Chapter 700: Chapter 700

The white crane delivered the encyclopedia back to Hidden Dragon Temple on Yin-Yang Mountain. Song You, meanwhile, rested for the night on the open ground, setting out again only the next day.

They were now within the borders of Yizhou.

The Daoist and Lady Calico traveled onward. It was already quite warm in late spring, and even in the mountains at night it was not cold. They often camped out under the open sky wherever they happened to be. If they were thirsty, they sought mountain springs or asked for water from roadside households. If their food ran short, they bought some in the towns along the way or from mountain villagers. It was convenient enough that they had little to worry about.

Yizhou, too, had fallen into disorder.

As the Daoist journeyed on, whether from invitations by villagers or chance encounters on the road, they ran into quite a few rampaging demons and monsters.

Naturally, it was Lady Calico and the swallow who did the fighting.

Sometimes they received silver as thanks, sometimes a good meal, sometimes a bounty of dried rations and fruit. They were all gains in their own way.

Because of this, their pace slowed considerably.

In some places, there were so many demons and malicious spirits in the mountains that Song You would linger to eat and drink while Lady Calico and the swallow went about demon-hunting. The grateful villagers would insist on putting them up for the night and serving them a banquet. At first, Song You thought this was simply rustic hospitality. But after one such evening feast and a night’s rest, he discovered that the neighboring village had already heard the news, and people arrived at dawn to line up and extend their invitations.

Their actions were indeed warm-hearted, simple and genuine. But it did consume a great deal of time.

Fortunately, the Daoist was long since unburdened by any pressing affairs, and with summer’s end and autumn’s start still far off, he was in no hurry. His heart was full of leisure; he was happy to take in the mountains and rivers at a slower pace, and glad to help rid the villages along the way of their monsters.

He was glad to let time drift by.

Unnoticed, the sunlight grew ever more dazzling, and at midday it now fell hot upon their backs. The mountain forests began to ring with the various cries of cicadas, their noisy racket full of life.

Lady Calico often walked by the roadside, reaching into the grass to snatch up a cicada no bigger than a fingernail, its body a fresh green. She would hand it back to little Jiang Han for amusement. At first, she tried to coax the child into eating them, but after Song You spoke to her a few times, she changed her mind and decided instead to cook them at night before letting Jiang Han have any.

Each day in the forest was dappled with light and shade, the patterns shifting as they walked, dreamlike.

“It’s already summer…” the Daoist said with a sigh as they walked among the trees.

“That’s right! There are more and more bugs now, the jiaojizi[1] and the tugouzi[2] are out, and at night there are toads. In the fields there are eels. If we stay in a village again tonight, I will take Jiang Han and the swallow to the fields to catch them. If we catch enough by morning, we can eat them tomorrow!”

“…” The Daoist was momentarily at a loss for words.

A swallow flew overhead and landed on a treetop.

“Sir, we’re only three hundred li from Yidu. If we don’t get delayed, we could arrive by the evening of the day after tomorrow. But at our recent pace, it might take another seven or eight days.”

“We’re in no hurry…” The Daoist shook his head with a sigh.

Before they knew it, they were nearing Yidu.

Just then, the sound of dogs barking suddenly echoed from the distant mountains.

The barking rang through the forested hills, going on and on.

The Daoist couldn’t help but halt. He turned his bamboo staff in his hand, peered through the gaps between the roadside trees, and looked toward the source of the sound.

All he saw was a stretch of dense mountain forest without any sign of houses.

So there were dwellings hidden in the mountains after all…

The houses were well concealed by the woods, but if one looked carefully, it was possible to tell where they were. Most of the mountainside was covered with mixed trees, but there was one thick grove of bamboo. Bamboo grows quickly and is excellent for screening buildings. Besides, it has many uses and a certain elegance; since ancient times, hermits have planted bamboo even if they didn’t use it as a windbreak, for it was never a bad thing to have.

Looking closer, there was in fact a narrow path, not easy to notice and seemingly little traveled, leading up from the foot of the mountain toward that spot.

Nowadays, true hermits were becoming increasingly rare.

Seclusion often meant living alone, and avoiding the world meant avoiding people. Even in peaceful times, to live in seclusion without a good location was risky, not only because of mountain spirits, ghosts, or bandits, but also because of drunken louts or troublemakers from the villages below. And if the household had women, the danger was all the greater. As for living entirely far from human settlements, that was not easy either.

For this reason, on some mountains famed for their hermits, the so-called hermits actually lived in clusters. Those who truly dared to live alone were mostly solitary cultivators or people with real skills to protect themselves.

And in these chaotic times, all the more so.

Song You found himself a little curious.

The barking rang out a few more times, then stopped.

The Daoist withdrew his gaze and went on his way.

He had gone only a short distance, just past a bend, when he saw two young farmers running up the mountain path. They were drenched in sweat, and their faces were full of both haste and fear.

He had seen this scene many times along the road. At a glance, the Daoist knew what was going on.

So he stepped aside, leaning on his staff, as if merely making way for the two young men in a hurry. But when they glanced at him and noticed his Daoist robe, he spoke, “Why are you two running so urgently through the mountains? Has something happened?”

The two exchanged a glance and actually stopped.

“Sir, sir… our village was troubled by a demon last night. The village head sent us to hurry into the hills ahead to invite an expert to come and drive it out, before the creature escapes back into the mountains!”

“Sir… can you exorcise demons?” they asked breathlessly.

“I am well versed in the arts of demon-slaying,” Song You replied modestly. “I can go to your village and take care of it.”

“That demon is fierce,” one of the youths said, still looking terrified. “It knocked down a house with a single blow! Sir, don’t boast too soon. If you fail to subdue it and it flees back into the mountains, that’s a small matter; but if it harms your life, that would be terrible!”

“Yes, you mustn’t take it lightly!” the other added.

“With you two so concerned, how could I deceive you?” the Daoist said. “If you do not trust in my skill, you may still go on to invite the expert you mentioned. That way, we have two safeguards.”

The two looked at each other.

That was exactly what they’d had in mind.

The village head had also said they should invite several experts if possible.

“We would be honored to have your help, sir. If you truly have the ability and can rid us of this demon, there will be a reward! But the creature is both vicious and cunning, this is a rare chance. Please allow us to fetch the expert ahead as well, and we can all go together.”

“It’s not that we don’t trust you, sir, it’s just… that demon is still sleeping outside our village right now. We don’t know when it’ll wake up. If it runs back into the mountains, it’ll be much harder to track down. The village head told us to fetch that other expert, and if we fail to bring her and something goes wrong, the villagers will surely blame us.”

“That’s reasonable, quite reasonable.” The Daoist smiled with understanding. “Might I ask which direction your village lies in?”

“It’s ahead, about twenty-odd li from here. The mountain path isn’t easy to follow, so please wait for us here, we’ll be back as soon as we can.”

“In that case, might I come along with you two instead?”

“The path is not an easy one to walk.”

The two youths didn’t waste any more time. They had only stopped to speak with him, and, truth be told, to catch their breath. Finding one more expert was as good a reason as any to pause. But after only a short rest, they hurried forward again.

As they ran, they kept glancing over their shoulders, finding it strange.

Though neither of them were skilled runners, they were young and strong, and had been pushing themselves at full speed. Yet behind them, the Daoist followed with his bamboo staff, moving at a leisurely, unhurried pace, and still managed to keep right on their heels. Beside him, the little girl carrying a baby on her back, who looked far too young for such a burden, kept pace effortlessly. She was not even the slightest bit flushed or winded.

Just behind them, hidden at the mountain’s edge where even the Daoist and Lady Calico hadn’t noticed, there was in fact a narrow side path, leading straight to that hidden mountain dwelling.

Following the two youths, the Daoist began to feel that something about all this was… odd.

It was as though some faint premonition stirred within him.

The two clearly knew the way, though they weren’t exactly familiar with it. The side paths were hard to distinguish, and more than once they realized too late they’d gone astray when the trail vanished.

At last, they approached the secluded dwelling. The hidden house revealed its true form behind the bamboo grove.

There were a few small houses, some of bamboo, others of thatch, all set amid a great stand of green. In front of the houses there was a chicken coop, and a yellow guard dog watching the entrance.

The dog erupted into furious barking the moment it saw them.

The two youths staggered up, gasping as though they might collapse. But as they got closer, they saw that all the doors were shut tight. Only the dog barked and barked. Braving its snarls, they called out toward the house to see if anyone was home, but there was no answer.

Meanwhile, the Daoist’s gaze roamed over the surroundings.

Between the houses stood the chicken coop, and scattered through the bamboo were many free-ranging hens, most of them plump old layers. A tall red rooster, its plumage bright and variegated, stood proudly in their midst.

In places where the bamboo could not block the sun, small patches of earth had been planted with vegetables. Behind the house lay cultivated soil, and before it stretched fields, all sown with crops. To the side stood a small shed that looked like a stable.

The so-called “expert” was clearly not at home, but it didn’t seem like she had gone far.

The two youths began to grow flustered.

When Song You had finished surveying the area, he noticed that Lady Calico, still carrying little Jiang Han on her back, had already walked up to one of the doors. She paid no heed to the big yellow dog raging beside her, nor to the frightened, squirming child on her back. Instead, she bent down to peer through the crack in the door.

As she peered, she flared her nostrils, sniffing at the air. It was as if she were trying to catch some scent lingering inside.

“We mean no harm, please, don’t be alarmed,” Song You first said to the yellow dog, then turned to Lady Calico. “Lady Calico, that’s a bit impolite.”

Lady Calico straightened up and looked back at him, fixing him with a few steady glances. She neither explained nor argued; she merely flared her nostrils twice, then bent down again to keep peering inside.

The yellow dog actually quieted down, merely watching them warily.

“There’s something odd about the smell here…” Her voice came from where she crouched at the crack in the door.

“What’s odd about it?”

The Daoist fell silent for a moment, then turned to the two young men beside him and asked, “What does this expert look like? And what skills does she have?”

“We only came to fetch her once before, the last time the village was haunted,” one replied. “All we know is that she’s a woman, neither young nor old, highly skilled, good with a blade. No demon or ghost can withstand a single stroke from her.”

“Ah…” The Daoist’s expression cleared with understanding.

No wonder he’d felt that strange pull, as if something were urging him to come here.

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The two young men, not knowing where the expert had gone or where to find her, turned to Song You. At least this Daoist they’d met on the mountain seemed to have genuine cultivation and knowledge of the arcane.

“You needn’t worry,” the Daoist said. “I have an excellent scout, and I also possess ways of dealing with demons. Most creatures in this world can’t withstand his sword.” He pointed upward at a swallow in the sky. “So, if you two return to your village now, my swallow will follow you and see the monster is dealt with.”

“You’re not coming with us, sir?”

“Rest assured,” Song You said, “if my swallow fails to subdue the demon, I will personally come to your village and finish the job before leaving. But it’s unlikely he’ll fail. As for myself, the expert here is very likely an old friend of mine from years ago, so I must wait for her return.”

The two exchanged glances, then looked upward. Sure enough, a swallow perched atop the bamboo, looking down at them.

“I am a descendant of the Swallow Immortal of Anqing,” the bird said, speaking in a rare human voice. “Lead the way, and I will do my utmost to vanquish the demon for you.”

The two were startled, but they believed it. Without having caught their breath, they turned and ran back the way they came.

The swallow flapped its wings and followed after them.

The Daoist watched them disappear into the distance before turning his gaze back to the secluded mountain dwelling.

Then he stepped closer, imitating Lady Calico, pressing to the crack of the door to peer inside. And indeed, on the wall, he saw a short sword he knew well.

Fortunately, Lady Calico sensed his ripple of emotion and refrained from pointing out that this, too, was impolite.

By now, the yellow dog had ceased barking, though it clearly wasn’t fully convinced. It trotted to the edge of the bamboo grove and planted itself before the flock of foraging chickens, head held high, guarding its “property.”

The Daoist faintly recalled a time long ago when he’d sat eating meat and drinking wine with a certain heroine, speaking of the future.

She had said that one day she’d find a place where no taxes were collected, and live a quiet life. She wanted to work the fields in busy seasons, hunt rabbits and birds in the mountains when idle, and live a carefree life like that of the immortals.

Here there was land and fields, chickens and a dog, and the nearest village was a fair distance away. It was far from towns, far from the jianghu.

There were a few simple neat and clean thatched cottages. Dry firewood and cut bamboo neatly stacked against the walls, enough to burn for half a year. Beside the stable was a pile of half-dry grass, mostly the kind horses love. The crops and vegetables in the fields were a little haphazard, but more than enough to eat , and some were already ready for harvest.

A strange sense of simple, abundant peace welled up in him. He just didn’t know… whether taxes were collected here. Most likely, she was already living the life she’d wanted.

The Daoist couldn’t help but smile. Then he settled cross-legged under the eaves before the house, letting old memories stir as he waited quietly for an old friend’s return.