Above the Great Dao
Chapter 120 - 71 Grandpa, Don’t Go

Chapter 120: Chapter 71 Grandpa, Don’t Go

The wooden cart rattled its way toward the countryside. The lantern from Black Pot had already gone out, taken by Chen Shi and mounted at the front of the cart. Grandfather and grandson sat atop, their bodies swaying with the motion of the vehicle.

"Grandfather doesn’t have many friends, just a few around Qianyang Mountain."

Grandfather spoke, "Near Yellow Stone Mountain, there are two friends. One is a Grave Stone Carver called Du Yiran, he works with the Evil Spirits there. If you encounter something you cannot handle, or someone you can’t kill, go find him. It’s not hard to locate him; wherever he resides, there are steles all over. He specializes in carving grave stones for others."

Chen Shi froze in shock.

Grandfather’s third friend, could he also be an Evil Spirit?

Grandfather continued, "Another friend is a beekeeper named Ah Zuo, who lives near the Great Southern Lake and keeps bees there."

Chen Shi showed a glimmer of hope; this beekeeper Ah Zuo must surely be a living person.

"He’s probably fallen to become an Evil Spirit by now, hasn’t he?"

Grandfather was somewhat unsure, adding, "He raises Evil Spirits. It’s been many years since I last saw him; he’s likely been tainted by them by now... However, Ah Zuo is extremely loyal. If you run into trouble, just tell him you’re the grandson of Chen Yindou, and he will surely help you at the cost of his own life."

He paused for a moment, then said, "There are also Xiao Wangsun, Granny Sha, Jin Hongying, and Li Jindou. Although they may not count as close friends of mine, with this Demon Transformation, they all owe me a great favor. After I am gone, if you face adversity, they will surely not ignore you."

Chen Shi was lost in thought, gazing at a young man in black a distance away in the fields, when he suddenly said, "Grandfather, if my illness is incurable, better to let me die and join you in the underworld. I have no other relatives in the mortal world; when I get to the underworld, I can take care of you."

Grandfather fell silent for a long while. His grandson was too understanding, painfully so.

Chen Shi looked up and saw that Grandfather was wiping away tears.

"Silly child, you still have your parents."

Grandfather reached out with his rough hand, touched his head, and said with a smile, "After I’m gone, your father Chen Tang will take care of you."

"I don’t even know him."

Chen Shi said with his head lowered, "I haven’t even seen him."

To him, Chen Tang was a stranger.

Grandfather was his only relative in this world.

After a moment of silence, Grandfather’s voice became somber, "Little Ten, don’t worry. I will do everything in my power to keep you alive! In this world, no one can take away my grandson Chen Yindou, not even King Yan of the underworld themselves!"

A fierce wrath rose in his chest, if it was King Yan, he would storm the Halls of King Yan; if it were an Evil God, he would destroy the Evil God!

At that moment, a bluish oil-paper umbrella emitted a burnt smell as if struggling to contain his wrath.

Xuan Shan in black drew closer, preventing the umbrella from catching fire.

All these days, Xuan Shan had been helping him suppress his Demonic Nature.

They returned safely to the village, and children Chen Shi and Li Tianqing busied themselves preparing medicine for the four injured.

Spirit Pills, in fact, come in four types.

The first type is made by simmering different medicinal herbs on a gentle fire until the water evaporates, leaving an oily substance that is rolled into pills.

The second type is produced by grinding the herbs into powder and combining them with refined honey into pills.

The third type involves driving a cauldron with one’s own true fire, casting different Medicinal Stones known as Five Metals and Eight Stones into it, along with other herbs, to forge a Golden Core. This is an external pill.

The fourth type uses one’s own true fire as the flame and one’s true water to temper, the upper, middle, and lower Dantian as the cauldron, and Qi-Blood and Spirit as Medicinal Stones, to forge a Golden Core. This is an inner core.

Both inner cores and external pills are potent remedies and are essential for cultivating a Nascent Soul. frёewebnoѵēl.com

But the easiest to source and prepare are decoctions, which are preferred for their quick production and fast-acting results.

The four sickly beings are now hanging on by these soup medicines, and it’s thanks to Grandfather’s superb medical skills that they haven’t lost their lives.

"How can I repay such a life-saving grace?" Jin Hongying murmured low, "I wish I were heartless."

The other three deeply agreed.

It’s because of having a heart that one must take on responsibilities. Without a conscience, there would be no responsibilities to assume.

Chen Shi stepped out to pay his respects to his godmother, and just as he walked out the door, he saw Xuan Shan in black standing under the tree at the entrance.

Xuan Shan was getting closer and closer to Grandfather.

Xuan Shan in black nodded at him slightly, and Chen Shi felt an unease in his heart. Then Grandfather came from behind and said, "Little Ten, I’ll go with you to see your godmother."

Chen Shi agreed, and the two set off for the outskirts of the village. When they reached the outlying loess mound, they saw Xuan Shan in black once more, this time by the riverside of the Jade Belt River, still watching them.

Chen Shi arrived under the old willow tree, offered incense to his godmother’s stele, and whispered softly, "Godmother, please bless my grandfather with good health, safety from harm, freedom from all illnesses, and everlasting life."

Grandfather chuckled and replied, "Silly child, who can live forever without dying?"

After Chen Shi had finished his offerings, Grandfather too held a stick of incense and stepped forward, quietly saying, "Brother Dao, though I do not know your origins, you are enigmatic and profound, you must ensure Little Ten grows up safely."

He still remembered the first time he came to the loess mound, a mere child of six or seven years old.

The mound back then was nearly identical to how it is now, with no changes at all.

He climbed up the mound and the moment he touched the stele, it suddenly transformed into a towering pillar and an ancient temple as high as the sky, shrouded in the Qi of incense fire.

That scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.

But ever since then, he never again beheld such a miraculous sight.

Later on, when Chen Shi encountered trouble, knowing that he himself couldn’t deal with the bluish ghost hand, he thought of making Chen Shi worship at the stele as a godmother.

Yet time passed, and despite numerous offerings to the godmother, Chen Shi never received a response from the stele, leading to his grandfather’s disappointment.

This time he followed Chen Shi to see if the stele might respond.

However, as the incense burned out, there was still no reaction from the stele.

"Did I see things wrongly back then?"

Grandfather felt disappointed and descended the loess slope.

In the following days, the wounds of Xiao Wangsun and the others gradually healed, except for Li Jindou whose legs could not be recovered. Yet the old man was rather philosophical about it, saying with a smile, "Once I’m a bit better, I’ll have Tianqing put me in a basket and carry me home."

These days, Xuan Shan in black appeared more and more frequently, which caused Chen Shi great anxiety; he almost wanted to chase him away with a stick.

That night, after finishing his practice, Chen Shi went to bed. Amidst deep slumber, he suddenly saw Grandfather approaching from the darkness, shaking him awake.

Groggily, Chen Shi opened his eyes in confusion, "Grandfather, what’s the matter?"

Grandpa sat by his bed and smiled, "Little Ten, Grandpa has to leave now, just came to tell you."

Chen Shi asked doubtfully, "Grandpa, where are you going?"

"Grandpa can’t delay any longer, I must go to the underworld. I’ve been in the mortal world for too long. If I don’t leave now, I will turn into an Evil Spirit. I can’t risk harming you."

Grandpa smiled and said, "Today, our grandson and grandpa must part. Little Ten, you have to take good care of yourself."

He patted Chen Shi’s head and stood up.

"Grandpa, can’t you just stay?"

Chen Shi felt panic rising, tears welling up, as he grabbed the old man’s hand, "Grandpa, don’t go! Don’t leave me alone! I’m scared being alone!"

He rolled off the bed, clutched tightly to the old man’s hand, crying, "Grandpa, don’t leave me behind! I’m scared! Wherever you go, take me with you! Grandpa, you’re the only family I have left!"

Somehow the old man had slipped out of his grasp and walked into the darkness, as if there was a light shining upon him.

Grandpa turned back, smiling and waved at him.

"Grandpa, don’t leave!"

Chen Shi cried out and ran after him, his heartbreak evident as he ran through the darkness, tears blurring his vision, his body trembling with sobs.

"Grandpa, take me with you! Don’t leave me behind! Don’t leave me alone!"

He chased after Grandpa, but the old man became more distant in the darkness, slowly turning into a mere speck of light.

"Grandpa, don’t leave me! Take me with you, don’t leave me alone!"

He wailed inconsolably, feeling as helpless as a child.

"Little Ten, Little Ten, wake up!"

Granny Sha’s voice reached his ears, and Chen Shi opened his eyes to find himself lying in bed, not having ventured into the darkness after all. Granny Sha was standing by the bed, pushing his arm.

Chen Shi stared blankly, the bedding cold and wet with his tears.

Was it all a dream?

Suddenly, Chen Shi felt a sense of relief that it was only a dream.

He had been so worried about Grandpa lately; the appearance of the black-clothed figure from Xuan Shan always gave him a bad feeling.

"Granny, what’s the matter?" Chen Shi asked.

Granny Sha hesitated, then said, "Little Ten, you must stay calm. Your Grandpa... he’s... gone. He just left. Child, don’t cry, it’s okay, everything’s going to be fine... Child, come and send off your Grandpa. It’s too dark in the underworld. Hold this lamp, light his way... Child, light it, light the way, to ease his journey."

Chen Shi held the Sheep Horn Heavenly Spirit Lamp, its dim light piercing through the mortal realm, illuminating the netherworld.

Granny Sha shook the Wenwang Drum, its rustling sound accompanying the deep thuds, as she began an ancient chant that traveled to the underworld.

"Light the way, oh light the way, brighten the afterlife. Slow down, departed souls, family lights the way ahead, careful not to trip or fall and hurt yourselves;"

Chen Shi illuminated the darkness, the light dispelling the dense mist, startling the hidden demons within.

The old man walking through the mist seemed to notice the light, turning back to look at him with a smile.

"Light the way, oh light the way, brighten the River of Oblivion. Watch out, departed souls, for the soup on Meng Po’s bridge, that makes you forget familial love;"

Chen Shi grasped the light, watching as the old man walked farther into the illuminated distance.

"Light the way, oh light the way, brighten the Wangxiang Platform. Turn back, departed souls, look towards your homeland from the platform, don’t forget the love of your descendants."

"Split the ground to judge the hell, split hell to redeem the true souls!"

"Gold can buy a thousand years of life, fine silk can redeem a soul for ten thousand years!"

"One soul returns, then two souls back!"

"All three souls and seven spirits come together again!"

"Yindu, we all return this year—, come back to be welcomed by your descendants!"

...

The Sheep Horn Heavenly Spirit Lamp continued to cast light further and further, while the old man kept walking farther away, gradually fading into the deep abyss of the netherworld.

Walk slowly, walk slowly.

Grandpa, please walk a little slower.

The light can barely reach you now.

He held the lamp, lighting the way for a long time, until he could no longer see the old man.

He did not know when dawn broke, nor when King Xiao’s descendant Granny Sha had finished cleaning up the mourning hall. He was in a daze, as if he had lost his soul, clutching the Sheep Horn Heavenly Spirit Lamp tightly.

They put him in coarse, white hemp garments with a white cap, and arranged for him to guard the casket through the nights.

Granny Sha and Li Tianqing tried to get him to eat, but he didn’t want anything.

Black Pot came and lay down beside him, and after a long while, he hugged Black Pot and started to cry.

"It’s good to let it out, to cry it out!" Granny Sha breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, "Once you’ve cried, you’ll be okay!"

Chen Shi cradled the dog.

Black Pot, from now on, it’s just you and me, dependent on each other.

Many people came to pay their respects to Grandpa these past few days, mostly neighbors from the surrounding villages, his friends, and strangers unknown to Chen Shi.

In the evening, Chen Shi got up shakily; the past days without proper food or rest had left him extremely weak.

He staggered to Grandpa’s room, pulling out the Thousand-Mile Communication Talisman that Grandpa had drawn from a drawer.

The talisman burned in mid-air, its flames ghostly and mysterious.

A moment later, a middle-aged man’s voice emerged from the flames: "Dad, I told you, I’m not coming back this year. I’m really busy, so busy..."

Chen Shi’s lips quivered, gathering the courage at last to interrupt the man’s complaints.

"Are you... are you my dad, Chen Tang? I’m Chen Shi. Grandpa, he’s... gone."

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.