Chapter 499: Let Lady Calico Witness Professional Deities

“How did you get this chicken?”

“How did I get it? It’s top-quality Mount Chang free-range chicken.”

“I meant the cooking method...”

“Oh, the method! It’s a secret recipe I got from a traveling merchant up north! They call it

Immortal Braise

.” The stall owner grinned. “Said a divine immortal passed by and taught him the recipe. Whether that’s true or not, I can’t say, but I tell you, if the gods in heaven had a taste, they’d never want to return to the Heavenly Palace!”

“Heh...” Song You chuckled and pressed further, “If it’s a secret recipe, then how did you come to know it?”

“Uh...” The vendor froze for a moment, realizing the contradiction in his own words. He then scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.

“Forgive my clumsy tongue, sir. Please don’t laugh at me. Whether it’s truly a secret recipe or not, I don’t know, but it’s certainly a cooking method that didn’t exist before. That merchant was quite peculiar—he’d teach the recipe to anyone who asked, as long as they didn’t compete with him in his hometown.”

“How many stalls in Changjing sell this now?”

“There are quite a few already.”

“I see...”

“But none are as authentic as mine!”

“Of course, of course...” Song You smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

“Here’s your chicken.”

“Thank you.”

The handle of the bamboo basket was bent into an arch, making it easy to carry. Song You hooked it with just one finger and strolled leisurely back home.

By the time he returned, it was already late afternoon.

This would be tonight’s dinner.

The recipe for this braised chicken had clearly been slightly altered. Given how expensive spices were in these times, street vendors often used lower-quality and smaller amounts of spices, making the flavor a bit mild and lacking the depth he was accustomed to.

Still, to be able to enjoy such a familiar taste in the capital of Changjing without having to cook it himself—it was an entirely different kind of satisfaction.

It also reminded him of the time he had handed the braised dish recipe to an innkeeper in Mozhu County, Zhaozhou, telling him to spread it far and wide so that, one day, he could find it wherever he went and wouldn’t have to make it himself. At the time, he had spoken casually, never expecting the innkeeper to take him seriously.

Yet, in just a few short years, he was now standing on the streets of Changjing, smelling that very same familiar aroma.

It was a true exchange of sincerity. That made it all the more delightful.

***

For the next two days, Song You barely left the house.

The journey from Yangdu back to Changjing had taken him from late spring all the way to deep autumn, with little rest in between. Now that he had finally arrived in the capital, he intended to take a few well-deserved days off.

After all, despite some changes, Changjing remained as bustling as ever—the kind of city where one could order food delivery, ride public transportation, and buy anything they needed. Song You’s finances were stable for now, and his young attendant took care of meals daily, bringing back steamed buns or soup cakes.

Occasionally, Song You would go out to buy ingredients himself and personally cook a meal.

Before long, winter had arrived.

“I can’t delay any longer.” A sudden thought stirred within him, and he got dressed to leave.

“Where are you going?” The cat immediately followed him, asking as she trotted alongside.

“To the City God Temple, to retrieve the two paintings we left in the care of the City God,” Song You replied.

“I’m coming too.”

“Naturally.”

Before long, Song You arrived at the base of the temple’s small hill.

It was still the same hill, still the same City God Temple.

Although it wasn’t a festival day, the temple was still crowded with worshippers. The stone steps leading up the hill were packed with visitors, and a faint haze of incense smoke drifted from the temple palaces. The only noticeable change was that the incense vendors, who once set up stalls at the entrance, were no longer there.

With the cat in tow, the Daoist ascended the steps.

The thick scent of incense hit him instantly.

“Since this life shall not forever stay,

Why rush to walk in wicked ways?

If fate was set in days of old,

Why not live pure, with heart of gold?”

Muttering the temple’s couplet under his breath, Song You stepped into the City God Temple.

Nowadays, such places rarely made Lady Calico feel uneasy or pressured. Instead, she curiously looked around, sniffing here and there while making sure to stay close to the Daoist’s feet to avoid being stepped on. If a Daoist accidentally stepped on her, she could let it slide—but not anyone else.

They joined the line of worshippers and entered the main palace.

The statue of the City God still sat solemnly atop the altar, overseeing the visitors below. Compared to the past, it exuded even more divine presence and authority.

Below the statue, five prayer cushions were lined up in a row.

Each one was occupied.

The worshippers offered incense with sincere devotion, bowing their heads in silent prayers. Wisps of smoke curled upward, filling the palace with a solemn atmosphere. If one listened closely, it almost seemed possible to hear their whispered pleas carried within the rising incense.

At the base of the altar, a mountain of incense sticks had accumulated.

The City God Temple had gained a reputation for its effectiveness, drawing worshippers from all walks of life—be they nobles, officials, common folk, or merchants. Most visitors, regardless of status, would leave a small offering. These donations were used to keep the temple’s eternal lamps lit, provide free incense for visitors, support the temple caretakers, maintain the buildings, and even fund charity efforts.

With such sincere offerings, the accumulated power of faith naturally remained pure and strong.

“...”

Song You shook his head—things had truly changed.

Lady Calico also swayed her head from side to side, thinking that if there were this many people offering incense to the City God at all times, with prayers being recited every hour of the day, she wouldn’t be able to keep up if she were in charge.

Back when she had her own tiny temple, she barely received an average of two worshippers a day. Even then, she had to work hard to remember their prayers and was utterly exhausted by nightfall.

Just then, a gentle breeze stirred within the temple.

The wind rustled the eternal lamps and incense smoke, lifting the deity’s robes ever so slightly. Silently, as if time had shifted without a sound, the five worshippers offering incense, along with the dozen or so people waiting in line behind them, all vanished. Even the temple itself seemed to ripple like the surface of a pond, distorting and transforming everything in its wake.

The divine altar and statues before them had vanished. In their place, five minor divine officials sat at a greater distance from both the man and the cat, as well as from each other. Each was seated on a chair, with a desk before them, paper and brush laid out.

All five officials appeared to be listening. Some wrote as they listened, diligently recording. One furrowed his brows in deep thought. Another sat motionless, his face filled with helpless resignation. Yet another looked utterly surprised, as if hearing some unexpected gossip.

Judging by their expressions, most of the wishes offered by the visitors were either completely unrealistic or simply beyond the jurisdiction of the City God Temple.

“

Meow

?”

Lady Calico was utterly stunned.

She was shocked both by the seamless change in scenery—glancing left and right, then turning back toward the entrance, trying to find the people who had been there just moments ago—and by the five minor deities dedicated solely to recording wishes. Her eyes widened as she stared at them, mouth slightly agape, as if the word “shock” were written all over her face.

Song You glanced down at her, then smiled slightly.

When he looked up again, three new figures had appeared before him. At the center stood the City God of Changjing, flanked by two deputy officers.

And behind them, a door had appeared.

“Welcome, sir.”

“I dare not accept such formality.”

“Sir, this way, please.”

“Very well.”

Song You stepped forward while pointing toward the five minor deities. “Who are they?”

“Oh, they were all scholars and literati of this city who passed away.” The City God explained as he led them inside. “Ever since you advised me a few years ago, we have been making an effort to listen to the people’s wishes. However, as the incense offerings grew and the number of worshippers increased, even my officials could no longer keep up.

“At the same time, the number of souls lingering in the mortal world has also risen—especially those who died with unfulfilled aspirations. These particular scholars were all talented and virtuous individuals, either dying from illness or unfortunate circumstances. They had spent years studying, yet perished before ever putting their talents to use. A great pity indeed.

“So, I recruited them into the administrative offices beneath this temple, assigning them as underworld clerks responsible for recording prayers.”

As he spoke, the City God led them deeper into the offices.

Though the City God Temple itself appeared small, inside it was an entirely different world. Inside, it was already a fully established Land God divine office.

There was a main palace for official duties, separate quarters for residence, and even a dungeon.

𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Song You observed as he listened, then glanced down at his cat before sighing, “The system here is already highly organized.”

“It’s merely modeled after the mortal bureaucracy.”

“That’s perfect,” Song You said. “When it comes to managing the underworld, few would be more experienced than you all.”

“Sir, what do you intend to do?”

“How much do you know about Fengzhou’s Ghost City?”

“As the City God, I, along with my subordinate civil and military deities, belong to the category of Land Gods, confined to a single city. We are not allowed to leave our jurisdiction freely, and even if we do, we lose our divine powers.

“Over the years, we have encountered ghost officials from the Ghost City of Fengzhou when they came to Changjing to capture wandering spirits. We've had some interactions, but our understanding remains shallow,” the City God explained.

“The Ghost City of Fengzhou currently operates with three palaces. The First Palace is responsible for capturing and guiding lost ghosts,” Song You said. “However, given the vastness of the world, relying solely on ghost officials from the Ghost City to search for wandering souls is far from efficient. Even if they possess the ability to do so, they simply do not have the manpower.

“The process is either too slow or incomplete, which can easily lead to disasters. Furthermore, ghosts who were once warriors, cultivators, or those with deep-seated obsessions—along with those who were originally malevolent or vengeful ghosts—pose an even greater risk of causing harm.”

He paused for a moment.

“To put it simply, in terms of local knowledge, neither the current Ghost City of Fengzhou nor even a fully developed underworld in the future could ever surpass the understanding of a local City God.”

The City God's expression shifted. “Sir, are you suggesting that all City God temples be connected to the First Palace of the Ghost City? That in cases where someone dies and becomes a ghost, the local City God temple would first capture and shelter the ghost before transferring it to the Ghost City?”

He nodded slightly in thought. “That would indeed be far more efficient than having ghost officials travel from the Ghost City to capture ghosts.”

“Precisely,” Song You confirmed. “The Ghost City of Fengzhou is the prototype for the future underworld. When the underworld is fully established, it will follow the organizational structure of the Ghost City.”

“...”

The City God immediately grasped the significance of this.

The formation of the underworld was an immense undertaking—one on par with the establishment of the Heavenly Palace in the past. This was a divine opportunity of vast proportions. By integrating the City God system into this structure, he was essentially positioning himself within the future of the underworld.

How much influence he would ultimately have, however, depended on how Song You arranged it.

Song You continued, “The structure of the City God temples, their internal organization, the allocation of duties, their relationship with the people, their approach to handling rogue spirits and demons, the drafting of regulations and laws, and even the selection of officials—all of these will require significant effort from you and your colleagues.”

He paused before shifting the conversation to the benefits. “From now on, the City Gods will officially be part of the underworld’s jurisdiction. All City God temples in the land will fall under the administration of Changjing. As the central authority of all City Gods, you will rank just half a level below the Lord of the First Palace of the Ghost City.

“However, you will not be subject to his direct control. While one governs the mortal realm and the other the underworld, your relationship will be one of cooperation. The appointment, reassignment, and dismissal of City Gods across the land will all be under the jurisdiction of the City God of Changjing.”

The City God and his two deputies listened attentively.

Meanwhile, the cat had long since been completely lost in confusion.