Start practicing from Mr. Fox

Chapter 110: The Ghost Gate is damaged, the Nether Fire Suanni

"Indeed, does the Fengdu Envoy have any instructions?"

Chen Ji asked.

The ghost messenger's eyes lit up and a smile appeared on his face.

"As expected of Master Chen, his words are so sweet!"

Chen Ji smiled slightly and said nothing.

This is the difference between people who practice cultivation and ordinary people.

Ordinary people know that there are ghost messengers in the underworld, but when they meet them, they will only call them ghost messengers. Although this is not wrong, calling someone by their name in person is not polite.

Those who know a little bit, like Sister Sun, would call him "Cha Ye".

Regardless of life or death, this kind of honorific will never be offensive.

People with great skills have their own names passed down to refer to these ghost messengers.

For example, the underworld official, the soul-chasing envoy, and the Fengdu envoy.

Although it's just a title, it at least sounds more majestic than Yinchai, and it's easier to make good connections.

Hearing Chen Ji calling him like that, the ghost messenger who came over looked much better and bowed.

"Master, you're joking. When we meet you, how dare we, the petty officials, give you any orders? We are only here to pass on a message from Judge Lu."

"Didn't Lu Pan come up today?"

"The Ghost Gates are wide open today. Lu Pan and his men have to stay in the underworld to prevent any accidents and to provide support to the various Ghost Gates at any time. They haven't come up yet."

"However, when we came up, Lu Pan told us to pay attention to the Taoist priest's information, and only after seeing him did we recognize him at a glance."

"Oh? Did Lu Pan have something to tell me?"

"Exactly. He said that the ghosts he captured earlier have been interrogated and will be sent to prison after Qingming Festival. However, there are still unsolved cases in the human world. If the Taoist priest still has questions, he can bring them to the human world for questioning and then take them back."

Chen Ji was stunned.

I feel that Lu Pan really took the trouble.

Even such things have been considered and a pretext has been found, which saves a lot of trouble.

So he bowed.

"Thank you both for the information. I do need to bring this ghost in for questioning. I wonder where to find him?"

"It's in the hands of our brothers."

The ghost who was speaking called another person over, and the two ghosts took out a small bottle from their bodies and chanted a spell together.

In a moment, a wisp of smoke came out and Lu Eryong appeared on the ground.

He no longer had the terrifying look he had that day, and instead had the simple and honest look he had before. He looked around in a daze.

"Go!"

The two Yincha threw out shackles and chains and tied him up tightly, then handed one end of the chain to Chen Ji.

"The Taoist priest is holding the chain, so he won't run away."

"That's fine. I'd like to trouble the two Fengdu Envoys to remove these chains and shackles."

As he said this, he grabbed it casually and performed the soul-binding technique.

A wandering ghost in the distance flew straight to Chen Ji, looking around without realizing what was happening.

"What a handsome soul-binding technique!"

"The Taoist priest has such means, so we are really redundant."

The two ghost messengers looked at each other, decisively untied the restraints, and let Chen Ji take him away.

He remembered something and reminded.

"Master, please bring him back before the Ghost Gate closes. If we're late and something unexpected happens, I'm afraid Lu Pan will blame us both."

"Don't worry, it won't take long."

After Chen Ji bowed and thanked him, he took Lu Eryong away a little before speaking slowly.

"Are you still conscious?"

"Have."

Lu Eryong nodded and looked at Chen Ji with gratitude.

"Thank you, Taoist priest, for avenging me! Lu Pan has already told me what will happen after my death. I'm sorry, my wife. She's suffered so much after I'm gone. I'd like to trouble you to help me..."

"No help."

Chen Ji said firmly.

Lu Eryong moved his lips, looking embarrassed. He was about to say something, but he saw Chen Ji move aside, revealing Daozheng kneeling on the ground burning paper.

"If you have anything to say, just tell her yourself."

"Miss?"

Lu Eryong stopped, his face full of disbelief.

After looking carefully for a few times, he finally confirmed that this was indeed his wife, so he shouted again.

"My lady! I'm back!"

Sister Sun had tears on her face and was still burning paper, but she seemed to hear something and raised her head. When she saw Chen Ji, she sobbed with red eyes.

"Sir, I think I heard Eryong's voice. Is he back?"

Lu Eryong was stunned when he heard this and looked at Chen Ji.

"Master, she...can't hear my voice, right?"

"We are separated by Yin and Yang. What you said is just the sound of wind in her ears."

Chen Ji nodded in response, then looked at Sister Sun.

"President Lu was soft-hearted. His merits and demerits were counted and he was sent to prison after the festival. Today, I asked him to come and see you for the last time."

After saying that, he explained that since Yin and Yang are separated, no sound can be heard.

"Sir, I am already satisfied that you can help me this far, and I dare not ask for more."

Sister Sun's eyes lit up and she stood up and looked around.

"Eryong, where are you?"

"I'm here, lady, I'm here!"

Although they couldn't hear any sound, the sound of the wind blew past, and they seemed to sense each other's positions and looked at each other quietly.

A man and a ghost were floating in the mist. Although they were separated by the human world and the underworld, they could still see each other's appearance in their eyes.

Chen Ji looked at them, thought for a while, and took out the bottle of moonlight water given by the loach monster. He found a willow branch, dipped it in the water, and sprinkled it out, and then blew it into Sister Sun's eyes with the wind.

"The willow branches open their eyes, and you can see ghosts and gods. However, you are a mortal, and it will be harmful to your health if you stay with ghosts for too long. A quarter of an hour is enough."

After Chen Ji finished speaking, he no longer had the intention to eavesdrop on the couple's sweet talk.

He turned around and looked at the Ghost Gate in the distance and the ghosts wandering on the roadside.

As the night deepened, fog spread across the mountains and approached the town.

But when they got close to the town, they split up and went around it, continuing to move away along the edge of the town.

Instead, several evil winds arose, blowing the paper money close to the fog away, and the sound of the wind suddenly became a shrill howl.

The people who burned the paper just thought that the weather had changed, and they whispered to each other why the weather had changed so strangely.

Chen Ji narrowed his eyes and saw through the fog that there were countless ghosts, and there were ghosts supervising and managing them. Just now, there were ghosts snatching the paper money that was burned out of the circle.

But before he could hide, the ghost whipped him and made him wail.

This is what happens when the gates of hell open during the Qingming Festival.

No wonder the underworld and the City God have to mobilize all their forces. If something goes wrong during such an operation, it will be really troublesome.

only……

This seems to be the direction of Zhanshui Town?

Chen Ji's right eyelid twitched, and he felt something was happening. He subconsciously used the Qi-gazing technique to try to see through the thick fog.

But after a while, all I could see was endless thick fog.

"I hope I'm wrong."

Chen Ji withdrew his gaze and looked at Lu Eryong and the others.

The man and the ghost had separated and were standing at a distance from each other, waiting in a proper manner.

"Already finished?"

"That's it."

The man and the ghost nodded at the same time.

"Then go back."

"I have something else to do. Sister Sun can go to the pharmacy by herself."

Chen Ji first let Sister Sun leave, and then sent Lu Eryong back to Guimen.

The Fengdu envoy just now smiled and arrested Lu Eryong again.

"The Taoist priest really kept his word. He delivered it in less than a quarter of an hour. There won't be any problems now. We just have to wait for the ghosts to come back after enjoying the sacrifices. After closing the Ghost Gate, we can rest...hiss! It's so hot!"

The ghost screamed and looked back.

Then a ball of dark green flame about as big as a door panel floated out from the ghost gate.

After coming into contact with the earth's energy, its body suddenly expanded again. After a lion's roar, it transformed into a three-meter-tall green-maned Suan Ni.

Even the Ghost Gate that seemed so huge just now seemed a little small now.

Flames erupted from the Suanni's body, but approaching it was a bone-chilling cold. The two ghost messengers had already retreated to the side in fear, not daring to get any closer. Chen Ji was well aware of the situation.

The green flame on the body of the Suanni is the underworld fire. Living people feel it is extremely cold, but to ghosts it is extremely hot.

If it were an ordinary wandering ghost, it would be burned to death by the fire if it got closer.

As for this Suanni...

Before Chen Ji could ask a question, he heard the clear and melodious voice of Suanni.

"The Ghost Gate in Zhanshui Town was attacked. The Lord of the Mansion has appointed the Grand Judge to rush to the rescue and has asked my clone to guard the nearby Ghost Gate. Is there anything going on? Report it immediately!"

While Chen Ji was still looking around, the two ghost messengers were already trembling and bowing respectfully.

"We didn't know Your Majesty was here. We apologize for the inconvenience. Everything is normal here. Nothing has happened."

"Even if nothing happens, something will happen. Hold on!"

The Suanni let out a loud cry and looked coldly at the thick fog outside the mountain. With a lion's roar, the divine voice startled the rolling clouds and fog. The sound spread for dozens of miles and resounded throughout the heaven and earth.

"Those belonging to the underworld, return to the netherworld immediately. Those who disobey will die!"

The roar fell.

The thick fog in the mountains suddenly stopped spreading, as if a wind was blowing in the opposite direction, rushing back towards the ghost gate from which it came.

Chen Ji could see even more clearly that the clouds were filled with ghosts from the underworld, as well as some wandering souls. They didn't know how they had mixed in. Now they were in such a panic that there was no ghost messenger to drive them away, so they were all fleeing towards the ghost gate.

Suanni stood up, opened his eyes as big as wheels and inspected the ghosts in front of the door, and occasionally swung his tail to disperse a few figures mixed in.

It took a full stick of incense to gather all the remaining souls and close the ghost gate.

Only then did Suanni lie down and stretch leisurely.

Chen Ji had been watching from the side, wondering about the origin of this Suanni.

He can be called Your Majesty, and he is also the Nether Fire Suanni.

It was probably the mount of the Bodhisattva, but Chen Ji had never heard that Suanni was a listening beast.

So Chen Ji didn't know which giant in the underworld this was.

As he was looking around, Suanni lowered his head and noticed Chen Ji.

As his eyes moved, he exhaled from his nostrils.
"Why is there someone here?"

"The scent on your body is so mixed, a mixture of the underworld, Taoist, monk, Confucian, fox, demon, ghost, and even the Moon Palace?"

"Ah!"

The lion sniffed a few times and then sneezed, causing the clouds in the sky to swirl away.

He raised his paw and rubbed his nose, then spit out a few flames before staring at Chen Ji.

"How did you become like this?"

"Did the scholar read too many strange novels, learn some Buddhist and Taoist magic, and then found a fox demon to marry? Then he absorbed the moonlight, died, and was resurrected by Lu Pan? No, why is there still the scent of that tapir? Could it be that he brought you out from the underworld?"

The Suanni stared at Chen Ji with its eyes, and a cold light flashed from its claws.

"..."

Chen Ji was stunned for a moment after listening to Suanni's speculation, and couldn't think of how to refute such unreliable words.

The key is that when these things are put together, they seem to be true.

But there was no time to think about it at this moment, as the Suanni had already raised its claws, and Chen Ji hurriedly introduced himself.

"That's not the case! I'm a cultivator in Xiantai Mountain, serving as a teacher to the fox. These auras are just coincidences!"

"I was the one who told Lu Pan about the plague ghost and the painted skin ghost. The Lord of the Mansion should also know me."

"Master of the Mansion?"

Upon hearing this, Suanni finally retracted its claws.

"I don't think you'd dare to use the title of Lord of the Mansion to deceive others. I'll investigate thoroughly when I get back. The gates of hell are open today, what are you doing here?"

"People in the town are burning paper. Come and watch them. Don't let them burn the forest."

"You're quite thoughtful. If there were more practitioners like you in the world, things wouldn't have turned out like this."

Suanni sighed and swung its tail lazily.

The underworld fire fluttered in the wind, causing the two ghost officials to dodge sideways, fearing that they would be touched by it.

Seeing him like this, Chen Ji didn't want to ask him about the situation in the underworld, so he bowed and said goodbye and was about to go back.

But Suanni stopped him.

"Don't be in such a hurry to leave. Since you're Mr. Fox, you should be very knowledgeable about other things. I just have something to ask you. If you can answer it, I'll owe you a favor. I'll protect you in the underworld one day."

"..."

Chen Ji opened his mouth.

Why does it feel like I've met another Lu Pan?

He promised to protect you after death, but didn't he consider what would happen if he didn't have the chance to go to the underworld?

Thoughts were swirling, but I still spoke.

"Your Majesty, please speak."

Chen Ji stopped and was also a little curious.

For an existence that can be called Your Majesty by the Yinchai, what other questions does he need to ask others?

"I was discussing Zen with a monk. He said Buddhism is good and that everyone should practice it. I said it's not good, but I can't argue with him. Please help me think of a reason to refute his statement."

"It's just a rebuttal. That's not difficult."

Chen Ji thought for a moment.

"Hmm? You didn't lie to me? Isn't that hard to refute?"

Suanni was so shocked that his eyes opened wider and he stared at Chen Ji, trying to figure out if he was lying to him.

Chen Ji smiled slightly.

"Did the monk tell you that Buddhism is good, that it can dispel disasters and misfortunes, dissolve hostility, and that if people practice Buddhism and have goodness in their hearts, the world would be peaceful and stable if everyone practiced Buddhism?"

"Indeed!"

"So how do you refute that?"

"I said there are many people who can eliminate disasters and save people from suffering. It's not just Buddha who can do it."

"Then the monk said that Buddha not only cultivates this life, but also cultivates the next life, which is better than anything else."

"Yes! It is indeed this... Wait!"

Suanni nodded subconsciously, then reacted, leaned over and stared at Chen Ji.

"You're not that bald... monk in disguise, are you?"

After saying that, he shook his head and clicked his tongue.

"No, that monk doesn't have time to come here right now!"

"Strange! Really strange! If it weren't for the different aura, I would have suspected that you were the reincarnation of that monk. Even the words you spoke were exactly the same."

"That's probably the only way to put it."

Chen Ji explained.

Suanni's eyes turned, as if he was thinking about something, and after a moment he looked at Chen Ji again.

"So what's so simple about your simple rebuttal?

"It's very simple, you just need to ask him a few questions."

"what is the problem?"

"Can I go to the Pure Land by practicing Buddhism?"

"Natural."

"Isn't it true that Buddhists cannot marry and have children?"

"Nonsense! Even a child in the human world knows what you're saying. Why do you keep spouting such nonsense?"

Suanni said fiercely.

Chen Ji ignored him and continued asking.

"Since everyone in this world practices Buddhism, do we have to abide by the precepts in both lives?"

“It’s still nonsense!”

"That's strange. Those who practice Buddhism well go to paradise, but those who don't practice well still have to abide by the rules and regulations."

Chen Ji looked at Suanni and spoke slowly.

"This could take a hundred years at most, or even a few decades. With fewer and fewer living people and more and more demons and ghosts, won't the world become a place for demons and ghosts? Is the purpose of practicing Buddhism just to make room for demons and ghosts?"

"Hiss! Such cruel words!"

Not only Suanni, but even the two ghost messengers who were listening attentively changed their expressions.

They thought to themselves that it was a good thing that they had not provoked Chen Ji, otherwise they would not know how to respond to his words.

Suanni cheered even more.

"Okay, okay, if you have that, I'll go talk to the monk when I get back."

"I'm not a stingy person. I will still protect you in the underworld in the future. Now that the Ghost Gate is damaged, the human world must be in turmoil. I'm giving this thing to you for self-defense!"

Suanni raised its claws, combed out a flame from its hair and handed it to Chen Ji.

"Ordinary people can't use this, but it's fine for you."

"But you have to take good care of it and don't let the fire get out of hand."

(End of this chapter)