Atop Beimang Mountain, just outside the Bird Beak Slope of the Luoyang King's Royal Mausoleum,
a gigantic old tiger was squatting on a Cangqing-colored boulder, quietly watching the majestic mausoleum city walls bathed in the sunset.
The tiger, nearly ten feet long (3.33 meters) with yellow and white fur covered in black patterns, had a large tiger head embedded with a majestic "king" character.
Occasionally, it would lower its head to lick off a large chunk of bloody flesh with its backwards-barbed tongue, rough as a wire brush, from a fresh corpse at its feet.
From the "tiger food's" clothing and the torn medicine basket at his waist, it was clear he was an unfortunate medicine gatherer.
While Beimang Mountain was fraught with dangers, the yield of various mountain goods was extremely abundant, especially the medicinal effects of herbs like Mountain Ginger and Rhubarb.
There was even a hard-to-find special medicinal herb called "Ghost Listening Wind," which only grew on old coffin planks after rain.
It looked like clumps of wrinkled ghost ears, but would immediately wither upon exposure to light.
If a medicine gatherer could gather even one good herb, it would be enough to support his whole family for half a month after paying various rigorous taxes.
In the minds of the common people, harsh governance was worse than demons and ghosts.
Sadly, the old meat in its mouth was both woody and astringent; the tiger was clearly not pleased.
Looking at the tomb guardians who were searching in groups near the mausoleum, the big tiger suddenly spoke in a deep human voice,
"Is the central earth vein of this mountain, 'Beimang Mountain Blessed Land,' under this human mausoleum?
Many indeed covet this treasure. Those tomb guardians are the military households that practice the White Tiger Military Art, right?
Minister of Food, make an early marker for me. Before sunrise tomorrow, I will capture one to taste."
On the cold tiger's teeth, five vague ghost faces emerged, all obsequiously saying to it,
"Reporting to Mountain Lord, that's exactly what Mountain Lord Wang said.
We understand the principle that listening widely illuminates, while partial belief blinds. Last night, we specifically went to inquire with the nearby mountain spirits and wild ghosts.
The wild ghosts are shallow; they don't know what a 'Grotto Heaven Blessed Land' is, but they know that the owner of the Yili King's Tomb is one of the most prestigious individuals in this dynasty.
Human rulers are the most shameless, always greedy and grasping. If there truly is a Blessed Land on Beimang Mountain, this small servant believes it must be right beneath this royal mausoleum."
"Hmm, you've done well. However..."
White Mountain Lord slightly nodded, but his golden tiger eyes flickered.
Being a tiger spirit, it had an enormous appetite.
An ordinary adult tiger could eat up to sixty kilograms of meat at one time and then go without eating for seven days. However, it needed to eat at least sixty kilograms of meat each day; ordinary hunting grounds simply couldn't sustain it.
If it could become the rightful Mountain God of Beimang Mountain Blessed Land, wouldn't all the beings of this mountain be at its disposal, lining up in front of it every day for roll call? Not a fantasy at all.
Yet, having to share such advantages with others made it feel like there was a fishbone stuck in its throat.
The Five Ghosts, as "flatterers," were best at discerning their master's wishes and immediately said,
"Mountain Lord Wang wants your help, but he seems to have forgotten the saying that one mountain cannot house two tigers.
Such tiger demons, long dwelling in the secular dusty world, have lost the heart of the kings of the forest; their minds are filled with human treachery.
Your presence here is indeed to cleanse the universe and restore the origin, to exterminate this corrupt influence.
This time, let Mountain Lord Wang learn what a dangerous world this is, lest he ignorantly loses his life later."
"Ha ha ha, Mr. One-Eyed, you truly are my trusted ministers. Well said, well said.
First, we will find that Mountain Lord Wang, inquire about this Blessed Land from him, weigh the strengths, and then make a decision."
This leader with five servants was completely fooled by Wang Yuan's "the fool and his money are soon parted" manner.
Little did they know that Mountain Lord Wang, who just three days ago was playing in the mud like a fool, blurting out nonsense at the slightest disagreement, knew nothing about Beimang Mountain Blessed Land.
He only knew that 'diverting disaster eastward' was common sense, then led the victim to deceive themselves for an irresistible benefit.
A sleeping person can never be woken by external calls.
Whoo—!
As night fell, a chilling wind swirled around White Mountain Lord, who suddenly stepped onto Yin Road.
Within a few breaths, he emerged from the other side of the forest, arriving at the previously agreed-upon location.
The broken Tombstone lay on the ground, one side already overgrown with moss.
Next to it were scattered messy skeletal remains and dilapidated coffins, several decayed coffin lids growing a few black herbs shaped like human ears.
Wasn't that the "Ghost Listening Wind," unique to Beimang Mountain?
Suddenly, the tiger and the five ghosts unexpectedly discovered, aside from these familiar sights, that there were herds of mountain goats and wild boars, as if holding a massive animal conference.
The ground was still piled with a bunch of empty pottery bowls, and the air was thick with the aroma of wine.
These fat pigs and sheep seemed drunken, each showing a tipsy demeanor; even when a big tiger suddenly appeared, they reacted sluggishly and did not scatter and run away.
"This is..."
The enticing fragrance desperately infiltrated his nostrils; White Mountain Lord smacked his lips vigorously, suppressing the drool about to fall.
Just as a question arose in his heart, he turned to see the heroic young man standing with his hands behind his back on the other side of the herd.
After beginning his studies of Daoist skill, Wang Yuan had acquired an inexplicable Taoist charm.
With a clear complexion and dignified appearance, he stood there like ancient pines and cypresses, comfortably relaxed, making anyone who saw him feel he was a reliable person of integrity.
Moreover, because Wang Yuan had completed the first layer of the "Transformation into Tiger Technique" named "Fake Tiger" yesterday, he had embedded 108 strands of tiger fur into the back of his head.
Carrying a more substantial aura of tiger might than when he met the Five Ghosts the previous day, White Mountain Lord not only found no flaws, but felt an affinity towards the youth.
Even the human qi lingering around him didn't seem strange, for which tiger doesn't carry human qi on them?
After two years, my manner will be filled with human qi.
He even envied this clansman, who must have eaten quite a few descendants of the military households practicing the White Tiger Military Art down the mountain.
Wang Yuan also noticed their arrival at the first instance, and with a gesture of his hands, he greeted the White Mountain Lord with a friendly smile, very naturally:
"This must be the eldest son of the Bai family, right? I have long admired you!
Brother Bai, please take a seat, try the pigs and sheep especially prepared for you; I even fed them precious herbs to see if they are to your liking.
Come on, elder brother, it's time to 'eat'! Please, don't be shy."
The White Mountain Lord's large tiger head showed slight hesitation, worried that being too eager might not reflect well on his distinguished family.
Yet, the rich aroma of meat and wine from these succulent pigs and sheep was a thousand times better than the skinny, dry old game he himself had caught.
After a brief hesitation, he could no longer mind his manners:
"Mountain Lord Wang, indeed generous, I've been rude. Awooo!"
Even though White Mountain Lord had become a spirit, he couldn't shake off his beastly nature, free of human superficialities and formalities. Without a care that this was a chaotic burial mound, he plunged into the herd and gorged himself.
Since his arrival from Xiao Mountain, he had never had such a lavish meal.
Since these pigs and sheep did not flee, White Mountain Lord could freely pick and eat only the most succulent parts of their bodies, like the fresh organs soaked in knockout drug.
In no time, his face was covered in blood, thoroughly enjoying his meal.
Mr. One-Eyed didn't lag behind, following White Mountain Lord and desperately absorbing the vitality of these beings.
'Since Mountain Lord Wang is so understanding and tactical, when I obtain the Beimang Mountain Blessed Land in the future, I'll share some soup and water with him when I eat the bigger share, hahaha...'
As for those pigs and sheep summoned by the Gathering Beasts Magic Skill.
Wang Yuan seemed to see their souls finally finding liberation on the way to the Reincarnation Land, not forgetting to leave him with one last remark:
"Pah! Scoundrel!"
Precept Taboos:
One should not eat wild beasts and fierce birds summoned this way; otherwise, they will face backlash, and their own bestial nature may erupt or even lose their lives to birds and beasts.
But, it wasn't said that sedatives couldn't be used, nor was it said others couldn't eat them.
Keep staring; I'm not breaking the rule!
Before long, White Mountain Lord's stomach was roundly full, and he shook his large head, finally remembering the Mountain Lord Wang standing nearby.
"Mountain Lord Wang, why aren't you eating? The meat soaked in wine aroma is truly delightful.
Even during my time at Xiao Mountain, I never had such a plentiful meal as I have now."
However, Wang Yuan looked at him with a gaze full of care for the vulnerable, nodding his head very amicably:
"Me, I just like to keep company with you simple beasts.
The thing about human hearts, just thinking about putting myself in others' shoes frightens me so much that I can't sleep.
That's true, if all kinds of demons and deceitful monsters were as cunning as humans, I suppose they would have been ruling this Divine Land of Red County by now, right?"
White Mountain Lord strained to widen his copper-bell-like tiger eyes, suddenly realizing that the youth in front of him seemed a bit blurry, and he was gradually feeling dizzy and unsteady.
"There's deceit!"
Mr. One-Eyed, unaffected by the knockout drug, had noticed the anomaly even before his lord.
Wooh—!
But an ominous wind had just started when a stinking black and red liquid was thrown over him before the Yin Road even opened.