“Sir, please forgive me for my inadequate guard! Last night, I was stationed at the mountaintop to keep watch over you and the immortal. I even intended to remind you if it got too late. But for some reason, I suddenly felt extremely drowsy. I struggled to stay awake, but everything started spinning, and I saw illusions. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.”

Cui Nanxi waved his hand and then said, “It's no problem; it's not your fault. It must be because the immortal was meditating, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and gathering the essence of the sun and moon.

“We are mere mortals and cannot withstand it, which is why we felt so sleepy... The wild beasts and fierce birds in the mountains must have developed some intelligence and were drawn by the immortal master's Dao essence, coming to seek a chance to encounter the immortal.”

“I see...” Xu Le quickly cupped his hands in gratitude toward Cui Nanxi.

He could tell that the gentleman truly has an affinity for the Immortal Dao and eternal life. If it were someone else, they might not know so much about these matters.

At this point, Cui Nanxi asked, “What do you feel after waking up?”

“I feel entirely refreshed and clear-headed,” Xu Le replied honestly. “Since I've been wandering the

jianghu

and constantly witnessing battles and conflicts, I haven't slept so well in a long time.”

“I feel the same.”

“And the immortal master...”

“Forget it, forget it. Meeting him was already a form of fate. Sometimes, demanding too much and having too many distractions can be counterproductive.” Cui Nanxi waved his hand. “But we promised the immortal master not to mention his name after we descend. We must not break this promise lightly, or it would be disrespectful to this fateful encounter and the immortal master's generous gift.”

“And the elixir...”

“Take it now; we don't want the immortal’s aura to dissipate.”

“Alright!”

Both men took the elixirs. They looked at each other and waited for a while, but didn't feel anything immediately. Xu Le then asked, “Sir, would you like to rest before we continue?”

“I’m not tired. Let’s go now.” Cui Nanxi took a deep breath. “I'll lead the way. That way, if I happen to slip or falter, you can help me.”

“Understood!”

With the immortal’s elixir now in their system, there was no need to worry about human flaws or evil thoughts. They could proceed confidently.

This time, unlike before, both felt invigorated and clear-headed. The martial artist, who would normally have found crossing the chain bridge easy, found it even more effortless. Meanwhile, the official, who previously faced some difficulties and dangers, managed to cross without any slips or near falls.

However, after crossing the chain bridge, they found that the attendants, donkey, and travel bags that should have been waiting there were nowhere to be seen.

In the distance, they could only see the departing figure of the immortal.

Under the morning light, the red leaves in the distance were as red as blood. On the ground, an unknown type of grass had sprouted white tassels. They were as dense as a thick carpet, swaying in the same direction with the wind.

Amidst the breathtaking autumn forest, a barely visible path stretched from south to north, with a Daoist and horse moving slowly along it. It was the same jujube-red horse, still carrying the saddle bag, but it had already traveled quite a distance.

After they took another turn, they were no longer visible.

“That Hong Xiu!” the official couldn’t help but mutter angrily.

He couldn't even measure up to a horse! The official couldn't help but curse inwardly.

But it wasn’t entirely the attendants' fault.

They had stayed out all night, and the wind was strong at the mountain pass. The attendants had waited all night without seeing them, and they had to find a sheltered place to stay overnight. It was still early in the morning, and perhaps they hadn't yet arrived.

Fortunately, there was only one path down the mountain. If they continued down, they were bound to run into Song You. They discussed and decided to head down the mountain.

They considered chasing after the immortal, but since they had already bid farewell, it would be awkward to pursue them. They quickened their pace slightly but had to keep an eye on the sides of the path, worried that they might miss the attendants if they were waiting in a sheltered spot. They occasionally called out, but despite traveling a long way, they still did not catch up with the immortal.

As they walked, the scenery by the path seemed to be the same autumnal landscape, yet something felt off, though they couldn’t quite pinpoint what.

After traveling a great distance without seeing any sign of the attendants, the official spoke up this time, “This Hong Xiu!”

The two discussed among themselves, thinking that they might have missed each other on the way. It was also possible that the attendants had waited until evening without seeing them and had called out without any response. Recalling their startled exclamations while crossing the iron rope during the day, they might have speculated that they might not have successfully crossed the rope but had instead fallen off. Thus, perhaps they decided to take the donkey and their belongings down the mountain.

The worst scenario would be if the attendants had sought shelter on the mountain overnight to wait for them. They might have encountered poisonous insects, wild beasts, or mountain demons without a martial artist’s protection, and had met with misfortune. They hoped it was not the case.

Descending the mountain was quicker than ascending.

For an average person, walking all day like this might have left their legs trembling. But perhaps due to the effects of the immortal’s elixir, both men felt no discomfort. The only challenge was that they hadn't eaten all day, and their stomachs were empty.

After traveling from morning until dusk, they reached the vicinity of the lake.

They gradually approached the place where they had picked pears before. They had left a few pears behind, and they wondered if they had been picked by others. They hoped to find some to satisfy their hunger. However, they saw a pear tree full of pears, not just a few, but dozens.

The two of them looked at each other, carefully verifying the location with each other.

It was indeed the same place and the same pear tree. But why had the tree, which had only a few pears left before, become so laden again? The branches they had broken, why did they seem healed and the new wounds now old?

They thought of what the immortal master had said and given them… They recalled the legends of time moving faster in the mountains… Panic began to set in.

They hurriedly ran to the ferry, and while there was still some daylight, they asked a ferryman what year it was.

The ferryman replied, “The third year of Mingde.”

They quickly inquired about the month and day.

The ferryman estimated, “It should be late June, almost July. It’s almost the Beginning of Autumn.”

A full year had passed. The two of them stood there in shock, their minds blank.

When they regained their composure, they turned to look back, only to see deep vegetation and heavy mountain shadows behind them. The summit of the mountain they had just descended was now nowhere to be seen. The immortal they had seen in the morning was now nowhere to be traced.

They were stunned for a long time, their feelings complex and confused.

Later, they asked a few more ferrymen and learned that the new county magistrate of Shizu County who had visited Yunding Mountain last year to seek traces of the immortal had his attendants wait at the opposite side of the chain bridge for three days without seeing anyone return.

The attendants asked others who crossed the chain bridge and were told that many wild beasts, including jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards, had gathered on the other side. Those who crossed the bridge dared not climb Yunding Mountain. If the magistrate had not fallen midway, he would have been eaten by the wild beasts on the other side.

The attendants had no choice but to descend the mountain alone with tears, thankfully without encountering any wild beasts or mountain monsters on the way down.

The county head magistrate was quite well-known. Among those who had died from falls on Yunding Mountain in a year, he was among the more notable ones. Last year, his family even came here to pay their respects, and the head magistrate of Changsheng County attended as well.

Cui Nanxi opened his mouth, unable to speak, and could only look again at the mountain shrouded in darkness.

The green pines and distant peaks were without grandeur… There were indeed banished immortals in the human realm.

***

A small boat floated on Mirror Island Lake.

The night grew deeper, with the Milky Way hanging overhead and countless stars reflected in the water below. The night breeze swayed the boat, creating ripples in the mirror-like lake.

The ferryman’s snoring was thunderous. The calico cat curled up beside the Daoist, seemingly asleep but perhaps not.

The Daoist gazed at the night sky and lake, silently reflecting on the cultivation, the insights, the opportunities, the whole year of time vanished into thin air, and the often pondered question—what kind of world was this?

It seemed he understood more. Yet, he seemed more confused.

The cat scratched him.

The Daoist came to his senses and looked down. He thought for a moment, and finally decided to abandon his thoughts. He asked softly, “Tomorrow will be the Beginning of Autumn again. What would you like to eat?”

“Hmm?”

“Mm?”

The calico cat, lying on her side, lifted her head and glanced at the ferryman. Seeing that he was sound asleep, she looked at him and answered softly, “Haven't I already eaten in advance?”

“It’s been another year.”

“I don’t understand.”

“It’s already a new year.”

“You’re lying. A year doesn’t pass so quickly.”

“It really does.”

“A year is really that short?”

“It’s not that a year is short; it’s that we’ve spent a year in the mountains. Time seems to pass faster in the mountains.” Song You gently stroked her back, feeling the texture of her fur and her body warmth. The little cat wasn’t very clear on the concept of time. However, she had little attachment to this world and wasn’t entangled with others, so saying he had delayed her a year wasn’t quite accurate.

“Does time pass faster in the mountains?”

“Sometimes it does.”

“Then if we go to the mountains more often, can we get to the Beginning of Autumn quickly? And you can reach the spring equinox quickly too!”

“Do you still remember the spring equinox?”

“Yes!”

“You’re exceptionally clever and have an outstanding memory. I admire you.” Song You smiled. “But it’s not the case for every mountain, nor is it possible at all times.”

“Which mountains does this apply to? When can it be done?”

“It’s a matter of chance, not something you can actively seek.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Do you remember how old you were before?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then you’ve grown a year older, and a year older again.”

“How old is that?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re not smart.”

“You’re the same.” The calico cat stared up at the Daoist, and the Daoist looked down at her. Both were silent.

The wind pushed the boat, and everything was very gentle.

After a while, the calico cat’s voice finally broke the silence. “Are the stones I picked up on the mountain still there?”

“They are,” Song You answered and then asked, “What did you pick up a stone for? What will you use it for?”

“People who visit famous mountains often bring back a stone from the mountain to ward off evil and protect their homes.” The calico cat’s voice was soft but authoritative. “But as a Cat God, I don’t need a stone to ward off evil. I can do that myself. I just thought it was interesting and wanted to keep it.”

“I see…”

“Where should I hide it?”

“Where did you use to hide things before?”

“On the beams of the temple, or buried in the ground.”

“That’s good.”

“Tell me quickly!”

“For such a small stone, you can keep it in your bag, carefully treasured. You can also keep it in a cloth pouch so you can see it often. When you take on a human form, you can carry it with you. These are all ways to treasure and play with a small object.” Song You paused and smiled, “But I have another idea.”

“What idea?”

“If you throw it from here, and it falls into the middle of the lake, you might be the last person in the world to have touched it.”

“Will I be the last cat?”

“You’ll be the last cat too.”

Hearing this, the calico cat blinked at him.

“

Plop

!” A small stone fell into the water, creating ripples that spread out, causing the starry reflection in the lake to ripple and distort.

The Milky Way stretched far and wide, marking yet another new autumn with cool breeze and jade-like dews.