Chapter Nineteen: The Mountain Deity

Yang Nan summoned a disciple and instructed him to go to the Mountain God Temple in Spirit Beast Mountain to invite the mountain god or a ghost messenger for questioning. Now that he was the master of the mountain, his status far surpassed that of lesser deities like the Water Lord or Mountain God, so it was naturally impossible for him to personally visit the temple to pay respects.

The disciple soon returned, bringing with him a man clad in a red robe and a bound crown atop his head. The man's features were extraordinary, a jade tablet in his hand, and a faint divine radiance seemed to follow his every step—clearly, the attire and bearing of a mountain god.

The attendant disciple reported, "Master Uncle, the Mountain God of Spirit Beast Mountain has arrived."

Upon entering the Jade Purity Hall and seeing a young boy in his teens seated in the position of authority, the Mountain God was momentarily stunned before understanding the situation. He clasped his hands before Yang Nan and said, "Your humble servant pays respects to the mountain master. I did not know you would be taking charge of Spirit Beast Mountain today, and failed to offer a proper welcome. Please forgive my discourtesy."

Yang Nan stepped down from his seat, wearing a friendly smile. "I am Yang Nan. May I ask how you prefer to be addressed, divine one?"

The Mountain God replied respectfully, "In the presence of the mountain master, I dare not claim divine status. Before my passing, my name was Yang Liancheng, a cultivator of the Great Virtue Dynasty centuries ago. I was granted the position of mountain god by the Great Emperor, and have held it ever since."

The Great Virtue Dynasty—an era from centuries past. Yang Nan smiled, "Your cultivation spans ages, truly admirable. Since you bear the surname Yang, as do I, we are of the same clan. Let us call each other brothers henceforth."

Though Yang Liancheng possessed the power of a fifth-tier Yin Master, a few ranks above Yang Nan, the latter’s identity as an inner disciple of Kunlun placed him on a pedestal far higher than the mountain god could aspire to. Thus, Yang Liancheng repeatedly protested, but Yang Nan, eager to befriend the mountain god, pressed his case. At last, Yang Liancheng relented and addressed him as "younger brother."

"Brother Liancheng," Yang Nan said, inviting the mountain god to sit, "I've only just arrived and understand little. I hope you will not withhold your guidance."

Yang Liancheng saw that the Spirit Beast Mountain master, though young, was respectful and without pretension. "Younger brother, to enter the immortal mountain as an inner disciple at your age, your future is boundless. Yet, your cultivation is still young, and you may be outmatched by the seven demon kings."

Yang Nan smiled ruefully, "Brother Liancheng, you jest. I am not merely outmatched—I'm not their opponent at all. That's why I came to seek your advice." He called 'brother' with such warmth that he wouldn’t dare act superior before this seasoned mountain god. His sole purpose: to gain another ally.

Yang Liancheng nodded, his expression grave. "Since you confide in me, I will not shirk. Spirit Beast Mountain is full of spirits and monsters, but only the Seven Demon Kings truly wield influence. Though called kings, their highest rank is Grandmaster, and they came here thousands of years ago, brought by the immortal Qingya. Gradually, they established themselves, commanding over ten thousand lesser monsters who obey their orders."

Yang Nan frowned, "What are the specifics of these Seven Demon Kings?"

Yang Liancheng smiled slightly. "Wild spirits are mostly crude and ignorant, and when their cultivation grows, so does their arrogance. Among the Seven, the Roc King is an ancient anomaly and the strongest, leading all flying monsters. The Tiger King is a white-striped, golden-eyed tiger, skilled in thunder magic, and heads the beasts. The Flower King and Tree King lead the plant spirits, and among the seven, they are the most gentle. Their true forms are a seven-star begonia and a green-tressed spiritual tree, both with formidable wood magic. But their hearts lean toward the Dao, unlike the ambitious beasts and birds..."

The mountain god went on to recount the origins, true forms, and numbers of underlings for each demon king.

Yang Nan found the mountain god’s account far more detailed than that of Hu Yuan, and was delighted. The Seven Demon Kings each had their own factions, and two were not inclined to cause trouble—making them easier to deal with. He laughed happily, "Thank you, Brother Liancheng. Now I have a clear idea of the situation."

Yang Liancheng shook his head. "Though Flower and Tree Kings are peaceful, the Roc and Tiger Kings are most difficult. Previous mountain masters managed to subdue them only by wielding the Thunder Command and powerful divine soldiers. If you rely on your current strength, I fear they will not submit."

'If they refuse, then I'll fight until they do!' Yang Nan did not say this aloud, but laughed boldly. "Thank you, brother. Soon, you will see my methods. If I cannot subdue these monsters, how could I remain in the Jade Purity Hall?"

---

Yang Liancheng knew well that the master of Spirit Beast Mountain could not rest until the Seven Demon Kings were subdued; peace between them was impossible. He offered no further counsel, only said, "Take care, younger brother. If you need my help, I will summon my shadow soldiers to assist in battle."

Yang Nan nodded—this mountain god was indeed steady and reliable. In the eyes of orthodox mountain gods, no matter how strong the monsters, only a super sect like Kunlun, with its millennia of history, held true power. Though his own cultivation was still low, he would not be underestimated.

"Brother, please return to the Mountain God Temple for now. I will rely on you for much in the days to come."

After respectfully escorting Yang Liancheng out, Chiyang emerged from behind the hall, laughing, "Nan, your bearing today is worthy of an old duke. You’ve handled your position well."

Seeing Yang Nan’s composure and command of etiquette, Chiyang marveled—this was truly the demeanor of a leader.

Yang Nan shook his head and sighed, "Though mountain gods are yin spirits, they possess divine power and must not be underestimated. Moreover, this god holds a proper office; my respect is only fitting. With his help, I am confident in my methods for subduing the monsters."

Chiyang, hearing his certainty, asked curiously, "How did you come by this method? Tell me, brother."

Yang Nan grinned and whispered in Chiyang’s ear...

---

In a secluded valley of Spirit Beast Mountain, the Tiger King sat grandly upon a stone chair, his face beaming. Raising his cup to the Monkey King and Horse King, he declared, "Come, brothers, let us drink this cup dry."

The Tiger King appeared as a burly man; the Horse King’s mouth was large, his body long; only the Monkey King was lean and wiry. All three possessed deep magical power, their human forms flawless.

The table was laden with mountain delicacies, though most prominent was fresh, bloody human flesh.

The Horse King drained his bone cup in one gulp, savoring the taste. "Excellent wine! I never imagined your monkey wine would be so potent and delicious!" He grabbed a piece of raw human meat and devoured it.

The Tiger King stroked his long beard and laughed, "Brother, monkey wine is rare indeed. The flower spirits’ wine I got from the begonia is nothing in comparison. If you like it, drink more. I’ll have someone fetch more human meat for you!"

The Horse King was delighted. "Thank you, elder brother! I always prefer human heart and liver with my drink, especially from women—said to be the finest delicacy in the world."

Seeing the Horse King’s greed, the Tiger King chuckled. "That’s easily done. Fetch some women from the humans I caught the other day, cut them open, and bring their hearts and livers for our second lord."

"Yes, my lord!"

A lesser monster responded, knife in hand, and soon returned with a steaming platter of human hearts and livers. The Horse King was overjoyed, raised his bone cup, drank deeply three times, then swallowed a piece of heart whole. "Elder brother…this truly is a delicacy. You should try some yourself!"

---

The Tiger King shook his head. "Since I started eating cooked food, raw meat lost its appeal. Human flesh is delicious, but if it’s not cooked, I’d rather not eat it. Third brother, you’ve been silent—are you feeling sorry for your thousand-year monkey wine?"

The Monkey King, thin and short, responded quickly, "Elder brother, you joke. The monkey wine is worth little. I was only thinking—aren’t you worried about openly snatching humans for food? What if the Spirit Beast Mountain master finds out…?"

The Tiger King dismissed his concerns. "You worry too much. Fang Wen, the previous master, has returned to Kunlun. The new master is just a child. If I don’t go looking for trouble, he should count his blessings. How could he dare to meddle with me?"

The Monkey King was solemn. "Elder brother, caution is best. Human hearts are crafty, unlike our simple spirits. Though the new master is young, he comes from Kunlun; even if his cultivation is low, he must have teachers behind him."

The Tiger King laughed, "You’ve always been shrewd, but this time you’re mistaken."

The Monkey King was taken aback. "Where did I go wrong? Please enlighten me, elder brother."

The Tiger King picked a piece of cooked human flesh from the table and ate it slowly. "This child has no real backing. He’s an unlucky soul, pushed aside by others. If he doesn’t throw his weight around, fine. If he’s foolish enough to come courting death, killing him would not trouble Kunlun."

The Monkey King was shocked. "Why is that?"

The Tiger King’s face showed pride. "The previous master told me so. Mortal cultivators scheme against each other, unlike us—our brotherhood is true. Let them plot as they wish; we need only enjoy our freedom. The world is in chaos, gods are missing, the Underworld and mountain gods are in turmoil. Eating a few humans means nothing. Would the mountain god dare interfere with me?" As he spoke, two jets of white vapor flared from his nostrils, his face full of disdain.

The Monkey King sighed, nodding. "You’re right, elder brother. Achieving the Grandmaster realm is no easy feat. To shed our beast bodies and become human, who knows how many years it will take? If Qingya were still here, it would be different, but now the Kunlun juniors come to bully us—it’s intolerable."

The Tiger King’s eyes flashed. "Kunlun is powerful and cannot be opposed. We must never turn against them openly. If the bond of incense over millennia is broken, should an old master emerge, our brotherhood could not withstand it."

The Horse King slammed his cup and roared, "Elder brother! What’s there to fear? At worst, we abandon Spirit Beast Mountain and flee to the mortal world. Are we, grand demon lords, expected to cower before a child?"

He was always crude and simple, fiercely loyal to the Tiger King. Hearing his elder brother express fear of Kunlun’s Daoists, he was indignant.

The Tiger King smiled. "Brother, don’t worry. Come, let’s drink more! You there, bring some roasted human flesh for our second lord!"