Chapter 26: The Feast of Gods and Ghosts

"Master Jiang."

Seeing Jiang She set down his brush, Li Bai finally spoke.

Jiang She placed the calligraphy brush onto a cat-shaped ornament and turned to look at him.

"Three days from now, a local earth deity will be entering the Dao. They have extended invitations to various spirits and gods. Would you like to attend the banquet, Master Jiang?" Li Bai asked. "I hear there will be a hundred kinds of delicacies, none of which are ordinary."

"Those who frequent such places are either ghosts or gods."

On the desk, brushes and ink were scattered alongside an awl and hemp rope. The book had already been bound, though only a few lines were written within. It was a personal journal Jiang She was crafting for himself.

Jiang She tucked the journal into his sleeve.

"Was it the Old Mountain God of Mount Lu who told you this?"

"Yes."

"I am willing to observe. At what time?"

Li Bai recalled the words of the Old Mountain God. Uncertain, he pondered for a moment before saying, "When the moon reaches the center of the sky."

...

...

Near Mount Lument, in a certain vein of the earth.

Mountain gods, earth deities, mountain ghosts, spirits, and demons had all gathered for the feast.

There was no chilling wind, only an aura of clarity and spirituality. Earth deities were appointed by the human world and possessed temples; they were gods of orthodox lineage, and the guests they invited were naturally practitioners of the righteous path.

The guests, some in human form and others in beastly shapes, occupied the area.

Within the mountains and forests, in a place sheltered by a bamboo grove—

In a spot invisible to the mortal eye, green-feathered birds arrived carrying branches laden with red fruit. Apes cradled wine jars, tigers led the way, serpents and eels slithered alongside them, and jackals stood guard at the rear.

This was the feast of the earth deity.

The Old Mountain God of Mount Lu held a noble status and possessed profound Daoist arts, so he arrived quite late.

He cast a glance at the guests around him. The man he sought was nowhere to be seen.

He took his seat at a designated place and toasted the earth deity, congratulating him on entering the Dao. Only after the Mountain God of Mount Lu was seated did the banquet truly begin. Ferocious beasts gorged themselves, snake-women consumed spiritual meat, and apes embraced the red fruit.

The earth deity, a mountain imp, was particularly attentive to the Old Mountain God.

"What was the Mountain God looking for just now?"

The Old Mountain God held his wine cup, glanced at the banquet once more, and lowered his eyes. "It is a pity the Immortal has not arrived..."

The earth deity turned pale, startled. "You invited that Immortal for me?"

"I did."

The black fur on the earth deity’s cheeks bristled with fear and panic, his beastly face filled with trepidation. Seeing this, the Old Mountain God comforted him: "Do not panic. Do you think that just because the Immortal did not appear that day, he does not know of your existence?"

He continued.

"I have had some affinity with that person these past few days; he is not an unreasonable man. Since you became an earth deity and transcended your chaotic ignorance, you have never again fed upon humans."

"Besides, if the Immortal has not arrived, what is there for you to fear?"

The earth deity's voice was low. "What you say is reasonable."

The Old Mountain God drank his wine and smiled.

"Today is the day of your enlightenment. What you practice is the righteous path. The ghosts of the mountains fear it, the spirits of the woods respect it, and the birds and beasts take it as their guide. Those of us who are mountain gods also seek to befriend you."

"Some days ago, I used mantises and birds to preach to you. Today, it is your turn to discourse on the Dao."

The earth deity relaxed slightly.

He asked hurriedly, "Did the Immortal offer you any guidance?"

The Old Mountain God stroked the deer-god figurine in his sleeve. "He severed my karmic ties with the Lu family. From now on, we shall each follow our own path."

The earth deity nodded. "It should have been severed long ago!"

He listened with a sense of longing.

He sighed, "It is a pity that the Immortal has not arrived today. Such a lofty individual—how is it that I have no chance to meet him..."

"Enough."

The earth deity raised his wine bowl and drained it in one gulp.

He stepped into the moonlight to preach to all living things.

Mountain gods and earth deities are local spirits of high status, profound in Daoist arts, and blessed with extraordinary longevity; they are not to be compared with the guests seated below. Thus, this conversation was heard by no one but the two gods themselves; the mountain ghosts and spirits remained oblivious.

From beginning to end, there was no sign of the Immortal.

"The method I speak of today is the path to opening one's mind and spirit—a way to find liberation from chaos—"

"For those in human form, there are the methods of the Inner and Outer Elixirs. Those who practice the Inner Elixir refine the three treasures of essence, qi, and spirit to form a Golden Elixir, allowing the Yang spirit to emerge and unite with the Dao."

"Those who practice the Outer Elixir refine the body with golden nectar, making the flesh immortal and eternal; consuming it allows one to ascend to heaven."

"But these are all methods for the human race to learn the way of the Immortals."

"We are demons, spirits, ghosts, and mountain imps. We are born with short lives, living in ignorance and dying in ignorance. Most of us cannot transcend the cycle of life and death."

"Let alone defy the mortal fate to tread the path of the Dao."

The beasts were moved.

A red fox was so touched that it could not help but shed tears.

Half of them had been born as ordinary beasts or wandering ghosts; before they had gained consciousness, they had already witnessed their parents and siblings perish.

Some died at the hands of mountain hunters; others were caught by fierce beasts; others were hunted for their bright, beautiful fur to be made into garments.

The earth deity sighed and continued:

"However, to be born with spiritual essence is to be protected by the mountains, rivers, and marshes."

"Some dwell in precious lands, refining the essence of the sun and moon. As long as the true spirit within the heart remains undimmed, one lives; when the true spirit fades, the body dies. This is how one may seek the Dao..."

"Or, one may follow the path of incense and offerings to deities. This is to listen to the chanting of scriptures, to receive offerings from the human world, or to be enlightened by a master..."

"All of these can lead to the Dao."

After saying this, the earth deity poured himself wine to moisten his throat, paving the way for what he was about to say next.

The bamboo leaves rustled. As the wind brushed the treetops, only the intermittent chirping of cicadas could be heard; even the birds had flown away. Tonight, this place was a sanctuary for ghosts and gods to feast and discourse on the mysteries of the Dao.

Naturally, this would not be known to mortals.

Mortals who occasionally lingered in the mountains would pass by the bamboo grove three times without ever entering, completely unaware that only a few dozen feet away, a deity was teaching the Dharma.

It was much like the days when the Old Mountain God of Mount Lu maintained the law, ensuring the courtyard remained undiscovered and undisturbed.

Only the half-moon hung high in the sky.

Moonlight pierced through the bamboo grove, casting flickering shadows upon the spirits gathered below. As the wind blew, their silhouettes—tiger heads, fox bodies, serpent forms, and avian wings—danced in a manner both strange and beautiful.

A faint sound came from outside, but the earth deity paid no mind, assuming it was merely another passing mortal. He moistened his throat, preparing to continue.

Suddenly, he saw the Old Mountain God of Mount Lu rise to his feet, holding his wine cup as he hurried forward.

The earth deity was stunned. After a few moments, he suddenly realized what had occurred to warrant such reverence from the Mountain God—

The Immortal had arrived.

Under the moonlight, a man walked slowly toward them.

He was dressed in simple green robes, an understated appearance, yet his brow and demeanor were so refined that one would forget all worldly concerns at the sight of him. Bamboo leaves bowed low, brushing against him as he passed. Wherever he walked, filth retreated, and he remained unstained by the dust of the world.

The earth deity suddenly recalled a passage from the Daoist scriptures he had once heard.

"When a True Man travels, the places he passes see foul qi dissipate, and the grass and trees bow low."

Was this what the legendary Immortals were like?

After a few moments of bewilderment, the earth deity regained his composure and hurried forward. "Greetings, Immortal."

As the earth deity approached, he kept his head low, not daring to gaze too long at the Immortal. He looked behind the Immortal and saw a man in white following him, carrying a long sword and possessing an equally extraordinary air.

Jiang She looked around. Everywhere he looked, he saw spirits.

There were beasts born with the spirit of the wild; green birds the size of a human’s two arms perched in the trees; a snake-woman who was half-human and half-serpent; a fire fox with its tail splayed, lying lazily on the ground; a monkey clutching a wine jar; and a fierce tiger with black and yellow fur, equipped with hooked claws and serrated teeth...

On the other side, there were figures with blue-faced ghostly bodies, dressed in robes as opulent as those of princes, yet the shadows behind them betrayed their nature as ghosts of the mountains—the nobility among the dead.

The Mountain God yielded his seat to Jiang She.

"I have arrived late."

"Were you all discussing the methods of the Dao just now?"