Chapter 125: Supplication, the Descent of the Star Lord

In the Trans-Bone Garden, Ji Ming sat within the plum blossom grove.

Before the hut, two acolytes stood guard: the steady Lark Boy cradled the bag of poisonous seeds, while the spirited Thrush Boy carefully held the "Flowing Purity" sword—a dharma weapon the Master had just bestowed upon the Golden Boy. These two, along with Ling Gu, kept watch outside, their eyes fixed on the crane demon that had entered the dwelling.

"If it weren't for the Young Master's prior instructions to let the crane pass, I would never dare let such a monster come within half a step of our garden hut," the Lark Boy whispered, eyeing the hut with concern. He kept his hand ready to release the thousand-handed ones from the bag at the slightest sign of trouble.

Ling Gu frowned and said, "Go summon the earth-bound ghost servants. Raise the soil to build an altar, bring over one of the furnaces from the cave, and gather the fire-fanning fans, the star lord banners, and the rest."

The two boys exchanged glances, their eyes filled with pleasant surprise.

"Are we finally going to refine the superior Dao-Viscera for that secret technique?" the Thrush Boy asked cautiously. Upon receiving confirmation from Ling Gu, he added, "Which of the Southern Dipper star lords' banners shall we prepare?"

"Naturally, the three Star Lords of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity!"

Inside the hut, on the sleeping couch, the youth in Daoist robes lay still. A pair of clawed wings rested upon his belly. Beneath his head lay a jade pillow, now covered in cracks and on the verge of shattering. Observing himself from another's perspective brought a unique sensation—a mix of familiarity and profound strangeness.

He walked into a separate quiet chamber where his spoils were kept. The storage bag of the Tiger-Horse Zen Master rested there, alongside the remnants of his previous life, such as the old peach-wood sword—items too bulky to carry in his personal pouch. He placed the Clever Mouse's dharma artifact, a small, defensive visceral bead, into a compartment on a wooden shelf. Looking at the shelves filled with items, Ji Ming knew he would eventually need to sell these odds and ends for spirit currency.

He then poured a Bigu pill from a gourd and stuffed it into the mouth of the Golden Boy's physical body. Over the past few days, the regular feeding of this pill by the two boys had been the only thing preventing starvation.

Having finished these tasks, Ji Ming finally retrieved the scroll of the Crane Control Technique. It contained the method for refining the Dao-Viscera, but because the conditions were so harsh, he had only read it cursorily. Now that the time was ripe, he needed to review it. In the scroll, the Dao-Viscera of the Crane Control Technique was called the "Cloud-Hand Canopy." The "Canopy" was a synonym for the lungs, implying their position as the highest of the internal organs, often referred to as the "Cloud-Hand Lungs."

The text suggested that a spiritual crane offering itself voluntarily was best. Lacking that, one should choose a crane of exceptional purity from a divine mountain or sacred land to avoid hidden complications. The refining process involved both water and fire techniques, both of which required significant alchemy experience. If one lacked experience, the scroll offered two alternatives: inviting an experienced alchemist from the sect or directly summoning the two star lords of the Southern Dipper who were skilled in alchemy.

The scroll recommended the latter. Opening the furnace and chanting to summon the Southern Dipper star lords to descend with their dharma-will to refine the organ ensured both success and safety. Ji Ming did not bother studying the specific manual methods; he knew he couldn't master them just by reading—it required at least a decade of experience. He had long planned to invoke the divine beings; it was the most reliable path.

Within the Taiping Mountains, only formal Daoists who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, been given a Daoist title, and received talismans dared to claim that their summons would be answered. Dao-disciples at the Qi Refining stage could only expect a response three or five times out of ten. As for a Dao-commoner like Ji Ming, he would be lucky to get a response once in ten tries.

Actually, that was not entirely correct. If he summoned them while in the crane's body, he would lose the blessing of his status as a Dao-commoner, and there would be no celestial efficacy. After all, he was not truly omniscient, and he had failed to foresee this complication. However, Ji Ming was confident. By placing the Golden Boy's body before the altar and performing the summons as a surrogate, he believed there was a chance to bring down a Star Lord's dharma-will. If that failed, he would have no choice but to ask Wei Wulan of the True Spirit Sect or Su Su for help.

Moreover, while a dharma-will might help with a small task, refining a Dao-Viscera was no small matter; a price would have to be paid. The Six-Ding fire burning above his head, which constantly consumed his lifespan, might serve as that price.

Outside, everything was prepared. A three-tiered altar had been erected in the woods, with a three-legged furnace placed upon it. The "Flowing Purity" sword was thrust into the ground beside the furnace, and the treasure mirror of the Xi Kingdom hung from a plum branch that arched over the cauldron, meant to suppress evil and protect the alchemy. He watched Ling Gu direct the work; even he was impressed by her techniques, having never realized she possessed such Dao-arts.

The two boys raised the banners, inscribed with the praises for the three Star Lords of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity. Seeing that all was ready, Ji Ming had the ghost servants move the couch, with the Golden Boy's body still resting upon the jade pillow, to the front of the altar.

Ji Ming formed a ritual hand seal, exhaled a long breath of stagnant air, climbed the small steps of the altar, and stood before the furnace. He chanted in a clear, resonant voice:

"Supreme Truth of the Three Destinies, Court of Life's Command.
Receive the essence, descend the spirit, mold the soul, and cast the ghost.
Dissolve death, level disaster, extend years, and grant vast fortune.
Seven Stars shine and nourish, the spiritual light penetrates the essence.
I now chant the incantation, spreading it to all sentient beings.
With a sincere heart, I take refuge in the Southern Dipper Star Lords."

The incantation was finished, but aside from the banners in the boys' hands fluttering in the wind, there was no anomaly. Ji Ming did not lose heart. He performed the Southern Dipper Pace and chanted again. This time, even the banners remained still—there was truly no reaction.

With several pairs of eyes watching from beneath the altar and the ghost servants staring on, Ji Ming felt his face burning. Fortunately, it was the crane demon's face, and it had nothing to do with his Golden Boy body.

*Star Lords of the Three Destinies, please show some respect to the Golden Boy under the altar,* Ji Ming thought while chanting. *He is also a manifestation of a wisp of divine energy from the heavens; speaking of which, you all live in the heavens, so you are practically neighbors.*

This time, Ji Ming even placed his "Underworld Pass," obtained upon becoming a Dao-commoner, on the altar, hoping to catch the attention of the Star Lords. Clearly, the third attempt was also in vain. The fourth, nothing.

The fifth time, a great wind arose, but there was no spiritual response, and the blowing sand only irritated his eyes. By the twelfth time, Ji Ming's voice was hoarse, and he had lost all hope.

Suddenly, a massive gust of wind blew again. The Six-Ding fire above Ji Ming's head flickered violently. He sighed inwardly but steeled himself and finished the incantation. Below the altar, the two boys covered their faces with the banners to block the sand, swaying unsteadily, having given up hope on the recurring gales. Ling Gu stood under the eaves of the hut, not even looking up, focused on the secret manual as if preparing to attempt the summons herself.

"Look!" the Thrush Boy suddenly shouted, pointing toward the opening in the canopy that let in the daylight. In that patch of sky, several stars appeared. "Stars in broad daylight! The Star Lord has responded to you."

Ji Ming looked up in surprise. The stars were clearly visible even in the day. Then, several points of starlight descended and entered the Golden Boy's body.

*Crack.* The Yellow Millet Dream pillow shattered.

"Oh no, the dharma-will has descended into..."

Before the thought could finish, it was interrupted. Ji Ming's crane body went limp, his consciousness became muddled, and he felt as if he had just awakened from a great dream. When he opened his eyes, he saw an old man leaning on a peach-wood staff. The old man was surrounded by auspicious colors, with a divine light shining behind his head. Though he couldn't see the features clearly, he felt an intense sense of familiarity.

"Good Celestial Being, why have you let someone else hold the ritual for you? Where is your sincerity?"

Ji Ming looked around, then heard the Star Lord's dharma-will say, "This is your inner landscape; there are no outsiders here. Do not worry about word leaking out."

"Star Lord, you are above," Ji Ming bowed hurriedly. Unable to attend to anything else, he asked, "Is the crane dead? Can it still be used?"

"How strange. A body without a soul, yet a living-dead demon form. It can certainly be used."

Ji Ming frowned, sensing something amiss, but quickly composed himself. "Star Lord, look at the spirit fire above his head. Could it serve as payment for the organ refining?"

"It can."

The dharma-will nodded with a smile. Out of respect for the Celestial Being, it did not follow the usual tedious procedures and added, "This crane has a body but no soul—a state of living death. Refining an organ in such a vessel will not face any recalcitrant intent. Though it may not be a celestial grade, it can certainly be called superior."

Ji Ming had not expected such a turn of events. He had never even dared to dream of a "celestial grade" he hadn't heard of. Joyfully, he said, "I beg the Star Lord to refine the organ."

"You little Celestial Being, if you are not sincere next time, do not blame me if I do not respond to your summons."

Hearing this, Ji Ming felt enlightened. It seemed the Celestial Beings still held some regard for each other in the heavens. It appeared he should bother this Star Lord's dharma-will more often in the future. Perhaps, with enough pestering, he might make a lasting impression on the Star Lord's true self.