Chapter 409: Tales and Repaying the Favor

“I heard you mention earlier that you’ve just come from traveling along the coast of Langzhou?” Song You asked the young official.

“That’s right! Why do you ask?” The young official was puzzled. “Are you also interested in the scenery of Langzhou? Or perhaps you’re thinking of traveling there as well?”

“We are travelling across the world, so naturally, we intend to see everything we can. After descending from Mount Zunzhe, we’ll likely head toward Langzhou next.” Song You smiled slightly.

He continued, “Since you’ve just returned from there, and since you seem to have a keen interest in extraordinary landscapes, I wanted to ask if you’ve come across any unusual sights or intriguing rumors along the Langzhou coast or even beyond the sea.”

“Then you’ve come to the right person!” The young official immediately brightened with pride.

“Oh?”

“Not only do I love extraordinary landscapes, but I also love gathering stories about them. I don’t mind taking my time to tell you, and sir, you’ve certainly found the right person to ask.”

The young official said with pride, “They say the ocean is even vaster than the lands of the Central Plains. The fishermen and merchants of Langzhou spend their lives drifting across the sea, traveling between islands and maritime nations. Over the years, they collect all sorts of strange tales. But in my opinion, not all of them should be taken at face value—many are fabricated. It takes a discerning mind to separate truth from fiction.”

Song You had spent the day conversing with him, learning about his interests and personality, and he already had a sense that speaking with this man would yield something valuable. But it wasn’t until this particular statement—especially its last remark—that a brilliant smile spread across his face.

Now he was certain—this conversation would be truly rewarding.

So he said, “There are many who are fascinated by extraordinary landscapes and strange tales, but few are willing to personally experience them, to think critically and distinguish truth from illusion.”

“Haha!” The young official burst into laughter. This compliment had struck right at his pride—his self-satisfaction in his own curiosity and discernment. With a few loud chuckles, he asked, “What would you like to hear about?”

“I wish to know of any strange and wondrous tales about the Langzhou coast and the lands beyond—whether they involve demons, ghosts, gods, or anything else. Anything is welcome.” Song You cupped his hands in gratitude, then glanced toward the distant firelight. “I only wonder if this might delay your drinking and conversation with your companions.”

“Not at all!” The young official waved his hand dismissively, as if he couldn't care less, then promptly sat down.

“The Langzhou coast is nothing like Yangzhou—it’s a remote and untamed land. If you’re heading there, sir, I’d advise you to purchase all your necessities in advance, lest you find yourself with money but nowhere to spend it. In such wild places, tales of demons and monsters are plentiful. The sea has its own deities too—for example, two hundred li off the Langzhou coast, a true dragon is said to dwell. Many claim to have seen it with their own eyes.”

He paused, then grinned slyly. “But if you ask me about the strangest legend... Heh, I don’t know how others might feel about it, nor how you will take it. But among all the tales I’ve heard, the most peculiar one has to be the ‘Little Kingdom’ on the Cang Commandery sea.”

“A Little Kingdom?”

“That's right. Legend has it that somewhere in the Cang Commandery sea, there is a tiny island. The island is so small that, compared to all the other named islands recorded in Cang Commandery’s geographical records—no matter how minuscule—they are all significantly larger than this one. Moreover, this island is not fixed in place; it seems to drift aimlessly across the sea or appear and disappear at random. This island is known as the fabled Little Kingdom.”

The young official paused for effect before continuing, “It is said that within this kingdom, all its inhabitants are no larger than a palm—about the size of a rat. And if an outsider accidentally stumbles upon the island, they too will shrink in size. But once they leave, they return to normal. However, this effect only applies to people—no other animals change size.”

“That does sound truly magical.”

“Exactly! They say that in that place, even a crab could crush a person to death, and a single small fish would be enough to feed an entire crowd!” The young official grinned, clearly relishing the tale.

He continued, “If you ask me, no matter how powerful the demons, ghosts, or deities worshipped by the coastal folk might be, nothing sounds as extraordinary as this. Even the so-called true dragon of the sea isn’t as fascinating! After all, Fengzhou recently experienced the upheaval of the earth dragon.

“People living in the southern parts of Fengzhou have claimed to see a massive dragon’s head and tail from the mountain peaks. But is that really as incredible as a whole kingdom where humans shrink in size?”

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“That is quite remarkable,” Song You agreed with a nod before asking, “From what you’ve said, it seems like quite a number of people have actually been there?”

“Haha! Sir, you truly are a kindred spirit!” The young official clapped his hands and laughed heartily before replying, “When I first heard the tale, aside from finding it fascinating, my initial reaction was disbelief. I wanted to verify the truth, so I traveled to many places and found that similar stories exist all along the Langzhou coastline.

“Even villages and counties that had no prior contact shared remarkably similar accounts. Quite a few people have accidentally visited the Little Kingdom. Some even married the locals there and had children, whom they brought back with them. Upon returning, both the visitors and their offspring reverted to their original size.”

Song You asked, “And how much of this do you believe to be true?”

“Naturally, some of it is just hearsay, or outright fabrications. But there are also stories that don’t sound entirely false.” The young official paused before adding, “At the very least, many of the finer details are strikingly consistent across accounts, even between isolated fishing villages in different commanderies and counties.”

“If you were to compile a record of strange tales, it would surely be passed down through the ages,” Song You remarked.

“Haha, I don’t have the literary talent for that.”

“Have you personally searched for this Little Kingdom?”

“Of course I have! The Sea Dragon King[1] of the sea is notoriously temperamental—he despises being disturbed. If disturbed, he stirs up massive waves and capsizes ships. I would never dare to seek him out. But this Little Kingdom—there are no stories of it being dangerous, so naturally, I had to try to find it.” The young official sighed regretfully. “Alas, perhaps fate was not on my side. I drifted at sea for half a month but never found a trace of it.”

“If I were to search for it, where should I begin?”

The young official’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “So you’re truly interested!”

“Something this extraordinary naturally piques my interest,” Song You replied truthfully.

“In that case, head to Lan'an County in Cang Commandery,” the young official suggested after some thought. “That place might not be the closest to where the Little Kingdom is frequently sighted, but it is relatively bustling. From there, it's easy to either buy a boat or borrow one for a sea voyage. It’s also a hub for many rumors, so if you want to gather more details, that’s the place to start.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I've also heard that the seas beyond Langzhou hold more than just the Little Kingdom. There’s also the Yaksha Kingdom, some so-called demon kingdoms, and many others. Some are perilous, some are fascinating, and some sound like mere fabrications by the locals. But in the end, most of these stories revolve around demons and spirits—none as peculiar as the Little Kingdom.”

The young official spoke animatedly but then glanced sideways and added, “Oh, sir, it looks like your young attendant has returned with firewood.”

“She’s always diligent. She takes good care of me.” Song You followed his gaze.

The little girl in her tricolored robe was approaching with a large bundle of firewood in her arms. She gave the young official a puzzled look, curious about what they were discussing so enthusiastically. As she got closer, she happened to hear Song You’s remark.

Immediately, she concealed her expression, straightened her posture, and adopted an air of solemn focus. Without a word, she set down the firewood, skillfully arranged a firewood rack, and then pulled two ordinary-looking stones from her pocket. She leaned in close to the wood and struck the stones together.

At the same time, she discreetly blew a breath onto the firewood.

“

Whoosh

...”

“

Poof

...”

In an instant, the firewood burst into flames.

Song You found the sight amusing and couldn’t help but praise her again, “Lady Calico is truly clever.”

The young official, on the other hand, was momentarily stunned.

He had never seen fire-starting stones that looked like those. Nor had he ever seen someone start a fire without using tinder. And certainly, he had never seen anyone ignite a fire so quickly, with flames roaring up in an instant.

Yet, he said nothing.

Lady Calico also remained silent. She simply sat down beside the Daoist, determined to live up to his earlier compliment.

Moreover, to maintain her diligent and dependable image—the image of a cat who was both hardworking and attentive—she had now fully transformed into an emotionless, labor-efficient machine. She ignored all distractions, focusing entirely on tending the fire and preparing the meal.

“This should warm things up a bit,” Song You said with a smile to the young official.

“Y-Yes... Yes, indeed...”

“If you’re not in a rush to rejoin your friends, why not tell me more about the strange legends from beyond the Langzhou coast—those peculiar sea kingdoms or perhaps that true dragon?” Song You suggested, keeping an eye on Lady Calico as she tended to the fire and prepared the meal. “I will certainly find a way to repay you.”

“Talking with you is truly enjoyable—when the conversation is this pleasant, what need is there for repayment?”

The young official leaned closer to the fire, his eyes also fixed on Lady Calico’s movements as he continued, “As for that Sea Dragon King, I’ve never dared to seek him out. But once you reach the Langzhou coast, his legends are everywhere. Some say he’s a hundred zhang long, others claim a thousand zhang—just like the mythical true dragon, truly awe-inspiring...”

The flames crackled and popped.

Although this was a sheltered spot, the nighttime air on the summer mountain carried a chilling bite. Yet with the fire blazing, even from a short distance, the cold seemed to vanish.

Once the young official started speaking, he couldn’t stop. He found this Daoist named Song to be like an immortal master, and felt an uncanny connection with him. Every topic they discussed seemed fascinating, making it easy to lose track of time.

And so, from the “true dragon” of the Langzhou seas, they discussed the many “kingdoms” upon the waters, the coastal demons and spirits, and the local deities worshipped by the seaside folk.

Song You responded sparingly, but every time he did, the young official felt as if he had found a kindred spirit—though it wasn’t entirely intentional. Song You genuinely understood him, being someone with similar interests and insights.

Before they knew it, night had deepened.

Two pots, one large and one small, hung over the fire, releasing a rich and savory aroma into the air. From a distance, someone called out to the young official, “Sir, I need to head over there.”

“The porridge is ready and still hot—would you not join us for a bowl?” Song You asked.

“Haha...” The young official laughed heartily, neither declining nor immediately staying. Instead, he said, “Let me handle things over there first. I’ll bring my bowl back and ask you for a serving... It would be a true blessing to have a fresh, steaming bowl of porridge here on this mountain.”

“Very well.”

Song You paused for a moment, glanced around to ensure no one was nearby, then quietly said to the young official, “I've heard many extraordinary stories from you today, and compared to tales from others, yours seem far more credible. Not only have they been fascinating to listen to, but they’ve also been of great help to us. Since that is the case, it’s only fair that I offer something in return.”

“Sir, there’s no need for that.”

“You enjoy strange tales and, more than that, you like verifying their truth to satisfy your curiosity. If you truly wish to witness an immortal ascending to the heavens tonight and wish to discern which among today’s travelers might actually be deities in disguise, then you must ensure you stay awake until dawn.”

Song You smiled faintly and added, “Before an immortal ascends to the heavens, all mortals will fall asleep. However, if you can collect the fresh dew formed on the tips of the grass tonight and drink it, you will be able to stay awake.”

The young official's eyes widened in shock. “Sir... Are you truly a divine immortal?”

Even as he asked, he himself seemed unsure whether to believe it.

After all, over the course of the day, he had doubted and dismissed the thought countless times.

“No,” Song You answered truthfully. “I am just a Daoist of the mortal world, no different from you. I came to Mount Zunzhe to witness the ascension of the immortals, just like the others. But my cultivation skills are slightly better than most, and after meditating here for half an afternoon, I have gained insight into its mysteries.”

“Sir, you’re truly a great master!”

“Please, do not tell anyone else,” Song You cautioned. “And do not follow the example of Mr. Li—breaking promises and speaking without honor.”

“Of course!” The young official's expression grew solemn. He gave Song You a deep bow before taking his leave, hurrying away with quickened steps.

1. The Sea Dragon King, also known as the Dragon God, is a Chinese water and weather god. He is regarded as the dispenser of rain, commanding over all bodies of water. ☜