Chapter 153: Offering the Cooling Bead

At "Di Gou Quan," Xu Jia said: "A land and its water nurture its people. Originally, the Pure Spring nurtured a land of goodness and gave birth to kind-hearted commoners. Now that it has transformed into the Tanquan, I fear it will nurture many cunning and wicked people with black hearts. The commoners will drink the water and become bandits, while officials will drink it and become gluttons for greed."

Xu Jia said: "The only way to resolve greed is through integrity. Plant some lotus flowers. I happen to have the 'Ode to the Lotus' right here. Find a stonemason, have the text inscribed as a memorial, and place it by the spring to fulfill the intent of cleansing filth and loving integrity. Nurture integrity to dissolve greed—that is all."

Jingchi was delighted to hear this: "The Flower Adornment Sutra also highly praises the lotus; it symbolizes purity, good causes, and good fruits. The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas often reside upon Lotus Platforms."

Xu Jia was quite fond of this giant salamander: "You cultivate there, but you may not necessarily attain full purity in the future. Why not join my hall? I have some understanding of the Dharma. Although I may not compare to that divine monk who could transform Fanyin Valley into a Hua Yan Jing Tu simply by chanting sutras, I do have some fellow practitioners with actual cultivation and realization. For instance, Qiu Jinsha of Jinsha Creek is also in my hall."

Jingchi was overjoyed: "That is exactly what I intended!" Having left the spring this time, he could not return, and he was just looking for a backer. He had just witnessed Xu Jia's abilities, and the fact that he could treat him with "equal regard" was the best thing possible.

Xu Jia then wrote out a register and had him sign it, then asked: "Do you have any other offspring or relatives?"

If Xu Jia remembered correctly, there should be many of these giant salamanders in the streams and springs around here.

"Ever since I gained consciousness, I have been all alone. It was only after receiving the divine monk's enlightenment that I began to cultivate. I don't really know any other demons."

"I see." Xu Jia signed the register with him, becoming his "Dharma Lord," and realized that this giant salamander had no special combat abilities, possessing only a "Pure Water Method" and a "Heart-Cleansing Method," which worked together to purify the Avatamsaka. Moreover, the giant salamander could not cry like an infant, so it lacked sound-wave attack techniques.

In general, this giant salamander followed the path of natural purity; it had no techniques for self-protection or avoiding calamities, relying entirely on the two words "pure" and "clean." It had hibernated in Di Gou Quan for two hundred years, and because its own purity was corrupted, it had suffered a calamity.

Because this giant salamander had been pure for years and lacked evil thoughts, it could not even practice the method of refining evil thoughts into ghosts that Xu Jia taught.

Xu Jia pondered back and forth and said: "Since you have joined my hall, I will teach you a method. This technique is called the Lotus Platform Rank-Ascension Visualization. You visualize a lotus seed within, taking root and sprouting. Upon first reaching the First Rank, every time you undergo nirvana and pass through a calamity, you sprout anew. Your Primordial Spirit sits upright upon the Lotus Platform, receiving its protection, and the many lotus leaves are the many methods of protection and Dao-guarding."

This technique was something Xu Jia had exchanged for years ago with a Daoist Physician surnamed Li. It was a pure method of Nature Cultivation and a way for the spirit to transform and sublimate. This Daoist Physician Li had even healed the hidden injuries Xu Jia sustained from forcibly attempting the Great Medicine Charging the Pass.

However, for the time being, it was perfectly suited for this giant salamander, Jingchi.

Jingchi was very happy to hear this, clapping his short, thick arms together. He then opened his mouth and spat out a bead: "True Person, this is a Cooling Bead I have cultivated for many years. Practicing while holding this bead brings a sense of coolness, as if one were situated within a cool mountain stream. It can extinguish restless fires and nameless anger."

Xu Jia shook his head and said: "I cannot possess any wealth on my person right now, and this Cooling Bead is clearly very precious. I cannot accept it, or I wouldn't know how I might lose it later."

Jingchi said: "The essence of the Cooling Bead is not that of a mere gemstone; it is the essence of Ren and Gui water. Ren water is the warmth of spring, and Gui water is the cold of yin. The two embrace each other, giving birth to Water Essence. I, this humble monk, held it in my mouth for many years, and it was only through a sense of purity that it could condense into a bead. If this bead is lost, it would be because the True Person lacks the intent of purity, not because one cannot possess wealth."

Xu Jia found this reasonable and, unable to refuse him, took the bead. It was indeed icy cool, yet it did not freeze him, nor did it increase in temperature due to his body heat.

Holding this bead in his hand, his mind felt cool, and his wisdom became increasingly clear.

"This treasure is the key to your pure protection. Are you really giving it to me?"

"External objects are, in the end, external objects. If my inner heart is not pure, this treasure is of no use at all," Jingchi said. "True Person, this humble monk will return to Di Gou Quan to cultivate the Lotus Platform method. I hope to truly achieve the state of rising from the mud without being stained, and washing in clear ripples without being bewitched."

Xu Jia nodded with a smile and said: "Go then!"

Having resolved this matter, although Xu Jia was "in debt," he felt "light of body" and did not feel burdened by shackles.

Seeing the Treasure Basin again, Xu Jia had an idea: "Previously, the commoners worshipped the evil god because that Xieshenmiao was efficacious. Since you want to exert your power, why not build a Jin Chan Miao on the original site of the Xieshenmiao? This temple is deep in the mountains, regardless of what the officials think. Besides, I happen to be developing Lan Shi Huo. However, you must never imitate the evil god and demand Blood Food. Even if the commoners secretly bring Blood Food up the mountain to sacrifice to you, you must stop them."

The Jin Chan said: "Wouldn't that make me an evil god who only receives sacrifices in the middle of the night?"

"When I become a Heavenly Master, I will appoint you as a True God, but that is not possible now. Just head to Lan Shi Huo!"

The Jin Chan sighed: "Someone will have to carry me there. I can't move right now; I can only sit in this basin."

"Fine, fine, I will take you there myself, and while I'm at it, I'll resolve the knot for that Lao Zhupo."

Xu Mu's father blocked him, saying: "Our family's gold has all been eaten!"

The Jin Chan said: "My little Xiao Jinchan are all debt-ghosts; they only ate the evil wealth. The gold left behind by your ancestors hasn't been touched!"

Xu Mu's father scratched his head: "Then should I go and check?"

Xu Jia smiled and said: "Father, did you take it to heart because I said last time that I would use this money for your social networking, and you felt it was already your own? Now, the gain and loss is the best way to temper a person. Sages are indifferent to favor or humiliation; you still need to cultivate yourself!"

"Exactly!" Xu Mu said: "It's a pity you were so righteous before, saying you were at peace. What about later? You also talked about seeing the big picture from small clues, but now you are the most reluctant to let go."

"Where am I reluctant? Public is public, private is private. This wealth has an unknown origin and an unknown destination; I must ask clearly. If I don't distinguish between public and private, how can I be an official in the future!" Xu Mu's father's entire head turned red from the teasing, and the temperature above his neck rose rapidly: "Besides, what do you know about the affairs of scholars?"

Xu Jia laughed: "If I had your level of ideological cultivation, Father, I wouldn't have suffered this calamity. It seems you are truly not far from the realm of the Virtuous, and you should study even harder. The Recommended Man degree you are so obsessed with is merely an experience voucher for the officialdom. To truly enter the great dyeing vat of officialdom, one must be a Presented Scholar!" Xu Mu's father said: "Don't provoke me; I know my own level." Although he said this, he still added: "If I can pass the provincial examination and become a Recommended Man, I will definitely participate in the metropolitan examination at least once."

He stroked his beard and said: "I only lament that my literary talent is insufficient."

Xu Jia said: "When reading in one's teens, one often doesn't know where the brilliance of the sages lies, knowing only how to recite. Now that you are at the age of forty, perhaps you have deeper realizations."

"Forty, forty... but how many people can truly achieve standing firm at thirty and being free from doubt at forty? Your father, I, reading these sage books—it's not that I understand more the more I read, but that I become more confused the more I read."

"Becoming more confused the more you read is exactly when you have grasped the essence. Reflecting on oneself, distinguishing what is right from what is wrong, knowing it, understanding it, and then acting upon it, doing it well—isn't that becoming clearer the more you read?"

Xu Jia brought out Wang Yangming's "Heart Dharma": "Apart from life and death, there is nothing of great importance in the human world. What do you think, Father?"

"You certainly know how to talk." Xu Mu's father said: "Perhaps the home is truly too comfortable. I am going to set off for Nanchang to study."

"Nanchang is the seat of the Jiangnan Xi Dao Xing Sheng. There are many great Confucian scholars there, and many who study the classics. My trip to Nanchang this time is, firstly, to stop working behind closed doors, and secondly, to gain some experience."

Xu Mu said: "When you were young, didn't you go there? Nanchang, Jiujiang, Ji An—where haven't you been? Bai Lu Dong, Bai Lu Zhou, Mount Lu... you're just itching to go, not wanting to stay at home."

Xu Mu's father shook his head: "It's different from when I was young. This time, I am truly going to explore knowledge, to learn in order to know, and to know in order to act."

Xu Mu looked at Xu Jia again: "What about you? Are you taking the exam this year?"

Xu Jia nodded: "If I can take it, I'll take it. Having an extra status is no bad thing."

"How long has it been since you went to school?" Xu Mu sighed: "In a few days, take some gifts and go pay your respects to your childhood teacher."

Xu Jia nodded. To take the Xiucai exam, one needed three Xiucai to act as guarantors, along with five students.

In ancient times, there was no "identity identification" system. Apart from travel permits, everything relied on fellow villagers acting as guarantors to recognize whether a person was who they claimed to be, preventing cases of impersonation.

Although the punishment for cheating was severe, the rewards were high, and the practice of hiring ghostwriters to cheat had existed since ancient times.

Xu Mu recited the sutra and mantra twice and asked Xu Mu's father: "When are you leaving? By water or by land?"

"I'll go with Niu Dafu; his boat is heading to Nanchang. I'll just follow along. It will be in these three to five days."

"Sigh, I've only been busy making clothes for Jidi these past few days."

"Old clothes are fine to wear too. When traveling, one shouldn't show off wealth too much. New clothes are fine to wear at home," Xu Mu's father said. "If I have no clothes to wear, buying two ready-made garments is enough. It's just the shoes; I'm used to the ones you make. I'm afraid the ones outside won't fit well enough."

"I've already prepared them for you." Xu Mu laughed and scolded: "You're giving orders now? Who else would make them for you besides your wife of humble beginnings? When you're outside, look less at those red and green, fat and thin, dirty and smelly, fishy and lewd things. Don't act like a country bumpkin, wanting to try everything you haven't seen before!"

Xu Jia laughed: "Father, since you are going out, I will find you two bodyguards!" He immediately had a thought and summoned two little ghosts: "Duowen, Guangmu, you two shall protect your Great Master as he goes to take the exam. Do not be negligent!"

"We can't enter the examination hall, Great Immortal!"

"I didn't tell you to enter the examination hall!"

The two little ghosts revealed their forms, giving Xu Mu's father a fright: "So ugly?"

Xu Mu, however, was very happy: "You two do a good job. Tell me what kind of offerings you like to eat, and I will offer incense and prepare them for you every day!"

"How could they possibly be worthy of offering incense to you? Just tell the servants to remember to offer incense once on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month, and that will be enough." Xu Jia said, "These two things only know how to slack off; they never put their hearts into proper business."

"That's not true! Great Immortal, you have misunderstood us!" Duowen's two large ears flapped back and forth.

Guangmu took the opportunity to say, "Old Madam, Immortal Lady, I like to eat deep-fried meatballs."

Xu Mu laughed and said, "Alright, alright, I will fry some meatballs for you when the time comes."

Duowen said loudly, "Grandma, I want deep-fried pastry boxes!"

"Alright, alright, alright! As long as you watch over things for me, I will make them all for you!" Xu Mu said with a smile.

(End of this chapter)