Above the Great Dao

"Soldier Dissolution into Immortality?" Chen Shi was taken aback.

Soldier Dissolution is a type of Corpse Disintegration Immortal, also a kind of Transformation Technique. There are many methods of Corpse Disintegration, initially refining weapons like swords, staffs, or bamboo into one's form; when one's lifespan is exhausted, one uses this form to deceive the Yin Messanger, allowing one's true body to wander freely.

Back then, when my grandfather held a funeral for me, he used the Fake Death Technique, which is a type of Corpse Disintegration.

If one chooses Soldier Dissolution, one needs to be slain with a divine weapon, forsake the physical body and become a Ghost Immortal, ultimately needing Primordial Spirit Harmonization. This method disregards the physical body, seeking only Primordial Spirit Harmonization.

On the other hand, the Water and Fire Refining Technique preserves the physical body, largely differing from Soldier Dissolution.

"If Primordial Spirit Harmonization is achieved, perhaps there wouldn't be the risk of an evil transformation." Chen Shi pondered to himself.

But he immediately thought that Primordial Spirit Harmonization also requires the Void Great Realm. Without calculating the correct position of the stars in the sky using the Original Star Map, true Harmonization cannot be achieved, fearing that there might still be an evil transformation.

So did those ancestors of the Taihua Qing Palace really achieve Soldier Dissolution into Immortality?

If they became Ghost Immortals, did they undergo evil transformation?

Qing Yang said, "We dug up almost all the Sect Leaders' tombs, and the empty ones were of the fourth Sect Leader Guang Xian, the seventh Sect Leader Daocheng, the sixteenth Sect Leader Jing Xu, and the seventy-eighth Sect Leader Dan Cheng. Your grandfather suspected they became Ghost Immortals, already Harmonized, eternal in this world."

He paused and said, "I tasted the tomb grass from their graves; it was bland and tasteless, with a poor texture."

Chen Shi was stunned, "Can tomb grass also identify if a grave is empty?"

Qing Yang said, "For the most part, yes. Just now, I munched on the tomb grass of many Sect Leaders; I found the one your grandfather almost became has somewhat bland tomb grass... Black Pot, is it a bit bland?"

Black Pot stood up, looking serious, and said, "Woof!"

Chen Shi blinked, "Could it be that this Sect Leader also became a Ghost Immortal through Corpse Disintegration?"

Qing Yang said, "Dig it up, and we'll know."

He excitedly said, "I have a few Luoyang Shovels hidden in the Green Sheep Palace, probably not discovered. Black Pot, keep watch!"

Black Pot quickly nodded.

A Daoist came to lead Chen Shi to arrange a guest room for rest. Chen Shi asked, "Junior Brother, is Yu Lingzi on the mountain?"

The young Daoist said, "Senior Brother Yu Lingzi's personality changed greatly after returning from the Western Capital. When competing with a few Senior Brothers from Taihua Qing Palace, he broke their fingers and was punished by the Sect Leader with confinement, currently in the Demon Suppressing Cave."

Chen Shi said, "Where is the Demon Suppressing Cave?"

The young Daoist pointed to a mountain peak not far away, "It's on Wenxu Peak. The cave with demon qi billowing from its entrance."

Chen Shi looked toward Wenxu Peak, seeing the mountain bathed in sunlight exuding an elegant aura, yet faint demon qi seeped through the mountains.

"Yu Lingzi is a Taoist of the Heavenly Court; if he's kept detained on Wenxu Peak, wouldn't that delay him?"

Chen Shi left his residence, intending to find Qing Yang at the Green Sheep Palace to plead for Yu Lingzi's release, yet he saw Taihua Qing Palace bustling as Daoists prepared for the triumphant return celebration of the Welcoming Immortal Sword.

Qing Yang, with a large red flower around his neck, sat like a mascot on a high altar, looking utterly resigned.

He was surrounded by Daoists and villagers who offered cattle and horses as sacrifices to Qing Yang.

Among the sacrifices were even sheep, bleating away.

It was still a rehearsal, for the actual return of the Welcoming Immortal Sword required inviting court officials and other Holy Land experts to witness the event, making it more festive.

Observing this, Chen Shi didn't approach, when a gentle voice came from beside him, "Are you... Chen Shi?"

Chen Shi turned around to find a beautiful woman speaking, appearing to be only around twenty years old, with skin like creamy jade and bright eyes. Her attire was not a Daoist robe but a gauzy goose-yellow long dress cascading from her shoulders to her ankles, exposing her arms, draped with silks fluttering behind her.

She emanated an ethereal, radiant aura like a celestial being; her eyes shimmered with light, perhaps reflecting sunlight or too bright on their own.

Chen Shi gently nodded and smiled, "I am Chen Shi. And you, miss?"

The beautiful woman looked him over and smiled, "You've grown. I first saw you lying in a coffin... you look more and more like your grandfather when he was young. I'm Qiongyang. Was it you who brought Qing Yang Ancestor and the True Martial Evil Extermination Sword back?"

Chen Shi said, "It was I, but Uncle Qing Yang is here to stay for a few days, not planning a long stay. Miss Qiongyang, you..."

Suddenly remembering something, he gazed dumbfoundedly at the beautiful woman, stuttering, "You, you are Qiongyang Ancestor?"

The beautiful woman couldn't help but laugh, "Why are you so surprised? Did your grandfather mention me to you? When you were in trouble, he came seeking me for help to save you."

Chen Shi couldn't believe it; the woman before him was the Qiongyang Ancestor who once had a romantic involvement with his grandfather Chen Yin. He had thought Qiongyang Ancestor was already aged, an old woman or nun, but never expected her to be such a fairy-like figure!

Chen Shi honestly said, "Grandfather never mentioned the Ancestor."

Qiongyang Ancestor's face turned somber, "Which woman did he mention? Was it Heavenly Master Mansion's Madam Ling Su or Li Family's Li Huazhi, or Zhang Family's Zhang Qiaoxi, or Huiyin Shenn? Definitely not Hua Li; she was just a little girl..."

Chen Shi cautiously said, "Grandfather never mentioned any woman's name to me."