Chapter 373: You Too Shall Have a Righteous Fruit in the Immortal Ranks

Xu Jia had previously modified the cultivation method for the Daoists of Shanju Guan; the technique of "Genyue Qi-Consumption" was transformed into the "Five Qi Lingzhi Jade Field," which could be considered a "minor Earth Immortal technique."

He had many reserves of his own, so there was no need to ask others now; he only asked Zhang Gong and Zhang Po: "How is the cultivation method of the Zhangshu clan? Do you consume the Qi of plants and trees?"

Zhang Gong shook his head: "It is not so. It is the method of the four seasons, twelve months, twenty-four solar terms, and seventy-two pentads. We sense the changes in cold and heat of the surrounding Qi. A person lives for a lifetime, and plants live for an autumn; we regulate ourselves accordingly, like the correspondence of the five viscera, the five flavors of medicine—pungent, sweet, salty, bitter, and sour—and the changes of the four seasons, to obtain cold, heat, warmth, and coolness."

"Besides this, there is also the Six Qi, which are the changes in the climate of heaven and earth, the yin and yang, wind, rain, darkness, and brightness. They also correspond to the six illnesses of man: wind, cold, summer-heat, dampness, dryness, and fire. The Inner Qi corresponds to the Outer Qi..."

As Xu Jia listened, he felt the theory aligned with his Inner Landscape. Both were systems of the Inner Heaven and Earth, matching the Outer Heaven and Earth system; it was just that Xu Jia cultivated "Spirit," while they cultivated "Qi."

To distinguish them, there is the Spirit-Refining School and the Qi-Refining School.

However, generally speaking, "using Spirit to control Qi," the level of Spirit is somewhat higher.

But one can also see that "Daoist medicine shares the same origin."

Xu Jia thought back to when he was treated for Dao Injury by the Maoshan School's Daoist Physician Li, which was a sickness of cultivation. If the Dharma Realm were purified, there would be much cultivation in the world, and the number of Daoist physicians who could treat the illnesses of cultivation would also increase.

Thus he said: "Listening to you, I already have one positive and one negative, one yin and one yang, two sets of methods in my heart. The Yang method internally refines the self, and the Yin method gathers plague and subdues epidemics. One set for Yang refinement, one set for protection; this can expand Merit. Although you cannot yet become God Immortals, and it still requires deliberation, there is no problem in becoming Earth Immortals."

"Can the two of you make the decision? If you are willing to enter my sect, you may enter the Cave Heaven to cultivate, serve as Left and Right Protectors, perfect the Dao of medical cultivation, and spread it widely throughout the world."

Zhang Gong and Zhang Po had come precisely to "seek an official position." Otherwise, in the Jiangnan West Circuit, if they kept refusing to submit, they feared they would certainly be liquidated in the future.

A few days ago, they calculated that they had a death tribulation, which was the "treasure of the sect" mentioned by the Thunder Law seal, the Weiji Immortal Sword, combined into the Jiulong Pengsheng Ge.

It was just that the sword was too sharp and required a Thousand-Year Wood Core as a scabbard. They were the ones recommended; within this realm, it was difficult to find other choices for a time. If it were not for the destruction of the Voodoo Sect's Dharma Realm Cave Heaven headquarters over in America, this tribulation would not have been dispelled.

The so-called Human Tribulation is nothing more than a single thought of good or evil.

Helping others become Immortals brings great Merit; the so-called "laying down the butcher's knife" can also lead to "becoming a Buddha on the spot."

It does not mean that a truly evil person who has killed many people can become a Buddha just by stopping the killing. In fact, the meaning is similar to "a gentleman does not deceive in a dark room"—it is about not indulging the evil thoughts in one's heart and also giving rise to a heart of "forgiveness."

Xu Jia had the ability to wield the butcher's knife, but he did not deal with Zhang Gong and Zhang Po. This was the "grace of not killing" during the "Thousand Year Tribulation," which resolved it, leading to this opportunity to come and seek refuge.

Zhang Gong and Zhang Po bowed: "Greetings, Xu Teacher."

Xu Jia sensed a surge of the Qi of plant and tree azure brilliance rushing toward him. The Yang-natured energy within his body representing "Dong Wanggong" slowly awakened. This was different from the "Green Yang" Qi of Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun from before, yet similar; it was the dignity of "Jia Wood," and also had the meaning of the "Sun," corresponding to the left eye, the liver, the assistant monarch of the Primordial Spirit, and the honored master of the Zi Fu.

However, this was merely an impulse. To truly practice the law, one still needed to carry out the medical profession's Wood Virtue.

Xu Jia said softly: "It is inconvenient for the two of you to always be called Zhang Gong and Zhang Po. Since you have entered my sect, you may take Immortal titles. I wonder what Immortal titles you have?"

"We are minor cultivators of the Desire Realm and have no Immortal titles. The locals of Zhangshu call us Yao Linggong and Yao Xianpo, but we cannot avoid shedding our Zhang tree bodies."

"Camphor wood has a unique fragrance that can repel snakes, rats, and insects. In the Form Realm, there are also Heavenly Beings who serve incense, the Divine Truths of Miaoxiang, and all the Heavenly Gods and Buddhas also flourish on Incense Fire. The two of you shall serve as the Incense Fire Protectors in my Lingbao Sect. For your Immortal titles, let them be Miaoxiang Gong and Miaoxiang Mu."

Zhang Gong and Zhang Po were very happy to hear that Xu Jia had entrusted the matter of "managing incense" to them, because "Incense Fire," in any sect, is a very important matter. Being able to entrust this to them naturally meant he trusted them greatly.

"Many thanks, Teacher. These Immortal titles of Miaoxiang Gong and Miaoxiang Mu are even more majestic than before."

Xu Jia said softly: "This is as it should be. If we do not count the South Sea Dragon Ao Jia, you are the first God Immortal cultivators to come and seek refuge with me. It is the so-called 'buying horse bones with a thousand gold,' but I allow you to use the Lingbao prefix. From now on, you may be called Lingbao Palace-Managing Protectors Miaoxiang Gong and Miaoxiang Mu, presiding over all the incense fire of the sect's believers seeking medical treatment and curing diseases."

Xu Jia then said to Bai Laotai: "You shall also follow this matter. I intend to divide the twelve Heavenly Medical departments according to the classification of the Heavenly Hospital. You shall be the Heavenly Physician, a master of the acupuncture department. You must also find eleven other masters for me, whether for gynecology, pediatrics, or the Incantation department... Regardless of whether they have cultivation, I have methods to point them out and transform them into Earth Immortals."

"The Heavenly Master once said that in the Jiangnan West Circuit, in Nanchang alone, five hundred Earth Immortals would be born. Now, my Immortal fruit, having obtained the causes and conditions of various laws, already has enough Dharma Power and wisdom to point out and transform five hundred Earth Immortals, or even more."

"But we are also of God Immortal merit, why can we not transform Earth Immortals?" Zhang Gong and Zhang Po asked curiously.

"Although you cultivate, you are merely enduring time and resisting the sun and moon; you have never received the true teachings of the Daluo Orthodox Sect. Although my cultivation time is short, I have received the true transmission of Lingbao. Strictly speaking, you are only loose Immortals of a side path. If your cultivation were not relatively upright and you had not done evil, you would only be third-rate among loose Immortals, let alone being plant and tree spirits who have attained the Dao, which falls into the lower ranks among all paths."

"Take the South Sea Dragon Ao Jia for example. He is a Seventh Rank Dragon God of the Form Realm and also has God Immortal merit. Although he is not of the Daluo Orthodox Sect, he has the orthodox method of Water Virtue and belongs to the Taiyi Profound Gate. Although we do not discuss roots or sects, there is indeed an order of precedence on the path of cultivation. If it were a Dragon God like Ao Jia, not to mention pointing you out, even just taking a leak would be enough for you plant and tree spirits to transform yourselves."

The Miaoxiang Erxian felt somewhat embarrassed upon hearing this. They had not expected that despite having God Immortal merit, their status was so low, being called third-rate side-path loose Immortals.

However, they also secretly developed a drive in their hearts, feeling they were no worse than others, and they must achieve some accomplishments so as not to be looked down upon.

Xu Jia then transmitted a "Spirit Immortal Register" to the two of them, supplemented with cultivation to slowly transform their foundations. In the future, it might not be impossible to achieve the fruit status of a lower-grade Heavenly Immortal, ascend to the Form Realm, and become a gardener serving in the Heavenly Emperor's garden or orchard.

There are quite a few such positions; they are all logistics Immortals. Compared to formal positions, they are much more leisurely and have some inexplicable benefits, though their status is somewhat lower.

As for Bai Laotai, she had already been given an Earth Immortal Register before. Since she had not broken through to the God Immortal Realm, Xu Jia could not forcibly bestow an Immortal Register, only saying: "When your work is complete, you too shall have a righteous fruit in the Immortal ranks."

(End of chapter)