Chapter 167: Heavenly Soul Leaves the Body

The architectural form here is already different from Huizhou, but there are still many couplets decorated on the walls and pillars of the hall.

The first one:

To have good descendants, you must take a step back in your heart; to build a family business, you should suffer a loss of three points in everything.

Behind there is:

Many aristocratic families from ancient times to the present are nothing but accumulating virtue; the first human character in the world is still reading.

Lin Jue stood in it and looked around.

Fourth Third Third Shixiong was talking to the head of the Yan family and took out his certificate to prove his identity:

"We are Daoists from Fuqiu Temple on Fuqiu Peak of Mount Yishan. Master told us that there is a newly built mountain god temple here, so we can come here to settle down and practice."

"Yes, yes, yes!"

As soon as Old Man Yan heard that they were from Mount Yishan, his eyes shone, he nodded repeatedly, looked at his children beside him, and felt a sense of relief like finding a savior.

"A few years ago, a demon made trouble here. It was very fierce and ate many people. Later, an old True Man passed by here and eliminated the demon. Then he told us that the Mount Shimen behind us already had spirit, and sooner or later it would give birth to a mountain god. If we were willing to raise funds to build a temple on the mountain and sincerely worship it regularly, when the mountain god was born, it would be close to people and could protect us. So we built a mountain god temple halfway up the mountain, which was finished the year before last."

"That is my uncle."

"That's right! After the mountain god temple was built, the housing was also built, just waiting for the True Man to come and practice. It's just that the temple is halfway up the mountain. It looks very close, but it's actually quite a distance from the village. If the True Man wants to go, we can take the True Man there today or tomorrow. As for pots, pans, quilts, mats, or other missing things, the True Man can move them from our house!"

"Then thank you very much."

"True Man is polite." Old Man Yan said, showing a pleading look, "True Man, our family has had strange things happening recently..."

"I heard about it on the road." Fourth Third Third Shixiong said, "My practice is shallow and my skills are low. Fortunately, several senior brothers are here, and I am willing to help Old Man."

"Thank you, True Man! Quick, quick! Bring the grandson up!"

The old man's tone was very urgent.

A woman below ran down and brought a boy of about three or four years old.

The boy closed his eyes, seemingly just asleep, but his face was pale and his breath was weak.

"It is indeed a sign of the heavenly soul leaving the body and the earthly soul being obsessed." Fourth Third Third Shixiong went over to look, and then turned to ask the old man, "I heard that the grandson has been strange since birth?"

Lin Jue took his eyes off the walls and pillars and listened attentively.

"Yes, he could speak not long after he was born, his speech was clear, and he said he was from the Central Plains, named Feng Xianzhi, passed the scholar exam, married a wife and a concubine, and had a son and a daughter. Let alone reciting poems, even writing essays was not a problem." The old man smiled bitterly, "People from the county even came and wrote this into the county annals."

"That's really strange."

"Who says it isn't? We were also embarrassed at first. We couldn't send him back, and we felt strange. We almost... fortunately, this is the eldest grandson and the only seedling. Sigh, it took a long time to accept it."

The old man paused:

"But this is when he is awake. Most of the time he is in a deep sleep. When he wakes up and asks him, he says he went for a walk outside. When asked about the mountains and rivers outside, although he said it vaguely, it was all correct. I also know something about this kind of thing, and guessed that it was mostly divine travel. After a long time, I got used to it, but this time it has been half a month, and he hasn't come back."

"The old man knows a lot."

"Does the True Man know the reason?"

For a moment, everyone in the Yan family hall looked at the Daoist.

"This poor Daoist has only heard some things."

Fourth Third Third Shixiong frowned and said uncertainly:

"I heard that there is an underworld, which is the world of ghosts, but not everyone becomes a ghost after death, and not everyone who becomes a ghost goes to the underworld. There are those who go down and those who don't.

"There are three types of people who go to the underworld:

"Those with virtue can go down to be officials; those with crimes have to go down to work and be punished; those with kindness and resentment also have to settle their own accounts.

"There are also three types of people who don't go down:

"Sages, immortals, and practitioners like us; those who are unforgivable and whose souls are destroyed, or those who didn't become ghosts after death for other reasons; those who are without virtue or crime and have no great kindness or resentment, or those who are unwilling to leave the world because of obsession;

"The last kind, after death, may wander between graves. If the remaining energy is not exhausted, they exist. If the remaining energy gradually disappears, they disappear, just like dew and water bubbles form quickly and disappear quickly, just like idle flowers and wild grass, living and dying by themselves. There are also ghosts without support, accidentally attached to people to breed, called stealing life. There are also people with Dao practice who become ghosts after death and reincarnate by borrowing other people's bodies, which is called seizing the body. However, most of these things in the world are just coincidences, and no one can be blamed.

"Of course, these are just rumors. Maybe they make sense, maybe not. I haven't seen them with my own eyes, so they shouldn't be fully believed."

Fourth Third Third Shixiong explained in great detail.

Lin Jue listened very carefully.

The Yan family was naturally the same.

"Then why is he always confused, drowsy, and going out for divine travel?"

"Because the heavenly soul is unstable."

"Is there a solution? Always like this, two or three days is fine, like this time, not only does he need people to serve him for eating, drinking, and defecating, but if he continues like this, I'm afraid he won't last long."

"Looking at ancient and modern times, there are many such things. Not all will die young. There are also those who can grow up smoothly. Among those who grow up smoothly, some will naturally forget the previous things after growing up to a few years old, and some will remember their previous lives until adulthood. There are also those who suddenly remember after growing up, which is not strange. Most of them are natural things. The old man is knowledgeable, and I think he has seen it in books."

Fourth Third Third Shixiong thought for a while and replied:

"As for the reason, this poor Daoist only knows that those who die young may be caused by unstable heavenly souls, just like this time. And those who naturally recover after growing up may have their own reasons and solutions.

"As for the solution, it is nothing more than calming the soul. If you want to calm the soul, you can practice the Dao, but this requires talent. You can serve the gods, but you must find a true god. You can also ask my senior brother for a soul-calming pill. However, the most urgent thing now is to find the grandson's heavenly soul back."

"Yes, yes, yes..."

Old Man Yan nodded repeatedly, and then said excitedly: "Now my grandson hasn't returned for half a month. If the True Man has a way to find him back, our whole family will be grateful!"

"Please help, True Man!"

Everyone in the house was about to cry.

Especially the woman holding the child was the saddest, almost about to kneel and worship, but was luckily pulled by Little Shimei.

"Anxiety is useless. Since the old man has already asked people to call the soul nearby and didn't call it back, I think it's a bit far away." Fourth Third Third Shixiong said, "Fortunately, other experts gave advice. Last night, the old man invited nearby ghosts and gods to watch a wonderful opera. They really came to watch, so this poor Daoist will light three sticks of incense and invite nearby wandering souls to help ask."

"Good, good, good! Thank you, True Man!"

"Please take the incense and offerings."

"Go, go!"

The old man asked the woman to prepare.

Not long after, a simple incense table was prepared in the hall, offerings were placed, incense and candles were lit, and then he recited:

"The one who lights the incense is Hu Mengjin, a Daoist from Fuqiu Temple on Mount Yishan, located at the Yan family's main house in Shimen Village. Incense and candles connect to the underworld, fire energy spreads in all directions, ghosts and souls are everywhere, I now offer you offerings, those who hear can come, come and taste the nectar."

First report the name, then say the location, and then explain the matter, inviting the ghosts around.

This is not any magic, but a ritual that all Daoists know. Even ordinary people who have no Dao practice at all, as long as their experience and knowledge are reached, choose the right time, and use the same method to call, they may invite wandering ghosts around, but they may not be able to communicate with the wandering souls.

If a Daoist with Dao practice comes to handle it, it is naturally easier.

"Whoosh..."

There was a cool breeze in the house, and it was a few degrees cooler.

Fourth Third Third Shixiong faced the incense and candles, and felt a trance before his eyes, and actually saw a blurry figure in the green smoke of the incense.

"This poor Daoist is Hu Mengjin, a Daoist from Fuqiu Temple on Mount Yishan. The Yan family invited ten thousand ghosts and gods to watch an opera last night. I would like to ask you to help find the heavenly soul of his grandson. I wonder if you have watched that opera?"

"Opera... looks good..."

The figure was blurry, and the voice was also floating.

"Then have you seen the heavenly soul of the Yan family's grandson? Only the heavenly soul, not the earthly soul."

"Heavenly soul... heaven..."

Before this voice finished, it suddenly screamed, as if it was frightened by something, or as if it was squeezed away by someone.

At the same time, there was another cool breeze in the house.

Then another rough and deep voice came:

"I am the mountain god of Mount Shimen..."

"So it is the mountain god who has arrived."

"That heavenly soul walked out... didn't walk far... but no one has seen it... there is a forest by the river below, there is a little demon inside, who likes to hook people's souls, raise and eat them, you can go there to find it." The mountain god's voice was also intermittent, and even the pronunciation was a bit laborious. It can be seen that this is a newly born mountain god.

"Thank you, mountain god."

"Last night... opera... I also watched..."

"Respectfully send off the mountain god."

I don't know when, the incense sticks in front were burned out, and the green smoke all escaped into the void.

Fourth Third Third Shixiong took back his gaze.

What happened just now, in the eyes of everyone, was just that the wind blew the incense sticks to burn quickly, and blew the green smoke into chaos. Everyone couldn't see anything, only Fourth Third Third Shixiong was talking to himself.

But the wind came and went, and the incense sticks burning quickly like running fast, obviously showed that things were true.

"How is it?"

Old Man Yan Yan asked hurriedly.

"The old man invited the opera troupe very well last night. I first invited a wandering soul, and he was very happy to help, but he hadn't helped yet, and the mountain god rushed over and told us that the grandson's soul is very likely in a forest by the river under the mountain, saying that there is a little demon there." Fourth Third Third Shixiong said, "Does the old man know that forest?"

"By the river under the mountain?" Old Man Yan thought for a while, and was suddenly shocked, "I have heard that there is a forest. Someone encountered strange things in it when passing by, and there were children who died in it. Later, we didn't walk there anymore and went around from other places."

"So that's how it is."

"This kid is really damn. Didn't we warn him not to run there! What should we do now? Should we call more people to look for him there?"

"Old man, don't worry. It's too slow to walk there. I have a friend who is good at finding souls and leading souls. I will ask him to go and see."

Fourth Third Third Shixiong said, took out a bamboo flute, put it to his mouth, and blew a short sound.

"Flap flap flap..."

A crow flew over immediately and landed on the beam.

The Yan family was very surprised.

But saw the Daoist say to it:

"Third Shixiong Crow, the heavenly soul of this Old Man Yan's grandson is lost, maybe in a forest by the river under the mountain. There may be demon energy in that forest, it is easy to find. His heavenly soul strength may be the same as an adult's. I would like to ask Third Shixiong Crow to fly over and help me find it."

"Ah!"

The crow called back.

"Call Third Shixiong Yun to go together. If you can find it and can deal with it, bring it back." Fourth Third Third Shixiong finished, and didn't forget to add, "Anyway, be careful."

"Ah!"

After Lin Jue heard it, he also added a sentence beside him:

"Let Fuyao go too."

"Ying?"

The fox turned its head like lightning when it heard the words, looking at him suspiciously.

"There is no way. You have great talent. Although you are young, your Dao practice is very high, and you have experience in fighting and winning against big demons." Lin Jue showed a helpless look, "Since ancient times, those who can work more, in order to prevent accidents, I have to trouble you to run."

"Woo~"

The fox licked the hair around its neck twice, smacked its mouth, and finally stood up, looking at the crow above its head.

Flap flap flap! The crow flew out!

The fox also jumped out, its posture light, and it even went out of the hall in one step.

"Old man, don't worry. If it goes well, the grandson's soul will return this morning. But if it is past noon, because the sun is big at noon, you have to wait until the afternoon."

"Thank you, thank you..."

The old man was moved, hurriedly asked the woman to prepare meals, and called the head of the opera troupe to thank them well.

Such things, with Fourth Third Third Shixiong's Dao practice, were completely enough to deal with, so the others were not worried. It just so happened that they had been working hard for several days, and didn't rest well last night, so they were all a little sleepy, so they took this opportunity to sit on the round chairs and support their chins to think quietly, which was considered rest.

Lin Jue thought, if he hadn't practiced Dao at the beginning, would he be like this after a long time? ===== CHAPTER 168 =====