Chapter 67: The Li Kingdom's Only Safe Haven - Geshan City

Swishhh—

Under the night sky, more than a dozen vehicles struggled forward through torrential rain. Inside one of them, an elderly man with a grave expression listened to the relentless sounds of rainfall pounding against the ground and cars, causing even him to appear somewhat anxious.

“Have we arrived?” His voice sounded slightly low and weary.

Yuan Sichang, as always, sat upright with perfect posture. This secretary had faithfully served the elder named An Gaoyang for twenty-two years, known for his strict self-discipline. However, at that moment, water slowly seeped down from his pants, and his shoes were already drenched. Despite the car’s heating being on, waves of chill still made Yuan Sichang feel cold to the bone.

“We have reached Geshan City. Due to the heavy rain, it should take about two hours to arrive at Xiangping Mountain.”

An Gaoyang closed his eyes. “One hour. Even if it costs lives, I must reach Xiangping Mountain within an hour to meet Lord Mountain God.”

“Yes, sir.”

The vehicle briefly stopped, and Yuan Sichang hastily jumped out, personally rushing ahead to coordinate logistics. Having served An Gaoyang for many years, he had accompanied him on his ascent to the position of Prime Minister of the Li Kingdom. Throughout these two decades, he had never failed at any task entrusted to him by An Gaoyang. And this time would be no exception; there must not be any mistakes.

One hour later.

In the torrential downpour, Yuan Sichang, drenched along with four or five others, shivered as they attempted to hold an umbrella for An Gaoyang. However, An Gaoyang pushed them away. It made little difference either way; the moment An Gaoyang stepped out of the car, the fierce wind carrying heavy rain soaked him completely within seconds.

After predicting the first wave of spiritual tides, countries with the resources and capability scrambled to construct refuge bases. The Li Kingdom, after considering various locations, ultimately chose its sole designated refuge city - Geshan City.

Was there any place safer than this city?

If even the Mountain God could not protect Geshan City, then the entire Li Kingdom would have no choice but to retreat towards Yilan City. However, if the tidal surge did not recede, losing their homeland, the Li Kingdom would become the first nation since the new century to utterly perish entirely.

Currently, Geshan City is extremely crowded, particularly the areas closer to Xiangping Mountain, where every inch of land is highly valued. The truly elite individuals of the Li Kingdom had long since relocated their families to Geshan City.

At present, Geshan City still experiences fierce storms, but overall, it feels several degrees warmer compared to outside the city. As one gets nearer to Xiangping Mountain, both wind and rain diminish significantly.

Within the vicinity of Xiangping Mountain, at the Mountain God Temple…

Kim Tae-hwi, clad in white ceremonial robes, sat quietly cross-legged on a meditation cushion. In front of him was a flower pot containing a small emerald-green vine. Occasionally, Kim Tae-hwi would gently caress the vine with his thumb, causing it to sway contentedly.

Compared to his initial rough hunter appearance, although traces of that coarseness still lingered, Kim Tae-hwi now exuded a greater sense of tranquility and detached indifference.

The intensity of the storm decreases considerably within the area around Xiangping Mountain, and near the Mountain God Temple, it has reduced to a normal light rain. The gentle drizzle softly patters against the cherry blossom tree in the courtyard, while golden wind chimes hanging beneath the eaves emit subtle melodies in the mild breeze, creating a serene atmosphere.

As Kim Tae-hwi watched the rain falling on cherry blossoms, a graceful young girl approached, wearing white single shoes and dressed in a flowing long robe, reminiscent of a divine maiden. However, upon seeing Kim Tae-hwi, envy and jealousy flickered involuntarily in her eyes.

Kim Tae-hwi had already been chosen as a servant, receiving frequent blessings of spiritual liquid from the Mountain God. Additionally, the Mountain God bestowed upon him a divine vine for his techniques, making Kim Tae-hwi now wield mysterious powers.

“Sir.” The girl bowed to Kim Tae-hwi according to ancient etiquette.

Accustomed to this by now, Kim Tae-hwi’s gaze remained composed without any hint of emotion. “What is it?”

The girl lowered her eyes, “Mister An has arrived. He wishes to pay respects to Lord Mountain God and hopes you could inform him.”

Jian Xiangping preferred solitude and rarely engaged with worldly affairs. Initially, the two men and two women left here harbored dreams of a possible divine-human romance, inspired by Li Kingdom’s myths where such relationships were clearly documented.

However, unfortunately, this Lord Mountain God showed no interest in divine-human love stories. Most of the time, he was elusive like glimpses of a dragon, appearing occasionally at Xiangping Mountain’s temple to share tea and conversation with elderly Zen masters.

It’s worth mentioning that after assigning all of Xiangping Mountain to the Mountain God, the original plan was to relocate everyone from the temple. However, Jian Xiangping only expelled the fake monks who profited off religion, allowing some genuine old Zen masters to remain within the temple.

“The Lord Mountain God does not favor involving himself in worldly affairs.”

After a moment of silence, the girl slowly knelt down. “Lord… Outside Geshan City, preliminary estimates suggest that nearly 200,000 people in the Li Kingdom have died due to tsunamis and earthquakes caused by the spiritual tide. Additionally, around 100,000 individuals perished at the hands of sea spirit massacres. Currently, the entire Li Kingdom plans to abandon cities in the four provinces and one prefecture, with large populations being dispersed towards cities like Jinban and Xifu.

However, during this spiritual tide outbreak, numerous unforeseen events have occurred. Ye Shan, wielding Liyu, attempted to prevent the sea spirits from slaughtering lives, but he alone cannot bear the burden. We desperately need the assistance of Lord Mountain God.”

Nearly half of the Li Kingdom’s territory borders the sea, with the four provinces and one prefecture being the closest coastal regions. Once prosperous due to their seaside location, these areas are now devastated by violent tsunamis and sea spirits, turning them into ghost towns.

“Lord!” The girl bowed even lower, her body almost touching the ground. “Lord, although you were chosen as a servant by Lord Mountain God, you are also a citizen of the Li Kingdom.”

After a moment, Kim Tae-hwi gently sighed.

Initially, he had vowed to remain loyal only to Mr. Mountain God and adhere solely to his will. But now, his heart wavered.

“Get up, Jing Na.”

The girl’s eyes were slightly red.

Kim Tae-hwi glanced at her, then slowly rose while still cradling the flower pot close to him, heading towards the residence of the Mountain God.

Twenty minutes later, An Gaoyang, who had been waiting outside Xiangping Mountain all this time, was granted permission to ascend and meet with the Mountain God.

As An Gaoyang entered the Mountain God Temple, he involuntarily shivered, not due to cold but because of the stark contrast in temperature.

Within Xiangping Mountain, the wind and rain were significantly reduced, and the sky lacked the oppressive heaviness that felt suffocating elsewhere. However, it remained somewhat chilly. But stepping into the Mountain God Temple was different; the rainfall here resembled gentle spring showers, carrying a sense of mild tranquility. Amidst the soft pitter-patter of rain, there was also a comforting warmth mixed within the air.

Without having the chance to change clothes, An Gaoyang ultimately approached the Mountain God, bowing respectfully with his drenched attire and pallid complexion.

“Mr. Mountain God.”

After performing his obeisance, An Gaoyang slightly raised his head. He noticed the young Mr. Mountain God, clad in immaculate long robes, leaning against a seated platform. On that exquisitely beautiful face, there was a hint of gallantry mixed with a divine aloofness.

“I am aware of your purpose for coming,” Jian Xiangping said, picking up a cup of tea and gesturing towards another for An Gaoyang to drink.

Unlike Kim Tae-hwi’s hesitant demeanor, An Gaoyang, being a prime minister, carried himself with natural confidence and assertiveness. Without hesitation, he picked up the teacup and drained it in one gulp.

As the hot tea entered his stomach, An Gaoyang felt a warm surge rising from within him, spreading instantly throughout his limbs and body. The previous numbness due to cold and slight dizziness vanished, replaced by a sense of overall comfort.

It wasn’t just a feeling; he genuinely experienced significant relief.

“Many thanks, Mr. Mountain God,” An Gaoyang promptly expressed his gratitude.

Having gained considerable understanding of the world’s current state, Jian Xiangping had adapted many of his habits. He rarely spoke in the archaic manner of old gods, using terms like ‘I’ and ‘thou.’

Thus, at this moment, Jian Xiangping simply waved his hand dismissively. “While I prefer not to involve myself in worldly affairs, I will allow the mass migration of people into Geshan City and ensure its protection. However, afterward, I hope you can bring me Liyu, Crane Fan, and Six Mystic Zither for research purposes.”

Jian Xiangping showed some ‘interest’ in these objects, but He was unaware that this ‘interest’ had been subtly implanted by Duan Wenxuan while shaping His character and backstory. Once Jian Xiangping obtained these items, Duan Wenxuan would suppress His memories, promptly teleport them over, and check if the door symbol could absorb energy from these mysterious artifacts.

The sole purpose of tossing Jian Xiangping into this situation was precisely for this reason.

“Do you desire these mysterious items?”

An Gaoyang seemed somewhat hesitant, not because he was unwilling. Despite appearing carefree and unmanageable, YamanO was actually highly responsible. If the Mountain God wished to save lives, obtaining Liyu from him wouldn’t be a significant issue. The key challenge lay with Qianhe and Yine; they might not be willing to part with their artifacts.

“No, I’m merely interested in studying them. After a few days, I will return them, and who knows, I may even provide them with some benefits.”

After a moment of silence, An Gaoyang deeply knelt before Jian Xiangping, bowing low. “Mr. Mountain God, I shall deliver Liyu, Crane Fan, and Six Profound Zither into your hands. However, I hope you also uphold your commitment to protect Geshan City’s safety and resolve all dangerous mystical phenomena entering it.”

Jian Xiangping gave a slight nod.

An Gaoyang bowed once more before slowly backing out of the Mountain God’s room.

A minute later, Kim Tae-hwi hurried after An Gaoyang, carrying a small bottle. “Mister An.” He handed the bottle to An Gaoyang, “This is the spiritual liquid bestowed by Mr. Mountain God just now. The torrential rain triggered by the spiritual tide has specific harmful effects; most people exposed to it will fall ill. Drinking this spiritual liquid can ward off colds and mitigate risks, which should be useful for you.”

Although reluctant to leave Geshan City, Jian Xiangping’s memories revealed that he originated from the old god. While the old god protected the Li Kingdom’s people, as the new deity, He did not inherit the old god’s obsessions. However, neither could He completely ignore their plight.

An Gaoyang accepted the spiritual liquid and gave a slight bow to Kim Tae-hwi. “Please convey my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Mountain God. Amidst such transformative times, as long as the Li Kingdom endures, we shall forever remember the blessings of the Mountain God.”

Upon leaving Xiangping Mountain, An Gaoyang immediately diluted some of the spiritual liquid with water and had Yuan Sichang, who looked extremely pale, drink it. “Send immediate orders: gather the migrating civilians together to attract the sea spirits. Instruct YamanO and Shion Ben to stop hindering the sea spirits’ advance. Instead, they must steadily retreat while guarding the civilians, drawing all the sea spirits towards Geshan City!”

During the previous conversation, An Gaoyang understood that the Mountain God tacitly agreed to handle the sea spirits reaching Geshan City. With that assurance, it was time to go all-in.

If successful, great—but if not… he would atone for his failure with his life.