“

Rustle… Rustle...

”

The grass in the mountain thicket rustled wildly.

In the darkness, nothing could be seen clearly. But from the rustling sounds and the occasional squeaking of rats, one could imagine the scene in the mountains at this moment—a countless number of rats had once again gathered at the summons, crowding through the grassy woods in the mountains.

Their massive bodies squeezed against one another, pushing through wild grass and even small trees, producing a rustling noise as they came to rescue their king.

Lady Calico paused at the Daoist’s feet, stretching her neck to peer into the distance. “That’s one huge rat!”

Song You lifted her little horse-shaped lantern.

Holding the lantern in one hand, he pointed at it with the other, then gestured toward the darkness. Instantly, dozens of tiny flames shot out from the lantern, scattering like meteors across the night and finally landing on the dry ground.

Though it was already spring, Lanmo had suffered two years of drought, leaving much of the mountain covered in dry grass. The sparks quickly ignited it.

The fire caused the rats to screech in panic. And it revealed the true extent of the rat swarm.

A dense, shadowy mass of large gray rats scrambled in panic as the flames spread, writhing in desperation. Among the large gray rats were even larger ones, as big as a cat, with jet-black fur gleaming in the firelight and eyes that glinted an ominous red.

Even amidst the mountain fire, the strange rats seemed unfazed by the heat, as though the flames couldn’t harm them at all. More disturbingly, this horde of monstrous rats continued to grow.

“The rat demon is summoning its army.”

“No matter.” Song You watched them calmly and said, “Let them gather as many as they want.”

The swordsman remained silent.

The rat horde, clearly under the demon’s control, slowly retreated behind the wall of fire. The firelight cast countless rat shadows, and many eyes glinted red, reflecting the flames.

The swordsman, sword in hand, stood nearby, staring intently at the scene. He had yet to experience the full ferocity of these rats, though he had heard tales of their viciousness from the townsfolk.

These unusually large, monstrous rats had clearly transcended the ordinary. With their numbers in the thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—even with his skill, hailed as the finest in the

jianghu

, he doubted he could fend off this sea of darkness.

Not only he; even an elite army would struggle against such a swarm. This was truly beyond human capability to resist. No wonder this rat demon had managed to wreak havoc here for years.

Yet the swordsman showed no fear, holding his sword steadily beside Song You. His gaze was fixed on the rat horde, and he was prepared to strike any that might stray too close.

Gradually, signs of unrest began to ripple through the swarm.

“It seems about time.” Song You turned his head unhurriedly and looked at the calico cat. “If we want to ensure no rats are left behind, I’ll need your assistance.”

“How do you need my help?”

“I’ll need a few tufts of your fur.”

“Go ahead and pull it out.”

Song You bent down and gently grasped some fur from the calico cat, careful not to use too much force. With a light tug, he pulled loose fur without causing pain. After a few repetitions, he had gathered a sizable handful. ℞ã₦Ȯ฿ƐＳ

At that moment, the rat swarm stirred.

“

Whoosh

...”

Though it was just a mass of rats, the countless tiny movements combined into a loud, rushing noise, reminiscent of a surging torrent.

Led by the unusually large black rats, the multitude of gray rats squeaked as they crossed the wildfire, merging into a river-like wave surging toward the mountain peak. They were here to serve their king, and nothing could stand in their way!

One patch after another, the wildfire was extinguished, replaced by shadows spreading like flowing water.

Initially, Song You hadn’t believed that this rat demon had centuries of cultivation, but now he was convinced. Still, rats were just rats. His cultivation wasn’t reflected in personal power but in the terrifying, overwhelming tide of rats.

Even the fiercest demons skilled in battle would struggle to withstand such a force.

“

Shing

!” The swordsman’s long sword flashed from its sheath.

In the blink of an eye, the mountain fire had been completely extinguished. The only light left in this area was the lantern hanging from a withered tree, casting a yellow glow. Bathed in this light, the young Daoist held a tuft of Lady Calico’s fur, blew on it, and tossed it into the air—

“

Poof

...”

Just as he had once breathed life into a painting in Yizhou City, the tuft of cat fur transformed into blue smoke.

Then, raising his hand once more, several streaks of radiant light shot forth. These beams glowed with a brilliant yellow-white, each one carrying the purest yang energy or a searing heat. They merged with the blue smoke, and in an instant, a massive blaze erupted upon the ground.

The place was once again lit up.

In the darkness, hordes of rats converged from all directions, centering on the Daoist in the mountains. Meanwhile, the raging flames also radiated outward from him, like flowing water. If one looked closely, faint cat-like figures could be seen emerging within the outward-sweeping flames.

“

Boom

!”

In an instant, the two forces collided. These massive black rats were indeed extraordinary, yet this fire was no ordinary blaze, having been infused with Lady Calico’s divine might.

Rats naturally feared cats, weakened by instinct; before the divine cat, their strength was diminished by seven or eightfold. The once-fearless black rats, seeing the fire surge toward them, now widened their eyes in terror. Some were even freezing in place, panic etched on their faces.

The outcome of these rats colliding with the flames was as one might expect.

“

Sizzle

...”

“

Squeak, squeak

...”

An overwhelming stench filled the air.

The dark mass of rats clashed with the flames, and the flowing fire surged into the black wave. But while the fire continued to spread, the black tide halted in its tracks.

In mere moments, countless rats had perished.

Soon, the first signs of fear rippled through the swarm, with some rats panicking, turning around, and fleeing at top speed.

Yet the fire seemed almost sentient, relentlessly pursuing them. Flickering images of agile, cat-like shapes emerged within the flames. They mirrored Lady Calico’s chase after the rat demon, swiftly hunting down and engulfing the fleeing rats.

Finally, after a long while, the flames began to dim. Lady Calico stared in awe, utterly transfixed.

The swordsman, equally stunned, slowly sheathed his sword.

Song You withdrew his gaze, looking down thoughtfully. The rat demon was deeply hidden, and although he had it sealed underground, it wouldn’t be easy to force it out.

Perhaps he could shake the mountain repeatedly, hoping to crush it below? Or employ the mountain-moving technique, gradually excavating the mountain bit by bit? Or perhaps he should call upon a deity more skilled in this sort of task?

Just as he pondered this, a stir arose not far away.

“...” Song You looked up to see a figure faintly outlined in a breeze, radiating a divine light.

“Who might be exorcizing demons here? I’ve come to lend a hand!” The voice arrived before the figure.

A gust of wind brought the deity closer. As the divine light faded, the form of a woman appeared.

Her face appeared middle-aged, not particularly stunning but exuding great warmth and charm. She had an air of elegance and nobility, fitting the typical appearance of deities. Her figure was slender and graceful, dressed in a robe of five-colored divine fabric.

Once she landed, she looked at Song You first, her divine light illuminating the dark night. She asked, “Are you the esteemed master from Hidden Dragon Temple of Yin-Yang Mountain?”

“My name is Song You, and I’m here to exorcize a demon.”

“I am the Willow Immortal of Lanmo. I’m Liu Yun, also known as Lady Jinhua, a deity appointed by the previous dynasty,” she said gracefully, bowing to him. “It’s an honor to meet you.”

“So, it’s Lady Jinhua. Greetings.” Song You paused briefly. “But how did you come to know I’m from Hidden Dragon Temple on Yin-Yang Mountain?”

“We humble local deities cannot compare to the Thunder Gods; we have only a few temples in this world. The temple where you stayed last night is one of them. Last night, someone offered incense on my behalf, and your conversation there naturally reached my ears,” the Willow Immortal of Lanmo explained.

She added, “Tonight, seeing the blaze outside the city and sensing the strong spiritual qi, along with the restless rats called by the rat demon, I guessed that you were here exorcizing demons. I also know that this rat demon is adept at hiding. If it would be of help, I’d be happy to enter the underground burrow and bring this rat demon to you.”

“Are you confident, Lady Jinhua?”

“There’s something you may not know.” The Willow Immortal smiled slightly. “The rat demon’s true strength isn’t much; it relies on the rat swarm and its hiding ability. Now that the rat swarm has been destroyed by your spell and it’s trapped here, the rest should be quite simple.”

“...” Song You thought for a moment, then smiled. “I was indeed wondering how to draw it out. In that case, I’ll leave it in your capable hands, Lady Jinhua.”

“You flatter me. Please dispel your spell, Your Excellency.”

“Very well!”

The two exchanged a glance, understanding each other without further words.

Song You harbored suspicions that Lady Jinhua might be sustaining the demon to strengthen her own standing. To be cautious, he had only consulted the Land God earlier, avoiding any inquiry with her.

Lady Jinhua also sensed his suspicion.

Whether or not Lady Jinhua was fostering the threat to maintain her influence, she undeniably protected the local people. Without her, the residents would likely have been devoured by this transformed rat demon long ago. This was evident in the respect and reverence the people of Lanmo held for her.

Now, if she was indeed here to help, her actions would clear any doubts and prove her integrity. And if she had been sustaining the demon, this effort would at least serve as a form of atonement.

Given Hidden Dragon Temple's former reputation—particularly the infamous reputation left by Daoist Duoxing decades ago—Song You didn’t suspect she would intentionally let the rat demon escape. Without hesitation, he dispelled the earth-hardening spell, and Lady Jinhua transformed into a barely perceptible streak of light, diving directly underground.

Song You caught a glimpse—it was a colorful snake.

Soon after, faint sounds of activity came from beneath the ground. While Song You and the swordsman couldn’t hear clearly, the way Lady Calico’s ears twitched and her gaze darted suggested the battle below was fierce.

Roughly half a quarter-hour passed.

“

Whoosh

...”

With a gust of wind, the streak of light emerged from the ground and reformed into the elegant figure of Lady Jinhua, exuding a noble grace. In her hand, she held a large gray rat.

The gray rat struggled relentlessly in her grip, but her hand remained steady, her expression calm.

Of course, snakes were natural predators of rats.

“How would you like to handle this, Your Excellency?”

Song You glanced over and confirmed that it was indeed the rat demon.

After a moment of contemplation, he spoke, “I am but a wandering Daoist, traveling the world and exorcizing demons when I come across them. If he had been burned, that would have been the end of it. But since we have captured him alive, it would be best to hand him over to the Heavenly Palace for proper judgment.”

“By this, do you mean…?”

“Since you’re an officially appointed legitimate god, I would ask that you handle delivering him to the Heavenly Palace.”

“But the credit for this belongs to you, Your Excellency.”

“I am mortal, not a god. Credit with the Heavenly Palace has no use for me,” Song You replied calmly. “We won’t linger here; after tomorrow, we will continue our journey. The north is rife with demons now, and the protection of this land rests with local deities like yourself, Lady Jinhua.”

“How could I…?”

“I entrust it to you, Lady Jinhua,” Song You said, pausing slightly. “Let’s hope that no other demons show up after we’ve killed this rat demon.”

“...” Lady Jinhua’s expression remained steady, yet she bowed solemnly. “Thank you, Your Excellency. I will do all I can to safeguard this land.”

“Lady Jinhua, take care on your journey.”

“Farewell.”

In the blink of an eye, the Willow Immortal rode the wind and departed. Only Song You and his companions remained in the mountains.

A half-moon hung in the sky, stars scattered by the hundreds. The black horse, still rattled, seemed rather uneasy.

The jujube-red horse scraped at the scorched grass ashes on the ground with its hooves, nibbling at the stems underneath. After chewing for a bit and finding them unpalatable, it spat them out.

After some thought, Song You turned to the swordsman and asked, “I plan to journey through all five commanderies and thirty-nine counties of Hezhou. Are you in a hurry?”

The swordsman immediately cupped his sword in salute. “I may not be much help, but I’d be honored to accompany you on this journey!”

“Thank you.” Song You smiled faintly and began descending the mountain.

Behind him, the horses’ bells jingled softly.

In the dark, the hills layered one upon another as the lantern bobbed gently, its light shifting. Time was unknown, but soon enough, the sky began to lighten with the first pale glow of dawn. The sunrise here was truly beautiful.

And this was only the beginning.