Chapter 612: Goddess Bixia Yuanjun

On Mount Tai, many immortals who had just heard the news were still rushing over. On the surface of the mysterious yellow sea, one pleasure boat after another floated, scattered like stars, and many passengers were aboard. Some were asking what had happened, some were watching the battle, and some were still on their way.

In that moment, everything came to an abrupt halt. No human voices could be heard, only the sound of wind over the mysterious yellow sea.

Chen Shi summoned the Black Pot, and it swallowed hundreds of immortals in one gulp, even True Immortals included. The scene was truly terrifying.

Immortals of the Earth Immortal Realm had often heard the story of how King Li of the Celestial Court campaigned against demons and was swallowed along with a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and generals in a single bite. Having heard it for so long, they felt there was nothing remarkable about it, and even thought that if they themselves faced such a scene, they would surely have various ways to escape and would not be swallowed.

But now, seeing with their own eyes the Black Pot's enormous mouth open, blotting out the sky and sun, swallowing hundreds of immortals in one bite, they finally understood just how horrifying this sight was.

Once such a demon was summoned, it seemed even the sky was collapsing into that bloody maw. There was simply no escape.

Deep within the mysterious yellow sea, Yu Sari hesitated, unsure whether he should surface and drag his boat away.

He was obsessed with that boat.

Fish cultivating the Dao faced extreme difficulty, especially fish of the mysterious yellow sea, for whom cultivation was even harder. He had to guard against being eaten by straightforward people like Chen Shi on one hand, while also dealing with people on the other.

There were only two ways to ferry immortals across the sea. Either let the immortals stand on the fish's back, or pull a boat yourself. He had tried the first method, but when sailing through the sea, the immortals on his back either got pressed into the sea by the yellow qi or were blasted into the sky by it. The experience was truly awful. So he could only cooperate with the immortals of Deng Hai Town to forge a ship and ferry passengers across the sea.

For this ship, he had been in debt for several thousand years, and only recently finished repaying the money for its construction.

Similar fish demons were countless in the mysterious yellow sea, all spending half their lives toiling for their own boats.

This boat was his livelihood and his entire fortune, so he could not bear to abandon it.

"If I drag my boat away now, no one should stop me, right?"

He was about to surface and bite the chain on the boat when, at that very moment, Chen Shi on the boat gave a gentle flick of his sleeve. A great wind arose on its own, pushing the boat toward Mount Tai.

"What is he doing?"

Yu Sari was startled. "He is not fleeing now, and still wants to go to Mount Tai?"

Chen Shi arrived at the foot of Mount Tai and stopped the boat. He was about to ascend the mountain when, after some thought, he raised his hand and with a wave, stored the boat away and tossed it into the Dao Ruins. Only then did he head up the mountain.

Yu Sari followed him to the foot of Mount Tai and, seeing this, was grief-stricken. "That is my boat-"

Chen Shi and the Black Pot ascended the mountain one after the other, and before long arrived at Mount Tai Prefecture. Enshrined there was the Great Emperor of Eastern Mount Tai, Tianqi Rensheng. Chen Shi lit a stick of incense for the Great Emperor Tianqi Rensheng, then walked outside Mount Tai Prefecture. He looked up at the heavens and down at the earth, observed the position of the Purple Micro Northern Pole Emperor's celestial palace, and then, based on the positions of the northern pole and Mount Tai, determined the location of the Radiant Virtue Grand Celestial Palace.

In that brief time, many immortals had already arrived outside Mount Tai Island. Some had even climbed Mount Tai and were looking toward Chen Shi and the Black Pot, ready to make a move.

It was just that the earlier scene of Chen Shi summoning the Black Pot had been so terrifying that, for the moment, they dared not approach.

Chen Shi was about to descend the mountain when a voice said, "True King, please wait."

Chen Shi turned to look. A woman of lush figure, accompanied by two maidservants, was walking gracefully out of Mount Tai Prefecture. The woman had a richly blessed appearance, willow-leaf eyebrows, and a gall-bladder nose. She wore a golden phoenix crown and a Golden-Threaded Robe. Behind her, celestial light poured down, the nine kinds of spiritual energy between heaven and earth.

Chen Shi's heart stirred slightly. He caught the scent of incense offerings and thought, "This is a deity. When I lit incense earlier, I did not see her. She calls me True King. Could she recognize me?"

The woman smiled and said, "This humble one is Bixia Yuanjun. On the Divine Continent, people call me Grandmother Mount Tai. In those years when the Three Treasures Eunuch crossed the oceans and opened the new continent in the Dark Sea, a strand of this humble one's avatar went along as well. Later, it perished in the battle of the True King's fall. Fortunately, Your Majesty exerted divine power and revived this humble one's avatar. Not long ago, it died in battle again before the Palace of Virtue."

Chen Shi greeted her and smiled. "So it is Grandmother Mount Tai! Grandmother Mount Tai in the Western Ox New Continent appeared as an old grandmother. This is the first time I have seen Yuanjun's true face, and for a moment I hardly dared recognize you."

Bixia Yuanjun smiled. "This humble one is called grandmother by others. The people of the new continent did not know, and thought I truly was an old woman, so the Divine Manifestation that formed also became an old woman. Why is Your Majesty in such a hurry to leave? My father has gone out to attend the Shangsi Festival gathering in Fengdu. By my count, it should be time for his return. Now there are more and more immortals outside, and they mean Your Majesty harm. If my father lends his protection, it could keep you safe for a time."

Chen Shi asked, "Yuanjun, who is your honored father?"

Bixia Yuanjun smiled. "The Great Emperor Tianqi Rensheng, of course. Back in the Western Ox New Continent, Your Majesty once awakened my father's avatar, which was the Prefect of Mount Tai."

Chen Shi suddenly understood and smiled. "So it was the Prefect."

Bixia Yuanjun said, "My father greatly admired Your Majesty's actions in the Western Ox New Continent. Why not stay a few days? This humble one has a little divine power. Even a Tai Yi Golden Immortal would not dare act recklessly on Mount Tai. I can guarantee Your Majesty's safety on Mount Tai."

Her words were no lie.

Back when Grandmother Mount Tai was in the Western Ox New Continent, she was merely an avatar, and her cultivation strength at its peak was only comparable to a Great Ascension Realm cultivator, and even if she surpassed it, not by much.

But Bixia Yuanjun was different. As many worlds as there were in the mysterious yellow sea, there were that many Mount Tais, and thus that many Bixia Yuanjuns.

All Bixia Yuanjuns gathered their divine power and cultivation into one body.

Such immense and majestic power likely had few rivals.

Chen Shi shook his head. "I appreciate Yuanjun's kind intentions. But I promised my Godmother that I would go to the Radiant Virtue Celestial Palace to pay respects to Houtu Huangdiqi, and I cannot break my word."

Bixia Yuanjun did not press him to stay. "Her Ladyship is quite fond of Your Majesty. If she sees you, she will surely be delighted. Since that is so, this humble one will not hold Your Majesty back."

Chen Shi said, "Yuanjun, my parents, grandfather, and the others came to the Earth Immortal Realm and have had no news since. Might I ask Yuanjun to keep an eye out for them?"

Bixia Yuanjun smiled. "Why not? Your Majesty may rest easy. Your Majesty, let me see you down the mountain."

Chen Shi thanked her, and Bixia Yuanjun personally escorted him. Seeing this, the immortals near Mount Tai did not dare act recklessly.

This Mount Tai Prefecture governed one hundred twenty prefectures, seventy-six bureaus, and three hundred sixty-five routes of ghost gods, each route with twelve thousand ghost gods, strong troops and sturdy horses. The Great Emperor Tianqi Rensheng was moreover the deity in charge of Birth Annotation, wielding enormous authority.

Ordinary immortals simply did not dare cause trouble on Mount Tai.

Bixia Yuanjun escorted Chen Shi and the Black Pot to the seaside and smiled. "Your Majesty, head that way, and after another two days you will see Her Ladyship's Radiant Virtue Grand Celestial Palace."

Chen Shi bowed in thanks. He summoned the pleasure boat and placed it on the sea's surface. "Yuanjun, please return."

Bixia Yuanjun said, "May Your Majesty have smooth sailing."

Chen Shi's mind stirred slightly, and the wind immediately rose, sending the boat off into the distance.

Beneath the sea, Yu Sari hurriedly followed.

And behind this pleasure boat, ship after ship followed from afar. Only after they had left Mount Tai Island far behind did these ships pick up speed and give chase.

Chen Shi looked back and saw on the sea behind him a thousand sails racing to cross, a most spectacular sight.

On Mount Tai Island, within Eastern Mount Tai Prefecture, divine light suddenly blazed forth. The Golden Body of the Great Emperor Tianqi Rensheng revived, stepping down from the shrine with an awe-inspiring countenance.

Bixia Yuanjun walked over and gracefully bowed. "Daughter pays respects to Father God. Was the Shangsi Festival gathering smooth this time?"

"What does smooth or not smooth matter? It is nothing more than opening the gates of Mount Tai Prefecture so ghost gods can slip back to the mortal world to visit their kin, and the living can also slip through Mount Tai Prefecture to go to the underworld to seek out relatives and friends. This underworld needs a little warmth."

The Great Emperor said, "I must stay vigilant, lest someone take the opportunity to cause chaos. A few busy days, and it will pass."

Bixia Yuanjun recounted the matter of Chen Shi coming to visit and light incense. The Great Emperor thought for a moment, found the memories of his avatar in the Western Ox New Continent, and said, "He has come to the Earth Immortal Realm too? No wonder I sensed an immortal lighting incense for me."

Bixia Yuanjun said, "True King Chen is second on the Immortal Slaying List. Beside him is a black dog, ranked first. Now they are heading to the Radiant Virtue Grand Celestial Palace to pay respects to Houtu Huangdiqi, pursued by killers. I fear three to five thousand immortals have sailed after them. The ships arriving from behind still come in an endless stream. Father God, should our Mount Tai Prefecture help?"

The Great Emperor shook his head. "No need to help."

Bixia Yuanjun did not understand. "Why?"

The Great Emperor said, "True King Chen acted on Her Ladyship's behalf, and it is for this that he is on the Immortal Slaying List. This is Her Ladyship's trial for him. If he is on the Immortal Slaying List and has no ability to protect himself, then he cannot pass this trial."

Bixia Yuanjun said, "How does Father God know this is Her Ladyship's trial for him?"

The Great Emperor said, "The entire mysterious yellow sea is Her Ladyship's Dao Field. The moment True King Chen set foot in the mysterious yellow sea, Her Ladyship already knew. That being so, why should we engage in unnecessary theatrics?"

Bixia Yuanjun's gaze flickered as she looked toward the direction of the Radiant Virtue Grand Celestial Palace. "Now the conflict between gods and immortals grows ever fiercer. Why would Her Ladyship choose an immortal?"

The Great Emperor shook his head. "Her Ladyship is the lord of earth deities. Her power surpasses mine by thousands upon thousands of times. Her vision is profound, her divine path deep and boundless, beyond what I can fathom. In this matter, you and I need only watch quietly. There is no need to interfere."

Bixia Yuanjun acknowledged this.

Chen Shi stood on the pleasure boat. Though Yu Sari was not pulling the boat, its speed was not much slower.

From behind came another piercing sound of air being torn, as someone in the distance summoned their immortal artifact, tempered a thousand times over, and launched it at the pleasure boat from afar.

Suddenly, two strands of sword qi rose from the Purple Heaven Immortal Gourd, transforming into two long rainbows that met that immortal artifact. With two sharp rings, the immortal artifact was severed and fell into the mysterious yellow sea.

"My Qiankun Instrument!" A cry of heartfelt pain came from an immortal in the distance.

The two strands of sword qi turned back. At that very moment, a figure came racing across the sea's surface at incredible speed, shooting left and right, reaching out to grab the two strands of sword qi!

Just as he was about to succeed, the two sword lights gave a gentle spin, and both of that immortal's hands were severed at the wrist.

That immortal was decisive and resolute. He immediately turned and fled, swift as a meteor, racing away even faster than he had come. But then the two sword lights intercrossed, unleashing the first stance of the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture.

Earthly Qi's Cold Greeting, Heaven's Inverted Cycle of Life and Death!

Behind that immortal, countless strands of sword qi surged up from the seafloor, equally fast, and at the same instant sword qi also slashed down from the sky, hanging inverted!

That immortal gritted his teeth and raced forward. He was already known for his speed, and now he pushed it to the absolute limit!

His face twisted, his legs flying, his complexion gradually turning red. "Damn it! The sword qi is still faster than me!"

"Shhk-"

Just as the heaven-and-earth sword qi merged and was about to engulf him, two True Immortals of identical appearance suddenly rushed out from the side, like twin brothers. One above, one below, each blocking the sword qi from the sea and the sky, saving that immortal's life.

"Thank you, both fellow daoists, for the rescue!" The immortal without hands, still shaken, hurriedly thanked the two True Immortals.

The two True Immortals turned and called out loudly, "Testing him again and again will only cost you your lives for nothing. Better to strike together and seize this fortune!"

The moment his words fell, on the sea behind them, one pleasure boat after another appeared where the waves surged, and great fish of the mysterious yellow sea pulled the ships, riding the wind and breaking the waves, sailing toward them.

"Well said!"

One immortal after another leaped up, landing on the sea's surface, and from afar summoned one immortal artifact after another, blasting toward the pleasure boat where Chen Shi stood!

Those immortal artifacts flew extremely fast. Even though the waves of the mysterious yellow sea were formed of yellow qi and incredibly heavy, they were still torn open by the might radiating from these immortal artifacts!

Just as these immortal artifacts flew to within a hundred li of the pleasure boat, they suddenly struck an invisible Dao Field. That enormous Yin-Yang Dao Field emerged.

One immortal artifact after another roared, radiating the might of the immortal path. Blades, spears, swords, halberds, axes, battle-axes, hooks, forks, bells, cauldrons, towers, pagodas all traversed within the Yin-Yang Dao Field. Within that field, heaven and earth reversed, water and fire inverted, wind and thunder shifted, mountains and marshes alternated. The Eight Trigrams, Five Elements, and Six Harmonies changed endlessly like a revolving lantern, freezing one immortal artifact after another in midair.

"Let us see how many you can freeze!" On the other pleasure boats, one immortal after another summoned their magic treasures.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom!"

More immortal artifacts flew in. One after another they drove into the Yin-Yang Dao Field until, in an instant, they numbered over a thousand. On the pleasure boat, Chen Shi turned. He raised the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture to its peak, lifted both hands, and pushed out with empty palms. His body shook violently, and he gave a muffled groan. His arms trembled somewhat, yet he still froze those immortal artifacts in midair.

More immortal artifacts blasted in from behind, immediately exceeding what he could bear. The Yin-Yang Dao Field could no longer hold, and over a thousand magic treasures bombarded the pleasure boat.

Chen Shi activated the Purple Heaven Gourd. Six strands of Profound Heaven Sword Qi shot into the sky, meeting the immortal artifacts dense as rain.

The sword qi surged.

Chen Shi made an empty sword swing and chopped down with all his strength!

The blue heaven is dead, the yellow heaven stands!

The yellow qi of the mysterious yellow sea was stirred by this move. Ten thousand strands of yellow qi floated into the air alongside the sword qi. The mysterious qi sank, the yellow qi rose, forming a scene of heaven and earth hanging inverted!

Sharp ringing sounds came without end. One immortal artifact after another turned to powder beneath the Profound Heaven Sword Qi, or was crushed to bits by the yellow qi!

This move was originally the fourth stance of the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture, widely circulated, yet in Chen Shi's hands, paired with the mysterious yellow sea, its might was unbelievably great. In but a short moment, hundreds of immortal artifacts were destroyed.

Seeing this, the other immortals, fearing the loss of their own immortal artifacts, hurriedly recalled their magic treasures.

On one of the ships, an immortal recalled his immortal artifact, the Eight Treasures Hammer, then suddenly his expression changed drastically. He summoned the Eight Treasures Hammer and smashed an immortal beside him to powder, sneering coldly, "You all bear no grudge against me, yet you strike to kill me. Then do not blame Chen for showing no mercy!"

He hammered that immortal to death and began attacking the other immortals on the ship. There were more than ten immortals aboard, caught off guard by him. Many were wounded, but they quickly steadied themselves, joined forces to counterattack, and finally killed that crazed immortal.

Unexpectedly, another immortal suddenly went mad as well, summoning his immortal artifact and viciously striking down his companions, crying, "You pursue and kill me, so I have no more scruples. Today I want you all dead here!"

He killed one immortal, and the others hurriedly joined forces to slay him.

Yet no sooner had this man died than another immortal went mad and attacked the others!

"It is his Paranirmita Vasavartin Dharma!"

Cries of shock came from the other ships. Clearly, they recognized this method.

From time to time, people were afflicted, controlled by Chen Shi, and struck viciously at the companions around them.

For a time, the pursuing immortals fell into complete chaos, their hearts gripped with panic. They saw others as hell and kept far away from everyone else. They could no longer muster any real threat.

On one of the ships, Young Master Xi wore a faint smile and said to a few maidservants, "The gap between one Celestial Immortal and another may be even greater than the gap between a Celestial Immortal and a dog. This move, the Paranirmita Vasavartin Dharma, is enough to break the momentum of the pursuers and unleash his might. Where did this junior brother of mine learn the Buddhist Paranirmita Vasavartin Heaven cultivation method?"