Chapter 35: A Fierce Tiger at the Door

Before Yuan Danqiu could collect his thoughts, he and Meng Haoran were suddenly surrounded by a throng of Taoist priests.

Lian Yue, the priest standing closest to him, was the most eager to press for answers.

"Was that breeze just now caused by Mr. Jiang?"

"Lay Practitioner Yuan, do you know that exalted master? How did that commotion come about, and what was he doing in the alchemy room? Could you perhaps introduce us?"

"Could he be a master of the Way of Alchemy?"

"Truly, even the most enlightened sages of legend could do no more than this!"

"I have never heard of such a person in my life. He must be a hermit, a traveler of mist and clouds who dwells in seclusion far from the world."

Caught in a barrage of questions, Yuan Danqiu and Meng Haoran found themselves overwhelmed. The priests, having witnessed such a miraculous event, were far more fervent—one might even say fanatical—than ordinary folk.

Dizzy and with a throbbing head, Yuan Danqiu stammered, "How should I know? Mr. Jiang never mentioned he knew how to refine elixirs..."

"Master Meng, please, say something to them!"

***

The forest was lush and green, and many of its creatures had just benefited greatly from the event.

The Old Deer Mountain God expressed his gratitude.

This azure energy had not been conjured from thin air; rather, it was a manifestation of vitality called forth by the resonance of heaven and earth. Though it would soon be scattered by the winds and drift far beyond Xiangzhou, it was a rare and precious stroke of fate.

The spirits of the mountains, rivers, and marshes, both mortal and divine, all shared in this bounty.

Jiang She smiled. "I had simply heard much talk of alchemy these past few days and found it interesting. A thought took root, and I decided to try my hand at it on a whim."

"I acted on an impulse, and when the impulse faded, it dispersed."

"Why must the Mountain God be so formal?"

The Mountain God gave a wry smile. "An impulse, you say? Such a great commotion terrified this humble deity."

Jiang She had only intended to gather some azure energy and tap into the spirit of the mountains to see if he could form an elixir. He had not realized that the world would respond so strongly, drawing not just from the mountain's energy, but affecting the entire region of Xiangzhou and even the surrounding prefectures.

Fortunately, it was not a bad thing.

With that thought, Jiang She let the matter rest. He reached into his sleeve and produced two medicine bottles: one of celadon jade and one of white porcelain.

The Old Deer Mountain God watched, wondering to himself, *Mr. Jiang’s sleeves are not particularly large, and I heard no clinking of bottles just now. Where did he retrieve these items from? Could it be some profound Taoist art?*

As he pondered, he saw Jiang She pour out a single azure pill.

It shone with a brilliant light, perfectly round and full.

Jiang She asked, "This is my first time refining an elixir. I am unsure of its quality. What does the Mountain God think?"

As the pill manifested in the wild, a remarkably clear and lingering fragrance filled the air. Birds in the forest took wing, circling overhead, while the bushes and shrubs rustled. Mountain beasts, coveting the scent, were driven away by a wave of the Mountain God’s hand.

"If this is not of the highest quality, then this humble deity knows of no pill that could be so called."

Seeing the reaction, Jiang She understood well enough. He looked at the remaining jade bottle, satisfied, and asked no more.

The Mountain God and the local deity watched, transfixed, as he tucked both bottles back into his sleeves. From beginning to end, they never knew what the other bottle contained.

Struggling to suppress his curiosity, the Mountain God raised his hands. "Congratulations on mastering this method of alchemy, sir."

The local deity offered his congratulations as well.

Just as they were speaking, a tiger's roar echoed from the distant woods.

At Mount Lumen, a fierce tiger lay atop a massive boulder, eyes narrowed. Its tail twitched with impatience.

After listening to the Red Fox, it asked, "Did they really say that?"

The Red Fox huffed through its nose. "It’s already spread throughout the foot of the mountain. I heard it from those offering incense at the Taoist temple."

"Does the Immortal know?"

"It was said right in front of the Immortal."

An expression of human-like fear and rage crossed the tiger’s face. It paced restlessly in the forest, tail flicking, and asked, "Did the Immortal believe it?"

"How would I know?"

"Do you dare ask an Immortal?"

The tiger let out a long roar and cursed, "Since we gained sentience, we have never eaten a human, let alone harmed their property or lives as they claim! They even blame the tragedy of the Lu family on me! How will the Immortal view me now?"

***

Mountain streams murmured as they flowed through Xiangzhou, where the Han River bisected the city, creating the distinct landscapes of the north and south: Xiangyang and Fancheng.

The river connected two shores under a single sky. With the Han River as a shield and the Xian and Lumen mountains as barriers, the land was easy to defend and difficult to attack, making it a place of contention for many strategists throughout history.

The bustling river traffic and constant flow of merchant caravans made Xiangyang exceptionally prosperous. Jiang She had once read a poem that went, *Departing from the Ba Gorges, passing through the Wu Gorges, then descending to Xiangyang toward Luoyang.*

The mountain stream flowed eventually into the Han River.

The Chen family village sat on a tributary of the Han, perfect for cultivation. Seventy percent of the village land belonged to the main branch of the Chen family; they were wealthy and influential among the local gentry.

Chen Erniu was a distant relative from a branch split off many years ago; to the main family, he was little more than an indentured servant.

These past few days, life had been much easier for Chen Erniu. The main family had invited him to their estate to talk, and even servants from the county seat had come to serve him tea, all to hear him recount the events of that day from beginning to end, in as much detail as possible, to satisfy the curiosity of the young masters and ladies of the house.

To earn a bit more tea money, Chen Erniu had coordinated his story with his nephew, adding quite a bit of embellishment.

He dared not lie about the spirits, but he added descriptive flourishes—how magnificent the banquet his nephew had heard that night sounded, and how he had "filled in" the fragments of conversation they had caught. He even tried to hum the melodies and songs they had heard; the servant listened, frowning, but restrained himself from interrupting.

"Is that all?"

"How did the Immortal subdue the tiger?"

"I didn't see the Immortal subdue the tiger, so I dare not say."

"I didn't dare look closely at the Immortal, only that he was very handsome. He wore a green robe with long sleeves—yes, the 'wide sleeves' you mentioned, we country folk don't know the terms."

"When he came out of the bamboo grove, my nephew and I first thought we had run into ghosts."

"The Immortal was followed by a person in white. I didn't see his face clearly, but he walked with the Immortal, and he carried a very fragrant scent of wine."

Chen Erniu had replayed that night in his mind countless times, and it was now etched into his memory.

"I was too scared at the time. Now that I think of it, that wine smelled wonderful. It must have been the wine the Immortal drinks."

The servant listened intently. He was a retainer from Magistrate Cheng’s household, having traveled a long way specifically to investigate this matter. Tales of immortals were rare, yet Xiangyang had been filled with such rumors lately.

The magistrate was so restless that he would send three letters a day, urging his friend to finish the article quickly so that a craftsman could carve it onto a stone monument.

"Tell me more. Think carefully, is there anything you missed? I must return to the city before dark."

*The city...* Chen Erniu suddenly remembered.

"Right! The Immortal headed north, toward the city!"

The servant was startled. Was the Immortal Chen Erniu spoke of actually in Xiangyang?

Chen Erniu lowered his head to drink his tea. He had been asked so many times these past few days—talking from morning till night, in the village during the day, and for his family or relatives at night—that his throat was parched.

Suddenly, a tiger’s roar echoed in his ears, deafening and thunderous.

"ROAR—"

Birds scattered in all directions.