The Buddha is actually me

Chapter 145: Ghosts Eat Incense, Divination Before Death

A stick of incense under the moon, curling like smoke.

As the agarwood was lit, a strange fragrance spread around, and in its elegance, there was a faint smell of oil.

What’s even more bizarre is that as the agarwood burned, Zhang Jiuyang actually heard the faint sound of a monster crying, like a whale under the water.

Ali was completely intoxicated and felt euphoric, as if she had never eaten anything so delicious before.

Zhang Jiuyang's eyes also flashed with a gleam of light. As the fragrant mist entered his mouth and nose, the magic power in his body suddenly boiled.

The fragrant mist turned into dark clouds above the Dantian. With a thunder, countless raindrops fell, nourishing the magic power around the body. Every breath was making progress.

Compared with powerful elixirs, the effect of this agarwood is gentle and long-lasting, and it does not leave any side effects. Even an ordinary person can benefit greatly from it.

Sneaked into the night wind, moisten things silently.

Zhang Jiuyang felt the magic of incense for the first time.

The Yin energy in Ali's body became stronger and stronger. Her cultivation, which had been progressing slowly since she entered the fierce level, suddenly made rapid progress again, and her red skirt became as bright as blood.

Soon, Zhang Jiuyang frowned.

Because he found that he and Ali were unable to fully absorb the medicinal power of a stick of agarwood. Although they tried their best to absorb it, a lot of fragrant mist was still scattered in the wilderness.

This incense is extremely precious and must not be wasted.

With this in mind, Zhang Jiuyang called Ao Ya and asked A Li to release a group of soldiers. In addition to the three generals of braised, steamed and fried, there were also a dozen elite soldiers who fought the most bravely.

The ghosts eat the fragrance.

Soon, some kind of transformation began to take place in these rampant soldiers. Their armor became stronger, their weapons became sharper, and the yin energy on their bodies became more intense.

The appearances started to become all kinds of weird.

Some grew fangs, some grew red hair, some grew a third arm, and some even grew wings...

It's really a scene of demons dancing wildly. If someone saw it, they would be scared to death.

The most astonishing were the three mighty generals. Blue flames spewed from the eyes, ears, mouth and nose of General Hong Shao. Although he had white hair, he looked like a tyrant king descended to the earth. He held a Guan Gong sword in his hand, wore heavy armor, had a strong back and a fierce aura.

General Qingzheng was originally a scholar who died of illness. He still looks sickly, but his body is covered with malignant tumors. Wherever he goes, the grass and trees wither and no grass grows. His body is shrouded in a layer of hazy miasma, like the legendary plague ghost.

General Fried is a ghost baby who wields a meteor hammer. At this moment, he suddenly lets out a shrill cry. The sound is so sharp that it causes waves to splash on the surface of the Yunmengze Lake and uproots the surrounding grass and trees.

It's a bit like the lion roar skill of the landlady in "Kung Fu".

A hint of joy appeared in Zhang Jiuyang's eyes.

I didn't expect that the effect of this agarwood was so good that it made these rampant soldiers become stronger to a higher level.

The potential of the Cangbing people is not small. If there are enough agarwood, wouldn’t it be possible to make them all awaken a certain ability?
Even breaking through the bottleneck of the Changbing itself and becoming the legendary heavenly soldier?
Zhang Jiuyang was very satisfied with the effect of the agarwood. The only pity was that the incense burned out very quickly.

He felt a slight swelling sensation in his limbs and bones. This was a result of absorbing a large amount of fragrant mist in a short period of time, which filled his meridians with his magic power.

When he opened his eyes, Zhang Jiuyang's gaze was exceptionally clear, as bright as jade, and his body was full of light. It was obvious that he had made considerable progress in his practice.

The three flowers in his Niwan Palace became brighter and brighter, like a bud that was absorbing sunlight and rain, ready to bloom.

When it is fully mature, it will be time to collect herbs and refine elixirs, and it will also be the time for him to break through to the fourth level.

However, he has encountered a problem at present, that is, the skills he has learned for practicing are not enough.

The "Diagram of the Three Levels of Success and Demand" can still allow him to complete the third level of practice, but if he wants to break through to the fourth level, he must have the next step of practice.

Yuding Xuan Gong is very suitable for him, and it is also one of the top martial arts in the world. Zhang Jiuyang has no intention of changing it for the time being.

Of course, when the visualization diagram is passed down next time, he will also try to ask Master Lingguan for the cultivation method.

In short, first work hard at cultivation, and try your best to find the subsequent inheritance of Yuding Xuan Gong, in case of emergency.

Zhang Jiuyang made a plan and said to Ah Li, "Let's go back first, take Qingji with us, and then go to Yangzhou together."

After delivering the letter, Qingji returned to his home in Qingzhou City to wait as instructed.

Since he was going to Yangzhou to meet the Master of Painted Skin, Zhang Jiuyang naturally had to bring all his fighting power with him. Qingji was now a patrolling sea yaksha, and with his small stature, it could be considered a clever move.

Of course, you don’t have to drill that kind of hole. Ear piercing is also a hole and it can be just as painful.

"By the way, Brother Nine, I think I can practice that secret art of walking in the underworld now!"

Ali said excitedly.

Zhang Jiuyang was startled when he heard this, and remembered that Second Master once said that before Ah Li became a fierce level, she must not practice any secret technique.

That secret art is called Zou Yin, which is the art of the soul traveling to the underworld, and is the most core inheritance of the Zou Yin people.

"Let's talk about it after we go back first."

Zhang Jiuyang did not agree immediately.

Ali is not like other ghosts. She does not have a ghost record. If her soul travels to the underworld and encounters ghost soldiers, she may be in danger. After all, that place hides too many secrets.

"Oh~"

She was a little sullen.

Zhang Jiuyang could actually guess what the little girl was thinking. Her father was forcibly taken to the underworld by the ghost soldiers. If she could go through the underworld, she might be able to find out the whereabouts of her father.

Patting Ah Li's little head, Zhang Jiuyang said earnestly, "The waters of the underworld are too deep. When we are strong enough in the future, we will bring Uncle Jiang back openly."

"You must not be impulsive now, otherwise not only will you fail to save him, but you may also hurt yourself."

"Brother Jiu, I don't understand any big principles, but I know that what you say is definitely right. I will listen to you~"

Ah Li stretched out her little hand, held one of Zhang Jiuyang's fingers, and said, "After we pick up Qingji, we'll go to Yangzhou. Brother Jiu, I heard that Yangzhou is very big and prosperous, and there are some courtesans..."

Zhang Jiuyang hit her hard and said, "Don't learn the good things, just remember the bad things."

After a pause, he asked in a low voice: "What are the courtesans you have heard of? Are they pretty? Are they expensive?"

Ah Li: “(_)?”…

The next day, early morning.

Zhang Jiuyang brought Ao Ya and A Li back to his home in Qingzhou City.

Qingji was practicing stick techniques alone in the pond. His small body was waving a big mace. Under his control, the water rolled like a water dragon and then sprinkled on the flowers and plants in the yard.

Those are the vegetables grown by his second sister, he has to take good care of them.

The owner should be able to eat the freshest dishes as soon as he comes back.

When he saw Zhang Jiuyang coming back, he showed an excited smile, stepped on the water dragon and came to Zhang Jiuyang, cheering.

Especially when he heard that Zhang Jiuyang came back specifically to take him to Yangzhou, Xiao Qingji's eyes even became moist.

"Master, I thought you thought I was too weak and didn't want me to follow you..."

Zhang Jiuyang was stunned, and then he understood why Qingji worked so hard to practice stick techniques. He felt that he was too weak and was worried about being disliked.

No wonder he was willing to go to that place last time. This little guy had actually been holding back his enthusiasm and trying his best to help him.

Qingji was loyal by nature. He was loyal to the person who gave him his name throughout his life. Even if that person died, he would stay at the place where he first met his master and wait until his death.

When Zhang Jiuyang heard Yue Ling say this before, he didn’t feel much. But now, seeing how hard-working and happy he is, he feels quite sad.

"Okay, pack up and get ready to go."

It’s quite a distance from here to Yangzhou, and Zhang Jiuyang doesn’t want to waste time, so he prepares to set off immediately.

But Qingji said, "Master, there is a man in white clothes who often lingers at the door of our house these past two days. I scared him away several times, but he still refused to give up."

As soon as he finished speaking, his nose moved, as if he smelled the scent of that person again.

"Master, he seems to be here again!"

Zhang Jiuyang's heart moved. Was someone looking for him, or was his house targeted by thieves?

He pushed open the door and saw a young man wandering outside. He was dressed in mourning clothes, as if a relative had just passed away in his family.

When he saw Zhang Jiuyang, the man's eyes lit up and he quickly stepped forward to ask.

"May I ask if you are the owner of Zhang Mansion, Zhang Jiuyang?"

"Yes, I am, and you are..."

Zhang Jiuyang confirmed that he had never seen this young man.

When the man heard him say that he was Zhang Jiuyang, he seemed relieved and quickly took out a letter from his arms and handed it to him.

"This is the last letter my father left before he died. It's for you."

My father?

Zhang Jiuyang took the letter and asked, "Who is your father?"

"My father, Du Weinian, has been fortune-telling all his life. He is good at the six-line hexagram technique and is known as the God of Fortune Telling..."

Zhang Jiuyang's heart moved. Was it that the diviner Du, whom he had met once, had passed away?

It was strange. He had given the other party some pointers and helped him achieve the first realm. He could have at least lived a few more years. How could he have died suddenly?

"Wasn't your father in good health? How could he pass away suddenly?"

Zhang Jiuyang did not open the letter, but asked about the cause of Du Shensuan's death first.

Although they only met once, the old man, who was devout, enthusiastic and kind, left a deep impression on him.

He often read the book on the art of hexagrams and was quite inspired by it.

The man sighed softly and said, "Since the incident with the young general, my father has been practicing even harder as if he were possessed. He has come to you many times to ask for advice, but you are often not at home, so I have never seen him."

"I saw that my father's spirit was better than before, so I let him do what he wanted. Unexpectedly, one night, my father suddenly laughed out loud and said that he had realized the true meaning of the hexagram technique."

"From then on, my father seemed to be able to predict the future. Every divination he made was extremely accurate. For example, he said that it would rain at 5 p.m. the next day, clouds would appear, thunder would sound at 10 p.m., rain would fall at 12 p.m., and it would rain hard at 12 p.m., with a total of 2 feet 3 inches and 34 drops of water."

"The next day, it was exactly the same!"

When Zhang Jiuyang heard this, a strange look appeared in his eyes.

Du Shensuan’s hexagram technique does have some merit, but it is definitely not that powerful. What did he realize, and why did he die suddenly?

The man continued, "Then one day, my father said that he was not blessed and had no chance to understand the true meaning of divination. It was only because he met a noble person who helped him change his fate. That noble person was you."

"Two days ago, my father suddenly called me to his side and told me that his life span was over and the underworld was in need of an accountant. The ghost messenger was about to take him down, so he called me back to take care of his affairs."

Zhang Jiuyang was shocked. Du Shensuan’s attainments in the art of hexagrams had actually alarmed the underworld?

"But my father said that he had not yet repaid your kindness, so he read your fortune for the last time and wrote this letter, asking me to give it to you no matter what."

Zhang Jiuyang finally understood the whole story.

For a moment, the envelope in my hand seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.

He had clearly only done it casually, a small favor, but the other party kept it in mind and never forgot it even before his death.

Zhang Jiuyang slowly opened the envelope and saw the lines of handwriting. Strangely, there were bloodstains on the paper.

It seemed as if the person writing the letter was coughing up blood while picking up the pen.

The first line only has eight big characters.

"The world line is gold, so you can't go south!"

Zhang Jiuyang was shocked. Going south?

Isn’t Yangzhou just south of Qingzhou?
If it weren't for this letter, he would probably have packed his bags and set off south, and this time he would have fought a life-and-death battle with the Painted Skin Master and made peace with him.

Could it be that...he will be the one to die in the end?
(End of this chapter)