*Chapter 15: The Mysterious Gate of Heaven and Earth*

The Mysterious Gate of Heaven and Earth?

"Didn't expect the Lord God to be so retro."

After hearing Kouga slowly reveal the answer, Tang Tian, who was also from the Central State, was stunned for a moment and exclaimed, "Not only does it avoid favoring Western sci-fi worldviews, but it also involves our classical Xianxia worldview."

"Sigh, I used to be so bored at the construction site. I spent a lot of time watching those old Hong Kong movies to pass the time..."

"Damn! The Fuso Ghost King!!! This thing is definitely hard to kill. What do we do? Bro, save me!"

Muttering to himself, Tang Tian was truly a chatterbox.

However, he wasn’t wrong.

Kouga had also seen The Mysterious Gate of Heaven and Earth, and the ultimate boss, the Fuso Ghost King, was indeed tough to deal with.

The storyline was quite clear—

It opens during the reign of Emperor Xiaozong of the Ming Dynasty.

Shi Shi (played by Joey Wong) is dressing up in front of a bronze mirror, looking melancholic. On the other side, villagers are worshipping a giant paper figure, and the atmosphere is eerie.

It turns out that Shi Shi, who has lost both her parents, is to marry the Fuso Ghost King in a ghost wedding. Once she finishes dressing, she rides a horse and leads the group toward the forest where the Ghost King resides.

Soon, the ghost appears.

The entire wedding entourage is killed.

The Fuso Ghost King, having completed the slaughter, takes a liking to Shi Shi and sinisterly calls her his beloved consort. However, seizing the moment while he is gloating, Shi Shi pulls out a small knife to try to kill him.

But how could a mortal possibly harm the Ghost King? Naturally, she fails.

Shi Shi is transformed into a ghost consort!

At that moment, Hermit Caolu (played by Lam Ching-Ying) and his apprentice, Little Turtle, happen to pass by and come to exorcise the ghost.

Unfortunately, the Fuso Ghost King is incredibly powerful and doesn’t want to engage in a prolonged battle. He escapes with Shi Shi.

After a brief and hasty fight, Hermit Caolu, who was unprepared, realizes he can’t defeat the Ghost King head-on. He needs help, preferably by harnessing the imperial power of the dynasty to suppress the evil spirit!

Elsewhere, Ma Shangfeng, a military officer played by Sai Gwa-Pau, has been suddenly promoted three ranks by imperial decree and now holds a first-rank position.

Before he can even celebrate, an imperial eunuch arrives, commanding him to eliminate the Fuso Ghost within seven days to protect the people.

Depressed, Ma Shangfeng drowns his sorrows in alcohol.

At this point, his advisor informs him that there’s a true immortal residing nearby, whose powers are unfathomable.

Thus, the two set out to visit the immortal, only to find a dilapidated hut barely large enough for a dog to stay in. But when they push open the door, they discover a vast and expansive world inside, complete with pavilions and towers!

During the visit, Ma Shangfeng, in his usual clumsy manner, sees Hermit Caolu use a finger of mystical light to split a teacup in two without spilling a drop and assumes it’s a trick. Just as he is about to cause trouble, he is shrunk into a tiny figure, fully convinced of the immortal's powers.

However, upon learning that he must sacrifice his life to deal with the Ghost King, Ma Shangfeng becomes terrified and decides to abandon his position and flee. Before leaving, he steals Hermit Caolu’s divine water and goes to a brothel to indulge one last time.

Unfortunately, the potion is too strong, and he falls into a death-like coma.

But everything was within Hermit Caolu’s calculations.

Through a well-meaning deception, Hermit Caolu convinces Ma Shangfeng that he has died and willingly assumes the role of the Golden Armored Protector, joining the Silver Armored Protector, Little Turtle, to fight the Fuso Ghost King.

The great battle begins again, and Shi Shi, now a ghost consort under control, is the first to die. Enraged, the Ghost King’s clash with the forces of good triggers a cosmic event, and a portal through time and space opens, transporting everyone to Hong Kong in the 1980s...

Hermit Caolu, severely injured, falls onto a film set, causing a series of disturbances before being sent to a mental hospital by the actors, where he meets the reincarnated Shi Shi—now the hospital director.

Ma Shangfeng and Little Turtle, the two disciples and protectors, are transported to a church.

So too is the Fuso Ghost King.

However, in his weakened state, he is immediately sealed by the power of the Holy Cross.

After a series of twists and turns, the battle between good and evil that has lasted for hundreds of years resumes, with the Ghost King gaining the upper hand.

At the crucial moment, Director Wang regains memories of her past life and stabs the Fuso Ghost King.

This time, the Ghost King cannot resist and is defeated!

The three master and disciples complete their mission, the Mysterious Gate of Heaven and Earth opens, and they are transported back to ancient times.

The final scene: the police arrive too late, and the reincarnations of the three disciples are revealed to all be police officers.

—Joey Wong is indeed beautiful, especially in those close-ups, but she really reminds me of Nie Xiaoqian.

—Sai Gwa-Pau’s acting is spot on, clumsy and very funny.

—Lam Ching-Ying is perfect for the role of a Daoist master.

The above is Kouga’s recollection of the entire plot, along with his personal review.

"That’s pretty much the situation."

"Strictly speaking, it’s more of a comedy movie."

At the Lord God’s Square.

Around a circular table, Kouga had already exchanged for a projector and was showing the uncut, commentary-free version of the film to his team from the Desert Division, hoping to give them some understanding of the Eastern background.

"But the problem is, if the Fuso Ghost King actually appears and we have to deal with him, it won't be comedic at all—it’ll be a nightmare level of difficulty!"

As someone from the Central State, Tang Tian, with his natural cultural advantage, couldn’t help but sigh deeply, "That’s a Ghost King. Even the imperial court couldn’t handle him. You have to understand... in this kind of setting, the emperor's word is law."

Saying this, he glanced at the three foreigners beside him.

Odbiao, Emile, and Haida, while serious, were not as despondent as Tang Tian—who seemed on the verge of losing his nerve before even entering the mission.

"Captain, what’s 'Qi Luck'?" asked the Arab woman with light blue eyes as she raised her hand.

"In traditional Chinese culture, Qi Luck is a complex and profound concept. It involves the rise and fall of individuals, families, nations, and even the universe. It can be understood as an invisible force that influences the development of everything."

While organizing his thoughts, Kouga answered Haida’s question, "Simply put, the more prosperous a dynasty, the less likely evil forces dare to cause trouble."

"Emperor Xiaozong, the ninth emperor of the Ming Dynasty, wasn’t a tyrant, nor was he a great rejuvenator. The imperial court was still strong, and the nation's luck was intact."

"Therefore, for the Fuso Ghost King to cause trouble in this era, it shows just how troublesome he is."

"Exactly."

Tang Tian nodded, "The Ming Dynasty was plagued by Japanese pirates. Even though the court set up many anti-pirate forces along the southeastern coast, they still struggled to suppress them.

"The most ferocious pirate among them became the Ghost King, able to fight with land immortals and even stir up the Mysterious Gate of Heaven and Earth!"

"We're doomed, we’re doomed."

For once, the chatterbox fell silent. After all, he had never faced anything like this before. Hearing that they were to fight a Ghost King left him feeling no better than Ma Shangfeng, the bumbling military officer from the movie.

"A force that affects individuals, families, nations, and the universe? Wow, Qi Luck can influence so many things," said the burly Black man known for his wild driving antics, clearly missing the point.

Next to him, the burly Emile analyzed, "When the Ghost King crossed over, he was immediately suppressed by the cross. If it weren’t for someone mistakenly using blood for a sacrifice, he might never have escaped."

Haida nodded slightly in agreement, adding, "It’s simple. Since Christianity works, why don’t we, after arriving in that world, make a trip to the Vatican and borrow the church’s power to exorcise the demon?"

Cultural differences led to divided opinions among the Desert Division members.

Tang Tian vastly overestimated the Fuso Ghost King, filled with dread.

The other three took it seriously but kept things relatively simple.

(End of Chapter)