Tales of Curious Folk Customs
In folk tradition, they tell tales of the Scrap Immortal.
Although he is called the Scrap Immortal, this immortal does not grant his grace to scrap collectors alone—rather, he secures the peace of the entire Mortal Realm. This is because he is also the strongest of martial gods. There exists no evil he cannot vanquish; there are no ghosts he cannot slay. He possesses the power to annihilate the world, but he does not lack the heart to cherish the flower.
However, there are rules and taboos when worshipping a god. If you come across a temple that worships this immortal, you must never prostrate casually, for this Scrap Immortal apparently has a special constitution that summons misfortune.
Don’t believe it? First prepare a set of dice, then rub the hand of the immortal’s divine statue. Then, roll the dice and observe the results—your luck will most certainly be the worst there is.
And so, paying regular devotion to the Scrap Immortal’s dusty-white divine statue might only bring more bad luck the more you pray—even reaching the point where water gets stuck between your teeth or you see ghosts while wearing Daoist robes.
In folk tradition, they also tell tales of the Red-Robed Ghost King.
Although the Ghost King is not considered human, he possesses an enormous number of worshippers. There are legions of people who secretly set up shrines to the Ghost King in their own homes to worship him day and night, praying for good fortune. For not only is the Ghost King invincible, it seems that he has never tasted a single defeat. Furthermore, his luck is powerful beyond match.
Don’t believe it? Before rolling a set of dice, prostrate before him. If he is willing to assist, your next roll will definitely be exceptional.
But ghosts aren’t like gods, so naturally there are even more taboos. Although this Ghost King is powerful, his personality is eccentric and extreme. If he’s happy, he will help you even if you don’t pray. If he’s displeased, you can give a thousand gold and he will still turn away. If he’s very displeased, he may just end your life.
So, by the same logic, it’s best to show your respects, but stay far away.
However, if you worship the divine statues of this god and this ghost together, you will witness a miracle.
The Red-Robed Ghost King will dispel all the misfortune enveloping the Scrap Immortal and allow him to reveal his true appearance. You will be shocked to discover that the Scrap Immortal’s color isn’t dusty white—rather, it is shimmering gold.
Legends are usually based in fact. However, this is a tale from a long, long time ago, and perhaps it would need to be told in full to be understood. And as a saga spanning eight hundred years, it would be a very, very long tale to tell. People might not have the patience to listen.
But one thing is certain: in order for them to display their true strength, the two must be worshipped together. In this way, one can receive double the fortune and twice the invincibility.
By the heaven official’s blessing, no paths are bound!
THE END