Start practicing from Mr. Fox

Chapter 123 Seems Like a True Immortal

"I don't know."

The little foxes shook their heads, their eyes filled with curiosity.

"Please tell us about it, Miss Bai."

"I was going to tell you this all along, but I didn't have the chance before."

"Then listen carefully."

The mudfish demon and his companions thought this was the fox demon's business and were about to leave when they heard Miss Bai call out to them.

"It's all about demons, you can all listen to it too, so you might have some experience to deal with it in the future."

"Yes."

The three demons responded and sat down to the side like little foxes.

Miss Bai spoke slowly, though her voice carried a hint of desolation.

"As I told you before, although demons can transform into human form, demons whose transformation skills are not sophisticated enough will sometimes reveal their true form."

“It’s fine to cultivate on the mountain, but if you’re in the human world, your transformation is already imperfect and people will notice. If they then plot to break your demon form and take the opportunity to capture you, the outcome is hard to say.”

“If a normal Taoist priest captures them and uses them as spirit pets or mounts, they will lose their freedom but not their lives. However, they will inevitably be chained up and have talismans planted on them in the future, and their cultivation will be controlled by others.”

"But if you encounter those Taoist priests who shout about eliminating demons and protecting the righteous path, killing demons and capturing ghosts indiscriminately, the fox's skin will be peeled off to make fur, its bones will be used to make magic tools, its flesh will be used to make pills, and its soul may even be put into the Ten Thousand Souls Banner. The fox's entire body will be refined and cleansed, and it will not be able to find peace even in death."

"Fellow Daoist Tongchan should understand this deeply."

"really."

The bronze toad shook its head and nodded repeatedly.

"Over the years, the people of Wangjia Village have worn away their souls. If it weren't for your help, fellow Daoist, they would probably have been completely annihilated."

"What's that experience like?"

Fear and curiosity flashed across the little foxes' faces.

The bronze toad thought for a moment.

"It's like Bai Ershisan is grinding your brain with a huge millstone, never giving you a moment's rest, and like steel needles are being pierced all over your body and then hot oil is being poured on you."

"Hiss! How scary!"

"Senior Toad is truly remarkable for enduring such suffering!"

"People are so scary!"

"That Taoist priest is ruthless!"

"The human world is too terrifying; it's better to stay with demons!"

The little foxes sighed, but the Iron Pot Demon shook his head.

"Even demons have their bad points. I really envy you all being able to stay on Mount Sendai."

The little foxes then remembered that the person in front of them was also a demon, and they had almost been harmed by the demon. So they asked again if it was the same when a demon captured another demon.

"Absolutely."

The Iron Pot Demon nodded, recalling what he had seen and heard that day.

"All the demons who were at the banquet that day are dead. If it weren't for the Taoist priest who went there, I would probably have died there too."

The demons sighed in dismay.

Miss Bai looked at them again.

"Did you hear that? Whether human or demon, anyone with evil intentions will not have a good end if they capture other demons."

"Humans can rest and recuperate in palaces, temples, and monasteries, living with their teachers and friends. But if demons do not live in the mountains and hide in the human world, they must always be careful not to reveal themselves."

"Transformation is to conceal your demonic characteristics, so that neither humans nor demons can discover your true forms, thus reducing trouble."

The little foxes dared not argue and obediently nodded in agreement.

Only after Miss Bai's eyes softened slightly did he ask in a low voice.

"Even if you join Fox Academy, you still can't feel at ease?"

"nature."

Miss Bai said seriously.

"What do you think Fox Studies is?"

"It's just a new school for you after you embark on your cultivation journey."

"The instructors inside have probably not ventured into the world for hundreds of years. Apart from being passable in cultivation, their experience in combat and worldly affairs is not as good as that of the fellow Daoists beside you."

"Don't dare."

The mudfish demon and the others quickly waved their hands and shook their heads, not daring to agree.

If Miss Bai were not present, and only the little foxes were discussing the law with them, they would still dare to call themselves great demons.

But now Miss Bai is right beside me.

They couldn't see through Miss Bai's cultivation level, so naturally they didn't dare to respond.

The little foxes now understood the significance of Miss Bai's arduous training to transform into human form, and they all nodded in reflection on their previous attitude.

However, it was indeed inappropriate for someone in the middle to upper ranks to laugh so arrogantly.

So one by one they bowed their heads and apologized to Miss Bai.

"You're not apologizing to me. You know the truth yourselves. Ultimately, spiritual practice is for yourself."

"I remember, I will definitely work hard to cultivate the Transformation Technique and dare not slack off."

The little foxes responded in unison.

"Fellow Daoists are in the same boat. They've already almost lost their lives. Let's not let it happen a second time."

"must!"

Upon hearing this, the demons quickly stood up and agreed.

Miss Bai waved her hand in response, then looked at Chen Ji.

"Would you like to go to Qingfeng Temple now, sir?"

"Wait a moment, there are still some things to do in town."

"Then come find me when you're done with your work, sir."

"it is good."

Miss Bai got up and left.

The demons rose and bowed in respect.

It took him a while to come back to his senses.

They are not foxes, so why are they so afraid of Miss Bai?

After thinking about it, I can only conclude that Miss Bai is a true senior demon, and even without revealing her magic, she has enough intimidation.

Chen Ji happened to overhear the discussion, but shook his head.

It wasn't some powerful demon's intimidation at all; it was simply the students' natural fear of their teacher.

There was no need to explain this to them, since Miss Bai was indeed a powerful demon.

It's good that they think this way.

Chen Ji thought about pushing open the door and walking towards the workshop.

Now there are six statues there, all related to themselves.

Previously, when Master Xiyun was around, he was the one who went to check on the progress and inquire about the situation. Now that Master Xiyun is teaching disciples on the mountain, it's time for him to go and see for himself.

Just that day, the town supervisor brought silver over, saying it was a reward for bringing talent to the town, and it was three hundred taels, enough to cover the needs of the statue.

Although Qingming Festival has passed, the smell of incense and candles can still be smelled in the streets and alleys, and the streets are bustling with people.

Chen Ji was puzzled when he suddenly remembered that today was the ninth day of the lunar calendar, which happened to be market day.

Now that there are no demons or ghosts causing trouble in Tiejin Town, people from nearby villages are willing to come here for the market, so it's normal that there are many people.

Peddlers carried loads of small items like needles and thread on the road.

There are also various kinds of jewelry, tea cakes, and the Four Treasures of the Study, as well as fortune telling and bone reading services.

People also sat in the restaurants and taverns along the roadside, three or five people per table, the food and drinks depending on their budget, playing drinking games and reciting poems, which was quite enjoyable.

It had just rained, so the sun wasn't scorching, but it felt exceptionally warm on the skin, just enough to dispel the damp chill from the past two days of encountering demons and visiting the underwater palace.

Of course, it's probably mostly psychological; I spend every day with fox spirits and I don't feel this way.

But at this moment, I feel at ease, and that's enough.

I hadn't walked more than a few steps when I heard a sound.

"Master Chen!"

"Master Chen has arrived!"

Someone on the street recognized Chen Ji and called out to him, bowing and thanking him.

Then more people rushed up to express their gratitude, and one person even brought out some snow pears that he had grown himself for Chen Ji to taste.

"Alright." Previously, they were afraid that Chen Ji was a cultivator, so they didn't dare to hand him anything and only expressed their gratitude verbally.

When he noticed that some people were boldly offering him things, and Chen Ji didn't refuse, he stopped being reserved and started offering things to everyone.

"Thank you, Taoist priest, for offering sacrifices to the saint. My child has gained talent and can now write essays in the time it takes to burn half an incense stick! I brought some cloth woven by my wife to the market today. It's homemade and not anything fancy, so please don't refuse it."

"Master Dao, you not only exorcised demons and ghosts but also brought us talent. We really don't know how to thank you. I never expected to meet you here. These are eggs I laid myself. Please accept them, Master Dao."

"I also have mushrooms picked from the mountain, all picked this morning, they're so fresh they'll make your eyebrows fall off!"

……

Half an hour later, Chen Ji finally managed to squeeze out of the crowd.

Even though Chen Ji had already declined many offers, his hands and body were still covered with things.

I'm struck by how genuine people are these days; they truly have the willingness to repay kindness shown to them.

However, upon closer reflection, it seems to make sense.

The idea of ​​repaying a small kindness with a great one is the most basic belief and moral requirement in humankind over the years, and it should be passed down. It's just unknown how long this simplicity can be maintained in this world.

"Is that Master Chen?"

As Chen Ji was thinking about something, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

He turned his head and saw that it was indeed Song San, so he nodded.

"it's me."

"It really is the Taoist priest! I thought it looked like him from behind, but I thought he wouldn't mention so many things. I didn't expect it to be him!"

"It's all because the people in town are so hospitable."

"Of course! If it weren't for rushing to carve the statue, we would have gone to the Taoist priest's medicine shop to give him a thank-you gift."

"Let's forget it. Making a good statue is the best way to express our gratitude."

"One thing at a time, we can't be careless with the statues, and a thank-you gift is also necessary."

Chen Ji couldn't refuse, so he had no choice but to go with them.

As I walked into the courtyard, I immediately saw several statues of the Five Sacred Mountains Emperors displayed there.

I previously said that the wooden frame was fast, and now that I see it, it is indeed fast; the basic outline has already been completed.

Moreover, Chen Ji's eye for detail has improved significantly. Even without knowledge of wood carving, he can tell that these statues were all hand-carved, stroke by stroke, with utmost devotion.

Even before it took on a human form, the power of incense had already condensed on it, which shows the craftsmen's dedication.

Looking at the other statues on the side, you can vaguely make out that they are deities, but there is no incense burning on them; they are just ordinary wood carvings.

Perhaps it's related to how I helped them get rid of the "demons" here?
Chen Ji felt a little puzzled and carefully examined the statues of the Five Sacred Mountains Emperors.

"Does Master Chen think there's something wrong with the statue?"

Zuo Tou noticed that Chen Ji's expression didn't seem to be one of dislike, but he kept staring at him and cautiously asked for his opinion.

"The idol is very good."

Chen Ji shook his head and explained the problem he had discovered.

"But I feel that this statue is somewhat different from the statues next to it. Does the foreman know why?"

Upon hearing this, Zuo Tou burst into laughter.

"If you ask me about other things, I might not know the answer, but I certainly know the answer to this one."

"Oh? I'd like to hear the details."

"The day the Taoist priest resolved the blood Buddha statue, although the brothers didn't talk about it, they couldn't help but mention the Taoist priest's kindness while they were working."

"If we hadn't been able to sculpt the statues for the temple the Taoist priest wanted to build, something bad would have happened last time. We should thank the Taoist priest and also the Five Sacred Mountains Emperors."

"If this temple can protect the people even before the statues are erected, it will surely be effective in the future."

"I heard that the gods can only be effective if you offer incense sincerely. Since we can't offer incense properly now, the brothers offer three sticks of incense every morning and evening when we start work. We also agreed to wait until the temple is finished before offering incense again."

Chen Ji suddenly understood.

No wonder there was the smell of incense on this statue; I never imagined it was worshipped even when it was still made of wood.

Whether it would work or not, Chen Ji couldn't say for sure; he could only tell them to try it out later.

After viewing the statues of the Five Sacred Mountains Emperors, one encounters the accompanying statue of Lady Hongci.

Chen Ji couldn't make a judgment on his own, so he tapped the waist tag.

Although it is daytime, with Judge Lu's waist token protecting her, she will not be harmed even if she comes out for a short while. The craftsmen cannot see the ghost, so it is a good opportunity for Lady Hongci to come and see for herself.

"What can I do for you, Master Chen?"

After Lady Hongci appeared, she bowed and asked a question.

"It's nothing, I just wanted you to take a look at your idol, is there a problem?"

Madam Hongci then looked at the wooden statue placed beside Chen Ji.

Even though it was just an outline, I could feel the familiar presence, and tears still welled up in my eyes.

He bowed again.

"The Taoist priest's arrangement is already excellent; there are no other problems."

"I never expected that this statue would already have incense burning before it was even finished being carved. It will surely prosper in the future!"

Chen Ji was stunned.

Unexpectedly, Lady Hongci said the same thing as the craftsman who made the statue.

It seems there was some kind of serendipity involved.

Whatever.

According to Master Xiyun, building a temple also brings merit, and there is a chance to have a statue of a deity.

Although this temple was part of the mountain god's ascension to godhood, it was also built under my supervision, and I even went to the trouble of finding a place to store unclean things.

As the Five Great Emperors are among the most powerful deities in the human world, obtaining their favor in the future should be quite beneficial.

Chen Ji thought for a moment, then took out an incense burner and incense, lit three sticks, gently shook them out, and respectfully placed them in front of the statue.

After doing all this, I realized that I had no demands, but I wondered how the Five Sacred Mountains Emperors would respond.

Unexpectedly, as my gaze fell upon the statue, the incense burned and flickered, and the smoke seemed to seep into the statue's body, accompanied by faint laughter.

But the sunshine was bright and cheerful, and the sound of it conveyed a sense of righteousness and divinity.

"..."

Chen Ji was stunned for a moment, then quickly cupped his hands in greeting.

The foreman and craftsmen on the side were completely dumbfounded, unable to believe what they were seeing.

"So gods really can hear people talking, and their breath can absorb incense offerings?"

"Of course you can, but you must not do bad things in order for your sincerity to work."

"understand!"

The craftsmen nodded repeatedly.

Chen Ji then called back Madam Hongci and discussed the matter of wages with the craftsmen.

Unexpectedly, everyone from the foreman to the craftsmen insisted on not accepting the goods.

"We shouldn't accept the Taoist priest's money just for saving our lives, especially since this is a statue that has been blessed by a deity."

"We wouldn't even have the chance to create such a statue, even if we paid out of our own pockets. It might even extend our lifespan. How could we possibly accept the Taoist priest's money?"

"Even if we give it to them, we'll have to use it as incense money later. It's better to give it to the Taoist priest now and save ourselves the trouble."

"Yes, Daoist Master, please accept it."

Having said that, it would be unreasonable to refuse any longer, so Chen Ji had no choice but to take back the silver.

But they put down the things they had brought with them.

The artisans wanted to decline.

Chen Ji simply controlled the wind to suppress it.

"There are few people in the pharmacy, and we can't finish all of this. It would be a shame to waste it and disappoint everyone's kindness, so it's best to share it."

"If you find there is any left over when you get back, you should share it with your neighbors without hesitation."

"If you really feel bad about it, then offer it as a tribute before eating it."

So the craftsmen couldn't refuse and accepted them all, thanking them respectfully.

After Chen Ji finished checking everything, he turned and left.

The craftsmen stared at Chen Ji's retreating figure for a long time before finally uttering a single sentence.

"I feel like Master Chen is the real immortal."

The others were taken aback for a moment, then nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, if there really are immortals, they should be like Master Chen!"

The sound lingered, whether it was a sigh or a genuine sentiment was unclear.

(End of this chapter)