Unintended Immortality

“Heaven and Earth have their scales; all deeds, good and bad, are recorded in life’s ledger. To wash away sin, one must rely on virtuous deeds.” Song You patted the calico cat beside him as he continued, “However, since the divine figure did not punish you but instead appeared in a dream to speak of consequences and encourage goodness, then pursuing virtue is all you need.”

“Please, sir, guide us.”

“The first matter is this young Miss Cao. You all know she cannot continue to live here, so the promises you made to her should be fulfilled without any reductions or conditions.”

“Of course!”

“We harbor no ill will any longer!”

“We now see our wrongdoing and will not add error upon error! Rest assured, sir, and Miss Cao too, that every promise will be fully honored!”

“That would be best,” Song You nodded, pausing briefly before continuing. “As the Buddhists say, ‘Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda.’ As I’ve traveled, I’ve noticed the people in this area suffer in poverty; even here in Ding Family Village, some go without enough food...”

At this, Song You paused.

“There are many people, but little land. And last year’s weather was poor, so the harvest was meager. It’s not just here; many places struggle for food,” a middle-aged man spoke up. “It’s not because we are stingy.”

“I’m not accusing you,” Song You replied. “As the saying goes, ‘In poverty, care for oneself; in prosperity, care for the world.’ You have wealth, and if you can be both prosperous and benevolent, it would be a great blessing to the local people.”

“I see,” the man responded, bowing respectfully. “Thank you, sir, for your guidance.”

The crowd echoed his sentiments.

"Doing good is the Dao; knowing how to do good is the method. But the true Dao of doing good transcends all methods and knows no end."

“We understand...”

“Simply proceed with your arrangements and acts of kindness. I hope that in life, you can be at peace, and in death, avoid the tortures of the underworld.” Song You waved his hand, pausing a moment before turning to Old Master Ding. “I had planned to leave today, but as I barely slept a wink last night, I would like to borrow the old house to rest for the day and leave tomorrow. Would that be fine?”

“We have a spare room in the main house!”

“No need. I’ll stay over there.” Song You stood up, then turned to the young woman beside him.

“As it happens, I came here from Changjing. In the west of Changjing, there’s a street called Willow Street. I used to live there, and I still have a friend who resides in that area. Meeting you here must be fate. Once you settle in Changjing, be sure to visit. Just ask around Willow Street, and you’ll find where I lived. When I return from the north, if we’re fated, I might come looking for you.”

“Certainly...” Miss Cao replied.

With that, Song You took his leave. The calico cat quickly jumped down from the table and followed him.

As the man and cat departed, the swordsman remained with his sword in hand, keeping a watchful eye on the group.

At that moment, the astute among them understood—this wasn’t simply about resting. He had made an excuse to stay one more day to ensure they set everything in order, offering peace of mind to the young woman. To travel to Changjing, she would need a permit and a legitimate identity.

The Ding family, having the influence to carry out such schemes here, likely wielded power in town. They were perhaps even connected to the local officials, so arranging these documents was quick. By the afternoon, they had secured Miss Cao’s travel permit and identity papers, with the eldest son of the Ding family personally escorting her as part of a trade caravan heading to Changjing.

Miss Cao, accompanied by Shu Yifan, came to the old house in the village’s west to thank Song You.

“Sir, your great kindness is something I cannot repay...”

Song You said while seated cross-legged on the bed, “It’s only fate that brought us together; no need for repayment. The true culprit here was a Daoist, and it seems you possess something unique that caught his eye, leading him to harm you. That Daoist is guilty of many evils, and I will seek him out in time to settle this matter.

“For now, please be careful on your journey, and in the future, avoid sharing your birthdate and bazi with anyone.”

“I will remember...” Miss Cao began, but she couldn’t hold back her tears any longer.

“As for the Ding family,” Song You continued, “they were victims of that Daoist, but they also harmed you. However, I doubt the local authorities would be able to judge them fairly, and the situation is too complex for the courts.

“I am no official; all I could do was weave a few lies to keep them from easily brushing it off, to spur them on the path of kindness and encourage them to be compassionate benefactors to the local people.”

Miss Cao looked up at him, stunned.

Her eyes were red and swollen with tears, but they now held a dazed expression. It dawned on her that the thunder and the dream were all created by the man in front of her. She immediately knelt down, saying, “Sir, you must be a divine immortal...”

“If I were truly a divine immortal, such things wouldn’t happen in the first place,” Song You replied with a helpless shake of his head, reaching forward to help her up. “Please, stand.”

“When you reach Changjing, sir, I will find a way to repay you.”

Song You didn’t wish to prolong the conversation and simply shook his head. “Go on, now. Those people won’t dare to trouble you again. But keep vigilant—Changjing is still several days’ journey, and when you arrive, you’ll be alone. If the Ding family’s help proves useful, don’t hesitate to seek it out. I only hope you can leave the past behind and live well in Changjing.”

Miss Cao nodded repeatedly.

The swordsman reminded her it was time to leave. Reluctantly, she left, looking back several times as she walked out.

In the room, only the man and the cat remained. Song You turned to look at the calico cat, still staring up at him with a curious expression, as though she hadn’t fully understood what had transpired. Smiling faintly, he reached out to scratch her forehead, letting out a soft sigh.

“Ah...” At this time, the underworld wasn’t yet fully formed, so how could there be an underworld?

Heaven’s will was often inscrutable; who could say whether his journey here was a preordained arrangement or mere coincidence?

Yet in this era, people firmly believed in the underworld, in divine will, and in the power of gods. Sometimes, a lie woven from these beliefs could indeed be quite useful—perhaps even more effective than the authorities or the laws of kings.

***

The next afternoon, Old Master Ding came to see Song You.

Song You did not turn him away. Calmly, he explained that it was the scheme of the Daoist that had caused this misfortune, leading to the death of the Ding family’s eldest grandson and several others. It was also the Daoist who had suggested burying Miss Cao alive in a ghost marriage with the grandson.

Upon hearing this, Old Master Ding was filled with regret, and Song You advised him to keep a discerning eye in the future, to teach his descendants well, and to use his remaining time to do good.

Only after Shu Yifan returned from escorting Miss Cao did Song You bid farewell to the Ding family, declining the silver they offered as a gift.

They walked slowly to the village entrance.

“Sir,” Shu Yifan asked, sheathing his sword and placing it on his horse, “where shall we seek out this Daoist?”

“Just keep going forward.”

“Yes.”

The two, along with the calico cat, began to follow the main road. Looking back, the village remained serene. Looking ahead, the road appeared much the same as the one they had already traveled.

“...”

It was the world that devoured people.

They continued onward, passing through Huaichang County, but instead of heading toward Hezhou, they chose a different path. And so, they traveled another day.

The journey continued as before. They took in the mountains, rivers, and local customs, as if the events at Ding Family Village had never happened and they weren’t on a mission to find the sinister Daoist.

Gradually, they were now over a hundred li away from the village.

“...” Song You halted.

Behind him, the gray-clad swordsman led his black horse and looked up to see a small mountain ahead, topped with a Daoist temple. Evening mist hung thickly around it, and a thin trail of smoke curled up from within the temple.

“This is the place.” Song You resumed his pace.

Unexpectedly, despite the late hour, there was someone else heading up the mountain alongside them.

It was a man in his thirties, leading a donkey. His attire was modest, neither rich nor poor, but his heavy-looking belt pouch suggested he was carrying a fair amount of money. His steps were quick and hurried.

As they approached, the man grew wary.

However, upon seeing Song You in Daoist robes and accompanied by a calico cat, he hesitated, his expression relaxing slightly. Still, he showed no inclination to greet them.

Song You smiled and greeted the man first, “Greetings, sir.”

The man turned to look at him, finding it hard not to respond politely, so he replied, “Greetings...”

“My name is Song You, from Lingquan County in Yizhou, a humble mountain dweller traveling down to explore the world,” Song You introduced himself, then asked with a friendly smile, “Since we’ve met by chance, may I ask where you’re headed?”

“Where else? Naturally, I’m going to the Daoist temple on the mountain.”

“I’m new to the area myself. I saw the temple from below and thought of paying a visit. May I ask what it’s called?”

“It’s called the Leiqing Temple.”

“Leiqing Temple...” Song You repeated the name, lifting his gaze to look up toward the temple above.

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