Chapter 457: What Is Nature?

“Fellow Daoist, are you saying you cannot track his movements?”

“My cultivation is shallow, and this is precisely what troubles me!”

“You must not say such things.”

Song You took a sip of fish soup before continuing, “The art of divine powers is the most elusive of all— even Duke of Thunder Zhou has his shortcomings, while illegitimate gods in the mountains have their own strengths.”

“I have been in Yangdu with Lady Calico for more than ten days now. During this time, I have frequently wandered the city, and while doing so, I have also been observing the traces of this 'Jile God.' I have even once come across the scene of his so-called 'wealth distribution.' It is evident that he is extremely skilled in concealment and should not be underestimated.

“Moreover, Yangdu is vast, with a population of nearly a million within and outside the city. Finding a single person is already difficult—let alone a god who has honed his art of hiding and has entrenched himself here for years. Not just you, even if a divine officer from the Thunder Division descended personally, it would still not be easy to uncover him.”

The young girl, who had been quietly savoring her fish soup, caught an important detail in his words. She immediately lifted her head, her expression as blank as ever, yet her gaze locked onto him.

“The people of Yangdu have suffered under the Jile God for too long.”

“Indeed.”

“Do you have a solution, fellow Daoist?”

“If that Jile God were to appear before me, or if I happened to pass by him, I could certainly see through his disguise. However, he hides too deeply, and Yangzhou is too vast—finding him is truly difficult.”

Song You shook his head, speaking truthfully. “If no better method presents itself, we can only wait for the right timing.”

“The right timing?”

“On the day of the Spring Equinox, when the balance of yin and yang is at its most harmonious, day and night are equal. Unless this Jile God has cultivated both yin and yang in perfect unison—like Lady Calico—he will be exposed.

“Then there is the time of Qingming[1]—when the air is pure and the skies are bright, and all things are revealed. If a misty rain were to fall that day, then no disguise, no matter how perfected, could escape my eyes.”

“Spring Equinox... Qingming...”

In his urgency, Wenpingzi even set down his cherished bowl of fish soup, holding the spoon in his right hand while his left hand moved swiftly through calculations, tracing the flow of time and fate.

“It is now the twelfth lunar month, the final days of winter. There are still more than two months until mid-spring, and nearly an entire season before Qingming.” Wenpingzi furrowed his brows, his mind racing with possibilities.

His anxiety was understandable.

Ever since Jile God was stripped of his position by the authorities and officially declared an evil deity, with the people of Yangdu forbidden from worshipping him, he had lost his legitimate source of faith and incense offerings.

To prevent his own decline and eventual demise, he had no choice but to fully embrace the path of an evil god. Using dark arts and supernatural power to coerce believers, extort offerings, and showcasing his abilities to attract the greedy and opportunistic.

As a result, he had become even more rampant in Yangdu, his oppression of the common people growing increasingly severe.

People feared him, dreaded him, and acknowledged his power—they knew that believing in him meant gaining wealth, while rejecting him meant losing it. Thus, they were willing to defy the official ban, knowingly worshipping an evil god out of desperation.

The people of Yangdu had suffered under him for too long.

What’s more, Wenpingzi knew that he should have arrived in Yangdu a year and a half ago to eliminate this evil god. But because of his own delays, he had arrived six months late. This gave Jile God ample time to prepare, refine his divine abilities, and grow even stronger.

Now, he had already been in Yangdu for an entire year and still had no way to deal with him. To Wenpingzi, this was a failure on his part.

And if things were delayed any longer, something even worse might happen.

Suddenly, Wenpingzi spoke, “You said that if the Jile God appeared before you, or if you passed by him, you would be able to recognize him?”

“Fellow Daoist, do you have a plan?”

“I might have a way... though I can’t be certain if it will work.”

“Let’s hear it.”

Wenpingzi’s eyes gleamed with calculation as he explained, “That Jile God is highly vigilant—paranoid and deeply suspicious. Although he had spent many years in Yangdu and learned the schemes and intrigues of humans, he had not shed his demonic way of thinking.”

“If I spread rumors throughout Yangdu claiming that I have invited a powerful cultivator to set up a great formation to expose him, he will undoubtedly grow uneasy and fearful.”

“...” Song You pondered briefly before responding, “You believe he will come looking for me?”

“If I were to explicitly state that you reside here, he might see through the ruse. If he does not believe it, he will not come. If he does believe it, he will also be too afraid to come.”

Wenpingzi continued, “However, if I act with a little more subtlety—only revealing that the 'Daoist master' is staying somewhere in the eastern side of the city without specifying the exact location—then he will most likely search from house to house. You always wear Daoist robes. He will find you before long.”

“What do you mean by 'acting with a little more subtlety'?” Song You narrowed his eyes slightly, intrigued.

“If we spread the rumors through the mouths of ordinary people, he would see through it too easily. However, in just a few days, it will be Yangdu’s ‘Purification Festival’—a time for cleansing misfortune, driving away plagues, and warding off disasters.

“The authorities will invite Daoist temples and Buddhist monasteries from outside the city, as well as local folk practitioners, to perform traditional purification rituals, street processions, and ceremonial dances.”

Wenpingzi continued, “As I mentioned before, the people of Yangdu have suffered under the Jile God for a long time. If I spread the rumor in advance, I only need to tell the Daoists at Tianxing Temple. When the Purification Festival arrives, every Daoist, monk, shaman, and magician participating will discuss the matter openly.”

Upon hearing this, Song You couldn't help but smile and remarked, “Fellow Daoist, you have the makings of an ancient strategist.”

“I wouldn't dare compare myself to the strategists of old,” Wenpingzi replied humbly. “This plan requires no real preparation. All I need to do is speak a few words to my fellow Daoists at Tianxing Temple. It won’t trouble you at all—you don’t need to change anything. Simply continue your daily routine as usual in the coming days.”

“If the Jile God comes looking for you, that would be ideal. If he does not, then it will be as if nothing happened. Nothing is lost either way.”

“Exactly.”

That was precisely why Song You had praised him. The plan wasn’t guaranteed to work, but whether it succeeded or not, it cost nothing—no effort, no time, no resources.

There was no risk of loss, and while it might not yield immediate results, it had a high potential for gain.

It was a clever strategy.

“Drink your soup.”

Noticing that Wenpingzi had been talking for so long yet had only finished half a bowl, Song You urged him to drink before it got cold—lest the fishy smell resurface.

𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

He lowered his own head, scooping up a small piece of fish and a cube of tofu, placing them into his mouth.

The fish skin, having been pan-fried to a golden crisp, had wrinkled into a tiger-stripe pattern before becoming tender and near-melting in the stew. The tofu had fully absorbed the broth, and when combined with the spoonful of rich, umami-filled fish soup, it created the perfect texture and flavor.

Immediately after, the room filled with the rhythmic sounds of soup being sipped.

After Song You finished his bowl, the young girl beside him instantly picked up the ladle and refilled his bowl without hesitation, as if worried he hadn’t eaten enough.

A small act, but one filled with thoughtfulness.

Song You had only intended to have a little soup, perhaps a bit of tofu or radish as well. But with his young attendant holding the ladle, his bowl ended up filled entirely with golden-browned bits of fish and fried egg—which was not quite what he had in mind.

By the time he had finished two bowls of soup, the meal had lasted longer than usual.

Finally, he set his chopsticks down, wiped his mouth, and asked Wenpingzi, “If I do manage to find the Jile God, how do you intend to deal with him?”

“I originally cultivated at Mount Zhen, where we venerate the Star Officials of the War Division. I can call upon one of them to descend and assist.”

Wenpingzi wiped his mouth as well, then paused briefly before adding, “However, the divine officials of the War Division are extremely busy with their duties. Coincidentally, Yangzhou is a stable and prosperous region, where the people primarily worship the Gods of Wealth and Literary God, with few paying homage to the Duke of Thunder.

“Previously, I had already offered incense and sought permission from the Duke of Thunder, hoping to summon him to descend and eliminate the evil god—using this opportunity to establish his divine authority in Yangzhou. That very night, the Duke of Thunder sent me a dream, agreeing to my request.”

“The only problem is that the Jile God is so deeply hidden that I have been unable to locate him. Since the people of Yangdu do not worship the Duke of Thunder, it’s difficult for him to search for the target here himself.”

“Fellow Daoist, you truly possess great wisdom.”

“You flatter me, you flatter me...”

“May I ask which Duke of Thunder you are planning to summon?”

“The Chief Officer of the Thunder Division—Duke of Thunder Zhou.”

“Duke of Thunder Zhou, huh...”

Song You’s smile widened slightly, then he remarked, “Duke of Thunder Zhou is known for his unwavering righteousness, deep hatred for evil, and immense divine power. He values honor and keeps his word—if he has promised to assist you, then he will not go back on his word. With him involved, this matter will be swiftly resolved.”

“That was my thought as well.”

“Since you’ve already decided to summon Duke of Thunder Zhou to descend and eliminate the evil god, I will refrain from interfering. If the Jile God comes looking for me, I will locate him and then inform you.”

Duke of Thunder Zhou was, in fact, an old acquaintance of Song You's—they had crossed paths numerous times before.

If he could help establish Duke of Thunder Zhou's divine reputation in Yangzhou, attracting more followers and incense offerings, then there was no need for Song You to take credit for himself.

Helping Duke of Thunder Zhou secure a foothold in a major city like Yangdu would be a goodwill gesture between old friends.

“I usually stay and cultivate at Tianxing Temple,” Wenpingzi said. “Every morning and evening, I use wild birds to search for the Jile God in Yangdu. If you see a wild bird flying overhead, you may call it down to send me a message.”

“I’ll remember that.”

“I have truly disturbed you too much today.” Wenpingzi cupped his hands and bowed. “Once I return to Tianxing Temple, I will immediately spread the rumors.”

“It is merely working for the good of the people—it cannot be considered a disturbance. If anything, we are the ones benefiting from your virtue,” Song You replied. “Besides, it has been a long time since we’ve hosted a guest. If you’ve been able to eat and drink to your heart’s content, then we are happy as well.”

“Eat and drink to my heart’s content? That’s not enough to describe it! I only regret that my stomach is too small—I couldn’t eat more even if I wanted to!” Wenpingzi laughed. “I had been meaning to ask—was this meal prepared with some celestial magic, plucked directly from the heavens?”

“You flatter me.”

“Then may I ask—was it prepared by one of your disciples or attendants?”

“I enjoy cooking myself.”

“Hmm?” Wenpingzi froze on the spot, caught completely off guard.

There was both shock and admiration in his expression.

Hosting a guest with a home-cooked meal was already a mark of the highest courtesy.

At first, Wenpingzi had assumed that the young girl had prepared the food, and he had already felt deeply grateful for such hospitality. But upon learning that Song You himself had personally cooked the meal, he was astounded—practically unable to believe it.

In Wenpingzi’s mind, Song You was no different from an immortal—and to be personally cooked for by an immortal... even with his cultivated state of mind, he couldn’t help but feel a touch of reverence, even a bit of giddy disbelief.

Still somewhat dazed, he turned his head to glance at the young girl beside him. Only to see that she was sitting on her stool, belly already round from the countless bowls of fish soup she had consumed.

She had her head lowered, seemingly uninterested in their conversation. Instead, she was playfully patting her stomach back and forth with both hands, listening to the sloshing sound of the soup inside—clearly finding it endlessly amusing.

It really didn’t seem like she had cooked the meal.

“

Plop, plop, plop

...”

The young girl continued patting her belly, the sloshing sound of liquid inside still echoing softly.

Song You didn’t seem to find her behavior inappropriate, and she, in turn, was so immersed in her game that it had never even crossed her mind that he might reprimand her.

Wenpingzi, as a fellow cultivator, and one with significant experience, naturally didn’t see it as improper either.

Instead, as he watched the scene, his own expression softened slightly. Then, as if struck by a realization, he fell into quiet contemplation.

What was nature? This was it.

1. During Qingming, Chinese families visit the tombs of their ancestors to clean the gravesites and make ritual offerings to their ancestors. Offerings would typically include traditional food dishes and the burning of joss sticks and joss paper. The holiday recognizes the traditional reverence of one's ancestors in Chinese culture. ☜