Chapter 449: A Gift of Spiritual Fruits

“

Crunch

.” The Daoist took a small bite of the spiritual fruit, savoring it as he walked.

“

Crunch

.” Behind him, the little girl mirrored his movements almost exactly.

No one knew what this fruit had originally been before it absorbed the rich spiritual energy of the mountain. It carried a fragrant aroma that filled the air, but in truth, its sweetness was mild. However, it was extremely juicy, with a crisp texture that made it incredibly refreshing.

A single bite broke off effortlessly, and in the mouth, it melted into pure nectar without the need for much chewing.

Song You ate only one before stopping.

For him, it was merely a taste—something to quench his thirst and fill his stomach a little.

One tall, one small, the two figures did not descend the mountain. Instead, they continued their ascent to the very peak of Qiong Mountain, finally stopping at the sheer cliffs of Tianmen Rock.

They had reached the mountain’s foot in the mid-afternoon—now, dusk was approaching.

Yet the sun had not yet sunk behind the western hills. The stratus clouds in the sky stretched hundreds of li, their layers broken by scattered openings.

Through these gaps in the clouds, the sunlight cascaded down in golden beams, as if descending straight from the Heavenly Palace into the mortal world.

Below lay the Qingnu River, emerald-green like a jade belt.

Across the river, the distant mountains remained rugged and majestic, while at their base, fertile fields and villages stretched across the land—a breathtaking view.

Song You sat cross-legged, silently admiring the scenery.

There was no rush to descend the mountain—they wouldn’t reach the city in time anyway. Sleeping at the mountain’s foot or resting atop its peak made little difference.

Only... tonight, his horse remained at the inn in the county city, and he hadn’t brought a wool blanket or fur coat. It might be a chilly night.

But Lady Calico was long accustomed to his stubborn pursuit of mountaintops, landscapes, and sunsets. Not only did she raise no objections, she didn’t even find it unusual anymore.

She merely walked to the cliff’s edge, took a quick glance downward to judge how high the drop was, then strolled back to sit beside the Daoist.

Copying him, she crossed her legs, rested one hand on her cheek, and nibbled her fruit, idly staring at the sunset.

The swallow landed nearby, transforming into a young man, and also sat down behind the Daoist. Lady Calico handed him three spiritual fruits.

The mountains were vast and quiet, the only sound the whispering wind. Even the boats on the river below had vanished from sight.

Only one old fisherman remained, standing on his bamboo raft, casting his net into the water. From this distance, his figure looked minuscule, almost like an ink painting on silk.

Song You finally spoke, his voice calm, carrying through the quiet air, “This place is dense with spiritual energy, its spiritual resonance profound and mysterious. While the spiritual properties of these fruits are rare, their greatest virtue lies in the fact that they were born from these very mountains and rivers, naturally harmonizing with the spiritual resonance of heaven and earth.

“Lady Calico, Yan An—after eating your spiritual fruits, spend the night cultivating here. Absorb the essence of the fruit, but more importantly, attune yourselves to the mountain’s spiritual resonance. If you can synchronize with this land through the fruit’s power, it will be all the better.”

“You suddenly speaking scared me!”

“Thank you for the guidance, sir. I will remember your words.”

Song You smiled faintly.

“It wasn’t that I suddenly spoke. Lady Calico, with your exceptional gifts and pure heart, you had already begun to attune to the world without realizing it after eating the spiritual fruit. That’s why you were so easily startled by my voice.”

“Really?”

“...” Song You didn’t answer. He simply turned to look at her.

“Oh! But if I save those three spiritual fruits for the horse, won’t the horse be at a loss when we get back?”

“If it is fate, then let it be called fate.”

“...I don’t understand.”

“Lady Calico, focus on cultivating.”

“Alright...”

The little girl put on a serious face, then quickly closed her eyes. Farther away, the swallow also closed his eyes.

The spiritual qi and resonance flowed around them, circulating through this place.

Song You, however, remained still, keeping his eyes open, watching as the sun sank below the horizon. The golden light of the clouds scattered like fragments of gold, and when the sun finally disappeared, the lingering glow burned the evening sky a deep crimson.

Beautiful mountains, clear waters, and abundant spiritual resonance, as well as a breathtaking sunset and a heart at ease... This was his way of cultivation.

For Song You, a single spiritual fruit wasn’t much—it merely quenched thirst and filled the stomach. But its roots had grown deep in this land, nurtured by the heavens and the earth. The spiritual resonance within was useful to him as well, aiding him in perceiving the energy of these mountains and waters more clearly. However, just one was enough.

As night fell, a sea of stars spread across the sky. The mountain wind grew harsher, colder.

Yet Song You and the two young demons remained seated atop the mountain, unmoving for the entire night. Wrapped in cultivation, they felt neither the cold nor the passage of time.

Only when the first light of dawn stretched across the sky did the morning sun call them back to wakefulness. The two young demons exhaled puffs of white mist.

The morning air on Qiong Mountain was utterly still, without even a whisper of wind.

Song You remained seated at the cliff’s edge, now watching the morning mist drift through the mountain valleys, curling above the Qingnu River.

Now, compared to the majestic and overwhelming beauty of last night, the world before him had become serene, lively, and full of life.

Boats moved up and down the river, smoke curled lazily from chimneys in distant villages, faint singing and hoarse calls rang out, and in between, the crow of roosters and the barking of dogs echoed through the valleys. Last night was magnificent and breathtaking; this morning was serene and graceful.

Song You saw that the others had woken up. He turned back, glanced at them, and with a small smile, stood up.

***

Early in the mountains, the birds sang crisp and clear. The cat frequently tilted her head high, her amber-like eyes scanning the treetops, tracking the birds through the branches.

Sometimes, she became so absorbed in watching that she forgot to mind her steps, nearly slipping on the uneven path.

Somewhere in the distance, singing echoed faintly through the mountain air. The singing voice seemed like something he had heard just yesterday.

Song You continued walking down the path and soon encountered a woodcutter carrying a shoulder pole and a hatchet, making his way up the mountain.

Once again, he stopped in his tracks.

“You’re up early,” he greeted.

“Sir, you’re heading down the mountain?” the woodcutter responded.

“Yes.”

“We poor folks naturally have to wake up early...” The woodcutter gave Song You a somewhat mocking look. “Could it be that you spent the night on the mountain and were too cold to sleep?”

“That’s not far from the truth.” Song You remained smiling as he spoke.

Yesterday, Lady Calico had picked three spiritual fruits for him. He had only eaten one, and now he took out another and handed it to the woodcutter.

“Yesterday, I delayed you from chopping wood while we talked, and I also have you to thank for telling me about last year’s events—I learned something valuable from it. While walking through the mountains, I picked a few wild fruits. These fruits grow deep in the mountains, seemingly absorbing the spiritual qi and essence of the land. Eating them is rather refreshing and pleasant. I’ve saved one especially for you as a token of gratitude.”

“Oh...” The woodcutter lowered his gaze, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed. “I was just taking a break yesterday and casually chatting. I didn’t expect you to take it to heart like this... This is a bit much.”

“Please, accept it.”

“Well...” Before the woodcutter could even reach out to take it, a delicate fragrance wafted toward him.

That fragrance was indescribable—it wasn’t like any wild fruit or flower found in the mountains. It didn’t have the kind of scent that made one immediately think it would taste delicious, nor did it carry the vibrant aroma of flowers. Instead, just a single breath of it brought an inexplicable sense of refreshment and comfort.

And this fragrance carried the same mysterious quality—as if simply eating it would bring a deep sense of comfort.

The woodcutter dared not hesitate and quickly accepted it.

The fruit was as red as dripping blood, translucent as if enveloped in a faint mist that shifted and swirled. But when he looked closely, there was nothing there at all.

“Could this be a celestial fruit?”

“It’s a wild fruit from the mountains.”

“How could I possibly accept such a fine thing?”

“Everything happens because of fate.”

“Then I must thank you, Daoist!”

“No need to be so formal.” Song You paused for a moment before saying, “But if you insist on thanking me, then please tell me—what was the name of that old Daoist from last year, and where did he go after exorcising the demon and leaving the mountain?”

“Huh? How do you know that I would know?”

“I guessed.”

“You guessed, huh...”

The woodcutter, still holding the fruit, looked up at the Daoist, then down at the cat, then up again, meeting their gazes both times before finally answering, “That old Daoist called himself Wenpingzi. He said he was going to Yangdu to continue his cultivation. But Yangdu isn’t exactly close to here, and it's a big place—I wouldn’t know where he ended up.”

“Yangdu, huh?”

“I think that’s what he said,” the woodcutter confirmed. “I chatted with him for a bit.”

“Thank you. I'll take my leave now.”

“Hey, why is your little cat staring at me like that?”

“Maybe she finds your words amusing.”

“Could it be that she understands human speech?”

“Sometimes, she does.”

“Now that's strange...”

By then, the Daoist had already walked past him, continuing down the mountain with the cat. The woodcutter, however, remained where he was, leaning on his shoulder pole, watching them go as if still trying to make sense of it all.

“Hurry up, little one.” As he walked, Song You spoke to the cat beside him.

“...?” The little cat trotted alongside him, turning her head to stare at him blankly.

“What is it?”

“...Nothing.” The cat shook her head but kept looking at him. “Daoist priest, why did you give the fruit to him?”

“Oh? Calling me 'Daoist priest' again?”

“...I don't understand what you're talking about.”

One man and one cat made their way down to the base of the mountain, waiting for a long time before finally coming across a boat heading back to the county city that could dock and take them aboard.

It was still a small boat with a melon-skin hull. However, while their journey to the mountain had been smooth sailing with the wind at their backs, the return trip was against the current. The boatman rowed with great difficulty, taking two whole days to bring them back to the county city.

The first thing the Lady Calico did upon arrival was rush to the stable to check on her horse. Seeing that it had been well cared for by the inn’s attendants, she finally felt at ease. She then fed it a spiritual fruit and whispered in its ear, telling it to cultivate properly after consuming the fruit, to comprehend spiritual resonance or something of the sort, before she was truly satisfied.

Meanwhile, Song You headed straight to his room, with the swallow following closely behind.

The inn stay was paid for until the end of the next day.

“Tomorrow, we’ll set off,” Song You said as he unpacked. “Three of the Five Manifested Gods remain. We should visit each one and see how many managed to escape the State Preceptor’s grasp. And while we’re at it, we can explore Yangzhou.”

As he spoke, he took out the last remaining spiritual fruit and placed it on the table. Then, turning to the swallow, he continued, “A few days ago, when we visited Qingyun Temple, Daoist Qinghuaizi treated us with courtesy. Both sentimentally and logically, we should return the favor. This fruit—please take it to Qingyun Temple and present it to Daoist Qinghuaizi on my behalf.”

“No problem!”

“Wait...”

Song You retrieved a length of string from his pouch. Just like how ordinary people tie up wine jars with hemp rope, he carefully fastened the egg-sized fruit, securing it with a knot to make it easier for the swallow to grasp with his claws.

“Alright, it’s ready.”

“I’m on my way!”

With that, the swallow called out, spread his wings, and took off. His claws grasped the thin string effortlessly, lifting the fruit with ease—just like that time in Anqing when he had carried a jade bottle filled with the Swallow Pills to find Song You.

Flap, flap, flap...

The swallow flew out through the window and quickly disappeared into the distance.

Song You withdrew his gaze, shook his head slightly, then sat down by the window. Using the light filtering in from outside, he opened the

Yudi Jisheng

, flipping to the section on Yangzhou. He examined the locations where the remaining three Earth Gods had been enshrined, as well as the city’s scenic spots, local specialties, and the famous Congealed Fragrance—where exactly it was produced.

The little cat returned at some point, but he did not notice at all.