Go all out

Chapter 18: Is the Mountain God a Spirit?

I struggled internally, half-asleep and trying to wake up, but I just couldn’t open my eyes—it was as if an invisible giant hand was holding me back. It wasn’t until Tian Zhan nudged me awake in the morning that I suddenly snapped back to reality. I found myself soaked through, and that sense of fear from the dream left me dazed for a few minutes. Tian Zhan looked at me with a strange expression. “What did you dream about me last night? Why did I keep hearing you calling my name?” “Nothing, nothing at all,” I shook my head hurriedly. “Are you cursing me even in your dreams, you little rascal?” Tian Zhan teased with a laugh, “We were sworn brothers back in the day, you know? We may not have been born on the same year, month, and day, but at least we were born in the same year and month…” “Screw you.” I laughed as I cursed him, then had to head to the bathroom to take a shower and change my clothes. Tian Zhan was already all set—just his usual gear, still carrying only a single backpack. That backpack of his was like a treasure chest—it had everything. One day, I’m going to ask him just how many treasures he’s got stashed in there. I opened the shop door; Tian Zhan stepped out first, then locked the door. We went to the farmers’ market, bought a few steamed buns and a cup of soy milk, and walked toward the mountain while eating. We didn’t say much along the way. Half an hour later, we reached the foot of the mountain. The incense sticks my master had used to consult the mountain god last time were still there. This time, I wanted to follow my master’s method as well—just in case the mountain god still refused. If we were to force our way up the mountain, who knows what dangers we might encounter—this is no joke. Following my master’s instructions, I arranged three incense sticks, threaded three copper coins through them, and lit them. Tian Zhan stood nearby, staring at me in utter disbelief. “Ask the Mountain God?” Tian Zhan asked me with a look of disdain. “That’s right—asking the Mountain God. If he doesn’t let us go up the mountain, we’ll have to be more careful. We might run into danger later…” I replied honestly. “Give it a rest. Mountain deities are just like the City Gods in every place—they’re all just minor spirits.” At this point, Tian Zhan’s eyes darted around, and he continued with a touch of sarcasm, “And the mountain god of this mountain? Heh heh, he’s just a self-proclaimed spirit!” “A spirit creature?” I was taken aback, somewhat skeptical. Some things exist only if you believe in them; mountain gods and river gods, I believed, were all officially appointed by higher powers—how could a spirit creature possibly crown itself? After all, the last time the mountain god refused my request, I encountered nothing but venomous snakes and wild boars on the way up. How could anyone other than the mountain god command these animals? “Don’t believe me?” Tian Zhan shook his head in exasperation. He pulled a yellow talisman from his backpack, scribbled something on it with a brush, then flicked his wrist. As he chanted a spell, the talisman burst into flames and shot up the mountain like fireworks. I found Tian Zhan’s actions a bit strange. What was the meaning behind this? Was this some more spectacular way of consulting the Mountain God? “Xiao Tian, if we go by your line of thinking—that every mountain and every river has its so-called mountain god or river god—have you ever stopped to think how many deities there would be in our vast nation?” Tian Zhan said with a smile. “So you’re saying there aren’t any mountain or river deities?” I was taken aback, even a bit baffled. If what Tian Zhan was saying was true—that this mountain’s spirit was actually a spirit creature—then my master should have known about it, right? Why was he still being so cautious with the ritual? “That’s not exactly what I meant. No one has ever actually seen a deity—who’s to say whether they’re real or not? You could say they exist if you believe in them, and don’t exist if you don’t. Of course, places like Mount Tai, Mount Heng, the Yangtze River, and the Yellow River do indeed have mountain and river deities. But these aren’t true deities. To put it simply, there is indeed a river deity in the Yangtze River—it’s just that this river deity is a dragon!” Tian Zhan continued. “A dragon? Is that for real?” I felt as though Tian Zhan had ruthlessly turned my world upside down. “Of course it’s true. Do you remember ’98?” “Of course I do,” I nodded. “That was the year my master actually saw a jiao dragon,” Tian Zhan said, his expression tinged with nostalgia. “Are there really dragons in this world?” I found myself muttering under my breath. In all those mythological novels, aren’t dragons supposed to be true immortals? How could one be the guardian deity of a mere river? I mean, that seems like a waste of talent—after all, dragons are such mysterious creatures. In ancient times, emperors were considered “dragons among men”; would an emperor really be willing to be assigned to protect just a river? “Of course there are,” Tian said, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “Have you seen one?” “No.” “Pfft.” I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be so skeptical. Just because you haven’t seen something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.” “Then have that dragon show itself to me, and I’ll believe it.” “Come on. If a real dragon actually showed up in front of you, you’d probably wet yourself.” Tian Zhan shot me a disdainful look, and I started to get annoyed—I’m not that scared, am I? Just then, I heard a sudden rustling from the grass, and I immediately went on high alert. “Relax. It’s just the Mountain God you keep talking about, bringing us a gift to curry our favor,” Tian Zhan said casually. Sure enough, I saw a plump wild rabbit pop out of the bushes. Its eyes were incredibly lively, and it looked quite intelligent. Holding a handful of crystal-clear wild berries in its “hands,” it cautiously walked up to Tian Zhan and me. After setting the berries down, it chattered away at Tian Zhan for a moment, then darted back into the bushes in a flash. Tian Zhan smiled, picked up every single one of those strange wild berries, wiped one on his clothes, and popped it into his mouth. I watched as he seemed to really enjoy eating it. “Was that wild rabbit just now the Mountain God?” I asked, puzzled. “Of course not. That spirit is incredibly timid—once it found out who I was, it was too scared to come out. That wild rabbit was just a messenger, but don’t underestimate it—that guy’s probably even older than my grandpa.” “Holy shit, are you serious?” I was taken aback. I’d just thought that wild rabbit had a certain spirit to it—I’d assumed it was just clever. “Of course it’s true.” Tian Zhan walked over with a smile, picked up four wild berries, and shoved them into my hand. “Never had these before, have you? Give them a try—they’re the real deal.” Curious, I picked one up. It looked like a cherry, but it was a bit translucent. What kind of wild fruit was this? It smelled delicious, though—really appetizing. Curious, I popped one into my mouth. It tasted like beef balls in soy sauce—juicy and sweet. As I swallowed it, a cool sensation spread through my whole body. It was definitely better than any fruit I’d ever eaten. “What is this?” I couldn’t help but ask. “I don’t know its exact name, but this guy sent it over—it’s something that takes at least three years to bloom and three years to bear fruit! He’s smart, too—sending over something good like this, knowing there are certain people he needs to curry favor with!” Hearing this, I was a bit shocked. How come all of us have to send gifts to the Mountain God, while Tian Zhan actually receives gifts from the Mountain God of his own accord? That’s a huge difference, isn’t it? “Are you really just part of the paranormal investigation team?” I was getting curious—Tian Zhan was seeming more and more mysterious to me. Tian Zhan just chuckled without saying a word, and I rolled my eyes at him. Since the “Mountain God” had already given his consent, the two of us continued up the mountain. Along the way, we didn’t encounter any venomous snakes or wild boars like the ones my master and I had run into last time—the journey was smooth sailing. But honestly, it was really strange. After I finished eating the wild berries in my hand, I did feel refreshed and invigorated, as if I’d taken a stimulant. That was truly odd. “Wow, we used to come up to this mountain all the time when we were kids. Looking at it now, we really were brave back then. You don’t realize it until you see it—it’s a real shock.” As we walked, Tian Zhan suddenly exclaimed in amazement. “What’s up?” I asked, taken aback. “This mountain is strange, too. The feng shui isn’t anything special, but guess how many waves of demonic energy I’ve sensed so far?” Tian Zhan asked me with a laugh. “Several?” I couldn’t help but shiver. “That’s right. I’d estimate there are at least seven or eight spirit-possessed creatures in these mountains.” Tian Zhan spoke slowly, his words sending a chill down my spine. I knew of just my mom, that old woman Liu from last time, and this mountain god I’d just met today—only those three. Were there others? “And… hey!” Tian Zhan stopped mid-sentence because I, too, saw a eerie emerald-green eye suddenly appear from within the grass. In an instant, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end—because those eyes looked exactly like the ones I’d seen that night on the mountain before I went to sleep!!