered some dry grass and leaves, and laid them down for the ewe to lie on.
The ewe panted rapidly, lying still and occasionally looking back.
Chen Shi and Blackie Pot waited nearby. After half a shichen, growing impatient, the ewe finally began to give birth.
The birth went smoothly, producing two lambs. After peeling away the afterbirth, they were snow-white.
Chen Shi ignited a fire talisman to sterilize a small knife, cut the umbilical cords, and tied knots on both the lambs' and the ewe's.
At that moment, a cow lay down, letting out low moos.
"This cow is giving birth too?"
Chen Shi started toward it when two more ewes with swollen bellies began to lie down. A bitch also lay down, looking back repeatedly.
He even spotted a sow grunting, seemingly ready to give birth!
"Oh no, oh no! The tea shopkeeper did too good a job—these are all livestock about to give birth."
Chen Shi panicked, helping deliver the animals' young. Blackie Pot bustled about too, fetching dry grass and tending the newborn lambs.
One man and one dog were run off their feet. It was as if birth were contagious—half of the dozen or so pigs, dogs, cattle, and sheep lay down to give birth!
Chen Shi's hands were covered in blood, his clothes stained too. But the De River wasn't far; once he'd helped all the livestock give birth, he could wash up by the riverbank.
Chen Shi was assisting the sow. The birth canal had opened, and the piglet's hind legs were visible. Then hoofbeats sounded. Chen Shi glanced over—it was a luxurious carriage pulled by two fine horses, heading toward Lei County city.
Chen Shi looked away, grasped the piglet's hind legs, and gently pulled. The piglet was black-spotted white.
But as soon as one emerged, another foot poked out.
Chen Shi hurriedly grabbed the next piglet's leg. Inadvertently, he noticed the carriage had stopped. The curtain parted slightly, and someone inside seemed interested in him midwifing the livestock.
Chen Shi paid it no mind. He'd just delivered one piglet when a third extended its feet.
The sow's belly suggested a fourth!
The person in the carriage seemed to lose interest. The coachman cracked his whip, and the horses pulled the carriage toward Lei County.
Chen Shi gripped the third piglet's feet—then froze. He looked up at the carriage ahead.
His heart pounded wildly!
There was no vital energy from anyone inside the carriage!
He only sensed the coachman's energy—the carriage itself was empty!
Someone had clearly parted the curtain from inside just moments ago. It couldn't be empty!
His heart raced even faster. Yan Jingsi!
He recalled Yan Jingsi ascending the pavilion in Black Tortoise Pavilion—he'd heard footsteps but sensed no energy, like a puff of air!
Blackie Pot!
Murderous intent surged in Chen Shi. He shot to his feet, staring fixedly at the accelerating carriage.
As if compelled, he stepped forward, crossing over the sow.
"You handle the birthing!"
Blackie Pot's eyes widened, staring blankly at him.
Chen Shi's foot fell. From his sleeves flew Spring Rain Talismans, Prayer Rain Talismans, Wind Talismans, Thunder Talismans, Five Thunders Talismans—they ignited, drifting upward. In an instant, gale winds howled in the sky, dark clouds gathered, lightning flashed, and thunder boomed.
The coachman looked up and saw lightning crisscrossing the heavens.
Beneath the bolts hovered massive talismanic runes, gleaming brightly. They hung from the thunderclouds amid the great winds.
Immune to wind, unyielding to thunder.
The coachman was astonished and muttered,
"How did a perfectly clear sky suddenly turn to thunder?"
Chen Shi's second step landed. His body grew taller and burlier, vital blood steaming. Swift Travel Talismans and Galloping Horse Talismans on his legs activated, while the glow of over a dozen Hercules Talismans enveloped him in brilliant golden light!
His third step carried him forward as he scooped up another pregnant ewe and broke into a run.
Golden Light Talismans, Nine Palaces Talismans, Mighty Alliance Talismans, Eight Trigrams Talismans, First General Talismans, Third General Talismans, Tenth General Talismans—all his protective talismans activated in succession!
His body swelled to sixteen chi tall, brimming with unimaginable power—ten times stronger than when he had stormed Black Tortoise Pavilion!
His vital blood formed two extra heads and four arms. The rear arms cradled the ewe. With his fifth step, he reached the carriage's rear!
Chen Shi's two massive palms swept in from both sides, smashing down heavily on the carriage!
Boom!
The carriage shattered!
A figure shot forward. A Divine Shrine flew up, a Divine Embryo emerged, and a Nascent Soul stood before the Divine Embryo. Terrifying pressure erupted, pulverizing the carriage and horses—along with the coachman—into powder under the Nascent Soul force field!
Yan Jingsi, clad in Daoist robes, stood calmly at the center of the force field. His expression was composed and unflappable, even facing Chen Shi's assault.
His Dao heart was unshakably firm—nothing could shake it.
No matter why Chen Shi attacked him, or whether Chen Shi's grandfather Chen Yindu lived or died—as long as someone struck at him, he would go all out to slay them!
His Nascent Soul stood before the Divine Embryo. Thunder roared endlessly in the sky, laden with Nine Yangs Heavenly Thunder Guides and other thunder-summoning talismans. Any bolt could obliterate his Nascent Soul. But with the Nascent Soul within the Divine Shrine, the thunder couldn't detect the yin energy and thus couldn't strike it down.
He lightly raised a hand. Blood from the coachman and two stallions' powdered bodies formed a blood蛟 dragon that lunged at Chen Shi!
Chen Shi roared, hammering a fist forward. At the same time, the small shrine at the back of his head leaped out. The three Ghost Kings atop the Divine Shrine felt Righteous Qi like a surging river washing over them, compelling them to join Chen Shi in throwing a punch!
Fist intent surged—that was the unfathomably terrifying power of Ghost King divinity, channeling through Chen Shi's fist peak!
This punch warped life and death wherever it passed, carrying a majestic grandeur. It pierced straight through the Nascent Soul force field!
The blood dragon met the fist and exploded!
Following immediately was formless sword qi erupting from the shrine, a sword light stabbing straight for Yan Jingsi's brow!
Yan Jingsi's face remained utterly serene. He raised his hand to meet Chen Shi's fist. Immense force erupted between their fist and palm. Chen Shi felt crushing power transmit from the palm.
And his indomitable sword qi, before reaching Yan Jingsi's brow, was halted by the terrifying Nascent Soul force field, unable to advance an inch!
Chen Shi grinned and abruptly spun. The ewe he'd held behind his back appeared before Yan Jingsi.
The ewe bleated in utter terror.
This faint sheep cry was like thunder in Yan Jingsi's ears.
The next instant, the world spun. His Nascent Soul plummeted into the sheep's womb!
Sizzle—
A sword light flashed, piercing his brow!
"You think you're worthy to be County Magistrate? Watch yourself in your next life—don't commit evil in front of me!"
Chen Shi set down the ewe in his arms.
"I'll deliver you. Be a good beast from now on!"
End of chapter.