Nine Grades to Becoming an Immortal

The demons adhered to the Path of Demons while the humans adhered to the Path of Humanity. 

But the Great Qian Dynasty did not abuse its authority and impose laws that allowed for the rampant harming of demons. The laws of the Great Qian Dynasty did not prohibit the intermingling of humans and demons either. 

Although not all demons were evil, the presence of any kind of demonic aura would still cause the erosion of mortals. 

This was why maintaining long-term contact with demons would bring about physiological and psychological deformation in humans. From what Zhou Yi knew and remembered, this was similar to the effects of nuclear radiation.

And it was not just the aura of demons. The auras of ghosts and devils, or even the auras of any other evil and ferocious beings, were all harmful to humans. Only an immortal master was able to get rid of these areas. 

Zhou Yi once killed a demon who was originally an ordinary human scholar. But he unknowingly fell in love with a thousand-year-old female ghost. 

After living together for a long time, the man changed. He came to dislike the sun, he became a man of few words, and his mind was filled with dark, gloomy thoughts. Finally, he ended up becoming a member of the Skandha Demon Sect.

This was similar to the situation in the prison. The atmosphere in the prison of the Demon Slaying Department was perpetually filled with a thick aura that comprised those of the demons, evil beings, and devils. Even if an executioner managed to survive long in such an environment, his body would involuntarily undergo mutation. 

"At the beginning, what I signed was a deed to sell my body."

Zhou Yi looked up at the ox demon and found it different from the other demons held captive in this prison. It was too calm and peaceful. 

When beasts developed intelligence, they eventually become demons. And the nature of these demons was, nonetheless, more bestial than humane. This was why demons were generally more irritable, easily angered, and cruel. 

With the fear of imminent death, as well as the influence of the evil aura that pervaded the prison, 99 percent of these demons would usually go berserk. 

But the yellow ox demon was not going mad at all. On the contrary, there was a calmness in its gaze and it seemed to be just waiting for death to befall. 

But when it saw Fahai, its eyes widened and appeared to be full of hope. 

"Amitabha! Please accept my humble apologies, Master Ox. The Justice Department sentenced all five members of the Zhao family to death…."

Fahai barely finished speaking when the ox demon cried out loudly and began to struggle to break free of the chains. 

A restricting inscription appeared on the chains, and the chains instantly heated up to become extremely hot like fire, causing the skin of the yellow ox demon to be badly burned. 

The ox was merely a demon from the Class-C prison, so it was much too easy to handle. Within a split moment, it was completely subdued. 

"You baldie. Monks are not supposed to tell lies. You made a promise before Buddha and went back on your word. Doesn't it mean you are cheating Buddha?"

"I know I have sinned. After chanting the sutras to release your soul from suffering and help you transgress, I will return to the temple to reflect and repent."

Fahai found an empty spot where he sat down and began to chant. Then the light of Buddha appeared and expelled all the gloomy evil aura from the prison cell. 

"Master, I am going to do it now."

Zhou Yi had seen his fair share of tragedies. He himself was a tragedy. 

Since this ox demon was sentenced to death, it was most certainly not a kindhearted demon.

With a torture instrument, Zhou Yi skillfully penetrated the ox demon's heart. Then its horns were broken off, its skin was ripped off, and tendons were drawn out.

The ox demon should not have resisted much when it was caught, for its skin was perfectly intact. 

The Catalogue of Demons and Monsters appeared.

Fragments of memory appeared.

Zhou Yi saw Fahai's figure among them.

This time, he was rewarded with an Essence Blood Pill.

The Essence Blood Pill was refined with the essence and blood of the demon clan. It had the effects of strengthening one's body and invigorating one with abundant Qi and blood.

　"… Amitabha!"

Fahai recited the Rebirth Mantra three times in a row and then got to his feet and bowed to the ox demon. Then he turned around, prepared to leave. 

Zhou Yi could not help but ask, "Master, why do you have to repent for the demon? How about telling me about it? Maybe you will feel better."

In fact, Fahai was upset and in need of a listening ear, so he said, "Master Zhou, let me tell you about it, and then you can tell me if I have done wrong."

Fahai recounted the incident of how the ox demon was captured. And now, even though Zhou Yi knew what actually happened, he still could not help but sigh as he listened to Fahai talk about it.

The story was basically what happened to this ox demon and the family that had cared for it. For three generations, this family had showered the ox with so much care that even when there was a drought that left them with nothing to reap during the harvesting period, the family would still rather starve to death than kill the ox. 

To repay their kindness, the ox demon secretly captured refugees and threw them into a big cauldron at the farmers' place. 

Fahai, who was working in the Demon Slaying Department, detected residual remnants of demonic aura. Following these traces, he found his way to the family of farmers, the Zhao family. 

To protect the farmers, the ox demon allowed itself to be captured without putting up a fight. 

Fahai promised the ox demon that he would plead for mercy for the farmers' families. However, the Justice Department decided to sentence all of them to death as a form of deterrence for the other refugees.

"Master, I don't think you have done anything wrong. The ox demon should be sentenced to death because, in the first place, stealing and killing were crimes punishable by death."

Zhou Yi said, "The farmers obviously knew that human flesh was in the pot. But they did not report the matter to the authorities. Instead, they decided to use it to ensure their own survival. Chaotic and troubled times do call for the need for heavy punishment and a strong penalty. Imposing the death penalty may be a little severe, but it is not entirely uncalled for either."

"What Master Zhou said is the same as what the officials from the Justice Department said. If not, it would have been very easy for me to protect the farmers."

Fahai sighed and said, "The farmers are not bad people, and the ox demon just wanted to repay them for being kind. And in the end, all the farmers died. No matter how I think about it, I still feel that this is all my fault."

"As a monk, I subdue and slay demons and monsters to protect the human race, but now, I have caused the death of an entire family."

Then, Fahai sat down again, cross-legged, and began to chant a Buddhist scripture.

"Master, you have done nothing wrong. Your fault, though, is not with slaying demons and destroying monsters."

Zhou Yi remembered a saying that he had come across in his previous life and found that it was an apt description of Fahai's current situation, and he said, "You are killing a life for the sake of protecting life, so you are cutting off one's bad karma and not ending the life of a person!"

"Master, by killing one ox demon, you have protected many more people. The farmers have sinned with their act of cannibalism. They have gone way beyond the point of salvation. Death would be the best way to wash away all their sins."

"Killing life to protect life, cutting off bad karma is not ending a life!"

Fahai began mumbling to himself. His entire body was glowing with the light of Buddha, alternating between bright and dim. 

And after a while, the light of Buddha around him became so bright that it swept away all the gloominess in prison. 

Fahai got up and bowed to Zhou Yi and then said, "What you said embodies the ultimate maxim of Buddhism. It has helped me overcome my inner demon. I am eternally grateful to you."

Zhou Yi said, "You flatter me too much. It's just that I have seen so much sorrow and suffering before. I am just speaking from past experiences."

"Zen Master Farming once told me that for one to attain Bodhi, he must first be able to go through hell."

Fahai praised Zhou Yi, saying, "Master, as an executioner, you have such deep wisdom. Why don't you convert to Buddhism?"

"Thank you for your kind offer, Master. I think I'd still prefer to stay and work in the torture rooms. I can distinguish between the people and demons here. Unlike in the outside world, it is much more difficult to tell between man and ghost."

Zhou Yi shook his head to refuse. If there was no such thing as the Catalogue of Demons and Monsters, he might probably consider joining the Buddhist Sect. After all, taking up a vegetarian diet and abstinence from sexual desires were definitely better than dying.

Now, the true land of treasure was the Demon Slaying Department. Without killing at least a few thousand demons, monsters, and devils, Zhou Yi would never take a step out of the Demon Slaying Department. 

"Just a random word from you is already so deep. Master, if you change your mind and decide to join the Buddhism Sect, just hit this wooden fish to contact me." 

Fahai took out a purplish-red wooden fish and said, "The torture room is an important place in the Great Qian, but it is not a place of kindness either. I have cast the power of Buddhadharma on this wooden fish, so it ensures your safety at all times."

"Thank you, Master."

Zhou Yi received the wooden fish and kept it close to him. Then he asked, "I am very interested in immortal masters. Can you tell me about them?"

"Of course, there is nothing secretive about it at all."

Fahai waved, and two futons appeared on the floor. Then he said, "Please take a seat, Master. The term Immortal Master is actually a general term for people involved in cultivation. It can be further divided into finer categories including Taoism, Buddhism, Gods, Monsters, Demons, and the six heretical branches." 

Zhou Yu nodded slightly. It was similar to what he had figured out himself. Indeed, Taoism and Buddhism were two teaching systems powerful enough to prevail in any and every world.

Demons and monsters were in contrast with Taoism and Buddhism, with the former as the disadvantageous pair. But the fact that they qualified to be pitted against the pair of Taoism and Buddhism evidently showed that they were relatively strong. 

Zhou Yi asked, "Master, does the term 'Gods' refer to the Earth God, Town God, Mountain God, and River God?"

Fahai nodded and said, "These are the most commonly seen gods who practiced the Way of God and have become formally recognized, gods. The Way of God refers to all monks who establish their cultivation with the power of incense and prayers. They are not necessarily formally recognized gods." 

Zhou Yi went on asking, "What heretical branches are there?"

"There is a multitude of heretics, but the most notorious ones are those that adhered to the Way of Martial Art, the Way of Evil Magic, and the Zombie path."

Fahai explained, "The division of these heretics originated from the founding emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty. He divided all cultivating monks into nine grades. Grade nine is ranked as the lowest and Grade one is the top of the ranks. Among all cultivators, those who are unable to break through to reach Grade one will be deemed as a heretic."

"All cultivators are divided into nine grades? Then what is above the Grade one?"

Zhou Yi was shooting questions with great curiosity. All day and night, he diligently recited the Huang-ting Scripture. But he did not know exactly which realm he was at even though the magic power within his body was constantly increasing. 

"Originally, cultivating monks are not divided into grades. However, as every school of cultivation is different, their strength in the same realm is also different. The founding Emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty then decided to divide and assign all cultivators accordingly into three stages of cultivation—one involves cultivation to refine vitality, one involves cultivation to refine aura, and the last involves cultivation to refine spirituality."

"And then, he further divided each stage into three grades, the first, middle, and last. The earliest stage of cultivation starts with refining one's body, and the peak of cultivation ends at the cultivation of one's spirit. The entire leveling system comprises exactly nine stages."

"As for the realm above Grade one, that is something even I am not too sure of. That will be someone who is an extremely top-notched master. The Taoist land deity, the Buddhist living Arhat, the Emperor with the Way of God."

Fahai told Zhou Yi all that he knew without making haste so that Zhou Yi had enough time to digest all the information. And throughout the entire time, he did not show the slightest hint of impatience.

His sympathy for the ox spirit and the family of farmers caused him so much guilt and distress that he had to fight the inner demon in his heart. From this alone, Zhou Yi knew that Fahai was a monk of high morals and ethics. 

In general, when monks chant scriptures to rid the world of demons, they would not be caught in a dilemma of what was right or wrong. Even if they made a wrong judgment, they would not feel guilt, much less to find an inner demon biting away at their conscience.

When Fahai was done with his explanation, Zhou Yi could more or less guess which realm he was in. The Huang-ting Scripture was really mysterious and profound. It directly skipped the stage of refinement of the body. The first stage of the scripture was already focused on the stage of cultivating one's aura. 

Though he was at an extremely high realm, Zhou Yi did not have a formally refined form, nor was he trained in magic skills. He was bound to lose if he was fighting a demon capable of using magic. 

So the conclusion was just as he had thought, that it was still safer for him to remain in the Demon Slaying Department.

Zhou Yi cupped one hand in the other and courteously said, "Thank you for your guidance, Master."

"There is no need to stand on ceremony. If you happen to change your mind in the future, do know that the doors of Buddha will always be open for you."

Then Fahai reminded Zhou Yi again, "Master, you must carry this wooden fish with you at all times. This will keep you safe."

"Got it. Don't worry, Master."

When Zhou Yi received the wooden fish, he could already feel it expelling the evil air in his surroundings and keeping evil away from him. If worn by an ordinary human, the wooden fish was able to expel a large portion of evil air, thus protecting the person from corrosion.