Chapter 98: Mountain God's Mischief

Zhu He meticulously completed the "Gather Earth to Form Mountain" incantation, pinching out the character "Mountain," burning the yellow talisman, performing the Taoist steps, and breathing in the vital energy. Finally, he brought his two fingers together and softly chanted towards the earthen symbol on the ground, "By the decree of the Three Mountains and Nine Marquises, be it so!"

Zhu He maintained the gesture with his fingers pointing towards the ground, his expression growing increasingly awkward. The "Mountain" character on the ground remained completely still. Sweat beaded on Zhu He's forehead. He was certain he hadn't erred in any of the crucial steps to ensure the talisman's efficacy, such as when burning the talisman, from which energy center to infuse the yellow paper with how much true energy, etc. By all accounts, he should have succeeded.

According to the explanations recorded in the yellowed ancient book, the so-called "Creating Mountains from Earth" in the "Mountain Opening Chapter" didn't involve the actual creation of a mountain peak. This was vastly different from the accurately named "Spit and Divide the River" talisman in the "Water Walking Chapter." After gathering the earth, the "Mountain" character would become a bridge for the mountain gods and land spirits of the area to emerge from their dwelling caves. As long as the request wasn't too outrageous, the invited deities would mostly agree to the talisman burner's wishes, because the yellow paper talisman itself was akin to a visiting gift. The appearance of a deity presiding over a mountain and its waters signified their willingness to welcome guests.

However, Zhu He felt that his last-minute divine summoning ceremony was likely a failure.

But then, following a tremendous sound, Zhu He looked towards the mountain ridge. Trees were collapsing one after another, clearly indicating a massive creature rapidly ascending the mountain, its course directly towards the stone platform at the summit where everyone was gathered, charging upwards with overwhelming force.

The earth-shattering commotion echoing through the mountain range caused Zhu Lu, Li Bao Ping, and the others to quickly gather closer to Zhu He. Zhu He turned and said in a deep voice, "Retreat! Stand in the middle of the stone platform, and don't act rashly. No matter what happens next, do not approach me."

The youngest, Li Huai, his face pale, tugged on Li Bao Ping's sleeve, "Could it be a man-eating monster? Or maybe a mountain god acting up? Chen Ping An told Ah Liang not to casually sit on tree stumps because they were the mountain god's chairs and couldn't be sat on..."

Li Bao Ping crossed her arms, confidently stating, "We mustn't panic. Even if Uncle Zhu can't hold it off, Little Martial Uncle and Ah Liang will soon arrive to help."

However, the red-jacketed little girl's fair hands showed bulging blue veins, clearly indicating she wasn't as calm as she appeared.

Lin Shou Yi, on the other hand, was the most composed, a hint of anticipation hidden in his eyes.

Zhu Lu looked at her father's back, and she was even more worried than Li Huai.

Zhu He suddenly lowered his head, seeing a short, elderly man, no taller than waist-high, with unkempt white hair and beard, wielding a jade-green bamboo cane. The old man was fiercely striking Zhu He's shin, like a rogue venting his anger. After Zhu He lowered his head, the old man looked at him for a moment, reluctantly withdrew his hand, took a few steps back, and croaked, "Do you understand the Eastern Treasure Continent's elegant language?"

Zhu He nodded blankly.

The old man asked again, "Then, how about the Great Li Mandarin?"

Zhu He nodded again, still unable to recover from his shock.

The old man raised his green cane and whacked Zhu He on the shoulder. Upon landing, Zhu He felt nothing, but the old man stumbled, nearly falling. He quickly supported his lower back, and, in a fit of anger, cursed in Great Li Mandarin, "Damn your eighteen generations of ancestors! Useless piece of trash, but when it comes to harming others, you're the best. I've been hiding like a rat from those beasts for hundreds of years, miserably trying to survive. I thought I could wait for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to turn things around. I only needed to wait for the Great Li court's wave of bestowing titles upon the mountain and water deities. I could finally become a mountain god from a land spirit, and never have to suffer this indignity again! Even if I still can't beat them, at least I could barely survive, right..."

The old man continued to curse, wiping away tears as he spoke, grief-stricken. Finally, he slammed the bamboo cane hard on the ground, "If you have the ability, go fight those beasts yourself, you damn bastard! Using a broken talisman, you just had to drag me out. There's nowhere to hide! Are you planning to die alongside you hateful lot, to be devoured by snakes? Suicide pact, huh? Am I a beautiful maiden, or a middle-aged woman? Are you really into me?! Huh?! Tell me loudly! Damn your ancestors..."

The green bamboo old man suddenly seemed to have someone grab his throat, unable to speak a single word.

Zhu He turned his head to look, his blood running cold.

A massive, black head, as large as a water vat, slowly rose from the mountain ridge, finally appearing in full view of everyone on the stone platform at the summit.

A pair of silver eyes, and a scarlet tongue, as long as a large beam, swayed rapidly, hissing loudly.

This monstrous black snake, half of its body slowly moving onto the stone platform, its head and back covered in symmetrical large scales, its entire body as black as ink, gleaming in the setting sun.

Though a beast, its gaze was eerily human, mischievously and playfully looking at the white-robed old man with tangled, disheveled hair, as if saying, after so many years of playing cat and mouse, I've finally caught you.

The old man seemed to resign himself to his fate, plopping down on the ground, dropping the bamboo cane he had relied on for life, beating his chest and stamping his feet, wailing, "What a sin! A dignified mountain land spirit, reduced to being bullied by a beast to this extent. There's no way to live like this anymore..."

The black snake slowly straightened its body, raised its head, revealing a pair of small claws on its abdomen, like the four-toed patterns embroidered on the robes of vassal kings in the secular dynasty, rather than the five-toed dragons on the emperor's robes.

But this difference of one toe could be safely ignored by everyone on the mountain top and the diminutive old man.

The old man's eyes suddenly darted around, and he abruptly stood up, raising his head to look at the black snake, overjoyed, "These martial men's flesh must be rough and tough. You came for those tender, supple children behind them, because they're all brimming with spiritual energy, right?"

The old man became increasingly excited as he spoke, spitting everywhere, laughing loudly, "Eat, eat, eat! Eat to your heart's content! Once you're full, you'll finally be able to achieve the true form of the Ink Dragon, and no longer have to covet my old, stinky skin. At that time, this old man will become the Mountain God of Great Li's Qidun Mountain, and you can strive to become your River-Crossing Dragon. Before you cross the river, this place is still your mountain kingdom. You can still defecate and urinate on this old man's head. So, there's no point in eating me now. Although eating me would increase your cultivation slightly, I am, after all, one of the land deities, which is a major obstacle to your future journey to the sea to become a dragon. Because those river and lake deities will surely unite against you and constantly trip you up along the way..."The black snake's massive jaws subtly parted, a mocking grin playing on its lips as it gestured with its head toward the old man's back.

The old man froze again, collapsing to the ground. This time, no tears flowed, only a dry, hollow wail escaped his throat. "A male and a female, both seeking enlightenment. You consumed those elixir-like Confucian children, paving the way for your transformation into a river dragon. Your mate devoured me, ensuring her smooth ascension as the next mountain god. Such cunning, such planning! I admit defeat, this old man concedes..."

The white-robed, ragged old man's eyes glazed over, and he murmured, "The Dao is unpredictable, it seems."

In the distant past, two enlightened immortals, soaring through the clouds, were struck by a whim and descended upon this mountain. They played a game of Go atop the peak. One waved his sleeve, shearing off the mountain's crest, and with a finger as his sword, carved the nineteen vertical and horizontal lines of the board. The other molded earth essence into black stones and plucked cloud roots for white stones. They played for over a month. Each time a stone was placed, it took root, transforming into living creatures of the earth. The black stones became black snakes, the white stones white pythons, rooted motionless upon the mountaintop game board. When a white stone was captured, it was devoured by a nearby black snake; the reverse was also true.

The game was evenly matched. The two immortals, their powers immeasurable, departed before a victor could be determined, their amusement sated. When they left the mountain, over a hundred black and white snakes remained. Over the long years that followed, the snakes fought amongst themselves, devouring each other in a frenzy. Eventually, only a single black snake, on the verge of shedding its skin and becoming an ink dragon, and a white python with nascent wings sprouting from its waist survived. For some unknown reason, these two snakes ceased their deadly feud and became a pair.

They were cunning and treacherous. Initially, they avoided cultivators who posed a threat, only targeting lone travelers and merchants. They were careful not to strike too often, usually emerging during storms and blizzards. Over centuries, thanks to their natural longevity, they slowly accumulated power, patiently awaiting their chance at enlightenment. Their targeted killings became more precise, and they began to selectively prey on martial artists and Qi practitioners, accelerating their rise in strength. Even the mountain's local earth spirit became a coveted meal. Initially, they coexisted peacefully, the earth spirit unable to stop their depredations, and they unable to catch the slippery old earth spirit.

Li Huai could no longer contain himself, cursing, "You don't even deserve to be a land god! Is heaven blind?!"

The old man, his back to the children, struck the stone slab with his bamboo staff, too lazy to argue with them. He simply grumbled under his breath, "Probably is."

Zhu Lu was the angriest and most frustrated, but when she saw the black snake, she began to tremble uncontrollably. At the peak of the Second Realm, she realized she didn't have the courage to face such a monster. Not even a single step.

Zhu He, a Fifth Realm martial artist, was courageous and resolute. He couldn't retreat, his young mistress and daughter behind him. He didn't dare turn around, and roared a warning: "Zhu Lu! Watch out for the cliff behind you! There's another beast lurking there!"

The girl could only move her lips slightly, as if to tell her father not to worry, but her voice was faint.

Zhu He ignored her. The black snake, swaying its head languidly, already filled him with a suffocating dread.

Outside the stone cliff, a piercing buzzing sound grew louder.

Zhu Lu and Li Baoping turned their heads in horror.

A slender, snow-white python hovered in the air not far from the cliff. It had no claws, but a pair of nearly transparent wings beat rapidly. Its eyes, cold and calculating, were fixed on Zhu Lu, its tongue flicking, dripping thick, white saliva – a glutton salivating over a delicious meal.

It assessed the girl's figure, and then its gaze settled on her face.

Under the beast's stare, Zhu Lu felt her legs weaken, her body drained of strength. Though she didn't fall, she struggled to breathe. She knew that even moving a finger was beyond her reach, let alone fighting back.

She didn't even realize that her usually proud face was now streaked with tears.

The girl, who had been filled with longing for the Jianghu since the first day she began practicing martial arts, was now filled with pain and regret.

She shouldn't die here. She couldn't die here.

Her tear-filled eyes were full of pleading.

The white python was unmoved by the girl's pitiable gaze. It simply stared at her tear-stained face, its saliva dripping even more, as if, the next moment, that face would become its own.

The old earth spirit seemed dejected, but his eyes never stopped moving. He kept glancing at the "Yue" character formed from earth, covered with the ashes of the burned talisman. If it would help, he would lie on the ground and blow the ashes away from the character. But he knew it would be futile.

Lin Shousun began to grow anxious, looking around restlessly.

Li Huai, however, curled his lips, wanting to cry but unable to. He squatted down, his back against Li Baoping's green bamboo box, hugging his knees. A wave of coolness washed over him, and he missed his mother's constant scolding and his father's nightly snoring.

Only Li Baoping's eyes grew more determined. Although the little girl was covered in sweat, she held her chin high, fearless.

The black snake suddenly slammed its head towards Zhu He.

Zhu He, who had been carefully conserving his strength, stepped back with one foot and forward with the other, meeting the black snake's massive head with a direct punch.

Zhu He's fist was filled with fierce energy, and the collision resounded with a thunderous boom.

Under the tremendous impact, the snake's head recoiled, and its massive body tilted back slightly.

His arm numb, Zhu He gritted his teeth and pulled his feet, which had sunk half a foot into the stone slab, free. He didn't retreat, but advanced, each step leaving a deep imprint on the mountaintop stone.

After that head-on collision, Zhu He didn't believe he was without a chance!

The black snake once again charged headfirst, and Zhu He circulated his Qi like a river bursting its banks. His blood surged, his arm muscles bulging, nearly tearing his sleeves. With a furious roar, he smashed his fist into the center of the monster's head.The earth trembled as the full force of his blow landed, echoing like a massive hammer striking a colossal bell. The serpent's head, the size of a water vat, crashed onto the stone paving, sending dust swirling into the air.

Just as Zhu He, now with the advantage, was about to press his attack, the elderly earth spirit behind him sighed softly.

A blur of motion, faster than the black snake’s previous lunges, swept in, striking Zhu He's side. He was hurled dozens of feet, spared a fatal blow but still grievously wounded. Skin torn and bloodied, he rolled across the ground, barely managing to halt his momentum. Summoning a reserve of qi, he swallowed the blood rising in his throat, ignoring the pain in his lungs, ready to charge once more and fight the monstrous beast.

The black snake's previous feigned weakness had been a ruse, a prelude to this lightning-fast tail strike.

Zhu He's eyes widened in horror.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the white python coil, its body tensing, and then it launched itself at his daughter, Zhu Lu. Its gaping maw was a terrifying sight.

But then, a slender figure sprinted along the black snake’s spine, using its head as a launchpad. With a cry, the youth, armed with a simple woodcutter's blade, leapt towards the white python.

At the critical moment, the boy's blade found its mark, severing the white python's left wing!

However, the tilting body of the massive serpent slammed into the boy, sending him flying.

On a ridge below the stone paving, a hooded man sat on the branch of an ancient pine tree that jutted out over the cliff. He took a small sip of wine, his face impassive.

He adjusted his hat and chuckled softly.