The Northern Song Dynasty returned south, seeking the truth of the Dao.

"This... what should we do? I swear to God, I have never done anything immoral in my life. Even before, after my reputation for brewing wine spread throughout town..."

I've never accepted a single penny from the neighbors who came to my door asking for drinks. If it weren't for the increasing number of people coming to my door, I would never have moved out of this village.

"If you don't believe me, Daoist Master, you can go and ask the people in town what kind of person I am!" Hearing Wang Zhenhuan's words, Old Sun became more and more excited, and even stood up from his chair in a hurry.

Wang Zhenhuan waved his hand at him, signaling him not to get agitated, and then said, "This humble Taoist is not questioning your character, sir. If I didn't trust you, I could have simply turned around and left when I first discovered it. Why did I follow you into the house?"

"Master, you have great insight! I, an old man, also do not know why this happened, and I am truly ashamed. In your opinion, how should this matter be handled?" Old Sun breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Wang Zhenhuan's words.

He was terrified by what Wang Zhenhuan said. If Wang Zhenhuan hadn't been there, he would have gone to town long ago to seek help. Although he had heard many such stories before while in the palace.

But this was the first time it had ever happened to him. So for a moment, he was completely at a loss, clinging to Wang Zhenhuan as his lifeline, fearing that he might suddenly leave.

Although he didn't know why things had come to this, the fact remained that it had happened, and a solution still needed to be found. Old Sun sat back down in his chair, awaiting Wang Zhenhuan's reply.

Wang Zhenhuan pondered for a moment, then asked, "As the saying goes, the one who tied the knot must untie it. All of this started because of you, sir. Only you, sir, can resolve this matter."

"I ask you, what is the substance soaking the wine in the jar inside this coffin? If the wine itself is fine, then the problem must lie with the substance used to soak it."

"This..." Upon hearing Wang Zhenhuan's words, Old Man Sun seemed to remember something and was momentarily speechless. He sat in his chair, his expression shifting.

Wang Zhenhuan didn't urge him. It was obvious that someone had told the old man something, but he didn't know it was meant to harm him. So, to resolve this matter, he had to get the old man to tell him himself, only then could Wang Zhenhuan offer his help.

As the saying goes, the Dao values ​​life and offers boundless salvation. Although life is the most revered thing in Daoism, the prerequisite for saving others is to first learn to save oneself. It is wrong to force someone to help you if they are unwilling.

Not only would his efforts be thankless, but he would also easily incur the dislike of others, only to get himself into trouble. So Wang Zhen was waiting, waiting for Old Sun to tell him the whole story.

Otherwise, it's just treating the symptoms, not the root cause. After he leaves, the coffin will still harbor resentment again. At that point, all his current efforts will have been in vain.

Wang Zhen was a Taoist priest, so he naturally understood this principle well. Therefore, he was not in a hurry and waited for Old Sun to speak. After pondering for a long time in his chair, Old Sun sighed and said...

"Since that's the case, then this old man will tell you the truth, Daoist. I hope that after you hear it, you won't leave in anger."

"That's only right. Only if you tell me the truth, sir, can I find the flaw and help you settle this matter completely. Since I've promised you, I certainly won't abandon you," Wang Zhenhuan nodded in agreement.

"To tell you the truth, Daoist Master, you have truly discerning eyes. The wine jar in this coffin contains none other than the unborn cubs of wild animals from the mountains and fields," Old Man Sun said with some shame.

"No wonder there's such resentment. These cubs were taken before they were even born to be used to make wine, so it's no wonder their resentment is so strong. This isn't some kind of orthodox winemaking method, is it?" Wang Zhenhuan asked, frowning.

How cruel it is to soak unborn animal cubs in alcohol! No wonder there is such intense resentment. Of all kinds of resentment, that which dies before birth is the most intense, whether it is human or something else.

The *Taishang Laojun Neiguan Jing* contains a detailed account of the ten months of pregnancy. Laojun said: "When parents unite, a person is born. In the beginning, the fetus is formed in the first month, where the essence and blood congeal."

In February, the embryo is formed, its shape and form appearing. In March, the Yang spirit, or the three souls, moves and gives birth. In April, the Yin spirit, or the seven corporeal souls, remains still and calms the form. In May, the five elements are divided and stored to soothe the spirit.

In June, the six musical pitches regulate the internal organs and nourish the spirit. In July, the seven essences open the orifices, allowing light to shine through. In August, the eight divine scenes are complete, and true spirits descend. In September, palaces and chambers are arranged to stabilize the essence. In October, the qi is abundant, and all things are formed.

This means that a person's birth is a process like this: in the first month, the essence and blood condense; in the second month, the embryo takes shape; in the third month, the three souls move; in the fourth month, the seven spirits are still; in the fifth month, the five internal organs separate; in the sixth month, the six bowels are settled; in the seventh month, the seven orifices become clear; in the eighth month, the eight scenes become vivid; in the ninth month, the body is complete; and in the tenth month, all things are formed.

The other beings are the same as humans, except they lack the seven orifices, and the time they spend in this form is slightly different. However, the process is the same; that is to say, when the Yang spirit transforms into the three souls, the nascent form already possesses consciousness.

After this period, if they die prematurely or unjustly, it will breed a great deal of resentment. And as Old Sun himself just said, all the animals he uses to make wine are young cubs.

What is a cub? Only when a creature has a complete physical form can it be called a cub. It was about to open its eyes and be born, and to kill it at this moment... no wonder the resentment is so intense.

Wang Zhenhuan even suspected that the reason Old Sun hadn't gone mad was entirely due to the effects of the jujube wood coffin. After figuring this out, Wang Zhenhuan's expression turned cold. He looked at Old Sun and asked in a cold voice.

"Do you know the origin of these cubs? Did you hunt them yourself, or were you instructed to do so? If it was voluntary, then I cannot help you with this matter."

"Of course not, I was just confused! A few days ago, Xiayi was haunted. My old man had just moved out of town, and on the night the house was built, he had a strange dream."

In my dream, a deity told me, "Build a coffin out of jujube wood, and soak the remains of your dead cubs in wine inside. This will prolong your life and allow you to live to be a hundred." I don't know what possessed me at the time, but I agreed.

From then on, every morning, fresh, bloody cubs would be placed at the entrance of the courtyard. My old man thought it was a divine intervention, so he kept using these things to make medicinal wine.

Upon hearing Wang Zhenhuan's words, Old Man Sun panicked and blurted out the whole story. Grasping Wang Zhenhuan's hand, he pleaded with a sorrowful expression, "Daoist Master, please save this old man!"

"Do you still remember what that deity looked like? How old was she? Was she male or female?" Wang Zhenhuan asked, frowning.

"I remember! I remember! Of course I remember. That immortal looked older than me, with white hair and a youthful face. Just like the Taoist priest, he had an otherworldly air about him. He had a thin face and a pointed chin," Old Sun recalled.

Wang Zhenzhen wondered to himself, "Could this so-called 'immortal' be a weasel?"