Chapter 325: The Young Master's Secret is Exposed 22 |
Black Pot felt something was off somewhere. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly realized, "I don't have a tail anymore!"
Chen Shi looked around, thinking to himself, "Where did the boat girl go?"
With a rag slung over his shoulder and a bucket in hand, he searched everywhere but couldn't find the little yaksha the boat girl had possessed.
The Young Master's Primordial Palace spanned dozens of miles in circumference. It was an enormous place, with carved beams and painted rafters everywhere, bustling with busy little yakshas chattering away noisily.
Some little yakshas climbed trees to prune branches. Because they sat in front and sawed behind, they often fell from the trees along with the branches.
Other little yakshas were loosening soil and fertilizing, digging pits, dragging over their good buddies, burying them in the dirt, patting a couple of shovelfuls of earth on their heads, and leaving as if nothing had happened.
A few little yakshas, noticing no one was around, threw partners they didn't like into the fish pond to feed the fish dragons.
When a visitor arrived and instructed them to take good care of their mount, some yakshas would team up with others to feed their companions to the visitor's steed.
The Primordial Palace was chaotic and noisy, with incidents happening to little yakshas everywhere. Fortunately, no one cared if these little things died; they just needed to recruit more little yakshas from outside the palace to fill the vacancies.
"The Temporary Abode spell was created by Granny Sha, embodying her consistent style of 'it works if it can be used,'" he thought to himself. "Granny Sha's principle is that a little error is acceptable; as long as it's not too big, the spell is successful. But obviously, when the Temporary Abode exceeds two people, some deviation occurs."
This time, they were two people and a dog, a bit too many. Clearly, something had gone slightly wrong with this spell somewhere.
"Which little yaksha did she possess... Forget about the boat girl for now. She's highly skilled and unlikely to be taken out by other little yakshas."
Chen Shi walked forward with Black Pot. Passing by a little yaksha that had cut off its own arm while trimming a flowerbed, he put down his bucket and used the rag to bandage its wound.
Chen Shi picked up the shears, trimmed a few flower branches, then tossed the shears aside, dodging a falling branch from above along with the little yaksha riding on it.
He walked forward, picked up a pitchfork, stuck it into the fish pond, and fished out a little yaksha that had been thrown in by its companions to feed the fish.
He discarded the pitchfork and went to the kitchen. The little yakshas tending the fires and cooking were roughhousing, with various sharp blades flying everywhere.
Chen Shi and Black Pot passed through the flurry of blades, casually pulling out a little yaksha stuffed under a pot, untying one bound to a roasting spit, and dragging another off the chopping block who was about to become fish meat.
By the time they walked from one end of the kitchen to the other, they had changed into the attire of serving yakshas. Carrying dishes, they followed the yaksha in front toward the banquet.
The Young Master was entertaining guests in the Jade Wave Hall. Originally, the banquet was scheduled for two days later, but as the Immortal Capital was remote with complex geography, many guests had arrived early.
These guests needed their three daily meals arranged and required his company.
Chen Shi and Black Pot carried dishes to the outside of the Jade Wave Hall. Here, the little yakshas became much more subdued, not daring to mess around.
Chen Shi also behaved properly, thinking to take this opportunity to enter the Jade Wave Hall and see who exactly the Young Master was entertaining. However, upon arriving, beautiful women took the bowls and plates from their hands to deliver into the hall, not allowing low-level ghosts like them to enter.
Chen Shi looked carefully; these beautiful women weren't paper figures but were likely the Primordial Spirits of female cultivators.
"The Young Master's influence in the underworld is truly substantial!"
Chen Shi turned and walked back. At a corner, he took a dish from a little yaksha, turned, and continued delivering food, while voices from the Jade Wave Hall reached his ears.
"Young Master, when will Lord Wei succeed to become the new generation King of Hell?" a ghost god's voice entered Chen Shi's ears. "The position of King of Hell has been vacant for five years. The Righteous and Incorruptible Official has been missing for five years, whereabouts unknown. Your esteemed father, Lord Wei Ling, is virtuous and prestigious, suitable to inherit the position of King of Hell and become the Great Official."
Another ghost god said loudly, "Marshal Tan is right. Without a King of Hell in the underworld, the ghost gods are in chaos. Even we officials don't know who to report to. For five years, Lord Wei Ling has toiled tirelessly to maintain order in the underworld. We marshals have all seen it. The master of the Yama Hall must be Lord Wei! As for other ghost gods, we marshals of the Yama Hall will not submit!"
Then, a gentle, refined voice spoke up, "Gentlemen, how dare my father presume to become the new King of Hell? The Righteous and Incorruptible Official, after all, came from the Divine Continent. He possesses great merit and is supported by the masses. Only then did a wisp of his incarnation come to the Western Ox New Continent, using supreme magical power to establish order in the underworld, ensuring ghosts follow the ghost way, gods the god way, and humans the human way, keeping the realms of yin and yang from chaos. Now that the Righteous and Incorruptible Official is missing, we should exhaust all means to find him. How can there be any reason to seize his position?"
Hearing this, Chen Shi thought, "This must be the Young Master, Wei Yue? His words are quite reasonable."
A maidservant outside the Jade Wave Hall took the dishes from his hands.
Chen Shi walked back. At the corner, the little yaksha possessed by Black Pot was grabbing another little yaksha by the neck, pinning it against the wall, signaling it to put down the dish.
Chen Shi took the dish, turned, and continued delivering food.
"Young Master, you are mistaken!" another ghost god's voice rang out. "The Righteous and Incorruptible Official establishing order in the underworld is indeed a great achievement, but he is, after all, not a native ghost god of our Western Ox New Continent! When it comes down to it, he is an outsider!"
"One cannot say that," a voice argued. "The Righteous and Incorruptible Official was appointed King of Yama by the will of the people. The people's hearts lean toward him, surpassing even imperial decree, surpassing heavenly mandate! How can we marshals defy the will of the people? Moreover, the Righteous and Incorruptible Official's disappearance is full of suspicious circumstances! Long before he went missing, I heard the Righteous and Incorruptible Official had already been ambushed and suppressed! In this underworld, someone wants to rebel!"
Suddenly, silence fell in the Jade Wave Hall, a dead stillness.
Young Master Wei Yue laughed heartily, breaking the silence, "Marshal Meng, one can eat the meal, but words cannot be spoken carelessly. Do you have evidence for what you say about the Righteous and Incorruptible Official?"
That Marshal Meng sneered coldly, "In recent years, the judges of the Yama Hall have died, been injured, or fled. Marshals have also died in batches. Of the marshals promoted by the Blue Sky Official back then, how many remain? Of the judges he promoted, how many are left? Marshal Wei, now the only surviving judge is your esteemed father, isn't it?"
"Meng Banshan, what do you mean by that?" a marshal slammed the table angrily. "Are you trying to say the turmoil in the underworld was caused by Lord Wei? Lord Wei doesn't possess that much power!"
The dish in Chen Shi's hands was taken by a maidservant. He turned to walk back. At the corner, Black Pot was beating up a little yaksha unwilling to hand over its dish, punching it black and blue.
Chen Shi snatched the plate and walked back, voices from the Jade Wave Hall reaching his ears.
This time, Young Master Wei Yue was entertaining marshals from the Yama Hall. Currently, the other marshals were verbally attacking and condemning this marshal named Meng Banshan, accusing him of slandering Vice Magistrate Wei Ling without solid evidence, criticizing his character, then dragging his character into his private life, and finally arguing that Meng Banshan should voluntarily confess his crime and hand over his marshal seal.
Chen Shi found this tactic familiar, thinking, "This tactic is very much like the pure stream's tactic. These marshals of the Yama Hall have problems!"
Suddenly, Meng Banshan slammed the table and stood up, sneering coldly, "Enough! Whoever harmed the Righteous and Incorruptible Official knows it in their heart! Over the years, first it was Vice Magistrate Dai Changjun, who died in the Valley of Ten Thousand Gods. You said he was killed by a demon god! Then it was Vice Magistrate Wu Yuantong, who died in battle at the Dao Abyss. You again said he was killed by a demon god! Later, the Tongue-Pulling Hell was shattered, and almost all vice magistrates died in battle. You said they died in a demon god invasion! Later still, you started targeting the Blue Sky Official! How bold you are!"
Meng Banshan was furious beyond measure, roaring, "Your ideas are good! But you haven't obtained the Book of Life and Death yet! Without the Book of Life and Death, you cannot grasp divine authority. I'd like to see how you plan to be this King of Hell!"
Chen Shi's expression changed abruptly. After delivering this dish, he immediately returned to the corner.
Black Pot had a serving yaksha pinned under his foot, holding a dish plate in his hand, looking fierce.
Chen Shi stepped forward, took the plate, signaled Black Pot not to extort other little yakshas anymore, returned that plate of food to the little yaksha, and led Black Pot outward, whispering, "Something major has happened in the underworld."
Black Pot quickly followed him, asking, "Woof... What is it?"
"The Yan Family may have spent thousands of years implementing a rebellion targeting the underworld, to seize all divine authority in the underworld," Chen Shi said rapidly as he walked. "Over these years, the Yan Family eradicated all forces under the King of Hell, replacing them from marshals to vice magistrates. They even went so far as to shatter hells, destroying the magic treasures of marshals and vice magistrals one by one, preventing these ghost gods from using their treasures to mobilize the power of the Great Dao of the underworld, shaking the King of Hell's rule."
"Gua ji?" A passing little yaksha turned and followed Chen Shi and Black Pot, confused.
"Miss?" Chen Shi tentatively asked.
"Gua ji." The little yaksha affirmed earnestly.
Black Pot kicked that little yaksha flying.
Chen Shi continued, "This rebellion has lasted many years. They eliminated marshals and vice magistrals one by one. Back when my grandpa and the others were searching for me, they encountered a marshal dying tragically, who handed his seal to Uncle A Zhuo, making Uncle A Zhuo the new marshal."
His eyes lit up, and he said rapidly, "Right, and also Marshal Tie Chi, and Zhong Kui! Over twenty years ago, they were also ambished and forced to flee, reincarnating into the mortal world!"
"Gua ji!"
A group of little yakshas who loved excitement ran up behind him, their eyes sparkling as they listened.
Black Pot kicked them away one by one.
Chen Shi pondered, "Until they sidelined the Righteous and Incorruptible Official and imprisoned him! According to their plan, after the Blue Sky Official died, Vice Magistrate Wei Ling should inherit the position of King of Hell, becoming the new King of Hell. Vice Magistrate Wei Ling, after all, is not a member of the Yan Family, but fortunately, his son Wei Yue is from the Yan Family."
His eyes flashed, as if talking to himself or to Black Pot, whispering, "If Wei Ling becomes the new King of Hell, and then Wei Ling suddenly dies violently, the position of King of Hell would fall into Wei Yue's hands. Then the Yama Hall would belong to the Yan Family..."
"Gua ji, gua ji, gua ji!"
A group of little yakshas followed closely behind him, tilting their heads to listen, full of interest.
These little yakshas were very interested in such conspiracies.
Black Pot intended to kick them all away, but there were too many of these little things, and more kept walking over.
Chen Shi seemed unaware, murmuring, "Five years ago, coinciding with my grandpa leading many friends into the underworld, searching everywhere for my ghost soul, they broke into the place where the Righteous and Incorruptible Official was suppressed. They thought these ghost gods were suppressing me, so they tried to rescue him. The Great Official took the opportunity to transform into a crescent moon and escape, fleeing to Gongzhou."
The Righteous and Incorruptible Official, with no way out, to evade the pursuing ghost gods, was forced to enter the womb of a dead prostitute.
That prostitute gave birth to a girl after death. The little girl experienced the confusion of the womb, lost her past life memories, was adopted by the Madam under the Young Master's command, and given the name Little Bastard.
In her fourth year, Chen Shi came to Rouge Lane, killed the Madam, rescued Little Bastard, and named her Nannan.
"The ghost gods under the Young Master searched fruitlessly for the Righteous and Incorruptible Official. The Young Master gathered the ghost gods of the Yama Hall in the Primordial Palace of the Immortal Capital, entertaining numerous guests. His purpose was likely to inform all the Yama Hall ghost gods, having them recommend Vice Magistrate Wei Ling to ascend to the new position of King of Hell."
Reaching this point, Chen Shi let out a sigh of turbid air, whispering, "I'm afraid once Wei Ling ascends to the position of King of Hell, his death will not be far off! Truly worthy of the Yan Family among the Thirteen Great Clans. Their ambitions are simply too vast."
"Gua ji..."
A long sigh came from behind him.
Chen Shi looked back and was startled. He saw hundreds of little yakshas holding small round caps, their faces full of worry.
Chen Shi looked at Black Pot, asking quietly, "Didn't you try to interfere with their thoughts?"
Black Pot stared at these little yakshas, but they remained unmoved.
Black Pot hung his head dejectedly.
Chen Shi suddenly understood, thinking, "So Black Pot's ability comes from the power of his bloodline. Now that he's changed bodies, that bloodline power didn't follow."
"This is no place to linger!" Chen Shi said rapidly. "That marshal named Meng Banshan will likely find it hard to escape death this time. We must leave this Primordial Palace quickly!"
"Gua ji gua ji!" The little yakshas behind them also panicked, dropping various tools and running outward.
These little creatures were particularly susceptible to being influenced by others' emotions.
At that moment, a cold shout from Marshal Meng Banshan came from the Jade Wave Hall, "This banquet is not worth eating!" With that, he stormed out angrily.
Chen Shi and Black Pot exchanged a glance, immediately dispersed the Temporary Abode divine ability, and each returned their Primordial Spirit to their physical bodies.
After the two left, those two little yakshas woke up looking bewildered. Seeing other little yakshas running out, they didn't understand why, but since everyone was running, they also immediately sprinted toward the exit of the Primordial Palace.
Outside the Young Master's Primordial Palace, a few ghosts from the palace were still recruiting little yakshas. Suddenly, hundreds of little yakshas surged out of the Primordial Palace like a tide, swarming onto the Celestial Streets, then whispering to each other. The streets were filled with the sound of "gua ji gua ji."
Soon, the little yakshas outside the Primordial Palace scattered in all directions, leaving not half a little yaksha around.
Those ghosts were utterly confused, not knowing what had happened.
But quickly, the news that Young Master Wei Yue had rebelled and plotted against the King of Hell, the Righteous and Incorruptible Official, spread. Little yakshas were everywhere chattering and spreading the news.
These little things were very gossipy, and the speed at which they spread news was astonishing. Before long, Ox-Head imps and Horse-Face imps also knew. More ghosts whispered among themselves, discussing it endlessly.
Chen Shi and Black Pot were completely unaware that their casual discussion would have this effect.
In Chen Yindu's Primordial Palace, Chen Shi and Black Pot woke up to find the boat girl still unconscious.
"Which little yaksha did she possess after all?" Chen Shi was astonished.
However, he had no time to dwell on it and said rapidly, "Meng Banshan publicly defied Young Master Wei Yue. Wei Yue will absolutely not tolerate him. Once he leaves the Immortal Capital, he is doomed to die! We must follow immediately. If there's a chance, we'll save his life!"