The Mountain God Requests an Audience

Meeting the other's startled and suspicious gaze, Jiang She gave a slight bow.

His tone was gentle.

"I am Jiang, given name She. A mountain dweller from Shu."

Li Bai stood at his side and nodded from afar: "This unworthy one is Li Bai, styled Taibai, from Longxi."

The old man was astonished, looking them up and down.

Such Daoist arts...

He had never seen them before.

Able to fully conceal form and aura, so that before the words fell, not a single breath or footstep in the entire courtyard was detected.

Before him stood two men. One in white, eyes gleaming with spirit, bearing extraordinary and outstanding.

The other wore a worn old blue robe, his features clear and handsome, appearing like an ordinary mountain recluse near Lumen Mountain, unconcerned even with his attire and accessories.

Only his bearing drifted like a wandering cloud, carrying an elusive quality.

The old man's memory was decent. Hearing the man in white named Li Bai say he acted with deceit, he knew their intentions were ill.

These two.

Were enemies, not friends.

"What business do you two have here?"

Li Bai was far more spirited. Seeing the Old Deer Mountain God, he was brimming with confidence.

He declared loudly: "I heard that Scholar Lu had met an immortal master, so I came specially to observe. Just now I witnessed your 'Breath-to-Flame' skill, and heard that the old immortal master has lived two hundred years, already one hundred and forty, through two cycles of sixty. I am deeply impressed."

"As it happens, I have a friend, a mountain recluse who has attained the Dao."

"He has some affinity with this mountain. Hearing that an immortal master had come below the mountain, with profound Daoist arts and such power."

"He came to observe."

"He wishes to seek instruction."

"To rectify the Daoist arts."

By the end, Li Bai's expression had turned solemn.

When he finished, Jiang She smiled faintly. His speech was not as sharp as Li Bai's; he seemed gentle and refined in temperament.

"Young master, you are skilled in Daoist arts. I yearn for it and would like to learn a thing or two."

The Lu family courtyard grew lively. Under the twilight glow, several guests huddled together murmuring, while servants craned their necks to watch, whispering among themselves.

The medicine boy tilted his head, fanning the furnace fire with a palm-leaf fan, not even noticing the sparks flying out.

The pot bubbled with bitter medicine. Aside from the Grand Matriarch still unconscious, even Physician Luo, who had finished applying needles and stood with hands clasped, narrowed his eyes in thought.

Matters of immortals had always been profound and mysterious.

Not something mortals like them could easily glimpse.

Watching the old man exhale flames, and then seeing the two approach step by step, their forms ethereal and insubstantial, he held his breath and composed himself, unable to resist the urge to keep watching.

The path of immortals was supremely arcane.

What was it really like?

Physician Luo couldn't help thinking: "Immortals and Daoists are not divine; they accumulate essence and energy to attain truth... A true immortal must be like this..."

Meanwhile, under the old locust tree.

Yuan Danqiu stood dumbfounded beneath the tree, unable to move his feet for a moment. After a long while, he nudged Meng Haoran's hand.

His lips moved, barely concealing his shock.

"...Tai, Taibai?"

Yuan Danqiu squinted to identify them: "And the one beside him is... Young Master Jiang?"

Hadn't these two gone to seek immortals, to find the ancient traces of Pang Degong from the Jin dynasty meeting immortals? Why would they come to the Lu residence? And appear before people in such an inconceivable manner.

When had they arrived, and how long had they been here?

Before this, in this courtyard, with the Lu family's eldest son, the physician and medicine boy, the alchemist's three apprentices, four or five Lu family servants, and six or seven guests around—

None had noticed. They had all watched the old man perform his "immortal arts," never sensing anything amiss.

Among the Lu family servants, one recognized Li Bai and exclaimed.

"Young Master Li?"

He knew exactly what Taibai was capable of. It couldn't be Taibai. That technique must be...

Young Master Jiang?

Two hours ago, meeting at the mountain shrine, the Daoist art that kept rain from touching clothes, the ability to make rain-soaked grass and plants fresh as new. And what the porter said in the shrine, connecting it all...

Yuan Danqiu and Meng Haoran exchanged glances, staring at each other.

For a long time.

Meng Haoran spoke slowly.

"I fear he is no ordinary man."

"I think the same. Could it be that Taibai has encountered a true immortal?"

"Taibai's first words said that immortal master was deceiving Scholar Lu..."

"Could the old man be a fake?"

"Judging by Taibai's expression, he must know a great deal."

"Once the contest is over and we leave the Lu Family, we'll go ask him!"

"Excellent!"

Thus the two settled it, hands tucked in sleeves, gazing into the courtyard where the two sides debated, ears catching the exchange between Taibai and the boy, watching with rapt attention.

Jiang She withdrew his gaze from the locust tree and turned it to the boy in the courtyard, listening to his words.

"My master has passed forty years in the mortal world, grown weary of gold and silver treasures, mountain delicacies and ocean rarities—even monkey lips and leopard fetuses taste bland to him, and he eats less and less."

The acolyte said:

"My master pursues the Dao with all his might, devoting himself to cultivation, unconcerned with worldly affairs below the mountain. Elsewhere, even if someone offered gold and silver to build a temple and begged to sweep his gates, he would not easily accept them as disciples. This time, he only came because this Scholar Lu of the Lu Family has some affinity, wishing to test the boy's heart for the Dao."

"Unexpectedly, first a wild Daoist came seeking a quarrel."

"Then there was you, sir, under the guise of seeking instruction, actually scheming to elevate your own name."

"My master and I, his three disciples, are but idle recluses of the mountains, meddling not in mortal affairs."

"You, sir, have an upright countenance—why must you act this way?"

The acolyte stood straight-backed. Having followed the old man through many affairs, he had honed a composure unshaken by the world, and his words flowed with reason.

They seemed a sincere admonition.

Beside him, Scholar Lu could not help nodding.

He recognized Li Bai and said, "Taibai, you have been deceived. How could you affront the immortal master?"

"Say no more. Grandmother has always treated you well. Quickly admit your fault, and I will apologize to the immortal master on your behalf, begging him to forgive your transgression."

Then he lowered his voice to apologize to the old man.

"This is the son of a merchant from Shu, a guest invited to Grandmother's birthday feast. His name is Li Bai, a fine poet, but rash in temperament and somewhat insolent. He must have been tricked by some villain. I beg the immortal master..."

He was unaware that Li Bai had already declined the invitation in the flower hall.

Glancing at the steward who had berated and blocked him in the courtyard, Lu Pei felt a smug satisfaction as he explained carefully to the old immortal master.

Branded as the villain who had deceived him.

Yet Jiang She's face showed no anger.

He rarely bothered with these ancients. In his eyes, their every move, word, and gesture was quite interesting. A pity he hadn't studied classical literature or history in his past life—otherwise, seeing these ancients chatting or berating before him might have given him even more to savor.

He only smiled.

Jiang She said, "If I wished to make a name for myself."

"I fear you would not be able to see me face to face."

"My coming today is merely to point you toward the right path, to advise you not to stray onto the wrong one."

These words were too arrogant. The acolyte frowned, and the old man brushed aside Scholar Lu's hand, preparing to step forward.

Behind him, Li Bai stared at Jiang She with blazing eyes. The words he had flung at the false immortal master had come out without a care. But now, before him stood a true immortal, and he could not look away.

Yearning of the heart had no greater form.

Then he saw Jiang She clasp his hands lightly toward the south.

And say, as lightly as drifting clouds:

"Lumen Mountain Deity, I invite you to appear."