Ghost Immortal Spirit Mediumship

Mo Chuan ultimately refused the job of driving the spirit-opening vehicle.

It wasn't out of disdain.

He was an orphan with few relatives, so he didn't care about social judgment.

The main reason was that he possessed the Sacrificial Dao Furnace, and when the sacrificial rites occurred, they felt like hallucinations.

Delaying work was a minor issue, but delaying the families of the deceased was a major one.

While eating beef offal noodles, he calculated his savings, which weren't much, only a little over six thousand.

Including the debt collected that morning, he had over eight thousand left.

He had already paid the rent in advance, so he had four more months.

He had no girlfriend to spend money on, and when one person ate, the whole family didn't worry. His savings could last him a year or two.

Finding a job would have to wait; he needed to figure out the Sacrificial Dao Furnace first.

After breakfast, he rode his electric scooter out to buy supplies and prepare.

A week passed in a blur.

During this week, the Chen Family performed sacrificial rites daily.

Mo Chuan feasted on the incense offerings every day, feeling his body become healthier, his strength increasing, and his spirit becoming more vigorous.

However, he did not operate within the Chen Family's territory.

At most, he would wander around the ancestral hall once.

The reason was simple: what appeared as warm sunlight to his physical body was like celestial fire to his Xian Body.

Before he could even leave the ancestral hall, the dazzling sunlight terrified him, preventing him from crossing the boundary.

Unless he wore the Painted Skin.

At this point, Mo Chuan finally understood why Huang Buyu had said "for transport" when he offered the Painted Skin.

Speaking of Huang Buyu, that was the second reason Mo Chuan didn't leave the ancestral hall wearing the Painted Skin.

That day, he had used clever words to trick Huang Buyu and resolve the Chen Family's disaster.

Regardless of whether Huang Buyu had realized it or not?

Mo Chuan felt a bit guilty.

What if that guy was still blocking the entrance to Chen Family Town, and he ran into him? If his secret was revealed, he wouldn't be able to explain himself.

So, after much thought, Mo Chuan decided it was best to lie low for now and avoid appearing at the Chen Family's place.

It was worth mentioning that during this week, Mo Chuan tried bringing various things over.

He wondered if he could trade items between the two worlds, exchanging the cheap silver of reality for the gold of the other world, thus striking it rich.

To his surprise, anything he brought from reality turned into a wisp of ash upon reaching the other world, disintegrating at a touch and scattering into wisps of smoke.

It was even harder to bring items from the other world back to reality.

Because he had lost his physical form, he couldn't carry anything.

From this detail, it seemed that the Painted Skin offered by Huang Buyu had been treated with a special method.

He wondered what kind of immortal technique this was.

If he had the chance, he would have a good chat with Huang Buyu.

"Fragrant incense fills the universe, igniting pure scents to pierce the heavenly gate..."

On this day, a voice different from that of the Chen family elders whispered in Mo Chuan's ear.

Mo Chuan was startled and quickly summoned the Sacrificial Dao Furnace, offering three sticks of incense, their smoke curling upwards.

The one offering the sacrifice was another elder.

His hair was sparse and white, and he was very old. He wore a black wooden hairpin and a dark Daoist robe with cloud patterns. He held three sticks of incense, chanting words.

Beside him stood a Daoist boy, who looked about twelve or thirteen years old.

"...In the Ziwei Palace, the sacred hall opens, peach blossom jade maidens invite the immortals; a thousand-mile journey, incense extends the invitation, flying clouds and galloping horses descend..."

With his experience at the Chen Family's, Mo Chuan did not reveal himself, quietly listening and watching.

However, judging by the elder's calm demeanor, it didn't seem like he was facing any disaster.

After a long while, the old Daoist priest finished chanting the words for spirit mediumship, let out a long sigh, inserted the three incense sticks into the censer, and turned to look at the boy beside him.

"Have you understood the words of the Ghost Immortal Spirit Mediumship?"

"I have, Master."

"Good, you recite it."

"But, Master... what if I really summon a Ghost Immortal?"

"Don't worry, I'm here with you!"

The Daoist boy clearly trusted the old Daoist priest immensely. Upon hearing this, he indeed felt relieved. He took three sticks of incense, lit them with a candle, and, mimicking his master, began chanting.

After reciting the incantation, the lesson for the day concluded.

After inserting the incense, the Daoist boy said, "Master, yesterday I read a Daoist scripture that said all true celestial beings and divine generals do not possess the bodies of mortals. If they speak through people, they are definitely evil spirits from unorthodox paths or malevolent ghosts. In that case, is our art of spirit mediumship with a divine steed considered orthodox or evil?"

The old man laughed heartily, "What do you think?"

"I can't say."

"Arts are not divided into orthodox or evil; it depends on the person."

The old Daoist priest seized the opportunity to teach:

"The book you read is called the 'Supreme Altar Jade Regulations,' which reflects the philosophies of the Qingwei and Shenxiao Daoist sects. In their view, arts like clairvoyance, possession, spirit summoning, spirit mediumship with a divine steed (扶乩), and water scrying are all heresies! This is a dispute of sectarian philosophies; you don't need to concern yourself with it."

"So that's how it is! Then they're truly awful. If they want to argue, why do they have to belittle us?" the Daoist boy said with dissatisfaction.

"One mountain cannot accommodate two tigers, and the same applies to Daoist lineages."

The old Daoist priest didn't explain further, but he did add:

"The Qingwei and Shenxiao sects emphasize precepts over talismans. Although their philosophies differ, their precepts are strict, and they take it as their duty to help the world and save people. If you encounter them in the future, you must not be negligent due to ideological differences."

"Yes, Master." The Daoist boy nodded.

The conversation between the old and young man ended here, and they subsequently left the main hall.

Mo Chuan looked at the various angry-faced divine statues around him and decided to return to his original form.

"Listening to their words, the old Daoist is teaching the Daoist boy the art of Ghost Immortal Spirit Mediumship."

"Seeing how casually the old Daoist let the Daoist boy try it, I suspect the worshipped Ghost Immortal has long since disappeared. This also aligns perfectly with the Sacrificial Dao Furnace's ability to only capture ownerless incense offerings."

"However, to be safe, I should observe for a few more days."

Mo Chuan thought to himself and decided to patiently observe in secret.

In the following days, he enjoyed the Chen Family's incense offerings while coveting the incense offerings of the Daoist temple.

On this day, after offering incense, the old Daoist priest once again imparted knowledge to the Daoist boy.

"Xuan Yun, the 'Three Caverns Precepts' states: If Daoist scriptures are not taught by a master, then their practice will not be divine. Do you know why?" the old Daoist priest asked.

This meant that if Daoist magic was not taught by a master, it would have no divine power even when used.

"Your disciple does not know."

Although Xuan Yun the Daoist Boy was intelligent, he truly didn't know the answer to this.

"The 'Compendium of Daoist Magic' says: Dao is the ultimate truth of spiritual connection; magic is the profound mystery of transformation. Dao benefits people through magic, and people achieve Dao through magic..."

The old Daoist priest recited, shaking his head.

Mo Chuan listened, feeling lost for a long time, but he managed to grasp a general idea.

It turned out that Dao was divided into "Dao," "Magic," and "Techniques."

It could be said: Dao is hard to find, Magic can be cultivated, Techniques are easily obtained.

The power cultivated in Fu Luan Temple came from the ancestors, so it was natural to obtain the sect's recognition!

"Do you know why I have you practice the art of Ghost Immortal Spirit Mediumship every day, yet I'm not worried about summoning a Ghost Immortal?" the old Daoist priest asked again.

"Master, you mean... the ancestors' bodies have all died?"

Smack!

The old Daoist priest flicked the Daoist boy's forehead.

"The ancestors have ascended to immortality; what do you mean by dead or alive?"

"Oh!"

The Daoist boy, covering his forehead with a wronged expression, activated his spiritual root and said, "Then doesn't that mean my practice of this Ghost Immortal Spirit Mediumship is useless?"

"It's useful!"

"Then how is it useful?"

"Wait until I ascend and become a Ghost Immortal."

The old Daoist priest looked at the divine statues in the temple and sighed softly.

"Practitioners who do not comprehend the Great Dao..."

The old Daoist priest was about to elaborate, but stopped abruptly:

"Xuan Yun, I may not necessarily be able to become this Ghost Immortal! After I ascend, if the art of Ghost Immortal Spirit Mediumship doesn't work within seven days, it will likely mean my soul has returned to the Three Mountains and my spirit to the Five Peaks."

"Master—" the Daoist boy cried out anxiously.

"Silence!"

The old Daoist priest interrupted his disciple:

"If I don't become a Ghost Immortal, the Daoist temple will depend on you alone. Your spiritual roots are far superior to mine, and you will surely become a Ghost Immortal. You must protect the Fu Ji Daoist tradition! Today, I will teach you another technique, called the Ghost Subduing Talisman."

"This is a talisman technique that uses the power of Jie to subdue evil ghosts. After I ascend, if I cannot reach immortality, I will dissipate into Jie. It might last for several days without fading. You must seize this opportunity to write more of them, as the foundation of our Daoist tradition."

The Daoist boy trembled all over:

"Master, can Jie really treat ghosts?"

"Of course. Otherwise, why do you think the characters for Jie are carved in relief on our Daoist sect's Bagua money and various talismans?"

"I still don't understand. Jie are formed after ghosts die, so how can they treat ghosts?"

"Ghosts are formed after people die, so how can they harm people?"

"This... Ghosts are the souls of people. Only special individuals can become ghosts. These people are blessed with powerful souls, and naturally, they can harm others. But Jie have lost their physical forms, how can they treat ghosts? Could it be like those malevolent spirits that attach themselves to ghosts and absorb their essence?"

"Hahaha... You are teachable! Just as ghosts are not formed by just anyone with overwhelming resentment, Jie are also not formed by any malevolent spirit!"

As the master and disciple discussed, Mo Chuan's eyes lit up.

What he lacked was precisely this fundamental knowledge.

Now, listening to the old Daoist priest's teachings, he finally had a preliminary understanding of his own situation.

"That's all for today. Get a good night's rest. Tomorrow, bathe and burn incense, and I will teach you the Ghost Subduing Talisman!"

"Yes, Master."

Mo Chuan watched the master and disciple leave the main hall one after another, sighing in his heart that he had found a treasure.

The next day, Mo Chuan, also well-rested, when he heard the old Daoist priest murmuring while offering incense, decisively used the incense offerings as a mirror to observe.

The old Daoist priest set up a desk in front of the statue.

He performed the Ghost Immortal Spirit Mediumship technique, then spread out the talisman paper, took a deep breath, and said:

"Xuan Yuan, the Ghost Subduing Talisman, like Ghost Immortal Spirit Mediumship, invites the power of our ancestors! Ghost Immortal Spirit Mediumship invites Ghost Immortals! The Ghost Subduing Talisman naturally invites Jie Immortals! Watch closely."

As the old Daoist priest chanted, his wolf-hair brush dipped in cinnabar, and the tip touched the paper.

Instantly, his brushstrokes were like dragons and snakes, powerful enough to penetrate the paper!

Mo Chuan, who was watching, was immediately entranced.

In a daze, he subconsciously raised his hand, as if grasping the old Daoist priest's wolf-hair brush, like a child learning to write, following the strokes, soaring like a phoenix!

In a moment, a seal script character "Jie" was inscribed on the talisman paper.

"Master, this character seems to be moving..."

Xuan Yun the Daoist Boy looked at his master with surprise, but suddenly found that his master's eyes were... filled with tears, on the verge of weeping!

In this book: titles like Ghost Immortal, Jie Immortal, Great Immortal Master, etc., are not true immortals but rather elegant terms.

Additionally: The cultivation system in this book uses "Jiazi," "hundred years," "thousand years," etc., as baselines. It's not that higher realms completely crush lower realms; very rarely will there be situations of "mutual generation and restraint." Different races have their own advantages and disadvantages.