Unintended Immortality-Chapter 351: The Legacy of the Demons in Yuezhou

“Today is a good day, perfect for drinking,” said the woman sitting across from the Daoist. Her voice was calm and gentle. “What would you like to drink, Daoist Master?”

“What makes it a good day?”

“Firstly, it’s the winter solstice, a holiday for officials, and the city is lively,” she replied with a slight, restrained smile, her tone remaining composed. “Secondly, from today onward, there will no longer be a Lady Wanjiang playing the guqin and selling wine in Changjing—only a free fox demon roaming the heavens and earth, emulating you, seeking the world and encountering nature.”

“Mistress originally planned to 'die' in a few days,” the maid interjected with a grin. “But since you happened to visit today, it works out perfectly. We can tell them you came to help arrange her 'funeral.' How convenient!”

“Indeed.” The woman nodded.

“And lastly, you brought delicious dishes today,” the maid said cheerfully. “A gesture from a friend in the human world is naturally something to be happy about. A friend brings food, so we must prepare good wine.”

“In that case, what wines do you have?” the Daoist asked, his tone calm and steady.

“Hexian Pavilion is renowned for its guqin and wines, gathering the finest from across the land,” the maid replied. “There’s top-grade Huadiao yellow wine[1], perfect for warming up on a cold winter’s day; Angzhou’s finest locally brewed rice wine, said to be Marquis of Wuan’s favorite; ruby-red grape wine imported from the Western Regions; as well as peach blossom brew, apricot spring wine, plum wine, and even the legendary Immortal’s Intoxication. Whatever you desire, we have it.”

“If you don't drink, we can serve tea instead,” the woman added.

“I’m from Lingquan in Yizhou,” the Daoist said. “It’s a small place with no fine wines, and many can’t afford to drink. But farmers there brew their own rice wine. If guests came and wanted to drink, they would use a wooden ladle to scoop out the base from the rice wine bucket to make wine for serving. It had little alcoholic flavor but tasted mildly sweet.”

“Do you have this kind of homemade rice wine at Hexian Pavilion?”

“We do!” Lady Wanjiang replied with a faint smile.

“It needs extra sugar.”

“Of course!”

At her signal, the maid rose gracefully and walked downstairs, her lotus-like steps unhurried.

The Daoist watched her retreating figure for a moment before withdrawing his gaze and turning his attention back to the woman in front of him.

This ability to attain enlightenment and transform parts of one's body into independent forms was something Song You had read about in ancient texts at the temple. At the time, he found it fascinating and made note of it.

Such skills were rare among demons and most commonly seen in fox demons. Typically, they were used as a means to deceive humans rather than to create genuine external avatars. According to the texts, these manifestations shared a complete mental connection with the original body, operating with a single mind. The manifestation acted like a puppet, fully controlled by the main body.

However, the behavior of this fox was peculiar. The difference in demeanor and style between her true form and her “tail” left Song You uncertain, fueling his curiosity for some time.

He wondered whether the records were inaccurate, whether the grandmasters didn’t fully understand this particular demon ability, or whether this fox had mastered a different technique—perhaps one that truly allowed her to turn her tail into an independent avatar.

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Or maybe, was it simply for her own amusement?

If that were the case...

“Why do you look at me like that?” the woman in front of him asked softly.

“My apologies,” he replied.

“You are no ordinary mortal, and I’m not even human. If you consider me an old friend, there is no need for such formalities,” she said.

“Then why do you remain so attached to human etiquette?” Song You asked, looking at her.

“Heh...” Her laugh was soft, and though she did not cover her face with her hands, she lowered her head slightly, maintaining an air of elegance. “I’ve shown myself to the world in this form for so long that it has become a habit. Changing it quickly would be difficult.”

“I see,” Song You said.

At that moment, the maid returned, carrying a tray with a purple clay pot and a small tray of bowls.

She was followed by two servants, each carrying a tray.

The maid approached and placed her tray on the table, carefully setting down the purple clay pot and the bowls. She lifted the lid of the pot, revealing it to be filled with rice wine, its cloudy liquid showing visible grains of rice. She used a wooden ladle to scoop out the wine.

The servants stepped forward and set down trays of fresh fruit.

One plate contained peeled pomegranate seeds.

Another held a large yellow ball of hardened earth that looked at first glance like a beggar’s chicken wrapped in mud. However, when a servant gently tapped it open, the hollow interior revealed it was filled with grapes, appearing as fresh as if they had just been harvested.

There was also a small ceramic stove for brewing tea or warming wine, now repurposed to hold the clay pot the Daoist had brought.

“These are all gifts painstakingly prepared by the city’s nobles and officials,” the maid explained as she ladled out wine for the Daoist and Lady Calico. “The pomegranates are from the south, and the grapes are from the Western Regions. They were harvested in autumn and sealed in mud to keep them fresh for up to half a year.”

She shook her head slightly as she continued, “But really, what fox likes eating this sort of thing?”

Hearing this, Lady Wanjiang remained silent.

Lady Calico, however, turned her head to stare at the two servants. The servants, having placed their trays down, quickly departed.

The Daoist reached out and gently turned Lady Calico’s head back to face forward.

“They’re two demons,” she declared.

“They’re frogs...”

“Frogs!”

The little girl’s expression was one of regret.

Frogs were delicious. But alas, these had become demons.

“Please,” Lady Wanjiang said with a smile, gesturing to the Daoist. “Try it and see if it differs from the farm-style rice wine you remember.”

“Thank you,” the Daoist replied.

He lifted his cup and took a sip.

The taste was nearly identical. Back at the temple, he used to brew his own rice wine. When he found it not sweet enough, he would add honey. The rice wine at Hexian Pavilion, however, was sweetened with Changjing’s finest white granulated sugar—a luxury only the wealthiest could afford.

This sugar, finer than sand and paler than brown sugar, carried a subtle hint of brown sugar’s flavor when tasted closely.

The Daoist pondered for a moment before pouring a small portion into a bowl for the little girl. He explained, “This is rice wine soup, not wine. It’s thicker than water because of the added sugar, which makes it sweet.”

It wouldn’t do to mislead her too much.

At this moment, the maid beside Lady Wanjiang had already torn a wing off the braised chicken. Completely unconcerned with appearances, she sat by the table and began gnawing on it as if no one else were there.

The maid took a bite of the chicken wing, and her eyes widened.

“This is so flavorful!”

She devoured it in just a few bites, not even spitting out the bones. With her hands still glistening with oil, she immediately turned to the Daoist and asked, “May I ask what cooking method this is?”

“A method of my own creation, called braising.”

“I never expected you to have such skills! To be honest, since following Mistress to Changjing, I’ve been eating nothing but grass and fruit. I’ve never tasted anything so delicious!”

The little girl at his side looked up at them, her eyes intent.

For once, the fox demon's tail seemed to align perfectly with her thoughts—living on grass and fruit was simply not feasible.

“Life in the mountains is idle, so many Daoists find ways to pass the time. While others study tea, swordsmanship, or music, I occupy myself with such things,” the Daoist said casually, sipping his wine as he turned his gaze to Lady Wanjiang sitting across from him.

She held her cup delicately, sipping the wine with small, graceful movements. Her ruby lips, jade-like complexion, and the glimmering wine cup made her appear otherworldly in her beauty.

Would the fox prioritize appearances over the taste of meat? Or, as the texts described, could the fox and her tail truly share thoughts and sensations? If that were the case, and her tail ate, wouldn’t it be as though she had eaten too?

As though sensing his gaze—or perhaps his thoughts—the woman raised her eyes and cast him a fleeting glance. Then she turned her attention to the maid.

“Hehe...” The maid immediately pulled out a small knife, drawing Lady Calico’s unblinking stare. Under the cat's watchful gaze, the maid sliced off a small piece of meat and, with great reverence, offered it to her mistress.

Lady Calico finally relaxed.

The woman accepted the offering, tasting it delicately.

Then she said softly to the Daoist, “It’s truly delicious.”

“You flatter me,” Song You replied, retracting his gaze. He continued sipping the sweet, rice-scented wine and then said, “I’ve come seeking your guidance on matters concerning Yuezhou.”

Lady Wanjiang remained motionless.

Her maid turned to look at her, seemingly curious about what her mistress might say.

Lady Wanjiang set her cup down after a sip and began, “Before ancient times, Yuezhou was a land of abundant demons and spirits. But over the millennia, the world changed faster than anyone could have imagined. In a remarkably short period, humans established vast, unified nations. They quickly progressed from ignorance to creating rituals, music, and poetry, swiftly taking control of the world.

“They became the darlings of both the world and the Heavenly Dao. Many places once like forbidden zones to humans were soon conquered and occupied, forcing demons and spirits to retreat. Daoist Master, you were born in this era of established order and customs, it may be hard for you to fathom such earth-shattering transformations.”

As she spoke, she studied the Daoist intently.

The Daoist remained calm. “History is always so grand. Perhaps even greater transformations will come in the future.”

“What will the human world look like then?”

“Who can say?”

“...”

The woman shook her head with a faint smile before continuing. “Yuezhou later became quite different from what it once was. Even so, it still holds the most ancient demon lineage in the world, passed down to this day. But we no longer rule those lands.

“Most of us live in seclusion deep in the mountains, living quiet lives. On occasion, some mingle among humans, but never dare cause trouble. It is the only path left for us. Any who stray from it, though they may briefly rise to prominence, like the White Bull King, they are ultimately destined to vanish.”

“Like the fox clan?”

“Yes.” The woman bowed her head slightly, adopting a humble demeanor. “We foxes of Yuezhou are like the swallows of Xuzhou, the only fox demons in the world with a heritage.

“The difference between other fox demons and Yuezhou foxes is like that between ordinary swallow spirits and the rare Anqing swallows. Our ancestors were extraordinary, even among the powerful beings of ancient times, and left behind an exceptional legacy.”

Beside her, the maid continued gnawing on chicken, now engaged in a playful rivalry with Lady Calico, who was fighting to get her share.

Meanwhile, the lamb soup in the clay pot had begun to warm. Lady Calico wasted no time, picking up a ladle to fill two bowls, one for herself and one for the little girl. The two exchanged a brief glance before diving in, devouring the soup as if in a competition.

The Daoist, however, continued drinking and conversing with the woman.

“Later, with the shifting of the Heavenly Dao, many human cultivators who should have attained immortality became dust, and numerous paths to immortality were cut off. Demons were ranked below humans, but only just below. Now, attaining immortality has become increasingly difficult,” the woman explained.

She added, “As a result, even we foxes of Yuezhou have gradually declined. Other demon clans in Yuezhou have had to find their own ways forward.”

“What kinds of great demons are there?”

The Daoist asked, his gaze drifting momentarily to his cat. He noticed the little girl had already finished her bowl of rice wine, stood up, and uncovered the clay pot to ladle out more for herself. He couldn’t help but remind her, “Lady Calico, drink in moderation.”

“This isn’t wine! It’s rice wine!”

“Even so, moderation.”

“I know, I know...”

Lady Calico replied, only half-listening as she filled her bowl to the brim once again.

“My clan traces its lineage back to the ancient nine-tailed fox, forming one branch. In the northern part of Yuezhou, there is the willow demon, a millennia-old ancient tree that constitutes another branch. It is said to have lived since the ancient era, its exact age unknown.

“The White Bull King was originally part of another branch, but one of its members strayed down a dark path. Though only one bull demon took that route, the entire branch is doomed to annihilation by the Heavenly Palace,” the fox demon explained.

She continued, “Before ancient times, the southern part of Yuezhou was a vast marsh, now transformed into farmland. The White Bull originally came from that region, a species of white rhinoceros. Aside from them, there was also a clan of water lizards who called themselves tuolong or marsh dragons. However, only a few of them remain.

“During the chaos in the north over a decade ago, they fled Yuezhou, seeking other paths. If you roam the world, you might encounter them by chance.”

“And are you also here seeking a 'path' out?” the Daoist asked.

“You could say that.”

“What do you mean by 'you could say'?”

“I'm seeking a path out but also avoiding chaos, hoping to escape the contamination of bloodshed and calamity—or worse, to avoid being caught up in it and implicated by other demons, only to be wiped out by the Heavenly Palace alongside them,” Lady Wanjiang said, shaking her head at the Daoist with a hint of helplessness.

She added, “This is no longer an era where demons and humans vie equally. Daoist, you cannot imagine how miserable life has become for us demons in these times.”

“A toast to you,” the Daoist said, raising his cup.

“A toast to what?”

“To the winter solstice.”

“Very well! To the winter solstice!”

The fox woman picked up her cup and drank it down in one go.

At that moment, a hint of boldness emerged in her demeanor. It was a glimpse of the demon who, in solitude at home, would raise a jug and drink heartily.

She then continued her explanation.

1. Huadiao wine is a kind of shaoxing wine, which is a variety of Chinese Huangjiu ("yellow wine") made by fermenting glutinous rice, water, and wheat-based yeast. ☜