I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 187 Dream-Eating Gu, Rice Bowl

A strange thing has been happening in Jingxia Street recently. Every night, after the old and young men of each household fall asleep, they always dream of an unknown strange insect covered in white hair, which eats everything it encounters in the dream.

When dawn breaks and everyone gets up, they always feel like they've forgotten something, as if they've blacked out from drinking.

This matter is so strange that someone suggested we go to the temple and find a knowledgeable expert to take a look; maybe they can find something wrong with it.

The widow who ran the incense and candle shop was immediately displeased when she heard that she had to contribute money to cover the cost of the religious ceremony.

Nine out of ten of those who chant scriptures or perform shamanistic rituals are just charlatans trying to deceive people.

Giving them money for religious services is like throwing meat buns to a dog – what's the difference?
Boss Cheng was furious, but she couldn't go against the neighbors, because that would make her seem petty and inconsiderate.

"This matter cannot be handled by a monk!"

When everyone turned to look at him, Boss Cheng blurted out, "Why are you hiring a sorcerer? You're blind to the true divine. Isn't Manager Xu of that coffin shop a ready-made sorcerer? I think he's more impressive than those masters in temples when he performs rituals. He might even have some special skills. Besides, he's a scholar, he has an air of refinement about him, and no little ghosts or monsters dare to approach him. With such a readily available person, why go to all this trouble to find some so-called master?"

"In my opinion, even a master might not be as effective as Manager Xu."

What kind of person is Cheng Caiyun? She's a petty woman who's stingy even over a few eggs, but when it comes to things that touch her savings, her mind works faster than a wheel!

“That makes sense! Let’s put together some money as a gift, wrap it in a red envelope, and send it to Manager Xu so he can take a look.”

"Why bother with this kind of charity? We're all neighbors, we see each other all the time. Even if we send money over, Manager Xu might not accept it. Don't forget, scholars are the most aloof."

"According to Boss Cheng, what should we do about this? We can't just go empty-handed."

"If you ask me, we should send some eggs instead."

At the mortuary, Xu Qing looked at the basket full of eggs on the counter and was puzzled.

"You say you always dream at night about a white caterpillar taller than a city gate tower, eating up the things in your dreams?"

"And then when you woke up you felt like you'd forgotten a lot of things, and your head was spinning terribly?"

The carpenter making coffins at the end of the street, the widow running the incense and candle shop, and some neighbors all talked about the strange and supernatural aspects of the matter.

But after hearing Xu Qing's question, everyone was surprised: "Has Manager Xu never had this dream before?"

Xu Qing glanced at the person who asked the question and casually said, "I haven't been staying at the shop at night these past few days. I only come to the shop to take care of it during the day. Since I don't close my eyes, I naturally don't dream."

"Alright, let me take a look at this. Maybe it's because the businesses on this street are all related to the supernatural, which has attracted some unclean things. Don't worry, it's just a caterpillar. Later, I'll find a rooster to ward off evil spirits, perform a ritual, and get rid of it."

"Then I'll have to trouble Manager Xu."

"Isn't that too formal? We're all neighbors, and we'll definitely have to keep in touch in the future, so there's no need to be so polite."

"."

"Coming and going?" The neighbors didn't think much of it when they heard this, since their businesses were all related to the funeral industry and they would inevitably interact with each other. However, when they saw Xu Qing's smiling expression, they felt uneasy.

The way Manager Xu looked at her was even more blatant than a lecherous man eyeing a respectable woman!

After seeing off the neighbors, Xu Qing reached into the basket and took out a chicken.

The fangs protrude, piercing the eggshell, and the slightly fishy-sweet egg liquid has a unique flavor.

But as Xu Qing finished sucking the egg and casually picked up the second one, he suddenly remembered something—

I almost forgot, he is now a corpse, no longer needing to eat raw meat and blood.

Leaning against the counter, Xu Qing wasn't in a hurry to perform a ritual to clear away the evil influence.

He hid his left hand under the counter, silently activating the triple magic of mountains, forests, black water, and yin fire to nourish and refine his hand bones.

He only stopped what he was doing when he saw Xuan Yu return from his walk.

"Xuan Yu, come quick!"

Xu Qing beckoned to Xuan Yu and asked, "Where is that white worm you were raising?"

Xuan Yu jumped off the counter, picked up the Gu jar, and Xu Qing took a look.

Good heavens, this giant white worm is still sleeping inside!
Let's see where it got such a heavy sleepiness from?

Xu Qing waved his hand at Xuan Yu and whispered in his ear.

Xuan Yu's cat ears trembled, feeling slightly itchy.

The stiff body and the cat whispered to each other, making it impossible to tell what they were saying.

Anyway, after he finished speaking, the lazy white worm that was sleeping soundly in the jar was lifted out by a big hand, and what followed was a joint trial.

Xuan Yu's expression was very serious. If this insect, as its pet, really misbehaved and did something bad outside, it would be a disgrace to its cat master.

Driven by a desire to investigate, Xu Qing started by listening to his neighbors talk about the giant white-haired worm in his dream. This led him to think of the lazy white worm in the Thousand Insect Gu Jar that always loved to sleep.

In the practice of witchcraft, there are many Gu worms related to dreams, such as the Dream-Stealing Spider, the Love-Sickness Gu, and the Dream-Weaving Gu.
Dream-stealing spiders are adept at using their silk to invade dreams. By vibrating the silk, they can replicate other people's dreams and use them to cause mischief.

The Love-Sickness Gu conveys emotions through dreams that are difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion.

The Dream-Weaving Gu can weave dreams, trapping people in a dream loop from which they cannot wake up.

While performing a ritual at the Temple of Fertility, Xu Qing learned a great deal about Gu worms.

These kinds of dream curses seem troublesome, but in reality, they are not easy to get rid of at all!
As far as Xu Qing knew, these dream-related Gu worms were extremely rare. Apart from finding someone who controlled the Gu and cast the spell to break it, the only other option was to rely on one's own willpower to maintain consciousness.

But there's another saying here: "The poison enters the dream."

What is meant by "Gu entering through dreams"? No matter how strong your will is, as long as you feel tired, dream Gu will take advantage of your weakness and enter.

You might be able to resist it once or twice, but if it goes on for a long time, your spirit will inevitably weaken, and it won't be easy to get rid of the nightmares then.

Xuan Yu couldn't understand the insects' language very well, while Xu Qing knew more foreign languages ​​and could barely serve as a translator.

Since awakening his hearing, Xu Qing has been able to hear ghostly whispers and divine sounds, and communicate with birds, beasts, fish, and insects, though there are varying degrees of difficulty in doing so.

Birds and beasts have clear minds and their language is easy to understand, while fish and insects are mostly confused and difficult to communicate with.

Although the white worm in front of Xu Qing had some intelligence, it was only somewhat intelligent.

At this point, his interrogation of the white worm was not much different from communicating with a mute person; in short, it was extremely difficult.

Fortunately, the chubby white worm chirped and gestured with its six little hands, and Xu Qing was able to understand some of what it was saying.

For example, the caterpillar that the neighbors talked about, which was bigger than the city gate tower, was the product of this little thing in front of us.

Xu Qing had heard of Dream-Stealing Spiders and Dream-Creating Gu, but this was the first time he had ever seen an insect that could change form and devour the memories of the dream's owner.

Looking at the fat white worm in front of him, Xu Qing looked at it like it was a naughty child. How come you are always causing trouble?
Even when he's dozing off all day, he can still get into trouble.

Fortunately, Master Yizhen is not around recently; otherwise, if something went wrong while dreaming, Jinluan would probably have come looking for him and questioned him on the spot.

When he wants to get rid of that greedy chicken, he'll have to go to the flower and bird market again and buy some insects to shut it up.

Xu Qing, with a long face, lectured the white worm for a while. He didn't know if the worm understood or not, but it looked aggrieved, as if it had realized its mistake.

Finally, Xuan Yu also said something in a deliberately serious tone.

"Did you hear that? You can't cause trouble again."

Their tone was just like that of an ordinary family of three disciplining a naughty child, with one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop.

Just as the zombie and the cat finished their "family education," a man walked into the mortuary. Dressed in white robes and boots, with a sword tassel fluttering in the breeze, he was quite the handsome fellow.

Xu Qing glanced at him and exclaimed, "Wow, this is a distinguished guest!"

The person who came was none other than Shang Shaoyang, the white-clad swordsman whom Xu Qing had met at the noodle stall when he first returned to Linjiang County.

Why is this person considered a distinguished guest? A chivalrous swordsman who kills without hesitation is a distinguished guest in his mortuary!
Whether they were killing thieves or bandits, or being arrested and beheaded by the government, they would all eventually have to come to him.

But wasn't this person taken away by the authorities? How come he's out in just a few days?

Shang Shaoyang looked around the coroner's shop and nodded with satisfaction.

"It's unbearably hot outside, but this place is so cool, that's great!"

Xu Qing chuckled, casually brushed the coffin lid with his sleeve, and said, "Brother, sit down and let's talk."

"."

Shang Shaoyang held his sword, unmoved.

Xu Qing didn't take it seriously and sat on the coffin, asking, "Brother, you killed several people in the street, which is a capital offense according to the laws of the Great Yong Dynasty. Now that you're here, could it be that you've escaped from prison?"

Shang Shaoyang looked down at Xu Qing and said indifferently, "I've said it before, I'm a direct descendant of the Qianxi merchants. The title of official is for these powerful clans. Those who bully the weak and fear the strong can be killed, but the government will not stand up for them."

"But it has to be presented as a plausible explanation on the official front."

"What are you saying? I killed a notorious bandit, and the government rewarded me with two hundred taels of silver. What more can I say? Do you expect me to wear a red silk ribbon and ride through the streets on horseback?"

"."

Xu Qing was speechless.

If everyone in the world were like these spoiled brats who bully others with their power, how could the world not be peaceful?
Shang Shaoyang glanced at the shop's furnishings and noticed that there was only one rattan chair near the counter.

But a black cat was resting on the wicker chair.

He didn't want to sit on the coffin, so he had no choice but to stand there.

"What is your name?"

Shang Shaoyang raised an eyebrow and asked a question.

Xu Qing chuckled: "My surname is Xu. You can call me Manager Xu, Mr. Xu, or Boss Xu, whatever you like!"

"Mr. Xu, when I left the noodle stall, I heard you soliciting business on the street."

Shang Shaoyang paused for a moment, then continued, "Right now, I have a friend who needs to be buried, and I would appreciate it if Mr. Xu could make the necessary arrangements."

After saying that, Shang Shaoyang took out the funeral expenses, which were exactly two silver notes with a face value of one hundred taels.

“These are considered funeral expenses, Mr. Xu doesn’t need to give any change.”

Xu Qing looked at Shang Shaoyang; this man's free and unrestrained nature truly resembled that of a wandering knight-errant.

"Brother, rest assured, any customer handled by my coroner's shop will be treated with utmost care and respect."

"I wonder where the guest is now. Should I go to greet him personally, or should we bring him here for a temporary stay?"

Shang Shaoyang shook his head and said, "No need to trouble yourself, the constables will bring her here shortly."

Xu Qing poured a cup of tea for the other party, and Shang Shaoyang did not refuse.

Before long, two constables from the yamen arrived in a carriage with a body wrapped in a straw mat.

Xu Qing collected the body, spread out the straw mat, and was immediately stunned.

For no other reason than that the corpse in front of them was the woman who had asked Shang Shaoyang for food.

Xu Qing looked up at Shang Shaoyang, whose eyelids were lowered and who remained silent.

Shaking his head, Xu Qing decided not to ask him.

Three incense sticks were placed in front of the corpse's head, and a pair of candles were lit at the corpse's heels. Next came the burial and makeup.

Xu Qing focused intently on carefully grooming the female corpse before him.

When he had finished tidying up, Xu Qing looked at the revolving lantern display of the female corpse under his hands.

The female corpse's original name was Yu Qiulan. She was from a respectable family in Yaozhou, skilled in needlework and other crafts. Everyone in the surrounding villages praised her as a good woman, and whoever married her would be blessed with good fortune for two lifetimes.
Later, a sudden flood hit Yaozhou, and the Yu family moved away. However, natural disasters are easier to avoid than man-made ones.

The Yu family had finally traveled thousands of miles to another province, only to be met with bandits who burned, killed, and looted. Some of the bandits were even wearing armor under their clothes. After killing and robbing, they didn't forget to cut off the heads of their victims and take them with them.

Yu Qiulan's family was not spared. Only she, because of her looks, was harassed by the bandits along the way. When they were almost near the city walls, the leading general suddenly ordered her to be executed.

Fortunately, the person ordered to carry out the execution was a young man with some conscience, who gave her a way out during the execution.

Yu Qiulan listened to the boy's words and let out a convincing scream before she was spared from death.

However, the road to escape disaster is destined to be fraught with danger. Just as Yu Qiulan escaped the clutches of the tiger and was starving, a passing broker took out a contract of indenture and asked her to sign it. The money she received was just enough to fill her stomach and save her life.

Yu Qiulan knew what signing and affixing her fingerprint meant, but she did not refuse.

When people are well-fed and clothed, they know honor and shame; but when people are extremely poor and hungry, they lose their dignity.

Ultimately, it's all about survival.

Xu Qing continued reading. Yu Qiulan followed the slave trader all the way to Tianjin. Along the way, she saw many refugees who couldn't even get a bite to eat. For a moment, she felt inexplicably fortunate.

Being a prostitute doesn't seem so bad.

She was just a poor soul struggling to survive, living under the weight of beatings. Once she saved enough money to buy her freedom, all her suffering would be over.

But when Qiulan arrived in Tianjin, she discovered that the slave traders only treated her as livestock to earn money, and did not regard her as a human being at all.

Xu Qing frowned and quickly skipped over some scenes that even he, a zombie, found unbearable to watch.

Xu Qing's expression eased slightly only after he saw Shang Shaoyang help the other person escape their misery at the noodle stall.

However, her good fortune did not last long. Ever since Shang Shaoyang was taken away by the government, Yu Qiulan felt that she had harmed her benefactor, and how could she have the face to live in the world?
And so, a woman who had traveled thousands of miles just to survive, finally found hope for living, only to cut off her own path to survival.

Finally, the Sutra of Salvation gives a reward: a bowl of top-grade rice with the character "人" (person).

Although the rice bowl is only a top-grade item, it is a magical artifact whose grade can be infinitely upgraded.

Legend has it that when the Taiping Dao uprising took place, they borrowed a bowl from the Five Pecks of Rice sect, which is the same sect of the Zhengyi sect. This bowl was called the Pecks of Rice Bowl.

The Rice Bowl was considered the most precious treasure of the Zhengyi sect, but it was completely lost after the Taiping Dao was destroyed. Some say that the magic weapon was concealed, while others say that the Rice Bowl was born in response to the times and appeared in response to the calamity. The Rice Bowl is nowhere to be found now, which is just because the time has not yet come.

Therefore, it is said that the birth of the rice bowl marked the beginning of a great calamity when starvation was widespread and people suffered greatly.

There are also distinctions between major and minor calamities. Calamities are divided into minor calamities of yin and yang and major calamities of water, fire, and war. Ordinary people cannot escape minor calamities, while even the honorable and noble cannot escape major calamities.

This is fate; when one's lifespan begins, one is born; when one's lifespan ends, one dies.

The rice bowl, capable of collecting an endless supply of rice, is a product born out of necessity.

Xu Qing looked at the bowl in front of him and wondered if it was really going to be a year of great calamity.

(End of this chapter)