The Suddenly Appearing Visualization Diagram

In the Eastern Sea lies Duoshuo Mountain, upon which grows Great Peach Tree, its branches stretching for three thousand li. Its lower branches have an entrance called the Northeast Ghost Gate, through which ten thousand ghosts enter and exit. There are two Shentu beings on the mountain, one named Shentu, the other Yulei, who oversee and command the wicked ghosts who harm people, binding them with reed ropes and feeding them to tigers.

Therefore, the High Antiquity emperor Xuan Yuan Shi followed his example. After the exorcism was completed, he placed peach branches on the door, painted Yulei holding a reed Yulei to ward off evil spirits, and painted a tiger on the door to devour the ghosts.

This is how the Shen Tu Yu Lei are worshipped. The worship of the two gods Shentu and Yulei requires the use of the Da Nuo ritual to praise their merits in guarding the gates of hell.

It is necessary to imitate the appearance of Fang Xiang, the commander of a hundred servants and children, and to use peach bows, thorn arrows, and earthen drums to shoot at them, while scattering red pellets and five kinds of grains.

However, it is clear that Li Qi did not have enough people to hold the grand exorcism ceremony.

It didn't matter. He stomped his foot, channeling his divine energy into the ground, and shouted in all directions using the method of commanding ghosts and spirits, "Gods of this place, come and see me!"

Before long, a local mountain god rose and bowed to Li Qi, saying, "This humble god greets the Shaman the Mountain God... May I ask what the Shaman has summoned?"

"I beg the Mountain God to summon enough Mountain Spirits and Wild Monsters for me. I will perform a sacrifice, and afterwards, all the mountain spirits will reward me," Li Qi said, cupping his hands to the Mountain God.

Upon hearing this, the mountain god immediately agreed and went to call for help for Li Qi.

Before long, all sorts of mountain spirits, birds such as chickens, sparrows, eagles, and hawks, beasts such as bears, tigers, wolves, and leopards, as well as tree spirits, flower spirits, insect spirits, and many other lesser demons gathered around, in a chaotic manner, each using their own etiquette to greet Li Qi with words such as "Welcome, Shaman!" "We pay homage to the Great Immortal!" "Greetings, Great Immortal!"

Li Qi was too lazy to correct them. He simply instructed them one by one on what he needed to do, assigned them to be responsible for different sacrificial positions, and promised to preach and teach them after the work was done, so as to help them on their future Dao Path.

These mythical creatures and mountain spirits readily agreed, overjoyed, and listened attentively to Li Qi's words, preparing their various attire.

The sacrificial ceremony begins.

Li Qi himself had four golden eyes, wore a bear skin, a black robe and a red skirt, and held a spear and shield.

They then found twelve different kinds of beasts, each with its own fur and horns. They erected a fake eunuch gate and made the twelve beasts move around, with the redundant attendants and ministers leading them to drive away the evil spirits from the palace. At night, when the water clock was running, mountain gods dressed up as court officials appeared, along with attendants, ministers, censors, ushers, tiger guards, and imperial guards, all wearing red turbans and standing guard.

Hooray! They went around the front and back provinces three times, carrying torches, and sent the plague out of the Duan Gate. They rode torches out of the palace and erected a fake Sima Gate as a symbol. Outside the gate, they set up five camps of cavalry. They passed the torches and threw them into the Upper Heaven, and cut off the bridges so that they could not return.

Then, hundreds of birds and domestic fowl were dressed up as officials and government officials, each with a wooden mask and animal to represent the Nuo people. Peach branches, Yulei, and reeds were set up. On the night of the day of Wu, they sang three times, opened the gates of all the villages, and the Nuo people gathered, dressed in their costumes and with their weapons ready for the occasion.

The chanting went back and forth four times, opening all the city gates. The Nuo performers made a racket and entered the west gate of the palace. They spread throughout the palace, splitting into two groups to perform a game with the twelve beasts, shouting and making noise all around.

The great exorcism ceremony finally ended as dawn was about to break.

As the sacrificial ceremony concluded, Li Qi hung the Shen Tu Yu Lei on the altar; these were known as 'peach wood charms'.

When the peach charms were hung, a dark cloud and fierce wind appeared, the mountains roared and the tides rose, and it seemed as if a person in a large crown and crimson robe was riding the clouds and heading east!

Li Qi immediately clasped his hands, stood solemnly, prayed for blessings at the altar, offered cakes and pastries, and presented peach charms with five-colored threads, then loudly chanted a blessing.

"The heavens shine brightly above, illuminating all below. Five wings of support roam the eight directions. Who will offer this feast? The words of the time are praised. The classics of Yu and Xia, this ritual has not yet been performed."

"The lofty altar is adorned with divine presence. The resounding music of the bells and drums stirs the heart. The gods have descended, and the auspicious clouds are abundant. The gods have come to rest, and the Qingfeng is solemn."

"We offer a hundred rites and celebrate with all the spirits. We ascend the gates of heaven and earth and enter the deepest darkness. We lay jade on the high altar and burn firewood in the vast courtyard. The gods bestow blessings, and all nations enjoy peace."

This is a way of sending off the gods, saying to the gods they have invited that the Sacrificial Ritual is complete, that they have repaid the gods' kindness through a generous offering, and that the ritual is now over.

As a result, the numerous energies generated by the sacrifices surrounding Li Qi suddenly dissipated.

But the Mountain Spirits and Wild Monsters around the Unseen seemed to sense something as well, and they all bowed down.

Li Qi stood solemnly for a while, confirming that the ceremony was over, then waved his hand to completely end the Sacrificial Ritual.

Li Qi was prepared for Shen Tu Yu Lei's lack of direct response, so he wasn't too disappointed. These two powerful figures were the Eastern Ghost Emperors, and countless people worshipped them. If they responded to everyone, how long would it take? Li Qi was already quite satisfied that they could receive his divine power and be worshipped.

In this way, one can express gratitude for the help the other party has given them.

So, let's preach to these mountain spirits for another day, and then go back to the ship. We'll wait for Master Shen Yijun to return, and then discuss the matter of going to the Yellow Springs to cast a couple of spells.

So, Li Qi then sat cross-legged and began to preach to the many Mountain Spirits and Wild Monsters.

These Mountain Spirits and Wild Monsters also sat down and listened carefully. In an instant, the valley was filled with Daoist rhymes and sounds, flowers fell from the sky, and new grass sprouted from the ground.

However, at night, one can see the arrival of Yin Qi, and hundreds of ghosts begin to appear.

However, with Li Qi's preaching voice protecting them, many ghosts and monsters couldn't get close, allowing the mountain spirits to continue listening attentively.

Six Chen later, the golden rooster on the Great Peach Tree began to crow again, emitting golden light. The Yin Qi energy receded, the ghosts vanished, Duoshuo Mountain once again transformed into a harmonious and vibrant natural landscape.

Ignoring these changes, Li Qi continued his sermon for twelve Chen. When evening came the next day, he ended his sermon and, without lingering, drifted away, leaving behind a group of Mountain Spirits and Wild Monsters still in the midst of their enlightenment.

How much they can understand is up to them; Li Qi is preparing to return to the ship.

Riding the escape light, they flew back to the large ship without delay.

On the way back, Li Qi didn't use the flower-stepping and air-walking trick anymore. Instead, he honestly rode the light, which increased his speed considerably.

However, before Li Qi could even board the ship, he heard a rumbling sound, which turned out to be the sound of wind and thunder. It was Old Ma riding on green thunder, running towards him.

"Haha, Old Ma, you used to be so lazy when I saw you, why are you in such a hurry to greet me this time?" Li Qi went up to greet Old Ma when he saw him arrive.

But Old Ma seemed to have encountered something, and immediately circled around Li Qi anxiously, showing Li Qi his horse's back.

Li Qi was taken aback, then immediately became serious, because this meant that in the short time he had been on the ship, Old Ma might have really encountered something he couldn't solve.

He immediately looked at the Old Ma's back and saw that a Visualization Diagram had been tattooed there at some point.

The Visualization Diagram depicts the scenery of Jambudvipa.

Among them, the Dragon King's body radiance is called Youliujia, and there are 5.7 billion dragons living in Jambudvipa.

The painting details how the dragon in Gautama does not send down turbid waters, causing the people of the Western Continent to die if they drink the turbid waters. The people of Dan Yue hate the cold winds, but the dragon does not send forth cold. In Puvati, there is no thunder or lightning, a sign of evil in the Eastern Continent. Its thunder is described as a chanting sound in Tushita Heaven and the sound of ocean tides in Jambudvipa. Its rain is described as mani raining down in Tushita Heaven, delicious food raining down in the city of the Guardian, continuous rain pouring down from the sea like a chain of wheels, weapons raining down among the Asura, and pure water raining down in Jambudvipa. There are 136 hells. The triangular realm of birth and death is described as the realm of good and bad. The circular realm of birth and death is described as the realm of the gods.

This Visualization Diagram depicts the scene of the true dragons in Jambudvipa, showing the appearance of fifty-seven true dragons when they converted to Buddhism.

Li Qi became increasingly alarmed as he looked at it.

Are there really that many dragons? Five billion! And this is clearly only a small fraction.

So, is this as I guessed back then? Is there really no limit to the number of true dragons? The news that 'true dragons are few' was actually released by the dragon race themselves. There are not a few of them at all. As the pinnacle of the Way of Evolution, the legendary perfect creatures, reproduction speed is definitely not a weakness for them. They are not like rabbits and golden crows, which are manifestations of the Great Dao of powerful beings. They are true gene replications, without any restrictions. As long as they are replicated, they will inevitably become seventh-grade.

In other words, his idea was actually partly correct; the fact that true dragons were few in number was actually a lie...

Besides this, Li Qi also discovered that this Visualization Diagram was essentially a Cultivation Method.

A Cultivation Method designed for true dragons or Demon Dragon, and it seems... quite suitable for Old Ma.

Li Qi hadn't yet visualized the Visualization Diagram, but after just a quick glance, he could easily tell that it was Cultivation Method specifically designed for dragons and other life forms, and might even include Technique Method.

However, something is a little strange.

Because this Visualization Diagram was imprinted on Old Ma's back, it meant that Old Ma himself couldn't see the image. Someone else had to see it, comprehend the Cultivation Method, and then teach Cultivation Method to Old Ma.

"Where did this come from? I've only been gone for a little over two days, right? How did this Visualization Diagram suddenly appear? And the quality is so high, it's probably Cultivation Method of grade five or higher," Li Qi said to Old Ma.

Old Ma then made a rustling sound, telling Li Qi what had happened after he left.

Li Qi can now understand what the Old Ma is saying. It turns out that after Li Qi left, Master Jing Mo, the mechanical monk, rode over the Old Ma, and that's how this picture appeared on its back.

However, Monk Jingmo did not explain why. Old Ma was filled with fear and unease, and dared not say anything more. He only waited until Li Qi returned before rushing from the stable to find him and ask for a solution.

"Monk Jingmo is coming to ride you? Damn it, what kind of nonsense is this? Fine, let's go find him now, he should still be on the boat." Li Qi cursed, mounted the Old Ma, and prepared to return.

Although Old Ma does need a good Cultivation Method, and Li Qi is looking for one, he doesn't want to get involved in the source of such a strange Cultivation Method lightly.

The Visualization Diagram before him was indeed Higher Vehicle, but if it was unsafe, then it was not worth it. A mere fifth-grade Visualization Diagram was not enough to warrant Li Qi taking the risk.

Thinking this, Li Qi rode the Old Ma back to the ship quickly, and then rode without stopping all the way to the ship's library, where he found the Monk Jingmo.

"Master, the Visualization Diagram on my friend's back is said to be your work? Why?" Li Qi stepped forward decisively, getting straight to the point without any hesitation.

But the Monk Jingmo seemed quite calm. He put his hands together and said in a reed-like voice, "Benefactor, this Visualization Diagram was not made by me; it is a gift from heaven."

"Heaven-sent? Which heaven?" Li Qi immediately pressed for an answer.

Heaven? There are many heavens in this world, the Heavenly Dao of many worlds, the rulers of various worlds, and even the Heavenly Dao of this world, all of which can be traced.

A gift from heaven? Which heaven? Which heaven has the right to 'bestow' without permission? To put it bluntly, what right does heaven have to use the word 'bestow'?

Who does Heaven count for? You must know that the Heavenly Dao of the world has long been refined. This world is ruled by the various Dao Lineage. What Heaven is? It is no greater than the Dao.

"Longevity Heaven," the Monk Jingmo said devoutly, his hands clasped together.

Li Qi was speechless. A thousand words were stuck in his throat, making him want to say something, but he still couldn't say anything.

There's no way around it, this 'heaven' truly deserves it.

Longevity Heaven, also known as the legendary one—

Immeasurable life, immeasurable light, immeasurable Divine Ability, immeasurable wisdom, immeasurable glorious merits, and the ability to widely deliver countless sentient beings—

Amitabha Buddha, also known as the Buddha of Infinite Life.

The place he was born in is the Longevity Heaven. Although he has broken away from the 'heavens' and no longer refers to himself by that title, and has his own exclusive Buddhist name, and is in the process of creating the 'Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss', the ultimate creation of Buddhism, the Longevity Heaven can still represent him.

This sentence left Li Qi speechless, unable to utter a single word.

The Longevity Heaven is indeed qualified to bestow this gift.

However, Li Qi did not understand why Amitabha Buddha would bestow such a Visualization Diagram upon Old Ma. Old Ma was just an ordinary Dragon Steed, and although he had the talent to Dragon Transformation, that was all.

If he hadn't been involved with Li Qi, he would have been just an ordinary Dragon Steed, living an ordinary life, simply sowing seeds every day and fathering a hundred or two foals.

"Why...?" Li Qi finally asked.

He couldn't get any other answer besides "why".

"I don't know. Perhaps this is what is called Buddhist affinity. Even I was very surprised. I had divined that this benefactor Ma seemed to have power, so I went forward to sweep away the dust and obscurity for him. But I didn't expect to sweep out a Visualization Diagram. That's why I said it was a gift from heaven, not something I drew myself." Monk Jingmo stood up and bowed to Li Qi.

He swept away the dust and obscured the light, revealing a Visualization Diagram, which was imprinted by the power of Amitabha Buddha.

Li Qi was in a state of disbelief, yet he didn't know what to say.

What, are you questioning whether Amitabha Buddha harbors ill will towards him?

Even if you gave him ten lives, he wouldn't dare. Besides, if they really had malicious intent, what could you do about it?

They just obediently endured it...

However, Li Qi gritted his teeth and said, "Since it's a Buddhist connection, how can I refuse? Old Ma, let me show you the Cultivation Method in this Visualization Diagram!"