Above the Great Dao
Chapter 70 - 44 Sneaky Dog_2

Chapter 70: Chapter 44 Sneaky Dog_2

"They must be Xiao Wangsun’s accomplices!"

"Could they, the grandfather and grandson, have entered the thieves’ lair?"

Chen Shi lifted the red-clay cannon onto his shoulder, excitedly said, "I’ll be the gun mount, you load the black iron bullets and light the fire from behind, aiming at the distant mountain top!"

Li Tianqing was startled and hurriedly refused.

He lived in the city, and the children around him were just as well-mannered, all adhering to the aristocratic etiquette; how could they ever play with such things?

"Besides, black gunpowder is needed in the cannon chamber to blast it."

Li Tianqing reminded Chen Shi and said, "Now, the Divine Mechanism Camp has a new type of cartridge loaded with gunpowder, which is a cylindrical device with a mechanism and a firing pin on top. The bullets roll into the cannon from the muzzle and strike the firing pin, causing the gunpowder in the cartridge to explode and propel the black iron bullets. To fire again, you just remove the cartridge and replace it with another one, which is more convenient."

Chen Shi’s eyes sparkled with excitement, "Where can we get that?"

Li Tianqing shook his head and said, "This is the newest creation from the Divine Mechanism Camp; it’s not easily obtained. Using yourself as a gun mount is extremely dangerous; you can’t play like that."

"How should we play then?" Chen Shi asked humbly for advice.

Li Tianqing hesitated and said, "Perhaps we could have two Yellow Turban Warriors carry the red-clay cannon, which would save the need for a gun carriage. But I can’t paint the talismans..."

"I can!"

Chen Shi excitedly said, then hesitated, "But I don’t know how to handle black gunpowder..."

Li Tianqing said, "I do."

At this point, he somewhat regretted saying that. From Chen Shi’s expression, he knew once he had spoken, trouble was bound to follow.

Indeed, Chen Shi assigned him the task of handling the black gunpowder while he and the big dog huddled in the corner, whispering to each other. Then the big dog painfully allowed him to stab it with a knife.

Chen Shi then got ink, paper, inkstone, and cinnabar mixed with dog blood, activated the Three Light Righteous Qi Technique, and painted several dozen Yellow Turban Warrior Talismans in one go, exhibiting flawless skill. The shrine behind his head remained intact, and his True Qi was not exhausted.

"What magnificent True Qi!" Li Tianqing silently praised.

Li Tianqing had prepared the black gunpowder, knowing that materials were readily available at the Chen family. Chen Shi shouldered the red-clay cannon while Li Tianqing carried several black iron bullets the size of human heads, and the two young men sneaked out stealthily, followed by the Black Pot dog.

"You two little fellows, don’t run outside!"

Li Jindou’s voice came calling them back as he smilingly said, "I was just discussing with Old Brother Chen that Little Cheng Shi knows where the kiln factory is; let Cheng Shi take us there. Don’t carry out the red-clay cannon; be mindful not to be seen. After coming back from the kiln factory, you can continue your antics."

Chen Shi, utterly disappointed and unhappy, put back the red-clay cannon.

Li Tianqing was also quite dejected as he put back the black iron bullets in the dog’s den and suddenly became alert, "What’s happening to me? I’m here to investigate Uncle Qi’s disappearance, and this family seems suspicious; they might be the river and sea thieves in league with Xiao Wangsun. How did I get so confused and start playing with cannons with Chen Shi?"

He discretely reminded himself never to be misled.

Chen Shi packed up and left the house with his book basket. Li Jindou called out, "Tianqing, hurry up and follow!"

Li Tianqing quickly adjusted his mood and hurried after Chen Shi.

Though he was mature beyond his years, he was still a child at heart, and soon he had left his prior caution behind, chatting and laughing with Chen Shi, and bursting into laughter when he heard the interesting tales of the countryside, his heart yearned for more.

As they entered the forest, they saw it was lush and dense, with a strange, thick fog drifting only at chest height, flickering denser in some areas and lighter in others, with no fog below or above the chest.

They walked in the mist, the surrounding area devoid of the clamor of birds and insects, becoming incredibly silent, allowing them to hear their own heartbeats and breaths.

Li Tianqing even felt that this piece of forest had a sacred feeling, solemn and majestic.

Occasionally, they could hear a wondrous sound, low and prolonged, as if the mountain was whispering.

Chen Shi slowed his pace and came to a huge ancient vine, which had a tattered red cloth strip tied around it, ready to break upon touch.

Chen Shi set down his book box, tore off the red cloth strip, took out a new one from the box and tied it up, and then took out an incense stick, lit it, and planted it in front of the ancient vine.

It was then that Li Tianqing noticed that someone had arranged rocks into a circle in front of the vine’s roots, where traces of incense burning had been left.

Li Jindou whispered, "Tianqing, Heavenly Eye Talisman."

Li Tianqing quickly took out the Heavenly Eye Talisman, activated the talisman, and at that moment, a different world belonging to the mountain appeared before his eyes.

On that ancient vine sat a little girl in red, slowly nodding at Chen Shi, accepting his incense fire.

The incense fire Qi drifted upwards, absorbed by the girl in red, transforming into an extraordinary force and condensing into a form.

The form of this girl in red wasn’t too clear, touched by the mountain breeze, it seemed as if it would disperse.

After finishing this, Chen Shi led them deeper into the forest.

Not far after, he stopped in front of a stone statue lying between the rocks and soil of the mountain, the statue was huge, with its exposed part being taller than a man.

In front of the statue was also a circle made of stones, with a red cloth strip tied around one of the statue’s fingers.

Chen Shi replaced the red cloth strip and offered incense to the statue.

Li Tianqing noticed that this statue’s extraordinary force had also formed a form, showing a chubby baby, smiling happily seated on the statue’s head, receiving his incense.

Following Chen Shi into the forest, they saw that in this ancient deep mountain, majestic old trees, rugged strange rocks, and old ruins all had extraordinary forces condensed into forms.

Chen Shi offered incense and replaced red cloth strips for them. As they walked through the tranquil forest, no mutant beasts attacked, which was quite peculiar.

"Little Ten, what are you doing?" Li Tianqing couldn’t help his curiosity and asked.

"These are our villagers’ paths into the mountain,"

Chen Shi straightened up and said, "And there are also some travelers who often take this route, carrying mountain goods to sell in the towns and cities. By tying red ropes on these trees and statues, they won’t get lost."

Li Tianqing suddenly understood, then asked, "What about the incense?"

"The incense is food for the tree spirits, it shows reverence."

Chen Shi said, "The spirits, after receiving the incense, will protect the people walking on this mountain path. No wild beasts will invade, and no bandits will harm. If by chance it gets dark, one can hide near the red-ribboned places, and the spirits will protect the travelers from Evil Spirits."

"Does it work? Their forms are so weak." Li Tianqing was puzzled.

"It works."

Chen Shi looked at each spirit along the mountain path, his face calm and his eyes filled with love for this mountain, "Once I was playing too long in the mountains and forgot the time. It was dark when I noticed and I hurried home. An Evil caught up with me, and I hid under that tree. The tree spirit protected me, fought desperately with the Evil and got shredded. It was only when grandfather found me that I was saved."

——On July 1st at midnight, the Great Path will be promptly updated. Hope all my brothers will support, house-pig thanks you!

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