Jiang She was climbing the mountain with Li Bai.
The mountain path wound through broad bamboo groves. A heavy rain had just fallen, leaving everything greener and the air fresh. Lumen Mountain was not tall, only a hundred or two hundred zhang, and the trail was not very long.
Now and then, one or two deer vanished into the woods. Even when they saw the two men, they showed no fear.
Jiang She turned his gaze away.
Li Bai carried a sword on his back and wore white from head to toe, dressed like a wandering swordsman.
Well-read and sharp of memory, he said, "Legend has it that during the Later Han, Emperor Guangwu of Han toured Xiang Prefecture and dreamed of Mountain Gods who appeared as two elk. He later had the Marquis of Xiangyang build a shrine on the mountain, which became the Lumen Temple."
"These deer live in the woods. Over time, they've absorbed the mountain's spiritual aura, so they aren't afraid of people."
"Have you heard of the Lumen Mountain Deity? I wonder whether it was the two elk."
The Marquis of Xiangyang was named Xi Yu. He had dreamed of the Mountain God alongside Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu, and was therefore made a marquis. The emperor had granted him a noble title, while Pang Degong had withdrawn from the world. Their stories lent this place of spiritual beauty an added air of mystery.
That was why Meng Haoran had secluded himself on Lumen Mountain, where he became friends with Li Bai, who was traveling far and wide.
They were almost at the summit when Li Bai studied his companion.
The man seemed about his age, yet carried himself with an easy, unhurried grace. His breathing was calm and even—most unusual. Li Bai could see clearly now that the hazy rain mist was falling on them both.
Li Bai's clothes were already damp and clammy.
His companion's, however, were dry.
How did he keep the rain from touching his clothes?
Jiang She naturally noticed Li Bai's unmistakable stare.
A thought suddenly struck him, and with a hint of amusement, he asked,
"Young Master has been testing me for some time. Is it the affairs of immortals and gods you wish to ask about?"
Li Bai readily admitted it. "I noticed that you don't have a drop of rain on you. Is that some Daoist technique? I've never heard of it before."
"It isn't one of their Daoist techniques."
"It's just a Dust-Avoiding Technique I came up with. Rain soils your clothes, and they're a bother to wash."
He had devised a technique just because rain soaked his clothes and he found washing them troublesome?
What carefree elegance!
Li Bai had always been strong and healthy. He had studied the sword since childhood, and even after climbing such a long mountain path, his breathing remained steady. Earlier, someone had even tried to teach him swordsmanship and guide him onto the path of cultivation.
"Could someone like me learn this technique?"
"Yes."
The answer came so lightly that the bamboo groves on either side rustled, and everything seemed to waver with them. Li Bai's steps slowed. His voice took on a measure of reverence.
"May I ask what—"
Before he could finish, Jiang She suddenly looked into the distance.
A breeze stirred among the bamboo.
It was so faint as to be almost unnoticeable. Li Bai looked bewildered, unsure what had happened, but followed Jiang She's gaze upward.
"We have a visitor."
Behind the bamboo grove, a pale white deer came down over the grass. Every movement it made seemed sacred and divine.
This old deer had attained a divine nature. Any mortal who saw it would blurt out that it was an immortal deer. If an official saw such a sacred creature, he would surely call it an auspicious omen and present it to the emperor.
The old deer came before the two men.
Facing Jiang She, it bent its forelegs and bowed.
Then it spoke in a human voice:
"I am the Lumen Mountain Deity. Thank you, sir, for offering a stick of incense!"
"You're too courteous, Mountain God."
Since he had met the Mountain God, Jiang She asked, "I've heard that Pang Degong met an immortal on Lumen Mountain during the Jin dynasty. Was that your doing?"
An unseen force lifted the Mountain God upright. It thought back.
"Six or seven hundred years ago, an old man did study the Dao with this humble god. His speech and bearing were extraordinary, so I presume he was the Pang Degong you speak of."
"And what happened afterward?"
"He lived to the age of one hundred and twenty, then passed away."
Li Bai glanced sideways.
It was rare for anyone to live to seventy. Pang Degong had lived for a hundred and twenty years. If the people at court learned of it, they would surely take him for a true immortal.
Jiang She nodded.
"I see. I've heard that the Lumen Mountain Deity was two white deer. Where is the other one?"
The Mountain God replied, "The end of its lifespan came. Its cultivation weakened, and it has already passed away. I must also thank you for the incense you offered, which extended this humble god's life by ten years."
Li Bai listened, entranced.
Young Master Jiang had offered the incense right in front of him. They had brought it themselves; it was merely incense sticks made by Yuan Danqiu's own hands, nothing supernatural about them.
Just one stick of incense.
It could actually extend a Mountain God's life by ten years?
If word got out, the homes of high officials and nobles would be trampled by visitors. Qin Shi Huang had conquered the Six Kingdoms and ruled all under heaven, yet in the end, all he wanted was immortality.
Jiang She sighed as he looked at the elderly white deer.
"I offered incense only to thank you for sheltering us from the rain. The Mountain God protects the people of this area and deserves their offerings. There's no need for such courtesy."
"You went out of your way to stop me. Surely you didn't do so just to thank me. Is there something important you need?"
The elderly White Deer Mountain God bowed.
"I can't hide it from you, sir. This humble god wishes to ask you for a favor—"
"There's a family named Lu at the foot of the mountain. Their ancestors once saved my life, and I promised to watch over their descendants."
"These past few days, the eldest son of that family seems to have offended some foul thing. His temperament changed completely. All day long, he talks of selling their fields for money and chasing wealth and status. He has already sold off most of the family's property."
"The Lu Family burned incense to ask for help. I saw that his face was tinged green and cast a spell to drive away the evil influence, but it had no effect."
"I beg you to set things right."
The White Deer Mountain God bowed with a long sigh. It did not want to ask a human for help, but it had no choice and could only place its hopes in this passing gentleman.
The earth suddenly broke open, and a plant much like any wild weed sprouted up. A red cord was tied around it. It seemed about to push out of the ground, its roots just barely visible. Li Bai found it fascinating and studied it closely, wondering what wondrous technique this was. Then the Mountain God lightly stamped the earth, and a plump white ginseng root emerged from the soil, looking just like a person, with the faint outlines of a face.
Jiang She showed no desire for it. Though such a precious mountain ginseng lay right before him, he had no wish to pluck it.
"This ginseng has grown for eight hundred years and has now developed a spirit. It began growing back when the Han Dynasty still ruled the land. It's truly a rare thing."
"Let it keep growing."
"The scenery in the fourth month is lovely. I'll go down the mountain for a stroll and enjoy the spring. There's no need for the Mountain God to be so courteous."
A force lifted the White Deer Mountain God, and it stood upright once more.
The wild plant with the red cord tied around it was pressed back into the earth by an invisible hand, vanishing underground.
How could he let someone make the trip for nothing? Judging by the man's temperament, he didn't seem to care for worldly things, which made things difficult.
Old Deer Mountain God's white whiskers trembled slightly.
"This humble god has troubled you, sir. I received your incense and gained ten more years of life, and now I'm burdening you with a journey on my behalf... I am grateful from the bottom of my heart. I will bear your kindness for generations and never forget it."
"Spring has come, and the mountain is full of wild produce. None of it is especially valuable, but this humble god would like to give you some as a token of my gratitude."
"I beg you to accept it!"
As the White Deer Mountain God finished speaking,
the rain-washed mountain gleamed green. Ripe red berries, the tenderest tea buds, spring bamboo shoots dripping with dew, and river fish from streams newly freed of ice... Birds with red beaks and yellow bellies carried them over on beating wings. Dwarf Deer offered tender tea leaves, while a Fierce Tiger brought a fish in its jaws and laid it on the grass. The mountain beasts seemed almost human.
The wild azaleas on the mountain also sprang to life at the Mountain God's words, revealing their stamens and unfurling their purple-red blossoms.
The sight was magnificent, like rosy clouds spread across the mountain.
Li Bai stared in astonishment. As far as the eye could see, the mountain flowers embroidered the slopes.
The sight left him shaken to the soul.
What he had witnessed that day shattered all his former beliefs. So the world truly held gods and spirits, and one could meet a master who had attained the Dao. There was an eight-hundred-year-old ginseng, mountain beasts that seemed almost human, and wondrous flowers that had blanketed an entire mountain in the space of a few breaths.
The Mountain God bowed, then backed away step by step.
All that remained between heaven and earth was a quiet line, a gift from the Lumen Mountain Deity:
"The hills have nothing to offer; I give you one spring."
Spring rain washed over the mountain, and emerald mists drifted through the air.
Only two people remained at the summit.
Jiang She looked down at the mountain delicacies. The old Mountain God had left before he could refuse. The tea leaves and spring bamboo shoots were fine, but the live fish left behind kept hopping on the ground, full of life.
He was at a loss.
Li Bai carried his sword on his back.
With a solemn expression, he respectfully performed the rites of a disciple.
"Your disciple, Li Bai, wishes to follow the immortal and learn the Dao. I will never regret it!"
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