On the Avenue.

Chapter 673 A Gentleman’s Revenge Never Ends

Li Tianwang's heart skipped a beat, a bad feeling rising within him. He quickly stood up and called out from afar with a smile, "Chen Tianbing is back? Who is Chen Tianbing burning incense for? Come here quickly!"

Last time, when he escorted the Mud Pagoda Divine Tree to the Heavenly Court, he was attacked by many Great Luo Golden Immortals and was seriously injured. He has been recuperating ever since, and his injuries have not yet healed, with many wounds on his body.

He was originally a disciple of Dipankara Buddha, a Buddhist who attained godhood in his physical body and also cultivated the path of immortality.

In the realm of mortal immortals, those who cultivate in this way, being both gods and immortals, have a special name: those who achieve sainthood through physical body.

The word "saint" here refers to the practice of immortals and gods cultivating together to transcend the mortal realm and attain sainthood.

Qi cultivators who achieve physical immortality often possess powerful bodies and extremely strong recovery abilities. Li Tianwang should have recovered from his injuries long ago, but unfortunately, the people who attacked him this time were all at the level of Great Luo Golden Immortals, causing his injuries to linger until now.

Chen Shi walked towards the command platform and said, "King Li, I'm talking to my godmother! Godmother, you must stand up for me and not let that person off lightly... Please forgive me, King Li, I'll just talk to you for a bit and then come over... I almost died at the hands of that villain. Especially on Mount Ling, if I'm not careful, the Great World Honored One probably won't let me off either..."

Beads of sweat appeared on Li Tianwang's forehead as he listened to Chen Shi's detailed accusations from below the command platform. Although Chen Shi did not explicitly name him as the person in the accusations, Li Tianwang could tell from Chen Shi's words that he was the one in question.

After an incense stick had burned out, Chen Shi stopped complaining, stepped onto the command platform, bowed to Li Tianwang, and said, "Your Majesty, I was ordered by Your Majesty to go to the Wufang World to investigate the truth behind the destruction of the Wufang and other worlds. I have now discovered the culprit, who was the Great Bright King of Lingshan who underwent tribulation. His secular name was Zijing. Because he transferred his own tribulation to the four worlds of Sanyuan, Tailai, Wufang, and Liuli, causing the extinction of all beings in the four realms, he was suppressed in Lingshan."

Upon hearing this, Li Tianwang nodded repeatedly, feeling somewhat surprised and uncertain: "He actually escaped from the supernatural powers of the Great Bright King who had undergone tribulation!"

He had heard from his sect that the Hermit of the Purple Thorn was about to become the Great King of Freedom through Tribulations at Mount Ling, which was why he had the idea of ​​sending Chen Shi to the Sanyuan or Tailai worlds. News from Mount Lingjiu indicated that the Hermit of the Purple Thorn's emergence from seclusion had caused some wondrous changes in these two worlds, which were mired in death. It was very likely that the Hermit of the Purple Thorn's power of eternal freedom through countless tribulations had been reactivated.

If Chen Shi were to go there, he would inevitably be caught up in the supernatural powers and perish there.

In this way, Chen Shi's death would be unrelated to Li Tianwang. He would neither offend Houtu Huangdiqi, Dongwanggong, and others, and he could also complete the task assigned to him by the Jade Emperor, achieving the best of both worlds.

I never expected that Chen Shi would actually come back alive!

Before he could process the news, Chen Shi continued, "So I stormed into Mount Ling and executed the Great Bright King who had undergone countless tribulations, as a warning to others. I also spoke righteously and solemnly, warning the Great World-Honored One Tathagata, proclaiming that the Heavenly King was just in enforcing the law, and that he should not give the Heavenly King any leverage over him."

Li Tianwang mumbled something and nodded repeatedly, then suddenly realized what he had done and exclaimed, "What? You killed the Purple Thorn Hermit?"

His mind was in turmoil, still reeling from Chen Shi's intrusion into Lingshan and his killing of the Great Ming King. He couldn't process what followed.

Just as he was about to process this information, Chen Shi's next words entered his mind, making him realize what was going on.

Li Tianwang's golden wounds nearly burst open, and his old injuries flared up on the spot, almost sending him to his death. He stammered, "I enforce the law impartially and warn the Great World Honored One, you'd better not give me any leverage over you?"

Chen Shi said solemnly, "I was just proclaiming this to the Great World Honored One. The Great World Honored One said that he would keep in mind Senior Brother Li's teachings and would definitely visit him when he had time to listen to Senior Brother Li expound the Heavenly Laws and Principles of the Heavenly Court."

Li Tianwang said blankly, "Hmm, you spoke very well, very well..."

Chen Shi said, "I see that he seems a little unconvinced. I suppose he admits it verbally but is not convinced in his heart. When he goes to investigate, the Heavenly King will surely teach him a lesson."

"Okay, I understand."

Li Tianwang said, "You have made great contributions, go and rest... Wait a minute! The Great Heavenly Venerable wants you dead... Never mind, you can go now."

Disturbed and confused, he waved Chen Shi away, thinking to himself, "Although the Great Celestial Venerable wants Chen Shi dead, he won't do it himself. The Great Celestial Venerable intends for me to do it, as he doesn't want to alienate Houtu Huangdiqi and the others. So he's making me the bad guy. I failed in this task, therefore the fault lies with me..."

Suddenly, he shuddered: "What was that kid Chen Shi whispering about with Houtu Huangdiqi earlier? He probably already knows my intentions, which is why he mentioned my name in front of the Tathagata Buddha."

Meanwhile, on the Xuanhuang Sea, in the Ruizhu Palace, a female immortal received an imperial decree from the Earth Goddess Houtu, leading a water-avoiding jade unicorn to her side. She mounted the unicorn, which shook its head and wagged its tail, and left the Heavenly Palace, heading towards the Southern Heavenly Sea of ​​the Earthly Immortal Realm.

Upon arriving in the Southern Heaven, there is a place where the sky, the sea, and the earth meet, containing the spiritual energy of heaven, earth, and humanity, forming the Three Realms Sacred Land.

This place is a convergence of three energies, a paradise and a blessed land everywhere, with many immortals. There is also an extraordinary power formed by the incense smoke, which gathers from countless worlds in the Xuanhuang Sea and goes in the same direction.

Following the extraordinary power, the female immortal of Ruizhu Palace encountered many questioning attempts along the way. The female immortal showed the decree from the goddess, and the soldiers then let her pass.

The female immortal observed the surroundings and saw that in this sacred place, there was a large army of immortals and gods, numbering in the tens of thousands. They were all elite soldiers and generals who would occasionally descend to the mortal realm in response to imperial decrees to subdue demons and monsters in various places.

There was also a large army in the sky, all of them were demon immortals, with strange and fierce appearances, but they were well-trained and skilled in battle.

There was also a large army on the land route, but they were demonic cultivators, each one of them ferocious and vicious, not like good people. The way they looked at the female immortal was as if they wanted to devour her alive.

"He really is a troublemaker. No wonder Her Majesty sent me to see him."

The female immortal arrived before the three altars, which were the altars of Heaven, Earth, and Man, receiving offerings from the gods of Heaven, the deities of Earth, and the people of Man. On the central altar of Man, a great god sat cross-legged, with three heads and six arms, a vertical eye between his eyebrows, and a fire-tipped spear lying across his knee.

Behind his head was a red wheel like a full moon, containing the Great Luo Dao Realm, with two fire wheels on either side and a fiery red dragon coiling around him.

The female immortal stepped forward, took out the imperial edict from the goddess, and said, "Great God of the Three Altars and Seas, the Imperial Earth has decreed this to you."

The great deity was enormous, absorbing the incense offerings of the Three Realms to cultivate an aura of divinity and immortality. He raised his hand to summon the Empress's decree, examined it carefully, and exclaimed in surprise, "My father's exquisite golden pagoda is no longer in his possession? When did this happen? He has so many enemies, yet no one informed me!"

He was both surprised and delighted. He stood up, his divine power and immortal power surging around him, and laughed, "Wouldn't it be very dangerous for him without the exquisite golden pagoda? As his child, how could I sit idly by and watch my father go through such danger?"

He grabbed the Fire-Tipped Spear, stepped on the Wind-Fire Wheels, the red wheels flew up and transformed into the Universe Ring, the fire dragon flew over and transformed into the Chaos Ribbon, and they rushed straight to the Heavenly Court in a whirlwind.

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty!"

His voice carried from afar, "I will first repay my father's kindness in raising me, and then come to thank the Empress!"

The female immortal laughed and said, "What a mischievous devil you are."

After Chen Shi returned, Li Tianwang's old injury relapsed. After resting for a few more days, his injury was just healed when he immediately contacted his senior brother at Lingjiu Mountain to inquire about the situation there.

When he heard that countless monks had died or been injured during the ordeal of the Great Bright King at Mount Ling, his face turned ashen.

"How many monks from Mount Ling have Chen Shi killed? Will the Great World-Honored One hold me accountable?"

As he was thinking, a voice suddenly rang out from beyond the heavens, sending chills down his spine: "Father! Father! Your son is back! I was frantic with worry when I heard you were injured, so I rushed here without stopping. Father, where is your exquisite golden pagoda? I'm itching to go inside again and enjoy it!"

Li Tianwang reached out to lift the exquisite golden pagoda, only to remember that the pagoda had been taken back by Dipankara Buddha, and his expression changed instantly.

"Can't produce it, huh? Li Jing!"

……

Chen Shi returned to the Heavenly Soldiers' Camp, looking for the black pot, but found it missing, and was extremely worried. "A while ago, a True Lord came with a dog. The dog transformed into a Taoist dog, and when the Black Immortal saw the Taoist dog, he followed him away."

The brilliant scholar Zhong Lin said to Chen Shi, "He hasn't returned yet."

"True Lord, you dog Taoist?" Chen Shi was taken aback.

“I heard that Zhenjun is the nephew of the Jade Emperor, the Great Heavenly Venerable. He came from the ancestral temple of Shenzhou and is most likely going back to guard the ancestral temple.”

Chen Shi felt a little relieved. He had never been to the ancestral temple and didn't know what it was like there.

"If I have time, I must go to the ancestral temple and see it for myself."

After a brief rest, Chen Shi immediately went to the Eastern Heavenly Palace to request an audience with the Eastern King.

When the Eastern King saw him, he laughed and said, "Fellow Daoist Chen, it's been several months. Where have you been?"

Chen Shi was trapped in the Wufang World, repeatedly sinking into the supernatural power of eternal freedom through countless tribulations, each sinking lasting thirteen years. However, that was within the supernatural power; in the outside world, only a few months had actually passed.

Chen Shi's face fell, and he said, "Your Majesty, Li Tianwang wants to kill me! Your Majesty, please do me justice!"

The Eastern King's expression changed drastically: "When did this happen?"

Chen Shi recounted how Li Tianwang had sent him to the Wufang World, then wiped away his tears and said, "I am His Majesty's immortal. Li Tianwang has been plotting to kill me. This is disrespecting His Majesty and treating him like dirt!"

Dongwanggong raised his hand and said, "Stop talking! Li Tianwang knows I am your backer, yet he still attacked you. I will certainly not let him off easily! His third son holds a position in the Three Altars Sea Assembly and is the Grand Marshal of the Southern Heavenly Army. He has always been at odds with Li Tianwang. If he finds out that Li Tianwang's Exquisite Pagoda has been lost, he will definitely come to take his life!"

Chen Shi hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, to be honest, my godmother was very angry when she heard about what happened to me, and has already sent someone to invite this Great God of the Three Altars and Seas. Why doesn't Your Majesty choose someone else?"

Dongwanggong hesitated for a moment, then said, "Although the Great God of the Three Altars and Seas is a troublemaker, the Jade Emperor will certainly not allow him to kill Li Tianwang... Very well, I will avenge you one more time. Just wait for good news."

Chen Shi bowed in gratitude.

After leaving the Eastern Heavenly Palace, Chen Shi rushed to the Thunder Department's Divine Firmament Jade Palace to see the Heavenly Venerable of Universal Transformation of Thunder and Cry to tell his senior uncle a tearful story.

Then he went to Doubu to find Doumu Yuanjun and complained about Li Tianwang's injustice. Doumu Yuanjun said, "Although I have entered the path of gods, I cannot bear to see Jin'ao Island being bullied. Go back now and do not mention that you have been here. You will receive news from me in the future."

Chen Shi then went to the Plague Department and other places, where he cried and complained to each of them before returning to the Heavenly Court and the Heavenly Army Camp.

He had barely settled down when he heard some news.

Li Tianwang was brought to his door by his son seeking revenge. He was hung up and beaten, screaming in pain. His flesh was even cut off. He was about to be beaten to death when the Jade Emperor issued an edict, and the troublesome demon king finally stopped.

"If it weren't for the Great Celestial Venerable, you would surely be sent to your death today!"

As the mischievous devil left, he turned back and said, "I'll come back to beat you up another day!"

"Did the Great God of the Three Altars and Seas fail to send off Heavenly King Li?" Chen Shi asked with great regret.

The following evening, while Li Tianwang was recuperating at his residence, a masked man suddenly broke in and attacked the badly injured man, causing him to scream in agony on his sickbed. The sound was unbearable to hear.

The heavenly generals guarding the Heavenly Court rushed to their aid, preparing to capture the masked man. However, the masked man was extremely skilled and calmly retreated despite being surrounded by the heavenly generals.

The heavenly generals chased the masked man to the Eastern Heavenly Palace, but lost track of him and dared not search the palace, so they had no choice but to leave.

On the third day, Li Tianwang's mansion was robbed again. The thieves broke into the mansion, and in an instant, thunderbolts struck Li Tianwang, who was lying on his sickbed, hundreds of times, leaving him charred and raw. Then, the thieves calmly left, surrounded by various heavenly generals.

On the fourth day, someone broke into the Li residence again, causing widespread damage and beating up everyone in the Li family, including the ailing Li Tianwang.

Day ...

……

On the eighth day, Li Tianwang ordered his men to carry him to the Heavenly Army Camp, where he found Chen Shi's Heavenly Dao Residence. He said to Chen Shi, "I have come here to apologize to Fellow Daoist Chen. It was indeed wrong of me to send Fellow Daoist Chen to the Three Origins and Tailai Worlds. I had ulterior motives. Please forgive me and pardon my sins."

He lay on his sickbed, struggling to sit up, and was helped to kneel down.

Chen Shi helped him up, preventing him from bowing down, and said with a smile, "Why would the Heavenly King do such a thing? I am not a petty person, you are too kind to me."

Li Tianwang said solemnly, "A mistake is a mistake, and one should naturally apologize."

The two reconciled and soon began to laugh and chat happily.

Li Tianwang changed the subject and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Chen, it's been about ten years since you ascended to the Earthly Immortal Realm and joined the Heavenly Army Camp, hasn't it?"

Chen Shi said, "That's about it."

Li Tianwang laughed and said, "Since that's the case, then you are free, fellow Daoist. The contract you made with the Heavenly Court at Yaoguang Pool back then was for a ten-year term. Once the ten years are up, you can leave the Heavenly Army Camp."

Chen Shi's eyes lit up, and he laughed, "I am among the last batch of immortals to ascend. If I can leave the Heavenly Soldier Camp, doesn't that mean all the other Heavenly Soldiers have also reached their ten-year term? Can they also leave the Heavenly Soldier Camp?"

Li Tianwang lay on his sickbed and laughed, "They may not be willing to leave the Heavenly Army Camp. Where can they go if they leave the Heavenly Army Camp? Although they seem free outside, their lives are not as good as those in the Heavenly Army Camp. They can't leave the Heavenly Army Camp."

Chen Shi asked, "Won't the Heavenly Court prevent these heavenly soldiers from leaving?"

Li Tianwang shook his head and said, "How could the Heavenly Court break the contract it signed back then? Otherwise, what would become of its reputation?"

Chen Shi smiled and said, "That's good."

He proclaimed loudly, "I am Chen Shi of the Heavenly Army Camp. Fellow Daoists, the ten-year agreement we made with the Heavenly Court has expired! Fellow Daoists, did we ascend to become Heavenly Soldiers for the Heavenly Army Camp? Those who are willing to leave the Heavenly Court with me, wait for me in the Western Paradise!"

His voice echoed throughout the Heavenly Dao Residence, but some heavenly soldiers and generals still did not hear it. However, the heavenly soldiers spread the word, and soon all the heavenly soldiers and generals knew about it.

Li Tianwang shook his head and said, "Chen Shi, you can't take many people with you. Do you know that? It's not that the Heavenly Court needs the Heavenly Soldiers, but that you Heavenly Soldiers need the Heavenly Court. Without the Heavenly Court's monthly salary, you wouldn't even be able to survive in the Earthly Immortal Realm!"

He ordered his men to carry a stretcher and head towards Xitiandang. He wanted to see just who dared to leave the Heavenly Court with Chen Shi!

(End of this chapter)