As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 224 Collapse, Reunion with Old Friends

"Hehe... Hahaha..."

"Join my Ghost Worship Cult!"

"The netherworld is endless, possessed by gods and demons, disregarding life and death, ascending to eternity..."

"Hahaha, Holy Lord, you've helped me!"

"You can see ghosts, right?"

……

The city, neither too big nor too small, had already endured the turmoil of the imperial court, the war, and the invasion and looting by the Blood-Clad Army, and was already overburdened.

The city descended into a chaotic and bizarre state.

After the Blood-Clad Army retreated, a group of strange people appeared.

A strong wind howled, and a continuous drizzle fell.

They wore tattered clothes, with a demonic pattern drawn on them in blood. Their eyes were empty, their expressions were crazed and foolish. When they had nothing to do, they would dance and sing eerie songs in the streets, like wandering ghosts.

As the crowd swayed forward, some people would fall to the ground and lose their breath, but this didn't seem to attract much attention, and the procession continued on its way.

The leader saw a thin woman sitting by the roadside, who looked exhausted, hungry, and on the verge of collapse.

He grinned, revealing a terrifying smile, his gleaming white teeth particularly frightening. He then shoved his thumb into his mouth and bit it off.

The pain flashed through my mind in an instant, followed by an unparalleled feeling of comfort.

He shuddered with relief, and urine gushed out unrestrainedly, looking like a ghost in the continuous drizzle.

The severed thumb, mixed with saliva and blood, was spat into his hand.

He chuckled and handed the finger to the woman in front of him, who was dizzy with hunger: "Are you hungry? Here! Eat this, and join my Ghost Worship Cult!"

"Possessed by gods and demons, I'll never be tired or suffer again..."

"Join us! Our leader is the prime minister in the State of Chen!"

"Life and death are disregarded, gods and ghosts will live on forever."

Raw meat, the fishy smell surges in the tongue.

The starving woman disregarded the filth and swallowed it whole.

A glimmer of light appeared in her empty eyes. She didn't speak, but simply stood up and quietly watched the chaotic world, watching the crazy people dancing and singing. She just followed them blankly.

The spring breeze was blowing, and the procession gradually moved into the distance amidst the continuous drizzle.

"Sir... those people are crazy. Stay away from them and don't get entangled with them."

Chaotic times are a stage for heroes to vie for power.

But what about those who are mired in the dust?
It is undoubtedly hell.

In a country robbed by thieves, a land ravaged by war and plunder, the people, on the verge of destruction, developed a fanatical faith.

In the dilapidated post station,
Mingchen withdrew his gaze from the group of frenzied people. His waiter, who was cowering beside him, gave him a hint.

The father and daughter's clothes, demeanor, and speech were unlike those of ordinary people; they should be treated with great care.

"kindness."

When you travel, go to places you've never been before.

This time, Mingchen took a different route, unlike his previous journeys to the capital for the imperial examinations and his defection from the capital.

He nodded, patted the child's head beside him, and asked gently, "Shy Butterfly, would you like something to eat?"

People who chase after gods and ghosts wander the streets, but no one knows that there are two people here whose eyes can truly see ghosts and monsters.

It was rare for Xiu Die'er to take the initiative to ask Ming Chen to accompany her.

The child is not Ling Yu, so naturally there is no need for him to stay in Ji Qu.

This trip isn't about fighting, so it's fine for Mingchen to bring this girl along.

It's a pity about Ji Qu's newly opened shop. It only lasted for half a year before the owner abandoned it again.

"..."

The child simply shook his head.

The little dog on the side was lying on the ground, looking rather listless.

He's become picky about food after eating too much good stuff.

What good food could there be in this godforsaken place?

Mingchen generously placed one tael of silver on the table and said to the waiter beside him, "Then please bring some simple tea."

"it is good!"

"it is good!"

Seeing Mingchen take action, the waiter's eyes lit up and he quickly said, "Sir, I'll serve it to you right away!"

They didn't even ask for food, yet they gave away so much money.

This time, they've really run into a fat sheep.

This post station, though called a post station, was really nothing more than a dilapidated shack.

It's raining, so Mingchen and Xiudie are taking a break here.

"It's only been less than a year... Old Dong is really capable."

The madman, who had wandered away like a wild ghost, made Mingchen lower his eyes and sigh softly.

The taut string has snapped; living in this broken world, in this crumbling nation, these people have lost the courage to live.

After Dong Zhenghong began to believe in ghosts, people in the Chen Kingdom often saw ghost gates opening at night, with the dead emerging from the endless underworld.

Some people saw their deceased relatives and friends.

Such bizarre circumstances gradually gave rise to some special groups.

They claim to be followers of ghosts and monsters, believing that eternity is the absence of birth and death, and their leader is said to be Tong Wuchang, who assisted Dong Zhenghong in ascending the throne.

However, after the territory was occupied by the Blood-Clad Army, everything returned to calm.

Aside from a few psychics, very few people can see ghosts anymore.

However, these fanatical beliefs have remained.

The Blood-Clad Army was no benevolent force either; their rule of legally looting for three days only exacerbated the already unbearable burden on the land.

In the shattered city, people could no longer survive. Faith, like soil nourished by sweet spring water, grew wildly.

The so-called "ghost worship cult" gradually thrived in this chaotic land.

When people lose hope in life, they beg to glimpse the netherworld, to see ghosts and gods again, to merge with them, to transcend life and death, and to achieve eternity.

They roamed the streets, singing songs, dancing, and recruiting people into their religion, spreading their faith as if they were possessed.

People who are on the verge of collapse need some kind of emotional support.

The Blood-Clad Army's faith was guided by Mingchen, and they rose up in resistance amidst despair.

These people's beliefs may be unguided; they have no goals, and when they organize themselves, they only dance and sing, doing nothing else, simply wallowing in suffering, and unknowingly dying.

There are no ghosts in the human world; humans are ghosts.

In times of chaos, when social order collapses, it is not surprising that such things happen.

But when he actually saw them leaving, even someone as cold-hearted as Mingchen couldn't help but sigh.

The child simply sat quietly beside Mingchen, his gray eyes gazing outside, his thoughts unknown.

"Sir, your tea is here."

After a while, the waiter came running over with a teapot and teacups.

She carefully poured water for Mingchen and Xiudie.

Mingchen glanced at the waiter, pointed to an empty seat in front of him, and said with a smile, "Waiter, I see you don't have much business. Why don't you sit with us?"

"Forehead……"

The waiter's expression stiffened slightly, but he still followed Mingchen's instructions and sat down.

Mingchen picked up the teapot and said with a smile, "Would you like some too?"

"No no no no……"

The waiter quickly declined, saying, "Sir, I'm just a waiter, how could I possibly drink with you?"

Mingchen smiled with narrowed eyes, but didn't insist, nor did he drink his own tea.

He simply sat under the shed, quietly watching the continuous drizzle outside, and asked the waiter, "Hey, tell me, how long ago was the Blood-Clad Army gone?"

The waiter paused for a moment, then said angrily, "Sir, those damned traitors... have been here for a month!"

"Those villains talk about blood-forged armor and sacrificing their lives for peace. They make it sound nice, but all they do is burn, kill, and plunder like bandits!"

"Let's not talk about anything else, just look at our inn. Our manager's wife robbed it, our child was killed, and now she's completely numb..."

Upon hearing this, Mingchen lowered his eyes and gently stroked the rim of the teacup with his fingers.

"Sir, wouldn't you like some tea?"

Mingchen's eyes seemed to be able to see into people's hearts.

The waiter rambled on for a while, then swallowed hard, pointing to Chen's steaming teacup: "If you wait any longer, the tea will get cold..."

Mingchen shook his head, but hadn't said anything yet.

Just then, a child's clear voice came from not far away: "Master, Master, aren't you chanting sutras to help these people pass on to the afterlife?"

"They look like lost souls, completely disoriented; they must be under a spell."

In the continuous drizzle, two figures gradually became clear.

A tall man wearing a straw hat.

The other child, judging from his size, appeared to be even smaller than Xiu Die.

Immediately afterwards, a resounding voice rang out: "They are human, neither ghosts nor demons nor monsters, they are not subject to curses, they are not hysterical, and their chanting cannot be dispelled."

His imposing manner was like a rainbow, his voice like a tolling bell, deafening and awakening; just hearing him shout made one's mind clear.

He didn't fit in with this desolate city.

Like Mingchen, he was also a traveler from afar.

"Oh? What can we do then? What can save them? Aren't there any scriptures that can save them?"

The burly man swayed his body: "There must be, but I won't."

He was quite honest in his role as a teacher, without pretending to be profound; if he didn't know, he simply said he didn't know.

"Oh……"

“Master, you said that with a sincere heart and perfect wisdom, one will eventually attain enlightenment.”

The child was not disappointed upon hearing this. Instead, he said with great respect, "Master, I believe in you! You are a hero. You can become a Buddha and attain great wisdom... You will surely be able to save the world and help people escape from suffering in the future."

The burly man paused for a moment, then lowered his head slightly and murmured softly, "To attain Buddhahood, to save..."

The child asked again, "Master, where are we going? We've been walking for three days already."

"Go find someone, someone who can change the status quo."

"Huh? Who is he? Can he recite scriptures to save the world? Is he an enlightened deity? Is he Buddha?"

"He's not a god, not a Buddha, he's a person... just like you, just like me. He doesn't chant scriptures, but he can change the world!"

"Huh? He's even more powerful than Master?"

"Much better than me..."

"How could that be! Master is the most powerful!"

The sound gradually drew closer.

A burly man carrying a large knife entered the room, took off his straw hat to reveal a shiny bald head: "Hey buddy, bring me two jugs of wine to warm me up."

"Tell me what kind of food you have."

The head monk, however, wanted to break his vows and eat something good.

But these days there's not much meat, so we just eat whatever's available.

The waiter in front of Mingchen instinctively wanted to respond, but Mingchen stopped him. "Waiter..."

When no one answered him, the senior monk unconsciously raised his voice and looked around the empty shack.

At first glance, Mingchen's table came into view.

The next moment, his eyes widened, his words stopped abruptly, and his eyes were filled with disbelief as he exclaimed, "It's you?!"

He knew this person very well.

Although we only met once, I can never forget it.

A single night's meeting and a few words changed his life, allowing him to glimpse the true nature of this chaotic world.

The suffering of all beings is immense.

This man... is none other than the renowned Marquis of Jing'an!

How did I end up alone in this foreign country, in this desolate city, and sitting in this humble inn?

"Master, it's been a year! How have you been?"

Upon seeing the robust and imposing monk, Mingchen smiled at him with narrowed eyes, as if he were seeing an old friend, and waved his hand with a smile.

This person was none other than the great monk, Bu Chen, whom Ming Chen and Xiao Xin Yue encountered on their journey to escape the capital and who was chasing after a monster.

It seems this person has changed a bit since I last saw him a year ago.

Aside from being hairless, he had a thick beard, deep-set eyes, and an air of menace that kept strangers at bay.

It seems he's been through some trouble and killed quite a few people.

The monks who have left home seem to have forgotten the precepts and instructions given by their masters.

"Why are you here?"

Why isn't the esteemed Marquis enjoying a life of luxury in the new dynasty?

Alright, that saves me the cost of a meal.

Without hesitation, the senior monk brought the child to Mingchen's table.

The tall, imposing monk, carrying a nine-ringed broadsword, exuded a fierce aura that sent shivers down the spines of Mingchen's men.

Mingchen leaned back in his chair and said with a smile, "Master hasn't come to see me yet. I thought Master had forgotten his promise, so I came to the Eastern Kingdom to find Master."

"you……"

This person still knows how to infuriate people!

In the past, this hot-tempered monk might have been provoked on the spot, slammed his fist on the table, and wanted to prove himself to Mingchen and make a promise.

This time, however, he only raised his voice, but the next moment he restrained his emotions and shook his head at Mingchen: "Benefactor, this monk has suffered losses and made many mistakes due to madness. Please don't provoke me."

Mingchen laughed and said, "Master used to be flamboyant, confident, and high-spirited, which was quite enviable. But now he has toned it down a bit."

This person has a very sharp tongue.

Not knowing if he was praising himself, the monk twitched the corner of his mouth and shook his head, saying, "Recklessness and boldness are different, and this humble monk has already come to understand that."

He remains willing to retain his bravery and sincerity, and is still willing to do things out of righteous indignation.

You can even be a bit wild and flamboyant.

But... he couldn't let recklessness and arrogance take over his mind any longer, lest he do something he would later regret.

"This humble monk has come here to find you in Qian Yuan."

This monk, bearing the name of non-anger, has indeed grown a lot.

The senior monk didn't renege on his promise; he honored the commitment he made to Mingchen.

"Yeah~"

"That's wonderful! Our dynasty needs someone as outstanding as Master."

This monk is quite powerful in combat.

Fuyao said that this guy seems to have become much stronger.

She didn't know what cards the opponent had up their sleeve, and without playing a match, she couldn't guarantee a win.

Moreover, he carries a reminder of a past wish, so he would be happy for this person to come and join him.

“The monk is nothing more than a man of some strength; he is not a hero.”

Upon hearing this, Bu Chen shook his head: "I need to see if the new dynasty is as you say."

Only after listening to what Mingchen said did he take a serious look at the world.

He witnessed the cruelty in people's hearts and saw how those in power could take lives at will, even more arrogant than demons.

The State of Chen was filthy and the Blood-Clad Army was fierce and brutal. A leader like this ruling the world would be more destructive than any demon in a chaotic world.

He wanted to see more about the true nature of Mingchen and Xiao Xinyue's new dynasty, and whether it was merely a name without substance.

If that fails, he would rather continue his ascetic practices in the human world.

"Hahaha~"

Mingchen smiled and waved his hand: "Master, please do as you please!"

Bu Chen seemed to frown slightly, then asked Ming Chen, "You... you've taken in two more demons?"

It's hard to change ingrained beliefs; he still held onto his stereotypes about demons.

I never stopped traveling this year, visiting many places and encountering all sorts of strange and monstrous people.

As chaos descended and the nation crumbled, the suppression of the nation's destiny through the earth's veins disappeared. These shadowy figures also emerged, relying on their power to commit evil deeds.

Therefore, his impression of demons did not change because of Mingchen.

He could sense the powerful aura emanating from Mingchen.

The little bird on Mingchen's shoulder goes without saying.

Besides these, there must be a powerful monster that is over a thousand years old.

And... there's the little white dog lying to one side.

Very weak, not worth mentioning.

The dog on the side trembled violently when it was looked at by the monk with a fierce aura, and hid behind Mingchen's legs.

It wasn't sure if it was just its imagination, but it felt like the monk's gaze wasn't very polite.

"Yup!"

"Let me introduce you. She is Long Lian, and he is Bai Lang."

The little snake boldly emerged and coiled itself in Mingchen's hand.

Mingchen didn't care at all about the other party's demonic form, and introduced him to the great monk as if he were introducing a friend.

Bu Chen: "A demon is a demon. Be careful, lest you be bewitched..."

This person hasn't changed at all.

When they first met, he was very friendly, even affectionate, towards the monster.

Now there are more demons around me.

Bu Chen was genuinely worried, fearing that this person might one day be bewitched by demons.

Given this person's abilities and status, if he were to be misled and decide to do something, it could potentially lead to a catastrophe.

"Hey, you big monk! I could let it go last time, but this time you still say..."

The little red bird perched on Mingchen's shoulder, glaring fiercely at the unlucky fellow.

She and the young master are genuinely in love and genuinely fond of each other, how could this be?
What does it mean to be "lost in one's mind"?

How unpleasant!
Twice now! That bald guy is badmouthing her in front of the young master again!

Prejudice in people's hearts is truly a mountain!
If it really can't be moved, Fuyao will burn it down!
Mingchen smiled, not annoyed at all.

In a sense, the monk was right; he really was bewitched by demons.

"Monk, take a close look at our Fuyao. Don't you notice any changes in her?"

Mingchen caught the bird, gently patted her head to calm her down, and asked her with a smile.

Bu Chen was taken aback and glanced at Fuyao in Mingchen's hand.

The next instant, his eyes narrowed: "What?!"

The bird I saw that night was white, but now it's red.

But that's not the point. The other party emanated a scorching aura and an invisible power.

In the dim light, Bu Chen seemed to see a divine bird raised its head amidst the flames, its beautiful tail feathers swaying up and down, and its golden crest feathers fluttering in the wind.

Noble and beautiful, gorgeous and elegant.

These are not demons, but gods born of heaven and earth.

Phoenix!

Mingchen raised an eyebrow and asked him, "Are you still saying that our Fuyao is a demon?"

He glanced down at the little snake and said calmly, "If my Long Lian were to be bathed in wind and thunder, transforming into a true dragon, roaming between heaven and earth, bestowing clouds and rain, what would Master say then?"

Sha Wujing ate quite a few people!
What impact will it have?

In the end, didn't they still manage to achieve the so-called 'enlightenment'?

Ultimately, the line between demons and gods is not so clear.

The little snake swayed slightly upon hearing the words "my Long Lian".

In front of outsiders, she could clearly feel Mingchen's respect and equality towards them.

Bu Chen opened her mouth as if to argue, but looking at the red bird, she was speechless.

This...how is this possible? !
How could a mere monster become a legendary divine beast?

He knew very well that Mingchen had no need to use any illusions or tricks to fool him.

Seeing such shocking events, his values ​​seemed to begin to be rebuilt.

“Monk, I think demons are no different from humans, except that they are more powerful and some are good and some are bad. I have watched Fuyao grow up since she was a child, and she has never harmed anyone. Long Lian and Bai Lang are also good demons, and they often help people. They are much better than those evil people.”

Mingchen shrugged, unsure whether he was lucky or unlucky, as he hadn't encountered many evil monsters along the way.

In any case, they are nowhere near as bad as the villains he has ever seen.

Upon hearing this, the white wolf flinched.

Stealing cattle and sheep from the Xiongnu shouldn't be considered a bad thing, right...?

"Don't you Buddhists always say 'Great compassion brings joy to all sentient beings, and great mercy relieves the suffering of all sentient beings,' and 'The mind, the Buddha, and sentient beings are without difference'?"

"Aren't demons living beings?"

"Monk, you're attached to appearances."

Mingchen's words reached Buchen's ears, causing him to shudder.

His voice wasn't loud, but it sounded like a sudden, sharp blow to the head.

"The Buddha within the mind... all sentient beings..."

It felt as if something inside me had shattered, and a dusty, untouched room was opened up. It was filthy and covered in dust, but it was all swept away with a broom, leaving it bright, clear, and open.

Life is a continuous process of self-cultivation, mental refinement, and enlightenment.

Buddhist practitioners place even greater emphasis on this path.

This feeling is somewhat peculiar.

Bu Chen stood there, stunned, as if he had arrived in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and was sitting opposite the Supreme Buddha.

Only then did he come to his senses. The hot-tempered and undisciplined monk had now released some of his fierceness.

For those struggling in this world, admitting mistakes is a difficult thing.

But for a monk, it seems very simple: once he realizes he is wrong, he will admit it.

He bowed to Mingchen in a Buddhist gesture and said, "You're right, I was too attached to appearances."

He then addressed the three demons, saying, "This humble monk is not angry; I greet you all."

(End of this chapter)