On the Path to the Great Dao

Faint peals of divine thunder echoed from the golden clouds in the sky, rolling westward. Chen Shi and Red Embryo Mountain's Profound Master Jade Gold City stood under the eaves, heads tilted back as they gazed at the golden sky. They saw the eastern horizon shrouded in dense dark clouds, while the western sky was a vast expanse of snow-white brightness, sunlight glaring fiercely.

Gongzhou City at midday felt oppressively stuffy and humid, leaving people feeling unbearably hot yet unable to break a sweat.

The divine thunder was not loud, but the rain had already arrived.

Chen Shi noticed a few water droplets appearing on the banana leaves in the courtyard, followed by the soft patter of rain. The raindrops were fine.

Before long, streams of rainwater draped down from the green tiles of the eaves, gradually merging into continuous lines.

Chen Shi turned his head to glance at Jade Gold City. Jade Gold City appeared not particularly old.

In his early forties, he was the sort with a broad forehead, though constant frowning had etched deep wrinkles between his brows that could never fully smooth out.

It was not the knife of time carving marks between his brows.

Rather, it was the daily trifles that constantly worried this profound master.

His attire was not ornate—just a simple blue cloth robe with a white collar and a red sash at the waist, topped with a blue headcloth, and nothing more. There was something unsettling about his aura.

That was the refining qi spoken of by the Red Embryo Lady.

Jade Gold City cultivated the Red Embryo Lady's technique, but he had failed to fully refine the refining qi within the moonlight, leaving himself polluted by it as well.

Though Jade Gold City hid it well, Chen Shi was extremely sensitive to refining qi and noticed it immediately.

Jade Gold City was gradually undergoing demon transformation!

"How are Instructor Chen's injuries?"

Jade Gold City withdrew his appraising gaze from Chen Shi and asked.

Shock lingered in his eyes, astonished that Chen Shi was so young yet possessed such formidable strength.

He had already heard from the two Incense Profounds about how Chen Shi had avenged Zhao Kaiyun by uprooting the Gold Granny Society's Incense Mountain. He had imagined Chen Shi as a burly, powerful man, only to discover upon meeting him that this was merely a half-grown youth, at most twelve or thirteen years old, right in the midst of his growth spurt.

At that age, he himself had still been playing in the mud with urine alongside his little friends.

Chen Shi examined his own injuries and found that the spots torn by the demon souls had already scabbed over with no major issues. However, the Golden Peng Subduing Demons Great Law was extremely draining on one's qi and blood—the stronger one's cultivation, the greater the consumption—and it had left him with a severe loss of vitality.

If he were in Qianyang Mountain, he could go lie in a coffin at Mirror Lake Manor, but in Gongzhou City, he would likely need some time to recover.

"Injury probably needs about a month to fully heal."

He wondered if it would leave scars.

Chen Shi answered truthfully.

Gazing at the rainwater and listening to the rain sounds, Jade Gold City said, "From the founding of Red Embryo Mountain, our purpose has been to slay demons and eliminate pollutants so the common folk can live better lives.

But some people are even more devoted to their 'practice' than actual cultivators.

I've heard about you uprooting Incense Mountain—you did well."

He paused, then continued, "Red Embryo Mountain is also known as the Red Embryo Mountain Talisman Masters Mutual Aid Society. The 'Red Embryo' comes from the Red Embryo Lady.

Our brothers who join are all talisman masters. This trade is mostly taken up by poor-born scholars—children of wealthy families disdain it.

It's a modest livelihood, nothing that leads to great riches.

I've heard what the Lady said about you. You suit my tastes perfectly."

Chen Shi said, "Uprooting Incense Mountain is bound to bring trouble to Red Embryo Mountain."

Jade Gold City lightly patted his shoulder. "The Talisman Masters Mutual Aid Society means helping and supporting each other like brothers.

If you'd seen Zhao Kaiyun abused like that and just turned and walked away, I wouldn't want an instructor like you.

The fact that you uprooted their Incense Mountain to avenge Zhao Kaiyun—that's the hot-blooded spirit I admire."

His voice boomed, "My family was poor back then. I only went to school a few years before coming to take the scholar exam and failing. So I became a talisman master and founded Red Embryo Mountain, vowing to help people like myself.

Rest and recover without worry. With actions like yours, I can shoulder any trouble for you!"

Though polluted by refining qi, it had instead given him a demonic charisma that was highly infectious.

Chen Shi was stunned. Gradually, a smile crept onto his face.

This Jade Gold City possessed a wicked charm—wicked, yet never straying from the righteous path. It was most peculiar.

Jade Gold City said, "My learning is poor, and I often make mistakes.

I heard you're taking the provincial exam. If you pass, you'll be the one with the highest scholarship in our society—a real treasure.

The Lady told me you took the Gold Granny clone. Where is the Gold Granny clone?"

Chen Shi said, "Suppressed by me."

Jade Gold City laughed. "Bring out the Gold Granny clone."

With a thought from Chen Shi, a small temple emerged in his sea of mind, and the Gold Granny clone was summoned from it.

The moment the Gold Granny clone was freed, it bared its ferocious nature, soaring outward as it shrieked, "Jade Gold City, Chen Shi—Granny will surely make you pay!"

Before her words finished, a streak of sword qi like moonlight flashed through the air, piercing the Gold Granny clone. She let out a piercing scream as her massive head disintegrated, transforming into roiling pollutant power that surged toward the Gold Granny Society's direction.

At that moment, an utterly furious voice roared from outside Red Embryo Mountain's headquarters:

"Jade Gold City, you dare!"

Jade Gold City's eyes lit up as he laughed, "Bitter Profound has come knocking!"

Chen Shi's heart stirred. "Bitter Profound? From the Gold Granny Society?"

Jade Gold City extended his palm in a grasping motion. It was as if an invisible giant hand enveloped several acres in the air, precisely capturing the pollutant power.

Thanks to the rain, this invisible hand became visible through the water.

Jade Gold City clenched his fist tightly, and the invisible hand rapidly squeezed shut, compressing the pollutant power in its palm!

Suddenly, thunder boomed as blazing flames filled the sky—another giant hand, condensed from fire into a fist seal, smashed toward Jade Gold City's palm.

Jade Gold City's body swayed slightly, but the invisible hand clashed with the fiery spell without shattering, refining the Gold Granny clone's pollutant power.

A blood-red pearl slowly descended from the air.

Jade Gold City opened his palm, and the pearl landed in it.

Chen Shi sensed that this pearl contained terrifying power. If refined, it could likely become some sort of magic treasure.

It was just that he had no idea how to refine magic treasures.

Jade Gold City shoved the blood pearl into Chen Shi's hand. Stunned, Chen Shi looked at him in confusion. Jade Gold City laughed,

"You captured the Gold Granny clone, so of course it's yours.

I'll go deal with Martial Profound!"

He strode outward, laughing heartily, "Martial Mountain Profound, since you've come, why leave again?"

The Gold Granny Society's Mountain Profound Martial Daozheng and a group of experts had arrived at Red Embryo Mountain brimming with aggression, but now Martial Daozheng had blood trickling from his mouth—clearly, he had just traded blows with Jade Gold City and suffered a loss.

He dared not linger and immediately led his group away.

They fled quickly, but Jade Gold City pursued even faster, charging out of Red Embryo Mountain as he laughed, "Martial Mountain Profound, why come in haste and leave in haste? Why not come in and sit? Little brother has already prepared your coffins!"

The Gold Granny Society's Mountain Profound Martial Daozheng was horrified and whispered, "Jade Gold City, that insidious villain, has murder in his heart! Quickly summon Gold Granny!"

Chen Shi limped and struggled toward the outside when suddenly red light flooded the courtyard.

The Red Embryo Lady's black-phase manifestation—that little girl in red—was also charging outward, murderous intent surging. Clearly, she intended to join Jade Gold City in an all-out clash with the Gold Granny Society!

At the same time, from within Red Embryo Mountain, Lu Xiangxuan led a horde of instructors and talisman masters—over a hundred strong—rushing out.

Lu Xiangxuan shouted, "All talisman masters, prepare your talismans—get ready to fight!"

One after another, yellow talismans floated into the air. Some were blue talismans, peach talismans, iron talismans, and various talisman scripts inscribed on bronze tripods and profound swords—all activated by Red Embryo Mountain's talisman masters.

The crowd surged past Chen Shi and out of Red Embryo Mountain onto the main street, where the talismans in the sky gathered into clouds.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

Chen Shi's heart burned with anxiety as he called out, "This trouble's mine—I have to be there!"

Before he could finish, Xiao Xiangxuan, leaning on her crutch, limped forward at a speed even faster than his.

But Xiao Xiangxuan's injuries were also severe. She failed to clear the threshold and thudded to the ground.

Chen Shi hurriedly got up, grabbed the crutch, and rushed out the door. Glancing back, he said, "Instructor Chen, don't follow—focus on recovering! I'll go kill a few demon spawn!"

With that, she wielded her crutch like the wind and vanished from Chen Shi's sight.

Chen Shi gritted his teeth, endured the pain, and pushed outward. Beside him, several kitchen hands who had been cooking moments ago now gripped cleavers with savage expressions as they charged past him.

Red Embryo Mountain was this united?

Chen Shi trembled with pain but spotted Blackie Pot and called out, "Blackie Pot, Blackie Pot! Hurry! Get me onto the cart—I need to go with them!"

Blackie Pot came over, scooped him up by the waist, and placed him on the wooden cart.

The cart rumbled along to the headquarters gate, where it lifted its right front wheel to clear the threshold.

Outside the headquarters gate, two massive, majestic stone lions suddenly leaped down from their pedestals and rumbled outward.

"Faster!"

Chen Shi urged.

The cart creaked and groaned as it extended six arms, each over ten feet long. The six hands braced the ground, the four wheels retracted, and it stepped over the threshold.

The wheels touched down, the arms retracted, and galloping horse talismans on the cart's hubs lit up. Winds howled as a fierce gale propelled it forward, carrying Chen Shi in pursuit.

Inside the cart, Blackie Pot gripped the compass with both claws, furiously chasing the cart while steering to avoid crashing into the houses lining both sides of the street.

The cart raced ahead. In the distance, the talisman cloud erupted with power—it seemed Red Embryo Mountain's talisman masters had begun clashing with the Gold Granny Society's cultivators!

Far off, Red Embryo Mountain's Profound Master Jade Gold City laughed, "Martial Mountain Profound, since you've come, make yourself at home. If little brother can't give you a proper burial, wouldn't that be failing in hospitality?"

Hearing this, Chen Shi trembled with excitement. Turning to Blackie Pot, he said, "Brother Gold City is also a practitioner of the Master's teachings—my path is not lonely! He claims his learning is poor and he failed the scholar exam, but I say his scholarship is profound!"

The cart's jolts pained him all over, yet he was wildly exhilarated. It must be that the examiners back then were blind, overlooking such a self-taught genius! "Faster—faster still!"

The street ahead was packed with people—pedestrians and government runners, all craning their necks to watch.

The cart couldn't pass. Suddenly, it sprouted arms again, wooden limbs reaching out to grab the eaves and haul the cart onto the rooftops.

The cart whistled across the rooftops, its wheels shattering countless green and black tiles. Wherever it couldn't cross, the six arms would brace and leap it over, landing on the opposite roof to continue its four-wheeled frenzy.

Blackie Pot scowled deeply, straining to control the minds of the people on the street, but soon realized it was futile.

Let it be!

The dog threw caution to the winds and ran hard to keep up with the cart.

These mortals could think whatever they wanted—Lord Dog didn't care anymore!

Ahead, suddenly Gold Granny's enormous head rose slowly.

Her true body was enshrined in their headquarters. Her black-phase manifestation flew in, opening its vast maw from afar as countless long tongues lashed out, attacking Red Embryo Mountain's talisman masters!

Long years of incense worship had made her pollutant power astonishing, her black force thick and profound. Any talisman it touched disintegrated instantly, unable to block her in the slightest.

Gold Granny's tongues coiled around over a dozen talisman masters and began retracting toward her mouth. Several nosy bystanders caught in the spectacle suffered calamity too, mistaken for Red Embryo Mountain talisman masters, rolled up and prepared to be devoured.

Ordinary folk or casual cultivators couldn't see Gold Granny's black-phase form at all—they only saw over ten people suddenly lift into the air, seemingly bound, flying toward the same spot.

As for what bound them, no one knew.

The spells between Red Embryo Mountain talisman masters and Gold Granny Society cultivators were often formless sword qi streaking invisibly, visible only by flying heads, shattered floors, or severed eaves.

Only by opening golden eyes or activating golden eye talismans could one glimpse the black-phase movements.

Even then, the spells themselves remained indistinct.

Suddenly, a red figure streaked a red trail through the air, charging straight at Gold Granny.

Before Gold Granny could swallow those dozen-plus people, the tiny red figure smashed a fist into her massive face.

Gold Granny's entire face caved in instantly, releasing the captured group.

Chen Shi saw it clearly—that small red figure was none other than the Red Embryo Lady.

"The Lady strikes so viciously!"

Chen Shi was horrified.

The Red Embryo Lady plummeted, landing on Jade Gold City's shoulder. He treated her as his primal black and unleashed her against Gold Granny and Martial Daozheng, battering them until they were covered in wounds.

"Finish them off!"

The Red Embryo Lady cried out.

She urged the small temple, hoping to petrify Shiji Lady across dozens of li. Sadly, though she tried, she couldn't manifest Shiji Lady.

"Mountain Profound, as the Master said: those lacking strength collapse midway!"

Chen Shi shouted a reminder.

Jade Gold City was locked in combat with Gold Granny and Martial Daozheng. He paused briefly and bellowed, "What does that mean?"

"As the Master said: those whose strength is insufficient get beaten to ruin halfway by me!"

Chen Shi yelled back, "The Master means strike with full power—no mercy!"

Jade Gold City's spirits soared. To the Red Embryo Lady on his shoulder, he said, "This Brother Chen will surely top the provincial exam.

His scholarship far surpasses mine! Had he tutored me back then, I never would have failed the scholar exam all these years!"

The Red Embryo Lady leaped from his shoulder toward Gold Granny, thinking to herself: If Little City handled things according to Chen Shi's 'scholarship,' he'd have ended up on a myriad-soul banner a decade ago.