The Brolau Sword sensed something was wrong. Although it had power, without a master to refine it, its strength couldn't be fully unleashed.
The paper figures, though just cutouts, were powered by Jin Hongying's magic, making them incredibly formidable. The paper swords and knives were especially tough, even the sword couldn't easily pierce through them!
More paper figures kept climbing up and jumping into the manor, resembling an army.
Jin Hongying sat by the edge of Mirror Lake outside the manor, holding scissors and cutting paper.
Every time she cut out a paper figure, it gently landed on the ground, came to life, and began walking towards the manor.
In just a short while, dozens of paper figures were pushing cannons into the manor, loading gunpowder and bombs, while others wielded paper swords and knives, rushing towards Prince Xiao's coffin.
The Brolau Sword was about to defend when suddenly all the paper figures burst into flames, turning to ashes in an instant, and even the ashes were blown out of the manor by a gust of cold wind!
A deep, old voice echoed: "Jin Hongying, Mirror Lake Manor is not a place for you to act recklessly. Leave at once."
The voice was powerful, filled with unimaginable magic, reaching Jin Hongying's ears and shaking her magic like a calm lake hit by a meteor, causing waves to surge!
Blood flowed continuously from her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth!
Jin Hongying coughed up blood, collapsing to the ground, struggling to get up!
She gritted her teeth, tossed her scissors into the air, and they transformed into two large snakes, one green and one white, circling around her, protecting her in the center.
The green and white snakes lifted her into the air, but just as they reached midair, the snakes' heads fell off, crashing outside the manor with a loud noise.
As the snake heads fell, a figure in red clothing swiftly disappeared into the distance.
"Interesting, her skills are not weak. No wonder she is so arrogant, even ignoring us old folks."
The voice lingered, and Jin Hongying, already miles away in the air, was shaken by the voice entering her mind, causing her to fall into the forest, rolling and tumbling.
Her delicate skin was cut by thorns, leaving red marks on her white skin, her breath weak, and her eyes unfocused.
Jin Hongying forced her True Qi to suppress her injuries and fled in a panic.
Inside Mirror Lake Manor, the Brolau Sword calmed down, watching as a large black dog trotted towards the manor, stopping at the entrance and looking back.
An elderly man followed the black dog into the manor.
It was Grandpa Chen Shi who had spoken, scaring Jin Hongying away.
Layers of coffins opened, revealing Prince Xiao in a blood-stained robe, his face pale and lifeless, no longer the charming figure he once was, but at least he was awake.
"Thank you, Master Chen, for saving me."
Prince Xiao bowed in gratitude, his body swaying.
"I didn't have to speak up to save you; other friends would have stepped in."
Grandpa entered the manor, cautiously eyeing several coffins, whispering, "If they wake up, it would be troublesome."
Prince Xiao changed the topic, "Last night, you secretly followed Little Shi, following my carriage to protect him. You couldn't hide it from me."
Grandpa didn't deny it.
Prince Xiao glanced at him, "Little Shi has a strong will, unbreakable. If he could obtain the complete Three Lights True Qi Technique, even without a Divine Fetus, he could walk an extraordinary path, achieving greatness not inferior to ours. You should personally go to the True King's Tomb to get the complete technique for him. Instead, you haven't taught him anything, which confuses me. With your abilities, if you taught him earnestly, his achievements would be astounding!"
Grandpa shook his head, "I can't teach him."
Prince Xiao didn't understand his reasoning.
Grandpa was silent for a moment, "You've seen the green ghost hand on his chest. Behind this ghost hand, there must be a terrifying presence."
Prince Xiao nodded slightly. He was there when Chen Shi's soul was saved; he witnessed it firsthand.
Chen Yindu had invited many people to save Chen Shi, and he was one of them.
When Chen Shi was brought back, a green ghost hand appeared on his chest. At that time, despite all their efforts, they couldn't erase the ghost hand mark!
The presence behind this ghost hand was incredibly powerful, straddling the realms of yin and yang, trying to cross from the underworld into the living world.
They had to join forces to suppress the ghost hand mark!
"Though the ghost hand causes Little Shi pain, it has also become a part of him. As long as Little Shi remains in the living world, his heart is here, and so is the ghost hand. This means a part of the ghost hand's owner is also in the living world."
Grandpa's face was serious, "If Little Shi practices and becomes strong, the ghost hand will also grow stronger. Realizing this, I dared not teach him cultivation."
Prince Xiao said, "But he has already found the True King's Tomb's technique and embarked on this path. Since he's on this path, you should guide him carefully, help him grow, and maybe he can deal with the ghost hand."
"I've been observing these days and made a more frightening discovery."
Grandpa's face grew more solemn, "Because of the green ghost hand, Little Shi has been frequently ill these past two years. I've sought medical help, tried everything to suppress the ghost hand. Initially, it was easy; as long as he took medicine, the ghost hand's effects were mild.
But as he started practicing, the ghost hand's attacks became more frequent and terrifying. I initially thought it was because the ghost hand was growing stronger, but during this time, strange things happened. During the last Moon Festival at the Li family camp, nine people died at Little Shi's hands.
I planned to help him clean up the scene to avoid revenge, but I discovered that the people who died had no souls."
Prince Xiao was puzzled, "What do you mean by no souls?"
"It means the souls of those who died at his hands disappeared."
Grandpa's expression was peculiar, "After death, souls usually linger, enter the underworld, or are guided by underworld messengers on the seventh day, or become wandering ghosts due to strong attachments. Or they might be taken by cultivators and refined into treasures. But the nine at the Li family camp, their souls didn't linger, weren't guided to the underworld, and there were no other cultivators present. I couldn't determine where their souls went!"
Prince Xiao's face grew more serious.
He rarely admired others, but Chen Yindu was one of them.
If Chen Yindu couldn't determine the souls' whereabouts, it meant something strange was definitely going on!
"Later, when the Zhao family's talisman master caused trouble in the countryside, two Zhao family members died at his hands. Again, at the moment of death, their souls vanished. Then there was the case in Boxwood Village yesterday. I was observing in secret, and twenty-one cultivators died at Little Shi's hands."
Grandpa's face grew even more serious, "Again, I couldn't find their souls."
Prince Xiao felt a chill climb up his spine, reaching the back of his head, causing goosebumps on his neck.
"Master Chen, what are you suspecting?" he asked in a hoarse voice.
Grandpa didn't answer, continuing, "Before the battle in Boxwood Village, there was another strange incident. A man named Sanwang, who died unjustly, turned into a ghost out of gratitude to Little Shi, warning him in a dream. After Sanwang's ghost entered Little Shi's dream, it never came out."
Grandpa looked directly at Chen Shi's small coffin.
Prince Xiao also looked at Chen Shi's coffin, as if seeing a ghost.
After a moment, Grandpa continued, "When we saved him back then, I was overjoyed. He was my most beloved grandson. But the green ghost hand on his chest made me realize he was not just my grandson; he was also a part of that terrifying presence in the underworld. Now that he's started practicing, the green ghost hand is growing, beginning to devour the souls of those who die at his hands."
Prince Xiao suddenly said, "You're afraid of Little Shi, aren't you?"
He stared into Grandpa's eyes, his gaze sharp, speaking softly, "Master Chen, you're scared."
Grandpa showed fear, his body trembling slightly.
Prince Xiao was shocked. He knew Chen Yindu could be afraid, but to tremble with fear was beyond his expectations.
To be scared to the point of trembling!
A thought flashed in his mind, and he exclaimed, "You've been watching Little Shi from afar not because you're worried he'll die outside, but because you're afraid he'll lose control!"
Grandpa remained silent, seemingly acknowledging indirectly.
After a while, Grandpa said, "Prince Xiao, you've seen disasters of evil, curse, and demon levels, but have you seen disasters of calamity and catastrophe levels?"
Prince Xiao shook his head, "I've heard of such disasters but never seen them."
Grandpa's voice was low, "If the ghost hand can't be suppressed, one day, you'll witness a calamity or catastrophe-level disaster manifesting through his body."
Prince Xiao shivered again.
Though he hadn't seen calamity or catastrophe-level disasters, he had witnessed demon-level disasters, which were terrifying beyond words.
Grandpa looked at him, speaking earnestly, "Prince Xiao, I'm old and can't stay in the living world for long, so he needs a godmother strong enough to suppress the ghost hand."
"Don't look at me."
Prince Xiao understood his meaning, shaking his head, "I'm afraid. If I can't suppress it and a disaster erupts, I'd be the sinner. I don't want to be that sinner!"
Grandpa frowned slightly, "Don't you want the Water and Fire Purging Technique?"
Prince Xiao's body trembled slightly, then he shook his head, "I'd rather die with a good name than live with infamy. Master Chen, please leave!"
Grandpa was furious, "Coward!"
Prince Xiao entered the coffin, "Say what you will!"
Grandpa left the manor in anger.
Heiguo quickly followed, the dog feeling uneasy. It had overheard too many secrets today; would the old man silence it?
Fortunately, despite his anger, Grandpa didn't take it out on the dog.
Grandpa stopped, staring blankly at a leaf with a helpless ant circling, unable to find its way.
"I'm like that ant, not knowing what to do... I must find Little Shi a godmother strong enough, or I'll have to kill him, and we'll go to the underworld together. Maybe that's for the best... No, I can't do that!"
He struggled internally, his face gradually contorting.
"Little Shi is my grandson, carrying my bloodline. I can't kill him, I can't... No matter the cost, I want him to live safely! Even if I shatter into pieces, I want him to live!"
Life doesn't bring anything, and death takes nothing.
But with bloodline preserved, there is eternal life.
In the Mountain Lord Temple, Chen Shi focused on his cultivation these days, undistracted, advancing in the Five Organs True Essence and Bone Refinement.
Practicing in the Mountain Lord Temple, under the sun, moon, and stars, with the Three Lights complete, and the Seven Northern Dipper Refinement, tempering bones, heart, blood, flesh, skin, Qi, and spirit, his body grew stronger, nearing the Sacred Fetus Body.
That day, he stepped on the Pivot Star, and with the Star Talisman refining his body, he felt each of his organs seemed to have independent life, as if a spirit resided in each. Any damage or illness in an organ was vividly clear in his mind, distinct and detailed!
Moreover, as the Big Dipper turned, any damage or illness in his organs healed quickly!
He could always be in the healthiest state!
This was the Five Organs True Essence.
Chen Shi was both surprised and delighted, his thoughts moving, his Qi and blood circulating, feeling his vitality increased two or threefold, even able to channel Qi and blood to his hair, making it seem alive!
His hair was filled with a strange vitality.
With each step, his Qi and blood filled his bones, his strength continually rising, and the True Bone Refinement completed at that moment!
"I don't have a Divine Fetus, but by cultivating the Sacred Fetus Body described in the Three Lights True Qi Technique, my body becomes the Divine Fetus!"