Chapter 635: Blossoms in the Ghost City

“Ding ding dIng...”

The crisp sound of a bell echoed through the mountains. It was now late summer, just turning to early autumn.

By the banks of the Yin River, a Daoist and his horse walked along the riverside; they had arrived here once more.

The calico cat followed behind, lifting her head as she looked around at the mountain forests on either side. But in her mind, she was reminiscing about the time she had ridden a tiger, charging through these woods, surrounded by a pack of wolves, the wind howling... What a display of majesty that had been.

On the river beside them, a boat drifted downstream.

The boatman was an old man, whose beard and hair were already grey, yet he still made his living ferrying passengers on the river. Despite his age, his face was ruddy and glowing with health, and his movements were agile, completely unlike what one would expect from a man so old.

He was chatting idly with the passengers as he poled the boat.

“I heard there was a major flood here a few years back,” one passenger said. “They say the earth dragon turned over. Sounds strange, is it true?”

“Of course it’s true!” the boatman replied. “That flood swallowed who knows how many riverside homes. This river, wide as it is, even changed its course. They say it went back to an old path from long ago, then shifted again not long after. Just in that back-and-forth, the upstream areas were fine, but many people downstream suffered. As for the earth dragon turning over, oh, yes. They say someone even saw a dragon tumbling through the sky deep in the mountains.”

“At that time, I was still running my boat here,” the old man continued, “and I even ran into an immortal!”

“An immortal? What kind of immortal?”

“It was a woman as beautiful as a celestial maiden. And a Daoist Master, too, who carried himself like a true sage,” the old man recalled, smiling at the memory. “Maybe I was fated to meet them. The last time I saw them, they even gave me a cup of wine.”

“Wine?”

“Oh, that wine, it was like nectar from heaven. The taste lingered in my mouth forever. It was so cold on the river that day, but after a sip of that wine, I wasn’t cold at all. You know, I’ve had a leg problem for years, and every rainy day my legs would ache terribly. Been like that for who knows how long. But after I drank that wine, I’ve never had pain since.”

“Sounds almost too good to be true.”

“Hahaha! Can’t you tell if it’s true or not, dear passenger? If it weren’t true, would this old man still be working the river at my age?”

“Well, you’ve got a point there...”

“And that’s not even the whole of it,” the old man went on. “I remember the second time I saw that immortal, he seemed in a hurry and borrowed my boat. He practically

flew

across the water. When we arrived at his destination, he told me to bring my boat ashore and not sail for a few days. Not long after, the flood came. Many boatmen were caught in it, but I was unharmed. Even my boat wasn’t swept away.”

“What did the immortal look like?”

“Being an immortal, naturally he had an immortal aura, a noble bearing. You could tell at a glance he wasn’t ordinary.”

𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“Come on, give us more detail!”

“Ah... that I cannot say.”

“I’ll give you ten wen for tea if you do.”

“It’s not that I

won’t

say it,” the old man chuckled, “it’s that later I realized that immortal didn’t want mortals to know what he was. How could I dare reveal him to others?”

Just as he finished speaking, the boatman suddenly froze in place.

He turned his head toward the riverbank and saw a man and a horse. The Daoist was leaning on a bamboo staff, walking at a steady pace. The horse swayed its bell as it carried a pack. Trailing behind was a calico cat that walked a few steps, stopped, and glanced around cautiously.

The boatman slowly guided the boat to the shore.

The Daoist respectfully greeted him, “Sir, have you been well?”

“I-I’m...still... still well...”

“This is the fourth time we’ve met. We’re truly fated to me. Since it’s so, may I ask you to ferry us once more?”

***

Zi Commandery Ferry Crossing...

The Daoist thanked the boatman and once again stepped onto this land.

He paused, leaning on his staff, and looked around. The scenery on the shore was vaguely reminiscent of the past, though the scrubby trees by the river had grown more lush and wild. A yellow dirt path snaked between the mountains, destination unknown. Some trees by the roadside had been cut, leaving behind stumps, though new ones had sprouted, making the landscape quite different from before.

“....” The Daoist shook his head slightly and set off again. He walked forward, following his memory, heading straight for Mount Ye of Yinnan.

There, he had old acquaintances. Thinking of them stirred a faint nervousness and fear within him.

There were still a few days of travel ahead.

By day, the Daoist journeyed and chatted idly with travelers. At night, he slept under the open sky, watching ghost messengers and wandering souls gathered from across the land. It wasn’t until he crossed the final mountain pass that Mount Ye came into full view.

Now, Mount Ye was a land of lush green mountains and clear waters. Gone were the scars of that ancient battle. Nor was it the bleak, tree-less land that had appeared after the Daoist first reshaped the Ghost City of Mount Ye.

Now, the valleys between the mountains were filled with dense, thriving forests. Vital energy pulsed through the land. The mountain range was dotted with countless lakes. There were large and small lakes, each uniquely shaped, and their waters varied in hue from deep green to pale yellow. These shimmering pools brought even more life to the scenery, like gemstones scattered among the verdant peaks.

Among the mountains stood one tall peak alone, perfectly conical, rising proud and distinct.

From this vantage point, looking down from on high, one could see the interplay of mountains and waters, and white clouds mirrored in the lakes. It was a truly magnificent view.

It was not only magnificent, but

strange

.

Looking out, the landscape featured bizarre rock formations and craggy peaks. Some looked like stone columns erupting from the earth; some like massive boulders fallen from the heavens; some were impossibly shaped and unnatural, but wonderful to behold.

The Daoist took in the scene, beauty filling his eyes, and his heart lifted. He couldn’t help but smile. Then, turning his head to a swallow perched on a nearby branch, he said, “It’s all thanks to you...”

The swallow, hearing this, immediately flew over and landed atop the horse’s head. It was a little closer now, as if wanting to hear his praise more clearly, as if hoping to hear

more

.

...Probably something it had picked up from Lady Calico. Indeed, it truly

was

his doing.

Back then, the area surrounding Mount Ye was barren due to the overwhelming yin and ghostly qi. After a great battle, with floods washing over the land, black mist shrouding it, and heavenly thunder and earth’s fire raging, even the faintest spark of vitality that had remained was utterly wiped out.

It was the swallow, using its divine powers, that carried seed by seed of grass and buried tree seeds one by one, and then nurtured them with wood-element spell. That was how this land regained its vitality.

Years had now passed, and the lush greenery was all thanks to the swallow’s good deeds.

The Daoist strolled onward, walking into the landscape of green mountains and clear waters.

Before long, he noticed something interesting. From afar, the ground appeared like a thick carpet of vibrant grass; though it was early autumn, only a few patches had turned yellow. From a distance, he couldn’t tell what kind of grass it was, but up close, he realized that most of it was familiar.

Cattail grass, jointgrasses... They were all pasture grasses loved by horses.

Looking farther ahead, the mountains and lake shores were thick with trees. They didn’t have the tall, straight larches of the Western Regions, nor the towering firs common in Fengzhou or Yaozhou. They weren’t the swamp cypresses of Xianning Lake, nor the golden or crimson-leaved smoke trees seen in other mountain ranges come autumn.

In fact, the woods looked a little wild and unkempt. But when he got closer, he discovered that these trees were almost all

fruit trees

.

Some of them were ripening just now, in this early autumn season. The branches were heavy with fruit, and even passing beneath the trees, one could catch their sweet fragrance. There were pears, oranges, and kiwis.

“You planted all fruit trees?” Song You looked at the swallow and couldn’t help but shake his head with a smile.

The swallow turned its gaze to the cat on the ground. The cat also turned its head and met the swallow’s eyes.

The bird and the feline seemed to have exchanged some kind of silent understanding.

From that shared glance, the Daoist could easily deduce that years ago in Fengzhou, when the swallow had chosen to plant all these fruit trees, even if it wasn’t exactly planned together, it had definitely taken Lady Calico’s preferences into account.

Lady Calico liked to hunt and harvest. She liked acquiring food, and she liked the feeling of being

surrounded

by food.

The Daoist didn’t stop walking.

He passed countless lakes in varying sizes, and even he couldn’t remember how they’d all come to be.

Were they created by the marsh dragons crashing through the land? By the fox during a fierce battle? By the clash between the Great Star God and the geomantic titan? Smashed into the earth by falling rocks? Or left behind when

he

took boulders away?

Only the human-shaped lake he remembered clearly. The rest was completely forgotten.

The Daoist walked through the lakes, crossed a stone bridge, and finally stood before Mount Ye.

There was a temple on the mountain, the Temple of Divine Lord Yuewang. The temple was slightly larger than it had been a few years ago. Perhaps it now honored additional deities of the underworld as well.

The Daoist didn’t go up the mountain, because as soon as he crossed the bridge and stood before Mount Ye, the mountain had already opened its gate to him.

Outside the mountain was a great formation. Ordinary living people could physically reach this place, but they wouldn’t be able to enter.

But the Daoist’s arrival had long since drawn the attention of the gods and spirits of the Ghost City. Now, they had come to welcome him.

The swallow and the cat both turned their heads to look at him; the cat’s eyes were gleaming brightly.

“...”

The Daoist's expression was calm and composed. Without the slightest hesitation, he took a step forward and entered the Ghost City.

In an instant, the space before him opened up wide.

Divine Lord Yuewang, a god of great power, had made further modifications to the Ghost City of Mount Ye in recent years. Now, stepping inside, one saw a vast and expansive realm. Below were buildings, city streets, and winding alleyways that resembled the mortal world. In some areas, there were even unknown trees growing, along with rivers, streams, and bridges; it truly resembled a city of the underworld.

Only, this city was probably even larger than Changjing, the mortal capital. Someone stood ahead, waiting for him.

Song You walked over to see. The man leading the group was middle-aged, dressed in loose, casual robes. His hair was untied, and he had a beard on his face. He carried the air of a carefree wanderer, a refined yet unrestrained scholar. It was none other than Divine Lord Yuewang himself.

At his side stood two divine officials in black robes embroidered with gold. One had a commanding presence, it was Prime Minister He, now the Palace Lord of the First Palace of the Ghost City. The other had white hair and a kindly appearance; it was Doctor Cai, now likely the Palace Lord of the Third Palace. Both were accompanied by underworld officials.

Then, another person approached from behind.

Slightly plump in figure and always seeming to wear a smile, he wore a monk’s robe, walked barefoot, and had no other adornments, not even prayer beads. He approached and said, “Daoist Master Song, it’s been a long time. Years have passed since we parted, I imagine you’ve seen much of the world in that time?”

“Your Excellency, greetings.”

“Mr. Song, are you still well?”

“Amitābha. Daoist Master, we meet again.”

Everyone greeted him, each with a different expression.

“No need to be so formal, all of you...” Song You returned their greetings with a smile.

The horse behind him stood quietly and obediently, while the swallow and the cat watched the people in front of them. The swallow said nothing, but the cat quickly shifted its gaze, glancing left and right as if searching for someone.

Then, Divine Lord Yuewang, ever straightforward, spoke bluntly, “Who’s being formal here? Back then you said I wouldn’t need to do a thing, that I could just sit back and enjoy incense offerings. But it’s

nothing

like what you said!”

“Divine Lord Yuewang, I must disagree,” Song You replied with a slight smile. “I’ve rarely lied in my life, and I certainly never deceived you. If you truly wished to remain uninvolved, it would’ve been simple. And if you wanted only to enjoy incense offerings, that too was easy.”

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the city, which was now grand and refined with an elegant atmosphere. It was a city he himself had built.

He looked toward the distant figures of ghosts within the city and shook his head with a soft laugh. “It’s just... you couldn’t bear to look away.”

“...” Divine Lord Yuewang had no retort. He fell silent.

Behind him, Master Yidu and Doctor Cai both smiled and nodded repeatedly toward Song You. Then, turning their gaze to the calico cat behind him, they greeted her as well.

“Lady Calico, are you well?”

“It’s been years. Lady Calico, your cultivation has progressed greatly.”

“You’re all doing well too,” The cat answered softly and delicately, but her eyes kept darting around, glancing left and right.

She asked them, “Why didn’t the fox and the tail come?”

“Uh...” The group exchanged looks, momentarily at a loss for words.

In the end, it was Master Yidu who answered calmly, “Amitābha. Lady Calico, you may not know. After you all left back then, the eight-tailed fox turned into a stone statue. She has stood in the northwest of the Ghost City ever since, and for years has not changed. Only when powerful gods from Heaven descended to pressure Divine Lord Yuewang did she briefly release a bit of spiritual energy. Aside from that, she hasn’t appeared.”

“You mean... she became a statue,

meow

?”

“Not quite.”

“Then she’s a rock!”

“More or less.”

“But

why

,

meow

?”

The cat’s expression turned serious, full of confusion. “Perhaps she found the Ghost City dull. Perhaps she felt it was meaningless. Or perhaps... she had her own reasons.”

Master Yidu smiled gently, palms together. “I am but a humble monk, I do not understand such worldly reasoning.”

“

You

don’t understand either?”

“I do not.” Master Yidu’s answer was calm and open.

The cat stared at him, looking into his clear, honest eyes. And, unusually, she did not say her typical line, “You’re not very smart.”

“However,” the monk added, “behind the eight-tailed fox’s stone figure, a yellow plum tree has grown. Even though it grows in this Ghost City, it still blooms alone in the bitter cold of winter. Its delicate fragrance spreads for ten li, and the whole city can smell it.”

“

Meow

...” Lady Calico naturally knew what a yellow plum tree was.

And, of course, Lady Calico still remembered that yellow plum tree.