Chapter 550: Peace, At Last

Song You continued walking, using his bamboo staff for support, his gaze passing over each frozen face.

This army looked as if they had arrived here only yesterday—their expressions vivid, their features lifelike. Even the dents and scratches on their armor remained clearly visible, marking them as hardened veterans of countless battles.

And yet, this very army, despite the King of Weilan surrendering and opening the city gates, had refused to accept the surrender. Instead, they had slaughtered the entire city, taken the royal family captive, and looted the palace and capital. Each and every soldier carried a heavy blood debt.

In the Western Regions, such atrocities had not been uncommon. Even now, it was not rare for Great Yan’s border generals to start wars purely for military merit. Some killed thousands, even tens of thousands; others went so far as to annihilate entire cities and kingdoms.

Later, they would fabricate crimes to justify their actions, claim the plundered wealth as their own, and present severed heads as proof of victory. They did these all without a care for the lives they had destroyed.

Now, these men were sealed here in ice. It seemed both the work of a demon and the fulfillment of karma.

The world was complicated—there were no simple explanations.

Yet, in the end, the demon had come for treasure too. Its actions were no different from theirs all those years ago.

And after more than a century of being frozen in place, perhaps... that was punishment enough.

Song You walked on, step by step.

When Song You stopped opening new treasure chests, the cat lost interest as well. It picked up a gold coin from a distant Western kingdom, held it solemnly in its mouth, and followed behind him in tiny, deliberate steps.

Censor Zhang, however, grew more confused and hurried to keep up.

“What are you looking for?”

“I am looking for your corpse,” Song You answered honestly as he walked.

Silence fell instantly.

After taking two more steps, Song You turned back, leaning on his bamboo staff. Behind him, a carriage, an imperial censor, two military officers, and a young civil official all stood frozen in place, staring at him. They each had a different expression.

“How did you figure it out?” Censor Zhang sighed and was the first to break the silence.

“I have heard that envoys representing a nation are always well-versed in astronomy and geography, highly knowledgeable, and widely experienced. A censor should be such a person.” Song You shook his head with a slight smile. “You travelled from Changjing all the way to the Western Regions, whether as an investigator or as a diplomat. Yet, you’ve never heard of me.”

“Are you very famous?”

“In recent years, I have gained some recognition in Changjing.”

Not everyone in the capital would know his name, but after three trips back to the city, his reputation had grown considerably. Even if his name was not widely known, stories about him were frequently told.

A merchant from Changjing might not have heard of him. A minor official or military officer might not immediately recall his name. But someone representing Great Yan, a person skilled in diplomacy and intelligence gathering, would find it impossible not to have at least heard of him—let alone completely fail to remember him.

Song You had been observing him all day.

Many things Censor Zhang said were true.

Ordinary demons and ghosts rarely dared to impersonate imperial officials. Doing so risked provoking the court’s wrath, and more importantly, officials were not easy to imitate. A poor impersonation would expose the fraud instantly.

This Censor Zhang was indeed a censor.

Even if you found an actor, it would be nearly impossible to fake his bearing and presence. That kind of demeanor could not be forged.

But he was not a censor of the present. Nor was he one from just a few years ago—if he had died recently, he would not have the abilities he now possessed.

“Found it.” Song You stopped walking and looked up.

Before him stood several ice sculptures.

A lacquered carriage, identical to the one behind him, gleamed coldly under the faint light, encased in ice. A stern-faced official with starry eyes and sharp brows stood frozen in time, a treasured sword hanging from his waist.

Beside him, a young civil official, and two military attendants—not clad in armor, yet exuding an unmistakable martial aura—stood with their weapons. A white-plumed arrow tucked at the belt, a sword gleaming like autumn lotus under the frost.

Song You cupped his hands and bowed in respect.

A sigh came from behind him.

“It seems your abilities have indeed exceeded our expectations. It is I who have been blind.” Censor Zhang returned the gesture before continuing, “Back then, I was ordered to the Western Regions to inspect the military garrisons. I discovered that General Liu's army was ruthless, slaughtering an entire city for their own gain. Their actions had already spread fear among the surrounding nations.

“If this continued, it would damage Great Yan’s reputation among the foreign states. After leaving the army, I intended to return to the capital and report the truth. However, before I could, I heard that the entire army had turned to ice sculptures in the mountains.”

He paused briefly.

“No matter how cruel this army was, they were still soldiers of Great Yan. They lived on the court’s provisions. So, I turned back to investigate. I did not expect to share their fate. They were unable to return home, unable to find peace even in death.”

Censor Zhang sighed again.

“Changjing is too far, and this place is too eerie. The court only sent people to investigate once before abandoning the matter. Even the gods do not concern themselves with this place. The only time two imperial envoys came on behalf of the court, we revealed ourselves, hoping to speak with them.

“But before we could say a word, they were so terrified that they tumbled down the mountain and never returned. Once word spread, even this mountain path was abandoned. No one dares pass through anymore. Sometimes, we feel as if the court has forgotten us.”

“I see...” Song You nodded thoughtfully. “What you desire, then, is to ensure that the world does not forget you?”

“Not the world, the court,” Censor Zhang corrected, meeting his gaze under the sun. “We only hope that Great Yan does not forget us—that the court does not forget that forty thousand soldiers remain in these mountains, unable to rest in peace. Among them were cruel men like General Liu, but there were also innocent officers and soldiers.

“I, Censor Zhang, am here as well. Perhaps the past court abandoned us, but emperors change. Sooner or later, one will be moved by our fate and send someone capable—not necessarily to retrieve our bodies, but simply to grant us peace. That would be enough.”

“So you often descend the mountain, telling people your story, guiding them here?”

“If a ghost has cultivation, I would be considered the strongest among us. But even so, I cannot stray far from this place. If I were to speak plainly, I might scare people away, so I had no choice but to take such indirect measures.” Censor Zhang sighed in resignation.

“I see.” Song You glanced around. “If all you seek is peace, there is no need to wait for the court.”

“What do you mean, Mister...?”

“I, too, know a few spells.” The Daoist looked up at him again. “Is your true name Zhang Wangchuan?”

“In life and in death, my name has not changed.”

“Meeting you is a fortune in my journey.”

“I wouldn’t dare accept such praise.”

“If you travel east beyond the Western Regions and enter Shazhou, you will find the underworld envoys. You may follow them further east or head to Fengzhou. There lies the Ghost City, an ideal place for someone of your abilities.”

Song You saluted him once more. After finishing his words, he lifted his bamboo staff, turned around, and walked away.

Censor Zhang was bewildered. As he turned his head to look at the Daoist, still uncertain about what had just happened, he suddenly noticed a dazzling spiritual light emerging from the spot where the Daoist’s staff touched the ground. The light spread swiftly across the crystal-like ice surface.

In an instant, even the sunlight seemed to become warmer.

“

Crack

!”

A fissure abruptly appeared on the distant frozen lake, rapidly expanding and spreading like a spider’s web.

“

Crack! Crack!

”

The sound of ice fracturing echoed continuously.

It seemed as though the entire lake's frozen surface was collapsing.

The first to break were the towering ice pillars on the lake. Whether because the ice could no longer support their weight or because they split from the middle, they crumbled with a thunderous crash, plunging into the icy waters and sending up massive splashes.

Even the hundred-year-old ice on the shore began to melt at an astonishing speed, as if fire was consuming it.

Censor Zhang stood frozen in shock. He instinctively turned to look at the Daoist, who was walking away at a slow, steady pace, leaning on his staff.

Only then did he realize that wherever the Daoist stepped, the solid ice beneath him melted away, revealing countless soldiers and horses trapped beneath. The moment they were exposed to sunlight, they withered into bones and crumbled to the ground.

Yet, the calico cat still clutched the gold coin in its mouth, trotting along behind the Daoist with tiny steps. However, it turned its head to stare at the spirits of the fallen.

Its gaze was exactly the same as yesterday.

At that moment, it finally dawned on them.

From the very first glance, the moment they met yesterday, this cat had already known they were not human.

“

Boom

...”

“

Splash

...”

The carriage crashed heavily onto the ground, toppling over. The chests aboard spilled open, scattering gold, silver, and jewels across the ground—though most of them tumbled into the lake.

“

Meow

?”

The calico cat was stunned.

The moment it opened its mouth, the gold coin fell to the ground. Unable to resist, it turned its head to stare at the treasure chests that had either toppled onto the shore or sunk into the lake.

It watched the gold, silver, and jewels pouring out. It was wealth beyond anything it had seen in its lifetime, beyond even its wildest dreams.

Now, the overwhelming sight lay before its eyes, striking its simple and innocent heart with a profound shock.

“So much money!”

However, as she gazed at the gold, silver, and jewels, she also saw countless melting ice sculptures. From within them emerged skeletal remains, and an untold number of spirits stood silently, watching them depart.

The scene was so overwhelming that, for a moment, she forgot to pounce on the scattered treasures.

By the time she snapped out of it, she heard the Daoist’s voice.

“Lady Calico, ill-gotten wealth is best left behind. Let it sink into the lake.”

“Huh?” The cat’s face turned serious.

What was ill-gotten wealth?

All wealth was good wealth! What made some of it bad?

Of course, she already knew that her Daoist had this odd flaw. Whenever he saw money, he simply ignored it. It was no different from watching a plump rat stretch lazily right in front of him and refusing to catch it.

Clearly, something was wrong with his head.

He was not very bright.

But what could she do? She was just a cat. A cat raised by a Daoist priest.

Lady Calico glanced once more at the lingering spirits. Some cupped their fists in a gesture of respect, while others knelt halfway to the ground. Her Daoist was already walking farther away, and the icy ground beneath her paws had begun to melt.

𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

She quickly lowered her head, grabbed the gold coin in her mouth, and dashed after him.

This gold had come into her possession long ago. It was fated to be hers.

It was fated wealth, not ill-gotten wealth.

Still... What a pity.

At that moment, Lady Calico had a strong premonition that for many years to come, she would dream of this place. She would dream of this moment.