The concept of a born saint begins with Strange Tales from Liaozhai.

Thinking about it, he didn't pay much attention.

The spiritual energy here is scarce, and there is not much essence of the sun and moon. Most of it is used to support the innate physique, so he doesn't have much hope for cultivation.

Moreover, as long as the transformation continues, lifespan is not a problem.

Su Chen's gaze fell upon the innate physical gifts.

[Innate Talent & Physique: Azure Dragon (Transcendental)]

Energy required for the next stage of physical transformation: 2166961

[Energy: 975]

"Azure Dragon? Transcending the mortal realm?"

Su Chen seemed to be deep in thought.

This assessment is well-deserved; compared to the python, the jiao is no longer an ordinary creature.

However...

"Won't this next transformation require far too much energy?"

Su Chen's lips twitched.

Although he knew that the next transformation would definitely be related to dragons, the amount of energy required still surprised him.

It seems that the difference between a jiaolong and a dragon is indeed very large!

Su Chen silently calculated the speed at which the energy accumulated, and murmured, "It will probably take nearly eight years..."

It's only been nearly eight years, and he's not in a hurry. Ever since he arrived in this Western Zhou period, he has been prepared to spend a long time here.

Perfect timing! Let's take this time to deduce the prototype of the Heavenly Tribulation Dao Fruit.

……

Time passed slowly, and in the blink of an eye, three days had gone by.

Smoke rose from the village at the foot of Wushan Mountain early in the morning.

The villagers gathered early in the open space in the village, where a flat area had already been cleared out. Several stones were piled up to form a simple altar, which was covered with animal skins.

Offerings were placed in front of the altar.

There were freshly hunted wild deer and goats, as well as a few pheasants.

There were also several baskets of wild fruit and millet, as well as a jar of cloudy wine next to it.

The air was filled with a faint smell of blood and alcohol.

The village shaman wore an old animal skin, his face was covered with grayish-white mud patterns, and he held a wooden staff engraved with runes in his hand.

He walked slowly to the altar, his expression solemn.

Shi, A Niu, and the men, women, and children of the village all stood around, their expressions filled with awe, and no one dared to speak loudly.

A mountain breeze blew down from Mount Wu, ruffling the fur of the animals on the altar.

Wu first looked up and glanced at Wushan.

The mountain peaks, shrouded in mist, appear deep and mysterious.

He slowly raised his wooden staff and spoke in a hoarse but solemn voice, "The God of Wushan is above."

"We, the people of Wushan, offer deer, sheep, and wine as sacrifices today."

"Honor the Mountain God!"

As he spoke, he gestured for several burly men to step forward.

Shi, A Niu, and the others carried the wild deer to the altar.

Ah Niu picked up the stone knife and nervously slit open the deer's throat.

The blood quickly flowed into the prepared stone bowl.

The shaman dipped his hand in deer blood and slowly smeared it on the stone in front of the altar, muttering ancient and indistinct sacrificial incantations.

Then, the shaman slowly poured the bowl of deer blood onto the ground in front of the altar.

Blood seeped into the soil.

He looked up at Wushan and spoke again, "God of Wushan."

"Please accept our offerings."

"May the mountain god appease his anger and refrain from bringing disaster."

May the mountain god protect us.

"The mountains and forests are full of animals, and the hunt is very fruitful."

"The weather is neither dry nor rainy."

"We will worship you with reverence for generations to come, and we will never be negligent!"

After saying this, he picked up the murky wine from the altar and poured it on the ground.

The surrounding villagers all knelt down on the ground.

Ah Niu lowered his head and muttered softly, "May the Mountain God bless me and let me hunt more deer this year..."

Someone nearby heard this and couldn't help but gently nudge him.

"Don't talk nonsense."

Ah Niu quickly shut his mouth, his face showing tension and awe.

After a moment, the shaman continued, "From this day forward, Wushan is a sacred mountain!"

"Those who enter Wushan should be filled with reverence. If they encounter the mountain god, they should prostrate themselves and kowtow, and must not blaspheme him!"

"Remember the witch's words!"

The villagers shouted one by one.

As they spoke, Ah Niu and the others cast a look of awe and fervor toward Wushan.

During their sacrifices.

In the misty mountains.

Su Chen's gaze drifted down to the foot of Wushan Mountain.

After becoming a Azure Dragon, his perception and eyesight were greatly enhanced, allowing him to clearly see their rituals and even hear what they were saying.

He was speechless as he watched their sacrificial rituals.

How did I become a mountain god out of nowhere?

"Never mind, it doesn't matter anyway. I'll be staying on this mountain for a long time anyway. As long as they really respect me as they say they do, and bless them with good weather and good harvests, it doesn't really matter..."

Su Chen shook his head slightly, not really caring.

Although he is still a dragon, he can't bring about favorable weather or anything like that; he can only cause floods and water disasters.

But in a few years, he will be able to transform into a dragon, and then making this place have favorable weather and abundant harvests will be just a matter of course.

Time passed slowly under these circumstances.

In the blink of an eye, seven and a half years have passed.

For more than seven years, the villagers of Wushan have indeed made offerings every year, just as they said, and before each trip to Wushan, they would devoutly pray for blessings.

Seeing this, when they entered the Misty Mountain, if Su Chen sensed any ferocious beasts approaching them, he would also release the aura of a dragon to scare them away.

As the years went by, almost none of the villagers who went hunting in the misty mountains died.

The villagers, including Shi, Aniu, and Wu, grew increasingly awe-inspiring and immediately realized that it was the God of Wushan who was protecting them.

As a result, the offerings for the annual sacrifices not only did not decrease, but increased, and the sacrifices became more and more grand, no different from the New Year, and almost became a custom in their village.

That is, it is now the late Western Zhou period, not the early Western Zhou period, and this is just a small village.

Otherwise, Su Chen suspected that these people might carry a few people up during the sacrificial ceremony.

In the village.

Gazing at the misty, shimmering golden light atop the mountain, Ah Niu's eyes filled with emotion.

Several years have passed, and he has changed from a young man to a middle-aged man, looking old and frail from hard work.

Even the village's old shaman passed away two years ago, and a young shaman took his place.

The dazzling golden light on the summit of Wushan Mountain every day, and the bright light at night, have never disappeared; they remain the same as before.

Every time he saw it, he felt a sense of awe.

"Father, are you watching the mountain god again?"

A seven or eight-year-old child looked at Ah Niu curiously and asked, "Father, did you really see the mountain god with your own eyes back then? What did the mountain god look like?"

"Was that golden light truly emitted by the mountain god?"

“You child…” Ah Niu said, both amused and exasperated, his face filled with reverence, “Your father is not lying. I did see the mountain god back then. When I saw the mountain god, your father…”

Just as Ah Niu was talking to the child.

……

On the banks of the Wei River.

The capital city was Haojing.

The palace walls are built of rammed earth, thick and simple, with dark-colored tiled eaves covering the top of the walls.

The palace gates were tall, with royal guards in armor standing on both sides, their long spears gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

Beyond the palace gates lie layers of halls and courtyards, with wide stone steps, bronze animal-shaped lampstands and large tripods displayed among them, and the air faintly carrying the scents of incense and pine resin.

The main hall in the center rises from a high platform, with a double-eaved roof and sturdy wooden beams painted with ancient cloud and animal patterns.

The interior of the hall was slightly dimly lit, with a few beams of slanting sunlight filtering through several tall windows and illuminating the felt mats spread on the floor.

The bronze tripods, chime bells, and jade ornaments are displayed quietly, appearing solemn and ancient.

On the high platform in the palace sat the emperor of the Western Zhou Dynasty.

King You of Zhou.

He was dressed in a black royal robe, embroidered with simple yet majestic patterns, with a jade belt around his waist, and his handsome face carried a hint of laziness and arrogance.

Not far to her side, reclining on a soft mat, was the famous woman, Bao Si.

She wore a light-colored long dress, the hem of which spread out like water on the mat. Her face was aloof, her eyebrows and eyes were slender, and her skin was fair.

However, her expression was very calm, as if nothing in the world could truly arouse her interest. Only at this moment, upon hearing the report from the Crown Prince's messenger, did she slightly raise her eyes.

Your Highness, an envoy who had traveled from afar knelt before the throne.

He was still covered in dust from his journey, his clothes stained with the grime of travel, clearly having rushed here. The messenger raised his hands above his head and reported in a low voice,

"Your Majesty, I come from a village in the southwest. The locals say there is a misty mountain nearby, and they suspect that a mountain god lives on it..."

As he spoke, the hall fell silent.

King You of Zhou's eyes were filled with surprise, and Bao Si's beautiful face also showed surprise.

King You of Zhou leaned forward slightly, raising an eyebrow. "The Mountain God?"

He raised his hand to indicate, "Tell me more."

The envoy quickly kowtowed and said, "I have interviewed the villagers and hunters in the vicinity, and they all say that Wushan is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, with the mountaintop shining with golden light at sunrise and flashing with white light at night."

"...Rumor has it that the mountain god is several meters tall, with bluish scales, and is a giant serpent. The nearby villagers call it...the God of Misty Mountain!"

Bao Si and the several attending physicians standing in the palace looked even more astonished upon hearing this.

Upon hearing this, King You of Zhou exclaimed in surprise, "Is that a giant snake the mountain god?"

He was very curious about the giant snake that was said to be a mountain god. How could a giant snake be a mountain god?

Bao Si tilted her head slightly, looking at King You of Zhou, her voice soft and tinged with a hint of curiosity, "Your Majesty, are there really gods in this world?"

King You of Zhou turned his head to look at her, and his eyes immediately showed a look of doting affection.

"It's rare to find that my beloved concubine is curious about these things."