Chapter 577: The Mark of Heaven

Pu Shenbu the Arresting Officer stopped in his tracks, glancing at Chen Shi with a look of puzzlement, and muttered quietly, "As far as I know, very few who are thrown into the Heavenly Prison ever walk out again. Just who is this Chen Shi?"

Judging a case of capital punishment against an immortal was extremely difficult to overturn. After all, if the accused turned out to be innocent, then the officers who arrested him, the yamen that tried the case, and the magistrates who reviewed it would all be punished for their errors. Therefore, once someone was cast into the Heavenly Prison, it meant a death sentence—there was no possibility of walking out alive.

"Unless they had backing powerful enough to fish them out of the Heavenly Prison."

Pu Shenbu watched Chen Shi walk out of the prison with the visitor, thinking to himself, "This suspect named Chen Shi must have connections that reach straight to the heavens."

Mysterious Yellow Sea, Magnanimous Virtue Grand Heavenly Palace. The Empress of Earth summoned a palace maiden and handed her a personal edict, saying, "Hui Xue, take my edict to the Heavenly Prison of the Celestial Court and retrieve Chen Shi. He has been doing work for me and has suffered some injustice."

The palace maiden was named Feng Huixue, an immortal who served Her Ladyship. She acknowledged the order, accepted the edict, and departed immediately.

Feng Huixue traveled by circuitous routes to the Celestial Court. Upon arriving at the Heavenly Prison, she presented Her Ladyship's edict to the Heavenly King who guarded the prison. The Warden Heavenly King unfolded the edict and hastily ordered his men to investigate Chen Shi's whereabouts. After a moment, he spoke: "Senior Sister has come at an inopportune time."

Feng Huixue was startled: "Has Chen Shi already been taken to the Immortal Execution Platform?"

The Warden Heavenly King chuckled: "No, nothing of the sort. Rather, the Celestial Court dispatched envoys saying they had investigated the truth of the matter. Chen Shi's battle with Regional Commander Yin Fenglou was a fair and just duel. The two signed a life-and-death pact, and Chen Shi accidentally killing Yin Fenglou was ruled a mishap. As for Yin Fenglou, being a Regional Commander who engaged in private combat with his subordinate violated heavenly law. He acknowledged his error and accepted his punishment. Chen Shi was declared innocent and has already been released. He is currently still serving as a heavenly soldier at the Guard Post."

Feng Huixue's heart trembled slightly. "He was originally sentenced to death, and now he's been released without charge? Yin Fenglou was accidentally killed by him, and then Yin Fenglou accepted punishment for his crimes?"

The Warden Heavenly King blinked, looking rather helpless. "That's the information I received."

Feng Huixue frowned slightly. A death-row prisoner being acquitted carried enormous ramifications. The immortal officials who judged the case would surely all be charged with dereliction of duty!

Someone like Chen Shi, who had no backing and had ascended from a border world, would have no hope of overturning his case even if his head were chopped off.

Let alone getting the deceased to confess and accept punishment.

"There's definitely something wrong here."

Feng Huixue kept her composure and asked with a smile, "May I ask, Heavenly King, who was it that took Chen Shi out?"

The Warden Heavenly King said, "People from the palace. Young Master Chen is currently serving in the Fire Battalion of Chen-character Guard Post. If Senior Sister goes to ask Chen Shi himself, perhaps he knows something about it."

Feng Huixue was inwardly moved and took her leave.

She left the Heavenly Prison, pondered for a moment, and decided not to go see Chen Shi directly. Instead, she hurried back to the Magnanimous Virtue Grand Heavenly Palace and reported the matter to Her Ladyship: "The young master was released by someone from the palace."

The Empress of Earth said in surprise, "Is that so."

Her avatars numbered in the hundreds of millions, scattered across every world of the Mysterious Yellow Sea. An adopted son of one of her avatars should not have drawn her attention at all. But Chen Shi's actions in the Western Ox New Continent had earned her admiration, and so she had come to favor him.

The Empress of Earth's avatar in the Western Ox New Continent, acting on her instructions, had left the matter of killing Yin Fenglou to Chen Shi—precisely to test his courage and chivalrous spirit.

Yin Fenglou was merely a True Immortal who had climbed the ladder through scheming and opportunism. His method of ascension had been far from honorable. This man had caused the deaths of millions in the Spirit Altar Realm, ruining countless families and nations, yet he used that opportunity to ascend to the Earth Immortal Realm and become a heavenly soldier.

Afterward, he remained in the Celestial Court, rising from a lowly soldier to Regional Commander of the Fire Battalion.

For someone like him, if the Empress of Earth ever encountered him, even deigning to glance at him would be more honor than he deserved. But unfortunately, as a deity, she had no authority over immortals. No matter how great the crimes Yin Fenglou had committed in the mortal world, she had no right to intervene.

So Her Ladyship had Chen Shi handle this man. If Chen Shi dared to eliminate Yin Fenglou, then she would formally recognize him as her adopted son, protect him with all her might, and give him important positions.

If Chen Shi did not dare to lay a hand on Yin Fenglou, then he would remain merely the adopted son of the Empress of Earth's avatar in the Western Ox New Continent, having nothing to do with her true body.

What Her Ladyship had not expected, however, was that someone had beaten her to it—pulling Chen Shi out of the Heavenly Prison and clearing his name entirely.

She was utterly perplexed: "From the palace... why has that one in the palace taken an interest in this palace's adopted son?"

"Your Ladyship, this disciple has also heard another matter."

Feng Huixue said, "A great demon has appeared near the Celestial Court, comparable to a Tai Yi Golden Immortal. It caused chaos throughout the heavens and shattered the Celestial Strategy, the magic treasure of the Celestial Way."

Upon hearing this, the Empress of Earth was both angry and amused. She laughed coldly: "A great demon comparable to a Tai Yi Golden Immortal broke into the Celestial Court and shattered the Celestial Way's magic treasure? This is far too absurd. Do they truly believe this is the year of the great havoc in the Heavenly Palace?"

Feng Huixue probed carefully: "What does Your Ladyship mean?"

The Empress of Earth was no longer angry, and instead smiled: "This matter has satisfied quite a few people's wishes. Very well, I won't expose their little game."

Feng Huixue did not know her intentions and dared not guess recklessly. "Then what about Chen Shi..."

The Empress of Earth smiled: "That one in the palace has taken a liking to him. This palace might as well enjoy some leisure and observe for now."

Fire Battalion. Bai Fangfang, Xiao Dulu, and a number of other immortals gathered together to celebrate Chen Shi's release from prison and his newfound life.

There were very few veterans among the heavenly soldiers—most were newly ascended immortals. When they gathered together, there weren't so many rules and formalities, and they often spoke of everything without reservation.

"When I was in the lower realm, I originally thought that after ascending, I would be carefree and at ease, wandering freely. I never expected that the first thing upon arriving at the Celestial Court would be serving ten years of corvée labor."

Xiao Dulu said, "At least back in Mang Continent, I was the sovereign of a sect, revered by the world. Countless seniors and peers praised me as a genius."

He laughed heartily and tilted his head back to drink deeply from the jar of wine.

Another heavenly soldier named Dai Qingxi was moved by his words and said bitterly, "I was considered a genius in everyone's eyes since childhood. I rarely encountered setbacks in my entire life—one could say I was the pride of the heavens in Frost Heaven Continent. I also thought highly of myself, believing that after ascending to the Earth Immortal Realm, my career would soar and the vast world would be mine to roam. I never imagined..."

He shook his head, his eyes reddening slightly.

The other heavenly soldiers shared the same sentiment. Down in the lower realms, who among them was not supremely talented and peerless in elegance? Who was not a genius in others' eyes, a peerless powerhouse on everyone's lips? Who could have imagined that after ascending to the Celestial Court, they would become mere heavenly soldiers?

Everyone was a genius, but when all geniuses gathered together, none of them were geniuses anymore.

What demoralized them even more was that as geniuses in the Earth Immortal Realm, they were treated little better than frontline foot soldiers. When anything happened, they were first to charge, and their chances of injury or death were extremely high.

"I was the True King who ruled the Western Ox New Continent."

Chen Shi laughed. "And after coming to the Earth Immortal Realm, I still had to become a common soldier? I even nearly ended up on the Immortal Execution Platform."

Bai Fangfang was thoroughly drunk. She stood up, swaying unsteadily, and laughed heartily: "Ascension, ascension! All the heroes of the world, into my net they fall!"

The crowd sobered up considerably, and they all said, "Fairy Bai, be careful with your words, be careful!"

Bai Fangfang also realized she had misspoken and immediately restrained herself, sitting back down.

Chen Shi changed the subject: "While I was locked up in the Heavenly Prison, I sensed the heavens shaking and the earth trembling, truly terrifying. Later I heard people say a great demon invaded the Celestial Court and the Celestial Strategy was destroyed. Is that true?"

"It is indeed true."

Tianji Scholar Zhong Lin, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: "That great demon was absolutely terrifying. It burst into the Celestial Court from somewhere unknown and made straight for the Celestial Strategy. The demon tore through who knows how many immortal palaces and halls along the way, gravely wounding many renowned immortals and deities. Several commanders of our Guard Post went to provide support, and some were lost. The casualties at the Celestial Strategy were even more severe. The Tianji Bureau has Tianji Scholars known as the Tianji Guard—more than half of them died."

He paused for a moment, then continued: "I went there to investigate. It was indeed a great demon striking. Its demonic cultivation was extremely overbearing, comparable to a Tai Yi Golden Immortal, with terrifying destructive power."

Xiao Dulu said, "If it wasn't a great demon, then what else could it be? Only such a savage creature could catch the Celestial Court off guard."

Zhong Lin hesitated slightly but did not respond.

He had examined every trace left behind by the attack. The one who had struck the Celestial Court was indeed a great demon—no one could possibly disguise themselves as a great demon so perfectly and convincingly.

Chen Shi's eyes flickered as he thought to himself: "Zhong Lin is holding something back. He may have once suspected that the Celestial Strategy was not destroyed by the great demon, which is why he went to investigate. Why would he have such suspicions? Could he suspect that someone within the Celestial Court destroyed the Celestial Strategy? And if so, what purpose would that person have in destroying it?"

He sank into contemplation. The Empress of Earth had mentioned to him on multiple occasions that the conflict between immortals and deities in the Earth Immortal Realm was gradually intensifying. The deities believed the immortals were lawless, while the immortals thought the deities were overstepping their authority. Could it be that some immortal had deliberately allowed the great demon to attack the Celestial Court and destroy the Celestial Strategy?

"The benefits of destroying the Celestial Strategy are too numerous." He mused silently.

With the Celestial Strategy destroyed, no one would know how many cultivators had achieved Dao Unification and reached the immortal realm from then on. Immortals who ascended would no longer be controlled by the Celestial Strategy. Moreover, the Celestial Court would have lost a Celestial Way magic treasure, weakening its power.

"This matter was most likely orchestrated by a powerful figure among the immortals, manipulating the great demon to attack the Celestial Court, with the Celestial Strategy as the target!"

Chen Shi thought to himself, "The Celestial Strategy must have sensed the coming danger. When I achieved Dao Unification, the treasure took the opportunity to brand the Dao patterns of the Celestial Way into my consciousness. If that's the case... then I now carry the Celestial Way within me? Wait—if outsiders ever learn of this, I'll be in grave danger!"

Since arriving at the Celestial Court, he had noticed that the current situation there was rather strange. Every immortal who ascended worked for the Hao Tian Celestial Court, and immortals and deities seemed quite harmonious. But in every battle, the heavenly soldiers suffered heavy casualties. It was hard to believe there wasn't something going on.

Could it be that the deities were deliberately weakening the immortals' fighting strength?

Just then, Chen Shi sensed a gaze landing on him. He looked up and met Zhong Lin's eyes directly.

Zhong Lin looked away.

Chen Shi glanced at Black Pot with a questioning expression.

Black Pot shook his head.

Chen Shi raised an eyebrow, a look of confusion crossing his face: "This Zhong Lin—even Black Pot doesn't know his origins!"

The heavenly soldiers who had come to celebrate Chen Shi's release actually had little connection to Chen Shi himself. They were friends Black Pot had made, and they came to offer their congratulations out of respect for Black Pot's face.

Black Pot had naturally already investigated the backgrounds of all these immortals thoroughly. But this man named Zhong Lin—even Black Pot hadn't managed to uncover his true origins. This surprised Chen Shi greatly.

After the banquet dispersed, everyone returned to their respective Celestial Way residences.

Zhong Lin also took his leave and departed.

He returned to his Celestial Way residence and saw that, at some point, a group of strange individuals had appeared in his courtyard. Each wore loose robes with long sleeves, their hands and feet completely hidden within their garments, so that no limbs could be seen.

Behind each of them, a vertical column of text floated in the air, arranged from top to bottom, radiating brilliant light. The characters were extremely complex, composed of Celestial Way patterns, expounding the profound mysteries of heavenly secrets.

Zhong Lin was startled and hastily bowed in greeting: "Zhong Lin pays respects to all senior brothers!"

Although he was also a Tianji Scholar, he had joined the ranks relatively recently and had not yet cultivated to the True Immortal realm, so his status was much lower than these Tianji Scholars. However, although his cultivation was inferior to theirs, his understanding of the Celestial Way was extraordinary, and his accuracy in interpreting the Celestial Strategy was very high. As a result, the upper echelons of the Tianji Scholars valued him greatly.

"Zhong Lin, the Tianji Bureau has been attacked, and our Tianji Scholars have suffered heavy casualties. The Celestial Court wishes to reconstruct the Celestial Strategy and requires us Tianji Scholars to submit the Celestial Way patterns we have comprehended."

One of the Tianji Scholars handed him a jade slip and said, "The Celestial Way patterns you have learned and understood must also be submitted."

Zhong Lin accepted the jade slip with both hands and said, "Zhong Lin understands."

"Are you still searching for that ascended Gold Immortal?"

Another Tianji Scholar said earnestly, "These are troubled times. The Celestial Strategy has been destroyed, and the Tianji Bureau is in dire need of personnel. We must determine whether this incident was an accident or someone's deliberate act. If you return, it will add strength to our cause."

Zhong Lin replied, "With all you senior brothers here, I can hardly be of much use. Searching for that Gold Immortal may be a small matter, but I only ask to see it through from beginning to end."

Seeing this, the Tianji Scholars did not continue their persuasion.

"The Celestial Court forbids Dao Unification. What about that heavenly soldier who achieved it?" Another Tianji Scholar asked.

Zhong Lin bowed: "I do not know either."

The Tianji Scholars did not press further.

Zhong Lin branded the Celestial Way patterns he had learned and understood onto the jade slip and handed it to them. The Tianji cultivators departed.

"With more than half of the Tianji Bureau's cultivators dead, the Celestial Way patterns mastered by the remaining Tianji Scholars amount to no more than a tenth, or even a hundredth, of the complete set. For the Celestial Court to restore the Celestial Strategy... that will be exceedingly difficult."

He shook his head inwardly, then thought of Chen Shi again, feeling puzzled: "Why does he carry the aura of the Celestial Way? And after a visit to the Heavenly Prison, the Celestial Way aura on him has grown even denser. Very strange indeed."

Chen Shi and the others did not have many peaceful days before a new mission came down. The Grand Commander of Chen-character Guard Post issued orders for all heavenly soldier battalions of the twelve stations to mobilize in full, searching for the source of the great demon, so as to prevent a second demon attack.

The Fire Battalion, where Chen Shi served, was included in the deployment.

After Yin Fenglou's death, the Grand Commander had assigned a new Regional Commander to the Fire Battalion. His surname was Zhang, given name Xian, and he regarded Chen Shi with considerable awe.

Everyone unleashed their respective spells and followed Commander Zhang's lead out of the Celestial Court. In the distance, other heavenly soldier battalions could also be seen flying out, scattering in different directions—presumably each responsible for searching a different sector.

This was their first time leaving the Celestial Court and truly setting foot in the Earth Immortal Realm. Naturally, they craned their necks in every direction, filled with curiosity.

What they saw was an Earth Immortal Realm filled with fairy mountains and sacred grounds everywhere. Dragons soared among the clouds, phoenixes perched in the mountains, qilin lay sleeping by the waters, and Vermilion Sparrows nested atop volcanoes. Truly a magnificent and awe-inspiring sight.

Commander Zhang said, "The Fire Battalion's search area is Huanxian Valley. Legend has it that this is where the Three Purities once pacified the demons, and traces of the immortal patriarchs' aura still linger there."

"Have the Three Purities Patriarchs truly left the Earth Immortal Realm?" Chen Shi inquired.