The Du Ren Jing, fully titled "The Supreme Cave Profound Spiritual Treasure Boundless Du Ren Supreme Wonderful Sutra," was listed as the opening scripture in the "Zhengtong Daoist Canon" during the current Ming Dynasty period, serving as the head of all scriptures, the origin of all methods, and the source of all Dharma realms.
It possessed immense divine efficacy.
It was said that upon reciting the scripture once, one could hear all the great saints of the heavens simultaneously exclaim "Good." At this moment, if one's ears were unable to hear, this problem would be resolved.
From one recitation to ten, the divine efficacy increased. Upon completing the tenth recitation, the dead could even be resurrected.
Of course, this method was limited to those with magical powers. After all, for those with magical powers, when their physical body died, their seven souls would dissipate immediately, but their three souls would remain. If the three souls recited the Du Ren Jing ten times, they could also be revived. This required self-recitation.
Proxy recitation was not advisable.
Ji Xiang silently recited the Du Ren Jing in his heart. This former body, this young Daoist, was indeed a learned youth. Although his magical powers were not particularly strong, his memorization of texts and various incantations was impeccable, as if he could write them backward.
These numerous incantations, vast as the ocean, truly taught Ji Xiang a lesson.
It was no wonder that the reclusive old masters of Mount Wudang, after hearing the recommendation from this young Daoist's master, immediately cast their votes, deciding that he was the one.
In any case, it wasn't about truly praying for blessings for the emperor in the imperial palace. This assignment from Mount Wudang was a golden opportunity; all that was required was the ability to recite scriptures. Emperor Wanli was on good terms with True Master Zhang of Longhu Mountain, so he wouldn't care if the person from the Wudang Sect possessed true magical powers.
There were only three requirements: good looks, being a living Daoist, and being able to recite scriptures.
Within Ji Xiang's inner vision, the blank divine tablet continued to emit radiance, seemingly responding to Ji Xiang's silent recitation of the Du Ren Jing. A large amount of incense and yellow energy was released from the blank divine tablet.
Humans strive for a breath of life, while gods strive for a stick of incense. A person's life is only between exhalation and inhalation. Therefore, striving for a breath is to continue the next exhalation and inhalation.
From this, one can imagine that if a person does not strive for that breath, then only exhaling or inhaling remains.
Qi is the foundation of human activity, while incense is the foundation of divine activity.
In fact, Ji Xiang did not know what this blank divine tablet was.
If it were considered a position or merit, it seemed completely different from the divine tablets he had seen before.
From the Great Fulu Li Realm, he had seen five levels of positions and merits.
Heavenly Great, Heavenly Lesser;
Human Great, Medium, Lesser.
Ranks one to ten were Heavenly Great Positions and Merits, these beings had ascended to the heavens, generally being Celestial Venerables, Imperial Lords, and the principal deities of various sects.
Ranks ten to twenty were Heavenly Lesser Positions and Merits, these were celestial generals, divine beings, Bodhisattvas of the second stage, Arhats of the second stage, and legendary ancient gods.
Ranks twenty-one to twenty-five were Human Great Positions and Merits, these were the Five Directional Thunder Emperors, and guardian deities like the Nine Phoenixes Breaking Filth.
Ranks twenty-six to thirty-six were Human Medium Positions and Merits, these were celestial officials and underworld officials such as the Four Duty Officers, Day and Night Wandering Gods, Five Thunder Masters, and Judges of Good and Evil.
Ranks thirty-seven and beyond, not belonging to the thirty-six Heavenly Deities, were Human Lesser Positions and Merits, these were celestial and underworld clerks, controllers of local thunder and rain, seasonal dragon gods, and minor deities of the populace, belonging to commonly seen and worshipped deities in the human world.
Positions and merits were the true spiritual positions and merits, the karmic fruits of deities.
Deities were created by humans; the incense of humans gave birth to these divine tablets and positions.
Deities were born within the years, within the passage of time, through people's thoughts.
Deities had no emotions, could not speak, and were merely inanimate objects. Their thoughts were the thoughts of the populace. They upheld the incense of the populace. Once born and stabilized, they would not perish, regardless of whether people continued to worship them.
However, although gods could not die, they could grow old and be forgotten by the world.
Perhaps all deities would eventually be forgotten, but they would always exist in the long river of time, in the historical records of the ages.
As Ji Xiang silently recited the scripture, the first recitation was completed, and he could clearly hear countless voices in his ears.
This was clearly a quiet place, and according to memory, it should be the Longde Hall. Why were there these chattering strange sounds?
Ji Xiang listened carefully. Amidst the chaotic sounds, there seemed to be complete languages, spoken very slowly.
"This Daoist... is dead..."
"Incense killed him. This is a method these Daoists wouldn't expect. They, in their lofty positions, cultivators of immortality, how would they know our low-class methods? To die by such a method, how humiliating."
"This Daoist... his magic power, not high... easy to kill."
"Of course I know he's not high. If he were, I wouldn't have sent you to do it."
One voice spoke very dully, with a slow pace, as if it had to think about the next word for each word spoken.
The second voice, however, was the source of the chaotic sounds. Whenever it made a sound, it was accompanied by strange whistling and moaning noises, incredibly noisy.
At this moment, the second voice spoke again:
"You have completed your mission this time. Wait here. After tonight, heaven and earth will be changed. At that time, the offerings in this Longde Hall will no longer be these three old men, but will be replaced by us Fire Lords."
"Then, you can freely enjoy the incense in this hall. The emperor hasn't dismantled this place all these days, which is already a great favor. You only get to eat a few sticks of clear incense each day. It must be quite dreary, right?"
"Yes..."
"You thing, you were born by consuming the incense of Emperor Jiajing. Emperor Jiajing found you interesting and left you here. You possess great divine efficacy and can isolate imperial authority, moving freely. Otherwise, we wouldn't have found you..."
Listening to their conversation, Ji Xiang obtained a lot of information.
The curse against him was premeditated.
It seemed that to prevent any problems tonight, they had specifically come to eliminate his predecessor.
And judging from their tone, they claimed the method of killing by incense was a low-class trick, considering it a humiliation to Daoist disciples. This meant that this kind of magic was not a righteous method.
However, in the young Daoist's memory, he had indeed never heard of such a method. After all, he had only learned the names of righteous methods, how could he know these strange and bizarre techniques?
Moreover, these two beings actually spoke of removing the statues of the Three Pure Ones and replacing them with some Fire Lords? Were they followers of a certain fire deity?
They could move freely within the Forbidden City, and even set fires and cast curses to kill people?
The Forbidden City was protected by immense imperial authority and numerous positions and merits. Although there were no sorcerers or cultivators, it was a place forbidden to spirits and ghosts.
If any spirits or ghosts could move within the Forbidden City.
There was only one reason.
They were enfeoffed by someone in the imperial family, who considered them righteous deities.
It could be the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, a certain concubine, or a certain prince.
If a person obtained a position and merit and could move within the Forbidden City, this was not possible. All those who possessed positions and merits were essentially like mortals within the Forbidden City. Their magical powers and divine ranks could only be restored after leaving the palace.
While listening to their conversation, Ji Xiang's silent recitation had not stopped.
Reciting the scripture twice, his eyes could see things.
Upon the third recitation, his mouth could speak;
During the fourth recitation, new bones grew on the remnants of old bones, and the shapes of internal organs appeared;
During the fifth recitation, the ashes and injuries within his body disappeared;
During the sixth recitation, the burned hair grew back, and his teeth reappeared;
During the seventh recitation, his physical body returned to the appearance of a youth;
Reciting the scripture eight times, the lost magical power and cultivation realm reappeared and were perfected. The body of the old charred corpse transformed into a shell like a cicada's molt;
During the ninth recitation, the three souls stabilized, and the seven souls were reborn.
Then, Ji Xiang's essence, qi, and spirit unified. From his bones to his flesh and blood to his internal organs, everything returned to normal. From a charred corpse, he became a living person.
Reciting the scripture for the tenth time:
The withered bones were regenerated, all rising as adults!
And the incense within the blank divine tablet was also largely depleted.
The incense of the populace was now within his own body!
His new body was magnificent in appearance, his eyes filled with divine light. Although he still looked seventeen years old, compared to his predecessor, his entire demeanor had undergone a world-shattering transformation.
At this moment, the thing on the incense burner spoke:
"Alright, the master is about to come here to personally inspect this Daoist's corpse, and then order someone to clean it up. I must leave. Hide yourself well, do not startle the master, and do not reveal any flaws in front of those eunuchs!"
Just as the voice spoke of its departure, Ji Xiang began to exert upward force by bending his body. The charred shell on his body cracked and fell away, and then Ji Xiang slowly sat upright.
Startled upright from the brink of death!
Then, he suddenly spoke to something on the incense burner:
"Since you've come, fellow Daoist, please stay!"