Chapter 326 - Invading the Netherworld

Chen Shi was filled with apprehension, terrified of saying the wrong thing. Seeing his unease, Madam Lingsu chuckled, "The matters of the elders are not your concern. There's no need for you to be on edge. Back then, when my feelings for Chen Yindu were deep, we nearly had a child together. But fate had other plans, and we parted ways. Later, I heard he had a son. As for with whom, I know not." She gave Chen Shi a once-over and remarked, "You're fortunate enough not to have inherited your grandfather's flaw. He was a charming rogue, leaving a trail of enamored women wherever he roamed." Chen Shi thought for a moment and replied, "Grandpa was very earnest in the village." Madam Lingsu snorted coldly. Chen Shi wanted to defend his grandfather but held his tongue, for Madam Lingsu had been wronged by him. Madam Lingsu said, "When you died, your grandfather sought me out, intending to ask for my help. But by then, I was too old to move. He turned to someone else instead. Later, after I passed away and gained some standing in the Netherworld, I thought I'd have to wait many years to see him again. Never did I expect he would die so soon. Strange, he should have lived a little longer; how did he die?" Chen Shi explained, "Grandfather avenged me by bathing Xijing in blood and was injured. He ventured into the Netherworld several times to save me, exacerbating his wounds. One day, he told me his time had come, and that the emissaries of the Netherworld would come for him. He faked his death to escape, but couldn't withstand the moonlight, and so truly passed." Madam Lingsu laughed, "I thought as much. Sometimes it seemed that if there were someone among us capable of living forever, that person would be him! And if anyone could ascend to immortality, it would still be him! Dying was a fitting end for him!" Curious, Chen Shi asked, "Madam Lingsu, what kind of person was my grandfather?" Madam Lingsu pondered and replied, "Intelligent, extraordinarily so. I've never met anyone as clever as him! Any technique, he could comprehend at a glance and master with ease. Problems others couldn't solve were mere child's play for him. When I met him, I had a cultivation problem that had troubled me for years, preventing me from returning to my true form. Hearing my woes, he casually offered a suggestion, enabling me to break through, earning my deep admiration." As she reminisced, her voice tinged with sentiment, "That's how I fell for him, dreaming of forever together. Yet, he was perilous. He feared nothing, was unrestrained, altering ancestral techniques beyond recognition, disregarding family doctrines, and causing trouble everywhere, offending great powers and being hunted constantly. My master asked, 'Do you choose the sect or him?' Choosing the sect meant not choosing him, so I left him." Chen Shi inquired, "Madam Lingsu's sect, could it be Taihua Qing Palace?" He had heard from Yulingzi that a founder of Taihua Qing Palace was said to be his grandfather's lover and guessed Madam Lingsu might hail from there. A hint of indignation colored Madam Lingsu's face as she coldly laughed, "You think I'm some Taihua Qing Palace little flirt, Qiongyang? Hmph, I hail from the Celestial Master's Residence. Do you think it's inferior to Qiongyang's Taihua Qing Palace?" Chen Shi felt his face flush, reprimanding himself inwardly, "Never again will I guess where Grandpa's love interests came from." Madam Lingsu giggled, "I'm long dead; what do I care about reputation? Chen Shi, don't mind it. But from now on, don't mention Qiongyang." Her expression darkened once more. Chen Shi hurriedly nodded. Though deceased, Madam Lingsu's primal spirit remained youthful, akin to a maiden, making conversation in the chariot feel not at all oppressive. When cultivators die of old age, it's essentially only the physical form that perishes; their primal spirit retains the youthful appearance from when it was initially honed. Since Madam Lingsu maintained the form of a sixteen-year-old when she achieved her primal spirit, it was clear that her natural talent was extraordinary. The bone dragon's chariot sped swiftly across Xiandu, racing like the wind for thousands and thousands of miles before finally slowing. On this journey, Chen Shi occasionally glimpsed extraordinarily powerful primal spirits exuding a presence that no divine or specter dared approach, warranting reverence yet leaving their origin mysterious. The chariot halted before the Yuancheng Palace. Madam Lingsu alighted and knocked on the gate, informing Chen Shi, "In Xiandu, you cannot enter another's Yuancheng Palace without permission unless you're an emissary managing this place." Hearing the footsteps approaching from inside the door, Chen Shi's heart pounded with anticipation. Finally, he would reunite with his grandfather! Chen Shi missed him dearly. He yearned for the days in Huangpo Village, riding out together on a wooden cart, celebrating the Moon Festival, drawing talismans side by side. He longed for the remedies Grandfather brewed, the meals he cooked, the toys he crafted with his own hands, and the clothes he bought for him. "With Grandfather aiding me in this rescue, we will surely reclaim Mother’s soul!" Chen Yindu's Yuancheng Palace was expansive, covering a span of more than ten miles. Though not as grand as the Young Master's estate, it was by no means small. From within, footsteps approached, and soon the palace gates swung open to reveal a beautiful woman peeking out, asking with a smile, "Who are we looking for?" Behind her, hundreds of other beautiful women bustled about in the courtyard, their vibrant laughter filling the air. Madam Lingsu's face turned stormy as she smirked, "The old scoundrel knows how to enjoy himself, doesn't he? While others hide a single beauty, he's hidden hundreds!" Chen Shi's heart skipped a beat—these beautiful women seemed to be paper figures he had burnt as offerings to his grandfather. "But I didn't burn this many. Could it be that Father and Fifth Uncle also burned quite a number?" Chen Shi attempted to approach the Yuancheng Palace but was repelled by an invisible force. Madam Lingsu remarked, "Without the owner's permission, you cannot enter a Yuancheng Palace unless you're an insignificant ghost like a little Yaksha." Chen Shi called out, "Grandfather, it's me, Xiaoshi! I'm here to see you!" There was no response, only the gazes of those paper figures transformed into beautiful women, one among them saying, "The master here has not returned. If you have business..." Madam Lingsu took out a sealing talisman, affixing it to the gate as she stepped into the Yuancheng Palace. Chen Shi examined the talisman, noting that alongside the sacred symbols, it bore a seal in ghost script. Though in his current form as a spectral entity, the ghost script appeared blurred and unreadable. He followed Hei Guo inside, where countless girls flitted about—though he knew they were mere paper figures, their ethereal beauty dazzled. Among them were kindly grandmothers, warmly greeting Chen Shi, prompting his inward acknowledgment, "I must have burned these too." Upon the ingot tree Grandfather cherished now hung golden ingots, evidence of the copious paper money Chen Shi, Chen Tang, and Chen Wu had offered. Pavilions and towers within the Yuancheng Palace, crafted from the offerings sent, materialized into tangible structures in this sacred ground. Madam Lingsu, seeing the abundant beauties, ranging from youth to maturity and senescence, couldn't help but scold, "Were these your doing, Chen Shi?" Embarrassed, Chen Shi admitted, "Father burned some too, and Fifth Uncle added a fair share; it's not all my doing..." "You all indulge him too much!" Madam Lingsu scrutinized the ingot tree closely before noting, "He hasn't returned. There's no sign of the paper money being taken. Strange, where has the departed soul wandered off to?" She sighed with some dismay; having thought Chen Yindu's demise would reunite them like a pair of lovebirds, the solitude she found left her heart heavy. Chen Shi murmured, "Why hasn't Grandfather returned to the Yuancheng Palace?" Worry gnawed at him—Grandfather, so late in years and burdened by foes, what peril might await him in the Netherworld? His mind spun with dread, fearful that Grandfather, a lifelong troublemaker, now faced relentless torment at the hands of vengeful spirits. Perhaps he was, even at this moment, shackled and beaten by some malevolent specter! "Chen Shi, best return. The Netherworld brims with danger; as a living being, it's unwise for you to linger," advised Madam Lingsu with a wistful sigh. "The Young Master already knows you're in Xiandu. If you persist, you’ll only be caught in his snare." Chen Shi shook his head resolutely, "Mother's soul is trapped; as her child, how can I stand idly by? Even if it costs my life, I must try!" Madam Lingsu frowned slightly, "Do you not understand the vast reach of the Young Master's power? To march blindly forward is certain death." Desperate, Chen Shi asked, "Madam Lingsu, could you tell me more about the Young Master?" Madam Lingsu hesitated before saying, "Perhaps it's best to dispel your hopes. The Young Master’s surname is Wei, given name, Yue. His father, known as Wei Ling, holds a high-ranking position as a judge in the Netherworld. "Wei Ling, a deity of incense and offerings, was incapable of bearing children. But fate intervened when a female cultivator surnamed Yan ventured into the Netherworld and encountered peril. It was fortuitous that Wei Ling was patrolling nearby and saved her, sparking an affection that blossomed into an earthly relationship. "However, since the Yan woman was of the living, she couldn’t remain in the Netherworld. The two parted ways, and upon returning to the living realm, she bore a son—Wei Yue. "Being the offspring of a divine spirit, Wei Yue can traverse between realms. His influence in the Netherworld is considerable, thanks to his father’s standing, and he has since become a Netherworld Commander, thus earning the title of Young Master." Chen Shi was taken aback and questioned, "The Young Master’s mother is of the Yan family? Is there a connection to the Yan Family among the Thirteen Families?" Madam Lingsu chuckled, "The world is full of people with the surname Yan; surely, not every Yan is connected to the Yan Family. However, there are rumors suggesting the Young Master's mother may indeed hail from the Yan Family." An unexpected realization shook Chen Shi, "Is there a chance that the intrigue involving the Yan woman's peril and her chance encounter with Judge Wei Ling, leading to their affection, was orchestrated by the Yan Family? Could it be their motive was to establish ties with Judge Wei Ling, thereby securing Wei Yue's position as a Netherworld Commander?" Madam Lingsu remarked, "Your conjectures are overly intricate! Why would the Yan Family contrive such a scheme? There's little of value for them in the Netherworld compared to the living realm." Chen Shi pondered, "With the Young Master's identity, the Yan Family could establish their own power in the Netherworld. Their skilled members, upon passing, could congregate and have their own domain..." Madam Lingsu laughed, "Even without the Young Master's identity, skilled members of the Yan Family would remain potent in the Netherworld. Why meticulously plot to secure such a title? The Thirteen Families wield great power in the living realm and thus have considerable influence here too! They boast countless practitioners who've honed their primal spirits—the Young Master's title holds little allure." Chen Shi conceded her point but remained unsettled. The tale of a Yan woman entering the Netherworld, falling for a judge, and bearing a son felt too much like a legend—so fantastic it was hard to credit. Chen Shi shelved the notion for now and instead asked, "Then what of Madam Lingsu's standing in the Netherworld?" Madam Lingsu hesitated, letting out a sigh, "In the Celestial Master's Residence, I held some sway. In death, I retained a hint of divine essence, and thus my status here is considerable, earning respect even from the divine. That said, this is one matter beyond my aid. Chen Shi, return home swiftly." She exited the Yuancheng Palace, boarding the bone dragon's chariot, glancing at the door as she instructed the driver to depart. Once her chariot was distant, a ship maiden revealed herself at the gate, watching Madam Lingsu's departure. The ship maiden glanced at the gate's sealing talisman and marveled, "Such a rare treasure—befitting of the Celestial Master’s wife!" Chen Shi, stunned, asked, "Celestial Master's wife? Isn't she Madam Lingsu?" The ship maiden entered Chen Yindu's Yuancheng Palace and explained, "Her name is Lingsu; she was the Celestial Master’s wife in the previous era. The Celestial Master was an imperial appointee. In western Nious New State, they were true kings by royal decree. Although the true kings are gone, successive Celestial Masters still require imperial endorsement—born with divine essence, earning them respect from spirits here. Their wives hold esteemed positions too, their spirits protected by divine power. I realized this after fleeing to the living world and so I returned…" Chen Shi glanced at her, "You fled to the living world without a thought for me, to take me along? Thankfully, Madam Lingsu is no stranger." The ship maiden muttered, "I'm accustomed to running for my life. Next time, I'll take you." Chen Shi activated his powers, removing the sealing talisman from the gate and closing the entrance. "Although Madam Lingsu urged me to leave, she left this sealing talisman for me. It permits entry and exit from the Yuancheng Palace. We'll stay in my grandfather's palace temporarily." His gaze thoughtful, he continued, "I'll perform the art of temporary habitation—our trio will inhabit little Yaksha bodies from the Young Master's residence to gather intelligence." The ship maiden asked, "How does one perform this temporary habitation?" "Simple. I'll cast the spell to lock onto the Young Master’s Yuancheng Palace, and you pick a little Yaksha serving within." Chen Shi was about to commence the spell when a knock startled him. He opened the gate to find an elderly man appraising him with disappointment, asking, "I thought Yindu returned, so I came to see." "Senior, who might you be?" "I'm Yindu's neighbor from Huangpo Village, named Jiang Tong. My wife is Cheng Wuzhu. I just wanted to inquire, when might she come down to join me?" the elder asked. "Lady Wuzhu?" Chen Shi replied, "She's still quite robust and healthy." The elderly man seemed disappointed, shaking his head as he departed, mumbling, "I've been dead for twenty-six years. How hasn’t she joined me? Worrying me to death." Chen Shi peered out, seeing Jiang Tong sitting alone on his doorstep, lost in thought and melancholy. Surveying his surroundings, Chen Shi noticed a dozen or so Yuancheng Palaces, deducing they belonged to the deceased residents of Huangpo Village who still received offerings. Those without offerings would have likely vanished into the void. Chen Shi returned to the Yuancheng Palace and closed its gate. Joining the ship maiden, he prepared to begin his spell. His mind focused, and suddenly countless talismanic symbols appeared, swirling around him, the ship maiden, and Hei Guo. Chen Shi pointed, invoking the subterranean spring. From the spring, an azure lotus arose, its soft luminescence growing, bathing them in its radiance. With awe, Chen Shi murmured, "Granny Sha was remarkable, to have crafted such a wondrous spell." Suddenly, a magnificent light engulfed them all, their spirits lifted and drawn into the mystical spring! They descended through the spring, bathed in its glow, until they each found themselves within new bodies! Chen Shi inspected himself and found his new form to be that of a green-skinned little Yaksha, scarcely over two feet tall, with pointed ears and oversized head, fanged mouth agape. Relieved, he surveyed his surroundings, finding himself in a grand courtyard adorned with magnificent carvings. Numerous little Yakshas bustled around, tending to the grounds and sweeping the halls. "Look, I'm not a dog anymore! I can speak!" a little Yaksha exclaimed a short distance away. "I can talk! Unbelievable! Unbelievable!" "Heiguo, calm down!" Chen Shi hurried over, whispering, "Get up! Stand up! Don't skitter on all fours. You're not Hei Guo now; you're a little Yaksha!" ------