Unintended Immortality

Chapter 225: Summoning the God of Prosperity and Virtue

The next morning, the group of bodyguards rose early. Following the customs of their trade, they wouldn’t wash their faces until returning home, so they skipped washing up. They had a quick bite, and prepared to leave.

“Gentlemen, we’ll be on our way!” Jiang Erfu, seemingly unaware of the young man’s actions from the previous night, rose to bid Song You farewell.

He also offered a final word of advice, “It’s best if you stay in the town up ahead tonight. Avoid provoking any rats you encounter on the road. If you don’t plan to stay in Lanmo County, set out early and keep your breaks brief. You can reach Linxun by evening if you stick close to your horses.”

“Thank you for the advice.” Song You returned the gesture. “It seems you came from Linxun yourselves?”

“Yes.” Jiang Erfu paused before adding, “If you’re heading north, you’ll surely pass through Linxun. Our town is relatively safe. Just don’t stray into Mount Chongbie—simply passing through should pose no risk.”

“Mount Chongbie...” Song You muttered to himself.

It seemed the northern region was indeed fraught with danger.

“Thank you.”

Though they had shared little more than a night’s conversation, Jiang Erfu had offered a casual warning before taking his leave with his men.

Song You’s group, however, wasn’t in a hurry.

The swordsman had already gone outside to gather firewood. He started a small fire within the temple, set a pot over it, and began boiling water.

Once the water boiled, he broke the dry biscuits into small pieces and tossed them in to make a thick porridge, adding some fresh spring greens and a bit of their own dried meat. It looked like a haphazard mix, but the aroma wasn’t half bad.

“Would you like some?” Song You turned to look at the calico cat.

“I already ate my fill last night,” the calico replied softly, licking her paw delicately. “This really is a lovely place.”

“Lady Calico, be careful. According to what that escort leader said last night, the rats here hold grudges. If you kill or eat one, they’ll come looking for revenge.”

“...?” The calico stopped licking her paw. “Rats would come looking for me themselves?”

“That’s what I heard.”

“This really is a wonderful place.”

“Perhaps.”

“Do we still have much salt left?”@@@@

“Not much.”

“What a shame...” The calico resumed licking her paw.

The swordsman next to them listened in confusion, not quite understanding the connection between rats and salt. But, being a man of few words, he simply handed a bowl of porridge to Song You without comment. ȐaNöᛒËⱾ

After breakfast, they resumed their journey.

The road toward Lanmo County stretched for dozens of li, lined mostly with rural villages and farmland. Many village houses lay empty, and much of the farmland was abandoned. Most strikingly, the route was teeming with snakes and rats.

They saw snakes eating rats, and rats gnawing on snakes. Not far from the temple, they even encountered a swarm of rats.

Perhaps it was because Lady Calico had hunted quite a few rats the night before. Whether it was her scent or some other marker, the rats had come seeking revenge.

At least a hundred rats, each the size of a half-grown cat, gathered in a dark mass—a sight enough to make anyone uneasy.

“I see.” Song You smiled and nodded. He didn’t much mind how Duke of Thunder Zhou discussed him; instead, he seized the opportunity to inquire further.

“May I ask, which demon were the two Thunder Gods attempting to exorcize a year ago?”

“It was indeed the rat demon outside the city.”

“Since the two Thunder Gods attempted to exorcize this rat demon over a year ago, why is it still causing trouble in Lanmo?” Song You asked in puzzlement.

“Immortal Master, you may not be aware...” The Land God glanced around, seeming hesitant, then lowered his voice, adopting the tone of a village elder sharing gossip. “The rat demon is difficult to eliminate. Though the two Thunder Gods wield boundless power, there are limitations even for them.”

“Please, elaborate.”

“Is it your intention to exorcize the demon as well?”

“That is correct.”

“Then I shall explain in detail.”

Just then, the temple caretaker stepped out, glancing around and asking Song You’s group what they were doing there.

The Land God immediately fell silent, saying no more.

The swordsman casually responded with a few words. The temple caretaker soon left again.

Only then did the Land God resume speaking, “Firstly, this rat demon is exceedingly skilled at hiding. Lanmo County spans over a hundred li, and it’s swarming with rats. Even for Thunder God, locating its precise whereabouts is challenging. And even if they pinpoint the general area, it’s impossible to identify which rat it is.”

“Rat demons are generally adept at concealing themselves,” Song You nodded, recalling that the nimble demon of Lingmin from Southern Art County was similar in this regard.

“Immortal Master, you’ve surely encountered far more demons and spirits than this humble deity has,” the Land God offered a compliment.

He continued, “Secondly, though Thunder God wields the force of ten thousand bolts, the nature of Divine Thunder is such that while it can smite a hundred-year-old demon with a single strike, it would also only take one strike to eliminate a malevolent human or a single rat. Yet, there are millions of rats here, and so Thunder God often relies on rain to strike down a large area at once.”

“Hmm...”

“Moreover, rats tend to burrow deep underground, and this rat demon conceals itself in layers far below. Even with the power of Heavenly Thunder, it cannot reach so deep.”

“That makes sense.”

“Thirdly, the northern lands are in chaos, and countless malicious demons and spirits have emerged,” the Land God explained. “This rat demon, though troublesome and vexing, is cowardly and restrained. Additionally, Lady Willow Immortal here keeps it in check, preventing any large-scale calamity. Compared to the great demons up north, it’s relatively harmless.

“And with only nine legitimate gods in the Thunder Division, all struggling to quell the chaos in the north, they simply don’t have the resources to spare. To make matters worse, several demon kings in the north have risen to power, with some even establishing demonic kingdoms on earth.

“Even if Duke of Thunder Zhou were to exorcize this rat demon, it would take considerable time and effort. Right now, how can the Thunder Division afford to expend so much effort on a mere rat demon?”

Song You listened thoughtfully.

The Land God, meanwhile, watched his expression, as though trying to gauge his thoughts.

Sensing the deity’s gaze, Song You thought for a moment. He maintained a neutral expression, and suddenly asked, “You mentioned the nine Thunder Gods striving to exorcize demons, but may I ask—what of the Thunder Division’s chief officer?”

At this, the Land God’s face instantly changed, alarmed.

“Haha.” Song You chuckled softly and quickly reassured him, “It was just a casual question, just a casual question. No need to take it to heart...”