Chen Shi, Yu Lingzi, and Black Pot followed Patriarch Qiongyang to the entrance of the Demon Sealing Cave. Qiongyang looked at the Tai Hua mountains under the moonlight and furrowed her brow slightly.
She had no idea where Jinghong would be going at this moment.
The sky rippled faintly, and a Realm of Emptiness silently materialized, like a narrow eyelid slowly opening. Her Primordial Spirit was hidden inside, observing the movements of the mountains below.
She was already a master of the Great Ascension Realm. Although her Realm of Emptiness had not yet been refined to be as slender as a willow leaf, her cultivation was extremely profound, rivaling even the patriarchs of the Thirteen Great Clans.
"Little Ten, Yu Lingzi, I will conceal myself in the sky. You two enter the mountains to search."
Patriarch Qiongyang's figure vanished, disappearing without a trace. Her voice came from nowhere: "Be careful. When he transforms, he can change into anyone's appearance!"
Chen Shi and Yu Lingzi exchanged glances and shuddered.
The Golden Cicada Shedding Immortal Diagram was the method for cultivating a Ghost Immortal at Tai Hua Qing Palace. This technique focused on shedding and ascending. Chen Shi had seen this method in the True King's Tomb but had never practiced it.
It was originally an orthodox Daoist technique, but now that it was being cultivated by a powerful being like Sect Master Jinghong, who had already begun his demonic transformation, the technique was undoubtedly tainted with sinister evil.
"Yu Lingzi, do you remember who killed Fan Kongliu?" Chen Shi asked Yu Lingzi casually, as if without intention.
Yu Lingzi's eyes flickered. "No one killed Fan Kongliu. I grabbed Fan Kongliu by the legs and threw him into the Dragon-Locking Well at Qixia Taoist Temple. True King, do you remember what the little path leading to the Moon-Embracing Hall at Qixia Taoist Temple was called?"
"The Bluestone Path," Chen Shi said.
Both of them breathed a sigh of relief and let down their guard.
Chen Shi grabbed a handful of leaves, blew out a breath, and many of the leaves transformed into birds, flying away.
"The Xu Family's spell?" Yu Lingzi was slightly startled.
Chen Shi said, "It's actually just simple Transformation Talismans. You only need to conceal a breath of vitality inside the talisman, activate the creation technique, and you can turn small objects into birds. With their eyes as your eyes, you can see many things you wouldn't normally see."
Yu Lingzi shook his head. "Talismans are too complicated. I have no talent for them. I practice the Shadow Following Technique of Tai Hua Qing Palace."
He activated the spell. Under the moonlight, his shadow suddenly split into dozens of strands. These dozens of shadows stood up like people, or clung to the ground, racing around, leaping and climbing, searching in different directions.
Chen Shi found it remarkable. The Daoist techniques collected in the True King's Tomb were often meant to prevent the loss of ultimate arts. Therefore, only cultivation techniques were collected, with very few spells. There were often techniques without applications. He had never seen the Shadow Following Technique that Yu Lingzi was using.
As Yu Lingzi moved, he explained, "Yin is the shadow of Yang; ghost is the shadow of man; the moon is the shadow of the sun; emotion is the shadow of nature. Yang, man, the sun, and nature are the masters of Yin, ghosts, the moon, and emotion. Once the master is determined, the shadow follows. This is the essence of the Shadow Following Technique."
Chen Shi took some more leaves, blew out a breath, and the leaves turned into birds, flying toward the mountains.
Black Pot followed behind them, its eyes piercing through both the Yin and Yang realms, simultaneously searching for disturbances in the underworld and the mortal world.
Sometimes it would vanish into the underworld, then pop its dog head out from the underworld to look around, then retract again.
The two of them and the dog searched along the mountain range. A giant spirit in the mountains leaned down to look at them. It was a young girl in red robes with bright, clear eyes, softly asking what they were looking for.
She was the spirit of a demon tree, never having been deified, and called herself Phantom Concubine.
Chen Shi's heart stirred. "Phantom Concubine, we're looking for Sect Master Jinghong. Have you seen him today?"
Phantom Concubine's posture swayed like a willow in the wind, her waist soft and supple. "No. Didn't Sect Master Jinghong pass away?"
Chen Shi asked, "After Sect Master Jinghong passed away, did you notice anything unusual in the mountains?"
Phantom Concubine asked curiously, "What kind of unusual? Oh, one night, I found two Senior Tiger brothers. Does that count as unusual?"
"Two Senior Tiger brothers?"
Yu Lingzi's heart stirred. "Senior Tiger is Tiger Ben, a powerful spirit in the mountains. Come to think of it, Tiger Ben disappeared a long time ago."
Similar phenomena often happened with such demon spirits. They usually moved to other places to become local godmothers, and Tai Hua Qing Palace turned a blind eye to it.
Phantom Concubine said, "After that night, both Senior Tiger brothers disappeared. I find it very strange."
"Tiger Ben was eaten by Sect Master Jinghong!" Chen Shi and Yu Lingzi exchanged glances, thinking.
Just then, a streak of light flew over. Chen Shi reached out and caught it. It was the Western King's Jade Seal.
His eyes flickered, and he activated the jade seal, smiling. "Phantom Concubine, what is the name of this mountain you are on?"
Phantom Concubine said, "Embroidered Cloud Peak, taken from the saying, 'Clouds emerge unintentionally from the peaks.'"
Chen Shi raised the Western King's Jade Seal. The seal radiated brilliant light, illuminating Embroidered Cloud Peak of Tai Hua Mountain. He said solemnly, "Today, I, Chen Shi, exercise the authority of the True King, decreeing the enfoffment of the true spirit, Phantom Concubine, as the Mountain God of Embroidered Cloud Peak, to regulate and command all spirits and manifestations of the entire mountain, and to exercise the powers of the Earth Spirit! By imperial decree!"
As his seal fell, the light of the Western King's Jade Seal converged and stamped toward the exposed skin of Phantom Concubine's arm. Phantom Concubine tried to dodge, but was too slow, and was stamped on her chest.
She quickly tried to wipe it off, crying, "It won't come off!"
Chen Shi comforted her, "It will fade. Try to activate the divine power."
Phantom Concubine heard this and looked down at her chest. The Western King's mark on her chest gradually faded away. She tried to activate the mark, and it appeared again. Instantly, all the mountain spirits and divine manifestations of Embroidered Cloud Peak were at her command. She could even borrow some of the cultivation of these deities and mountain spirits!
Phantom Concubine was both shocked and delighted. She looked at Chen Shi, her expression becoming much more flirtatious, and she giggled, "Little brother, I have two of them! Stamp one on this side too!"
"Stamping two is useless."
Chen Shi was unmoved and sped away. "Taoist, let's go to the other peaks!"
Yu Lingzi quickly followed him, asking curiously, "True King, what effect does that stamp of yours have?"
Chen Shi rapidly approached another peak. "This is the Western King's Jade Seal, the symbol of the True King, with the power to enfeoff land. By making Phantom Concubine the Mountain God of Embroidered Cloud Peak, I can light up Embroidered Cloud Peak on the Mountains and Rivers Map, and I can also borrow the power of all the mountain gods, mountain spirits, and deities within Embroidered Cloud Peak for my own use."
Yu Lingzi suddenly understood, thinking, "No wonder the sect uncle's code name in the Celestial Court is True King. Mastering the Western King's Jade Seal and the Mountains and Rivers Map, combining kingly authority with divine authority, isn't he exactly the True King of the Western Ox New Continent?"
The two arrived at this peak and sought out the most powerful mountain spirit.
This peak was called Demon-Suppressing Peak, named for its proximity to the Eighty-eight Demon Peaks. Because the peak was close to the demon peaks and tainted with demonic energy, the spirit guarding this mountain was an ancient turtle named Years-longevity.
Chen Shi raised the Western King's Jade Seal and enfeoffed Years-longevity as the Mountain God of Demon-Suppressing Peak.
Demon-Suppressing Peak was lit up on the Mountains and Rivers Map by Years-longevity's divine power. Everything on Demon-Suppressing Peak became crystal clear.
The two then came to Weary Bird Peak of Tai Hua Mountain and enfeoffed the mountain spirit, Rose, as the Mountain God. Then they came to Blue Phoenix Peak and enfeoffed the mountain spirit, Blue Phoenix, as the Mountain God.
Tai Hua Mountain had a total of twenty-four peaks. By midnight, except for the main peak, all other peaks, including Wenxu Peak where the Demon Sealing Cave was located, had also had their mountain gods enfeoffed.
Chen Shi frowned slightly. Now only the main peak, where Tai Hua Qing Palace was located, remained unlit. Looking at the Mountains and Rivers Map, there was nothing unusual about the other twenty-four peaks.
He looked toward the brilliantly lit main peak.
"Sect Master Jinghong likes to eat spirits and manifestations. He has secretly eaten a lot."
Chen Shi suddenly said, "Then, who is the most powerful spirit or manifestation on Tai Hua Mountain?"
A flash of inspiration struck Yu Lingzi. He quickly said, "Sect uncle, Patriarch Blue Goat is an evil spirit, right?"
Chen Shi's expression was grave. "He is an evil spirit, but he uses the energy of incense offerings to maintain his sanity."
Yu Lingzi's expression was equally solemn as he looked at the main peak. "Then, Patriarch Blue Goat should be the strongest spirit on our Tai Hua Mountain. If I were Sect Master Jinghong, what I would most want to eat right now would probably be Patriarch Blue Goat."
Chen Shi suddenly thought about how, back then, when his grandfather had undergone his demonic transformation, he also liked to eat evil spirits.
His grandfather had demonically transformed while cultivating to become a Corpse Liberation Immortal. Sect Master Jinghong was doing the same!
Patriarch Blue Goat's Primordial Spirit was a thousand feet tall, radiating divine light everywhere, like the brightest torch in the moonlit night. To Jinghong's eyes, it must have looked exceptionally delicious!
"Yu Lingzi, let's go to the main peak! Black Pot, you hide in the underworld and be ready to support us!"
The two people and the dog simultaneously advanced toward the main peak from the Yin and Yang realms, heading straight for the Blue Goat Palace.
Tai Hua Qing Palace was celebrating a great joyous event: first, the return of the True Martial Exorcising Sword to the mountain, and second, the return of Patriarch Blue Goat to the mountain. Therefore, the entire palace was filled with jubilation. The Daoists were busy, hanging lanterns and festooning, preparing for a grand ceremony in a few days. Chang Ying Daoist had already sent people to notify the imperial court, the Thirteen Great Clans, and other sacred lands, inviting guests far and wide to celebrate the occasion.
After a day of busy activity, deep into the night, the main peak finally quieted down.
Chen Shi and Yu Lingzi arrived at the mountain. Everywhere they saw bright lights, but there were hardly any people. Occasionally, they would see one or two night-watch Daoists. They didn't speak to them, just stared.
Chen Shi controlled the flock of birds to fly overhead, patrolling the surroundings, searching the entire mountain.
Yu Lingzi's shadows darted and leaped, observing everywhere.
Suddenly, a bird stopped in mid-air, as if caught in a spider web, unmoving. Then, with a plop, it fell to the ground.
Chen Shi frowned, walked over, and saw that the bird was nothing but a shell. There was no flesh inside!
The flesh and blood inside this bird seemed to have vanished into thin air!
"This bird was only turned from a leaf, but the Transformation Talisman involves the art of creation. Whatever it turns into, it possesses the characteristics of that thing..."
Just as he thought this, a constant plopping sound rang out. Birds fell like rain all around. In a flash, all the birds in the air crashed to the ground, scattered everywhere!
Chen Shi crouched down to examine them. Every single bird was completely devoid of flesh and blood!
A chill ran down Chen Shi's spine. His spell had not been broken!
These birds, turned from leaves, were still birds. But the flesh and blood formed by the transformation had been eaten by some invisible force!
This power was very similar to the characteristic of a Primordial Spirit extracting brains from a distance!
But Primordial Spirits could not hide from his eyes. Yet this force was invisible and unknowable!
Under the lamplight not far away, the night-watch Daoist looked at them. He still didn't speak, as if a flock of birds falling from the sky, one after another, was not worth remarking upon.
Chen Shi's heart pounded violently. He secretly signaled Yu Lingzi.
Yu Lingzi understood and immediately sent one of his shadows toward the night-watch Daoist.
After a moment, Yu Lingzi's expression was strange. He whispered, "No danger."
Chen Shi and he walked over to the night-watch Daoist. The night-watch Daoist was still staring at them with wide eyes. A gentle breeze blew, and the Daoist's body swayed slightly.
Chen Shi's expression changed. He reached out and grabbed the Daoist's wrist.
Just then, a gust of yin wind howled, and Black Pot appeared beside Chen Shi. The two of them were so startled that their hair stood on end and their faces turned pale.
"Black Pot, you scared me to death!" Chen Shi complained.
He grasped the Daoist's wrist, but his hand passed right through it. The Daoist's wrist was just skin, completely empty of flesh and blood inside!
"Woof, woof." Black Pot barked from behind the Daoist.
Chen Shi came behind the Daoist and saw two bloody footprints on the ground, leading from the Daoist's back toward the Blue Goat Palace.
His heart jumped. The back of the night-watch Daoist had split open with a large gash, running from the top of his head, along the back of his head, his neck, his spine, all the way down to the cleft of his buttocks.
It was as if the Daoist, like a golden cicada larva molting into a cicada, had shed his human skin here and was crawling toward the Blue Goat Palace on his hands and feet.
"This is a demonic transformation, right?" Yu Lingzi murmured.
Chen Shi steadied himself. "It's a demonic transformation. Could this Daoist be Sect Master Jinghong?"
Yu Lingzi came around to the front of the Daoist, carefully examined his face, and shook his head. "The face doesn't match. It's Uncle Wen..."
With a whoosh, Black Pot vanished into the underworld. Yu Lingzi nearly jumped out of his skin. He complained, "Black Pot, can't you move a little quieter!"
Chen Shi whispered, "Patriarch Qiongyang is still up there guarding us. We're safe. Let's follow his footprints!"
Yu Lingzi felt a little reassured and laughed. "Patriarch Qiongyang is the most powerful cultivator in Tai Hua Qing Palace. With her here, nothing will go wrong."
The two mustered their courage and followed the quadrupedal footprints. They noticed the footprints were getting fainter.
"Is he out of blood?" Chen Shi wondered.
Just then, they saw a Daoist walking on all fours under a big red lantern hanging outside a courtyard gate. He was frozen there, not moving.
This Daoist was the same Uncle Wen who had shed his skin. He had his back to them, and they could hear a rustling sound, along with a cracking noise.
He had already grown new human skin, so he had stopped bleeding.
"Why hasn't Patriarch Qiongyang acted yet? Why hasn't she dealt with Sect Master Jinghong?" The two were growing anxious.
Uncle Wen didn't move. The cracking noise became more and more rapid.
Chen Shi quietly circled around, slowly coming to his front. He saw Uncle Wen looking up, staring straight ahead, his eyes bulging, his mouth open, his tongue pressing against the roof of his mouth.
Both of his eyes had turned a lifeless white, with no pupils.
Suddenly, there was another rustling sound, followed by more cracking. Uncle Wen's back split open again, from the top of his head all the way down to the cleft of his buttocks!
Then, from the cracked skin of his back, a bloody back slowly bulged upward. Like a cicada transforming, he slowly pulled his head out of his old shell, followed by his upper body.
He squirmed inside his own skin, slowly wriggling his upper body out, pulling out his bloody arms, then slowly extracting his legs. He slowly fell to the ground, on all fours, and began crawling forward sluggishly.
It was as if he hadn't seen Chen Shi or Yu Lingzi. He crawled toward the Blue Goat Palace, engrossed in his own purpose.
"Whoosh—"
Black Pot appeared in a whirlwind, poking his dog head out. He scared Chen Shi half to death as well. Chen Shi glared at him fiercely.
"Lord Pot, can you stop scaring people like that?" Yu Lingzi said, his heart pounding and his voice trembling.
Black Pot surveyed the scene, then shrank back into the underworld and disappeared.
Chen Shi was about to follow Uncle Wen when suddenly, the door of the courtyard behind them creaked open, making a long, drawn-out sound.
