## The Ghost Fields of Youzhou

Youzhou, a desolate expanse, whispered tales of ancient battles. As far as the eye could see, it was a barren land, seemingly devoid of life. Yet, beneath the surface of its somber facade, vibrant flora thrived, yearning for the grand cities and towering trees that would dispel its quietude.

Across this landscape, two figures rode abreast. A man and a woman, their mounts a stark contrast: one a gaunt, unremarkable nag, the other a magnificent, fiery-red steed, a beast of regal bearing.

The man, a young Daoist in a simple blue cotton robe, swayed with the rhythm of his horse. A smile played upon his lips as he declared, “An old horse knows the path. Let us take our time, for a late arrival is better than none at all.”

His companion, a woman of striking beauty, remained impassive. A sense of otherworldliness clung to her, as though she were a spirit adrift in a realm not her own.

It was Lu Chen and Zhu Lu, lately departed from the world of Haoran. Yet, Lu Chen had not taken her straight to the hallowed gates of the White Jade Capital.

Though, this “Lu Chen” was but a mere sliver of the true being, a vessel woven of incantations and bound by ancient seals.

Lu Chen pointed to the horizon. “I served as a guest official at a small temple there for a time, and made some good acquaintances. If we urge our steeds, we can reach it before nightfall and rest beneath its humble roof.”

Zhu Lu simply nodded.

In her former life, Zhu Lu had witnessed the indulgences of immortals, those who reveled in the mortal realm’s temptations. She had also encountered reclusive sages whose true nature remained veiled.

But even so, the journey thus far had been a whirlwind of the strange and the wondrous, often made more so by the presence of the enigmatic Lu Chen, who could imbue the commonplace with an uncanny air.

They passed a humble dwelling, its door adorned with a red paper inscription in bold black strokes, a festive greeting from a local temple: “The Mountain Lord Welcomes the New Year.”

Lu Chen remarked, “Roadside pavilions, mountain Daoist sects, mortal writings… though long in years, they yet endure. Such is true immortality.”

They crossed a parched riverbed, the land scorched by summer’s relentless sun. There, stood the River God, withered and forlorn, squatting on the cracked earth. In a gesture of bleak humor, he lifted a spoonful of water to a neighboring Mountain God, offering, “I drink, do as you please.”

The River God spied the approaching riders and cried out, “Are you not enrobed Daoist officials, versed in the celestial arts? Can you not take pity and summon a life-giving rain?”

Lu Chen, hands tucked into his sleeves, responded with a colorful outburst. “This Daoist knows no celestial arts! How about I piss on your river, would that do?”

Incensed, the River God hurled insults back at the seemingly mad Daoist. His temper flaring, he smashed his bowl upon the ground, ready to lay hands upon the man.

As if anticipating this, Lu Chen burst into laughter. “Excellent! A fine omen! Broken things bring peace!”

With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a torrent of power. Dark clouds gathered, and a deluge of rain, each drop like a golden bead, cascaded into the arid riverbed.

Within a bustling town, Lu Chen led her through winding alleyways, passing stray cats and watchful dogs. He paused, seemingly lost in thought.

In a land blessed with abundant streams, they came upon jade gatherers, wading through the swift currents, using their bare feet to seek out the precious stones.

Lu Chen, with a flourish, rolled up his trousers, bidding Zhu Lu to remain on the bank. He conjured a bamboo staff, striding into the water, tapping and testing the stones with an uncanny precision.

They met a retired official, a compiler of scholarly texts, returning home. He struck up a lively conversation with Lu Chen, who, after a palm reading and honeyed words, “persuaded” the impoverished old man to part with a considerable sum of his meager savings.

They bivouacked on a windswept mountain peak, where the White Jade Capital’s master conjured a mosquito net, challenging the buzzing insects to bite him as he snacked on candied fruits.

Now, with a twist of his wrist, Lu Chen produced a small dish. Without conjuring chopsticks, he took a spoonful, asking, “This is called Eight Treasure Taro Mash. Would you care to try it?”

Zhu Lu declined.

Lu Chen chuckled. “Now you only seek to scale the highest peaks, but one day you will understand: the true immortal is he who can relish simple pleasures.”

Zhu Lu replied, “Perhaps later.”

Lu Chen nodded, neither arguing nor lecturing, but simply agreeing, “A wise thought.”

Suddenly, Zhu Lu asked, “Am I truly awake, or lost in a dream?”

Lu Chen smiled. “Dream within a dream within a dream… would understanding it all truly make it better?”

“Then who are you, truly?” Zhu Lu probed. “Are you Lu Chen?”

Lu Chen chuckled. “I can be, or I can not be. It depends on your disposition.”

Regardless of the unfathomable depths of his being or the sheer destructive force he commanded after attaining the Dao, Lu Chen’s mastery of the arcane and the wondrous was undeniable. No one dared challenge his claim to this.

Lu Chen had never concealed his Five Dreams and Seven States of Mind. His fourteen stages of Dao attainment were the most… *unobscured* of all. Whether known, remembered, unknown, or forgotten, he cared not. Let the world do as it pleased.

The Daoist dreamed of the scholar Zheng Huan, the living man dreaming of skulls beneath his pillow, dreamed of the living oak, dreamed of the turtle’s death. In dreams, he became a butterfly, forgetting his own identity, the master and the servant becoming one.

Then there were the Seven States of Mind: the wooden rooster, the ancient Toon tree, the mole, the Kunpeng, the Yellow Sparrow, the Fenghuang, and the butterfly.

Of these, four dreams had already been resolved. Thus, the White Bone Daoist who went by the name of Mao Chui could hide wherever he pleased.

As for the Seven States of Mind, the Yellow Sparrow, capable of divining fortune, had been reclaimed. The wooden rooster was Yu Zhenyi from the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, the Fenghuang the previous owner of the golden-embroidered robe, a Heavenly Master who had “disintegrated” upon a distant island. The Kunpeng, too, had returned to him, yielded by his old friend from the Night-Sailing Ship after their “Debate at Hao Bridge,” and, with Wu Shuangjiang’s blessing, Lu Chen had happily agreed. Only the mole remained within Haoran, not for any grand scheme, but simply for amusement.

Lu Chen had first proposed that “eight thousand years is a spring, eight thousand years is an autumn,” for the “Ancient Great Toon Tree.” This tree, unbound by rules and measures, was deemed useless. Lu Chen cared little whether he reclaimed the Toon Tree State of Mind, for it was, in truth, the Dao Tree of his heart, transplanted from Haoran to the Azure Netherworld.

Lu Chen struck his palm with his fist. “I must remember how to introduce myself to new faces. Lu Chen, born in Quyuan, Daoist name, Scatterwood.”

Zhu Lu was about to speak, but Lu Chen extended a finger toward her, uttering, “Silence!”

Zhu Lu instinctively fell silent, but then realized that Lu Chen was merely playing a trick. She could speak perfectly well. “Is that supposed to be amusing?”

Lu Chen folded his arms, swaying on horseback, gazing about at the sky and the earth. “The heavens are high, the earth is wide.”

High above, a crumbling secret realm hung precariously, on the verge of collapse.

Yu Dou hovered in the air, his sword sheathed, strapped to his back.

In the distance, three figures stood shoulder to shoulder. All were Zheng Juzhong, and it was now impossible to distinguish the true body from the Yang or Yin spirits.

However, one of the Zheng Juzhong was easy to distinguish by his Daoist robes and cap.

Yu Dou simply glanced at “him” and wanted to move the venue so that each side could hold back only 30% of their strength and have a true bout of Dao questioning.

The temerity of Zheng Juzhong was truly boundless.

This “Daoist” Zheng Juzhong bore no resemblance to their shared master, yet he exuded a presence that made Yu Dou almost mistake him for the master’s middle-aged self, somewhere between the youthful form of his true body and the aged visage of his Dharma Body.

Zheng Juzhong wielded Daoist arts drawn from a dozen different lineages, including the Five Thunders Orthodoxy of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Heavenly Masters’ Mansion, and even the White Jade Capital’s Three Cities and Four Towers’ secret techniques.

Moreover, Zheng Juzhong possessed an uncanny ability to imitate, replicating the life-giving characters of Confucian sages, the mudras of Western Buddhist kingdoms, countless sword arts of unorthodox sects, military doctrines, long-lost arcane secrets, and the talismans and formations of the Three Mountains and Nine Marquis.

Two of the Zheng Juzhong vanished, secretly returning to Haoran.

The last one remained, sitting cross-legged, wiping blood from his cheek. “Worthy of being one of the four Immortal Swords,” he muttered, “truly unmatched in its sharpness.”

“If only I could obtain the Sun Palace of the Azure Firmament’s cave master,” he mused, “I could forge my own sword.”

“Alas,” he lamented, “the ‘price’ could not be agreed upon when I visited the Lotus Flower Blessed Land’s View of the Dao in Tongye Continent.”

Zheng Juzhong asked, “Yu Dou, do you know how many ten-thousand year epochs existed before the last ten thousand years?”

Yu Dou offered a candid reply. “I have heard tell of ten thousand of them, but that is only a rumor. I have no interest in such things. Ask my master when you leave.”

Zheng Juzhong smiled and asked, “I heard that Lu Chen visited a strange world.”

Yu Dou nodded. “Countless other great worlds may exist. Junior Brother Lu once visited one, where he spent countless years. To the point that he no longer knew if he spent hundreds, millions, or even billions of years. When he returned to the White Jade Capital, I did not inquire too closely, and for once, he did not speak at length. He only said that he would crush countless stars with his bare fingers, and that with a mere thought, he could conjure an endless, brilliant galaxy. He was only in the middle stages of cultivating the Dao, yet each breath, each sigh, became the governing rules and boundaries of the entire world. Later, even his Daoist heart, as unwavering as it was, gave way to despair, and he was forced to destroy himself time and time again, only to rebuild his Daoist form, assume another identity, and, at some point, regain a portion of his memories. The higher his realm, the more he either actively or passively recalled everything. He then had to create enemies for himself, to allow himself to be killed. And so, hundreds and thousands of so-called geniuses arose, each possessing talent, perseverance, and opportunity. Some were blessed, others tormented, some triumphant, others filled with rage or silence, some fought alone, others rallied comrades, forming groups of tens of thousands or even millions, to finally slay him, the supposed villain. Or they would fail. The stories were countless and unique.”

Zheng Juzhong smiled faintly. “Sounds fascinating.”

If it were anyone else, Yu Dou would have let them try, even if they could not fully recreate that world, finding a similar “battleground” would not be difficult.

But because it was Zheng Juzhong, he refused.

The only way to deal with such a person was to utterly destroy them with superior force in the pursuit of the Grand Dao.

Yu Dou prepared to return to his master, but, on a whim, stopped and asked, “Zheng Juzhong, what do you seek?”

He did not expect an answer, but so few things interested Yu Dou that he did not mind asking.

“For the moment, what I seek…”

Zheng Juzhong picked up his cushion, stood, and smiled faintly. “You seek defeat, Yu Dou. I seek joint annihilation.”

Yu Dou looked at him, shook his head, and chuckled. “You truly are mad.”

In an instant, Yu Dou, who had just turned, turned back. “I finally know who you are.”

Zheng Juzhong smiled. “Then why don’t you hurry up and call me ‘Master’?”

Zheng Juzhong did not think that Yu Dou was being deliberately ambiguous, but thought one name: Zhou Mi?

Or perhaps a cultivator who will successfully attain the fifteenth realm in the future? If so, completely severing that chain of karma, thereby establishing a ‘present,’ confirming that the so-called River of Time is nothing more than an illusionary prison, may be the key to stepping over the threshold to the sixteenth realm.

So it truly was necessary to meet the gatekeeper deity guarding the River of Time.

Yu Dou left with a smile, his sword strapped to his back.

————

In Treasure Bottle Continent, within the capital city of Jade Declaration Kingdom,

More than two decades ago, an outsider named Ma spent a considerable sum to buy the old residence of a former prime minister.

Within the capital, even among the wealthy and powerful, even in the Ma family’s neighborhood, the Ma family was only regarded as a wealthy out-of-towner.

A young man of the Ma family arrived early at the family ancestral hall at dusk. Once inside, without lighting incense or bowing, he jumped up and lay on the support beams.

The maid and disciple, who had not followed him into Jade Declaration Kingdom, were all mere ants. Someone could sneeze, or lift a foot and crush them to death.

Yu Shiwu advised him not to come back.

Ma Kuxuan said that the person wanted revenge, and he wanted to pay for his father’s sins. There was nothing wrong with that.

Since the other party had finally decided to make a move, why should he hide? He wouldn’t.

Ma Kuxuan lay there, crossed his legs, chewed on a piece of licorice he had pulled from somewhere, and snapped his fingers.

A Mountain Goddess was summoned by Ma Kuxuan, dragged directly from her gilded statue.

When she realized it was Ma Kuxuan, the Mountain Goddess was quick to sit.

Ma Kuxuan opened his eyes and stared at the ornate caisson ceiling, saying, “My younger brother did not lie to you. He really wanted to help you change your name, but he didn’t have the ability. Now the Da Li Dynasty has changed, and the Deer Horn Mountain God, who has a very good relationship with the Ma family, your superior, doesn’t dare to help with this kind of thing at this time. But what Ma Yanshan can’t do, I can. I can help you change your mountain’s name. The only request is that you change your name first. Song Yu, this name is too good. You don’t seem worthy of it.”

The female mountain god, Song Yu, didn’t dare to say a word.

Folding Ear Mountain was beautiful, looking like court officials holding jade tablets from afar, and like beautiful women’s hair from nearby. According to the Gold and Jade Genealogy issued by the Da Li Dynasty, in the equally strict hierarchy of the mountains and waters, she was a seventh-rank god, at least formally. She just wanted to change the name of the mountain to “Folding Waist,” which sounded better and had a better meaning. The last time Ma Yanshan was drunk at her wine shop again, he was scolded by his sister, who angrily came to drag him back, but the unperturbed Ma Yanshan promised to help her change her name before leaving the wine shop.

Ma Kuxuan’s younger brother was a true playboy and drunkard. Even Ma Yanshan’s title of explorer was obtained by his sister Ma Yuemei who cheated on the exam.

As for Ma Yuemei, she liked to mess around. At a young age, she had read too many stories of gods and ghosts and martial arts novels. She specially hired a family devotee, a martial arts master who had retired from the martial world, to train a group of maids who all carried swords. These maids were true martial arts experts in the eyes of ordinary people, not just for show.

There was also the cousin Ma Che, who seemed to be recognized by the court as a child prodigy. Ma Kuxuan didn’t care about his talent or character. At a young age, his qi and blood were strong. What was wrong with wanting to sleep with a few plump, middle-aged women? If he had the ability, he would do it. So what if they were princesses, county magistrates, or noble ladies? If he couldn’t sleep with them for the time being, he would continue to obediently stare at the portraits he painted and use his hands.

Ma Kuxuan smiled. “Song Ji, I think my luck is pretty average, what do you think?”

Not daring to complain about the new name, Song Yu cautiously said, “I think Immortal Master Ma’s luck is very good.”

Ma Kuxuan nodded, obviously satisfied with this honest answer, but then he shook his head. “Anyway, my luck is not as good as these younger members of the family. They have an older brother named Ma Kuxuan. Who am I supposed to call Big Brother?”

Song Yu was speechless.

Indeed, they all had a backer, the leader of the younger generation of Treasure Bottle Continent. As for his identity as a cultivator of True Martial Mountain, Ma Kuxuan himself didn’t take it seriously, True Martial Mountain didn’t take it seriously, and it seemed that the outside world didn’t take it seriously either.

But only speaking of the brother and sister Ma Yanshan and Ma Yuemei, they had never seen this big brother.

About their own brother Ma Kuxuan, all of it was…

*rumored.*

At home, it was just their parents talking about him. Other than that, the siblings could only hear rumors.

The Ma family, which could be said to be deeply rooted in Jade Declaration Kingdom, now had countless family properties.

The largest restaurant and immortal inn in the capital also owned an immortal dock located in the capital’s territory, and two private ferries that could cross half of Treasure Bottle Continent.

But Ma Yanshan wasn’t interested in those flying gods and fairies, or anything of the sort.

He loved wine, and his only two thoughts about his hometown, other than ancestor worship, were to attend the Night Tour Banquet of Piyi Mountain and have a drink there.

With the help of his sister, who looked a bit like him, Ma Yanshan got the title of explorer and worked in the Hanlin Academy, but whether he went to work or not depended on his mood.

The Emperor and the court hadn’t said anything.

The family had moved away from their hometown and moved here, and after more than twenty years of branching out, four generations lived under the same roof, and the family had grown. According to the latest genealogy, there were more than a hundred names on it.

Ma Kuxuan stretched out a hand and began to count. Every time he thought of a name, he would bend a finger, eventually making a fist.

Xie Ling of Dragon Spring Sword Sect seemed to have just broken through again. Yu Shiwu of True Martial Mountain was probably Ma Kuxuan’s only friend. Cai Jinjian of Green Cypress Peak of Cloud Glow Mountain, the direct disciple of Liu Laocheng, the sect master of True Realm Sect, Jiang Clan disciple of Yunlin, Jiang Yun. Liu Baqiao, the sword cultivator of Wind Thunder Garden.

Ma Kuxuan raised another hand.

Zhou Ju, the deputy mountain master of View Lake Academy. Zhao Xutuo, the mountain and swamp cultivator and Daoist. Sui Youbian, the sword cultivator of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, had her genealogy moved to that lower sect because she went to Tongye Continent, which was equivalent to opening up a spot for the younger generation of Treasure Bottle Continent.

Ma Kuxuan thought about it for a while and seemed to have missed someone, but couldn’t remember who it was.

As for the specific rankings of the eight people, Ma Kuxuan certainly couldn’t remember it.

Ma Kuxuan bent two fingers and made a fist again, saying, “Song Ji, have you heard the old saying, ‘A dog that bites doesn’t bark’?”

Song Yu nodded. “I’ve heard it many times.”

Ma Kuxuan slightly raised his head, put his hands behind his head, and said, “The Righteous Yang Mountain, full of sword immortals, doesn’t understand this simple truth.”

Song Yu softly reminded, “The door is open, it’s time to start the meeting.”

Ma Kuxuan nodded. “Then we’ll just listen carefully.”

Inside the family ancestral hall, the atmosphere of today’s meeting was solemn and heavy.

Sitting in the main seat was the well-fed Ma family head, and next to him was a chair for the very capable Ma family mistress.

The red candles in the hall, as thick as arms, illuminated the entire ancestral hall like daylight.

There was a plaque hanging, with the family name written on it.

Ma Kuxuan didn’t even notice what it said.

On the beams above everyone’s heads, there were two “gentlemen on the beams” that no one had noticed.

Ma Kuxuan turned his head. That younger brother had an interesting conversation with the wine-selling beauty in the Mountain Goddess’s tavern.

Would it rain tomorrow? Definitely not. But someday it would definitely thunder and rain, right? Then you could just hold up an umbrella.

Ma Kuxuan thought this conversation was very interesting, so he was willing to help Song Yu change the mountain’s name. In fact, Deer Horn Mountain would soon issue an official document, allowing Folding Ear Mountain to be renamed Folding Waist Mountain, and the Mountain God Song Yu’s position would remain unchanged. Of course, Ma Kuxuan earned it with his own merits. Moreover, it was just changing the name of the mountain, not raising the height of the gilded god’s position.

As for whether Song Yu would change her name to Song Ji in the future, it didn’t matter. There was no benefit in changing it, and no harm in not changing it. Ma Kuxuan didn’t have the mood to care about such trivial matters.

Inside the ancestral hall, there were two young men who now had official titles, so they were qualified to sit here.

They often joined the sons of wealthy families in Jade Declaration Kingdom. Whenever they felt bored in the capital, they would find an excuse to leave the capital and participate in a secret “autumn hunt,” going to remote areas in the southern countries and, with the guidance of local friends, hunting “bandits” and “thieves.” The local governments were very cooperative. These people were subservient lackeys in Jade Declaration Kingdom’s capital, but they were first-class dignitaries in their hometowns. The so-called hunt involved riding horses, wearing armor, carrying bows and knives, and the targets of the hunt were those “bandits” and “thieves.”

Sitting on the support beam, Ma Kuxuan looked at them, then looked at everyone beyond the two chairs, and suddenly found that his brother, Ma Yanshan, looked much better.

After all, he was one of the few smart people. The old and young in the ancestral hall, put together, were actually not as smart as Ma Yanshan.

Once upon a time, in the dark of night, a young child was awakened by the noise in the outer hall. The grandmother tried to persuade them, but the parents wouldn’t listen, instead scolding the grandmother for being senile. As for the result, the Ma family of Xinghua Lane gained a windfall, which led to the prosperous and enviable scene of today.

Ma Kuxuan always kept his eyes open, not wanting to care about anything, just missing his grandmother.

Also in the capital of Jade Declaration Kingdom, there were two counties, north and south.

The rich and wealthy Yongjia County was in the north, and the poor and humble Changning County was in the south.

Not far from the Changning County Yamen, in a small courtyard full of flowers and plants,

The red-skirted female ghost Xue Ruyi was sitting on a swing, gently swaying.

She had several boxes of clothes, and it was a chore to choose what to wear every day.

Although this place was a famous “haunted house,” it was different from other places in the capital. Even the County City God next door wouldn’t bother her, because the former registrar of the capital City God Temple, who used to be in charge of the Yin and Yang Department, the head of all departments, was an old acquaintance of hers. Because of this relationship, even though she was a ghost, she followed the rules and hardly ever left her house, so no one bothered her.

The middle-aged Daoist who set up a stall for fortune-telling still went out early and returned late every day, rain or shine.

He went by the name Wu Di, claiming his real name was Chen Jianxian. Invincible? Chen Sword Immortal?

Anyway, he didn’t say many truths. His Daoist skills weren’t high, his abilities weren’t great, but he was good at naming himself.

She turned her head and looked at the guy brushing his teeth and rinsing his mouth on the steps, asking casually, “Daoist Wu, what realm are you in? Are you a legendary Land Immortal? Since we’re neighbors who see each other every day, why don’t you be more honest?”

The middle-aged Daoist shook his head and smiled. “This Daoist’s cultivation talent is still passable. It wouldn’t be embarrassing to say it’s ‘acceptable,’ but I’m definitely not the Land Immortal described in books.”

Xue Ruyi sneered, “Didn’t you say that honesty is the most important thing when you’re out and about? If I remember correctly, that’s your catchphrase.”

The Daoist smiled, “I didn’t lie. It’s just that Miss Xue doesn’t believe me. What can I do? It’s much harder than earning money from other people’s pockets.”

Xue Ruyi smiled and asked, “You’re already in your forties, and you’re still not a Middle Five Realm Immortal. Can your talent really be considered ‘acceptable’?”

She remembered asking this person how he became a Qi Practitioner, and he replied with a “big statement” that sounded quite immortal.

He had studied mountain climbing methods when he was young.

The reason she was saying so much nonsense tonight was because this swindler Daoist had actually guessed right. On this year’s vernal equinox, there was no rain in the capital, and the earth’s Qi was unusually warm.

Moreover, the Daoist also said something mystical, saying that there might be thunder on this year’s Qingming Festival, with a lot of noise, and telling her not to think too much.

After that, the Daoist also showed off his “punctuation” knowledge, which really made her look at him with new eyes.

The last time Judge Hong and Miss Ji came to visit, or rather “drop by,” the painted door gods pasted on the door shone with golden light. At that time, Judge Hong wasn’t wearing his official uniform, but was dressed as a refined scholar. Ji Xiaoping, as a subordinate, was heroic, wearing golden armor and carrying a seven-star copper coin-shaped Dharma sword. She had been in charge of the Yin and Yang Department of the capital City God Temple for three hundred years.

They called the female ghost from the palace, Ruyi Niang. It was all due to an old story from the past.

As they said, the top scholar in the county examination, the top scorer in the provincial examination, and then, except for Ma Che, who was the top scorer in the imperial examination, the rest of the second and third place winners were all pre-determined.

The balance of the country’s literary fortune was completely treated like a child’s play.

The Martial Judge of the capital City God Temple was involved. According to Ji Xiaoping’s explanation, the Martial Judge of the City God Temple, who was as powerful as Lord Hong, had his own reasons to prove that he wasn’t engaging in favoritism. In fact, not counting the Martial Judge’s shenanigans, it was true that he had exploited a loophole in the underworld laws.

If some evil experts helped to plan, it was indeed possible to tamper with ancestral blessings and good deeds in the mortal world.

The key was that the twenty-four departments of the capital City God Temple, including the Literary Fortune Department, which should have been directly under Judge Hong’s jurisdiction, had all turned to the Martial Judge, and they were of the same mind.

Although she already knew the inside story, Xue Ruyi was still angry when the time came. For those few days, she was so angry that her teeth itched. She would find fault with the Daoist and scold him a few times, using him as a punching bag.

Fortunately, the Daoist wasn’t angry. He just muttered to himself, saying that there were always a few days every month, and to be understanding. Unfortunately, Xue Ruyi heard him and almost kicked him.

Tonight, she heard Xue Ruyi sighing again.

“Miss Xue, there’s an old saying that you shouldn’t sigh too much.”

The Daoist smiled. “There’s also an old saying that haste makes waste, and what’s destined to be will be.”

Xue Ruyi said angrily, “It’s easy for you to say. Besides, you have to be a talented person to be considered a ‘person’.”

The Daoist smiled, “Humans and ghosts are different, and the paths of the living and the dead are different. That’s true, but the Dao has no side doors, and there’s only one principle.”

Xue Ruyi couldn’t help but sigh again. This guy had too many principles. Was he really a Daoist, and not one of those pedantic scholars who read books to death?

Definitely not. It had to be not. If he was really a scholar, he definitely wouldn’t have so many ways to make money. He was resourceful and good at making money.

Xue Ruyi looked up at the bright moon. She remembered that Ji Xiaoping had once said a few taboo truths in frustration, saying that the Mountain God’s Palace of Deer Horn Mountain, which governed the mountain and water gods and City God Temples of Jade Declaration Kingdom, had been silent about the corruption of the imperial examinations, probably because of some unknown mountain and water secrets, or maybe they were being kept in the dark. After all, the sky was high and the emperor was far away. Anyway, the result was that the literary fortune of Jade Declaration Kingdom was a mess.

Xue Ruyi opened her mouth and said, “Daoist Wu, is it true that officials protect each other no matter where you go?”

The Daoist sat on the steps, put the white bowl and toothbrush aside, put his hands in his sleeves, and smiled slightly, “To explain a principle clearly, you have to put aside two extremes and talk about the ratio. There are also differences in time and place, and each government office has its own ways. What is the nature of the chief official? What are the local customs? For example, this…”

Xue Ruyi was already getting a headache from listening. She raised a hand, “Stop!”

She was used to it, and the middle-aged Daoist was also used to it. He was about to get up and leave when he suddenly had the idea to make himself a late-night snack. Hot pot would be good. There were still some fresh ingredients in the kitchen to reward his stomach. He could just brush his teeth again later.

Xue Ruyi suddenly asked, “Daoist Wu, what do you think if I was bold enough to ignore the taboos of the mountain and water officials and go to a City God Temple or Martial Temple tomorrow, prepare a complaint, and send a talisman to the Investigation Department of the West Sacred Mountain Lord’s Palace?! Do you think it’s feasible?!”

Judge Hong had been promoted and transferred to a small state near the Da Li capital to serve as the City God of the state. The state wasn’t big, but the rank of the god was as high as that of the famous Chu Prefecture!

As an assistant official, Ji Xiaoping had left the capital City God Temple of Jade Declaration Kingdom with Judge Hong. Of course, it was impossible for her to continue serving as the head of the Yin and Yang Department there. On the surface, it seemed like a “demotion,” but the rank of her god was still the same as her old position, and it was still a kind of promotion in the officialdom.

In fact, after Judge Hong and Ji Xiaoping stepped down, they notified Xue Ruyi and said that they had greeted Deer Horn Mountain, but if the results of the imperial examination didn’t change at all, it meant that it was useless. They told her not to be impulsive. After he took office as the City God of the Da Li state, he would try to inform a Mountain of the Crown Prince of Central Sacred Purple Mountain about this matter.

The Daoist smiled, “It’s up to you, but let me say this first, I can’t write a complaint. No amount of money will make me do it!”

Xue Ruyi sighed, “You have the guts to make money, but you don’t have the guts to speak up for justice?”

The Daoist smiled.

She covered her mouth and smiled, “How did your wife fall in love with you back then? Was it for your talent or for your looks?”

The Daoist stood there and smiled foolishly.

Xue Ruyi jumped off the swing, reached out and held a rope, facing the Daoist. The female ghost smiled, “Whether you’re a Daoist Wu who pretends to be a ghost or a Chen Sword Immortal who isn’t a sword cultivator but admires sword cultivators, we’ve been neighbors for so long. I know that even if you’re timid, you’re still a good person!”

“Good eye!”

The Daoist raised his thumb. “To tell you the truth, when I was traveling around when I was young, I had a pseudonym, and it was called Chen Good Person! I earned a good reputation in a foreign land.”

Xue Ruyi said seriously, “I’ve said the good words. Move out of the house tomorrow. I’m not chasing you away, I’m advising you to stay away from trouble. It’s not worth it to earn money by your ability without stealing or robbing, but end up getting into trouble.”

The Daoist smiled and asked, “Miss Xue, from your tone, are you really going to burn talismans and file a complaint?”

Xue Ruyi pretended to be relaxed and said, “I might regret it soon. You can move back to the house the day after tomorrow.”

The Western Sacred Mountain of Ganzhou, Mountain Lord Tong Wenchang.

Was that something Xue Ruyi dared to think about?

The West Sacred Mountain had two Mountains of the Crown Prince. Besides Deer Horn Mountain, which was destined to be unreliable, there was also Luan Mountain, whose mountain range was towering and insurmountable. Its main peak was several times higher than Ganzhou Mountain.

Although she still didn’t dare to think about it, Luan Mountain was still a better choice than Ganzhou Mountain, even if she had to brace herself and try.

As for the out-of-town Daoist in front of her, it seemed that besides making money and drawing ghosts, he also knew a little about watching Qi. He had seen that the young Zhang Hou next door was a person protected by his ancestors and had literary fortune. Although she was a Ghost of Ocean View Realm, the way of watching Qi involved fate and destiny, and it was mysterious and unfathomable, not something that ordinary Qi Practitioners could master. Only those who had attained the Dao, or the officials in charge of the Literary Fortune Department of the City God Temple, dared to say that they were proficient in this matter. Of course, Daoists who could calculate and predict might also count?

The Daoist had asked her why she didn’t become a Mountain Goddess officially recognized by the court. It would be better than having to look at people’s faces everywhere in the capital.

The neighbor’s boy had a family heirloom calligraphy scroll with a total of thirty-six characters, which had been described by Judge Hong with discerning eyes as thirty-six Luminous Pearls, containing a profound and pure guiding technique, which could be regarded as the foundation of Zhang Hou’s Dao, but her knowledge of exegesis was too average. The last time Lord Hong and Sister Ji, after all, were officials of the underworld, and it wasn’t appropriate for them to reveal heavenly secrets to a mortal boy, so Xue Ruyi had to bite the bullet and search everywhere, while studying hard and explaining to Zhang Hou, which allowed the boy to step onto the path of cultivation and become a Second Realm Qi Practitioner.

Then she was “pretended to be an expert by that Daoist, and he really pulled it off.”

Because according to the Daoist’s correct method of punctuation, and with the paid teaching