Wang Lan of Lijin County died suddenly of illness, his soul arriving in the Underworld. Yama examined the Register of Life and Death and discovered Wang Lan’s allotted lifespan had not yet expired; the minor devil had seized the wrong person. He quickly ordered the soul returned to life.

The minor devil dared not delay, but upon returning to the mortal realm, he saw that Wang Lan’s corpse had already begun to decay. Fearing the King of Hell’s wrath, the ghost official consulted with Wang Lan: “It is arduous for a man to become a ghost, but delightful for a ghost to become an immortal. I shall make you a Ghost Immortal, to live happily and free. Why cling to being a mere mortal?” Wang Lan mused, “My corpse is gone; becoming a man is impossible. Becoming a Ghost Immortal is not a bad alternative.” He nodded his assent.

The ghost official declared, “Not far from this place lives a fox demon who has cultivated a Golden Elixir. I will steal it and offer it for your consumption. Thereafter, your soul shall never dissipate, granting you eternal life. You may roam the mortal world as you please. Are you willing, sir?” Wang Lan was overjoyed. “Willing, willing!”

The ghost official led the way to a residence—a grand building with elegant chambers, silent and empty. In the moonlight, a single fox looked up at the sky, slowly exhaling. A Golden Elixir flew from its mouth, ascending mid-air, spinning ceaselessly, absorbing the essence of the moon. Then the fox inhaled, and the Elixir was swallowed back into its mouth. It repeated this respiration, the Golden Elixir rising and falling, dancing above and below.

The ghost official spied from the side, seizing an opportune moment. As the fox expelled the Elixir, he swiftly stepped forward, snatched it up, commanded Wang Lan to open his mouth, and shoved the Golden Elixir down his throat.

Deprived of the Elixir, the fox was startled and enraged, but knowing it was no match for the ghost official, it departed resentfully.

Wang Lan parted ways with the ghost official and returned home. Upon seeing him, his wife and family were so terrified they scattered, but Wang Lan explained the truth, and they gradually gathered again, their fear subsiding.

Thereafter, Wang Lan settled back into his home, his daily routine of eating and sleeping continuing as before. A friend, Zhang, hearing the news, came to visit. After exchanging pleasantries, Wang Lan said to Zhang Sheng, “Brother Zhang and I have always been poor. Now that I possess this arcane skill, if I travel far and wide, I can surely amass wealth easily. Are you willing to journey with me?” Zhang Sheng assented meekly. Wang Lan continued, “I am now a Ghost Immortal, possessing extraordinary powers. I can heal illnesses without medicine and know the past and the future. However, there is a difference between humans and ghosts; appearing suddenly might frighten ordinary mortals. I wish to borrow your body for a time. Is that permissible?” Zhang hesitated. “You mean—possession? Will it harm me?” Wang Lan assured him, “Rest easy, it will cause you absolutely no physical damage.” Zhang pondered for a moment, then agreed.

The two set out on a long journey. One day they arrived in Shanxi territory, where they overheard the local populace speaking of a wealthy man whose beloved daughter had suddenly fallen gravely ill, remaining unconscious. The man had posted notices everywhere seeking a physician, promising a reward of a thousand jin of gold to anyone who could cure his daughter’s strange malady.

Wang Lan quietly told Zhang Sheng, “I am skilled at curing all diseases. We can go directly to the wealthy man’s residence.” Zhang nodded and proceeded to the magnate’s mansion. Entering the young lady’s boudoir, he saw her collapsed on the bed, unresponsive to touch or being pulled under the covers.

Wang Lan whispered, “This girl’s soul has been lured away. I will go retrieve it now. You must adapt to the circumstances as they arise.” With those words, a slight breeze stirred in the room. Zhang knew this was a sign that Wang Lan had departed. He turned to the wealthy man, “Though your daughter’s condition is critical, there is still hope for a cure.” The wealthy man asked, “What medicinal herbs are required? I will instruct the servants to prepare them.” Zhang smiled. “No medicine is needed. Your daughter is not truly ill; her soul has merely left her body. I have already dispatched a subordinate in secret to search for it. Perhaps we can wait a short while in the main hall over a cup of tea?” The wealthy man dared not refuse and led Zhang to the hall to rest, where fine tea was served.

An hour later, Wang Lan successfully located the girl’s soul and returned it to her body. He signaled this to Zhang Sheng. Hearing this, Zhang rose and addressed the wealthy man, “Your daughter’s condition has improved. Please follow me back into the room to see for yourself.” In the room, the young woman was still deeply asleep. The wealthy man inquired, “Did you not say my daughter was cured? Why is she still unconscious?” Zhang replied, “Do not worry. Your daughter has been unconscious for too long; though her soul has returned to its place, her blood has not yet begun to circulate freely. If you gently massage her hands, she will awaken in moments.” The wealthy man followed the instruction, massaging his daughter’s palms. Soon after, a soft moan was heard, and the girl opened her eyes. Overjoyed, the father wept and asked his daughter for an account of what happened. The girl recalled, “I was playing in the rear garden when suddenly, out of nowhere, a young man appeared, riding a fine horse, carrying a slingshot, and followed by many retainers. Because of the strict separation between men and women, I did not dare linger with a stranger and was preparing to return to my room. Unexpectedly, the young man was extremely rude; he spurred his horse to block my path and, without preamble, thrust the slingshot into my hand, saying, ‘Little girl, how about I teach you to use a slingshot?’ I shook my head, saying, ‘I don’t know you, so I won’t play with you.’ The young man grew angry, grabbed me, placed me on his saddle, and laughed, ‘The young master invites you to use his slingshot, showing you great honor. Why be shy?’ With that, he spurred his horse wildly, taking me to a deep mountain. I struggled with all my might, which angered the youth. He shoved me to the ground. I wanted to go home, but I did not know the way. Just then, a young scholar appeared out of thin air, grabbed my arm, and ran swiftly. In the blink of an eye, we were back home. I felt dazed, as if I had awakened from a terrible nightmare.”

Upon hearing this incredible tale, the wealthy man found it extraordinary and believed Zhang Sheng’s words to be seven or eight-tenths true. He promptly produced a thousand liang of gold as a gift and hosted a banquet to express his gratitude.

After the feast, Zhang took his leave. One day, while traveling outside the city, he encountered an old acquaintance named He Cai, who was known both as a drunkard and a gambler, neglecting any proper work. He had quickly squandered his family fortune and was now as poor as a beggar. Having secretly heard that Zhang Sheng had acquired arcane arts and earned a considerable sum, He Cai rushed to seek him out.

Wang Lan whispered to Zhang Sheng, “He Cai’s character is questionable; do not become close to him. Give him a few hundred liang of silver casually and send him on his way.” Zhang nodded in agreement and said to He Cai, “Brother He, I know your purpose in coming here—it is to beg for treasure. But your habits of drinking, whoring, and gambling create a bottomless pit of daily expenses; no amount of silver can fill it. If you are willing to reform, I will give you one hundred liang of gold. Otherwise, you must leave.” He Cai quickly replied, “I am willing to change, willing to change.” Hearing this, Zhang produced one hundred liang of gold and bestowed it upon He Cai.

Elated with such a windfall, He Cai departed, only to continue his life of indulgence and extravagance. Local constables, hearing of his sudden wealth, reasoned, “This He Cai was previously destitute; now he is immensely rich. It must have been acquired through theft or robbery.” They promptly arrested He Cai and imprisoned him, torturing him severely. Having wasted his health through constant dissipation, He Cai died after enduring only a few sessions of torture.

After his death, He Cai’s soul could not forget Zhang Sheng. He searched everywhere and finally found his old acquaintance at an abandoned beacon tower. Since He Cai was now a ghost, he could naturally see Wang Lan.

The two sat drinking together. He Cai became utterly drunk, shouting and behaving wildly. Coincidentally, the Imperial Censor was passing by, heard the commotion, and surmised, “The beacon tower is a critical military post. Who is making such a disturbance here?” He ordered his guards to investigate, who then arrested and detained Zhang Sheng. Under interrogation, Zhang confessed everything truthfully.

The Censor was furious, thinking, “Humans and ghosts walk different paths. This Zhang Sheng actually consorts with an evil spirit like a brother—it is utterly improper! I shall report this to Heaven and see how the celestial powers decree his punishment.”

He burned a formal decree and reported the matter to the heavenly gods. That evening, as he slept, a golden-armored immortal descended in a dream and spoke to the Censor: “Wang Lan died unjustly, but he has now attained the status of Ghost Immortal, possesses miraculous healing skills, has a benevolent heart, and has performed many good deeds. The Jade Emperor has personally conferred upon him the title of Qingdao Envoy; do not treat him with disrespect. Furthermore, Zhang Sheng is blameless in this matter and should be pardoned. As for He Cai, his conduct was depraved, and I have already dispatched him to the Iron Enclosure Mountain to perform hard labor. You need not concern yourself with him.”

The Censor carefully noted everything. As he awoke from the dream, he immediately ordered Zhang Sheng released without charge.

Zhang Sheng returned to his hometown with nine hundred liang of gold remaining. He divided the sum in half: he kept one portion for himself and gifted the other to Wang Lan’s wife and children. From that day forward, the families of Wang and Zhang lived in affluence, and their descendants for generations enjoyed great prosperity and nobility.