Ji Xiang gathered the actors, grabbed a few random cultivators, found a wild fox spirit from the mountains, and added scholar Zhang Yaofang.
Scholar Zhang’s complexion was far from good, looking as if he had lost his parents. He truly hadn’t expected that his curiosity-driven trip for inspiration would lead him into a den of monsters, and now he seemed destined to be used as cannon fodder.
“My lord, I’m truly useless. Look, my legs are weak, I suffer from old leg ailments. I have an eighty-year-old mother at home and a newborn son. I haven’t even passed the provincial examination yet. Please, spare me. I’ll bring my son to recognize you as his adoptive father later.”
“Good heavens, brother scholar, you can’t just casually talk about adoptive fathers.”
Ji Xiang patted his shoulder, acting familiar. “I have a friend similar to you. He took the provincial examination several times and failed each time. Now he’s stopped testing altogether, and his spirit seems to have ascended. What’s so bad about being a scholar? This scholarly poverty has a genuine feel to it, it’s truly close to the people. Listen to my advice, you shouldn’t test anymore.”
Scholar Zhang: “Don’t say that, my lord! Passing the provincial examination is my lifelong dream! From the moment I was born, the fortune teller said I had the appearance of a successful candidate. My great-great-grandfather was a Zhuangyuan (top scholar), and the fortune teller said my family would surely produce a great talent in the future!”
“Who else could this great talent be but me! My family has achieved official status for four generations, and in my generation, we will surely reach new heights. I even want to enter the Grand Secretariat and become the Chief Grand Secretary!”
Ji Xiang: “Is it possible that the fortune teller was talking about your son?”
Scholar Zhang: “Absolutely impossible! My son, when he was born, didn’t even cry. I thought he was dead. Later, he only cried after being fumed by incense smoke. The doctor at the clinic said he was born weak and might have congenital diseases. Such a frail body wouldn’t be able to study…”
Ji Xiang said meaningfully: “Oh, so that means your son might die. In that case, you should definitely go explore the path with me.”
Scholar Zhang was greatly alarmed: “Don’t, my lord! My son’s body is very weak now, but the fortune teller said he will be very rich and noble in the future. His path is long! I cannot die, I cannot die!”
But no matter how Scholar Zhang argued, he was still brought to the ancient town of Taiping. As soon as they entered the vicinity of the graves in the town, the Yang Sha energy began to stir. The fox demon within felt uncomfortable, and Ji Xiang helped to neutralize the Yang Sha energy around it. As for the three cultivators, their eyes shone brightly; they felt lighter, and even some old hidden injuries within their bodies disappeared.
“My lord demon king, the Yang energy here is so abundant. You brought us here saying you were looking for ghosts. Where are the ghosts here!”
“Exactly. You even had those lesser demons seal this place. Aren’t these just a few graves? And after years, even the Yin energy has dissipated. It’s likely that these graves contain no human remains, only cenotaphs.”
Ji Xiang looked at the speaker. “You, a wandering Taoist, have quite sharp eyes.”
The wandering Taoist immediately puffed up with pride: “Naturally! Feng Shui and grave seeking are among the essential skills for those who travel the martial world! If one cannot learn great magic, learning these can sustain a good life forever.”
“These are indeed cenotaphs…”
Ji Xiang had not finished speaking.
Suddenly, the surrounding Yang energy erupted!
Scholar Zhang was at a loss, while Ji Xiang saw at a glance that the vast righteousness had reacted with this Yang energy, spreading from Scholar Zhang’s body and actively merging with the surrounding Yang Sha energy!
“Golden Light Spell.”
Ji Xiang extended his hand, and instantly dozens of Golden Light talismans surrounded them, enclosing the group.
In the blink of an eye!
The world turned upside down!
The ancient large tombs disappeared, replaced by a bustling ancient town!
The sounds of people were deafening, and a Nuo opera was being performed in the town. The people around, seeing Ji Xiang and the others suddenly appear, seemed not surprised. The light of the Golden Light Spell vanished, and the talismans disappeared without a trace. However, the three wandering cultivators and the fox demon were not teleported elsewhere.
“The Golden Light Spell replaced teleportation. So that’s how it is. When the vast righteousness attacks, the cultivator’s body reacts. This Yang Sha energy distinguishes between those with cultivation and those without.”
Oh, so that’s how it is.
Huh? Fox Xiao Shi was also judged as having no magical power… Hmm, no, it must be that the Great Master has privileges.
“What is this place! Weren’t we just by the graves a moment ago!”
“There really are ghosts!”
Scholar Zhang was terrified, while the other cultivators, having felt the fluctuation of the vast righteousness, immediately grabbed Scholar Zhang and questioned him loudly:
“You poor scholar, what did you do!”
“There was a fluctuation of energy from you just now!”
Scholar Zhang’s mouth was dry, and he cried out his innocence:
“I swear to heaven, I did nothing just now!”
“You all cannot slander me!”
The three cultivators were relentless. Although they didn’t recognize the vast righteousness, the fluctuation of energy was undeniable. Scholar Zhang, unable to defend himself, quickly pleaded with Ji Xiang for help:
“My lord! My lord, save me! I really didn’t do anything!”
“My lord, do I look like a ghost to you!”
Because Scholar Zhang’s vast righteousness was far inferior to Feng Menglong’s, Ji Xiang looked at Scholar Zhang and thought that perhaps the stronger the vast righteousness, the greater the reaction when attacking the surrounding Yang Sha energy, thus they tore through the disguise of this “Yang Sha Illusion” and transferred to this world faster.
For now, he didn’t know why this state occurred, so he tentatively called it the “Yang Sha Illusion.”
However, it looked more like a teleportation or transfer formation.
“Right, I’ve seen this kind of change before. It doesn’t require visible formations; it only needs a few specific locations. Once they are infiltrated, they can serve as beacons for invading the mortal world. To do this, someone must have come here beforehand and made a ‘mark’.”
“There’s a proxy!”
Ji Xiang suddenly remembered.
This bore a striking resemblance to the transfer incident in Shuntian Prefecture!
That time, it started from the Dongyue Temple and gradually infiltrated the surrounding seventy-six departments of the underworld. Beneath the Dongyue Temple, there was a hidden formation set up by a Great Master of Xuanzhong.
Ji Xiang looked around, and demonic energy began to surge. The three cultivators around showed expressions of surprise.
“Indeed, there are traces of Dharma Realm power!”
The Song Dynasty obtained the Yin Mountain Dharma Realm, and the Yin Mountain Dharma Realm itself was a Dharma Realm used by the Yin Mountain Sect to connect the human world and the ghost world. Through the Yin Mountain Dharma Realm, they could command ghosts and spirits as their magical servants and raise them in ghost towers as a source of power for Yin Mountain magic.
However, previously, several of the Yin Mountain Sect’s dojos had been annihilated. The statue of the Old Ancestor of Yin Mountain had been usurped, and the Dharma Realm was split in two, with Biyou Palace controlling one half and the Song Dynasty controlling the other.
Although it was only half.
But with the Yin Mountain Dharma Realm, connecting the underworld to the mortal world, and even performing sudden transfers, was no longer difficult!
“No need for hidden formations that reverse Yin and Yang like the Dongyue Temple.”
“No need for the Jade Emperor as an intermediary.”
“No need to dispatch ghosts and spirits to scout ahead.”
“No need to infiltrate things related to the underworld beforehand!”
“Many steps have been omitted.”
“The Dharma Realm has opened the door wide for the Song Dynasty!”
The ancient town of Taiping had no Yin energy, was filled with peace and harmony, and everyone wore smiles. The Nuo opera seemed to be a frequent performance in the town market. People gathered on both sides of the main street to watch the dancers and artists portraying gods and ghost generals.
Everyone felt fear in their hearts and approached the street where the performance was taking place. The three wandering cultivators saw smiling faces, while Scholar Zhang said he saw purple angry faces with eyes rolling around.
“There’s no mistake now, it’s indeed the same.”
Ji Xiang looked for himself and also saw smiling faces.
Without vast righteousness, one could not see the true faces beneath the masks.
Those purple, angry faces were likely not masks, but the true appearance of these “gods and spirits”!
People cheered, ghosts performed, and everyone played their assigned roles.
Following the performing troupe, they soon saw the grand temple for sacrificing to the gods in the distance.
“Magnificent.”
“Brilliantly lit.”
“Decorated with lanterns and streamers.”
The three cultivators replied this way.
“Intricately carved beams and painted rafters.”
The fox demon replied this way.
“And you, what do you see? The Hall of Ten Kings?”
Ji Xiang asked Scholar Zhang. Scholar Zhang looked into the distance fearfully, “Ah? No, it says there…”
“Jingling Palace.”
The discrepancy in information was eliminated here. Scholar Zhang said he didn’t see the Hall of Ten Kings, while the others said they saw the Jingling Palace.
The crowd surged, pushing and shoving. Ji Xiang used his magic to create a space around himself, preventing others from entering. Those people turned their heads strangely, and when they saw Ji Xiang’s attire, they realized that Ji Xiang did not seem to be part of the sacrificial procession.
“Hey! Look quickly, this Taoist is wearing black clothes!”
“How strange, Taoists always wear yellow clothes. Why would someone wear black!”
During the Song Dynasty, Taoist priests wore yellow robes. Lu Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals in Taoism, was depicted in the Song Dynasty wearing a blue headscarf, yellow Taoist robes, a black sash, straw sandals, and holding a bamboo hat.
In the Ming Dynasty, Taoist priests generally wore blue clothes.
The common people mocked Ji Xiang’s attire, thinking he was neither a participant in the sacrifice nor a cultivated immortal.
“Someone like you, going to worship the Heavenly King, the Heavenly King will be enraged!”
The common people began to approach Ji Xiang, blocking his path and cursing him with all sorts of foul language.
“You lowly wretch, imitating a Taoist but not wearing the divine yellow robe, not holding a long banner as a mill attendant, and trying to be a scholar has turned you into a raccoon dog, how ridiculous! This place does not welcome people like you. Quickly take off your clothes and kowtow to beg for forgiveness before the Jingling Palace!”
“The Heavenly King will not invite you to worship him if he sees you like this. If you do not confess, he will inflict the most terrible punishment upon you, ensuring you find no peace even after death!”
“To find peace in the afterlife, you must not violate the rules established since ancient times! If you don’t take off your clothes, we will call the officials!”
The common people tried to drive Ji Xiang away, and some even rushed forward, attempting to break through the barrier Ji Xiang had set up and tear off his clothes.
Ji Xiang laughed heartily:
“How amusing! Seeing these clothes, you should consider yourselves fortunate for three lifetimes. You dare to ask this seat to take them off and beg for forgiveness before that so-called Jingling Palace! Immortals are all defeated by this seat. What Heavenly King or Dharma King dares to speak to this seat like this? This seat thinks he’s a turtle!”
Ji Xiang’s tone also became stern, no longer referring to himself as “I” but as the more majestic “this seat.”
“Let alone whether your words insult this seat, at the very least, they insult these clothes and this seat’s position. As the one who oversees all Taoist registers in the world, are these clothes something you can pull at?”
“I came here today specifically for him! You things are not living beings. If you dare to block my path again, do not blame this seat for transcending you to the Pure Land of Chang Le!”
Ji Xiang swept his wide sleeve, opening his five fingers forward!
Lightning flashed!
The lightning magic instantly swept away everything in front of them!
The surrounding common people were immediately startled, and Scholar Zhang jumped up shouting, “My lord, my lord, you cannot kill people indiscriminately!”
But the next moment, the places swept by the lightning magic were occupied by the same common people again, as if they had changed out of nowhere, without any gradual transition. They were suddenly standing there, and at this moment, they had also changed.
The smiles on everyone’s faces disappeared, replaced entirely by purple angry faces!
This greatly frightened the three cultivators and the fox demon!
The purple-faced common people spat out their anger: “Good heavens! We asked you to confess, yet you dare to insult the Heavenly King! The officials will be here to arrest you immediately!”
“Waaaaah, waaaaaah!”
One wandering cultivator gasped:
“What are these things! Ghosts! They don’t seem like it! Where are the ghosts that lightning magic cannot subdue!”
“Monsters! Evil spirits! Great demons!”
The three cultivators trembled, deeply regretting their decision and thinking they should never have come here!
Ji Xiang raised his hand and swept away the common people here with another bolt of lightning, then said to them, “Hurry forward! You have no other choice now!”
The three cultivators and the fox demon immediately ran forward in terror. As Scholar Zhang ran past, he asked,
“Are these things ghosts?”
Ji Xiang snorted: “How would I know!”
After the lightning magic cleared the way, a path was opened towards the Jingling Palace. The performers of the Nuo opera disappeared upon reaching the Jingling Palace.
Dong dong dong!
A massive shaking sound occurred. Ji Xiang turned his head and saw a large group of soldiers in armor…
Not Song Dynasty soldiers, but Jin Dynasty armor!
Iron Pagoda!
These zombie soldiers were huge. Even wearing the heavy cavalry armor of the Iron Pagoda, they moved with ease. They possessed immense strength, their eyes glowing with a faint blue light, and wielding rusted, enormous battle sabers, they charged from afar!
[Fushi Gui: Neither zombie nor ghost, like a phantom. They move without form. Where they govern, their form is hidden. When unattended, their ghostly form manifests, killing people invisibly!]
[Within ancient mounds and tombs, there are these formless yet tangible ghosts that can kill across distances, ignoring the changes of Yin and Yang. They are malevolent spirits that appeared during the tumultuous Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, with large manifestations. Their original era of birth is unknown (suspected to be pre-Qin (tampered with)).]
[They can be killed with the wood of the soapberry tree; or by chanting the name "Yao Mao," these ghosts will retreat in panic.]
[By reciting the hidden name talisman of the Jade Emperor and chanting the "Du Ju Mantra," such ghosts can be killed.]
“Easy!”
A talisman appeared in Ji Xiang’s hand. Seeing the approaching ghosts clad in Iron Pagoda armor, Ji Xiang let out a sharp cry:
“Yao Mao!”
Buzz! The hidden name contained immense power. The Fushi Gui instantly halted their charge and retreated several steps in panic!
[Yao Mao: The name of a divine shaman. In the past, there was a divine shaman named Yao Mao, who could command all ghosts and capture demons. They used the wood of the soapberry tree to kill them.]
Although it sounds very much like "diaomao" (a vulgar term), but…
The talisman inscribed with the Jade Emperor’s hidden name burned spontaneously. Ji Xiang recited the Du Ju Mantra and conjured lightning magic with both hands!
“Spirits of Yin, spirits of Yin, heaven trembles and earth darkens. With vast divine powers, they swallow the sun and devour the stars.”
“The Qi of the Three Pure Ones is full, the clarity of the Five Emperors is pure. Commanding the Three Realms, guiding the thunder.”
“The commands of the Nine Provinces’ altars, dispatching east and west. The Four Seas, the Twelve Streams’ spirits.”
“…”
“Those who receive the thunder die, those who follow the thunder live. The True Qi of the Jade Emperor refines and guides the thunder!”
“Exorcise evil, slay demons, save all living beings!”
Boom! The Du Ju Mantra shot out bolts of thunder in all directions. The Fushi Gui that were swept by it immediately had their armor shatter. Their zombie exteriors vanished in an instant, and finally, streams of green smoke drifted from within the armor. These smoke streams hovered in the sky for about three finger-widths, then quickly burrowed deep into the ground.
“Killed, all killed!”
Scholar Zhang watched from behind, utterly astonished! Greatly shocked!
“Are these ghosts, my lord? Your magical power is truly formidable!”
Then, a faint red light appeared in Scholar Zhang’s eyes.