Unintended Immortality

Chapter 200: Tea and Guidance

“like a tiger, it climbs the trees,

twisting round the trunk with grace and ease.

like a young colt, free and untamed,

no harness needed, no reins to be claimed.

it hunts for mice, swift and sure,

but fish is a hunt it won’t endure.”

the night had slowly deepened. the cat lay flat on the bed, all four paws facing the sky, softly reciting poetry while gazing at the tiled roof.

as it recited, it turned over and glanced at the paper beside it. “but fish is a hunt it won’t endure!”

song you sat cross-legged on the bed, feeling very calm inside.

today marked the daxue[1], and heroine wu had already returned, but the scholar ghost was still missing.

fengzhou wasn’t actually far. a journey of over a thousand li would take song you about a month for a round trip, which an ordinary person could complete in about a month as well.

however, according to heroine wu, mount ye was remote, with many mountains and difficult paths, and there were no waterways. sometimes, there weren’t even places to stay, and the official post stations were quite desolate, which meant it would take more time. an ordinary traveler would need at least one and a half to two months to make the round trip.

ghosts, unless they had special abilities, actually traveled no faster than humans; they too needed to walk slowly.

additionally, ghosts had to avoid the times just after dark and just before dawn to steer clear of nighttime travelers and to avoid being startled by the crowing of roosters or barking of dogs. staying overnight as a ghost wasn’t convenient, nor was asking for directions, so giving the scholar ghost some extra time meant he might take up to three months on the journey.

but now, half a year had already passed.

song you worried that he might have encountered danger and also suspected he might not return. he couldn't decide which possibility was worse.

just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly noticed the cat’s voice stop beside him.

the cat instantly turned its head toward the door. then it nimbly climbed and rushed to the window, peering through a crack to look outside before turning back to the daoist and saying,

“it’s the deity from the temple over there.”

“...”

song you opened his eyes, thanked lady calico, and got up to open the window. he glanced outside, then closed the window again and turned to go downstairs.

when he opened the door, he found the outside shrouded in darkness, with fog swirling around a few divine officers standing there.

leading the group was the city god. beside him were two deputy officers—one civil and one martial officer—with two martial officers behind them, accompanied by a scholar-like minor ghost.

song you immediately focused on the scholar ghost. compared to their last meeting, the ghost looked much more frail, with an almost ethereal quality.

“greetings, sir!” the city god spoke first.

“city god.”

“sir, i apologize for the impromptu visit; please forgive me.” after paying his respects, the city god straightened up. he looked far more imposing now than he did in the spring of this year. “i come to report that when officer wang and officer zhao were on their usual night patrol of changjing tonight, they encountered a minor ghost who seemed to have just transformed; it was wandering about aimlessly in the streets. the divine officers caught him and questioned him, but he wouldn’t say anything, only that he was looking for you.”

“this one is indeed an acquaintance of mine,” song you replied, bowing to the city god. “but how could i trouble the city god to personally come for such a trivial matter?”

“sir, your affairs are never trivial.”

“thank you, city god.”

“don’t mention it.”

seeing the situation, the city god didn’t linger and glanced back, prompting the two martial officers to bring the scholar ghost forward.

the city god then bowed again. “since this ghost is truly your acquaintance, i will take my leave now.”

“safe travels, city god.” both parties exchanged bows, fulfilling the formalities.

then, with a whoosh, the city god vanished into thin air. the accompanying officers also bowed and dispersed, leaving only the almost unsteady scholar ghost on the street.

“immortal master...” the scholar ghost looked up at him, his lips trembling and his complexion pale.

“that's all i know; i hope it is useful to you, immortal master.”

“thank you.”

song you was already aware of some aspects of mount ye. what the scholar ghost mentioned served as both a supplement and confirmation, possibly raising some points of doubt, but in any case, it was a great help.

“i previously mentioned that if you were willing to investigate for me, i would consider the past matter resolved and invite you for a cup of tea. at that time, i never imagined you would be so dedicated, nor did i expect you would endure so many dangers and trials.

“though you are a ghost and have your shortcomings, your adherence to your promises has made me greatly admire you. a cup of tea may hardly repay your kindness.”

song you lifted the earthen pot, pouring water from a height. as the water entered the cup, it stirred up the tea residue and aroma. white foam and green leaves instantly floated to the surface of the cup.

“immortal master...”

the scholar ghost stared longingly at the cup of tea, feeling both anxious and hopeful. he took a deep breath, as if he could smell the rich, steaming aroma of the tea.

this cup of tea was extraordinary.

“here, try this!” song you presented the tea to him.

“immortal master!” the scholar ghost accepted it with both hands.

the earthen cup was insulated, and for a brief moment, it didn’t feel hot. but he could clearly sense the warmth radiating from the scalding tea, a gentle heat that traveled from his fingertips to his body.

the scholar ghost couldn’t help but shiver. after becoming a ghost, he had no physical body, no skin; how could he feel hot or cold? for him, this was already a long-lost sensation.

moreover, steam rose from the cup, carrying the fragrance of the tea.

“...”

the scholar ghost took another deep breath.

the freshness of the green tea mingled with a faint bean aroma, and combined with the heat, it felt both familiar and strange. he brought it to his lips and took a small sip.

“...”

the tea was rich and fragrant, slightly bitter yet also a touch astringent. the scholar ghost held it in his mouth, savoring it for a long time. by the time he swallowed, the hot tea had cooled.

then came the aftertaste, as if his saliva had been stirred. since becoming a ghost, he hadn’t tasted anything like this for a hundred years.

“how is the tea?” song you asked, smiling at him.

the scholar ghost lifted his head, feeling a mix of emotions.

“it’s good tea...” he then lowered his head to drink slowly, unwilling to say more.

the ghost, initially weak and ethereal, gradually became more solid, as if he had regained some vitality. by the time he finished the cup, he had nearly returned to his original state.

however, upon closer examination, things were somewhat different. the scholar ghost held the cup reluctantly, greedily inhaling the lingering fragrance inside, reminiscent of orchids.

“if you can truly resolve to change your thieving ways, i happen to know of a place where various ghosts, spirits, demons and monsters gather. it is blessed by inherent deities, so there’s no need to worry about being captured by daoists. it's also a place where you can converse with your kind and go to the market to buy incense and candles.”

“such a place actually exists!”

“however, it’s a place that values rules. if you’re unwilling to change your ways, i cannot in good conscience tell you about it. besides, if you go there and continue to steal, it would likely bring you more trouble than good.”

“i have already vowed not to steal again!”

“i’m willing to believe you...”

song you then explained the location of the pingzhou mountain market to him and repeatedly reminded him not to steal again.

the scholar ghost promised multiple times, and just as he was about to leave, he seemed to suddenly remember and asked, “may i ask, immortal master, if i could also go to the underworld ghost city that the state preceptor is building in fengzhou?”

“it’s best not to go.”

“understood.” the scholar ghost bowed to him and then departed.

1. daxue, or major snow, is the 21st of the 24 solar terms on the chinese lunar calendar. ☜