The Missing Mountain God

2024-07-14

Chapter 369 The Missing Mountain God

In the world of [Martial World], the native inhabitants of the Guandong region are known as the Jueyan Tribe. They have lived by fishing and hunting for generations, are known for their fierce and valiant nature, and practice Shamanism, using animals from the mountains and forests as totems.

As more and more people from the Central Plains ventured beyond the Great Wall, the Jueyan Tribe gradually became more civilized. More and more Jueyan Tribe abandoned their relatively primitive way of life, especially the southern Jueyan people near the Throat Severing Pass. With their considerable plains and fertile land, they began to cultivate farmland, build villages and cities, live with the people from the Central Plains, and engage in trade with the people of the Central Plains.

After years of cohabitation, most of the Jueyan people in the south can no longer be distinguished from the people of the Central Plains.

But further north, in places with colder climates, more rugged mountains, and more lush forests, many traditional Jueyan Tribe still live.

Now, standing in the front hall of the Hundred Herbs Merchant Guild, these people wearing animal skins are the Jueyan Tribe from the Deep Mountains of the north!

"Young lady, you can't say such things..." Seeing that the Jueyan Tribe girl was clinging to the ginseng and wouldn't let go, Lu Youcai immediately called for help. The guild's bodyguards rushed over and surrounded the Jueyan Tribe.

"These medicinal herbs were gathered by us herb gatherers deep in the Deep Mountains. Does your Old Man Chang grow them in the Deep Mountains?" Lu Youcai sneered. "As far as I know, you northern Jueyan Tribe don't even know how to grow grain, let alone medicinal herbs..."

"Old Man Chang isn't human!" the Jueyan Tribe girl argued. "Old Man Chang is our mountain god! The medicinal herbs you have here all come from his valley!"

"Mountain... Mountain god?" Lu Youcai looked both amused and exasperated. "Girl, I respect your beliefs, but as the saying goes, 'There are Deity three feet above your head.' According to you, every mountain in this world has a mountain god, and every river has a river god. Doesn't that mean the trees on the mountain and the fish in the river all belong to someone? And we, the people living between heaven and earth, would only starve to death..."

"These are different!" the girl continued to argue. "These medicinal herbs were carefully cultivated and cared for by Old Man Chang year after year... Now, you've dug them up, and Old Man Chang has disappeared... What exactly did you do to Old Man Chang?"

At this point, the girl blushed, Jueyan Tribe behind him also looked displeased, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.

"Wait a minute..." Hearing this, Luo Jun stepped forward. "You're saying that these medicinal herbs were personally protected by your mountain god?"

The girl looked at Luo Jun, her eyes filled with doubt. "And who are you?"

Luo Jun smiled and said, "I am the herb gatherer who brought these medicinal herbs."

Hearing this, the girl's bright eyes flashed with anger. "You're the medicine thief!"

"Eh?" Luo Jun raised his hand. "Let's talk this out. When I went to collect herbs, I didn't see any people or mountain gods, and I didn't sneak around. I dug up this ginseng openly and honestly!"

"Impossible!" the girl exclaimed angrily. "For so many years, Old Man Chang has never left the valley. Now the medicinal herbs have disappeared along with him. Since you dug up the herbs, you must know Old Man Chang's whereabouts!"

"I've never seen any mountain god..." Luo Jun spread his hands, then suddenly paused, frowning. "Wait... what kind of person is this 'Old Man Chang ' you're talking about?"

The girl said, "Old Man Chang is the mountain god of Ink Mountain, and his Dharma form is a giant snake!"

Upon hearing this, Luo Jun and Lu Youcai both widened their eyes. A giant snake?

So, does this mean the giant snake that Luo Jun killed to extract its gall was the so-called mountain god?

Because it was difficult to sell, the Dragon Gall was not listed in the auction house. Instead, through Xu Bo's connections, he contacted the Sect Leader of the Martial World arts sects to find a market for it. Therefore, the Jueyan Tribe members did not see Old Man Chang's gall among the treasures displayed by the Chamber of Commerce.

So, I killed a god?

Feeling absurd, Luo Jun couldn't help but look awkwardly at the girl opposite him. As a relatively primitive ethnic minority, it wasn't unusual for the Jueyan Tribe to worship powerful animals as mountain gods, and Luo Jun didn't feel any guilt about killing a large snake... but after all, it was their belief, and he really didn't know how to admit it to her face...

"Have you seen Old Man Chang?" The girl keenly noticed the change in Luo Jun's expression. "Where is Old Man Chang? He's nine hundred and ninety-nine years old, and he'll be able to transform into a dragon in just one more year. Our tribe will grow even stronger under his blessing! Tell me quickly, where has Old Man Chang gone?"

"Well..." Luo Jun hesitated, "If I said those are all feudal superstitions, would you agree?"

"What are you saying? I don't understand!" The girl continued to press for information about Old Man Chang's whereabouts, "Tell me, where did Old Man Chang go!"

Just as Luo Jun was wondering how to answer, a roar from ancient times suddenly came from the north!

"Awoooooo..."

This roar was unlike any animal cry he had ever heard before. As the sound rang out, the entire Hundred Herbs Merchant Guild, and even the ground of the entire Eight Paths Market, began to tremble slightly...

Earthquake? No, feeling the tremors beneath his feet, an absurd thought suddenly popped into his head.

The earth is trembling with fear!

Because, along with that roar came a powerful pressure!

This terrifying pressure caused everyone in the Eight Paths Market, whether ordinary people buying and selling medicinal herbs or wandering Martial World heroes, to involuntarily collapse with weak legs and tremble all over!

Even Luo Jun felt his heart skip a beat for no apparent reason!

This oppressive aura stems from an innate, Genes fear of superior beings!

If Luo Jun was in such a state, then Lu Youcai and the bodyguards and thugs from the Chamber of Commerce around him naturally couldn't hold on any longer; some collapsed to the ground convulsing, while others fled in panic.

In contrast, the few natives of the Jueyan Tribe were not intimidated by the oppressive aura.

But judging from their reactions, they seemed even more terrified.

"It's Li Mazi!" The group looked up at the sky in horror. "Li Mazi has emerged from seclusion!"

"And who is this Li Mazi?" Luo Jun was completely bewildered when he suddenly noticed a large dark cloud drifting in from the north, instantly covering the sky above Eight Paths Market. Then, accompanied by a thunderclap, a torrential downpour began...

"The power to summon clouds and rain..." Several Jueyan Tribe rushed out of the front hall, stood in the courtyard, and looked up at the sky in the pouring rain, their faces filled with shock. "Li Mazi, he actually succeeded?"

Success? Success in what way?

Luo Jun also came into the courtyard and looked up at the rolling thunder Thunder Light. A long, thin, and huge figure was leaping and tumbling within them, appearing and disappearing intermittently.

Could it be...? Luo Jun suddenly remembered something a classmate had casually mentioned before he came to participate in the internship.

"I've heard that dragons truly exist in the Martial World world!"

(End of this chapter)