“If you are a mountain ghost or demon and want something, just tell us. We’ve been traveling this road for decades and will continue for decades more. Whatever you want, we can bring it for you. Perhaps in the future, every time when we pass through here again, we might even sit down and have a cup of tea with you,” said the merchant to Song You.

“But if you intend to cause trouble… It's broad daylight and there are many of us here. We’re not easily deceived or foolish enough to fall for tricks. I advise you to give up such thoughts and look for someone else.”

“You misunderstand. I am truly human.”

“How can you prove that?”

“I’m telling the absolute truth, no need for proof.”

“Are you brave enough to swear by the Thunder God?”

“This mountain has a Mountain God. Why should I swear by the Thunder God?”

“Which Mountain God? I am not aware...”

“Well, which Thunder God do you want?”

“How about Duke of Thunder Zhou?”

Song You smiled and casually replied, “If I am not human, may Duke of Thunder Zhou strike me with lightning.”

“…” The merchants exchanged glances. They knew such oaths might not have much real power, but Song You had a friendly appearance, and spoke gently and politely. Even if he was a demon, he did not seem like the vicious kind of demon, so they felt somewhat relieved. His Daoist robe and the fact that he was traveling with a jujube-red horse, along with his calm oath, made them feel more at ease.

They thought if he were truly a ghost or demon, the fact that he dared to act against the bunch of them in broad daylight and take on a human form meant that he must have considerable cultivation skills. In that case, they could only consider themselves unfortunate.

It was better to be polite and avoid provoking him, and it was best to avoid conflict.

“My apologies for the misunderstanding, sir! Please forgive us for any offense!”

“Not at all.” Song You promptly said, “It is wise for you to be cautious while traveling through the wilderness.”

Despite encountering the survival tactic of these traveling merchants many times before, he still found it intriguing every time.

“Sir, you are unfamiliar with these roads and yet dare travel alone in the wilderness. You must be a master if you’re not a ghost or demon. May I ask where you cultivate?”

“I am not a master. I’m just a wandering Daoist priest, and I cultivate in Yizhou, Lingquan County.”

“Why did you choose this route to Pingzhou? There are other roads.”

“Once I reached Xiangle County, I had no choice but to take this route.”

“This road is known to have demons.”

“I am brave.”

“Where did you sleep last night?”

“In the wilderness with no fixed place. Any spot can serve as a resting place for me.”

“It seems that skilled masters like you are truly bold.”

“With a clear conscience, one need not fear demons and ghosts.” Song You smiled and looked at the merchants. “Aren't you also traveling?”

“Us?” The merchants, having conversed with Song You, no longer felt as on guard. They found he did not seem like a demon though they didn’t fully relax their vigilance. Ṙ𝙖Ŋ𝐨ꞖЁꞩ

They shook their heads and said, “We’ve traveled this route many times. We know where we can find lodging, which days to walk faster, and which days to take it slower to reach a town or a military outpost. Secondly, we don’t have much of a choice—this road is the shortest route between Pingzhou and Xuzhou.

“The other route may be easier to walk, but it’s much longer. Although there are no demons, spirits, ghosts and monsters on that road, the mountain bandits and robbers aren’t necessarily easier to deal with. We’re just trying to make a bit of hard-earned money; we don’t have that many options.”

Song You nodded. “That makes sense.”

“Have you heard that every year people mysteriously disappear while traveling this road or encounter ghosts on this road?”

“I would like to hear more.” Song You looked at the merchants. The pot in front of him, simmering with ham and mushroom soup, was still bubbling with steam rising. He asked, “Would you like a bowl of hot soup? It goes well with dry rations.”

The merchants immediately declined.

Song You then picked up a banana leaf wrapped with wild fruits. “I also have some wild fruits picked from the mountains. Would you like to try?”

The merchants declined again.

Song You was not surprised and did not ask again. It was acceptable to have a brief conversation with a stranger walking through these mountains, whether they were human or a demon. But whether human or demon, who would dare casually eat something offered by the other?

Villains used drugs, and demons used magical means. It was very common to use such methods on food and drink to sedate someone.

Song You only asked out of courtesy. As long as he extended the offer as a formality, that was enough.

The sun-tanned merchant said, “As for those who take this road but are only seen entering the mountains and never coming out, I have no idea what happens to them. Whether they were eaten by demons or wild beasts, or if they slipped off a cliff and fell to their death—who knows? All I know is that when my second uncle passed through here last year, he encountered countless demons and spirits.”

A young man next to him immediately asked, “What kind of demons and spirits? How did he encounter them?”

“He was too reckless! He just can’t stay idle!” The merchant shook his head. “He had traveled this route for decades and never encountered anything unusual, so he thought it was safe. One day, he walked slower and didn’t reach his destination, so he decided to rest on the mountain for the night. In the middle of the night, he somehow felt that there were lights. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a market town, with bright lights, stalls, and shops everywhere. It was bustling, and everyone carried a kind of lantern.”

“What kind of lanterns?” The young man’s eyes widened with curiosity.

“Just ordinary lanterns, with no special design. But it wasn't really the lanterns; it was those holding them,” said the merchant. “At first glance, they looked human, but upon closer inspection, they were not human at all.”

“What were they?”

“Demons, ghosts, monsters and spirits of all kinds. Mostly in human form, but think about it—who would be out at night at the demons’ and spirits’ market?”

“And then?”

“My uncle was scared witless. Later, a ghost dressed in an official uniform approached him and spoke to him, but he couldn't say a word. Later, that ghost official grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out. It wasn’t until the next day when Elder Xu’s group passed by and saw my second uncle by the roadside that they brought him back,” said the merchant. “He fell seriously ill after he returned but has recovered now. However, he won't travel this road again, let alone walk around the village at night. Every meal with us, he recounts this story.”

“Is it true?”

“I don’t think it’s fake. This road has always been eerie; I’ve heard that similar incidents have happened to others in the past,” said the merchant, who then paused for a moment with a neutral expression. “However, not all demons and spirits are necessarily evil. Take my second uncle’s encounter, for example. Although he accidentally wandered into someone else’s territory, they didn’t harm him or do anything to him. Instead, they even helped him find his way out.”

“…” Song You felt as if the merchant was subtly hinting at him, and he found it both amusing and interesting.

The two young men, on the other hand, widened their eyes and listened with great interest.

The merchant then advised them, "So, when you take on our work in the future, remember this: avoid traveling at night and don’t sleep in the mountains. If you encounter any ghosts, you might not be so lucky."

After a brief pause, he added, "If you do encounter them, remember that demons and spirits, like people, are mostly reasonable. Don’t offend them or provoke them. Be respectful and courteous, and they won’t harm you for no reason."

There it was again, another subtle hint. Song You said nothing, simply drinking his soup.

The two young men, however, savored the advice and nodded repeatedly.

One bold young man looked at Song You and asked cautiously, “Have you heard similar stories, sir? Did you encounter anything last night?”

“I have heard of such stories. They said that the market here opens during the late months of the second, fifth, and eighth lunar months, as well as in the late winter month,” Song You answered partially.

Then he looked at the middle-aged merchant and said, “But you are right. When traveling through the wilderness, it is best to avoid traveling at night. If unavoidable, keep your head tightly covered and avoid wandering or looking around. Entering a demon’s realm is never good for humans. If you do encounter them, remember that demons and spirits also have feelings. Don't treat them as monsters or filth as soon as you encounter them.”

“Exactly...” The middle-aged merchant's eyes flickered as he was deep in thought.

Upon hearing this, he was reassured that the Daoist priest in front of him was likely not a demon. Even if he was, he must be of the kindhearted sort.

The merchant then asked, “I’m curious about the market times for these demons and spirits. How did you come to know about them?”

“It’s just hearsay, the truth of which I cannot vouch for,” Song You said with a smile, shaking his head. “You might try to avoid these times in the future, and perhaps share this with other traveling merchants on this road. But don’t spread it too far, lest those who are fascinated by demons and spirits especially come look for the market and end up in danger.”

“Understood…”

Song You tilted his head back and drank his soup. After adding ham, the soup was indeed much richer in flavor, and even the color had changed. However, it would have been even better if made with old hen as the base, then simmered with mushrooms and ham for an exquisite taste.

This was the last mouthful. After finishing, Song You went to wash his bowl at the mountain spring. When he returned, the merchants had mostly rested enough and were ready to continue their journey.

Thus, Song You stopped by the roadside to bid them farewell.

“Then, we’ll head off first!”

“Goodbye!”

The group of people and pack mules passed by him. The dark-skinned merchant couldn’t help but glance back at him.

A Daoist priest with a young girl was indeed an unusual sight. The Daoist priest had a fair complexion without signs of sun or wind exposure, and one might say he had an ethereal presence.

But the young girl was exceptionally beautiful, with skin so fair it seemed to glow, free of any signs of tanning and sunburn. There was not a speck of dust or dirt on her body or face. In these times, such cleanliness in a child was quite rare, especially in a child who is traveling in the mountains and enduring the elements.

Given Pingzhou’s many legends of gods and demons, and the frequent appearances of demons and spirits in these mountains, it was quite normal for the merchants to mistake them for demons at first.

As for now… They were either demons or masters!

But what the Daoist priest said in the end…

At that moment, the merchant saw the Daoist priest turning to pack up his things, cleaning the pot and bowls before placing them in a bag. He then put the bag on the horse’s back, and atop the bag hung an old-fashioned lantern.

Wasn’t today precisely the second half of the second lunar month?

The Daoist priest turned to look at him.

The merchant hesitated for a moment, quickly trying to look away but found himself inexplicably pausing. He then cupped his hands toward the Daoist priest.

“What’s the matter, Uncle Yang?”

“Nothing.”

“Why did you cup your hands to him again?”

“Let’s go.”

The merchant shook his head, still feeling that this young Daoist priest was either a demon or a master.

However, whether demons and spirits or masters, if they possessed both cultivation skills as well as character and sincerely helped others, they could all be regarded as immortals.