Yellow Skinned Taoist Master

Chapter 179: Where is the Mud Body Hidden?

"A Gui, what do you think?"

"It doesn't look like shedding skin/molting, but rather looks more like..."

The Life-reaping Ghost hesitated, eventually saying: "I cannot articulate the Contract Master's current condition. Golden Horn, what is your viewpoint?"

Hearing these words.

Golden Horn rolled its eyes, its pair of paws wildly gesturing toward Chen Huangpi.

And with this gesturing.

Chen Huangpi's expression instantly became exceptionally spectacular.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

Chen Huangpi said furiously: "Golden Horn, do not spout nonsense and babble eight-ways, otherwise I will get angry!"

"Contract Master, what exactly did Golden Horn say!?""It said..."

Chen Huangpi hesitated for a moment, grinding his teeth as he said: "It said I am pinched/molded out of mud, therefore upon being soaked in water I cracked open. It's simply absurd, unreasonable, and utterly outrageous."

"Huangpi Daddy, I didn't lie to you."

Golden Horn anxiously and urgently gestured: "The moment you were soaked by that river water, the smell of earth and mud upon your body immediately surged out! That broken lamp and cheap ghost merely suppressed me slightly in the past; after being forced by Guanzhu to consume so many evil spirits, I am long since completely different from before!"

"If you do not believe it, then soak in this water a bit longer! When that time comes, the cracking patterns upon your body might perhaps turn into gaping fissures!"

"And then?"

"Already cracked to that degree, what 'and then' could there possibly still be!?"

"..."

Chen Huangpi possessed no words to say.

He absolutely didn't believe Golden Horn's words.

He possessed blood and possessed flesh; how could he possibly be pinched out of mud?

Furthermore, he was originally innate afraid of water; how could he possibly run to the river to soak a bit longer?

Compared to this, he would rather believe he was about to shed his skin.

That he was about to reveal his true form.

Moreover, even if numerous fine cracking patterns had appeared upon his body.

His strength had not suffered any impact whatsoever, nor did he feel any unsuitability/discomfort.

It definitely must be because he drank too much river water, stretching himself until he cracked.

"Let this matter end here for now. We will discuss it further after returning to the Temple."

Chen Huangpi was unwilling to continue wrangling over this topic, immediately beginning to don his clothes anew.

During this short period of time while he was dressing.

The Brass Oil Lamp and the Life-reaping Ghost, however, privately deliberated between themselves.

"Huang Er, the Evil Daoist commanded the Contract Master to come to this river to find the fishing rod. Upon coming into contact with this water, the Contract Master turned into this appearance. If you claim there is no connection between the two, then I absolutely do not believe it."

"Are you suspecting the Evil Daoist is scheming against Chen Huangpi!?"

"I dare not think so, but I sense the Contract Master's physical body is indeed unnatural/wrong; it truly feels exactly as if pinched from mud. Yet Guanzhu stated he was an egg, moreover an egg born toward death; he has never genuinely been born."

Hearing these words, the Brass Oil Lamp spoke thoughtfully/pensively: "Because he is dead. Everything Guanzhu has done was for the sake of bringing him back alive. The older he grows, the faster he comes alive, up until he crosses the hurdle of eighteen years old—then he will become the true Chen Huangpi."

"You mean to say, the current Contract Master is a fake!?"

"I genuinely don't know."

The Brass Oil Lamp shook its head in vexation: "When I met him for the first time, he was already roughly of a two or three-year-old appearance. Even within the memories of my clone lantern, back then he was merely an egg."

"I absolutely do not possess any memories of him breaking out of his shell, or memories of him being incubated/hatched by Guanzhu."

"I understand your meaning."

The Life-reaping Ghost's expression carried a sudden flash of realization, yet it fundamentally still felt the Brass Oil Lamp's line of thought was somewhat overly absurd.

What the Brass Oil Lamp meant was.

Since Chen Huangpi had not successfully been born, then perhaps the current him was actually merely his consciousness running out, hiding within this physical shell before their eyes.

"A hundred thousand deities ground to fine powder."

The Brass Oil Lamp stated faintly: "Chen Huangpi told me that within that little fox's memories, there existed such a scene. I previously thought Guanzhu creating gods was for the sake of feeding Chen Huangpi, but thinking upon it now, perhaps it was for the sake of forging a physical shell for him."

"If it genuinely is so, then..."

The Life-reaping ghost paused, only then speaking: "Then where exactly is the Contract Master's true body hidden!?"

These words thoroughly and completely stumped the Brass Oil Lamp with the question.

Right now, it increasingly believed Chen Huangpi's physical shell was not his true body.

But as for his true body, or perhaps phrasing it another way, where exactly that egg was hidden...

This matter was also not something it possessed the capability to know.

Even if it knew, without Guanzhu's permission, it wouldn't dare speak it out loud.

At this moment in time.

Chen Huangpi had also finished donning his clothes.

He stood upon the riverbank, lowering his head to gaze at his own reflection within the water.

The him within the water still appeared somewhat pale and ashen.

That was caused by drinking too much water and soaking within the water for far too long.

Upon the surface of his skin indeed existed some exceptionally, supremely fine cracking patterns. Those patterns were exceedingly faint; without staring fixatedly at them, one wouldn't even be able to discover them at all.

Yet if one looked carefully, they would feel these cracking patterns somehow inexplicably added a distinct, separate charm to Chen Huangpi.

Ancient, desolate.

Invoking an indescribable sense of reverence.

Just exactly like the reverence and panic a totally unarmed and defenseless person would feel when facing a perilous, treacherous, and deeply unknown primeval expanse.

"Don't say it, looking at it actually feels quite pleasing to the eye."

Chen Huangpi muttered a sentence, then cast his gaze toward the surface of this river.

This was the world reflected by the River of Weak Water.

But after being dragged into this place, that stone stele Chen Huangpi had previously seen vanished without a trace.

Here it was ten thousand miles of clear sky.

The river water was also not that deep, and not nearly as broad and boundless.

Casting a glance toward the bottom of the water, one could even see fish swimming within the water.

It was a very large fish, a whole three zhang long; its body even broader than the span of Chen Huangpi's fully extended arms.

Chen Huangpi stared at the fish swimming in the water.

Those fish were also staring right back at him.

Furthermore, this fish did not fear humans; swishing its tail, it swam straight toward Chen Huangpi.

Swimming faster and faster, faster and faster.

"Why does this fish grow a human face!?" Chen Huangpi widened his eyes: "No, this fish actually possesses a cultivation base! Is this a demonic beast!?"

Splash!

That fish possessing a human face burst out from the water's surface, snapping open jaws a bloody cavern filled with crisscrossing canine teeth, and viciously bit downward toward Chen Huangpi.

Merely, this human-faced fish found the wrong target.

How could Chen Huangpi possibly allow it to take a bite? With a backhand flip, he clamped down precisely upon its neck.

This fish was still struggling, madly attempting to bite Chen Huangpi like a lunatic.

As if it had gone entirely mad from starvation.

Thud!!!

Chen Huangpi absolutely did not hesitate half a speck. Swinging a fist, he delivered a heavy blow precisely onto the crown of this fish's head, directly smashing its skull apart, bursting brain matter out everywhere.

"Huang Er, quickly start a fire; I'm hungry."

"Chen Huangpi, can this fish be eaten!?"

"If you remove the head, it can be eaten."

Chen Huangpi ripped the head off this fish, casually tossing it back into the river.

He genuinely was hungry right now.

To speak accurately, all the contents of his stomach had been vomited out. If he didn't eat something, it would always feel as if something was lacking.

As for exactly why this fish possessed a cultivation base.

Chen Huangpi oppositely couldn't be bothered to ponder over it.

In winter, fish were at their plumpest and most delicious; moreover, they nourished Yin and replenished Qi, possessing the efficacy of invigorating Yang.

Unable to stubbornly argue against Chen Huangpi, the Brass Oil Lamp had no choice but to start a fire.

Thus, one person, one lamp, one ghost, and one dog.

These four entities began roasting fish beside this river.

Merely, the Brass Oil Lamp only consumed lamp oil; the Life-reaping Ghost was even further reduced to merely a skeleton frame.

The only one capable of fighting over food with Chen Huangpi was Golden Horn.

Yet the evil spirits inside Golden Horn's stomach had not completely digested.

Right now, at the mere mention of 'eating' it felt like vomiting; naturally it wouldn't strive to fight over it with Chen Huangpi.

A small half of the fish entered Chen Huangpi's stomach.

"Don't say it, this fish truly is rather delicious."

Chen Huangpi let out a satisfied belch, saying contentedly: "I need to bring the remainder back for Master to eat! Such a massive fish, Master has definitely never seen such a thing; when that time comes he will surely praise my filial piety."

"Indeed, Guanzhu is merely an insignificant Dao Lord, what knowledge/experience could he possibly possess!?"

The Brass Oil Lamp spoke with sarcastic, eccentric tones: "Such a massive fish, even possessing Nascent Soul cultivation base! Upon seeing it Guanzhu will certainly pale in shock! Perhaps he might even be frightened out of his wits by this fish!"

Chen Huangpi said displeased: "In the past there existed these kinds of fish, but after the Heaven and Earth Mutation they completely vanished."

After the Heaven and Earth Mutation, spiritual qi vanished.

There no longer existed the so-called essence monsters and spiritual beasts (精怪灵兽).

The fish within the rivers naturally couldn't possibly grow this massive.

At the very least, across all these years Chen Huangpi had spent within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, he hadn't seen such things.

And precisely right at this moment.

Chen Huangpi suddenly sensed something in his heart, casting a gaze toward his back.

"Someone is coming."

The Brass Oil Lamp furrowed its nonexistent brows: "Furthermore, possessing cultivation. Could they perhaps hail from those locations where curling kitchen smoke rose previously?"

Chen Huangpi had only awakened a short moment ago.

Naturally he was unaware that after going ashore, the Brass Oil Lamp and the Life-reaping Ghost had already conducted a rough reconnaissance of the nearby vicinity.

"Huang Er, use the Concealment Divine Ability."

Chen Huangpi hurriedly said: "This place is bizarre and strange; we shouldn't expose ourselves. It's better to observe the situation first before deciding."

These words held reason; the Brass Oil Lamp naturally possessed no objections.

In merely an instant's worth of effort, Chen Huangpi and the others were covered within the Brass Oil Lamp's Concealment Divine Ability. Not half a speck of aura leaked out, as if they had faded completely into the void.

Da da da...

Footsteps gradually rang out.

Very quickly, Chen Huangpi beheld a little girl wearing tattered and torn clothing, her hair tied in twin braids, walking over.

That little girl possessed Golden Core cultivation base.

Her skin was smooth and clean, as delicate and refined as a porcelain doll.

But within her hands she carried a vegetable basket covered by a lotus leaf, looking exactly as if she were out tending to farming duties.

Walking to the riverbank, the little girl first cast a vigilant, guarded glance toward her surroundings, only then muttering: "The Village Chief said many evil spirits disguised as humans ran inside here, even forbidding me from coming out to deliver food to Daddy and the others. But I won't listen! Daddy and Second Uncle and the rest will protect me!"

Hidden in the shadows.

Listening to the voice of this little girl, Chen Huangpi couldn't help but say in a low voice: "This Village Chief is probably not talking about me."

Although he was the Emperor of Evil Spirits.

He wasn't an evil spirit. Of course, he also wasn't human.

Therefore, this definitely wasn't talking about him.

The Brass Oil Lamp said: "Could it be discussing those monks!?"

"Possible..."

Chen Huangpi pointed toward the sun overhead, saying: "The cyclic laws of day and night in this place belong to the old heaven and earth. Moreover, this place possesses spiritual qi. If I haven't misjudged, this little girl should be an Ancient Cultivator. To Ancient Cultivators, the cultivators of the current heaven and earth indeed absolutely count as evil spirits."

Those monks' cultivation wasn't sufficient.

Chen Huangpi, at any rate, had still struggled within the whirlpool for quite a long while.

Whereas the monks were from the absolute very beginning immediately swept into this underwater world.

If those people were still alive, appearing a step faster and being discovered could absolutely be reasoned out.

However, Chen Huangpi also held some slight confusion: "Didn't this little girl come to deliver food to her family? Why would she run to this place? Here, besides us, there's only the river. Could it be her family are fishermen, and will shortly row a boat back!?"

Exactly as he was speaking, he witnessed that little girl extract a whistle crafted from a finger bone out of the vegetable basket. Placing it by her mouth and pouring true essence (真元) within, she began blowing it directly toward the crystal-clear river surface.

Very quickly, the river surface rippled.

As if some massive object was about to emerge from the water.

The little girl also put away the finger bone whistle, took down the lotus leaf covering the vegetable basket, and withdrew one pale-yellow rice ball after another.

"Daddy, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, Fourth Uncle; Yaya has come to deliver food for you."

Splash, splash, splash...

Three Nascent Soul Realm human-faced fish drilled out from within the water.

The little girl asked in perplexity: "Second Uncle, Third Uncle, Fourth Uncle, where did Daddy go?"