Chapter 324 - The Red-Haired Demon

Granny Sha once mentioned that Chen Shi's spirit was overwhelmingly strong, making his three demonic selves exceptionally terrifying. In the future, when he tries to rid himself of them, it may be far more challenging than for others. The lower demon, Peng?, seemed to sense some activity in the rear hall and moved to block the doorway with its massive eye, peering inside. "Master, are you in there? Hurry and come out! I know some ladies who are exceptionally beautiful and graceful. Tonight, I'll take you to enjoy yourselves, to enter their dreams and indulge in passion and delight!" At that moment, two more demon selves emerged from the grand halls to the left and right. On the left stood the upper demon, Pengju, handsome and stately like a noble gentleman, exuding warmth and congeniality. The middle demon was robust, exuding nobility, and many times plumper than Chen Shi currently was. They all bore the likeness of Chen Shi. These two demons also came to the doorway, with the upper demon, Pengju, saying with a smile, "The moon is perfect tonight; we should go listen to some music at the summer house!" The middle demon, Penzhi, chuckled, "Great idea! I know a place with excellent delicacies; a grand feast awaits!" The lower demon, Peng?, persistently urged, "Master, you've accumulated so much wealth in the underworld; if you don't spend it, is it really money? Stop sleeping and come out. Let's go revel till dawn with us brothers!" The other two demons joined the persuasion, coaxing Chen Shi to come out and join them in debauchery. "Sir, rest assured, they cannot enter," the small yaksha said. Curious, Chen Shi asked, "Why can't they?" The small yaksha explained, "Perhaps because Yuancheng Palace corresponds to the master's body. The front hall corresponds to the lower realms, while the left and right halls correspond to the five senses and five viscera, and this place is the Palace of Divine Court. The upper demon lures you with temptations, sapping your spirit. The middle demon leads you to commit evil, eroding your virtue. The lower one entices you with beauty, draining your vitality and blood. They start their activities once you're asleep, but since your life is not destined to end, your spirit hides in the Palace of Divine Court, evading the three demonic selves." Chen Shi looked at the boatwoman, signaling curiosity. The boatwoman shook her head, "I do not know. I am a ghost, devoid of these experiences." Chen Shi respectfully inquired more about these three demonic presences from the small yaksha, who responded earnestly, "They'll do everything to sever your immortal fate, leading you to indulge and overindulge, engaging in lewd and extravagant behaviors. Initially, they'll make you dream of debauchery, then drive you to ruin your path in reality, mirroring those dreams. Your spirit will falter, and the Palace of Divine Court will become harder to defend. Eventually, when your lifespan and virtue are depleted, they will break in and devour your very soul." Chen Shi asked how he could resist this. The small yaksha advised, "Ear sounds temptation; eyes see temptations; tongue tastes them; and nose smells delicious aromas. Feeling desires for queens of the senses, giving in to malice, strengthens the demons. To weaken them, cultivate pure yang methods, use yourself as a crucible, unite heart and body, self-reflect inwardly, prevent external leakage of essence, naturally expanding your energy. When thunder is born within, and the body becomes pure yang, the three demonic presences will be eliminated." Astonished, Chen Shi wondered how the small yaksha knew this. "I've served many households; some people were controlled by their demons, losing themselves to indulgence. Soon, their bodies were emptied, souls devoured," the small yaksha elaborated. "But I've also witnessed practitioners with pure yang techniques, their spirits unyielding and bodies of pure yang. Demons would be vanquished by their thunderous yang energy." Chen Shi asked if other small yakshas shared this understanding. The small yaksha replied, "I've met a few of my kind outside; they remain clueless." Chen Shi respectfully bowed deeply, offering grave thanks, "Your guidance is a blessing. I'm forever indebted. Please accept my gratitude!" The small yaksha hurriedly bowed, "You are the master; I only serve, unworthy of such honor." It thumped its head on the ground. Chen Shi's demeanor shifted, and he quickly assisted the yaksha, standing him up before reciprocating the bows. Small yaksha seemed flustered, holding its little round hat, utterly unsure what to do. Finishing his bow, Chen Shi declared, "You have aided me immensely; how can I bear your great courtesy without distinction between grace and grievance?" At this moment, it was silent outside. Chen Shi peered through the crack in the door, observing that the demonic presences had vanished from the courtyard. "They went down to the underworld to file complaints," the small yaksha said. "Every evening, these demonic presences will try everything to get you to revel. If you refuse, they complain to the underworld judges, reporting your indulgence and misdeeds to shorten your life." Startled, Chen Shi recognized why practitioners must slay these demons, lest their lives be gradually shortened by such constant begrudging whispers. "What benefit do these demonic presences gain by killing me?" he asked. "If they manage, they seize your incense offerings, living leisurely without tasks," the small yaksha answered. "What if they're killed outside?" "They revive within Yuancheng Palace, hardly weakened." "And I, sneaking out when they go complain?" "They dwell in the underworld for half an hour. Stepping out grants you that time to return; else they'll catch you, spiriting you away to temptation, eroding your spiritual roots." Chen Shi praised the small yaksha's knowledge, "Why work for others' Yuancheng Palaces?" Despondently, the small yaksha responded, "Without work, how to survive?" Its demeanor turned to sorrow, "We can't pluck the money from the Treasure Tree – it's only taken by the master. We earn through labor." Chen Shi stepped out of the hall, laughing, "How can I miss exploring Xiandu now that I'm here?" The boatwoman and the spirit dog Heiguo followed. The small yaksha dared not step out, afraid of being captured by the demonic presences, having no funds for indulgence. Beneath the Treasure Tree, Chen Shi gathered more than half the bounty, returned, and handed it to the small yaksha, expressing gratitude, "For your guidance, take this with hopes you'll thrive." The small yaksha bestowed heartfelt thanks. It didn't venture out, returning to the shrine, securing the door. The boatwoman, stern-faced, advised, "Esteemed scholar, upon your first arrival, you’re unacquainted with Xiandu’s rules. Stay with me; avoid straying, as it’s easy to breach rules." Chen Shi nodded. They exited Yuancheng Palace, two yakshas and one dog, observing chains crisscrossing, locking his palace. This place was distant from others, requiring quite a walk to reach them. "Back then, we father and daughter held you captive with authority," the boatwoman reminisced, "We were powerful, intimidating. When you were rescued, we had to flee." With a sigh, they walked in their grand yaksha forms. Despite their ghostly looks, they drew no attention on Xiandu’s main streets. Nighttime Xiandu teemed with both people and spirits, lively with handsome men and women, lights vibrant and extravagant temptations. Strolling along the heavenly street, beyond Yuancheng Palaces were brothels, taverns, and gambling dens run by ghosts. Above flowed a river with boats, also indulging in festivity. "Make way, make way!" ghosts raced horses on the main street, loudly shouting. The boatwoman pulled Chen Shi aside to avoid collision. Onlookers carried trays, betting on paper money enriched with fragrance. These horses, unlike mortal steeds, bore fangs, claws as hooves, racing like the wind. Suddenly, a loud crash as a mounted ghost horse collided with a little yaksha pushed onto the main street. The collision caused head to part from body. Both horse and rider toppled, amusing the ghostly onlookers. Despite death, the rider seemed spirited. From a lively spirit, it turned black and white, wooden and unfeeling, akin to becoming a ghost called ??. Chen Shi noticed a nearby Yuancheng Palace dimming gradually, pathways turning transparent. It seemed the deceased was the palace’s master. He followed the boatwoman, weaving through the ghostly crowd, witnessing race drivers, gambling lives, songsters, dancers, sword swallowers, fire breathers, illusionists, lamb cooks, and failed guillotine trick performers – the vibrancy shocked from Yuancheng Palace’s quietude. Pleasure palanquins carried by horse-faced goblins, their masters embracing women, epitomized merriment. Chen Shi glanced at these goblins and the boatwoman. "We worked like that in youth, surviving," she said stoically. "But back then, we never met a benevolent sage like you." "Was it exhausting?" Chen Shi inquired. "Undoubtedly. Half the horse-faces carrying died within a year." Chen Shi halted, watching ox-headed goblins briskly cleaning streets, their efficiency striking. Others offered piggyback rides, passengers riding neck-high, gripping horns, racing through streets. Xiandu immersed in lavish debauchery. Sights and sounds filled restaurants with delicacies, party feasts sating gluttons. Beneath silk and tunes, beauties dazzled. As performers finished, another emerged, creating a captivating spectacle. "Why's it called Xiandu?" Chen Shi queried. "Life here feels heavenly compared to mundane suffering," the boatwoman expressed earnestly. Reflecting briefly, Chen Shi nodded lightly. He progressed where death lingered always – some succumbed blissfully or vanished forgotten. An enterprise emerged within Xiandu, with ghosts exploiting Yuancheng Palace masters for paper wealth. Their demonic presences served them most. Yet to masters’ eyes, brothels and taverns appeared real, men and women vivid yet puppet-like to Chen Shi, seeing through illusion. He died, reborn, perceiving ghosts, unveiling hidden truths. "Ah, even eavesdroppers present here?" Suddenly, noticing a listening ghost perched above, transcribing observations, Chen Shi’s curiosity piqued. His mind stirring, "Eavesdroppers infiltrating the underworld?" At this thought, a colossal ghost god appeared, its passage cleared by avoiding creatures. Standing six or seven zhang high, fiery red hair rising, bulging eyes seemingly leaping from sockets, a formidable presence. "A red-haired demon? The young master who guided Xiang Tianyu into a potent place followed by this demon!?" Heart pounding, Chen Shi instinctively pursued the red-haired demon. The boatwoman hurried after, anxiously reminding, "Sage master, time’s dwindling! Your demons return soon!" Undeterred, Chen Shi raced forth, shadowing the red-haired demon. Its lengthy stride demanded Chen Shi chase ardently to maintain semblance. The demon maneuvered the intricate streets – routes fluctuating, threading above and below, a maze untraced by strangers. Caught in reflection, the boatwoman discerned a predicament, fearing capture by demons. Pressing through enmeshed streets, they arrived by a courtyard where the demon entered. At its threshold, Chen Shi halted. The boatwoman acknowledged his plight, "We’ll be intercepted, spirited to revelry, your demons grasping tight!" Analyzing the courtyard, Chen Shi mused, "Is this a Yuancheng Palace?" After surveying, the boatwoman concurred, “Indeed. But that demon’s might is exceedingly perilous!" Just then, Chen Shi’s demonic selves emerged, blocking them, seizing Chen Shi, grinning, "Master, let’s revel!" He promptly protested, "My friends remain!" The demonic trio, Pengju, Penzhi, and Peng?, ceased, eyeing the boatwoman and Heiguo. Catastrophe loomed as the demonic creatures captured them. Subsequently, two and a dog found themselves amidst ephemeral indulgence – alluring mother yakshas and virile father yakshas danced enchantingly. Two mother yakshas crawled suggestively toward Chen Shi, posing flirtatiously. Heiguo glared at enticing drinks, scowling at flanking female dogs persistently persuading indulgence. The demonic trio observed, conspiratorially smirking, murmuring insidious gratification. "Strike his weak spot, and he’ll surely fall!" the lower Peng? whispered. "When he dies, we’ll seize the fortune!" Pengju gleefully noted. The boatwoman crushed her wine cup, realizing their plan's ludicrousness. How could they hope to exploit such mismatched spirits? Oblivious to provocations, Chen Shi contemplated, suddenly slapping the table decisively, "This young master's Yuancheng Palace endured thirty years! His influence in the underworld is unquestionable! Yet he’s likely mortal – another Nether Commander?" Sternly, the boatwoman remarked, "Sage master, your mother’s Yuancheng Palace is near that courtyard. That red-haired demon led the hunt against us." ------