Chapter 26: Calling the Mountain and Summoning the God, Shamanic Empowerment

Xu Jia closed his eyes for nearly an hour, carefully chewing and digesting the books he had read into his mind; it was a pity there was no progress bar, otherwise he would have felt more at ease.

Just as he finished digesting, Xiao Hong pushed the door open and entered: "Young Master, the Master and Mistress said they will give you two taels of silver every month for your own use."

Xiao Hong was extremely happy, but Xu Jia remained expressionless.

Two taels of silver was enough for a month's expenses for an ordinary family of three in the county town.

But in Xu Jia's view, it was merely a drop in the bucket.

After all, buying a lamb to eat would cost more than one tael of silver.

Seeing that Xu Jia was not very interested, Xiao Hong added: "The Master said that food and medicine are not included in this; these two taels of silver are your monthly allowance, Young Master."

Xu Jia nodded and said: "I understand. You go and collect the money first, then go to the pharmacy for me to buy two taels of cinnabar, one tael of angelica, and then go to the paper-craft shop to buy some candles, incense, yellow paper, and get a three-foot-six piece of red cloth."

"Young Master, what are you buying these things for?"

"Don't ask, just go."

Xu Jia's tone reminded Xiao Hong of the time she encountered a ghost that night.

So she obediently listened to Xu Jia's words and went out to purchase the items.

After Xiao Hong left, Niu Congcong arrived at the Xu household just after finishing lunch, unable to wait to share his strange experience with Xu Jia.

"Brother Xu! That fox was truly huge, as big as a building. How is it so completely different from the motley old lady I saw?"

Xu Jia patiently explained: "That was Hu Jinhua's 'thought-body', or rather, the appearance he wanted you to see. In the future, he will also cultivate in this direction, with pure fur and a wisp of gold between his brows. As for the large size, that might be a transformation in the dream, which is your own subjective perception."

"So that's how it is. After I got up this morning and thought about this dream, it felt vivid and incredibly real. And when I thought about it again, the magic taught by the Fox Immortal could be cast freely!"

"Then, following your instructions, Brother Xu, I bought a roasted chicken, grilled fish, some fruit, and pastries, and went to the Fox Immortal Hall Daochang to make offerings to the Fox Immortal!"

"That fox spirit actually appeared to see me. After we ate together, I braced myself and recited books for young children's enlightenment. They listened with great interest, but it was bitter for me!"

"Hu Jinhua even started asking questions. Brother Xu, why don't you go and teach them yourself! I recited for half an hour and was falling asleep myself!"

"I just said I would come back tomorrow and rushed here to see you, which is how I managed to get away."

"However, I have succeeded in practicing this cultivation method, so it wasn't a loss."

Xiaopangdun showed off his little magic, using an Obstruction of Sight Method, moving back and forth like a magic trick.

Xu Jia couldn't help but dampen his spirits: "What have you succeeded in practicing?" He shook his head and said: "You forgot what I said. This clearly shows that Hu Jinhua has succeeded in his cultivation and thus took the initiative to lend his power to you. Your Shamanism technique hasn't even entered the door yet; you haven't realized the vitality of heaven, earth, and the ten thousand things having spirits. How can you call it a success? If he didn't lend you his power, would you still be able to cast magic?"

"This method is two-way. Hu Jinhua is powerful and can drive you, and every bit of Daoist Practice you increase, Hu Jinhua can also benefit from. Right now, it is purely him leading you, and the efficiency is extremely low."

"Ah? I haven't succeeded in my cultivation yet?" Xiaopangdun felt a bit disappointed.

Xu Jia asked him where the Fox Immortal Hall was established, and it turned out not to be at Niu Fu, but at Sha Erzhu's house.

Upon hearing this, Xu Jia pondered slightly: "That's fine. It's actually better at the place you mentioned, as there is a mountain behind it. Here is what we'll do: I will have someone buy the tools for the Altar Opening, and today, I will go with you to perform the 'calling the mountain' ritual for you, so that you can enter the door today, keep pace with Hu Jinhua, and cultivate and participate together."

Xiaopangdun scratched his head: "What is 'calling the mountain'?"

"Mountains have mountain souls, called mountain ghosts, mountain spirits, or Mountain Gods."

"Calling the mountain is calling the soul, making the mountain's spirituality resonate with you. It can be like an empowerment, allowing you to enter the door of the Shamanism method all at once. It can not only improve your spirituality and inspiration but also help you better understand nature."

"If the calling of the mountain is successful, you will write the position of the Lord of this Mountain on the Lineage."

"The power of this method lies in the fact that Shamanism firmly believes that all things have spirits; mountains have Mountain Gods, and water has Water Deities. After calling the mountain, if there is a god, you can make offerings to the god; if there is no god, you can create a god, gathering the spirituality of the mountains and rivers to directly create a Natural Spirit god."

Xiaopangdun didn't understand but felt it was impressive.

Xu Jia spoke lightly; this method was a 'Bamia' technique among the heterodox paths. It was also an unpassed secret method in Shamanism.

Once spirituality is suddenly increased, one will see wandering ghosts and hear sounds that could not be heard before, making one prone to being in a trance. However, if protected by the Fox Immortal, these side effects are nothing to fear.

Xiao Hong soon bought the items, and Xu Jia had Xiaopangdun hire a cart to pull everything over together.

Lady Xu did not want Xu Jia to go out, but Xu Jia said: "If I don't go out, how will others know that I am a living person?"

Lady Xu had no choice but to give up and gave the Houshenfu she had sought to Xu Jia: "Take this with you."

This Houshenfu didn't even have a glimmer of spiritual light; it was just for peace of mind.

After Xu Jia left the residence, he vaguely felt that someone was watching him. However, he already had a plan in mind and did not speak of it to others, avoiding unnecessary worry.

After arriving at that residence with Niu Congcong, Xu Jia was truly shocked when he saw the layout: "With such a large tree blocking the front of the door, and the path being slanted, this place does not nourish vitality. How could anyone think of building a house like this? Did no one warn him?"

This kind of layout, in a Yang Dwelling, is called 'Heart-Piercing Sha'. It lacks sufficient lighting and also obstructs the circulation of Yang Qi, easily causing a stagnation of Yin Qi.

The main gate is the place where 'vitality enters and exits'. Being intercepted by a large tree, the tree will devour the family fortune of this household. The tree itself is also prone to forming a 'tree sha', which not only affects this household but may even affect the overall Feng Shui layout of the entire village.

Xu Jia walked around and looked at the tree, then asked Er Zhu: "This is your family's house after all. Do you know how many years old the tree is?"

Sha Erzhu shook his head: "I don't know."

Xu Jia estimated: "I'm afraid it's seventy or eighty years old. The roots have probably spread three or four miles away."

The three of them entered through the slanted path into the courtyard. The tree canopy was like an umbrella, completely covering the small courtyard.

Hu Jinhua sensed Xu Jia's arrival and had already turned into an old lady, waiting in the courtyard.

"Disciple pays respects to Master Xu!"

Xu Jia waved his hand and said: "I came to see your hall. I thought that if you followed my instructions for the layout, it would be fine regardless, but now it looks less like an Immortal cave and more like a Yin cavern." "Thank you for your concern, Master Xu, but we all feel it's quite good and there is nothing inappropriate or uncomfortable," Hu Jinhua said. "It's secluded and safe here, and there is a mountain behind it, so we can run there at any time."

Xu Jia nodded. He was looking at it from a human perspective, but from an animal's perspective, it was not the same thing. Moreover, these few foxes originally practiced Wild Fox Zen, so it was not strange that they liked such a place.

Hu Jinhua had also urinated under the old tree at the entrance, using this as a medium to set up an Obstruction of Sight Method, so ordinary people could not see that there was a house here. It was only because Xu Jia had made a contract with him and formed a Karmic Connection, and Niu Congcong was his spirit medium, that they were not affected.

"Is the Pressing Money I lent you last time still there?" Xu Jia asked.

"It is." Hu Jinhua hurriedly took out a copper coin and carefully handed it to Xu Jia.

Xu Jia took the coin: "I didn't intend to ask for it back, but I have a use for this copper coin."

After putting it away, he entered the inner room. Inside, there was only one Altar, hanging the Fox Immortal Hall's God Immortal Lineage. On it were only the Dharma Lord Master Xu and the four foxes; it could be said that the followers were few.

One must know that a Northeast Out-Horse Immortals hall could not exist without twenty or thirty Immortal families, and some even worshipped hundreds.

Xu Jia then said to Niu Congcong: "Later, you should also add Zhan Ying to the Lineage. She is a Sparrow Spirit who follows me and helps me gather information."

Niu Congcong nodded; he already understood the process of how to add to the Lineage.

Xu Jia then sat in the main seat and asked about the things he had instructed them to do before, to see if they had inquired carefully: "Jinhua, I told you to inquire about the whereabouts of that Daoist, and if there are any spirit mediums, witches, or spirits with Daoist Practice in the surrounding area. Are there any results?"

Hu Jinhua stepped forward and said, "Disciple used bird language to inquire among the surrounding birds and has already obtained some news, but it has not yet been confirmed, which is why I did not tell Master."

"No matter, speak."

"According to an old crow, that Daoist left the Luanzanggang and headed toward Yushan. That Yushan is a place of cultivation in Yushan County, with Daoist temples and Buddhist temples. The Daoist temple is Shanju Guan, which enshrines the Mountain God, and the Buddhist temple is Dizang An."

"Our abilities are low, and we only operate in the area of Qingtian Xiang; we have never been to Yushan, so we can only find other ways to inquire."

"Another thing is the origin of that Hanging Ghost. We also inquired about it; he hanged himself in a small woods outside Li Village two months ago. During that time, the villagers spent Flower Money to invite a Daoist from Yushan Shanju Guan to send off the ghost, and it was precisely this Daoist."

Xu Jia nodded and praised, "These two pieces of news are very important."

Hu Jinhua breathed a sigh of relief and added, "As for the general situation of the nearby cultivators that Master asked us to inquire about, it is not detailed enough. There are eleven villages in this township, and each village has witch-women and spirit-men, though some are just swindlers; those with real ability do not exceed the count of one hand."

"As for spirits like us, I know of four, which are the Chicken Demon, Pig Demon, Rat Demon, and Cow Demon."

Xu Jia heard there were only four demons and felt it was a bit few, as he had encountered a whole nest as soon as he was born, so he asked, "What are the temperaments of these demons? Can they be taught?"

"That Chicken Demon was originally a fighting cock raised by a wealthy family. After gaining spiritual intelligence, it pecked out one of its original owner's eyes."

"After escaping, it usually pretends to be a domestic chicken to mix in for some food; if discovered, it instead pecks the person until they are bloody."

"After gaining power, it occupied 'Qingfeng Pavilion' and became a tyrant there, mixing with a nest of wild chickens. This fellow has bristly feathers, claws like refined iron, and a sharp beak like a hoe; it is very difficult to provoke. Its original owner specifically spent Flower Money to hire two hunters and two martial artists from a martial arts hall, but none could catch it."

Foxes love to eat chicken, and even Hu Jinhua said it was difficult to provoke, so they must have had dealings before.

"That Pig Demon was originally a sow raised by a family. Every year she gave birth to several piglets, but because she became a demon, she intentionally stopped wasting her primordial Qi to give birth."

"As a result, she heard her owner say at night that she was old and that he would kill her to make cured meat and sell it the following year. She bit through the door latch and escaped, settling down at Lan Shi Huo. Among the demons, she has the largest build and is the oldest; I have had many exchanges with her."

"That Rat Demon is the strangest. It was five rats whose tails were tangled together; the largest one bit the other four to death and ate them. Since then, it has commanded the rats and became the Rat King. It usually stays underground and is skilled in transportation arts and Wuyi Fa."

"The Cow Demon was plowing the fields when it suddenly went into a state of Madness, gored its original owner until his belly was ripped open and intestines spilled out, and ran away. It lives in Jiujiegou. The government once sent men to subdue it, but it evaded them."

After listening, Xu Jia had some ideas: "Of these demons, do you think any can be brought into the fold?"

"Except for that old black pig, who is honest and kind, none are good-natured," Hu Jinhua said. "Of course, it depends on Master's intention. If Master can reform them..."

Xu Jia shook his head: "I do not follow the Buddhism path of 'putting down the butcher's knife to become a Buddha on the spot.' You go first and tell that Lao Zhupo; it is best if she can join us directly, if not, then so be it. As for the other evil-doing demons, if they can be resolved, resolve them; if not, eliminate them. I do not engage in killing without teaching. Furthermore, the demon-slaying must also be done by you. Demon affairs should be handled by demons; you must establish the prestige of the Fox Immortal Hall, and I will naturally not take action myself."

After saying this, Xu Jia asked about the hall: "Now that the hall has been set up, have you entered the Dharma Realm?"

"I have already entered the Dharma Realm; it can truly be considered a place like a God Immortal Dongfu!" Hu Jinhua then described the scene of the Dharma Realm.

Xu Jia nodded: "This is the benefit of building a temple and establishing a society, a God Immortal Daochang. However, this of yours does not count as a temple, which is why it is only a residence. If you had a temple, even an Earth Temple, you could manifest a Dharma Realm spiritual realm of several hundred acres."

"As for the Dharma Realm outside the Dongfu, it is indeed somewhat dangerous. However, I will now teach you a method of refining Chang soldiers, so you can use Chang soldiers and Chang generals to protect yourself while traveling through the Dharma Realm and exploring the surroundings."

"Refining Chang soldiers requires absorbing the evil spirits of mountains and rivers and pinning your own evil thoughts onto them to refine them into Chang soldiers. In this way, your thoughts will become purer, and your cultivation will accelerate."

"The Chang soldiers pin your evil thoughts, so they are in tune with your heart. As your realm becomes more profound, the Chang soldiers will become more Fierce Gods, capable of exploring the Dharma Realm for you, delivering messages, and capturing evil ghosts."

Hu Jinhua listened and knew it was an incredibly powerful 'Dao-protection,' a combat path skilled in fighting.

"Many thanks to Master for passing down the Dharma!"

"No need to thank me. I happen to need to perform the ritual to call the mountain. If there is no god in the mountain, it is easy to summon the evil spirits of the mountain, which will just happen to help you cultivate the Chang method."

"However, before this, I must first perform the ceremony to purify the evil spirits, suppress the four spirits, and settle the Earth Deity. After all, this is a private residence, and the Feng Shui is dangerous; it cannot withstand evil spirits and grievances."

"It is a pity that your virtue is insufficient and your status is not high enough. You can only be worshipped in secret; you cannot have people offer sacrifices openly. Otherwise, even if there were only a small temple or a Shrine, it would be much better than now, and I would not have to take action personally and exhaust my spirit."

Hu Jinhua felt ashamed: "Disciple will work hard to cultivate virtue!"

Xu Jia nodded: "There is no rush for that. However, since those witch-women and spirit-men are mostly pretending to be gods and ghosts, you go and scare them, tell them to worship you, and you take action to help them solve some problems. Collecting good thoughts and Incense Fire in this way to help your cultivation can also be considered a shortcut."

Hu Jinhua had never thought of such a thing: "Is this okay?"

"It is fine. According to the laws of Hell, those who pretend to be witch-women and spirit-men will go to Hell after they die. Now, you are actually saving them."

Hu Jinhua heard this and immediately nodded: "Then disciple will go tomorrow and get this matter done well!"

(End of this chapter)