Chapter 268: Dao or Ye?

The few of them were wailing like ghosts and howling like wolves; it was nothing more than their souls being damaged and lacking nourishment.

Furthermore, the Register is something that belongs to Ghost Gods, not something a living person can obtain. One must be a person on the verge of death, use this method to obtain an Immortal Register, and then find someone with Merit to send them through Soldier Dissolution, only then can they be without resentment or regret and achieve the status of a Ghost Immortal.

A living person cannot bear it, but now it is different; one-quarter of a Register will not lead to death, but one cannot live well either.

After the few of them obtained the Register, they saw hallucinations when looking at anyone; they could see others' time of death, and for those whose time of death was near, they could even see the scene of their death on the spot.

At the same time, the Register also gave them some tasks from the Underworld; completing tasks could earn Yin Merit, as well as Yang Lifespan.

But these were all unimportant; what was important was that the Lushan Five Prisons had already helped them create a Body Temple. They only lacked awakening their Body God, or inviting in a Body God, to begin "Taiping Sect Divine Path Cultivation."

It was just that they still looked like useless wretches wailing like ghosts and howling like wolves, which showed their willpower was mediocre and their endurance was average.

Xu Jia had no choice but to chew the things up and feed them step by step, like force-feeding, pulling on the sprouts to help them grow.

He pinched his fingers to calculate: "The Cardinal of the neighboring St. John's Cathedral has a treasure in his hands. The holy water inside can treat your soul wounds and can also give you a blessing from Heaven. Get over to the neighbor and pray to him, beg for a drop of holy water."

"Ah? Ancestor, aren't we Daoists? How can it be right to go to a cathedral to pray?"

"What is there to be taboo about? I, your Ancestor, will not blame you. It would be a bastard's act not to use good things when they are available. Since you are in this state, if you want to facilitate proselytizing, I suggest you establish a second faith and become official priests in America. Use both systems together to obtain the power of faith in America. When the time comes to consecrate the Pure Silver Cross, you won't need to find other cathedrals. Can't you also receive Incense Fire money by baptizing infants and holding services?"

Xu Jia mocked them for being stuck in the past and being conservatives.

These disciples and grand-disciples were surprised that Xu Jia's philosophy was so advanced.

Thus, they carried the four of them to the opposite cathedral to beg for holy water.

The moment they opened their mouths, they said: "Lord, we have been attacked by demons; save these few pitiful people!"

Bishop Nelson was also bewildered. These China Daoists had always kept to themselves and never interfered with his affairs; why had they come to him?

But then he remembered the Heavenly Descent at Tongtian Temple yesterday, and with these Daoists chanting "Lord, save me" in their mouths, a guess formed in his heart: "Could they be Instant Christians?"

Nelson revealed fluent Mandarin: "Why do they have both the aura of angels and the aura of demons on them?"

Li Rentai endured the pain and said: "Our Tongtian Temple previously struggled against the Hell's seventy-three Demon God, Hannibal the Old Demon. Last night he came to commit an offense again and cursed us. Only the holy water within a holy weapon can dispel the curse through a blessing."

"As for the angel power on our bodies, it is because our Ancestor was summoned by the Heaven Christ and became a mid-level archangel. We also intend to join the church next..."

Immediately following, the several hundred disciples whom Xu Jia had chased out also arrived outside Old John Cathedral and said: "We also want to join the church! We also want to join the church!"

It was clearly that they wanted Dao-Ye Dual Cultivation.

"Oh my mother! The Instant parish really has infinite potential." This Nelson thought of his idol Hong Xiuquan, though he was now the Black Hong Xiuquan.

If he could guide so many Daoists who believed in the Outer Path—these lost lambs—back to the right path, and then promote it in China, perhaps he could run for Pope next? Dreaming this dream, he was not stingy; he took out the holy weapon John's Baptism and, cautiously, as if Guanyin were sprinkling nectar with a willow branch, sprinkled a few drops on the four of them.

Instantly, the power of the holy water began to repair their souls and dispel the residual demonic nature of Hannibal the Old Demon.

………

When the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Immigration Bureau arrived, they only saw the smuggled Chinese people who had been reported for illegal religious activities converting inside the century-old Old John Cathedral in San Francisco, with the Black Cardinal Archbishop in red vestments performing the ceremony for those yellow-skinned people.

The problem was that among these people, the problematic Corpse-Eating Cultists did not dare to enter the cathedral, and those without problems went in; for a time, the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

It was the Black version of Hong Xiuquan who took the initiative to ask: "Officer, is there something the matter?"

"We received a tip from an informant that illegal religious activities are being held here, and there may be heinous crimes of cannibalism and summoning demons..."

Bishop Nelson's already dark face turned gloomy: "You are insulting our St. John's Cathedral. Our history in San Francisco dates back to before the founding of the country! You are insulting Christ!"

The officer was startled by this accusation: "At the very least, these yellow-skinned people must cooperate with our inspection..."

Li Rentai said: "Officer, I have obtained a green card." He had come from Hong Kong and had considerable assets; his tax payments in America were quite high, placing him in the so-called wealthy class, even higher than the upper-middle class.

He even knew members of the British royal family and had business dealings with members of the Bush family.

Sect Leader Hong said in a deep voice: "I am presiding over a ceremony for them; they are all willing to convert to Christianity... If the officer has nothing else, please leave first. It will not be too late to wait until the ceremony is finished..."

"Can I make a phone call?" Li Rentai asked.

The police officer nodded. In this land of freedom, there was an unwritten rule: even if they were criminals, as long as they were performing a ceremony in a cathedral, they could not be arrested. One could not deprive others of their right to faith, and some cathedrals could even apply for sanctuary for criminals.

……

Li Rentai still had influence. After one phone call, the officer's radio rang very quickly, and then they simply withdrew their troops and stopped bothering with this place.

The ritual was completed. Each person plucked a mini Bible and a cross, and only personally lit one white candle.

Then they returned to Tongtian Temple.

Xu Jia looked at the crosses hanging around their necks and smiled: "Did you steal the faith?"

Li Rentai nodded: "A little, but not much. The Register converted some of this faith, and things like coin cents appeared..." "That is Wish Power Dharma Coin, the so-called Incense Fire money of the Divine Path." Xu Jia guided them: "Now you can begin to practice breathing and cultivation at the auspicious Feng Shui location of Tongtian Temple. You have already obtained the Immortal Register through the divinity of the Demon God. Achieving the status of a Ghost God with a human body, although you have no rank, you can be considered a few grades of the 'outside the stream' category. You should be about the same as an Underground Lord. A third-grade Underground Lord only manages the land of one grave, only a few feet. I do not require you to breathe in unison with the mountains and rivers, only to breathe in unison with this Tongtian Temple. When this Tongtian Temple of mine was built, it was aimed at being a Blessed Land of the human world, but it lacked the proper methods. Now that I have not been here for many years, it has begun to decline again. You shall come and awaken it."

The four of them then began to practice breathing. The layout of Tongtian Temple was also based on the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, and the deities worshipped also corresponded to the gods they cultivated in their previous lives.

They sensed them one by one, and very quickly they built a connection, opening up the "Heaven and Earth Bridge" to the Dharma Realm.

Between one inhalation and one exhalation, the auspicious Qi within Tongtian Temple began to circulate, and the Evil Qi began to dissolve. At the same time, they could also see the Dharma Realm of Tongtian Temple in its true state.

The Wish Power Dharma Coin began to be consumed, transforming into their own Primordial Qi. Between one inhalation and one exhalation, Primordial Qi flowed in and out, interacting internally and externally, resonating harmoniously with the Daochang. Some scattered Incense Fire entered their bodies one after another, were captured by the Register, and became pure. After being refined, it began to strengthen their cultivation and increase their power.

Very quickly, the Wish Power Dharma Coin was consumed completely, and their cultivation speed began to turn into a turtle's speed, as if it were a cloud drive download; they experienced VIP for a few seconds at the beginning using megabytes, and afterwards it was just kilobytes.

They opened their eyes, still wanting more: "Ancestor, the key to this method is Incense Fire and Wish Power, as well as the Daochang mountain gate, right?"

"It is good faith, good wishes, and good merit. If you open a live stream or a concert, that kind of worship and joy is just the desire thoughts of sentient beings and does not carry the power of blessings and wishes; it cannot provide assistance for 'Borrowing the False to Cultivate the True.' If it is a wish, it requires the person to come and fulfill the vow after the wish comes true to obtain Wish Power Dharma Coin."

Li Rentai nodded, deep in thought: "In essence, it is still a transaction."

Xu Jia nodded: "However, you four have a more direct way to improve, without needing to be so troublesome, and that is to refine Hannibal the Old Demon. The divinity in his body is the same as yours. I have cast a curse; the stronger you are, the weaker he becomes. Conversely, the stronger he is, the more your power will disappear and become weaker."

"In addition, seal other Demon Gods, seal them up, and install them into the bodies of the statues of the gods in Tongtian Temple as 'zang' (consecration items); it might have some unexpected effects. You can hold Jiao Rituals to convert them, which can better assist your cultivation and practice."

"Does the Jiao Ritual really have power?"

"The Jiao Ritual is not false, and the God Immortals involved in the Jiao Ritual are also not false."

Xu Jia felt somewhat exhausted, but he endured it, and subsequently began to impart the Daoist Citizen Register to the other disciples and grand-disciples.

"Although this Daoist Citizen Register is simple, it counts as a status. If you cannot succeed in the Inner Elixir Technique and cannot sense the Body God, then chant scriptures and perform repentance. The Register method will accumulate for you; as long as you are sincere, you will surely gain something."

"I originally wanted to capture Hannibal the Old Demon myself to help you with Foundation Establishment, but now that is not possible. The time on the altar has been too long; it is time to go back. You four are still weak; you must find a way to increase your strength, expand your faith, and suppress the Old Demon... When this poor Daoist comes again next time, I hope you all have made progress..."

Having said this, Xu Jia returned to the altar and sat on the lotus platform. The youth's appearance disappeared, and he turned back into a Golden Body like cured meat.

Only the Angel Weapon Browning remained hanging at his waist.

The disciples and grand-disciples bowed one after another: "We respectfully send off the Ancestor!"

After Xu Jia left the altar, Li Rentai sighed with emotion: "Thanks to the Ancestor's support, otherwise who knows how long we would have wasted our time. But as for these sincere wishes and the blessings within them, how should the repayment of vows be accumulated?"

Hu Daquan said: "Senior Martial Uncle, the Ancestor has already pointed the way for us. We should not stubbornly guard the Tongtian Temple; we should run a private church, or simply utilize the century-old Old John Cathedral across the street. Then, using the church's reputation, we can bring hope to the nearby grassroots populace. This process is like a political campaign: release a campaign manifesto to win votes, though politicians always change nothing after being elected."

"We don't have any political groups in America, but we can start using connections to cultivate them. We can also spend Flower Money to run orphanages..."

"At the bottom of American society, there is no hope at all. As long as we can bring them even a little bit of hope, we will receive blessings and wishes like a mountain-toppling, sea-crashing tide... And to achieve this, one only needs money, or to stir up some minority opinions, or perhaps a passionate speech."

"That would have to be someone who isn't yellow-skinned. If it were a white person, or a black person, or some mixed-race individual... Our culture believes more in the Doctrine of the Mean; we should do less of this kind of showing our faces. Furthermore, we are currently offending a Demon God and an Evil Sect... After the Ancestor is gone, we must keep a low profile. Let's start by contracting the church and doing charity work; anyway, doing charity can also get tax exemptions."

Xu Jia returned to his original physical body and felt much more comfortable; the previous Golden Body had been stiff and very tiring.

At the same time, he secretly thought: "Huang Muchun, oh Huang Muchun, this poor Daoist obtained one-eighth of your Yellow Heaven Sect's orthodoxy, but I immediately found a successor for your orthodoxy according to our agreement. Your Yellow Heaven Sect is also going to prosper and establish a Dao Kingdom in America. Taiping Sect plus Christianity—isn't this a proper American Taiping Heavenly Kingdom? Hong Xiuquan the Second."

Having thus broken the shackles of his heart, he felt joyful.

Immediately, he began to pay attention to the situation of the two Daoist Priests from the Lishan Sect over there.

It is said that Chen Liuxian had been practicing the Battle Technique for several days to replenish his Yang energy, but his wife had been slow to return. With nowhere to vent his evil fire, he found that even walking these past two days easily led to the embarrassment of a "pillar reaching the sky."

Li Dafu saw this in his eyes, and feeling it was awkward to keep him there, said: "The Niu family grows lingzhi and also yellow essence in Lan Shi Huo. Those lingzhi are all Immortal Grade and quite extraordinary. Go buy some and bring them back for processing."

Chen Liuxian then carried a medicine basket on his back and set out. He first arrived smoothly at Lan Shi Huo, which is the entrance to Xianzhi Valley.

Waves of wine fragrance drifted over; it was the winery producing a batch of good wine.

Smelling the wine, Chen Liuxian stepped forward, feeling a bit greedy: "So fragrant."

He saw the young woman fetching the wine, who still possessed great charm, and she laughed: "This wine sells for two taels of silver a jar; it must be fragrant."

She poured a bowl for him: "Scholar, drink a bowl!"

After Chen Liuxian practiced the Battle Technique, his temperament and appearance had changed, but his physical desires had become stronger. Lustful thoughts arose in his heart several times in an instant, but he suppressed them. Firstly, he felt he was letting down his wife, and secondly, he felt he had disregarded all the books he had read, blushing before he had even drunk the wine.

However, it was hard to refuse her kindness, so he drank a bowl. After drinking, it was fiery hot, but also extremely refreshing, making one feel somewhat intoxicated. He dared not look around anymore: "Young lady, my master told me to come here to buy lingzhi. Where should I go?"

"Just walk inside. You will see a Jin Chan Miao, and not far from there is the Xianzhi Forest. When you pick the lingzhi, you only need to give two hundred wen to the Jin Chan Miao for each one. This is the rule for seeking medicine."

"Two hundred wen for one lingzhi; that's not expensive..."

"Master Jin Chan says this lingzhi is naturally born of heaven and earth, so he wouldn't fence off a piece of land and forbid people from picking it. It's just that maintenance is important; one cannot cut off the roots, otherwise, he wouldn't even collect these two hundred wen."

(End of chapter)