Chapter 422: Courtesy Amidst Savagery

Song You continued asking the shipmaster and the descendant of the Yaksha clan about the customs and traditions of the Changbi Nation and the Yaksha Kingdom, what other countries lay overseas, and the strangest real encounters they had while sailing the seas.

No matter what questions he posed, both Mr. Jia and the Yaksha descendant answered earnestly and in detail. When they realized he was genuinely interested, they became even more thorough in their explanations.

Song You was thoroughly entertained by their stories. By his feet, the cat sat upright, listening attentively to the conversation, occasionally pausing to lick its paws.

Then, the food was brought to the table.

Mr. Jia, an intriguing man himself, had also prepared a rather peculiar meal for Song You.

Half of the dishes were exquisitely refined, crafted to perfection within the limits of what could be achieved at sea. They had a distinct coastal flavor mixed with the sophistication typical of the bustling city of Yangzhou and were served alongside delicate pastries and light wine.

The other half consisted of boiled pork leg and an entire sheep's head, giving the impression not of a banquet for guests but of offerings placed at a sacrificial ceremony meant for deities.

For Lady Calico, a serving of shredded meat and fish was also prepared, with both raw and cooked versions neatly arranged on delicate plates. It was almost as if all that was missing were lit incense sticks and candles.

The swallow, being timid, didn’t enter the room. But Song You guessed it probably had its share of the meal too.

“...”

Finding the arrangement amusing, Song You couldn't help but smile. He didn’t comment much on it, simply expressing his thanks before picking up his chopsticks to begin eating.

Although the sea had an endless supply of seafood, and he had various oils and seasonings stashed in his bag, cooking on a small boat was still inconvenient, so his meals over the past few days had been rather bland.

That said, this table of dishes was still quite mild in flavor.

“Thank you all for the delicious food and wine. I’m quite satisfied,” Song You said with a faint smile. “And thank you both for sharing your stories. They’ve greatly enriched my knowledge, and Lady Calico’s as well.”

“

Meow...

”

“Sir, you saved our lives, and we have yet to properly thank you. How could we dare accept your gratitude? We truly don’t deserve it,” Mr. Jia said, waving his hands repeatedly in modesty.

“We don’t deserve it at all,” echoed the Yaksha descendant, Ye Xinrong, who also waved his hands humbly. Then, after a brief pause, he asked, “Sir, if your journey out to sea wasn’t specifically to save us, may I ask what you were searching for?”

“I’m seeking the wonders from the stories you’ve shared.”

“Like the Yaksha Kingdom?”

“Precisely.”

“...”

Ye Xinrong was momentarily stunned, then turned to exchange glances with Mr. Jia.

Afterward, he cupped his hands respectfully and asked, “Sir, have you found what you were looking for?”

“Until today, I hadn’t. But now...” Song You turned to glance at the thick white mist outside. “I believe I’ve found it.”

“To be honest, sir, after our separation from your small boat last night, we made it to the Yaksha Kingdom early this morning, though we didn’t go ashore,” Ye Xinrong quickly explained while cupping his hands again. “The thick fog is deceiving—its coast is less than a li behind us. If you’re willing, I can guide you there. I know the Yaksha language.”

“It’s that close?” Song You was a little surprised.

When he woke up this morning on his small boat, he had already sensed the unusual nature of this place through the spiritual resonance of the land and sea. But he hadn’t expected that the very mystery he sought was right beside him.

“We don’t know how it happened either,” Ye Xinrong admitted. “Logically, we should have been about three hundred li from shore yesterday. And the Yaksha Kingdom normally appears more than a thousand li from the Great Yan territory. Even if last night’s wind and waves were fierce, it shouldn’t have carried us so far overnight, nor should we have lost sight of your small boat for long.”

“There must be something strange about this place.”

“Most likely.”

“This morning, did you have any conversations with the Yakshas from the Yaksha Kingdom?”

“Yes, we spoke briefly,” Ye Xinrong replied. “The Yaksha Kingdom has never welcomed outsiders, and with the recent turmoil at sea, they’re even less hospitable. This morning, when our boat drifted near their coast, some patrolling Yakshas came to question us. Luckily, I bear some resemblance to the Yakshas and can speak their language. Otherwise, we might have angered them and ended up in danger.”

“So you’re saying outsiders could visit the Yaksha Kingdom in the past?”

“I’ll take you there, sir.” Ye Xinrong stood up decisively. “I can explain as we go.”

“Then I’ll trouble you for half a day.” Song You glanced at the dense fog outside again. “With today’s thick fog, I doubt the shipmaster will be departing anytime soon. I don’t want to delay Mr. Jia for too long. I’ll ensure you’re back by noon when the fog clears.”

“Sir, you’re being too polite. Feel free to take your time,” Mr. Jia said, cupping his hands. “We’ve already been anchored at the Changbi Nation for half a year, so we’re in no rush. If you need Mr. Ye for a few days, we’ll wait here for you both.”

“Let’s be off, then.” Song You bowed, then led the way outside.

Lady Calico, the calico cat, immediately darted after him.

The sturdy Yaksha descendant followed closely behind, instructing his crew to bring along a small piglet.

Moments later—

The two men, one cat, and one piglet were back aboard the small boat. The swallow had also returned, fluttering around the mast.

Ye Xinrong eagerly took the oars and began rowing. The small boat sliced through the dense fog and glided over the mirror-like surface of the sea, watched by the crew aboard the large sailing ship as it sailed toward Yaksha Island.

“There have always been legends of the Yakshas in Great Yan,” Ye Xinrong said while rowing. “It’s likely that people encountered Yakshas at sea long ago, but once the stories reached Great Yan, they transformed into countless different versions.”

“Many of those stories claim that Yakshas are man-eaters and extremely ferocious. But in truth, Yakshas don’t eat humans. They primarily survive on fish and wild game from the mountains. They are indeed fierce and temperamental, though.

“However, ever since the incident involving my great-grandfather in the Yaksha Kingdom many years ago, things have changed. The Yakshas gradually learned how to cook meat over fire, how to raise pigs, cattle, and sheep, and how to farm. They’ve also become much friendlier toward outsiders.”

“Your ancestor made significant contributions to the diplomatic relations between the Yaksha Kingdom and the people of Great Yan,” Song You remarked softly, chuckling as he stroked the cat.

“It wasn’t entirely his doing,” Ye Xinrong replied. “But after him, the Yaksha Kingdom became more widely known, and more people began visiting it. The Yaksha Kingdom produces a type of gemstone that glows blood-red at night, bright enough to be used as a lamp. If you tap it lightly, its light focuses into a beam, projecting a small circular dot on the ground.

“In the past, many maritime merchants from Yangzhou and Langzhou eagerly sought it, sailing with ships loaded with pigs, cattle, sheep, fabrics, and ceramics to trade. But they soon discovered that once the gemstone left the Yaksha Kingdom, its glow lasted no more than half a year. Combined with how difficult it was to find the Yaksha Kingdom, merchants gradually stopped searching for it at sea.”

“How many times have you been here?”

“This is the second time,” Ye Xinrong answered. “However, the Yakshas themselves occasionally venture out to sea. They sail on dugout canoes or even ride wooden planks, using small fish to catch larger ones. Sometimes, they travel far or encounter storms and cross paths with ships from Great Yan.

“There are also aggressive Yakshas who become pirates, drifting on the sea and plundering any ships they encounter. I’ve run into them several times. But all I have to do is speak the Yaksha language, and even the fiercest Yakshas will leave me alone.”

Through the dense fog, a stretch of land gradually came into view.

It appeared to be an ordinary beach with forested hills behind it. The fog obscured the size of the landmass, but a figure standing on the shore was visible.

Splash...

The oar cut through the water as the small boat drew closer.

The figure became clearer.

It was a towering and ferocious-looking figure, over ten feet tall, with a blue-green face and long fangs. Its body was covered in bulging muscles and wrapped in a mix of tattered cloth and large leaves. Shells and bones were strung together with grass ropes as ornaments, and colorful paint was smeared across its face and body. In its hand, it held a wooden spear thicker than a human arm.

“That’s a Yaksha Kingdom patrol warrior,” Ye Xinrong whispered to Song You. “He’s likely here because of the large ship that visited earlier this morning, or perhaps he was drawn by the sound of our rowing.”

“Perfect timing,” Song You said. “It would feel rude to visit without announcing ourselves, and this saves us the trouble of waiting on the sea for someone from the Yaksha Kingdom to arrive.”

“Sir, you are most considerate.”

“I’ll leave the conversation to you,” Song You said with a nod.

“You flatter me, sir...” Ye Xinrong continued rowing the boat.

As they approached the shore, the Yaksha warrior’s eyes widened with fury, and he began shouting loudly in a stream of incomprehensible words.

“I’ll ask him if we’re allowed to go ashore,” Ye Xinrong whispered to Song You, then raised his voice and began speaking in the Yaksha language, engaging in a back-and-forth exchange with the warrior.

Meanwhile, Song You kept his gaze fixed on the Yaksha.

This, then, was the original form of the Paper Yaksha spell he had encountered back in Yidu.

Not only the Paper Yaksha spell, but many religious and folk traditions drew inspiration from Yakshas. Because of their strength and ferocity, they were either revered as guardian deities or demonized as violent, terrifying spirits used to scare children.

Some myths portrayed them as powerful subordinates to great demons, while certain spells modeled after them embodied a combination of savagery, intimidation, and religious symbolism.

Now that he was seeing one in person, it was certainly an eye-opening experience.

“Sir...” Ye Xinrong returned his gaze, looking troubled. “He says there’s a grand sacrificial ceremony taking place on the island, and no matter what I say, he won’t allow us to go ashore.”

“A ceremony?”

“I’ll ask more...”

Ye Xinrong continued his conversation with the Yaksha.

The Yaksha warrior, despite his intimidating appearance, seemed quite friendly toward someone who appeared to be a fellow Yaksha. Although Ye Xinrong was smaller in stature and had unusual facial features, the fact that he could speak the Yaksha language softened the warrior’s attitude significantly. He answered each question without hesitation.

Soon, Ye Xinrong turned back to Song You, his expression a little grim. “Apparently, the Sea Dragon King has been moody lately, frequently stirring up waves and destroying passing ships. This has affected not only the Yaksha Kingdom but several nearby nations as well. That’s why they’re holding a ceremony—to offer sacrifices and pray to the Sea Dragon King.”

“The Sea Dragon King causing waves?”

“He said so.”

“I see...”

Song You noticed the expression on Ye Xinrong’s face.

It seemed that Ye Xinrong had always believed that the waves at sea were caused by storms, and that praying to the Sea Dragon King would bring them protection. He had likely been performing such rituals, throwing offerings of pigs, cattle, and sheep into the sea with his entire crew.

To now hear directly from the Yaksha that these huge waves were actually caused by the Sea Dragon King left him somewhat embarrassed.

“Why is the Sea Dragon King stirring up the waves?”

“They don’t know either.”

“Then ask him if we can visit the island after the ceremony is over.”

“Understood.” Ye Xinrong turned and asked the Yaksha, then translated the response for Song You, “He says he’ll have to ask the king, but it’s unlikely. Besides, the ceremony will last for three days, and they’re urging us to leave quickly.”

“I see...” Song You couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, “Could you do me one last favor and ask him this: There’s a legend of a Little Kingdom somewhere out at sea, and it shouldn’t be far from here. Does he know the way?”

“Certainly.”

Ye Xinrong turned back and began asking the Yaksha. The two conversed back and forth, with animated gestures, before Ye Xinrong turned to Song You again. “The Yaksha has indeed heard of the Little Kingdom, but he’s never been there. He said to sail toward the direction of the rising sun. It should take about a day by boat.

“You’ll first arrive at the Fierce Beast Kingdom. From there, ask for directions, and you’ll find it.”

Song You said, “The Fierce Beast Kingdom?”

“The Yaksha language is different from our Great Yan language...”

“Thank you, and please thank him as well.”

Song You bowed politely, expressing his gratitude.

Ye Xinrong relayed the message to the patrol Yaksha, likely expressing their thanks, and then tossed the small piglet they had brought along onto the shore as a token of appreciation.

The Yaksha caught it, momentarily stunned, but then refused to let their boat leave. Holding his wooden spear, he shouted a few words before running back toward the forest. Moments later, he returned carrying a stone, which he tossed onto the boat—a gesture of reciprocity.

The Yaksha’s manners were no less refined than those of humans.