Rabbit Must Die
Chapter 67 No Way Out_1

Chapter 67: Chapter 67 No Way Out_1

Dog Xiaotian said, "You rabbit, know nothing yet ask so many questions. They are not meddling blindly. Buddhism has its compassion, and on the Middle-Yuan Festival, when the Ghost Gate opens wide and countless ghosts return, stray souls and wandering ghosts also seize the opportunity to emerge. On this day, Buddhism ferries these rootless ghosts and pervasive wandering souls—it is indeed a grand act of merit and virtue."

Qin Shou retorted, "If they do all the work, then what is the Taoist role?"

He Xiangu laughed and said, "The Taoist sect is involved too. When the Ghost Gate opens and releases ghosts, that is the Netherworld’s affair, and the supervision of ghosts roaming the Yang Realm is managed by the Heavenly Court. However, Heaven and Earth are so vast that even the Heavenly Court sometimes can’t oversee everything, so it’s naturally a good thing that Buddhism is willing to help.

Furthermore, on this day, the Taoist sect doesn’t focus on dealing with stray souls and wandering ghosts, but rather on establishing humanity and granting absolution. The Tauist Middle-Yuan Festival is about nurturing people, spreading moral education, and promoting filial piety. It allows ancestors to return from the Netherworld and reunite with their posterity, teaching the children to be wholeheartedly virtuous and to refrain from evil deeds. If one does err, one should promptly remedy it or admit one’s mistake and accept punishment. This, too, constitutes a grand act of merit."

"If the hearts of people in this world turn wicked, then upon death they become malevolent spirits. If the source is not cut off, what use is there in ferrying numerous malevolent ghosts and wronged souls?"

"Therefore, the Heavenly Court and the Taoist sect focus on stopping the problem at its source and educating all beings, curing the disease before it arises."

It was the first time Qin Shou had heard such a theory, and he nodded along, indicating he understood. In truth, Qin Shou had long been aware that Buddhism also observes the Middle-Yuan Festival, renaming it the Ullambana Festival. But the concept that first formed in Qin Shou’s mind was that there was a competition between Buddhism and Taoism over merit and the fortunes of fate...

Looking back now, he realizes how ignorant he truly was...

Following the Nether official’s thanks, the presiding heavenly official waved his hand, and the Yama Kings of Ten Halls stood up, each taking out a token and tossing it into the sky!

The next moment, the scene in the sky switched to the Netherworld, with the Ghost Gate opening, the Road to the Netherworld disappearing, morphing into the Road to Yang, and countless ghosts spilling out from the Ghost Gate, ascending the Road to Yang...

The Road to Yang had nothing to do with the eerie and terrifying setting Qin Shou remembered. It was a path where each ghost walked a different route, a roadway of time that logged everything about the ghost, from birth to death. The spirits had to retrace this journey from birth to death before they could exit the Road to Yang and return to the mortal world.

Then the scene shifted, with countless ghosts pouring into the Yang Realm, each household brightly lit and decorated, burning paper money, offering sacrifices to their ancestors...

One by one, the ancestors sat on their graves, watching their children and grandchildren bowing and kneeling before them, their grins so wide they could barely close their mouths. Some of the more mischievous ones even had their jaws falling off...

In some households, a large group of ancestors gathered in the ancestral hall, munching on fruits offered by their descendants and playing cards.

Others circled around newly born children...

Some stood at the door of their home, scolding their descendants for being unfilial... Consequently drawing misfortune that troubled the household for the whole day, until they had no choice but to go to the ancestral graves to worship and repent sincerely before things improved.

...

At the same time, a great number of monks and Taoists entered various cities, chanting scriptures and performing rituals to liberate some of the evil ghosts that had followed the good ones into the mortal world...

In summary, on this day, the mortal world was bustling and glowing with festivity, moving Qin Shou to almost tear up as he thought of home, his grandfather who would nag him every day, his grandfather who would insist on Qin Shou having meat once a month to strengthen his body even though he himself could not afford to eat meat more than once a year, his grandfather who would call him a fool but would always cover his head with his vest when it rained...

The more he thought about it, the sadder Qin Shou became, and his eyes grew red.

At that moment, Qin Shou suddenly grasped the significance of this Ghost Festival. Why would Immortals above need humans to worship them? You praise them in thousands of ways, and they only seek peace in the Heavenly Dao and stability in their Dao hearts, clarity in their Buddhist hearts. The ones who need worship are those who nurtured you, who passed down their blood, who gave you a past and sent you into the future—your forebears, your parents...

Just then, Dog Xiaotian sighed and said, "The Second Master once said, when the Ghost Festival has no ghosts, filial piety comes first; when the Ghost Festival has ghosts, wickedness prevails. Filial piety is the foundation of all virtues; if Heaven and Earth lack filial piety, then the world will have fully succumbed to the Demon Path."

Qin Shou nodded slightly, expressing his agreement.

At this moment, the nether official appeared, clasping his hands to form a seal, and behind him eight large banners unfurled, whooshing outward in all directions. He now held a holy edict; when the edict was revealed, the eight banners opened simultaneously; a circle of light expanded outward in every direction!

All the ghosts upon the earth, whether good or evil, lay prostrate under this oppressive force, kneeling in the direction of the nether official!

Yet ordinary people felt nothing at all...

The nether official declared loudly, "By order of the naturally wondrous and truly supreme Haotian Jinque Supreme Being, the Jade Emperor, I hereby announce that today a general amnesty is granted to all ghosts, pardon!"

The banners exploded with a bang, disintegrating into countless amnesty tokens that flew out, covering the sky. The ghosts cheered ecstatically...

Many wandering souls, who could not find the road to the Netherworld, grabbed a token and with a cheer turned into a streak of golden light heading downwards to the Netherworld.

Some wicked ghosts, upon receiving a token, immediately revealed their true forms, and in the blink of an eye, monks or Taoists located them. Those who could be guided to salvation were led away, and those who could not were gradually taken for conversion.

Qin Shou marveled at the sight, exclaiming how thrilling it was to watch...

At that time, the immortals rose and each took action, chanting sutras and incantations with voices grand and solemn that shook all directions, as the light of Buddhism and the Tao shone brightly across the land, benefiting all spirits...

After everything had concluded, the icy cover returned to tranquility. The presiding heavenly official stepped down and went to report back to the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West. With a nod from the Jade Emperor, the heavenly official loudly announced, "The grand celebration begins, with singing and dancing, all immortals at ease!"

The scene, which had been solemn and dignified, instantly reverted to one of scratching one’s feet and contests of boasting...

Qin Shou also let out a sigh of relief; the formality of the just-past event was too much, so much so that even a rascal rabbit like him couldn’t get excited.

Now that the atmosphere had become relaxed and comfortable again, he felt much better all over.

Just as he was about to speak, suddenly an immortal cried out, "The fairies are coming out to dance!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Shou quickly stretched out his neck to look up at the icy cover, which had already flown into the air, along with the entire lake beneath it!

On the lake, a fairy stood gracefully, bowing to all the immortals present.

Seeing this, Dog Xiaotian laughed and said, "Rabbit, did you say your master is also preparing for a dance? Is it this one? Oh... wait, that’s not right, that is the Flower Fairy. Are you perhaps the pet of the Flower Fairy?"

Qin Shou rolled his eyes and said, "No..."

Dog Xiaotian replied, "No? Then your master is in trouble."

At this, Qin Shou shuddered and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Lan Caihe, quick to speak, picked up the conversation, "Here in the Heavenly Court, speaking of dances, the Seven Fairies’ dance is certainly the most exquisite, but the Flower Fairy’s dance is the most beautiful. As graceful as flowers, picturesque as paintings, that’s her. Usually, if the Flower Fairy performs first, the other fairies’ performances become dull by comparison. Thus, the Flower Fairy is always the last to appear... Today is strange, indeed. The fairy taking the stage first is not giving others a chance to shine..."

What Qin Shou worried about the most was Chang’e. Upon hearing that there was no chance, his fur stood on end as he asked, "Does failing to outperform others mean one has to die?"