Chapter 212: Why Bother

Frankly, what the mountain god was now thinking was not how to protect the terrified, immobilized evil cultivator below, but rather how to extricate himself.

Although the immortal cultivator in white had said he wouldn't interfere with the mountain god's affairs, the mountain god had just claimed an "old acquaintance" with the elderly man. The white-robed immortal cultivator had also taken note of what kind of past a dignified mountain god could have with such a demonic outsider.

What was this called? If this were the discourse environment of Ji Yuan's previous life, plenty of people would jump out and tell the mountain god, "This is asking for death!"

Although the mountain god was unfamiliar with the term "asking for death," he fully grasped its meaning.

He understood it now, but felt it was too late. If the suspended sword energy were to fall, it wouldn't just be a matter of losing a few layers of skin; his true form was also hidden within the mountain-body avatar.

While the mountain's magical power and divine light had not diminished, in a confrontation between two powerful entities, any weakening in their respective auras was easily perceived by the other.

Ji Yuan's spiritual senses were already keen, and with his Dharma Eye fully open, he almost immediately perceived that the mountain god's aura was not as strong as before. This realization prompted Ji Yuan to snap out of his contemplation; now was not the time for introspection.

Seeing the mountain god's prolonged silence, and the elderly man below utterly paralyzed, indicated that the "sword that strikes the heart" had achieved its intended effect. Moreover, maintaining this sword momentum was extremely taxing on the mind. Ji Yuan therefore took the opportunity to withdraw the artistic conception, easing the tension.

As the artistic conception receded, the sensation of heavenly power merging with the sword momentum vanished instantly. Although the Green Vine Sword's intent remained formidable and its power unrivaled, it no longer instilled the mountain god with a terror of the sky collapsing and the earth falling apart.

"Mount Tingqiu stretches endlessly with broad peaks and deep forests. To become the rightful god of Mount Tingqiu, you must have achieved considerable cultivation. You are likely not deeply involved with such evil cultivators. If you made any promises, your unwavering stand beneath the Sky-Cleaving Sword momentum, without retreating a single step, is surely enough to honor that pledge!"

Amidst the faint hum and shimmer of the immortal sword, Ji Yuan reached out and grasped the hilt of the Green Vine Sword, pointing it diagonally towards the evil cultivator on the ground. His lifeless, pale eyes, however, were fixed on the eye-sockets of Mount Tingqiu God's massive mountain-body head.

"Will the mountain god continue to shield this contemptible evil cultivator?"

Ji Yuan's words greatly relieved the mountain god. They implied that even if he retreated, his conscience would be clear.

Mount Tingqiu God sighed deeply in his heart. It was clear that Ji Yuan had offered an honorable way out; to stubbornly resist further would be foolish. Having witnessed the Sky-Cleaving Sword momentum, he naturally understood that engaging in a direct confrontation would likely result in severe injury to his spiritual body or even more dire consequences.

As if realizing his predicament was worsening, the old man on the ground recovered from his mental shock and pleaded repeatedly with the mountain god.

"Mountain God Hong, you cannot abandon me! You swore to help me with all your might if my mountain stone shattered! That was your promise!"

The mountain god's massive head bowed to look at the old man, his voice like a deep, resonant bell.

"Had it not been for me, you would have died from that first sword strike. I did not leave even under that immense pressure just now. Is that not enough assistance? I have done all I can. Do you expect me to sacrifice my life and cultivation for you?"

The mountain god raised his head, facing the tiny figure of Ji Yuan on the distant cloud. His enormous mountain-body arms swung with a howling wind. Despite his apprehension, Ji Yuan remained perfectly still in the air. As expected, he merely saw the mountain god's two arms collide.

"Boom..."

Amidst dust and impact, the massive arms formed a gesture of cupped hands.

"I am Hong Shengting, the Mountain God of Tingqiu. I apologize for any offense I may have caused the Immortal Master just now! Please forgive me!"

Ji Yuan cupped his hands towards the mountain god. After a slight hesitation, he did not introduce himself. While somewhat impolite, he genuinely didn't want to at that moment, as there seemed to be other hidden auras in the distant surroundings.

After exchanging greetings with Ji Yuan, the mountain god's massive body began to move.

"Boom... boom... boom..."

With the surrounding mountains trembling, just three steps created a considerable distance between him and the evil cultivator. During this process, the old man became somewhat hysterical.

"Mountain God Hong! Hong Shengting! You can't leave, you..."

A flash of silver sword light, accompanied by the hum of the immortal sword, struck the old man. His voice abruptly ceased. He appeared unharmed but collapsed to the ground, eyes closed and limp.

Ji Yuan smoothly slid the sword into the floating scabbard beside him. At that moment, the pervasive sword intent vanished without a trace.

Amidst the "whoosh, whoosh" of the wind, snow began to fall again from the sky, and this part of Mount Tingqiu was once more enveloped in a vast expanse of white.

This particular sword technique was also one Ji Yuan had grasped only after rediscovering the old man's condition, following his escape with a life-substitution talisman. It aimed to sever most of the mind without destroying the body or soul. However, compared to the insights gained from the Sky-Cleaving Sword momentum, this application was negligible.

This time, Ji Yuan personally held the hilt, drew the sword, and struck. He wielded the Green Vine Sword's power with his own magical energy and intent, severing most of the evil cultivator's mind, leaving just enough to sustain his life.

Only Ji Yuan, with his Dharma Eye fully open, could grasp the subtle precision of this sword style. It deviated from the usual: sword energy served as an aid, while sword intent was primary, and his own magical power influenced the vital energy. One iota more would mean soul annihilation. The immortal sword itself couldn't achieve this level of precision yet; its usual strike would result in the earth splitting and the target being torn apart.

With his mind utterly depleted, the old man was completely unable to move; his body would not obey him. He could not even concentrate to use his magical power, falling into a state of complete unconsciousness, a rare occurrence for a cultivator of his level.

The mountain god looked at Ji Yuan and the old man on the ground, knowing the man was not dead. However, he neither could nor wanted to bother with what would happen next, and certainly didn't wish to remain there feeling awkward. So, with heavy steps that shook the mountains and fields—"thump," "thump," "thump"—he strode into the wind and snow. After dozens of steps, he was far from the spot, stopping in another mountain hollow. His enormous mountain body slowly sat down, then leaned against a peak.

Rumble... rumble, rumble, rumble...

As the ground trembled, the mountain god's mountain-body avatar mostly sank into the surrounding terrain, leaving only parts of its huge rock formations exposed. It looked like an ordinary rugged mountain area. Furthermore, even with Ji Yuan's Dharma Eye, he couldn't perceive anything special about the spiritual aura of this mountain range from afar; it appeared truly unremarkable.

'This is clearly a true integration with the mountain's essence. Mount Tingqiu God is not simple!'

Ji Yuan remained in the air, his Dharma Eye fully open as he scanned the vicinity of Mount Tingqiu. He could see demonic auras and other peculiar energy signatures fleeing into the distance, but he had no desire to pursue or investigate further.

After witnessing the power of the recent combat and the utterly intimidating Sky-Cleaving Sword momentum, no one foolish enough would dare approach this place.

Now that the rumors from the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion had spread, there were undoubtedly many entities paying attention to Dazhen, especially its northern regions.

After all, although Dazhen was bordered by many nations, it was generally located in the southern corner of the Eastern Continent of Yunzhou. For Dazhen, the north was a desolate and bitter land, but in terms of Yunzhou's overall geography, the north was actually the direction towards its center.

'There might be more than just one petty individual like this evil cultivator who dares to defy natural order with dark magic. This encounter serves well as a deterrent!'

With these thoughts, Ji Yuan descended from the cloud and finally floated down beside the old man, carried by the wind.

Due to the recent conflict, not only had a nearby mountain collapsed, but avalanches were also widespread. The old man lay there in the deep snow, and the mountain god's massive body moving had caused the accumulated snow to tremble and bury him.

In the old man's current state, if left unattended, he would soon be frozen solid like an ice sculpture. He probably wouldn't die, but he likely wouldn't wake up until he thawed out.

To be safe, Ji Yuan squatted down and, using martial arts techniques, channeled energy to seal all the major acupoints on the old man's body.

Just as he was about to stand up, Ji Yuan thought for a moment, then leaned in closer to the old man again. He melted some snow and, using his sword-finger, wrote the character "定" (dìng, meaning 'fix' or 'stabilize'), then pressed it into the old man's body. Only then did he clap his hands and stand up.

Having done all this, Ji Yuan had no intention of leaving immediately. Instead, he cupped his hands again in the direction the mountain god had departed.

"I request the Mountain God to meet again."

There was no response for a while. Ji Yuan wondered if the mountain god's true form had already retreated elsewhere deep in the mountains, but he thought not. Most likely, the god simply didn't want to come out again.

After a brief thought, Ji Yuan chose to lightly tap his foot on the mountain ground. He used a subtle amount of magical energy, just enough to perform the 'Spirit Binding' technique with precision.

"I invite Hong Shengting, the Mountain God of Tingqiu, to come for a discussion!"

The faint ripples of the 'Spirit Binding' technique under his foot spread, instantly perceived by the mountain god. Ji Yuan had not exerted strong force, which could be considered a gesture of respect.

Faint yellow light shimmered around Ji Yuan. A rock broke through the mountain earth and emerged from the snow, transforming before him into a man whose face and head bore rock-like textures, dressed in a grey stone-colored robe. The surprise on his face was still hard to conceal.

"Hong Shengting greets the Immortal Master!"

The mountain god, with a complex expression, saluted Ji Yuan.

'If you had shown such a hand earlier, why would I have suffered so much...'