Chapter 433: Riding a Cat Up the Mountain

That night, a grand banquet was held at the royal palace of the Little Kingdom.

The Little Kingdom wasn’t just home to small people—the nation itself was quite small. As a distinguished guest from afar, Song You was naturally treated with the highest level of hospitality by the king.

The royal palace here was far more elegant and refined than those of the Tanuki or Dog Kingdoms. For one, the people were truly human—they had once been citizens of Great Yan, only reduced in size. From Song You’s observations, the Little Kingdom had largely maintained the administrative system of the Central Plains dynasties in Shenzhou.

The king, however, refrained from calling himself “emperor,” instead humbly adopting the title of “king” out of respect for the Celestial Empire.

As a result, their palace was designed in accordance with Great Yan’s palace traditions, but it was built with exquisite craftsmanship. Intricate carvings adorned railings and beams, while pavilions, terraces, and gardens were all arranged harmoniously within. Streams, artificial mountains, and lush landscapes were seamlessly incorporated into the design.

If not for the fish in the ponds—fish that looked like normal small fish but were actually about the same size as the people—or the palace plants that appeared to be mere flowers and grasses yet were taller than the people themselves, one could easily mistake this place for a palace back in Great Yan.

It was beautiful and unique. A peculiar kind of beauty.

As Song You walked through the palace, he found himself fascinated by its charm, and his knowledge of the world expanded. Even as he sat at his seat, he couldn’t resist gazing around, taking in every detail.

The palace was brightly lit, and music filled the air as performers played instruments, sang, and danced. The musical instruments, which had been scaled down proportionately, produced sounds that were not only smaller in volume but also had distinct tonal differences.

Dancers moved with an elegance unique to their small forms, their flowing garments enhancing their graceful motions in ways unlike those of full-sized humans.

The banquet hall was packed with guests, and servants bustled back and forth.

Lady Calico sat obediently next to Song You, her large, curious eyes scanning the crowd. Her normally cute and beautiful face, when magnified several times over, caused some unease among the little people.

In contrast, the white dog, who was more familiar with the customs of the Little Kingdom, sat nearby, radiating a much friendlier and more reassuring presence.

The meal began with the arrival of the first dish. It was a platter of bird eggs.

The eggs were about the size of a normal person’s fingertip, but for the people here, they had to be served on plates. Servants skillfully peeled the eggshells on the spot, leaving the eggs smooth and intact without any damage. One egg was presented to Lady Calico, another to the white dog, while the rest were carefully sliced with a small knife and distributed among the banquet’s guests.

“This is an egg from a least auklet[1] native to the island,” the white dog whispered softly into the ears of Song You and Lady Calico. “Though this bird isn’t capable of preying on the citizens of the Little Kingdom, it’s quite aggressive when laying eggs, making its eggs difficult to obtain. Because of that, they’re considered a delicacy here. When eaten with the kingdom’s special sauce, which is a bit sour, they’re quite tasty.”

Lady Calico had already lowered her head and popped the entire egg into her mouth, chewing twice before swallowing it.

It was only after she had swallowed that she heard the white dog’s explanation, causing her to pause in surprise.

Song You, on the other hand, was in no rush. He waited until the servants presented the sauce before carefully slicing off a small piece of the egg with a wooden knife, dipping it into the slightly brownish sauce, and placing it into his mouth.

“Hmm?”

As the white dog had mentioned, the sauce had a pleasantly tangy taste that was highly appetizing.

The flavor of the bird egg was instantly elevated, becoming far more delicious. But more than that, the taste triggered a sense of familiarity.

Curious, Song You used his wooden knife to stir the sauce and, after spotting a few small seeds roughly the size of a fingertip, he realized with a jolt of recognition—this sauce was made from tomatoes.

“Is it good?” Lady Calico’s soft, barely audible voice reached him from the side.

“...”

Song You didn’t respond verbally. Instead, he skewered the remaining bird egg with the wooden knife, coated it in a generous amount of sauce, and handed it over to the cat.

She opened her mouth and ate it in one bite.

“Sour and tangy...” she murmured.

Many guests at the banquet had been watching them, and upon seeing this, the servants quickly brought another plate with a fresh bird egg and sauce.

“How do you find it, sir?” The elderly king, seated at the head of the table, smiled warmly as he asked.

“This is the most delicious bird egg I’ve ever had, all thanks to this wonderful sauce,” Song You said, setting down his utensils and swallowing the food in his mouth before addressing the king. “May I ask what ingredients are used to make this sauce?”

“It is a type of wild fruit found on the island, which we call

suanqie

[2]. The vines can grow quite tall, and the fruits range in size. Smaller ones are about the size of these bird eggs, while larger ones can be several times bigger. When unripe, they are slightly green, and when fully ripe, they turn red. Our country has been cultivating and eating this fruit for many years.”

“I’m very fond of it,” Song You replied with a smile. “May I ask if Your Majesty could provide me with some seeds to take back with me?”

“Hahaha...”

The old king threw his head back and laughed heartily. “It is our honor that you enjoy something from our land. Seeds are a small matter—what difficulty is there in that?”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Song You said.

Soon after, more dishes were brought to the table. This time, it was a plate of meat with a reddish skin and white interior.

The white dog once again leaned over and quietly explained, “You may not recognize it, sir, but this is crab meat—meat from the claw of a sea crab. Most of the crabs here are fierce and pose a significant threat to the citizens of the Little Kingdom. To catch them, we either target crabs during their molting phase or expend considerable effort to capture them.”

Song You nodded, understanding the explanation.

The food, while ordinary in other places, was a precious delicacy here in the Little Kingdom.

The white dog was proving to be quite loyal and considerate, making sure that Song You wouldn’t mistakenly view these dishes as too common and think the kingdom was treating him disrespectfully. His explanations were clear but never overdone.

Song You tasted a bite.

He had eaten crab meat many times before, and the flavor remained familiar—there was nothing particularly unique about the preparation, as it had simply been steamed.

Yet, even for an ordinary person at normal size, cutting the same food into smaller pieces could change its taste and texture. Here, the crab meat had been sliced so finely, and with his mouth shrunken to one-tenth its original size, the experience was completely different.

The fibers of the meat felt larger, and the texture was noticeably altered.

Song You smirked, finding it all quite fascinating.

Next, servants brought out fish and shrimp, serving them whole and cutting them in the middle of the grand hall for everyone to enjoy. A single fish or shrimp was enough to feed many people.

However, serving Lady Calico and the white dog was an entirely different matter. Two servants had to carry each dish over to them, and even then, it only took the two animals a few bites to finish their portions. The white dog, ever polite, thanked the servants after each dish, acknowledging their hard work. Lady Calico, quick to learn, soon began mimicking his behavior and thanking the servants as well.

Toward the end of the banquet, fruit was brought out.

What were normally bite-sized berries and ground fruits now had to be cut into small pieces for sharing. A single piece of fruit could be divided among the entire table. For larger fruits, one piece was more than enough to go around.

They ate while enjoying the performances of singing and dancing.

The singing and dancing here bore traces of Great Yan’s influence, but over the centuries, local adaptations and the Little Kingdom’s peculiar culture had given it a distinct and heavy local flavor.

At the same time, Song You engaged in lighthearted conversations with the king and his ministers.

When the topic turned to the Great Yan citizens who had inadvertently ended up here over the past decade, the ministers could still recall their names. In turn, Song You shared some of the coastal legends from Great Yan about this mystical Little Kingdom.

Comparing their perspectives, both sides found the exchange quite amusing.

𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Eventually, the king broached the subject of the Eastern Soil and the fate of the Little Kingdom. Song You patiently explained the situation again. Two bold and straightforward officials stepped forward to voice their doubts and criticisms, likely fulfilling their usual roles as skeptics and challengers. However, the majority of the court proved to be reasonable and wise.

The king, taking a tactful approach, expressed concern about the frequent flooding along their coastline in recent years, which had been causing significant trouble for their people. He asked if Song You could do something to help.

It was likely the Sea Dragon King’s doing.

Song You promised to call upon a powerful demon to protect their coasts from future erosion and flooding, which greatly pleased the court.

One ambitious minister, noticing Song You’s agreeable nature, seized the opportunity to bring up another issue. He mentioned that the island was home to several ferocious birds and predatory creatures, which, due to their ability to fly, were difficult for the Little Kingdom’s army to handle. He asked if Song You could help them deal with the threat.

Though the request came from a place of greed, it wasn’t entirely selfish—it would benefit the entire kingdom. Song You agreed, saying that he would send his cat and swallow to handle the problem.

This news made everyone even more delighted.

***

After the banquet, Song You politely declined the king’s offer to stay overnight at the palace. Instead, he stepped out into the night, deciding to take this chance to explore the island and see the world from a new perspective.

The Little Kingdom’s capital was surprisingly bustling, built on a large expanse of flat land nestled between the mountains.

At first glance, the buildings and streets weren’t much different from those of an ordinary remote kingdom. But when viewed alongside the surrounding plants and vegetation, the place took on an extraordinary, almost magical appearance.

Many of the wild grasses grew taller than the houses. A single wildflower could bloom to the size of a person’s head. When he looked up, the forest trees stretched high into the sky, their dense canopy blocking out much of the moonlight. The low-lying plants that people usually ignored while walking now felt soft and springy underfoot.

Some residents had hollowed out tree trunks to make their homes.

Others carved their dwellings directly into large rocks or hillsides, which provided more stability and protection from collapse.

A single fallen tree could serve as a bridge, with people walking, running, and even jumping across it. Some had even domesticated insects and mice, keeping them as pets or livestock.

Song You walked slowly, taking in every detail as he explored the city at his own pace.

This sensation was similar to using Swallow Pill, seeing the world through the eyes of a swallow—but instead of simply altering vision, it was like experiencing the world from a completely opposite perspective.

***

Five days later...

Song You stood at the base of a mountain, gazing up at its towering peak in the distance.

The island had a single mountain, and it was tall and steep. No one in the Little Kingdom had ever climbed it. The Eastern Soil was located somewhere on that mountain.

Song You turned his head and looked at the cat.

Lady Calico was licking her paw, but the moment she noticed his gaze, she instantly understood what he meant. “You want to climb that mountain?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want me to take you up there?”

“I’d be grateful if you did.”

“Then I will carry you in my mouth!”

“I’d prefer if you carried me on your back.”

“On my back?”

“Yes,” Song You said as he looked at her. “Lady Calico, you’re strong and powerful enough to carry me with ease.”

“You’re going to ride me?”

“What’s wrong?”

“That won’t work!”

“Why not?”

“Cats can’t be ridden! Only horses and mules can be ridden!”

“But you’ve grown larger,” Song You said, meeting her gaze. “When I was a bigger size, I carried and held you plenty of times.”

“Oh... That’s true...”

“I’d appreciate it if you could help.”

“How about I just carry you in my mouth?”

“...”

“Fine, you can climb on...”

The cat turned her head and fixed her gaze on the Daoist.

With his bamboo staff in one hand, Song You grabbed hold of the long fur on her back with the other and effortlessly climbed onto Lady Calico’s back.

But to his surprise, her body felt as soft as water, with no stability whatsoever. As soon as he settled onto her back, the cat’s belly immediately sagged, pressing against the ground.

“...”

“Eh? She can’t get up!”

“...”

“Eh? She got up on her own again!”

Lady Calico stood up straight, then turned her head to look at the Daoist sitting on her back. She found the situation incredibly strange—after years of being carried and held by the Daoist when she was small, she was now the one carrying him!

“Daoist priest, are you holding on tight?”

“I’m holding on.”

“I’m about to run!”

“Alright.”

With that, the cat suddenly sprang into action, charging forward at full speed.

The wind roared past them, ruffling her fur wildly as she darted through the forest. She weaved nimbly between trees, brushed past tall grass and leaves, and leapt effortlessly over rocks and gullies. Her agility and speed were astonishing.

Song You clung to her fur, lowering his body against her back, fully immersed in the exhilarating sensation of racing through the wild, the wind rushing by like a storm.

1. The least auklet is a seabird and the smallest species of auk. It is the most abundant seabird in North America, and one of the most abundant in the world, with a population of around nine million birds. ☜

2. 酸茄 (suān qié) literally translates to "sour tomato." ☜