Above the Great Dao

Huangpo Village, on the Yellow Earth Slope outside the village, Chen Shi was cultivating under the old willow tree, with the Nine Heavens Light hanging in the sky behind him, illuminating the surrounding area for several miles, as bright as daylight.

His Primordial Spirit sat on the divine shrine of the small temple, its aura growing stronger and the Primordial Spirit slowly expanding.

Though it was late, he was still practicing diligently.

Currently, the night was growing darker, and there was insufficient time for cultivation during the day, so he had to cultivate even at night.

The people of Huangpo Village were also awake, chatting about their daily lives at the village entrance.

The Black Pot played with Nannan; Hu Feifei had brought Nannan over the day before yesterday, and the little girl was reluctant to leave. She felt out of place at the county government and preferred staying in the countryside with Chen Shi and the dog.

Fortunately, Chen Shi's parents were fond of the girl and treated her like their own daughter, taking care of her far better than Hu Feifei, the maiden.

With Nannan living in Huangpo Village, Zhong Kui and Tie Chi also relocated nearby, and Zhong Kui brought over his sister and elderly mother.

Zhong Kui and Tie Chi were reincarnated ghost gods, revealing their true forms at night to go out and devour evil spirits. For a time, there were no evil spirits around Huangpo Village, making it safe even after dark.

A few days ago, the people of Huangpo Village were wary of Zhong Kui and Tie Chi, but after seeing that, although they looked fierce, they were kind-hearted, they accepted them.

"The light behind the top scorer's head is getting brighter," said the old lady Wu Zhu, looking toward Yellow Earth Slope.

Grandma Yu Zhu, who was making shoe soles, chuckled and said, "He's still not married; he's pent up."

Old Lady Wu Zhu couldn't help but laugh, "No wonder it's getting brighter."

At this moment, a cold wind blew by, and from the earth, three little ghosts with small round hats emerged, one with an oxhead, one horseface, and one small Yaksha, each no taller than two feet, moving lightly.

The old men and women in the village were not surprised to see these three little ghosts.

Since the top scorer returned to the village, these three little ghosts would appear at night, muttering ghostly words, always accompanying Nannan, circling around her.

"The strange people in the village are getting more and more," said old lady Wu Zhu, looking outside the village, "that father and daughter living by the river, they don't look like good people either."

Grandma Yu Zhu stroked her hair with a needle and said, "Our top scorer doesn't look like a good person either."

Everyone agreed.

Suddenly, a crisp tinkling sound came, and the villagers of Huangpo Village turned to see three green birds over a zhang tall walking along the mountain path outside the village, pulling a carriage and heading this way.

These three green birds could clearly fly, yet they chose to walk on the road.

Behind their heads was a halo, emitting a soft light, illuminating the road.

In the carriage sat a noble young master, dressed in red with a green belt, elegant and refined. The villagers praised, "What a handsome person."

As the carriage reached Huangpo Village, the noble young master looked towards Tie Chi, who had transformed into an oxhead monster, and felt a chill in his heart; then Zhong Kui, engulfed in flames, flew up from a small thatched courtyard, further startling him.

The three green birds were also startled, their massive and fierce aura rose to the sky, each revealing their Primordial Spirit over six hundred zhang tall, with bird heads, human bodies, and bird feet, wings spreading across the sky, floating in the air, extremely imposing.

The noble young master coughed lightly and said, "They mean no harm, no need to be so tense."

The three green birds withdrew their Primordial Spirits, Zhong Kui and Tie Chi glanced at them, somewhat disappointed, "Not evil spirits."

One ran on the ground, the other flew in the sky, off to search for food.

The noble young master drove forward, nodding lightly in greeting to the old men and women at the village entrance, and they sat still, their heads turning as his carriage passed.

The noble young master was Yang Bi, Yang Shaohu, who had come specifically to visit Chen Shi.

The two reincarnated ghost gods, Zhong Kui and Tie Chi, hadn't pressured him much, but the attention of these old men and women in the village did.

Just as Yang Bi escaped their gaze, he saw a little girl of about four or five riding a big black dog joyously running from behind, followed by three little bucket-carrying ghosts, and he was stunned, instructing the three green birds to stop the carriage by the roadside to avoid them.

Yang Bi leaned his head out, watching the Black Pot carrying Nannan run past.

"Is this the rebel camp?" he pondered to himself.

Yang Bi continued forward, arriving at the bottom of Yellow Earth Slope, and saw new houses by the river, with the boatman and daughter docking their boat ashore.

"Huangpo Village, truly a forbidden land of ghosts and gods."

Yang Bi shook his head, looking up towards the top of the slope at the old willow tree, where the Nine Heavens Light behind Chen Shi's head covered an area over ten acres, shining down.

Nannan rode the Black Pot up the slope, and the three little demons carrying buckets rushed up the Yellow Earth Slope. Before they could reach Chen Shi's side, a ray of light suddenly swept past, and one of the little demons with a horse face vanished.

The other two little demons showed looks of envy.

Yang Bi got out of the carriage and smiled, "I am Yang Bi from Youzhou, here to visit the top scorer lord."

Chen Shi opened his eyes, the Nine Heavens behind him dissipated. He stood up and said, "Come on up."

Yang Bi looked at the three azure birds.

One of the azure birds walked out, transformed into a woman in a blue dress about thirty years old, and slightly bowed beside him.

Yang Bi stepped onto the Yellow Earth Slope, the woman in blue followed closely beside him.

After a while, under the protection of the woman in blue, he reached the top of the slope.

The Yellow Earth Slope was not high, only about three to five zhang tall, with only an old willow tree and a stele.

Besides, there was a woman in white sitting under the tree, listening to a ghostly scholar who hung from the tree preaching.

The woman in white was deeply absorbed and occasionally inserted a word, "Aba."

Yang Bi saw the face of the woman in white, and his heart tightened.

Under the old willow tree at the top of the slope, there was a stone table and stone stools. Chen Shi invited Yang Bi to sit down and said, "Brother Yang comes from Youzhou. Is there any connection with the Yang family of the Thirteen Families?"

Yang Bi sat down and laughed, "I am indeed from the Yang family of the Thirteen Families. My ancestors were the Chief Ministers of the Cabinet during the True King Era. Later, they settled in Youzhou, and the Yang family has since thrived there, becoming a prominent family in Youzhou."

He looked around and laughed, "Top scorer Chen sits atop the True King's Tomb in Qianyang Mountain, helped by so many strong figures. Quite an ambition you have."

Chen Shi shook his head and said, "I have no ambition. My purpose in taking the imperial examination is simply to make my life better, and more justifiably exploit the local community."

Yang Bi gave a slight smile, not believing a word he said.

Chen Shi asked, "Brother Yang came looking for me. Is it to arrest me and bring me back?"

Yang Bi shook his head and said, "Young Master Wei Yue of Immortal City, I have already reprimanded him, and ordered him to chase after Huodou and apologize to you. In the future, he must not send Yin Messengers to hunt you and your family."

Nannan fell off the dog's back, landed on the ground, causing the three little demons to panic and rush over. But the little girl lay on the grass, laughing heartily, stretching her arms and kicking her legs in joy.

Yang Bi's gaze fell on this little girl, he continued, "The Thirteen Families will also stop hunting the Young Master of the Blue Sky, Oxhead and Horseface Zhong Kui, and other reincarnated Yin Officers of the Underworld will also let go of the pursuit. You need not be so nervous in defending against me."

Chen Shi laughed, "I am not nervous."

Yang Bi turned his head and looked down the slope.

Chen Shi looked and saw Chen Tang standing at the bottom of the slope, holding a wooden box in his hand.

Chen Shi laughed and said, "My father is worried about my safety. It's the love between father and son, which is quite normal."

Yang Bi looked behind him, under the moonlight, a vast darkness shrouded the back of Huangpo Village, with two gigantic eyes lurking in the darkness, staring at him.

Chen Shi said solemnly, "Huodou is worried about its son's safety. It's the love for one's young, also quite normal."

He did not drive away Chen Tang or Huodou, and inquired, "The Thirteen Families are determined to get the position of King Yan, having plotted for over a thousand years. Why does Brother Yang refrain from eradicating every last one?"

"Top scorer Chen can call me Shaohu."

Yang Bi said solemnly, "The reason we do not need to hunt the Young Master of the Blue Sky and his allies is that it is no longer necessary. The True King Era established the underworld, leaving behind the Ten Halls of Yama. Except for the Young Master of the Blue Sky, the other Nine Halls Yamas have been brought to justice. Now, the other nine halls are all people from the Thirteen Families."

Chen Shi's heart shook greatly.

The three little demons were also awed.

Yang Bi continued, "This time when I emerged, I was tasked with integrating the power of the Thirteen Families. The first thing to do is to assist Judge Wei Ling, to become the new King Yama of Yama Hall, then pass the throne to Wei Yue. This matter is already settled, whether to hunt the Young Master of the Blue Sky is no longer relevant. The general trend has been set, beyond your ability to resist."

Chen Shi asked in confusion, "Since the Thirteen Families are unstoppable, why then did Shaohu come to see me?"

Yang Bi said sternly, "I came to see you to explain the actions of the Thirteen Families, so that you will not misunderstand."

Chen Shi said, "I am all ears."

Yang Bi pondered for a moment, and said, "This matter should start from explaining the realms of crossing the tribulation and ascension cut by the True King."