Chapter 549: The Celestial Venerable's Weakness

In the Xinxiang Imperial Capital.

Chen Yindu set down the Recreate Heaven-and-Earth Furnace and slowly shrank his body back to normal size.

The Recreate Heaven-and-Earth Furnace was even more formidable than the Yin Yang Qi Bottle, but this treasure was extremely difficult to activate. Even to refine a single batch of heavenly soldiers required eight immortals and dozens of Celestial Way Walkers working continuously for a hundred days. For an individual to activate this treasure was virtually impossible, unless one was highly proficient in the art of creation.

Chen Yindu was precisely such a master.

He flicked his finger, and the furnace lid, which would normally require two immortals working together to lift, opened with a clang.

Yang Bi and Li Tianqing each awakened from their contemplative trances, exchanged a glance, and shook their heads.

Both felt a pang of disappointment. Neither had managed to comprehend a way to break the Celestial Venerable's technique.

Everyone looked into the furnace and saw that the Phoenix Profound Flame within had already diminished considerably, no longer able to fully conceal the furnace world.

Looking down from above, one could see the world inside the furnace, with countless Creation Little Fives as tiny as ants, flying about and battling against human figures.

"Heavenly soldiers are Creation Little Fives?" Yang Bi asked, somewhat horrified.

Chen Yindu nodded. "I designed them, but I never refined them with this furnace before leaving Despair Slope."

His expression darkened as old memories resurfaced.

At that moment, Little Duan Immortal and Zhong Wuwang flew out from the furnace, landing on opposite sides of the cauldron rim.

Zhong Wuwang was covered in wounds, clearly having encountered danger inside the furnace. He said, "The heavenly soldiers inside the furnace are already complete, but they're slaughtering each other. Several immortals from my Despair Slope died at their hands!"

Little Duan Immortal added, "Those Celestial Way Immortals suddenly turned evil inside the furnace and were killed by the combined force of the Creation Little Fives."

She furrowed her brow slightly, feeling uneasy at the memory of those Creation Little Fives devouring the Celestial Way Immortals. "Where is the Grand Guardian?"

Li Tianqing shook his head. "Senior Wu Qi failed to escape."

Little Duan Immortal's heart skipped a beat. She hurried to the imperial garden, found the Purple Heaven Vine, and saw only one Wu Qi hanging there, merrily swaying back and forth.

Little Duan Immortal summoned Xiao Chengzi, who said, "Senior Wu Qi asked me about a few matters, then took his leave."

Little Duan Immortal grew anxious inwardly: "My husband hadn't yet appealed to his sense of duty and gratitude to secure his promise to repay his debt of life. Now he's gone. If he moves against the Ming Dynasty, what do we do?"

She quickly turned back, only to find everyone gathered around the Recreate Heaven-and-Earth Furnace, waiting in silence. No one spoke, presumably waiting for the battle inside the furnace to conclude.

Little Duan Immortal saw Chen Shi still sitting motionless on the rim of the furnace cauldron. She was about to approach when Chen Yindu raised his hand to stop her, shaking his head.

"Do not disturb him. He is observing the battle between the Celestial Venerable and Wu Qi and needs to organize these insights."

Chen Yindu said, "He is using the power of the Innate Dao Embryo to comprehend the Celestial Venerable's Dao techniques and divine abilities. He may come away with something valuable."

Little Duan Immortal hesitated for a moment, then quietly departed, thinking: "The first place the Grand Guardian might go is the Great Shang Celestial Court, to pay respects to his ancestors. The second should be Despair Slope! He would probably want to go to Despair Slope to see my father!"

She immediately flew straight toward the southern frontier.

"I cannot let him go to Despair Slope, or he will surely die at the Celestial Venerable's hands again!"

Chen Shi had once taken her to inspect the ruins of the Great Shang Celestial Court. Little Duan Immortal arrived at the southern frontier, went out to sea, found the Celestial Court ruins, and sent out her Primordial Spirit to search, but found no trace of Wu Qi.

She immediately flew off, rushing to Tiandao City.

When she arrived at Tiandao City, she saw that the celestial bridge was broken and Despair Slope was nowhere to be found.

Little Duan Immortal then infiltrated the underworld and searched for a long time, but never managed to locate Wu Qi's whereabouts. She returned to the Xinxiang Imperial Capital feeling dispirited.

Her trip had taken about ten days in total. When she returned to the capital, she saw that Creation Little Five had also emerged from the Recreate Heaven-and-Earth Furnace and was accompanying Chen Yindu, the two of them studying the mysteries of the immortal furnace together.

Chen Shi still sat on the edge of the immortal furnace, quietly immersed in his contemplation.

Zhong Wuwang had not left either. He was presumably waiting for Chen Shi to wake up so he could reclaim the Innate Dao Embryo.

Little Duan Immortal spoke to him seriously, "The Innate Dao Embryo belongs to my husband. Your master cut my husband open and seized the embryo to transplant it into you. You have already received many benefits from the Innate Dao Embryo. If you try to take it back again, I fear that this day next year will be your death anniversary."

Zhong Wuwang laughed in fury. "Is Her Highness trying to kill the donkey after it's done the grinding? When I handed the Innate Dao Embryo to the True King, I said he must return it, and he agreed!"

Little Duan Immortal shook her head. "He could not possibly have agreed."

Zhong Wuwang snorted, his expression shifting between dark and light. "If it came to blows, they outnumber me, so I would indeed be at a disadvantage. Then again, thinking about it, Chen Shi really didn't agree to return it back then..."

While he was wrestling with his dilemma, Chen Shi's voice came over: "Her Highness, no need to pressure him. At a moment of crisis, Brother Zhong was willing to give up the Innate Dao Embryo to help you and me. That is indeed an act of righteousness. If I were to keep the Innate Dao Embryo and refuse to return it, would that not betray my reputation as an enlightened ruler?"

Little Duan was both startled and delighted. She looked up and saw Chen Shi standing atop the immortal furnace, looking down from his elevated position.

She quickly flew up and landed beside Chen Shi.

Chen Shi summoned the small temple, raised the Innate Dao Embryo, and returned it to Zhong Wuwang.

Little Duan said urgently, "Husband, it was originally yours..."

Chen Shi smiled. "I'll give it back to him, then kill him and take it back. I'm still a True King who knows how to repay kindness and enmity. No need to dirty my own reputation over this."

Zhong Wuwang was just retrieving the Innate Dao Embryo when he heard this and shuddered, thinking: "With Chen Shi saying that, he will definitely make a move against me. We're grasshoppers tied to the same rope now, so there's no point in courting death over the Innate Dao Embryo... But without the embryo, what do I have to forge an alliance with him?"

Creation Little Five laughed. "Little Ten, have you found the Celestial Venerable's weakness?"

Yang Bi, Li Tianqing, and the others rushed over upon hearing the news, their gazes falling on Chen Shi, hope shining in their eyes.

Chen Shi wore a smile as he met their gazes and gave a slight nod. "During my seclusion, I deduced the Celestial Venerable's demonic technique in full. I finally completed the Celestial Venerable's Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection and comprehended its weakness."

The crowd grew excited, cheering loudly.

Chen Tang, Wu Qingyu, Long You the Freeholder, Mu Daozi, and others also hurried over. When they heard that Chen Shi had found the Celestial Venerable's weakness, they were so moved that tears streamed down their faces.

Everyone cheered as one, their voices shaking the heavens.

"There's hope!"

They spread the news as they ran, shouting, "The True King has seen through the old demon Celestial Venerable's weakness! Our Western Ox New Continent is saved!"

Upon hearing this, the Civil and Military Officials were so overcome with emotion they could barely contain themselves, celebrating this victory together.

Chen Shi smiled as he walked to the imperial study. He wrote down the Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection he had comprehended and had Li Tianqing, Yang Bi, Zhong Wuwang, and the others each copy it.

After copying it once, each of them studied it. It was indeed a profound and unfathomable technique that cultivated both immortal and demonic paths simultaneously, incredibly formidable - something none of them had ever seen before!

"True King, where exactly is the weakness you've discovered?" Zhong Wuwang asked.

Chen Shi smiled. "I cannot tell you where the weakness is. I intend to keep this secret and kill the Celestial Venerable with my own hands. Er Niu, you will definitely practice this technique. As long as I hold this secret, I will have the means to counter you."

Zhong Wuwang's expression changed instantly. He sneered, "I never expected King Chen to be so petty and narrow-minded. And here I thought lending you the Innate Dao Embryo was worthwhile!"

He flew off, his voice echoing from afar: "Chen Shi, when the Celestial Venerable breaks free from Despair Slope, in his fury, he will certainly come seeking revenge! I'll go into hiding for now! Staying here makes you too obvious a target, so you'd best go elsewhere to avoid his edge!"

Chen Shi watched him depart, then said, "Tianqing, have the Hanlin Academy print a thousand copies of this immortal technique and place them in the minor heaven. Let anyone study it freely. The Celestial Venerable regards this technique as a treasure, but I will spread the most powerful immortal technique of this age to the world!"

Li Tianqing's eyes lit up. "Excellent idea! I'll see to it immediately!"

Yang Bi hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, the Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection, which cultivates both immortal and demonic paths, is indeed extraordinarily powerful. I have deduced it for a long time, but I cannot find the weakness. Please enlighten me, Your Majesty."

Chen Shi shook his head with a smile. "Brother Yang, it was only through the Innate Dao Embryo that I was able to deduce this much. If you could find the weakness yourself, wouldn't that mean you're more capable than me? As for where the weakness lies, I won't tell Zhong Er Niu, and I won't tell you either. Having become the True King, I am the sovereign. How could I not have a means to hold you and Zhong Er Niu in check?"

Yang Bi's expression shifted slightly. He gave Chen Shi a long, searching look.

Suddenly, the Grand Sacrificial Officer's voice came from outside: "King Chen, I would also like a copy of the Celestial Venerable's technique!"

Chen Shi smiled as he watched the Grand Sacrificial Officer approach, holding Chu Feng's hand. "If the Grand Sacrificial Officer wants it, I will naturally provide it. Someone, present the Grand Sacrificial Officer with a copy of the Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection!"

The Grand Sacrificial Officer flipped through the Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection. His expression grew increasingly solemn, mixed with a hint of delight. He quickly tucked the scroll away and bowed. "True King, I came here for another matter as well."

Chen Shi's gaze fell on Chu Feng. He smiled. "You discovered that although the Profound Yin Nine Heaven Art I passed to you can corrupt the Celestial True God, the Celestial True God cannot corrupt this world, am I right?"

The Grand Sacrificial Officer said solemnly, "Correct. Chu Feng has already polluted the Celestial True God and made it activate the Profound Yin Nine Heaven Art, but he discovered that it could only be driven to the eighth level. The ninth level could never be cultivated, and the power of the Celestial True God could never be mobilized."

Chen Shi walked over to Chu Feng and smiled. "Then there can only be one possibility - that I tampered with the Profound Yin Nine Heaven Art. The tampering I did was quite simple: I made it so that you cannot mobilize the Celestial True God's power. The ninth-level technique is something only I can execute. Only I can mobilize the power of the Celestial True God!"

He patted Chu Feng's head and said with a smile, "Grand Sacrificial Officer, back when I was still a ghost, you couldn't defeat me. Now that I've returned from the dead, you're even less capable of defeating me. Take the Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection. Study it all you like. The weakness within this technique will always remain in my hands. In my presence, you will forever be nothing but a minister. Your demonic Great Shang can never become a reality!"

The Grand Sacrificial Officer was both shocked and enraged.

Chen Shi withdrew his hand and said flatly, "You and your disciple may now thank His Majesty for his boundless grace."

The Grand Sacrificial Officer's expression shifted between light and dark. He looked at the experts around him, swallowed his anger, and led Chu Feng in a bow. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your boundless grace!"

That night, Chen Shi was alone in the imperial study reviewing memorials. The lamplight flickered, demonic miasma thickened, and a large black dog emerged from the demonic domain in the underworld, silently slipping into the imperial study under the moonlight.

"Black Pot, you're back!" Chen Shi was overjoyed. He put down his vermilion brush and rushed forward to embrace the big black dog's neck.

The man and the dog sat on the steps outside the imperial study. Chen Shi poured wine for Black Pot. They each raised their cups, drinking one after another, and soon both were thoroughly drunk.

"Black Pot, I couldn't find the Celestial Venerable's weakness."

Chen Shi put one arm around Black Pot's neck, his face dark with despair. "I couldn't find any weakness at all. I didn't dare tell them the truth, Black Pot... I have no confidence whatsoever in dealing with the Celestial Venerable!"

He tilted his head back and drained the wine jug in one gulp, his eyes red.

"Her Ladyship gave me a boat that can carry eight people to the Earth Immortal Realm. My good brother, let's leave the Western Ox New Continent together!"