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

Chapter 455 Business with the Dead, Angels from the Upper Realm

On the ancient Yinhe Road, Xu Qing wore cloud-climbing boots, a lotus crown, and a radiant Great Luo Dharma robe. His yellow whisk was spotless, making him appear majestic and displaying the grandeur of a great sect!
Upon arriving at the Yin River and meeting Nüba in person, Xu Qing didn't forget to spread his large sleeves and show off:

"Does the Heavenly Maiden think my outfit is impressive?"

After examining her for a moment, Nuba bluntly said, "The whisk is nice, but this robe is not as good as my Rainbow Immortal Robe."

"."

Xu Qing had nothing to say.

How could cultivators from the lower realms, such as Zhang Pingsheng and Fuluan Shangren, have ever seen real immortal robes?

Even though he was dressed in celestial robes, everyone thought he was just wearing a pretty but useless outfit, nothing like the impressive attire they had painstakingly pieced together and scraped together from their very savings.
"This is the best robe that our Great Luo Sect can offer right now!"

Xu Qing spoke the truth without feeling ashamed at all.

"And this whisk was made by my disciples who were afraid that I, their leader, would lose face in front of the immortals and gods of the upper realm. So they ruthlessly took off the mane and tail hairs from their own bodies and painstakingly gathered three thousand fine threads to create this whisk, which is no less than a magical treasure of immortals."

"."

After a moment of silence, Nüba said with a hint of envy, "The gift may be small, but the sentiment is heavy. Your disciples are truly devoted to you."

"It's a pity that I was banished to Chishui and cannot return to the upper realm, so I can't go to my old residence. Otherwise, I could have given you many useful items, saving your disciples from worrying about such trivial matters."

At present, no ghosts from the underworld enter or leave the Gate of Hell, and apart from the occasional flashes of various precious lights at the Gate of Heaven, no immortals or gods descend. With nothing to do, Xu Qing simply set up a table and chairs, took some melon seeds, fruit, tea, and chatted idly with the Heavenly Maiden.

Unlike Xu Qing, Nüba was not as carefree. With heavenly soldiers and generals watching her from above and demons and ghosts lurking at the gates of the underworld, she could never truly chat about everyday matters like Xu Qing.

"I remember the celestial maiden saying that she once lived in the Xuanxiao Palace in the upper realm. I wonder where exactly the Xuanxiao Palace is?"

"You can't even enter the Heavenly Palace, so why ask this?"

Xu Qing poured Nüba a full cup of tea and said with a smile, "To be honest, I have some friends in the Upper Realm. People like the Great God of the Sea Gathering and the True Lord of the Mysterious Altar are my old friends. Although I cannot go to the Upper Realm, my old friends can travel freely there."

Nuwa suddenly realized, "You want your friends to go to my palace and steal treasures to the mortal realm."

"What are you saying! Taking our own things, how can that be called stealing?"

After pondering for a moment, Nuba nodded and said, "What you say makes sense. My Xuanxiao Palace has a restriction, and I don't think anyone has dared to break in over the years. If you can bring my magic treasures down to the mortal realm, it would be a good thing."

As she spoke, Nuba beckoned to the bronze coffin, and a cloud-script token flew out the next moment.

The sign was engraved with celestial characters, so it was clearly not an earthly treasure.

"This token is my Xuanxiao Palace's access token. You may take it and use it."

After handing the token to Xu Qing, Nuba taught him all the methods to activate the Xuanxiao Palace's grand formation.

Xu Qing focused his thoughts on the token, and the layout of the Heavenly Maiden Palace from the past appeared in his mind without reservation.

Flying eaves and brackets, colorful phoenixes and vermilion gates, the palace is adorned with celestial flowers that never fade for a thousand years and auspicious herbs that remain evergreen for ten thousand years, as well as the exquisite purple palace and the crimson starry sky.
Xu Qing had never seen such a divine aura before.

Even the Forbidden City where Zhu Huai'an once lived cannot compare to one ten-thousandth of the scenery of this celestial palace before us!
"It truly is a fairyland, a dwelling place for immortals! But it's a pity that there's no mourning hall or coffin, and the fairy garden doesn't have any graves or tombs either, which makes it less interesting."

"."

Nuba glanced at the young man who was still shaking his head.

If she had heard these words when she was still a celestial maiden, she would have definitely punished Xu Qing severely to teach him the consequences of speaking recklessly.

But now, hearing Xu Qing's sentiments, she not only felt no resistance, but even thought that what he said made perfect sense.

If a few coffins could be added to the celestial palace, along with one or two more down-to-earth tombs, daily life would surely be much more comfortable than before.
Just as Xu Qing, who had just received the key to the Nüba's house, was about to chat about some down-to-earth everyday matters, thick black Yin energy suddenly emanated from the gate of the Ghost Gate outside the Zhuoshui Taoist temple, while Buddhist verses and Zen sayings were also heard from within the mist.

Xu Qing glanced sideways and saw that amidst the endless yin energy, a dazzling Buddhist light parted the yin and yang, and then a Bodhisattva holding a nine-ringed staff and wearing a fine kasaya stepped out of the gate of hell and appeared in the Zhuoshui Taoist temple.

Behind the dignified Bodhisattva, there was a strange beast with two pairs of protruding ears, constantly twitching its ears to listen for news from the outside world.

When Nüba saw the newcomer, her expression hardened, and she reminded Xu Qing, "It is Ksitigarbha."

Ksitigarbha? The Bodhisattva who vowed not to become a Buddha until hell is emptied, but whose resolve was ultimately broken by Yama, the King of Hell?
Although Xu Qing had never met Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva before, he had heard about the Bodhisattva's past more than once from Yuan Gong and the Exorcist True Lord.

Yama, the King of Hell, surpassed Ksitigarbha by overcoming the immense terror of sacrificing himself for enlightenment. He single-handedly raised the difficulty of converting people to the point of self-sacrifice.

In other words, Ksitigarbha, who took the opportunity of liberating all the vengeful souls in hell to attain Buddhahood, had his guiding light completely shattered by Yama, the King of Hell.

If He wants to take the path of converting vengeful ghosts in the underworld and become a Buddha, He must overcome the hurdle of sacrificing His own life!

But here's the problem: the last Yama King who chose to sacrifice himself was already beyond dead, and even his soul and spirit had returned to heaven and earth, with no possibility of resurrection.

Such a self-sacrificing act is truly something that not everyone can do.

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was unwilling to sacrifice himself for the cause, and he had long understood that he could not become a Buddha.

Or rather, becoming a Buddha is not a necessary choice.

As long as hell remains empty and His great vows endure, hell will forever be His immortal guiding light.

Even if he doesn't become a Buddha, his Bodhisattva path is more solid than that of an ordinary Buddha!
The ancient Buddha corpse before the Dharma Master in the past serves as the best negative example of this.

Outside the Gates of Hell, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva seemed to notice Xu Qing's gaze. He frowned and glanced sideways.

Although the Nüba before them had changed somewhat, her overall appearance was not significantly different from when she was a celestial maiden. As for the young man beside Nüba...
Beside them, the divine beast Di Ting chimed in, "Bodhisattva, that person is the Great Luo Sect Master who ruined the Dharma Master's grand plan. The reason Kong Ren destroyed the Heavenly Road was because Nuba transferred the War Master away from the Zhuoshui Dojo. This Great Luo Sect Master took advantage of the situation, which led Kong Ren to commit an irreparable evil!"

When Di Ting spoke, he seemed oblivious to everyone around him. Xu Qing, with his enhanced knowledge, heard everything clearly.

That beast.
Xu Qing's face darkened. He possessed a Heaven-level Deception Technique, so if things were as they were, even the Buddha himself would have difficulty figuring out the cause and effect of what he did in the Yin River, let alone Ksitigarbha.

But despite his best efforts, he couldn't prevent a gossipy beast in the underworld who loved to eavesdrop on the three realms and steal melons everywhere!
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva stood on a crimson lotus platform of karmic fire, looking down at Xu Qing.

"You have disrupted the peace of the Three Realms and brought calamity upon all living beings. Your sins are so terrible that you deserve to die ten thousand times over. However, I have always been compassionate. If you return to the Yama Palace with me and let the Dharma Master decide your fate, I will pray for you and recite Buddhist scriptures to help you redeem your boundless sins."

Before Ksitigarbha could finish speaking, Nüba stepped forward, protecting Xu Qing, and warned in a cold voice: "What does Kong Ren's destruction of the Heavenly Road have to do with anyone else? Today, even if it was Xu Xuan who destroyed the Heavenly Road, let alone Kong Ren, I will not allow you to take him away while I am here!"

Upon hearing this, Di Ting chimed in, "Bodhisattva, this celestial maiden and that Great Luo Sect Master do indeed have some private affair, otherwise she would never protect him so much!"

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes, his gaze toward Di Ting more dangerous than when he saw a competitor stealing his business.

This beast is fine when he doesn't speak, but when he does, almost every word he utters teeters on the edge of his own territory.

To prevent Di Ting from saying anything more shocking, Xu Qing decisively stepped in front of Nüba and said:

"Xu Xuan of the Great Luo Sect, I have long admired the great name of the Bodhisattva. Seeing you today, I can confirm that your reputation is well-deserved!" Xu Qing looked at Ksitigarbha and said without thinking, "Some say you are a stray dog, a lost soul who will never attain Buddhahood; others say you have the name of a Bodhisattva but are controlled by the three poisons, and are filled with anger and jealousy. You fear that Yama, the King of Hell, will sacrifice himself for the cause, and you are even more jealous that others' vision of saving the world is stronger than yours."

"Does the Bodhisattva believe that any of these rumors are false?"

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's eyelids twitched, and his gaze towards Xu Qing changed.

His composure, cultivated over countless years, began to waver under Xu Qing's mere provocation.

"Amitabha."

Ksitigarbha chanted a Buddhist prayer, but before he could refute it, the young man who was deliberately picking a fight continued:
“Bodhisattva, please don’t rush to defend yourself. I have heard that there is a divine beast in front of you that can not only eavesdrop on the Three Realms and know what the Heavenly Emperor and Buddha have said, but also has the ability to discern good from evil and distinguish truth from falsehood. Why not let this divine beast swear on the Bodhisattva’s future spiritual practice to judge whether these words are true or false?”

"."

Di Ting, who was watching the commotion from beside Di Zang, suddenly widened his eyes.

How could someone be so wicked?

Is it even possible for it to say such a thing?

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's expression darkened, and he gained a new understanding of the young man before him.

This person disrespects gods and Buddhas and is not afraid of the majesty of the underworld. If we want to make him submit, we can only resort to forceful means!

"You are a clever and sophistical speaker! Your mouth is full of frivolous and deceitful words, which has violated the fundamental precepts. I will send you to the Hell of Tongue-Pulling to earn you to confess and repent!"

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva stepped forward and reached out to Xu Qing.

Xu Qing looked at the arm that seemed to extend infinitely and instantly recognized what kind of supernatural power Ksitigarbha was using.

The Sumeru Vajra Form is the Divine Arm Net Method in Buddhism.

Xu Qing also knew this method. At the same time that Ksitigarbha's arm reached out, he raised his arm almost simultaneously, intending to discuss the principles of boxing with him from a distance.

However, before Xu Qing could display his supernatural powers, the woman beside him first summoned the divine sword from the coffin and repelled the divine arm of Ksitigarbha.

"Nüba! You are a sinner, how dare you aid and abet evil?"

Xu Qing was immediately displeased upon hearing this.

Who is the treacherous one? Who is the wicked one?
"Although the celestial maiden and I have fallen to this state, we have always upheld the righteous law. Unlike you, you bald thief, who looks like a human but speaks with nine-tenths of a human form, yet you insist on degrading yourself and following the Dharma Master to harm sentient beings!"

"What is the Dharma Master? It's the severed Three Corpses! What are the Three Corpses? Greed, hatred, and ignorance! Garbage that gods and Buddhas don't want, things like dung. You follow the Three Corpses Dharma Master and walk the path of the Three Poisons, how dare you say that others are treacherous and evil?"

"I'm embarrassed for you!"

The aura of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva visibly fluctuated, and Di Ting, standing to the side, wanted to cover his ears for the first time, pretending not to have heard Xu Qing's vicious words.

This damned Great Luo Sect Master is incredibly audacious!

Even the horse herder who fought his way to the underworld back then was no better than this.

Xu Qing continued, "Now that the demonic forces have risen and the righteous forces have fallen, even if the Heavenly Maiden is no longer here, it might not be so easy for the Bodhisattva to keep me here. I've heard that Buddhism speaks of becoming a Buddha on the spot; otherwise, if the Bodhisattva were to become a demon on the spot today, perhaps she could turn the tide."

Just as Xu Qing was getting into his rant, and it seemed that Ksitigarbha was about to lose his temper and attack, Nüba couldn't help but tug at his arm.

"Why are you pulling me? It's one thing for Him to call me wicked, but to say you aided and abetted evil is unacceptable! You sacrificed yourself to save the world and eliminate the warlord back then—what a great deed that was! How can you suffer this injustice for no reason!"

Upon hearing this, Nüba's eyelids trembled. In countless years, no one had ever dared to defy convention and speak these words on her behalf. Xu Qing was the first.

If it were any other time, Nüba would have let Xu Qing do as he pleased upon hearing this, and would have driven the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva into the ground!

But this is not the time.

Nuba forcibly pulled Xu Qing to her side, while gesturing for him to look towards the end of the Heavenly Road.

Following Nüba's gaze, Xu Qing saw a five-colored auspicious cloud descending from the Heavenly Gate. Behind the cloud, a wisp of profound energy and a group of heavenly soldiers and generals wielding swords and halberds descended upon the Yin River amidst rolling purple mist of military might.

Standing atop the auspicious cloud is Taibai, the head of the civil officials of the upper realm and the Western One.

Standing atop the dark cloud was a burly man with long ears and a prominent nose, and a pig-like face, dressed in a brocade robe adorned with eight treasures.

Beside the man, there was also a Buddhist monk wearing a kasaya, with a pointed mouth and monkey-like face, laughing and joking.

"Why do you insist on coming down to the mortal realm with me today, Senior Brother? Although I am the Cleansing Altar Messenger, this remote and desolate Yin River has no dragon liver or phoenix marrow, nor any immortal peaches or fruits to satisfy your cravings."

The Buddha spat and cursed, "Eat, eat, all you know is how to eat! I have important business to attend to in this mortal realm."

"Serious business? What serious business do you have? Don't tell me you have some delicious food and fun things to do that you're keeping from everyone and want to enjoy them all by yourself?"

"What nonsense are you spouting! When have I ever eaten alone? I'm not telling you for your own good. If you don't want to believe me, you can come with me, but I have to make this clear beforehand: if you want to get involved, you have to see it through to the end. We don't stand for people leaving halfway through."

The ugly-faced giant's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately shook his head and waved his hands, saying, "No, no! I just took on a job from that old man, the Heavenly Emperor. How could I have the leisure to accompany my senior brother on his travels? I really can't go!"

The burly man descended along the Heavenly Road to the Yin River, but instead of following the white-robed elder to the Gates of Hell, he jumped into the River of Three Crossings. Then, holding his rake, he retrieved the precious artifacts that the immortals and gods had fallen into the river, waters so feared that they were like snakes and scorpions.

At the gates of hell, Venus, dressed in white, descended from the auspicious clouds and greeted us with a smile:

"I've seen the celestial maiden. So the Bodhisattva is here too. This makes things much easier!"

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's expression softened slightly, and he bowed and uttered a Buddhist chant.

Xu Qing stood beside Nüba and asked in a low voice, "Who is this old man?"

Before Nüba could answer, the old man in white turned his head and replied:
"I am Taibai Star of the West, and I have come down to the mortal realm to handle matters here by order of the Heavenly Venerable. Speaking of which, Master Xu is an important figure in my mission this time."

Xu Qing was slightly taken aback, but then she realized what was going on.

The old man overheard most of his friendly conversation with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

"It was an angel descending!"

"Please have a seat, I also have something I'd like to discuss with the angel."

Xu Qing's eyes lit up; he loved discussing business the most!

Especially the business involving the dead, such as corpses.

(End of this chapter)