Mythology

Chapter 340 Accommodating the Fourth Ghost

The rain, like a tapestry, transformed into silver needles that fell into the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron, creating ripples.

Lu Ya Dao Ren leaned against the cloud couch, a wine gourd hanging at his lips but he did not drink it. The Dinghai Pearl on the shelf not far away suddenly disappeared.

His gaze pierced through the rain and landed on the constantly shifting walls of the Blood and Flesh Taoist Temple.

Parts of the bluish-gray wall plaster have peeled off, revealing the scarlet fleshy texture underneath.

"It is both an incarnation and a treasure of the Daoist temple. The spiritual items produced by the Twelve Golden Immortals in the backyard should have already been included in it."

"They are too audacious, treating the Twelve Golden Immortals as farmers tilling the fields."

Lu Ya Daoist shook his head slightly. Wasn't Yang He afraid of the destruction of the Blood and Flesh Daoist Temple? The treasures of the grotto heaven are related to the foundation of becoming an immortal.

"I can only say that we were very lucky."

"The Dinghai Pearl bears traces of being blessed by Daoist Ran Deng, so they will not give it up easily. There will definitely be some hidden tricks targeting Fellow Daoist Yang next."

"In the end, faking death might have allowed him to escape."

For the first time since entering the mortal world, Lu Ya Dao Ren could not see through a person.

"Furthermore, even though the lineage he has mastered is predominantly Yang, he did not choose the Drought Demon Immortal. Originally, I was thinking of teaching him a supernatural power of Samadhi True Fire."

Lu Ya Daoist looked away, but out of the corner of his eye he noticed something unusual.

The white skeletal coffin was covered in cracks, and the corpses in the patterns on the lid became lifelike, exuding an indescribable ancient aura.

Lu Ya Daoist was somewhat incredulous. How should he put it? It was as if Yang He's age had increased by three thousand years. However, just as he was about to make a judgment, the ancient aura suddenly disappeared again.

boom.

The coffin of bones was torn to pieces.

A trace of color returned to Yang He's face. After his physical body achieved the status of a Corpse Immortal, his heart had stopped beating, but he still had a chance to live.

He opened his eyes, and there was Lady Qiongxiao, curled up on his chest, fast asleep.

The dress she wore became even more vibrant.

Lu Ya Daoist stroked his beard and noticed that Yang He's chaotic yin energy had become integrated, and in a short moment it seemed as if his cultivation had been stabilized for half a year.

Meow~~

Yang He held the black cat in his arms, his temples already streaked with gray.

The black cat couldn't wait to go to the backyard, but then it noticed Lu Ya Dao Ren and immediately bristled and hid under Yang He's feet.

"Fellow Daoist." Daoist Lu Ya shook his red gourd, a drop of wine hanging in mid-air.

"go."

Before Yang He could react, the wine had already dripped onto his tongue. The rich aroma of the wine was intoxicating, but it was mixed with an unpleasant fishy smell.

After the medicine was fully absorbed, his hair returned to its original black color.

"This wine can help you postpone the heavenly tribulation for a few days, so that you are not unprepared and it will not affect your subsequent ascension to immortality."

"Thank you, Brother Dao."

Yang He could feel that the power of the Heavenly Tribulation increased by two or three times when he was in the world of the classics. No wonder ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators hid in the deep mountains and forests.

A flicker of pain crossed his eyes; the wine given to him by Daoist Lu Ya seemed to extend one's lifespan.

It's a waste to use it on permanent characters.

"Fellow Daoist, your awakening this time is much faster than expected. However, I must remind you that innate treasures are hot potatoes."

"Is Ma Shan not dead?"

Lu Ya Dao Ren narrowed his eyes, “Ma Shan is somewhat similar to the black cat you keep. It is the crystal fire transformed from the lamp-burning Dao Ren.”

"Since his Taoist name is Burning Lamp, do you think the Glazed Fire will go out?"

Yang He cursed under his breath. In this way, Ma Shan would be like a leech. He had to find a way to frame Shen Gongbao.

As his primary public persona, the Three Corpses Taoist really didn't want to offend Buddhism.

He hesitated for a few moments before saying, "Brother Dao, I want to ask you about someone else."

"You said."

"Is Kong Xuan dead?"

Lu Ya Daoist put down the wine pot, a glint of shrewdness flashing between his brows. Why would Yang He involve Kong Xuan? Could it be that the two have some connection?

He calculated with his fingers and concluded, "Kong Xuan has indeed died and vanished."

Yang He knew he couldn't hide it from Daoist Lu Ya, and even had to rely on him, so he took out the spirit beast's body that shimmered with five-colored light.

"Fellow Taoist, you..."

Lu Ya Daoist clicked his tongue in amazement, "You have quite a few good things on you, you even managed to touch Kong Xuan's Five-Colored Divine Light."

It can't be explained by luck alone; it must be because he is favored by the heavens.

He then learned from Yang He that the latter had almost become Kong Xuan's furnace, but at the last moment, Shen Gongbao's disturbance at the Nine Turns Yellow River Formation caused Kong Xuan to fail.

"hiss."

Lu Ya Daoist's expression was one of surprise and uncertainty. He was already wondering if Yang He was really related to the creation of the world, otherwise how could he so easily obtain opportunities and turn danger into safety after encountering misfortune?

"Brother Dao, do you think it's possible for us mortals to master the Five-Colored Divine Light?"

"Impossible, the Five-Colored Divine Light is a skill that Kong Xuan was born with."

"What if I do the opposite?"

Lu Ya Daoist laughed and said, "You intend to use the Five-Colored Divine Light as a furnace? Fellow Daoist, how can you be so presumptuous? You are human, not a ghost, how can you..."

Meow! !

The black cat emerged from the shadows, its head held high, and began to meow. Lu Ya Daoist's mouth opened slightly, but the words of refusal he uttered were swallowed back down; he was surprisingly about 10-20% certain of success.

"Brother Dao, what if I could persuade the Twelve Golden Immortals to assist me?"

"It's worth a try, but even if you master supernatural powers, it's only acquired later in life, and it's difficult to reach Kong Xuan's level. It's also easy to lose control."

Lu Ya Dao Ren became interested, his eyes darting around as he pondered the key point.

"It doesn't matter."

As soon as Yang He redeems the black cat in the main world, the black cat becomes inseparable from him, as if it were an evil spirit born from his body.

He took out a sheet of paper, on which was recorded the transformation seal of the Anuruddha Mahāprabhāṣya.

"So that's the method."

After examining the contents, Daoist Lu Ya took the spirit beast's body and put it directly into the red gourd, immediately accompanied by the sound of swords whistling.

He gave Yang He a deep look, but did not reveal that the Dharma involved Buddhism.

At this time, Taoism was flourishing, while Buddhism had not yet shown its true colors. In Lu Ya Dao Ren's eyes, the Buddhist orthodoxy was merely a heretical sect.

"Give the raccoon dog to Cihang Daoren and let him handle it."

Lu Ya Daoist was intrigued and began to collect the Yin energy from the outside world, holding the red gourd.

"Brother Dao, there's plenty of yin energy in this shop."

With a thought, ten large vats appeared in the hall, filled with liquefied yin energy, almost overflowing.

Daoist Lu Ya clicked his tongue in amazement. A single large vat would be enough to drive a cultivator undergoing tribulation in seclusion crazy, yet Yang He used it to raise cats.

Hahaha, I love it!!
The more Lu Ya Daoist looked at Yang He, the more pleasing he became, because Yang He was a free spirit; otherwise, he wouldn't have needed to participate in the Investiture of the Gods war.

The Investiture of the Gods war was actually of little significance to the Great Luo Golden Immortals.

Although it involves getting a government job, all the Great Immortals are already financially independent, so it's like asking them to bet against a group of poor people.

Winning brings no benefit, and losing means you still have to work within the system.

Yang He carried the black cat to the backyard, where a vast expanse of farmland came into view, along with a shimmering lake and lush green forests, like a small world.

The twelve Golden Immortals were all busy with their own tasks, some bending over to plant rice seedlings, others wielding hoes to loosen the soil, showing no trace of their former celestial demeanor.

"Master, your disciple Yang He..."

Taiyi Zhenren, carrying firewood, brushed past Yang He.

"Dear senior uncles and masters, Shen Gongbao and I have been friends for many years."

The twelve golden immortals seemed oblivious, still focused on their farm work.

Cihang Daoist was watering a spirit rice plant when Yang He stepped forward, took out the Heaven-Opening Pearl, and respectfully said, "Uncle-Master, I have a favor to ask."

The Heavenly Pearl contained the essence of Shen Gongbao's body and soul, but just as it was handed over, Cihang Daoist's water ladle tilted, and all the water was spilled onto Yang He.

Cihang Daoren didn't even lift his eyelids, turning around to tend to another crop.

Yang He's lips twitched, feeling like an old man who had been rejected after trying to pull strings for his children. He could only turn to Guang Chengzi, who was fertilizing the plants, and say, "Uncle Guang Chengzi, I know you are incredibly powerful..."

Snapped!
A precise application of manure.

Yang He awkwardly dodged to the side, but Guang Chengzi had already walked away, carrying a manure scoop on his shoulder and humming a little tune, as if he hadn't seen the person standing in front of him at all.

"Human relationships are fickle, and the world is cold and indifferent."

Yang He realized that the Twelve Golden Immortals did not recognize Shen Gongbao at all, but rather had a subtle connection with him. Unless they changed their identities, it would be impossible for them to be commanded.

"Changing my number would be the death of me. I'd be terrified the moment Shen Gongbao shows his face."

"Besides, the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron is a closed mustard seed space, how could Shen Gongbao possibly enter or leave? Alas, can we only rely on Daoist Lu Ya?"

If it were all thanks to Lu Ya Dao Ren, the black cat would probably be in dire straits.

Just as Yang He was at his wit's end, the black cat broke free and landed at Cihang Daoren's feet. Then, it raised its tail and began to meow in a peculiar rhythm.

He could tell from the tone that it was imitating chanting.

Cihang Daoren paused in his watering motion, and his eyes gradually regained focus.

Then three more Golden Immortals stopped their farm work and surrounded the black cat: Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Julusun.

"Those four must be traitors of the Chan Sect."

The only unexpected thing about Yang He was Ju Liusun; the Taoist names of the other three immortals could be associated with Buddhist bodhisattvas in Journey to the West.

"If the Four Immortals were to be secretly killed and included on the list, wouldn't that affect the development of Buddhism?"

Yang He immediately dismissed the idea, thinking that there was no need for a nobody like him to get involved in the conflict between Taoism and Buddhism; he wouldn't even have enough lives to risk.

He sat cross-legged, pretending to form hand seals, and began chanting the Rebirth Seal, echoing the cries of the black cat.

"Namo Amitabha Buddha Tathagata..."

As the scriptures echoed, the four immortals looked up at the same time, their chapped lips moved, and their hoarse voices gradually merged, transforming into a solemn chant.

The black cat trembled violently, its fur standing on end.

A wisp of yin energy seeped from the black cat's seven orifices, its fur shimmering with a faint light, as if it were no longer an evil spirit, but a guardian beast under the Buddha's seat.

Yang He looked closely and saw a different scene through his spiritual vision.

The black cat emitted a halo of Buddha's light that filled countless distorted human faces, and the Sanskrit characters resembled flies. The Buddhist tradition was even more disgusting than Taoism.

"Meow!!!"

The black cat let out a piercing howl and its body arched sharply.

Yang He's brow twitched wildly, and the black cat slowly shrank to the size of a fetus, which was in line with the cultivation steps of the Rebirth Seal. Only then did the brow twitch return to calm.

(End of this chapter)