Unintended Immortality

“State Preceptor, this is where I’ll part ways.”

The State Preceptor stood at the door and said, “Since I have difficulty walking, this is as far as I can go. The heir of the Hidden Dragon Temple traverses the human realm and sees all under heaven. You must have your own thoughts, so I won’t disturb your journey and cultivation. However, I am skilled in tea art and the Stargazing Tower is high up.

“With the curfew lifted in Changjing, if you ever wish to enjoy a good cup of tea, find someone to chat with, or perhaps seek a high vantage to view the bustling night of Changjing, do feel free to come here and find me. I also have many things I wish to discuss and seek advice from you.”

“State Preceptor, with your profound skills, even if you only excel in divination, surely you could find a wonderful method to heal your affliction?”

“My ailment is not physical, but mental.”

“Oh?”

“My master did this to me.”

“Even with your cultivation, is it still difficult to let go?”

“You may not know this, but sometimes the pain inflicted by those closest to you is the hardest to heal.”

“There is no need for apologies.”

“Farewell.”

“Please take care on your way.”

Song You and the cat walked onto the street. With the setting sun as a guide, Song You oriented himself. He heard the State Preceptor’s reminder from behind, turned to offer his thanks, and then continued walking to the right with the cat.

Changjing, having been the capital for several dynasties, followed the urban planning of previous eras. The city layout was highly organized, with straight streets and alleys intersecting in a grid pattern. As long as one could determine the direction, it was difficult to stray too far off course.

Song You reflected on the casual conversation from the afternoon. Despite seeming casual, their chat covered topics that were far beyond the imagination of most ordinary people.

It was clear that the State Preceptor had grand ambitions. Perhaps it wasn’t just the State Preceptor, but also the Emperor in the court, and possibly some high-ranking scholars who understood the essence of gods, all involved in this endeavor.

In the human realm, the court could indeed confer divine titles. Many well-known gods among the common people were conferred by the Emperor. Some people, due to their exceptional virtues, were promoted to higher divine positions by successive Emperors. Their reputation among the people grew deeper over generations, making them increasingly significant.

Some Emperors even conferred divine status upon themselves. However, such self-deification often gained acceptance only from later generations of common people, as long as the god did not become the ruler of the Heavenly Palace or failed to do other good deeds for the people.

After a few generations or a change of dynasty, such gods would no longer be worshipped. Without offerings, they would naturally fade away.

The Divine Dao was essentially an extension of humanity, making it difficult to separate the two.

At present, the Great Yan was the most prosperous it had ever been. This was the peak of its power, with the Emperor having conquered south and north, with all under heaven submitting to his authority. For an Emperor to reach such heights, it was likely that he might even entertain ideas of changing the ruler of the Heavenly Palace, and it was also normal to have other schemes.

On the other hand, the formation of the underworld, regardless of when it happened, would likely attract scheming and plotting in any era.

Given the current state of public sentiment, it was hard to gauge exactly how successful the formation of the underworld might be, but it was indeed an inevitable trend.

Whether in this generation or the next, it would be an unusual sight to witness.

The sky was gradually darkening.

Song You glanced at the calico cat in front of him and noticed that it had tucked one of its front paws and was limping along at some point, seemingly mimicking the State Preceptor.

“Lady Calico.”

The calico cat suddenly stopped and turned to look at him.

“That’s quite impolite,” he said gently.

The calico cat immediately put its paw back down and looked away, then trotted back to him, tilting its head to look up at his expression. After a moment, it asked, “What kind of water did we drink at the Daoist priest’s place today?”

“Tea.”

“It was tea too?”

“Yes.”

“Is it the same as the Mountain God’s water?”

“Not quite.”

“So many types of water…”

The aroma of food had begun wafting from the roadside.

The Daoist also quickened their pace. By the time they returned to Willow Tree Street, it was very dark. In the dim twilight, a figure could be faintly seen sitting on a small stool at the neighbor’s door, staring intently into the darkness with unfocused eyes.

The cat trotted up to her, craning its neck to make eye contact, as if trying to gauge her thoughts.

“Oh!” Heroine Wu seemed to come alive upon seeing the approaching Daoist. She turned to the Daoist and asked, “Where have you been today? Why are you only coming back now?”

“I went to Tianhai Temple.”

“Did it really take that long to visit Tianhai Temple?” Heroine Wu blinked and, noticing the Daoist was in robes, couldn't help but let her imagination run wild. “Did you forget to change clothes and get mistaken for someone looking for trouble by the monks there?”

“I just met a Daoist master at Tianhai Temple, who invited me for tea, and we talked all afternoon.”

“You met a Daoist master at Tianhai Temple?”

“Yes.”

“I thought all they had there were monks.”

“The Daoist master was there to visit as well.”

“Did you know each other before?”

“No.”

“Oh, you Daoist priests are even more casual than we jianghu people. You just run into someone, and you can chat all afternoon.”

“Most Daoists are quite laid-back.”

“I thought maybe those monks had called the Eighteen Bronzemen[1] to surround you.”

“Would you seek revenge for me?”

“I don’t have the ability to take on even ten by myself.”

“Have you eaten?”

“No…”

As they spoke, Song You had already taken out the key and unlocked the door to the small building. He pushed the door open but didn’t hurry inside; instead, he stood at the entrance, turned to the person next door, and said, “Heroine Wu, you’re a refined woman. There’s nothing unsightly in my home, and you should have another key. If needed, feel free to open the door and enter my house next time.”

“That won’t do.”

“Now, it’s fine.”

“How did you know I have another key?”

“Just a guess.”

Song You had already stepped inside, and the cat glanced back at the person next door before following him in.

Heroine Wu quickly followed suit.

Dinner was still centered around the elm samaras. The elm samara dumplings were pre-made and just needed to be steamed. There was also a bowl of raw elm samaras, which were sweet. This was especially true for the seeds inside, which were pleasantly sweet when bitten into.

As the sky darkened, Song You didn’t hold back; he lit an oil lamp and ate by its dim light.

“Was Tianhai Temple interesting?”

“It was quite fascinating.”

“Isn’t there a tree growing on top of the pagoda?”

“You’ve been there too?”

“Just once.” Heroine Wu’s eyes reflected the oil lamp’s glow, shimmering with curiosity. “How do you think that tree grows? The roots don’t touch the ground, yet it’s so large. Where does it get its water from? Could it really be the blessing of the Buddha?”

“Although the pagoda is made of stone, there are still gaps filled with soil between the stones. The tree’s roots extend through these gaps, growing from the top of the pagoda all the way down to the ground,” the Daoist answered patiently.

“Huh?” Heroine Wu was momentarily stunned, as if she didn’t expect to hear such an explanation from a Daoist, especially one with genuine cultivation skills.

Song You seemed to see through her thoughts and said softly while feeding the cat some elm samaras, “I’m just being pragmatic, sometimes the miracles of life are even more astonishing than those of gods or Buddhas.”

The cat, having had a few pieces of elm samara, was clearly no longer interested. It looked at him and then jumped down from the table.

Song You didn’t mind.

The elm samaras weren’t bad in taste, but since the cat wasn’t used to eating vegetables and had been eating them for several days, its disinterest was understandable.

However, resources weren’t as abundant these days. Many common people relied on a small vegetable patch and didn’t have the luxury to be picky. It wasn’t unusual to eat the same vegetable for a month or two during its season. Compared to that, elm samaras were nutritious and considered a good food source.

When in the Daoist temple, there were times when he was too lazy to go down the mountain to shop or didn’t want to expend too much effort. He’d end up eating the same food for a long time, especially if it was something with a high yield.

The Daoist enjoyed good food but wasn’t picky; he could eat delicacies and coarse grains alike. As night fell, the wind began to rise, and the clouds obscured the moon.

It looked like it was going to rain tonight.

Song You sat by the window and gazed outside, while the cat lay on the tea table, also looking out.

“Aren’t you going out to catch mice tonight?”

“Hm?”

It was hard to distinguish whether the cat’s “hm” was human speech or a cat’s meow. Seeing her turn around with a look of confusion, she asked, “How did you know that I’m going out to catch mice tonight?”

“You haven't eaten much tonight, so you must be planning to go out and catch mice.”

“But no one has come to ask me to catch mice.”

“Lady Calico, you have a noble character and are dedicated to eliminating pests for the people. Even if no one offers to pay you for help, you would still go out to catch mice,” Song You said with a smile, glancing at the cat. “Am I right?”

“You’re a bit clever.”

“So why aren’t you going out yet?”

“Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

“What’s the matter?”

“Once you’re asleep, I’ll go out.”

“I’m not going to sleep tonight.”

“Then I won’t go out tonight.”

“Why?”

“Why?”

The Daoist and the cat looked at each other, both with a hint of confusion.

Eventually, the Daoist took a step back and began to explain, “Because tonight is the Guyu[2], and I need to meditate.”

“Because you’re not sleeping, I’m not sleeping either.”

“You mean you’re not going out.”

“Oh, I’m not going out.” The cat paused and corrected herself, “Because you’re not sleeping, I’m not going out”

“Why?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Why why?”

“…”

“…”

The Daoist and the cat exchanged looks once more.

“Alright then.”

The Daoist averted his gaze, still unable to understand the cat’s reasoning, but he didn’t mind. He turned around, retrieved a meditation mat, and sat down in a cross-legged position.

The cat, initially lying on the tea table by the window, kept her eyes fixed on him. After he settled down, she blinked and stretched lazily, slowly jumping from the tea table to the long couch then to the floor. She trotted over to the Daoist’s mat and lay down next to him, finding a new spot to curl up.

She settled in, continuing to yawn. The wind outside grew stronger, whistling through the window.

“Rumble…” It seemed like there was a rumble of distant thunder.

At this moment, the thunder was not as awe-inspiring as the one during the Jingzhe, nor did it carry the momentum built up over the entire winter; it was quite ordinary.

Soon, the rain began to fall, a gentle and continuous drizzle.

With the awakening of all things and the onset of vigorous growth, it was the time when seedlings were first planted and crops newly sown, and rain was the most needed nourishment. This rain was extraordinarily timely and ample, full of life and vitality to nourish all things.

Spring rain fell, and all grains grew. In fact, it wasn’t just the grains; most plants in the world began to grow rapidly after this rain.

The world needed this rain. And so, the rain came.

Song You closed his eyes and deeply felt the seasonal spiritual resonance. Unconsciously, he added another layer of Guyu spiritual energy.

Song You has always had the habit of casually using the first bit of spiritual energy he has just cultivated. He either gifts it to the things around him or returns it to the local heavens and earth.

He observed this practice in various places: on the Hand-Crawling Cliff during the Beginning of Autumn, in the small courtyard of Yidu during the autumn equinox, on Qingcheng Mountain during the start of winter, and upon leaving Yidu in the spring.

Naturally, he did the same with today’s Guyu.

As long as the spiritual core remained, whether it was a day or a night, the used spiritual energy would be replenished.

But tonight, in a moment of inspiration, besides the Guyu spiritual energy he had just acquired, he also scattered all the Guyu spiritual energy he had accumulated over more than twenty years into the night.

Taking advantage of the subtlety of the season, he drew more heaven and earth spiritual energy to merge with the rain. It seeped into the night with the wind, nourishing the capital and its surroundings.

1. The original '18 Bronzemen' were formidable martial arts practitioners, monks from the famous Shaolin Temple. ☜

2. Guyu is the 6th solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 30° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 45°. ☜