Unintended Immortality

It was the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month. The kitchen was thick with smoke, a mix of the scent of dried firewood, the burning logs, and the fragrant aroma of rice cooking. Together, these smells created the essence of everyday life.

In front of the stove sat a tiny stool. On it, a little girl, dressed in a tricolor outfit, looked small and delicate, diligently tending the fire.

The firewood they had bought just days ago was pinewood from the mountains, and when it burned, it gave off the distinct scent of pine branches. The wood burned easily, requiring little effort to maintain.

Most of the time, the little girl sat still in front of the stove, her gaze fixed on the flickering flames. She was trying to absorb the spiritual resonance of the fire, just as the Daoist had instructed her.

However, her mind was often blank. She enjoyed selecting a straight, thin piece of wood to serve as an accomplice for burning the other logs, promising to carefully use it before finally burning it last.

“Whoosh…”

The little girl poked a stick into the stove’s opening, skillfully adjusting the firewood inside. Seeing the sparks fly and the flames burn brighter, she felt a great sense of accomplishment.

Nearby, the Daoist was slicing meat. He was cutting the preserved pork they had made earlier.

The freshly cooked pork was warm on the outside but still hot inside. The knife was razor-sharp, and the Daoist wielded it with practiced precision. With a single slice, the pork released a slight sheen of oil, revealing a thin, delicate piece of meat.

Holding it up, he inspected the cut—perfectly balanced with three layers of lean and fat. The lean meat was a deep red, while the fat was translucent and glossy like glass. Even before tasting it, the sight alone was pleasing.

The Daoist placed the slice back in its original position.

As he continued cutting the entire piece, each slice was of identical thickness, neatly arranged, creating countless thin gaps compared to the original whole block.

The Daoist arranged the slices into a flower pattern on a plate.

“Lady Calico.”

“Huh?” The little girl immediately looked up, her face pale but flushed red from the firelight.

“I’m stepping out for a bit.”

“Oh.”

Song You then walked out.

The little girl’s gaze followed his back. Only when he was out of sight did she turn her head back to continue staring at the flames inside the stove.

Before long, Song You returned with a block of tofu. As he approached the stove, he noticed that the plate of preserved pork he had arranged earlier was missing two slices. He couldn't help but glance at the little girl.

“Did you sneak a bite?”

“I walked over and ate it.”

“But I already plated it.”

“It was meant to go on the plate anyway.”

“What I mean is, I arranged it neatly into a flower, and now that you’ve eaten a slice, the whole thing’s messed up.”

“Then just don’t arrange it that way.”

“...” Song You thought for a moment.

“Fair point.” He grabbed a pair of chopsticks and rearranged the slices.

The sky gradually darkened. Their neighbor, the heroine, arrived as promised.

Song You prepared a plate of preserved pork, a plate of braised beef, and steamed their only dried chicken. He also fried a bowl of tofu meatballs, stir-fried some twice-cooked pork with garlic sprouts, and made a dry-braised fish, topping it with all the remaining pickled vegetables from the jar. RΑΝꝋ₿ËⱾ

Meanwhile, Heroine Wu brought a roast duck, a pound of lamb, and a jug of grape wine.

Now, there was no shortage of chicken, duck, fish, or meat. With all these food and drink, it was a feast.

The three sat down casually to enjoy the meal.

“I’ve been in Changjing for three years, and this is finally a proper New Year celebration.” Heroine Wu poured drinks for them. “When are you leaving?”

“Within the next month.”

“Will you come back to Changjing?”

“We will.”

“I don’t know if I’ll still be here by the time you return, but let me toast to you in advance.”

“You’re too kind.” Song You raised his cup, while the little girl held up her cup of water.

“This preserved pork is really good. As expected, the method from our hometown in Yizhou is still the best.” Heroine Wu picked up a slice of the pork, took a bite, and squinted her eyes in satisfaction.

“Isn’t it?”

“I’m not just flattering you. When I came back from Fengzhou, our financial backer treated us to a meal at Yunchun Restaurant, but even their preserved pork couldn’t compare to yours.” Heroine Wu continued, “At that place, the presentation was nice, but it was all flashy with no substance.”

Upon hearing this, the Daoist couldn’t help but turn his head. The little girl, holding her chopsticks, also turned almost simultaneously, exchanging a glance with him. Neither the person nor the cat said anything.

“By the way, a few days ago, I saw that person selling century eggs in the eastern district, just like you mentioned. They weren’t too expensive, so I bought two,” Heroine Wu said. “They weren’t as good as the ones you made, though.”

“The eastern district, huh...”

“Yeah.”

“Are they selling well?”

“Not too bad. It’s a novelty, so not many people are buying yet, but I figure more will buy later.”

Indeed, the east side should have better sales.

Song You nodded and continued eating.

The beef was quite dry, as was the dried chicken. The grape wine had a mild taste, with little alcohol content, but the rich grape flavor paired perfectly with the meat on the table.

The highlight of the meal, though, was the dry-braised whole fish.

The jar of pickled vegetables contained everything—pickled ginger, pickled long beans, pickled radish, and sauerkraut—all stir-fried as a topping. The ginger carried a hint of spice, and the overall flavor was very similar to the sour and spicy home-style fish from his past life.

“By the way…” As Heroine Wu continued eating, she casually mentioned to them, “It seems the people from Changjing's jianghu are planning something. They're talking about sending someone to keep an eye on you, and when you leave the city next time, they’re thinking of gathering together to ambush you.”

“That suits me just fine.”

“Just be careful,” Heroine Wu warned before burying her head back into her meal.

The sounds of firecrackers had just faded, and already the festive atmosphere of the New Year had begun to set in. Somewhere outside, the sound of fireworks could be heard.

After the meal, once the dishes were washed, Song You heated up more water. He happily took a bath, even washed the calico cat, and then returned to his room. Standing by the window, he gazed out at the fireworks lighting up the distant night sky.

The booming sounds echoed continuously. Another year had come and gone.

Song You stood by the window for a long time.

***

The next day was the first day of the Lunar New Year. Song You walked down the street carrying two paintings.

The streets were bustling with excitement.

Drums were being pounded, gongs were being struck, dragon and lion dancers were performing. The vendors were shouting their wares, children were running around, and the crackling of firecrackers occasionally startled unknown ceremonial processions.

It was the time of year when everyone celebrated. Nobles strolled through the streets, the wealthy mingled with the common folk, and even poor families who could scrape together some money did their best to enjoy the New Year. People who were homeless or down on their luck wandered the streets, and even most of the imperial family would venture out for a walk.

The streets of Changjing were filled with everyone—nobles, scholars, beauties, commoners, merchants, vagrants, and beggars. If painted as a scene, it would truly be a picture of life's myriad forms.

The Daoist carried two paintings as he walked through the crowd. If there was one place that could be called the liveliest today, it had to be the City God Temple. But this was not the same City God Temple it once was.

Who in Changjing didn’t know? At the beginning of last year, the capital had been in an uproar, with widespread panic, and even the emperor himself had imposed a curfew. The cause? A ferocious demon, eventually subdued and brought to justice by the City God Temple's lord!

The body of a wolf, as large as a horse, was displayed right in the courtyard of the temple! Since then, the temple’s officials often patrolled at night, hunting down evil spirits and demons, frequently manifesting divine power. It had earned the reputation of being a temple of a dutiful and righteous City God.

When Song You arrived at the temple, his expectations were confirmed.

It wasn’t just the temple that was crowded—even at the base of the mountain, the area was already packed with people. Citizens from both inside and outside Changjing held incense sticks in hand, squeezing their way up the mountain.

Going up was difficult, and coming down was no easier.

Inside the temple, the incense offerings were thick as clouds, with smoke rising straight into the heavens, visible even from far away.

“Meow!” A sound came from the calico cat beside him.

“Indeed.” There were simply too many people.

Song You looked ahead.

Before long, an elderly man dressed in luxurious robes walked over from a side street. As soon as he reached them, he bowed deeply, greeting them with great respect, “Greetings, sir and Lady Calico.”

“Greetings, City God.”

“Meow!”

“I wish you and Lady Calico a happy new year, with blessings of good fortune.”

“May you also enjoy good fortune,” Song You replied, studying him. The City God indeed seemed more imposing than before. “Your abilities have grown even stronger, City God. I hadn’t even reached the temple, and you were already aware of my presence.”

“In front of you, sir, how can such small abilities be called impressive? Besides, it’s all thanks to your support.” Though the City God appeared calm, he was, in truth, nervous at heart.

At this moment, it seemed like it was finally the “next time” that the gentleman had spoken of in the spring of last year. The City God couldn’t help but wonder what kind of evaluation he would receive after all his hard work throughout the year.

“For the past year, City God, you've been diligent and conscientious. You’ve been patrolling day and night, hunting down demons and ghosts. Only through your efforts have you earned the trust and respect of the people of Changjing and this abundant incense offering. How could any of this be credited to me?” Song You calmly looked at the deity before him.

“I should be congratulating you, City God, for having firmly secured your place in this position.”

“I’m unworthy of such praise, truly unworthy,” the City God responded humbly.

“Today, I came out to take a walk, to see the New Year celebrations in Changjing, and also to visit you, City God, to bid you farewell,” Song You said. “And I have one small favor to ask.”

“Are you leaving Changjing, sir?” the City God asked.

“I’ll be leaving this month.”

“May I ask where you are headed this time?”

“Probably to the north.”

“And what might I assist you with?” the City God inquired.

“Over the past year, I have acquired two paintings that I am quite fond of. However, I will be traveling for more than ten years before returning to the mountains, and I find it inconvenient to carry these paintings with me.” Song You glanced down at the two scrolls in his arms.

“Especially since I'm heading north, where I’ve heard there are countless demons and ghosts, including many large and fearsome ones rarely seen in the south. I fear they might be damaged.

“But most of my friends in Changjing are rather unreliable, so after much consideration, I’ve decided to entrust these two paintings to you, City God, and retrieve them when I return. Would this be convenient for you?”

“Oh…” The City God’s eyes widened in surprise.

After taking a deep breath, he replied, “Sir, it is an honor that you trust me with your treasured possessions. I will certainly take great care of them!”

“Changjing is the finest city in the land, and you, City God, are its guardian. Surely, that makes you the finest City God. I believe leaving these two paintings with you will be absolutely safe.”

“I guarantee it! There will be no harm done to them!”

“Thank you, City God!” Song You said, handing over the two paintings in his arms.

“Thank you, sir!” The City God respectfully accepted the paintings with both hands.

“City God, you are busy with all the incense offerings today, so I won’t take up any more of your time,” Song You said. “I will take my leave now.”

“Take care, sir.”

Song You gave a polite bow before turning to depart. The cat beside him stood upright, mimicking his movements as it bowed with its front paws, then happily trotted off with him in small, quick steps.

The City God, holding the two paintings, lowered his gaze to carefully examine them. His heart was still a mix of joy and astonishment.

Previously, the gentleman had mentioned that when he returned to visit, he would bring three sticks of incense for the City God. But today, despite their meeting, there were no incense sticks in sight, which made the City God feel somewhat uneasy.

However, he had received two paintings instead.

Earlier, the gentleman had remarked that the City God had firmly secured his position in Changjing. But in truth, it had only been a year, and even though he had gained the trust of the people, it wasn’t truly a deeply rooted influence. How could one speak of a secure position?

If an order were issued from the imperial palace or a decree descended from the heavens, how could the small amount of incense he had accumulated possibly withstand it?

Still, receiving these two paintings wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

It meant that this immortal master from Fulong Temple would certainly return to Changjing and visit the City God Temple again in the future. By that time, if the City God hadn’t done well in his duties, passing that test might prove difficult.

It was reminiscent of what had been said at the beginning of the year...

“...” The City God took a deep breath, his expression turning solemn. Holding the two paintings, he walked along the street, and as he walked, he slowly faded from sight.

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