[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-dao-dust-pearl":3,"chapter-the-dao-dust-pearl-the-dao-dust-pearl-chapter-996":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Dao Dust Pearl",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2360497,4614,"Chapter 996: Heaven and Earth Are a Great Tomb","the-dao-dust-pearl-chapter-996",996,"\u003Cp>“We tomb raiders, when digging graves, must first locate the dragon’s vein and pinpoint the burial site—especially in such sinister, peculiar burial grounds,” General Yu Jiuyou stroked his beard, shaking his head. “Even if you find the tomb, if you misjudge the spot, the risks are immense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Originally, these three ghost graves should have been pinpointed by our ancestral master using secret techniques.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But since a high immortal like yourself is here, I won’t embarrass myself!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, General Yu Jiuyou picked up three sandalwood incense sticks, pulled back his sleeve, and offered them to the Divine Communicator Daoist: “Please, Daoist, pinpoint the spot!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Communicator Daoist paused thoughtfully, took the incense sticks, calculated with his fingers, then said: “The old king’s tomb and the imperial consort’s grave are both sealed by witchcraft curses—ordinary methods can’t detect their Eight Gates and Four Pillars’ weaknesses. Only the mid-rank official’s grave, though buried with a loyal minister of the previous dynasty and constructed by a high shaman of our own era, remains low in status and scale, relying entirely on natural feng shui. I have some confidence here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ll need a black dog born in a yin year, yin month, yin day, yin hour—its Four Pillars all yin, one of six siblings born together, who devoured the others until only one remained…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that all?” General Yu Jiuyou was surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Communicator Daoist assured him: “That’s all it takes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou had no difficulty; tomb raiders like them, who routinely tread perilous lands, always kept exotic creatures on hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chickens and dogs were the most common animals used to suppress tomb spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rooster born in a Yang year, Yang month, Yang day, and Yang hour, and a black dog born in a Yin year, Yin month, Yin day, and Yin hour—these are the Golden Rooster and Black Dog of tomb raiding legend: one suppresses poisonous insects and zombies, the other suppresses evil spirits and ghosts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou gave orders, and soon a man returned carrying a half-grown black dog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a mountain dog—black head, black tail, black paws, black tongue, and even its large, glossy eyes had green irises covering the whites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it was the last of six ghost mastiffs, it showed no ferocity; instead, it licked and pawed at General Yu Jiuyou’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Patting the black dog, General Yu Jiuyou hesitated, then asked: “Daoist, does this method offend Heaven’s harmony?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Communicator Daoist smiled: “Rest easy. This is orthodox Daoist qi-seeking technique—not blood sacrifice or witchcraft.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then pulled a string of copper coins from his robe: “Though these three ghost graves are perilous, some have dared to target them and escaped. This string of coins was once a bonus item left by a tomb raider who pawned them ten years ago at the Qinghe Pawnshop on North Street. The main pawn was a medicinal jade pendant from the former dynasty’s Liuli Factory—clearly an imperial artifact. The pawnshop owner, a connoisseur, sensed the tomb raider had attracted evil spirits, so he used the Court Official’s Treasure-Sealing Method to bury the coins and pendant beneath the first brick at the shop’s threshold, harnessing the qi of passing nobles to suppress it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won this from the second manager in a bet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Communicator Daoist took two coins, held them in his palm, and cast the “See Money, See Power” spell. The black dog, sensing something, recoiled, whimpering—but the Daoist seized its leg and dragged it over, placing the two coins atop its pupils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blew into the coin holes; the rust-green copper sank deep into the dog’s eyes, as if drilling into its flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little black dog howled in agony as the Daoist released it; it spun wildly, the coins sinking deeper until they nearly replaced its pupils, then it bolted into the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou felt pity but could do nothing—he ordered men to follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group chased the little black dog along mountain paths for half an hour, crossing countless abandoned graves and wastelands, until they reached a slope where miasma rose, covering half an acre.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a depression on the slope, surrounded by tangled vegetation, with scattered bricks and broken stones visible beneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little black dog, small and swift, vanished there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou hurried forward with his men; the Divine Communicator Daoist followed, incense sticks pinched between his fingers, surveying the clearing—his brow furrowed, for the feng shui here was peculiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When a cow lies resting in the hills, that’s where a marquis’s tomb lies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hillside slopes rarely retain soil and water; landslides and mudflows are common—called ‘running dragons and snakes.’ Where qi gathers and wind shelters, it must be a flat spot where an old ox once lay down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such places, though open to winds from all directions, can hold a candle flame steady—even in fierce mountain gales.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This clearing was precisely such a place of wind-sheltered, qi-concentrated feng shui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The incense sticks in the Daoist’s fingers had burned down to three flickering tips—but here, the remaining smoke rose steadily, not dispersing at all, proving its strangeness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet… there was another anomaly: look downward, and you saw row upon row of abandoned graves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Found it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Jiuyou’s men scattered to search for the black dog. Someone heard faint digging sounds nearby; they parted the wild grass and uncovered a hole, then poked a stick inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a dark shadow leapt out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ghost opera troupe screamed and rushed to surround it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when the shadow stopped did they all freeze in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was indeed a large black dog—but an adult one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its black face was matted with filthy, blood-stained fur; its long snout held a freshly gnawed human skull. Two fleshy tumors bulged from its eyelids, like blood-red eyes, radiating ferocity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It stood atop the ridge, looking down at the encircling crowd, its mouth still chewing the half-eaten skull, tongue dangling out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its lower jaw hung loose. Even seasoned tomb raiders, hardened by countless horrors, swallowed hard at the sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a vicious beast!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou stepped forward slowly. The tumors in the dog’s eyes trembled; its blood-red gaze blazed with malice. It howled and vanished like a shadow in the night—just a flash—and one of the surrounding tomb raiders screamed, his entire arm torn off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This black dog had devoured countless corpses; its body teemed with corpse poison, and the tumors in its eyes had a name: “Rakshasa Blood Eyes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could move between life and death—even ghosts feared it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One glare from its blood eyes could steal souls and shatter spirits—even gods and spirits would be bitten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several fire-and-water staves swung at the revealed dog—but struck empty air. Another scream rang out; another of Yu Jiuyou’s men had his belly ripped open, intestines pulled out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black dog dragged the intestines dozens of zhang away, dragging the man to his death in the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou’s face darkened. He drew his blade and ended the two men writhing in agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the severed arm bore black-green corpse poison rising rapidly—they’d become zombies soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dark shadow flashed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Short, squat Fan Cun raised his right hand—a flash of golden light—forcing the black dog, hidden in darkness, to materialize.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the Divine Communicator Daoist flicked his wrist; three incense tips shot out. The dog shrieked midair, landed limping, took three steps—and General Yu Jiuyou whipped out the black flag from behind his back and drove it into the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others rushed forward, pinning the dog with fire-and-water staves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou leaned in to look: the flag’s spear had pierced its heart, yet the dog still lived, its fist-sized paws frantically digging at the earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Communicator Daoist stepped forward, gazing at the dog—three times the size of a normal dog, bloated from devouring countless corpses—a stench of decay hit him. He covered his nose: “This thing has reached maturity—it can probably earth-dodge. Only your black gold flag broke its magic, or we’d have lost it. And it’s half-zombie, half-evil spirit—ordinary methods can’t kill it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bring torches!” General Yu Jiuyou ordered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Communicator Daoist stopped him: “No. Its body is full of corpse poison—the smoke from burning it would be unavoidable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou sighed: “Daoist is right. But we have our own way to deal with this!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gritted his teeth: “I knew Zhigucheng didn’t harbor idle folk—but never imagined it had sunk to this level of chaos. Even a stray dog in a grave is fiercer than the mummies in princely tombs. We haven’t even seen the tomb mound, and two of my brothers are dead!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He called for a companion, who brought something. General Yu Jiuyou reached in, pulled out a glowing green powder, blew it into the air—and a vast cloud of will-o’-the-wisp fire rained down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black dog’s corpse crackled, its flesh hardened like armor, then rotted away under the phosphorescent flames, revealing white bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, even the white bones burned in the emerald fire; though the dog still struggled, its movements gradually ceased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Communicator Daoist glanced back at Fan Cun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black dog was no ordinary beast. Though he had shattered its ghostly evasion with his divine incense, it was Fan Cun’s golden light that truly broke its Rakshasa Blood Eyes, dragging it from the netherworld.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Communicator Daoist clearly sensed: Fan Cun’s right-hand golden light carried an aura of solemn majesty—striking the dog like a mountain collapsing. Even his own evasion technique, if struck by that golden light, would be shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou handled the dead men’s affairs: stuffed donkey hooves into their mouths, applied glutinous rice to wounds, and sealed them with yellow talismans to suppress the corpses on the verge of reanimation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, digging sounds came from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone raised their magical weapons, swords, and staves—then saw the little black dog leap from the wind-sheltered depression, a skull in its mouth, wagging its tail at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two copper coins tumbled to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou picked up a fire-and-water staff, pushed aside the wild grass, and revealed a hidden tunnel—pitch black, descending downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little black dog barked: “Wang!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou smiled bitterly: “Daoist, your skill is unmatched. This little black dog truly led us to the mid-rank official’s tomb.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now aware of the three ghost graves’ danger, Yu Jiuyou’s group dared not descend lightly. They lit a fire beside the tunnel and prepared themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Communicator Daoist studied the skull for a while, then spoke: “This man died roughly forty years ago—a strong adult male, likely one of your kind. His skull is porous, faintly radiating hidden evil qi—he died in unrest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou sighed and brought out a small shrine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Communicator Daoist glanced at it: the shrine resembled a coffin, with two layers—inner and outer casket. The deity statue inside radiated a depth so profound it made him dare not breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May I ask, General, which deity do you venerate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou sighed slowly: “For tomb raiders, tombs are temples; coffins are divine altars; the corpses within are the deities.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Communicator Daoist’s heart sank: “So your path worships the ‘Corpse’ among the Twelve Celestial Officers?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened his mouth, then asked: “Do you venerate the ‘Xuan Jun’ worshipped by the Xuanzhen Sect?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yu Jiuyou lifted his head and smiled: “Daoist, don’t suspect. Though we also venerate Xuan Jun, we differ from the Xuanzhen Sect. Xuan Jun is the corpse of the cosmos, the truth of the world. Though few follow this path, they are not rare.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked up at the pitch-black world of mountains and rivers before him and drew a deep breath: “The reason we pay homage to the Dark Lord is because we know this world is a great tomb, where life and death cannot be distinguished. To survive within heaven and earth is like tomb raiding. Our ultimate destination is to see that coffin; our goal is to steal from it the supreme dark treasure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gazed up at the pitch-black world of mountains and rivers, drew a deep breath: “We venerate Xuan Jun because we know the world is a great tomb—life and death indistinguishable. To live in Heaven and Earth is like tomb raiding. Our end is to reach the coffin; our goal is to steal the supreme dark treasure from within.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Others wander aimlessly; at the end of their path, they merely break out of the tomb.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you escape the great tomb of Heaven and Earth? Can you escape life and death?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[87] “Only by layer upon layer, tunneling through this great tomb of Heaven and Earth, finding Xuan Jun’s corpse, can you see the truth, obtain the dark treasure, and return to life, reborn.”\u003C\u002Fp>",2137,"2026-06-21T05:40:02.617Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","f7394a779ec2475f95768cd1b8723f4e4b002c64d850fb861df22847ea7f32c7","the-dao-dust-pearl-chapter-997","the-dao-dust-pearl-chapter-995",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dao-dust-pearl-cover.jpg"]