Chapter 211: Allied with Ghost Gods, Covenant with Heaven and Earth

Wang Mintong asked when one achieves Didao; Xu Jia did not know either, as he himself was also crossing the river by feeling the stones, and perhaps he was even the stone being felt by others.

Xu Jia said: "Although I do not know what Didao is, I have heard many Daoist sayings; it is nothing more than 'the Dao is not far from man, but man distances himself from the Dao.' Or perhaps, 'Man follows Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows Nature.'"

"But these are all too grand and too vague," said Wang Mintong. "Everyone's Dao is different; he cultivates Divine Ability, you accumulate good fruits—who can actually succeed is still a matter of debate. It has been many years since a person who ascended appeared at Longhu Mountain."

"The Heavenly Master is merely an identity. Once you receive this Register, it does not mean that by following the steps and rising in Register Tier, you will steadily become an Immortal. The form is burdened by the name, and the spirit is burdened by the form. Only by having nothing to rely on can one be truly carefree. To be honest, I feel that this system of Longhu Mountain runs counter to Daoist thought."

Xu Jia did not expect that this fellow, as a Dharma Official of the Thirty-Sixth Generation Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain, would have such shocking and unconventional words.

"Did I scare you?"

This old man returned to his grinning appearance and said: "You still owe me silver!"

He had completely turned back into the appearance of that rascally beggar.

Xu Jia felt that he was actually "mentally split," with three "selves" creating a serious rift. Of course, this could also be "Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown"; it is hard to say, hard to say.

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that this little old man likes to act and specifically pretends to be like this to deceive others.

Xu Jia shook his head slightly, not letting his Dao heart be shaken by it. Xu Jia was still in the "effort" stage and had not yet reached the time to set a "direction."

Moreover, Xu Jia had long ago set his goal, which was to achieve the status of an Earth Immortal and formally establish a sect. Once this goal was completed, there was still the goal of governing the Jiangnan West Circuit. There was nothing much to say about this; rather than nihilistic philosophy, it is better to do some practical things.

Cultivate virtue internally, accumulate merit externally. Know and act, the unity of knowledge and action.

Wang Yangming's School of Mind can be said to have combined Buddha, Dao, and Confucianism. Using it has no flaws. Even if this Sage does not work, there is another "Sage," a more long-lasting and useful method that can be practiced in every aspect—constantly observing and renewing, constantly renewing and reflecting, constantly reflecting and realizing.

Xu Jia had no "sectarian bias." Throughout history, if something can be used, he uses it.

Suddenly, Xu Jia's Primordial Spirit shone brightly, as if a hazy layer had been dispelled, just like a plastic bag having been placed over a lightbulb before; although it still emitted light, it was not as transparent.

This was precisely "Sudden Enlightenment," but Xu Jia's sudden enlightenment did not last long. It was just a sudden sense of freshness, gaining a new understanding and cognition of the connection between the universe, all things in the world, and himself.

"This Old Man Wang has some substance! Is he enlightening me?"

However, there was no immediate effect. It was not a good time here; if he had this sudden enlightenment while meditating, sitting quietly for three or four days without anyone disturbing him, he might have really realized something.

Now, he was about to receive the Register, and the surroundings were noisy with people, monsters, and ghosts, all present.

However, this feeling could be remembered; it was very profound, and recalling and savoring it carefully was also of great benefit.

Soon, Xu Jia stopped dwelling on this and took a brush to write the true names on the tablets of the Body Gods one by one.

The secret names of the Body Gods correspond to the sacred beings of the outside world. For example, the Kidney God corresponds to Xuanming, which is the Black Tortoise, namely the turtle and snake, combined as Zhenwu Da Di.

Xu Jia wanted to refine the Inner Landscape of the Divine Gods of the Cycle, so he needed to correspond them one by one. This was especially true for those already cultivated: the Spleen Palace corresponds to the Earth Deity, and the Heart Palace corresponds to the Zhu Ling Fire Mansion and Nanchang Upper Palace. Because there are two chambers and two rooms, there are actually four deities: first, Nanjie Zhenren; second, Han Jun Zhangren; third, Jiuhua Zhenren; and fourth, the South Peak Hengshan Fire God Zhurong.

These were things he knew himself; outsiders did not know them, and only through internal cultivation could one be aware of them.

If things went smoothly and he received the Celestial Master Register, it would have a 1+1 > 2 effect on this kind of Inner Landscape Great Yellow Court cultivation.

He could even influence the Outer Heaven and Earth with his Inner Heaven and Earth.

For example, when Xu Jia practiced at Yushan and gathered purple Qi, the people of Yushan could see purple clouds in the sky; this is the coordination of the inner gods with the outer gods.

For example, when Xu Jia gathered medicine internally, no plague would arise wherever he went. For example, when Xu Jia cultivated the Thunder Law internally, evil spirits would not dare to enter wherever he went.

This is a "human-shaped small heaven and earth"; the place he arrives at is a Blessed Land, and the soil he stands on is a Blessed Field.

This was only when these strange phenomena occurred in reality. If it were in the Dharma Realm, it would be even more magnificent; it could be said that when he moved, a hundred gods followed, and when he was still, the Earth Deities came to pay homage.

Of course, this requires the Inner Landscape Yellow Court to be perfected, and the Celestial Master Register must be the highest First Rank Celestial Master Register; otherwise, it would only be able to protect a radius of three to five zhang around his body.

Xu Jia spent quite some time writing the tablets for the three hundred and sixty-five Body Gods of his body one by one, and then checked the corresponding directions of the True Gods of the outer altar.

Wang Mintong did not know when he had also come to the inner altar. Looking at these tablets, he asked: "Are you cultivating the Shangqing Dao Method?"

Xu Jia thought for a moment and nodded: "I suppose so."

Wang Mintong sighed: "I remember the old Dharma Official once said that one first learns the Celestial Master Department, then the Lingbao Department, and finally the Shangqing Department. This is because the Shangqing Great Method is the most difficult and the easiest to make mistakes in, yet it is also the most deeply involved in the secrets of the human body. Unless one has studied the Dao for twenty or thirty years, is capable of internal observation, and can remain in constant stillness, one cannot succeed. Otherwise, once a mistake is made and cannot be adjusted, it is easy for the body to die and the Dao to vanish."

Xu Jia: So awesome, why didn't I know that?

Xu Jia had read extensively, but he only felt that this was a matter of schools, not a matter of difficulty, only of suitability. First, whether there is a Karmic Connection, and second, whether one has the natural aptitude. He did not feel that this Yellow Court method was difficult; it was just that many people practiced Inner Alchemy Dao. However, Inner Alchemy Dao, besides being derived from Outer Alchemy Dao, drew more from the thought of the Inner Landscape Yellow Court, and the thought of the Yellow Court is "Heaven and Human Unity."

Soon, he finished checking the inner and outer altars, and only then did Xu Jia feel at ease, so he began to prepare the third layer of the Jade Altar.

The copper mirrors, Jade Rings, and other items they were asked to prepare had long been arranged around the perimeter, but three tablets had not yet been written. Xu Jia then wrote the tablets.

Written on top: The honorable names of the Three Pure Ones Dao Ancestors.

Written on the right: The position of the Three Primes, Three Ranks, and San Guan Da Di. The essential bond of the Orthodox One Alliance Authority Heaven and Earth.

Written on the left: The position of Lushan Dharma Master Xu Xun Tianshi.

Xu Jia did not forget his origins; he was a master of the Lushan Sect, although today's Register Conferment was different.

The Orthodox One Alliance Authority was the covenant between the Ancestral Heavenly Master and the Ghost Gods when he attained the Dao at Heming Mountain. The Heaven and Earth bond is the basis for governing the world, hence the sweeping away of the old ghosts of the six heavens and all evil spirits. It is to discipline the Ghost Gods who are unwilling to join the covenant, as well as to conquer territory and include it in the "governance scope."

Thus, there are the "Twenty-Four Governances," which are actually twenty-four governance districts where Ghost Gods must follow my rules and cannot do whatever they want.

If the laws and decrees constrain people, then the Ancestral Heavenly Master constrains the Ghost Gods of the world.

It can be said that before the Ancestral Heavenly Master, the Ghost Gods of the world were very cruel, no different from those Outer Path gods of the Secret Sect. River Deities taking wives or eating young boys and girls were normal, and even some nobles would bury people alive as sacrifices when worshipping their ancestors.

Since the Ancestral Heavenly Master, there has been a campaign of suppression.

So what kind of agreement did the Ancestral Heavenly Master make with the Ghost Gods?

"Gods do not eat or drink." They cannot accept the actual food or property sacrifices of the common people, let alone Blood Food. It was changed to: "Clear Offering," which means you all give me "Godly Food Qi" and go drink the northwest wind.

Xu Jia receiving the Register here is also to make a covenant with the Heaven and Earth bond and the Ghost Gods. Of course, it is not just Ghost Gods, but also monsters and spirits.

As for why the San Guan Da Di are written, it is because the three of them are in charge of the assessment for ascending to immortality, and Register Conferment is also a kind of "ascending to immortality."

"How is this?"

"Lushan?" Wang Mintong was puzzled. It turned out that there was no Lushan in this world. In fact, this world had the "Lushan Method," which belonged to an unevolved version of the Lushan Sect. Lushan is also "Lingshan," the Daochang of the ten ancient witches, hence the saying that all Witch Sects in the world come from Lushan.

And it is rumored that the Lushan at the bottom of the Min River might be a secret realm in the Dharma Realm, or perhaps the Northern Town among the Five Towns established by the ancient Great Yu. Wuyi Mountain and Lushan are one in the northeast and one in Lingnan; they really cannot be connected.

The Register Conferment ceremony was originally very complex, requiring many people and consuming a lot of money and materials, so Longhu Mountain would charge Register Students fees for the conferment.

But Xu Jia's Register Conferment this time did not actually have so many ceremonies.

Just like the Ancestral Heavenly Master, did he have a Register? Yes. Why did he have one? Taishang Laojun passed it to him.

In the beginning, a Register was just a Register; there was no distinction between inner and outer. Ordinary commoners could receive it, and Daoist Officials could receive it. Commoners who received it were called "Register Citizens." This Register was actually used to protect fields and houses; it was a kind of identity shown to the Ghost Gods, representing that these people were under the protection of me, Zhang Daoling.

After the common people wore the Register, they discovered they would no longer encounter ghosts and would not contract the plague, so they believed in it one after another; later, they imitated the Register, and "Talismans" appeared.

In fact, when all is said and done, this Register is a three-in-one version of "Daoist record, Household Official record, and life ledger," only it was later endowed with too many "Legendary" colors.

And the Heavenly Master's Register is like the emperor among Registers, while the Registers of other Daoists and Libationers are like the "hundred officials."

Xu Jia had long ago carved the "Yushan Governing Merit Seal," and by rights, he should have been conferred the "Orthodox One Three-Five Governing Merit Register," or simply the "Alliance Might Register," but now Xu Jia belongs to a case of "special handling for special matters."

He directly obtained a Heavenly Master Register, a First Rank Great Register, directly covenanting with Heaven and Earth.

Heaven grants it, Earth wills it.

If there had to be a line of dialogue, it would probably be: "I am signing a contract with the gods?"

The surrounding Incense Burners were all set in place.

Xu Jia checked the time, saw it was about right, and said to Wang Mintong: "Let's do it now!"

Wang Mintong nodded: "Good."

Immediately, he opened his mouth and chanted: "Altar Opening!"

It was full of inner breath; the many Daoists of Shanju Guan stood in their respective positions one after another, and at the same time, each took out the musical instruments they had prepared early on and began to play.

Thus, amidst the towering mountains and ridges of the Huaiyu Mountain Range of Sanqing Mountain, clouds and mist swirled, as if a landscape painting of ink and wash were slowly unfolding between Heaven and Earth. Atop the mountain peaks, ancient trees reached toward the sky, and the melodious Daoist music, inheriting courtly elegant music, sounded like heavenly music and cavernous echoes between this Heaven and Earth.

A zheng was played, its sound as clear as a spring; fingers touched the strings, moving with a clear and distant tone, just like the fine streams of a mountain brook, yet possessing the surging power of rivers, with light and heavy notes alternating, the melody murmuring and stirring the soul.

To the side stood a pipa, held in a posture of playing, full of heroic spirit. Its notes leaped out, sometimes like Pearls falling onto a jade plate, crisp and pleasant to the ear; sometimes like iron cavalry breaking through ice, stirring and tragic, leading the emotions to rise and fall.

The bamboo flute was deep and mournful, low and winding, sound after sound sobbing like the wind in the forest and the roaring of pines, weaving together with the zheng and pipa, like clouds covering and mist swirling, mountains and rivers gazing at each other, transcendent and refined.

The erhu wept tears, its sound filled with emotion, recounting the joys and sorrows of the human world. The bow and strings resonated, gentle and profound, sometimes weeping, sometimes laughing, just like soft moonlight, quietly illuminating the heart and comforting the Ghost Gods.

The chime bells and stone chimes, the sound of ancient bronze, echoed lingeringly, and as the vertical harp was gently plucked, the sound emerged like a dream, like the ethereal music of Immortals, like the mist and clouds of the mortal world, the sound clear and the meaning distant.

Thus, it was as if the wondrous music reached the Three Realms, leading directly to the Lingxiao Treasure Hall.

Heaven is muddled, Earth is dense.

A gust of black wind blew, and one could see two emerald-green lanterns in the air; looking closely, they were the two eyes of a foreign monk, who had performed a Dharma manifestation. Seeing the Register Conferment here, he could not help but let out a cold, harsh laugh like an old crow, licking white bones and eating rotten flesh.

Birds are the messengers of Ghost Gods; this is an old crow, the eyes of that Dharma King.

Wang Mintong took a look: "For him to possess a body from hundreds of miles away, that is already a very impressive Achievement."

"Is that so? And then?"

Xu Jia stepped forward step by step amidst the magnificent Daoist music.

What he wore on his body was still that same hundred-patch robe sewn by Xu Mu.

The surrounding mountain spirits and Wild Foxes, snakes and vipers, poisonous Flood Dragons, Wild Foxes and yellow weasels, all looked on with longing; they could not ascend the altar and only watched from the outside.

Chang Yu raised his head high, wanting to see the image within the altar clearly.

He saw only ten thousand zhang of golden light inside, dazzling him so he could not see.

Above his head, there were several golden auspicious clouds, but they were also high up, and he could not see clearly if there were truly any God Immortals.

Wang Mintong chanted the scriptures: "This day is when Heaven's energy announces life, Yang brightness dissipates darkness, ten thousand virtues are renewed, Heavenly Gods all descend, Earth Gods all emerge, Water Deities all arrive, the Great One is in position, searching for and selecting the seed people, examining merits and demerits, picking death and fixing life, listing names in the Golden Palace."

"There is a Register Student, Xu Jia, who bears the mandate to transmit the truth, propagate the essentials of the Dao, establish merit to assist the state, act to save people, instruct the ignorant and confused, encourage the good, open metal and stone, provide relief through water and fire, covered by Imperial Heaven, carried by Imperial Earth, illuminated by the sun and moon, connected by mountains and rivers, all evil spirits are subdued, ten thousand gods bow in agreement, all barriers flow and moisten, the five viscera produce essence, true Qi descends upon the body, refining the form and changing the substance, merit achieved and virtue complete, ascending to Heaven in broad daylight!"

"Now, having received the order of the Thirty-Sixth Generation Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain, I confer the Register upon him, a First Rank Heavenly Master Register, covenanted and announced to Heaven, laws established and completed on Earth, Ghost Gods bear witness to it, and it may be respected by all!"

As Xu Jia listened, he suddenly saw many people appear within the Dharma Realm, numbering one or two thousand, each one gaunt and wretched, with miserable faces.

Among them, two were the leaders, ordering these people to surround the altar level.

Xu Jia then asked: "Today, this poor Daoist is conferring the Register; what business do you have coming here?"

Those two said: "We are all lonely ghosts and wild spirits under the Yushan Administration who died without masters. Hearing that this place has already been demarcated and belongs to you, Master, we inquired everywhere and only then learned that you were holding a Jiao Ceremony in this place, so we traveled over mountains and waters to come to you, Master, to listen to the Dharma, receive precepts, and beg for rebirth and liberation from the sea of suffering."

Xu Jia understood; this was a test. If he could not deliver these lonely ghosts and wild spirits, he could not successfully complete the Register Conferment. Xu Jia said he would govern Yushan and must covenant with the Ghost Gods; the lonely ghosts and wild spirits that had come were now part of the ghost covenant. Of course, Xu Jia could also kill them, but that would be "tyrannical rule" and could not count as "morality."

(End of this chapter)