Start practicing from Mr. Fox

Chapter 183 Infiltrating the Upper River
Even after returning to the human world, Lu Xiaoyou still felt like it was all a dream.

He knelt on the ground, his voice trembling as he looked at Chen Ji.

"What you just did, sir..."

Chen Ji waved his hand.

"It's none of your business. Just remember to come here and sue the river god. You know nothing else."

"Understood, understood! I will definitely not say anything when I get back."

Lu Xiaoyou hurriedly kowtowed.

When he looked up, his gaze fell on Chen Ji, and a different kind of confidence arose within him.

They usually prayed to gods and Buddhas, bringing expensive items, but the clay and wooden sculptures never responded.

Even when there are occasional miraculous responses, they are usually passed down from the temple keeper or learned from others; I have never witnessed one in person as I have today.

Moreover, if the scene I just witnessed were to be told, others would probably treat it as a miracle and spread it around.

But thinking this way, Lu Xiaoyou felt a little annoyed and ashamed.

Even those who go to worship unreliable deities know to bring offerings and incense.

Now that I haven't brought anything with me, it is indeed somewhat offensive to the gods. Next time...

No! tomorrow!

We should go buy offerings to the City God Temple first thing tomorrow morning.

But thinking about it makes me a little hesitant.

Those clay and wooden sculptures need incense and candles, but what should be offered to this living Taoist priest and city god?
"The believer looks worried; what is he thinking about?"

Chen Ji was studying the tiger tally when Daoist Xiyun asked Lu Xiaoyou what he was doing.

"Well, Your Excellency, to be honest, I was thinking of what to offer to the City God."

“The City God is still alive, so the things that the village usually uses for worship don’t seem suitable to be brought here.”

“But if I don’t bring those, I really don’t know what to bring. I’m worried about offending the City God if I bring the wrong thing, so I’m in a dilemma.”

Lu Xiaoyou dared not hide anything and answered truthfully, but his voice grew softer and softer.

Master Xiyun looked at him, his eyes growing increasingly satisfied.

Seeking justice for her sister who married out of the family is an act of filial piety.

To appeal to the river god as a mortal is courageous.

Knowing when to say what is wisdom.

To agree to something but still think of offering sacrifices—this is faith.

These qualities make an ordinary person a good person in the eyes of their neighbors.

For Lu Xiaoyou to be able to do this under such circumstances can be described as the behavior of a true gentleman.

So she smiled and looked at him.

I didn't answer his question, but just looked at it carefully.

"Would you be willing to become my disciple and learn magic?"

"Magic?"

Lu Xiaoyou's eyes widened in disbelief, and after a long while, her voice trembled as she came to her senses.

"I...you...Taoist Master...you're really not joking?"

"I can learn magic too?"

"nature."

Taoist Xiyun nodded.

"You are kind-hearted and have a childlike spirit. You are resolute and have a good potential for spiritual cultivation."

"If you are willing, I will start teaching you some simple breathing and qi cultivation methods tomorrow. After we finish here and return to the mountain, you can formally become my disciple."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiaoyou trembled with excitement. Without the slightest hesitation, he kowtowed deeply to Daoist Xiyun.

"Master, please accept my disciple's greetings."

Master Xiyun accepted the gift with a smile, then raised his fingertip and used a gentle breeze to lift Lu Xiaoyou up.

Lu Xiaoyou had never seen such a technique before. He stared wide-eyed at the ground beneath him, but felt no wind. He looked around curiously.

Master Xiyun then slowly introduced the lineage and history of Qingfeng Temple to him.

"Our lineage is Qingfeng Temple, which worships the winds of the four seasons, and our magic often begins with the wind."

"A person with profound spiritual cultivation can summon a spring breeze even in winter."

"Back then, an emperor held a banquet for his officials in winter and complained that the imperial garden was not beautiful enough because there were no flowers. So he asked the senior monks in the temple to do something."

"In the depths of winter, a gust of east wind blows down, making all the flowers and trees think that spring has arrived, and all the flowers bloom in competition."

Lu Xiaoyou listened, a golden light flashing in his eyes. "Such powerful magic, can a person really master it?"

"nature."

Master Xiyun nodded, but this time he didn't talk about the seniors in Qingfeng Temple. Instead, he looked to his side.

"If you were lucky enough to witness the City God catching ghosts and using his magic, that would be truly amazing."

"A single spell captured over a thousand souls."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiaoyou opened his eyes wide and looked at Chen Ji, unable to connect him with the person that Daoist Xiyun had mentioned.

However, things calmed down after a short while.

The methods of immortals are not easily understood by mortals. If one's cultivation is sufficient, perhaps one can also achieve these things.

There is only one path in front of me.

Practice well.

But before starting his cultivation, Lu Xiaoyou still wanted to resolve the issue from earlier, so he asked again.

"Master, don't you know what to offer to the City God?"

Master Xiyun remained silent for a moment before shaking his head.

"Although I have a good relationship with the City God, I really don't know what to offer him."

"But remember one thing."

"The offerings to gods and incense are about the sincerity of the heart, not the amount of things. As long as the heart is sincere, that's enough."

"Sincerity?"

Lu Xiaoyou thought for a moment, then frowned, and it took her a long time to relax.

"Thank you, Master! I know what to offer now!"

Master Xiyun waved his hand, signaling him to go and prepare, while he continued to talk with Chen Ji about the issues they hadn't had time to discuss earlier.

"Now that you have obtained the Tiger Seal for Mobilizing Troops in the Underworld, what are your plans?"

"Are we supposed to just rush to Shanghe Village, kidnap the river god, and bring him back for questioning?"

"It doesn't work."

Chen Ji shook his head.

He had even considered this method from the very beginning.

However, given the way the Xidu River God operates, it certainly won't be that easy.

Besides, if they really captured the river god, made him sign and seal the document, and then reported it to the City God of the whole country, they could say that he was tortured into confessing, which would leave them with a handle against them.

"What should I do?"

Master Xiyun frowned and pondered deeply.

Chen Ji smiled slightly.

“There is an easier way to figure out what this river god is trying to do.”

"what?"

"I infiltrated Shanghe Village to replace Lu Xiaoyou's sister as a human sacrifice offering."

"no!"

Without a second thought, Master Xiyun interrupted.

"Even a son of a wealthy family would not sit under a dangerous roof. Given your current status, you should be careful if you go to Xidu territory."

"It doesn't matter."

Chen Ji picked up the tiger tally and slowly spoke.

"With this item, I will have at least two thousand ghost soldiers with me, which is enough for me in the mortal world."

“That’s… indeed.”

Master Xiyun thought about it and nodded in agreement that Chen Ji was right.

Two thousand Yin soldiers are a considerable force in the underworld, and with Chen Ji's abilities, they are certainly capable of protecting themselves.

The rest is just a matter of seeing how much information he can gather.

If it can be proven that the Ghost King colluded with the River God of Shanghe Village, then this matter will be much simpler.

With that in mind, he stopped trying to stop him, but advised Chen Ji to be extra careful.

Chen Ji nodded his thanks and then prepared his things for Shanghe Village.

Although his skills are profound, he has not yet fought in the water, so he should prepare properly.

(End of this chapter)