Unintended Immortality-Chapter 319: Jiyan County

Song You glanced at the young girl with a slight smile and added, “But you know, being called 'sister' by others doesn’t come for free.”

“Huh?” The little girl tilted her head, looking puzzled.

“'Brother' and 'sister' are terms of respect for elders. Being addressed that way doesn’t just signify higher status—it also comes with responsibility. If the relationship isn’t one of equals, then there must be some form of balance,” Song You said, leaning down slightly to explain.

“Lady Calico, you value etiquette. Since others respectfully address you as "Senior Sister," which delights you greatly, you must also offer something in return as an equivalent gesture of reciprocity.”

“What should I do?” The little girl looked up at him with her bright, inquisitive eyes, eager to learn.

“I’ve heard that most of the children coming here to apprentice, even if not from wealthy families, are from well-off households, so they probably aren’t lacking much. However, since Sir Shu has only recently established his sect, the conditions in the mountains aren’t great. These children are living hard lives while they train here,” Song You said.

He added, “Now that summer is ending and autumn is beginning, many wild fruits are ripening in the mountains. They are flavorful and refreshing. Lady Calico, you could pick some and give them to your junior brothers and sisters. I think receiving such a reward from you would make these children quite happy.”

“Reward!”

“Or you could call them gifts.”

“Fruits!”

“Yes.”

Song You tilted his head thoughtfully, a smile curling at his lips. “Perhaps mice or bugs could work too.”

“Got it!”

“Then go ahead, Lady Calico.”

“I’m on my way!”

The little girl wriggled twice in her seated position before hopping off the bed. She glanced back at her Daoist companion and then dashed out the door.

Opportunities like this were rare, and time was limited—there was no time to waste.

Song You remained cross-legged where he was, gazing at the swirling clouds and mist outside the window.

His time in the mountains over the past few days hadn’t been without its rewards. Beyond the enchanting scenery of Mount Wu and the local delicacies of Guangzhou, he had gained a deeper understanding of the hardships involved in the lives of martial sect disciples and the realities of jianghu sect life.

Take Shu Yifan’s Thunderstrike Sword Sect, for instance.

The disciples could roughly be divided into two categories, reflecting two distinct directions in which the sect might develop.

One type is paid enrollment, similar to a martial arts school.

Wealthy families, escort agencies, or other groups within the jianghu that rely on martial arts as their legacy could send their members to the sect to learn. However, this required a substantial payment, which covered both the student’s living expenses on the mountain and tuition fees for the sect. Some sects relied on this model for income.

In most cases, students wouldn’t be taught the sect’s core skills, but as long as they were reasonably talented, they could still learn enough to gain some proficiency.

After completing their training, these students would return to where they came from. No matter what the students did, whether they joined the military using their martial skills or followed their family elders in escort work or other jianghu activities, the sect no longer involved itself in their lives.

The other type was free enrollment, such as the case with Heroine Wu. These were often orphans with great potential, taken in and raised by the sect.

Without parents or guardians, the sect would raise them to adulthood, and thus would become their family. Since they were part of the family, the sect would provide for their food, clothing, and shelter. In return, once grown and trained, they would remain lifelong disciples of the sect. Typically, they would spend their entire lives contributing to the sect’s operations. In exchange, they would enjoy the benefits and privileges of sect membership, including access to its power.

The former provided direct financial benefit to the sect.

The latter expanded the sect’s influence. With greater influence, whether it was participating in escort services, resolving disputes for others, or conducting other legitimate or shady businesses on the mountain, everything became much more convenient.

There were also arrangements that fell somewhere in between: disciples paid less tuition, or sometimes no tuition at all, but after completing their training, they were not allowed to leave the mountain immediately. They must stay and work for the sect for a number of years before regaining their freedom.

Martial artists in the jianghu also needed to make a living—food, clothing, and daily expenses all cost money. Jianghu sects must have ways to sustain themselves as well.

Even so, most of these martial arts sects that passed down their skills were far from wealthy. They fell far behind profit-driven sects in terms of resources and affluence.

Currently, with the Thunderstrike Sword Sect in its infancy, funds were scarce. Many of the disciples came from wealthy families, and while these children likely weren’t lacking in material goods, the mountain’s remoteness made it difficult to purchase anything even with money.

Song You reasoned that since they were still children, giving them some wild fruits to enjoy would be a thoughtful gesture—especially considering how much fun they’ve brought to Lady Calico by calling her “Senior Sister.”

Lady Calico, intelligent and receptive to advice, readily agreed. With the help of the swallow, she ventured into the mountains and gathered a large quantity of wild fruits before continuing her stroll.

Whenever someone called her “Senior Sister,” she would generously share some fruit with them.

The wild fruits had just ripened, their flavor sweet and fragrant, and their rarity made them all the more enticing. Even children from noble families found it hard not to like them. Soon, a group of martial arts trainees gathered around, polite and respectful.

Seeing the crowd around her and hearing “Senior Sister” echoing in her ears, Lady Calico was quite pleased.

***

During the seven days, the Daoist received the highest courtesy from the sect. However, Shu Yifan still had not returned.

The Daoist said nothing about it. As planned, he packed his belongings, bade farewell to Steward Luo, and left the sect with the young girl.

As they passed through the sect’s grounds, groups of children and teenagers were practicing martial arts and swordsmanship in the courtyards. When they saw the little girl walking alongside the Daoist and the jujube-red horse, heading toward the exit, they realized that she wasn’t actually a senior sister of the sect but merely a guest accompanying a wandering Daoist.

Even so, as they looked at the Daoist and his horse, they couldn’t shake the feeling that they seemed familiar—like the immortals from stories they had recently heard of.

The young girl, however, continued to turn her head, meeting their gazes.

If nothing unexpected happened, the people here likely wouldn’t see her or the Daoist again in this lifetime.

“Do you want to say goodbye?”

“Say goodbye?”

“Just follow Mr. Shu’s example—cup your fists and say ‘Farewell,’ and that’s enough.”

“Farewell...” Lady Calico raised her hands, cupping her fists, her voice soft and clear.

Song You smiled at this but kept walking without pausing.

After leaving the sect’s gates, the Daoist didn’t descend the mountain right away. Instead, he stood at the entrance, looking back up toward the mountain.

Mount Wu was vast and towering. From this vantage point, only dense mist glimmering faintly with daylight could be seen, obscuring the summit above. According to Steward Luo, it took half a day to climb from the base of the mountain to the sect’s entrance, and another half day to reach the summit. Even for a martial artist, it would take two or four hours at the least.

After a brief moment of contemplation, the Daoist resumed his ascent.

Four hours later...

The thick mist that had once flowed like silk around the mountain had now settled below, transforming into a rolling sea of clouds. Upon closer inspection, the clouds appeared to ripple like waves, stirred endlessly by the wind. Above, only a narrow dirt path and a small wooden pavilion with a thatched roof remained, remnants of some long-forgotten era. There were no steps or railings—everything was in its raw, untouched state.

The Daoist and the little girl stood together in the pavilion, gazing down at the vast sea of clouds below.

The wind was strong at the summit. Both their robes and hair fluttered wildly in the gusts, dancing with the mountain’s breath.

With a gentle tone, the Daoist said to the little girl, “Many years from now, this place will probably become a tourist spot.”

“A tourist spot?”

“A tourist spot.”

“I don’t understand...”

Song You smiled slightly and said no more. Instead, he turned to her and asked, “Did you enjoy yourself these past two days on the mountain, Lady Calico?”

“It was so much fun,” the little girl replied with a completely serious expression. “They’re so silly. They thought I was their senior sister. When I gave them fruits, they got so happy.”

“That’s called being innocent.”

“Innocent?”

“Yes.” Song You continued smiling at her. “You’re also quite innocent.”

“You’re the innocent one!” The little girl turned to him with a serious expression.

“...”

Song You shook his head, his smile growing wider.

The wind was so strong that it distorted the sound of their voices.

The little girl said to him, “I don’t know why, but one day I followed your advice and worked so hard to catch lots of mice and bugs to give them as toys. But as soon as I showed them, they all ran away.”

“Why do you think that happened?”

“I don’t know...”

“If you don’t know, then leave it at that.”

“Do you not know either?”

“...”

Song You was just about to think of an honest reply when his peripheral vision caught something ahead. He suddenly raised his head, turning his gaze forward. Then, placing a hand gently on the little girl’s head, he turned her to face the same direction.

“Lady Calico, look.”

“Hmm...”

At first, the little girl stubbornly kept her eyes angled toward him, even as he turned her head. But hearing his words, her curiosity got the better of her, and she finally looked forward.

Before them stretched the rolling sea of clouds. Some clouds were blown upward by the wind, then cascaded down like waterfalls. A swallow darted freely between the white clouds and the blue sky.

Amid this breathtaking scene of nature, directly in front of them, there appeared a circle of vibrant, radiant light—a sacred, dreamlike halo shimmering within the clouds.

Within the halo, a faint silhouette could be seen.

“Wow...” The little girl gasped in awe.

Swish...

The swallow flew back, landing on the branches of a shrub near the pavilion. The branches swayed from its weight as it turned to glance at the Daoist, then quickly looked back toward the sight ahead.

“A round rainbow!”

“It’s a Buddha’s light.”

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“Buddha’s light?”

“Buddha’s light.”

“Like the Buddha in the temples?”

“Yes.”

“Did they draw the circle that turned into a rainbow?”

“No, it’s simply something born of the same heaven and earth as they are.”

“There’s someone inside the circle!”

“Yes, there is.”

“Is it the Buddha?”

“It’s yourself, Lady Calico.”

Song You smiled as he gently patted the little girl’s head, then looked up to meet the faint silhouette within the halo.

After a brief moment, the Buddha’s light disappeared.

The little girl turned her head, searching all around for it.

The Daoist, however, smiled faintly and paid it no mind. Enjoying the mountain breeze, he stretched lazily under the warm sun, feeling utterly refreshed. He then said to the little girl and the swallow, “Let’s go.”

“Are we going down the mountain?”

“Yes, down the mountain, to have a chance meeting with Sir Shu.”

“A chance meeting with Sir Shu!”

“Let’s hope we run into him.”

“It sounds like that Shu fellow has become really strong now!”

“Mr. Shu has always been strong...”

One tall figure and one small figure began their descent, accompanied by the swallow fluttering in the sky. Halfway down the mountain, they were joined by the jujube-red horse, and together, they continued their journey north.

The road to Jiyan County stretched 400 li. Though there was a water route, it flowed against the current.

Shu Yifan’s horse could travel a thousand li a day, so it was unlikely he would take a boat. Thus, the Daoist chose to take the land route as well.

After four days of travel, they arrived in Jiyan County.

They didn’t encounter the swordsman on the road.

As soon as they entered the territory of Jiyan County, the devastation in the fields along the roadside became evident.

Given the local climate and season, many crops should have been nearing harvest. Instead, they had been ravaged by insects. Some fields were left with nothing but bare stalks, while others were covered in crops riddled with bite marks. In some areas, insects could still be seen clinging to the plants, gnawing away.

Farmers could be spotted struggling against the swarms of locusts, but their efforts were largely in vain, driven more by sheer unwillingness to give up than any hope of success.

How could mere humans stand against such a calamity?