Unintended Immortality

At a street-side stall, two bowls of mutton soup noodles with added meat were served, with the two seated opposite each other.

The Daoist had brought an extra bowl and placed it on the nearby stool, where a calico cat was crouching on.

Heroine Wu slurped the soup noodle and said, “Ah… Though we of the Xishan Sect are based in Yizhou, we're still a major sect in the jianghu, so we have some connections in Changjing. When I first arrived, I used the connections of an old friend of my master to get a job with the Yongning Escort Agency.

“But it was tough work, and I felt it had no future. I worked there for about a year, and last summer and fall, I happened to meet a benefactor. Now I’m working for that benefactor, and I’m thinking that I might be on my way to success.”

Song You asked, “Didn't you say you had no acquaintances in Changjing?”

“That was my master’s acquaintance, not mine originally. But he’s quite loyal and has helped me a lot. Without him, I might not have managed to gain a foothold in Changjing at the beginning and be where I am now.”

She shook her head. “It’s a pity that just as I was preparing to repay him and bring him to work for the benefactor, he passed away. Sigh… At his age, he still chased after wealth and treasures like the others, it’s really…”

“So, you’re like a retainer?”

“Close enough.”

Being a retainer to a noble in the capital usually meant a leisurely life with fewer fights, good food and clothing, and a decent income. It was a better fate for many jianghu martial artists. Not many jianghu people, who wanted to leave behind the chaos of their former lives and settle down, could get such a great job.

However, it was clear that this woman was not a retainer. Song You didn’t press further. He passed all the thin slices of lamb from his soup noodle to the calico cat with his chopsticks and asked quietly, “Do you remember the swordsman from the Great Liujiang Gathering?”

“Which one?” Heroine Wu looked up at him. “Shu Yifan?”

“Yes.”

“How could I forget?!” Heroine Wu lowered her head. She blew on her soup noodle before she took a bite and said, “In the past year, he has gained great fame in the jianghu. Unless someone is very out of touch with the latest news, they would have heard of him.”

“I heard about him on the way here.”

“Who told you?”

“Some jianghu person at a tea stall, a storyteller.”

“Is it true that they’re all saying he’s the number one swordsman in the world?”

“That’s what the storyteller said.”

“Storytellers like to rank such things, but these rankings don’t mean anything. It wouldn’t be surprising if one day some unknown person defeated the so-called number one swordsman,” Heroine Wu said. “But, Shu Yifan did make quite a stir last year in Zhaozhou, so his fame is not without reason.”

“Tell me more.”

“Don't you want the meat?” Wu Suowei realized he had given all the meat to the calico cat.

“It’s fine.”

“Heh… This story goes back to a major event in the jianghu from twenty years ago. I heard this from others. Twenty years ago, there was a family with the surname Fei. They were wiped out by Lin Dehai from the Hanjiang Sect of Zhaozhou after a night of drinking.”

Heroine Wu shook her head and continued, “Outsiders make it seem like such incidents are common in the jianghu, but in reality, they’re very rare. We’ve only ever heard of such things in stories. Moreover, if such massacres are handled badly, the authorities won’t let you off easily. So, back then, it shocked the entire jianghu.”

“Was Shu Yifan originally a member of the Fei family?”

“How did you know? But yes! Shu Yifan was originally from the Fei family. He was the sole survivor! The Hanjiang Sect is the largest jianghu faction in Zhaozhou. Lin Dehai was also the most formidable person in Zhaozhou, known for never having been defeated in his travels with his Cold Iron Ghost-Headed Saber.”

Heroine Wu temporarily set down her chopsticks and said, “Many people said he was the number one swordsman in the world. This man was extremely arrogant. When he wiped out the Fei family, he left only the Fei family’s son alive and told him to train hard and seek revenge. Now, after twenty years of hard training, that child has grown up and actually returned to exact his revenge.”

She paused for a moment and then added, “At the Great Liujiang Gathering, I had initially wanted to spar with him. On the one hand, I felt I probably wouldn’t be able to beat him and feared losing face. On the other hand, I sensed something was off about him.”

“What was off about him?”

“He specifically targeted people who used sabers!”

“Really…” Song You only then realized this detail.

“You see…” Heroine Wu said, “He didn’t just come with great martial skills; he also came well-prepared.”

“What happened next?”

As if she were even more enthusiastic than when she first heard it, Heroine Wu recounted with gusto, “Later, I heard he took advantage of Lin Dehai’s arrogance… The Hanjiang Sect is a major faction in Zhaozhou, with no less than eighty skilled members.

“Even if Shu Yifan was indeed the number one swordsman in the world, it would be impossible for him to challenge the entire Hanjiang Sect alone with just one sword. But guess what? He sent a letter directly, telling Lin Dehai that he was coming for him and asking him to be ready.”

Song You asked, “Did he disband his disciples?”

“Something like that,” Heroine Wu sighed, “I heard that happened on a stormy night during last year’s Jingzhe. Yet, the flash of knives and swords was even brighter than the fierce thunder and lightning.”

“…” Song You could almost visualize the scene in his mind.

On a cold rainy night with lightning and thunder, Lin Dehai—the number one person in Zhaozhou—wielded the Cold Iron Ghost-Headed Saber and annihilated an entire family but left one boy alive to seek revenge. He must have believed himself to be invincible in the world, obsessed with martial arts, and filled with pride.

The young swordsman, burdened with a blood feud, had trained hard for years. He prepared thoroughly, with courage as deep as the sea and sword energy sweeping through autumn, capable of slicing even demons and evil spirits with ease.

If the jianghu had a history book, this battle would undoubtedly be recorded in its annals.

“What happened next?”

“Isn’t it all well-known by now?”

Heroine Wu picked up her bowl and continued, “But Lin Dehai had an illegitimate son with his mistress. The year before last, he brought that woman back and took her as his concubine. So at home, besides the servants, it was just him and his wife, his concubine, and his son. He probably never thought he would lose and didn’t send them away…”

She paused here. Her chopsticks clanged against the bowl as she almost finished the entire bowl of soup noodles. Then she said, “Guess what Shu Yifan did?”

“Do you want another bowl?”

“Yes!” So they ordered another bowl, still with extra meat.

Heroine Wu said with a laugh, “Everyone thought he would repay him in kind, and it was almost like that… He also left Lin Dehai’s son alive, telling him his surname and name, and advised him to train hard in martial arts so that he could seek revenge for his father’s murder when he grew up.

“This man is also filled with pride. No wonder the storyteller praises him so highly. But he didn’t kill Lin Dehai’s women.”

Song You nodded. “I see…”

“Do you think I tell it better than those storytellers?”

“Yes…”

“Aren’t you a Daoist? You enjoy listening to these stories?”

“I can get a taste of the jianghu essence.”

“What jianghu essence? We’re all just a bunch of miserable people. If we could make a better living, who would want to do this kind of work? Oh, except for those mentally disturbed individuals.” Heroine Wu shook her head and focused on eating her soup noodles.

Song You also lowered his head to eat, with half a bowl remaining.

This lamb soup noodles was also made with wide noodles, but unlike the three-finger-wide noodles from Southern Art County, these were stretched out and were only about one finger wide and thinner. The lamb bone broth, combined with coriander, scallions, and a few slices of thinly cut lamb meat, had quite a rich flavor. With careful tasting, one could even detect a hint of spices in the broth.

Right, this was the Western District.

Many merchants from the west were here, and they saw quite a few on the streets during the day. The West Market might have the most diverse spices in all of Great Yan, and he wondered what the prices were like.

When he had some time, he should explore more.

Unlike Song You's leisurely pace, the jianghu people tend to eat quickly, as if someone were competing with them. By the time Heroine Wu finished her second bowl, Song You had only just finished his half bowl.

“Full?”

“Of course!”

“Still want another bowl?”

“I don’t have that much room in my stomach. Besides, it's getting dark. I haven’t heard any news about the curfew being lifted. We should head back.” Heroine Wu stood up. “Let’s settle the bill.”

“Okay.” Song You then paid the bill. The total turned out to be quite a few dozen wen.

The three of them—two people and a cat—walked back along the street, which was now almost deserted.

This area couldn’t compare to the lively, bustling streets known for their nightlife or entertainment. At night, there was little illumination, with only a strip of fiery red on the horizon which then blended into a beautiful gradient. The eaves of the ancient buildings on both sides and the smooth stone-paved ground occasionally reflected these colors. Walking among them, one felt a sense of tranquility.

“There are curfews these days, shops close early. Once it gets dark, there aren’t many people out. Usually, there would be more people, and a few shops would still be open.”

“Why the curfew?”

“It’s because of the demons.”

“Even under the emperor’s nose, demons are so rampant?”

“Even under the emperor’s nose, there are daily murders. The constables in Changjing are probably the busiest in the world. Even humans can kill people, let alone demons. And demons are even more powerful and harder to catch, making them even more likely to cause trouble.”

“Have there been any murders?”

“Not just murders. They’ve killed high-ranking officials, and not just one. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have caused such a big commotion.”

“I heard that Changjing has a City God.”

“It’s not effective.”

“…” Song You furrowed his brow slightly.

“Don’t be surprised!” Heroine Wu chuckled. “It’s the same everywhere. The more people there are, the more money there is, the more complicated the power struggles are, and the more chaotic it becomes! It happens even under the emperor’s nose. But if the emperor weren’t here, it might not be this chaotic!”

“Is that so?”

“I didn’t say anything…”

“Right.”

“We should speak more quietly. Otherwise, if someone hears us, we might have to face some trouble…”

“Mm.”

“Anyway, you should rest up. Until the army and local officials sort things out, it’s best not to go out at night. Make sure to close your windows tightly, and don't go out to check if you hear any noises at night. Even if you’re capable, it’s better to avoid unnecessary risks. Since you’ve come to Changjing, take the time to explore and enjoy the city’s splendor.”

“That sounds reasonable…” Song You nodded.

After a pause, he added, “I’ve spent most of my money on the road. Do you happen to know any good ways for a Daoist like me to make money?”

“Hm?” Heroine Wu looked at him with curiosity.

The calico cat, happily prancing ahead with small steps, turned its head to look back as well.

Heroine Wu seemed interested, a smile tugging at her lips as she pondered for a while. “I don’t really know how someone like you makes money. I haven’t seen other masters in need of money. Let me think…”

“…”

“Got it! You must know some spells, right? Like that trick in Yidu where people steal money out of thin air. Can you do that? If you can, I can take you to a corrupt official’s house!”

“I don’t have that ability.”

“Then what can you do? Fortune-telling? You could go find some high-ranking officials; I think that could earn you some money.”

“I don’t have that skill either.”

“Then what are your skills… Oh, I remember now!” The woman slapped her forehead and slowed her pace. “You make great beef stew! I've traveled far and wide, and I love eating more than anything. But out of everything I've tasted along the way, your beef ranks among the best. You should open a shop—just use the first floor as a storefront and sell beef exclusively! I know where to get the best beef!”

“I do excel in cooking, but running a restaurant is too laborious. I’m already quite tired from traveling. Recently, I’ve been feeling quite lazy. Perhaps someday if I feel like being more hardworking, I’ll consider opening a shop as you suggested.”

“Then what else can you do?”

“Exorcise spirits, subdue demons.”

“How skilled are you in that?”

“Very skilled.”

“There are often bounties and wanted notices at the city gate. Some are for demons and ghosts causing trouble nearby or in the city, and they’re searching for a master to ward them off. You could check them out when you have time.” Heroine Wu paused for a moment.

She continued, “But these tasks are either very difficult or troublesome with little reward. If it were easy, the temples in the city and the Daoist temples outside, not to mention the many civilian cultivators, would have already taken care of it. Even among jianghu warriors like us, who have great courage and vitality, we can usually only deal with a few minor demons for some extra money.”

“Did you see anything interesting at the city gate yesterday?”

“Oh…” Heroine Wu scratched her head. “I’m not very good with words. I just saw that everyone was looking, so out of boredom, I pretended to look too. If you want to know the specifics, you’ll have to check it out yourself.”

“Got it.”

“We’ve arrived.”

“Farewell then.”

“We’re neighbors. Don’t be so formal. I’ll hear you walking around upstairs if you make any noise.” Heroine Wu grinned from ear to ear. “I just hope you don’t snore. If you do, keep it down.”

“Alright…”

The two of them each opened their own doors.