On a late evening about a month later, Yinmu revealed the true form of Night Master. He took a walk underground in the mountains and after confirming the safety of the medicinal field, he grabbed my arm and said:

"Come, Junior Brother, I'll take you to see something rare. It's ripe today and will be given to Third Master for alchemy tomorrow. You won't be able to see it anymore."

Yinmu grinned like a sly fox.

During our time on the mountain, I could never quite figure out Yinmu's temperament. One moment, he would be affectionate towards people, like an old friend we've known for years, caring and open-hearted. The next moment, he would transform into a cunning and ferocious wolf, ready to tear someone apart. It's a pity this bastard didn't become an actor. He would play ghostly tricks on me every day, then rescue me with a righteous demeanor, tricking me into eating things I shouldn't.

As the night moon rose, I followed Yinmu through a mountain pass and arrived at a valley with hot springs. He took out a bone flute from his chest and lightly blew into it. Soon, one after another, white apes emerged, each holding twig-like objects, and placed them in front of Yinmu. At a glance, I recognized two of them as Chen Da Ye and Old Du Long from our village who were bitten by snakes and brought up the mountain by Geng Jin. At this moment, they were naked, with shriveled skin, and long stick-shaped fungal growths protruding from their seven orifices, grotesque and eerie.

"Are these creatures human or grass?" Yinmu bared his teeth, looking somewhat proud at those human-like grass figures.

So this was the so-called Immortal Mountain of salvation according to Geng Jin? Is this the ultimate fate for the childless and spouseless individuals in the village? And what about those "immortal mushrooms" treasured by the villagers? What are they?

Something that had been suppressed for a long, long time burst out with a loud "bang."

"You damn grass!" I punched Yinmu, catching him off guard that a coward like me, who had almost wet himself out of fear from Night Master, dared to strike him.

After a brief silence, he snorted and waved his hand. My whole body flew like a sandbag and crashed into the group of white apes and grass figures.

The white apes scattered, and one of the grass figures snapped in half as I collided with it. Inside its body, fungal threads resembling spiderwebs glimmered in the moonlight, reminding me of Grandfather Liu's broken leg. It turns out that the fungal spores had already been planted within our bodies. When the threads spread throughout our entire bodies, it would be our time of death. For these immortals, it was a rare ingredient for alchemy.

I couldn't help but laugh. Those childless and spouseless people thought they could escape calamity by not marrying new wives or having sons. Little did they know that every step they took had long been calculated by someone.

"Fine, I didn't expect you to have a bit of courage," Yinmu spat blood on the ground.

"If you have the ability, kill me. No need to pretend here," I said.

"That's Dao Ye's pleasure. Give face but no face. Do you think you, a bastard born from the white apes and mortals, are worthy to fight against Dao Ye?"

"What did you say?" My mind buzzed.

"I said you are a mixed-blood! Don't believe me? Go ask Wu Tu. Those ants at the foot of the mountain thought they were fairies. Hahaha..."

I was enveloped in a sense of humiliation from being fooled, and a surge of anger made me rush towards him without hesitation. With a flick of his sleeve, I plunged into the hot spring in the valley, crashing into the rocks and ending up with bruises, a swollen face, and blood in my mouth.

The closest old ape was terrified and kept screeching.

"Did you all see that? This person destroyed the grass figures of the three Masters and attacked Senior Brother. I, Dao Ye, had no choice but to intervene," Yinmu declared.

In an instant, Yinmu transformed into his true form, a giant worm-like creature with huge tentacles that surged from the depths of the valley.

This was his premeditated excuse to kill me. I fell for it in the end.

I closed my eyes in despair, but unexpectedly, as the tentacleswrapped around me, a surge of power surged from within. It was as if a dormant force had awakened in response to the imminent threat. I opened my eyes, and to my surprise, I found myself surrounded by a brilliant golden light.

The golden light emanated from a mark on my palm, a mark that I had always carried but never understood. It glowed with an intensity that surpassed anything I had ever witnessed before. The tentacles of the Night Master recoiled, unable to withstand the power radiating from me.

A voice echoed in my mind, clear and commanding. It spoke of ancient knowledge and forgotten truths. It was the voice of the ancestors, the voice of the Immortal Mountain itself.

"Stand firm, child of the mountain. Embrace the power within you and fulfill your destiny," the voice whispered.

With newfound strength and determination, I channeled the energy from the mark on my palm. It surged through my body, empowering me with enhanced speed, strength, and agility. I fought back against the Night Master, dodging its attacks and delivering powerful blows with precision.

The battle raged on, the clash of titanic forces echoing through the valley. Yinmu, in his monstrous form, struggled to regain control, but I pressed on relentlessly. With each strike, I could feel the power of the Immortal Mountain flowing through me, guiding my actions.

Finally, with a final surge of energy, I unleashed a devastating blow that sent the Night Master crashing to the ground. The ground trembled, and the valley seemed to hold its breath as the Night Master lay defeated.

I stood there, panting, covered in dirt and bruises, but victorious. The golden light slowly faded, and the mark on my palm returned to its dormant state. I looked around, expecting Yinmu to rise once more, but he remained motionless, his monstrous form dissipating.

As the dust settled, I realized that the valley was no longer the same. The hot springs had turned cold, and the white apes and grass figures no longer moved. They lay lifeless, their purpose extinguished.

The voice of the Immortal Mountain echoed once more, conveying a sense of gratitude and relief.

"You have freed us from the clutches of the Night Master, child of the mountain. Your bravery and strength have saved not only yourself but also the souls trapped in this valley. The Immortal Mountain is grateful."

I bowed my head in reverence, grateful for the power bestowed upon me and humbled by the task I had unknowingly undertaken.

The voice continued, guiding me towards the next steps of my journey.

"Your path lies beyond the Immortal Mountain, where greater challenges await. Seek the wisdom of the elders and harness the power of your ancestry. Only then can you confront the true darkness that threatens our world."

With renewed purpose, I set forth from the valley, carrying the memories of the Immortal Mountain and the weight of its expectations. My journey had just begun, and I was determined to fulfill my destiny as the child of the mountain.