Chapter 10: The Mountain God Requests an Audience

Meeting the suspicious gaze of the others, Jiang She offered a slight bow, his tone gentle. "My surname is Jiang, given name She. I am a mountain dweller from Shu."

Li Bai stood by his side and gave a distant nod. "I am Li Bai, courtesy name Taibai, from Longxi."

The old man was startled, looking them up and down. Such Daoist arts... these were unlike anything he had ever seen. They could completely conceal their presence and aura; before they spoke, no one in the courtyard, from the guests to the servants, had even noticed the sound of their breathing or footsteps.

Of the two men before him, one wore white, his eyes bright with spirit, possessing an air of extraordinary distinction. The other wore a slightly worn, plain green robe; his features were refined, looking much like a common hermit from near Mount Lumeng, indifferent to his attire or adornments. Yet, his demeanor was as drifting as wandering clouds, carrying an elusive quality.

The old man’s memory was decent. Having heard the man in white call him a charlatan earlier, he knew these newcomers were not his friends. They were enemies.

"Why have you two come here?"

Li Bai, emboldened by the sight of the old man—whom he clearly identified as the deity of Mount Lu—spoke in a clear, resonant voice: "I heard that Master Lu had encountered a sage, so I came to take a look. I just witnessed your ability to 'breathe and turn air into flame,' and heard that you are two hundred years old, having already lived for one hundred and forty years through two sixty-year cycles. I am filled with respect."

"It just so happens that I have a friend, a hermit who has attained the Dao. He has a connection to this mountain and, hearing that a sage with profound arts had arrived, he came to witness it. We wish to seek your guidance to rectify the Dao."

By the time he finished, Li Bai’s expression had turned solemn. After he spoke, Jiang She smiled slightly. Unlike Li Bai’s sharp edge, his manner appeared broad-minded and gentle. "Your Daoist arts are truly remarkable, sir. I have long yearned for such things and would like to request a lesson."

The Lu family courtyard grew lively. In the twilight, guests huddled together whispering, while servants stretched their necks to watch and gossip. The young apothecary tilted his head, fanning the furnace fire so vigorously that sparks flew, yet he paid them no mind. The bitter medicine bubbled in the pot; aside from the fact that the elderly matriarch had yet to wake, even the physician, Master Luo, who had finished his acupuncture, stood frozen in a daze.

Matters of immortals were always mysterious and profound, not easily glimpsed by common mortals like them. Watching the old man exhale fire and seeing the two newcomers walking forward with such ethereal grace, he held his breath, unable to suppress his desire to keep watching.

The path of the immortal was profound indeed. What was it truly like? Master Luo couldn't help but think to himself, "Immortals and Daoists are not born with divinity; it is the accumulation of essence and energy that makes one true... perhaps this is what a real immortal is like..."

Nearby, under an old locust tree, Yuan Danqiu stood stunned, unable to move his feet. After a long while, he nudged Meng Haoran’s hand. His lips moved, unable to hide his shock. "...Tai... Taibai?"

Yuan Danqiu squinted to be sure. "And the one beside him is... Master Jiang?"

Hadn't these two gone to seek the traces of the immortals met by Pang Degong during the Jin Dynasty? How did they end up at the Lu residence? And in such an unbelievable manner? How long had they been here? Before this, he had been in the courtyard with the eldest son, the physician, the apothecary, the alchemist, the attendants, and the guests. None of them had noticed a thing while watching the old man perform his "immortal arts."

Among the servants, one who recognized Li Bai exclaimed, "Master Li?"

He knew exactly how much knowledge Li Bai possessed; this could not be his doing. That technique must be... Master Jiang’s? Remembering their meeting at the temple two hours ago—the art of staying dry in the rain and the ability to make withered plants fresh again—coupled with what the porter had said... Yuan Danqiu and Meng Haoran exchanged a glance.

After a long silence, Meng Haoran said slowly, "They are likely not ordinary men."

"I think so too. Could it be that Taibai has truly encountered a practitioner of the immortal path?"

"Taibai’s first words were that the sage was deceiving Master Lu..."

"Could that old man be a fake?"

"Looking at Taibai, he certainly knows a great deal."

"Once the test of arts is over and we leave the Lu residence, we shall ask him!"

"Splendid!"

Having agreed, they stood with their hands tucked into their sleeves, watching the debate in the courtyard with rapt attention.

...

Jiang She withdrew his gaze from the locust tree and turned to the young acolyte, listening to him speak.

"My master has spent forty years in the human world. He has seen enough gold, silver, and rare treasures; even the finest delicacies mean nothing to him, and he has gradually ceased eating," the acolyte said. "My master seeks the Dao with all his heart, focusing on his cultivation, and pays no mind to the affairs of the world below. In other places, even those who offer gold and silver to build temples for the sake of sweeping his floors are not easily accepted as disciples. This time, he only came because he saw that young Master Lu had an affinity for the Dao and wished to test his sincerity."

"Unexpectedly, first a wild Daoist came to provoke us, and now you, sir, come under the guise of 'seeking guidance' while actually plotting to defame us to build your own reputation."

"My master and we, his two disciples, are but simple mountain hermits who do not meddle in worldly affairs. You look like a man of integrity, why act this way?"

The acolyte stood straight. Having traveled extensively with the old man, he had developed a calm composure in the face of trouble, and his words were articulate and persuasive, as if he were truly offering sincere advice.

Young Master Lu, standing nearby, nodded along. He recognized Li Bai and said, "Taibai, you have been deceived; how can you offend the sage? Say no more. My grandmother has always been kind to you; hurry and apologize, so I may beg the sage to forgive your transgressions."

He then whispered an apology to the old man: "This is the son of a merchant from Shu, a guest invited for my grandmother’s birthday banquet. His name is Li Bai. He has a talent for poetry but is reckless and unruly. He must have been led astray by villains, I hope the sage will..."

He was unaware that Li Bai had declined to attend the banquet earlier. Glancing at the steward who had tried to stop him earlier, Lu Pei explained to the sage with a sense of self-satisfied pride.

Despite being labeled a deceitful villain, Jiang She showed no sign of anger. He did not care to argue with these ancients. In his eyes, their every move and word was fascinating. It was a pity he hadn't majored in ancient literature or history in his past life; otherwise, he might have appreciated the nuances of these people chatting or scolding more deeply.

He simply smiled.

Jiang She said, "If I truly wished to build a reputation, you would not be able to see me standing here before you today. I have only come to point out the right path for you and to urge you not to stray."

This was too arrogant. The acolyte frowned, and the old man pushed aside Master Lu’s hand, preparing to intervene.

Behind them, Li Bai watched Jiang She with burning eyes. He had mocked the fake sage without a second thought, but now that he stood before someone who was truly an immortal, he could not look away. This was the very definition of yearning.

He saw Jiang She turn toward the south, offer a slight bow, and say, with an air of effortless grace:

"Deity of Mount Lumeng, I invite you to appear."