Chapter 00009: The Mountain Spirit of Hu Yang
# The Mountain Spirit of Hu Yang
Chapter 9
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 9: The Mountain Spirit of Hu Yang
Just one more step, and the child would have been trampled into a pancake.
The child grabbed the rattle drum from the ground, coughing uncontrollably from the dust kicked up by the horse's hooves.
Finally, a parent managed to push through the crowd, scooping up the child and running off without a backward glance.
People on the street began to voice their complaints, but the white-robed rider seemed oblivious, raising his head to look at Hao Shu.
Hao Shu's face remained expressionless.
Liu Baobao, standing beside He Lingchuan, coughed loudly.
"Who are you? Do you know that galloping through the marketplace is punishable by whipping?"
"Who's going to administer the punishment?" The white-robed youth laughed, his tone dripping with disdain.
"You?"
His gaze was sharp as needles, and Liu Baobao felt his face go numb under the stare, instinctively shrinking back.
"The laws of Blackwater City are strict. Take a few more steps and see what happens!"
At this, the youth ignored him, shifting his gaze to He Lingchuan as if recognizing him as the one in charge.
He Lingchuan smiled at him, but the youth scrutinized him for a moment before urging his horse forward again.
The gray-robed figure behind him never looked up.
After this brief disturbance, the two riders slowed their pace, and the townsfolk watched as they disappeared around the corner.
They were heading northeast, out of the city.
Hao Shu spoke up at the right moment.
"Both of them have cultivation, especially the gray-robed one. I can't see through him. The white-robed kid might be from a military family."
He Lingchuan raised an eyebrow, surprised.
Hao Shu had once slaughtered over a dozen wealthy families in the capital before being enlightened by a Daoist, learning magic and tempering his violent nature.
His cultivation was profound, and he held a high position in the He family.
If he said the gray-robed man was formidable, He Lingchuan had no reason to doubt it.
These two didn't seem like ordinary merchants.
What were they doing in this remote borderland?
Just then, a few more people arrived in the street—Blackwater City's patrol guards.
They had been alerted and were questioning the crowd.
"What happened?"
"Two people galloped through the market, almost trampling a child!" The crowd buzzed with similar accounts.
Only two? Then it couldn't be the He family's young master.
That was a relief.
The patrol leader grew angrier, glancing up and spotting He Lingchuan watching from a window.
He quickly greeted him, his expression softening.
"Master He, are you well?"
"Very well," He Lingchuan replied with a smile.
"Are you here to chase someone?"
"Yes!" The patrol leader declared with righteous indignation.
"Galloping through the streets is a blatant disregard for the law. They must be punished severely!"
He Lingchuan pointed them in the right direction.
"They went toward the northeast gate."
The patrol leader thanked him and led his men off in pursuit.
After they left, Hao Shu remarked, "Those patrol guards won't be able to stop them."
"I know. It's just a test," He Lingchuan shrugged.
"This is Blackwater City. Would they dare cause a scene in broad daylight?"
However, the patrol guards returned empty-handed after about fifteen minutes.
He Lingchuan wasn't surprised but wanted to know the details.
"What happened to those two?"
The patrol leader, not expecting He Lingchuan to still be waiting, coughed awkwardly.
"Those two are envoys of General Nian Zanli, the Northern Expedition General and Governor of Xunzhou. They're here on official business and showed us their official documents with the imperial seal."
He Lingchuan let out a long "Oh."
He knew of General Nian Zanli, the Northern Expedition General and Governor of Xunzhou.
This man held both military and administrative power, far surpassing the authority of the Prefect of Jinzhou.
Below the province were the counties.
Even He Chunhua, the Magistrate of Qiansong County, would have to address General Nian with respect as "Your Excellency."
The patrol guards soon left, and Liu Baobao looked uneasy.
"Do you think they'll remember me?"
"It's such a small matter. Why would they care?" He Lingchuan's reassurance lacked sincerity, but he was more curious about why the Governor of Xunzhou had sent his men to Blackwater City.
At that moment, two thunderclaps rolled across the sky, deafening and startling the dogs in the street, who yelped and ran off with their tails between their legs.
The people of Blackwater City were used to such weather and went about their business as usual.
He Lingchuan looked west and saw dark, heavy clouds gathering on the horizon.
A storm was coming.
...
"A storm is coming," the white-robed youth said, glancing at the sky and then at the gray-robed man.
"Do you think this place will do?"
The two of them were standing on Hulu Mountain.
The mountain had seven peaks, three of which were bare and rugged, resembling the heads of bald, burly men.
Despite its unremarkable appearance, Hulu Mountain was rich in wildlife—mice, rabbits, foxes, deer, and occasionally even wild boars and wolves.
The two stood on a game trail, having already inspected several caves.
"The land isn't fertile, but there's plenty of life. The numbers should suffice," the gray-robed man said, producing a purple-gold staff.
The top was carved with a grotesque beast, its bulging eyes and gaping mouth holding four rings that jingled as the staff moved.
The bottom was sharpened to a point, gleaming with a metallic sheen.
With a wave, the one-foot-long staff extended to seven feet.
The gray-robed man drove the staff into the ground, embedding it over a foot deep until it stood on its own.
He then took a green copper coin from the white-robed youth and placed it in the beast's mouth.
The mouth snapped shut, gripping the coin, and the beast's eyes began to glow red.
The gray-robed man began to shake the staff.
The rings at the beast's feet jingled chaotically at first, but after a while, a distinct rhythm emerged, repeating over and over.
Each repetition grew clearer, louder, and... carried farther!
The usual sounds of insects and birds in the forest vanished, leaving only the echoing chime of the rings, resonating endlessly.
The white-robed youth took a deep breath.
Even with his mental fortitude, focusing on the sound soon made him dizzy, his heart racing and ears ringing.
He had to divert his attention, staring blankly at the distant peaks.
Distracting himself made it bearable.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a frustrated voice came from behind them.
"Stop shaking it! Stop the noise!"
The purple-gold staff ceased its movement, and the two turned to see a poplar tree shaking its branches, the sound seeming to emanate from its leaves.
The poplar was gnarled and weathered, looking at least three to four hundred years old—the largest tree in the area.
The white-robed youth spoke first.
"Are you the local mountain spirit?"
"I am the mountain spirit of Hu Yang Mountain, appointed two hundred years ago. Now this place is called Hulu Mountain," the spirit's voice was peculiar, as if produced by countless leaves rubbing together.
At first, it was somewhat indistinct, but it grew smoother as it spoke.
It was as if someone who hadn't spoken in years was relearning how to talk.
"I've been in deep slumber for a long time. Even the local officials couldn't wake me. Who are you?"
It then sensed the copper coin in the beast's mouth and was surprised.
"Huh? This is the new dynasty's imperial token, called... something like 'Yuan'?"
"Yuan coin," the gray-robed man tapped the beast's head, and the green coin fell into his palm.
To an onlooker, it would appear slightly larger than a regular coin, with a hole at the top for threading.
(End of Chapter)