Above the Great Dao

The Six Ministries have already begun operating in an orderly manner. The Ministry of Revenue has divided the Red Mountain Hall branches across the fifty provinces of the West Bull New Continent into various prefectures, such as the Xinxiang Prefecture responsible for matters of livelihood, budget, gold and silver, and storage, managed by specialized Talisman Masters.

The Ministry of War is composed of Talisman Masters from various Red Mountain Hall branches, forming a team primarily centered around Talismans, Talismanic Weapons, and firearms.

The Ministry of Industry focuses on manufacturing Talismanic Weapons and firearms while also building establishments for each local Red Mountain Hall.

In addition, there is a government office for selecting and assessing talents, temporarily belonging to the Ministry of Rites.

The Little Heavenly Realms is practically a small court!

"Uncle Master, you're indeed adept at rebellion!" thought Yu Lingzi to himself.

He made a prompt decision to apply to join the Ministry of Rites through Chen Shi, who, recalling his enthusiasm for finger gestures, tentatively asked, "Don't you think the Ministry of Justice suits you better?"

Yu Lingzi shook his head like a rattle, saying, "Although I haven't taken the top scorer exam, I do know the proprieties. I'll join the Ministry of Rites."

Chen Shi had no choice but to agree, thinking to himself, "The Ministry of Rites with Li Tianqing and Granny Sha are not people to be trifled with, and adding a finger-gesture Daoist, it might be better to let the Ministry of Rites go to war in the future. It might be more effective than the Ministry of War."

Yu Lingzi immersed himself in the Book Collection Pavilion of the Ministry of Rites, reading various cultivation techniques day and night with great enthusiasm. Li Tianqing was also in the Book Collection Pavilion, and Chen Shi sought him out, saying, "Keep an eye on this little Taoist so he doesn't starve to death. Our Red Mountain Hall doesn't have many outstanding instructors, the little Taoist is one, let him teach the other Talisman Masters. Don't treat him as a person, use him as livestock."

Li Tianqing agreed and asked, "How is the cultivation strength of the Daoist from the Taihua Qing Palace?"

Chen Shi laughed and said, "You might try. I don't know how his cultivation has progressed nowadays either."

After making proper arrangements, he left the Little Heavenly Realms, emerging from Chen Tang's Heavenly Court Token, and returned to Huangpo Village.

Now, the branches of the Red Mountain Hall are spread across the fifty provinces, and traveling through the Little Heavenly Realms is extremely convenient.

"I just don't know where the limits of the Little Heavenly Realms' capabilities actually lie."

Chen Shi pondered as the Heavenly Court Token behind Chen Tang gradually dimmed and returned to its original state.

The voice of the Qiongyang Ancestor came from outside, "Little Ten, you're only just back? I've been waiting a long time!"

Chen Shi was astonished and hurriedly walked out, only to find that the Qiongyang Ancestor had already arrived in Huangpo Village, talking with his mother and Chen Tang.

"Granny Qiongyang, why have you come here?" Chen Shi asked.

Qiongyang left Chen Tang and Wu Qingyu, grabbed his hand enthusiastically, and ran outside, laughing, "There are outsiders here, let's find a quiet place to talk!"

Wu Qingyu and Chen Tang watched them walk away, Wu Qingyu furrowed her brows slightly and said, "Ah Tang, it seems the Qiongyang Ancestor really doesn't like you."

Chen Tang sighed and said, "A child's affection for their grandparent skips a generation."

Wu Qingyu shook her head and said, "The way she looks at you, it's as if she's looking at an enemy, just short of saying you're her lover's rival's son. But when she looks at Little Ten, it's just short of saying that's my own grandson."

Chen Tang wore a bitter expression and said nothing, thinking, "There are likely dozens more women like her."

Qiongyang took Chen Shi to a quiet place and asked, "You said before that if you wanted to reunite in the Mortal World again, you just needed to take what's inside the red box. What did you mean by that?"

Chen Shi replied honestly, "My grandfather died, but he's not completely dead; he can still be brought back."

Qiongyang was overwhelmed with emotions and laughed, "Back then, I didn't dare follow him because I had to take care of the sect, but now I can go with him! By the way, does anyone else know about this?"

Chen Shi shook his head.

Qiongyang was overjoyed, walking back and forth, laughing, "They don't know; they think they can reunite with Chen Yindou once they die, but they don't realize I'm the one who can stay with him for life! Hahaha, those little hussies couldn't outfight me after all!"

She was elated and chuckled, "Little Ten, don't call me Granny Qiongyang anymore, from now on I'm your real grandmother!"

Chen Tang heard the laughter coming from afar, his expression blank, thinking, "It really is a child's affection for their grandparent skipping a generation."

The next day, a new house appeared in Huangpo Village. Rather than a house, it was more like a palace, extremely luxurious.

The villagers had long grown accustomed; ever since Chen Shi returned from the Western Capital, many strange people appeared in the village: a father and daughter fishing, Talisman Masters from the Red Mountain Hall, the adorably lovely Nannan, the ferocious Zhong Kui, and Tie Chi, and occasionally a mysteriously appearing stone house.

In the shadows of Huangpo Village, one could still see an incredibly huge black dog.

Now with an additional palace, it's no longer unusual.

Wu Qingyu glanced worriedly toward Yellow Earth Slope. Since Chen Shi returned from Taihua Mountain, he had been silent and withdrawn, as if preoccupied.

These days, he spent most of his time sitting under the old willow tree, quietly pondering, neglecting sleep and food. Sometimes, he wouldn't even return home at night, choosing to stay under the tree.

Wu Qingyu said to Chen Tang, "Your son seems troubled; you should ask him."

"Most likely he's lovesick; he's at that age now."

Chen Tang said, "Boys at this age always feel love-struck."

Wu Qingyu smirked, "And you, my dear? At Little Ten's age, which girl were you thinking of?"

"I never did."

Chen Tang replied earnestly, "Back then, I only wanted to study and cultivate, just to compete against Chen Wu."

Fearing Wu Qingyu might press further, he said, "I'll go ask Little Ten about the girl he's thinking of. Maybe we should start preparing for a marriage proposal. After the coming year, Little Ten will be entering his fourteenth year; people in the countryside marry early. If he likes someone, we should pay a visit for a proposal. Settle the engagement now, and there's no rush to marry for a few years. Being engaged will settle him down."

Wu Qingyu agreed.

Chen Tang went up the Yellow Earth Slope and said, "Your mother says you're troubled. Are you thinking of a girl?"

Chen Shi flushed red and shook his head, "Dad, what are you talking about? I'm contemplating a problem in cultivation."

Chen Tang said, "Tell me, maybe I can help you solve it."

Chen Shi hesitated for a moment and then laid out his puzzling thoughts over the past days. "I'm considering whether the assistance of Yin and Yang can interfere with the external heavens and earth?"

Chen Tang's expression didn't change, "Explain in detail."

Chen Shi gathered his spirit and said, "For days, I've been pondering a problem: why did the Daoist Jing Hong undergo a corrupted transformation? He cultivated the Golden Cicada Sheds Shell Heavenly Immortal Diagram, a True Skill, and also practiced Corpse Resolving Immortal to shed his previous body and transform into an immortal. He walked a new path, having a Divine Embryo, Divine Descent, and Refining Void — why did he still corrupt?"

Chen Tang said, "He didn't know the Original Star Map."

Chen Shi shook his head, "That can't be the key, because Dan Cheng, who knew the Original Star Map, also corrupted and now resides in my Sea of Consciousness. This shows corruption isn't related to the Original Star Map. The Original Star Map might just allow your cultivation path to be more correct, making Harmonization easier. So I suspect the corruption lies within this world."

He lifted his head to gaze at the sky, staring at the sun and moon. The two suns were glaring, while the moon appeared faintly white.

"This world might be undergoing a corrupted transformation."

Chen Shi said, "So whether it's the new method or the old True King's method, it results in corruption once you achieve Harmonization. That's my guess."

Chen Tang remained calm, "Go on."

Chen Shi was slightly excited, pacing back and forth, "They all probably face issues when achieving Harmonization with the heavens and earth. The old method's issues arise earlier in the Unification Realm or even at the peak of the Divinity Transformation Realm, where corruption begins! Therefore, I wonder if rather than achieving Harmonization with the heavens and earth, should we let the heavens and earth harmonize with us? If the external world has corrupted, and I'm harmonizing with it, taking the external world as dominant, I'll be influenced and undergo corruption. But what if I become dominant, and the external Great Dao harmonizes with me instead?"

His eyes gleamed as he stopped to gaze into Chen Tang's eyes, speaking rapidly, "Dad, if the external path came to harmonize with my path, with me as the main, does that mean I could influence the external world?"

Chen Tang felt a little dizzy, yet his expression remained unchanged, without a hint of emotion, "That's right. You articulated it well."

Chen Shi excitedly shouted, clenched his fist tight while smiling, "I knew you would agree with me! Black Pot also said I was right!"

Chen Tang glanced at Black Pot; it seemed bewildered staring back at him, clearly not understanding either.

Chen Tang said, "Both of us say you're right, which proves you are. Keep talking."

Chen Shi, overwhelmed with excitement, paced back and forth again, "So I wonder, can I employ Yin Yang Refining to comprehend Yin Yang Assistance? Because a lone yin does not give birth, and a lone yang does not grow. Only Yin, only Yang, can't last long, and only the integration of Yin and Yang can endure. Through Yin Yang Assistance, within my Daoist Field, conditions of Yin and Yang mutually assisting and strengthening each other can be achieved... Dad, Dad? Where are you going?"

Chen Tang didn't respond to him and walked down Yellow Earth Slope, saying to Wu Qingyu, "Indeed, he's thinking about women. No need to worry, he'll be fine in a few days."