Chapter 551: Where to Rest Tonight?

Song You did not retrace his steps but continued forward.

From the tail end of the marching army, he walked all the way to its front. Ahead lay a hillside.

As the Daoist led his horse up the slope at a slow, steady pace, the gloom that had once shrouded this land had completely vanished. The drifting snowflakes were gone, and the temperature had risen noticeably. The warmth of midsummer sunlight could now be distinctly felt.

Turning back, he saw a world of ice and snow rapidly melting and collapsing. The ice and snow had turned into torrents of water, surging wildly, restoring the land to its original state.

The cat followed him and also stopped, turning to look back.

“So much gold and silver!!”

“They’re nothing but dirt and stone.”

Wasn’t that the fate of all things? In the end, all must return to the earth.

Once the last traces of ice and snow had melted away, the Daoist merely stood atop the hill and waved his bamboo staff. In an instant, a flash of spiritual light erupted. Mountains trembled, the earth cracked, and a landslide of mud and rocks surged forward like a roaring tide.

“

Rumble

...”

The sound was like an earthquake shaking the mountains.

The cat’s eyes widened, its pupils reflecting the chaotic destruction before it—like a calamity brought by the heavens.

But in just a brief moment, all the bones had either fallen into the earth’s crevices or been buried beneath the rushing landslide. The treasures that had not sunk into the lake were now completely sealed underground.

In the blink of an eye, everything was gone.

The ice sculptures, the remains, the riches—nothing remained but the vast stretch of mud and stone covering the land.

Lady Calico stared blankly.

“Let’s go.” The Daoist’s voice came from beside her.

Still twisting her head to look back, the cat instinctively started moving her paws, following the Daoist forward.

This was destined to be a road rarely traveled by humans.

For over a hundred years, perhaps no one had ventured here. Even Censor Zhang, who had repeatedly led the bravest souls to this place over the centuries, had only ever made it as far as the frozen lake.

That was the furthest point where Censor Zhang could still ensure their safety, where they could return and tell the world of this story.

To let the world know that here, in this desolate land, the spirits of forty thousand soldiers of the Great Yan still could not rest in peace.

But beyond that point, there was no reason to go any further. And it only became more dangerous.

However, saying that this road had been abandoned for a hundred years wouldn't be entirely accurate—because it was frequently traveled by demons, spirits, and monsters. As a result, though it had lacked maintenance for years, it had never been overtaken by weeds.

And now, new visitors had arrived.

“

Ding ding ding

...”

The crisp sound of horse bells echoed through the mountains, carrying far into the distance.

In the forest, lurking creatures peered out from the shadows.

However, the earth-shaking collapse of the mountain and the sudden, drastic shift in weather had startled them. For now, they only dared to observe from hiding, not yet brave enough to reveal themselves.

But Song You had no intention of letting them be.

Those among them who bore no aura of corruption could be left alone. They might be good, they might be evil; perhaps they had harmed humans, perhaps they had not.

But those tainted with dark, malignant energy... Without question, they had descended the mountain to prey on humans.

“I’m weary from my travels through these mountains. Lady Calico, Yan An, I’ll leave upholding justice to you.”

“Got it!”

“Understood...”

And so, a swallow flapped its wings and soared into the sky. With a burst of motion, it shed countless black feathers, each transforming into identical swallows with gleaming, metallic luster under the sunlight. These swallows scoured the mountains for demonic presences and guided Lady Calico on the ground.

Meanwhile, Lady Calico summoned her forces—a pack of demon tigers and wolves. Using the same pack-hunting tactics as before, she once again rode atop the first demon tiger she had ever encountered, galloping through the mountains, hunting down evil spirits.

For most creatures of the dark, this lineup alone was enough. If things got troublesome, Lady Calico only needed to spit out a bit more fire to reduce them to ashes. For the rare, more formidable monsters, she would summon reinforcements from her flag—an enormous bear and a wild boar as massive as a hill. With them, she could dominate the entire mountain range.

Thus, an unusual scene unfolded in the mountains—

A Daoist in an old, worn robe walked slowly along a rugged, overgrown trail. He leaned on his staff, leading a jujube-red horse. His pace was unhurried, and the gentle ringing of horse bells resonated through the valley, serene and tranquil.

Yet, in the surrounding forests, chaos reigned.

Yan An sliced through the air with sharp, precise movements. A tiger-riding cat crashed through branches, pursuing lurking monsters. The air was filled with the roars of tigers, the howls of wolves, and the sounds of fierce battles.

Gradually, they moved farther and farther along the path.

This road stretched over a hundred li. It had originally been a mountain pass, but after the army perished in the freezing cold, people feared it and abandoned it, carving out a new path nearby instead.

Once they had traveled the hundred li and crossed these mountains, they would rejoin the new road.

Song You took two days to traverse this route.

By the end of those two days, the spirits and demons of the mountains would not forget them anytime soon.

𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

***

Two days later, at dusk...

Song You had reached the base of the mountain on the other side. He stopped in his tracks and looked ahead. “It seems we're finally back on the main road.”

In the distance, riders on horseback galloped past.

It was evening, and the weather wasn’t ideal. The riders hurried on, anxious to outrun both the impending rain and the approaching darkness.

Lady Calico was still at his feet. She heard him speak but only glanced up at him briefly before lowering her head again, eyes drooping. She looked just like an ordinary cat—one that had spent an entire day playing and was now utterly exhausted.

The swallow perched motionlessly on the horse’s back, its dark, beady eyes gleaming. “It’s a shame we didn’t find that great demon.”

The cat paused mid-lick, pondering which great demon the swallow meant.

“Perhaps it only chose this mountain as its hunting ground but doesn’t actually reside here,” Song You mused, pressing his lips together in thought. He didn’t dwell on it too much and instead turned to the two small demons. “You both worked hard these past two days.”

At his words, the cat finally lifted her head and solemnly replied, “Thank me.”

The swallow simply said, “It wasn’t too much trouble.”

“Thank you, Lady Calico, and you too, Yan An,” Song You said, tilting his head up to observe the sky. Thick storm clouds had already gathered overhead. He resumed walking. “Let’s keep moving. It’s about to rain, so we need to find shelter before it starts.”

With that, the Daoist leaned on his staff and strode forward.

The cat yawned, stretched lazily, then glanced back at the deep mountain forest they had left behind. Though exhaustion tugged at her limbs, she pushed through it and quickened her pace to follow.

“Lady Calico, are you tired?”

“I’m not tired!”

“You’re really not tired?”

“Just a little... sleepy.”

“Want to ride the horse?”

“I can walk by myself!”

“...”

Their quiet conversation drifted into the distance.

Ahead, lush green mountains stretched endlessly. A lively stream flowed, winding through the land. The trees here stood tall and straight, growing densely together. The vast grassy meadows between them painted a serene and elegant scene—one rarely seen in the inland regions.

“

Boom

!”

A deafening clap of thunder rumbled overhead, as if declaring that summer was in full swing.

“Ha...”

The little cat ultimately returned to the horseback, curling up in the saddlebag with only its head poking out. It turned back to glance at the swallow perched behind it, then looked up at the sky. Yawning, it asked, “Is there a Thunder God here too?”

“I don't know,” Song You answered as he walked. “But worship of thunder has been one of the most ancient and primal beliefs of humanity. So in many mythologies, there is usually a god of thunder.”

“Is Duke of Thunder Zhou here too?” The cat immediately threw out another question.

“I don't know,” Song You replied again. “There aren't many Daoist believers in this place, so it's hard to say. I don't know if Duke of Thunder Zhou can even come here. Even if he does, his divine power would likely be weak. Who knows, maybe in this land, perhaps you're even more powerful than Duke of Thunder Zhou.”

“...!”

The cat's expression suddenly froze, turning serious.

A little cat demon like Lady Calico... stronger than the Thunder God?

And not just any Thunder God—Duke of Thunder Zhou!

This, this, this...

This was something the cat had never considered.

“

Boom

...”

A thunderclap suddenly exploded overhead, snapping the cat out of its wild imaginings.

Instinctively fearful of heavenly lightning, the cat shrank its neck and glanced up again. The sudden shock had pulled it away from its ridiculous thoughts about a cat demon being stronger than the Thunder God.

Then, puzzled, it asked, “If there's no Thunder God here, then who’s making the thunder?”

“Lady Calico, this is where you're mistaken,” the Daoist continued, still walking at a steady pace. He was patient, as it was a way to pass the dull time on the road. Especially in this land where language barriers made the journey even more monotonous, sometimes this little cat was the only one he could talk to for hundreds of li.

“Thunder came first, before the Thunder God. Even without a Thunder God, there would still be thunder. Besides, the Thunder God isn’t usually responsible for making thunder. Thunder is simply an ancient natural phenomenon of the sky and clouds. The Thunder God merely wields it and channels its power.”

“Then... Can I learn to summon thunder?”

“That would be thunder magic.”

“Thunder magic!”

“Maybe someday.”

“Maybe someday...”

The cat mimicked the Daoist’s tone, but its voice was noticeably quieter than usual.

It seemed the past two days had truly exhausted it.

“

Plop

...”

The first raindrop fell, as large as a bean, splashing into a tiny bloom upon impact with the ground. The droplet, wrapped in dust, rested on the dry dirt road, barely having a chance to seep in before more raindrops of the same size began to pelt down in rapid succession. The pattering sounds grew increasingly dense.

Blades of grass were struck hard, bending low before bouncing back up. Tree branches began to sway violently. In mere moments, the rain intensified, filling the entire world with its relentless drumming, displaying the full force of summer.

“

Plip-plop, plip-plop.

..”

Song You barely had time to don his bamboo hat and drape his rain cloak before the deafening sound surrounded him completely.

The rain here seemed to come even faster and fiercer than in the inland regions, as if it were being poured straight from the heavens. Even with the hat shielding him, he could feel the violent vibrations on its surface.

Without it, the raindrops would surely sting his scalp. Song You glanced at the horse beside him. Grinning, he pressed forward.

At the same time, the sky darkened.

“Where will we find shelter tonight?”

“Perhaps somewhere ahead.”

Muttering to himself, his words were quickly swallowed by the rain. The ground, dry just moments ago, turned to mud in the blink of an eye. Stepping through puddles, he moved onward.

Meanwhile, the swallow, exhausted from slaying demons and evil spirits, seemed to regain energy in this storm. It spread its wings, soaring up into the downpour, weaving through flashes of lightning, rising into the dark clouds to bathe in the fresh rain. From high above, it watched the storm clouds empty themselves like waterfalls onto the land below. Darting back and forth, it moved with a rare sense of freedom and exhilaration.

The sight made the Daoist pause in his steps.

He lifted his head, gazing up at the bird.