Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Golden Inscription of the Earth Palace

A streak of crimson light cut across the sky, winding its way through the layered clouds above Yang Mountain, trailing a long, dazzling tail of flame. Upon closer inspection, the red light revealed itself to be a magical conveyance—Cloud-Chasing Flying Boat. Inside the vessel, a boy of thirteen or fourteen laughed loudly, his words arrogant and unrestrained.

"Seventh Uncle's Yang Mountain is such fun! Old Deng, you've never come here with me before, so you don't know its wonders; that's why you look so dull and lost."

The boy's eyes were bright and round, his skin plump and fresh—clearly extraordinary, possessing the breath of the womb and the innate sense of qi, a sign of those who had entered the gate of the pre-celestial path. Yet his speech carried a lewd undertone, which, paired with his not-so-great age, made him seem peculiarly unsettling.

"Of all my many uncles, the most enlightened is this Seventh Uncle... Now that you've attained womb-breathing, you're one of us; I'll tell you plainly: when I was still a fledgling, it was Seventh Uncle who let me taste flesh for the first time."

The boy chuckled and drew close to a man in his early forties, whose plain features marked him as nothing special, yet he spoke to him intimately:

"You don't know the marvels of Seventh Uncle's little Jade. These past months she's been confined, and I’ve missed her terribly! Her charms in bed are unmatched; even the new wife of Censor Sun can't compare. Though a voluptuous matron has her own allure, she’s nothing next to little Jade!"

At these words, the surrounding attendants joined in with laughter and applause—except for "Old Deng," whose face betrayed a hint of displeasure.

"Old Deng," whose full name was Deng Zhongzhi, served as the boy's personal attendant. Their relationship was close, far exceeding the ordinary bounds of master and servant.

"Er Lang, you've attained womb-breathing and I should celebrate you; it delights me, but you must not insult your Seventh Uncle so. The Daoist of Yang Mountain is sworn brothers with your father; his cultivation in the sixth stage of qi refinement is second only to your father's."

Deng Zhongzhi cast a cold glance at the laughing attendants; his gaze was like a bolt of icy lightning, making their skin prickle with pain. The laughter ceased abruptly.

He then turned to the boy, lowered his voice, and spoke gently:

"Your father is about to attempt the usurpation of the throne. If he succeeds, the realm of Rong will belong to the Tong family—a fortune lasting centuries, benefiting generations to come! Er Lang, now more than ever, you must not offend the Daoist of Yang Mountain or provoke his displeasure. The Tong family's great affairs still require his help; any extra support is invaluable."

"Haven’t we treated him well enough?!"

Deng Zhongzhi's persuasion made the boy blush, feeling humiliated before the others. Instead, his temper flared.

"If not for my father's rescue, wouldn't the Daoist of Yang Mountain have long been killed by those rogue cultivators? And this Yang Mountain foundation—without my father's guidance, how could he have shattered the gold body of that divine white fox? And that page of the ‘Golden Tome of Earth Abyss’—he’s not even of the Tong family, my father—"

At this, Deng Zhongzhi’s face changed drastically; he hurriedly covered the boy’s mouth.

That page of the "Golden Tome of Earth Abyss" was a matter of utmost secrecy, never to be spoken of in public. Deng Zhongzhi had been warned countless times, but the boy, reckless in temperament, was quick to complain.

---

Deng Zhongzhi enjoyed the full trust of the Tong family patriarch.

The pillar-general, now on the verge of seizing the throne, regarded him as a brother and kept nothing from him, even the deepest secrets.

Thus, Deng Zhongzhi knew that the "Golden Tome of Earth Abyss" was not the sole possession of the Tong patriarch; he had merely been favored by fate and could barely be called a fortunate one.

The Daoist of Yang Mountain was likewise among the chosen...

This all began when the Tong patriarch, in a minor secret realm, happened to save the Daoist of Yang Mountain, who was also seeking fortune.

In truth, the patriarch had not intended to perform a good deed, but rather hoped that should trouble arise later, he could use the Daoist as a scapegoat to buy himself a chance at survival.

But the two proceeded with caution, reaching the end without mishap.

Yet the opportunity at the heart of this secret realm was not talismans, treasures, ancient texts, or powerful magical artifacts.

It was merely a page of golden script—

The golden page contained an uncommon Daoist technique, meant for refining the body externally.

There was a small annotation below, stating which section and page of the "Golden Tome of Earth Abyss" it was. It warned that if one transmitted the teaching privately without the Dao Court’s permission, the penalty would be severe—banishment to the Underworld to suffer ten thousand cycles of cold and heat.

At the time, the Tong patriarch and the Daoist of Yang Mountain hurriedly memorized the golden script. The page then shone brightly and vanished, slipping into the void without a trace.

The patriarch had considered murder, but witnessing such a supernatural event, he restrained himself, instead showing goodwill and forming a sworn brotherhood with the Daoist.

Since the patriarch already had five brothers, the Daoist wisely did not assert his seniority and humbly took the seventh rank.

Afterward, the patriarch’s murderous intent faded; on occasion, he even offered guidance, such as in the campaign against the divine white fox of Yang Mountain, where he played a vital role.

Yet that golden page remained impenetrable.

The patriarch had tried to recite the page to Deng Zhongzhi and his brothers, but the words came out muddled and incomprehensible.

Even when written down, the characters appeared clear to the patriarch, but to others, they were indecipherable scribbles, like ghostly runes.

After several such attempts, the patriarch gave up, his reverence for the mysterious Dao Court only deepening.

...

Deng Zhongzhi knew the "Golden Tome of Earth Abyss" was a secret never to be spoken aloud, so when the boy babbled recklessly, he paid no heed to rank or decorum, rushing to silence him.

---

"Er Lang!"

Deng Zhongzhi’s gaze was stern. "No more!"

Chastened by the rebuke, the boy realized he had spoken out of turn and closed his mouth awkwardly.

"These attendants can’t be kept!"

Deng Zhongzhi swept his gaze around, secretly steeling himself.

Yet soon, suspicion crept in.

The Cloud-Chasing Flying Boat had hovered in the sky for some time, so why had no one come out to greet them?

Though it was his first visit to Yang Mountain, he had heard of the Daoist’s wanton indulgence, but now the mountains below seemed utterly lifeless.

Within the cave dwelling,

Chen Heng gripped the Thunderfire Pearl, ready to step out, when suddenly Tu Shan Ge’s urgent voice rang in his mind.

"Can you handle him?"

Chen Heng frowned at the question.

"Master, let me use illusion to stall them—do not act! That boy’s father is the pillar-general of Rong, his qi refinement surpasses even the Daoist of Yang Mountain. Do not act rashly!"

Through the magical contract, Tu Shan Ge and Chen Heng could communicate directly by thought. The fox was anxious:

"Master, do not kill him!"

After waiting a moment and receiving no response from Chen Heng, Tu Shan Ge finally relaxed.

He then summoned Tu Shan Zhuang, the most adept at transformations, whispered instructions, and the two foxes nervously stepped out of the divine realm.

"What a display..."

Though prepared, Tu Shan Ge was startled when he saw the flying boat hovering in midair.