“Who in the world can claim to survive a clash with Shu Yifan's sword if they encounter him in the

jianghu

? Amidst disorderly troops, Cao Yan can shoot an arrow that pierces armor from dozens of zhang away with deadly accuracy—who dares say they can dodge his shot?

“The people of the northern frontier grow up riding horses, and each year the King of Scimitars claims countless heads! But if he puts on armor, who in the world dares to say they can withstand a hundred moves against Chen Ziyi's spear?

“Heroes abound across the land, but who truly possesses the highest skill? When they all gather, who is the best in the world? Each setting may have its own champion!

“Since it's impossible to gather all the heroes together, I will determine the rankings from this stage. Today, let's discuss the heroes of the world. It’s just my humble opinion, I hope everyone enjoys it.”

On stage, a frail storyteller spoke with rising and falling tones, his narration captivating the audience.

However, a newly arrived spectator below was not quite satisfied. “Can we hear something else today?”

“What would you like to hear, dear guest?”

“I heard someone encountered an immortal on Yunding Mountain again?”

At these words, the crowd's interest was piqued. Indeed, this was Pingzhou. The stories people loved most were about immortals, gods, monsters, and demons, especially those that were close by and seemingly real.

But the storyteller on stage appeared troubled. He glanced at the regulars in the audience and said, “It's not that I don't want to tell it, but I just told that story in the last session. Many of the guests here haven't left yet. How can I take their money and make them listen to the same story twice?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, a chorus of clinks and clatters filled the air. Someone had tossed a coin, prompting others to follow suit. Even pears from this year’s early autumn harvest were all being thrown onto the stage. There were at least a hundred coins and seven or eight pears in total.

“Oh my, oh my! Thank you, everyone! Truly, thank you...” The storyteller quickly cupped his hands in gratitude, bowing as he carefully picked up each coin and piece of fruit, not leaving a single one behind. After collecting everything, he bowed again and said, “Since everyone wants to hear it, I'll tell it once more.”

He cleared his throat, wetted his lips, and began, “Do you all remember what happened last year? The newly appointed county magistrate of Shizu County came to climb Yunding Mountain here, only to disappear without a trace.

“Only one of his attendants made it down the mountain, and everyone assumed he either fell to his death while crossing the Yunding Mountain’s iron chain or was devoured by the mountain's wild beasts, monsters and spirits.

“This was no ordinary man! Though he was appointed magistrate in Shizu County, he was previously an official in the capital, well-known in literary circles and connected with people all over the country. Even our own magistrate of Changsheng County went up the mountain to offer incense, and a noble from the commandery who had ties with him also came to offer incense on Yunding Mountain.

“But who could have guessed? A few days ago, he and his guards actually came down from the mountain!”

The crowd erupted in surprise and chatter, with those who had heard the story before already whispering the rest of the tale to those nearby.

“This is no hoax!” The storyteller widened his eyes as he spoke, “In the past, people who descended from Yunding Mountain claimed to have encountered immortals and gods. Now, I can't say whether those stories were true or false; there was always some truth mixed with lies. But no tale has ever been as credible as this one!

“This man was a demoted capital official! He had a reputation for his literary talents—not from a prominent family, but certainly not from a humble background either. He was missing for a full year, and everyone knew it!

“Before the new magistrate appointed by the court could even arrive, and before his family had finished their mourning, he reappeared. He had genuinely descended from the mountain. Who could fake something like that? The entire Shizu County has been buzzing with the news!”

Someone in the crowd immediately asked, “What did he say?”

“Have you ever heard the phrase 'A day in heaven, a year on earth'? The magistrate met an immortal and journeyed alongside him. When he grew tired atop the mountain, he slept for the whole night. When he awoke the next day, he thought he had only slept for a night, only to discover that he had slept from the second year of Mingde to the third year. Isn't that incredible?”

The crowd erupted in a frenzy of chatter.

Then, a gentle voice asked, “Did his wives remarry?”

“They did not,” the storyteller replied after a pause. “Everyone, please quiet down. I have more details for you, which I heard directly from someone who came from Shizu County...”

The crowd instantly fell silent, eager to hear more.

Though this story had spread far and wide, it was true that neither Cui Nanxi nor his guards had revealed his name. They had indeed kept to their promise. Knowing this, and that Cui Nanxi's wives had not remarried, the impact of the past year on him seemed minimal. Satisfied with this knowledge, Song You stood up and left. Ŗ

Rumors of encountering an immortal would surely boost his reputation. If Cui Nanxi were clever enough, he might even claim that the compilation of the great encyclopedia was done under the immortal's guidance, making it easier to gain the emperor's and the court's approval, as well as securing his position as the chief editor. This could serve as another form of compensation beyond the elixir.

It was noisy inside the theater, but the outside remained quiet. The sun was shining just right, and the horse stood calmly in the stable. As Song You approached, the calico cat in his cloth bag seemed to recognize his footsteps and quickly poked its head out, staring at him curiously.

“Did you finish listening?”

“Yes, I did.”

“I thought you would stay until nightfall.”

“Let's go.”

As the Daoist began to walk, the horse followed. They were indifferent to the noisy chatter behind them, which was still filled with talk of mountain gods and immortals.

With these rumors, the legend of immortals on Yunding Mountain was likely to be solidified. Who knew how many people from all over the country would be drawn here, wasting their time on seeking immortals on Yunding Mountain.

“Sigh...”

The horse trotted along the road out of the city. Another two hundred li past Changsheng County, and they would be out of Pingzhou.

***

After Pingzhou, there was Jingzhou.

The sound of horse bells jingled rhythmically. A little girl, dressed in a three-colored summer outfit, walked ahead. Her clothes had been washed several times, so the colors were no longer as vibrant as they once were, but they now looked softer and more pleasing to the eye.

At this moment, she was holding a dried yellow

bamao

ball, tossing it up and down in the air as she played. Each time she threw the ball high, it would land just a little ahead of her. She would walk forward at a steady pace, catching it perfectly as she reached it. Occasionally, she would miss, needing to pause or take a few extra steps. The lively image of this little girl captured the attention of many passersby.

Meanwhile, the Daoist behind her was preoccupied with thoughts of daily necessities.

At the start of spring this year—no, it was already last year—when he left Anqing, he had about twenty-seven or twenty-eight taels of silver on him. Whether this was a lot or a little was hard to say.

For the average commoner, whose daily life relied mostly on self-sufficiency with few opportunities to earn or spend money, this amount would be considered substantial and could possibly last them several decades. However, for those who did not farm and relied entirely on money to survive, especially in this era of commercial prosperity, it would not last nearly as long.

As Song You and the calico cat traveled through the mountains, their expenses were relatively low. But once they entered the cities, although they didn't always stay in the finest inns or the best rooms, it was still not cheap. They rarely skimped on food, and even the hay for the chestnut horse was of good quality, causing their expenses to rise significantly.

In the past six months, he had spent over ten taels of silver. Now, only thirteen taels of silver and six or seven hundred wen remained.

Ahead, he had to travel to Changjing, passing through Jingzhou and then Angzhou. Although these places were not as picturesque as Xuzhou's landscapes, nor as filled with scenic spots and legends of immortals and demons as Pingzhou, they had their own local customs and traditions. Even if he didn't spend as much time there as in Xuzhou or Pingzhou, it would still likely take several months.

The cost of living in Yidu was already high, and it was likely even higher in Changjing. He would need to save some money, at least enough to avoid sleeping on the streets when he arrived in Changjing, and then figure out how to earn more. He also had to set aside money for a good meal—a really good meal.

It had been a year and a half since he parted ways in Anqing, and he wondered if he would still be able to meet Heroine Wu in Changjing. He also wondered how much a good meal would cost there. In any case, he decided to keep this money and save as much as possible.

With this plan in mind, there wasn't much left to spend freely. However, Song You wasn't worried. He calculated that if he had more, he could live more comfortably; if he had less, he'd live more frugally. As long as he could keep moving forward in the human realm and avoid starvation, he was content.

The further he traveled, the thicker the dew and fog became, and the deeper the autumn settled in. Before he knew it, the autumn equinox had passed. The weather was gradually getting colder, and the warmth provided by felt and thin blankets was becoming insufficient.

Song You used both the thin blanket he had bought and the wool blanket gifted by Prefect Yu, but he still relied on the calico cat to keep each other warm. In such weather, there was no temptation to linger in bed when sleeping outdoors. As soon as he woke up, he wanted to quickly get up to boil some hot water and eat something warm, then continue on his way.

Walking helped keep him warm.

Another early morning, the Daoist led the calico cat and the horse through the village. The houses in the village were scattered, and the surrounding grass and leaves were all golden yellow. Morning fog shrouded the entire world, with the sunlight just beginning to shine from the east, giving everything a particularly warm and cozy feeling.

The moon hangs low o'er the thatched inn,

Chickens crow, where the night begins.

Footsteps echo on the frosted bridge,

Awake, but don’t think you’re first to rise—

For others stir before dawn’s light.

Song You paused on a small bridge, with a trail of footprints behind him—his own, hoofprints, and the cat's pawprints. Ahead of him was an old man carrying a bamboo basket on his back, also leaving a trail of footprints. They met on the stone bridge and stopped, acknowledging each other as the Daoist bowed in greeting.

The old man leaned on his staff, and so did the Daoist.

The Daoist respectfully asked, “Elder, do you know if there's a place nearby where I can have my horse's hooves shod?”

The calico cat also lifted its head to look at the old man. “Shoeing a horse?”

“Yes, we’re shoeing a horse.”

“Shoeing a horse...” the old man's speech was slurred. He had to tilt his head up to look at the Daoist and raised his hand, trying to point, but he wavered for a moment before he finally found the right direction. “There's a village up ahead, where there's a blacksmith. I think he might shoe horses...”

“Is it just ahead?”

“It'll take a while to get there...”

“Do I keep going straight?”

“Uh-huh...”

The old man's directions were vague, and Song You wasn't entirely sure. Nevertheless, he respectfully said, “Thank you, elder.”

The old man shook his head and continued on his way.

The Daoist continued on his way, leading the horse and the cat. Their footprints crisscrossed on the yellow dirt road. Song You couldn't help but glance back, suddenly noticing that the old man's clothing was even thinner than his own. It was only early morning, yet who knew how far the old man had already traveled?