The Mountain God's Banquet

The day after Xiao Ya left,

Wen Ning's Bathhouse resumed business as usual.

Perhaps because Wen Ning had been away for the past few days, the Weasel Old Man had built up such a craving for baths that he actually soaked three times in one day.

Wen Ning was crouching beside a large tub, blow-drying the Sparrow Spirit's feathers, when he received a message from Meng Jiang.

Brother Wen Ning, Xiao Ya's reincarnation arrangements have been finalized. After a comprehensive assessment of her merits and experiences in life, the Underworld's Reincarnation Division assigned her to take over as Mountain God of Black Wind Mountain. She officially takes office today.

Wen Ning stared at the message several times, astonished. Xiao Ya, a Mountain God?

He remembered the little girl who spoke in halting fragments and could not even fully remember her own name.

A Mountain God might not rank particularly high, but she was still a proper deity responsible for a stretch of mountains and rivers. She would have to handle the affairs of the monsters in her jurisdiction, coordinate the distribution of spiritual energy, and deal with the Heavenly Court's inspections and assessments. It was an official position.

Could Xiao Ya handle that job?

Wen Ning hesitated for a moment, then sent the question that was on his mind.

"Meng Jiang, didn't Xiao Ya have problems with her brain? Could she really be a Mountain God in that condition?"

Meng Jiang replied quickly.

Don't worry, Brother Wen Ning. The Underworld already performed soul restoration on her before arranging her reincarnation. She had cerebral palsy when she was alive, which was a physical illness. Her soul itself was intact; the body she had in that lifetime simply limited how her soul could express itself.

It's like a car with a perfectly good engine but four flat tires. Of course it couldn't run.

Before her reincarnation, the Reincarnation Division repaired the connection between her soul and her new body. She can now speak and move just like anyone else.

In mortal terms, she's now a perfectly healthy fifteen-year-old girl.

Black Wind Mountain already has plenty of spiritual energy. It's just the right place for her to become a Mountain God.

As Wen Ning read the message, the weight on his heart finally lifted.

But the more he thought about it, the more incredible it seemed. Even with Xiao Ya's condition, surely she would not simply become a Mountain God upon dying.

So Wen Ning decided to get to the bottom of it:

Meng Jiang, plenty of people die in the mortal world, don't they? Why didn't your Underworld's ghost officers escort Xiao Ya across when she died? And how did she become a Mountain God just like that?

Before Wen Ning could receive Meng Jiang's message,

a message from Lu Ming appeared in his Heavenly Court Work Group.

He had clearly heard the news from Meng Jiang as well.

Wen Ning, that little ghost girl you brought back became a Mountain God! The Mountain God of Black Wind Mountain! My ancestor said that position had been vacant for years. So many monsters had their eyes on it, and a girl who had only just reincarnated snapped it up. Do you know what that means?

Bai Lu popped up right after him, as sparing with her words and devastatingly on target as ever.

It means the monsters around Black Wind Mountain can get their Mountain God to reimburse their bath expenses from now on.

Wen Ning chuckled at the messages in the group. He was just about to reply when his phone alerted him again.

This time, it was a call from Xiong Batian. The moment Wen Ning answered, Xiong Batian's voice came booming through.

"Boss Wen, have you heard? We've got a new Mountain God on Black Wind Mountain! It's Xiao Ya, the Xiao Ya you brought back!"

"I only just found out myself."

Wen Ning held the phone a little farther away. The old bear really was too loud. His eardrums hurt.

"I just went to the Mountain God Temple to pay my respects to our new Mountain God! Let me tell you! She spoke so smoothly! Didn't stutter at all! Didn't limp when she walked, either! She was sitting in a chair in her blue-green Mountain God Robe, and when she saw me, she even stood up to greet me. She said, 'Hello, Brother Xiong. I look forward to your help.' Boss Wen! She called me Brother Xiong! The Mountain God of Black Wind Mountain called me Brother Xiong! How awesome is that?"

Xiong Batian was so excited that his voice cracked. Even over the phone, Wen Ning could practically feel him waving his arms and dancing around.

"She also said all the monsters on the mountain could bathe in the hot spring behind the Mountain God Temple for free! I asked whether that would hurt business at our Black Wind Mountain Medicinal Herb Bathhouse, and she said it would be fine. The hot spring's outdoors, so it'd be cold soaking there in winter. Once the weather turns cold, they'd still have to come to our bathhouse. Boss Wen, she even thought of that for me! She thought of it!"

Wen Ning froze for a moment, then could not help laughing aloud.

The little girl who had once needed several minutes just to force out "help me" could now fluently discuss Bathhouse business strategies with Xiong Batian.

Xiong Batian was still excitedly reporting away on the other end.

He said Xiao Ya had told him she would reorganize the distribution of spiritual energy across Black Wind Mountain after taking office, adjusting the yin energy in the Old Locust Grove on the Back Mountain so the little monsters could live more comfortably.

She also wanted to put up a signpost at the foot of the mountain, so no more mortals would get lost and wander into monster territory.

And she planned to clear the wasteland behind the Mountain God Temple to grow medicinal herbs, providing them free of charge for the mountain's monsters to bathe with.

Xiong Batian said he had dropped to his knees on the spot, not out of fear, but because he was moved. Black Wind Mountain had gone so many years without a Mountain God, with every monster looking out for themselves. Now they finally had someone to lead them.

Just as Wen Ning finished his call with Xiong Batian,

another message arrived from Meng Jiang: We originally intended to keep this internal, but since you asked, Wen Ning, I'll tell you.

There's more to Xiao Ya than you might think. She's a legendary Nine-Lifetime Good Person.

??

Wen Ning replied with two question marks: A Nine-Lifetime Good Person?

Meng Jiang continued typing: That's right. Xiao Ya is the Nine-Lifetime Good Person.

That's also why the Underworld didn't escort her across after she died. Her merit was too powerful.

We couldn't use force, so we had to wait for her attachment to resolve on its own.

Also, Wen Ning, the mortal world's accounts of the Nine-Lifetime Good Person are probably a little inaccurate.

They don't actually need to perform earth-shaking deeds of great merit. Doing whatever good lies within their power counts as well.

Xiao Ya had done this for nine consecutive lifetimes, so when she died in this life, she was given an official position in the Heavenly Court straightaway.

After reading Meng Jiang's explanation, Wen Ning finally understood why Xiao Ya had been able to become a Mountain God directly.

That evening, after closing the shop, Wen Ning took a bus and transferred to reach Black Wind Mountain.

Xiong Batian had just told him that Xiao Ya was holding a Mountain God's banquet there and had invited him.

By the time Wen Ning arrived at Black Wind Mountain, the sky had already darkened.

Pinpricks of light glowed in the village at the foot of the mountain.

Halfway up the mountain, however, things were especially lively. The barrier in front of the Mountain God Temple concealed everything from mortal eyes.

Warm firelight danced in the night, bathing the entire Old Locust Grove in a cozy glow.

Before Wen Ning even reached the entrance to the Mountain God Temple, the sight ahead startled him.

The clearing was packed with monsters, at least a hundred of them.

A little monster with antlers crouched beside a bonfire, roasting chestnuts.

Spirit monsters with mushroom caps on their heads wove through the crowd, carrying platters of wild fruit and serving food.

A Stone Spirit covered in moss quietly crouched in a corner, serving as a natural bench.

A fluffy rabbit spirit sat on top, holding a roasted ear of corn and gnawing at it, getting food all over its face. This was the very rabbit spirit Xiao Ya had saved.

He also spotted the Hedgehog Spirit who had previously bathed at his shop.

"Boss Wen!" The Hedgehog Spirit rolled up to his feet, took a grape off their back, and offered it to him.

"The new Mountain God handed these out. They're so sweet! Every monster gets some! You get one too!"

Wen Ning accepted the grape and looked around. He had seen quite a few monsters in the urban village.

But this was the first time he had seen so many at once.

Those regulars who usually came to his shop for back scrubs—

he had always thought monsters simply kept to themselves.

Yet here in this clearing, they were all getting along in harmony.

A clear, bright voice came from behind Wen Ning.

"Wen Ning, you're here!"

A fifteen-year-old girl stood beside the bonfire, wearing a blue-green Mountain God Robe with the mountain contours of Black Wind Mountain embroidered along its hem.

On her head sat a small Mountain God Crown, set with a piece of jade.

Her eyes no longer held that panic, as though she might shrink back at any moment. Instead, they shone quietly, like the first ray of morning light in the mountains.

"Xiao Ya," he called her name.

Xiao Ya smiled with pure delight.

"Wen Ning, thank you for helping me find Lin Cheng. I can speak smoothly now, and there are more things I can do. If you ever need my help, come find me at Black Wind Mountain anytime. This mountain will always welcome you, the monsters here will always welcome you, and I will always welcome you too."

After she finished, she glanced at Xiong Batian, who was crouching nearby.

Xiong Batian immediately thumped his chest.

"Boss Wen, whenever you come to Black Wind Mountain, your back scrubs are free, your hot spring baths are free, and your meals are free too!"

Wen Ning raised the grape the Hedgehog Spirit had given him and waved it.

"Then it's settled. Next time I come, I'll definitely get you to treat me to a meal."

Xiao Ya nodded firmly.

Xiong Batian shouted, "Everybody, let's get this party going!"

Everyone happily kicked off the banquet.

(Barring any major surprises, updates should be posted a little after nine every morning.)