Unintended Immortality

“Daoist priest, are you going to sleep now?”

“Just about.”

“Want to join me in a dream?”

“No, thank you.”

“Alright, then I will just have to play by myself tonight.”

“Have fun, Lady Calico.”

“Alright...”

He didn’t know when he finally fell asleep.

The nights in Jingyu were seldom this peaceful. Even with Lady Calico being restless, darting up and down—sometimes chasing mice, sometimes drinking water, and even crawling under the blanket to play her stealth game—Song You slept soundly.

Song You got up, leaned by the window, and looked out. From the left, a procession was approaching.

Leading the group were a few middle-aged Daoists, each holding a dusting whisk. Behind them were two young Daoist attendants, a boy and a girl in their early teens. They were each carrying a flower basket, scattering petals as they walked.

In the center was an open litter, the kind with just a base and no roof or side curtains, known as a “mingyu.” It was laid with animal pelts, on which sat an elderly Daoist with white hair and beard.

Following them were two more young attendants and several middle-aged Daoists.

The pedestrians on the street stepped aside at the sight of the procession, while those farther away gathered around, some kneeling in reverence, others shouting loudly. It sounded like they were calling out, “Immortal Yongyang.”

The group moved from left to right, gradually disappearing into the distance. The sound faded away as well.

At some point, a small cat head appeared beside Song You, peering out with him as she tracked the group, turning her head as they moved away. Even when they had vanished from view, she leaned out as if to catch one last glimpse.

Song You withdrew his gaze and looked at her.

The cat turned her head, meeting his eyes with a look of curiosity.

“...” Song You shook his head, deciding not to ask her anything.

This was typical of the cat; anything new or unusual, she would stare at until it was out of sight. Who knew what she pondered while watching? Or maybe she wasn’t thinking of anything at all.

“Let’s go down for breakfast,” Song You said. “It’s rare to be in a city this large. This may be the only place in all of Hezhou that could be called bustling and secure. Lady Calico, is there anything you’d like to eat?”

“I ate my fill last night.”

“How were the mice here?”

“Not as tasty as the ones back there.”

“Lanmo, huh...”

“Yes! Lanmo!” Lady Calico still longed for the rats from Lanmo.

Not only were they tasty, but they were also large and plump, one big enough to last her several meals. Here, it took an entire rat just for a single meal.

By then, Song You had already stepped out and headed downstairs.

The swordsman arrived downstairs almost simultaneously.

The attendant came forward eagerly to greet them, “What would you two gentlemen like for breakfast?”

“What do you have in the morning?”

“Steamed buns, plain buns, our special horse meat buns, or tripe buns. We also have donkey meat buns and, today, donkey meat soup noodles.” The attendant smiled as he spoke. “We used to have pastries for breakfast as well, but the times are different now, after all. The chef’s still here, though, so if you’d like pastries, please order a day in advance so we can have them prepared.”

“No need to go that far,” Song You said with a smile. “I’ll have a tripe bun and a bowl of donkey meat soup noodles. Please add more donkey meat—I’ll pay extra if needed.”

“I’ll just take a few plain buns,” the swordsman said casually. “If there’s soy milk, bring a bowl; if not, just some hot soup.”

“Got it!” the attendant gave a cheerful reply and headed off.

Song You glanced around—

Before Hezhou was ravaged by war and demons, this inn must have been quite the establishment. Though its facilities were still intact, they now looked aged and somewhat desolate. The left wall held many wooden plaques with dish names inscribed in poetic language, many unrecognizable from the names alone.

The wall across displayed various calligraphic works, suggesting that this inn had once been a gathering spot for the scholars and literati of Hezhou. Now, while the inn and its patrons had endured, the refined crowd had likely dwindled.

So much so that this grand inn now needed to set up a stall at the entrance to sell steamed buns and bread in the mornings.

“Here you go...” The attendant returned with their buns and soup noodles, along with an extra plate of donkey meat.

“Thank you.”

“Enjoy your meal.”

“Oh right…” Song You called the attendant back, curious. “While I was upstairs, I heard some commotion outside and saw a large procession of Daoists passing by. Quite the display. Who might they be?”

“Are you perhaps referring to Immortal Yongyang?”

“That’s what I heard them calling him.”

“You’re from afar, so you wouldn’t know,” the attendant replied, smiling. “Here in Jingyu County, there’s a Daoist temple nearly a hundred years old called Xuanlei Temple. It’s very effective, and all the Daoists there are renowned for their cultivation.

“Immortal Yongyang is the owner of the temple, rumored to be over a hundred years old and said to have built the temple himself in his youth. People say he has already attained enlightenment and could have ascended to immortality, but he chose to stay in the mortal realm to fight demons and protect the people of Hezhou from harm.”

“He could have ascended to immortality?”

“That’s what everyone says.”

“It’s just folklore.”

“Ah, yes! Only folklore!”

“The people seem to hold this Immortal Yongyang in high esteem.”

“Of course,” the attendant replied. “With the turmoil in the north and the demons in Hezhou, only Pu Commandery remains somewhat peaceful. People say that, with Immortal Yongyang’s cultivation, he could have ascended to immortality long ago, but he chose to stay here to protect the local people. Naturally, we Jingyu folk show him deep respect.”

“From what you say, it seems Pu Commandery’s peace is largely thanks to him?”

“Well...” The attendant hesitated. “It’s a bit complicated to say...”

“How so?”

“Pu Commandery is more stable than other counties in Hezhou, and naturally, most of the credit goes to the magistrate. However, the contributions of Immortal Yongyang cannot be overlooked either.” The attendant clearly knew that Song You was an old acquaintance of the magistrate and was aware that the rooms in the restaurant were personally reserved by the magistrate’s aides. Just last night, they had dined together, so he spoke with careful consideration.

“For example, when the demons outside the city were eradicated, it often happened during stormy nights, struck down by lightning. Everyone knows that the temple where Immortal Yongyang cultivates is called Xuanlei Temple, and that Immortal Yongyang has the ability to summon Divine Thunder. But it’s hard to say for certain.”

“He sounds like a true master devoted to helping the people.”

“Without a doubt!”

“Thank you for explaining.

“I’ll get back to work, then.”

“Of course...”

By this time, the swordsman was already tearing into his buns.

Song You brought out Lady Calico’s special bowl, placing some donkey meat in it, while he leisurely ate his tripe bun with one hand and used chopsticks with the other. It was his first time trying a tripe-filled bun.

Around midday, Magistrate Liu came to fetch him.

Song You then followed Magistrate Liu and his advisor, strolling along the streets of Jingyu County, observing the various aspects of life in these chaotic times.

“Hezhou is quite different from our Yizhou,” Magistrate Liu remarked, walking with his characteristic outward-turned gait. “Yidu is full of mountains and rivers, while Hezhou has few mountains, lots of wind, and broad, open plains. You can see dozens of li ahead from a high point. I struggled to adjust when I first came here.”

He continued, “The roads you’ve traveled are still decent, but farther on, in Gui Commandery, it’s so flat that you won’t see a single hill for hundreds of li.”

“Gui Commandery is the only part of Hezhou I haven’t yet reached.”

“...” Magistrate Liu thought for a while and said, “…If you left the capital at the start of the year, you must have been on the road nearly a full year now.”

“I’ve passed through three seasons.”

“And how do you plan to go on from here? Are you heading farther north?”

“Indeed.”

“North of here is Gui Commandery, currently facing an outbreak. To reach Yanzhou from there, you’ll have to cross the snowy plains, where rumors say a great demon holds sway—now an abandoned land.” Magistrate Liu said cautiously.

He added, “I heard that for a time, dark clouds covered the area, with lightning storms lasting an entire month. Word is that the Heavenly Palace tried to exorcize the demon, but they didn’t fully succeed. Things are quieter now, but the monsters remain.”

“Then I’ll go see for myself.”

Magistrate Liu couldn’t help but take a silent, sharp breath at his resolve.

It brought back memories of that day years ago—

Back then, as the county magistrate of Yidu, he had accompanied Prefect Yu to bid farewell to Song You, who had casually remarked that his journey would take twenty years.

Now, after his transfer to Hezhou, Magistrate Liu believed he’d encountered more cases of demon disturbances and met more Daoists and Buddhists with cultivation skills than he had in Yizhou. Yet, the distance between himself and the man before him felt unchanged from those early days.

Reflecting on Song You’s deeds across Hezhou, Magistrate Liu understood that he would surely go north, despite the threat of a great demon king that even the Heavenly Palace had struggled against. He felt torn—fearful for Song You’s safety but hopeful that, as in other parts of Hezhou, the demon king might be subdued after his passage.

Magistrate Liu exchanged a brief, furtive glance with his advisor, then stole a look at the Daoist beside him. Song You’s face was calm, his steps leisurely as he looked around the streets.

The traces of former prosperity were faintly visible.

“Don’t you have any official duties today?” Song You suddenly turned, meeting Magistrate Liu’s gaze.

“Oh, well, truth be told, I received my transfer order some time ago; I’m to report back to the capital soon,” Magistrate Liu replied, almost startled. “I handed my duties over to the assistant magistrate a while back. If it weren’t for the chance to greet you here in Jingyu after hearing of your work across Hezhou, my advisor and I would’ve likely departed for the capital two weeks ago.”

“Congratulations, then—a capital appointment awaits.”

“It’s all thanks to Prefect Yu’s recommendation,” Magistrate Liu said modestly. “While I may not be particularly talented, I’d hoped to follow in Prefect Yu’s footsteps. Had I been called back earlier, I might have been reluctant to leave, but knowing you’ve cleansed Hezhou of its demons, I feel much more at ease about going.”

Though his words were complimentary, there was a certain hesitancy.

Sensing it, Song You asked, “Do you have any concerns?”

“Only one lingering worry!”

Song You glanced at him, smiling. “Sounds like I might be able to help.”

“Ah, I can’t hide anything from you.” Magistrate Liu paused briefly before continuing, “Today, my advisor and I planned to seek you out first thing, but Immortal Yongyang from Xuanlei Temple visited this morning, which delayed us. And my worry concerns none other than this very Immortal Yongyang.”

“Go on.” Song You’s expression remained unchanged, but he was indeed curious about this influential figure.

“Daoist Master Yongyang is known for his cultivation and great power, revered by the people as Immortal Yongyang. In Yizhou, he’d easily be recognized as a divine immortal. However, his most impressive skill lies in his power to sway the masses.

“Originally, he was already popular in Pu Commandery. After the northern upheaval, he gained even more followers under the pretense of protecting them from demons. When my advisor and I first assumed our posts here three years ago, the local people practically ignored the government in favor of Daoist Master Yongyang and Xuanlei Temple.

“Some were so impoverished they could barely eat, and even though the court no longer collected taxes, they still offered their grain to him as tribute. Thanks to my advisor’s clever strategies, I’ve managed over three years to restore a measure of governmental authority, and he’s toned down his influence.

“However, during demon-clearing operations in Pu Commandery, which mainly relied on Thunder God’s powers, Daoist Master Yongyang spread numerous rumors, claiming credit for some of these deeds. Over these three years, as Pu Commandery grew more peaceful, he became celebrated as an immortal in the people’s eyes.

“But the truth is, while Daoist Master Yongyang has dealt with minor spirits outside the city, he’s done more to spread deceptive tales, exploit the people, gather followers, and suppress dissent.

“Though my time in Pu Commandery has been short, these are chaotic times, and I’ve somehow managed to gain some standing with the locals, enough to keep him in check for now. My concern, however, is that once my advisor and I leave for the capital, Daoist Master Yongyang will become uncontrollable. The people might again fall under his sway, and Pu Commandery will descend into turmoil once more.”

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