Chapter 628: An Honest Child

In his view, Chen Shi was doing far more than buying people's hearts on a massive scale.

He was practically writing "I want to rebel" on his face.

Even if the Immortal Court wanted to rebel, they did it secretly, first sending people to destroy the Celestial Strategy, severing the Celestial Court's control over newly ascended immortals, and plotting step by step.

Chen Shi was simply waving a banner in front of the Great Celestial Venerable, shouting, "I want to rebel, come and chop my head off."

"If I were the Great Celestial Venerable and heard about this, I would immediately order King Li to chop him down."

Xi Muran shook his head. This junior brother of his was far too much trouble.

"People's hearts, especially the hearts of immortals, are incredibly hard to buy. But this time he seized the opportunity and truly managed to win over the hearts of two hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and generals."

Xi Muran sighed with emotion. "This junior brother of mine, though rough in his methods, truly has something extraordinary about him."

Wu Guanyun, Commander Wu, hesitated for a moment before saying, "Young Master Xi, is he really your junior brother?"

Although he had seen Chen Shi use the Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection, he still harbored doubts about Chen Shi's identity.

Xi Muran nodded. "He is indeed our master's heir, and our master treats him even better than he treats me."

As he said this, he thought of his defeat at Chen Shi's hands, and his heart grew somber. Their master had not passed down the true Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection to him, but had given it to this junior brother Chen Shi, and among the divine abilities he had been taught, the strongest move was missing.

Wu Guanyun hesitated once more before speaking. "Young Master Xi, there were so many wounded soldiers at the heavenly soldier camp this time, most of them injured in the great Ni Li World. And the great Ni Li World... I heard it was Young Master Chen who told King Li about it. King Li reported it to the Celestial Court, and the Celestial Court decided to send troops against the great Ni Li World..."

Xi Muran's body trembled slightly, and for a long while he could not speak.

"What a brilliant scheme. What a brilliant scheme."

He exhaled a breath of turbid air, and admiration rose in his heart. "This junior brother of mine truly has taken scheming to its absolute limit! He told King Li about the great Ni Li World, King Li sent troops to the great Ni Li World, the heavenly soldiers and generals were wounded, and he seized the chance to teach them the Immortal Art of Immortality to win their hearts. His methods are truly filthy!"

Though he said this, what he felt for Chen Shi was mostly admiration. He continued, "There's just one problem. How will he get past the Great Celestial Venerable? After all, he's at the top of the Immortal Slaying List, and now many true immortals have come to lodge complaints with the emperor, saying he killed innocents indiscriminately. The Great Celestial Venerable can use this as a perfect excuse to execute him."

Wu Guanyun did not dare speak.

Although Xi Muran and Chen Shi were fellow disciples, Wu Guanyun did not know whether Xi Muran's feelings toward Chen Shi were favorable or hostile.

"I imagine word of him being dragged to the Immortal Execution Platform will arrive soon enough." Xi Muran said leisurely.

In the days that followed, Xi Muran never received word of Chen Shi being taken to the Immortal Execution Platform. On the contrary, the Celestial Way Residence remained bustling with activity. Chen Shi taught the Immortal Art of Immortality there, and heavenly soldiers and generals from all quarters held him in deep admiration and great respect.

Many heavenly soldiers and generals in the camps were members of the Immortal Court. Someone organized the Immortal Art of Immortality that Chen Shi had taught and delivered it to Xi Muran. As Xi Muran read through it, he was slightly moved. "He says this technique is the source of the Indestructible Golden Body and the Eight-Nine Mysterious Arts. There is indeed something ancient within it. The origins of this technique contain shamanic sacrificial arts. It must have evolved from cultivation techniques of the Great Shang Era."

Wu Guanyun asked, "Can this technique regrow severed limbs and regenerate shattered bones?"

"It can!"

Xi Muran carefully examined it and said, "This technique is less refined than the Indestructible Golden Body and the Eight-Nine Mysterious Arts, and it takes longer to regrow severed fingers and regenerate shattered bones, but it can indeed accomplish this. Strange, from where did this junior brother obtain such a technique containing the ancient essence of the Great Shang?"

He was somewhat puzzled. The immortal techniques that present-day immortals obtained were all created later, following the path of talismans and Dao patterns, bearing no trace of the Great Shang.

Yet the Immortal Art of Immortality that Chen Shi taught had an unmistakable Great Shang flavor.

This was not to say the present was inferior to the past, but Xi Muran, having devoted himself to cultivation for thousands of years, had discovered a peculiar phenomenon. When present-day Dao techniques reached their absolute limit, breakthroughs became difficult. At such times, seeking out their origins would, conversely, allow one to find inspiration and direction for breakthroughs from the Dao techniques of the Great Shang Era!

As his cultivation grew higher, he became more and more convinced that tracing the origins of Dao techniques might allow him to break through!

"This technique is worth studying."

He put away the Immortal Art of Immortality and addressed Wu Guanyun. "Since the Celestial Strategy was destroyed, has there been any movement from the Celestial Court?"

Wu Guanyun shook his head. "There has not."

Xi Muran was astonished and murmured, "With the Celestial Strategy destroyed, fewer and fewer immortals will ascend to the Celestial Court. Relying on the Yu Heng Sect alone, they cannot determine the identities and locations of mortal-world immortals. The heavenly camp will have fewer and fewer soldiers, eventually reaching a point where there is no one left to use. The Celestial Court is not worried about this at all?"

Wu Guanyun said, "The Celestial Court is indeed worried. They even sent people to investigate the source of the great demons and traced it to the Demon-Refining Well. However, this subordinate handled it cleanly and left no trace. The Celestial Court found nothing and could only let the matter drop."

Xi Muran glanced at him and said nothing.

The release of the great demons was carried out by Wu Guanyun, but the one who lured the great demons into attacking the Celestial Court and destroying the Celestial Strategy was Xi Muran.

The destruction of the Celestial Strategy was his crowning achievement, yet he always felt somewhat uneasy, because the Celestial Court's reaction was too mild, as if the Celestial Strategy being destroyed was not worth mentioning at all!

Wu Guanyun said, "The Celestial Court does care about the Celestial Strategy's destruction. They immediately ordered the Tianji Cultivators of the Tianji Camp to hand over all the various Celestial Way Dao patterns they had comprehended, attempting to restore the Celestial Strategy. But they have been unsuccessful all along."

Hearing this, Xi Muran let out a breath of relief. "That is the correct reaction. Otherwise, I would have thought the Celestial Strategy that was destroyed was a fake."

At that moment, someone came to report again: "Young Master, more immortals have come to the Celestial Court to lodge complaints with the emperor, demanding the Celestial Court arrest Chen Shi, the bandit leader on the Immortal Slaying List."

Xi Muran asked with great interest: "How did the Celestial Court react?"

"Unknown. They are still causing a scene in the Celestial Court."

Xi Muran immediately perked up and laughed. "Junior Brother Chen is certainly headed to the Immortal Execution Platform this time!"

Another person came to report: "Reporting to Young Master, the immortals who came to make a scene want to force their way into the heavenly soldier camp to personally arrest Chen Shi!"

Xi Muran's spirits soared. "My junior brother is doomed today!"

"Reporting to Young Master, the immortals who forced their way into the heavenly soldier camp arrived at the gate and were just about to cause trouble when they were beaten up by the heavenly soldiers and generals."

Hearing this, Xi Muran laughed. "Junior Brother Chen bought the hearts of the entire camp. Who among the heavenly soldiers and generals is not grateful to him? Going to the camp to arrest someone would definitely get you beaten."

"Reporting to Young Master, those immortals have been arrested and sent to the Heavenly Prison under the charge of trespassing into the heavenly soldier camp. They are to be executed!"

Xi Muran was utterly stunned, wondering if he had misheard. He asked several more times.

"Does my junior brother have some sort of backing in the Celestial Court?" He wondered to himself.

The immortals who came to lodge complaints had powerful figures from the Earth Immortal Realm behind them. Since it was inconvenient for those figures to appear directly, they sent their disciples to make a scene at the Celestial Court, pressuring it to arrest Chen Shi. These people caused trouble in the heavenly soldier camp, and the camp had the right to beat them, but the camp had no authority to send them to the Heavenly Prison.

Few entities in the Celestial Court held such authority.

"My junior brother seems to have far greater backing in the Celestial Court than I do." He thought to himself.

He served as a registrar under the God of Literature, which gave him some standing in the Celestial Court, but he reckoned that even the God of Literature did not possess such authority.

"However, this matter involves the reputation of many great figures from the Earth Immortal Realm. I fear even his backing in the Celestial Court will struggle to protect him."

Chen Shi still did not know that he had such far-reaching influence, having sent the immortals who came to condemn him straight to the Heavenly Prison. These past days, he had been teaching the Immortal Art of Immortality and had finally explained it thoroughly. However, some immortals still could not fully comprehend it and came to ask him questions, which delayed him considerably.

"These questions, I'll leave to Black Pot."

Chen Shi grew lazy and handed the task of answering questions to Black Pot. Black Pot would lead those immortals to a quiet place and explain the Immortal Art of Immortality. Those who came would invariably nod repeatedly, wear expressions of sudden enlightenment, and feel deep gratitude toward Black Pot.

Chen Shi finally got some peace and quiet. He pondered. "I made such a huge commotion at the mysterious yellow sea. I must have shot to the top of the Immortal Slaying List everywhere. Logically speaking, Grandpa and the others must have heard news of me by now. Why haven't they come looking for me?"

A faint unease stirred in his heart. These past days, he had been teaching techniques at the heavenly soldier camp. Such a massive commotion, if Chen Yindu and the others came to the Celestial Court, a little inquiry would reveal Chen Shi's whereabouts.

Yet Chen Yindu, Sha Qiutong, and the others had still not come looking for him, which made him worry about their circumstances.

At that moment, a knock came at the door. Chen Shi's heart leaped with joy. "Could Grandpa and the others have found me?"

He went to open the door and found Jingshu, the dao attendant under the Eastern Prince, standing outside, his face etched with worry and his voice listless. "Fellow Daoist Chen, my master requests your presence."

Chen Shi glanced left and right, but saw no trace of Chen Yindu or the others. Slightly disappointed, he asked, "Jingshu, what does the Eastern Prince want with me?"

Dao Attendant Jingshu glanced at him, his expression growing even more worried. "How would I know? Probably about you topping the Immortal Slaying List. Those aggrieved parties went to the Celestial Court to complain, and they even lodged their complaints with the Jade Emperor. After my master returned, he flew into a rage, and then sent me to fetch you."

Chen Shi's heart was in turmoil. "Senior Brother Jingshu, wait a moment. Let me give Black Pot a few instructions."

Dao Attendant Jingshu said, "Make it quick. Don't keep my master waiting."

Chen Shi hurriedly found Black Pot and said, "Black Pot, my misdeeds have come to light. The Eastern Prince has summoned me, and I fear it's not good news. If you don't see me return for a long time, burn incense and pray to Houtu Huangdiqi, asking Her Ladyship to save me."

Black Pot barked twice.

Only then did Chen Shi come to see Jingshu and said, "Senior Brother, we can go now."

Dao Attendant Jingshu led the way, and the two soon arrived at the Eastern Heavenly Palace, the Eastern Prince's residence. Chen Shi met the Eastern Prince again and found that the foremost of male immortals did not have a pleasant expression. Seeing Chen Shi arrive, the Eastern Prince's anger flared and he shouted, "How did I admonish you last time? I told you to behave and stop trying to stir up big trouble and scare me to death! Tell me, what have you been doing all this time?"

Chen Shi said cautiously, "This disciple went to the mysterious yellow sea to pay respects to my godmother."

The Eastern Prince roared, "You went to pay respects to your godmother? You went to kill people! On the mysterious yellow sea, you sacrificed a dog to eat people, devouring hundreds in one bite. The immortals on Mount Tai saw it all clearly! At Deng Hai Town, you killed again, slaughtering one or two hundred prominent immortals in succession! The powers behind them have come knocking, lodging complaints with the Great Celestial Venerable!"

Chen Shi grew even more cautious and said, "This disciple truly did go to pay respects to my godmother. If Your Eminence does not believe me, you may ask my godmother Houtu Huangdiqi..."

The Eastern Prince shouted, "You still dare to quibble! You... who is your godmother?"

"Houtu Huangdiqi."

Chen Shi said, "As her godson, I came to the Earth Immortal Realm but had not yet had the chance to pay my respects to my godmother. She urged me many times. After Your Eminence's admonishment last time, I reflected deeply on my mistakes and resolved to turn over a new leaf, so I went to see my godmother. I never expected to be pursued by villains on the way and nearly lost my life, which was the only reason I had to fight back in self-defense..."

The Eastern Prince watched him until he finished, then said, "I heard that many immortals' Dao Realms were robbed, with their earthly treasures and spiritual roots taken by a man and a dog. This was your doing, was it not?"

Chen Shi cried out in distress, "Your Eminence, please see clearly! How secret are immortals' Dao Realms? Without permission, how could anyone enter them? How could this disciple possess such means to steal their earthly treasures and spiritual roots? They mistook me for the great thief on the Immortal Slaying List and attacked me, shouting for my death. How unjustly I have been wronged!"

The Eastern Prince looked at him sidelong and said, "You cannot freely enter others' Dao Realms, but Houtu Huangdiqi has that ability..."

Chen Shi looked at his nose and lowered his eyes, saying, "Why does Your Eminence not ask Houtu Huangdiqi whether she is my accomplice?"

The Eastern Prince gave him a deep look and said with difficulty, "Let this matter pass. I will not pursue it. And what about you teaching techniques at the heavenly soldier camp? You are buying people's hearts! You want to rebel!"

He said with bitter anguish, "Just now, just now! The Great Celestial Venerable summoned me and asked me, does Chen Shi, with two hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and generals in his grasp, intend to rebel? How was I supposed to answer?"

Chen Shi thought for a moment and said, "Did Your Eminence reply, does King Li, with three hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and generals in his grasp, intend to rebel?"

The Eastern Prince looked at him coldly. After a moment, he exhaled a breath of turbid air and said, "That is indeed how I answered. I also said that Chen Shi has the heart of a newborn child, and that teaching techniques was not about buying the loyalty of the heavenly soldier camp but about gathering hearts for His Majesty, not about rebelling. This is a blessing bestowed by His Majesty's great fortune, gaining him a fortunate general."

Chen Shi raised his eyes and said, "Did His Majesty believe it?"

The Eastern Prince said irritably, "If he hadn't believed it, your head would already be on the ground."

He sighed and said earnestly, "Chen Shi, you are an immortal under my command, and you also manage the Celestial Strategy. Stop always trying to stir up big trouble. I really am no match for the Great Celestial Venerable."

Chen Shi murmured assent and said, "This disciple will certainly be cautious in word and deed."

The Eastern Prince waved his hand. "You may go."

Chen Shi took his leave.

After he left, the Eastern Prince pondered for a moment, then summoned a maidservant and said, "Prepare incense."

The maidservant prepared the incense burner and lit sandalwood incense. The Eastern Prince straightened his robes, bowed toward the incense, and said with a smile, "Ni Junming, requesting an audience with Her Ladyship."

The incense smoke curled upward and gradually formed the shape of a lotus flower. Houtu Huangdiqi sat upon the lotus. Seeing the Eastern Prince, she nodded and smiled. "Why does Fellow Daoist stand on ceremony?"

The Eastern Prince smiled. "Her Ladyship is well. Just now, immortals came to the Celestial Court to lodge complaints with the emperor, accusing Chen Shi of stealing earthly treasures and spiritual roots and killing innocents. Is Her Ladyship aware of this?"

Houtu Huangdiqi said in surprise, "Is there such a matter? Chen Shi is this palace's godson. I never expected him to be such a beast in human clothing, committing such deeds! Fellow Daoist, do not concern yourself with me. If he did it, punish him severely! But I observe that this child is a good boy, not one who seems capable of such things."

The Eastern Prince smiled. "I observed that he is honest and sincere, a genuine person, and also not one who seems capable of such deeds. Therefore, upon my investigation, this matter is a false accusation. These immortals never previously claimed to possess earthly treasures and spiritual roots, and now they say they do, which reveals their intent to extort. I have already ordered them sent to the Heavenly Prison."

Houtu Huangdiqi said gravely, "Fellow Daoist must not wrong them."

The Eastern Prince said solemnly, "Rest assured, Your Ladyship. The Great Celestial Venerable placed me in charge of immortal affairs, and I will certainly discern the finest details!"