"Those eight years?"

Chen Tang's heart jolted, realizing she was talking about the eight years when Chen Shi was dead.

Chen Shi himself had no memory of that period, but Wu Qingyu, driven mad by missing her son, had suffered a wandering soul disorder and left her body to search the underworld for him.

She was a frail woman, and merely a soul drifting in the underworld. She could have been devoured by demons at any moment, yet by some miracle she found Chen Shi.

She should know what happened to Chen Shi during that time.

Wu Qingyu said, "When I found him, it was in a sea of demonic flames."

At that time Wu Qingyu had earned a reputation in the underworld; many ghost gods knew of this crazed woman searching for her son.

Normally, a wandering soul searching for a loved one should go to the Court of Hell; ghosts in the living world belong to Hell's jurisdiction. But Qingyu was muddled and didn't know this, and she wandered into regions of the underworld outside the Court of Hell's authority. She did not know where Chen Shi had gone; she stumbled on blindly, like some mysterious force binding the hearts of mother and son.

She drifted in the underworld and somehow survived for over a year without being killed by monsters, ghost gods, or demonic beasts—truly miraculous.

In her second year there she accidentally entered a sea of demonic fire. As she was about to be burned to death, she found the son she had longed for day and night.

"Little Ten was standing on the shoulder of a demon god. That demon god was towering and peerless. He had a flesh-and-blood form, looked like a monster, but exuded an unbearably deep demonic aura."

Wu Qingyu showed a dazed expression and said, "It was very strange. I couldn't tell if he was demon, ghost, or human… Many weird people like him gathered around Little Ten. They secretly formed clubs and became quite a force, calling Little Ten a prince. When they spoke to Little Ten they used a very strange language I've never heard before."

She thought for a moment and tried to say a phrase she had heard, but her tongue stumbled and she couldn't speak it.

When Wu Qingyu's nascent soul left her body, using her Nascent Soul to speak felt much easier.

"Om bara rora er he botou ru me er he san mo ye sa da na san he."

After she finished reciting that strange, twisted string of syllables with her Nascent Soul, beams of light suddenly burst from beneath her Nascent Soul, as if some profound mystery had been activated and a force from another space-time surged in, flowing into her being.

A gigantic phantom rose behind Wu Qingyu, as if standing in the void, vast and faceless.

Chen Tang's heart trembled. He craned his neck but still could not see the phantom's full form!

A thousand-zhang Primordial Spirit marks the upper limit for a cultivator's spirit. After attaining Great Ascension, the Primordial Spirit reaches a thousand zhang; after Body Unification, the physical body can transform to a thousand zhang—manifesting Law over Heaven and Earth. That is the limit.

Therefore, whether gods, demons, or ghosts, a thousand zhang is the maximum for their flesh-and-blood forms; they cannot exceed that number.

The only thing Chen Tang knew that surpassed that measure was the Celestial True God from beyond the heavens!

Yet the phantom that appeared behind Wu Qingyu after she chanted that odd, awkward phrase absolutely exceeded that limit!

Chen Tang's mind was shaken. He could not comprehend this extraordinary power at all!

The terrifying phantom behind Wu Qingyu gradually dissipated.

"I haven't learned much—only that one line," Wu Qingyu said bashfully, "But Little Ten seemed fluent in that language and often spoke with them. They treated Little Ten well and cared for us as mother and son, but I always felt they had ill intent toward him. Later the King of Hell set a trap, caught me, and lured Little Ten…"

Chen Tang asked puzzled, "Why would the King of Hell arrest you? The King of Hell is responsible for keeping the Court of Hell just and the underworld functioning. Why would he seize you without cause?"

Wu Qingyu's eyes shifted; she looked guilty and said, "I don't know either. My son and I hadn't broken any laws…"

Chen Tang stared at her.

Wu Qingyu hurriedly added, "Little Ten is back!"

"You've been hiding things from me!" Chen Tang said.

Chen Shi walked over; Wu Qingyu hurried to meet him, smiling, "Little Ten, did you learn it? Your father was foolishly stubborn. He wanted to teach you, but insisted 'jade must be carved to become a gem,' and let Old Du and the others polish you instead."

"Mother, I learned it," Chen Shi smiled. "But the star chart keeps shifting, so just learning isn't enough. You need to learn sensing and deduction. It's fine Dad didn't teach me, we don't see eye to eye…"

"Watch your mouth," Wu Qingyu scolded playfully, giving him a light tap.

Chen Tang watched the mother and son and felt they were both hiding something from him.

He had the odd feeling of being an outsider within the Chen household.

After a moment, Chen Shi walked over. "Father, I'm going out with Black Pot for a while."

Chen Tang said, "I'm apparently the last to know."

Chen Shi looked surprised and glanced up at him, not understanding why his old man sounded a bit resentful.

"I suppose I'm not important in the family—less so than Black Pot," Chen Tang said.

Chen Shi protested, "That's not true, Father—"

Chen Tang said, "Your mother hid things from me, and you leave with Black Pot but didn't bring me."

Chen Shi thought and said, "I'm heading to Tai Hua Qing Palace. If you want to come—"

"I won't go."

Chen Tang shook his head. "Qiongyang Patriarch of Tai Hua Qing Palace isn't friendly with me because I'm not her son."

Chen Shi sighed, "Then another time. I have some ties with Wuchen the monk at Great Bao Guo Temple. Next time I'll go to Great Bao Guo Temple—"

Chen Tang shook his head. "I can't go to Great Bao Guo Temple. I can't go to Bodhi Monastery or Water Moon Holy Land either. I also can't go to Tai Shang Hao Yuan Palace or the Celestial Master Mansion. Your grandfather committed sins in those places."

Chen Shi was silent a moment, stammering, "Which places can you go to?"

Chen Tang thought for a moment. "Seven or eight of the Thirteen Great Clans' places are off-limits too. But you can go. You're a grandson, a generation removed, so you're safer."

Chen Shi considered that even visiting Tai Hua Qing Palace might not guarantee safety and decided to bring Uncle Blue Goat along.

Chen Shi found Blue Goat and told him the plan. Blue Goat was delighted and urged them to depart immediately.

Chen Shi prepared his travel things. Blue Goat laughed, "Don't pack anything for me, I eat grass!"

Chen Shi placed his daily supplies in the Wooden Cart, told Chen Tang and Wu Qingyu, then turned back and found Blue Goat had hitched himself to the front of the cart and buckled on reins.

Chen Shi gaped. "Uncle Blue Goat, you don't have to pull the cart! Untie yourself—the cart will move on its own!"

Blue Goat shook his head. "I like pulling carts. You and Black Pot sit tight."

Black Pot leaped onto the cart, and Chen Shi had no choice but to hop on. "Uncle Blue Goat, we'll leave from the Minor Heaven…"

Blue Goat handed him a small leather whip. Chen Shi was stunned.

"Whoo—"

Blue Goat pulled the cart and shot into the sky. Fierce wind and force slammed in their faces, and the Wooden Cart seemed about to burst apart!

Chen Shi and Black Pot grabbed hold of the cart frame with all their might so they wouldn't be thrown off.

The Wooden Cart felt it might not hold and quietly grew an arm to clutch the canopy, activating the canopy's power.

With a whoosh the canopy opened, a brilliant radiance spreading down to shield the cart. The blast winds were kept at bay and Chen Shi and Black Pot finally breathed easier.

"Whip me! Whip me hard!" Blue Goat called back.

Chen Shi turned pale, holding the small whip with trembling hands, unwilling to strike.

Blue Goat looked back.

Chen Shi had no choice but to raise the whip and slap Blue Goat on the rear. Blue Goat roared, revealing his true form—vast as a mountain, feet treading thunder and fire, eyes shooting golden light—as he tore through the sky.

Lightning and thunder danced around the Wooden Cart—produced by violent friction between the canopy and the air—and the cart sped toward Tai Hua Mountain. Even beneath the canopy, Chen Shi and Black Pot could hear the rolling thunder.

Tai Hua Mountain lay deep in the heart of the Western Ox New Continent. In former times the area was thick with demonic qi and home to many fiends. Eighteen founding patriarchs of Tai Hua Qing Palace pacified demons there; fifteen died in battle and only three survived to secure the sect's foothold on the mountain.

Later the True King granted the mountain to them and named it New Continent Tai Hua Mountain, cementing the sect's lineage.

Blue Goat, rarely venturing out, stopped at the foot of Tai Hua Mountain and did not enter. Instead he guided the cart through winding paths into a cluster of hills.

After a while the cart stopped in front of a grave mound. Chen Shi and Black Pot dismounted to rest. Chen Shi's legs trembled; Black Pot shivered as well. Blue Goat jumped onto a grave mound and began chewing the grave grass, finishing the grass on one mound in no time.

"Grave grass is tender and sturdy. The roots absorbed a lot of nutrients!" Blue Goat said to Black Pot. "Want some? It's delicious."

Black Pot hesitated but took a bite and immediately brightened, finding it crisp and tasty.

Chen Shi took out incense and burned it at the grave Blue Goat had eaten from, so the interred spirit wouldn't be angry.

Blue Goat and Black Pot munched through over a dozen graves and finally felt full. Blue Goat leaned back against a mound, eyes half-closed, legs crossed, front hooves behind his head, chewing slowly like a ruminant, and said, "Little Ten, put a few more sticks of incense on for digestion."

Chen Shi did so.

Blue Goat absorbed the incense's scent while chewing and seemed content, nearly drifting off to sleep.

Black Pot, belly round, signaled to Chen Shi for two sticks as well.

Chen Shi lit incense for him. Suddenly he sensed something and looked toward a nearby ridge. Radiant light soared up and temples and halls rose, undoubtedly Tai Hua Qing Palace.

"Uncle Blue Goat, do you know Daoist Tianzhen?" Chen Shi asked.

Blue Goat opened his eyes, thought, and shook his head. "Don't know. Who is he?"

Chen Shi said, "He was the disciple who tended the furnace for Patriarch Zhenyang's alchemy—likely from the True King's era. He followed the cultivation path transmitted from the Divine Continent during the True King's time. Soon before his ascension he was killed. I encountered his lingering remnant after his death; he passed the yin-yang purgation method to me to purge evil energy."

He activated the yin-yang purgation. A bright moon and a blazing sun rose within his Primordial Spirit Dao Field, rotating around him and emitting yin-yang energy. Whenever the sun and moon drew near each other, yin and yang blended; with each solar-lunar sweep, the yin-yang purged, refining and expelling the demonic qi inside Chen Shi.

Blue Goat was astonished and sat up to study Chen Shi's yin-yang purgation. "This technique is extraordinary—top-tier even in Tai Hua Qing Palace! If he could refine away demonic contamination and prevent corruption, why was he killed?"

Chen Shi shook his head. "His yin-yang purgation essentially solved the demonic corruption problem from Body Unification to Ascension. That's why I don't understand either."

Blue Goat frowned, tugged up a clump of grass from a grave, shoved it into his mouth, and chewed while puzzled, "Why kill him? Wouldn't it be better to let him live and continue researching solutions to the corruption?"

Chen Shi said, "I have the same question. He was killed by the True Martial Exorcising Sword. He still had attachments, wanting to return the sword and be buried on Tai Hua Mountain."

At that moment several sword lights flew toward them, swishing down and landing. The sword light dispersed into several sword cultivators in blue outer robes and white inner garments, wearing cloth shoes.

Sword lights circled them and then reformed into flying swords, which shot toward their backs. With ringing clangs they flew back into sheaths.

Chen Shi rose with a smile. "Are you senior brothers from Tai Hua Qing Palace?"

The cultivators ignored him and hurried forward, staring at the graves. Their faces turned icy, glaring fiercely at Chen Shi, Black Pot, and Blue Goat, shouting, "How dare you trespass into the restricted area of Tai Hua Qing Palace and eat the patriarchs' grave grass! How audacious!"

Chen Shi gaped. "These are your patriarchs' graves…"

The mounds looked desolate and plainly not from a rich household; Chen Shi had assumed they were neglected graves. He never expected they belonged to Tai Hua Qing Palace's patriarchs!

Had he known this, he would never have let Blue Goat chew that grass—he would have chosen other graves.

Blue Goat told him, "These really are the graves of Tai Hua Qing Palace's patriarchs. I've escorted a dozen patriarchs here and watched them be buried. The first year after burial the grass on the mounds is most tender…"

"Impudent!"

The cultivators turned ashen with fury. They drew their swords and the flying swords lunged for Blue Goat without warning!

With several clangs, the flying swords failed to harm Blue Goat one bit.

Blue Goat was unfazed. He grabbed one of the flying swords and used it to pick his teeth.

"Those thieves are fierce!"

The cultivators were alarmed and quickly retracted their swords. Sword light whirled around them and lifted them with a whoosh as they sped away shouting, "Quick—bring reinforcements!"

But one cultivator had his flying sword snatched by Blue Goat and used as a toothpick. Without his sword he couldn't ride it to fly and was left pale, crying, "Senior brothers! What about me? What about me?"

Chen Shi tried to calm him, "Brother, we're not bad people. I'm Chen Shi from Xinxiang, this year's top scholar of the fifty provinces. If you don't mind, you may call me Top Scholar Lord. I—"

Before he could finish, the cultivator looked terrified as if he saw a specter, screamed, and ran in panic down the mountain, shouting, "The Chen family's demon has come to the mountain to dig up the patriarchs' graves to vent its anger!"

His steps were unsteady and he suddenly missed a footing, tumbling off the cliff.

Chen Shi hurried to the cliff edge and peered down. The cultivator was sprawled at the cliff's base.

The cultivator rose swiftly despite his stumble and limped off at great speed, seemingly unhurt.

Chen Shi was puzzled. "I'm clearly the newly minted top scholar, not a villain. Why did he call me the Chen family demon?"

Blue Goat chewed and replied, "Isn't it because of what your grandfather did? After he resigned his post and went to Tai Hua Qing Palace he nearly became the next sect leader, so the palace made a rule: anyone from Xinxiang surnamed Chen is considered a demon."

Chen Shi still didn't understand. "If my grandfather nearly became sect leader, shouldn't he have been honored?"

Blue Goat corrected him, "I said he nearly became the sect leader, not that he nearly 'become' the sect leader. 'Became' and 'nearly became' are different."

As Chen Shi mulled that distinction, sword light from Tai Hua Qing Palace suddenly rose to cover the sky. The arcs of sword light traced elegant curves through the air, heading straight for them!

Sword lights swished down and scattered, revealing more cultivators of all ages and genders.

Their faces were grim. The cultivator who had fled earlier stepped forward and pointed at Chen Shi, Black Pot, and Blue Goat. "Master of the sect, it's them who ate the patriarchs' grave grass!"

The sect master hurried forward and bowed. "Disciple Chang Ying Daoist pays respects and respectfully invites Patriarch Blue Goat to return to the palace!"