Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, but Thunderbolt Taoist Sect

In the past, Dou Xu would not have believed in such mysterious things as intuition, but now it's different. He has met the Bee Kingdom and the Lotus Princess, he has met ghosts who dared to sue the King of Hell, and he has even met Taoist priests from other worlds with outstanding appearances that defy the heavens.

And now, Dou Xu is standing in a palace in the underworld as a soul, having just gone through an exam to select the City God. Now, in his eyes, he believes in metaphysics as much as he can, including ambiguous intuition.

Moreover, the only people in Dou Xu's mind who could match the complex clothing styles of the two were Juan Shoutian and Yuan Wuxiang. Oh right, their hair colors must also be quite special. Juan Shoutian and Yuan Wuxiang had gold and white hair, respectively. The two people sitting with the officials also had white hair, and the other one had... light purple hair.

Juan Shoutian's hair wasn't simply golden; it was a mixture of gold and white. From a distance, his clothes made his hair appear golden as well. Only when he walked away did the intricate details become apparent.

Dou Xu felt that the person, who was adorned with a dazzling array of decorations, also had a somewhat mixed hair color. Due to the distance between them, he couldn't see the other person's face clearly, and a round fan inlaid with numerous jewels further obscured the view, making it even more difficult to see their head.

From his perspective, this person's hair color was very light, appearing white under strong light, but not completely white. Compared to the person next to him with truly white hair, this person's hair had a purplish sheen, presenting a strange silvery-purple hue.

Anyway, Dou Xu had only seen this strange hair color twice before, which didn't seem like something a person could grow on their own. Once was on those two Taoist priests who claimed to be "innate people", and the other time was today when he came to take the City God's exam, where two of them were sitting on the throne.

This includes their complex clothing with layers of indistinct structure, and expensive accessories that ordinary people would never wear in their daily lives.

After this comparison, Dou Xu deduced that the two above should also have "innate" identities. He really wanted to go and ask them, but the people above were still assigning positions to the successful candidates, and Guan Yu was still sitting in the very center, so he didn't have the guts.

Although he was in a strange soul state, he was certain that he was still walking on solid ground. Looking up at the dozen or so important figures above, the place where they were sitting seemed to be suspended in mid-air from below. Even if Dou Xu had the courage to go over and ask, he wouldn't be able to find the way up.

Because Song Tao repeatedly pleaded, an official with a long beard brought over the case file and discovered that Song Tao's mother had nine years left to live. The position of City God in Henan was also quite important, so everyone hesitated for a moment.

Finally, Guan Yu, the deity sitting in the center, spoke, allowing the scholar surnamed Zhang, who was sitting at the same table as Song Tao, to serve as acting governor for nine years until Song Tao had finished showing filial piety to his mother before taking office.

The scholar surnamed Zhang was also one of the selected candidates, but he was given a position that was not as good as Song Tao's. With this arrangement, he can first gain experience in Song Tao's position.

For some reason, Liu Qingyuan felt that before making these arrangements, Guan Di Shen seemed to have glanced at him and Shu Lou Long Su.

They both favored the scholar surnamed Zhang more, because compared to Song Tao's idealism, this scholar's theories were more suitable for practical application, or rather, more suitable for human judgment.

However, this development should have nothing to do with them. Liu Qingyuan checked and found that after Song Tao passed the exam, he took a nine-year leave to care for his mother out of filial piety, and let a scholar surnamed Zhang act as his substitute. This was the original plot. However, due to Xi Fangping's influence, the original plot of only needing to select one City God in Henan became that the positions of City Gods in various places were vacant, and selecting one City God became selecting a batch at the same time.

"There's a friend downstairs who's been waiting for a long time, why don't we go check on him?"

The various positions have been assigned here. Liu Qingyuan pulled Shu Loulongsu down the stairs. He felt that if he didn't take the initiative to pull him, the other party could sit here until everyone else had left.

As the only candidate in the main hall who was not selected but still remained there, Dou Xu's presence was undeniably conspicuous. Moreover, his gaze was different from that of the other candidates, who either looked at Guan Yu in the center and the several underworld officials beside him, or at the few who had achieved outstanding results.

Dou Xu was different; his gaze remained fixed on Liu Qingyuan and Shu Loulongsu. It should be noted that the two of them were not important officials of the underworld; they were only invited to observe and were sitting on the sidelines, so theoretically they were not conspicuous.

Thinking of this, Liu Qingyuan couldn't help but look back at Shulou Longsu. The underworld didn't need real candlelight for illumination; there were spontaneously generated light sources, and the officials next to him even had their own light.

Shu Loulong's outfit was quite ingenious, mainly due to the dazzling array of crystals, gemstones, and glass adorning his body. These already sparkling decorations reflected and refracted the light from all around, creating a layer of strange brilliance.

Now, Shu Loulongsu was surrounded by a layer of radiant light. When Liu Qingyuan pulled him up, in addition to the sound of jade stones clashing together as they moved, the decorations on his body were also radiant with light.

To put it simply, it might not be a vivid picture. So, let me use a cross-dimensional description: what does the light effect on Shu Loulong Su look like now? Think back to the 86 TV series Journey to the West, what was the scene like when the brocade cassock was unfolded? It's roughly the same effect.

Such a magnificent building and dragon pavilion cannot be described as "inconspicuous"; rather, it is too conspicuous. Before, when the two were sitting close together, they could not see it, but now that they stood up, Liu Qingyuan felt as if she was blinded by the light effect.

It's not incomprehensible that Dou Xu kept looking this way; he was too flashy, so flashy that he didn't fit into the underworld... But at least, given Jianzi Xianji's image, you wouldn't notice him dressed as a Taoist unless you specifically looked this way.

"What's wrong with you again?"

Seeing that the person next to him had pulled him up but then froze again, Shu Loulongsu used his treasured fan to poke the other person's head, bringing the dazed person back to their senses.

"Suddenly I realize that you, my friend, are truly unparalleled in your splendor."

It was clearly in the underworld, but it flashed like it was in the heavenly palace.

"This is already a consensus."

"Alright, let's go down and see that friend."

Coming to their senses, the two walked straight towards Dou Xu, who not only kept staring at them but also seemed hesitant, as if he wanted to strike up a conversation but couldn't find an opportunity.

There is indeed a time difference between the underworld and the mortal world. Living people's perception of the flow of time is also reduced when they are in a soul state. Dou Xu cannot stay like this forever, otherwise he will not even know if something happens to his body in the mortal world.

"The third day... even the exams in the underworld take this long?"

Xiao Cui counted on her fingers. Three days had passed since Liu Qingyuan dragged his friend, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, to the underworld to watch the City God's examination. She knew that the imperial examinations in the mortal world were not only time-consuming and laborious, but sometimes also required a lot of manpower. However, the one in the underworld should be much faster.

Although there are set times in the underworld, there is no rule of once every three years. Ghosts in the underworld live much longer than living people. Ghost immortals can live for thousands of years without any problem. Therefore, officials are not selected as frequently as the imperial court in the mortal world. Only a few people are selected, and it does not take much time.

Moreover, many living scholars are taking the exam this time. The exam method involves bringing one's soul to the underworld to participate. This is a matter of the soul leaving the body. You can't let a person's soul leave their body for three days, right?

"If you don't come back soon, I'm going to kidnap you."

The owner tossed the Bagua plate up and caught it again. Compared to the upright Zhao Shimingdeng sitting next to him, this man, with his legs crossed, tossed the Bagua plate around, exuding a somewhat cynical and irreverent air in both his behavior and demeanor.

No sooner had the first person left than this one arrived. With his slightly exaggerated stand-up collar and dark, gold-trimmed robe adorned with several distinct Tai Chi symbols, this person was clearly a Taoist.

But what makes this person special is that, on top of the Taoist-style robe, he is also wearing an equally conspicuous Buddhist crown. Although the style is somewhat different from a proper Buddhist crown, Xiao Cui can tell it is a Buddhist crown no matter how she looks at it. She wouldn't mistake something like this.

This man, who at first glance appears to be a Buddhist practitioner with hair still intact, is actually a true Taoist. This strange man, known as "Daozu," appears and takes away the World-Illuminating Lamp, saying that someone needs his healing.

Normally, it wouldn't be a big deal for someone to leave. Although there are already many innate people, very few actually stay in the Open Realm for long. Everyone either goes out to play separately or logs off after playing. For example, Jian Feidao has been gone for a long time, and we don't know what he's doing.

But that won't work now. Liu Qingyuan, who was supposed to always be there, has gone to the underworld. Currently, there is only one Zhaoshi Mingdeng in the Huoran Realm. Zhaoshi Mingdeng doesn't think much of it, but Xiao Cui disagrees.

Before leaving, Immortal Sword Master told her and Daoist Cilang to look after the house. Now, a stranger suddenly appears and wants to take everyone away without saying a word. How could Xiao Cui agree to that? Of course she wouldn't!

Thinking it was indeed inappropriate to leave Xiao Cui alone, Zhao Shimingdeng told He Baiding, who had come looking for someone, to wait until he returned and explain the situation before leaving.

"It's really strange, why would Daozu think of seeking my treatment?"

Although they are all Taoists, the one who is more familiar with Zhaoshimingdeng is the Three Primordial Beings. Someone from the Three-Legged Heaven was injured, and it seems that they cannot find him by searching through the network of relationships.

"Doctors elsewhere are all busy, but you're on vacation."

It seems it has been screened once.

"Who's injured?"

"Who else could it be?"

Upon hearing this, the Taoist named He Baiding sneered.

"Of course it's some bald monk who doesn't take his body seriously. If he doesn't get treatment soon, I think he'll turn into a dead donkey sooner or later."

Although the tone was complaining, there was no annoyance in the expression, so it was just a simple complaint about someone not taking care of their body.

"If we get involved, the Buddhist community should..."

"How many Buddhist monks are easy to cure? If they could be managed, I wouldn't need to run errands for them."

"……Right."

And so, He Baiding stayed behind for the time being. Once the main person in charge returned, he would report it and take the Zhaoshiming Lamp with him. However, he did not expect that the examination of the City God in the underworld would take so long, and he was gone for three days.

Three days was enough time for Xiao Cui to get to know this somewhat incongruously dressed foot dancer. She roughly figured out that the "bald monk" the other person mentioned was a Buddhist friend of this person, and that this term was just a common name without any derogatory meaning. Otherwise, she wouldn't have come to find a doctor for that "bald monk".

During this time, Zhao Shimingdeng also "kindly" added that although He Baiding's "bald monk" friend was a monk, he had hair, and it was very long.

Xiao Cui, who has seen people who practice Buddhism while still keeping their hair, but knows that the art style could not possibly be so ordinary: Thank you for the additional information, but I can't imagine it.

He Baiding has a Buddhist crown on his head. He and two other friends belong to the three religions of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism respectively. They are engaged in special cultivation for certain reasons. The three of them exchanged decorations and did not remove them after the cultivation ended. They left them as a testament to their friendship.

"So what is this little fox? Is it a pet you two are raising together?"

Having had his fill of playing with the Bagua Mirror, He Baiding picked up his wine gourd and took a swig. He looked at Xiao Cui, who was huddled in the corner talking to herself. She was clearly a native, but she had been staying in the Realm of Openness for the past three days.

"No, Xiao Cui is a friend."

"Monster clan?"

"Fox spirit".

"Fox spirit... the differences between the two sides seem quite significant."

He Baiding's personality was different from the previous Daoists. He spoke very directly, and with his sharp eyebrows and slightly dark skin, he didn't look like someone to mess with. So Xiao Cui observed him and hid for the past three days.

Most of the time, it hides behind the Shining World Lantern in its fox form, a behavior that does indeed resemble that of a shy pet fox.

"I thought you all followed the trend and started keeping pets."

“I do want to try, but the dark path is not suitable for keeping pets.”

"Indeed, it's too dark. Without lights, it's easy to crash."

After saying that, He Baiding suddenly stood up and strode out, his figure swift as the wind. He passed by Xiao Cui, who was still muttering to herself, startling her.

Where are you going, Daozu?

"I'm so bored, let's go see if there's any good wine."

He Baiding didn't turn his head, but just shook the wine gourd in his hand, signaled, and then put it back on his waist. His figure quickly disappeared into the woods.

Yes, it's been so long, and we still haven't found a path that leads to this open space. Once we go out, there are only bushes and trees, and it's easy to get lost if you don't have some skills.

But He Baiding was no ordinary person. Zhao Shimingdeng wasn't worried that he would encounter a ghost wall in the mountains. He simply gave him a few words of advice, telling him to be careful with the currency when buying wine.

Whether they go to the city or not, Liu Qingyuan and Shu Loulongsu used the Ten Kings Palace in the city as a passage to the underworld, with Judge Lu leading the way.

If he goes to the city, he might be able to see the person sooner.

"This Taoist priest is quite different."

With He Baiding gone, Xiao Cui finally dared to complain. Having grown accustomed to the ethereal and otherworldly types, she felt a little uncomfortable interacting with someone so straightforward and frank.

Moreover, this guy is not only direct in his speech, but also a bit sarcastic. He has two friends, one a Buddhist, one a Taoist, and one a Confucian. The Buddhist calls him a "bald donkey," and the Confucian calls him a "cat-haired Confucian." If you didn't know better, you would really think they were enemies.

He Baiding: Mao Maoru still calls me Bendao, so we're even.

"Is it alright to go into the city like this?"

Although the people in the city had seen many similar figures, He Baiding was even more unique, dressed in a mix of Buddhist and Taoist attire. Even without his unusual hair color, the Buddhist crown on his head was eye-catching enough.

"should?"

Zhao Shiming tilted his head. He thought that He Baiding should be fine. The Buddha crown was indeed eye-catching, but He Baiding's personality was what it was. As long as others didn't provoke him, he would pretend not to see it.

Fortunately, Ling Ziling had already beaten up most of the bolder thugs in the city, and He Baiding himself had a strong aura, so he wouldn't run into any trouble just because he was going out to buy wine.

"Among those born with distinct personalities and unique characteristics, you may meet them again in the future."