Chapter 407: The Path to the Heavens

“As the saying goes, ‘The face reflects the heart.’ This old gentleman looks like a benevolent soul, and his posture and demeanor are extraordinary. In my opinion, he does have the air of an immortal,” Song You said with a smile, glancing at the young official. “What do you think? Could this old man be an immortal?”

“

Sigh...

” The young official merely sighed and didn’t answer directly.

Shaking his head, he said instead, “It’s said that mortals who ascend to the heavens to become immortals aren’t truly considered immortals until they reach the Heavenly Palace. Until then, they’re more like spirits—just different from ordinary ghosts in that they have certain unique qualities, such as not fearing sunlight.

“Only those who practiced cultivation and had magical powers during their lifetimes might exhibit other supernatural abilities before reaching the Heavenly Palace.

“It’s also said that after the story from a century ago spread, immortals on their way to take up appointments via Mount Zunzhe were frequently disturbed by mortals. At best, it delayed their journey; at worst, they were persistently harassed. Because of this, many immortals now disguise themselves on their journey—dressing inconspicuously or even traveling at night to avoid being noticed.”

“Seems like you’ve done your homework,” Song You remarked with an amused expression.

“Just things I’ve heard from others,” the young official said, shaking his head sheepishly.

He added, “It’s said that in Fengzhou recently, an underground river surged, causing Yin River to temporarily stop flowing, with its waters reversing course for a day before returning to normal. Along Yin River, villages and towns suffered varying degrees of disaster, and even parts of Yaozhou were affected.

“In the aftermath of such a calamity, many virtuous individuals emerged to help. These people, remembered by the grateful populace, were honored with temples erected in their names. By this reasoning, there should be quite a number of immortals ascending to the Heavenly Palace this fifteenth day of April.”

Song You couldn’t help but laugh, finding it amusing. “With such a thorough analysis, why don’t you go and ask that old gentleman where he’s from?”

“Are you truly not an immortal, sir?”

“Do immortals lie?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Do the immortals from Yizhou also ascend to the heavens via Mount Zunzhe?”

“That, I don’t know either.”

“Thanks to you, we’ve learned a great deal of intriguing things. It’s all quite amusing to hear, and I wouldn’t dare deceive you. I am but a Daoist from the mortal world, not an immortal,” Song You said with a smile. “If you’re seeking immortals, you’ll need to look elsewhere.”

“Well, I suppose there’s no need to force it,” the young official replied with a bright smile. “Although most people climbing Mount Zunzhe these days are hoping to absorb some immortal aura or fortune, praying for health and longevity, I’m a bit different.

“I’m here simply to witness things one wouldn’t see in everyday life. Whether it’s walking alongside a virtuous immortal or accompanying a free-spirited master like yourself, it’s all the same to me. Life is but thirty thousand days. If I can see what ordinary people cannot, I’ll consider myself satisfied.”

“Then you’ve surely brushed shoulders with an immortal today,” Song You said.

“Sadly, these mortal eyes can’t recognize a true immortal,” the young official replied with a self-deprecating laugh, all the while continuing to study Song You and occasionally meeting the gaze of the little girl, who turned her head back to glance at him.

There was only one path up the mountain, and their pace was about the same. Unless they deliberately avoided each other, they would inevitably travel together for some time. Much like the old gentleman who resembled an immortal—he had been walking behind them earlier, and after some time, he was now alongside them, pausing occasionally to admire the scenery.

The young official continued to secretly observe Song You.

This Daoist truly carried an aura of transcendence.

No matter how far or steep the climb, the Daoist never seemed short of breath. His demeanor remained calm, and his steady pace never wavered. At first, the young official found it easy to keep up with him, but as they ascended further, it became increasingly difficult to match his effortless stride.

The Daoist exuded an air of tranquility, enjoying the scenery as he went, unhurried and unconcerned. He didn’t seem to mind whether the child ran ahead or lagged behind—there was no sign of fear that such an exceptionally beautiful child might be abducted.

At times, he would stop to wait for the child or speak with her. In these moments, his gaze, expressions, tone, and posture all exuded a gentleness rarely seen in ordinary people.

From this Daoist, the young official observed an inner peace and freedom that radiated outward—a serenity untouched by worldly concerns.

Even the child was extraordinary. Aside from being astonishingly beautiful, her every movement carried an incredible liveliness and grace.

Even the horse seemed remarkable.

The young official had encountered many travelers along the way, but none appeared more like an immortal than this Daoist.

Could it be that he was going against the usual conventions?

It was well known that immortals on their way to heavenly appointments would disguise themselves as ordinary mortals to avoid drawing attention. But perhaps this one was doing the opposite—adopting the guise of a Daoist, donning robes, and openly blending in to dispel suspicion from travelers?

Yet, the young official had been observing this Daoist since the mountain gate. He had seen with his own eyes that the man paid the mountain tax of one hundred wen. Surely, no immortal heading to the heavens would be required to pay such a fee.

Or perhaps it was all intentional?

Was the money conjured up from nowhere?

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, the young official continued traveling alongside the Daoist.

By the time they reached the mountainside, it was already midday. Many of the climbers had stopped to rest and eat.

The young official noticed that the Daoist took out a boiled egg for the child while he himself ate two steamed buns, washing them down with clear water. They shared their food with each other, eating with visible enjoyment. This simple act seemed far removed from what one might expect of an immortal on their way to a heavenly appointment.

The young official, having brought dried meat and peaches, generously shared some with the Daoist. The Daoist accepted without hesitation and ate them on the spot. This behavior made him seem even less like an unappointed immortal.

“How relaxing,” the Daoist said with a satisfied sigh.

The little girl mimicked him, squinting her eyes and repeating, “How relaxing...”

She was truly adorable.

As the afternoon sun grew brighter and more piercing, a cool mountain breeze swept through, providing a refreshing contrast. Many hikers hesitated, unsure whether to continue their climb. The young official, sneaking glances at the Daoist, noticed that he remained unhurried.

He found a lush ancient pine tree, its shade ample enough to block the sun. After clearing away the dust and scattered branches and leaves from the ground, the Daoist lay down right there, telling the child he was going to take a nap.

The Daoist truly slept as soon as he said he would.

Once asleep, he let the mountain wind brush his face, pine needles serve as his blanket, and hikers pass by without a care. The jujube-red horse grazed leisurely nearby, while insects and small mountain creatures crawled around him, some even climbing onto him.

The young official even saw a mountain squirrel scurry onto the Daoist’s body. Yet, the Daoist showed no sign of waking. The squirrel, normally a timid creature, didn’t seem afraid of him at all. In that moment, the harmony between man and nature was so perfect that the young official had never seen anything like it. He felt as though the Daoist had completely merged with the mountain itself.

Only when the little girl turned her head to look did the squirrel dart away in a flash, scampering up a tree.

The mountain wind rustled the pines, and the world fell into a serene silence.

The faint sounds of the forest—birds chirping, leaves rustling—didn’t disturb the tranquility but instead complemented it, making the Daoist’s carefree and untroubled state even more striking.

Even their belongings were left casually at the roadside, without a hint of concern about theft.

At that moment, the young official felt less like the Daoist was an immortal on his way to a heavenly appointment and more like a true immortal, living in this world.

Slowly, the young official found himself infected by this peace. Feeling drowsy, he leaned against a pine tree, hugged his bag, and let his heavy eyelids close for a rest.

The moment his eyes shut, time seemed to vanish.

When he eventually became aware of shadows moving in front of him, he suddenly opened his eyes. The Daoist, surnamed Song, was already awake, packing his belongings onto the horse’s back, seemingly preparing to set off.

“Getting ready to leave, sir?”

“Yes, that was a wonderfully restful nap,” the Daoist replied with a smile. “You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t want to wake you.”

“I slept well too.”

“You could rest a little longer.”

“Since you’re setting off, I’ll get moving too.”

The young official quickly stood up and dusted himself off. His head felt a bit groggy—an all-too-familiar post-nap sensation—but his mind was clear, and his body felt incredibly refreshed. Even as he looked around at the mountain scenery, everything seemed brighter and sharper than before.

They hadn’t gone far before they encountered the elderly man again.

It seemed the old gentleman had also stopped somewhere behind them to rest for a while.

This time, the young official mustered his courage and approached to start a conversation. “At your age, sir, you’re still climbing the mountain with such energy, and you’re faster than most young people—what remarkable health you have!”

“Not as good as it used to be,” the old man replied, smiling warmly, clearly open to chatting.

As they walked, they talked, and the young official learned that the old man’s surname was Xiong. He was from Fengzhou, living along Yin River.

Upon hearing this, the young official almost believed the old man was an immortal. But then he learned that the man practiced martial arts in his youth and had gained some fame in the

jianghu

. Though he was no longer in his prime, he still found climbing mountains manageable, which explained his steady pace and effortless breathing. Hearing this, the young official couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed.

When he snapped out of his thoughts, he noticed the Daoist smiling at him, as if he found the situation quite amusing.

“Why are you looking at me like that, sir?”

“I just find you rather interesting,” the Daoist said with a grin.

“And how am I interesting?”

“You said you wished to walk alongside immortals because you admired their virtue during their lifetimes. Yet, when searching for an immortal, you focus only on whether they are an immortal and overlook the virtues and refinement revealed in their words. I doubt Mr. Li from the story a century ago found an immortal in that way,” Song You replied with a faint smile.

The young official froze at his words, falling into deep thought. After a moment of reflection, his face lit up with realization, and he cupped his hands respectfully toward Song You. “Your words, sir, have enlightened me in an instant. I’m truly ashamed...”

“It was just an offhand comment. Please don’t take offense,” Song You replied.

“Not at all, sir. I owe you my gratitude for opening my eyes.”

“Some of my words may have been blunt. For you not to take offense shows your broad-mindedness and calm nature. The fact that you reflected so quickly is truly admirable—I would not have handled it as well,” Song You said, returning the gesture of respect.

“Haha, you flatter me...” The young official was clearly an open and cheerful person.

Song You smiled and resumed his climb.

They crossed ridge after ridge, and by mid-afternoon, they heard a series of exclamations of wonder from the hikers ahead. Climbing to the summit and reaching the same spot as the other travelers, Mount Zunzhe finally came fully into view.

The weather was excellent, revealing the entirety of Mount Zunzhe in its full splendor.

The so-called Mount Zunzhe was a stone peak located at the summit, standing tens of meters tall. Its shape resembled an elderly man standing upright, with features remarkably similar to human hair and a beard. The figure appeared to be cupping its hands in a respectful gesture of greeting. Though its likeness required a mix of reality and imagination, it was undeniably extraordinary.

Clouds surrounded the summit, tugged along by the wind. Yet, rather than obscuring the stone figure, the clouds served as a flowing veil or cloak, adding to its majesty without hiding its form.

“Wow...” This time, the sound of amazement came from the young official beside Song You.

“A mountain upon a mountain—it truly resembles a venerable elder. I wonder if it’s the work of an immortal or simply nature’s marvelous craftsmanship. Amazing, truly amazing.” The young official repeated “amazing” several times before adding, “I’ve heard that immortals ascend to the Heavenly Palace from here, and I’m inclined to believe it.”

Having spoken, he turned to look at the Daoist beside him.

The Daoist, however, remained silent, leaning on his staff, standing still, and gazing into the distance at the stone mountain.

The child beside him was equally calm, though she craned her neck and stared intently at Mount Zunzhe with wide eyes. Her expression held more curiosity than awe—whether because of her youth or because she had already witnessed countless natural wonders in her travels with the Daoist, one could not say.

“...” The Daoist smiled faintly.

This was one of the five ascension paths to the heavens.

Back in Yuezhou, he had visited the northern Mount Tianzhu and experienced the unique spiritual resonance where the Heavenly Palace and the mortal world intertwined. However, his exploration back then had been cursory, and he hadn’t delved deeply into the mechanisms behind it.

Now, coming to Mount Zunzhe, his purpose, beyond enjoying the scenery, was to examine more closely how immortals made their first ascension to the heavens. Why could one only ascend from these five places? Why couldn’t ascension occur elsewhere, yet these five locations made it possible?

It was a fortunate coincidence that he had arrived just in time for the fifteenth of April.

This spared him the need to linger here and wait for an opportunity.

From everything Song You had seen and heard today, it was clear—tonight, someone would surely ascend to the heavens.