"Hm? They were opening the mountain?" Zhao Xing had been listless too, but hearing the commotion, he perked up and looked ahead.
To speak of the Mountain Opening Spell, one first had to mention the Mountain Sealing Spell.
At the vernal equinox, Zhao Xing had seen Chen Shijie cast the Mountain Sealing Spell. Both spells required accompanying incantations.
The incantation Chen Shijie had recited then was: "When rivers seek not to run dry, they return to the Four Seas; when mountains seek to endure, they return to nature. I obey the Grand Ancestor's command and ask the gods to protect this mountain."
"First command: let the mountain god guard the five elements, joining together to give birth to all things. Second command: let the earth mother balance yin and yang, blending together to nurture true spirits. Third command: let the Eight Directions True Lord protect the path. Roads may be crossed, but grass and trees may not be harmed. Mountains may be entered, but no beasts shall be seen. Seal the mountain at once!"
Zhao Xing was very familiar with the Mountain Sealing Spell, but this version of its incantation differed somewhat from the one he knew. It lacked the first passage.
In truth, whether the first passage was included made no difference. It merely explained the reasoning to the common folk and mentioned that the spell had been prescribed by the Grand Ancestor.
The first passage told everyone why the mountain had to be sealed: to follow sustainable development. They could not hunt, gather herbs, and fell trees in the mountains all year round.
The second passage was what truly mattered.
Because yin gods had been invited to stand guard, travelers could still pass through the mountain after it was sealed, but they could not harm a single blade