Chapter 23

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Just as Qi Wuhuo was about to respond, the Mountain God raised his hand with a smile and said: “No need to make a decision right now.”

“Let me first explain the powers of a Mountain God. In the rituals of worship, it is said, [Mountains, forests, rivers, valleys, and hills—they can summon clouds, control wind and rain, encounter strange creatures; all are called gods]. The lineage of the Earth Deities does not actually follow the mandates of the Heavenly Emperor. Compared to others, they are not subject to many restrictions. Leaving their domain doesn’t affect them much, except they cannot utilize the power of the Earth’s Veins.”

“If they are within their mountains and rivers, then they naturally possess several types of great divine abilities.”

“They can summon clouds and mist.”

“They can control wind and rain.”

“They can use the Earth’s Veins to perform escape techniques, coming and going without a trace. They can also gather incense offerings and fortune, which can be considered a rather significant divine ability.”

“At the same time, based on incense offerings and prayers, they possess a certain level of protective or blessing powers. For example, they can bring good luck to certain people or enhance the study efficiency of the blessed person.”

“All of this, however, depends on the smooth functioning of the Earth’s Veins, Mountain Gods and Earth Deities naturally maintain the proper functioning of the Earth’s veins and its energy. That’s why they are called Earth Deities. But these aren’t the reasons I want you to take over the role of Mountain God.”

The Mountain God smiled and continued: “I know your heart is set on the Great Dao.”

“The cultivation of Primordial Essence, Primordial Qi, and Primordial Spirit—right now, you are still at the level of refining Primordial Essence.  When you refine it to its peak and merge it with your Primordial Qi, you will be able to cultivate [Xiantian One Qi]. At that point, you will be worthy of the title of Daoist Master. During the merging of Primordial Essence and Primordial Qi, if you are within the Earth’s Veins, you can naturally cultivate a divine ability known as the <Earth Origin Body Refinement Art>.”

[TL_Note: Xiantian One Qi (先天一炁): In Daoist philosophy, “Xiantian” refers to the “pre-heaven” or “innate” state—something that existed before the formation of the cosmos, representing the pure, primordial energy of the universe. “One Qi” (一炁) is the singular, undifferentiated energy from which all things originate.]

“Every sect and school has its own secret techniques, and this can be considered one of the Earth Deity’s secret techniques.”

The Tiger Mountain God took a sip of his wine and said: “To others, being an Earth Deity may be a sought-after destination, but to you and me, it’s merely a place to rest for a while. Eventually, we’ll leave it behind. When the time comes, you can return this position to the heaven and earth and all its living beings.”

As he spoke, his tone was calm. He drank his wine, placed the cup down, and his gaze settled on the sword lying on the table.

He gently brushed the blade, and the sword let out a soft hum.

Qi Wuhuo did not make a decision right away. Instead, he looked at the sword and asked: “Was the Sword Immortal Tantai Guochu an acquaintance of yours?”

The Mountain God remained silent for a long moment before finally replying: “Yes, he was. A friend from over three hundred years ago.”

“I never thought his descendant would end up doing something like this. If he were still alive, he would have taken his head with one stroke of his sword.”

“Follow me.”

Gripping the sword in his right hand, the blade rose slightly, its form long and slender. The sharp sound of it cutting through the air was crisp and clear, hinting at its swiftness. The Mountain God stood up, walking with the sword in hand, and said: “At the time, I consumed the Huangjing and awakened my spiritual intelligence. I cultivated in the mountains for a hundred years, achieving Innate Qi and the ability to take human form.”

“He was a swordsman of the Jianghu, part of a martial sect, who entered the Dao through the sword.”

[TL_Note: Jianghu is the mortal martial world, the so-called rivers and lakes]

“We traveled the world together. We fought bandits on mountaintops, and once, under the moon, we discussed the Dao with an old monk.”

“For thirty years, he roamed freely, settling his grudges with the sword in hand.”

“Later, he fell in love with a woman at first sight and settled down in his hometown, while I returned to the mountains. We made a pact that every twenty years, when the flowers bloomed and the rivers thawed, we would meet at the place we meet with wine, reminiscing about the past and talking about the future. The first two times we met, it was as joyous as always.”

“Another twenty years passed, and when we met again, he was in his middle years, his cultivation having reached the level of Innate Qi. He was invincible within the Jianghu.”

“He no longer needed a sword.”

“Another twenty years went by, and his wife passed away.”

“Ten more years later, when he came, he was already an old man with graying temples.”

The Tiger Mountain God drank his wine, saying: “He gave me his self-created sword manual and, in return, asked me to inscribe my name in the jade scroll he had prepared.”

“I watched him that day as he walked down the mountain, step by step, and from then on, I never saw him again.”

“And now, it’s been three hundred years.”

“Time is truly unforgiving.”

The Mountain God gently stroked the sword. With a sweep of his sleeve, he reduced the corpse of the old Daoist to dust. Then he made his way to the mountain’s peak, where he planted the sword at the highest point. The wind swept across the blade, creating a faint hum. The towering Mountain God stood with his hands behind his back, gazing down at the river below. It was winter, and a layer of ice had formed on the river’s surface. The Mountain God lifted his hand, tilting the wine jug slightly.

The strong liquor spilled over the sword’s edge, still as fierce as ever.

“Old friend, your sword is here with me, and your wine jug is here as well.”

“For people like us, all we need is a sword and a jug of wine to roam the world.”

“Drinking a jug of wine and watching the world go by, isn’t that a fine thing?”

The Mountain God smiled as he poured the last of the wine, then hung the jug on the sword’s hilt. He gazed at the blade as if seeing the friend with whom he had once shared life and death, imagining that last moment when his friend had aged and was near death. He smiled softly and brushed his sleeves freely.

Past events and bygone days, life, death, and parting.

None of it weighed on his heart.

He turned and descended the mountain, softly reciting to himself: “When the thousand-mile-long river first freezes, the jade pendants chime unevenly.”

“Life is like the water beneath the ice.”

“Flowing day and night, unknown to anyone…”

“To be buried here with me is a good thing; but when I pursue the Great Dao and my own life nears its end, where will I be buried?”

As the Mountain God and Qi Wuhuo descended from the highest peak, the towering figure of the Mountain God suddenly asked:

“Wuhuo.”

“How do you feel today?”

Qi Wuhuo thought for a moment before answering: “I witnessed life and death.”

The Mountain God laughed, his tone carefree. “Tantai Xuan’s lifespan was coming to an end, so he stole the lifespans of the living to extend his own, with over a hundred lives taken by his hands. He walked the path of evil, but if you look deep into his heart, wasn’t he simply seeking longevity, not wanting to die? Is that so different from you or me?”

“Any cultivator who does not lose their true heart and refuses to harm others may face death with peace, as my good friend did.”

“But those driven by fear will fall into the evil path and die from disasters.”

“All things in heaven and earth follow their natural course.”

“Today, it may seem that he bumped into you, which led to his death. Perhaps he thought so too, cursing his bad luck until his final breath. But in the grand design of fate, it might just as well have been the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, using our hands to cut him down and remove him.”

“The heavens and earth are constant, their cycles unceasing.”

“One drink, one peck—who can really tell?”

“You and I are people who seek the Dao, pursuing immortality. One day, we must grow accustomed to farewells, or perhaps we will follow the Dao until it leads us to death.”

“Allow me to leave you with these words.”

The Tiger Mountain God slightly cupped his hands, as if to offer a farewell. He hesitated, then sighed with a smile, saying no more than——

“On the path to immortality,”

“It’s littered with corpses”

“Daoist friend… take care!”

As Qi Wuhuo descended the mountain, the Mountain God thought for a moment, then waved his hand. The flowing wind brought over the black iron sword box. The Tiger Mountain God raised his hand and made a gentle pressing motion. Suddenly, a fierce wind swept across the sword case, causing a stream of light on it to blaze brightly before dimming once again, and the continuous humming stopped.

The Mountain God flipped the sword box and handed it to Qi Wuhuo, saying: “Today, you should have realized that you lack a proper method for protecting the Dao.”

“You suffered greatly when facing that evil cultivator.”

“Your Primordial Spirit is powerful, but to certain evil cultivators, you’re no different from a natural treasure.”

“Your Primordial Qi has not yet merged with your Primordial Essence, so you cannot separate your Spirit from your body, but since your Primordial Spirit is strong, you can still control this object.”

“I’ve erased Tantai Xuan’s soul imprint from it. Take your time refining your brand inside. It will take around three years, after which you can wield it as you wish.”

“It will serve to protect you on your path.”

The Mountain God smiled and said: “This isn’t a favor or a transaction.”

“Just as you knew something was wrong with my cultivation method and rushed up the mountain in the night out of friendship, I see your powerful Primordial Spirit but know you lack a protective method, so I also want to help resolve my friend’s problem. This has nothing to do with cultivation—it’s a matter of friendship.”

Qi Wuhuo cupped his hands and said: “Thank you.”

Since he hadn’t yet refined the spiritual treasure or cultivated Xiantian One Qi, making it impossible to use divine abilities, Qi Wuhuo could only carry the sword box on his back. He descended the mountain step by step. Along the way, he encountered the night watchman again, but this time, the usually careless watchman was taken aback. He quickly stepped aside, saying nothing for a long while.

Qi Wuhuo, slightly puzzled, continued toward home. Before reaching his house, he heard the sounds of a commotion.

From afar, he saw the narrow alley, which was originally too small even for a carriage, now crowded with people dressed in silks and satin.

Men and women in fine clothing stood quietly in the dilapidated courtyard.

When they heard the sound of footsteps, they turned their heads.

They saw the blue-robed youth with a black sword case on his back standing at the alley’s entrance. As the wind blew, the faint red stains on his robe were visible, and his clear brows were sharp and resolute.

A stir arose among the crowd, and then, one by one, they cupped their hands. Their voices were scattered and uneven but loud as they called out:

“Immortal Master Qi has arrived!!”
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