This Talisman God Tianji only had the upper half of its torso remaining; the lower body was completely rotten. Even the upper half was riddled with holes, bearing marks left by various magic treasures, wounds from claws and fangs, and damage caused by spells.
There was also a hole in its head, at the back of the skull, where a large chunk was missing, as if a cylindrical object the thickness of a fist had accurately pierced through its brain from the side.
A normal person would absolutely be unable to survive such severe injuries.
Yet this Talisman God Tianji had survived and lived for many years within the passageway of the True King's Tomb.
It was a creature of flesh and blood, yet it exuded a unique sinister aura characteristic of evil spirits.
—The things Grandpa created often carried a serious amount of sinister energy.
Its mind didn't seem to be working well. Looking at Chen Shi, its voice devoid of human emotion, it said, "Chen Tang, your father misses you and wants you to come home."
It seemed to lapse back into a state of death, lying on the ground with no trace of breath.
However, flesh and blood were wriggling within the wound on its chest.
The Talisman God Tianji was actually self-repairing!
"Creation Little Five could do that too! And was even stronger!"
Seeing this scene, Chen Shi felt both shock and horror, remembering how Creation Little Five had been killed twice by Grandpa, yet had actually revived both times!
And it had revived relying on its own power!
This Talisman God Tianji also possessed a self-repairing ability. Despite having received Grandpa's true teachings, Chen Shi couldn't discern the source of this ability.
However, the other Talisman God Tianjis did not self-repair.
It was clear that the Talisman God Tianji's repair ability was limited; if it died, it might truly be dead.
Chen Shi walked towards the Library Pavilion, glancing back and thinking, "After all, it's Grandpa's relic. I can't let it rot here. I'll take it with me when I leave."
The True King's Tomb Library Pavilion was actually a stone chamber. The entrance to this chamber had no physical door; it was constructed from extremely complex talismanic components. Various talismanic patterns were interlinked, forming the shape of a portal.
To enter, one had to pass through these talismanic patterns.
Various talismanic patterns interconnected, large and small, forming arrays of immense complexity, yet also exquisite craftsmanship, creating a harmonious and unified whole.
There was only one solution!
Chen Shi stared at the stone chamber's portal and immediately saw the problem-solving approach to the portal's talismanic array construction.
Grandpa had drawn many similar talismanic arrays while he was alive, ranging from easy to difficult, and tossed them to him to solve.
At first, Chen Shi found solving such talismanic arrays dull and tedious. But as he solved more, he discovered there was much fun within them. Each successful solution gave him an immensely pleasurable feeling.
The Library Pavilion portal of the True King's Tomb was the most complex he had ever seen, but for him, it was just complex.
"Did Grandpa have me crack similar talismanic arrays back then, perhaps precisely for today?"
Chen Shi felt a warm feeling in his heart. Looking at the construction of the talismanic array, he deduced every possible variation, even reverse-engineering the starting points of the various talismans.
All talismans had a starting stroke, all completed in one breath by a talisman master channeling their essence, energy, and spirit.
All talismans, seemingly two-dimensional, were actually three-dimensional, compressed from a three-dimensional state into a plane. But to crack them, one had to restore them to three-dimensionality.
However, the process of a talisman transforming into its three-dimensional state was the process of its power erupting. To crack a talisman, one couldn't let it erupt, so one had to construct the three-dimensional form of the talisman within one's own mind.
Deducing the three-dimensional form from a two-dimensional talisman was a difficult problem for many. Therefore, while there were many talisman masters, the number who could crack talismans was few.
The problem-solving approach for the talismanic portal before him was to find its starting stroke, the source of its essence, energy, and spirit.
Chen Shi looked, and the talismanic portal no longer appeared as a plane in his eyes, but as a killing field of tribulation formed by ranks of fully armored gods and demons!
These gods and demons were arranged in an orderly yet staggered manner, distributed throughout the space.
And their starting strokes precisely formed a complex pattern of talismanic seals.
The Ten Extremities Spirit Banner Talisman!
Chen Shi was slightly taken aback. He had learned the Ten Extremities Spirit Banner Talisman from Grandpa. This talisman's construction was complex, but it was oddly useless, unable to activate any power. Grandpa had just made him draw it many times, to remember its structure, without explaining what the talisman was for.
Now it seemed Grandpa had given him the exact answer in advance!
However, only now, seeing the talismanic array of the Library Pavilion portal, did Chen Shi finally understand how the Ten Extremities Spirit Banner Talisman could actually activate its power.
"All the starting strokes of the talismanic seals constitute the individual strokes of the Ten Extremities Spirit Banner Talisman, a total of two hundred and fifty-six strokes, corresponding to two hundred and fifty-six types of talismanic seals, together forming the Ten Extremities Tribulation Array. Then..."
Chen Shi stood before the door, staring blankly at the array formed by these talismanic seals.
Then, if one activated the Ten Extremities Spirit Banner Talisman, using each stroke of the Spirit Banner Talisman as a starting point, couldn't one deploy a Ten Extremities Tribulation Array in an instant?
He was no longer in a hurry to enter the Library Pavilion. Instead, he stood quietly before the door, studying the various transformations of the Ten Extremities Tribulation Array.
The horned, human-bodied Tomb Guardian Beast also knew cracking the portal was extremely difficult and didn't rush him, waiting patiently.
After an unknown amount of time, Chen Shi comprehended all the transformations of the Ten Extremities Array. He closed his eyes, visualizing the Ten Extremities Spirit Banner Talisman transforming from two-dimensional to three-dimensional in his mind, evolving from one talisman into two hundred and fifty-six talismans, becoming two hundred and fifty-six deities!
The array transformed, and in an instant, an overwhelming aura of slaughter surged and billowed!
Chen Shi opened his eyes, two beams of bloody light shooting from them. This was because the killing intent from constructing the Ten Extremities Tribulation Array in his mind hadn't fully dissipated and shot out from his eyes.
Only then did the killing intent completely disperse.
Chen Shi also returned to normal. He raised his hand and pressed it against the Ten Extremities Tribulation Array that formed the portal. Instantly, the entire portal rapidly contracted, transforming from a murderous talismanic array into a single Ten Extremities Spirit Banner Talisman.
Chen Shi stepped forward, passing through the Ten Extremities Spirit Banner Talisman and entering the stone chamber.
His heart was filled with joy. Learning the Ten Extremities Spirit Banner Talisman and mastering the Ten Extremities Array made him happier than learning any immortal technique!
Because it solved a problem that had troubled him for a long time.
The Library Pavilion contained scrolls of golden books. Skilled craftsmen had hammered gold into pages, imprinting various cultivation techniques onto the golden, gleaming sheets.
Paper could weather and crumble, ink could fade, stone steles would gradually decay over time, their inscriptions becoming blurred, but gold could last forever, making it most suitable for recording important things.
*The Ten Books of Cultivation.*
The first golden scroll entered Chen Shi's sight.
He opened it and looked. This book discussed the Ten Methods of Cultivation, from Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment to Tribulation Crossing and Ascension—ten methods, extremely complete!
Especially since these ten methods encompassed the techniques for the Tribulation Crossing and Ascension realms, which were unknown to today's cultivators!
"Excellent treasure!"
Chen Shi's heart thumped wildly. He opened another golden scroll.
*The Supreme Golden Court Wondrous Scripture!*
Chen Shi opened it and looked. The book didn't discuss Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, or Nascent Soul. The opening chapter directly discussed how to merge with the Dao!
He read for a moment, feeling dizzy and seeing stars. *Thud!* The back of his head hit the ground. After an unknown amount of time, he slowly regained consciousness, feeling horrified.
"I fainted? I only glanced at it twice and fainted?"
He was horrified. After standing up, he hurriedly closed *The Supreme Golden Court Wondrous Scripture*, not daring to look again.
*The Supreme Great Brightness Divine Incantation.*
Chen Shi glanced at it a few times. *Thud!* He fell to the ground. After a long while, his eyeballs rolled, and he slowly woke up. He closed this golden scroll and walked to the next one.
*The Supreme Purity Nine Truths Inner Formula.*
A moment later, Chen Shi fell flat on his back on the ground, sleeping very peacefully.
*The Cinnabar Heaven Controller of Fate Golden Register.*
Fell down, slept peacefully.
*The Supreme Emperor Purple Palace Technique.*
Fell down, slept peacefully.
*The Compassion Light Seventeen Purify Heaven and Earth Great Incantation.*
Fell down, peaceful.
*The Jade Emperor Nine Heavens Register.*
Fell down.
...
The horned, human-bodied Tomb Guardian Beast watched as Chen Shi inside the treasure pavilion repeatedly fell over, sleeping soundly, then got up again and again to continue reading. It couldn't help but feel surprised. "The Holy Envoy's mind and spirit are exceptionally powerful. He's looked at so many and hasn't died."
Its temper was quite good, waiting patiently.
The Library Pavilion indeed contained immortal techniques, but immortal techniques were not for mortals to read. After reading, one couldn't remember them either. For someone like Chen Shi to glance at them and fall asleep immediately was considered good, indicating his mind and spirit were powerful and his Nascent Soul pure.
Ordinary people, after reading, would often die with blood flowing from all seven orifices, or go mad and insane, or become foolish and stupid like puppets, or turn into vegetables.
Someone as formidable as Chen Yindu, who exhausted all his efforts to break in here, didn't dare touch a single immortal technique. He only dared to seize one *Water-Fire Refining Art* to cultivate the Corpse Liberation Immortal path, showing the difficulty of these immortal techniques.
For someone like Chen Shi to read like this, even a great master at the Refining Spirit to Return to Emptiness stage would have probably long since met their end. That Chen Shi only fell asleep immediately was truly a strange and astonishing affair.
Finally, Chen Shi stood before a golden scroll, opened it, and looked, not fainting for a long time.
*The Xiao Lang Imperial Chapter Technique.*
Although he didn't faint, Chen Shi also didn't understand much of it.
He widened his eyes, striving to memorize the content of *The Xiao Lang Imperial Chapter Technique*, rote learning it, including the incantations and true words, committing them all to memory.
Grandpa had told him it didn't matter if he didn't understand; memorize it first and comprehend it slowly later.
After a long while, Chen Shi finally memorized the Xiao Lang Imperial Chapter Technique. He closed his eyes and recalled for a moment, confirming it was correct, then let out a sigh of relief.
He walked outwards but suddenly felt dizzy. He hurriedly supported himself against the wall to avoid falling.
His heart thumped wildly. The scene before his eyes seemed to have two layers, sometimes overlapping, sometimes separating.
"My mind and spirit are injured! My Nascent Soul is damaged!"
Chen Shi struggled to steady himself. The stone chamber portal had already resealed itself.
He took a long, deep breath, barely managing to activate the Ten Extremities Spirit Banner Talisman, nearly making a mistake.
He hurriedly withdrew his hand, not attempting to open the portal.
Opening the stone chamber portal allowed for no carelessness. If he made a mistake and the Ten Extremities Array erupted, he would meet his end, body and spirit annihilated!
Chen Shi closed his eyes, rested for a while, and after his body recovered somewhat, tried a few more times. The Ten Extremities Spirit Banner Talisman didn't make another mistake.
Only when he was completely confident did he open the stone chamber portal.
The horned, human-bodied Tomb Guardian Beast quietly waited for him to walk out of the stone chamber before saying, "The Holy Envoy is truly remarkable."
Chen Shi was still dizzy, feeling like he couldn't catch his breath. "What's remarkable?"
The horned, human-bodied Tomb Guardian Beast said, "Having read so many immortal books and still being able to walk out alive, with your mental state still stable and without any flaws appearing, is remarkable. Even a master at the Return to Emptiness realm would probably have already met their end by now."
It was quite curious about Chen Shi.
Such performance was absolutely not something a youth at the Nascent Soul realm could accomplish. Yet Chen Shi had forcefully memorized a golden scroll and walked out of the True King's Tomb Library Pavilion alive. It was truly a strange and astonishing affair.
Chen Shi grabbed that Talisman God Tianji, attempting to drag it out of the True King's Tomb. However, as soon as he exerted force, he plopped down onto his knees.
"Can you help me drag him out?" Chen Shi asked, swaying as he got up.
"Gladly."
The horned, human-bodied Tomb Guardian Beast gently picked up the Talisman God Tianji and walked outward.
Chen Shi staggered along, following it. When they reached outside the True King's Tomb, sunlight fell into his eyes, making the sky and earth seem to spin. He hurriedly steadied himself.
The horned, human-bodied Tomb Guardian Beast escorted him and the Talisman God Tianji out of the Ghost and God Domain of the True King's Tomb. Black Pot hurried forward, supporting Chen Shi onto the cart. Chen Shi practically collapsed into the cart, lying motionless.
Black Pot looked at the Talisman God Tianji, showing a shocked expression, and hurriedly dragged this crippled Talisman God into the cart as well.
The horned, human-bodied Tomb Guardian Beast watched them depart into the distance, puzzled. "Strange, why can he read so many immortal books and not die..."
Chen Shi's mind was a chaotic cacophony. He struggled not to lose consciousness, saying weakly, "Don't go home. Go to Mirror Lake Villa."
The Wooden Cart immediately changed direction, heading towards Mirror Lake Villa.
Upon reaching the villa's outskirts, Black Pot immediately jumped down, carried Chen Shi, and rushed into the villa, opened a coffin, and placed him inside.
Chen Shi lay in the coffin, sinking into a deep sleep.
The sixteenth day of the first lunar month arrived quickly. Sun Yisheng had already prepared carriages and horses, waiting at the village entrance. He sent someone to the Chen family residence, but Chen Shi wasn't home.
By the time the sky was fully bright, Chen Shi was sitting in the Wooden Cart as it drove out of Qianyang Mountain and arrived at Huangpo Village.
Sun Yisheng hurriedly went to meet him. Seeing Chen Shi's pale face, he was startled. "Young Master Chen, your Nascent Soul is damaged?"
Chen Shi sat in the cart, somewhat fatigued. "I injured my mind and spirit yesterday, and my Nascent Soul was also damaged."
He had lain in Mirror Lake Villa for a night. Mirror Lake Villa was good for recuperating, quickly replenishing blood, qi, and vitality. But for injuries to the mind, spirit, and Nascent Soul, the healing speed was somewhat slower.
He had eaten countless Soul-Returning Lotuses, making his soul powerful and his mind and spirit far superior to ordinary people. He wouldn't get injured easily, but once injured, it was difficult to heal.
"For Nascent Soul damage, one needs to nurture it with an oil lamp."
Sun Yisheng said, "When we reach the town ahead, I'll buy some lamp oil. Young Master Chen, manifest your Nascent Soul and place it within the lamp's flame, nurturing it with the pure Yang energy of the flame."
Chen Shi thanked him. "My Nascent Soul is a bit large. I'll need a larger oil lamp."
Sun Yisheng smiled. "How large is Young Master Chen's Nascent Soul?"
Although he could tell Chen Shi was at the Nascent Soul realm, he didn't know the progress of Chen Shi's cultivation.
Chen Shi projected his Nascent Soul out of his body, sitting in the void. There was a faint golden-yellow halo around it, giving a sense of boundlessness.
That Nascent Soul was about four inches tall when sitting, six or seven inches when standing. Its entire body was snow-white, like an infant's, but it looked sickly and listless.
Sun Yisheng was startled. Cultivating the Nascent Soul to this stage was already nearing Great Completion!
Chen Tang had never mentioned that Chen Shi's cultivation had reached such heights!
"Truly worthy of being the number one Child Prodigy of the fifty provinces."
He felt troubled. Such a large Nascent Soul indeed couldn't be treated with an ordinary oil lamp. The small amount of Yang energy released from burning a basin of oil would be instantly absorbed by Chen Shi's Nascent Soul.
To cure it, the cost of lamp oil would likely be at least several thousand, if not over ten thousand, taels of silver.
He didn't have that much money on him.
Black Pot went into the village, helping Chen Shi pack clothes and belongings into the cart. Chen Shi felt a bit cold, so he put on two more layers of clothing for warmth.
Black Pot looked at Sun Yisheng. Sun Yisheng understood and nodded. "Alright, let's go to Gangzi Village first, then stop at the town for some breakfast."
He gave the order, and the carriages set off.
Then, Sun Yisheng suddenly froze. "Just now, did that dog speak to me? If it didn't speak to me, how would I know to go to Gangzi Village? Strange, truly strange indeed!"
Not long after, the two carriages arrived at Gangzi Village. A tall, beautiful woman walked over. Seeing Chen Shi, she exclaimed in surprise, "Little Ten, how did you injure your Nascent Soul and mind-spirit?"
Chen Shi struggled to get up, wanting to greet her properly, but the beautiful woman pressed him down. "Does Sister Sha have a way to treat it?"
"For an injury like yours, ordinary oil lamps are no longer effective. You need to use the horn-shaped Underworld Lamp. Although this object belongs to the ghost gods, its flame is produced by burning souls. It's most suitable for treating injuries to the mind-spirit and Nascent Soul."
That beautiful woman was precisely Granny Sha. She took out the horn-shaped Underworld Lamp from somewhere and placed it in the cart, smiling. "This lamp was originally yours anyway, perfect for your treatment. When I need it, I'll borrow it from you."
Chen Shi thanked her, projected his Nascent Soul out, and entered the flame of the horn-shaped Underworld Lamp. He immediately felt much more comfortable.
