Unintended Immortality

“Fascinating things…” Song You stood still, frowning as he muttered to himself.

Then, he withdrew his gaze, leaning on his staff as he continued on his way.

Ahead, the vast expanse of mountains was blanketed in snow, the sky above forming a massive, unbroken dome of azure. The snow-covered ridges curved gently, devoid of any sign of human habitation.

Across the snowy terrain, a trail of footprints led southward, descending the mountain. Another set of messier tracks followed the ridgeline eastward.

Although Song You didn’t fully understand what the minor demon was hinting at, whether it was trying to subtly suggest something or had its own motives for wanting him to linger longer in Yuezhou or the northern lands, he was someone who often heeded advice. Besides, his journey was meant to explore the world; taking a bit more time to thoroughly traverse Yuezhou wasn’t a bad idea. Thus, he truly intended to retrace his steps and explore Yuezhou more thoroughly.

Initially, he had planned to leave the Qingtong Forest, visit Mount Tianzhu, and then head to Zhaozhou for the winter. Now, he decided to take a detour and spend more time exploring Yuezhou in detail.

Yuezhou was nearly devoid of human habitation, making travel exceptionally arduous.

Skeletons frequently dotted the landscape. Most had been exposed to the elements for over a decade, long overdue for burial. Song You made a point to give them a proper resting place whenever he encountered them.

On his journey, he encountered remnants of demons that had escaped the Heavenly Palace’s purge. Some emanated foul, evil qi; others controlled vengeful spirits. None of them appeared to be anything good, so he dealt with them swiftly.

It was unclear whether these entities had hidden themselves, sensing his approach, or had long since departed or perished and were thus no longer here. In any case, searching for them wasn’t easy—it was time-consuming, labor-intensive, and came across as quite impolite.

In Yuezhou, the only notable rampaging great demon had been the White Bull King, one of the most ruthless Demon Kings born out of the chaos in the northern war-torn regions. However, it had already been eradicated by the Heavenly Palace.

Yuezhou itself was a place steeped in spiritual resonance and rich cultural heritage. Over the years, just like the southern regions, the existence of ancient great demons was nothing unusual.

Since there had been no reports of the other party causing chaos, Song You’s efforts to search this much were already sufficient. To persist in meticulously tracking them down would not only delay his journey but also be inappropriate.

With no better option, he made a note of it and continued on his way.

Thus, about another month passed.

By the time Song You left Yuezhou and entered Zhaozhou, it was already late in the twelfth lunar month of the sixth year of Mingde.

Originally, he had planned to enter Zhaozhou from the northern part of Yuezhou. Now, however, his route brought him through the southern part of Yuezhou. Crossing over treacherous mountain ranges and passing through heavily guarded border gates, he finally arrived at Mozhu County.

Standing at the city gate, Song You paused. He raised his head to look at the word Mozhu inscribed above the gate before stepping forward to present his ordination certificate. Under the curious gazes of the gate guards, he entered the small northern city.

Mozhu County was located in the far southwestern corner of Zhaozhou, at the junction of three provinces. It bordered the southeastern corner of Yuezhou and the northeastern corner of Hanzhou, though the mountain ranges and a fortified pass separated them.

This geographical barrier was one reason why Zhaozhou had been relatively spared from the devastation wrought by the northern frontier invaders in Yuezhou a decade earlier.

He took a walk through Mozhu County. The streets were narrow and old, with low houses on either side. However, as the Lunar New Year approached, the roads were bustling with people. As it was mid-morning, many street vendors could still be seen setting up their stalls.

Some sold charcoal and firewood, while others hawked water. There were also egg sellers and peddlers of bamboo sieves and winnowing baskets. Amusingly, Song You even spotted someone offering to wrap preserved eggs for customers.

Compared to the desolate lands of Yuezhou or even the county towns of Yanzhou and Hezhou, Mozhu County felt much more populated and lively. Still, compared to the more affluent counties of the south, Mozhu County seemed rather impoverished. In these times, many officials who were demoted ended up being sent to remote regions like Zhaozhou or the southernmost islands.

The streets were paved with stone, and the sound of horse hooves echoed with a crisp clop-clop.

Occasionally, there were steps on the path, and Song You’s horse carefully navigated them.

After asking around for a while, he finally located an inn in the center of the city.

Thanks to the prosperous economy of Great Yan and the fact that Mozhu County was located at the junction of three provinces, as well as its specialty of ink bamboo used for making brushes—highly favored by the literati and scholars of Great Yan—the inns and carriage houses in this city were quite decent.

Leaving his horse outside, Song You stepped inside the inn. The threshold was low and detachable.

Upon entering, he found himself in a spacious courtyard designed for visiting merchants to park their horses and carts. Unlike some inns that opened directly into a large lobby, this establishment required him to venture further into the courtyard to find the innkeeper.

In these times, particularly in small towns, inns usually had most of their rooms occupied by long-term residents—such as examinees and officials on assignment. Traveling merchants and wandering jianghu martial artists who stayed briefly often chose chema inns[1]or thatched inns. Chema inns were convenient for storing goods, catering to merchants, while thatched inns and jimao inns[2] were cheaper and had lax oversight—some even allowed guests to stay without registering—making them a favored choice for those in the jianghu.

After a brief conversation with the innkeeper, Song You secured a month's stay at a price even cheaper than renting a house in many southern county towns. He then stepped back outside to lead his horse into the courtyard.

The horse was stabled in the courtyard, while his room was located upstairs.

“This time of year, business is slow,” the innkeeper explained. “Most people go home for the New Year. Business usually picks up again after the holiday. Since you're a cultivator, sir, I’ve guessed that you value peace and quiet.

“I’ve picked a room toward the back for you. That way, you won’t be woken up in the morning by the farmers selling their produce downstairs or bothered by the smell of horse manure from the courtyard.”

“Thank you.”

“We do offer meals, but you’ll need to request them in advance. On ordinary days, we also provide hot water for drinking, bathing, or washing, but those need to be ordered ahead as well and are charged separately. The same goes for lamp oil and coal for the heater—you pay based on how much you use.

“Across the street, there are places to buy meals and snacks, and if you’d like to cook for yourself, you’re welcome to borrow the kitchen. Just pitch in a bit for the oil, salt, condiments and firewood used.”

“I’ll remember that.”

“To your left as you leave, there’s a teahouse. Not far to your right,” the innkeeper said with a chuckle, “there’s a tavern, with some ladies if you’re looking for that sort of entertainment. The gambling den is also nearby. If you find yourself bored, you might want to check them out.

“That said, things have been a bit uneasy in the north lately. While Zhaozhou is relatively stable, there have been occasional ghost sightings. Not sure if you’re one to be afraid of such things, but it’s best to stay indoors after dark. There’s not much to do in this small town at night, anyway—aside from the tavern and the gambling den.”

Song You added, “I must let you know, I have two companions who may visit here. One is a handsome young boy, the other is a little girl, just a few years old. They may come and go from the inn to find me occasionally.”

“Understood,” the innkeeper replied.

“Thank you,” Song You said courteously.

“Rest well, sir. Call on me if you need anything.”

With that, the innkeeper respectfully withdrew.

Song You set down his saddle bag and, upon opening his pouch, out jumped a calico cat. The cat glanced left and right with great curiosity. It immediately began running around and sniffing everything, eager to explore this unfamiliar place. Then, as the side pouch of the saddle bag was opened, a swallow flew out from inside.

The swallow’s temperament was different from that of the calico cat. It felt guilty about being smuggled into the inn in such a sneaky manner:

“I've caused trouble for you, sir,” it said.

“Not at all,” Song You replied before asking, “Where do you usually stay?”

“I'm still not accustomed to staying indoors. I noticed a large tree by the entrance—I’ll perch there or on the rooftop. That way, I can keep watch for you and look after your horse as well.”

“That works as well.”

It wasn’t that the innkeeper had strictly prohibited swallows, but explaining a swallow’s presence in the room—especially in the cold of winter—would invite questions. And explaining that the swallow had spirituality and was well-behaved would only add unnecessary complications.

He knew that swallows usually preferred open spaces and that even when resting in the wild, they would perch at the very tops of trees where their view was unobstructed. They disliked staying indoors and would at most fly inside when there was nothing else to do. Since that was the case, Song You didn’t bother explaining much to the innkeeper.

As for the calico cat, she had merely been napping inside the bag until now.

“This place smells a bit funny,” the cat commented as she turned to Song You.

“It's just a bit of mustiness,” he replied calmly.

“Mustiness!” she exclaimed with dismay.

“Opening the window for ventilation will take care of it,” Song You said as he moved to open the window. Though he only said that he would open the window, he blew out a breath, summoning a gust of wind.

The wind swept through the room, carrying away the musty smell almost instantly.

As Song You turned back, he noticed the calico cat had already transformed into a young girl. Mimicking his earlier actions, she began unpacking the items she needed one by one from the bag.

The inn provided basic pottery for water and rough bowls, but they had brought their own, so she took them out and set them neatly on the table. The lantern, originally tucked near the saddle bag, was moved to the bedside.

She arranged items like his pouch, a small blade, and her flag in their proper places. Knowing that the Daoist would write something whenever he settled in a place for a while, she also took out the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

The little girl was meticulous, like a tiny adult. She truly resembled a young Daoist attendant.

In truth, Song You understood that it was simply the little girl’s mindset at play—thinking, “I’m a mature and capable big cat, and I ought to take care of the Daoist.” Ordinary household cats, after growing up, would sometimes act as if they were taking care of their owners, as though they found a sense of accomplishment in doing so.

“Thank you, Lady Calico,” Song You said with a smile. He then stood by the window for a moment, gazing at the street outside. By the time he turned back, the little girl had already finished grinding the ink for him.

With no other choice, he walked over, sat down, and, as usual, spread out a sheet of blank paper.

Originally, he had planned to rest at Zhaozhou’s administrative seat. However, given that it was currently the Lunar New Year season, the northern regions were blanketed in ice and snow. The freezing temperatures aside, the roads were difficult to traverse. It seemed wiser to wait until spring before setting off again.

Yet, after hearing a few words from the deer demon, he had ended up lingering in Yuezhou for an extra month. Now, he had made it only this far.

They were in the depths of winter, and it was the Lunar New Year. With the icy snow-covered landscape, it wasn’t a good time to travel. Instead of heading to the bustling prefectural city, he decided to stay in this remote little town for a month or two. Once spring arrived and the snow melted, he would continue his journey.

The sights and experiences of Yuezhou should all be carefully recorded.

Not just the Five-Colored Pool and Yuelong Waterfall, nor only the divine bird flying through the night sky above the Qingtong Forest. There was also Mount Tianzhu, where the celestial god first ascended to the heavens; the fields strewn with corpses; the storytellers he encountered; the strange spiritual resonance. And then there were the frozen streams and rivers sturdy enough to walk on, the dreamlike frost-covered trees, and the calico cat that crept into his chest every night to escape the cold.

The Daoist was patient, filling page after page with steady and consistent handwriting.

Meanwhile, Lady Calico lit the brazier for him. Feeling cold herself, she assumed he must also fear the chill, so she pushed the brazier to his feet. She even called over the swallow perched by the window to join them in warming up.

1. A chema inn 车马店 refers to a type of traditional inn that catered specifically to travelers, merchants, and horse traders in historical China. They provided accommodation for people traveling with horses or carriages, offering convenience for those who needed space for their vehicles and goods. ☜

2. A jimao inn, also known as "chicken feather house", was a type of inn that used chicken feathers for warmth, as the name suggests. Originally, these small inns were run by chicken farmers who raised many chickens in their own courtyards. In addition to selling eggs, they collected feathers shed by the chickens and used them as padding for bedding, providing an affordable option for poor travelers. Over time, these small inns gained popularity, with demand outstripping supply. This led to their expansion in many cities, eventually becoming independently operated inns. ☜