Unintended Immortality-Chapter 578: Descending the Mountain

The snow reflected the sunlight so brilliantly it almost felt unreal. Up ahead, the cold mist churned and surged, creating a scene that looked equally illusory. The two little spirit beasts waited quietly in the snow.

The Daoist walked farther and farther, drawing ever closer to the freezing mist.

“...”

It was as if there was a breeze—or perhaps not.

The mist ahead suddenly surged more violently, and the area where it intensified happened to be directly in front of the Daoist. The snowy-white chill seemed to be welcoming his arrival, even parting to open a path for him.

With his staff in hand, the Daoist stepped forward, entering the freezing mist.

“...”

The mist rolled back in an instant, swiftly swallowing his figure.

Lady Calico stared at that direction, then looked at the swallow beside her. “That white mist looks pretty intense. Last time in those other mountains, a Daoist got frozen solid. What if Daoist priest freezes to death in there?”

“Don’t worry, Lady Calico. Since Master dares to walk in, he must be confident,” the swallow replied, shuffling a few steps farther away from the cat. “Besides, I’ve heard a saying.”

“What kind of saying?”

The cat stared at him, unblinking.

“A cultivator like our master—already a great practitioner with heaven-reaching skill—has a natural affinity with the world. Wherever they go, they’re rarely rejected by the spiritual resonance of the land,” said the swallow.

He added, “And someone of his cultivation—calm in temperament, easygoing by nature, never one to stir conflict, disinclined to kill, uninterested in conquest, untouched by greed, and treating all things with respect and courtesy—will often be welcomed, whether by natural spirits or ancient powers.”

“Hm...” The cat froze slightly, thoughtful. Someone like that really did seem likeable. No wonder the Daoist was so well liked.

“But last time in the mountains, that white mist did freeze him into a block of ice.”

“That mist had already left this place—it wasn’t part of the glacier’s spiritual resonance anymore. It had been captured and sealed in a crystal bottle by that monster who falsely called himself the ‘Blessed One,’“ said the swallow. “Here, the sacred mountain’s will is still present, and the glacial spiritual resonance remains pure. Both are friendly toward Master, so he’s unlikely to be frozen.”

“How do you know that?”

“I... I guessed...”

“You seem pretty smart.”

“Nowhere near as wise as you, of course!” The swallow shrank back slightly under the cat’s gaze, scooting further to the side.

“I’m not going to eat you,” the cat said, yawning with her mouth wide open, revealing several snowy-white, jade-like fangs. Then she shook her head lazily and added, “I haven’t eaten a bird in years.”

“I'm... I'm scared...”

“You can't run away anyway...”

“...”

The swallow shrank his neck. “S-So cold...”

“I’m cold too.” The cat finally withdrew her gaze from him and curled up in the snow, staring at the pool of misty cold air ahead. “It's all because that thing is too cold.”

“If you pay close attention, you’ll notice it’s actually not much colder here than other places—certainly not as cold as the mountaintop,” the swallow said, trying hard to change the subject. “But staying near this divine lake glacier gives a chilling sensation that comes from deep inside—it rises from the heart, from the soul, not from outside.”

“Now that you mention it... that does feel right.”

“Exactly.”

And when Lady Calico had just said she “hadn’t eaten a bird in years,” the cold the swallow felt had also risen from within—not the air, but the soul.

He kept that thought to himself.

“Then tell me...” The cat turned her head to look at him again. “Which is stronger: this cold, or the fire on that mountain of the Fire God?”

“I-I don’t know...”

“Guess.”

“Master once said that the glacial spiritual resonance here is no weaker than the fire spiritual resonance atop Flame Mountain,” the swallow answered after a pause. “So I suppose they’re about equal. But in general, it’s easier to douse fire with water than to burn water away with fire.”

He paused for a split second, then quickly added, “Of course, I only mean that in general, it’s harder to burn water away—not that it’s impossible. If the fire is strong enough—like your profound mastery in fire techniques—then drying up water would be a piece of cake.”

“I think you make sense.”

“And besides, it’s not really something that can be compared like that,” the swallow continued. “The glacial spiritual resonance here has been nurtured for billions of years and is extremely rare. The Flaming Sun True Lord is also a natural-born genius and an Ancient Great Being—he’s no less formidable. Both are among the very peak of worldly power. There's no need to compare.

“And if you had to, it would depend on time, place, and circumstances. If the Fire God came here, he’d likely struggle to burn away the divine lake glacier. Likewise, if the glacier’s cold were moved to the blazing deserts of Flame Mountain, it would struggle to extinguish its fire.”

“Hm...”

The cat nodded repeatedly, feeling it was made sense, and wholeheartedly agreed—almost as if these insights had come from herself.

But the way this swallow spoke... sounded a lot like the Daoist.

Probably learned it from him.

Then again, why couldn't she speak like that? The cat fell into deep contemplation.

And after that—came a long, long wait. It was cold and dull.

The cat lay sprawled in the snow, her limbs frozen stiff and stinging from the cold. From time to time, she would get up to walk around, running in circles in the snow just to stay warm. Occasionally, she would crane her neck to glance toward the cold mist, or turn to say a few words to the dull little swallow. Then she would curl up again, enduring the long, tedious wait as time crawled by.

Until the sun gradually sank toward the west.

At some point, the clouds above began to part, and the sacred mountain once again revealed its true form before their eyes.

Looking up from this angle, the mountain truly seemed divine—towering like a god, its peak sharp like a halberd, piercing straight into the heavens. Even the shadow it cast at sunset was vast enough to cover an entire stretch of land. A tiny cat before it felt utterly insignificant, making it hard to believe that she had actually stood atop that halberd-like peak earlier today.

Gradually, the sunlight faded from the ground.

Light and shadow drew a sharp line across the tall, holy mountain, and that line slowly crept upward, its hue shifting toward a golden glow.

By the time the line reached halfway up the mountain, the sunlight had turned entirely golden, and the snow on the sacred mountain reflected it perfectly, making the entire slope appear like a massive block of gold.

It was the swallow who pointed it out to her.

So Lady Calico lifted her head high, staring unblinkingly at the mountain now cloaked in gold—completely unaware that the freezing mist from the divine lake glacier was once again stirring and surging, and that the Daoist was emerging from within it.

It wasn’t until she heard footsteps that she snapped out of her daze. Looking down, she found the Daoist already standing before her, gazing down from above.

“Thank you for waiting, Lady Calico.”

“You finally came out!”

“Were you watching the golden mountain at sunset?”

“I was watching the gold.”

“Is it pretty?”

“Very pretty! So tall! So big!” The cat couldn’t help turning her head to steal a few more glances.

“We came down from there today,” Song You said with a soft smile, holding a crystal bottle in his hand. “No matter how tall or big, it was conquered by you, Lady Calico.”

“You carried me up there!” the cat corrected him sternly. “It wasn’t me who climbed it myself!”

“That’s not quite right,” the Daoist replied calmly. “You could have climbed it yourself. First, you took your original form—small body, short legs—while the snow on the mountain was deeper than you were tall. Naturally, you spent the whole climb flailing around in snow. That would’ve been too much to ask.

“Second, you were overly excited before the climb and used up too much energy. That’s why you ran out of strength later. And in the end, it was only the very last stretch—we can overlook that.”

“Really?”

“Of course it’s true,” Song You said sincerely. “If you’re not satisfied, Lady Calico, you can always come back and climb it again someday.”

“Someday!”

The cat’s expression grew serious. She suddenly felt amazing again.

“Yan An was incredible too,” the Daoist said, turning to the swallow. “Swallows are built for flying, not running or jumping, and yet you managed to climb nearly to the summit. That’s no small feat.”

The swallow, unlike the cat, wasn’t so easily flattered. Face flushed, he didn’t dare respond.

“Let’s go.” The Daoist took the lead and walked ahead.

The cat and the swallow quickly followed after him.

“What was inside?”

“Not much—just a chunk of glacial spiritual resonance formed over billions of years, with mist-like cold surrounding it.”

“What does glacial spiritual resonance look like?”

“Like a piece of blue ice.”

“Why didn’t you take it with you?”

“It’s been here for billions of years. I don’t have any particular use for it, so why insist on taking it?” Song You replied helplessly. “Besides, it’s not something so easy to take.”

“Did you get frozen into a big ice block?”

“No.”

“Was it fun in there?”

“...I don’t know how to answer that.”

“Meow?”

“The spiritual resonance inside is extraordinary—profound beyond measure. It broadens the mind and greatly benefits cultivation.”

“Then why didn’t you sit inside all night?” the cat asked, puzzled, looking up at him. “You always sit for a long time whenever you reach places like that.”

“I’m not well-versed in this kind of cultivation, so there’s no need for me to stay long. When it comes to comprehending the spiritual mysteries, I’ve already collected plenty of icy qi from the center of the glacier.” As Song You spoke, he glanced down at the crystal bottle in his hand.

Even through the thick crystal, the chill radiating from it was intense—if he put it into Lady Calico's embroidered pouch, the whole thing might serve as a portable cooler. “Besides, it’s very cold in there. If I stayed too long, I might end up frozen into an ice block.”

In truth, he was more worried that these two little creatures waiting outside might freeze into ice blocks.

So the man, the cat, and the swallow chatted as they walked farther and farther away.

The golden glow of dusk faded, and the cold grew sharper, the wind turning into needles that pierced their skin.

Thankfully, the bright moon and stars kept them company.

They didn’t dare sleep in the open, so they traveled by moonlight. Since they'd just climbed the sacred mountain that morning, the cat and the swallow had yet to fully recover their strength. The sacred mountain’s spiritual resonance still lingered, weighing down on them. Toward the end, it was once again Song You carrying the pouch with the cat inside, the swallow perched on his shoulder, walking alone—slow but steady.

After another two hours of walking, they finally saw the cave.

This time, there was firelight inside.

Lady Calico immediately tensed, alert and wary, her wide eyes staring into the cave, reflecting the flickering fire.

The Daoist stepped in to take a look.

The horse stood safely inside the cave, perfectly fine. The travel packs were still in the corner, guarded by the beast. The only difference was the presence of three middle-aged men in foreign clothing. All of them were bundled in thick winter gear, cooking meat over the fire.

When they saw Song You enter, they were momentarily stunned—then quickly excited, rushing over and speaking to him in an unfamiliar language.

From their gestures and tone, Song You guessed they had figured out that he and his group had gone to climb the sacred mountain. Seeing him return, they were probably asking whether he had reached the summit and what the conditions were like.

Unfortunately, there was a language barrier.

After the initial enthusiasm passed, things gradually calmed down. Song You shared their fire and sat with them around it. They exchanged glances and gestures, saying little more.

After resting the night, early the next morning, the two groups of climbers—new and old—left the cave together. They exchanged a simple wave as farewell. One party climbed up, the other descended. Neither knew the names of the other, only that they were fellow wanderers of heaven and earth.

All they could do was wish the sacred mountain would be kind to them.

Song You withdrew his gaze and resumed his descent.

As the altitude dropped quickly, the effects of the thin air on the swallow and the cat gradually faded. The mountain's spiritual pressure also slowly receded. The swallow finally took flight again, flying ahead to lead the way. The cat began to feel light and comfortable, not only regaining her energy but seeming even more spirited than usual. She would often dash ahead, then wait for him up front.

The snowy terrain gave way to black-gray gravel, and then the gravel slowly faded into fields tinged with yellow-green grass.

In the distance, wild horses galloped across the mountains, kicking up dust. To the right, herds of cattle and sheep roamed the grasslands. Herders on horseback turned their heads curiously, casting glances at this strange group led by a wandering Daoist.

The herders of the highlands truly were hospitable. Several of them waved to Song You with bright smiles, calling out something in a language he couldn’t understand. He guessed they were asking if he had gone up the mountain, whether he’d made it to the summit.

At that moment, if only he’d been thick-skinned enough to pretend he was lost, perhaps he could’ve done what the merchants in Jade City had said—scored a free meal and drink, and maybe even gotten a ride down the mountain in one of the herders’ ox carts.

Unfortunately, he had a swallow with him—so he couldn’t get lost even if he wanted to.

Two days later, they rested in Green City.

As before, Song You entered the city with a merchant caravan and stayed in the same inn as the merchants. The first thing he did was ask around and find a shop where he could try the local specialty: flatbread-wrapped meat.

It was a dish that had come from the northern regions beyond Green City.

Because the north was desert—arid and barren—it wasn’t easy for herders to cook meals while grazing their livestock. But even in hardship, people would strive for some quality of life when they had the energy. Over time, the practice developed of wrapping mutton and wild onions in dough, forming a large bundle, burying it in the sand, lighting a fire above it, and letting it roast slowly—creating a giant roasted pastry.

Song You took a bite. The flavor wasn’t bad at all.

It wasn’t quite the same as traditional roasted pastry.

Perhaps because of the larger size, the texture of both the lamb and the flatbread was heavier, denser, more robust than the smaller versions.

Still, he thought it might provide some insight for Lady Calico, who had struggled for a long time without success in her attempt to master the art of mouse-roasted pastry—mainly due to not yet grasping the key technique of using a flatbread pit.