Above the Great Dao

"From the provincial capital to search for the missing Zhao family girl?"

Chen Shi remembered the purple-clothed girl he had tricked into the kiln, where she turned into porcelain.

The Zhao family from Xin Xiang Province had finally come looking.

It wasn't surprising, given that the purple-clothed girl was able to travel with a dozen royal guards, showing her high status within the Zhao family. After her disappearance for over ten days, the Zhao family was bound to search for her whereabouts.

"Come to think of it, there were probably over two hundred people I deceived into going to the kiln, and most of them died. Why didn't their families come looking?" Chen Shi wondered.

He suppressed these thoughts and continued to ask, "This old talisman master, did he stay overnight at the Tian Family's deserted house?"

San Wang shook his head, "He slept in his godmother's temple at night."

Chen Shi's gaze fell on the temple in the village center, his voice deep, "Staying in the temple, huh..."

The offerings in the temple had noticeably decreased, as the chubby god had eaten most of them, revealing his mountainous upper body.

Chen Shi withdrew his gaze and took out a few broken pieces of silver that San Wang had given him, fiddled with them in his palm for a moment, and pinched out a piece weighing about an ounce and handed it to San Wang.

San Wang was puzzled, looking at him questioningly.

"Take this silver and bury those eight coffins. And for those three children, buy some coffins for a proper burial."

Chen Shi looked toward the village entrance and said, "Also, bring me two stools and place them at the entrance. I will wait for someone."

Although San Wang didn't understand, he moved two stools as instructed.

Chen Shi went to the village entrance, quietly sat on one of the stools, and said to Black Pot, "Fugui is my friend, my only living friend. He's been severely injured, and I can't ignore it. The talisman master who hurt him had lamp oil spilled by me, ruining his ritual. He'll definitely be furious and will come back for revenge."

Black Pot wagged its tail in agreement.

Chen Shi continued, "This talisman master is very strong, maybe even stronger than my grandfather. Grandfather is old now; his strength isn't what it used to be, and he probably wouldn't be his match."

Black Pot hesitated for a moment, not wagging its tail.

If Chen Shi had seen his grandfather flying out at night, he probably wouldn't have said that.

"He's coming with anger, surely well-prepared. His talismans are so tricky; I'm definitely not his match. So, running away is absolutely the wise decision."

Black Pot nodded while wagging its tail.

"But that's not right!"

Chen Shi suddenly shouted, "Black Pot, it's wrong to run, isn't it? Killing four children just to make some damn lamp oil is wrong, isn't it? Doesn't this world need justice anymore? I think it does! Someone needs to stand up and loudly say that this is wrong! So, I can't leave."

He looked at his own hands and said softly, "I can't leave. If I go, that talisman master will still come back, will still take Fugui. I can't go, I must stay here and wait for him. I surely can't beat him, but... someone has to do something about this, has to pay for this!"

He felt a strong emotion, unresolved.

He was eager to stand up and fiercely beat that talisman master until he killed him!

You don't kill me; I'll kill you!

Black Pot hesitated for a moment, not advising Chen Shi.

It knew Chen Shi's personality; he might seem clever on the outside, but he was actually quite stubborn and persistent.

Born like a donkey, once he set his mind on something, he wouldn't turn back.

Black Pot was quite relieved, knowing that Chen Shi had already left a letter for his grandfather. When his grandfather got home and read the letter, he would rush to Huangyang Village.

By then, his grandfather would deal with that old talisman master.

Elsewhere, tens of miles away on the western slopes of Qianyang Mountain, suddenly a yurt was flung open, and an elderly man with graying hair stormed out, his feet fixed with an Armored Horse Talisman, ready to leave the camp.

"Damned brat, ruining my plans!"

The elderly man with graying hair was uncontrollably angry, his teeth gritted, "I had almost succeeded in making the Life-extending lamp, just needed one more child, but you ruined it! I won't let you off! You wrecked my lamp oil, smashed my small cauldron; if I don't turn you into lamp oil, my seventy years would be wasted!"

Spurred by the Armored Horse Talisman, the wind rose under his feet, lifting his form three to four inches off the ground!

"Iron Pen Elder, where are you headed?"

Suddenly, a voice called out to him, the elderly man with graying hair hurriedly turned around, not daring to delay, and said with a grin to the newcomer, "Housekeeper Zhao might not know, but I had come down to investigate the disappearance of the young mistress and took the opportunity to make something useful to present to the master to gain a position. Unfortunately, today a little talisman master from the countryside ruined my plans, so I plan to settle accounts with him."

The approaching man, a middle-aged man appearing wealthy, wearing a Jade Ring and carrying a Jade Pendant, was none other than the housekeeper from the Zhao family's Xuanying Mansion in Xin Xiang Province, Zhao Ming.

Zhao Ming fiddled with his folding fan, glanced at him, and coldly chuckled, "To present to the master, is it the Life-extending lamp? You're up to harming others again. Iron Pen Elder, the master values you for your mastery of various spells and your skill in drawing talismans, not for your sycophantic skills! Your Life-extending lamp harms human lives; if you succeeded, people outside would speak ill of the Zhao family. How many people have you harmed?"