Unintended Immortality

The Emperor asked, “The realm is ultimately our Great Yan’s domain, and Changjing is also our Great Yan’s capital. Even gods should not cause chaos in Changjing. Tomorrow, it’s certain that the ministers in court will discuss this matter. Grand Commander Chang was an elder statesman and a royal relative of the former dynasty. State Preceptor, what do you think…?”

The Emperor finally turned to look at the State Preceptor beside him. “What should I do?”

“I believe that by tomorrow morning, the Martial Guards will have uncovered the full details of the incident.”

“And what about the odd alchemist from the jianghu…?”

“I have already sent someone to find him.”

“What is your view on this matter?”

“I have some reflections,” the State Preceptor said.

“What reflections?”

“It is natural for people to fear death, but it is both ridiculous and lamentable that a dignified Grand Commander would be manipulated by a jianghu oddity to the point of losing his life without realizing it.”

“Does Your Majesty know about this dark art?”

“I would like to hear more about it.”

The State Preceptor said, “In the first two days, those subjected to the spell will feel a revival, their bodies improving. Even if they were previously bedridden, they might be able to walk. However, the spell soon loses its effect, and the body will begin to decay. The victim finds it hard to recognize or believe they are dead, and they will seek doctors to treat their ‘illness.’

“The most severe and stubborn will only realize they are dead when their body is fully decayed, unable to move, and placed in a coffin, hearing the mourning of their family. Only then will their soul be freed, making the entire process an excruciating ordeal.”

“Is it really so terrifying?”

“There are even more terrifying aspects,” the State Preceptor said with a smile. “Some, after their bodies decay, lose all senses. They are neither living nor dead, unable to hear anything, and are trapped in a place of perpetual darkness and silence for an unknown number of years before they are released.”

“So, in a way, that Daoist did save Grand Commander Chang.”

“Indeed.”

“Daoist magic can be both benevolent and malevolent...”

“Magic itself is neither; it is the cultivator who determines its nature.”

“Fascinating.”

The Emperor continued to walk slowly.

Their conversation, while appearing to cover various topics, was actually the State Preceptor’s way of subtly revealing his stance.

The Emperor walked a few more steps before saying, “I have a question for you, State Preceptor.”

“Please, feel free to ask, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor said, “Our Great Yan has a million elite soldiers, and our famous generals have the ability to exorcize demons and ghosts. Chen Ziyi, just by his reputation and a painting, can intimidate minor ghosts.

“The Juxian Mansion has thousands of masters, and there are many capable people both in the court and among the people. All the great mountains, temples, and palaces revere me as the ruler of the world. How do we compare to the people and immortals of Hidden Dragon Temple?”

The State Preceptor said, “Hidden Dragon Temple is an ancient legacy, favored by the Heavenly Dao, and has been walking among the mortal world for generations. Unless the people suffer greatly, they rarely interfere in worldly affairs. Right now, Great Yan is strong and prosperous, so why should Your Majesty worry about Hidden Dragon Temple?”

“I’m simply curious, having heard that Hidden Dragon Temple is renowned for its immortals and their many stories.”

“Heh...” The State Preceptor chuckled.

Having been acquainted with this Emperor for many years and having assisted him for a long time, they naturally understood each other well.

The Emperor had a penchant for expanding his territories and was often compared to Emperor Wu[1] by poets. When he heard of unknown small nations, he would first be concerned with their military strength. Now that he encountered a pinnacle Daoist cultivator, his thoughts were no different.

In other words, he had a competitive and combative attitude. It seemed that this attitude had not mellowed with age.

The State Preceptor pondered for a moment before saying, “The abilities of those in the Daoist tradition are ever-changing and diverse. Some are deeply mysterious; those who reach a high level of cultivation are no longer easily harmed by worldly martial forces.

“Although the Juxian Mansion boasts thousands of ‘masters’, half of them are merely jianghu oddities, and the other half are simply cultivators from common temples and monasteries. Even if there are a few exceptional ones, they are still not comparable to the immortals of Hidden Dragon Temple.”

The State Preceptor said with a modest smile, “As for myself, the Fengtian Temple on Mount Luming where I am from only teaches astronomy, geography, military strategy, and various classics. We are more like advisors and strategists. At most, I am only familiar with some divination and calculation skills. How can I dare to compare myself with the disciples of Hidden Dragon Temple?”

“Is it really that impressive?”

“I have heard that the disciples of Hidden Dragon Temple differ from generation to generation, each with their own strengths. Regardless of the path they take, they are at the pinnacle of the world.”

“I have heard such things before,” the Emperor nodded. “In the early years of our dynasty, there was a person skilled in exorcising demons and slaying gods. Nearly a century ago, Daoist Tiansuan was said to be able to see 500 years into the future. I wonder what this person is skilled at?”

“I do not know,” the State Preceptor admitted.

“Even you do not know?”

“No,” the State Preceptor shook his head and paused for a moment. “However, this person has spent a night on Yunding Mountain and then overturned the weather in Changjing, nourishing all things. I have never heard of such supernatural abilities before.”

“Alas...” The Emperor sighed.

The State Preceptor said, “Every being has its own Dao—mice have their own Dao, immortals have theirs, gods have theirs. The senior from Hidden Dragon Temple who assisted in opening the dynasty, though skilled in slaying gods and demons, does not have the ability to sweep across armies or stabilize the empire.

“As the sovereign of the world, you, Your Majesty, have your own skills. Why should you compare yourself with others or follow their Dao?”

The Emperor said, “Not quite.”

“What do you mean?”

“It is just that as I grow older, I increasingly wish to cast aside the complexities of state affairs, to pursue the Dao and alchemy, seeking immortality and freedom. Yet, I am bound by national matters, which naturally makes me envious.”

“Your Majesty, there is an opportunity at this moment,” the State Preceptor suggested. “If you wish to have a long conversation with this person, now would be a good time to invite him to the palace. The only issue is whether he will agree.”

“How should we extend the invitation?” The Emperor turned to look at the State Preceptor.

“This is Changjing, after all, beneath the Emperor's rule. Though that person has vast powers, he has been punishing evil and promoting good without informing the court, which is quite improper,” the State Preceptor said.

He continued, “However, Grand Commander Chang and his son have indeed disrespected the imperial authority by relying on their status and showing disregard for the law. Offending an immortal? Is it not a crime? No matter what, I should seek him out and clarify the matter.”

The Emperor was very pleased with this response.

“Speaking of which, Hidden Dragon Temple has had many connections with our imperial family. It was with the help of Hidden Dragon Temple that our founding emperor established the dynasty, and Emperor Zhongzong also received assistance from Hidden Dragon Temple to rejuvenate the empire.

“No matter what, I should have hosted a banquet to properly thank the immortals of Hidden Dragon Temple. Yet, I did not expect that within the capital, there would be people so bold and lawless by relying on their status. This is indeed my fault and a disservice to the founders of Hidden Dragon Temple.”

“Your Majesty, you’re a little too harsh on yourself...”

“Please, State Preceptor, go on my behalf to invite the immortal to the palace for a meeting. I would like to apologize to him, have a drink, and converse. Wouldn’t that be delightful?”

“However, this person is naturally aloof...”

“State Preceptor, please make it clear that I do not insist.”

“I understand.”

“Regarding tomorrow’s court...”

The State Preceptor said, “Your Majesty need not worry. Grand Commander Chang has long been dead. The disciples of Hidden Dragon Temple have actually helped him leave the suffering early.

“As for that Chang Yin, who has long acted without regard for law or discipline, he should have been punished long ago. There are many reasonable people in the court. But at most, some of the nobles who frequently break the law themselves fear that one day they might face the same fate, which is why they are pushing the Ministry of Justice to arrest someone. I will personally refute them.”

The Emperor said, “Having the State Preceptor is indeed my great fortune.”

“You’re too kind...” The State Preceptor soon took his leave.

***

A day passed without incident. It was much as Song You had expected.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Firstly, Hidden Dragon Temple had considerable ties with the Great Yan imperial family.

However, speaking of it, Hidden Dragon Temple had connections with every dynasty. Daoist Fuyang helped the founding emperor defeat the previous dynasty, and wasn’t the new dynasty established with the help of another grandmaster?

Perhaps many years later, Great Yan might have fallen into corruption, with the emperor incompetent, the people living in misery, and the land divided with warlords rising up. Then, another disciple of Hidden Dragon Temple might descend the mountain, believing it’s time for a change. He, too, would help another person establish a new dynasty.

Nevertheless, Hidden Dragon Temple had indeed provided assistance to the Great Yan imperial family.

Secondly, the issue was indeed with the Grand Commander’s household’s rudeness.

Moreover, the arrogant behavior of the nobility within the capital was not Song You’s problem but rather an issue with the court. He had already been restrained in his actions.

Thirdly, although Song You was not an immortal, it was almost impossible for a mundane realm to do anything to him. However, he also could not do whatever he wished.

The court naturally could not touch him, but Song You also could not annihilate all the officials sent to capture him, nor could he enter the palace and threaten the Emperor without reason. If it became too troublesome, he could only use other methods to avoid disturbances from the court or leave Changjing.

For now, this was the best outcome.

“However...”

The State Preceptor should be coming, right?

Song You waited for a long time but did not see the State Preceptor. Instead, he saw the return of Heroine Wu.

She came back quite early today, just past mid-afternoon.

It seemed Heroine Wu had been up the mountain, as she returned with a wild chicken, a rabbit, and a lot of wild mushrooms. After asking if there had been any trouble today, she set down the ingredients and asked Song You to help prepare the meal. They decided to work together, with one providing the ingredients and the other doing the cooking.

Mushrooms and chicken went perfectly together, so they made a mushroom soup and a hot pot for dipping the rabbit meat.

Heroine Wu even bought a bottle of good wine. But, Song You remembered that she rarely drank.

“Impressive, Daoist,” she remarked.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I heard this morning that you had killed Grand Commander Chang. I was surprised and thought I might not see you when I came back. Oh, don’t misunderstand, I meant that I thought you might have changed your appearance.”

“Heroine Wu, you have the wrong information.” Song You corrected her quietly, “Heaven cherishes life, and I seldom take lives, even less so the lives of people. That Grand Commander was deceived by a villain who used sinister methods to extend his life; he had long been dead. All I did that day was reveal the truth of his death. I neither caused his demise nor can it be said that I killed him.”

“Then how did he die that day?”

“Revealing the truth was what caused his death.”

“Tell me more!” Heroine Wu was immediately intrigued.

“This kind of dark magic forcibly binds the soul within the body, preventing it from dissipating, while keeping the corpse from decaying and functioning normally. However, this magic fears one thing the most.”

Knowing she enjoyed such stories, Song You continued, “If the cultivator realizes they are already dead, the magic fails. If they do not realize it, the body will decay while the soul remains trapped. If they do realize it, the soul will leave the body immediately.”

“Oh! That’s so amazing!”

“The world is vast, and there are countless wonders. All sorts of magic are like this—mysterious beyond comprehension.”

“Then why hasn’t anyone come to find you?”

“It must be that the Emperor and the State Preceptor are reasoning things out.”

“Ridiculous...”

Heroine Wu gave a slight smile.

Song You dipped the rabbit meat in the golden hot pot, watching the ripples in the soup and the changing colors of the evening sky. Once the meat was cooked, he served it to Lady Calico and glanced at Heroine Wu.

Having had some wine, her face was slightly flushed.

“Heroine Wu, you seem to be in a good mood today.”

“Daoist, you have a keen eye.”

“Is there some good news?”

“Indeed, there is.”

“May I hear about it?”

“It’s nothing much. Just that I had something I wanted to do when I came to Changjing, and I walked a bit more.” Heroine Wu smiled, raising her cup to drink.

She continued, “On my way back this afternoon, I saw some mountain hunters selling their game, and they had some wild mushrooms they’d foraged. A few days ago, I was thinking that it’s the right season for mushrooms and had planned to go up the mountain to gather some. However, I’ve been busy lately and haven’t had the time. So when I saw them, I just bought them.”

“I thought maybe you foraged them yourself.”

“I don’t have that much spare time.”

“Perhaps.”

“I just hope I can fulfill my wish soon, return to Yizhou, and do what I want to do.”

“What do you want to do?”

“Find a place where there are no taxes, live a leisurely life. During busy farming seasons, work hard in the fields. When it’s not busy, go up the mountain to catch rabbits and birds, and live freely and comfortably. Hehe, it would be like living the life of an immortal.”

As she spoke, she looked up at the sky, her face flushed and with a naive smile, as if she was already picturing that scene.

“Won’t you return to the Xishan Sect?”

“It’s not easy to go back.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was naturally gifted, hardworking, and had the best martial skills on the mountain. I had good relations with the elders of my sect, and I was expected to become the next leader. Alas, I've come to Changjing. Hmph, when I was on the mountain, learning from my master, I was never mistreated.” Heroine Wu shook her head.

“After mastering my skills, instead of staying on the mountain to serve the sect, I just walked away and came to explore Changjing—that was already wrong. By the time I return to Yizhou, who knows how long it will be? At my age, what would I even do when I go back? Do I expect the sect to support me in my old age? That would be far too much.”

“That makes sense.”

“Right?”

Song You raised his cup to toast her and said with a smile, “Then I wish you’ll soon get to fulfill your wish.”

Then, the Daoist drank from his cup, while the cat drank from its bowl. Everyone felt content after hearing Heroine Wu’s words.

1. Emperor Wu ("The Martial Emperor") is the posthumous name of numerous Chinese rulers. ☜