Chapter 231: Finally Found You

“Sir!” Someone on the roadside bowed to Magistrate Liu.

Magistrate Liu and his advisor immediately stopped, returning the greeting. After taking a few more steps, he glanced back to ensure they were out of earshot before resuming his conversation with Song You.

“I’ve long wanted to get rid of him, but it’s not so simple. First, Daoist Master Yongyang has considerable cultivation and is skilled in various techniques. Last year, I brought him to the county office on charges of extortion, but even our jail couldn’t hold him.

“Second, he has high influence here in Pu Commandery, especially in Jingyu County, with many followers. If we detain him, we quickly get mobs protesting. Third, he is human, not a demon. I once tried, as instructed by your esteemed master, to summon an immortal to punish him. I tried several times, but it was of no use.

“Instead, an immortal appeared in my dream, saying that matters of the mortal world should be handled by mortals. But we in Pu Commandery do not have any other highly skilled cultivators, so how could anyone possibly deal with him?"

“Has he done anything else?”

“Inciting unrest, defying the government, seizing property by force, trafficking citizens, amassing wealth, and spreading false doctrines—all with substantial evidence.” Magistrate Liu said.

“Our county

yamen

once had a constable who, like Constable Luo from Yidu, was upright and just. He investigated and believed some unexplained deaths in Jingyu were tied to Yongyang. There were even cases of travelers, particularly

jianghu

passerbys, who visited Xuanlei Temple but never reappeared. However, with all the chaos caused by demons, these disappearances were attributed to demons.”

“And where is this constable now?”

“Dead.” Magistrate Liu sighed deeply. “He died while investigating him, cut down by a flurry of blades and swords.”

“...” Song You nodded, refraining from comment, and instead asked, “What sort of abilities does this Daoist Master Yongyang have?”

“Quite a few,” Magistrate Liu replied. “Setting aside rumors, I can confirm that he is impervious to blades and fire, and he seems able to move objects remotely or harm others with his staff. My advisor once witnessed him sitting still cross-legged while his wooden staff flew from his side, punishing disciples or striking civilians.”

“Mm.”

“And he knows how to create a decoy,” Magistrate Liu continued. “When we brought him to the county office that time, he transformed into a wooden dummy, while his true self roamed freely.”

“A decoy?”

“Exactly.”

“Go on.”

“They say he has many guardians as well,” Magistrate Liu noted, casting a glance at the swordsman beside Song You. “These are skilled

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martial artists who, like him, are impervious to weapons and show no fear in battle. The people revere them as guardian deities. Silent and reserved in daily life, they become fearsome in a fight, and our county officers are no match for them.”

“...” Song You exchanged a look with the swordsman.

Oblivious to the exchange, Magistrate Liu went on, “Additionally, Daoist Master Yongyang is said to summon wind and rain, communicate with spirits, and even call down Divine Thunder.”

“Call down Divine Thunder?”

“Yes!” Magistrate Liu’s eyes narrowed. Though his short stature had never appeared particularly imposing, now he radiated a certain gravitas.

“Some of Daoist Master Yongyang’s opponents, whether prominent families in the commandery or practitioners from other temples, have nearly been struck by lightning. Yet, with the mystical abilities of cultivators, it’s nearly impossible for us to investigate. Divine Thunder is, after all, considered divine retribution...” Magistrate Liu trailed off, releasing a heavy sigh.

“I see...” Song You nodded, understanding the situation.

When it came to humans wielding thunder element spells, there were generally two ways to go about it.

One type was the genuine cultivation of spiritual power and abilities, painstakingly learned through dedicated practice.

However, since the inheritance of these ancient cultivators had become increasingly rare, cultivating such abilities had become more difficult. Thunder magic, in particular, was especially challenging and required a high level of spiritual power, so it was not commonly seen.

The other way was to borrow power from gods or spirits.

This method was common among Daoist cultivators or those who worshiped the gods of the Thunder Division. Such practitioners, with some cultivation skills and a close connection to Thunder Gods, could channel thunder magic through specific rituals with the gods’ aid.

Other forms of magic followed similar principles.

For example, in fire magic: Lady Calico’s ability to breathe fire came from her own cultivation, whereas her lamp-lighting spell was a Daoist technique borrowing light from the Fiery Sun True Lord.

Similarly, the peddler selling palace lanterns at the Mid-Autumn Festival lantern fair back then was either a Daoist from an official temple in disguise, trying to earn some extra money, or a folk expert from a family that had worshiped the Fiery Sun True Lord for generations.

Direct cultivation was challenging; borrowing magic was easier.

In this era, Daoists from formal temples who worshiped the Heavenly Palace legitimate gods and had inherited magical spells did enjoy significant advantages in their magic over ordinary cultivators.

However, this approach had clear limitations.

Firstly, a practitioner’s spells depended on which deities their temple primarily worshiped.

Secondly, the effectiveness and power of these spells were subject to the gods’ discretion. If a deity was occupied, the spell might fail. This usually wasn’t a problem for exorcizing demons, but it became trickier when attempting to use these powers against mortals—hence why powerful exorcists might appear helpless in dealing with mere mortals in certain situations.

Thirdly, if one day the practitioner violated the precepts and were expelled from their own temple, with the Heavenly Palace gods notified and their talisman revoked, it would become difficult to borrow divine powers or summon the gods, no matter how they tried.

Such was the balance of gains and losses in life.

Relying on one’s cultivation to reach extraordinary levels of power was undoubtedly challenging. However, with this method, even a practitioner with limited skills could draw upon the vast powers of revered deities.

This too was a remarkable approach.

In popular tales, it was often a righteous Daoist master with humble powers who struggled against a demon that was far too malicious. The Daoist, with a deep sense of duty or sheer desperation, moved the gods—sometimes through spitting blood, sincere grief, or even sacrificing themselves.

And so, under divine favor, the master’s modest power transformed into a spectacular force, wiping out the evil and leaving behind a legend that endured for centuries.

There was a certain mysterious charm to it.

Song You kept walking and, after some thought, remarked, “When you served in Yidu, life was peaceful with little need to deal with gods or ghosts. Now, after experiencing the northern turmoil, I suppose you've encountered quite a few monsters, demons, gods, and ghosts?”

“Honestly, sir, it’s not as though I’ve truly encountered many monsters, demons, gods, and ghosts firsthand,” Magistrate Liu replied. “While there are indeed demons outside the city, we hardly dare to go out and witness them ourselves.

“At most, we examine the aftermath when struck by Divine Thunder and then have officers describe what they found. As for deities and Bodhisattva, though we often invoke them to exorcize evil, we usually only see their statues or perhaps dream of them at night, without ever seeing them directly.”

After a brief pause, Magistrate Liu glanced at Song You, uncertain of his intent. But he continued, “Still, compared to my time in Yidu, I have come to understand a bit more.”

“And who exactly does Xuanlei Temple and Daoist Master Yongyang primarily worship?”

“...” Magistrate Liu was momentarily taken aback and then glanced discreetly at his advisor.

The advisor gave Magistrate Liu a slight nod of encouragement.

Feeling somewhat reassured, Magistrate Liu mustered up the courage to respond, “Being a Daoist temple, they of course honor all the expected deities. But I’ve visited Xuanlei Temple a few times and found that the Daoists there primarily worship the Thunder Division’s chief officer, the Exalted Thunder Supreme of the Celestial Heavens.”

“Duke of Thunder Fu...” Song You repeated the name, expression unchanged.

It was this Duke of Thunder Fu again.

“Sir...”

“It’s nothing.” Song You gave him a slight smile before continuing, “Since arriving in Hezhou, my companion and I have visited all notable masters along our way. With such a master here in Jingyu County, whether he proves to be good or bad, I naturally should pay him a visit first. As for other matters, we can discuss them after.”

“Shall I accompany you, sir?”

“No need.”

“As you wish, then.” Relieved, Magistrate Liu felt at ease.

Yet, he shared a look with his advisor, contemplating Song You’s intent. He sensed that while the Daoist had not explicitly offered help, he seemed inclined to investigate. Given the tales of his path through Hezhou, if Daoist Master Yongyang truly was an evildoer, he likely wouldn’t escape unscathed.

Still, Magistrate Liu thought that Song You, ever cautious, might not simply take him at his word—friendship from Yizhou aside, he would want to investigate thoroughly before making a judgment.

Only the silent swordsman beside him had an inkling of Song You’s thoughts.

Finally found you.

The actions of that demonic cultivator from Leiqing Temple were truly heinous, and his profound cultivation and dark arts did not seem to be learned from some random book. Therefore, after entering Hezhou, they indeed inquired everywhere they went to see if there were any masters around.

Although Song You hadn’t said so explicitly, the swordsman knew he was seeking out both genuine masters and, perhaps, any trace of that demonic Daoist’s legacy.

Now, they might have found something.

Yet there was another layer to Song You’s curiosity that even the swordsman hadn’t fully grasped—the question of whether Daoist Master Yongyang’s thunder magic was cultivated personally or borrowed from Duke of Thunder Fu.

***

Jingyu County wasn’t particularly large, but in truth, few towns of this era could be considered large. Magistrate Liu and his advisor spent the better part of the afternoon guiding Song You and the swordsman through various parts of town.

They saw unique local customs, the resilience of people enduring the era’s turmoil, and took a break for lunch. By mid-afternoon, Magistrate Liu and his advisor took their leave.

Song You settled into a teahouse afterward, ordered a pot of tea, and began listening to the murmur of local conversations about the world’s troubles.

Daoist Master Yongyang enjoyed a stellar reputation among the townsfolk—a paragon of virtue, as far as they were concerned.

“According to the magistrate, that Daoist used to be followed by human puppets, but they were absent today. I suspect he may have heard about your deeds across the prefecture and guessed we’d come. He might fear that you’d recognize his puppets as reanimated

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men, so he’s hidden them for now,” the swordsman whispered. “Should I go test him first?”

“No need.”

Although the swordsman had earned the title of “World’s Best,” that Daoist was well-versed in mysterious techniques and spells. If the swordsman managed to confront his true form and strike swiftly, he could likely end him with a single blow.

However, should the Daoist remain vigilant and only send a puppet in his place, a single bolt of lightning would be more than the swordsman’s mortal body could withstand.

But Song You didn’t voice these concerns directly; instead, he simply said, “If he hasn’t fled in fear, there’s no reason for us to skulk around. We’ll go and face him openly.”

The swordsman said no more. Draining the cup of tea, he held his sword horizontally, prepared to face whatever came.