Chapter 622: When Fate Arrives, You’ll Meet Even Without Seeking

Outside the city of Luchuan, the river surged swiftly. The little girl crouched by the riverbank and reached her hand into the water.

“

Splash

...”

The current flowed around her small, pale hand, swirling through her fingers and kicking up faint sprays of foam.

The river carried fine sand, which was vermilion and dark red. The sand was swept along by the water's force. It was this sand that gave the water its unusual color. As the current circled through her fingers and began to settle, the sand gently sank into her palm. Soon, the water in her hand cleared, transparent to the bottom. No trace of dirt or turbidity remained; if not for the sheen reflecting off her delicate skin and the layer of crimson sand resting in her palm, one could scarcely tell there was any water there at all.

“...” The girl nodded in satisfaction.

Just as she was about to stand, the river surged once more, lapping toward the shore. It was icy cold, and felt somehow both hard and soft. With a sudden

splash

, a wave bumped into her foot, slipping into her shoe before she could react.

“Tap tap tap...”

Startled, the little girl quickly stood and retreated a few steps, looking down at her soaked shoe and then up at the river with a frown of accusation. Only then did she pull out her “Water-Fetching Blade” from her pouch and got to work. Though, it had many names; whenever she used it to draw water, it always became her Water-Fetching Blade.

First, she drew water to let off some steam, then she drew water again to cook the rice.

By the time she’d filled the water pouch and carried back a half pot of rice water to the bank, the Daoist was already sitting calmly on a rock, reading from a piece of paper. Nearby, the jujube-red horse had been relieved of its pack and was grazing peacefully. The green mountains and flowing water made for a serene scene.

Lady Calico set the pot down and tiptoed closer to peek.

“Luchuan is south out of the city. We need to follow the official road for eighty li. At the sixteenth earthen-something marker, take the side path up the mountain. If you can’t find it, go to Liu’s Cloth Shop in town...”

“Earthen mound,” the Daoist corrected.

“Earthen mound!” she repeated with confidence.

“Those are the little dirt mounds along the road,” the Daoist explained. “You’ll often see them every five li or so. If you don’t recognize the word, you can just read one side of it[1].”

“Read one side...” The little girl nodded thoughtfully, then stared at the paper again and exclaimed, “Ah, so that’s how you remember how to pronounce it!”

“Otherwise, I’d forget.”

“You’re not very smart.”

“I could never compare with your extraordinary memory.”

“So are we going into town to look for Liu’s Cloth Shop?”

“Let’s see...” Song You folded the piece of paper and looked up at the sky. “Let’s see if the swallow can find the way. If he can, then we won’t need to bother anyone in town. But if he can’t, or if the path has changed, then we’ll shamelessly bring a gift and go ask for directions. Of course, having someone to guide us would be best.”

The little girl looked up at the sky as well. The sky was empty, and nothing was in sight.

Copycat

.

Then she lowered her head again and focused on tending the fire and cooking rice.

Before long, the swallow returned.

“Did you find the path,

meow

?”

“I found it.” The swallow perched on a tree branch and looked down. “Just as Master said, I left Luchuan City heading south along the main road, counted sixteen earthen mounds, and sure enough, there was a small trail. The grass and forest were thick, so I almost missed it, but it leads straight into the deep mountains. To make sure I had the right one, I flew farther along the trail and saw some travelers. I stopped and asked them, and sure enough, this road leads to Bashu. But along the way, there are many forks, each going to different villages and mountain tops.”

“You’re quite cautious.” The Daoist smiled after hearing this.

“You’re quite cautious...” The little girl echoed his praise while tending the fire.

“One more thing.”

“What is it?”

“Although we’re not on the southern main road out of Luchuan right now, we’re actually not far from it. When I flew higher, I saw that this riverside path we’re on runs quite close to the official road and to the trail leading up the mountain that Master asked me to find. So if we don’t go back to Luchuan, we can take a shortcut from here. At most thirty li, and we’ll save at least a day and a half of travel. If we do want to visit Luchuan, then we can stick to this river path, it’s closer than the main road anyway. Once we’ve rested enough there, we can take the official road to continue.”

Having the swallow around really makes things easier.

So diligent and reliable...

Song You thought with quiet appreciation, falling into contemplation.

“In that case, let’s skip Luchuan for now. We’ll visit the city after we come down from the mountains. Spring isn’t far off, so we’d better head up sooner rather than later.”

“Understood.”

After lunch, they set off again.

The swallow flew ahead, full of energy. Sometimes it veered left, sometimes right, soaring high or dipping low, but it always stayed close to the path. Whenever they approached a confusing fork, he would lower his altitude and hover in place to wait for them.

With his guidance, the Daoist led a cat and a horse down field paths and village trails, past a few mountain temples, over a few hills, and eventually onto the official road. From there, they continued southward, until they found the small path leading into the great mountains.

The small path was some distance away from the earth mound, so the swallow had piled up some stones at the entrance as a marker, to avoid missing it.

Song You pushed aside the dense undergrowth and made his way uphill.

The mountain path was narrow, and it was just wide enough for one person, and even that felt a bit tight. The horse could barely manage to pass. The foliage was thick, and both grass and branches from nearby trees and bamboo constantly brushed against them. There were also many forks in the trail, leading who knows where, making the journey quite difficult.

As they slowly climbed higher, they suddenly heard voices.

“This path’s just getting harder and harder to walk. I say, give it a few more years, and if no one keeps coming up the mountain, the folks up there probably won’t come down either.”

“When the world’s at peace, people from the mountain will still come down. At the very least, trade must go on, and the red rice still has to be offered as tribute. But I’ve heard the reclusive masters living up there say this world is visibly getting messier by the day. More and more demons and evil spirits showing up, that’s a sure sign of troubled times. Didn’t someone rebel in Yizhou just a few years ago? Probably won’t stay peaceful for long. If war breaks out down below, those up in the mountains will definitely seal off the path and just stay hidden, like their own little paradise.”

“No wonder so many recluses are heading into the mountains.”

“Wait... sounds like someone’s coming...”

The Daoist pushed through the underbrush, the sound of rustling leaves announcing his approach. His horse trotted along the dirt trail, the bell on its harness occasionally jingling.

After walking through a patch of forest, he came upon the source of the voices. There was a small clearing by the roadside, where five people stood.

One was a well-dressed, middle-aged man, somewhat plump in build but carrying a long sword at his waist. Another was an older man with a slight stoop, looking very much like a bookkeeper. The other three were younger men dressed in simple clothes with large baskets on their backs, and one of them held a cleaver. All were resting by the path.

As Song You saw them, they too spotted him.

The middle-aged man and the old man exchanged a glance; there was some confusion in their eyes, but also a hint of curiosity. At the same time, they lowered their guard.

As the Daoist approached, the middle-aged man stepped forward without hesitation, cupped his hands and spoke first, “Sir, you don’t look like a local. May I ask where you’re from?”

“What gives me away?” Song You replied.

“You’re far too fair-skinned,” the man said with a half-smile, his raised hand still in a respectful salute. “The sun here is brutal, and even those who aren’t constantly out in the fields still can’t stay this pale. Rare to see someone with such a complexion and bearing as you.”

“You flatter me. There’s really no such thing as bearing,” Song You replied modestly, returning the gesture. He was just about to look for someone to ask directions from anyway, so he added, “My surname is Song, I'm from Yizhou. May I ask how I should address you, sir?”

“No need for formalities. My surname is Liu, I’m a merchant from Luchuan,” the man replied. “Yizhou, eh? That’s quite a distance. Judging by your robes, you must be a cultivator, are you heading into the mountains to live in seclusion?”

“To be honest with you, Mr. Liu,” Song You replied sincerely, “I’m not here to seek seclusion. I came here following the stories, up into these mountains to seek dragons and immortals. I’ve heard there’s a place here called Bashu, where the mountains rise steeply and clouds gather in the valleys. It’s said that people have seen dragons soaring within those clouds. As traveling Daoists wandering the land, we seek out the strange and wondrous, so I came specifically to look for it.”

“We? You have companions, sir?”

“Just my travel companions,” Song You said, glancing behind him.

Mr. Liu followed his gaze and noticed a calico cat tucked just behind the hem of his robe, partly hidden in the grass. Only half its head peeked out, one eye fixed on them with typical feline wariness.

“Ah, you're going to Bashu to seek dragons? What a coincidence, we’re heading there as well. When there's time, we stop and keep watch too, hoping to catch another glimpse of the True Dragon. If you don’t mind, you’re welcome to travel with us.”

𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

“Oh?” Song You was slightly taken aback. What a fortunate surprise.

Even more surprising, judging by the man's words, it seemed he had already seen the True Dragon at Bashu.

“Then I shall respectfully accept your kind offer.”

“Haha! As long as you don't mind that I'm getting on in years and don’t move so fast.”

“Not at all. We’re just traveling the world, so we’re in no hurry. A slower pace just means more time to enjoy the scenery,” Song You said with a smile. “And without you leading the way, with all these crisscrossing paths in the mountains, we might spend days just trying to find which peak or village is Bashu and move even slower.”

“Haha...” The middle-aged man exchanged a look with the elder beside him, then laughed aloud, “Sir, you’re from outside, so you likely don’t know how tall these mountains really are, or how vast. The people living up here mostly don’t speak the official language. If you didn’t have a guide and didn’t know the way, forget just a few days, you might not find Bashu in dozens of days, or even in months. And even if you got there, you might not be sure you were in the right place. There are no signs, and no one who understands your words.”

“Well said.” Song You knew that Bashu was a tall mountain, and had a general idea of its features. Plus, with the swallow scouting from above, it wouldn’t be that difficult for him, but he didn’t mention that. Instead, he asked, “Do you often come to these mountains, Mr. Liu?”

“Not too often. I come once a year.”

“From what you’ve said, it sounds like you’ve seen the True Dragon with your own eyes?”

“I have! I most certainly have!”

“What does the True Dragon look like?”

“It’s hard to describe,” Liu replied. “Before I ever saw the True Dragon in this mountain, I’d heard all sorts of tales and so many different stories about dragons. Marsh dragons, mud dragons, earth dragons, carp dragons, flood dragons, horned dragons... you name it. But the first time I saw the dragon soaring above these mountains, I understood immediately why it’s called a True Dragon. And all those others elsewhere? They aren’t real dragons at all.”

“How mystical.” Song You widened his eyes, growing even more intrigued.

“If you're lucky enough to witness the True Dragon on this trip, sir, especially if you see it up close, you’ll understand. There’s no use in me trying to explain it. That kind of magnificence just can’t be described.”

“It sounds like not everyone gets to see it... but you’ve seen it more than once?”

“Haha! Sir, you’re truly perceptive!”

The middle-aged man glanced around, rolled his neck to loosen up, and said, “We’ve been walking a while and worked up a good sweat. Now that we’ve sat and cooled down in the mountain wind, how about we get moving again? If you're not tired, let’s walk and talk.”

“Very well.” Song You stepped forward as well.

“Flap flap flap...”

Now that they didn’t need to scout the path anymore, the swallow also glided down and perched atop the jujube-red horse’s head.

The three young men carrying large baskets walked in front, the elder followed behind, and the middle-aged man walked at the rear, occasionally turning back to speak with Song You.

“Sir, since you dare climb these mountains alone and travel the world alone in times like these, you must possess some cultivation and ability?”

“I’ve studied some methods of cultivation and learned a few spells,” Song You replied.

“I thought as much. Otherwise, who’d dare enter the deep mountains alone these days?” The man sighed.

“The world’s getting more chaotic. In the past, the mountains rarely saw demons or spirits. The worst dangers were wolves, tigers, or the occasional bandit. But now... there seem to be monsters, real ones. With you traveling with us, it puts us a little more at ease.”

“Oh? What makes you say that?”

“Take today, for instance. Just after we left the main road and turned onto the mountain path, before we’d gone far, we met someone right at a bamboo grove. It was a young man, asking for directions to Bashu, just like you.” The middle-aged man, though calm, lowered his voice slightly.

“I’ve spent years collecting tales of demons and spirits. I'm someone who admires the Dao and the pursuit of immortality. I've gotten to know a few recluses in the mountains who have real cultivation. I’ve heard many stories, and I’ve seen a few strange things in my life. So I can tell with one glance that the boy... wasn’t human.”

“...” Song You turned to glance at the swallow on the horse’s head.

The cat also paused and looked up at the bird.

“Why do you say that?”

“That youth was far too handsome. His face was much too fair, simply not like a mortal at all. And not just that, his clothes were too exquisite,” the middle-aged man surnamed Liu paused for a moment. “I run a fabric shop. The finest fabrics in Yunzhou are none other than Xianyun Gauze from Xianning in Zhao Commandery, and Dragon Brocade from Luchuan in our own Bu Commandery. Both are tribute goods sent to the palace. But even so, neither Xianyun Gauze nor Dragon Brocade quite compare to the fabric of that young man's robe. It was so pristine and spotless. Tell me, sir, what kind of person could come out of these mountains dressed like that?”

As he spoke, he turned back to look at the Daoist.

He expected the Daoist to agree with him, or perhaps ask how he dealt with the monster and escaped danger. But instead, he saw the man looking at him with a gaze full of amusement. Surprise twinkled in his eyes, and he had a faint smile.

There was a hint of unexpected delight in his expression.

“Mr. Liu, you run a fabric shop?”

“Indeed,” the man replied. “We’re heading up the mountain now to collect silkworm threads. It’s not the season for spring, summer, or autumn silkworms down below, but the mountaintop ones are spinning silk now. Infused with the mountain’s spiritual energy and dragon aura, that silk becomes Luchuan’s Dragon Brocade.”

“Liu's Cloth Shop of Luchuan?”

“You’ve visited it, sir?”

“I’ve not visited, I’ve only heard of it.”

As Song You spoke, he lowered his head and exchanged a glance with the calico cat at his feet. No words were needed.

Fate truly did work in mysterious ways.

1. In this context, “可以读半边” literally means “you can read half of the character.”

This refers to a common strategy in reading or recognizing Chinese characters, especially for people who may not be fully literate. Many Chinese characters are phono-semantic compounds, meaning they are made up of two parts. One part gives a hint to the meaning (semantic component), while the other part gives a hint to the pronunciation (phonetic component).

Here, Lady Calico misreads or misremembers the character “堠” in “土堠” (tǔ hòu), an old term referring to the small earthen mounds used as mile markers along ancient roads.

When the Daoist says “可以读半边”, he’s suggesting she read or recognize just one part of the character, either to help her recall the word or approximate its sound or meaning.

So essentially, he’s kindly telling her: “If you don’t recognize the full character, just go by half of it, it might help you figure it out.” ☜