Please Listen, Everyone

Kinoe walked out of the wooden door, his steps light and swift, heading towards the back mountain. As he passed the main road of the entire town, he heard distant clamoring sounds, like the noise of moving lumber and many people walking. Such sounds had been going on for a long time, at least for over a month.

Kinoe wasn't interested in these matters and didn't actively inquire about them.

And when those people were doing these things, they seemed to avoid Kinoe.

Kinoe withdrew his gaze. Although he was somewhat curious why they were rushing to finish construction in the dead of winter, with the New Year approaching, he didn't pay too much attention. His steps were light and quick, and he was familiar with the road, so he soon reached the foot of the mountain. Several more snowfalls had occurred this month, and with most people busy with New Year preparations, few people went up the mountain, making it exceptionally quiet.

He made his way to the platform in the mountain, where the Fierce Tiger Mountain God usually expounded on the Dao. It was now packed full.

There were spirit birds and beasts, with flying cranes landing and fierce tigers lying down, and coiled serpents.

Elder Tao sat calmly on a rock, turning his head to chat with a plump woman. Luo Yizhen smiled, lowered his gaze, and watched a scholar play the zither. The short Shen Hongxue was the most unrestrained, sitting cross-legged on the snow, his clothes unbuttoned to reveal his chest, tilting his head back to drink wine. Beneath a green pine tree, a young girl played the zither, and a scholar in a green robe played the transverse flute. Kinoe glanced over and saw more than twenty people among the beasts, all with extraordinary bearing, clearly not ordinary mortals.

This place felt less like a mountain and more like a celestial realm.

Elder Tao was laughing and talking with someone when he suddenly sensed a change in the atmosphere and stopped speaking. He turned his head, saw the young man, stroked his beard, and laughed:

"Hahaha, the main guest has arrived."

The one playing the transverse flute put down his instrument, his smile refined. The girl playing the zither slowed her movements, her apricot eyes sparkling.

The wind blew, rustling the leaves.

For a moment, everyone fell silent. On one side, it was as if a gathering of sages, their demeanor outstanding, their gazes filled with smiles, watched the blue-robed youth stroll over.

Some familiar spirit beasts recognized him and moved to approach, but they were held back by two Guardian Divine Generals. Only then did they realize it wasn't a usual occasion.

The two Divine Generals stood solemnly, clad in armor. Even these guests, who appeared quite extraordinary and detached from the world, rose to their feet. They offered a slight bow, or a smile, or a solemn expression, or one held a wine jar, casually pouring it out, or a gentle smile, a beauty of the human world; yet all greeted the blue-robed youth before them, saying:

"Greetings, Crane Mountain God."

No matter how faint the sound, the convergence of so many was moving.

Especially since none of the people present at this moment were ordinary.

If anyone else saw this, they might have been shaken.

Kinoe guessed that these were likely the Mountain Gods from the surrounding mountains and rivers, who had come to see who the new Crane Mountain God was.

He immediately returned a slight bow, then, with the etiquette of a host, extended his right hand flat in a gesture of invitation, his voice clear and gentle: "Please, everyone."

Among the Mountain Gods, some showed slight surprise. They hadn't expected this person, who looked so young, to not show any timidity when facing them. This earned him a few extra points of favor in their hearts. It seemed the successor the tiger had found was not without ability. Their smiles deepened, while others still regarded him with a calculating gaze.

Elder Tao stroked his beard and laughed heartily, saying, "Come, come, young friend WuHuo, come over here."

"These are all the Mountain Gods and Earthly Deities within a thousand-mile radius. They are good friends. Since you've become a Mountain God, you'll have to associate with them."

"Let me introduce you. This is the Mountain God of Chengdu Mountain, named Fourth Lady. She's beautiful and very unrestrained. You..."

The plump, beautiful woman smiled and said, "What are you saying, you old man?"

"Ah, the previous Mountain God always disliked transforming into human form, but now there's a handsome young child. It's much more pleasing to the eye."

"Is his name WuHuo? Come, come, let your sister give you a kiss..."

The two Guardian Divine Generals' expressions turned solemn, their beards and hair bristling. They stepped forward and said, "Guest, please do not be rude!"

Although they were somewhat disappointed and worried about Kinoe's youthful appearance, Feeling that he might not be capable of shouldering the position of Mountain God.

But since he was already the Mountain God here, they had to protect him. To be so directly suppressed, to be called "sister" or "brother," ordinary people might not care, but for a Mountain God to be treated this way at their first meeting was a show of dominance, a soft challenge. How could the foremost Mountain God of the sixteen mountains be treated as a child and made fun of!

With a thought, they crossed their ceremonial weapons, not to attack, but to block. However, the plump beauty merely moved forward lightly, passing directly through the two Guardian Divine Generals and appearing behind them without even pausing.

It was a skillful application of the Earthly Deities'遁地 (dundì - earth-遁, ground-地) technique.

Her robes fluttered with a fragrant breeze, a smile on her lips, she reached out to embrace the blue-robed youth, intending to hold him in her arms.

Soft jade and warm fragrance, naturally beautiful.

But she grasped at empty air.

The woman was stunned.

The other Mountain Gods' expressions changed slightly, their drinking movements paused. They had seen clearly that just as the woman moved forward, Kinoe had taken a single step forward. Just as the woman had passed through the two Guardian Divine Generals, he had effortlessly appeared behind Fourth Lady, in front of her, his blue robes falling.

He helped the two Guardian Divine Generals up.

Fourth Lady was surprised, then laughed heartily: "I didn't expect that."

"That big tiger really took good care of WuHuo, teaching you such techniques too."

Kinoe shook his head and said, "We are just friends who discuss the Dao."

Fourth Lady laughed: "Little brother is lying."

"These are the techniques of Mountain Gods and Earthly Deities. Without someone teaching you, who could use them?"

Kinoe said, "If you say it was taught, then someone did teach me."

Fourth Lady laughed, her eyes sweeping over Elder Tao: "Is it Elder Tao, sir?"

The old gentleman shook his head in confusion.

Fourth Lady smiled and asked, "If not you, then who?"

Kinoe shook his head, his voice calm:

"Didn't you just teach me?"

Fourth Lady was stunned, then broke into a dazzling smile. "Little brother, you're really good at making connections. When did I ever teach you..."

Her smile suddenly froze, and the mountain gods around them held their breath.

Just now?!!

The beautiful woman was momentarily at a loss for words. In her daze, her striking beauty faded somewhat. She looked at the youth who hadn't yet come of age, took a shallow breath, and seemed to disbelieve, "You, you only saw it once..."

Qi WuHuo replied, "Once was enough."

He thought for a moment and answered frankly, "The methods of Earthly Deities are the Dao; the ability to burrow into the earth is a technique."

"The Dao is difficult, techniques are easy."

"Since I have understood the Dao, the so-called techniques and methods should be the fruits that grow on trees, ready to be plucked with a raise of the hand."

This was what the old man had told him on the first day.

Elder Tao sighed.

The Supreme One lineage valued character the most, followed by comprehension.

But this was too discouraging.

Qi WuHuo had once entered the Yellow Millet Dream, and it was clear now.

Many of the mountain gods still had some unconvincing thoughts about him.

He then recalled that when Tantai Xuan met his friend, he said he was the chief of the mountain gods of the sixteen surrounding mountains. Looking at it this way, it seemed normal for them to be unconvinced of him, but...

[Do not tarnish your reputation]

He looked at the plump and beautiful woman, lowered his gaze, raised his hand, and gestured, saying:

"Mountain God of Chengdu Mountain, please be seated."

The woman sighed. Seeing the clear, tranquil, and gentle light in the youth's eyes, she returned the gesture, shedding her frivolous and age-defying playful demeanor, and said seriously:

"Mountain God of He Lian Mountain, I apologize for my rudeness earlier while drunk. Please do not take offense."

"It's nothing."

The blue-robed youth walked forward step by step, his hair ends fluttering slightly.

He used the same sophisticated technique as the woman.

With each step he took, there was initially a slight hint of impatience, and his execution wasn't entirely natural. By the end, however, it was effortless and graceful.

This was, after all, his mountain, and he possessed the realm of Primordial Prenatal Qi here.

After three steps, he had reached the spot where the Fierce Tiger Mountain God had been lying.

And during these three steps, the expressions of the mountain gods had shifted from superficial politeness to growing solemnity. By the end, even the one who had been lying down drinking had straightened up, tidied his clothes, and assumed a proper posture.

Qi WuHuo stopped.

Was he going to expound the Dao in front of so many mountain gods and earthly deities?

The blue-robed youth took a shallow breath.

He made his expression and demeanor as calm and serene as an elder at home.

He unbuckled the sword box on his back and placed it on the ground to his side.

The sword hummed.

Turning, the hem of his robe fluttered.

The blue-robed youth placed one hand on the Black Iron Sword Box and the other behind his back. With black hair and black eyes, his demeanor was tranquil and clean. Looking at the now properly seated mountain gods, he exuded an indescribable calm and composure, and then said:

"Today, I will expound the Dao."

"Please, everyone—listen quietly."