Chapter 194: 194.Chapter 192 Villagers Appear, Suppress Overseas!

194. Chapter 192 Villagers Appear, Suppress Overseas!

Green mountains like ink, vast dark clouds gathered here, the mountain outlines turned blurry, and the joy on everyone's faces was scattered.

After all, this is a joyous day; if it suddenly rained, wouldn't they end up soaked like drowned chickens?

Locals also have a superstitious saying: if the weather changes suddenly on the day of a wedding, it means that family's future days will not go smoothly.

Just as the village chief hesitated whether to move the feast indoors, a familiar roaring sound came from within the dark clouds, faint and intermittent, coming from the heavens above.

"Roar!"

Everyone's expression first showed shock, thinking they had hallucinated; then some couldn't believe it, asking, "Did I hear wrong?"

The village chief suddenly lifted his head, his eyes flashing with light, "This sound is—Mountain God!"

A heavy pressure came from the dark clouds overhead, as if about to crash down, yet it gave them a familiar aura.

Everyone strained their eyes to see the scene within the cloud layer; the dark clouds overlapped like a myriad troops advancing, faintly visible was a fleeting green glow and that mysterious shadow.

The heavens were shrouded in a black curtain, inadvertently revealing a mysterious corner.

They could clearly feel a majestic gaze sweep over them, as if a deity had descended, making them unable to resist the urge to worship.

Although everyone had some doubt inside, now they could be certain: the mysterious shadow within the dark clouds was undoubtedly the Mountain God.

The village chief, out of instinct, knelt and bowed: "Greetings, Mountain God!"

The other villagers only then came back to their senses from the shock, hurriedly following the village chief in kneeling on the ground.

"Roar!"

The majestic sound within the dark clouds seemed to be a response to them.

In the midst of the people's reverent and awe-filled gaze, the black clouds stretched toward Longyuan Mountain and swiftly vanished.

As the dark clouds departed, sunlight fell upon the earth; the people, who had been anxious about the sudden weather change, were now delighted and excited.

The dark clouds that had brought an omen were, in their eyes, gilded with a holy light, becoming a symbol of auspiciousness.

"How could this be just a gloomy day? This is clearly the auspicious sign of the Mountain God's arrival!"

"Even the Mountain God has arrived; in other words, aren't we attending the same feast as the Mountain God?"

"Village chief, your family truly has blessings; whose wedding reception is like yours, with the Mountain God coming over? When I held my wedding, why didn't I have such good luck?"

"Who says it isn't? If I had known earlier, I would have simply set the date for today as well, just in time for double blessings."

After hearing this, the other villagers couldn't help but tease: "Just be content; seeing the Mountain God this time is already not bad. Our village has held many celebrations; if the Mountain God came to every one, wouldn't we be exhausted?"

Everyone hearing this couldn't help but burst into laughter.

The village chief puffed out his chest, his beaming smile spreading all the wrinkles on his face, an expression of shared pride; he decided that after the feast ended, he would give the person who calculated the date a big red envelope.

If it weren't for having set today's date, the people wouldn't have this opportunity, and they might even get to see the Mountain God!

"What a pity, Xiao Cao isn't here today; if she saw the Mountain God, she would surely be very happy."

"This child went to school half a month early, saying there was something urgent; if she came back and knew this news, she would surely regret it till her intestines turned green."

Amid the envious looks of the crowd, the village chief had his son and new bride offer several sticks of incense to the Mountain God, then announced the feast would continue.

Looking at everyone's posture, even if a downpour came now, the feast would proceed without fail.

The arrival of the Mountain God pushed this feast to its climax; everyone raised cups and exchanged them, their gazes falling on not-far-off Longyuan Mountain; although the Mountain God's true form did not descend, they could feel that the Mountain God was with them!

……

At the same time, in Longyuan Mountain.

White mist permeated the area; tall trees rose from the ground, their broad leaves nearly reaching the point of blocking out the sky; vegetation flourished, far exceeding that outside by several times, and even the vines were strong and vigorous, coiled on the ground like earth dragons.

The boundless forest wove together into an independent world; the space between heaven and earth was filled with primal wildness and mystery, and if a human carelessly stepped inside, it would be like entering an ancient forest, everywhere strange flowers and rare plants.

And within this mist, several mysterious silhouettes could be vaguely seen.

One of these silhouettes resembled a person—light as soaring, heavy as thunder, shaped like a hawk catching a rabbit, with five fingers clenched into a fist, striking with a vigor like a tiger's mighty wind.

A sound of tearing air came from the atmosphere, like a crane's cry; as the strong wind blew, even the white mist was slightly dispersed, revealing a furry face within.

That turned out to be a monkey!

No one expected such a beautiful fist technique to be performed by a monkey; the movements flowed like clouds and water, with no hint of stagnation.

It seemed like a martial arts master.

The monkey struck with the speed of thunder, not giving time to cover one's ears, yet could retract and release at will; only see its fist gradually halt in midair, the fierce wind from the punch making the leaves rustle.

Green leaves fell like rain, pattering down onto the fox sitting in meditation beneath the tree.

This fox sat with legs crossed, eyes tightly shut, its paws resting on its knees, having entered a self‑forgetting state, utterly unaffected by the monkey's fist wind.

Its whole body emanated a strange aura; each hair glowed with a faint light, and though it was clearly an animal's appearance, it gave the feeling of a hermit sage.

The fox's mouth opened and closed, barely discernible uttering a few characters that formed strange syllables and symbols, as if chanting some scripture, which to listeners sounded utterly obscure.

The strange scripture, however, was filled with ineffable mystery, drifting in the air above the forest.

And not far away, a faint firelight could be heard, accompanied by crackling sounds, as if something was burning.

The thin mist cleared, revealing a yellow weasel standing before a container, upright like a person, holding herbs in its paws, occasionally sniffing with its nose, and after confirming correctness, tossing them into the container.

The yellow weasel's eyes flashed with brilliance; its small stature, in the firelight, appeared especially large.

Occasionally stirring with a wooden stick in hand, after a short while a refreshing fragrance emanated from the container, invigorating the spirit; even the monkey practicing fists nearby was drawn over, and the meditating fox opened its eyes.

Scenes like this, miraculous as they are, practically unfold every day in the mountains and forests.

Since Ye Qin left, the mountain's animals have strictly followed his orders, diligently training at all times, daring not to pause even for a moment.

As the saying goes, expertise lies in specialization; these animals are the same—some can uproot mountains, some have a talent for concocting elixirs, and some see their cultivation level and realm rise quickly.

And among them, the most outstanding may be the Northeast Tiger; the Northeast Tiger once experienced the Heavenly Tribulation together with Ye Qin, survived the tribulation, turned misfortune into blessing, and thus its whole body was transformed.

After Ye Qin's departure, its cultivation level and realm are the highest among the animals, making it virtually the strongest existence beneath Ye Qin.

At this moment, the Northeast Tiger was seated in meditation when it suddenly sensed something; its tiger eyes flashed with two beams of light, accurately landing on the southeast direction, accompanied by an earth‑shaking tiger roar.

In the southeast direction, the sky suddenly darkened; the horizon resembled overturned ink, spreading continuously toward their heads, as if a mountain rain were about to fall.

At this moment, the animals on Longyuan Mountain seemed to sense something, gathering from all directions; the previously silent mountain forest suddenly became tumultuous, like boiling water.

Monkeys stopped punching, foxes stood straight, yellow weasels flung the pills they held in their hands, all animals lifted their heads to gaze at the sky, their furry faces brimming with human-like excitement and joy.

If someone were to step into the mountains right now, they would certainly be stunned by the scene before them—every animal keeping the same movement and demeanor, as if sculpted from a single mold, truly miraculous to the utmost.

Whether flying in the heavens or running on the earth, even the fish and shrimp in the mountain lake, as well as the old turtles, rose to the surface, their eyes fixed on the same direction.

The great eagle spread its wings, standing firm on the treetops, and upon those treetops were countless sparrows, their eyes the size of mung beans, staring fixedly at the sky.

The animals waited in anticipation; the Northeast Tiger stood at the forefront, not even daring to blink.

A familiar pressure emanated from the air; the animals knew it was the demon ancestor's return!

As the pressure drew near, like a vast mountain pressing down, the mighty forces of ten thousand miles gathered here, exceeding even when Ye Qin had left, as if a divine realm had descended upon this place!

In that instant, the hairs on every animal's body stood upright; they could not help but lower their heads, prostrate themselves on the ground, bowing devoutly like humans, welcoming their king.

'Woo!'

'Ow!'

'Roar!'

At this moment, all the animals roared in unison, shaking heaven and earth; beastly cries rose and fell, drifting between heaven and earth, one could sense the joy and excitement within.

Dark clouds descended upon the summit of Longyuan Mountain; within the pressure, the animals felt an unexpected closeness.

That colossal figure appeared in their field of vision; the animals' beastly eyes widened to the utmost, their expressions turning to shock and awe.

Was this heavenly-descended giant beast truly the Mountain God they imagined?

Its form resembled ancient mountains transformed into a colossal shape; an ancient aura surged forth, the horns on its head were sharp and formidable, containing immense power, each scale on its body radiated countless divine lights, almost making them unable to look directly.

Ye Qin's appearance now was completely different from when he had left; one could say it was worlds apart—when he departed he had a serpent's body, but upon his return he had become a four-clawed flood dragon!

But the animals knew this was their demon ancestor! It was their divine realm!

The mighty aura surged like waves, one wave higher than the next; some low-cultivation animals could not withstand it. Seeing this, Ye Qin restrained his aura, returning his size to an appropriate level.

Only then did the animals find a hint of familiarity; the Northeast Tiger, boldest of them, recovered from the shock and astonishment, and was the first to rush to Ye Qin's side.

The majestic king of the mountains, showing a cat‑like gentle expression, only in front of Ye Qin would the Northeast Tiger display such a demeanor.

Ye Qin surveyed his surroundings; he had been away for over a year, and the animals' cultivation had progressed—some with decent cultivation could even use certain divine abilities.

As the saying goes, 'After three days apart, one should look at a person with new eyes.' Seeing how these animals have grown to this extent truly exceeded Ye Qin's original expectations.

After sensing the spiritual power contained within the Northeast Tiger's body, Ye Qin wore a satisfied expression: 'Not bad—looks like while I was away, you all have been diligently training.'

After receiving Ye Qin's praise, the Northeast Tiger proudly puffed out its chest, its little expression full of spirit.

'Roar roar roar——'

The Northeast Tiger recounted what had happened after Ye Qin's departure.

Since Ye Qin left, the mountains have remained peaceful, with hardly anyone coming to disturb them; the same holds true at the mountain base. The animals cultivated day and night, forgetting sleep and food, extremely diligent.

'It was not in vain that I poured my heart and soul into this before.'

Ye Qin felt a sense of relief in his heart; the demon clan had now taken initial shape, and this feeling was even more satisfying than his own rise in cultivation realm.

The path of one is too lonely; all beings walk side by side, the great way is not solitary.

The other animals also showed delighted expressions; with Ye Qin's words, their night‑to‑day cultivation was not in vain, and everything was worthwhile.

The Northeast Tiger let out another low groan, asking Ye Qin how long he would stay this time.

Ye Qin pondered for a moment and said: 'This time I've come back, I shouldn't need to leave again for a short while.'

His primordial spirit had attained completeness, requiring some time to consolidate; Ye Qin was not in a rush for the next stage, after all, haste makes waste, and cultivation emphasizes steady progress, step by step.

If he were to further raise his realm and cultivation, his heavenly tribulation would likely arrive then, and he could not suppress it; thus maintaining this state is the best course.

Upon receiving this answer, the animals' expressions clearly showed joy; the Northeast Tiger even let out several long howls toward the sky.

Taking advantage of this time, Ye Qin could also point out the difficulties the animals encountered in their cultivation.

These animals had reached this point thanks to their innate talent, coupled with the abundant spiritual qi surrounding Longyuan Mountain, and now with Ye Qin's guidance, their progress could be described as a thousand miles a day.

In a short time they made great strides, and some even broke through.

Time flew by; the days of cultivation in the mountains passed all too quickly—spring gave way to winter, and even in the bitter cold, the mountain animals felt no difference from before, protected by spiritual qi they no longer feared harsh weather.

As the weather gradually warmed, spring breezes brushed their faces, unknown flowers blanketed the mountains and fields; a year had passed since Ye Qin returned to Longyuan Mountain, and the animals' cultivation continued to grow.

The most prominent land animals were the Northeast Tiger, yellow weasel, fox, wolf, monkey, and the like.

Among the birds of prey, mainly the azure eagle, red falcon, and owls.

The waters also held several fine creatures—carp and old turtles in Longyuan Mountain's lake; though fewer in number than the land beasts, their strength was not to be underestimated.

What pleased Ye Qin most were the azure eagle and the old turtle; they usually kept a low profile, yet they accomplished great things without fanfare—the sort that silently achieve great deeds.

The Northeast Tiger's nature is such that whenever it makes any breakthrough or progress, it longs to let the whole world know; yet its strength stands here, and it can also make the other animals submit.

Whether life on the mountain or at its base, everything remained as peaceful as ever; Longyuan Village was like a secluded utopia.

A year passed just like that.

But on this very day, the village chief received a special phone call.

Looking at the strange string of numbers on the phone, different from previous phone numbers, he originally thought it was a scam call and wanted to hang up, but somehow pressed answer instead.

'Village chief grandpa—'

A familiar voice came from the other end of the line, stopping the village chief's motion to hang up.

The village chief, somewhat surprised, said: 'Xiaocao? Why did you suddenly change your number?'

Perhaps due to poor signal, the phone emitted a continuous buzzing static, very noisy.

'Village chief grandpa, I've run into some trouble; to make a long story short, do you still remember a few years ago when Officer Sun mentioned the international antiquities smuggling ring?'

The village chief was utterly bewildered, not knowing why Hu Xiaocao suddenly brought this up; a flicker of wariness appeared in his eyes: 'I remember—haven't they been quiet for several years? Could they have sent people again?'

'No, I'm currently near their hideout, but I underestimated their strength; they've discovered me and are now pursuing me.'

Hu Xiaocao spoke tactfully, but given her personality, if she had no other choice she would never call for help.

At that moment, the village chief still thought Hu Xiaocao was joking, and he stammered, "Are you abroad now?"

Yes.

A flicker of shock crossed the village chief's eyes, but thinking of her personality, it really sounded like something she would do.

As Hu Xiaocao grew older, due to her childhood experiences, she possessed a maturity far beyond her peers, was very opinionated, and combined with her connection to the Mountain God, she was the most capable person in the village.

Everyone in the village had strengthened bodies, but compared to Hu Xiaocao, they still fell short; the village chief had personally seen her wield divine abilities.

After that, in his eyes, Hu Xiaocao was no longer just a junior; whenever the village held an important meeting, she always had a place.

Before the assembled elders with half‑white hair, Hu Xiaocao was the youngest among them.

The village chief felt helpless, "No wonder you packed your bags early and said you were going to school—turns out you went abroad. You little lass, you didn't say a word, and you didn't even consult us beforehand."

"Village Chief Grandfather, I'm sorry. I also heard from Officer Sun that those people are relentless; they've been active again lately, and not long ago they even sent people to tail me. So I thought this would be a good chance to wipe them out in one go—it would eliminate a major threat and do something for the Mountain God Grandfather."

The village chief could understand Hu Xiaocao's thinking; this child values feelings and has always wanted to repay the Mountain God. Moreover, that force has repeatedly sent people to harass us, so they indeed deserve a lesson.

"Although you're skilled, two fists can't fight four hands, and I've heard that abroad they have guns. Hold back for now, observe the situation, and wait for us to come and meet up with you."

The village chief's earnest advice sank in; although Hu Xiaocao was young, she was not hot‑headed, nor would she look down on her enemies just because she was highly capable.

"Don't worry, Village Chief Grandfather; I know what I'm doing."

Worried about Hu Xiaocao's situation, the village chief hung up the phone and immediately summoned everyone in the village.

"What's going on?"

"Except under special circumstances, the village chief normally wouldn't call together all the villagers."

The village chief got straight to the point and told them about Hu Xiaocao's situation: "Right now, that little lass Xiaocao is abroad waiting for our support—"

Before the village chief could finish speaking, the villagers stared for a moment, then declared without hesitation, "Village Chief, what are we waiting for? Let's go together right away—the longer we delay, the more danger that little lass Xiaocao will be in."

Many people voiced their agreement in turn.

"Xiaocao is doing a good deed, so we should support her. Moreover, that overseas force has repeatedly provoked us, showing no regard for us. Whether for the Mountain God or for our future safety, we must eliminate them."

"Gee, I thought it was something big, but that grass‑lass sneaked up and caused such a commotion; we should have brought them along from the start."

The villagers chatted animatedly, all their words in support of Hu Xiaocao, and nobody showed any sign of fear or timidity.

Longyuan Mountain's fierce local spirit is evident here—even spies have been captured, and wiping out an overseas force overseas would not be out of the question.

Seeing the villagers united in purpose, the village chief felt greatly relieved, "It's wonderful that you all think this way; we too ought to do something for the Mountain God."

"Take me with you, Village Chief!"

"Me too!"

"How could such a good thing leave me out? Usually the farthest I go is leaving the province—I've never even been abroad."

Looking around, everyone in the village raised their hands, brimming with eagerness to give it a try.

The village chief was both amused and exasperated, "I understand your desire to help, but we can't have everyone from the village go."

Such a goal is simply too vast; after a brief discussion, the villagers decided to select the most capable people from the village to go and meet up with Hu Xiaocao.

Everyone agreed to this plan.

Finally, fifteen were chosen; those who weren't selected felt a bit regretful, but blamed only themselves for not working hard ordinarily and missing this great opportunity.

Under the village chief's leadership, everyone came to the Mountain God Temple to offer incense sincerely.

Seeing the snake statue inside the temple, the village chief reverently placed the incense in the burner.

"May the Mountain God bless us—may this trip go smoothly, we successfully rescue Xiaocao and, as a bonus, destroy that overseas force."

After all preparations were complete, the group was about to set out, but having just reached the village outskirts, they heard a tiger's roar in the distance.

"Roar!"

Accompanied by a earth‑shaking tiger roar, leaves trembled, dust rose in the distance, and a brown‑yellow shadow could be seen darting through the forest like a whirlwind, sweeping toward them.

What came into view was a Northeast Tiger with a body like a small hill and sharp fangs, looking mighty and imposing, quite spirited.

Faced with the great tiger blocking their path, the villagers were somewhat surprised but showed no panic; the village chief stepped forward and asked, "Tiger God Envoy, what business do you have?"

The Northeast Tiger's eyes flashed with intelligent light, as if it knew the villagers were heading out to undertake a great deed; it gave a low growl, and soon dozens of small animals emerged from the mountains and forests.

They stood on their hind legs, some holding yellow talismans with their forepaws, others clutching strange devices—all of these items were refined magic treasures; though odd in shape, they were suffused with a faint spiritual aura, clearly not ordinary.

The animals stood before the villagers, holding these items.

The village chief glanced at the pile, naturally recognizing them as good allies, and exclaimed in disbelief, "Are these all for us?"

The Northeast Tiger nodded.

The villagers were instantly delighted; although their physiques had been enhanced, making them stronger than ordinary people, they still didn't know any magical techniques or divine abilities, lacked handy tools, and it would be inconvenient to carry them along.

According to Hu Xiaocao, that overseas force was no ordinary opponent; they had been worrying about how to deal with it, planning to figure something out once they got there.

The talismans and Dharma Implements the animals brought were just what they needed to relieve their urgent predicament.

The village chief, not standing on ceremony, bowed slightly to the Northeast Tiger and said, "Thank you, Tiger God Envoy."

Whether this was the Mountain God's will or the animals' goodwill, the villagers took it to heart; this time they would certainly not be lenient toward that overseas force, and would utterly eradicate it! (End of chapter)