Bodhisattva, please help me in my spiritual practice!

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

After Ao Peng wiped away the Heavenly Ladder, the Red Ghost clapped and praised him repeatedly.

He looked at the mural on the wall. After the ghosts had eaten their fill of peaches, they wanted to leave, but found that there was no ladder to heaven. So they panicked. Unfortunately, without the ladder to heaven, no matter how they turned left and right in the painting, they could not get out of the painting.

Ao Peng thought to himself that this red ghost was quite knowledgeable. When he was painting the peaches, he had secretly added incense, which was why the painting was so colorful, fragrant, and delicious, and ultimately it also attracted the green demon.

However, he has now lost all his magical power. Although he has regained some understanding of the principles of painting from the "Peach of Immortality to Lure the Ghosts" technique, he is still no match for this red ghost.

At this moment, instead of bowing his head and acting subservient, he asked with a slightly enigmatic smile, "How many floors is it?"

How many floors high?

This stumped Red Ghost, who cautiously tried to decipher Ao Peng's meaning.

The reason he didn't go in was because he was originally a messenger in the underworld. Decades ago, Sun Wukong caused havoc in the underworld and crossed out the names of countless people in the Book of Life and Death. Although Sun Wukong crossed out the names of monkey spirits, the underworld also had a system of settling accounts.

In the usual underworld legends, bribing the Black and White Impermanence and the judges of the underworld to extend one's lifespan was commonplace, but now it all fell on Sun Wukong. Because so many debts were settled at once, the balance of Yin and Yang was reversed, resulting in the scene of countless ghosts wailing and humans and ghosts living together in Chengdu. These low-ranking underworld officials were also punished for their past transgressions, stripped of their divine robes, and forced to suffer in the mortal world. So when the red ghost saw Ao Peng's invitation from the Three Stars and saw the mural of the Three Stars, he truly believed it.

He knew that Ao Peng had powerful backers, and that they were at least three-star level figures.

Otherwise, how could Ao Peng dare to joke about Samsung? These three old men are notoriously stingy and miserly. They are in charge of the fortune, prosperity, and longevity of all living beings. If you really offend them, they will hold a grudge and can make you suffer for several lifetimes!

It was because of this insight that he understood that the real "treasure" was not the peaches in the painting, but the person in front of him. This was the treasure that could save him from suffering!

After careful consideration, the red demon looked at the mural and suddenly had an inspiration, replying, "A tall building can invite the stars."

Upon hearing this, Ao Peng smiled, thinking that this was indeed a remarkable person.

He walked to the campfire and suddenly said, "A fire without meat won't do."

The villagers, fleeing famine, had been traveling for several days, and their only remaining provisions were some coarse grains. They also had a child of about ten years old, who was starving. The red ghost immediately understood and quickly said, "I know of a herd of deer in these mountains. Please wait a moment, sir."

Having said that, he rode away on the yin wind.

After the red ghost left, the villagers dared to speak. A boy cautiously approached the mural and saw a group of ferocious ghosts on it, trying to leap out of the wall, but they couldn't get out of the painting at all.

The boy scurried back to Ao Peng's side and cautiously asked, "Brother Peng, won't the ghost on the wall escape?"

Upon hearing this, everyone cautiously looked at Ao Peng.

Ao Peng waved his hand, "They can't escape. What traps them is the peach in their hearts, not the peach in my hands. How can they escape if they can't see through it?"

Although Ao Peng has lost all his magical powers, he still understands and masters the [Myriad Phenomena Return to the Array Diagram]. When the ghosts use the ladder to ascend to heaven to enter the painting, their own power has already merged into this [Peach of Immortality Tempts Ghosts] painting, becoming the source of the painting's power.

The reason they can't get out is that they can't see through the peaches in their hearts, nor can they see through the ladder to heaven that Ao Peng wiped away—they always feel that the ladder to heaven is still there, so they can't get out.

This is also an application of the Buddha-Demon Seal and the Obstacle of Knowledge. Even without magical power, Ao Peng is now adept at it, which means he has truly entered the gate of cultivation.

Hearing this, the red ghost hidden in the shadows by the dilapidated temple wall became even more certain that Ao Peng was indeed a master, and hurriedly went to catch a deer.

Half an hour later, the red ghost carried two deer into the dilapidated temple, along with some firewood. The villagers quickly skinned and cleaned the deer, and soon the two deer were roasted over the campfire.

The grease dripped onto the campfire, sizzling and igniting a bright red flame.

Weary eyes looked at the venison, their gazes brightening with renewed anticipation.

While the villagers were roasting venison, the red ghost offered a gourd, saying, "Master, meat is no substitute for wine. This is Yin Spring Brew from the Underworld. Although it's not top-grade, I've treasured it for decades, and only today have I found someone who can drink it."

Ao Peng took the green gourd and weighed it in his palm for a while. "Brother Ghost, there's no need to call me some kind of expert. I haven't been cultivating for very long. I've just received some guidance from some gods and Buddhas. If you don't mind, just call me Ao Peng. By the way, I haven't asked Brother Ghost your surname yet. Judging from your appearance, you don't seem like a wandering ghost from the mountains."

The more casually Ao Peng spoke, the less dared Hong Gui to pay attention.

He had only been cultivating for a short time and was already able to invite the stars. The most recent one to do this was that monkey who was trapped under the Five Fingers Mountain! "I dare not claim to be noble. I am a few years older than you. I was originally a seventh-rank ghost messenger in the underworld, named Chi Bofu. A few years ago, Sun Wukong committed a crime, causing chaos in both the yin and yang realms. We were all implicated. I was stripped of my divine position. Fortunately, I still had a small temple to rely on, so I wasted ten years here."

Chi Bofu pointed to the two statues that were facing away from the crowd. Ao Peng followed him and saw that one of the statues had a mottled face that looked somewhat like his own.

Ao Peng asked curiously, "That blue-faced ghost is...?"

Chi Bofu said with disdain, "That Qing Zhao is a spirit from the mountains and forests. It has not even survived one of the three calamities. If I hadn't been punished and could not use even 11% of my supernatural powers, I would never have let them cause trouble here. Today, my good brother has displayed his supernatural powers and quelled the ghostly calamity here. Seeing this, my blood is boiling. I am willing to be driven by my good brother to protect the villagers and atone for my sins of the past ten years of absurdity."

Having said that, Chi Bofu bowed down.

Ao Peng smiled without saying a word. Chi Bofu wanted to make a clean break, but he was also a smart man. Now was the time to need help. With the help of this local underworld official who had been demoted, he could avoid a lot of trouble.

"Brother, please rise quickly, you are too kind, you are too kind."

Although Ao Peng said that, he only reached out to help Chi Bofu up after Chi Bofu had bowed three times and distinguished between the main and secondary roles.

He pondered for a moment, "I have a wish to quell the calamity of demons and ghosts in Sichuan, so that humans and ghosts can live in peace, and the heavens and earth can be clear and the earth clear. Brother, are you willing to help me?" Chi Bofu was slightly taken aback. He originally thought of helping Ao Peng protect the villagers and atone for their sins, but he did not expect Ao Peng to play such a big game.

To quell the demonic disturbances in Sichuan, one must know that the Six Heavenly Ghost Kings and the Eight Directions Ghost Generals are all great figures who have survived countless calamities and tribulations. Even before his divine power disappeared, he was not even close to them, let alone in his current state.

Chi Bofu was filled with unease, unsure whether he should respond.

After agreeing to this, he probably won't even be able to become a wandering ghost.

Ao Peng walked alone towards the painting of immortals feasting, then suddenly turned around. Behind him, three stars shone brightly, and the moon shone. "What, you're not willing?"

Chi Bofu instantly realized how foolish he had been: No matter how powerful the Six Heavens Ghost King was, did he really dare to challenge the Three Stars?

So he quickly bowed again, saying, "I am willing to serve you."