The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 63 Living Buddha, Disciple Understands!
The five yin entities sat down beside Du Yuan, looking somewhat bewildered.

They waited quietly for the shopkeeper to give each of them a bowl of vegetarian noodles.

But as time went on, some people still dared to ask Du Yuan:
"Master, were you waiting for us specifically?"

Du Yuan said:
Why do you think that way?

After exchanging glances, they said cautiously:

"Because, because, at this hour, it's one thing to be in the city, but it's really unusual for a teahouse to be open in this desolate wilderness."

Finally, they looked at each other and said, with their heads slightly bowed:
"They're even willing to entertain people like us."

Before they could finish speaking, Du Yuan interjected:
"people!"

The several evil entities were stunned once again.

If you said it was out of kindness before, then it's now confirmed.

Such kindness only made them more eager to ask:
Why does the master refer to us as "human beings"?

Du Yuan continued with a counter-question:
"And what do you consider to be what defines a human being?"

The several sinister beings asked, increasingly puzzled:
"Master, why do you always insist on referring to us as human beings?"

Du Yuan still didn't answer, but instead asked a question:

"And what exactly do you consider to be a human being?"

A seemingly simple question left the evil spirits speechless for a moment.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally spoke carefully:
"At the very least, it has to be alive, right?"

"Hehe, that's not quite right," Du Yuan laughed. "Among the living, there have never been few heartless wolves, hypocrites, or beasts in human clothing, and none of them have ever been worthy of the title of human being."

Before the several evil entities could answer, Du Yuan declared loudly:

"Therefore, many living people are nothing more than people in human form!"

Such arguments are not something that a few evil spirits have ever heard.
Even the shop owners, who often listened to their customers chatting, were somewhat shocked.

After a long while, the five yin entities, feeling parched, asked:

"But Master, are we really not of that kind?"

Du Yuan waved her hand and laughed:

"Of course not, after all, why don't you take a look at your own sleeves and pockets?"

After being reminded by Du Yuan, the five evil beings immediately began searching through their own clothes.

Soon, they exclaimed in surprise as they pulled out several items they had no recollection of.

Some people found only half a coin, some had one coin, and some had two coins.

Without exception, they were all cardboard coins that the soldiers had once handed over to the shopkeepers.

They stared in bewilderment at the unfamiliar objects in their hands. After a moment, they all held up the cardboard coins and asked Du Yuan:

"Master, do you know what this is?"

Du Yuan pointed to the cardboard coins in their hands and said:

"This is your character! Those who merely have a human form could never produce this! Therefore, compared to them, how can you not even be called human?"

This was something that Du Yuan had seen appear out of thin air on them ever since they sat down.

Furthermore, consider their different appearances at different times.

It seems that they put aside their evil intentions, which is why heaven and earth returned the virtue that rightfully belonged to them.

There may not be many, but the difference between having them and not having them is like heaven and earth!

Thus, the cuckoos came to refer to them as people.

Just then, the restaurant staff brought out the freshly cooked vegetarian noodles.

"The noodles won't taste good if they're left out for too long, so please enjoy them quickly."

Du Yuan's voice seemed to possess a certain magic; just by speaking it, they subconsciously wanted to obey.

Therefore, they all suppressed their doubts and lowered their heads to eat their vegetarian noodles.

As they ate, sobs gradually began to rise from among them.

I don't know who it is, or rather, I can't tell who it is.

The sound of crying began, but not a single tear fell. Noticing this, the invisible sorrow in my heart grew even heavier.

In life, it was nothing more than an ordinary thing on the stove, but now it's as if all the past events have been cooked into a soup, each bite burning the insides with pain. Yet, one can't help but want to continue.

As they finished their bowl of vegetarian noodles, they suddenly put down their chopsticks and cried, saying:

"I remember who I am now. I am Zhang Ergou, Zhang Ergou from the west end of Zhangjia Village. My father is Zhang Dazhuang, and my mother is Zhang Xiaohua. I finally remember! I have failed my parents; how could I have drowned without leaving any descendants!"

"I remember now, I'm from Jizhou, my home is in Chen County, Jizhou. How could I have died so far from my hometown!"

Seeing this, the shopkeeper, who had already walked up behind Du Yuan, suddenly said to Du Yuan:

“Living Buddha, your disciple has finally understood.”

"Ok?"

I understand? What do you understand?

Du Yuan was a little confused.

The shopkeeper continued:

“I’ve always wondered why, even if people come to my little shop to rest and have a meal, how could such a small contribution be worth so many coins of merit?”

"Now I finally understand."

"You want me to help these helpless and lonely souls to let go of their worldly attachments so that they can pass away peacefully!"

The shopkeeper has no knowledge of spiritual practice, let alone supernatural tales.

But he lived for over fifty years and always remembered that when a person dies, they should be properly buried and return to their roots.

Those who ended up with him were likely like these people—either destitute or wandering souls who had died far from home.

Thinking of this, the shopkeeper stepped forward and said to them one by one:

"You said you're from Zhangjia Village? The Zhangjia Village next to Hegou Town? I know where that is. Do you remember where you drowned? I can't find you a wife to continue your lineage. But I can retrieve your body and give you a proper burial, so you won't die without a grave!"

"Are you from Jizhou? I've never been to Jizhou, but is there anything you want to tell your family? I can help you send a letter through the post station, and who knows, your family might even come and take you home!"

The shopkeeper inquired about all these matters with the wandering spirits and granted their requests one by one.

After doing all this, the shopkeeper bowed deeply to Du Yuan and said:

"Living Buddha, I suppose I've come to my senses not too late?"

To sever worldly attachments to spirits and spirits is something that cannot be realized by oneself. Even if a living Buddha personally instructed one to do so, it would be difficult to sustain such an action for long.

After all, what you want to do is different from what others require of you.

Fortunately, I'm not really that stupid; I wasn't blinded by ignorance or unable to see the true meaning.

They did not disappoint the Living Buddha's earnest teachings.

Du Yuan paused for a moment, then looked at him and praised:
"Good, great good!"

After saying that, Du Yuan looked away, feeling a little embarrassed.

He thought to himself, 'Shopkeeper, you're truly a saint!'

The shop owner breathed a sigh of relief.

"In that case, I am relieved."

Du Yuan didn't answer, but simply nodded and smiled.

But one of the five wandering souls suddenly shouted:

"Oh no, Living Buddha. I remember now, we actually have several companions. They are different from us; they look extremely fierce, and it seems they have all been taken to the city by some kind of magic!"

"Now they're probably harming people!"

Upon hearing this, the wandering spirits became extremely anxious.

But Du Yuan's eyes lit up and she raised her hand, saying:

"Don't worry, leave this to me!"

Ah, finally I have a chance to use my skills!
Having said that, he raised his hand and beckoned, and the porcelain bowl that the shopkeeper had kept in the inner room flew straight into Du Yuan's hand.

Under the watchful eyes of several wandering spirits, Du Yuan poured a bowl of hot water into a porcelain bowl. After glancing at them, Du Yuan pointed to the hot water in her bowl and said:

"Watch me subdue them immediately."

Inside the porcelain bowl, the five Buddhist mantras 'Prajnaparamita Kong', which Du Yuan had personally written with ink by crushing a temple roof tile, lit up one after another. Upon seeing this, Du Yuan immediately splashed the porcelain bowl towards Qingzhou.
"coming!"

As the hot water hit the ground, the wailing of the vengeful ghosts in Qingzhou City also resounded.

(End of this chapter)