Chapter 5: Mountain Gods and Earth Deities

"Do you really think anyone can have a fated connection to immortality?"

After the heavy rain, the mountain glistened with verdant hues. A blue bird hid amidst the forest, preening its tail feathers with its beak, glancing backward from time to time. Behind it, a bright green mantis clung to a leaf, its back to the sunlight; it looked just like a bamboo leaf, swaying gently in the breeze. Sheltered beneath the bamboo foliage, an early cicada, driven out by the dampness of the rain, perched on the tree, singing idly.

The Old Deer Mountain God sat in the woods, gestured casually, and smiled at his friend:

"Take that cicada in the mountain, for instance. Would you notice it?"

The Earth Deity shook his head.

"Humans are the primates of all beings, uniquely favored by Heaven; they are different from cicadas."

"Yet, what is the difference between a cicada and a human?" the Old Deer Mountain God asked with a smile.

"The cicada in the mountain is ignorant and unaware; it cannot see the mantis stalking it from behind, and that mantis, in turn, cannot see the bird hiding in the forest... Or rather, even if they knew, what of it? Would you or I save it? How could it save itself?"

"The mantis eats flesh, and the bird catches insects; that is simply their nature."

"If we save it today, there will be tomorrow. If we save it tomorrow, there will be the next year. It is a cycle that repeats through generations, and humans are the same. How lamentable!"

"This is fate."

"It cannot be defied; it cannot be defied."

The Earth Deity listened intently. The Old Deer Mountain God had lived for eight hundred years and possessed a deeper understanding of the Dao than he did.

The Old Deer Mountain God spoke briefly of fate before shifting the conversation back to the cultivation of the Dao.

"If one wishes to defy fate, transcend the lifespan of one hundred and twenty years, encounter the true Dharma, pursue the Great Dao, and step onto the path of immortality..."

"Is it truly that easy?"

"One must abandon vanity, cast aside the delusions of wealth, possess superior innate potential, harbor no desires, establish a foundation of virtue, perform thousands of good deeds, and have a master to pass on the teachings."

"Only then can one knock upon the gates of immortality."

"This is the righteous path, the Great Dao."

In the bamboo forest, the blue bird tilted its head to preen, staring at the mantis undulating on the bamboo leaf. The mantis, having eaten its fill, was content and carefree. They were unaware that beneath the tree, such a discourse on the "Dao" had taken place.

The Earth Deity sighed upon hearing this.

"For mortals to seek immortality is truly difficult."

The Mountain God laughed: "Yet this path is the Great Dao. Once attained, it is something neither you nor I, as mountain gods and earth deities, can compare to."

"That master is merely passing through as a traveler. Even though that young man has astonishing poetic talent and discusses immortals and gods as easily as if chatting with an old friend, he will not be taken as a disciple."

"That poet is only in his twenties; he has not yet seen through the world's vanity, nor has he severed his desire to serve in office."

"How could he enter the gates of immortality?"

...

...

The mountain path was slippery and difficult to traverse. Li Bai’s feet were covered in mud, and he feared his shoes would be hard to clean upon his return. He rested against a tree trunk, looking up at the person walking ahead.

Dew droplets landed on that man, yet left no trace. There was mud on the mountain path, yet none touched his footwear. It was as if the filth itself had a spirit and chose to avoid him.

When Li Bai was young, he read *Biographies of Immortals* by Ge Hong of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, which stated:

"They walk without treading the earth, their clothes gather no dust, and they are immune to water and fire; this is called 'avoiding the dust.'"

This must be what an immortal is like.

Such a capable immortal stood before Li Bai. He had wished to bow and become his disciple to study the Dao, but he had been refused.

He was told his heart was not yet clear, and the time had not yet come.

What exactly did it mean for the time to come?

Fortunately, Jiang She had also said that while he would not take him as a disciple, they could travel together for a time to see the people of this world.

Li Bai's heart surged; the encounter with an immortal was too bizarre, stirring waves within him.

After a moment, he spoke.

"Is the Lu family mentioned by that Mountain God the Lu clan from the foot of the mountain?"

"Today is the seventieth birthday of the old matriarch of the Lu family. Although the Lu family has declined in these past two years, the old matriarch still holds considerable prestige, and many guests have come to offer their congratulations. If you wish to see, I am willing to lead the way for you, sir."

Jiang She, who was stringing fish with a willow branch, asked:

"Do you have a connection with the Lu family?"

Li Bai admitted candidly: "Yes. I came here last year and studied the Dao with Brother Meng and Danqiusheng. It was during that time that I became acquainted with the Lu family."

"It is just that the old matriarch of the Lu family always wanted to betroth the women of their family to me as my wife. I found it overwhelming and had no choice but to flee into the mountains."

Given Li Bai's family background, even though the Tang laws dictated that the sons of merchants could not enter official service, he did not look upon a wealthy household in a single county as anything of note, let alone enter into a marriage alliance.

After declining twice, they persisted in asking.

He had no choice but to run.

Jiang She found this amusing: "That was indeed a difficult situation for you."

"What does that matter," Li Bai said. "The Lu family’s fields and houses have mostly been sold. The matriarch should have no time to bother with me now."

"I heard from Brother Meng that the matriarch of the Lu family is advanced in years. Years ago, during a drought, she opened her granaries to provide grain and relief to the villagers, performing many good deeds. She is of a high generation, and though the Lu family has been in decline these past two years, she just has an eccentric temperament and likes to play matchmaker. She isn't a bad person."

"Even though the Lu family has little left, they will still go to offer their birthday wishes and provide some assistance."

"The guests who come to offer their congratulations likely think the same."

Meng Haoran was a local of Xiangyang, and his family had known the Lu clan for generations. The Lu clan of Xiangyang County was different from the Lu clan of Fanyang; the Fanyang Lu clan was a prestigious family of the realm, while the Xiangyang Lu clan was merely a local landed gentry, now gradually withering away, which was a pity.

Jiang She nodded.

He asked again: "Have you heard the reason why the Lu family is selling their land and fields?"

Li Bai replied: "When it first started, I thought they were preparing for the imperial examinations and wanted to present their works to officials in the capital, but their coffers were empty, so they had to sell their assets. Later, however, I did not see them packing their bags to head for the capital, which I found quite strange."

"Only then did I learn that they had been afflicted by an evil spirit."

Speaking of this, curiosity appeared on his face.

"What kind of evil spirit is so powerful that even the local Mountain God cannot drive it away?"

"We shall see once we take a look." Jiang She bowed slightly and smiled, "I shall have to trouble you further."

"Sir, you may simply call me Taibai."

Li Bai felt refreshed, his tone unable to hide his respect and excitement.

"Then there is no need to call me 'Sir' either," Jiang She smiled. "I have not yet taken a courtesy name; just use my given name."

...

...

At the foot of the mountain.

The Lu family was in decline, leaving only a hollow, old mansion. Many of the vases and utensils had been sold off, and even though the masters of the house tried to hide it, the desolation and emptiness were apparent.

A landed gentry family that had been passed down for generations had withered away like this, leaving the local guests sighing with regret.

"There used to be a celadon chicken-head ewer here, dating back to the Jin Dynasty. I wanted to ask to buy it, but Master Lu refused me several times," a guest whispered.

"Today, it is nowhere to be seen."

"I heard it was sold to a shop outside and is now in the trade."

"The Lu family, how pitiful."

"I heard their lineage goes back hundreds of years, with prosperity that continued endlessly, protected by the Earth Deity. They had been wealthy for over a dozen generations. What a pity."

"Is his eldest son's hysteria still not cured? The family fortune is all but gone. If he could pass the imperial examinations, it would be fine, but if he never passes, then..."

"Hateful to have given birth to such a spendthrift."

Someone gritted their teeth, seemingly feeling the same pain.

After whispering privately for a while, the local gentleman Wang, who had initially lamented the chicken-head ewer, stood up and said:

"Enough, enough. Today is the birthday of their matriarch, a day of great joy. Let us not mention these things; let us go and offer our congratulations!"

They suppressed the sympathy and pity on their faces, lowered their heads to adjust their sleeves, and tried their best to ensure both host and guests were satisfied, coaxing the elderly matriarch of the Lu family into happiness.

Meng Haoran and Yuan Danqiu stood among the guests.

Meng Haoran said in a low voice:

"The Lu family is finished."

Yuan Danqiu was not as tactful as him; he also said in a low voice: "No wonder the matriarch of the Lu family has been so keen on match-making these past two years, trying to betroth her granddaughter to Taibai. He is the one who spends money like water; he looks quite wealthy."