Chapter 205: Do You See If I Still Have a Chance?

Xu Jia said that to sign a Dao Oath Pact, one must use a Numinous Treasure Dao Pact.

As for this Yin Demon Pact of the monk Daojing, it belongs to a contract witnessed by the Pojun Tianmo and other Demon Kings of Hehua Zizaitian.

However, no matter which kind of contract it is, it does not matter; demons and ghosts are skilled at subverting, and the Lushan Grand Master who subdues demons and ghosts is even more skilled at subverting.

In his previous life in America, there were plenty of demons from Hell who would often descend to the human world to reach deals with people; in particular, there was an Evil Sect called Satanism, where followers often contracted with demons to gain power, but every so often, they would need to complete a "crime" to please the demon.

For instance, succubi and incubi from Hell would need to mate with a goat to complete the sacrifice.

There were also those who worshipped the Great Duke of Plague, who had to spread the source of the plague globally.

When Xu Jia swept them away, he had also captured these demons who contracted with humans; in truth, they were just fallen Demon Gods, products of the worship of Ancient Fear, only more thoroughly fallen.

Compared to those rampant demons, this Yin Demon from the small island nation, though treacherous and cunning, did not act with total impunity, and furthermore, it had been sealed.

Seeing Xu Jia sign the Yin Demon Pact, Daojing was secretly delighted in his heart, believing he could keep Xu Jia in check.

He said: "Since the Great Demon King Your Excellency is willing to shelter me, I shall naturally do my utmost to serve the Demon King Your Excellency. There is an old Chinese saying: 'Use their own way, to return to their own body.'"

"According to what the Demon King Lord said, that person does not practice orthodox Secret Sect, but has summoned three outer demons and subdued the three inner demons of Greed, Anger, and Ignorance, yet he must constantly provide offerings to the outer demons. As long as one can cause the outer demons he summoned to run amok, his Intermediate Yin Dharma Body can be broken."

"How can one cause his outer demons to run amok?" Hu Agui asked.

Daojing rubbed his large bald head, revealing an expression like a lecherous uncle in an island nation adult film: "Generally, outer demons will run amok in several situations. First, when the desires of the demon itself are not satisfied, it will run amok."

"Second, when one's Daoist Practice is about to advance, the demon will obstruct and riot; if one cannot appease it or make concessions, the demon will also run amok, and eventually, step by step, one will fall and become a slave to the demon."

"Third, when encountering a strong enemy that the demon believes it cannot defeat, it will want to abandon the host, but due to the constraints of the demon contract, it will also run amok, and after killing the host, it will return to the world of Hehua Zizaitian."

Xu Jia tutted: "These demons are so dangerous, why do people still keep summoning them?"

"Naturally, there are benefits to them. At first, you only need a small price to get a taste of the sweetness. Once you are in the trap, they will slowly erode your bottom line and values, until finally, you fall completely."

"For example, you summon a 'Yin Demon'. A normal person doesn't know what kind of Yin Demon this is, but feels that their wishes are unusually effective and they have better-than-average luck, so they will form a dependency."

"At first, you only need to burn incense; later, you need to offer tributes; then, ordinary tributes won't suffice, and you need Blood Food. After Blood Food is no longer enough, you need human sacrifices. After human sacrifices can no longer feed it, you must offer your own kin—parents, siblings, wife, descendants... one by one."

This Daojing mocked: "When these Yin Demons were first summoned to the lower realm, their Dharma Power was not great, but after receiving these offerings, they became Demon Gods. It is these greedy people who gave the demons what they needed to grow."

Xu Jia connected this to the cat demon that was struck by lightning earlier; it was after obtaining the Treasure Basin that it was controlled by this Yin Demon to hold a terrifying Blood Food sacrifice, bewitching a believer into killing their own newborn infant as a sacrifice to gain a chance to turn things around. The cat demon ate the infant's innate vital energy, which was too much of a supplement, attracting the Five Hundred Year Great Tribulation, and it was struck dead directly by heavenly lightning.

This Daojing was consistent in word and deed; he said it, and he did it.

"To that Dharma King of the Longevity Sect, I certainly don't count as a fatal threat. The three-poison outer demons that help him practice have likely received countless offerings and sacrifices to protect him until now; I fear they are already not much different from Demon Gods."

"And the daily offerings required by the three-poison demons can be satisfied by that Dharma King. Now, the only way to make the Demon King chaotic is to make him feel that his cultivation has greatly advanced, so that these demons fear they cannot suppress him and will come out to cause trouble."

This was even more serious; what if his cultivation really advanced? Wouldn't that be the end? How to make that Dharma King's cultivation advance?

Should Xu Jia refine a pill for him to eat? If he really ate it, Xu Jia might as well add some poison or gu-insects.

While Xu Jia was deep in thought, Daojing said: "Vajravarahi is a female deity, presiding over Empty Joy Non-Duality, but she is merely the Wisdom Consort of Chakrasamvara. In the state of dual union, she is embraced by Chakrasamvara. Chakrasamvara presides over the Wisdom of Equality; he is the Diamond body of the collective Buddhas of the three ages, and the lord of billions of sky-goers."

"If this fox monk can transform the Joyous Vajra Method into Chakrasamvara and have intercourse with her, it is possible to trick those three demons, thereby causing them to run amok."

Xu Jia directly refused: "Although this fox spirit isn't exactly a good person, I am not the type of person to use such methods."

Hu Agui, however, asked: "What can I get?"

"In all likelihood, you can obtain his entire cultivation. You can also use his Intermediate Body Achievement to nourish your own Intermediate Body Achievement, gaining the four great achievements of Emptiness, Action, Joy, and Wisdom. Perhaps you could break through to the 'Transference of Consciousness Achievement' among the six achievements. Obtaining this achievement is to become a legendary 'Heavenly Being'."

It is somewhat similar to the Taoist 'becoming an Immortal'; from then on, one is everywhere, yet has no specific body.

Such Heavenly Beings, although not as accomplished as an Arhat, can reside permanently in the Buddha Realm and have the karmic connection to hear the Buddha.

Heavenly Beings are also divided into different ranks; for instance, the Intermediate Body Achievement belongs to the 'Heavenly Beings of the Desire Realm'."

Heavenly Beings of the Desire Realm still retain a certain degree of desire and sensory enjoyment. Compared to the human world, their lifespans are extremely long, and they live extremely happily, having whatever they want. As the Buddhist teachings say, gold covers the ground, delicacies grow on trees and can be picked at will, wine forms pools; the infinite desires of people can all be realized here."

Heavenly Beings of the Form Realm reach a higher level of the Heavenly Realm, transcending the various worldly desires of the Desire Realm, but they still have form and color. They enjoy king-like treatment in palaces, but are always in deep meditation and contemplation. They turn to higher pursuits, namely the pursuit of wisdom."

Once one reaches the Heavenly Beings of the Formless Realm, one is at the highest level of the Three Realms, transcending material form, with only consciousness remaining, without form or color."

Heavenly Beings of the Desire Realm are still within the cycle of reincarnation and still face the risk of being reborn or even falling into the evil paths."

However, Heavenly Beings of the Form Realm and Formless Realm rarely fall back into reincarnation."

If one can truly achieve the 'Transference of Consciousness Achievement', one can be reborn into the 'Form Realm' to become a Heavenly Being, or even into the Formless Realm."

Buddhism emphasizes the Spirit Sarira; if one has this achievement, although one cannot become an Arhat in this life, one can communicate and exchange wisdom with Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the Form Realm and Formless Realm, thereby obtaining deeper wisdom and states."

In Taoist terms: this kind of achievement can also be considered a type of 'Yang Spirit'. Refining the form to ascend, ascending to the Shangjie in the form of a Yang Spirit, is also achieving the status of a Heavenly Being. Only by continuing to practice can a Heavenly Being become a Heaven Official, or a Heavenly God."

Just like the 'Nangong Immortals', they correspond to the Heavenly Beings of the Formless Realm and Form Realm."

Being able to have this achievement can be considered profound practice, the limit of the human world; one step further is to attain the 'Arhat'."

To achieve Arhat status, one needs to realize the Four Noble Truths, sever Greed, Anger, and Ignorance, enter the essence of mind-nature, realize oneself, and attain 'Emptiness'."

This point is mysterious and profound, even more so than the achievement of a Heavenly Being."

There is even a saying in the Secret Sect of 'Buddhahood in This Body', which transcends the Arhat; this is also the origin of the 'Living Buddha'. But there are few in the Secret Sect who can achieve Buddhahood in This Body; only Longshu and Padmasambhava can be said to have achieved it. Other achievements at most reach the Arhat, and at the lowest, the Heavenly Beings of the Three Realms."

Just like the many sects of Taoism, there are few who can achieve the status of Nangong Immortals; Earth Immortals and God Immortals are also rarely heard of. Instead, one sees many wandering masters and Yin Masters; some don't even count as 'Ghost Immortals'."

Hearing that he could obtain the opponent's Dharma Power and Divine Ability, Hu Agui fell into a struggle."

Xu Jia warned: "This is the Greed Demon stimulating the greed in your heart. If you fall for it, you will end up in a miserable state."

Hu Agui hesitated: "This demon also didn't do anything."

"A few words are a demon's curse," Xu Jia said. "I already have some ideas."

Daojing smiled: "As long as the Demon King Your Excellency has an idea, I hope the Demon King Your Excellency will subdue that fellow soon, so that I can get out early."

Xu Jia nodded: "If this matter can be resolved, I will certainly let you out of this basin. I can take you under my command to work for me; in the future, it may not be impossible for you to turn from evil to good."

Although this Greed Demon sounded like he was being 'fed a pie', his greed rose sharply, and he was already calculating in his heart. For a moment, he actually felt like 'turning over a new leaf' and following Xu Jia to accomplish something, especially since he was envious of the Wealth God Path that Xu Jia was currently teaching the Golden Toad, which he saw as a supreme Magic. If he could master it, he could achieve a status no less than the Pojun Tianmo."

He respectfully sent Xu Jia and Hu Agui out of this Dharma Realm."

Xu Jia came out of the Dharma Realm, having been spat out again from the mouth of the Golden Toad."

He immediately recited the Cleansing Incantations three times—Cleansing Mouth, Cleansing Heart, and Cleansing Body—before his consciousness returned."

Just as he opened his eyes, he saw Hu Jinhua baring her teeth and staring wide-eyed at Hu Agui."

Hu Agui saw that Hu Jinhua now looked sixty or seventy percent like Xu Jia's true self, already a graceful and beautiful youth, and furthermore, the 'fox scent' on her body had faded and the 'human scent' was stronger, indicating she had learned the essence of being human, so for a moment, he did not recognize her."

Until he saw the three little ones following behind—Touweiba, Single-Testicle Fox, and Quetui Hu—the three foxes had not yet attained a hundred years of Daoist Practice, so their transformations remained quite pathetic, unable to freely and willfully change into beautiful youths or maidens.

Seeing these three sorry sights, she finally recognized that the youth with a golden-red mark between his brows was actually the once-ugliest "Miscellaneous Fur Fox," and she giggled, "Uncle, long time no see!"

The Miscellaneous Fur Fox did not yet know that he was also a reincarnated monster, the fox ancestor who had originally passed down the Wild Fox Zen, and at this moment, he pointed at her nose and cursed in anger!

"You use the charm of your appearance to bewitch people's minds and corrupt public morals; you are truly a pest! I have painstakingly tried to persuade you to be good, why can you not listen to a single word?"

"You use the suffering of the world as an excuse to lure people into depravity; do you not feel the slightest bit of guilt in your heart?"

"You say you are creating a shelter for the women of the brothel, but that is merely to cover up your sins; your 'almsgiving' with the bodies of the common people is just to confuse the public. What you are doing now is still brewing a sea of bitterness! Just because it is more mellow and has more layers does not make it a sweet spring; it remains a sea of bitterness."

"Hu Agui, from a young age you boasted of being incredibly clever, manipulating men like playthings. Have you never thought that Cause and Effect are cyclical and retribution is unerring? Every evil cause you plant will eventually bear bitter fruit; it will not only harm others but also yourself."

"Now, as the mistress of Cuichun Pavilion, you are pursued by countless men and seem infinitely glorious, but in reality, you are paving a path for yourself that leads to Hell!"

Hu Agui had been smiling, but being pointed at and lectured, she let her face go cold: "Everyone has their own Great Dao; you walk your broad road, I walk my single-plank bridge. As the saying goes, people laugh at poverty but not at prostitution. If you didn't have a noble person supporting you, could you stand here and point at my nose to curse me? With your level of Daoist Practice, you can't even enter the city; you linger in the countryside, wasting your life, unable to even live your own life well, yet you criticize others?"

"Although my profession is lowly, I have striven for self-improvement. I went from a maid to the top performer, and from the top performer to the mistress. I have solved so many livelihood problems; many say my Merit is boundless. With the wishes of the people upon me, one day of my cultivation is worth a year of your suffering."

"If not for the small amount of face I give the True Person, I could slap you to death with one palm! If you were living well and your cultivation were higher than mine, having already become an Immortal, I wouldn't be angry if you pointed fingers. But now, I have nearly five hundred years of Daoist Practice, while you, even with a noble person's help, have barely a hundred years; you are simply not qualified!"

"You say I bewitch people's minds, but have you ever thought that if there were no Greed, Anger, and Ignorance in the world, how could I have succeeded so easily?"

"You and I are both fox spirits; neither is nobler than the other. We are just surviving in the cracks. This world has two sides; everyone is both a victim and a beneficiary."

"If you truly had the heart to save all beings, go change the dynasty and save the masses; there is no need to point fingers at me. Besides, based on the fact that I learned one spell from you and stayed with you for a few days, you don't have the right to be so arrogant!"

Hu Jinhua was so retorted that he was speechless, only saying, "You! You! This is sophistry! In your heart, you know you are wrong." Xu Jia pacified him: "Whatever Hu Agui's Achievement may be in the future, it will certainly not compare to yours; why must you be angry with her for a moment?"

Seeing Xu Jia speaking up for Hu Jinhua, Hu Agui sneered on the surface, but felt some disappointment inside and began to doubt herself, though she would certainly never admit she was wrong.

Just like the harelipped nun Miaoren before, people are all like this, possessing this "mortal heart."

However, Hu Jinhua started by scolding and acted as if "I am doing this for your own good," which was truly unbearable for anyone.

Hu Jinhua said: "I am persuading her to turn back. Now that Master Xu is here, it is a great karmic connection. If she can turn back, it would be accumulating a share of good karma and good fruit. If she does not turn back even now, I fear the future will be even more perilous."

"Mind your own business!" Although Hu Agui was an old fox of many years and had achieved the Intermediate Yin Body, she could not suppress her temper for a moment, clearly being angered quite deeply.

"Begone!"

Xu Jia shouted a mantra.

The arguing foxes were immediately startled.

Xu Jia said: "Hu Jinhua, you go back, return to the temple, and recite the Pure Scripture one hundred times."

Only then did Hu Jinhua unwillingly obey, lowering his head: "I obey Master Xu's command!"

Xu Jia then scolded the three little ones: "Have you finished your homework? Fanning the flames and acting as informants here—have you forgotten that there is an exam every three months and four exams a year? If you fail, you stay back. I intend to run a Demon School in the future and am counting on you to be teachers and teaching assistants. With this kind of character and Daoist Practice, I can only drive you out to farm and reclaim land and bring in smarter ones to take the exams. Don't count on your relationship with me."

Single-Testicle Fox wanted to argue something, but was immediately kicked by Quetui Hu; he had also recovered and was now able to kick others.

Thus, the four foxes slunk away.

But because they were "protected by someone," it was as if they had a "family head," which instead made Hu Agui feel a sense of "envy."

"You certainly protect them."

"They don't have as much depth of thought as you; a few provocations and they would likely be burning with rage, easily doing irrational things in the future. These few sprouts I have painstakingly cultivated cannot be competitive or addicted to fighting. This is a mental barrier; Hu Jinhua has fallen into this barrier, finding this unpleasant and that unpleasant. If it doesn't meet his moral standards, he gets easily bristled, but he is also the most suitable to be a teacher."

"Am I not suitable to be a teacher?" Hu Agui said: "In terms of wisdom and comprehension, ten of him couldn't compare to me."

"But you are not sincere enough, and your selfish motives are too heavy. He, however, has very little selfishness. Even though he was not living well himself, he still helped other little foxes. When I was soul-returning, he was clearly scared to death, yet he still came to help me. Later, when I ordered him to go to the hall, he went one by one without being perfunctory. I gave him twenty boxes of copper coins, and he didn't spend a single coin on himself. Although his wisdom is insufficient and his Daoist Practice is not high, he is precious for his kindness and sincerity, so I overlook many of his shortcomings and only find him adorable."

With Xu Jia saying this, Hu Agui felt even more jealous, because she had never encountered such a "good teacher" to guide her in the past. She had always pondered and figured things out alone, not knowing how many detours she had taken; if not for her Intermediate Body Achievement, she would have reincarnated three times already.

Yet Hu Jinhua's luck was so good that in his very first life of cultivation, he met Xu Jia. Xu Jia not only pointed out the path of cultivation but also recognized his philosophy and provided guidance.

Thus, amidst her jealousy, she also developed a sense of rivalry, hoping to also receive Xu Jia's recognition.

This emotion was inexplicable, but it belonged to the "unfulfilled desire" among the Eight Sufferings of Buddhism.

To have sought and failed, yet see others obtain it easily, is the most inexplicable suffering.

"Then do you think I still have a chance?"

Xu Jia was startled by Hu Agui's words, fearing she might push him off the cliff.

He then said: "In this world, there are five types of people. The first type is called the mediocre; whenever an opportunity arrives, they perhaps never know it, or perhaps they only know it later, thus regretting it too late, and thus living a mediocre and ordinary life."

"The second type is the average person; most of the time they cannot grasp opportunities, but as long as they grasp one opportunity in their life, they reach the shore. Although not prominent or wealthy, they are still much better than the mediocre."

"This third type, then, is the wise person; they know when every opportunity arrives and make choices, successfully navigating every pass in life and doing their best. Even so, they have only achieved human harmony; they may not necessarily obtain heaven's favor to go further, but just like this, being able to do their best already surpasses ninety-nine percent of the masses."

"The fourth type of person is one who, besides being able to do their best every time and grasp opportunities, also has extraordinary luck. I call this a heavenly person; such a person is like a fallen Immortal, living a smooth life without ever encountering setbacks."

"But they are not as good as the fifth type. The fifth type of person receives no heaven's favor, no earthly advantage, and even faces constant setbacks and frequent failures, but they can achieve one thing: if there is no opportunity, they create one. They do not need to wait for heaven's favor; they directly comprehend the Great Dao themselves, knowing the way the heavens and earth operate and the connection between all things and themselves, thereby acting in accordance with the trend. This type of person, I call a Sage."

"You ask me if you still have a chance? My answer is of course yes. If you don't aspire to be a Sage, at least you cannot be a mediocre person. You may not have grasped the previous opportunities, but the later karmic opportunities might be even greater. As long as you grasp one, you can reach the shore."

Xu Jia skillfully narrated these "chicken soup stories." These success stories were "best-sellers" in his previous life, and using them in this life could still fool these "ancient people."

However, compared to the "numbness" of the masses in his previous life—where effort is just being harvested like leeks, and not making an effort is also being harvested like leeks—at least for a practitioner like Hu Agui, such remarks were no less than "enlightenment."

"No wonder they listen to you so much. If you had come to teach me back then, I might have followed you in cultivation instead of practicing this messy Joyous Zen."

Xu Jia smiled: "It's not too late now."

Hu Agui was silent: "But I run a brothel, harvest men, and am promiscuous by nature."

Xu Jia knew the nature of a Lustful Fox was hard to tame, but he still said: "Perhaps there are other ways, but any change starts from the heart."

Hu Agui nodded.

She was inexplicably much more tamed, unlike before, when she kept talking to Xu Jia about the three thousand taels of silver.

To a certain extent, Xu Jia was actually an "Evil Sect leader" in his previous life; otherwise, he wouldn't have said that at his peak, he could compare to Kongzi, possessing "three thousand disciples." Of course, others had seventy-two Virtuous ones, while the disciples of Xu Jia's previous life could only be called "thirty or forty of the heterodox paths."

Now he was just returning to his old profession.

However, persuading people to be good and to reflect on themselves was never wrong.

Not to mention Hu Agui, even the Jinchan Duobao beside them, who was single-mindedly wanting to practice the Wealth God Path, was also "drooling," already completely mesmerized by the success stories.

Just then, a thin, large green ox ran over from the small woods, weeping bitterly: "Disciple has heard the Master's guidance and already knows my mistakes. I am willing to grasp the opportunity and correct my past wrongs. I ask the Master to forgive the grievances I have committed in the past!"

Xu Jia was startled, looking at the large green ox in front of him who was so thin he had square shoulders, and he didn't quite recognize it: "Are you the Green Ox Demon I subdued in Jiujiegou some time ago?"

"Exactly! The Master urged me to let go of my past life, and I have let it go!"

Xu Jia turned his head to look at the Golden Toad: "Why has he become like this?"

The Golden Toad laughed sheepishly: "It's nothing much, just that I fed him a bit too much herbal medicine like horny goat weed to boost his essence and virility. After all, there are too many people borrowing his seed; some even travel hundreds of miles by boat, bringing cows specifically to be bred with the seed of this Dali Bull King."

"Even with methods to preserve the seed for three days, it is never enough, so he has to be milked once every three days, a bucketful each time..."

Hearing this, Xu Jia's mouth twitched, and he turned to the bull spirit: "This really has been hard on you!"

"Not hard, not hard. At first, it was quite pleasurable, but after the pleasure, I would fall into a great emptiness, and my mind would become much clearer. I would think of many things from before, including the grievances of my past life. Now that I think about it, I could have been reborn as a heavenly being, but I gave up that opportunity and lost my merit, reincarnating as a bull spirit. It really wasn't worth it. Fortunately, I met the Master, who subdued me, helped me see the truth, and turned me back to the right path."

Xu Jia:...

Hu Agui:...

Golden Toad:...

"It is good that you have seen the truth," Xu Jia said. "From now on, I will not force you to do this anymore."

"No! Please continue! Because only after that am I clear-headed and wise; I feel as if everything before was lived in vain!"

"But it hurts your body!"

"It's fine, I can handle it. Besides, there is Lingzhi Grass here; I will just eat two slices of Lingzhi."

Xu Jia was at a loss with this bull, so he only said to the Golden Toad: "Do not go too far. Since he has been subdued, he is now my mount. If he is too thin and all bones, how can I ride him? It will bruise my backside!"

He then said to the Green Bull Spirit: "Are you willing to be my mount and beast of burden? If I lecture on the scriptures and expound the Dao, you may also listen along with them?"

"This disciple is willing!" The Green Bull Spirit knelt down, his bull head touching the ground.

Xu Jia stepped forward to touch his nose ring, immediately unlocking the previous restriction. This nose ring was refined from silver, inlaid with gold patterns, and was a Talisman.

Now, having received Xu Jia's enlightenment, it faintly began to emit light.

"You feel that your wisdom was insufficient and not clear enough before. This nose ring was refined by me according to the Pure Scripture spoken by Taishang Laojun; it is best for locking the heart and tethering the nature. If you refine it with your demon Qi and Dharma Power, not only can you increase the power of this treasure, but it will also help you clear your heart and stabilize your nature. As for that kind of business, it is better to do less of it."

After saying this, he paused: "I have given them all names, or Dharma names, so now I shall give you one too. Your cry just now was like thunder, which gave me a start. Among the thunder beasts, there is a thunder spirit called the Kui Bull; from now on, you shall be called Qing Kui."

The Kui Bull, a species from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, lives on Liupo Mountain in the East Sea. Its cry is like thunder, its whole body is covered in lightning, and the light it emits is as bright as the sun and moon.

Legend has it that when the Yellow Emperor campaigned against Chiyou, the Mysterious Lady made eighty drums out of Kui Bull skin for him; one beat could be heard for five hundred miles, and continuous beats for three thousand eight hundred miles.

The sound of the drums terrified the eighty-one demon kings under Chiyou, along with all the tigers, leopards, jackals, and wolves, scattering them into a rout, and the Yellow Emperor thus became the co-lord of heaven and earth.

Of course, Xu Jia giving Qing Kui this name absolutely did not mean he intended to skin him to make a drum, turning him into a high-grade thunder-path Magic Tool. Even if having such a thunder drum would be a huge help in cultivating the Thunder Law, especially the "Heart Thunder."

However, even just as a beast of burden and a mount, it is very prestigious, after all, it is the same model as Taishang Laojun's.

(End of this chapter)