Start practicing from Mr. Fox

Chapter 171 Paper Ghost Soldiers

Although Chen Ji and his group had methods to conceal their presence.

But in the dead of night, something with keen senses might discover them.

So they all returned to the City God Temple.

Only the Stone Mill Demon and the Ghost Messenger of Daoist Xiyun remained by the grave.

They were ghosts by nature, so they weren't particularly conspicuous in the vicinity of Fenshan Town. Even if someone discovered them, no one would think there was anything wrong with it.

In particular, the Stone Mill Demon also has the identity of a ghost messenger from the underworld, which allows him to quickly travel back and forth to Chen Ji's side through Hao Li, making it the most convenient way to send messages.

Even if a paper craftsman were to pass by, it would be normal for ghosts to flee and hide.

"I wonder if that paper craftsman will make his move tonight?"

Inside the City God Temple, several people sat together, and the monk Zhenru slowly asked a question.

"definitely will."

Master Xiyun had dealt with many demons and ghosts and was the most experienced, so everyone looked to him to listen to his analysis.

"These kinds of things can get complicated if we delay, so we always have to do them quickly. Besides, the person is already dead, and the flesh and blood can't be preserved for long. Whatever the purpose, we should deal with it as soon as possible."

Master Xiyun paused as he spoke.

"And that paper craftsman reacted too hastily."

"Ok?"

Chen Ji looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Master Xiyun continued.

"Fellow Daoist has never performed a ritual, so naturally you are unaware of the key points."

"Life and death are major matters and time is not important, but Bai Qi only needs paper heads, which is a small job. Going there late at night is indeed presumptuous."

"It was normal for the first two paper craftsmen to get angry and kick Bai Qi out. This paper craftsman knew about the human head but didn't say anything. He even made it quickly and put a corpse-controlling talisman on it. He probably knows something."

"Perhaps he is the middleman who knows about the headless corpse, so he doesn't find it strange."

"I see."

Chen Ji suddenly understood.

It seems I should learn more about these things; if Master Xiyun hadn't reminded me, I would have known nothing at all.

Taoist Xiyun waved his hand.

"Fellow Daoist, there's no need to belittle me. It's just that I'm older and have performed more rituals. At your age, you're already quite accomplished."

"really."

The monk Zhenru also nodded in agreement.

"It's a pity that you've chosen to cultivate the Dao, otherwise I would have been willing to invite you to join my Buddhist sect. With your comprehension, I'm afraid you could attain the Arhatship in just a few years."

"This... there's really no need for that."

Chen Ji waved his hand.

He preferred the carefree spirit of Taoism and the tranquility of Confucianism to the strict rules and regulations of Buddhism.

"Moreover, I must have accidentally said something wrong and offended a high monk, so I'm afraid my practice of Buddhism is not going well."

"Oh? May I ask what you think?"

While being curious, the monk Zhenru also comforted Chen Ji.

"Fellow Daoist, please rest assured. If he is truly a high-ranking monk, he should not mind these things."

"That's hard to say."

Since there was still time, Chen Ji began by recounting the matter that the Netherfire Suanni had asked him that day.

After he finished speaking, Monk Zhenru was dumbfounded and had to be gently called by Chen Ji to come back to his senses.

"This... Fellow Daoist, you didn't just say that you've offended this person!"

Chen Ji made it very clear: since Monk Zhenru was a Buddhist disciple, it was almost impossible to guess what kind of high-ranking monk was who could stay in the underworld.

"Or, fellow Daoist, think about how you could refute that? I'll have the Stone Mill Demon go and tell the Netherfire Suanni, so it won't hold a grudge?"

"..."

The monk Zhenru was taken aback, but remained silent.

He was just thinking about how to refute what Chen Ji had said.

No matter how I thought about it, Chen Ji's words made perfect sense, and I couldn't think of any way to refute them.

Now, when it comes up, I can only shake my head.

"Fellow Daoist, you flatter me. The content of this debate is too ingenious. I haven't yet figured out how to respond."

"Then I would like to ask you to let me know when you have a response."

"sure!"

The monk Zhenru nodded in agreement, then sighed.

"Although the debate on Buddhist scriptures was unsuccessful, I still feel it is a pity."

"Fellow Daoist, your level of understanding is truly suited to be a monk!"

As soon as the monk finished speaking, he suddenly felt a chill down his back, just like the white bone demon had been staring at him.

He blurted out the Buddhist scripture he had just used for self-defense, and a golden bell phantom appeared around him, with the faint sound of chanting echoing around him.

But when they looked back, they didn't see a single ghost.

When he turned around, he saw several people looking at him and asking him how he had suddenly cast a spell.

The monk Zhenru looked around but found nothing unusual.

I can only blame myself for being too sensitive.

He clasped his hands together, chanted Buddhist mantras, and apologized to everyone.

"Amitabha, perhaps this humble monk has misinterpreted things and startled fellow practitioners. Please forgive me."

No one took it to heart.

Cultivation is inherently about being careful in every aspect; using a self-defense technique is nothing special.

However, Master Xiyun still suggested that they check their surroundings again to make sure there was nothing else before they could relax.

Just as we were about to continue our conversation...

A gasp came from the ground.

"Fellow Daoist, there's movement!"

Then two ghostly figures emerged; the stone mill demon had returned.

The stone mill demon clasped his hands in a fist and hurriedly reported.

“Fellow Daoist, someone has secretly sneaked up to the grave and started digging. I saw it and immediately came back to report, telling him to keep an eye on things over there.”

"only one person?"

"Correct!"

The stone mill demon nodded earnestly.

“I didn’t act immediately when the person came. I watched for a while before coming back. I had already searched the surrounding area and there was no one else within three miles. He must be the only one there, digging a grave with a hoe.”

"hoe?"

Chen Ji was stunned for a moment.

I had previously thought that the paper craftsman knew some magic because he could use the corpse-controlling talisman, but I never imagined that he was also digging graves with a hoe.

It should be noted that even Bai Qi and his group used magic to build roads.

But then I realized that the paper craftsman's training was the normal situation.

I've seen many demons from the very beginning, and I'm even an enlightened demon.

He already possessed abundant magical power and wouldn't consider the consumption of magical power when doing certain things, which led him to this misconception.

But serious practitioners...

Chen Ji thought about Yan Chixia and the Taoists in Qingfeng Temple, and indeed they all acted in this way.

When there's nothing urgent, I'd rather expend more physical energy to strengthen my body than save my magical energy.

As for ordinary independent cultivators who have no sect or mentor, it is already extremely difficult for them to cultivate a single technique by chance.

I'm afraid they haven't even learned the techniques for accumulating magical power.

Therefore, they only use magic at crucial moments, and are otherwise no different from ordinary people.

"Indeed, it seems you have figured it out, fellow Daoist."

"Thank you, Taoist Master."

Chen Ji smiled and thanked him, then went with the others and the fox to the headless ghost's grave.

They still rode the wind, but with the Stone Mill Demon guiding the way, they were faster, and from the air they could see the newly turned grave mounds on the ground.

“Fellow Daoist, I would like to trouble you to tell the headless ghost that we have arrived and ask him to be on guard against the paper craftsman’s tricks.”

"Of course, I'll go right away."

The stone mill demon received the order, descended from the clouds, and vanished into the ground in an instant.

He returned to Chen Ji's side a moment later.

"I have already said it. Fellow Daoist Wutougui said he already knows."

"Alright, let's keep an eye on things first, so as not to alert them."

The four of them hovered on the clouds, quietly watching below.

There was indeed a man in black lying next to the headless ghost's grave.

It was too far away to see his face clearly, but I could see him holding a hoe and leveling the grave mound.

"So, is it him?"

Chen Ji looked at Bai Qi.

Of all the people around him, only Bai Qi had ever seen this paper craftsman before, so he could only ask him.

"I... I can't tell. I might have to get closer and smell it to know." Chen Ji gave Bai a meaningful look.

Although I am the fox's master, I should still tell Miss Bai about the dangerous news I sent Bai Qi to investigate, and see how she decides to proceed.

"Since you've made up your mind, sir, then send him down. It's his fault for causing this whole thing, so it's good to confirm it."

"it is good."

Chen Ji nodded, pointed his finger at the ground, and created a path through the clouds.

He exhaled a gust of wind, which just happened to send Bai Qi to the ground.

Bai Qi hid in a secluded spot, revealed his fox form, and ran away quickly like a wild fox passing by. He then turned back to stare at the man in black who was digging a grave, and sniffed loudly.

After a moment, he looked up at the sky and nodded vigorously.

"it's him!"

Chen Ji and the other two nodded, signaling Bai Qi to continue hiding to the side, and then continued to observe from the air.

The paper craftsman was completely unaware that his actions had been exposed and continued digging the grave diligently.

However, Chen Ji used the Wall-Opening Technique when burying the coffin, and he was very careful in sealing the soil and burying the coffin. The paper craftsmen have been digging for so long that they have only just managed to level the soil at the grave, and the coffin is still underneath.

The paper craftsman rested for a moment, then continued digging with his hoe.

Chen Ji couldn't bear to watch any longer and suspected that this person didn't know any magic at all and was just a tomb raider.

"Tomb robbing?"

"Yes."

Chen Ji sighed.

"If he hasn't used any magic at this point, either he doesn't know how, or he simply doesn't have any, right?"

Master Xiyun was stunned for a moment, unable to refute Chen Ji's words.

However, the craftsman's skills were not actually revealed.

While Chen Ji, the other two, and the fox were discussing...

"Tom!"

A muffled thud was heard, clearly audible even to the three people and the fox in the sky.

Look down.

The paper craftsman finally dug up the coffin.

That was the sound of a hoe falling on the coffin.

"Miss Bai!"

Chen Ji let out a soft exclamation; without needing to say more, Miss Bai understood his meaning.

He decisively used a technique to conceal his presence and control the clouds as they descended.

The three people and the fox crept not far from the grave mound, quietly listening to the voice of the paper craftsman.

"so good!"

"I was thinking I wouldn't find a good piece of material this month and would have to wait."

"I didn't expect someone to deliver it so soon."

"Only the head was taken; it seems that the Bone Demon killed him again."

"This is really good stuff! I never expected to run into it!"

……

The paper craftsmen were whispering, but Chen Ji and the others sensed something was amiss.

The craftsman's words and actions should not be as weak as they appear.

Although not like the Ghost King, it certainly wouldn't be so bad that one would have to dig up graves by oneself.

"What should we do now?"

Monk Zhenru looked at Chen Ji and Daoist Xiyun.

"Wait a minute."

Master Xiyun gazed intently, a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

"I think I've seen him like this before, but I can't remember where."

Just saying.

The paper craftsman is at it again.

He pulled a yellow talisman from his person.

It is a corpse-controlling talisman.

Chen Ji recognized the function of the talisman just by its aura.

However, since the talisman was already inside the headless ghost's head, for some reason another one was taken out.

The paper craftsman took out a bamboo tube, blew on it gently, and a ghostly green flame emerged from inside.

After lighting the yellow talisman, no ashes were seen; the entire talisman transformed into countless firefly-like insects that flew around me.

The paper craftsman ignored the flying insects and took out a bell about the size of an arm, which he then shook in the air.

"Still not getting up?"

"jingle!"

The bell jingled and tinkled.

The coffin jolted upwards with a muffled thud, as if something was about to burst out from inside.

"Ha, such hard nails are used to seal a thin coffin. Luckily, I had prepared one."

The paper craftsman glanced down, then sneered as he pulled out a palm-sized paper figure from his person.

Blow out in one breath.

The paper figure flew into the air, swayed in the wind, and then grew to life-size.

Only then did everyone see clearly.

This is no paper figure at all; it's clearly like a headless ghost, a headless corpse pieced together with a paper head.

His cheeks and lips were blood red, and his dark eyes showed no sign of life, making him particularly eerie.

"Go, pull out the nail."

The paper craftsman gave an order.

The paper figure nodded in agreement and then descended from mid-air at an odd angle.

It floated and staggered, carrying an aura of death as it approached the coffin.

He gripped the coffin nails with both hands and pulled hard.

A single nail detached the coffin.

"stand up!"

"Tom!"

The coffin groaned, but the headless ghost corpse inside had not yet emerged.

"Not enough! Keep going!"

"jingle!"

The bell jingled, and the paper figure continued to pull out the nails, making the noise inside the coffin even more intense.

……

"I see."

Master Xiyun remained silent for a long time before suddenly speaking.

"He is not a paper craftsman, but a Taoist priest from Meishan. This is a paper soldier from Meishan!"

"Their lineage is a branch of Taoism, but they mostly use paper effigies to attract souls and act as 'spittle soldiers'."

“They are much more physically robust than ordinary soldiers, and much more difficult to deal with.”

“I saw their lineage when I accompanied my master to exorcise demons and capture ghosts.”

"only……"

Master Xiyun stared at the paper craftsman for a long time, then shook his head.

“A true Meishan master, though he commands paper soldiers, is upright and righteous, unlike this one, who is surrounded by yin and death energy and has no resemblance to a Meishan master at all.”

"I am afraid……"

Master Xiyun didn't say it directly, but the others understood what he meant.

I'm afraid this sorcerer, like the City God, has had his body controlled by yin and ghostly energy.

"Fellow Daoist, please allow me to test you."

Master Xiyun said earnestly.

“Master Meishan had been kind to both my master and me. If I were to kill him without asking any questions, I fear my conscience would not allow it.”

"it is good."

Chen Ji nodded, requesting Daoist Xiyun to make a move.

"Thank you!"

Master Xiyun stood up, drew his peach wood sword, and picked up several paper figures of soldiers and horses, slowly blowing on them.

"call!"

The wind was blowing.

Four burly men in armor suddenly appeared beside Master Xiyun. However, unlike Master Meishan, they were made of paper and had a faint golden light of merit on their bodies.

Master Xiyun stepped out of the secluded spot and spoke with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist, it's the dead of night, why are you here robbing graves and digging up corpses?"

"And these paper soldiers don't seem to belong to the Meishan lineage, do they?"

(End of this chapter)