Unintended Immortality

Chapter 254: Mountain Stabilizes Water

Inside the temple beyond the Snowy Plains, the swordsman and the calico cat waited day after day.

The swordsman didn’t have many tasks each day. Every morning, he would wake up, boil a pot of hot water, have a simple breakfast, and then spend the entire morning practicing swordsmanship. Sometimes, he would visit nearby villages to buy some provisions and fodder.

In the afternoon, he would sit cross-legged on the ground, gazing toward the Snowy Plains in the north. He would watch the sky shrouded in dark clouds, where the wind sometimes swirled and lightning occasionally flashed. He would imagine the fierce battles happening there, ponder over his own Sword Dao, and patiently await that storm of thunder.

Naturally, he also kept an eye on Lady Calico.

At first, the calico cat acted as usual—

She would sometimes dart around the temple, looking for anything she could play with. Even a dry stalk of grass poking out from the snow was enough for her to circle around, pawing and swatting at it. It seemed like she could always find something interesting to do, no matter where she was. When she got tired from her play, she would lie down inside the temple and take a nap.

If anyone came to offer incense, she would approach and sit at a spot neither too far nor too close, tilting her head to observe them.

Sometimes, she would transform into her human form, find a small wooden stick, and practice writing characters in the snow.

The swordsman was literate, but he hadn’t read many books. He could tell that most of what Lady Calico wrote were poems; occasionally, she would write names, the twenty-four solar terms, or phrases from classical texts. Beyond that, he couldn’t make out much.

Sometimes, she would catch a mouse and ask if he wanted to eat it. If she caught a lot, she would borrow his knife, then head to the stream to carefully clean them before hanging them on a dead tree to make dried mice.

This reminded the swordsman of the preserved meat he once nearly ate.

Occasionally, she would bring back a rabbit or even larger prey, dragging it to his side for him to eat. At such times, the swordsman could enjoy a rare feast, replenishing his energy and sparing him the need to go to the village, visiting households with kind words to procure food for several days.

Sometimes, she would even bring him immortal’s elixirs, asking if he wanted to try them.

A few days later, she seemed to realize that she had been away from the Daoist for too long, and she would start to feel certain emotions. So, she often sat in the snow beside the temple, licking her paws and staring off into the distance in a daze.

At night, if there were flashes of light or subtle sounds that the swordsman couldn’t detect, she would immediately dash outside and leap onto the temple roof, where she would fix her gaze into the distance and stare for a long time.

If he asked her about it, she would turn her head or look down at him without responding.

This continued day after day, until more than ten days had passed.

Suddenly, there was a thunderous roar inside the temple, as if a bolt of Divine Thunder had struck. The statue on the altar shimmered with radiant light, as though a deity had manifested for a brief moment before vanishing without a trace.

The swordsman had finally awaited the arrival of that storm of thunder.

Dark, dense clouds loomed over the entire snowy expanse, shrouding the sky. Amidst the swirling wind and snow, thunder and lightning intertwined in a chaotic display, creating an apocalyptic scene that was suffocating just to behold.

“Rumble...”

Some bolts of lightning branched out wildly, crisscrossing like the roots of an enormous, inverted tree. Some lingered in the air for a long time, lasting several breaths without fading. Others were so long they stretched from one end of the horizon to the other. Countless lightning bolts densely covered the entire Snowy Plains, dancing together with the wind and snow. ᚱãꞐỒBƐṡ

The thunder rolled on, its echoes unending.

Before the sound of one had faded from their ears, another would strike, and countless bolts layered upon one another, creating a noise as if the very heavens and earth were splitting apart.

The swordsman sat on the ground, gazing into the distance. The calico cat sat atop the temple roof, also facing that direction. She was completely still, her tiny silhouette motionless against the vast sky.

Who knows what she was thinking.

As for the swordsman, he was utterly mesmerized by the sight. It was the might of the heavens. A rolling, overwhelming divine power.

The force coming from that direction was one of utter destruction, an invincible, suffocating power that seemed capable of wiping out the entire earth.

Whether it was an ordinary thunderstorm, the startling bolts of the Jingzhe four years ago, the display outside Changjing City that day, or even the handiwork of Duke of Thunder Fu outside Jingyu City last year—all of them paled in comparison to the thunderstorm now filling the sky and earth before him.

From dawn till dusk, the thunder never ceased.

What kind of formidable power was this?

Back in Hansu County, he had heard people describe how, a few years ago, a deity had eradicated demons with thunder roaring continuously for an entire month. At the time, it hadn’t seemed like much. But now, witnessing this scene firsthand, he felt deeply shaken.

Yet, he couldn’t help but wonder: was that thunderstorm stronger, or was this one more powerful?

***

Rumble!

Amidst the blizzard, lightning struck everywhere, hitting the snowfields like blooming flowers, nearly shattering all of the Snowy Plains Demon King’s defenses.

The thunder ceased. The Demon King could only cower within the spiritual spring, barely clinging to life.

At this moment, the He Plains was filled with seasonal spiritual energy, cycling through spring, summer, autumn, and winter. This not only wore down his spiritual energy and resonance but also trapped him firmly within the spiritual spring.

“...”

In the sky, Duke of Thunder Zhou was visibly stunned. The Demon King on the ground also showed a trace of panic. However, after a brief moment of thought, he quickly identified a flaw.

A formation constructed purely from spiritual energy—how long could it possibly last?

Unless this Daoist intended to remain here forever.

But the disciples of Hidden Dragon Temple neither sought immortality nor desired offerings nor the Divine Dao. No matter how long his lifespan, how long could it truly be?

The spirit of the mountains and rivers might not endure as long as the actual mountains and rivers, yet he had already existed for hundreds of years, and no one knew how much longer he would live. In contrast, the techniques of mortals typically dissipated upon their death. Even if it lasted a hundred years, that would still be considered brief.

Moreover, how could he possibly remain here and guard this place forever?

However, when the Demon King looked at Song You, he noticed the Daoist was looking right back at him, as if he had read his thoughts. Song You smiled faintly.

“Spiritual manifestations of the mountains and rivers and innate spirits are truly remarkable beings. If you had chosen to bring blessings to the land, even without seeking faith and offerings to strengthen yourself, you could have harmonized with nature and lived long in peace. Why, then, did you resort to this self-destructive, short-sighted path?”

“Enough nonsense! What other tricks do you have?” the Demon King retorted angrily.

“Speaking of beings like you, I once encountered another during my travels, one even more powerful than you,” Song You said calmly. “Using the mountain to subdue the water—it couldn’t be more fitting.”

Boom!

The water in the spiritual spring surged violently, splashing several meters high.

Song You simply closed his eyes.

The spiritual energy continued to pour out, both wearing down and weakening the Demon King’s spiritual energy, while also slowing the flow of the four seasons and halting the alternation of yin and yang.

Although it only targeted a small area of about ten zhang in front, and could not truly separate it from the outside world, it could imbue the space with some characteristics of a world within a painting, creating a seal independent of its surroundings.

Swoosh...

At some point, a wind began to blow across the He Plains. But this time, it wasn’t a cold wind. It was an east wind.

The east wind blew swiftly for three thousand li. The heavy snow had just ceased, and life began to stir anew.

***

It was already February beyond the Snowy Plains.

The calico cat seemed to have completely lost all respect for others' temples and any reverence for its former companions. It lounged leisurely atop the temple roof, lazily swishing its tail back and forth. Occasionally, it glanced in the direction of the Snowy Plains, and at other times, it stretched out a paw to swipe playfully at birds flying overhead, clawing at nothing but air.

The swordsman also sat on the ground, gazing into the distance.

The snow on the ground was nearly melted.

The thunder over the distant Snowy Plains had long since faded away. Even more surprising was that the dark clouds that had shrouded the sky for over a decade were gradually dissipating.

This seemed to signify something.

Just then, the jujube-red horse, who was digging through the snow to graze on the grass, appeared to sense something. It lifted its head, turned to look in the direction of the Snowy Plains, then glanced up at the temple roof.

It then trotted forward, first coming to the swordsman seated cross-legged on the ground, nudging him with its head. Then, it moved to the side of the small temple, raising its head to stare at the calico cat perched on the roof.

And so, a conversation began between the cat and the horse by the temple.

“What’s the matter, horsey? Are you hungry? Oh, but you were just eating grass... Then you must be thirsty. I'll go boil a pot of hot water for you to drink.”

The horse remained silent, but the cat continued chattering on, "Hot water is great! Humans drink hot water. Hot water tastes round, while cold water tastes sharp... Huh? Why aren’t you saying anything? Why can’t you speak human language? You can’t speak cat language either! You’re not very smart...”

The horse averted its gaze, silently walking back toward its saddle bag.

The swordsman had been watching this interaction intently, lost in thought. Seeing this scene, he instantly snapped back to reality. He stood up, grabbed his long sword, and went to fetch his saddle.

The calico cat, perched at the edge of the temple roof, blinked her eyes. Watching the swordsman’s actions, she seemed to realize something as well. With a meow, she leaped gracefully from the roof, her form cutting through the air with impeccable elegance.

“...”

She landed lightly, stretching nonchalantly as if she didn’t have a care in the world. But as soon as she finished, she spun around and dashed toward the jujube-red horse.

1. Eye of the Earth refers to Aiken Spring, a spring in China which appears like an eye from above, with crystal-clear spring water forming a "pupil" surrounded by deep red sediments, creating the striking illusion of an eye embedded in the landscape. ☜