Day and night tour

Chapter 375 Disguised as a Ghost
"What's the matter? It's urgent."

Zhou Xuan also noticed that something was wrong with Yun Ziliang, so he asked him first.

Yun Ziliang gestured and said, "Isn't it possible to get an advance on rations at the mess hall?"

"Yes."

“There were more than a dozen children who all took two days’ worth of food in advance. They took everything they could get, like soda and chocolate. I felt something was wrong with this,” Yun Ziliang explained the situation.

Zhou Xuan was not like Li Changxun, who was detached from worldly affairs; he immediately sensed the trickery in the matter.

Although the disaster management regulations issued by the Bone Elders Association did stipulate that families with mobility issues could receive two days' worth of food at once to avoid these people having to travel long distances for every meal.

But it was unusual for a dozen or so children to go to collect their food rations together... Families with mobility issues, if they had children, would usually not take out all their food rations, but would have the children take on the task of bringing their own meals.

The hot meals prepared in the canteen were all you had to do. But for someone with limited mobility, receiving rations meant having to cook, which added a lot of trouble.

Which way did those children go?

Zhou Xuan asked Yun Ziliang.

Yun Ziliang pointed in a direction, towards Xiaoguishan.

……

Little Turtle Mountain, when viewed from a distance, resembles a crouching turtle. However, the mountain is relatively small, and compared to the surrounding mountains, it looks more like a small, insignificant mound, hence the name "Little Turtle".

A Taoist temple used to be built on this mountain, but two years ago, the temple keeper retired and returned to his hometown. The temple association was unable to find a new keeper, so the temple fell into disrepair and no students went there on weekdays.

Zhou Xuan's divine soul traveled day and night, quickly ascending Little Turtle Mountain in the direction Yun Ziliang pointed. His enormous divine soul surveyed the mountain's vegetation, searching for the dozen or so children.
He finally found the "Turtle Mountain Temple" and heard the bustling noise inside.

He did not reveal his divine soul, but remained hidden, observing the scene inside the temple.

"Now that we've eaten and drunk our fill, it's time for us to hit the road."

"The cotton team didn't come, but I think they're almost at their limit too."

"They're all children who've lost their parents, who can support them?"

"Second Brother, do you think if we die, we'll be able to see our parents again?"

“I heard from those old people that when people die, they go to Shepherd City. Our parents haven’t been gone for more than a few days. After we die, our legs will be faster, so we should be able to catch up with them.”

"Today is our last day. Everyone should eat well. After we finish eating, let's play hopscotch and have some fun before heading to Shepherd City."

really.

After hearing the children chatting excitedly inside, Zhou Xuan realized that his worries had come true.

These children, who took their food rations with them, wanted to gather together, have a big meal, and then commit suicide together.

The reason for their suicide is incredibly cruel—they are a group of children who have lost their parents.

Their parents died in the Zoroastrian fire.

In the most innocent and carefree years of their lives, both their parents died, leaving them with no will to live.

“There are many children like this in medical school—to put it bluntly, they have psychological trauma and a deep longing for their parents.”

Zhou Xuan felt that if they did nothing, this group of children would definitely not be the last group to attempt suicide.

Prolonged depression can lead to illness—and many children who miss their parents and feel hopeless about life will form new groups and hold these suicide parties.

"We need to think of a way to persuade them."

Zhou Xuan didn't think these children were being immature. In fact, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has always been a psychological problem that society cannot avoid. In his previous life, he had read reports about it.

Many adults, even years after the disaster, still dream of the deaths of their loved ones. This torment is like a poison clinging to the bone, impossible to remove.

Of those plagued by nightmares, about one in ten are unable to escape the shadows and ultimately choose to end their own lives.

"Direct persuasion or reprimand is definitely ineffective."

If persuasion and reprimands were effective, then mental hospitals and psychological clinics wouldn't have so many patients.

These children are extremely pitiful and sensitive. Without any skill, simply communicating with them in a rough manner will only further aggravate their fragile nerves.

"Mental illness requires mental medicine."

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Xuan decided to play the role of a ghost.

He shifted his form and his true body appeared outside the Taoist temple.

The Dragon Seeking Sensing School can harness the power of mountains and rivers. After Zhou Xuan sensed the direction of the mountain wind, he pointed at the Taoist temple, and the rather strong mountain wind blew directly into the temple.

A strong wind blew through the temple, scattering the abundant food that the children had prepared all over the ground.

The children, feeling sorry for the food, disregarded being blown about by the wind and tried to pick up the food from the ground.

Zhou Xuan, sensing the time was right, stopped the mountain breeze and sent his spirit to wander into the Taoist temple. Still without manifesting, he spoke in an extremely aged voice.

"My Taoist temple hasn't been this lively in a long time."

The children were all startled by the sudden sound and immediately huddled together, shrinking their necks.

Among the dolls, there was one extremely brave man named Li Bo. Because he was respected in the doll group, everyone called him "Little Second Brother".

The waiter asked Zhou Xuan, "Excuse me...excuse me, are you a living person or someone like Master Zhou, someone with extraordinary abilities?"

The name of the great scholar Zhou Xuan resounded throughout the medical school.

Zhou Xuan felt clear-headed, but said aloud, "Neither dead nor alive, I am the founder of this Taoist temple, called Guishan Taoist."

"I, the Daoist, am knowledgeable in astronomy and geography, and understand the principles of Yin and Yang. I can help you avoid the calamities of life and death. I also know a little about why you children have come here. You intend to take your own lives, become ghosts, and chase after your parents."

"Taoist Guishan?"

The younger brother lowered his head and pondered.

The other dolls begged for mercy: "Grandpa Turtle, we didn't know you were here, we didn't mean to bother you."

"Grandpa Turtle, let's go somewhere else now."

The children, with devout hearts, kept apologizing to the unseen "Taoist Master".

Zhou Xuan was also terrified. What a wonderful group of children! If Yun Ziliang hadn't tipped them off, these kids would probably have already committed suicide.

The second brother then raised his head, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Grandpa Turtle, we are truly sorry to have disturbed you, but you know so much, and I would also like to ask, do people really go to Shepherd City after they die? If we leave earlier, can we catch up with our parents?"

"We can't catch up."

Zhou Xuan sighed and said.

"Huh? Even if we commit suicide, we still can't catch up? After we die, our souls can travel faster, right?"

"No matter how fast you run, it won't work."

Zhou Xuan suddenly changed the subject, saying, "Your parents are not truly dead. If you try to chase after them by transforming your souls, isn't that going in the opposite direction, like trying to catch fish by climbing a tree?"

"We didn't die, but our parents are gone."

"Grandpa Turtle, if our parents aren't dead, then where are they?"

"Not only are my parents dead, but my sister is dead too. According to Grandpa Turtle, will we ever see my sister again?"

"of course can."

Zhou Xuan laughed, trying to make his tone more cheerful, and said, "You children don't understand the principles of Yin and Yang. Many people died in Mingjiang Prefecture, and their death energy has condensed and is stagnant. If Mingjiang Prefecture can be rebuilt within half a month, your parents will be able to return."

"It's not a return of a dead soul, but a second life."

Zhou Xuan's words immediately made the children in the Taoist temple jump for joy and bounce on the spot.

"Is Grandpa Turtle telling the truth?"

"I never speak nonsense. If you don't believe me, go home and wait. I will select the souls of your parents from the deathly aura and let them meet you."

Zhou Xuan felt that before rebuilding Mingjiang Prefecture, he should give some confidence to the children who lost their parents in the disaster.

These children are in more pain and more sensitive than others. Without sufficient confidence, they might not survive until the reconstruction of Mingjiang Prefecture is completed.

And now, this is precisely an opportunity.

The spirits of the parents returned home and personally told the children that they could return home as soon as Mingjiang Prefecture was rebuilt.

Once these children have gained confidence and assurance, they will inform their friends. The word spreads from one to ten, from ten to a hundred, and over time, those children who have lost both parents will truly have the confidence to hold on until the reconstruction is completed.

"When we go home, will our parents' spirits come to see us?"

"Grandpa Turtle, is what you're saying true or false?"

"Of course it's true. You can just go home and wait."

Zhou Xuan then comforted him, saying, "However, you must tell me which tent you are staying in, so that I can send the souls of your parents back to see you."

As soon as he finished speaking, the group of children became excited and eagerly shouted out the number of their tents.

"Tent No. 14 in Zone A".

"Tent No. 22 in Zone C".

"District D..."

The tents were numbered one by one, and Zhou Xuan memorized them. Then came the "expulsion".

"Okay, okay, I'll keep it in mind, you can go back now."

After Zhou Xuan urged them several times, the children, carrying the unfinished food, returned to their tents.

As for the thought of suicide, it had long been forgotten.

"Thank goodness, at least we've managed to calm these kids down for now."

Zhou Xuan felt that his deception just now was what the engineer called a "white lie".

“Snap, snap!”

As Zhou Xuan was preparing to return to the bamboo house to discuss the matter of his parents' souls returning with Zhao Wuyai, suddenly, a dusty memorial tablet in the Taoist temple fell to the ground.
Then came a sound of "ouch".

Zhou Xuan's spirit immediately turned his head, glanced around the Taoist temple, and seeing no one in sight, he immediately shouted coldly, "Who's playing tricks on me here? Get out here!"

At this moment, a phantom Taoist priest dressed in an old Taoist robe emerged from the wall, cupped his hands towards Zhou Xuan, and said, "Master, you have misunderstood me. The one who is pretending to be a god is clearly you."

"..." Zhou Xuan.

Zhou Xuan lowered his head and pondered for a moment, realizing that the Taoist priest was right; the person who had just been pretending to be a ghost was none other than himself.

"Cough...cough...who are you?"

“Master, you are impersonating me. Do you not know who I am? I am the Taoist of Guishan.”

Guishan Daoist was quite distressed. "You're already using my name, so I still have to introduce myself."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xuan immediately recalled the engineer's instructions—the magician, by impersonating someone, would arouse that person's fortune and entangle them in karma.

"So, I played the role of Guishan Daoren, which ended up drawing out the real Daoren?"

Zhou Xuan coughed again and said, "So you are the Taoist of Guishan? You are a faithless, unrighteous, immoral, and immoral person. Bah! You have cultivated for a lifetime, and a bunch of kids want to commit suicide, and you don't even know to come out and stop them. What a load of crap you have cultivated!"

When Li Gui met Li Kui, Li Gui turned out to be even fiercer than Li Kui... Guishan Daoren was also helpless. He pointed to his own body and said, "Master, you overestimate me. I am just a wisp of remnant soul in this temple. I am afraid of living people... I have not offered incense for two years. How can I have any Taoist skills to help those living children?"

"And I'm terrified of those dolls here."

"They're just a bunch of kids, what are you afraid of?" Zhou Xuan asked, puzzled.

"I was afraid they'd drink too much soda and urinate in the corner where I was hiding. With the sun so strong, I might get drenched in that urine."

"So this Taoist priest from Guishan is just a nobody with very little cultivation?"

Zhou Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. Although he had inexplicably attracted luck by impersonating someone else, this Taoist's cultivation level was too much for him to handle.

When it comes to ghosts, you have to pick the small ones first.

"So your cultivation is so weak? Fine, I won't bother you. Keep an eye on your little temple, I'm leaving now."

As Zhou Xuan walked, he spoke imperiously, like an old cadre, pointing at the blue brick floor and the black lacquered walls, and said, "Pay attention to personal hygiene from now on. Look at this floor, it's filthy! Do you still want to be a model citizen?"

"Wipe the walls, wipe the windows, they're all so dirty, who's going to offer incense to you?"

"I'll let it go this time, but be careful next time. I'll come over to check anytime."

After Zhou Xuan finished speaking, he left with his hands behind his back. Guishan Daoren followed with a wry smile and said obsequiously, "Master, Master... I usually wander around the medical school when I have nothing to do. I've heard a lot about you. You're very reasonable."

"and then?"

"Oh dear, you've essentially been impersonating me. Of course... with your reputation, I'd be more than happy to impersonate me... it's just..."

Guishan Daoren rubbed his hands together, looking rather embarrassed.

"Want money?"

"I have no use for money."

"That is……"

"I need some incense and yang energy," said the Taoist of Guishan. "Just give me one or two of your mountain delicacies, such as deer antlers."

Guishan Daoist swallowed his anger, hoping to earn some humiliation fee.

"Oh, you old Taoist priest, set me up like that, are you after my precious treasure?"

"Oh dear, the gentleman is a very kind person and will certainly not be stingy."

"Alright, you seem to be in a good mood. Stop talking nonsense and come with me."

Zhou Xuan was powerful, but he always "won people over with virtue." Only when virtue failed would he "win people over with incense offerings."

Since the Taoist priest from Guishan was so kind, he was willing to pay a "reputation fee," since deer antlers weren't worth much anyway.

……

Zhou Xuan and Guishan Daoist, one person and one soul, returned to the bamboo house.

"Yazi?"

"What?" Zhao Wuyai answered from the second floor of the bamboo building, accompanied by the sound of books being packed away.

"I want to discuss something with you."

After Zhou Xuan finished shouting, he went to the earthenware jar in the corner. He hadn't asked the Youshen Division to seal away those inexpensive mountain delicacies; he had stored them in this jar instead.

He lifted the lid of the jar and began to examine the deer antlers.

At this moment, Zhao Wuya walked downstairs and immediately saw Guishan Daoren standing blankly at the door.

The Taoist bowed and scraped to Zhao Wuyai, saying, "Greetings, Master Zhao, greetings, Venerable Wuyai."

Zhao Wuyai glanced at Guishan Daoist and immediately recognized that the person opposite him was a little ghost. He then put on a stern face and asked, "What are you doing here, you remnant soul of a Daoist? Aren't you afraid of your Daoist Zhao's virgin urine?"

After saying that, Zhao Wuyai made a gesture as if to take off his pants.

"No, no, I just came to ask the master for a reward." Guishan Daoist was extremely humble.

Zhou Xuan shoved Zhao Wuyai aside and said, "He probably has kidney stones, what's with the fake baby urine?"

He then said to the Taoist Guishan, "I just looked, but we don't have any deer antlers at home. Wait a moment, I need to talk to Yazi about something. After we're done, I'll have someone go and get you one."

"Easy to say, easy to say."

Taoist Guishan immediately retreated to the corner, not wanting to delay Zhao Wuyai and Zhou Xuan from discussing important matters, mainly acting as an honest and simple person.

“Ya Zi, summon the Zen Master Wuya from within you.”

"Why did you call him out? I haven't let him out in ages."

"Just say it, then say it." Zhou Xuan didn't have time to waste words with Zhao Wuyai.

Zhao Wuyai had no choice but to first look up and close his eyes, then suddenly lower his head: "Amitabha, sir, may I ask what business you have with this humble monk?"

“Master Wuya, in this medical school, there are some children who have lost their parents. They are unfortunate and miss their parents terribly. They want to take their own lives and then go to Shepherd City to find their parents.”

“I was thinking, could you please inform your junior brother to have the Bodhi tree of the Joyful Zen Master release the souls of the children’s parents, so that the parents and children can meet and tell them in person that once the reconstruction of Mingjiang Prefecture is completed, the parents can return home.”

Zhou Xuan was going to put on a play to give those children the will to live.

Wuya Chan understood Zhou Xuan's thoughts, but he shook his head and said, "I can't do it."

"How could this not be possible? Since the Joyful Zen Master can release those deathly auras into dreams every night, it shouldn't be difficult to select some of the deceased souls so that parents and children can meet."

"The death energy can be preserved in my junior brother's Bodhi tree by condensing, but if the souls of the dead are separated, they will be summoned by the will of Shepherd Soul City and go to the Netherworld."

Zen Master Wuya said, "If the souls of those deceased parents meet the child, they may have faith, but their souls will be gone..."

He pointed to the "City in the Clouds" in the sky and said, "In the blueprint, those souls will also be erased. Once the reconstruction is completed, those souls who have met will never be able to return."

"It's so troublesome, but I've already promised those dolls."

Zhou Xuan said.

If he goes back on his word at this critical juncture, wouldn't those children become even more fragile and sensitive?

"The principles of heaven and earth have their own rules, which cannot be defied, sir. This humble monk cannot help you with this matter."

Zen Master Wuya sighed.

Since even Zen Master Wuya couldn't help, Zhou Xuan suddenly turned his head and looked at the "Taoist of Guishan" with a wicked smile.

"Master Turtle..."

"Just call me Little Turtle."

"How much incense can you add with just one deer antler? I think the price can be raised again." Zhou Xuan put on an air of wealth and power.

The Taoist priest from Guishan was not greedy and quickly said, "Just one deer antler, this is all I ask for..."

“That won’t do. Guishan Temple needs to hire a new temple keeper. The incense can’t be cut off. Even though it’s a small temple, so what? It’s still complete. I want to help your Taoist temple build a golden statue.”

Zhou Xuan said this in a very casual manner, which startled the Taoist priest from Guishan. He hurriedly said, "Don't bother so much, sir. Let the temple continue to be small."

"Stop talking nonsense. I said I would gild your statue and continue your incense offerings, so you must do it."

Zhou Xuan grabbed the Taoist priest from Guishan and asked, "Old Gui, imitate a woman's voice for me?"

"I……"

"Learn quickly!" Zhou Xuan shouted.

"My husband, I've missed you so much... that's the frost and snow..." The Taoist priest of Guishan didn't know which woman's voice to imitate, so he started singing an opera.

His female opera singing style was quite charming. Zhou Xuan was very satisfied after listening to it and said, "Not bad, this voice has great potential."

“I was bored in the temple, so I would sing a few lines. Who knew that one day, the temple keeper heard me singing. The next day, he retired and returned to his hometown. He spread the word everywhere that the Guishan Temple was dirty and no one dared to become the temple keeper.”

The Taoist priest from Guishan poured out his grievances.

So the temple keeper's resignation and the two-year hiatus in incense offerings were all caused by the Taoist priest of Guishan's good voice.

"Great! Don't do anything else today, just go and pretend to be the parents' spirits of those children."

At this point, the Taoist priest of Guishan immediately scratched his head, and Zen Master Wuya burst out laughing, poking Zhou Xuan and saying, "Only a great master could come up with such a shameless trick as making ghosts act like ghosts."

Humans can scare people to death, and ghosts can act like ghosts... their acting must be incredibly realistic.

"Please reconsider, sir. I am a Taoist priest, after all. How can I deceive you..."

"Sculpt a golden statue, continue the incense offerings, and stop talking nonsense," Zhou Xuan said, grabbing the hand of the Taoist priest from Guishan.

"Alas!" The Taoist priest of Guishan never expected that his request for just a deer antler would lead to such a great job.

Zhou Xuan turned back to Zen Master Wuya and said, "Zen Master, surely you can get your hands on the memories of those children's parents before they died?"

If we were to have the Taoist priest from Guishan directly play the role of "the child's parents," it would definitely be full of loopholes.

Those children are just young, but they're not stupid. They can find out if their parents are their own just by asking them a few questions.

Therefore, some preparations need to be made.

"Within the deathly aura, there are scenes of memories from one's previous life."

Zen Master Wuya nodded.

"Then please, Zen Master, retrieve that memory so I can direct this play."

Zhou Xuan said.

"It's just a trivial matter."

Zen Master Wuya asked, "Which children's parents' memories from their lifetimes should be retrieved?"

"Cephalon".

Zhou Xuan shouted, and the Buddha Kingdom's main brain flew out from the secret realm, projecting the appearances of those dolls onto the walls of the bamboo house.

After Zen Master Wuya wrote everything down, he closed his eyes. A cluster of bamboo leaves outside the house fell from the branches and flew towards the Bodhi tree on the bank of the Mingjiang River.

When those bamboo leaves fly back, images will appear to flow within them.

Each leaf represents a child's memories of their father and mother during their lifetime.

Zhou Xuan held a large stack of leaves in his hand and handed them to the Taoist priest of Guishan: "Come, look carefully, learn carefully, and comprehend carefully. Think about how to portray the tension between the parents."

"This...this...I'm afraid it's a bit difficult."

"Sculpting a golden statue, continuing the incense offerings... Wealth and honor are hard to come by, give me enlightenment."

At this moment, Zhou Xuan seemed to have become the director of a film set, and the Taoist priest of Guishan became the actor under his command, playing more than a dozen roles by himself.

“Sir, I don’t want such a magnificent temple.”

"You need to have a sense of crisis and roll it up."

The Taoist priest of Guishan only wanted to lie down and live a quiet life as a ghost in a Taoist temple, but Zhou Xuan insisted on making him the "King of Ghosts".

Zen Master Wuya chanted Buddhist mantras to the side, his hands constantly gesturing in his palms. As he gestured, he suddenly looked at Zhou Xuan and said, "Master, I'm afraid what you intend to do today is extremely important. This matter seems to determine the success or failure of rebuilding Mingjiang Prefecture."

(End of this chapter)