Chapter 346: Master lives here

Heavy rain fell, striking Lu Shan-jun’s face and clothes before sliding to the ground. The entire platform quickly became saturated with water, which washed away all traces of the remaining gray, black, and bloodstains.

From a short distance away, Hu Yun watched it all. Lu Shan-jun stood motionless in the rain, gazing up at the sky, seemingly with no intention of seeking shelter.

As the rain washed over the large stone platform, it grew progressively cleaner, its color appearing more and more translucent. It was like a gleaming disc being scoured by the rain, and it drew Hu Yun’s gaze to itself.

As if also drawn by the platform, Lu Shan-jun finally lowered his head. He looked at the platform beneath his feet, then at Hu Yun to his side, and asked with a smile, “What, no congratulations for me?”

Hu Yun snapped out of his daze and quickly brought his paws together, bowing to Lu Shan-jun. “Congratulations, Mountain Lord, on your successful transformation! From now on, you are free to roam the vast expanse of the world!”

“Hahaha, indeed!” Lu Shan-jun let out a loud laugh, then leaped down from the large stone platform, landing steadily on the hillside. He then strode toward his cave.

Because of the lightning strikes, many parts of the mountain bore scorch marks, and numerous trees had been ignited. However, the heavy rain now falling quickly extinguished the fires.

Without lightning, and with dark clouds covering the sky and torrential rain pouring down, visibility in the mountains became extremely low. This, however, had little impact on Lu Shan-jun or Hu Yun.

Soon, Lu Shan-jun reached his mountain cave. As he ventured deeper, stalactites appeared overhead. Lu Shan-jun pointed a finger at a stalactite above, and a fluorescent glow appeared on each one, quickly illuminating the cave’s interior.

Beneath his feet was a small, clear pool. Its dark rock bottom made it appear like a smooth mirror in the light.

Although Lu Shan-jun knew his appearance after his successful transformation, seeing himself in the mirror at this moment still gave him a unique feeling about his new form.

“Something still feels missing.” After a long look, Lu Shan-jun touched the top of his head and finally realized what was amiss: when his fur transformed into clothing, he hadn't created a hair ornament.

After a moment’s thought, Lu Shan-jun extended his little finger and gently flicked it. A sharp claw, about the length of a forearm, detached. He then used his index finger as a carving tool, quickly working on the slightly curved claw. Before long, a slightly curved white hairpin appeared in Lu Shan-jun’s hand, its material resembling both white jade and ivory. Lu Shan-jun then gathered a portion of his long hair into a knot and secured it with the hairpin.

“That’s much better!”

Hu Yun, who had been examining Lu Shan-jun from head to toe, noticed that perhaps due to his human form, Lu Shan-jun no longer exuded the same oppressive presence he once did.

“Lu Shan-jun, you’ve successfully transformed. Does this mean you’ll be leaving Niu Kui Mountain?”

Upon hearing Hu Yun’s question, Lu Shan-jun replied with a sigh of emotion. “Yes, indeed. I’ve been confined to Niu Kui Mountain for so many years. Now that I’ve transformed, I must go out and see the world, and also fulfill that old promise…” At this point, Lu Shan-jun lowered his head to look at the red fox. “However, I won’t leave immediately. I need some time to consolidate my cultivation and state of mind. The injuries from the lightning tribulation won’t heal instantly, so I’ll only depart when I’m in peak condition.” Lu Shan-jun knew exactly what the fox was worried about, but this event was inevitable.

Hearing this reply, the red fox visibly relaxed. Mr. Ji had left, and there was no knowing when he would return. Yin Qing had also left and never came back. Now, even Lu Shan-jun was about to leave, filling its heart with a sense of unease.

“Alright, let’s cultivate together for a while.”

After speaking, Lu Shan-jun turned and strode toward the front of the cave. He reached the dry grass where he typically lay, sat down cross-legged, and began to regulate his breath in the manner of a human cultivator. Hu Yun reached the spot with a few leaps, observing Lu Shan-jun as he meditated with closed eyes. In a niche on the cave wall behind him rested the calligraphy scroll Ji Yuan had given him, inscribed with the four bold characters: “Reborn.”

‘I’ll cultivate too!’ Hu Yun thought to himself, then lay down beside Lu Shan-jun, activating his spiritual power and beginning to draw in the surrounding spiritual energy.

Outside, the heavy rain continued to pour down, making Niu Kui Mountain and its surroundings exceptionally quiet. No one knew why the thunder had been so loud earlier that night, or what had transpired deep within the mountains.

Spring is the season of revival and new life. After a thunderstorm, the mountains were nourished, and everything seemed even more vibrant with life. In the period that followed, the ashes from the trees destroyed by lightning around the large platform stone became new nutrients. New vegetation began to sprout and grow there, and new branches emerged from the stumps of some trees. The original scorched black color was gradually replaced by new greenery.

Lu Shan-jun’s injuries from the lightning tribulation healed completely, little by little, much like the recovering vegetation. His realm since transformation gradually solidified, and his cultivation reached its peak in just one or two months.

Finally, on this day, Lu Shan-jun, who had been cultivating with his eyes closed, opened them. A divine light flashed in his eyes before vanishing. He looked around; the red fox wasn't beside him. However, it wasn't long before Hu Yun leaped in from outside. Lu Shan-jun caught a faint scent of blood, indicating the fox had just returned from hunting.

Lu Shan-jun stood up and spoke to the red fox. “Hu Yun, take me to Mr. Ji’s residence.”

“Oh, now?”

“Yes, now.”

The red fox nodded, then leaped out of the cave again, turning to look at Lu Shan-jun as it spoke. “Alright, follow me!”

With that, the red fox began to leap swiftly through the mountains. It would glance back occasionally, but each time, Lu Shan-jun followed unhurriedly. Seeing this, the fox no longer held back its speed and began to run freely.

Although Lu Shan-jun had always shown great respect to Ji Yuan over the years, for well-known reasons, he found it inconvenient to descend the mountain and visit his mentor’s home. Each time, he had to wait for his mentor to personally come to the mountain to see him. Therefore, among Lu Shan-jun’s many wishes, there was one small desire: to personally visit his mentor’s home.

The man and the fox traveled at an astonishing pace. The densely vegetated and rugged mountain terrain felt like flat ground beneath their feet. After traversing Niu Kui Mountain for over an hour, they had already reached the outer mountainous regions and were soon to step out of Niu Kui Mountain.

At this moment, Lu Shan-jun felt a rare flicker of apprehension. He could have ridden the wind out of the mountains, but he preferred to walk step by step, with his feet firmly on the ground, all the way to Ning’an County.

Finally, Lu Shan-jun walked out of Niu Kui Mountain for the first time, descending the hillside to reach the road outside. From the spot where Hu Yun often descended the mountain, a nearby village was visible in the distance. With his keen eyesight, Lu Shan-jun could now see children playing in the village, clearly distinguish the hides drying in the sun, and observe the wisps of smoke rising from each household. This sensation was uniquely novel.

Continuing along the road, Ning’an County was only a few dozen li away, and with the terrain being perfectly flat, it wasn’t long before the man and the fox arrived just outside the county.

Ning’an County, the birthplace of the literary master Yin Zhaoxian, now boasted a strong academic atmosphere. Students from other counties even traveled there to study at the local academy, so scholars visiting the county were not uncommon. However, Lu Shan-jun’s predominant light yellow clothing would be quite conspicuous. So, before entering the city, he flicked his sleeves a few times, and the color of his garments naturally shifted to a pale cyan. With the addition of some fine black cloud patterns on the sleeves, he now perfectly resembled a scholar in a blue robe.

Ning’an County had always been a tranquil place, yet also a lively one. Upon entering the city, the bustling crowds, the chatter from inns and teahouses, the shouts of vendors from shops—all these sounds were noisy yet vibrant with life. This was a vastly different environment from the mountains. Though Lu Shan-jun’s expression remained calm, his heart was a mix of excitement and novelty, and he was actively trying to adapt.

Upon entering the city, Hu Yun had already cast his illusion spell. He cautiously led the way, his gaze darting left and right.

“Hu Yun, what are you looking at? Is there someone here who could harm you?” Lu Shan-jun finally noticed the red fox’s odd behavior; it was being overly cautious. Yet, as far as he knew, not even the county’s city god would bother Hu Yun.

“Ah, Mountain Lord, you don’t understand. I have some ‘mortal enemies’ in this county. While I don’t really care about them, it would be troublesome if we ran into them. It’s better to be careful. Since they’re not around right now, let’s hurry. Tianniu Ward is in that direction!”

Mortal enemies? Lu Shan-jun felt a slight puzzlement but didn’t press for details. Instead, with a thoughtful gesture, he finally quickened his pace.

“Braised meat noodles for sale! Delicious braised meat noodles, and mutton offal too!”

Outside Tianniu Ward, someone at Sun’s Noodle Stall was calling out to attract customers. Lu Shan-jun subconsciously glanced that way, then turned into Tianniu Ward. ‘I wonder if Master has ever eaten noodles here.’

Along the way, anyone he encountered would instinctively give him, a stranger, a second look. Lu Shan-jun would occasionally respond with a polite smile and cupped hands. He could even imagine these people saying, “Good day, Mr. Ji,” when they encountered his mentor.

Soon, the man and the fox arrived outside a small courtyard in the innermost, secluded corner. The large jujube tree in the courtyard was like an emerald canopy, sheltering the small pavilion beneath it. Lu Shan-jun looked at the old brass lock on the courtyard gate and the peeling paint on the main door. Then he looked up at the high-hanging plaque, inscribed with the four characters “Jū’ān Small Pavilion.” The calligraphy showed no divine quality and was not his mentor’s hand. Its color was dull, and some characters were even chipped.

He looked around, saw no one, and mimicking Hu Yun, he leaped over the wall from the side.

A well covered with a stone slab, a stone table with four stone stools, simple courtyard houses, a large vat with a wooden lid outside the kitchen, and a sturdy, lush jujube tree in the center of the courtyard… This was Jū’ān Small Pavilion, this was his mentor’s home.

Even though he hadn’t returned for a long time, the air was still filled with Ji Yuan’s presence. Lu Shan-jun was overwhelmed with emotion. “Among all the ordinary people in this world, who could imagine that a being like Master would live here!”