Divine Path and Ghost Path

"I'm just saying my cultivation is shallow and I can't help your child reincarnate or possess a corpse. I can only solve the problem of needing to consume Blood Food in the future due to cultivating with Yin Energy," Shi Xuan said with a wry smile. "There are ways to deal with that."

Madam Fang asked incredulously, "Does the Daoist master mean it's true? Isn't it said that if one cultivates with Yin Energy, they must consume humans once their cultivation is high enough?"

"Yes, so you just don't cultivate with Yin Energy," Shi Xuan said, shaking his head with a smile.

"But, Daoist Master Shi, how can you maintain your form without cultivating with Yin Energy? Could it be... could it be referring to?" Madam Fang seemed to realize something.

"Mm, you just need someone to offer sacrifices to you. Then you can use Incense and Fire Prayer Power to sustain yourselves," Shi Xuan said. Although he was generally indifferent, he did have a bit of compassion.

Madam Fang was a little surprised and stammered, "Then, then who would be willing to, willing to sacrifice to us?" She then fixed her beautiful eyes on Shi Xuan, knowing that since he had said so, he must have already thought of a candidate.

Shi Xuan pointed at Xu Tianqi and said, "My senior brother here has a large family and great fortune. Because of you this time, he gained face and naturally wants to repay you. He will arrange for people to offer sacrifices to you. En, three sacrifices a year should be enough."

"But, but, what if something unfortunate happens to this young master, or if he grows old and passes away, or if he is away and unable to supervise, and no one offers sacrifices?" Madam Fang was quite cautious about such an important matter.

Shi Xuan pondered for a moment and said, "I will instruct him to find a steward to specifically manage this matter. The silver for the sacrifices will be given to the temple in advance for ten years. Oh, why not build a temple directly to enshrine you? Then the Xu family can manage this temple from behind the scenes. I will then give you the horoscopes of the steward and the abbot or Daoist priest who manages the temple. I will also give you a few talismans. Then, if they forget, you can send them dreams to remind them. In fact, with this arrangement, many ordinary people will come to offer sacrifices and make wishes to you, and even if they forget, you can still enjoy the Incense and Fire worship. So, you don't need to worry."

Madam Fang stood up and bowed gracefully, "Daoist master's kindness is something Madam Fang will never forget. If you ever need anything in the future, I will go through fire and water for you."

Shi Xuan waved his hands, "Don't thank me yet, and don't make any decisions yet. I still need to tell you about the limitations of the sacrifices. The time for sacrifices to maintain your form will not exceed a hundred years, and that's with many people sacrificing. Sacrifices like the private ones you will enjoy in the future might only sustain your form for twenty years. Unless you can obtain a true inheritance method for cultivating directly with Incense and Fire Prayer Power, and have a considerable number of people sacrificing to you, only then can you transform from a ghost into a deity, break free from the hundred-year limit, and begin Divine Path cultivation. If you can achieve something in the Divine Path in the future and have many believers, you will have a chance to achieve the Great Dao of Longevity."

Shi Xuan paused and continued, "However, if you continue to cultivate with Yin Energy and have sufficient Blood Food, as long as you break through realms, you can continuously extend your lifespan and even have the opportunity to achieve the Ghost Path Primordial Spirit and the Great Dao of Longevity. It's just much more difficult than normal cultivation."

Seeing Madam Fang standing there lost in thought, Shi Xuan knew she was weighing the pros and cons and didn't rush her. About half an hour later, Madam Fang bowed to Shi Xuan again with a grand salute. Shi Xuan asked, "Have you considered it clearly?"

Madam Fang said firmly, "This concubine is willing to walk the path of the Divine Path. Although I don't have a true inheritance method now, having people offer sacrifices can give me twenty years of peace. I believe I can find some rudimentary methods to try during this time. Even if I can't find any, I don't have a true inheritance method for the Ghost Path either. If I absorb Yin Energy and cultivate based on instinct, I might not be able to maintain my form before reaching a certain realm, let alone the issue of consuming Blood Food in the future, which I find repulsive."

Shi Xuan smiled and said, "Since that's the case, if I obtain a Divine Path cultivation method in the future, I will definitely pass it on to you. Don't, don't bow so grandly yet. It's not too late to do so when I actually find it."

Madam Fang didn't insist when Shi Xuan stopped her and sat down again. Her mood was greatly improved, and she smiled and asked, "Does the Daoist master have any other instructions?"

Shi Xuan shook his head and said, "I have no instructions. However, since sacrifices are to be offered to you, we still need to wake up the main person in charge and discuss it face-to-face. After all, he will be the one making arrangements from now on. I will be leaving soon to travel."

Seeing Madam Fang nod, Shi Xuan got up and walked to Xu Tianqi's side. He squatted down and pinched his philtrum, while secretly channeling a stream of Internal Energy into him. With these two aids, Xu Tianqi woke up after a while. He opened his eyes and looked at Shi Xuan in front of him, asking groggily, "Junior Brother Shi, is something the matter?"

As soon as he finished speaking, his previous memories flooded back. He suddenly sprang up like a carp, his face pale, and asked Shi Xuan with a trembling voice, "Junior Brother Shi, that, that, that female, female ghost, you've dealt with her, right?" He looked around and happened to see Madam Fang, who was dignified and dressed as a married woman. He couldn't help but be surprised, "Junior Brother, who is this lady? Is she a helper you invited?"

Shi Xuan chuckled and said, "Senior Brother Xu, this is Madam Fang, the mistress of this residence. You suffered at her hands just now, how can you not recognize her?"

Upon hearing this, cold sweat broke out on Xu Tianqi's forehead, and his face turned pale green. At this moment, Madam Fang stood up and bowed to Xu Tianqi. Xu Tianqi, startled, retreated three steps before hearing Madam Fang say, "Young Master Xu, this concubine has offended you before. I hope you will forgive me."

Seeing the female ghost so polite, Xu Tianqi's fear greatly subsided. He glanced at Shi Xuan and saw him smiling at him, which reassured him. He cupped his hands and said, "Madam Fang, what wrong have you committed? It was we who trespassed into your residence first."

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw the young brother and sister behind Madam Fang making faces at him. They were just blank faces with no features, which almost made him faint again.

Seeing this, Madam Fang turned around and reprimanded the two children. Shi Xuan, meanwhile, explained the matter of the sacrifices to Xu Tianqi. Xu Tianqi listened with amazement. At the same time, because these three ghosts had something to ask of him, his fear had basically vanished. With his fear gone, curiosity arose. He looked at Madam Fang and her children, trying to discern any differences, while asking Shi Xuan about ghosts.

After their discussion, Xu Tianqi patted his chest and assured Madam Fang, "Madam Fang, rest assured, the matter of sacrifices is on my shoulders. I will not let the sacrifices cease."

Madam Fang was naturally extremely grateful. She even had Delin and Hanling kowtow three times to Shi Xuan and Xu Tianqi.

After the two men and one ghost had settled their important business, they began to chat. Although Madam Fang was a lady from a prominent family, she had been unable to communicate with anyone for many years. At this moment, she appeared quite talkative. Xu Tianqi and Shi Xuan were very curious about ghosts and asked them many questions. Occasionally, they would tell Madam Fang about the changes in the outside world. Thus, unknowingly, it was already the early hours of the Mao period.

Madam Fang heard the sound of the night watchman outside and saw that it was getting late. She said to Shi Xuan and Xu Tianqi, "Two benefactors, it is now the early Mao period. Although this concubine can stay for another half an hour, you two seem to have other matters to attend to. It would be inconvenient for me to stay any longer." As she spoke, she glanced at Xia Wenhui and the others with her eyes, covering her mouth and chuckling.

Xu Tianqi suddenly realized, "That's right, we still have to throw these three guys outside the residence. Otherwise, we would have come for nothing."

Shi Xuan chuckled at this, "What if they don't recognize us when they wake up? You can just say you were also scared unconscious and thrown out, but you woke up a bit earlier and ran back in."

Xu Tianqi thought about it and felt it was very true. He couldn't help but curse, "This cunning fellow, no wonder he made a bet with me. What should we do now? There are no other witnesses!"

Shi Xuan nudged Meng Yuqiong with his chin, "Wake up your dream lover first. Let her be the witness."

"But she can't prove that we weren't scared unconscious either," Xu Tianqi said helplessly.

"Heh heh, your goal in the bet was just to save face in front of her. Now, you're saving her life! If you don't wake her up, she might get eaten by a ghost! Do you think saving her life is more important, or gaining a little bit of face in front of her?" Shi Xuan said irritably.

"Ah, eaten by a ghost?" Xu Tianqi couldn't quite wrap his head around it.

Shi Xuan pointed at Madam Fang and said, "Anyway, she's unconscious and doesn't know if this ghost is good or fierce."

Slap, Xu Tianqi clapped his hands together. "Great idea!" he said excitedly.

Seeing that there was nothing else for her, Madam Fang took the two children and bowed. Then, she suddenly disappeared, making Xu Tianqi's eyes nearly pop out. After a long while, he murmured to Shi Xuan, "Junior Brother Shi, if only I had this Lightness Skill."

"This isn't Lightness Skill, it's an Illusion Technique. You didn't study Daoist Magic properly back then, and now you know the consequences," Shi Xuan said.

"Heh heh, I couldn't concentrate on Visualization. After I go back this time, I have to try again. Daoist Magic is so powerful! Alright, alright, let's deal with things here first before we talk."

The two of them first dragged Xia Wenhui and the other two out of the residence and then threw them into a nearby dead-end alley. Shi Xuan said to Xu Tianqi, "The acupoints I pressed will take about another hour to release. Many drunkards and beggars often spend the night here. Although there's no one now, there shouldn't be much danger. At most, your money will be gone."

Xu Tianqi laughed, "They were scared unconscious by ghosts and thrown here. It has nothing to do with us." He took two steps back, then suddenly turned around, looking at Xia Wenhui and the other two with an uncertain expression.

Shi Xuan didn't know what Xu Tianqi was planning and remained silent, watching him from the side.

After a while, Xu Tianqi made up his mind. He squatted down and pressed a palm on the Blade Sword Double Kill Dantian of each of them. Then he stood up and said to Shi Xuan, "These two have committed heinous crimes. I have only crippled their martial arts, which is very merciful of me. This way, they won't have to work for the Xia family for the rest of their lives and can enjoy their old age."

Shi Xuan thought that the latter half was the real reason for his actions. He pondered for a moment and said, "Ghosts don't seem to cripple people's martial arts, do they? Aren't you afraid of retaliation from the Xia family?"

Xu Tianqi's face became solemn. "In any case, no one can be sure it wasn't done by ghosts. They are just two outer sect elders. The Xia family won't tear their faces over this. There aren't many quasi-first-class experts like them, but there aren't too few either. Besides, hehe, we still have to do business together. So, you see, I didn't touch Xia Wenhui. As for private retaliation, I will stay at home during this time. I believe my family will not mistreat me. After my skills improve further, I will go out. By then, even if I can't defeat them, I can still escape."