Unintended Immortality

The journey to Yuezhou’s Qingtong Forest, though spanning thousands of li and fraught with challenges, had been undertaken solely to glimpse the divine bird.

Now that he had seen it, Song You felt content.

Though there had been no conversation with the bird, nor any tangible benefit gained from it, he had already obtained what he sought.

If anyone, like Lady Calico, were to ask him what the divine bird of the Qingtong Forest in northern Yuezhou looked like, Song You would now be able to answer confidently, painting a vivid picture of the bird’s splendor.

That alone was enough.

What’s more, he had also gained a newfound sense of openness and clarity.

And so, he continued eastward.

Yuezhou stretched over a thousand li from east to west, but by the time Song You reached the Qingtong Forest, he had already traveled several hundred li from the west. It was said that the Qingtong Forest itself spanned several hundred li in width, meaning that once he exited the forest, it wouldn’t be far before he exited Yuezhou and crossed into Zhaozhou.

Conveniently, the legendary Mount Tianzhu wasn’t far from there either.

Initially, Song You thought the weather would remain clear, free from the clouds and miasma that had plagued the area. However, as dawn broke, an unexpected wind swept through, bringing the miasma back.

The entire Qingtong Forest returned to its former state from yesterday night—

Towering mythical trees stretched straight into the clouds. Thick miasma filled the air, enveloping the area in silence. Occasionally, the clear, ethereal calls of birds echoed faintly, but their origins were impossible to pinpoint, shrouding the forest in an air of profound mystery.

Walking amidst this grandeur, one felt insignificant and isolated. The miasma seemed to conceal ancient beasts, waiting to devour any intruder. For those lacking a resolute mind, the challenge of traversing the miasma would pale compared to confronting the fears within their own hearts.

Lady Calico, ever cautious by nature, kept her head tilted upward. Her gaze alternated between the depths of the miasma and the towering parasol tree trunks beside her that rose endlessly into the sky.

The clarity of last night seemed to belong to last night alone.

This was only the first day. By the second day, snow began to fall.

The heavy snowfall quickly blanketed the ground. What was once shrouded in mist now became a vast expanse of white.

Without the swallow’s guidance, it would have been nearly impossible to distinguish directions.

Thus, they traveled for another three days.

Before they knew it, evening arrived once more.

Swish...

The swallow descended from the high sky, flapping its wings as it landed precisely on the horse’s back. “Follow this direction for about a few dozen li, and you’ll be out of the Qingtong Forest.”

“Which means we won’t make it out today.”

“We’ll make it out by tomorrow morning.”

“All thanks to you,” the Daoist said, thanking the swallow.

They were beneath one of the massive parasol trees. The ground here was relatively flat, with little wild grass. Perhaps because it was sheltered from the northern wind, the snow on the ground was thinner.

Huff...

The Daoist blew a breath at the ground, scattering snowflakes in all directions, revealing a patch of bare earth beneath.

He then patted the jujube-red horse and spoke softly, “You’ve worked hard.” Taking the saddlebag from its back, he set it down near the tree trunk. Then he unfolded a wool mat and wool blanket, laying them on the ground to create a spot to rest for the night.

Lady Calico, now in human form, ran off to collect firewood.

It was clear how cautious she was—

Even while gathering firewood, she carried her little flag with her and invited the Mountain God to accompany her. Even so, she dared not venture too far.

The swallow flew above, guiding her to areas where firewood was plentiful.

Soon, a fire was lit beside the wool mat.

The Daoist sat down on the wool mat, brushing off the snow that had fallen on him. On one side was the massive parasol tree, larger than a house, shielding them from the howling northern wind. On the other side was the crackling fire lit by Lady Calico, radiating a pleasant warmth. The wool mat and blanket had been heated, creating a sense of comfort and security despite the open surroundings.

Song You scooped up snow, filling a small pot, and placed it over the fire.

The warmth gradually began melting the snow.

Just then, the little girl, who was adding firewood, suddenly turned her head sharply to one side. Her expression turned serious as she stared intently into the distance.

The Daoist and the swallow followed her gaze. At the edge of their sight, amidst the dim light of dusk and the miasma, there appeared to be a deer standing still.

The dim light of dusk, combined with the pervasive miasma, made it hard to see clearly.

The little girl maintained her focused gaze but continued placing firewood into the fire, positioning it carefully. Then, slowly, she withdrew her hand and reached into her pocket. When her hand emerged again, it was clutching a small triangular flag.

“Lady Calico, no need to panic,” Song You said, placing a hand over hers. “It means no harm.”

“Hmm…” Lady Calico turned to him, confused, and said, “It’s a sheep.”

“It’s a deer.”

“A deer!”

“Yes.”

“It can be eaten too.”

“It's a demon.”

“A demon…”

Lady Calico showed a look of regret.

The parasol trees were enormous, the forest deep, and the miasma heavy. The small deer stood at a distance, half-hidden, yet it kept its gaze fixed on them.

“It’s staring at us!”

“Yes.”

Song You set the pot securely over the fire before standing up. He turned to the swallow perched on the horse’s back and said, “Please stay here to watch over the horse and the fire. I’ll go with Lady Calico to see what it wants.”

“Alright!” The swallow’s voice was crisp and clear.

The ground was blanketed in snow, the cold wind stirring the mist, making it seem as though the snow flowed like a river. Braving the wind and snow, the Daoist and the little girl walked toward the distant figure.

“Wolves, come out!” The little girl waved the flag in her hand.

Poof…

Over a dozen black wisps of smoke shot out from the flag, landing on the ground and transforming into a pack of strong prairie wolves.

These wolves had long grown accustomed to their new master and seemed to share an unspoken understanding with her. As soon as they materialized, they turned their heads to look at the flag-wielding girl.

Seeing her gaze fixed on the deer in the distance, the wolves followed suit, all turning to stare at the mysterious deer ahead.

The little girl raised her left hand to point in two directions, then waved the flag with her right hand and softly commanded, “Don’t bite.”

The wolves immediately dispersed to the left and right, moving with disciplined precision.

“Lady Calico, you’re impressive.”

In this unfamiliar place with an unknown visitor, Lady Calico’s vigilance was commendable. Song You didn’t scold her for being impolite but instead praised her. He then continued walking toward the deer.

The deer, upon noticing the wolves, seemed a little frightened but did not flee. Instead, it remained in place, waiting for Song You to approach.

As Song You and the little girl drew closer, the deer turned to walk away. However, after taking a few steps, it stopped and looked back at Song You, before it glanced nervously around its surroundings.

Even though it had gained sentience, the natural balance of predators and prey was not easily overcome. For a deer demon with low cultivation skills, the presence of wolves lurking in the mist was undoubtedly intimidating.

“Should I stop it?” The little girl tilted her head up to look at the Daoist.

“Can’t you tell what it’s trying to do?” Song You lowered his gaze to meet hers. “It’s just trying to lead us somewhere.”

“What should we do then?”

“We should follow it.”

“Oh…”

The little girl nodded, thinking his reasoning made sense.

The deer kept a steady distance from the two, neither too close nor too far. After about fifteen minutes of walking, it suddenly turned its head to glance to the side in front of the Daoist and the cat, then abruptly bolted away at full speed.

Its movements were nimble and swift. In the blink of an eye, it had vanished from sight.

“Ugh!” The little girl looked up at the Daoist again.

“Let’s go take a look.”

The Daoist led her to where the deer had been standing. Following the direction where the deer had turned its head, they saw a person lying beneath a parasol tree.

It was a middle-aged man wrapped in thick clothing, his face covered in sores and his lips blistered. His clothes were disheveled, and he was curled up into a tight ball, unconscious. His body was also covered in traces of deer hair.

“…”

The Daoist immediately understood what was happening and went over to examine the man.

The little girl also realized what had happened. She waved her flag, calling her wolf companions back to her side.

“Is he dead?”

“He’s just unconscious.”

“From the cold?”

“Possibly.”

As the Daoist spoke, he leaned closer and exhaled toward the man.

Huff...

The warm breath, visible in the cold air, did not dissipate but instead flowed into the man’s nose and mouth with his every inhale.

Cough, cough...

Almost immediately, the man began to cough violently, his curled-up body tightening even further.

But the coughing didn’t stop.

After several breaths, his eyes fluttered open.

Dazed, he looked ahead and saw a young Daoist standing before him. The Daoist had delicate facial features and was gazing at him with a composed expression. Standing slightly shorter beside him was a little girl, her bright, curious eyes fixed on him. Her complexion was strikingly fair, and her features were almost too pretty and lovely.

The man’s gaze shifted further past the Daoist and the little girl—

Behind them, he saw a dozen massive, powerful wolves. They nearly formed a circle around him, each one staring directly at him.

“Ahhh!!” Terrified, the man cried out, twisting and scrambling to retreat.

“Don’t be afraid,” the Daoist said, glancing back at the little girl.

The little girl understood and waved her flag.

Whoosh...

All the wolves dissolved into black smoke, swiftly retreating into the flag.

The middle-aged man, now backed up against the parasol tree with nowhere left to go, remained curled up as he looked at them warily.

“Are you… Are you human or demon?”

“I am human,” the Daoist replied calmly.

“And I’m not telling you,” the little girl said playfully.

“I… I’ve never done anything bad in my life! Please… don’t hurt me!”

“You were on the verge of freezing to death,” the Daoist said, glancing at the spot where the man had been lying earlier. With a gentle smile, he added, “Do you really think we would need to harm you?”

“…” The man froze, stunned by the remark.

Memories began surfacing in his mind one by one.

Ah, right…

There really wasn’t anything to be afraid of after all.

“So…”

“It’s just a bit of magic.”

“This…”

The middle-aged man fell silent.

Dazed and bewildered, his gaze flickered with uncertainty. He didn’t know what to say or whether this was all an illusion conjured in the moments before death.

He even began to wonder if he was already dead.

Just then, the young Daoist spoke, his voice calm and steady. “If you can still move, come with us. I’ve just boiled a pot of hot water.”

“…”

The man froze, startled by the invitation, and then hesitantly attempted to get up.

To his surprise, though he had been completely drained of energy and his limbs had gone numb from the cold, strength seemed to return to him little by little. His frozen hands and feet were gradually regaining sensation. After a few struggles, he actually managed to stand.

This was all starting to feel… more and more like an illusion.

The Daoist smiled faintly.

“The walk isn’t far.” The Daoist turned and walked away.

The little girl obediently followed beside him, though she kept glancing back, sizing up the man.

The middle-aged man, catching sight of her face, couldn’t help but think that even the daughters of noble families, raised in secluded chambers, would find it hard to match her delicate and fair features. And yet, here they were—in Yuezhou, a land emptied by war—deep within the miasma-shrouded Qingtong Forest at its northernmost edge.

His thoughts wandered back to the pack of wolves from earlier.

“…”

If this truly was a deathbed hallucination, or perhaps a strange encounter after death, it was still better than dying in a fog of confusion.

Clenching his teeth, the man forced himself to his feet and followed.

Ahead, the Daoist’s calm voice sounded. “You’re quite lucky…”

But what exactly the Daoist was referring to, the man had no idea.