Chapter 137: Summoning a Ghost, Grandmother Fox

"Do you wish to descend into the netherworld?"
Before the shrine, Old Ape lowered his voice and asked.
"Is there a way?"
"Even if one's soul leaves the body and descends into the nether soil and ghost kingdom beneath this Jixheng Mountain, it is a matter of nine deaths and a life, let alone that Northern Yin Netherworld."
Old Ape scratched his furry face, trying to persuade Ji Ming to abandon the idea.
"I need to find a ghost, a starving ghost."
Old Ape's expression relaxed, and he said with slight exasperation, "Finding a mere ghost or spirit has countless methods; why must you make a special trip down to the netherworld?"
"Because it is not an ordinary ghost, but one currently suffering punishment, sealed within a certain divine idol in the netherworld."
"Which ghost?"
"Has Old Ape ever heard the moniker 'Great King Huangjue'?"
Old Ape nodded, his eyes filled with reminiscence as he said, "Back when I succeeded in changing my form, I disguised myself as a countryside peddler and traveled across Tiannan to visit the Dao, and I often heard his name.
I went to listen to his expositions on Buddhism at the dharma assemblies he hosted several times. Unfortunately, this person originated as a starving ghost, and his conduct was both righteous and unorthodox. He loved to associate with unorthodox wanderers, making it truly difficult for me to feel close to him."
"Now my enemy is pressing closer step by step. Only by seeking help from this powerful reinforcement can I gain a brief respite."
Ji Ming bowed sincerely to Old Ape, uttering the words the other wanted most to hear: "If Old Ape achieves the human Dao in the future and has any requests, I am willing to go down the mountain in person to guide you and do my utmost to help you enter the righteous gate of the Dao."
"Good! Good! Good!"
Old Ape uttered the word 'good' three times in succession. This was indeed a lingering knot in his heart.
Although the Master had said that once he cultivated into the human Dao, he could enter her lineage,
whether it was the external guests in the cave or the registered disciples, they were all considered of her lineage. Naturally, Old Ape was not content with this; he hoped all the more to become a personal disciple.
However, the Master had always only accepted female Daoists, and the only time she had ever been moved to make an exception was Golden Boy. He dared not claim he would be more exceptional than Golden Boy.
Moreover, though he was wholeheartedly devoted to Fire Ruins Cave, he had always considered leaving himself another path, and had even probed Golden Boy about it indirectly.
In his view, entering Taiping Mountain and starting over from scratch, though inferior to staying with the Master here, would still serve as a fallback.
As the saying goes, he who has no long-term worries must have near-term concerns. Old Ape no longer blindly believed in long-term relationships; he could no longer pour his heart and soul entirely into the Master's affairs.
"In a valley on the shady side of the mountain, there is an old fox practicing in seclusion.
She is most adept at spirit-channeling and summoning ghosts, often going to nearby villages and towns to communicate with the deceased relatives of the living. I will help you invite her here."
Joy welled up in Ji Ming's heart. Hearing the solution proposed by Old Ape, he finally felt a glimmer of hope parting the clouds.
"However, I must remind you," Old Ape said solemnly, "she is a greedy old hag who often ruins the families of the villagers. You must be extra careful."

"Rest assured, I recently came into some windfall wealth and will surely be able to feed this hag."
"That is good."
With that, Old Ape left the temple and headed straight toward the shady side of the mountain.
The grating sound of friction rang out once more. The entire grand hall shook in the howling wind and snow, and from within came an extremely repressed groan: "It itches! It soothes not!"
Through the cracks beneath the temple gates, viscous blood mixed with shattered fish scale debris oozed out, and within the lattice windows, terrifying faces stared blankly outward.
Ji Ming paid no attention to this anomaly, sitting as motionless as a stubborn rock by the well.
Ever since the Yaksha Geng Qian's visit that night, his gifts had been cut off. Ji Ming currently still had a little over one plate of precious cowries, totaling a hundred and thirty-some pieces.
It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but hard to go from extravagance to frugality. Before he had even exhausted these cowries, Ji Ming already regretted having refused the Yaksha so decisively.
Now that Yaksha wandered around the mountain calf's domain all day long, bestowing who knows what benefits upon the mountain calf. Judging by the current situation, it seemed to be that very "True Wonder Talisman Chart of Heavenly River Dragon Ascension."
"Transforming into a dragon!"
Ji Ming harbored doubts about this matter in his heart.
Throughout history, how could the true methods and wonderful arts of various sects and schools be passed down to outsiders—especially when transmitted to rootless spirits like the mountain calf? Even if the Wave-Chasing Yaksha was trying to rescue the Lesser Qiushui Dragon, Ji Ming did not believe he would impart true techniques to an outsider.
However, this was none of his business. He could not afford to offend the so-called Brocade Waters Mansion, nor could the Yaksha stop him. Now that a formidable enemy was approaching, he had no choice but to turn a blind eye.
When matters are slow, they round themselves out; the more urgent the situation, the more one must maintain composure. Only when the waves subside can one see the giant fish that stirred up the wind and waves beneath the deep water.
Far away in Zirong Peak's Fire Ruins Cave, deep within the Bone-Piercing Garden's plum forest, blooms of Cinnabar-Crowned Void Flowers blossomed within a small pool.
Lords familiar with the path arrived here one after another, picking the Cinnabar-Crowned Void Flowers from the pool.
Before long, these void flowers were piled high around Ji Ming.
These were all things Li Muru had entrusted to Su Su to refine before descending the mountain. Because he had been concentrating on reverse cultivation, he had kept them accumulated and had never used a single one.
Now, whether due to the three yin meridians of the hands and feet in the "Five Qi Rotation" or the potential-latent secret skill itself, he ought to continue his cultivation.
Of course, Ji Ming had to admit the latter reason was greater; the Dao-organ materials required to refine magic spells with this technique were simply too difficult to obtain and could only be left for future consideration.
With a breath, all the void flowers transformed into wisps of smoke, condensing into the illusory scenery of pavilions and terraces, which Ji Ming inhaled in a single gulp.
Having previously practiced the Great Mirage Technique, enduring the illusions of blades and axes falling upon him, rotting filth smeared across his face, or venomous insects crawling over his body, this secret skill had already reached minor accomplishment, allowing him to exhale illusory sounds.
Proceeding deeper into cultivation to reach the realm of major accomplishment would bring forth the dual illusions of water and fire. These illusions were true illusions, capable of inflicting genuine damage to the physical body.
Now that Ji Ming's physical body had initially broken free from the limitations of mortal flesh, it was precisely the right time to delve deeper into the practice.
Around the stone shrine, the accumulated snow was melted by the sudden surge of heat, soon turning into puddles of water across the ground. The interior and exterior of the stone shrine experienced drastically contrasting temperatures, causing it to gradually crack.
Ji Ming pressed his palm against the wet ground, and the surroundings quickly dried.
On his forehead, a light sheen of sweat had formed. He took a deep breath, and the spiritual gang in his lung meridian circulated through his body, thoroughly scraping up all the heat before expelling it in a single breath.
A scorched blast of fiery breath was spewed around the wellhead, turning the accumulated snow into trickling streams that gushed into the well. Down in the well, those sinners and demons stretched out their necks to drink the clear water.
The next second, Ji Ming felt as though he had plunged into an icy cavern, his complexion turning pale blue as frost and ice quickly formed beneath him. Unable to withstand this alternation of cold and heat, the stone shrine collapsed directly.
Ji Ming circulated the Flying Fire Ruler to suppress the chilling Qi within his body.
As he marveled at the miraculous nature of the Great Mirage Technique, his guests arrived outside the temple.
It was an elderly woman holding Buddhist prayer beads, wearing antiquated scarlet robes and styling her hair into a peculiar alms-bowl bun. Her whole appearance resembled a goldfish with a lump on its head.
Beside her stood a foolish, fat young man wearing a longevity lock around his neck.
She announced her presence to the minor demons before being invited to the well.
This old hag looked withered and drained, with few years left to live. She fingered her prayer beads, chanted a few passages of scripture in a low voice, and then said unhurriedly, "This old woman has accepted Old Ape's commission, but regarding the price..."
Ji Ming pushed a small chest forward. The old fox hag could feel the weight of the chest and involuntarily grinned, baring a mouthful of sharp teeth.
She gently opened the chest to find it filled to the brim with talisman coins—no fewer than a thousand of them.
"Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One."
The old fox hag muttered, suppressing her surging emotions; this single chest was worth several decades of her savings.
"The Golden Boy truly lives up to his name."
The old hag's gaze swept over the plum branch in Ji Ming's hand, the Xiguo Treasure Mirror at his waist, and the Liusu Magic Sword on his back, her demeanor growing increasingly respectful.
"The remuneration is here, but do you, old hag, have the ability to invite that ghost up?"
The old fox hag picked up the chest and said, "I certainly don't have the ability to rescue her, but I can try inviting her up temporarily."
Seeing that the other party had not made any boastful promises, Ji Ming felt somewhat relieved and curiously asked, "Are you relying on the connections of the Taishan Fox Academy?"
Inviting a sinner ghost out of the netherworld ultimately depended on connections—netherworld connections.
Ji Ming's words almost made the old hag drop the money chest, her expression turning somewhat unnatural. She had not expected the Daoist before her to actually know of the Taishan Fox Academy.
"You may not know this, but I originated in the North and worship a Dharma King in the Northern Yin Netherworld, so I cannot enter the gates of that Fox Academy."
Although Ji Ming did not fully grasp the intricacies of the relationship, he nodded as if he understood, extended a hand, and invited, "Then let us begin!"