Chapter 202: Breaking the Yin

Xu Jia is well-versed in the Three Teachings, and his wisdom is far beyond what this fox spirit can fathom. When he spoke, those light, airy words were, to Hu Agui, a Lion's Roar, a Morning Bell and Evening Drum, and a Stick Shout that struck the crown of his head like a heavy staff.

Hu Agui was completely convinced this time, though he could not bring himself to say it. However, the County Magistrate, who had been listening to the commotion nearby, was shocked and thought to himself, "I have actually shared a space with a beggar and a night-soil carrier; wouldn't that make me filthy? As expected, a harlot is just a harlot." But then, another thought followed: "She said she wanted to give alms to all living beings; she must be a Buddhist practitioner. But aren't Buddhist practitioners supposed to abstain from lust?"

Although this County Magistrate was a magistrate by trade, he lacked the root of wisdom and remained superficial. Instead, he began to worry whether Chen Gongming abandoning his official post to cultivate the Dao would affect him.

After a while, Wang Mintong, who had still been washing menstrual cloths, was released. He looked excited and happy, saying, "Good lad, I knew you would come to save me! Hurry and buy some wine for me to drink!"

Xu Jia was expressionless: "During this time, whether you are willing or unwilling, you must eat vegetarian food and observe the precepts for me; you cannot have any wine."

Wang Mintong looked surprised and stared at Xu Jia: "Are you preparing to receive the Celestial Master Register?"

"That is correct, so I need you to preside over it. The Daoists at Shanju Guan have never experienced this before."

Wang Mintong became serious for once: "You must trust me on this; I am not the type who cannot distinguish the occasion or who messes things up at the most important moments."

But Xu Jia had already labeled him as unreliable.

"You just need to follow me. If you truly are a high-ranking Daoist from Longhu Mountain, I have nothing more to say. If you are not, then that involves another issue of 'deception'."

Xu Jia did not intend to threaten the old man, but he had to issue a warning.

Wang Mintong instantly became as restless as a child who had committed a crime, saying, "That... how about I just leave? What if I don't have that much face..."

Xu Jia ignored him and sent a message via Dharma thought to the Mountain Dragon, the monk "Jingchi," who had returned to Di Gou Quan.

Having received the summons, Jingchi emerged from the Di Gou Quan in Fanyin Valley, transformed into a monk, and arrived at the edge of Yushan County to wait for Xu Jia.

It was not until Xu Jia handed Wang Mintong over to him.

"Let this old Daoist bathe and cleanse himself, then have him eat vegetarian food and observe the precepts for a while."

Jingchi looked at the disheveled old Daoist and could not help but ask: "True Person Xu, who is this old Daoist?"

"I am the Dharma Official of the Thirty-Sixth Generation Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain, Wang Mintong. I have crossed the red dust and cultivated through a thousand kalpas. You had better treat me with good food and drink; even if it is vegetarian fare, you must vary the dishes!"

Xu Jia said, "Do not pay him any mind. By the way, your Pure Spring, which had previously turned into a Tanquan, how is it now?"

"This little monk has cultivated carefully and subdued the Greed Poison; it is much better now. I have also exchanged cultivation insights with the divine loach of Jinsha Creek, Qiu Jinsha, and have gained much. It is solemn once again."

Xu Jia nodded and said, "That is good. You cultivate the solemn Dharma and have some root of wisdom; it would be a pity if it were ruined. There is currently a matter involving a false Buddha and a Heavenly Demon that needs to be resolved."

"Is it that Dharma King who recently appeared in Dexing County?"

"He is polluting the Spirit Machine of the mountains and waters and even attempting to infiltrate this area. I discovered him early on. If the True Person intends to deal with him, the Cooling Treasure Pearl I gifted you might be useful. That pearl can dissolve the Three Poisons of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion, extinguish the flames of ignorance, and maintain purity."

After bowing, Jingchi took the old Daoist and left the place.

Meanwhile, Hu Agui, still obsessed with Xu Jia's true words, could not care about all that. Lost in thought, he followed Xu Jia toward Xianzhi Valley. Xianzhi Valley was already quite different; because Jinchan Duobao had brought in a lot of capital and the Green Ox Spirit was helping with the work, the surrounding area had been plowed into fields. Inside, Lao Zhupo Hai Sanniang had cleared out a clean space.

Understanding that the lingzhi grew because of the Stone Ganoderma Spirit Root underground, these rotten persimmons and accumulated mud became fertilizer. It could be considered digging three feet deep to cultivate fertile soil for the fields just reclaimed outside.

The Shishen Miao was already being built, and Niu Dafu's winery was located right next to it. Besides brewing wine, they also made dried persimmons and had dug a cellar to store hard persimmons, which could be kept for up to a year.

But the biggest change was the "Jin Chan Miao."

The Jin Chan Miao had originally been a place where Xu Jia had occupied the site of an evil god struck dead by lightning, breaking off a few bricks to use as shelter.

Now, they had broken ground to build the "Jin Chan Palace." It was likely that the Incense Fire money donated by believers seeking for the Jinchan to fulfill their desires had been used by the Jinchan with a wave of its hand to renovate its own Daochang.

The Jinchan was still sitting in the Treasure Basin, but Xu Jia saw clumps of Black Qi growing on the jewel-like bumps on its back.

"What kind of evil karma have you created? Why are you plagued by Black Qi?"

"I have created no evil. A group of people saw that we were making money too easily and wanted to pull a 'wolf in sheep's clothing' scheme, so I dealt with them."

Jinchan Duobao flared its nostrils and sniffed: "This fox spirit smells of fragrant flowers and jewels!"

It then said, "Why has the True Person come together with such a monster? Do you want me to use money to send him away?"

Hu Agui was furious: "You toad, you look down on people! Don't you know he owes me three thousand taels of silver and used a Buddhist Treasure Kasaya as collateral?"

"That was also a last resort." The Jinchan stood firmly on his side.

Xu Jia said, "You two stop arguing. I have come for a matter: I want to test the level of her Intermediate Yin Body Achievement. Duobao, you hold the Greed Poison, and there are greed-seeking demons in the Treasure Basin. I wonder if there is a way to break her Intermediate Yin Body?"

The Jinchan croaked: "True Person, only those with greed in their hearts can be deluded by me. This fox corresponds to the desire for lust; money cannot move her. It must be supreme bliss to do that!"

"You want me to help you cultivate, and this is how you help?" Hu Agui felt as if he had been deceived and found it unbelievable: "Break my Intermediate Body Achievement? Why don't you just say how to kill me directly?"

"The Intermediate Body Achievement is the achievement of non-birth and non-death at the moment of death, reaching a state where the Primordial Spirit does not fall into the cycle of reincarnation. If you break my Intermediate Body Achievement realm, I will fall into the Six Paths of Reincarnation the next moment!"

Xu Jia said, "I am not killing you. Why would I kill you? I am dealing with the Longevity Sect Fawang. He also cultivated the Intermediate Body Achievement. After killing him, he falls into a state of non-birth and non-death, and his Primordial Spirit transfers to another place and is resurrected."

"Fine! This is the first time I've heard of such 'helping me cultivate.' I thought you wanted me to seduce you, to keep your Original Yang from leaking, to maintain the Golden Pass and Jade Lock, and to remain pure!"

She gave a pure smile, sweeter than a first love.

But Xu Jia was directly immune, because from beginning to end, he could see through his true form from the Dharma Realm, as well as the Outer Path deity he cultivated.

(End of chapter)