This is what an immortal should be like

Chapter 311 Let’s get straight to the point

Seeing Zhuang Lin and Xi Miao's respectful attitude, Xi Zaochi, who was originally quite weak on the sickbed, seemed to have regained some energy and couldn't help but laugh.

"Hahahaha, I have neither the literary talent to respond nor the courtesy to treat scholars with respect. How could you two know this with just one glance?"

Zhuang Lin straightened up and nodded with a smile.

"A single glance might not be enough, but a few words spoken face-to-face with him are sufficient!"

These words surprised Xi Zaochi. In fact, when the two approached the bedside, he knew at a glance that they were no ordinary people. Only he could clearly see their faces, and even he felt a sense of awe at their extraordinary appearance.

The officials from Xiangyang were also somewhat confused, but since the Yin family father and son were there, they naturally took the lead. Seeing that the two men had stepped aside and that Xi Gong was acting this way, the others naturally watched with curiosity.

The Yin family father and son were by the bedside. Yin Zhongkan paid attention to his son's expression and found that Yin Kuangzhi seemed very excited, which made him even more curious about Zhuang Lin and Xi Miao.

They were all men of high moral character, whose fame was not widespread, and who were by no means ordinary people.

A master? How master? He looks so young!
Yin Zhongkan's idea was also the idea of ​​many officials and scholars present, as was the idea of ​​Xi Zaochi, who was on his bed.

Upon hearing Zhuang Lin's words, Xi Zaochi nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the stunningly beautiful Xi Miao, before calmly replying.

“Nephew Yin said that you two are both highly accomplished scholars. Since I am worthy of your respect, would you please introduce me to you?”

Zhuang Lin and Xi Miao exchanged a glance and both smiled slightly.

After scanning the room, Zhuang Lin nodded slightly. It was rare that the people in the room all had a certain integrity. However, this was not surprising, as Xi Zaochi was intolerant of any wrongdoing. The so-called famous scholars and officials who came to his bedside at this moment were of some value.

Yin Kuangzhi was wondering what Zhuang Lin would say. After all, the status of a master of innate skill was supreme among martial artists, but it might not be the same for scholars and literati. Would Xi Gong recognize it?
But Zhuang Lin's words truly shocked everyone present.

"During the previous Ullambana Festival, I discussed the Dao with the World Honored One and felt that the world was in chaos and disorder, and that the Yin and Yang realms were not at peace. This was because the human world was in disarray, the world was in turmoil, and the incense offerings in the underworld were in disarray and the gods and ghosts were fighting, which caused chaos between the Yin and Yang realms of heaven and earth!"

Upon hearing this, everyone except Zhuang Lin and Xi Miao experienced a brief mental blank. Why were they suddenly talking about gods and ghosts?
Although the people of the Great Jin Dynasty are fond of discussing matters of gods and ghosts in this day and age, it might be inappropriate to do so in front of Xi Gong in this setting.
Zhuang Lin continued speaking.

"Humanity follows the natural order of heaven and earth. Therefore, to understand the principles of heaven and earth and to resolve the changes in the universe, we must first establish the balance of yin and yang. Human hearts are unpredictable, making changes in the world even more difficult. So let us first establish the balance of the underworld. After birth, aging, sickness, and death, the souls of the world will have a place to rest, their paths will be clear, yin and yang will be separated, and there will be no more harm from ghosts, no more trouble from ancestral sacrifices, and no more suffering from eternal damnation."

Zhuang Lin said a lot, and many people present thought to themselves that it was "absurd," but the silence was so profound that you could hear a pin drop. Some people wanted to speak several times, but for some reason, they didn't dare to interrupt.

After Zhuang Lin finished speaking, everyone stood there dumbfounded. Xi Zaochi stared at Zhuang Lin with wide eyes, as if his illness had temporarily left because of his shock.

"You, you're talking utter nonsense! Do you know this is in front of Master Xi, do you know this is in front of Lord Yin? You're just an unknown person, what are you doing here today trying to attract attention?"

"Yes, isn't what this gentleman is saying a bit too absurd?"

Finally, someone couldn't help but say it, their voice sounding somewhat reproachful.

Not to mention them, even Yin Kuangzhi's mind was buzzing. He opened his mouth but couldn't say a word. In his memory, Senior Zhuang Xi was a master of innate realm, but what he was saying now was a bit too absurd.

Yin Zhongkan looked at his son's state and then at the situation in the room. Although he did not reprimand him, he frowned and for the first time suspected that his son had misjudged the person.

After Zhuang Lin finished speaking, he just stared at the bed, while Xi Miao stood to the side with a smile on her face, ignoring the scolding from the side.

"Lord Xi, Your Excellency the Governor, this man is clearly making fun of us!"

"Indeed, Xi Gong is unwell, yet he still comes to ridicule him like this. He is utterly unworthy of being a scholar. Get him out of here immediately!"

Xi Zaochi took a while to react. Hearing what the others said, he raised a slightly trembling hand to stop their scolding. However, Yu Fa looked at Zhuang Lin and the other person with curiosity. The feeling he got from these two people was still the same: they were definitely not ordinary people!

"Gentlemen, I would not do anything impolite. However, what you just said is, as you all have said, rather absurd!"

Zhuang Lin nodded slightly.

"To ordinary people, it is indeed absurd, and I don't expect everyone to believe me when I say it!"

Xi Miao nodded in agreement.

"Although I know that President Xi does not believe me, I must still make it clear, because I need President Xi's help!"

Upon hearing this, Xi Zaochi couldn't help but ask a question.

"I am old and frail, how can I help you?"

Zhuang Lin looked at Xi Zaochi with great care.

"Xi Gong is a man of great virtue and possesses a noble spirit. If he were to pass away in the future, I, Zhuang, would hope that you would shoulder the heavy responsibility of the underworld of Xiangyang, establish the Underworld Court, set up the Underworld Bureau, rectify the netherworld, punish the wicked, guide the souls of the dead, and exterminate evil spirits, thus becoming the City God of the Underworld!"

Xi Zaochi paused for a moment, then muttered to himself.

"City God. Underworld City God?" "That's right, Underworld City God. Does Master Xi understand what that means?"

When Zhuang Lin asked this question, Xi Zaochi laughed. Normally, if someone says something absurd, it would be disgusting, but the words of these two were so ridiculous that they aroused curiosity.

Moreover, after this commotion, Xi Zaochi's spirits inexplicably improved, and he smiled as he heard this.

The Book of Changes says, "The city is built upon the moat." The city is a place to house the people, and its name is composed of the radicals for earth and the character for "build." The moat is a moat, and a moat is a place where there is water. The moat is a place where there is no water. The meaning of the city and moat in the netherworld is self-evident.

As he spoke, Xi Zaochi glanced at Yin Zhongkan, the current governor of Jingzhou, and then looked at Zhuang Lin before continuing.

"Based on what you said earlier, the City God is like an official in the human world, who governs the underworld!"

Zhuang Lin nodded and said, "As expected, such a learned scholar doesn't need much explanation; he can understand it on his own."

"As President Xi said, the weight of the netherworld is no less than that of the nation! I wonder if you are capable of undertaking this task?"

Xi Zaochi also laughed. Although this person's words were absurd, this commotion actually lessened the gloom that had been hanging over his sickbed.

Xi Zaochi, who usually appears serious in his old age, was in a great mood at this moment. Even though his words were absurd, they were a form of recognition and praise for him.

"Hahahaha. If what you say is true, then why can't we do it?"

This could be considered a joke by Xi Zaochi, and the surrounding officials and scholars grinned. Some people could also see that Xi was joking at this moment, so there were fewer people criticizing Zhuang Lin.

Someone winked at the door, and immediately more servants from the Xi family stepped forward, intending to take Zhuang Lin and Xi Miao away.

This absurd farce should come to an end.

Zhuang Lin glanced to the side, while Xi Miao, who had been delighted upon hearing Xi Zaochi's words, immediately frowned.

Upon seeing this, Yin Kuangzhi immediately came to his senses and stepped forward.

"Stop! Don't be rude!"

Xi Zaochi, who was on the bed, also saw it. He glanced at the official who had just given him a meaningful look, and then looked at his own servant.

"All guests are welcome, please step back!"

The servants dared not say anything and quickly withdrew, while Zhuang Lin continued to look at Xi Zaochi, his expression becoming more serious. That joke from earlier was not enough!
“I know that you may think that I am just making a ridiculous joke, but you might as well think about it. If the suffering of the underworld is really like this, and if there is such an opportunity to become the City God, you can relieve the suffering of the underworld, maintain the stability of Yin and Yang, and restrain the evil spirits in the world. However, once you enter this gate, there will be no rest and you will never have peace. Would you be willing to do it?”

The atmosphere changed after Zhuang Lin asked the question; there was a subtle, almost imperceptible sense that his words carried a magical power, as if there were some kind of ghostly illusion in the surroundings.

For Xi Zaochi, the feeling was even stronger than for others, causing him to unconsciously immerse himself in Zhuang Lin's assumption.
Xi Miao frowned slightly, then relaxed her brows.

The gentleman deliberately spoke only of responsibilities and harms, but not of the benefits of achieving godhood. It seemed like he was pushing people out, but it was also a true test of people's hearts.

Xi Zaochi seemed to be experiencing some illusions, seeing the suffering of the world, the birth, aging, sickness and death, and even after a hundred years, he could not find peace in the underworld. There were ghosts and evil spirits, ghosts fighting, demons and monsters, and flesh-eating souls. Darkness was not only in the mortal world, but also in the underworld. It was a suffocating sense of oppression.
"Ho ho."

Xi Zaochi couldn't help but gasp for breath, and although the officials around him didn't feel it as deeply, they were also under that kind of oppression. This was the first time they felt that perhaps the person who came wasn't talking nonsense.

"Is this permissible?"

Zhuang Lin's voice rang out again.

Although Xi Zaochi was slightly out of breath, his face did not show fear, but rather a faint anger, as he asked a question.

"Is the Netherworld truly like this?"

Xi Miao nodded in agreement.

"That's absolutely right!"

Xi Zaochi's anger intensified. The suffering of the world extends even to the dead, who cannot find peace. Relatives offer sacrifices, but often the souls of their loved ones cannot reach Mount Tai. The suffering of the people is not limited to the shortness of life, but may extend into the endless afterlife.
How tragic!
"Ah, if that is truly the case, and if I, Xi, can truly demonstrate this meager strength, then I shall naturally shoulder the responsibility of the City God of the Underworld. Even if it is but a drop in the ocean, it can still create a haven for the common people, and I will die without regret!"

These are Xi Zaochi's heartfelt words, filled with emotion and anger.

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Lin and Xi Miao saw Xi Zaochi's body shine brightly, and even the others felt as if the room had suddenly become brighter and warmer!

"it is good!"

Zhuang Lin's shout was like a cheer; his grand ambition had been fulfilled!

(End of this chapter)