Green Mountain

The tiger completely ignored the gaze of Chen Ji and Old Ears, lying on its back in the snow, exposing its belly, eagerly watching Wu Yun, while occasionally stealing glances at Chen Ji.

Old Ears speculated, "It probably missed hearing a Martial Arts Roar."

Chen Ji was puzzled, "What do you mean?"

Old Ears, expressionless, said, "It seems that its Heavenly Soul Embryonic Light hasn’t opened, lacks a sense of shame."

Chen Ji: "..."

Old Ears lamented, "This big fool’s intelligence has awakened, it can be a Mountain Guardian Spirit Beast now."

Chen Ji was curious, "What’s good about a Mountain Guardian Spirit Beast? Can it cultivate faster than humans?"

Old Ears shook his head, "It excels in longevity."

"Longevity?"

Old Ears explained, "If a mortal enters the Seeking Dao Realm before the age of thirty-six, they can live up to a hundred years. But it’s rare for a Mountain Guardian Spirit Beast to awaken intelligence. Once awakened, it leaps the Dragon Gate, stepping into the Seeking Dao Realm with a lifespan of several hundred years, as short as three hundred, as long as five hundred. If it enters the Divine Realm, it might outlast the Jing and Ning Dynasties... such a thing shouldn’t exist in the human world."

He glanced at Chen Ji, "Aristocratic families fear having no successors most, fearing losing official positions and ancestral legacy, leading to their decline in just ten years. Official Mountain Gates are the same; every family experiences struggling times. Not every generation can have a Divine Realm Executive Officer guarding the Mountain Gates. But with such a creature guarding the gate, it allows the gate to endure through time."

Chen Ji pondered, "Makes sense."

Old Ears felt more uneasy as he thought, "Both the Temple of Martial Arts and Huangshan Dao Court couldn’t grab a Mountain Guardian Spirit Beast, yet you managed to snag one? A little brat can’t shelter this cunning tiger; those who flatter the above must deceive the below, this fawning appearance obviously isn’t something good..."

Wu Yun meowed in opposition, "I think it’s not bad eh..."

Old Ears nodded, "You don’t like it either, right."

Wu Yun rolled her eyes.

Old Ears continued, "This sneaky tiger doesn’t change its bad habits; chasing wolves and turning pigs in Changbai Mountain is one thing, but more hateful is its cunning and malicious nature, descending the mountain to devour little boys and girls."

The tiger abruptly got up, roaring continuously at Old Ears.

Chen Ji sighed, "Making the child angry enough to almost speak. Let’s not talk about this, let’s focus on business; how to reach Shangjing City?"

Old Ears sneered, "Don’t know."

Chen Ji examined the little old man; he was set on not going to Shangjing City and confident that, being unfamiliar with the area, Chen Ji wouldn’t find where Shangjing City is.

He probed, "Exchange secrets with you?"

Old Ears walked forward on his own, "No exchange."

Chen Ji wondered, "What’s in Shangjing City that makes you so scared?"

Old Ears chuckled, "Provocation? This old man has long passed the age of being provoked, useless!"

Chen Ji pondered for a moment, then suddenly turned to the tiger, "Do you know Shangjing City?"

The tiger looked confused.

Chen Ji knew that the range of Northeast Golden Layered was large, often migrating hundreds of miles for food in winter.

For example, Wandashan’s first one was measured to cross borders from Russia’s Maritime Border Region into Heilongjiang, eventually entering Baiyuwan Town Linhu Village, captured after being anesthetized, then released back into the forest, able to cross provinces into Jilin within a week, with yearly migration distances up to eighteen thousand miles.

This tiger should have seen Shangjing City, even if it doesn’t know that’s Shangjing, it should know where the largest human city is.

Chen Ji changed his question, "Do you know where the largest human city is within these hundreds of miles?"

The tiger nodded.

Chen Ji got excited, he lowered his head to look at the tiger, "What do you want?"

The tiger bowed in front of Chen Ji, its front paws flipping upwards, quietly resembling a solemn worship.

Wu Yun meowed, "Why not keep it? It seems lonely in the mountains, chasing wolves and pigs might just be wanting to play with them."

"Wolves and pigs probably don’t think so..." Chen Ji pondered, then lowered his head and said to the tiger, "I can’t promise you anything now, but if you lead me to Shangjing, even if I can’t keep you by my side, I’ll find you an official gate path, deal?"

The tiger thought for a moment, then nodded.

Chen Ji curiously asked, "Do you have a name?"

The tiger looked puzzled again.

Chen Ji thought, "There’s already a Xiao Man at home, how about Jingzhe for you?"

The tiger seemed to understand somewhat, nodding.

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Lead the way, Jingzhe."

As Jingzhe was about to turn and lead the way, Old Ears suddenly approached, bending down whispered, "This kid is somewhat stubborn, how about not following him, follow this old man, I’ll find you a better official gate path."

Jingzhe glanced at him and scurried away.

Old Ears scooped a snowball from the ground and hurled it at Jingzhe, "You’ll have times of regret!"

Before the snowball hit Jingzhe, the soft snow scattered in the air.

Wu Yun jumped on Jingzhe’s head, desperately licking its head.

Jingzhe’s body froze, but then lowered its gaze without resisting. However, Jingzhe’s head was much larger than a typical cat’s, and Wu Yun got tired half-way through licking its head, sticking out her tongue, needing to rest before continuing.

...

...

On the fifth night, Jingzhe traversed mountains, finally stopping at a mountaintop.

Chen Ji stood atop the mountain overlooking the snow plains below, a small, solitary village nestled beneath the mountain. Looking further, a city outline appeared on the horizon.

Chen Ji pointed to the obscure outline and asked, "Is that Shangjing City?"

Old Ears casually broke a pine twig beside him, "Don’t know."

Chen Ji nodded, "With your attitude, it should be Shangjing City no doubt."

Old Ears sneered, "Even if it’s Shangjing City, without permits and registration, how will you get in? The Jing Dynasty’s Shangjing City is not like the Ning Dynasty’s Capital City, searches and inspections are incredibly strict, even with permits and registration, you must withstand interrogation."

Old Ears arrogantly said, "Ask your unfortunate creature if it can get permits and registration?"

Chen Ji pondered for a while, "Though I don’t know why you’re determined not to enter Shangjing City, since we’re here, there’s no reason to stop now. How about we exchange—help me get registration and permits to sneak into Shangjing, I’ll exchange five secrets, soon you’ll know how to cultivate six sword seeds."

Old Ears remained silent for a long time, weighing his options, "Once in the city, don’t act rashly, follow my arrangements."

Chen Ji agreed immediately, "Deal."

Old Ears headed downhill, "Follow me."

Two humans, a cat, and a tiger descended the mountain, Chen Ji instructed Wu Yun and Jingzhe to stay outside the village while he followed Old Ears into the village.

Old Ears carefully discerned his surroundings, arriving at a household doorstep, knocking on the courtyard gate.

Someone from inside inquired, "Who is it?"

Old Ears whispered, "It’s me, open the door."

Chen Ji was surprised, "How do you have acquaintances everywhere?"

The courtyard gate opened, an old man inside was surprised to see Old Ears, "... Big Leader, weren’t you captured by the court and executed by lingchi?"

...

Resting for a day, updating less today, will make up tomorrow.