Song You held the letter, turning it over repeatedly in his hands.

Three days ago, when Big Belly Jiang astral-traveled to Yizhou and was promptly sent back by his master after delivering the message, Song You had already had a faint sense that he might not receive a reply.

There wasn’t much analytical basis to go on, nor could a few concrete reasons be given. It was just that, whether dealing with people or situations, spending enough time together naturally bred familiarity. Sometimes, there was no need for overthinking—the first thought that flashed through your mind was often the best analysis.

This letter confirmed it.

His master hadn’t just refrained from replying but had likely also instructed Daoist Elder Heiyu not to reply either. However, Daoist Elder Heiyu was an old friend of hers, and whether he followed her instructions fully—or at all—depended on his own thoughts. And so, there was a reply, albeit a very short one.

As for why his master hadn’t written back herself… The reason was in the letter itself.

Song You had the ability to sense vitality and a deathly aura.

Even though this letter hadn’t been touched by his master’s hands and had likely been sitting in the chest for three days, it still carried a faint trace of a deathly aura.

It was so subtle that one wouldn’t notice it without careful examination.

His old master had likely aged significantly in recent years, which was why she not only refused to meet Big Belly Jiang’s spirit but also declined to say a single word, instead sending him back immediately.

“You didn’t cherish your youth when you had it…” Song You sighed deeply and placed the letter on the table.

Lady Calico, crouched on the table with her tail curled around her paws, lowered her head to glance at the letter. Then, she quickly raised her head again, tilting it as she stared at him without blinking.

“You’re unhappy?”

“A little.”

“Are you sad because your master ignored you?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s just…” Song You lowered his head to meet her gaze, pausing for a long time before finally saying, “I’m just feeling a little regretful.”

“Regretful?” Lady Calico continued staring at him.

Song You fell silent and said no more.

The word

regret

perfectly encapsulated his emotions—

Life, aging, illness, and death were natural processes. It wasn’t that he couldn’t come to terms with it. He had long foreseen this day and prepared himself mentally, so he wasn’t particularly saddened by the reality.

But no matter how he looked at it, it still felt like a regret. There should have been more time to spend together.

He should have let her try the taste of chili peppers, should have sat with her outside the temple after meals, talking about a few sunsets, recounting how his temperament had changed since descending the mountain.

He should have been by her side.

“…”

Song You said nothing. Instead, he opened his arms in front of Lady Calico. The calico cat immediately leapt down from the table, stepped onto his arm, and leaned in close, her nose nearly bumping against his face as if trying to peer into his thoughts.

Song You, however, picked up the letter again.

It was a very short note, but after twenty years of living together, he was far too familiar with them. Even in such a brief letter, he could almost envision the exchange between his old master and the crested myna.

His gaze flickered, and his thoughts inevitably sank into a melancholic mood.

Boom!

A clap of thunder echoed outside.

After the thunder, there seemed to be the sound of drums.

Then came the rapid pounding of hooves splashing through mud and puddles, distinct from the sound of hooves on dry ground. Accompanying it were urgent shouts of “Make way!” adding a sense of panic.

The commotion stopped just outside the door.

Someone ran into the courtyard and stopped at the entrance:

“Mr. Song! Demons have come! And there’s a flood!”

The voice snapped Song You out of his thoughts.

“…”

His gaze flickered for a moment. Without saying a word, Song You quietly folded the letter, placed it back in the envelope, and carefully tucked it into his pouch.

Then, without hesitation, he stepped outside. It had to be said—the timing of the demons’ arrival was impeccable!

One might even feel the urge to thank them for it.

“Lead the way,” Song You said.

“Right away!”

They made their way up to the city wall. Looking down—

The sky was a chaotic swirl of storm clouds, with thunder and rain raging. Below the city, water had already pooled without anyone noticing.

The water was a murky yellowish-red, clearly runoff from the torrential rain. It had just reached the base of the city walls but was rising rapidly. In the distance, waves formed even without wind, lapping against the city’s foundations, spraying frothy foam.

From a broader perspective, one could see that the water stretched as far as the eye could see. The usual vast expanse of grassland had vanished, replaced entirely by this muddy flood. At first glance, it seemed as though the city had been built by the sea—or at the edge of an enormous lake whose boundaries couldn’t be discerned.

The soldiers on the wall were nearly paralyzed with fear.

Stationed on the northern grasslands, how many of them had ever seen such a vast expanse of water? And even if they had, how could they imagine such a scene unfolding here, on this seemingly endless plain?

Far off, on hills rising above the water or faintly visible in the distance, were silhouettes of demons.

Song You looked at them, and they looked back at Song You. Their gazes locked.

“Lady Calico, take note: sometimes, in battles of magic or strategy, one must rely on favorable conditions of time, place, and people,” Song You said calmly, lowering his head to speak to the cat.

He continued, “Take those demons across the way, for example. They aren’t particularly powerful. Even with the Water-Splitting Blade, they’re hardly impressive. But in the rainy season of the grasslands, coupled with several days of torrential downpour, they’ve gained a might that even inherent gods might not possess.”

“Hmm…” Lady Calico stared at him. “You’re not upset anymore?”

“Watch how I defeat them.”

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a loud

crash

came from the distance.

The already churning waters were suddenly swept by a massive surge. A towering wave seemed to form, as though the entire body of water was being controlled by some immense force. The vast expanse of the flood coalesced into a raging river, barreling straight toward the city.

“Mr. Song…”

The noise of the wind, rain, thunder, crashing waves, and the shouts of alarm from soldiers on the city wall merged into an overwhelming cacophony.

A general on the wall shouted at the top of his lungs, worried Song You might not hear him, “Shall we summon someone to open an altar and call down the gods?”

“Let the earth deal with the water!”

As he spoke, the wave drew closer.

From a distance, it hadn’t seemed too alarming amidst the vast expanse of churning water. It was merely one of the larger swells. But the closer it came, the more ominous it appeared—this wave was far too high. By the time it approached, it was almost half the height of the city wall.

Thankfully, the city wall was tall enough. If viewed from the ground below, the wave would seem like a black shadow, looming as if it might crush everything beneath it.

Such a massive wave—even with city walls two zhang thick, how many of these could it withstand?

If this wave was already so high, what would the next one be like? Would it eventually submerge and demolish the entire city?

Panic gripped the soldiers on the wall.

Amid the commotion, the Daoist stood calmly, forming a seal with his hands and focusing intently on the ground below.

Swish, swish, swish!

Dozens of streaks of light flew out and struck the earth.

Rumble…

The ground trembled violently.

As the wave approached, the land in front of the city walls suddenly surged upward. A massive wall of earth, nearly as tall as the city wall but even thicker, rose from the ground like a mountain.

Boom!

The crashing wave struck the earthen wall with a deafening sound.

Water shot into the air, soaring above the earthen wall. From the city wall, the soldiers had to crane their necks to see the spray.

Even with a small gap between the earthen wall and the city wall, water splashed over and rained onto the soldiers. The cold spray hit their faces, forcing them to squint.

Looking further into the distance, another even higher wave rose.

But Song You remained completely calm.

He extended a hand and pointed. Instantly, a bridge extended from the earth wall in front of him. He stepped onto the city wall, then onto the earthen bridge, walking all the way to the front of the earthen wall.

The officers and soldiers exchanged confused glances, but only Lady Calico dared to follow.

Once on the earth wall, they expected the Daoist to stop, but instead, he continued walking forward. It seemed that outside the thick earth wall, there was another bridge slanting down toward the ground, or perhaps the other side of the wall was a slope, invisible to those on the city walls.

All the soldiers could see was the Daoist and the cat moving forward. The cat’s figure vanished almost instantly, while the Daoist grew smaller and smaller, eventually disappearing behind the towering earth wall.

The general guarding the city, furious, glared and boldly tried to follow. He wanted to see what it was like for an immortal to fight magic, even if it meant his death. But before he could even step onto the city wall, the earthen bridge suddenly collapsed, and the mud fell away.

Boom...

A splash of water rose from below.

The general froze for a moment, a wave of fear washing over him.

Fortunately, he hadn't stepped forward yet. If he had, and the earthen bridge had collapsed halfway, with the city wall towering five or six zhang high and him wearing heavy armor, even with his martial skills, he would have suffered a severe fall.

“General...”

Suddenly, he heard a voice calling from behind.

The general turned around, following the direction the junior officer was pointing.

In the distance, he saw that the wave seemed to have suddenly stopped, creating an eerie scene as if frozen in time, like a painting. The water outside the earth wall appeared to be split in half by some unseen force, revealing what looked like a path. After a moment, he saw the Daoist, leaning on a bamboo staff and accompanied by the cat, walking along this split in the water, moving farther away.

The demons in the distance, seeing this, were visibly shocked.

Then, the Daoist raised his staff and waved it. The water, suddenly, turned and rushed back, retreating.

It was clear that this wave had not formed naturally. As it surged in one direction, the water's surface tilted, higher on one side and lower on the other, as if a portion of the water had been pulled up by some unseen force.

Boom!

The wave, carrying immense power, crashed toward the demons in the distance.

As the demons tried to flee, a wave several zhang high came crashing down, scattering them in an instant.

Those with weaker cultivation were even disoriented, unable to regain their bearings.

The Daoist then raised his staff once more.

Boom!

Suddenly, the heavens unleashed countless bolts of thunder.

The lightning was a deep crimson, branching into countless forks, and in an instant, it bridged the gap between heaven and earth. The demons were struck by the bolts, one after another.

More and more officers and soldiers gathered on the city wall, and even the advisors and talented eccentrics from within the city had come up to witness the scene. As they watched, the wind and rain in the distance grew stronger, the sky darkened, and the thunder rolled incessantly.

With each strike, the dim world was lit up in a glaring flash, and sometimes, purple lightning descended into the water, twisting like countless electric serpents, scattering in all directions beneath the surface.

The wind, rain, and waves were fierce, yet the water parted to reveal a path. It almost seemed like a divine miracle.

The Daoist, leaning on his staff, walked slowly through the water. While his pace was deliberate, none of the demons managed to escape. As the Daoist neared, one by one, they were struck down by lightning.

The people on the city wall were dumbfounded.

What they didn’t realize, however, was that water was one of the Five Elements. Demons could harness the power of water, and so could the Daoist.

But it wasn’t just the water’s force that could be utilized during the rainy season—the demons had only used the water’s power, unaware that there was also the power of lightning.

And so, they were struck down, one by one, right there.