"Master Sun, let tell you, that Ma Glasses is just a charlatan who fools people. Usually, in the community, he reads feng shui and interprets dreams for people, but honestly, it's useless."
"In our area, if nothing else, there are plenty of these con n. There was even a Wild Daoist who went around kidnapping children and raising Little Ghosts at ho. Later, soone reported him, and he was arrested and sent to prison by the police."
"I would say that the reason our Youma Community has not been safe for so many years, with so many dirty things, is connected to these fraudsters. Those dirty things are harmful to us, but for these people with so tricks, they might use them for their own misdeeds."
In the hallway, Kang Cheng walked ahead, chattering non-stop.
Previously, Sun Yan hadn't realized he was such a talkative person and couldn't help feeling a little annoyed.
The two of them ca to a door on the eighth floor, and Kang Cheng knocked on it.
Soon, a voice of inquiry ca from inside: "Who is it?" ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel✦fire
With the door opening, a middle-aged man holding a bowl of noodles nonchalantly stepped out.
This person was the sa man Sun Yan had t on the stairs last ti, but today he was wearing a beige long robe and flip-flops, looking particularly odd.
"Ma Glasses, Master Sun here has sothing to ask you. If you know the answer to his questions, just say it."
Kang Cheng stood with arms crossed, speaking in a not-very-friendly tone.
The Youma Community has a majority of Chinese, and inevitably, they face provocations from local black gangsters in their daily lives.
At such tis, they rely on their community's gang to fight back.
People like Card Master and Kang Cheng are mbers of the local Chinese gang, backed by a group of brothers who often stick together.
They are well-respected in this neighborhood, and no one wants to cross them.
"Oh, it's you. What do you want from ?"
Ignoring Kang Cheng's reminder, Ma Glasses took a big slurp of noodles and asked Sun Yan nonchalantly.
"Last ti I t you, sir, you ntioned the Corpse Dissolving Immortal. I want to know the specifics, including the identity of that person who died by hanging."
Sun Yan offered a cigarette courteously: "As they say, etiquette cos before force; giving a cigarette upon eting is a form of politeness."
Ma Glasses took it and tucked it behind his ear, leaning against the door fra, shaking his head in caution: "I know what you're trying to do, but I advise you not to get involved in this ss. The waters are deep, and a slight misstep could cost you your life."
Sun Yan smiled: "Don't laugh at , sir. I've co to the Youma Community this ti to clear these murky waters. I want to tackle every roaring spirit and vile ghost on this land."
"Are you... insane? What's in it for you?" Ma Glasses widened his eyes in disbelief, looking at Sun Yan.
Kang Cheng imdiately reprimanded: "Watch how you speak to Master Sun. Show so respect."
"As for what's in it for , that's none of your concern, sir. Can you now tell about the Corpse Dissolving Immortal?" Sun Yan asked with a smile.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Ma Glasses sighed and stepped aside, indicating for Sun Yan to enter.
"Co in and sit, let's talk inside. Only you can co in; you should know that certain things aren't beneficial for ordinary people to know."
Ma Glasses glanced at Kang Cheng before turning and walking into the house.
Kang Cheng, feeling discriminated against, was about to rush in and argue with Ma Glasses.
Sun Yan quickly held him back: "You go ahead and leave then. Thanks for showing the way."
"Master Sun, are you sure you don't need to stay with you? That guy doesn't seem trustworthy."
"It's fine, I know what I'm doing."
"Alright then, be careful."
Seeing Sun Yan's confidence, Kang Cheng could only nod and turn to leave.
The apartnts in the Youma Community are all from the last century, with interiors that remain quite old-fashioned.
Walking into Ma Glasses' place, Sun Yan imdiately noticed a wall adorned with various banners.
"Master Ma's Keen Eye, Absolute in Feng Shui"
"Master Ma Helps Find a Good Match"
"Master Ma, Aweso"
"Cool"
Besides these banners, there were nurous compasses, Eight Trigrams Plates, Imperial Decree Wooden Plates, Peach Wood Swords, and such on the shelves.
Implicating that Ma Glasses should be considered a Daoist.
"Sit, sorry for the ss," Ma Glasses said, continuing to eat his noodles by the dining table.
Sun Yan took the initiative to sit opposite him: "Mr. Ma, now that it's just the two of us, feel free to speak."
Ma Glasses raised his head, locking eyes with Sun Yan with a solemn gaze: "Do you know what a Corpse Dissolving Immortal is?"
Sun Yan nodded: "I've learned a bit. During the Han Dynasty Period, Daoism was popular, and the ideology of Immortals was at its peak. This gave rise to widespread beliefs in the undying faith of Cicada Molt and Snake Shedding.
Liu An and his disciples compiled the 'Huainanzi', viewing the molting of cicadas and snakes as a thod to beco immortal, believing that mortals could achieve new life through Corpse Dissolving, thereby becoming akin to Immortals.
Zhong Changtong from the Eastern Han Dynasty recorded sothing similar in the 'Poem of Aspiration'. He wrote that mortals could gain eternal life through Corpse Dissolving.
In Volu Eight of Song Pengcheng's 'Calligrapher's Brush', there's an account of a man nad Li Yu, who imitated ancient alchemists, trying to beco a Corpse Dissolving Immortal by consuming Lantian Jade after death.
He obtained the Secret Technique for consuming jade from ancient tis, went to Lantian, where jade is abundant, and ground the obtained jade into powder for daily consumption. One day, he told his wife, 'After I die, my body will not be like an ordinary person's. Do not bury imdiately. Let the world see the wonder of my corpse, and understand the benefit of consuming jade.'
Soon after, Li Yu died of illness. He passed away during the hot month of July, yet his body remained at ho for days, looking as if he were alive, without any changes. At the ti, Daoists believed he had beco a Corpse Dissolving Immortal.
During the Wei and Jin periods, Ge Hong wrote 'Master Baopu', proposing the theory that Immortals could be learned about, stating that in this world, Immortals co in three classes: 'Celestial Immortal, Earth Immortal, and Corpse Dissolving Immortal.'
It was said that after achieving the Dao, Daoists could abandon their physical bodies without leaving a corpse, rely substituting an object like a garnt, staff, or sword, to transcend the world and ascend to the heavens. This process was called Corpse Dissolving."
Ma Glasses nodded: "What you said is correct, but throughout history, whether Immortals truly exist or whether one can beco an Immortal, no one knows for sure. Maybe Immortals really exist? Or perhaps it was just ntal solace for the ancients?
If you truly want to cultivate, the orthodox path would be like Daoism's practice of ascending to Immortality, but such a feat isn't sothing everyone can accomplish. After all, there has never been a credible historical record of a true Immortal,
Did those great figures in Daoism's ancestry truly ascend? Or were they rely glorified posthumously by their descendants, concealing the truth and weaving legends for their fa? This is uncertain,
But the chance to live on as an Immortal is hope to so people. Therefore, the Corpse Dissolving Immortal, which doesn't require cultivation and promises imdiacy upon success,
has beco the pursuit of rebirth for those in the myriad miscellaneous paths at death's door. That household you visited died from stomach cancer and was nearing death. Attempting Corpse Dissolving was his last shot at a chance,
I wasn't optimistic about his chances, but I didn't expect he truly managed it. He just needs to stay dead and undisturbed for seven weeks, then he can remain in this world as a Corpse Dissolving Immortal."
Ma Glasses sighed: "As the saying goes, a villain's way of life is hypocrisy, and breaking the process of Corpse Dissolving, being sought out, is inevitable."
"Although the Corpse Dissolving Immortal is of lower rank, they are still considered a Ghost Immortal, and are more powerful than an Evil Spirit. It's hiding sowhere in this apartnt complex, and you shouldn't have pretended ignorance then. If you'd left Youma Community in ti, you wouldn't have gotten into trouble with it," Ma Glasses pointed out.
Sun Yan tapped his finger on the table with a serious expression: "So you're saying there's sothing that's not a Ghost Immortal, but stronger than an Evil Spirit hiding in this apartnt? You shouldn't have played dumb back then; if you had warned , we could have taken precautions. That fat guy was not related to , but with his death, wouldn't the harm be inevitable?"
Ma Glasses rolled his eyes: "I already did well to warn you back then. Why should I kindly invite trouble upon myself? That fat guy has nothing to do with , his death makes no difference to ."
Sitting silently, Sun Yan continued to tap his finger on the table.
He had no reason to demand too much from others, to rush unconditionally to help when soone was in trouble. That wasn't his nature.
If this matter wasn't resolved, the entire Youma Community and even the whole Chinatown might beco wastelands.
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