Chapter 327 - Young Master's Secrets Unraveled

Heiguo felt a persistent sense of oddity. After a moment of thought, the realization struck him: “I don’t have a tail anymore!” Chen Shi looked around, puzzled, “Where has Boat Aunt gone?” Draped over his shoulder was a cloth, and he carried a water bucket as he searched everywhere, unable to locate the small demon Boat Aunt had temporarily possessed. The area surrounding the Young Master's Yuancheng Palace spanned dozens of miles. With its intricately carved beams and painted rafters, the area was populated by busy little demons, constantly chattering away like a chorus of croaking frogs. Some of the little demons climbed trees to prune branches, only to saw the branches from the wrong side, resulting in both themselves and the branches tumbling down to the ground. Others tilled the soil, planting their friends in shallow pits, patting two handfuls of dirt onto the heads before wandering off nonchalantly. A number of mischievous demons, seizing the absence of onlookers, tossed companions they found disagreeable into fish ponds to be feasted upon by dragonfish. When guests arrived and were told to care for the mounts, some little demons conspired together to feed one of their own to the visitor’s steed. Inside Yuancheng Palace, chaos reigned with the errant little demons, but fortunately, no one worried over their demise. If necessary, one only needed to recruit more demons from outside the palace. After fruitlessly searching for a long while, Chen Shi still couldn’t find the little demon Boat Aunt had possessed, an unease gnawing at him. “Timely Possession is an art created by Old Lady Sha, adhering to her usual philosophy of functionality over precision.” He pondered, “Old Lady Sha's principle is that a spell can tolerate a few errors, as long as they're not too significant, it can be considered a success. But evidently, with more than two trying to possess, discrepancies occur.” This time, they had two people and a dog. The count was somewhat excessive, which might have caused some glitch in the spell. “Who exactly has she possessed in these little demons? Well, never mind about Boat Aunt for now. Her skills are well-honed; she wouldn’t easily fall to these little demons.” He guided Heiguo ahead, passing a little demon in the pruning garden that had accidently sheared off its own arm--he set down his bucket and bandaged its wound with the cloth. After taking up the scissors for a few cuts himself, Chen Shi dodged falling branches and the attached imps riding them, before moving on. He fished out a demon using a fork from the dragonfish pool, rescuing one thrown in to feed the fish by its own kind. In the kitchen, where demons were busy cooking over fires, Chen Shi navigated through the chaos of flying blades; rescuing a demon wedged under a cauldron, untying another from a roasting spit, and snatching yet another from the chopping block just before it could become the fish course. Traversing from one end of the kitchen to the other, he swapped into a server's attire, now trailing along to the feast with their dishes in hand. The Young Master was hosting guests at Yulan Hall. Originally scheduled for two days later, the banquet had begun early due to the remote and complex location of Xiandu, prompting many guests to arrive early. He and Heiguo arrived with their platters outside Yulan Hall, where discipline finally prevailed among the little demons. Amidst this decorum, Chen Shi grasped the chance to glimpse inside and identify the background of the Young Master's guests. However, beautiful women intercepted the dishes from the demons and took them inside, denying the lesser spectral beings entry. Upon closer inspection, Chen Shi realized these beautiful women weren't mere puppets, but the spiritual essences of female cultivators. “The Young Master’s influence in the underworld indeed runs deep!” he mused before turning back to grab more dishes, overhearing voices from Yulan Hall as he went. “Young Master, when will Lord Wei succeed, becoming the new King of Yanluo?” The voice of a spirit reached Chen Shi's ears, “The position of King of Yanluo has been vacant for five years. The revered Lord Wei Ling, the father of Young Master Wei Yue, commands immense respect and is most suited to ascend as the new King, to become our great leader.” Another spirit added with a loud voice, “The words of Tan Yinshuai are true. Without the King, pandemonium reigns in the netherworld. For five years, Lord Wei Ling has tirelessly maintained the order. For us as Netherworld Commanders, we see only him as fit to rule Yanluo Hall—no other spirit commands our allegiance!” A gentle voice responded, “Gentlemen, how could my father dare to claim the title of King Yanluo? The great elder is celebrated by all of Huaxia, with profound accomplishments and public adoration. His fragment journeyed here to the Western New Continent, establishing balance in the netherworld: guiding ghosts and spirits to their paths and keeping order. Now that he’s missing, our priority should be finding him. Usurping his position is unprincipled.” Hearing these words, Chen Shi thought to himself, “So this is the Young Master Wei Yue? He speaks with reason.” Outside Yulan Hall, maids continued taking dishes from him. Returning to the turning point, Heiguo, possessing another little demon, had it in a vice grip against a wall, signaling it to hand over the dishes. Chen Shi accepted the dish, readying himself to continue serving as voices continued from Yulan Hall. “Young Master, your words are misguided!” Another spirit's voice rang out, “Indeed the elder set the netherworld's order, yet he’s still an outsider to our Western New Continent’s spirits!” “That’s unjust!” Voices defended, “The great elder, appointed by countless citizens, outweighs even the emperors’ decrees! How can us Netherworld Commanders act against the people's will? Moreover, the elder’s disappearance is fraught with suspicion! Before he vanished, rumors spread of schemes against him!” Suddenly, the hall grew silent, a grave silence settling. Young Master Wei Yue broke it with hearty laughter, “Commander Meng, lesst your words, please. Claiming there's foul play against the great elder? Any proof?” Commander Meng replied with a cold sneer, “The passing years—I saw judges from Yanluo Hall perish, others fled! Commander Wei, among those who lives from the elder’s officers, is there anyone besides your revered father?” “Meng Banshan, what’s your implication?” A Commander angrily shouted, “Are you accusing Lord Wei Ling of the disorder in the underworld? He doesn't hold such power!” Chen Shi withdrew after serving the dish, mulling over the familiar rhetoric, “This sounds like the Quiet Flow tactic. Something’s off about these Commanders from Yanluo Hall!” Suddenly, Meng Banshan slammed the table, cold rage in his voice, “Enough! Who harmed the great elder knows well! Through the years: first, Judge Dai Changjun died in Wanshen Valley—you claimed demons slew him! Then, Judge Wu Yuantong perished at Daoyuan—you blamed demons again! Later, the Tongue-Plucking Hell Incident claimed nearly every judge, and again, demons were your excuse! In time, you dared target the elder!” Meng Banshan roared with defiant anger, “Your plans, they’re obvious! Yet without the Book of Life and Death, without divine symbols, how would you become King Yanluo?” Chen Shi’s expression shifted dramatically as he finished serving dishes, swiftly retreating back to the corner where Heiguo was engaged. Having subdued a plate-wielding demon, Heiguo begrudgingly passed the plate back at Chen Shi’s signal, setting off quickly and quietly, “Something significant is brewing in the netherworld.” Heiguo hurriedly followed, asking “Woof... what does all this mean?” “The Yan Family may have been orchestrating a plot for millennia against the netherworld, seeking absolute control.” Chen Shi ventured quickly, “The Yan Family has systematically dismantled all power under King Yanluo, from actors to judges, even to breaking hells—depriving underworld spirits of the means to wield its forces, destabilizing the King’s rule.” “Kwuuk?” queried a passing little demon, curiously following Chen Shi and Heiguo. "Lady?" Chen Shi ventured. "Kwuuk," the little demon swore solemnly. Heiguo sent the small nosy demon flying with a swift kick. Chen Shi elaborated, “The uprising has been decades in the making: replacing judges and commanders, much like when my grandfather witnessed a commander’s demise, entrusted a netherworld insignia to Uncle A Zhuo, appointing him as the new commander.” His eyes sparkled, recalling quickly, “There's also Commander Tie Chi, and Zhong Kui! Two decades ago, they both faced ambushes, forcing them into rebirth in the mortal realm!” “Kwuuk!” A flock of curious demons trailed him, eyes agog with fascination. Heiguo set about sending them flying, but a relentless influx of the imps persisted. Unfazed, Chen Shi murmured on, “Until they confined the elder, holding him captive! According to their plot, Judge Wei Ling succeeds as King Yanluo, sealing the arrangement through his son, Wei Yue, who is of Yan lineage.” His gaze sharpened—a private monologue or directed at Heiguo, he said softly, “If Wei Ling becomes the new King and suddenly dies, the throne passes to Wei Yue, handing Yanluo Hall to the Yan Family.” “Kwuuk, kwuuk, kwuuk!” An entourage of imps, sidestepping closer to hear the tale, brimming with excitement. The conspiracy had piqued their interest greatly. Heiguo aimed to launch them all away, yet their numbers surged—ignores continued to flock in. Oblivious, Chen Shi continued, “Five years ago, my grandfather and companions stormed the underworld, seeking my ghostly form. They stumbled upon the guardian of the elder. Mistaking it to be me, they attempted a rescue, enabling the elder to escape and flee to Gongzhou.” Pursued into desperation, the elder found herself inhabiting the body of a deceased courtesan. Upon birth, the young girl—oblivious to her past—was taken into the care of the esteemed lady under the Young Master’s watch, christened as Outsider. By age four, Chen Shi encountered Zhizhan Alley, slain the elder’s guardian, and saved Outsider, granting her the name Nannan. "The spirits under the Young Master sought the elder in vain, gathering remaining figures in Xiandu’s Yuancheng Palace, effectively rallying the spirits under Yanluo Hall to propose Judge Wei Ling as the new King Yanluo.” At this, Chen Shi expelled a heavy sigh, noting quietly, “Upon Wei Ling’s rise to reign—he likely wouldn’t survive long! High indeed is the ambition of Yan Family among the Thirteen Houses.” “Kwuuk…” A collective sigh arose from behind him. Chen Shi turned, startled to find several hundred demons clutching their tiny hats in despondence. He looked at Heiguo, whispering under his breath, “You didn’t try tampering with their minds, did you?” Heiguo stared at the demons, but their steadfast attention wasn’t broken. Appearing despondent, Heiguo glanced down. Chen Shi realized, "Heiguo's talent derives from his bloodline—without this body, such power falters." “We can’t tarry here!” He urged urgently, “Commander Meng Banshan’s open challenge to Young Master Wei Yue ensures peril. We must swiftly leave Yuancheng Palace!" “Kwuuk kwuuk!” The demon entourage, startled, scattered, abandoning their tools to flee after. Such lively souls were easily persuaded by external moods. From Yulan Hall, Meng Banshan’s defiant cry echoed: “This banquet isn’t worth staying for!” And striding out, indignantly. Chen Shi and Heiguo exchanged a knowing look, dispersing the Timely Possession spell, returning their spirits to their bodies. After their departure, two bewildered demons woke in confusion. Seeing others running, and clueless as to why, but joined the flight from Yuancheng Palace. Outside the Young Master’s domain, recruitment of fresh demons persisted—but abruptly, hundreds of them surged outward, flustering the spectral street, bursting with incessant chatter of “kwuuk, kwuuk.” In mere moments, the little demons in charge dispersed, leaving the area barren of such creatures. Mystified, the onlooking spirits puzzled over what had taken place. Before long, whispers of a young Master Wei Yue conspiracy to undermine King Yanluo propagated widely, small demons abounding with the news. Chattering on with relentless fervor, the story broadsided its way to grievous underworld spirits. Back in Chen Yindu’s Yuancheng Palace, Chen Shi and Heiguo woke, witnessing Boat Aunt still submerged in her possession. “Which demon did she embody?” Chen Shi wondered. Yet, urgency abounding, “Should Commander Meng Banshan defy Young Master Wei Yue,” he continued, “he’ll find himself a marked man. We must track him, seize the chance to save him!” ------