Chapter 692: The Taste of Those Years, Fresh in Memory

The mountain forest was hard to traverse, and Song You’s body was still weak. He could only lean on a bamboo staff and walk slowly.

Dongyang pointed out a general direction by which he might leave the mountains, escorted him part of the way, but as Dongyang himself had never gone out since arriving here, he could not be entirely certain.

This place was about three

li

from where Song You had sat in meditation to rest the previous night.

Song You passed that spot once again.

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

After walking a few more

li

, a mountain spirit revealed itself to present him with wild fruits and fresh water, showing the utmost respect, and even escorted him a while.

Along the way, the mountain spirit told him that it was a spirit naturally nurtured by this stretch of forest, and that this was its domain, hence no other fierce beasts or monsters came to cause trouble.

Many years ago, when that cat had arrived here, the spirit had found her so lively and beautiful that it could not bear to harm her. They had lived alongside each other in the mountains for a long time, becoming friends despite being of different kinds. Many years later, the cat brought back a man named Dongyang from outside. Seeing that Dongyang’s heart was pure and kind, the spirit did not mind an extra person within its territory, and even offered them protection in secret.

Two days ago, when the heavens had been shaken by strange phenomena and the battle of divine beings, the spirit had feared the celestial immortals’ magic and admired the Daoist’s cultivation even more, but what it revered most was the Daoist’s act of shielding this land and its rivers. Thus, it had come to see him off.

When they parted, the mountain spirit once again pointed him toward the right path.

Leaving this area, there were wolves, leopards, and tigers, as well as other spirits and ghosts.

Few people ever came into the mountains, so whether birds, beasts, spirits, or ghosts, all were wary, mostly cautious yet curious. Occasionally, tigers or wolves would block the way, and the Daoist would simply ask them to move aside. Sometimes spirits would approach, but few were foolish enough to be discourteous to him.

If there were indeed stupid and wicked spirits or ghosts who, seeing his weakness, thought of doing harm, the Daoist was not afraid. He needn’t even lift a hand; he would simply release the bamboo staff in his hand and tell it to go strike them dead.

As he walked, footsteps suddenly sounded behind him. This time, however, the steps were very light.

The Daoist stopped, leaned on his staff, and turned to look.

A woman stepped out from behind a tree. Her white clothes were stained with blood, yet her expression was calm, so the blood on her garments seemed like plum blossoms blooming against snow. Behind her followed a sickly-looking maidservant.

In the maid’s hand was a calico cat. Around the cat’s neck hung a small wooden tag pendant.

Lady Calico had at first been perfectly well-behaved. Her eyes and ears naturally drooped, and her limbs hung loosely, with only her tail raised to preserve her modesty. She was a picture of docility and propriety. But when she saw the Daoist, her two front paws immediately began batting about, her hind legs kicked at the air, and her whole body writhed restlessly.

Yet she made no sound, no meow, only turned her head and gently bit the maid’s hand. The frail maid loosened her grip.

Thud.

The cat landed steadily on the ground and ran toward the Daoist.

Only when she reached him did she slow down, but instead of sitting neatly as usual, she tilted her head back to look up at him, pacing in circles around him, glancing up from time to time, a trace of worry between her brows.

Chirp, chirp, chirp...

A swallow flew down from the sky and landed on a tree branch.

The Daoist lowered his gaze to look at the circling cat, then up at the swallow on the branch overhead, before finally looking forward at the woman.

The woman swept her gaze around with a detached air, then met his eyes.

“Daoist Master, you’re injured,” the fox voiced aloud the result of which the cat had just been trying to confirm.

“Likewise.” The Daoist returned the salute respectfully.

“I’m in much better shape than you,” the woman replied, then paused. “Your cat and your swallow, I’ve brought them back to you.”

“Many thanks.”

She said, “The Western Origin Saint and the Northern Combat Saint have both fallen. The two Buddhas from the Western Paradise did not survive either, and only a pile of relics remained. I asked that mountain god to take them back and bury them in the mountains. That mountain god was the most gravely injured, and his very foundation was harmed.”

“When I left, he had already gone into seclusion and fallen asleep. Still, the mountain I borrowed from Hezhou for him brought him a great deal of incense offerings; it should not take many years for him to recover as before. The others left after the battle as well,” the woman said. “You needn’t go back there anymore. Even if you wished to return to express your thanks, you wouldn’t find anyone.”

He responded, “I can only visit them another time, then.”

“And when will ‘another time’ be?” The woman’s tone was as if sincerely seeking advice.

“Once I’ve returned to the Daoist temple... perhaps many years from now, whenever I have the leisure,” the Daoist answered truthfully. “I will certainly visit each one in turn to offer my thanks.”

“What will you do after this, Daoist Master?”

Her voice was calm and gentle, hard to tell if it was softness or weakness. The maid behind her, whose identity was unclear, had been listless the whole time, standing silently at her back.

“Thanks to everyone’s aid, the Four Saints of the Four Directions have fallen. Among the celestial deities of the Heavenly Palace, virtuous or not, none remain who can obstruct me,” Song You said. “However, I must still ascend to the Heavenly Palace to request the current Celestial Emperor to abdicate. After that, whether the people once again choose and enshrine a virtuous new Celestial Emperor, or leave the throne vacant, that will be for the future to decide.”

“How will you ascend to the Heavenly Palace?”

“By finding a path to the heavens, of course.”

“When you rebuilt the path to the heavens, you truly left yourself many hidden paths,” the woman said with a faint, detached smile.

“And what plans do you have?” Song You asked with genuine concern.

“We had originally planned to go to Anqing. I heard that Anqing’s mountains and rivers are like a painting, that an old Swallow Immortal lives there, and that it is also a holy site where martial wanderers hold their gatherings, so we wished to take a look,” the woman said, standing across from him. “Now that your business is concluded, we naturally shouldn’t delay any further, it’s time to go enjoy Anqing’s landscapes.”

“I heard Anqing also has a temple dedicated to you, Daoist Master,” the maid added weakly.

“This time, I truly owe you both my deepest thanks.” Song You bowed solemnly to them. “Such great kindness, how could I ever repay it?”

“...”

The woman was silent for a moment, meeting his gaze as if in thought. Her eyes held no avoidance.

After a pause, she finally said, “Back in Changjing, I once ate a chicken you cooked, and the preparation was most unusual. Later, during the three years you spent in Mount Ye of Fengzhou forming the underworld’s nether realm, Lady Calico went to Changjing again and bought chickens to make it, but the flavor was never the same as before. These past three years since leaving Fengzhou, the braised chickens we’ve had in other great cities have all fallen short of that taste.”

Though the maid was weak, at the mention of the braised chicken’s flavor she smacked her lips involuntarily.

“If we could eat it again, that would be even better...”

“That flavor was my creation,” the Daoist said, lowering his gaze. “To be honest, I am skilled in cooking and have a few good dishes up my sleeve. If you come to Yin-Yang Mountain after next autumn, I will be sure to give you a proper feast.”

“...” The woman did not reply.

“Such delicious chicken and other fine dishes... If only we could have them often...” the maid murmured weakly, her tone stripped of its former playfulness, leaving only a sense of easy pliancy.

“To tell the truth, Yin-Yang Mountain, where the Hidden Dragon Temple stands, is part of a whole mountain range, with several peaks. The scenery may not be breathtaking, but it is fair and pleasant. If you like, you could choose any peak you wish, build a few bamboo huts or thatched cottages, or even towers and pavilions as you please,” Song You said. “You could be our neighbors for a time.”

“The world changes so quickly. Ten years ago, many of the new things in Changjing City were completely unseen by the previous dynasty, things they could never have imagined. And what the next dynasty will be like... no one knows. If such a strange world were to be seen by only one person, it would be far too dull.” The woman spoke, her gaze unflinching, though her words were subtle.

“You two have lifespans longer than mine...”

“So what?”

“I will grow old faster than both of you.”

“Why worry, Daoist Master?” the woman said calmly. “In the human world, there are always people who spend their entire lives with cats and dogs. Cats and dogs live far shorter lives than humans, but if the companionship is genuine, have you ever heard of anyone despising a cat or dog for growing old? We are merely foxes from the mountains, not humans. Though we may take human form, human aging to us is simply the departure of old friends.”

“...” Song You fell silent, only bowing politely.

“We shouldn’t delay your important matters. Anqing’s mountains and rivers are waiting for us.” The woman returned his bow.

“Exactly. Having used the fox ancestor’s severed tail and taken the elixir of immortality, we must find a quiet place to cultivate until we become great, so that in the future we can leave a new severed tail for posterity.” The maid bowed weakly but respectfully, “We will visit you again after next autumn.”

“Safe travels.”

Both sides were polite to the point of awkwardness.

“

Swoosh...

”

A mountain wind blew, and the two figures disappeared like smoke.

The Daoist withdrew his courtesy and his gaze, finally letting out a heavy sigh of relief.

He lowered his head slightly, and his own cat was crouched on his right front side, exactly where the woman had been just a moment ago. The cat now turned its head repeatedly, looking for any trace of the woman. Only after confirming that she had completely gone did it return its gaze to the Daoist.

It seemed as though, in the previous conversation, she had been sitting here with both of them on each side, and she turned her head to watch whoever spoke.

“Lady Calico, how are things in Southern Art City?”

“The situation in Southern Art City is excellent! There are absolutely no demons or monsters causing trouble!” The cat immediately focused on him, staring seriously. “You just lied to me to make me stay in the city!”

“Why would you say such a thing?” Song You shook his head in disagreement. “I am a disciple of Daoist Duoxing of Hidden Dragon Temple, not Grandmaster Tiansuan. I know nothing about divination or prophecy, how could I know that no demons or monsters will cause chaos in the city?”

“Well...”

“Just to be safe.”

“Oh...”

The cat’s eyes gradually returned to normal, nodding, and then it brightened again. “No demons or monsters caused trouble!”

“That’s best.”

“Best!” The cat paused, then turned its head to look at the empty mountain forest. “We’re going to be neighbors with the fox and its tail,

meow

?”

“Roughly so.”

“Neighbors for many years,

meow

?”

“Roughly so.”

“You...”

“My body is somewhat weak; I must find a place to properly recuperate for a few days,” the Daoist said to her.

“Oh yes!” The cat’s expression turned solemn. After all, this was a serious issue.