Chapter 380: The State Preceptor's Scheme

“Wait!” The young armed guard seemed to suddenly realize something. “Immortal Master, you’re not planning to rob our shipment, are you?”

“Of course not,” Song You replied calmly.

“That’s true. With your boundless powers, you wouldn’t need to go through such trouble to rob us,” the armed guard said, then hesitated again, his tone faltering. “But this shipment seems extremely valuable. If word got out that someone in our armed guards agency leaked information, I’d be in serious trouble...”

“Don’t worry,” Song You said, his gaze steady and reassuring. “Take your time. If you have concerns or anything to explain, say it all. I’m only asking about the origin and nature of the cargo. I won’t act on it in any way.”

“Alright...”

The armed guard finally began to speak, albeit slowly.”Honestly, we don’t even know who sent this shipment or where it’s ultimately headed. We’re just one link in the chain. As far as I know, not even our leader, Mr. Mr. Peng, knows the full details. What I do know is that it came from Yangzhou and is being sent to Yaozhou.

“Since Yaozhou is full of rugged terrain, bandits, and dangerous paths, armed guards companies from outside the region won’t be able to do the job. Our company specializes in Yaozhou routes, so we were tasked with the delivery. It’s just one box. Once we get it to Fengzhou, someone else will take over.”

“Sounds like this has been a regular thing,” Song You noted.

“Yes, for at least a decade or more,” the armed guard replied. “At least two shipments a year, sometimes as many as four or five. I’ve been on this job for a few years now. I’ve heard that in the past, there were shipments from Yizhou as well.

“It was about the same arrangement since our company is one of the few that can claim the ability to safely transport a significant amount of goods across Yaozhou. Thus, this route has always been handled by us. But those shipments from Yizhou stopped several years ago.”

“Yizhou?” Song You’s interest was piqued.

“That was before my time in the company, so I don’t know much about it,” the armed guard admitted.

“What’s inside the shipment?” Song You asked.

“As armed guards, we’re not allowed to ask what’s in the cargo unless the client tells us. That’s the rule. Mr. Mr. Peng is especially strict about this and doesn’t allow us to simply touch it either,” the armed guard explained.

Song You smiled faintly.

He had already observed during the day that the bearded man, Mr. Peng, was a man of principle. But it might not just be about following the rules—having spent many years in the

jianghu

, Mr. Mr. Peng likely had a good sense of what could and couldn’t be done after gaining extensive experience and a keen sense of judgment.

“Go on,” Song You prompted.

“Still, when you walk the same roads at night often enough, you’re bound to encounter trouble. People’s hearts are hard to predict. We’ve been escorting shipments like this along this route every year, always using the best men in the company.

“Over time, it’s caught the attention of some of the local bandit lords. Some of them came to negotiate, and Mr. Peng just paid them off—this job pays well, after all. But others grew greedy and tried to take it by force.”

The armed guard paused before continuing, “Earlier this year, one of the bandit lords brought a large group and decided to rob us outright, ignoring past agreements. They wouldn’t listen to reason. We lost several brothers fighting them off. They managed to break into the cart and tear the oilcloth covering the box.

“Fortunately, nothing inside was missing. When I got there, I saw what was inside, along with a list that detailed all the items and their quantities.”

“Medicinal herbs?” Song You guessed.

“How did you know, Immortal Master?”

“Just a hunch.”

“Your foresight is truly remarkable!” the armed guard exclaimed in admiration. “Yes, it was medicinal herbs. Just a few types, but most of them I’d never even heard of. The ones I did recognize were already enough to shock me.”

“Tell me,” Song You said.

“Things like thousand-year ginseng, dragon bones, qilin[1] horns, and red fruits,” the armed guard said, trying hard to recall. Fortunately, it only happened not long ago. “There were two other items I’d never heard of before. Judging by the quantities, they seemed even rarer than the thousand-year ginseng, dragon bones, and the like. They were called

Earth Essence

and

Fragrant Root,

but I have no idea what they’re for.”

“Earth Essence and Fragrant Root?”

“One was a kind of soil-yellow bead...” the armed guard looked a bit embarrassed. “I thought about sneaking one for myself and touched it, but it was scorching hot to the touch. I put it back because I saw that everything was meticulously listed on the inventory and didn’t want to bring trouble to the armed guards agency.

“The other looked like a tree root, pitch black, about the size of a chopstick, but it also resembled a rat’s tail. I don’t know what it was, but it had a horrible stench. When wrapped in oilcloth, it wasn’t too bad, but once unwrapped, the smell spread everywhere, like rotting meat.”

“Rotten meat?” Song You paused, then frowned.

Of the medicinal items mentioned, the thousand-year ginseng required no explanation—it was simply well-aged, high-quality mountain ginseng.

Dragon bone often referred to fossilized bones from ancient creatures, or in some interpretations, the bones of mythical creatures. It was quite varied in type. Common dragon bones could even be purchased in ordinary apothecaries and weren’t expensive; they were often the primary ingredient in wound medicines. However, the highest quality dragon bones were exceedingly rare and almost impossible to come by.

Qilin horns were typically antlers from deer-like demons, and red fruits were wild fruits imbued with the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, often featured in myths and legends.

As for Earth Essence, it was said to be a condensed essence of the earth itself, usually only obtainable by cultivators. It was typically described as spherical or oval-shaped.

Which left the Fragrant Root.

Song You had indeed heard of Fragrant Root before.

During his travels through Hezhou, after vanquishing Immortal Yongyang near Jingyu City, the constables had confiscated a collection of miscellaneous texts. Among them was a book describing a sinister method for extending one’s lifespan by using souls that had not died a natural death.

One of the listed ingredients for the ritual was Fragrant Root. However, aside from a select few people, most would never associate the name Fragrant Root with anything foul-smelling.

Yet, upon reflection, it made sense—

People often ironically call foul-smelling things by names like

fragrant

or

aromatic

as a sort of refined euphemism.

“...”

Song You’s expression grew more serious, but also more puzzled.

He recalled the cursed text, which he had only skimmed before burning, and how it mentioned Fragrant Root, thousand-year ginseng, and dragon bone

.

It was all connected to the practice of extending one’s life unnaturally.

The sinister technique described in that book was not particularly powerful. Even at its best, it could only extend life by one or two centuries. There were many methods in the world to prolong life that were far more legitimate and effective than that one.

Unfortunately, that book had already been burned...

“After that incident, we deliberated for a long time. Mr. Peng decided to repackage the items, return them to their original state, and deliver the shipment to Fengzhou exactly as it was. He reported everything to the receiver there, asking them to inform the buyer. Mr. Peng then stayed in Fengzhou for a few days, waiting to see if anyone would come looking for us. No one did, so we returned,” the armed guard continued, oblivious to Song You’s train of thought.

He added, “Mr. Peng was very worried. The goods were clearly valuable, and the clients were likely people of high status. He feared they might hold us accountable or cut off this business out of anger. However, we are only responsible for a section of the journey. The route is long, and it’s only been about a month since the last trip.

“By the time we returned to the escort agency, we were immediately sent out with another shipment. We had no choice but to inform the people on the other end, asking them to pass the message back on their return trip. For now, we’re continuing with this delivery, but who knows what will happen in the future...”

“...”

“Immortal Master? Immortal Master?” the armed guard’s voice snapped Song You out of his thoughts.

“Thank you,” Song You said, smiling at him from where he sat cross-legged on the bed. “Don’t worry. I’m a cultivator and always keep my word. I won’t tell anyone that you revealed this information. I’ll simply report to Mr. Peng that you came to my room at night to steal and were caught. How he chooses to deal with it is up to him.

“You’re still young and possess considerable martial skills. Turn back while you can—it’s not too late to change your ways. You could have a bright future ahead of you.”

“Immortal Master...” the armed guard hesitated, greed creeping into his voice. “Could you spare me from telling the armed guard leader altogether, considering how much I’ve shared?”

“No.” Song You met his gaze calmly. “However, you’ve been a great help to me, so I can offer you a suggestion.”

“What suggestion?” the armed guard asked, curious.

“There’s a saying:

Honesty brings leniency.”

Song You explained. “If you’re willing to go to Mr. Peng yourself and admit you were caught stealing, I can support you with a small lie. I’ll say we didn’t treat you too harshly when we caught you. Maybe Mr. Peng, knowing you’ve never been tempted by the cargo itself, will show some leniency.”

The armed guard’s eyes flickered as he thought it over. After several moments, he cupped his hands and bowed deeply.

“Thank you, Immortal Master!”

“It’s late; get some rest,” Song You said, glancing at the armed guard and offering him some gentle advice. “You’re straightforward by nature. It’s best to be an honest person. You’re not suited to deceit—it’s too easy for others to see through you.”

“Thank you for the guidance...” the armed guard replied, casting a quick glance at the table.

Lady Calico sat upright, calmly licking her paw.

Then he turned to look at the doorway.

The tiger was gone. The door stood open, the space beyond empty, as if the tiger had never been there.

“I’ll take my leave...” the armed guard said cautiously, taking a few tentative steps toward the door. He looked back at the cat, who was still engrossed in grooming herself, not sparing him a single glance.

Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief and hurry out, leaving the door ajar in his haste.

“...”

Song You shook his head slightly.

What a rash personality.

On the table, Lady Calico paused mid-lick, staring blankly at the open door. Her brows furrowed, and she leapt gracefully to the floor. After a quick stretch, she ambled over to the door and closed it with deliberate slowness.

“Daoist priest!”

“Yes?”

“What did you find out?”

“Didn’t you hear everything?”

“I didn’t understand!”

“Lady Calico, go to sleep early,” Song You said as he lay down, his eyes open and staring blankly at the bed curtain. “We’ll be leaving at first light tomorrow.”

“Am I too dumb to be of help?” she asked hesitantly.

“Quite the opposite. It’s all thanks to you,” Song You replied truthfully. Fearing she wouldn’t believe him, he added, “The State Preceptor cleaned the Ghost City so thoroughly that I couldn’t detect any scent. If it weren’t for you, the former Cat God, I doubt anyone would have noticed the faint smell lingering in the air.”

“I’m amazing!” she exclaimed.

“And clever,” Song You affirmed.

“Where are we going now?”

“Back to Fengzhou.”

“Back to Fengzhou!”

Though he answered her, Song You remained deep in thought.

The next morning, on a hill Outside Zhengxi City...

The Daoist left early, and so did the escort guard.

At this moment, Song You stood atop a hillside with his jujube-red horse and Lady Calico, watching the escort team pass below. Among them, the young escort guard trailed at the back, his face bruised and swollen, limping as he walked.

Not long after, a swallow descended from the sky.

“Just as you predicted, sir,” the swallow reported. “When we arrived, no one was following us, nor was anyone observing the area—at least, not within the range I scouted, which covered several dozen li. But after flying back to check now, I’ve found demons and ghosts hiding along the roadside.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“It’s my duty...” the swallow replied softly.

At that moment, the armed guard team below also noticed the figures on the hilltop. Alarmed, they scrutinized the group more closely, soon recognizing the Daoist they had shared the inn with the previous night.

A few of the armed guards grew visibly tense.

The armed guard leader, Mr. Peng, raised his hand and cupped it in a distant salute toward Song You.

Song You returned the gesture with equal courtesy.

1. The qilin is a legendary hooved chimerical creature that appears in Chinese mythology, and is said to appear with the imminent arrival or death of a sage or illustrious ruler. Qilin are a specific type of the lin mythological family of one-horned beasts. The qilin also appears in the mythologies of other Chinese-influenced cultures. ☜