Chapter 603: As Stubborn as Back Then

“This...”

“They’re just little spirits brought by the mountain demon,” the Daoist explained calmly. “Maybe they had transformed into spirits, or maybe they had cultivated into spirits somehow. They have the ability to confuse the human mind. But as long as one’s heart is even a little firm, a bit wary, or if one has some protective treasure at hand, then they're nothing to fear. A single finger is enough to crush them.”

Just as he finished speaking, there was a sudden

whoosh

in the sky.

A swallow swooped low overhead from the distance.

“So this is where you were hiding!”

No wonder they’d searched deep in the mountains for so long, nearly covering the whole area, and still hadn’t found the demon’s tracks. Turned out, its nest was right here on the cliffside of this very mountain, not far from where the Daoist was sitting.

It seemed this demon also liked scenic views.

At the same time, the demon in question was startled and panicked, realizing that even staying hidden in its cave was no longer safe. Under the cover of night, it turned into a gray blur and vanished into the forest.

They caught a glimpse of it; it was a large gray rabbit, with a lump on its head. The swallow darted after it immediately. Following behind was the tiger-riding Lady Calico.

In a flash, the group had vanished into the trees. The guide looked on in astonishment.

“No need to worry,” said the Daoist, still seated, the mountain wind lifting his hair. “Oftentimes, it is only people’s imagination that makes demons and ghosts seem so terrifying. In truth, they’re not always that formidable. Take the past two nights, you ventured alone into the mountains to find the snake demon, then to the lakeside to find the water demon, and cut open their corpses. How different were they from any regular snake or fish in the end?”

“How could I compare to your courage, sir?” the guide muttered.

“You seem timid, but your courage already surpasses the ordinary. What regular man would dare venture deep into the mountains at night in search of a snake demon? Who would dare go to a lake in the dark, cut open a water demon, and dig around for treasures?”

“Desperation from poverty, that’s all.”

“That’s still courage.”

“I wouldn’t dare say that...” The guide quickly tried to shift the subject, glancing into the distance. “Your servant girl and the swallow...”

“They’ll be back shortly.”

And sure enough, it wasn’t long before the swallow flew back. Lady Calico returned shortly after as well.

“How was the demon?” the Daoist asked his little apprentice.

“It’s been dealt with,” Lady Calico answered crisply, calm as ever. “It was a big gray rabbit, not very powerful. I caught up with it and beat it to death in just a few moves.”

“Lady Calico, you’re amazing.”

“That's right.”

“I saw that rabbit had a black lump on its head...”

“Probably sick,” Lady Calico answered without hesitation.

“Sir,” the swallow beside them also spoke up. “That seemed to be where the rabbit’s essence had accumulated. It used that to nurture so many mind-bewitching little spirits in the forest.”

“So that’s how it is.” Song You smiled again, then turned to the guide at his side and said, “That thing is also quite valuable. Do you still have the courage to go and retrieve it?”

“I...”

“The mountain rabbit spirit may be dead, but the little spirits it left behind haven’t yet dispersed. If you go with the bone sword, you might face some trouble, but nothing dangerous. However, if you retrieve the pill from the lump, those little creatures will likely go berserk, and it won’t be without its challenges. And if you happen to run into another mountain ghost, the trouble could be even greater,” the Daoist said before the guide could finish, still smiling faintly.

He added, “But I’ve also heard of things like this, if one swallows that pill under the moonlight, while it won’t open the path to true cultivation, it can still be considered a rebirth of sorts. It would give you a trace of spiritual power, and you'd no longer fear common demons or ghosts. The only question is, do you dare go?”

The guide finally processed what was being said. “Sir, are you...?”

“I see that you're quite sharp, knowing what to do and what not to do. It’s truly a waste of your talent to work as a guide at the city gate,” the Daoist said. “Now is an age of chaos, with demons and ghosts frequently appearing. The newly built City God Temple is already struggling to manage things within the city, let alone extending their control into the countryside or the wilderness. Who knows how long that will take?

“As it happens, you've met me. As it happens, you retrieved the fishbone from the water demon. As it happens, that snake demon’s gallbladder might also hold some power. And now, this mountain demon’s essence, no one knew who would end up finding it. But now that they’ve all fallen into your hands, why not use them yourself?

“Even if you can’t exorcise demons in Yundu City itself, you could at least drive off small demons and ghosts for the people outside the city. You could earn both fame and fortune, while the people gain peace. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?”

The guide didn’t respond for a long while.

The Daoist turned to him and asked, “So? Do you wish to?”

“I do!” This time, the guide answered swiftly.

The immortals of legends had walked right into his life. The person in the story was beginning to overlap with himself. Though he didn’t know what he’d done to deserve it, how could he possibly let this chance slip by?

“I have an evil-warding incantation,” the Daoist said calmly. “It was passed down from a spellmaster of the previous dynasty. When an ordinary person recites it, demons and ghosts will be unwilling to approach. If someone with spiritual potential recites it, it can repel them entirely.”

“I’m willing to learn,” the guide said at once.

And so, the Daoist spent an hour teaching him the incantation.

In the previous dynasty, spellbinding arts were quite popular. They involved chanting incantations to cast simple spells. The trend was so widespread that the Taichang Temple even established official spellbinding instructors, starting from the lowest ninth-rank. But unfortunately, most such incantations were fake and were only tricks of wandering charlatans. Only a rare few were truly effective. After the previous dynasty fell, the practice was abolished.

Out of curiosity back then, the Daoist had memorized a genuine one.

The moon rose higher and higher, and the faint glow of city lights could be seen in the distance. Fireflies drifted constantly through the forest on the mountain, though none of them looked like ordinary fireflies.

Clutching the one-chi-long bone sword, the guide gritted his teeth and, trembling with fear, stepped cautiously into the forest.

The Daoist didn’t even spare him a glance.

Instead, it was the little girl who kept her eyes fixed on him, full of curiosity. She only snapped out of it once his figure disappeared and all sounds from the forest faded away. Then she took out another stone and resumed practicing the art of Boulder Transformation.

As she chanted, she continued chatting with the Daoist.

“Daoist priest, Daoist priest, do you think I will be able to turn the stone into gold tonight?”

“...” How was this any different from what that rat once said?

“It’s too dark tonight. I can’t see clearly.”

“You don’t need to use your eyes to see this.”

“We’ll check again tomorrow.”

“Hmm...”

Lady Calico said no more and quietly continued practicing.

Late into the night, there was a commotion from within the forest, accompanied by a startled cry from a man.

It wasn’t until the deep hours of night that the guide returned, gasping for breath, unsure whether from fright or exhaustion. But the moment he saw the Daoist, a wide smile spread across his face.

***

“Daoist priest, Daoist priest, do you think I will learn Boulder Transformation today?”

“I think you’re just a hair’s breadth away.”

“...”

“Do you think I can turn this stone into gold today?”

“You’re closer than you were yesterday.”

“......”

“Will I turn the stone into gold today?”

“You will!”

“...!”

Lady Calico froze in shock.

By now, several days had passed. They were still staying at the Zhu family residence and still heading out each day to exorcise demons, mostly dealing with minor spirits. Occasionally the Daoist would offer some advice, but nothing more than that.

Sometimes the demons left behind something useful, sometimes not. If it was something ordinary, it was likely eaten by wild beasts in the mountains, or simply dispersed into the natural world, or perhaps picked up by someone else by chance. It might be treated as a treasure, or it might be discarded without a thought.

But now, it seemed all such things ended up in the guide’s hands.

This man came from a humble background. Though his character had some minor flaws, he bore no major faults. Still young, if given the chance to escape a life of scraping by as a guide at the city gates, he would certainly not let it pass.

It was an opportunity with no cost.

The list of demons and malevolent spirits the City God gave to Song You was arranged from the most vicious and dangerous downward. The Daoist prioritized hunting those with the worst deeds and deepest cultivation. But most still weren't very powerful; in front of Lady Calico, they could barely resist.

Occasionally, when a demon was accompanied by lesser spirits, the guide would be asked to wield the bone sword and deal with them himself, so he could learn for himself that these creatures weren’t all that terrifying.

Aside from that, Lady Calico spent most of each day practicing spells. And every day, without fail, she asked Song You the same question.

But today’s answer was different.

“What’s the matter?”

“I can do it today,

meow

?” Lady Calico asked again, unable to believe her ears.

“Lady Calico, you’re a once-in-a-generation genius,” the Daoist replied patiently, without a hint of insincerity in his expression. “You’re so diligent and hardworking. Aside from catching mice, fishing, and running wild for fun, you spend all your time practicing magic. You already have a foundation in metal and earth techniques. I’ve said it before: your progress will be quick.”

He added warmly, “In my view, if you focus today and prepare a little, you’ll definitely succeed.”

“I just need to prepare a little!”

“That means reflecting on the past few days of practice, summarizing your insights, then pretending to casually cast the spell a few times to warm up. Once your body gets used to it and you trick the spell a bit, let it think you're not trying too hard, and just when you think success is out of reach, relax your guard and then, suddenly focus completely.”

“A one-shot success!” Lady Calico’s eyes were full of determination.

The Daoist was unrivaled under the heavens, how could his words be false?

So, she followed his instructions to the letter.

First, she sat quietly on the grass. The grass had turned yellow with autumn, and the nearby bushes blazed a deep red. It was an exquisitely beautiful scene of fall. And in the midst of this autumn splendor, the little girl sat, one hand propping up her chin, lost in thought.

Once her contemplation was done, her expression still solemn, she pretended to casually cast the spell a few times, just enough to trick it. She didn’t go all out, feigning carelessness as she cast, all the while thinking deeply. When her hands had warmed up and she felt the spell had been deceived, and when she herself had almost given up hope, she suddenly frowned and focused.

“

Huff

...”

The little girl drew in a long breath.

Her spiritual energy surged. Eyes closed, she carefully sought out that elusive feeling that had been building deep within.

Then,

whoosh

, she opened her eyes.

She formed a sword-finger with her hand, a gleam of light gathering at her fingertip. She pointed it at the stone before her.

“Boulder Transformation!”

Fsshhh

!

Spiritual light shot out and struck the stone.

It was like a drop of golden water falling onto rice paper, spreading outward in soft ripples. The egg-sized stone was quickly dyed a brilliant gold.

“...!” The little girl immediately held her breath, eyes wide with astonishment.

The Daoist was right after all!

Watching from the side, the Daoist smiled as well. “Lady Calico, you truly are a genius.”

“...!” The girl withdrew her hand and looked away.

But she sat upright, her expression solemn, not daring to glance at the stone again. She was worried that even a flicker of her gaze might give away the overwhelming joy in her heart.

“Remember this feeling, Lady Calico,” the Daoist said. “Try it a few more times. Pick a larger stone and see how much of it you can turn to gold.”

“...”

It made perfect sense, and Lady Calico agreed.

But how could a cat possibly hold back so easily? Outwardly she nodded obediently, yet in the next moment she pounced forward, grabbing the golden-colored stone in her hands, savoring the spiritual resonance within it. Its newfound weight and hardness brought her immense delight.

The Daoist just shook his head, saying nothing.

“Can this be used as real gold?”

“No.”

“Why not,

meow

?”

“Because it’s still just a stone, it’s only taken on a golden color and become a little harder. Once the spiritual energy fades, it’ll return to its original form. Besides, it doesn’t look quite like real gold. If you tried to spend it, people would notice.”

“But you turned silver into money before!”

“That was a different spell.”

“Then I want to learn that one!”

“That one’s fake too, it’s a trick to fool people,” the Daoist said calmly. “You can learn it when you’re older.”

“Hmm...”

Though that was the case, Lady Calico remained in high spirits, turning the stone over and over in her hands. Its gleaming gold surface sparkled under the light, and since it was the very first piece of gold she had transformed using the Boulder Transformation spell, she naturally found it beautiful no matter how she looked at it. She even wanted to tuck it into her pouch and keep it safe.

But as she kept looking at it, the golden hue on the stone gradually began to fade, slowly returning to its original color.

“Huh?”

The stone in her hand clearly grew lighter. The bluish tint that returned seemed to tell her this was nothing more than an ordinary rock.

Lady Calico shook her head and wiggled her body, completely undiscouraged. She immediately tried casting the spell again. After several attempts, she finally succeeded once more, turning the stone back into gold.

As the color returned, so did her joy.

“...!”

Lady Calico was utterly delighted.

The stone transformed to gold and reverted back again several times, and in the end, she still tucked it into her pouch, determined to preserve it until she could bring it back to the temple. Only then did she shift her gaze, looking around. Following the Daoist’s earlier instructions, she located a stone about the size of a washbasin.

“Boulder Transformation!”

Another flash of spiritual light flew out.

The glow struck the large stone, once again blooming like a drop of ink on paper. But this time, the gold didn’t spread across the entire rock, and only the surface layer was covered.

“A washcloth-sized patch is already quite impressive,” the Daoist said, rising to his feet beside her. “Lady Calico, you’re still a beginner in this spell and haven't yet mastered it. Naturally, the scope of the effect and how long it lasts are limited. Just like when you first learned fire magic: the more you practiced, the deeper your understanding became, and the easier it was to control. Even with the same cultivation level, the results can vary a great deal.”

“Got it.”

“Congratulations on mastering another spell.”

“That’s right!”

“Say ‘thank you, Daoist priest.’”

“

Meow

?”

“Say ‘thank you, Daoist priest.’”

“...Thank you, Daoist priest!”

“You’re welcome.”

The Daoist leaned on his bamboo staff and began walking down the mountain.

The guide was still waiting for them below.

“Lady Calico, don’t you feel like the weather’s getting colder?”

“I do feel it!”

“The demons outside Yundu City have mostly been dealt with, and you’ve also learned your spell, and though the Zhu family is kind and warm-hearted, it’s not good for us to keep staying in someone else’s home. It’s about time we moved on.”

“All the demons on the list have been taken care of?”

“There’s one left.”

“One!”

“Yundu’s scenery is really beautiful...”

“Really beautiful!”

“I wonder what the scenery is like in Xianning.”

“What’s the scenery like in Xianning!”

“You seem very happy.”

“I’m very happy!” The little girl beamed with delight. Whatever he said, she would repeat with enthusiasm. The more she echoed, the happier she became. “Oh right, Daoist priest, how many spells have you learned?”

“When you’re this happy, don’t ask that kind of question.”

“...”