This trip down the mountain also entailed a most important task assigned by the purple-robed old Daoist.
It was to offer spiritual infants to appease the resentment of demonic infants, helping them reincarnate sooner.
As for the origin of spiritual infants, it was due to certain reasons causing the infant's tender soul and body to be damaged, thus losing the chance to reincarnate as a human.
These infants were thus called spiritual infants.
If spiritual infants, after multiple reincarnations, still failed to become human, they would accumulate resentment towards people, cultivating into demons, also known as demonic infants.
This journey's primary objective was to eradicate the demonic infants' resentment, with assisting spiritual infants in reincarnation as a secondary goal.
"Master, shouldn't we stay and help Uncle-Master and the others?"
Mao Xiaofang followed Shi Jian out of the Ghostbusters' Academy, voicing the thoughts that had been bottled up inside him.
He had recently contended with the Wushan Soul Summoning Sect and knew well the potency of their soul-summoning techniques.
While Jiu Shu and his group could contend with the Wushan Soul Summoning Sect, it was a narrow victory, and undoubtedly, there would still be people affected by soul-summoning arts.
"Your master has a mountain of things to attend to. Once I've dealt with my current affairs, I'll find a way to eliminate these pests."
Shi Jian had already made rough plans in his mind. The Wushan Soul Summoning Sect would not attack the Ghostbusters' Academy again in the short term.
This period was perfect for a visit to Taiji Palace (Laojun Cave) to inquire about methods for dealing with soul-summoning techniques from the Quanzhen Daoists.
The Quanzhen Daoists had clashed with the Soul Summoning Sect during the early Qing Dynasty and would surely know how to counter soul-summoning arts.
"Soul-summoning techniques are very tricky for junior Daoists like yourselves; we must proceed with caution."
Shi Jian himself wasn't afraid of soul-summoning arts, but his nephews and the ghost-catching disciples were.
If someone were to be affected by soul-summoning arts again, their soul sent to the underworld or captured by the Soul Summoning Sect, it would be troublesome.
He had no desire to storm the gates of the underworld again, directly affronting the City God, in which case even the Ancestral Master wouldn't be able to protect him.
"Master, where are we going now?"
Awei sidled up, his mind still lingering on the matter of the submachine guns.
"First, we'll head to a mortuary near Mount Mao. The foreigners' items should be arriving at the mortuary soon."
Shi Jian knew what Awei was thinking.
However, this time, he also needed to teach the young man some Daoist techniques to ensure his safety.
Mere physical exorcism methods were insufficient to deal with stronger zombies; they could only handle minor ones at best.
"I forgot to tell you all, your master has taken in another young disciple."
"My youngest junior brother is currently cultivating on Mount Mao. I'll introduce him to you later."
Shi Jian, along with Mao Xiaofang and Awei, departed from the Ghostbusters' Academy and returned to the mortuary in the vicinity of Mount Mao.
Having learned instantaneous movement, the travel time to and from Mount Mao was greatly reduced, allowing the two to experience the feeling of flying.
As Mao Xiaofang had undergone a trial of "shrinking the ground into an inch" once before, he did not experience violent vomiting this time.
In contrast, Awei's eyes were spinning, and he collapsed on the ground, retching continuously.
The Mount Mao disciples in the mortuary rushed out to greet Shi Jian upon his arrival.
"Senior Uncle-Master, several foreigners have left some things for you at the mortuary. We're not sure what they are yet."
"The items are in the back hall. I'll go retrieve them for you."
Three Mount Mao disciples, clad in blue Daoist robes, hurried to the back hall and brought out a large wooden chest.
"Senior Uncle-Master, all the items the foreigners left for you are in here."
The blue-robed Daoist twisted his wrist, bid farewell to the trio, and returned to the mortuary to attend to some matters.
"Xiaofang, take the items out of the wooden chest, and then find a satchel to pack them in."
Before Shi Jian could finish speaking, Awei, who was standing beside him, handed his satchel to Mao Xiaofang and then walked over to the wooden chest for a grand embrace.
"Finally, I've been waiting for you! With this submachine gun, no fierce ghost or black zombie will be a match for me, Awei."
Awei rushed into the mortuary, retrieved a satchel, and packed the three submachine guns (submachine guns) and ammunition from the wooden chest into it.
"Senior Brother, you carry the small zombie, and I'll carry the submachine gun."
Mao Xiaofang looked at the jubilant Awei before him and, unable to refuse, agreed.
Compared to the submachine gun, he felt carrying the small zombie was much easier.
"Awei, stop fiddling with those things. Later, you'll learn to draw talismans from your master."
As soon as Awei heard the word "talismans," his head began to ache.
Drawing talismans was simply too difficult. What Mao Xiaofang drew were talismans; what he drew were gibberish.
"Don't just stand there foolishly. With such weak abilities, any minor zombie you encounter will chase you all over the streets."
"Your master and I don't have that much spare time to clean up your messes."
Mao Xiaofang nodded and began to persuade Awei to learn Daoist arts as well.
"Master is right, Junior Brother. You should learn some Daoist arts."
Under duress, Awei could only temporarily abandon his interest in firearms and turn to studying talismans.
"Master, we've got the goods. Where should we go to find work now?"
"Find work for what? Your master isn't short of money. We're going to open a mortuary in Lijia Town, which is far from Mount Mao."
Shi Jian weighed the several brocade pouches at his waist and led the two towards Lijia Town, preparing to establish a mortuary for the nurturing of spiritual infants.
Over the years, traveling with Mao Xiaofang and Awei, coupled with the support of Old Master Wang, he had earned over a thousand silver dollars.
These silver dollars were enough for the three of them to live comfortably for a lifetime, so opening a mortuary was well within their means.
The reason for choosing a location far from Mount Mao was that there were no zombies or ghosts, let alone demonic infants, in the vicinity of Mount Mao.
"Xiaofang, you've been at the Human Master realm for so long. From now on, stay at the mortuary and don't wander off."
"Yes, Master!"
Mao Xiaofang did not resist but obediently agreed.
In the past few months, he had either been catching zombies, exorcising ghosts, or teaching Daoist arts to others.
He also wished to improve his own strength and learn more lightning spells, so he wouldn't be chased by zombies in the future.
"Heh heh, I feel much better now. With Senior Brother around, I won't be bored."
Awei grinned at Mao Xiaofang, with a hint of schadenfreude in his expression.
"Awei, your master sees you have plenty of energy. All the heavy work at the mortuary will be yours from now on."
Awei's smug expression made Shi Jian quite displeased.
"Master, this..."
"This what? I think you're looking for a beating."
Shi Jian reprimanded Awei a few times and, using instantaneous movement, whisked the two away rapidly to Lijia Town.
Subsequently, the three of them selected a spot in Lijia Town with abundant Yang energy and spent some silver dollars to hire workers to build a large mortuary.