The temple continued to burn, with waves of heat radiating through the spring night. The group had moved to a level area nearby.

Song You spread out a wool mat and sat cross-legged on the ground. Across from him, the swordsman also sat, his sword planted in the earth beside him. He turned slightly to clean his wounds with a calm expression.

“Your injuries aren’t minor.”

“Among the wounds I’ve taken, this one is on the lighter side.”

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

“I have a remedy for you.” Song You extended his hand, palm open to reveal a pill the size of a lotus seed. It was a peculiar mix of white and blue, with faint tinges of purple-red.

“This pill is called

‘Jingzhe

.’ It contains vital life energy to speed up your healing, and it naturally dispels lingering toxins. It also carries a touch of thunder force, which may help deepen your insights on your Sword Dao.”

The swordsman paused mid-application of his salve.

Initially, he’d intended to brush it off with his usual, “These wounds are nothing.” But the more Song You explained, the less he felt able to refuse. By the end, he was taken aback.

“Thank you, sir...” He took the pill, glanced at it, then swallowed it without hesitation.

Song You retracted his hand, watching quietly.

This swordsman possessed extraordinary talent. Even before their encounter at the mortuary three years ago, he had bested all challengers at the Great Liujiang Gathering. That night, gaining insights from the lightning and thunder, his swordsmanship rose to new heights. While he might not yet rival those grandmasters in

jianghu

history who achieved enlightenment through martial arts, he was undoubtedly the finest swordsman in the world.

Their second meeting was fated, and after a few days together, Song You had come to understand him better. He wasn’t only skilled but also upright—a true embodiment of the word “hero.”

Seeing this, Song You willingly offered him a helping hand.

Perhaps, years from now, the

jianghu

would gain another extraordinary swordsman who reached enlightenment through martial art. Yet, Song You believed that the

Jingzhe

spiritual energy he gifted today would merely hasten this swordsman’s journey, guiding him to reach this level with greater refinement.

This exceptional swordsman before him was already destined for greatness, needing no one’s assistance to attain enlightenment.

It was early February, the new moon hanging like a hook in the sky, and the night carried a lingering chill.

With his back to the mountain-top blaze, Song You sat, gazing at the crescent moon and the endless line of mountain shadows. After some time, he lay down, listening to the rustling of insects and reflecting on the events of the day.

“Duke of Thunder Fu...”

Nearby, the cat curled up, purring softly. By the time he fell asleep, he’d lost track of the hour.

The next morning, the air was thick with dew. As Song You opened his eyes, he was greeted by a vast, pure blue sky, so deep and expansive that only a lone, dry branch framed the view above him.

He squinted, taking in the sky. The farther north they traveled, the deeper and more open the sky seemed—a rare sight in the southern regions.

“Daoist priest, you’re awake...”

“I’m awake,” Song You replied, finally sitting up.

“I caught a chicken,” the calico cat said, coming quite close to Song You. “It escaped from the temple last night, a big one—plenty for us three to share.”

“Save it for lunch. We’ll have the dried food Old Sir Ding gave us for breakfast.”

“Understood.”

Song You rubbed his face and picked out a coarse, stiff white hair, about the length of his finger. He held it up to the cat. “Lady Calico, your whisker.”

“...” The cat leaned in for a good, long look. She examined it intently, but said nothing. She simply turned and walked away, leaving her thoughts a mystery. 𝑅𝙖Nò𝐁ÈŞ

Song You chuckled, then looked over to the swordsman.

“How are you feeling?”

“Thanks to your miraculous pill, sir, I woke this morning to find my wounds already healed,” the swordsman replied, frowning slightly. “There’s also a faintly curious sensation—hard to describe.”

“Glad to hear it.” Song You stood up.

The swordsman immediately moved to pack away the mat and blankets, but Song You politely declined; after all, he wasn’t a noble accustomed to being served. Besides, the man before him was no ordinary figure—he was renowned as the finest swordsman in the world.

After packing up and washing briefly, the swordsman, with the calico cat’s help, had already kindled a fire. He heated a pot of water, and toasted some dried provisions and fried meat. Once they had eaten, they led their horses down the mountain.

The morning air was heavy with dew, and the main road lay before them, covered in a layer of sand. A deep breath filled his lungs with a refreshing coolness.

Unhurried with a peaceful mind, every step felt purposeful, and each scene vividly clear. Ahead lay farmland, where farmers were busy with spring plowing.

The Daoist, the calico cat, and two horses waited on the main road while the swordsman walked along a narrow path to speak with a farmer. Their dialect was hard to decipher, and their exchange was brief but polite.

The swordsman stood tall and poised, courteous and respectful. The farmer still had his hoe embedded in the soil, his hands holding it in place, back slightly hunched, head tilted to converse with him. The two figures blended seamlessly into the fresh landscape of early spring in the mountains, creating an unexpectedly harmonious scene.

Song You listened quietly, admiring this tranquil scene and the quiet simplicity of life in the fields.

Soon after, the swordsman returned.

“Sir,” he said with a frown, “the road ahead leads into Hezhou, and Zhijiang County lies in that direction as well.”

“Where are you heading next?”

“If I travel toward Guangzhou, I can still accompany you a little further.”

“Very well.” Song You turned and set off once more.

The calico cat had already moved a bit ahead, having seated herself neatly by the roadside to groom her paws while they asked for directions. Seeing them start, she promptly resumed her role as their eager scout, padding forward. Today, Lady Calico was, as always, dutifully leading the way.

The old hen, perched atop the black horse, occasionally struggled a bit.

By noon, sunlight flooded the entire landscape. But the warmth of spring was gentle, bathing the world in a pleasant glow that lifted their spirits.

The main road was lined with trees, though not yet thick with leaves. As the sunlight filtered through, it cast dappled shadows on the ground. A Daoist, a swordsman, and two horses moved slowly along, embraced by the serene embrace of early spring.

The sound of hoofbeats was soothing.

Suddenly, the calico cat came sprinting back with lively energy, running like a tiny horse. As she slowed down in front of the two men, she looked up at the Daoist and reported, “On one side of the stone, it says 'Anzhou,' and then there’s another word I don’t know. On the other side, it says 'Hezhou,' and there’s also a word I don’t recognize.”

“Anzhou boundary and Hezhou boundary?”

“Yes! Anzhou boundary and Hezhou boundary!”

“Lady Calico, be sure to remember it.”

“There are words on the ground, too!”

“What do they say?”

“Couldn’t quite make them out.”

“Hmm...”

Unhurried, Song You went over to take a look. Sure enough, there were words on the ground.

Near the boundary stone was a large rock that jutted out from the ground, often mistaken as part of the road. Someone had carved words into it with a piece of blue stone. Each character was larger than the cat herself, and with her low angle, it would indeed have been hard for her to make them out clearly.

It wasn’t a matter of blurriness but simply perspective. The writing seemed to be a few days old, though, thanks to the lack of recent rain, it was still quite legible.

Song You adjusted his position to read the inscription, “Mr. Song, Sir Shu, Lady Calico, just letting you know—I’ve gone ahead...”

“Heh...” Song You couldn’t help but chuckle.

This person certainly had an interesting personality.

The swordsman led his horse over and read the inscription. He chuckled and remarked, “He’s got some skill, and his nature is straightforward and sociable, eager to make friends. But he’s a bit too simple.

“If he had more tricks for self-preservation or handling conflict, he could probably make a name for himself in the

jianghu

. I just hope he reaches the army safely—he’d be valued there, but it’s getting there that worries me.”

Song You nodded in agreement.

Ahead lay Hezhou.

***

At noon, they stopped by a small stream to cook the hen that Lady Calico had caught. After cleaning it, they simmered it for nearly an hour, cooking some of the organs wrapped in leaves. By the time they arrived in Zhijiang County, it was nearly dusk.

Song You presented his travel permit and entered the town with the swordsman, heading north while taking in the surroundings.

This town was visibly less prosperous than those in the south. The county was smaller, the buildings old and low, with fewer shops, fewer pedestrians, and many faces thin from hunger.

“The north is indeed poorer than the south, though this is still close to Anzhou, so it’s not very far north,” remarked the swordsman, who had traveled north before. He walked as he said, “I imagine the sparse crowds are due to last year’s drought. It was followed by severe floods, and the harvests were poor. Imperial aid was withheld layer by layer. This region is actually faring better than most.”

“How is Zhaozhou?”

“Far behind the south, though better off than Yanzhou. Although Zhaozhou borders the northern plains, it isn’t a main battleground, so it’s barely manageable. However, it’s been three years since I was there. Since then, General Chen Ziyi has been holding the northern frontier, and for several years, the tribes from the north haven’t dared to invade.

“Under the Changqiang Sect’s leadership, a

jianghu

alliance was even established in the north. When small bands from the northern frontier cross into Great Yan’s borders to raid, the

jianghu

alliance intercepts them. Things should be better now.”

“A

jianghu

alliance?”

“More or less. The north is chaotic, and the imperial court has little control. The Changqiang Sect has strong ties with the army, and many of General Chen Ziyi’s soldiers were trained there. Since the alliance has genuinely helped to intercept many raids, no one has said much about it.” The swordsman laughed, adding, “The imperial court may not even know.”

“Quite possible.”

There was suddenly an air of martial valor in the conversation.

They chatted as they walked, gradually reaching the northern part of the town.

Zhijiang was indeed small, and after a quick inquiry, they found themselves on Erqiao Street. In these times, there was a saying that went, “better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.” So, a quick question to a passerby easily led them to where Xu Mu lived.

When Xu Mu saw Song You and his group arrive, he was both surprised and delighted.