Chapter 455: They Begin to Settle in Yangdu

“It was someone else's money,

meow

?”

“Indeed, it was.”

“Mmm...”

After suffering for a full four hours over the sheer foolishness of her Daoist—who had actually seen money scattered on the street and not picked any up—Lady Calico finally let go of her frustration. Instead, she widened her eyes in deep thought.

With her seemingly innate stingy instincts, she quickly developed a strong sense of empathy for the unfortunate household that had been stripped of its wealth. Her eyes grew even rounder, her pupils dilating in the darkness until they almost filled her entire gaze, glossy and wide.

“That god is terrible! How dare he steal people's money!”

“Indeed.”

“If we don’t worship him, will our money fly away too?”

“Then you must guard it well.”

“Mmm...”

“But Lady Calico, you possess vast divine powers and immense magical strength. Even the so-called 'Anle God,' who was on par with this one, fell at your paws. Surely, this 'Jile God' wouldn’t dare provoke you.”

“This one seems stronger than that one!”

“How do you know?”

“I can't explain...”

“Then it must simply be an innate talent.”

Song You lay flat on the bed, casually offering a compliment, his voice already weak with drowsiness. “It’s late. Sleep now, Lady Calico. In a couple of days, we’ll be moving to our new residence.”

***

In the depths of winter, the heavy fog clung like rain.

In the narrow alleys of this southern city, the blue-stone roads stretched endlessly, lined with white-walled homes that seemed to connect infinitely into the distance.

The muffled sound of hoofbeats echoed through the mist.

A Daoist leaning on a staff, a calico cat beside him craning its head curiously, a jujube-red horse laden with travel packs, and a lone swallow swooping down to perch on the eaves of a green-tiled roof—all arrived at this quiet alley.

“This place is both peaceful and convenient. I cleared the weeds a while ago, and any leaks in the house have been patched. You are free to use anything inside as you please—there are no locked places, no areas off-limits.”

The sturdy descendant of the Yaksha clan handed over a key. “Once the new year starts, if the sea is safe, I likely won’t return until the end of next year. If it isn’t safe, I’ll remain in the coastal counties. Today, I’m setting out southward for Cangyuan. Sir, you may stay as long as you like—when you leave, just lock the door and leave the key under the stone bench in the courtyard. If it gets lost, that’s fine too.”

“Many thanks,” Song You said respectfully before adding, “I’ll tell you this much—Sea Dragon King likely won’t cause trouble as he did before.”

He paused for a moment before continuing, “If you encounter storms at sea, or if the Sea Dragon King stirs up trouble again, there is no longer any need to offer livestock as sacrifices. Instead, prepare two sacred rhinoceros statues in advance—one inscribed with the name White Rhino King Xi Duo, the other with White Rhino King Xi Meng. When the time comes, offer prayers and call upon their names. It may help.”

“I must remember this!”

“I don’t have enough money for rent—consider this my token of gratitude in return.”

“Sir...” Ye Xinrong’s expression grew momentarily complex.

That day at sea, the Daoist had saved their lives—a life-saving grace greater than the heavens, akin to being granted rebirth. How could simply guiding him to a house be enough to repay such a debt?

Now, lending his vacant home to an immortal, it wasn’t even a matter of who benefited more. Even if he were merely lending the house to a benefactor for a year or two, it still wouldn’t come close to settling the debt of gratitude.

And if the method the Daoist had just mentioned truly worked, for merchants who spent their lives sailing the seas, it would be worth untold wealth—tens of thousands of qian, perhaps even more.

The two men exchanged bows and farewells.

Ye Xinrong didn’t ride a horse but instead had a single mule pulling a cart. He carried no sharp weapons, only an iron hammer tucked at his waist. With the reins in hand, he slowly made his way down the misty alley, swaying gently with the movement of the cart.

Song You watched him until his figure faded into the thick morning fog at the alley’s entrance, until even the sound of the wheels became faint and distant. Only then did he withdraw his gaze and turn his attention to his new surroundings.

Though this was a residence left behind by a warrior, it had not been built by one. As a result, the home still retained the refined elegance characteristic of Yangdu.

Not too big, not too small—yet certainly larger than the small courtyard he had in Yidu. This was an actual “residence.”

Situated in the quiet eastern part of the city, it was surrounded not by nobles and officials but rather by wealthy merchants and esteemed commoners of Yangdu. The small alley in front of the house was peaceful, but stepping outside and heading left to the end of the street would bring one to the Yangjiang River.

The riverbanks were lined with teahouses, taverns, brothels, and entertainment halls—places of indulgence and revelry. Meanwhile, heading right out of the alley led directly to a bustling main street, where all manner of fresh produce and goods could be easily bought.

This location suited Song You perfectly.

It was tranquil yet still alive with human warmth—smoky kitchens, lively streets, the subtle hum of everyday life. It was perfect.

Across the way, at an angle, there was another residence.

The calico cat sniffed around curiously, eventually trotting up to the door of the neighboring house. Pressing its nose close, it peeked through the crack in the door with one eye, then switched to the other.

Moments later, it scampered back and reported to Song You, “That house is empty. No one lives there. Not even a single rat.”

“How do you know that no one lives there?”

“There’s no human scent!” The cat lifted its head sternly, glaring at him as if offended by his doubt. “I can't see inside because it's blocked, but I can smell the scent of rotting fruit!”

“I see...”

“Lady Calico is right,” the swallow on the rooftop chimed in, fluffing its feathers before casually glancing to the side. “That courtyard has indeed been unoccupied for a long time. There's a fruit tree inside—the leaves and ripe fruit have fallen in heaps, but no weeds have grown anywhere else.”

“Let’s not concern ourselves with it. Yangdu is vast, filled with skilled individuals—this might very well be the residence of some master,” Song You remarked as he stepped into his new home.

The jujube-red horse followed him at once, walking straight through the main gate. Though its sides were bulging with saddlebags, lanterns, and fishing poles, it passed through without brushing against the doorway even once.

The calico cat glanced once more at the opposite house before twisting around and bounding after the Daoist. As it slipped inside, it used its body to nudge the door shut.

The swallow, too, folded its wings and darted into the courtyard.

Beyond two doors lay the main courtyard.

It was empty and spacious, with plenty of open ground. There were no flowers or plants, and every patch of earth that hadn’t been paved with stone bricks had been scorched with fire—leaving behind a layer of ash to suppress weed growth.

Song You strolled around the yard, his satisfaction growing with each step.

He was especially pleased with how open the courtyard was—

Not only could he plant chili peppers and

suanqie

, but the horse would also have enough room to move about, avoiding a cramped enclosure. This was the main reason he had accepted Ye Gong’s generous offer.

Whether or not the courtyard was suitable for Lady Calico to run and play wasn’t particularly important.

After all, Lady Calico was highly skilled—regardless of whether it was a large estate, a small apartment, or even a barren wilderness, as long as she wanted to move, she could leap and bound anywhere without pause. As long as she wanted to play, she would find a way to enjoy herself.

But the horse was different. It had always been dutiful, tirelessly carrying heavy loads for him, yet in this regard, he had long neglected its needs.

And renting a proper residence in a place like Yangdu would have been far too expensive.

“You’ve been through a lot these past years.” Song You removed the saddlebags from the horse’s back and patted it gently. “There’s a stable in the back, but you don’t have to stay there. Feel free to wander around the courtyard or even go for a run outside, whatever you prefer.”

The horse made no sound, only turning its head left and right, its deep, black eyes carefully observing the courtyard.

Meanwhile, Song You inspected the house room by room.

It was clear that Ye Xinrong, who spent most of his time at sea, wanted to preserve his ancestral home in Yangdu without letting outsiders meddle with it. Aside from a few heirloom furniture pieces, everything had been kept in good condition. His only efforts had been to clear out the weeds—so the house wouldn’t be mistaken for an abandoned residence—and repair any leaks to prevent water damage.

Otherwise, the place was completely bare. The only thing of real use was an iron pot, already rusted yellow.

Song You took the pot out and began scrubbing it clean. Meanwhile, Lady Calico transformed into her human form, wielding a broom nearly as tall as she was, diligently sweeping dust from every room.

As Song You occasionally lifted his gaze, an odd sense of déjà vu washed over him—a memory of Yidu.

Back then, it had been much the same—a Daoist cleaning up the courtyard where he planned to stay for a while, and a cat helping him pull weeds.

But at that time, perhaps the cat didn’t understand why he was doing it. She had simply seen him busy and decided to help, eager to make herself useful and feel included.

Now, the young girl’s expression was different—clear and intentional. She didn’t look like she was helping him anymore. Instead, she looked like she was tidying up her own home.

Seeing this, the swallow fluttered down as well, fetching water from the well to wash away the ash left by the rain.

Soon after, Song You retrieved seeds for chili peppers, cattails, and jointgrasses[1] from his travel bag. He planted them in the empty soil and used a spell to accelerate their growth.

In just a few short days, the courtyard burst into life. And so, the Daoist settled into his new home.

Three days later, Song You took Lady Calico out for a stroll around the city, picking up a few vegetables that were rare elsewhere. He bought half a jin of pork, two jin of pork ribs, and, with the two crucian carp that Lady Calico had caught from the river, he figured it was time to prepare a proper meal to treat themselves—after all, their group had now settled down in Yangdu, at least for the time being.

The young girl’s fire-tending skills had grown ever more refined—she could now multitask, perfectly controlling the flames while also standing by the stove, secretly learning cooking techniques.

Apart from Swallow Rice and Swallow Potatoes, Yangdu now also had swallow beans available for purchase. However, for some reason, they were quite small. Song You bought a handful, stir-fried a portion, and used the rest for a pork rib stew. The crucian carp caught by Lady Calico was turned into a fish soup, while carrots were shredded and stir-fried with meat.

He also bought a Swallow Potato, diced it, and steamed it with rice.

As smoke curled from the kitchen chimney, the Daoist and the cat were in no hurry. They simply let the aroma spread freely throughout the courtyard.

Who knew what the neighbors thought upon smelling it?

“So much food...!”

“It’s not much.”

“I eat only a little, the swallow doesn’t like this kind of food, and the horse doesn’t eat any of it. The two of us could eat for two days!”

“We can take our time eating,” Song You answered casually.

Just then, the swallow flew inside.

“Sir, there's an old Daoist outside knocking at the door. He has some cultivation skills. When I flew closer, he introduced himself as 'Wenpingzi,' from Tianxing Temple outside the city. He says he's here to pay his respects to you.”

“...”

Song You exchanged a glance with Lady Calico—what a coincidence.

Without hesitation, he stepped outside to greet the visitor.

“

Creak

...”

The wooden door swung open, revealing an elderly Daoist standing outside.

He appeared to be in his fifties, his beard and hair streaked with gray. His Daoist robes were well-maintained and meticulous, and he leaned on a wooden staff.

Upon seeing Song You, he immediately bowed respectfully.

“I am Wenpingzi. Greetings, Immortal Master.”

“I am Song You. No need for such formalities, fellow Daoist.”

Song You hurriedly opened the door fully and welcomed the old Daoist inside.

1. Hemarthria is a genus of herbaceous plants in the grass family. They occur in the tropical and subtropical Old World, especially in China and Southeast Asia, with some species in Africa, Australia, and Southern Europe. They may be known generally as jointgrasses. ☜