Above the Great Dao

Chapter 1239 579: Bandit Chief, Bandit No. 2

Zhang Xian took half of the Heavenly Soldiers from the Fire Camp, leaving six hundred Immortals behind. Although they were all outstanding individuals, when faced with the fiends releasing the Great Demon to assault the Heavenly Court, no one dared to claim they wouldn't reveal their weaknesses.

But after the Black Pot's awareness swept over them, everyone relaxed, feeling that even if they were meticulously chopped into pieces, it wouldn't matter much, and there was nothing to fear.

"My Dao Heart has never been so stable!" The same thought arose in their minds.

However, when the Black Pot tried to control Zhong Lin's Heart Spirit, it still couldn't make contact with his Spirit.

Zhong Lin's expression remained unchanged, showing no sign of emotion.

Chen Shi raised his hand to collect the broken piece of chain he had cut off, hiding it away. Then he flipped the chains on the ground, pressing the scarred side down.

Just as he finished, Zhong Lin's General, Wu Guanyun, had already arrived at the Demon Refining Well.

Wu Guanyun's cultivation was incomparably strong. As soon as he arrived, his presence caused everyone's hearts to skip a beat.

He had a dignified appearance, a square face, a circle of unkempt stubble on his chin, wearing a brocade robe, a jade belt around his waist, with rosy clouds rising above his head. Within the rosy glow stood a sword box glistening with golden light, an Azure Dragon coiled around it, spouting green light constantly entering the box.

Wu Guanyun scanned the area, seeing the chains everyone had pulled out. His eyes flickered, a smile appeared on his face, and as his gaze fell on the chains piled like a mountain, his smile grew broader. He said, "Gentlemen, it seems you have made a discovery."

Chen Shi bowed and said, "Please examine us, General. We discovered a Three Pure Ones Demon Refining Well. Most likely, the Great Demon within was purposely released to assault the Heavenly Court and destroy the Heavenly Mechanism Strategy."

Wu Guanyun's eyes landed on the cut surfaces of the chains and he asked, "Why do you say so?"

Chen Shi replied, "The Three Pure Ones Demon Refining Well appeared overnight. People nearby, even citizens throughout Huanxian Country, heard the wind howling at midnight. The next day, when they came out to look, they discovered this Demon Refining Well. We investigated and found these chains. The chains were cut, so we suspect the Great Demon inside was intentionally released."

Wu Guanyun nodded slightly and said, "Your analysis makes sense. Are you called Chen Shi? The one who killed Yin Fenglou?"

Chen Shi bowed slightly and replied, "Indeed, I am Chen Shi. I competed fairly with General Yin, but his cultivation and strength were truly formidable. In a life-and-death struggle, I accidentally killed him in a moment of mistake, though fortunately, the Heavenly Court knows I am innocent and pardons me."

Wu Guanyun gave him a deep look, smiled and said, "It's good that someone in the Heavenly Court appreciates you. Chen Shi, do you blame me for not appointing you as the General of the Fire Camp?"

"I don't dare," Chen Shi maintained his usual expression.

"Truly, to dare to kill General Yin publicly in Western Heaven Swing amidst countless immortals, you must be no small character even in the Mortal World. You must be a king of some realm, right?"

Chen Shi shook his head and said, "I don't dare to claim kingship, I'm merely the True King of Great Ming Colony in West Bull New Continent."

"Great Ming? That's long gone."

Wu Guanyun dismissed it indifferently, staring at the chain cuts, "Can you deduce anything from the cuts?"

Chen Shi responded, "The cuts are neat and uniform, indicating this strike used a technique from the Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture."

Zhong Lin, who had been listening on the side, felt a jolt in his heart, sensing trouble.

Wu Guanyun said, "So, who do you think the perpetrator is?"

"An Immortal!"

Chen Shi's expression remained unchanged, "This person must have once served in the Heavenly Soldier Camp and learned the Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture. Knowing the act of releasing the Great Demon from the Three Pure Ones Demon Refining Well couldn't be exposed, he dared not use his true skills. Most Immortals have learned the Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture, hence he used this Immortal Law to conceal his real methods."

"Your analysis is very good, very good..."

Wu Guanyun smiled, continuously watching Chen Shi's eyes, as if wanting to discern his true thoughts. But Chen Shi's expression remained constant, revealing nothing to Wu Guanyun.

"The perpetrator is truly bold."

Wu Guanyun sneered, "Trying to confuse matters with the Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture but such tricks aren't enough to fool me. Has General Zhang led the Fire Camp down already?"

"Yes."

Wu Guanyun beamed, "He is cautious, leaving you outside, but if anything happens inside, you can immediately assist and report to the Heavenly Court. However, with me here now, there's no need for such caution. You will follow me and descend into the Demon Refining Well!"

As the General, no one dared to disobey after he spoke.

Bai Fangfang, Xiao Dululu, and others were not scared at all, instead, they appeared quite pleased, as if following Wu Guanyun into the Demon Refining Well was a great thing.

Chen Shi saw this and thought, "The Black Pot has made them overly confident. If the Black Pot now ordered them to fight Wu Guanyun, they might actually take action immediately."

He was inclined not to go and said, "Lord Wu, I'll stay outside the well to guard against any unforeseen events, and also to call for aid from the Heavenly Court."

Wu Guanyun smiled, "No need. Follow me, perform well, and I'll promote you to General."

"Thank you, Lord Wu." Chen Shi bowed.

Everyone took to the air and entered the Demon Refining Well.

The Demon Refining Well is truly vast, and even with over six hundred Immortals entering it, they are like birds flying into the forest.

Everyone kept descending into the well. Wu Guanyun lagged behind, staying in the rear, and Chen Shi and Black Pot also stayed back, following Wu Guanyun.

The Heavenly Mechanism Scholar, Zhong Lin, followed beside Wu Guanyun.

Wu Guanyun glanced around and chuckled, "This Dog Immortal is Black Pot? Looks just like that big black dog causing chaos on the Immortal Slaying List!"

Chen Shi said, "All dogs look alike. The big black dog on the Immortal Slaying List, I have seen it before; it looks more like a dog, while Black Pot is an Immortal."

Wu Guanyun glanced at him and laughed, "Mr. Chen, you also look like the second person on the Immortal Slaying List. If you cover your face with divine light, you would look even more similar."

Zhong Lin, upon hearing this, felt a slight stir in his heart. He raised his hand to cover Chen Shi's face, observing only his demeanor, thinking, "Indeed, there's some resemblance to the second rogue on the Immortal Slaying List. The first rogue is a dog, and the second bears resemblance to Mr. Chen, then..."

Chen Shi calmly replied, "The Lord is joking. Black Pot and I have just ascended, passed the Heavenly Mechanism Strategy's induction, and joined Harmonization in the Heavenly Court, not rogues from the Immortal Slaying List."

Wu Guanyun laughed heartily, "I did not say you were the two rogues, no need to be nervous. It is said that those two rogues, a person, and a dog, stole the Dao Realm of five hundred Immortals, pilfered Earth Treasure Spirit Roots, as if entering an unguarded realm. They are notorious in the Earth Immortal Realm now. If anyone discovers a clue about them, they likely won't even know how they died."

Chen Shi's heart skipped a beat, "It's fine; my true identity is not exposed, but Black Pot has revealed his face. If we leave the Heavenly Court, we will surely be discovered."

Wu Guanyun continued, "Moreover, this person and this dog possess over five hundred Earth Treasure Spirit Roots. One Earth Treasure Spirit Root can sustain the life of an Immortal Monarch and help them through the Opening Tribulation. With over five hundred, they would surely lead to countless pursuits if their whereabouts were revealed."

He shifted his tone, smiling, "If I were them, the first choice is to escape the Earth Immortal Realm, to hide as far away as possible. The second choice is to hide within the Heavenly Court."

His gaze fell on Chen Shi's face, "The Heavenly Court's Immortals have just ascended; no one knows what they used to do. No victim dares search the Heavenly Court, so it's actually the safest place."

Chen Shi replied helplessly, "Lord Wu, I truly just joined Harmonization, and it was in the Heavenly Court."

"I never said you were those two rogues. Why so anxious?"

Wu Guanyun laughed heartily, looking at the chains emerging on the walls around, he said, "Earlier, Mr. Chen mentioned that this person must be an outsider, using the Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture to hide his true Daoist skill, so is it possible that this person could be from the Heavenly Court? There are not a few Immortals cultivating the Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture here."

Up ahead, Bai Fangfang chuckled softly, "It's self-incriminating..."

Black Pot hurriedly controlled her mind, preventing her from spilling words.

Chen Shi asked, "Lord Governor, what do you mean?"

Wu Guanyun replied, "The Heavenly Soldiers under King Li's command are all Immortals. You newly promoted Immortals have just begun cultivating the Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture, so you naturally cannot sever the chains. But if it were the Governor, the General, would they not be able to break the chains?"

Zhong Lin became a bit tense, trying to maneuver Heavenly Dao Divine Power, but with Wu Guanyun so close, any abnormal fluctuation in his Immortal Yuan would be detected! A Golden Immortal's strike would be fatal even for a Heavenly Mechanism Scholar!

Chen Shi asked, "Are you suggesting that the one who released the Great Demon that night might be one of King Li's men?"

Wu Guanyun lightly nodded.

Chen Shi asked, "Who does the Governor suspect?"

Wu Guanyun said with a smile, "I suspect every Governor and General. But before suspecting them, I suspect the one who stole over five hundred Earth Treasure Spirit Roots. Mr. Chen, do you think he has the means to break the chains?"

Zhong Lin was slightly shocked upon hearing this and looked towards Chen Shi.

Up ahead, Xiao Dululu exclaimed, "Do you mean that Chen Shi is the one who released the Great Demon? I also long suspected him... mmm!"

He wanted to speak, but a voice in his mind stopped him, and he was left red-faced.

Chen Shi said, "The Governor makes sense. Alas, I committed a capital crime then, detained in the Heavenly Prison; otherwise, I could have gone to the Heavenly Mechanism Mansion to see this treasure thief myself."

Wu Guanyun laughed heartily, "I just mentioned it in passing; why fret? Being detained in the Heavenly Prison, absent at the scene, actually raises suspicion…"

Veins appeared on Chen Shi's forehead.

Zhong Lin thought, "Lord Wu implies something; could it be that he is not the rogue?"

He began to doubt his own judgment.

At this point, they finally reached the bottom of the Demon Refining Well, which was exceptionally sultry. The Golden Ground Fire, accompanied by steam, revealed to their eyes a round, robust three-legged tripod, about several acres, with its lid already flung to the side.

The area around the Primordial Cauldron featured clasps attached with chains, but they had already been severed.

By the firelight, Chen Shi saw many identical three-legged tripods, these with chains still intact, never broken.

This Demon Refining Well hid hundreds of Great Demons!

Zhang Xian and the others, not far away, were inspecting these three-legged tripods. Upon seeing Chen Shi and the others, they were stunned but soon spotted Wu Guanyun and, overjoyed, hurried over.

Wu Guanyun, with a smile on his face, nodded remotely at Zhang Xian. Changing the subject, he laughed, "So Chen Shi, how did you know it was me who released the Great Demon?"