I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 130 Observing the Evolution of Mythology
Jiang She sat on the roof.

Sipping wine slowly in the cold wind.

The cat walked on the roof tiles. Looking left and right, it discovered another place to play.

They sat on a high place.

Then you can vaguely see Mount Tai in the distance, its dark rocks covered with snow. It still stands majestically between heaven and earth, as if it has never disappeared.

Zhang Guolao gazed at it for a long time.

Behind the two people.

The monk was still somewhat deluded: "A leaf before the eyes obscures Mount Tai..."

Zhang Guolao heard the sound and looked down.

A withered leaf lay on the ground in the courtyard.

These are the leaves of the soapberry tree.

The soapberry tree was unaware of what had happened; these spirits rarely appeared during the day. Further away, the nest of tiny rat demons tried to sweep away the snow and dust, pushing the leaves away.

It was an ordinary leaf, a dull, iron-colored leaf, no different from any other withered leaf in the world.

It can actually block out Mount Tai.

With his cups empty, Jiang She refilled them and smiled at the two men.

"Old Master Guo, snap out of it."

Zhang Guolao found the mystery increasingly profound, and he sat on the rooftop, contemplating the profound truths he had just witnessed. While he was meditating, Jiang She overheard some whispers from the neighbors.

Then I thought about the current situation again.

An old man with completely white hair and beard sat with him on the roof. There was also a monk beside them.

The three of them were so far off the ground that they were practically courting death.

Jiang She could hear more and more discussions around him. Originally, only one person saw it, but after calling his family to come and see, it seemed that two more families had joined in.

He shook his head.

"Let's go down."

Jiang She, caught up in the moment, added another sentence.

"How about we go check out Mount Tai?"

Zhang Guolao suddenly stood up.

The three disappeared from the sight and gossip of the neighbors.

Before leaving.

Jiang She remembered and left a note for Li Bai and Yuan Danqiu, his handwriting casual and elegant. He was going to Mount Tai to check on things, and might not return that night, so they didn't need to worry.

After leaving the note, Jiang She looked at the cat and let it come down from the eaves.

"Let's go, let's go to Mount Tai."

"Tai San..."

Jiang She patiently explained, "Did you see the mountain in the distance just now? That's Mount Tai."

The cat didn't understand.

It jumped onto Jiang She's shoulder, a small, heavy lump.

Jiang She couldn't help but sigh.

"You've grown quite a bit."

When I first saw this cat, it was only a month old. The kitten looked like a fluffy black ball of fur, with the blue membrane in its eyes still visible. Now, it's quite heavy to hold.

He raised it well.

The cat knew it was a compliment and became smug. It raised its tail and rubbed against Jiang She's back and neck, its fur tickling.

Jiang She switched to a language the cat could understand and said:

"Mount Tai is larger than Mount Lumen."

"Lumen San..."

Lumen Mountain is the mountain of the Old Deer Mountain God, which the cat knows. The cat even saw it when they left Xiangyang, but doesn't know if it remembers them.

Jiang She took a few steps.

Suddenly I heard a small, clumsy voice beside my ear.

Third, can you... grow up?

……

……

Mount Tai is not easy to climb in winter.

The soil was hard, cold, and slippery.

When the emperor was about to perform the Fengshan ceremony, he would close the mountain a month in advance to prevent the people from going up the mountain to cut firewood and disturbing the imperial procession.

They walked along the mountain path, the wind biting cold, growing colder with each step. The monk, thinly dressed, had a face red from the cold, yet he kept following behind the two, refusing to stop even when he was tired.

Cats are the fastest runners.

She even turned her head to look at him.

For cats, the mountain is much more interesting than the yard. At most, there are a few mice to play with in the yard, but even in winter, there are many smells on the mountain, such as footprints left by wolves, red foxes, or wild boars, or frozen insects.

A titmouse was flying in the sky, and the cat looked up at it.

Different leaves make different sounds when stepped on, and only the cat can understand them.

Zhang Guolao walked beside Jiang She.

They also took in the sights of Mount Tai. Guards stood watch on the mountain; after walking a short distance, one could see soldiers patrolling with swords. With the emperor's ascent to the mountain for the Fengshan ceremony imminent, many of the wild beasts on Mount Tai had been cleared out beforehand.

However, none of the guards were able to spot them.

Zhang Guolao remarked, "This mountain is now secluded and a good place to go."

"I wonder where these people were when they were covering Mount Tai earlier..."

Jiang She walked at a leisurely pace.

"It must have been covered up along with everything."

The monk was also astonished. He couldn't help but look at Jiang She, saying, "If an emperor in the mortal world saw this, he would probably have to bow down and beg for immortality."

Jiang She just smiled.

Zhang Guolao was extremely impatient with dealing with the imperial family. The current emperor, like the previous ones, would frequently summon him to the palace to serve as an official, disturbing his peace and quiet.

He has died several times, and it worked at first, but now even that method doesn't work anymore.

The old man shook his head and said, "Among emperors and high-ranking officials, I have never seen a single one who has entered the Dao."

"He is clever and insightful, but he cannot succeed in cultivating the Tao."

"Six of the seven orifices have been opened."

That's a witty remark.

They walked along the mountain path, their feet treading on the frozen mud and stones of winter, gazing at the majestic mountains before them. Looking ahead, it seemed impossible to tell how long the climb would take; in many places, ceremonial guards and ritual implements for the Fengshan ceremony had already been set up.

Halfway there.

From afar, one can still see Taoist priests building an altar to pray for clear skies.

Zhang Guolao asked, "What is the other supernatural power you mentioned, cloud-riding?"

"It's for traveling."

"On the road?"

Jiang She nodded and said, "Traveling on clouds and mist will make the journey more convenient."

As Zhang Guolao listened, stroking his beard, he felt it resembled the description in the Huainanzi of "riding a cloud chariot and traveling through the mist," but he couldn't quite put his finger on what kind of magic it was.

he asks:

"Is it possible to travel ten thousand miles in a single day?"

Jiang She remained calm:

"I've never been that far before."

Zhang Guolao touched his clothes, revealing a thin sheet of white paper. He walked beside Jiang She, staring at the other man's shoes.

I wonder where that cloud of mist came from...

Jiang She saw this and smiled.

Zhang Guolao suppressed his curiosity and didn't ask any further questions. He then brought up the matter of being recruited earlier and the rural spirits he had encountered.

The monk lagged a few steps behind the two, listening quietly to their conversation.

I recall the Buddhist talismans in front of the temple.

It was made by the person right in front of us.

He heard a thousand supernatural powers, myriad Taoist teachings, and even spirits and demons. The monk listened, feeling that cultivation had never been so close to him. Walking on the mountain, it felt as if he could reach out and touch this world.

How fortunate we are to have the chance to walk this path together.

Jiang She walked and observed along the way.

Not far away, a guard whispered a prayer:
“I am from Weinan County, Jingzhao Prefecture. I pray to the God of Mount Tai for protection, that my parents are at peace in the afterlife… My late father was a kind and honest man who was always good to others and never did anything evil…”

"By the Lord of Mount Tai, Wu Yixue of Yizhou beseeches your protection, wishing to live up to all his learning and realize his ambitions..."

Jiang She heard it from afar.

Emperors performed the Fengshan ceremony.

He sought to achieve unparalleled merit and subjugate all barbarians.

These guards, benefiting from the opportunity, also came to Mount Tai.

They pray for the peace of their deceased loved ones and for their own careers to soar.

The guards are sometimes called the God of Mount Tai, and sometimes the Lord of Mount Tai; these are all common ways of referring to them.

At this time, Mount Tai, though the foremost mountain in the world, is located in the Zhen position, towering and majestic. The ancients believed that this was the place closest to heaven and earth, and could communicate with the gods and spirits.

However, it does not yet possess the prestige of the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak.

Many of the ideas that would be popular in later generations were still unknown to people in the Tang Dynasty at that time.

It may take hundreds of years to develop.

That's why there are deities like the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak and the Goddess of Mount Tai.

Zhang Guolao noticed that Jiang She remained silent for a long time, slowing his pace and listening intently to the guards' whispers. He then seemed to be deep in thought.

he asks:

"What are you thinking about, sir?"

The group walked swiftly along the mountain path, quickly passing the praying guards and continuing their ascent. Jiang She withdrew his gaze.

He said:

"I witnessed the evolution of mythology."

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)