Chapter 545: From Changjing To The West—9,900 Li

“A single drop of water?”

“Precisely! And it happened not long ago. Many people saw it with their own eyes. Otherwise, how could a spring suddenly appear in the depths of this desert, right in the middle of this shallow land? If not for the mercy of an immortal, who else would grant us travelers a source of water to quench our thirst?”

“That must truly be an immortal...”

“Of course! Look at that stone stele over there. It says that the water in this spring was borrowed from an island far across the southeastern seas. That’s why some call it 'Borrowed Spring' or 'Immortal’s Spring.' If not for an immortal, who else could have the power to bring water from a distant island tens of thousands of li away?”

“That makes sense...”

Amid his dazed state, these voices drifted into his ears.

The clear spring water he drank quickly nourished his body. At this moment, he felt as if his body were a desert, parched under the scorching sun, with every cun thirsting to store vast amounts of water. As the spring water poured into this barren land, it was instantly absorbed by every part of his being, swiftly moistening and restoring vitality.

The merchant slowly began to rise.

The two men who had been speaking ahead were now cupping their hands in farewell. Though they had only met by chance as strangers on the road, such encounters were rare and precious. Why should past acquaintance be necessary? And so, with mutual respect, they bid each other farewell and went their separate ways.

The merchant remained where he stood, gazing at the spring before sweeping his eyes across the surrounding landscape. As his mind gradually cleared, memories began to piece themselves together.

A familiar image surfaced of that Daoist priest, seated in meditation, and himself conversing with him.

Back then, there had been no lake here.

“...”

A knowing smile appeared on the merchant's face.

So, the one who had saved him a second time was still the same person.

Slowly, he led his camel to the water’s edge, allowing it to drink to its heart’s content. He filled his own water containers as well before stepping under the scorching sun once more. He approached the stone stele and read its inscription carefully.

There were just a few brief sentences with no name left behind. Yet they carried the unmistakable aura of an immortal.

Only then did the merchant realize that he had traveled alongside this mysterious figure for a time, twice owing his life to him, yet they had exchanged only a few words. He had never even asked the immortal’s name—nor did he know which celestial path he followed.

“Heh...” The merchant chuckled softly. He could already foresee that from now on, in this vast desert, another legend of an immortal would spread far and wide.

As long as the spring remained, so too would the tale.

Fortunately, compared to those who would hear the tale later, he was a firsthand witness to this miracle. If he lived to old age and told the story himself, perhaps it would carry an extra touch of wonder and mystery.

“There truly are immortals in this world...”

Yet, he was not the only one to sigh in awe.

At that moment, a sudden rumble echoed overhead. A flash of lightning streaked across the sky.

Everyone instinctively looked up, only to realize that at some point, a layer of murky clouds had gathered above them. It looked as if rain was coming.

No wonder today hadn’t been as scorching as usual.

For a moment, the crowd could hardly believe it.

“

Boom

...”

Thunder rolled once more.

And then, not long after, raindrops began to fall.

Though it was a light drizzle and ended quickly, for this parched desert, it was still a blessing. It barely moistened the surface, offering only a sip to the land’s thirsty throat. Yet, it was the first rain this desert had seen in months.

***

In the summer of the first year of the Da'an era...

Song You, now regarded as an immortal by the merchants and travelers of the Western Regions, had already left the arid wastelands behind. Heading westward, he still traveled the same way. As usual, the entourage consisted of one man, one horse, a cat, and a swallow.

Curiously, once he had traveled two thousand li beyond the desert, the climate changed dramatically. The air became pleasant, even carrying a hint of coolness despite it being early summer.

This journey was destined to be a long one.

And along the way, the weather shifted constantly.

Not only did the seasons change, but so did the time of day, the altitude, and the very landscape itself.

One mountain could hold four seasons, and every hundred li could bring a different sky.

Under clear skies, it was summer; under rain and clouds, winter crept in.

By day, the sun blazed with searing heat. By night, the cold sank deep into the bones.

At times, he would enter towering mountain ranges where highland meadows stretched endlessly, golden fields of ripened wheat swaying with the summer breeze. The gentle undulations of the mountains turned the entire world into an ocean of gold, as if he had stepped into a fairy tale. Under the daytime sun, the heat on his scalp was nearly unbearable, but when night fell, the cold would leave him shivering.

Other times, he found himself wandering through a vibrant, multicolored expanse of rocky desert, where water flowed abundantly between the stones—a stark contrast to the thousand-li wasteland he had traversed before.

Sometimes, they camped beside a vast lake, its blue waters shifting between fresh and brackish. Untouched by pollution, the lake lay in complete solitude, as if a gemstone embedded in the vast lands of the Western Regions.

Other times, they crossed towering snow-capped mountains, where the biting cold winds nearly knocked Lady Calico off her feet. The thin air left her dizzy and lightheaded. But as soon as they descended to the foothills, the warmth of a normal summer day returned.

Melted snow ran down the mountains in lively streams, rushing and leaping over rocks—making the thousands of li of drought they had crossed before seem like nothing more than an illusion.

By autumn, they could see Mount Tian in the distance.

The first time they laid eyes on Mount Tian, they had just climbed another snow-covered peak. Lady Calico never understood the Daoist's obsession with climbing mountains—the higher, the better.

But having traveled together for so many years, she had long since given up questioning it. She simply huffed and puffed behind him, following him up slopes that ordinary people wouldn’t even dare to attempt. By the time they reached the summit, the snow was so deep that it could bury her entire body.

But from that mountaintop, they finally saw Mount Tian in the far distance.

A mountain range stretching from east to west, spanning the entire horizon. From one end of their vision to the other, it seemed infinitely distant, like a single line drawn between heaven and earth.

Yet, its towering majesty was undeniable. It was like a celestial wall dividing sky from land.

From so far away, the base of the range was completely obscured by layers of mist and distant haze. The further the mountains stretched, the denser the mist became, until only the snow-capped peaks pierced through the clouds, forming a single, gleaming white line across the sky. It was as if the mountains weren’t anchored to the earth at all, but were instead born from the heavens, resting among the clouds.

For a long while, Lady Calico couldn't even tell whether she was looking at the snowy peaks or the distant clouds. She argued with Song You about it endlessly, until the swallow, growing impatient, took flight to see for itself. When it returned with the truth, she finally fell silent.

Song You simply told her, “The higher above the clouds you go, the dumber humans become. Same goes for cats.”

They descended the snowy mountain and continued their journey toward Mount Tian. From then on, the great mountain range became a constant companion—a distant barrier at the edge of the world, an ever-present line across the sky.

As long as the horizon was clear, they could always lift their heads and see it. Though sometimes, it was hard to tell whether it was standing on earth or floating in the heavens.

By late autumn, the land turned deep crimson and pale gold. The locals lived in small wooden houses, and the scene was both primal and serene. As Song You led his horse forward, each step crunched upon fallen leaves.

By winter, the skies were filled with drifting snow.

At first, Lady Calico was thrilled, darting about like a mad creature. Leaping and pouncing on the snow, she was trying to catch snowflakes in midair. But soon, the cold wore her out. She huddled inside the saddlebags, only poking her head out to watch Song You, her fur dusted with snow.

When the snowfall was heaviest, even the swallow could no longer fly. It could only perch upon the horse’s back, its feathers gradually covered in frost and snow.

Their small group left a clear trail of footprints behind them.

They had traveled from lush alpine meadows to golden wheat fields, then to a breathtaking autumn landscape of crimson leaves. And finally, they travelled into another vast desert, but this one wasn’t scorched by drought. Here, the desert was frozen, its air sharp and biting.

Sometimes, the world stretched out endlessly, with nothing but vast open space in every direction.

At times, a sudden dense mist enveloped the surroundings, making it feel as if they had wandered into a celestial realm. Snow-capped mountains stretched endlessly beside them, while the thick fog resembled a vast ocean. Song You and his companions seemed to be treading gently upon the clouds, with the towering peaks and breathtaking scenery unfolding above them like a vision from the heavens.

The culture and customs here were vastly different from those of Great Yan. The language barrier was another challenge. While they often encountered Western merchants who spoke the language of Great Yan, as well as travelers, officials, and settlers from Great Yan, communication was still far from easy.

Trade, conversation, and even the simple act of buying supplies required much more effort than before.

Thus, for much of their journey, they traveled in solitude. They wandered across the boundless lands of the Western Regions, searching for wisdom in the quiet loneliness of the road.

Naturally, as they traveled farther from the Central Plains, the land became increasingly chaotic. Small fractured kingdoms dotted the region, each one in turmoil. The influence of the Central Dynasty’s mandate of heaven grew weaker, allowing monsters, demons, and ghosts to run rampant.

And unlike those in the Central Plains, these supernatural beings had no sense of discipline. They had never been taught proper etiquette, nor did they have powerful cultivators to keep them in check. Without a strong imperial court to suppress them, they ran wild.

Which meant they all became training dummies for Lady Calico's spell practice.

In the spring of the second year of the Da'an era...

At long last, Song You came to a stop.

Before them, a vast expanse of emerald-green mountains stretched into the distance. Towering pine and cypress trees covered the slopes, their trunks standing tall and straight. The air was fresh and clear, filling the landscape with a sense of tranquility.

“We’ve reached the westernmost edge of the Western Regions,” Song You said, leaning on his bamboo staff. His expression was calm as he glanced down at Lady Calico and asked,

“Lady Calico, do you know how far we are from Changjing?”

“I don’t know,” the cat replied.

“Do you remember the stone stele standing outside Changjing’s western gate?”

“I think so.”

“And do you remember what was written on it?”

“I don’t remember.” Lady Calico replied solemnly, “When cats climb as high as the clouds, they become stupid.”

Song You chuckled. “It said: ‘From Changjing to the west—9,900 li.’“

“...I don’t understand.”

“It means that if you keep walking west from Changjing, you’ll eventually travel 9,900 li,” Song You explained, pausing before adding, “And right now, we’re standing at exactly that point.”

“9,900 li?!”

“If you count from Changjing, it’s 9,900 li. If you count from Yuezhou, it’s over 10,000 li. And considering how often we took detours, we’ve easily traveled more than 20,000 li.”

Song You looked down at her, his tone carrying a hint of emotion.

“They say, ‘Reading ten thousand books is not as valuable as traveling ten thousand li[1].’ Congratulations, Lady Calico, you’ve completed another 20,000 li.”

“...”

Lady Calico blinked in confusion.

Maybe this mountain was also too high, making it hard to breathe, and cats became stupid when that happened.

So she simply stared blankly at the Daoist, feeling like whatever he just said sounded impressive.

After a long pause, she finally turned her gaze toward the mountains ahead and blurted out, “This mountain’s fur is all fluffed up!”

“...”

Song You shook his head and let out a soft laugh.

Looking back on their journey so far, what a magnificent road it had been.

1. This is a common Chinese idiom. It emphasizes the idea that practical experience and real-world exploration are more valuable than mere book learning. While reading provides knowledge, firsthand experiences offer deeper understanding, wisdom, and personal growth. ☜