You were late.
So I had to come find you.
The words struck the Daoist's ears like thunder from a clear sky. The color drained from his face bit by bit, and his body trembled faintly. He had heard the equality in those words. Forget someone like him, a descendant sheltered by his elders' lingering influence—even his ancestor from three hundred years ago had never enjoyed such a close relationship with a Mountain God!
Damn it... Why would someone like this appear here?
If not for him, I would have succeeded today!
The Daoist seethed inwardly.
Li Puyü was dumbstruck. He wanted to look up at Qi WuHuo beside him, but feared that doing so might anger the Mountain God.
But he still wanted to look!
And yet he didn't dare!
His whole body had gone rigid.
Everyone there was completely blank-minded, dazed as if in a dream. It was as though the entire hall had been weighed down.
Only when the young man's voice rang out did the spell break. "Thank you."
"I was a little late... You shouldn't have had to come find me."
Of course, they hadn't arranged to meet for a drink. The Mountain God had merely made up an excuse on the spot.
Even so, Qi WuHuo answered him just as earnestly.
The Fierce Tiger Mountain God burst into laughter.
An unseen gale sprang up, lifting everyone in the room. Li YueLin quickly recovered his wits and said with deep respect:
"Today, a demon tried to harm people. Thanks to the Mountain God's protection and your display of divine power, this humble man will build you a gilded temple at the foot of the mountain. Year after year, we will never cease our offerings."
The Mountain God said, "There's no need."
"I am not one of those so-called deities who feed on your incense and offerings."
"I am the mountain itself."
"You may enter the mountain without bowing. When you see me, you should do the same."
With that, he took Qi WuHuo by the arm and led him outside. As they walked, he lowered his eyes and glanced at the curled-up Daoist. The man was desperately suppressing his aura, pretending to be dead so the Mountain God wouldn't notice him. But that was naturally impossible. The Mountain God asked, "What should we do with him?"
Qi WuHuo noticed the wooden plaque tied to the Daoist's belt.
Vague memories from long ago stirred again. He paused, then said:
"There's something I want to ask him."
The Mountain God nodded and said evenly:
"Then we won't kill him yet."
Five utterly ordinary words, yet murderous intent surged through them!
The Daoist's face turned deathly pale in an instant.
He was about to beg for mercy when a tiger's roar, as if shaking heaven and earth, rang out. His soul stiffened on the spot. Though his lineage possessed methods for cultivating the Primordial Spirit, allowing them to resist many spells and enchantments, they were utterly useless now. His Primordial Spirit was shattered, and his cultivation destroyed.
"He's an Evil Cultivator who murders the living and uses their remaining lifespans to extend his own."
"We can't let him remain in this world."
The Mountain God murmured. The tiger apparition opened its mouth, and a gale swept the Daoist up, shrinking him smaller and smaller until it swallowed him whole. The man who was the Mountain God swept his sleeve, and the tiger apparition behind him dispersed like the wind. Turning to the others, he said, "Then I'll borrow our guest for a while. I'm sorry to have disturbed your gathering."
Li YueLin replied with utmost respect, "It was only right. It was only right."
Qi WuHuo cupped his hands in farewell to everyone.
Only then did he follow the Mountain God.
They had taken no more than three or five steps when clouds began to gather and the wind howled. A vast bank of cloud lifted them into the air, and they were soon far away. Looking back, Qi WuHuo saw the Li family residence growing smaller and smaller, until even the town, with its countless homes, looked like a painting. People hurried back and forth along the main road, and Qi WuHuo suddenly thought of his childhood.
He had crouched beneath the great willow outside the gate, watching the ants toil under the sun, scurrying back and forth.
Looking back now, weren't people the same? Wasn't he the same?
For a moment, he drifted in a daze.
Riding the wind through the air, they reached the mountain in the blink of an eye. The clouds dispersed, and the wind died down.
Qi WuHuo recognized the place. It was where the Fierce Tiger Mountain God had discussed the Dao earlier.
But the spiritually gifted beasts were gone today. In their place were several old men.
The one at their head wore a rather loose official's robe. Silver hair covered his head, and he leaned on a cane taller than himself. His kind face held a gentle smile.
Qi WuHuo asked uncertainly, "This is...?"
The Mountain God said, "I was chatting with a few friends today when I sensed Baleful Intent at the Li residence, so I stopped by to take a look."
The Land God of Xunhe Town looked up in confusion.
Strange. Hadn't the Mountain God heard where the Baleful Intent was and immediately set off on a gale?
How could that possibly have been just stopping by?
Why hadn't he simply said he'd gone there himself to save people?
If he'd said he went to rescue them and avert disaster, wouldn't that have earned him a great favor in return?
And he'd turned down a favor handed to him on a silver platter?
Truly bizarre.
The Mountain God then said to the several Land Gods, "I've come today to introduce you to a good friend."
The tiger pointed to the old man in the most refined official's robe. "This is the Fortunate Earth Deity of Xunhe Town, Tao Chen. He's the local Land God, and he was once a cultivator who followed the orthodox path of the Mystic School. His mastery of summoning wind and calling thunder is scarcely inferior to that of the Daoist True Persons."
The old man smiled and stroked his beard. "I'm merely a minor Land God. How could I compare with the True Persons?"
"You flatter me."
As he spoke modestly, he opened his eyes, spiritual light flowing through them, and looked from side to side.
Yet he saw no one whom a Mountain God of such high cultivation would think worthy of an introduction. He couldn't help feeling puzzled.
The Mountain God pointed to another old man, whose forehead was broad and whose clothes were made of coarse brown cloth. "This is the Land God of the region between Xinda Township and Canglin Mountain. His name is Shen Hongxue. He governs a vast area. Whether they're beasts, demons, or human cultivators, all within his domain must offer him three sticks of incense. Whenever disputes arise, they seek his judgment. He commands great respect."
Finally, he pointed to the only old man who was especially tall. White-haired and white-bearded, he looked like a Daoist.
"This is the Fortunate Earth Deity of the neighboring area beneath Canglin Mountain. His name is Luo Yizhen. He was once a cultivator, but when his lifespan ran out, he refused the path of the Ghost Immortal and Yin Spirit. Instead, he chose to merge with the earth's veins. His skill at regulating them is profound. I learned a great deal from him, too."
The white-haired old man shook his head. "Your abilities are plainly superior to mine. Don't put me on the spot."
Only then did the Mountain God look at Qi WuHuo, dressed in a blue robe, and say:
"This is the good friend I wanted to introduce to you."
?!!!
The three Fortunate Earth Deities all froze, their gazes meeting.
With their experience and insight, they could tell at a glance that the young man before them hadn't even condensed Primordial Prenatal Qi. He wasn't yet worthy of the title Daoist; at most, he was a student of the Dao. Looking more closely, he wasn't even a hundred years old, and his natural lifespan would be seventy or eighty at most.
The Mountain God said slowly, "This friend's name is Qi WuHuo. He has considerable understanding and insight into the Dao."
"His cultivation of the Primordial Spirit is even more remarkable!"
"We all cultivate in these mountains and rivers. Now that we've met, we should visit one another more often."
The tiger spoke with great seriousness and regarded the young man with obvious care. The first to react was Elder Tao, who rose with a smile and cupped his hands.
"So that's how it is. This old man greets you, Daoist."
The other two Land Gods rose as well and greeted him, calling him Daoist.
The Fierce Tiger Mountain God had personally introduced Qi WuHuo to the mountain and river deities of this region, so Qi WuHuo returned their salutes.
He addressed them as Fortunate Earth Deities.
The Fierce Tiger Mountain God laughed heartily. "Exactly, exactly! We're all friends. We can visit one another often from now on!"
"Come, come, sit down!"
He knew Qi WuHuo already knew that old man. But he had traveled the world in his day and knew that people like him never stayed long in one place. When they parted, they might leave behind a chance encounter, but never anything truly valuable. Qi WuHuo had no backing, so he introduced him to the Land Gods and Mountain Gods he knew, bringing them together and inviting them to sit around a round table. He took out a wine flask and poured. Elder Tao said with a smile:
"But what caused such powerful Baleful Intent in this town?"
The Mountain God replied, "An Evil Cultivator refining Yin Longevity."
With a sweep of his sleeve, the Daoist tumbled to the ground like a gourd.
The Daoist hit the ground and still tried to flee. But when he raised his head, he froze.
All the local deities and Mountain Gods were gathered there.
Beside the stone table, plum blossoms bloomed, and the immortals drank together. And the young man was right there among them.
He lowered his head and saw the names on his sect's jade token lighting up one by one.
The Daoist felt nothing but bitterness in his mouth. He raised a foot, but couldn't take another step.
This was bad. This was really bad.
Just what kind of rock had he kicked...
He stumbled, then cupped his hands.
He bowed low.
The Mountain God tilted the wine flask and poured, then looked at Qi WuHuo. "WuHuo, ask him whatever you want."
Qi WuHuo looked at the Daoist, whose face was plastered with a fawning smile.
The image of that year, of the road beset by hardship and the tragedy in the human world, surfaced in his mind. The flags fluttering above that "Marketplace"; the teacher who had said the young would live, then walked into the Marketplace of his own accord, trading one life for another. Scene after scene flashed past, until only talismanic characters like lightning serpents remained.
After a long silence, he said:
"That waist token of yours."
"Where did it come from?"
Before you continue