Burning Ghosts

How had a thousand pounds of grain been brought into the mountains? "Could the Mountain God have shown his power?" the middle-aged hunter wondered aloud.

For something this strange, it was hard to think of any other explanation.

The young man knew a little more. "The Mountain God... no. A passing immortal must have stopped here to rest for a day. That's why..."

The middle-aged hunter came to his senses. The Mountain God might not be vicious or cruel, but he was certainly no kind soul. Why would he do them such a favor?

"Yes, yes," he said at once. "It must have been a kind immortal passing through. Next time we come up the mountain, we'll bring some Incense Offerings and make an offering..."

He was deeply grateful. Hunters had a better life than most farming families,

but their work was far more dangerous. Pursuing a wounded animal could keep them running through the mountains for two or three days.

Injuries were commonplace, and a single misstep could cost a hunter his life!

The grain and meat were enough to give a family of five a year or two of the good living enjoyed by a landlord's household. For the moment, they were grateful indeed to this "immortal."

Tang Changsheng, of course, was responsible for all of it!

Ever since his encounter with the Ghost Messenger, he had known this place was unsafe and ill-suited to cultivation. Yang Mountain had a Mountain God, after all, as well as Ghost Messengers who patrolled it.

Tang Changsheng had long since decided to leave. He had spent some time in the cave and eaten quite a bit of its owners' cured meat, so naturally he had to repay them.

Besides, those supplies were not even a hair from one of the General's