"We come from the Divine Continent, not native to this land."
Chen Shi listened, feeling a bit lost as he looked at the petrified tower ship. His ancestors had once traveled on such a ship, drifting across the Dark Sea for seventeen years before arriving here. They cleared the land, dug canals, built towns, drove away exotic beasts, and established civilization, lighting the first fire on this dark continent.
But why did the Western New Bull Continent lose contact with Great Ming? When the soldiers of Great Ming arrived, was the Heavenly True God also present?
"There's another strange thing. My Three Lights True Qi Technique can absorb starlight but not sunlight or moonlight. Only at places like the Mountain Lord Temple can I absorb sunlight and moonlight. Could it be that the sun and moonlight in the Mountain Lord Temple come from the ancestral Divine Continent? But why are these temples lost and buried underground?"
Chen Shi's head was spinning, unable to figure out the reason.
Li Tianqing, still unable to contain his excitement, reached out to touch the large ship. But just as his fingertips were about to touch it, the ground shook violently, the sound of rushing water roared, and the scenery around them changed dramatically. A mighty river surged towards them, waves crashing sky-high!
The previously dry riverbed with fish bone fossils suddenly became a vast river, with the backs of giant fish like green islands. The once skeletal Great Gun Fish seemed to come alive again!
"Spirit Realm!"
Chen Shi's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly pulled Li Tianqing back. Both stumbled as the ground shook violently, the waters of the Virtue River rippling, and the once rocky riverbank now sprouting lush green grass beneath their feet.
Chen Shi turned, gathering strength in his legs, and charged forward with Li Tianqing. His reaction was swift; as soon as Li Tianqing activated the ship's Spirit Realm, Chen Shi sprinted forward, the rapidly spreading green grass unable to catch up with his steps!
Li Tianqing finally saw the true extent of Chen Shi's explosive power. His legs shot out like cannonballs from a fired Red Barbarian Cannon, the wind pressing his clothes tightly against his body. Each step covered a distance of fifteen feet, his footfalls shattering the pebbles beneath.
All Li Tianqing could hear was the howling wind, and he was secretly amazed, "This speed is too fast, much faster than the Armored Horse Talisman!"
And this was with Chen Shi carrying him. Without the extra burden, his speed would be even greater!
In an instant, Chen Shi had sprinted a hundred feet away from the stone ship.
Li Tianqing saw them rush past a confused deer. The deer, having never seen humans, stood there dumbly, turning its head to watch them. But the next moment, the lush green grass reached the deer's feet. It quickly turned to stone, becoming a statue still gazing at them.
The green grass moved quickly, but just as it was about to catch up, it seemed to hit a limit, its spread slowing and then fading away.
Chen Shi put Li Tianqing down and looked back; the reeds were gone, and a sandpiper flying towards them vanished like smoke.
"In the mountains, never get curious about things you don't understand."
Chen Shi advised Li Tianqing earnestly, "Many people lose their lives because they're too curious."
Li Tianqing nodded repeatedly, then suddenly laughed, "But finding this stone ship means my grandfather and I can report back to Spring City."
Chen Shi asked, "Does the Li family of Spring City have a way to break the stone ship's Spirit Realm?"
Li Tianqing shook his head, "Maybe not, but whether they do or not, my grandfather, my mother, and I can live well because of this."
He was extremely happy because this meant he didn't have to betray Chen Shi and could still survive in the Li family, standing firm and protecting his loved ones.
Chen Shi was happy for him too.
Outside New Township Province, on the post road.
This post road was part of the provincial road, wide and smooth, with bluestone slabs in the center and grooves for carriage wheels. Both pedestrians and vehicles moved in an orderly fashion.
On either side of the road were waterways, with stone-built embankments. The river connected to the sea, and during high tide, guards would lower iron gates to prevent seawater from flooding the banks.
At this moment, a New Township Rat was foraging in the weeds on the left embankment. This rat was unique to the Western New Bull Continent, capable of growing to one or two hundred pounds, and very greedy. During corn season, these rats would swarm into cornfields, leaving with bulging sides.
If killed, you could find over twenty pounds of corn kernels in their mouths.
The New Township Rat was a notorious pest, but in times of famine, it became a valuable exotic beast; killing one could feed many for days.
This young rat was digging up plant roots when it heard rustling in the grass. Three small children, not even a foot tall, emerged from the grass.
The rat's eyes lit up, and it lunged at the children.
The children, exhausted and covered in scratches, some with cracks showing, saw the rat coming and immediately fired tiny weapons at it. One even launched a golden pill, but the rat swallowed it whole.
The rat grabbed one child and bit down, cracking its head open, nearly breaking its teeth. It realized the child was made of porcelain, not flesh.
But the porcelain child, with its head bitten open, died instantly.
The one whose golden pill was eaten also perished, leaving its body on the ground.
Only one porcelain child managed to escape.
This child fled to the post road, risking being trampled or run over, and finally reached the center of the road. It saw a carriage speeding by, jumped up, grabbed the axle, and, amid the jostling, the carriage headed for the provincial capital.
When they reached the capital, the porcelain child let go before the carriage stopped, landing with a clink. Its face changed, and it quickly checked its foot, finding a crack on the sole.
The child limped into the shadows of an alley.
After a long while, it climbed to a shop window, holding a wooden sign.
The sign had words on it.
"I am the second young lady of the Zhao Family Dark Jade Manor. Inform my father, Zhao Yanlong, for a great reward!"
Soon, people noticed this scene, and more gathered to watch.
The porcelain child's eyes were filled with tears; it was Zhao Erni, tricked into the kiln factory by Chen Shi.
For days, it had lived in the factory, avoiding the kiln workers' pursuit, hoping for rescue from the Zhao family, which never came. Its companions dwindled, either caught and thrown into the kiln or taken by beasts.
Zhao Erni, determined not to wait for death, persuaded the other porcelain children to seek out the Zhao family in the provincial capital.
Moved by its words, they left the factory together.
Their journey was epic and turbulent.
They crossed mountains, rivers, battled beasts, avoided giants, and lost companions along the way to the capital.
Zhao Erni, by luck, survived to reach the capital.
At the Zhao Family Dark Jade Manor, Zhao Yanlong and his wife sat in grand chairs. His wife wiped her tears with a handkerchief, lamenting to Zhao Erni, "You've suffered, my dear! Husband, you must stand up for Rou!"
Zhao Erni was her name; outsiders called her Zhao Minrou.
Zhao Yanlong remained calm. After retrieving his daughter, he invited experts to try and reverse her porcelain transformation, but it was too deep to change back.
Though he loved his daughter, he had to accept it.
"Minrou, you said Little Honest led you to the kiln in the mountains, and that's how you ended up like this."
Zhao Yanlong's eyes sparkled, "Describe the kiln in detail."
Zhao Minrou took a small pen and drew on paper. After a while, Zhao Yanlong looked at the paper and gradually smiled.
"Wife, Minrou has done a great service."
He held Zhao Minrou in his palm, smiling, "The kiln Minrou described must be where they make burial ceramics for the True King's Tomb. Finding it will lead us to the tomb's clues! Minrou, did you see an eight-armed, four-headed porcelain statue there? The kiln workers melted you to repair that statue."
Zhao Minrou nodded.
Zhao Yanlong laughed heartily, "That statue should be the source of the Spirit Realm. From the repairs, it's damaged. This is a heaven-sent opportunity for our Zhao family! The True King's Tomb is ours! Minrou, don't worry, your father will avenge you!"
Soon, a servant brought documents, saying, "Master, all the information on Yellow Slope Village is here." Zhao Yanlong skimmed through it and took Zhao Minrou to the backyard, where a white-haired elder was writing vigorously in a pavilion. Under the eaves hung talismans and scripts.
In the countryside, talismans were usually simple, but the elder's drawings were intricate.
Talismans were symbolic magic texts, mostly diagrams with few words.
Scripts were the names of powerful beings, mostly mysterious words with few diagrams.
Records were the language of gods and demons, possessing incredible power.
Mastering any one of these could make a talisman master famous; some spent a lifetime and never mastered even one.
The elder's writings included all three, each profound and powerful!
"Uncle, I want you to go to the countryside and kill a grandfather and grandson."
"Who?" The elder looked up, his presence suddenly terrifying.
"Yellow Slope Village, Chen Shi, and Chen Yin!"
"I'll be back soon, save me dinner."
Zhao Yanlong watched the elder leave, knowing this uncle was the strongest in the Dark Jade Manor. If not for his love of home, the manor lordship wouldn't have fallen to his father, and he wouldn't have inherited it.
"Uncle will succeed, avenging Minrou! I should prepare to search for the True King's Tomb." He was eager.
The white-haired elder, Zhao Cunyi, moved swiftly, reaching Yellow Slope Village by dusk. Despite the journey, he was calm and composed, politely asking villagers for Chen Shi's home.
Though white-haired, he was strong and steady, showing no fatigue after three hundred miles from the capital.
At Chen's house, the door was open. Zhao Cunyi entered the yard, admiring, "The landscape and garden are pleasant."
He was alone, with no response.
Zhao Cunyi wasn't bothered, looking around. The yard wasn't large but had an acre, divided into a front hall, east and west wings, and a main hall.
The main hall had three rooms, two for living, one for guests.
Strangely, it was set up as a mourning hall, with a shrine and candles.
A tall elder in a funeral robe stood with his back to him, exuding a heavy aura.
Zhao Cunyi smiled slightly, "I started cultivating at eight, passed the county exam at twelve, becoming a scholar, ranking third in the county. At sixteen, I passed the provincial exam, becoming a candidate, though not top, I was in the top ten. At nineteen, I studied the twelve volumes of the Comprehensive Guide to Talismans by the talisman master Heavenly Yang Hermit, memorizing all talismans. My skill in talismans, while not claiming first in New Township Province, is unmatched besides me."
The tall elder's shoulders moved as if swallowing something.
"Chen Yin, your grandson offended the manor lord, who sent me to deal with you."
Zhao Cunyi raised his hands, looking at his white palms, smiling, "Turn around, I don't like killing from behind. We're both talisman masters; I'm eager for a duel."
The elder paused, raising his head, as if lost in thought.
"The Comprehensive Guide to Talismans is still used by the court as a textbook?"
The elder turned, puzzled, "I compiled it in my forties. It should be outdated."
Zhao Cunyi was shocked, disbelief showing.
"You're the Heavenly Yang Hermit? You're still alive?"
He widened his eyes, realizing, "You can't have such a young grandson! Old man, you're using the Heavenly Yang Hermit's name to scare me!"
Without thinking, talismans slipped from his sleeves!
In an instant, dozens of talismans floated, glowing brightly!
He used top-grade talismans from the Comprehensive Guide, the most powerful being the Big Dipper Spirit Dispatch Talisman, Big Dipper Five Thunder Talisman, and Southern Dipper Life and Death Talisman!
These talismans held mysterious power, the dispatch talisman could summon spirits, the five thunder talisman called heavenly thunder, and the life and death talisman borrowed underworld power, beyond ordinary cultivators' defense!
A strong talisman master could unleash power surpassing even those who mastered the Nascent Soul, reaching the level of the Primordial Spirit!
"Without achieving instant talisman creation, how dare you claim first?" The elder thought, and talisman patterns appeared around Zhao Cunyi. The talisman was simple, the basic fire talisman, yet it was created without drawing, black dog blood, or cinnabar, but with thought alone!
Zhao Cunyi was horrified as flames consumed him, leaving only ashes.
"You are the Heavenly Yang Hermit!"
The flames roared, a scream echoed, and he turned to ash, the fire fading, leaving only drifting ashes.
"Heavenly Yang Hermit isn't a title, it's a place of origin. I didn't leave my real name, fool." The grandfather shook his head, sweeping the ashes into a dustpan.
"In our line of work, leaving a real name means a quick death."
In the west wing, Li Jindou, struggling against porcelain transformation, was stunned.
"He's the Heavenly Yang Hermit, who compiled the Comprehensive Guide to Talismans for the court and created the Heavenly Heart True Qi Technique."
Today's first chapter. The second chapter is updated! Please subscribe and vote!