Above the Great Dao
Chapter 463 - 221 Xuanyan Island Dragon Roar_2

Chapter 463: Chapter 221 Xuanyan Island Dragon Roar_2

There were five lakes as vast as oceans here, known collectively as the Five Great Lakes.

Granny Sha pointed in the direction of the southernmost part of the southern lake, known as Xuanyan Island (originally Cleveland).

Chen Shi consulted the map to confirm their route, committed it to memory, and said, "Granny, I will need to enter the underworld for this journey. I can’t manage without your help."

Though the Black Pot could freely move between the Yin Yang Two Realms, Chen Shi’s physical body had to remain in the mortal world.

Granny Sha once conducted a ritual, taking Hu Xiaoliang and Green Sheep with her, her True Body entering the underworld in search of Chen Yindou. They encountered danger and were only able to escape death because of Black Pot’s rescue. Chen Shi was also present then and knew about the incident.

In terms of the use of Skills, Granny Sha was even more adept than Black Pot.

Granny Sha said hesitantly, "Little Ten, to be honest, these recent days have been tough. I haven’t had any business for a long time and cannot start a new venture. I’ve accumulated quite some debt. I was hoping to settle down for a few days, make some money, and pay off my debts..."

She had her own life to live, but because she was entrusted by Chen Yindou, she had no choice but to ensure Chen Shi’s safety.

Every time Chen Shi ran about here and there, she had to accompany him, and her meager savings were long spent.

Chen Shi smiled, "How much do you need? I’ll give it to you. We are both from the Heavenly Court. In the future, if you need money, feel free to take it from me."

He pulled out a thousand silver notes and asked, "Is this enough?"

Granny Sha’s brows lit up with joy, and she repeatedly said, "Enough, enough! I’ve never seen so much money in my life."

Her words were no exaggeration.

Cultivation itself was like a bottomless pit that required money, spending on daily cultivation, elixirs, purchasing Spiritual Beast Meat, crafting treasures from materials. Reaching higher realms of cultivation required buying mountains and constructing Cave Heaven and Blessed Land, which were unimaginably expensive.

A common cultivator having a hundred or so silver pieces was already considered wealthy.

Since ancient times, power and wealth went hand in hand. Cultivators looking to advance often needed to enter government offices or noble families to access resources for reaching the next realm.

Alternatively, they would gather disciples extensively, establish sects like Taiping Sect or Lu Ban Sect, occupy mountains, and have their disciples honor them.

Or else, relying on their abilities, they would operate businesses in places like Rouge Lane or Joy Forest.

Without these means, some resorted to murder, arson, and looting. Of course, these actions were not permitted by the court, and if they committed crimes, they often were pursued by the authorities and ended up as souls in the Ten Thousand Soul Banner.

For cultivators like Granny Sha, who lived an honest life without a source of income, they relied solely on conducting séances to make a meager living, barely enough to fill their stomachs, with no spare money.

"After paying off the debts, there’ll still be quite a bit left."

Looking at Chen Shi, Granny Sha felt a deep sense of satisfaction, akin to pride in a grandchild, and said, "Granny can’t go out like Green Sheep, that penniless fool. Your Uncle Green Sheep has no money for food and can nibble on some grass, but if Granny gets hungry, she can only drink cold water."

Chen Shi helped her onto the wooden cart, smiling, "Granny, haven’t you raised five ghosts? Why not let them bring you wealth?"

Sitting in the cart, Granny Sha saw that Chen Shi had laid down a soft, green cushion, presumably prepared specifically for her, which touched her deeply. She laughed and said, "My cultivation is about cultivating the Dao and also virtue; how can I engage in such morally corrupt practices?"

Chen Shi also sat in the cart, with Black Pot leading the way. The wooden cart gradually started, gaining speed, heading towards the southern lake.

At its peak speed, a breeze sprang up beneath the wheels, and the cart seemed to glide through the air, unfelt by any bumps.

Granny Sha marveled and leaned over to look down, asking, "Little Ten, what talisman are you using for this cart?"

"Still the Armored Horse Talisman and Godspeed Talisman."

Chen Shi explained, "I was worried about the long journey ahead, so I used Black Pot’s blood to trace it again."

Granny Sha looked ahead at Black Pot, her aging eyes twinkling, and said, "That dog, getting more powerful... Can you get me some Black Dog Blood? I want to experience what it’s like using Black Pot’s blood to set up an altar, to see how powerful it could be."

"How much do you need?"

"Not much, just a bucket."

Black Pot ran off as if its life depended on it, quickly disappearing from sight.

As evening approached, Black Pot stood at a distance, looking up at them, not daring to come closer.

Granny Sha complained, "The dog doesn’t even come to cook anymore."

They settled in Lingtai Town at the base of the Henggong Mountain range. Chen Shi went into town and bought several pounds of Spiritual Beast Meat as a treat for Black Pot, which finally dared to approach.

Recently, Black Pot’s appetite had increased, eating more and burning through it quickly.

Chen Shi took a small bowl of Black Dog Blood and handed it to Granny Sha, saying, "I see Black Pot is still growing. We shouldn’t take too much blood, nor too frequently, or it might not grow properly."

Granny Sha looked over and saw the dog, robust as a small calf and unexpectedly refusing to eat raw meat, standing up and breathing fire to roast it before eating, astonished, she remarked, "It’s so big, and still growing?"

"Only three years old."

Chen Shi said, "After this year, it’ll be four years old, of course, it still needs to grow."

Granny Sha called over the Ghost King, traced the talismans on the altar, and Chen Shi went to find the godmother of Lingtai Town. This town’s godmother had the head of a goat and the body of a human, donned in a Daoist robe, standing nearly eighteen feet tall, quite imposing.

Bathed often in moonlight, it gradually became infiltrated by an Evil Spirit, its mind turning violently malevolent. It seemed likely that within a few years, it would transform into an Evil Spirit.

Upon meeting, Chen Shi took it under his wing in his small temple, allowing it to aid his cultivation.

The goat-headed godmother, uneasy at first, but sitting in the shrine felt the influx of Heaven and Earth Righteous Qi purifying the Evil Qi within its body, experiencing an indescribable ease and clarity in its spiritual heart.

With its assistance, Chen Shi’s cultivation speed also significantly improved.