From the beginning of this turbid world, the Taoist priest descended the mountain.

(You engrave the talisman left by Uncle Qingyi from the Three Caves onto your arm. The [Tianpeng Protective Incantation] lights up, and the God of Fear sheds tears of longing; he misses his master.)

(The sentimental Fear God General, witnessing the things left behind by his master, is always overwhelmed with emotion. At the same time, his hatred for the Twelve True Lords deepens. He sees the zombie heart within you. He hints that you can also summon the Yin God by offering this sacrifice. You obtain the Fear God General's divine skill [Summoning the Yin God])

(The Ferocious God General looked at the Fear God General with disdain. Although they were from the same sect, their personalities were different.)

(Practicing pure Taoist methods, your spiritual consciousness +1)

(Walking through this turbid world, you too are completing your cultivation. The Earth Sovereign Scripture on your body is a rare treasure; true treasures are often not material. You see it as if you don't, untouched by the mortal world, your nature is empty. Three Sovereigns Scripture collection progress: 1/3)

[Yearly Ruler: Forestry] (Resting and Resting)

[Qi and Blood: 19] (Method: Ferocious Killing Technique)

[Strength: 13] (Method: Life Fire Furnace)

[Agility: 11]

[Divine Sense: 20] (Method: Technique for Observing Turbid Qi)

[Ordination]: Shangqing Maoshan (not ordained), Xuanguang Cave (Five Ghosts Knocking on the Barrier Method, Protective Method), Seal of Ferocious Slaughter (Ferocious Slaughter Technique), Subduing Yin Spirit, Secret Realm Spirit Child

[Techniques]: Five Animal Frolics - Ape Strike Technique, Five Animal Frolics - Pig Body Lean (Penetrating), Water Yin Dirty Technique (Mastery)

[Life Organs]: Metal Monkey Fire Lungs, Kidney Pig Wood Liver

[Illusory Items]: Rootless Talisman, Tibetan Buddhist Knife, Clothes for Changing Worlds

[The offering of the tainted sacrifice]: The heart of a zombie

Lin Ye stroked his chin, never expecting things to develop this way.

He was still wary of the two divine generals, Zheng Kong and his companion, because he realized that they intended for him to collect offerings and wanted him to become a spirit medium.

Unexpectedly, the transmission of magic within the Xuan Guang Cave would involve Uncle Qingyi, causing the Fear God General to go mad and cast another divine spell on himself, [Subduing the Yin God].

As for the specific effects of this Yin-summoning deity, the forestry department did not conduct a detailed study.

It seems that as long as one offers up yin objects and sets up an altar, one can summon things from the three yin realms.

It's somewhat similar to shamanism? But shamanism is restricted by the two gods and the spirits attached to the body, so many things can't be done.

The spirit that summons Yin has no limit; the more precious the offerings you make, the more powerful the spirit that will be summoned.

If Ji Qian saw this, he would probably be overjoyed.

"What are you thinking, kid? Let me tell you, second son, although you may have some talent, things in our family must be done honestly and uprightly! There are things that can be done, and things that cannot be done."

"Don't worry, Master. I'll make sure all my dirty tricks work on Master Huang. You can rest assured."

Lin Zheng: "..."

Forget it, I'm tired. I've secretly divined this kid's fate and fortune. I can't see through it, only a flash of blood, after which a blue dragon will appear.

……

Another day passed, and after finishing his forestry training, he went to see Liu Xiucai.

During this time, Mei Lingyun was busy managing the family business. Even though she asked Sanbao's older sister to help, there were still many minor details to deal with.

Although the rice shop is small, it has many intricate connections, and dealing with them cannot be done in just one or two days.

As dusk fell, the twilight turned blood-red. It was already late September, and the air was getting chilly.

Lin Ye bought a lot of food, and Mei Lingyun was tidying up Liu Xiucai's house.

Looking at the two of them, Liu Xiucai felt they were a perfect match.

Although Lin Ye's appearance was not exactly handsome, recently, Liu Xiucai observed his face, posture, and demeanor and felt that he was more and more different from the Taoist priests who came from the Taoist temple.

They excel in the market and are established in their respective fields.

He may not be a young hero, but he has a kind of reckless and chivalrous spirit.

With someone like Lin Ye, you'll never have to worry about being taken advantage of.

"Old man, I'm planning a trip to Goose City. I won't have any books to read along the way, could you bring me a few?"

Liu Xiucai looked at Lin Ye, his mouth agape, intending to make a sarcastic remark to him, but then he thought that Lin Ye had indeed learned some wisdom from his studies recently.

So, to be tactful, he said, "Okay, what book do you want to read?"

"Baopuzi, Tao Te Ching, and I remember you also have Yin Fu Jing and Tai Shang Wang Qing Pian here. I'm not picky; I want to see anything related to our Taoist school."

"Alright, take it with you when you leave. But kid, I have to remind you. If you really want to cultivate something, you still have to ask your master. No matter which of the three religions you belong to, books are books, but the real knowledge is still in your master's belly."

Liu Xiucai was actually worried that if forestry were to follow the textbook blindly, it would go astray.

But Lin Ye's pupils contracted again. While Mei Lingyun was serving the dishes, he leaned close to Liu Xiucai and whispered something.

"You noticed it too?"

Liu Xiucai was startled by what he had just done and shouted, "What are you doing? What did you figure out?"

Lin Ye sat back down, somewhat disappointed, and muttered, "I thought you knew something unusual?"

"How could I not know? When I passed the imperial examination, I was invited to a banquet by an official, and I actually know some things about this world that you don't know."

"That's all outdated information. You just finished passing the imperial examination and the Xuantong Emperor abdicated."

Lin Ye ate peanuts, clearly skeptical of Liu Xiucai's words.

After the two shared a few drinks, and Mei Lingyun served the dishes, Liu Xiucai began to tell his story in a leisurely manner.

"The Xuantong Emperor you mentioned is from the new era. What I want to tell you is about the time of his grandfather, the Xian Emperor. That year, there was a zombie outbreak in western Hunan. It's said that the Holy Maiden of the White Lotus Sect was killed by monks from the western regions, and after that..."

What the old scholar said was indeed frightening, but since it involved the White Lotus Sect, no one knows exactly what happened during those years.

But as Liu Xiucai and Lin Ye drank one cup of wine after another, Liu Xiucai's face turned red, and even Lin Ye himself became a little tipsy.

After drinking too much, these two didn't engage in the usual boasting and rambling that others did.

Instead, mysterious and bizarre stories came out of his mouth.

Lin Ye pulled Liu Xiucai aside and whispered, "Old man, I've noticed something lately. Do you think it's a coincidence that Zhou Dafu from the Zhou family turned into a green-haired zombie? That Shama Town used to be a beautiful place with green hills and clear waters. And back then, I felt like everything was familiar. Who do you think is buried in that mass grave next to Wopan Gully?"

Taking advantage of his drunken state, Lin Ye voiced the doubts that had been lingering in his mind at the time.

Mei Lingyun, who was eating nearby, opened her beautiful eyes wide, not expecting that these things could be connected.

Liu Xiucai was drunk, drooling, and clearly his brain was malfunctioning and he couldn't react properly.

After a long pause, he finally said, "Your story won't do. Listen to me. Do you know what that great lama from the Tibetan region came here for? He wants to use the body of the White Lotus Sect's holy maiden to make a flesh lotus! Alas, ever since the emperor abdicated, that place has become increasingly sinister."

The flesh lotus is a ritual implement made by monks in the Western Buddhist tradition.

……

Under the warm moonlight, a small boat slowly sails along a tributary of the Han River.

A monk sat on the small boat, his attire different from that of monks in the Central Plains. He wore a thick, earth-yellow felt robe and held a bone-jade bead in his hand.

The monk's expression was calm, but the moonlight made his face appear particularly cold. He sat at the stern of the boat, silently chanting scriptures, seemingly detached from the outside world.

"Guest, please don't sit there. It's dangerous to be too close to the water at night."

The boat captain, who was punting at the front, kindly reminded him.

The monk remained silent, but when boarding the boat, he handed a gold ingot to the boatman, asking him to carry him up the Qinghua River to Qingshi Town.

Seeing that the other party was ignoring him, the boatman assumed that the other party was too busy chanting scriptures to hear him and continued to talk to himself.

"Master, don't underestimate this river. We make our living from the water, but there are many more taboos associated with it than in other places."

"There lives a Dragon King beneath the Han River, and he has many wives. On the first and fifteenth of each month, those who roam below are not human."

Finally, the monk spoke.

"Are you talking about those people who wear white and have long hair?"

"Yes, those are all servants of the Dragon King. These people fell into the river and died, and after death they became servants, serving the Dragon King for generations."

As the boatman spoke, he suddenly shivered. Why did the river suddenly become so cold?

"This place of yours is teeming with ghosts and evil spirits."

The monk spoke, his voice carrying a hint of coldness.

"Hey, these things, as long as you don't mess with them, they won't bother you."

"Oh? What's next to you?"

The boatman looked around and noticed that, at some point, someone wearing white clothes and with loose hair appeared on someone's face. They were standing on the water, getting closer and closer to the side of the boat.

In an instant, the boat captain's pupils became bloodshot. He had been sailing on this river for many years, and this was the first time he had ever encountered such a thing.

A cold hand grabbed his trouser leg and pulled him directly into the water.

As the boat captain fell into the water, the white-clad men around him did not disperse; instead, they surrounded the monk.

Upon seeing this, the monk slowly stood up. He gently took off his robe, revealing a emaciated body that was almost skin and bones.

As his body was exposed, a strange, meaty aroma filled the surroundings.

The strange fragrance immediately attracted those creatures to surround the monk.

"In this turbid world, ghosts dwell, and all living beings are nowhere to be seen. Today, I offer myself as a lotus to feed you all, hoping you will lead me to find that spiritual child."

The monk slowly closed his eyes, and suddenly his skin cracked open, revealing fleshy lotus flowers that bloomed, filling the entire boat with fragrance.

The men in white rushed toward the monk, wanting to devour him.

After a long time,

The boat was still floating on the water, but the monk had already sat at the bow. The fleshy lotus on his body slowly closed, and his lips were tinged with scarlet as he licked away the bits of flesh between his teeth.

The last fleshy lotus flower on its body closed.

"Thank you all for your hospitality, Natso is full."

The boat was still drifting, and the monk slowly raised his brow.

This is too slow. What if the child runs away?

"Boatman, hop aboard. This humble monk will give you a ride..."

As soon as he finished speaking, a pair of thin, dry hands gripped the deck. The boatman, who had fallen into the water, stood at the back of the boat and quietly braced himself.

The moonlight shone on his face, revealing a completely devoid of flesh and blood; his face was a stark white skull, and his empty eye sockets held nothing at all.

"Captain, you have a very Buddhist nature. Congratulations on realizing that emptiness of body is emptiness of nature. Shedding the skin and flesh is the first step to becoming a Buddha."