You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

Chapter 157 Do ghosts and gods really exist in this world?

Can one become an immortal by cultivating the "Qingwei Yuanjiang Great Method"?

Wang Xuan's youthful face was full of anticipation.

His words carried a disdain and arrogance toward "spiritual practice," or perhaps "ignorance" would be a more accurate description... As the saying goes, ignorance is bliss, and this is exactly the case.

Only when he truly embarks on the path of cultivation will he know how difficult it is to "become an immortal"!

Perhaps he would strive for this goal for hundreds of years to come, but he ultimately failed. He lived to be 483 years old, and it was already very rare for him to become a Taoist True Lord!
Gu Jinghui said, "The Great Method of Pure Subtle Primordial Descent is the supreme inheritance of the Taoist 'Pure Subtle School'. As long as you cultivate diligently, you will naturally have the opportunity to become an immortal."

Wang Xuan was overjoyed and kowtowed several more times.

He got up and walked out, but when he got to the entrance of the main hall, he found his parents, uncles and relatives still standing in the hall in a daze. He immediately said, "Dad, Mom, what are you standing there for?"

"Let's go home!"

Pfft!
Wang Xuan's uncle snapped out of his daze, his knees buckled, and he knelt down, kowtowing as he said, "Mountain God, I am Wang Xuan's uncle... Mountain God, to be honest, I have dreamed of practicing martial arts since I was a child, and I hope that you will grant my wish!"

The others also knelt down.

However, the mountain god statue had returned to its "petrified" state, and no matter how much they knelt and worshiped, it was to no avail.

Even so, everyone remained extremely respectful, not daring to speak loudly in the main hall.

"Mountain God, my husband and I are desperate to find our son, which is why we are bothering you so late at night. We hope you will not blame us."

Wang Xuan's parents got up and lit several sticks of incense for Gu Jinghui.

Others followed suit and also lit incense.

And when they left, they even slipped a few banknotes into the donation box outside the main hall.

Some people didn't have cash and wanted to scan a QR code, but after searching for a long time, they couldn't find the payment code and had to give up.

In the main hall.

Chen Yang and Gu Jinghui took everything in.

Gu Jinghui sighed, "It looks like we need to get a QR code for payment... After all, people rarely carry cash these days. If the temple doesn't have a QR code for payment, worshippers who don't have cash won't be able to donate money for incense. Wouldn't that discourage the worshippers and believers?"

"........."

Chen Yang: "If you want to take money, just take money. Why make it sound so high-sounding?"

Gu Jinghui chuckled and said, "I'm a god now. It wouldn't sound right to openly admit to taking money."

What happened to God?

Chen Yang asked, "Will your temple need money for future repairs? Will it need money for management? Will your disciples need money for food, clothing, and other necessities when they come to the temple to cultivate? Will your parents need money for their old age?"

Gu Jinghui is dead, but his household registration has not been cancelled.

His bank cards and ID card are still there. Even his cell phone, which he used before his death, was repaired by his parents and buried with him, so those payment and communication apps are still usable.

He took out his phone, applied online to create a QR code for receiving payments, and then sent the QR code to the mountain god temple via express delivery.

Considering that some worshippers may be accustomed to using Alipay, Gu Jinghui thoughtfully applied for an Alipay QR code for receiving payments.

"Old Chen, isn't it too deserted to have such a big mountain god temple with only me as the mountain god?"

Gu Jinghui continued, "After today's events spread, they will surely become a hot topic, and the temple's incense offerings will only grow stronger... Old Chen, why don't you help me find a temple keeper?"

Temple priests, also known as temple officials or temple stewards.

During the Zhou Dynasty, temple priests were "officials," mostly sons of nobles, primarily responsible for presiding over sacrificial ceremonies, including praying for blessings and delivering sacrificial speeches. However, as history evolved, temple priests came to manage the daily affairs of temples, generally including temple sacrifices, temple donations, and property.

Some professional temple keepers even possess basic knowledge of Taoist practices and can draw talismans, interpret fortune sticks for tourists, and preside over rituals for believers to appease Tai Sui, replenish luck, and exorcise evil spirits, among other things, to pray for blessings and ward off disasters.

Chen Yang said, "Didn't you take on a disciple? You can leave these trivial matters to him."

"Wouldn't that delay my disciple's cultivation?"

Gu Jinghui said righteously, "Old Chen, the Qingwei Yuanjiang Great Method was passed down to me by Uncle Chen. I am doing this to find a successor for Uncle Chen... Before Uncle Chen went down, he repeatedly told me to carry forward the Qingwei Sect. Now that we have finally found a good candidate, can you bear to watch him be entangled in the trivial matters of the temple and neglect his cultivation?"

"Okay, I'll recommend one!"

What do you think of Song Jingxuan?

That bastard is waiting here!
"Nonsense!"

Chen Yang said, "Song Jingxuan is a ghost, and you are a god... How could a single vengeful ghost withstand the power generated by the daily offerings of incense and sacrifices by worshippers in this mountain god temple?"

"Then... is there really no other way?"

Chen Yang understood Gu Jinghui's intentions perfectly well.

He simply wanted to obtain an imperial decree for Song Jingxuan.

Chen Yang said, "It's not that there's no way... If she were to receive an imperial decree and become a ghost official, she wouldn't have to fear the divine power of your temple. But Song Jingxuan hasn't accomplished anything, so why should I bestow an imperial decree upon her?"

Having said that, Gu Jinghui naturally couldn't continue to plead for leniency.

"but……"

Chen Yang changed the subject, saying, "However, it's not impossible. I'm currently short-handed, so if Song Jingxuan performs to my satisfaction, it's not impossible."

"There are many wandering souls and evil spirits in the world these days, and there must be some in Helan County as well..."

"I understand!" Gu Jinghui said, "Old Chen, don't worry, I'll inform Song Jingxuan right away and have her come to Helan County. I guarantee that within seven days, all the ghosts and evil spirits in Helan County and even the townships and villages under its jurisdiction will be completely eradicated!"

The one who came to the Helan Mountain God Temple was merely a wisp of his divine consciousness.

At this moment, his "true form" is still on the roof of the villa.

There are three villas in this community, all three stories high, with an additional basement level of -1. However, the other two villas have not yet been renovated.

In fact, because it is a newly opened residential complex, there are currently no more than 10 households living in the entire complex.

However, there are many people doing renovations. During the day, every building is filled with the sounds of renovation work, but at night, when it is quiet, the entire community is completely silent.

"It seems that I haven't practiced the [Divine Descent Technique] wrong, and it can even summon gods... but what kind of gods I can summon still needs to be tested."

Chen Yang's mind raced.

To summon certain "gods" to descend to earth, such as the God of Thunder, one needs to draw a thunder talisman; to invite the "God of Wind," one needs to draw a wind talisman. In addition, there are also rules regarding the arrangement of the "formation."

Chen Yang hadn't mastered it yet, so he just randomly arranged it.

As a result, a "mountain god of Helan Mountain" was summoned nearby.

"We still need to work on the technique of divine descent... Let's see if we can summon a celestial god to find out what's going on in the heavens."

…………

2025, April 8.

10 o'clock in the morning.

The authorities held a press conference that was broadcast live nationwide and invited hundreds of media outlets.

High-ranking officials from the military headquarters, the political department, and the Special Administration attended the press conference.

At the press conference, after the officials gave a brief explanation of the recent controversy surrounding martial arts and Taoist practices, the press conference moved on to a Q&A session.

It is clear.

These media outlets were all arranged in advance.

Even the order in which questions are asked matters.

The first question came from a reporter from CCTV, who asked: "There are rumors that martial arts and Taoist practices flourished as early as a thousand years ago, but the authorities and high-ranking officials blocked the news. Is this true?"

The leader of the Political Department laughed and said, "If the inheritance of martial arts and Taoist methods had continued, our Great Xia would not have experienced so many hardships in modern times. You said it was just a rumor, so it must be false."

The leader gave a brief introduction to the concept of the degenerate spiritual energy era and the spiritual energy revival.

As for the reasons behind it, the reporter didn't ask, and naturally, he didn't need to explain.

"Now that the government has publicly acknowledged the existence of martial arts and Taoist practices, is it trying to promote them vigorously?"

“Practicing martial arts and cultivating Taoism can strengthen the body and cultivate one’s character. This is a good thing and should naturally be promoted.”

"I heard that the government plans to introduce martial arts and Taoist practices into textbooks and popularize them in primary, middle, and high schools... If this is the case, will it affect students' studies?"

"I've heard that after the spiritual energy revived, many monsters were born in the deep mountains and forests, and many ghosts have awakened in the human world?"

"Recently, someone posted online that their nephew went to a mountain god temple, became a disciple of the mountain god, and received Taoist teachings from him. Does this mean that ghosts and gods really exist in this world?"

Chen Yang was also watching the live stream.

He moved a small stool and sat outside the funeral home.

The hardware store owner, her middle-aged best friend "Sister Li," and even their husbands were all watching the live stream!

"Xiao Chen, do you think ghosts and gods really exist in this world?"

Sister Li asked the same question.

Just as Chen Yang was about to answer, he smelled a fragrant breeze.

He glanced to the side and saw the vixen-like proprietress of the newly opened "dessert shop" next door walking gracefully over. She handed everyone a dessert and said with a charming smile, "My shop is opening today. You can introduce your relatives to come and buy from us in the future."

"Thank you."

Sister Li thanked her, popped a small piece of cake into her mouth, and praised, "This cake is really delicious... By the way, Sister Hu, did you watch this live stream?"

"I see a lot of people in the comments debating whether ghosts and gods really exist... What do you think, Hu Meizi?"

The vixen-like proprietress of the dessert shop laughed and said, "Sister Li, I'm just a weak woman, how would I know about these things... I have customers coming into my shop, you two chat first!"

Sister Li refused to give up and looked at Chen Yang again.

"Xiao Chen, you're in the business of dealing with the dead... They all say there are ghosts all over the country these days, have you seen any?"

Chen Yang said seriously, "I have seen them, and I have seen many of them!"

Sister Li then asked, "And what about the god?"

Chen Yang answered truthfully: "I've seen them too, quite a lot!"

"Tch! He's just spouting nonsense without even thinking!"

Sister Li clearly didn't believe her, and popped another small cake into her mouth: "You know what, Hu Meizi's dessert is really delicious!"

(End of this chapter)