Chapter 421: The Legend of the Yaksha

“

Thud

...”

On the large ship, a large crowd of people knelt in unison, so many that most of them disappeared from Song You’s line of sight. From the perspective of the small boat, he could only see the heads of those on the very edge.

The faint sound of

thud, thud

echoed in the air. It was the sound of foreheads striking wooden planks.

One man at the edge of the ship, bowing as he repeatedly knocked his head against the deck, shouted down toward them, “Thank you, Immortal, for saving our lives last night! Thank you, Immortal, for your life-saving grace!”

The others quickly followed suit.

“Thank you, Immortal, for saving us!”

“Thank you, Immortal!”

“May the Immortal bless us!”

Countless voices joined in unison, most of them coming from the area beyond Song You’s line of sight, behind the ship’s deck.

For a moment, Song You could almost smell the air of devotion and reverence.

“We only helped ourselves,” Song You said with a wave of his hand, as if trying to dispel something. Tilting his head back, he called out, “Please, everyone, rise quickly. If you continue bowing, I’ll lose years off my life.”

“It’s truly an immortal...”

“Immortal Lord!”

“Who could doubt it? In this vast sea, if not for an immortal descending to save us, how could a small boat have made it all the way here?”

Unexpectedly, when they heard him refuse to take credit, they paused briefly, only to believe even more firmly that he was a divine being.

Seafaring merchant ships often dealt in high-risk, high-reward ventures. And coastal merchants were the most devout believers in divine intervention.

These ships carried silk and porcelain abroad and returned with real gold and silver. For an ordinary person—or even an ordinary immortal—if they had saved the lives of an entire ship's crew, how could they not expect any reward in return?

In the stories, even when an immortal helped a woodcutter or herbalist deep in the mountains, they would still require the person to erect a statue or temple and offer incense for several years after returning home.

In the stories, there were plenty of instances where ordinary people, after returning home, feel that they could get away with not erecting any statues or temples for the deities, and failed to offer incense. Ultimately, they were punished by the gods.

But they heard the Daoist aboard the small boat say, “I am just a wandering Daoist from Yizhou. I traveled here after hearing of the many great demons, ghosts, gods, and strange legends that exist overseas, so I set out on this boat to visit and explore.”

“Strange legends?” Another man near the edge of the ship lifted his head and looked at Song You with a mixture of awe and fear.

The man’s face was ugly and ferocious, his shoulders noticeably broader than those around him, suggesting an unusually powerful physique. Even from his upper body alone, one could imagine his towering height.

Song You naturally noticed him as well.

At that moment, the man who had first spoken aboard the ship glanced around nervously before quickly speaking up again, “If you don't mind, would you honor us by coming aboard? We would like to properly express our gratitude, Immortal Master.”

“Very well.” Song You smiled slightly and accepted the invitation. Then he said to them, “But first, those of you still kneeling must rise. Do not kneel any longer. If you truly wish to thank me, bring out the best tea on board and have your cook prepare us a good meal.”

There was an immediate commotion aboard the ship—both from the sound of people standing up and from their murmurs of surprise. It seemed they couldn’t believe that the immortal was really going to come aboard.

The man who had spoken first had sharp eyes and quickly asked, “How will the immortal board the ship?”

However, he did not ask whether the immortal could ride the clouds or summon the wind. Nor did he suggest dropping a rope from the ship. Instead, he respectfully asked, “Would you like us to come down and get you?”

“There’s no need. Although I’m not a true immortal and can’t ride the clouds or summon the wind, I can certainly board a ship just fine,” Song You said with a light smile.

He remained still at the bow of the small boat.

The large ship had initially been approaching them. Although the crew had stopped rowing, the ship didn’t come to an immediate halt and continued to glide forward slowly. The speed gradually decreased until, by the time Song You finished speaking, the large ship gently bumped into the small boat with no force or impact.

The people aboard the ship were practically leaning over the rails, watching the scene with wide-eyed focus.

Song You bent down and beckoned to the cat, who immediately jumped into his arms. Holding the cat, he took a step forward on the small boat.

When he reached the front of the small boat, he didn’t stop. Instead, he stepped directly onto the side of the large ship.

The ship’s hull was typically narrower at the bottom and wider at the top, even curving past vertical in some places. But under Song You’s feet, it seemed as if the surface had turned flat. He walked effortlessly along the ship’s curved hull, his body nearly parallel to the sea, even leaning slightly toward the more precarious side. Step by step, he ascended with ease.

When he reached the deck, his body slowly straightened.

The people aboard the ship stared at him in stunned silence, unsure how to react.

“My name is Song You,” he introduced himself.

He gently set the cat down and smiled before gesturing toward her. “This is Lady Calico.”

The crowd quietly glanced at the calico cat.

The smarter ones immediately thought of the little girl dressed in three-colored clothing they had seen in the brief flashes of lightning last night. Strangely, she had vanished by morning.

Flap, flap, flap

...

A swallow fluttered its wings and landed on the ship’s railing.

“This is my swallow, his name is Yan An.”

The crowd stared blankly for a moment, then finally snapped back to their senses.

“I am Jia Jian’an, the owner of this ship,” the man who had first spoken introduced himself with a respectful bow. “Greetings, Immortal Master Song, Lady Calico, and Immortal Master Swallow.”

“I am Ye Xinrong,” said the large, fierce-looking man with the intimidating build. He bowed as well. “Greetings, honored immortals.”

Now that he stood before Song You, it was even clearer how tall and broad he was—he was likely half a head taller than General Chen, and his muscular build was overwhelmingly powerful. His rugged face, combined with his sheer size, gave off an intense, oppressive aura.

Yet, despite his appearance, his posture and speech were exceptionally refined, and his manners were impeccable. He even bowed slightly lower than the ship’s owner when greeting them.

These two were likely the highest-ranking individuals on the ship.

After they had introduced themselves, the others, assuming they had no right to present their names before the immortal, merely bowed together in a disorganized chorus.

“Please, Immortal.” Jia Jian’an escorted Song You into the cabin, quickly arranged for tea to be served, and ordered the cook to prepare a meal, leaving only Ye Xinrong behind to attend to their guest.

“Does Lady Calico drink tea as well?”

“She doesn’t drink tea. Just prepare a cup of plain water for her, and if you have sugar, it would be best to add some.”

“As you command, Immortal.”

“Don’t call me Immortal,” Song You corrected with a light smile. “I’m no divine being, merely a Daoist who knows a few spells.”

He then turned to Ye Xinrong and asked, “Judging by your features, you don’t seem to be a native of Great Yan, do you?”

“Immortal Master...”

“You may call me sir or Daoist.”

“To answer you, sir,” Ye Xinrong corrected himself, “I am a citizen of Great Yan, but my bloodline isn’t pure. One of my ancestors, my great-grandmother, was a sea-dwelling Yaksha.”

“Oh?” Song You’s interest was piqued.

Despite Ye Xinrong’s towering, fearsome figure and a face so terrifying it could scare children into silence, he bent respectfully and spoke humbly. Seeing Song You’s curiosity, he immediately began to explain, “My great-grandfather was shipwrecked and stranded in the overseas Yaksha Kingdom, where he married a female Yaksha and fathered children.”

“Humans can intermarry with Yaksha?”

“Of course.”

“I love hearing stories like this,” Song You said with a grin. “Could you share more details?”

“Well...”

Ye Xinrong scratched his head awkwardly for a moment.

The shipmaster, Mr. Jia, handed Song You a cup of tea and urged Ye Xinrong to continue his story.

With a sigh, Ye Xinrong had no choice but to begin again, speaking slowly, “Sir, you may not know, but my great-grandfather was a seafaring merchant. One time, while sailing to the Changbi Nation for trade, he encountered a violent storm midway. He was thrown overboard and drifted for a day before washing ashore on a small island.

“The island was inhabited by fierce Yaksha—each one over ten zhang tall, with green faces, sharp fangs, and a ferocious demeanor. After eating animals, they would string the skulls together and plant them in the ground, living primitively like savages.

“When my great-grandfather saw this, he knew he had likely stumbled upon the legendary Yaksha Kingdom, so he quickly found a hidden cave to hide in.

“However, he hadn’t realized that the cave was already occupied by a female Yaksha. He was captured immediately.

“Fortunately, the female Yaksha, perhaps finding him handsome, didn’t eat him. Instead, she tied him up and kept him as a captive, feeding him raw meat every day. As time went on, they developed feelings for each other.

“The female Yaksha taught my great-grandfather their language, and he, in turn, taught her how to make fire and cook meat. Eventually, this knowledge spread throughout the entire Yaksha Kingdom.”

Hearing this, Song You raised an eyebrow in surprise. “She thought he was handsome?”

“Apparently so...” Ye Xinrong scratched his head awkwardly again.

Song You chuckled and took a sip of tea. “Please continue.”

“That female Yaksha was my great-grandmother.

“Over the next ten years or so, they had two sons and a daughter together. But throughout all those years, my great-grandfather longed for the civilization and prosperity of Great Yan. He missed it terribly and dreamed every day of returning home.

“During that time, several other ships wrecked near the island, and more humans arrived. But my great-grandmother, knowing that he wanted to escape, kept a close watch on him and wouldn’t allow him to leave. It took him many years to finally find an opportunity. When he did, he managed to board a ship and leave, bringing one of his sons with him—my grandfather.”

Ye Xinrong paused before continuing, “My grandfather was the offspring of a human and a Yaksha. He was not as intelligent as a human and not as fierce as a Yaksha, but he was cleverer than the Yaksha and braver than most humans.

“After my great-grandfather taught him proper manners and etiquette, he sent him to join the military. Thanks to his inherent extraordinary strength and combat prowess, he could wrestle bears and slay demons, earning himself numerous military achievements. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a captain and later a general.”

“And what happened after that?” Song You asked, intrigued.

“Afterward, my father and two uncles inherited my grandfather’s strength and courage. They all held high positions in the military. However, several years ago, corrupt officials falsely accused them of being a threat to the court, citing our mixed bloodline and the fact that we controlled the military forces of Yangzhou. As a result, my grandfather, father, and uncles were all stripped of their positions. By my generation, there was no choice but to turn to maritime trade.”

Hearing this, Mr. Jia added, “Mr. Ye is a man of integrity and bravery. There have been countless times when we owed our lives to him.”

“That’s a good story,” Song You praised while sipping his tea.

“Sir, have you ever been to Yangzhou?”

“Not yet.”

“If you ever visit Yangzhou, you’ll probably hear this story everywhere. My great-grandfather’s tale was widely spread there, and over the years, it’s evolved into many different versions. My storytelling may be clumsy, but you might find the versions told in Yangzhou even more interesting.”

“Well, I guess I’ll have to visit Yangzhou to find out,” Song You said with a gentle smile. He then added, “I heard that the seas have been quite dangerous lately, and many merchant ships from Langzhou are afraid to set sail. Why are you still sailing out here?”

“We didn’t have much of a choice,” replied Mr. Jia. “Last year, we traveled to the Changbi Nation and heard rumors about the dangers at sea. But we couldn’t stay in the Changbi Nation indefinitely. After six months of waiting there, we heard that the situation had calmed down a little, so we hurried back. Unfortunately, we still ran into trouble. If not for you, Immortal, we would’ve long been buried at the bottom of the sea.”

“The Changbi Nation?”

“It’s a country about a thousand li overseas. The people there have arms that reach down near their knees[1], making them incredibly nimble. The nation is rich in silver.”

“I see,” Song You said, nodding.

Mr. Jia glanced at Song You and then at Ye Xinrong before continuing, “Additionally, Mr. Ye is extremely brave. Many of the minor demons and ghosts on the sea are afraid of him. Since he speaks the Yaksha language and pays respect to the Sea Dragon King, we’ve been able to sail safely for years. His presence gives us confidence.”

“Pays respect to the Sea Dragon King?” Song You’s curiosity was piqued again. “Is that why you were throwing livestock into the sea last night?”

“Exactly.” Mr. Jia nodded.

“It’s a tradition of the Yaksha Kingdom. The Yaksha have always revered the Sea Dragon King and say that he loves pork, mutton, and dog meat. If you throw pigs, sheep, and dogs into the sea as offerings, the Sea Dragon King won’t cause trouble and might even bless the voyage,” Ye Xinrong explained, though he looked a little embarrassed. “To be honest, I don’t know if it’s true.”

“Has the Sea Dragon King ever actually eaten the offerings?”

“We’ve never seen him take them,” Mr. Jia admitted. “But over the years, we haven’t encountered any major disasters.”

“I see...” Song You murmured thoughtfully.

Song You recalled the events of the previous night.

The Sea Dragon King didn’t seem the least bit interested in the offerings they had thrown into the sea. There had been no sign of blessing or protection from him.

To say there was no blessing would be an understatement...

In hindsight, it made sense. A being of such immense power wouldn’t care about a few livestock offerings.

Most likely, the belief was just a myth spread by the Yaksha Kingdom, an unfounded tradition passed down over generations. As for why Mr. Jia had sailed the seas for years without incident, it was probably due to luck—or simply normal circumstances.

It had nothing to do with the Sea Dragon King.

1. Changbi Nation 长臂国 means “long arm nation”. ☜