Chapter 140: The Celestial Master Register of Longhu Mountain

Xu Jia dispersed their grand display: "All of you, get out of here and go copy scriptures! There are so many Incense Fire matters at the Fox Immortal Hall that need you to handle. Instead of cultivating properly and accumulating Merit, you mess around with these useless things. Now you want a sedan chair; next, if you feel the sedan chair isn't good enough, will you want an honor guard? And once you have an honor guard, will you want attendants, pageboys, and bodyguards?"

"Prepare yourselves well. Next month, I will hold a small examination for you. If you pass, I have rewards; if you don't pass, you will continue to study and continue to take the exam until you do pass."

The foxes and weasels all groaned, complaining one after another to Hu Du Xiu: "No wonder you only have one testicle, you wicked thing, was this all your idea?"

Hu Du Xiu refused to take the blame: "Didn't you all agree to it?" He then pleaded with Xu Jia: "Great Immortal! We were wrong!"

Xu Jia said: "Go quickly. You are already difficult to educate; learning goodness is ten times harder, while learning evil is but a single thought. If you say you were wrong in front of me now, when you are subdued by demon-slayers in the future, will you also just say 'I was wrong'?"

Xu Jia put a stop to this evil trend of flattery and boasting; he could not let these fox spirits and weasel spirits turn bad.

"Fine!" Hu Butang pulled Hu Du Xiu back: "Besides, if we get punished even more severely... our Great Immortal here doesn't like these superficial things. He is full of upright energy; you've ended up flattering the horse's leg this time. It would be better to study hard and possess a hundred years of Daoist Practice sooner!"

Xu Jia nodded: "Not bad. Lame Fox, no wonder you are often kicked; it turns out it's because you don't go along with the corrupt ways of the world! However, you are also wrong. You are only drilling for my favor because of my preferences; this is just another way of flattering. Compared to them, your ideological awareness is just the fifty steps laughing at the hundred steps."

"Ah?" Hu Butang had not expected that saying this would also fail to earn praise.

Huang Silang, who had originally wanted to show off, was also so frightened that he stopped abruptly.

Xu Jia thought for a moment and said: "You all still need to read the *Mengzi*. I will include this book in the examination syllabus."

"Ah?" The group of foxes and weasels all began to have a headache.

"Remember to go back and remind the others on the roster. Every Immortal family member must take the exam, including Chang Yu, Hu Jinhua, and Huang Pipo."

Hearing that others had to take the exam too, these little fellows began to gloat: "That's good, I thought it was just us!"

The little demons crowded around Xu Jia as they returned, noisy and boisterous, very happy.

Just then, an old man crawled out of the grass ahead. This old man had a wretched face, dirty clothes, and messy hair, with a sour, foul smell about him. He scratched his armpit, caught a flea, and popped it directly into his mouth. Upon appearing, he said: "The Dao is not far from people, people distance themselves from the Dao; in firewood, rice, oil, and salt, one sees the true law; through laughter and scolding, one experiences the human world; no need for others to teach good principles, only pity that others cannot see through..."

Xu Jia heard his disjointed, pieced-together opening poem and knew he had "run into an encounter." This old beggar had come before him on purpose to pose as a high-level expert wandering the red dust.

However, Xu Jia was no longer the Xu Jia of that year; he would not tear up the topsy-turvy scriptures, nor would he judge people by their appearance.

"Why is the old gentleman blocking the way here?"

"What old gentleman? I am the thirty-something of Longhu Mountain."

Hu Du Xiu whispered: "Is this a Daoist? Why is there not a single glimmer of spiritual light on his body?"

Hu Butang: "Judging by his attire, he looks like a high-level expert, but it's hard to say. I wouldn't give him a very high score."

Huang Silang said even more: "It's clearly just swindling. When a fake Immortal meets a true Immortal, don't they know our Great Immortal Xu is an Earth Immortal True Person?"

Xu Jia was actually somewhat surprised: "Why does the old gentleman want to ferry me to Longhu Mountain?" "Because I see your bones are extraordinary and your Daoist affinity is deep. If you cultivate on your own, you will at most become an Earth Immortal. To become a Heavenly Immortal, you must join my Longhu Mountain."

Huang Silang stood out at this moment: "Since you are a high-level expert, let me ask you: do you think I look like a god or a human?"

The beggar Daoist opened his mouth: "I won't answer that first. Do you think I am an Immortal or a swindler?"

"What do you mean?"

"If you give me a bad evaluation, I will also give you a bad evaluation."

Huang Silang neither wanted to say he looked like an Immortal nor dared to call him a swindler. He kept his mouth shut and retreated: "This old man is very difficult to deal with!"

Xu Jia bowed: "I also yearn for Longhu Mountain, after all, it is where the Wanfa Zongtan is located. However, 'while parents are alive, one should not travel far; if one travels, one must have a destination.' My father is preparing for the imperial examinations, and my mother needs care and attention, so I'm afraid I cannot leave."

The old Daoist scratched his neck: "It doesn't matter if you can't leave; as long as the money is in place, it's fine. As the saying goes, the Law is not transmitted lightly. As long as you have three thousand taels of silver, I will transmit the Celestial Master Register to you."

Xu Jia said: "My family is destitute and cannot produce that much money."

"That's not right! I see you are clearly favored by the Wealth God, how can you have no money?"

"How about two thousand taels? If that really won't work, one thousand taels will suffice."

Xu Jia laughed: "The Dao cannot be transmitted lightly, but if it's something that can be solved with gold and silver, then it's not a problem. I don't have three thousand taels, two thousand taels, or even one thousand taels. I'm afraid I don't have the fortune to enjoy the Celestial Master Register."

"Sigh!" The Daoist Wang Mintong sighed: "It seems you don't believe me. You also think I'm a swindler, right? Where would you find such a stupid swindler who asks you for three thousand taels right off the bat? I am so sincere, so straightforward. I thought you were a smart person, but I didn't expect you to be such a vulgar person too."

"This Celestial Master Register of mine can protect the Primordial Spirit for ascension, can deliver lost souls to liberation, can help spirits open their wisdom, can summon mountain and river Earth Spirits, can control the Heavenly Court of the Nine Heavens, can impeach the Demon Kings of You Ming, can summon five kinds of thunder, and can release Samadhi Fire. Call to the heavens and they respond, call to the earth and it becomes spiritually responsive."

"If it's so powerful, wouldn't three thousand taels be selling it too cheaply?" Xu Jia laughed: "And there isn't even a ceremony. How about this: I'll earn one hundred thousand taels of silver first, then beat drums and gongs, and go to the Wanfa Zongtan of Longhu Mountain in person to request the Register?"

"That won't work. They don't transmit the Celestial Master Register to outsiders."

"Then you will transmit it to me?"

"You are different." Wang Mintong said: "The Daoist lineage of Jiangnan West Circuit is prosperous, and a Heavenly Master is produced every five hundred years. With the Celestial Master Register, you can compete for this five-hundred-year term of Heavenly Master."

"Me?" Xu Jia said: "Alright, thank you for your kind words. Never mind the money for now; I will take you back to provide for you for a period of time, to save you from wandering around in such a disheveled state. You can test my character further, and then transmit the Celestial Master Register to me."

"Too much trouble. It's better to just take the money—pay the money, get the goods!"

"It's no trouble!" Xu Jia laughed happily: "You little things, where is the sedan chair you just made? Why haven't you carried this Wang Faguan back to the Fox Immortal Hall yet?"

Several little demons immediately surrounded him. This Wang Mintong spoke of how powerful he was, yet he had no strength in his hands, nor any Divine Ability or Daoist methods, and was hoisted onto the sedan chair and carried back just like that! (End of chapter)