Chapter 118: Guardian of the Daoist Sect

As the cloud of light appeared, the crowd became even more devout. Yet, despite the manifestation of the light, there was no divine light of guidance. In the traditions of the Buddha, guidance is a legal authority; only with such recognition is a deity legitimate. In this realm, however, even the immortals were wild and untamed, let alone the offices of the Buddhist faith.

Without guidance, this act was unlawful, a practice of wicked gods and illicit shrines. The laws of heaven and earth began to stir in response. Thunderclouds pressed in from the east, and rain clouds gathered from the north. A deafening roar of thunder startled those who were unprepared. After the rumble, the thunder did not retreat into a rage; rather, it grew muffled and heavy, as if it were accumulating, waiting for something.

"This disciple has received the Buddha’s grace and wishes to take on a divine office to protect these lands," the tree spirit knelt on the ground, petitioning the heavens.

*Crack.*

The silent clouds spat out a dazzling, violent flare of fire, and a thunderclap echoed long through the mountains.

"This disciple has received the Buddha’s grace and wishes to take on a divine office to protect these lands," the tree spirit pleaded once more.

Without the suppression of the Western Heavens, there was only the cold response of the laws of nature. In an instant, lightning lashed out chaotically, striking here and there, terrifying to behold, while the thunder rumbled like a series of explosions.

"This disciple has received the Buddha’s grace and wishes to take on a divine office to protect these lands."

*Boom!*

A thunderbolt struck the very earth where the great tree stood, shaking the ground with its immense power. Delicate flowers trembled, and fragile petals fell limply to the ground, sighing in defeat.

"Why?" The tree spirit felt despair. He thought he had understood, but the heavens’ response had dealt him a crushing blow.

Shen Shi watched, his eyes wide, contemplating and comprehending. Suddenly, he spoke: "Let me lend you a hand."

"What?" The tree spirit was stunned.

Shen Shi ignored him, instead tracing a sigil in the void. It was not merely a sigil, but a flow of energy, a bridge between heaven and earth. It was difficult—even for Shen Shi’s eyes, it was a task of immense challenge.

Heaven is above, and earth is below. The laws of nature are a vessel where the inside and outside are one. They are not three-dimensional manifestations, but four-dimensional, or perhaps even higher. They begin with "nothingness," extend, probe into the "interior" of the world, and connect back to "nothingness." This means the laws themselves have no "edge," no surface. Their surface never ends; if you reach out a hand, you simply pass through, never touching a surface or an interior.

Shen Shi realized his level of cultivation was insufficient, so he bellowed, "By the decree of the Taiqing Void Sigil!"

He poured all his essence, energy, and spirit into the act. The "Taiqing Void" was not truly "empty"; on the contrary, it was the ultimate essence of non-arising—that which is self-existent and eternal.

Creating existence from nothingness is easy to say and easy to grasp in theory, but to actually perform it is a task that could kill a man. Shen Shi had no choice but to start with the "void sigil" and the "void place," directly imprinting them into the laws. The laws have edges, yet they are void. Only then did he barely satisfy the condition of creating existence from nothingness.

Yet, from that single act, Shen Shi was left completely immobilized.

It was rigid—infinitely rigid! The interior of the law was nothing like what he had imagined; it did not let him pass through. At the moment his brush touched it, it felt like steel, refusing to let him descend. The world decayed, and the laws were difficult to move, seemingly resisting the descent of the divine office.

The tree spirit realized what was happening and immediately kowtowed: "This disciple wishes to become a guardian of the Taoist gate, to protect these lands."

With every kowtow, golden light shed from him. As this golden light fell like ink onto Shen Shi’s pointing finger, the steel seemed to loosen, revealing a gap. Seizing this opening, Shen Shi hurriedly finished the work: "By the decree of the Taiqing Void Sigil, the officials exhaust their strength, the gods bestow their spirit; each fulfills their duty, that they may not fail the people..."

"This disciple is willing," the tree spirit kowtowed again.

As Shen Shi finished his work, an object suddenly appeared in his hand. It looked like an official seal, neither stone nor jade, with the characters "City God" inscribed upon it. The moment he touched the seal, he fell out of the laws, which returned to their state of being without edges or surfaces.

Having poured all his energy into the ritual, Shen Shi had no time to ask questions. Now, holding the City God’s seal, he had to be clear. "Are you truly willing to be a guardian of the Taoist gate?"

Yes, this was crucial.

"This disciple is willing to accept the City God’s position and guard the boundary of yin and yang," the tree spirit replied without hesitation.

"Very well. Accept the position of the City God... Whenever there are prayers for the public or private good, I shall heed the hearts of the soldiers, and in turn, offer my prayers, hoping to receive the divine protection of the underworld..."

It was strange. How had he turned the great boss of a ghost story into a guardian of the Taoist gate? Honestly, it was bizarre. Compared to that, the fact that his divine office and authority were visible to his eyes and could be spoken aloud mattered little.

"Receive the divine seal."

Everything that could be said had been said, and what needed to be done had been done. Shen Shi tossed the City God’s seal forward. The tree spirit’s primordial spirit immediately emerged.

"This disciple, Xiao Qing, accepts the Supreme Sigil."

Only as the spirit emerged did Shen Shi see the tree spirit’s true form for the first time. He... no, she was not dressed in black robes. She wore a tunic of scallion-green brocade, its color so vibrant that under the radiance of the divine light, even the most brilliant silk seemed dull.

As the sigil descended upon her forehead and merged into her consciousness, her appearance began to change. Her waterfall of long hair, an elegant dress, a perfect oval face, and clever almond-shaped eyes—her steady and dignified aura was such that even the most mischievous soul would tread carefully in her presence. The green willow branches transformed into flowing hair...

The divine body was reshaped.

As the seal merged, her primordial spirit took on a human form, and not the one from the films of the future. Three spots of crimson appeared on her brow, each representing her divine authority.

"Xiao Qing thanks the young master." Having received the sigil and understood her divine authority, the tree spirit bowed gracefully, her voice as sweet as a warbling oriole.

"Your name is Xiao Qing?"

"Yes! A monk saved me long ago and bestowed the name Xiao Qing upon me. Does the young master not like it?"

"No, no, I just didn't know your name was Xiao Qing." Shen Shi had only known her as the Tree Grandmother, and clearly, "Grandmother" could not be a name.

"When you reshaped your divine body, why did you choose the form of a woman?" That question was far more important than the name. It was practically a rebellion against the title of "Grandmother."

"What do you think? Is it not beautiful?" She smiled and spun around, her movements graceful.

"But weren't you a man?" It was beautiful, yes, but it was strange.

"Giggle, what are you saying, young master? Xiao Qing is a tree; how can there be a distinction between man and woman? The male voice before was just a habit from living in the monk’s temple. Now that I have entered the Taoist gate, I naturally had to change my appearance," she said.

"Fine! As long as you like it." Since she didn't care, Shen Shi would not force her. In the future, men could become women, so why not someone who could be either?

"Thank you, young master," she bowed again.

"By the way, what is your divine office?"

Shen Shi glanced at it. Well, he decided he needed more time to adjust.

"In reply to the young master, Qing'er can guard the wandering souls, regulate the waterways, and uphold justice while warding off evil."