Above the Great Dao

Chen Shi gathered his spirit, stood straight, and said solemnly: "Sir, after removing the demons, I discovered several heavenly disasters lurking within me. Can the court lend a hand...?"

Yan Xianzhi was quite satisfied with his attitude, laughingly said: "Ah, Chen, you're an Imperial Official; the court isn't unable to help you, but it's not certain that it will either. This needs to be discussed in court, just wait... wait a moment!"

His face changed slightly: "Several what?"

"Several heavenly disasters."

Chen Shi, troubled beyond measure, said, "After removing all the demons, they appeared."

Yan Xianzhi shivered, then laughed loudly: "Old Master Chen really knows how to joke, really knows... Chang Ying, Daoist Chang Ying!"

He left Chen Shi and went directly to Daoist Chang Ying, exchanging pleasantries, and said: "As the Grand Secretary, I bear the heavy burden of fifty states of the West Bull New Continent. I've been away from the Western Capital for some time. Today's celebration is well organized, it's just a pity I can't stay. Farewell, farewell!"

Daoist Chang Ying was taken aback, but dared not obstruct him, hurriedly sent him off respectfully.

Yan Xianzhi fled hurriedly as if avoiding a Plague God.

Daoist Chang Ying was puzzled and whispered: "Master Yan waited in Youzhou City for a dozen days before holding the Immortal Sword Return Ceremony. He could wait for a dozen days, why couldn't he even spare time for a meal?"

At this grand event, Daoist Chang Ying demonstrated the True Martial Evil Extermination Sword to the guests. The sword was raised, emitting rosy clouds, drawing cheers from the crowd.

In order to demonstrate the power of the Immortal Sword, Daoist Chang Ying ordered a mischievous black pig demon to be brought forth. As the sword was raised, the rosy clouds swept across, and the black pig demon was immediately left with only half a body, dying a grim death.

The crowd was in awe.

After the event, Daoist Chang Ying left the four elders of Taihua to guard the Taoist gate, and he himself, along with Qiongyang Ancestor and many accomplished cultivators, grandly went to Qianyang Mountain.

They were preparing to retrieve the corpse of the Innocent Taoist.

However, entering the underworld safely with the True Body is not easy, but fortunately, the Talisman Master Association of Red Mountain Hall has a passage to the underworld at Qianyang Mountain.

Living people entering the underworld will suffer reduced lifespan due to the invasion of yin energy; those practicing cultivation will also suffer damage to their cultivation due to the yin energy, thus they cannot stay long in the underworld.

Chen Shi drew some Call Yin God Talismans and handed them to these Taoists, with these talismans, they need not worry about being invaded by evil qi.

Daoist Chang Ying and others entered the underworld from Qianyang Mountain, and through the broken bridge of the Red Mountain Hall, entered Yin Mountain. As the Taoists walked down the broken bridge, they saw thousands of divine corpses hanging on Infinite Cliff, their hearts filled with dread.

Daoist Chang Ying instructed the Taoists, saying: "Everyone, this place is the underworld, ghost gods are everywhere, be cautious."

All the Taoists had serious expressions and nodded in agreement.

At that moment, ghost gods, several hundred feet high, approached. Daoist Chang Ying felt awe, and the Taoists secretly prepared, filled with terror.

Ghost gods vary in strength; the powerful ones are comparable to Mahayana Realm cultivators, while the weak ones are only of Golden Core Realm Nascent Soul Realm, and even weaker, like small Yakshas and Bull Head demons, can't even defeat a slightly older child.

But these ghost gods are indeed masters among masters, and their numbers are considerable.

Especially among them are over a dozen ghost gods that, despite their not-high stature, exert greater pressure on them, making Daoist Chang Ying and others' hearts jump in fear.

"These ghost gods are of the Lord Level!"

Qiongyang Ancestor secretly activated his Void Great Realm, readying the Thunderclap Great Power Divine Spell at any time, and whispered to Chang Ying: "I once encountered a ghost god like this; it's extremely powerful. Their strength isn't lesser than ours, but not far off."

Daoist Chang Ying's expression was solemn.

If it were only one or two Lord Level ghost gods, dealing with them wouldn't be troublesome, but among these ghost gods, there are over a dozen at this level!

Chen Shi laughed and said: "Everyone need not worry. These are ghost gods under my command; the path to the Innocent Taoist's Immortal Palace is long, and some wild ghost gods can be quite dangerous, so I had them escort you all."

Chang Ying, Qiongyang, and others were uncertain and shocked, Qiongyang Ancestor cried out: "Ghost gods under your command?"

Chen Shi humbly said: "Grandmother, Qiongyang, to be honest, I have a little business in the underworld."

"A little business?"

Qiongyang blinked, "How small is it?"

"The realms that stretch as far as your eyes can see, they are all mine."

Chen Shi struggled to suppress a smile at the corner of his mouth, and said, "The vast realms you cannot see are also mine. This is the kingdom I have built for my grandfather. After Qiongyang Granny dies, she can live happily here with my grandfather."

"You are truly a filial child."

Qiongyang squinted into the distance, murmuring, "You've burned even your grandfather's favorites for him, he'll have a place for them too."

The ghosts and gods approached, and Chang Ying the Taoist couldn't help but feel nervous. All the ghosts and gods were about to kneel on one knee to pay respects to Chen Shi, but Chen Shi waved his hand, speaking in the ghost language, forbidding them from bowing.

These mighty ghosts and gods indeed did not make things difficult for them and escorted them through the vast group of Yin Mountains.

"This place is called Yin Mountain, but it once had a very resounding name, the Ten Thousand Great Mountains," said Chen Shi.

Qiongyang was surprised: "Yin Mountain I can understand, but Ten Thousand Great Mountains should be a geographical location in the Mortal World."

"Long ago, this place might have been in the Mortal World, but then a great change occurred, and it sank into the underworld, merging the Yin Yang Two Realms."

Chen Shi's eyes flickered, as he smiled and said, "Perhaps in the future, our Mortal World will also merge with the underworld."

The Qiongyang Ancestor was lost in thought, sighed softly, and said in a low voice, "How distant an event that must be? I fear I won't live to see it."

Escorted by numerous ghosts and gods, they did see quite a few Lord Level ghosts and gods along their journey, reigning over groups of ghosts and the Ghost Clan from mountains and rivers. Even an esteemed sect like the Taihua Qing Palace would not pass safely through the Yin Mountains without these ghosts and gods' protection.

They traveled thousands of miles to a split mountain, where numerous chains intertwined, suspending the Immortal Palace between two mountain halves.

Chen Shi had the ghosts and gods guard at the foot of the mountain, carefully leading Qiongyang, Chang Ying, and others through the rosy clouds to the Immortal Palace.

"Innocent Taoist, my name is Chen Shi, and I have kept my word."

Chen Shi burned incense before the Immortal Palace, and with a low voice, said, "I have returned the True Martial Evil Extermination Sword to the Taihua Qingyang Palace. Today, Taihua Qingyang Palace's current Sect Leader, Chang Ying Daoist, has personally come to welcome you home, Elder."

Incense smoke curled and drifted into the Immortal Palace.

The Immortal Light shrouding the doorway of the Immortal Palace undulated slightly, gradually parting to reveal half the figure of a slender Taoist.

Chen Shi stepped aside and signaled to Chang Ying Daoist.

Chang Ying Daoist collected himself, adjusted his Taoist crown and robes, and entered with incense.

The other Taoists also carried incense as they entered the Immortal Palace.

All the Taoists burned incense.

Chang Ying Daoist bowed and said, "Disciple Chang Ying, here to respectfully welcome Innocent Taoist Elder back to Taihua Mountain. It is said that the nature of innocence is the great origin of the Tao. Returning to the original fate, restoring innocence. Elder, today you have finally come home."

The chains clattered and swayed as Chen Shi stood outside the Immortal Palace. He saw the thick chains retracting from the cliffs like spiritual serpents.

"Being treated as a disaster by the True King, struck down by the sect's own Immortal Sword, do you feel no resentment?"

Chen Shi whispered, "Just for the phrase 'coming home,' pure of heart like an infant, you managed to hold no grudge. If you were alive, perhaps you could have solved the troublesome problem of the cultivator's evil transformation back then, sparing the world difficulty."

The Immortal Palace trembled, lifting them all into the air, suddenly shattering the void and disappearing from the underworld.

The split mountain also rumbled and closed, becoming whole again.

The Immortal Palace returned to Taihua Qing Palace, descending upon the old site of the Green Sheep Palace.

Chang Ying Daoist fetched the True Body of Innocent Taoist and buried it within the Ancestor Master's Tomb.

Chen Shi went to pay his respects and saw light shimmering on the Immortal Tomb, as if a young Taoist sat within the light, tending a Pill Furnace and reading a scripture with a swaying head.

Chen Shi offered incense, turned, and left, silently speaking in his heart: "In ancient times there were true men, holding heaven and earth, grasping Yin Yang, breathing in essence, standing alone to guard the spirit, muscles united, therefore enduring as long as heaven and earth, without end, this is the birth of their Tao. Innocent Taoist, you were probably like that. Alas, in the end, this world changed, and could not accommodate you. Could not accommodate you, nor could it accommodate me, what shall we do..."

"Then we shall shift the stars and change the constellations, remake the heavens and the earth!"