Chapter 552: Seeking Shelter in the Storm

“

Swish

...”

The swallow finally dove down, like an arrow cutting through the storm. Just before reaching the ground, it spread its wings, gracefully gliding forward in a smooth arc before landing precisely on the horse’s back.

“Sir, there's a large city ahead, about forty li away. It should be Jade City,” the swallow said, speaking against the pounding rain. However, it also understood that with night falling and the storm raging, reaching Jade City tonight was unrealistic. So, it added, “But there's a temple up ahead. It looks grand—perhaps we could take shelter there.”

“Alright.” Song You nodded in agreement.

Jade City[1] was the capital of the Jadeite Kingdom Kingdom, a well-known place—like a gleaming jewel in the vast Western Regions. It was the largest and most prosperous city they would encounter after entering the west, rivaling the desert stronghold of Shazhou.

Since leaving Shazhou early last spring, over a year and a half had passed. Along the way, they had rarely stopped to rest. Even when they did enter cities, their stays were brief—three, five, or at most seven days.

The language barrier made it difficult to understand local customs, and many places had harsh climates, lacked prosperity, or were simply inconvenient for daily life. Staying too long in such places often felt meaningless.

It was time to find a place to settle for a while.

Two nights ago, when chatting by the fire with Censor Zhang, Censor Zhang had mentioned that Jade City was a bustling hub, home to many merchants from Great Yan. There were even Great Yan settlers, and a good number of locals could speak the Great Yan language—especially the wealthy, the nobles, and the ruling class, who knew at least a few words.

The only question was: had Censor Zhang been describing Jade City as it was a hundred years ago, or as it was today?

“Sir, are you still searching for that great demon?”

“There's no rush. We'll go with the flow.” Song You smiled slightly, looking up at the sky. “Perhaps it's just ahead of us.”

“...”

The swallow frowned in confusion, and the cat was equally puzzled.

But their doubts were different.

The swallow wondered—how could his master be so sure? They had just emerged from a vast mountain range over a hundred li wide, where forty thousand soldiers had been frozen in ice.

Logically, if they were searching for the great demon, that mountain range was the most likely place to find it. Yet, his master had only searched briefly before moving on without investigating further. How could he be certain that the demon wasn’t there? And how could he be so sure it lay ahead instead?

The cat, on the other hand, was wondering—what great demon? They had already spent two days hunting demons in the mountains. Wasn’t that enough?

They pressed on through the rain, rounding a bend in the road.

The sky had darkened so much that it was nearly impossible to see the path ahead.

“

Boom

!”

A bolt of lightning struck down right in front of them.

For a brief moment, the flash illuminated the rolling hills ahead, the needle-leaf forests standing stiff like bristling fur. Perched atop one of the peaks, a temple was ornate and resplendent in gold and jade.

Then, darkness swallowed it all once more.

The group trudged through the rain-soaked night, heading toward the temple.

“

Boom

!”

Another flash of lightning illuminated the path.

The temple sprawled across the entire mountaintop.

A stone staircase, built with the finest materials, led up from the foot of the mountain to the temple’s main gate. Every few steps, a pair of small white stupas stood on either side, their golden roofs and white marble shimmering under the lightning’s glow. Even after the flash faded, faint lantern light flickered from various rooms within the temple, casting an uneven glow.

Rainwater streamed down the steps.

The Daoist and his companions climbed the staircase, soon reaching the temple gate.

The temple’s architecture was unusual—largely resembling the temples of Great Yan’s heartland, yet with distinctive local influences. The decorations followed suit, with extensive gilding and colorful fabrics draped over the entrance, lending it an exotic charm.

“

Knock, knock, knock

...”

Under the eaves, sheltered from the rain, the Daoist knocked on the door.

Footsteps quickly approached from within.

“

Creak

...”

The heavy temple doors swung open.

A young monk, clad in red and yellow robes, peered at Song You with curiosity. Pressing his palms together in greeting, he spoke, his tone puzzled.

He spoke the local language.

Though Song You couldn't understand, he could guess well enough.

“I am Song You, a Daoist from Great Yan. Passing through this land, I was caught in a heavy storm and had no choice but to seek shelter. I humbly ask if your temple would grant us a place to stay for the night,” he said, bowing with proper etiquette, whether the young monk understood or not. “May I know if your temple permits it?”

The young monk clearly didn’t understand a word. He froze, his face flushing slightly. After casting a quick glance up and down at Song You, he pressed his palms together again, murmured something, then turned and ran inside.

In the fading twilight, Song You exchanged glances with his swallow and cat, patiently waiting.

A moment later, footsteps returned.

The young monk had brought an elder monk with him.

Upon seeing Song You, the elder monk also pressed his palms together in greeting and, to his surprise, spoke in Great Yan’s language. “You are from Great Yan, benefactor?”

Song You repeated his request for shelter.

Perhaps Great Yan people were highly respected here, or perhaps the monk was simply kind-hearted. Either way, the elder monk did not refuse. On the contrary, he was warm and welcoming, immediately inviting Song You inside.

He even moved to take the reins of the horse—only to realize there was no rein to hold. Awkwardly withdrawing his hand, he instead guided them to the stable before enthusiastically leading Song You into the temple to meet the abbot.

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Every room in the temple was illuminated—some with candles, others with oil lamps.

The sound of chanting echoed throughout the halls, rising and falling like waves.

What a diligent monastery, indeed.

That night, Song You had spoken with Censor Zhang about Buddhism in this land.

Buddhism had traveled from the West, passing right through these lands. Now, it was at its peak, with temples scattered across the entire Western Regions.

Censor Zhang had a unique way of seeing things.

While others admired the monks for their virtue and spiritual cultivation—respected by the locals, traveling in carriages, dressed in silk and brocade—Censor Zhang saw something deeper. He noticed that the monks held an unusually high social status and amassed significant wealth. This, in turn, made many locals eager to join the monastic order.

As a result, temples began imposing stricter requirements on monks. To gain recognition, monks had to devote themselves tirelessly to studying Buddhist scriptures and deepening their understanding, lest they be overshadowed.

This temple was no exception.

As Song You followed the elder monk through the corridors, he could feel the curious eyes on him. Word had already spread that a Daoist from Great Yan had come seeking shelter. One by one, monks emerged from their quarters to catch a glimpse of this rare visitor. Some, after seeing him, hurried off to inform others, or perhaps to call more onlookers.

Song You couldn't help but feel like an animal on display, but he met each gaze calmly.

The temple was vast.

They passed through several courtyards, ascending staircases along the way, steadily climbing toward the mountaintop. Finally, the elder monk led them to a magnificent hall—so opulent it could rival a royal palace. Several senior monks were already waiting at the entrance.

“An honored guest! An honored guest!”

“Please, come in!”

“The wind and rain outside are fierce—the rain is practically falling sideways! Quickly, step inside...”

Their voices carried a distinct Western accent.

“Many thanks, Masters,” Song You replied politely.

Inside the hall, he was seated on a cushion, with a low table before him—completely bare.

Numerous candle stands illuminated the space, their glow adding to the temple’s extravagance.

Beside him, the cat curled up, still damp from the rain.

The monks exchanged names, engaging in light conversation.

Upon hearing that Song You had indeed come from Great Yan—and even from Changjing, the imperial capital—the monks were visibly impressed. The senior monk seated above him finally stood up, instructing a young monk to bring Song You a cup of honeyed water. His tone grew warmer, and he turned to Song You with an eager curiosity.

“Daoist Master Song, you traveled here from the west. Have you heard about the demon-infested mountain?”

“I just came from there,” Song You replied.

“No, no,” the senior monk corrected him. “Traveling from that direction, you must have taken the new road. But long ago, there was an old road cutting through those mountains—home to powerful demons. A Great Yan army once passed through, carrying loads of stolen gold and silver. The demons froze them all in place, trapping them there to this day. No one dares go near it.”

Other monks chimed in excitedly, adding their own details.

It seemed to be the most mysterious legend in the region, a tale everyone enjoyed telling to outsiders.

But this time, Song You did not feign modesty. Instead, he simply stated, “I took that very road.”

“Hmm?” The gathered monks were all shocked.

“You took the old road?”

“But that mountain is full of demons! Even we don’t dare venture too deep into it when we enter the mountains.”

“Were you not in danger?”

“I did encounter a few demons, but there was no real danger,” Song You replied truthfully. “If I had no skills at all, I wouldn’t have made it this far.”

“That’s true!”

“You must be quite capable...”

At this moment, the head monk, seated at the highest position, suddenly seemed to remember something. He quickly leaned forward and asked with an awkward accent, “Have you eaten dinner?”

“Not yet, but I have dry rations with me. I only need to stay the night at your temple. I’ll just eat some dry food later, it will be enough.”

“We cannot treat a guest this way...”

The elder monk immediately called out to a nearby monk, speaking a few words in the local language—likely instructing him to prepare food.

However, the monk hesitated, looking embarrassed as he responded.

“Hmm?”

The elder monk frowned and asked again, but the monk only grew more flustered.

“Sir, we sincerely apologize,” the elder monk finally turned to Song You, his words simple due to the language barrier. “Tonight's meal has already been eaten. The temple has no food left. We were planning to go into the city tomorrow morning to buy more.”

Before Song You could respond, the monk quickly added, “But do not worry, sir. Our temple has a treasure—one that can grant wishes. Normally, we do not show it to others.”

“Oh?”

Now, Song You was intrigued.

The monk who had been waiting in the hall was still standing there. The temple’s abbot gave him further instructions. This time, the monk's face clearly showed surprise. He glanced at Song You in astonishment before bowing and leaving.

Meanwhile, Song You absentmindedly stroked his cat’s fur as he waited patiently. By the light of the candles, his expression remained calm as he observed the temple and the monks around him.

This place was already far from Great Yan, and the people here looked noticeably different. Their skin was fairer, their facial features more defined. Almost every monk had facial hair—thick beards covering their jaws. They wore monk’s caps, their attire mostly similar to that of monks in the mainland.

Song You pressed his lips together in thought.

1. Yu 玉 means jade. ☜