Chapter 177: People from all directions come to pay respects to the Mountain God!

The setting sun hung low, a red disk perched on the treetops; the sun had withdrawn its blinding glare, and the azure sky was suffused with a fiery red by the burning clouds, vividly red and especially festive.

At the center of the altar sat a large pig's head adorned with a red flower; the lingering glow of the setting sun fell upon it, gilding it with a golden light, while beside it lay cattle, sheep, and the villagers' cured provisions—all fine offerings.

Various offerings dazzled the eyes, piled high and overwhelming.

Previously the Mountain God rites were held in the village, but because this occasion required grandeur and a larger scale, they chose a site outside the village—a decision that now proves wise.

All the people from nearby villages had come; a glance showed a sea of heads, bustling with excitement, every face lit with enthusiastic smiles.

The village chief greeted the arrivals, his wrinkles bursting into smiles; seeing that familiar figure, he was overjoyed: 'Officer Sun, how did you come?'

Sun Zhenbang smiled faintly: 'The Mountain God rites are so important—how could I miss them?'

The villagers had long been on good terms with Sun Zhenbang, their private rapport excellent; seeing his arrival, they felt no restraint and warmly welcomed him in.

'Officer Sun, today is a fine day—let's drink our fill! No return until drunk!'

Sun Zhenbang too was infected by the surrounding laughter; his usually stern face now broke into a grin, and he boldly said, 'Good.'

'Then it's settled—I won't go easy on you.'

A villager beside them laughed and teased: 'Old Zhang, take it easy—if you get Officer Sun drunk and knock him out, what'll we do with the silver handcuffs?'

'Today here there's no Officer Sun, only I, Sun Zhenbang!'

The crowd mingled happily, the atmosphere very harmonious.

As the people chatted, a hearty laugh rang out.

'Lord of Boundless Blessings, this humble Daoist should not be late, should I?'

An old man in Daoist robes appeared, with a young Daoist acolyte behind him, entering the villagers' sight.

Sun Zhenbang sized up the old man before him—white beard and hair, the very picture of immortal grace—and wondered aloud: 'Chief, who is this?'

The chief's face lit with surprise: 'Officer Sun, let me introduce you—this is Daoist Priest Qingwei of the Shangqing Temple.'

Since Daoist Priest Qingwei's last visit to Longyuan Village, he also knew the Mountain God was the reason the Shangqing Temple had manifested such a divine sign.

To give thanks for the Mountain God's blessings, whenever he had free time he would come to have a look, sitting in meditation at the mountain's foot; thus the two sides have kept in contact.

Now, upon learning that Longyuan Mountain was holding the Mountain God rites, he made a special trip to attend.

Gazing at the tranquil village, its buildings unscathed, Daoist Priest Qingwei's eyes flashed with realization.

'I knew the village hadn't suffered any disaster.'

The chief was somewhat astonished: 'Could it be that the Shangqing Temple…?'

Daoist Priest Qingwei nodded, bowing low toward distant Longyuan Mountain: 'Under the Mountain God's protection, the temple escaped calamity; I have come this time also to give thanks to the Mountain God.'

As it turned out, besides Longyuan Village, the Shangqing Temple also escaped harm—only the portent was minor, and few knew of it.

This earthquake caused considerable loss; most buildings needed either rebuilding or repair. Cases like Longyuan Village and the Shangqing Temple, unscathed, are exceedingly rare—one in a myriad.

Moreover, since the last encounter between the Longyuan Mountain party and the 749 Bureau, Daoist Priest Qingwei had already sensed the mountain's mystery; connecting this special circumstance, he naturally first thought of Longyuan Mountain's mysterious power.

After a few words with Daoist Priest Qingwei, Sun Zhenbang found his speech extraordinary and his insights original, and they conversed happily for a time.

Having thought the crowd was about complete, unexpectedly another villager came running.

'Chief, a few monks have come to the village entrance!'

The chief, somewhat puzzled, asked: 'What do the monks want? Perhaps they're from a nearby temple coming to beg alms?'

'Our place is remote wilderness—where would there be a temple?'

The people exchanged bewildered glances; after all, this locality is rather isolated, and a passerby wouldn't make sense either.

The chief, Sun Zhenbang, and Daoist Priest Qingwei went to the village entrance, and indeed saw several figures clad in yellow kasaya, dust‑laden and weary.

'Namo Amitabha, may I ask if this is Longyuan Village?'

The chief nodded: 'Yes, I am the village chief; may I ask what business you venerable monks have?'

The leading monk showed a kind smile: 'We come from Yunling Xiguangsi Temple; hearing that this mountain possesses miraculous power, protecting all sides in the earthquake, we dare to disturb you and hope the chief will excuse us.'

It turned out these monks were from Xiguangsi; their temple likewise suffered no damage in the quake, and everyone there believed it was the Buddha's manifestation protecting them.

At the same time, learning that Longyuan Village displayed a similar marvel, they also hurried over to see, for such occurrences are rare.

Yet they did not expect Longyuan Village to be so lively.

The villagers seldom ventured far, so the name was somewhat unfamiliar to them; however, Sun Zhenbang had previously heard Captain Zhou mention it a few times.

'Xiguangsi, huh—it's a famous ancient temple with a long history.'

The monks were quite humble: 'Just an empty reputation.'

As the saying goes, a distant guest is still a guest; the chief had no reason to refuse, and hurriedly ushered them inside.

'Honored masters, you've come far and must be weary—please take your seats quickly.'

The monks also noticed the presence of Daoist Priest Qingwei, stared for a moment, seemingly wondering why a Daoist was here.

Upon learning that the Shangqing Temple was also unharmed, the two sides exchanged views and found plenty to discuss, after all Buddhism and Daoism share many common points.

No one noticed a faint gaze from afar, fixed upon their doings here.

…

To the southeast, a narrow path lies on higher ground, rough to walk; besides, the spot is remote, usually untrodden, long abandoned, with weeds half a person tall around it.

Yet now a black shadow lies prone there, furtively raising binoculars to scan the distance.

This person is a CIA spy.

After the previous quake‑zone incident, the CIA received Zheng Huasen's report and became very interested in the matter of animals rescuing people.

The CIA also noted that whether it was animal rescues or Longyuan Village's intact state, both are tied to Longyuan Mountain; the mountain seems to hide some secret, so much that the Daxia government has ordered a blockade—a point worthy of reflection.

However, the CIA cannot ascertain the specific reason for the blockade, nor whether it relates to weather weapons; thus they remain doubtful and have ordered Zheng Huasen to investigate closely.

Upon learning that Longyuan Village would hold the Mountain God rites, Zheng Huasen lurked here, hoping to glean useful clues.

He had thought these villagers were merely making a small fuss, but he did not expect the scale to be quite grand; still, judging by the present situation, nothing abnormal has appeared so far.

'How come both monks and Daoists have come—is this meant to be an exchange meeting?'

Zheng Huasen held binoculars, looking at the distant crowd. The Daoist and monk attire was conspicuous, so he spotted them at a glance.

Sun Zhenbang came in plain clothes, so he wasn't seen by him.

Zheng Huasen originally wanted to disguise himself and blend in, but considering the information he had gathered, this Longyuan Village was rather strange; earlier, many criminals had come here, yet they were all inexplicably arrested.

Adding to the government's ambiguous attitude, suspecting there might be plainclothes police in the village, he therefore dared not act rashly, ambushing here to observe, also as a precaution.

As time passed, the crowd gathering in Longyuan Village grew larger; the village chief glanced at the time and nodded toward the side as a signal.

Several villagers immediately understood his meaning, pushing out a huge bronze gong from the side.

The bronze gong looked aged, having been passed down through generations of the village, and now it held special commemorative significance.

Although the edges showed some wear, it was very smooth—clearly it was regularly maintained.

Under normal circumstances, the bronze gong is not lightly used; once it is struck, it means that something major has happened in the village.

The gong mallet is also huge, requiring several people to lift it together; the village chief and a few respected elders of the village jointly struck the bronze gong.

Boom—

The auspicious time has arrived; the grand ceremony begins!

The sound of the bronze gong, with tremendous penetrating power, drifted among the mountains, echoing continuously, causing everyone's hearts to tremble.

The originally somewhat lively crowd fell silent at this moment; Sun Zhenbang, Daoist Qingwei, and the monks of Xiguangsi all turned their gazes toward the altar's location.

In the very center lay an object covered with a red cloth, its shape indiscernible, until the village chief pulled the red cloth away.

A vividly lifelike snake statue came into view; its pupils showed neither joy nor sorrow as they regarded the crowd, sunlight bathing it and gilding it with a special hue.

In a daze, the people felt an illusion that the Mountain God, through the statue's eyes, was gazing at them.

The atmosphere instantly turned solemn; the village chief's eyes filled with reverence, he clasped his hands and bowed before the statue.

Pay respects to the Mountain God—

The people followed behind the village chief, paying homage to the statue.

The monks of Xiguangsi were somewhat surprised; they had not expected that the Mountain God, spoken of so miraculously by the villagers, would actually be a snake!

However, following local custom, after their surprise they had no other thoughts; having come, they naturally joined in the worship.

Offer sacrifice to the Mountain God—

Under the village chief's lead, each household took out items from home to place on the altar, lit incense, and paid tribute to the Mountain God.

The crowd was orderly; although numerous, it did not appear chaotic, and this process took the longest time.

Because besides the villagers of Longyuan Village, there were also people from other villages, it took nearly an hour to finish the worship.

May the Mountain God bless and protect our Longyuan Village; thank you for your gifts, and we shall henceforth devote ourselves sincerely in worship.

The village chief murmured a prayer; the incense he lit rose as thin white smoke, and though there was no wind, the smoke drifted on its own toward the direction of Longyuan Mountain, as if the Mountain God were responding to the villagers.

The curling smoke carried the villagers' devotion, merging into these mountains; the distant peaks were lush and green, and at this moment they seemed veiled in a thin gauze.

Roar!

As the villagers were devoutly making their offerings, a low, deep tiger roar was faintly heard from the mountain, as if the earth and hills were shaking, instantly drawing everyone's gaze.

In the glow of the setting sun, leaves could be seen swaying not far off, as if something were rushing toward them; there appeared a striped fierce tiger at the mountain's base.

The people were not strangers to this tiger; they had encountered it before and knew it was a companion of the Mountain God.

This tiger appeared enormously larger than before, its brownish-yellow fur seeming to glow, its eyes bright and spirited, filled with an ineffable spirituality.

Close behind came jackals, hyenas, monkeys, foxes, and other such animals.

Although these animals are quite ordinary, the aura they exude is not mundane, giving the villagers a sense of indescribable dignity.

For a moment the air fell utterly still; not because the villagers feared these animals, but because they felt something strange.

These animals obey the Mountain God; moreover, during the earthquake they descended the mountain to rescue people, surely under the Mountain God's direction.

If that is the case, how could they possibly harm humans? Thus the villagers merely felt some surprise and puzzlement.

What are these animals here for?

I don't know; today is the Mountain God's grand ceremony—could they have come in response to the Mountain God's command?

The people chattered, unsure what these animals intended to do.

The villagers were fine, already accustomed to oddities, but Daoist Qingwei and the monks were somewhat flustered.

Although they had heard rumors of animals rescuing people, they had merely heard them and never witnessed it; this was the first time they saw such a scene.

Daoist Qingwei grew excited, exclaiming, 'Fusheng Wuliang Tianzun—could these be the very animals that rescued people?'

The village chief nodded, saying, 'Yes, these animals all obey the Great Mountain God; Daoist, do not fear, they will not harm us.'

The monks of Xiguangsi chanted the Buddha's name, turning their prayer beads, saying, 'Heaven possesses the virtue of cherishing life; when calamity falls from heaven, animals saving people is a rare great merit throughout ages.'

If they had previously doubted the tales of animals rescuing people, seeing this scene dispelled much of their skepticism.

Daoist Qingwei knew that Longyuan Mountain possessed mysterious power, but the monks were unaware; gazing at the scene before them, they could only sigh in awe and could not help whispering to each other.

'Uncle Master, it seems our trip to Longyuan Mountain was indeed worthwhile; we had thought the rumors were false, but upon seeing them we realize reality is even more shocking.'

'These animals might have become spirits; could it be that there truly is a Mountain God in the mountains?'

'Our temples have already seen the Buddha manifest; having a Mountain God is not so extraordinary.'

'Indeed, just stepping here makes one feel refreshed and clear-headed; this truly is a fine place.'

After descending from the mountain, the animals stood in orderly ranks on both sides, like human soldiers, and did not rashly charge into the crowd.

One could see that the animals' fur was sleek and glossy, their deep eyes filled with a human-like light, showing no trace of cruelty or bloodlust.

Roar!

Accompanied by a low growl from the Northeastern tiger, two monkeys stepped out of the line, standing on their hind legs and holding something in their hands; behind them two foxes appeared, standing behind the monkeys, imitating the same.

Soon another pair of animals appeared, each pair facing each other, each holding something, with the Northeastern tiger directing from the side.

Seeing such a formation, the villagers could only sigh in awe; these slight frames were straighter than humans, making one feel ashamed of their own posture.

After the lineup was set, the Northeastern tiger turned its gaze toward the village chief.

Looking at the Northeast Tiger's spirited beast eyes, and glancing at the things in the animals' hands, at that moment the village chief felt enlightened, "You too have come to pay homage to the Mountain God?"

The Northeast Tiger nodded; how could the movements at Mountain Foot escape Ye Qin's eyes? These animals had long known as well.

Cultivation on the mountain was too dull and boring; it was rare to have such an event, so the animals naturally wanted to participate in this celebration, and Ye Qin didn't want to restrain them too much.

The villagers were not outsiders either; even if they saw these animals they would not panic, and the animals' participation would be no harm.

After all, the Mountain God's celebration is held once a year; if they missed it they'd have to wait until next year, so these animals came down the mountain one after another, bringing offerings.

Seeing the animals' behavior and expressions, the village chief first stared, then couldn't help muttering, "These animals constantly accompany the Mountain God day and night; indeed they have all become spirits."

He quickly made way, and the other villagers also stepped aside to clear a path for the animals.

Roar!

Accompanied by a low growl from the Northeast Tiger, the animals marched in neat steps toward the altar; they appeared to have been trained, and the whole process could be described as smooth and flowing.

If it weren't for their fur, from behind they looked no different from ordinary people.

After the animals placed their offerings on the altar and retreated to the side, some curious villagers glanced over a few times, wanting to see what the animals had offered to the Mountain God.

Upon seeing clearly, they were instantly stunned, unable to speak from surprise.

They were all precious medicinal herbs such as lingzhi, danggui, and he shou wu, the most conspicuous being those several sturdy ginseng roots.

They were about half the length of a person's forearm, and what was astonishing was that this ginseng had fully taken shape, possessing limbs just like a human's, with abundant rootlets.

Good grief, this ginseng must be around five hundred years old; it can be said to be of ancestral level.

It might be even more than five hundred years; look at the pattern on this ginseng — doesn't it resemble a human's facial features?

Doctor Wu, you've been gathering herbs in the mountains for so long — have you ever seen such a ginseng before?

Wu Yuan's face was full of emotion as he said, "I usually only see ordinary things; where would I have seen something so miraculous? It seems only near the Mountain God could such miraculous things grow."

Such ginseng could be said to be worth a fortune, yet the villagers' eyes showed no trace of greed, only astonishment and wonder.

Besides these medicinal herbs, many animals also held yellow talisman papers, the characters on them resembling ghost-drawn symbols, which the villagers could not understand at all.

The medicinal herbs could be explained, after all Longyuan Mountain previously had many precious medicinal herbs, but where did these yellow talismans come from?

The villagers couldn't fathom the meaning of the yellow talismans, but the Daoist Qingwei and the monks from Xiguangsi nearby were struck as if by lightning, frozen in place.

(End of chapter)