Translator: ChuRen/ YuQiChen
“Isn’t Ksitigarbha supposed to be a monk?” Su Ling asked in confusion, glancing anxiously at the top of Sheng Ze’s head, then at Shi Kongzang’s.
— If you must compare, Kongzang actually looks more like Ksitigarbha than you do, right?
“I’ve left the monastic life,” Sheng Ze said, expression unchanged. “Look at the monks in the human world these days—they’ve started growing their hair too. Even in Buddhism, we must keep up with the times and not be bound by those strict rules about tonsure and vows.”
Shi Kongzang: …
Su Ling: “But I heard Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is especially quick-tempered…”
Sheng Ze interrupted him: “I’ve corrected that.”
“Then what about being petty and liking to settle personal scores?”
“I’ve improved.”
Su Ling felt something was off. After racking his memory, he finally recalled an incident: “I remember a few days after you started, Ksitigarbha suddenly appeared in H City and beat up driver ghosts and passenger ghosts alike.”
Sheng Ze calmly took the blame: “Yeah, I accidentally revealed myself. I was wrong to hit people, I admit it.”
— Things suddenly made sense!
Su Ling had always wondered how Ksitigarbha could suddenly appear and then vanish without reason.
“It’s my fault. I’m hot-tempered and harm innocents recklessly. My actions are simply unforgivable by divine law…” Sheng Ze used self-reflection as an excuse to thoroughly badmouth Ksitigarbha.
Shi Kongzang: …
Given Sheng Ze’s sincere apology, Su Ling had nothing more to say and could only say, “You can’t hit people anymore.”
Sheng Ze nodded approvingly, accepting the reprimand: “No problem.”
“Sheng Ze, Sheng Ze, are you really Ksitigarbha?”
“The saying ‘If the hells are not empty, I shall not attain Buddhahood’—did you really say that?”
“Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, what’s your signature skill? Can we see it?”
Earlier, the students had sensed the subtle atmosphere between Su Ling and Sheng Ze and didn’t dare interrupt their conversation. Seeing a pause, the teenagers finally couldn’t resist and clustered around Sheng Ze, chattering excitedly.
Sheng Ze’s eyes flicked towards Shi Kongzang with a half-smile: “As for my skill, it boils down to two words—universal salvation.”
The students were momentarily stunned.
Shi Kongzang’s mouth twitched.
“Of course, a Buddha must universally save all beings,” Sheng Ze said mysteriously as he closed his eyes. At the right moment, a shimmering, multicoloured halo faintly appeared above his head.
#Entrance like a dazzling heavenly angel with built-in special effects#
#So flashy#
Yet the uninitiated students all opened their mouths wide in awe: “Wow—”
Shi Kongzang took a deep breath, firmly grasped Wu Pan’s hand, and warned, “If I suddenly can’t hold back and rush forward, you must stop me at all costs.”
Wu Pan nodded sympathetically, “I understand.”
—Indeed, the showiness made one want to rush up and teach him a lesson.
But no, it was impossible to win against him—at least in this lifetime, there’s definitely no chance.
Sheng Ze curled one side of his mouth into a sly smile, cast a wicked glance at the crowd of students, and said, “Do you want to see what boundless Buddhist teachings really look like?”
The students replied in unison, “Yes!”
Not only the students, but even Su Ling couldn’t help but slightly widen his eyes, staring intently at Sheng Ze.
Sheng Ze sat cross-legged, palms pressed together, closed his eyes, and calmly chanted a full scroll of the “Rebirth Mantra.”
Shi Kongzang was about to lose his mind completely.
Wu Pan and Meng Xiaoman each grabbed one side, holding down the raging Shi Kongzang tightly.
“Actually, when you think about it, spreading Buddhist teachings is a good thing, right?” Wu Pan soothed with effort.
Shi Kongzang’s erupting energy slightly subsided.
“That’s right. Monk, you’ve never succeeded in doing that, so the Ghost King surely can’t either… Huh? The Ghost King chants better than you? Huh? Those evil spirits are starting to waver? Huh? The evil spirits are crying—maybe the Ghost King really can save them?” Meng Xiaoman exclaimed in surprise.
Shi Kongzang snapped, “If you say ‘huh’ one more time, I swear I’ll fight you.”
A golden mantra formed in concentric circles around Sheng Ze’s true form, spreading outward layer by layer. It continuously dispelled the resentment hovering over the heads of the evil spirits.
Sheng Ze sat in the middle of the evil spirits. At first, those spirits only groaned in pain, lying on the ground, showing no interest in the Ghost King’s chanting.
But gradually, many of the evil spirits in the inner circle began to show changes in their expressions. They recollected the evil deeds they had done before and couldn’t help but shed tears of guilt and remorse.
Even Su Ling and the others seemed to hear the Buddha’s gentle whisper in their ears. They saw a flower in the human world slowly blooming; droplets of dew falling from a blade of grass; the golden armour and warhorses of an era, accompanied by mournful horns…
Though not evil spirits themselves, Su Ling still felt his soul being cleansed with a newfound clarity.
After chanting the entire “Rebirth Mantra”, nearly half of the evil spirits had their resentment completely dispelled and lay on the ground weeping uncontrollably.
The remaining unconverted evil spirits had yet to awaken, but they were dazed and overwhelmed by the sutra, unable even to groan.
Sheng Ze slowly opened his eyes, his face full of compassion: “It is said that when one puts down the butcher’s knife, one becomes a Buddha on the spot. Today, I teach you through the Rebirth Mantra. From now on, you must sincerely repent, do no evil, and after repaying your karmic debts, you may reincarnate.”
“Thank you, Lord,” the awakened evil spirits bowed in submission.
Now even Shi Kongzang’s gaze toward him began to change.
“If the hells are not empty, I shall not attain Buddhahood.”
This was not an empty phrase.
It was Ksitigarbha’s unfulfilled aspiration through the years.
The gravely wicked, even if punished in the underworld and repaying their karmic debts, remain unrepentant, burdened by resentment and sins. Despite all punishments, they cannot enter the cycle of reincarnation.
Over time, the underworld’s resentment soars, the dead find no peace, no rebirth, and everywhere there is only suffering.
When Ksitigarbha was young, he was a compassionate little monk. Witnessing this, he felt pity and vowed, “If the hells are not empty, I shall not attain Buddhahood.”
— However, after so many years of failure to save them, these ungrateful ghosts only grew worse, almost driving him mad!
Eventually, the compassionate little monk lost hope and became an irritable old monk who only knew eating meat, drinking, and teasing his disciples.
The students admired the flashy and explosive Sheng Ze to no end, turning into little fangirls and fanboys, eagerly asking for his autograph.
Even Su Ling, after this thorough salvation, completely abandoned his doubts about Sheng Ze’s identity.
He was moved by Sheng Ze’s broad generosity (and undeniable status as Ksitigarbha), with praise flying effortlessly from his mouth: “Lord, indeed your Buddhist wisdom is profound and your compassion boundless. Truly, the greatest virtuous man of the underworld and the top master of Buddhism. But I wonder if this practice is harmful to your health? Should I go prepare some nourishing chicken soup to help you recover?”
Sheng Ze was about to say something, but when he heard the last sentence, his expression instantly changed. He weakly clasped his chest in a classical gesture of feigned illness and whispered, “Alright.”
Su Ling was too smooth with his words and didn’t catch on immediately. “Huh? Alright with what?”
Sheng Ze leaned weakly on his shoulder, barely audible: “Chicken soup.”
Su Ling: …
Shi Kongzang stood aside, his expression somewhat complicated.
Chang Wu spoke lightly, “As far as I know, the Ghost King shouldn’t have much connection with Buddhism.”
Shi Kongzang twitched the corner of his mouth, “The Ghost King cultivates through killing, so naturally Buddhism has nothing to do with him.”
Chang Wu raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Chang Bai, however, took the opportunity to voice his inner question. “If that’s so, where did he learn this method of salvation?”
Meng Xiaoman smiled faintly, “Learned from watching Kongzang, of course.”
Chang Bai was momentarily stunned, “When did he learn it?”
“Just now,” Meng Xiaoman replied innocently. “Remember, at the Ferris wheel, some students were trapped in a barrier? Kongzang used the ‘Qingxin Mantra’ to awaken them—well, it’s basically the same principle as universal salvation.”
Chang Bai felt it was a bit hard to explain: “Glanced at it, memorised one scroll of the ‘Rebirth Mantra’, and then self-taught himself something even Lord Ksitigarbha couldn’t do.”
Meng Xiaoman sighed deeply and said solemnly, “That’s why some people are truly favoured by the heavens, destined to become gods. Ghosts competing with ghosts—it’s infuriating.”
Wu Pan glanced at Shi Kongzang’s expression and softly comforted him, “A-Kong, don’t feel too down. After all, some ghosts come with built-in golden fingers…”
Shi Kongzang shook his head calmly and said, “Let’s go.”
Meng Xiaoman asked, “Go where?”
Shi Kongzang rolled his eyes and grumbled, “The underworld is heavy with yin energy. Mortals shouldn’t stay long. After such a long tour, of course, we’re sending the students back!”
Meng Xiaoman: “…What about the salvation?”
Shi Kongzang’s face was relaxed with a rare, sincere smile. “It’s a good thing. Now I know it’s not that the ghosts can’t be saved—it’s just that my Buddhist insights weren’t deep enough. So I’ll keep studying. The Buddha said all beings are equal. Confucius said, teach without discrimination. They couldn’t be more right!”
Meng Xiaoman and Wu Pan watched Shi Kongzang humming a little tune and walking away carefree, unable to help but laugh along.
A one-day tour of the underworld was so brief.
After Su Ling sent the students back to the surface, they all left reluctantly. Some, more emotional than others, even tried to cling to Su Ling’s and Sheng Ze’s legs.
Su Ling scowled and vigorously shook off the leg-hanging attachments, but couldn’t get them off.
“Boss Su, are you trying to send us back first, then use the formation to find the mischievous ghosts?” One student looked up at him hopefully.
Su Ling: …This damn kid.
Though that was exactly what he was thinking, did they really have to state it so bluntly?
“Boss Su, take me with you!” the leg pendant pleaded.
Su Ling felt very troubled and refused firmly: “No.”
He only brought them along this time because they accidentally fell into the formation and, not fully understanding the function of the Bagua formation, didn’t dare let the students wander freely. They had to complete the underworld visit and leave through the regular exit.
But now that they were out, there was no reason to put these students at risk again.
“I promise I won’t cause any trouble!”
“No.”
“Please, I’ll just hide to watch.”
“No.”
“Lord Sheng Ze, you’re so merciful. You wouldn’t refuse us, the flowers of the motherland… So can we follow you?” The leg pendant changed its beseeching gaze to Sheng Ze.
Sheng Ze: “…Fine.”
The leg pendant immediately brightened up.
Su Ling glared angrily at Sheng Ze.
Sheng Ze looked back innocently.
Su Ling suddenly remembered Sheng Ze’s identity and silently backed down.
However, Sheng Ze’s heart softened at Su Ling’s glare, and he suddenly looked down and smiled at the “leg pendant”: “Just kidding. I’m an employee and listen to the boss. I’m not taking you.”
Students: ???
Ksitigarbha can’t even keep his word?
Sheng Ze said calmly, “If you’re really angry, I can make you a doll to take home and use to curse Ksitigarbha.”
Leg pendant: …Strangely tempted, what’s going on?
Shi Kongzang: …Ghost King, will you ever stop?
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