Chapter 602: The Rabbit in the Mountains

Yang Family Village, by the shore of Lake Yun, was closer to Yundu than the stone forest. By the time they returned to the city, it was dinner time. Smoke rose from every household’s chimney, and the streets and alleys were filled with parents calling their children home for dinner.

Lady Calico sat atop the horse with a straight back. There were no packs on the horse now, only her alone. She followed the sounds with her gaze, head turning this way and that, her eyes flickering with thought. Whenever she saw a stray cat on the streets or in alleyways without a home, with no parents calling it back, she would pull a small fish from her pouch and toss it far in its direction, hoping it could at least have a full meal tonight.

By the time they returned to the Zhu estate, there was only one fish left. And it was the largest one.

𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Lady Calico quickly noticed that the Zhu residence was much livelier tonight than it had been that morning or the night before. People came and went at the entrance, and many of them were high-ranking officials or wealthy figures, most of them wearing somber expressions.

Inside the house, there was the sound of ritual music. She sniffed the air, and there was the scent of incense and candles.

Lady Calico sniffed again. Amid the heavy incense and the smells of many guests, she caught a faint whiff of death. At once, she understood: the young master of the Zhu household had likely passed away. He had been close to death already that morning.

Still, the Zhu family didn’t seem overly grief-stricken. They were not completely devoid of grief, but it wasn’t overwhelming either.

Lady Calico had seen death many times. Humans were strange creatures, especially those from large families living in big houses. The more prosperous they were, the stranger they acted. Sometimes, even if they weren’t truly sad, they would pretend to be extremely mournful. Perhaps it could fool those who weren’t too bright, but it could never deceive a cat. Any random street cat could smell human grief, and as the Daoist said, this was a natural gift of cats, let alone her.

Yet tonight, as she passed by, the people in the Zhu household didn’t seem especially sad, nor were they putting on an act.

When they arrived at the residence, the Zhu family actually came forward to greet them. Everyone gathered around, led by an elderly man who bowed deeply to both the Daoist and Lady Calico, full of gratitude.

“Many thanks, Immortal Master...”

“Not at all,” the Daoist replied politely.

There were many guests in the courtyard, so Song You didn’t say much more. After all, he hadn’t done much himself.

That day, he had visited the City God’s office and found the deity busy with official duties, yet still having to organize and transcribe records by himself. As expected, the temple was newly built and lacking in staff.

During a brief chat, the City God expressed his frustration and mentioned wanting to find a recently deceased soul who had studied, wrote well, and was kind-hearted, to serve in the temple. Song You then recommended the Zhu family’s young master and asked him to investigate further before making a decision.

Judging by the situation now, it seemed the young man had passed the City God’s review.

Lady Calico didn’t really understand all that, but with so many people present, she didn’t ask the Daoist about it. Instead, she pulled the last fish from her pouch and handed it over, explaining that it had been caught in Lake Yun earlier that day.

It was a perch, which was exceptionally plump and fresh.

They stayed at the Zhu residence for another day, graciously hosted by the family. The perch was Lady Calico’s thank-you gift for their hospitality.

The head of the Zhu family had heard that they had gone out to eliminate a demon, and he was familiar with the rumors of a water demon stirring up trouble in Lake Yun. Though he didn’t know the outcome, judging by their expressions, he could more or less tell the demon had been dealt with.

So he respectfully instructed the servants to take the perch and keep it alive in a water vat, planning to serve it as the main dish at the head table during tomorrow’s lunch. He also decided to send someone in a few days to inquire about the situation at Lake Yun. Only then did he lead them into the inner residence.

The guide was also invited in. That evening was the funeral vigil dinner.

However, for a prominent household like the Zhu family, even at a vigil, they would never serve guests a vegetarian meal. Typically, only the family would observe the vegetarian mourning, while guests were served lavish dishes. There would be plenty of meat and fish, as grand as any other banquet.

A servant still brought the guide a large bowl of rice, filled with generous portions of fish and meat, and even poured him a bowl of wine.

Even after returning to their room, the music and ritual sounds continued without pause.

Lady Calico had turned back into her cat form and sat on the windowsill, pressing one eye against the crack between the shutters, keeping a close watch on what was happening outside.

Cats were truly curious creatures.

She finally couldn’t hold back anymore, turned around, and asked the Daoist, “Why do humans make so much noise when someone dies? Are they trying to wake the dead person up?”

“It’s just part of the send-off ritual.”

“A send-off ritual?”

“It’s a kind of ceremony, rooted in belief and meant to bring comfort.”

“...I don’t get it.”

“You’ll understand one day, Lady Calico.”

“Then why did they thank you?”

The Daoist didn’t answer immediately. He simply shook his head, turned his palm over, and revealed a small stone in his hand. “Lady Calico, you’d better ask fewer questions and practice the Boulder Transformation more.”

“Okay!” The cat immediately turned around and scampered back.

She stared at the stone and began to practice.

“Yesterday there was a python in the mountains. It was slow-moving and with shallow cultivation. You summoned the stone giant and crushed it with a single blow. Today, there was a fish in the water. With the Watersplitting Blade in hand, such weak aquatic creatures pose no threat to you, Lady Calico. But the demons that come next may be different, and their cultivation will likely be higher. Lady Calico, you must diligently practice Boulder Transformation.”

“What kind of demon will it be tomorrow?”

“Let me see...”

The Daoist took out the register and flipped through it, then said to her, “It’s a rabbit in the mountains. It delights in confusing travelers, or in draining their essence while they nap or sleep outdoors, eventually claiming their lives.”

“A rabbit!” The cat, who had just tensed up, relaxed again.

Meanwhile, the guide had returned home.

He really had no desire to return to the lake, only wanting a good night’s rest, fearing something might go wrong.

After all, he hadn’t slept a wink the night before, and he’d been exhausted all day. The lakeside wasn’t like the mountains; on land, a man could build up his courage and fear no demons. But walking by a lake at night? One wrong step and a water ghost might drag you under, or you could simply trip or slip and fall in. Once you were in the water, there was not much a human could do to resist.

But because he’d napped for most of the afternoon, he wasn’t feeling sleepy now. On top of that, he’d had a cup of wine, and the alcohol brought a surge of boldness. His thoughts churned with indecision.

He heard they wouldn’t be heading out until the afternoon tomorrow... If he returned early in the morning, he could still get some sleep.

His eyes glinted. No longer hesitating, he grabbed a fire striker and a wood-cutting knife, then headed out the door.

***

The next afternoon, they set out.

They arrived at the nearest lakeshore and, as usual, rented a boat to cross to the far side of Lake Yun. From there, they climbed the tall mountain across the lake, known as Mount Xi. From its heights, the entire Yundu and Lake Yun were visible beneath them, and it was a breathtaking panorama.

Yan An and Lady Calico went to search for the demon. Meanwhile, the Daoist remained on the mountain with the guide, resting.

As the sky gradually darkened, the only light left was the dreamlike glow of the setting sun on the horizon. Unfortunately, the Daoist was facing Yundu and Lake Yun; the sun was setting behind him, and the most brilliant colors of the sky were also behind him. Where once, at the mountain’s foot, people could see the silhouette of Mount Xi, he now had become a part of that silhouette to those looking up.

Stars began to appear, one by one. The bright moon slowly rose as well.

“The weather in Yunzhou is really beautiful... the scenery, too,” the Daoist couldn’t help but sigh.

“Hasn’t it always been like this?” the guide asked.

“That’s because you live in it. You don’t realize how rare, how precious this is,” the Daoist said, pausing for a beat. “Did you go to the lakeshore last night to search for the water demon’s remains?”

“I did, sir.” The guide didn’t hide anything this time.

“Did you find it?” the Daoist asked.

“I did,” he replied.

“What was inside the corpse?”

“I used my cleaver to cut it open. Inside the head of the big fish, I found a piece of fish bone. It was crystal-clear like jade, shaped like a sword, about a chi long. I don’t know what it is or whether it’s worth any money,” the guide said as he glanced at the Daoist.

“You’ve got quite the courage.”

“It was just the wine talking.”

“That still counts as courage.”

The Daoist chuckled, then said thoughtfully, “I’ve heard of a type of fish in Yizhou called the Ya fish. It only lives in Ya Commandery, a remote and wild area despite its elegant name[1]. Inside the head of every Ya fish is a bone sword, and each one has one. It’s said to be quite mystical. I didn’t know this water demon had one as well.”

He paused, then continued, “Since it came from a water demon, it must be infused with the creature’s essence and spiritual energy. Even if it’s not an accumulation of essence, it would still have the power to ward off evil. Slaying demons and ghosts with it would be no problem. If someone who knows its value sees it, you could likely sell it for a good price. The question is whether someone will believe it truly came from a water demon, and whether they’d dare to buy it. If it is an essence-condensed item, it would be an even greater treasure, possibly with more wondrous uses.”

“It can really slay demons and ghosts?”

“Naturally.”

“I have it with me.”

“Let’s see it.”

The guide immediately pulled the bone sword from his pack.

Its texture resembled that of fish bone. It was white, semi-translucent, thick at one end and tapering to a sharp point at the other. The thick end formed a natural guard, giving it the vague appearance of a sword. Though it wasn’t crafted with the fine precision of a real sword, the general shape and spirit were there. Flat, with thin edges, and a sharply pointed tip.

Calling it a “bone sword” was generous, “bone spike” might’ve been more accurate.

Under the moonlight, it gave off a faint glow.

“This is indeed something from the water demon. It can be used to slay demons and ghosts,” the Daoist confirmed. He didn’t say whether it was a true essence-condensed item, only added, “With this in hand, you’ll never need to fear walking at night again.”

“Really?”

“At the very least, no need to fear low-level demons or ghosts.”

“It’s that valuable? Then I’d better return it to you, sir!” the guide exclaimed, startled. He quickly held it out with both hands to give it back.

“Your gesture is admirable. But I have no need for it, nor does my apprentice,” the Daoist said. “This sort of item belongs to whoever obtains it. If you hadn’t gone to the lakeside last night, who knows which early-rising fisherman might’ve picked it up instead? It’s all a matter of fate.”

“...”

The guide stood there, dazed. His eyes were flickering, and he could tell the Daoist truly didn’t care about the item.

He indeed was like an immortal.

Just then, sparks of light suddenly appeared nearby, like fireflies, glowing with a soft green hue. But they were much brighter than fireflies, and the glow grew steadily stronger as they flitted back and forth around him.

The Daoist, naturally unafraid and unmoved by illusions, simply turned his head and looked closely.

Within those glowing dots were tiny women, each no bigger than a fingernail. They wore ornamental hairpins, red blouses and green skirts. Their limbs were complete, and their attire was exquisitely detailed. Some were plump, others slender, but all were charming and beautiful, glowing faintly as they danced around in front of the Daoist. At times, they passed right by his and the guide’s faces.

The guide was shocked at first, then found it strange, and slowly, fascinating. Before long, he became entranced. He stared fixedly, and his gaze became hazy, as though he was slowly slipping into a trance.

“Wake up, good sir,” the Daoist said calmly.

Startled, the guide snapped out of it, regaining some clarity.

Just as he was slipping deeper into the daze, his hand brushed against the bone spike. Immediately, a coolness radiated from it; it was as though the water demon’s spiritual energy was instinctively repelling the magic of these creatures, jolting him fully awake in an instant. It truly was protective against evil!

“What are those things?” he asked.

The Daoist smiled slightly but shook his head without answering. Instead, he said, “You can try catching one.”

“Huh?”

“It's fine, give it a try.”

“Uh...”

The guide trusted the Daoist, so he didn’t hesitate too long. He reached out and grabbed one of the tiny women.

He applied a little pressure, and with a faint crack, the glow instantly vanished.

Inside was a small black speck, round like a bean, which he had already crushed between his fingers. He lowered his head and sniffed, and it gave off a foul stench. So it turned out to be a grain of Moon-Gazing Sand.

1. Ya 雅 means elegant in Chinese. ☜