After the Immortal Disappeared

"What about our casualties?"

"They were light. Not many. After all, we had the element of surprise this time." The Sparrowhawk didn’t give specific numbers, only continuing, "Afterward, Second Madam Zhu and the Red General negotiated."

"What did they talk about? Is it okay for you to say?"

The Sparrowhawk answered without a hint of hesitation, "It is, because I don’t know either."

"..."

"We all waited on the mountainside, including the other Earth Cave Spiders. Only the Red General and Second Madam Zhu spoke at the summit." The Sparrowhawk continued eating. "We saw Second Madam Zhu making furious gestures; she seemed enraged, but the Red General was calm the entire time. In the end, he returned only after settling on terms with her. As far as I know, the Earth Cave Spiders will still abide by the original agreement and no longer attack passing humans. A new clause was added, though: the Earth Cave Spiders must help Panlong City defend the Southern Wilderness. That is, Second Madam Zhu has to send Spider Demons to regularly patrol the main southern road and report any anomalies."

’Using a Local Bully for this kind of work couldn’t be more fitting.’

The previous agreement between Panlong City and the Earth Cave Spiders was relatively lenient and based on mutual respect. But since Second Madam Zhu had attacked the Panlong City Army this time, the Red General showed them no courtesy whatsoever.

"Counting General Nanke’s defeat, we also lost a considerable number of people in the Ghost Needle Stone Forest. In fact, I think the Red General’s original plan was to burn the Ghost Needle Stone Forest to the ground."

Hee Lingchuan had been inside Second Madam Zhu’s nest and knew very well that it was a large Pasture underneath. With the external threat temporarily gone, it wouldn’t be easy for Panlong City to deal with the Earth Cave Spiders, but it wasn’t impossible either.

’Second Madam Zhu has a large clan and enterprise, with countless descendants. It would be hard to find another suitable habitat in the vast Panlong Wasteland. That’s probably why she ultimately compromised, right?’

"However, Panlong City must also deliver five hundred camels, two thousand goats, one hundred roosters, and seven hundred hens to the Earth Cave Spiders before the dead of winter as their winter reserves. In exchange, the Earth Cave Spiders will produce more Demon Spider Silk each month to trade with Panlong City—it’s a great material for refining Magical Artifacts. Additionally, they must provide items like fluorescent spores, Fungal Mats, and Aphid Dew. The Earth Cave Spiders were unwilling to part with these before, but from now on, they can only be sold to Panlong City and no other merchants."

"They specifically requested hens?" Hee Lingchuan was astonished. "What for? To lay eggs?"

’On second thought, it’s not that far-fetched. Those Earth Cave Spiders can already farm moss and raise aphids like ants, running a whole Pasture. What’s so strange about them raising a few hens for eggs?’

The Earth Cave Spiders had indeed suffered heavy losses in the battle between the Baling People and the Panlong Army; both their nest and Pasture had been damaged by fire. Without another food source, they would likely have resorted to eating passing humans to fill their bellies.

From now on, Panlong City would become the exclusive distributor of the Earth Cave Spiders’ specialty products. ’Second Madam Zhu was so furious. Was it because the Red General drove too hard a bargain?’

But she was on the losing side. The price she had to pay was bound to be high.

"How should I know? I have to go." The Sparrowhawk swallowed its last bite of meat and flapped its wings. "By the way, both the Red General and General Nanke admire your bravery. I also heard General Nanke is interested in recruiting you for his Guard Team. Are you interested?"

Hee Lingchuan sighed. "So, even though the Red General admires me, he doesn’t plan on recruiting me into the Great Wind Army?"

He had hoped that after his great contribution, the higher-ups might open up an express promotion track for him.

"To escape the den alive requires both quick wits and good luck, neither of which you lack. But you are too young and still need more experience." The Sparrowhawk tilted its head. "Those are the Red General’s exact words."

Hee Lingchuan subconsciously straightened his back. ’The Red General actually commented on me?’

Just then, the CREAK of a door opening came from the next yard.

’Is Sunx Fuling back?’

Hee Lingchuan raised his voice and asked, "Is that Miss Sunx?"

"Mm."

From that single word, Hee Lingchuan knew it was her.

Hee Lingchuan’s job was a Patrol Guard, constantly traveling all over. Logically, he should be the one who was rarely home. Yet he felt that this Miss Sunx was the truly elusive one.

Since their first meeting, he had entered the dream three or four more times, and the small courtyard next door had been empty every time.

So he hesitated a moment before deciding to seize the opportunity. "That stolen Pardon Command, did you get it back?"

"I got it back." Sunx Fuling’s voice drifted over the wall. "The Government Office sent it to me yesterday. Liu Tailai from the west side of the city has also been captured for interrogation."

"That’s good, that’s good." Hee Lingchuan cleared his throat. "I have something to ask you, Miss Sunx."

Sunx Fuling didn’t answer.

Hee Lingchuan thought she was getting impatient and touched his own face. ’Is it because I’m not fair-skinned enough? The young ladies and wives in Dunyu City have been giving me plenty of flirtatious looks these past couple of days.’

But soon, a CRUNCHING, CRACKING sound came from the other side, as if someone was stepping on wood or bamboo. Then, Sunx Fuling’s figure actually appeared atop the wall.

Her upper half.

"What is it?" she asked, looking down at Hee Lingchuan, her face veiled as usual.

’So she used a ladder to climb the wall.’

"Did you get a new bird?" she asked, having also noticed the Sparrowhawk in the yard.

"No, it serves in the Great Wind Army."

The Sparrowhawk, having finished its magpie snack, flew to the top of the wall. It took a couple of steps in front of Sunx Fuling and tilted its head, looking at her.

Ignoring the little shred of meat still stuck to the corner of its beak, Sunx Fuling reached out and stroked its head.

Hee Lingchuan’s warning came a step too late, and he feared the Sparrowhawk would stretch out its beak and peck a hole in her hand.

Fortunately, it didn’t.

She gently stroked it a couple of times, and the Sparrowhawk even closed its eyes, looking like it was enjoying it.

"This Demon doesn’t seem that fierce," Sunx Fuling said, scratching its neck. "What was it you wanted to ask me?"

"Oh, I have something I’d like you to look at." Hee Lingchuan took a piece of paper from his tunic, held it high over his head, and unfolded it for Sunx Fuling to see.

He was tall enough that he could reach the top of the wall just by stretching out his arm. It was clear the wall was only high enough to deter a gentleman, not a scoundrel.

"Do you recognize this script?"

He had once obtained a rubbing from the Immortal Cave, one of only two relics left behind by that unknown "Immortal." The other, of course, was the Cave Mansion’s Heart Core that the Divine Bone had eaten.

"This handwriting is ugly."

Hee Lingchuan was embarrassed. The rubbing was a physical object, so of course he couldn’t bring it into the dream. He had spent some time memorizing the characters from the rubbing one by one and then copied them out after entering the dream.

Given that his Divine Soul was becoming more and more solid through his Cultivation, memorizing an ancient text he couldn’t read was much easier than before.

"But I recognize it." Sunx Fuling’s answer made him overjoyed. "Mm, let me see—"

"What subject do you teach at Shumin Academy?"

"Arithmetic and national history." Sunx Fuling’s gaze followed the lines of text. "Where did you get this?"

"A cave in the wilderness." Hee Lingchuan didn’t give the specific location but described the interior of the Immortal Cave to her.

"I heard it was an Immortal Cave Mansion. So, were the remains of the one who passed away inside truly an Immortal’s?"

"Not necessarily, but there’s likely some connection to the Ancient Immortals. It’s like how you find more than just mice in a mouse hole," Sunx Fuling explained. "This script was popular two or three thousand years ago. It’s also called the Immortal Language. Modern script actually evolved from it."

"The Immortals taught it to humans?"

"According to legend, the Immortals taught humanity more than just this." Sunx Fuling’s eyes remained fixed on the paper. "Mm, the master of this Cave Mansion was named Master Dongli. He was a 227th generation direct disciple of the Great Returning Sect, from the lineage of the Wood Spirit Venerable, and died at the age of seven hundred sixty-seven."

"This Master Caiju—no, Master Dongli, he lived for more than seven hundred years?" Hee Lingchuan was genuinely envious. He’d be satisfied just to live a fraction of that.

"That’s what he wrote himself. Who knows if he exaggerated," Sunx Fuling said, remaining rational and objective.

"It also says here that he followed his Venerable’s teachings and once acted as a primeval teacher for mortals, enlightening the ignorant and urging them not to forget their Origin. Unfortunately, the great tide of change was irreversible. Humans and Immortals went their separate ways, growing ever more distant." Sunx Fuling squinted, as if deciphering carefully. "Ah, here’s the important part. The Spiritual Qi grew weaker by the day, and he too found it difficult to maintain his long life. His hair turned white, his face wrinkled, and his skin grew loose. In his helpless suffering, he fell into the demonic path, turning his faith to Gods and Demons in a desperate attempt to gain longevity and Magical Power. Because of this, he committed many wrongs, only to have a change of heart and repent right before his death."

"Turned his faith to Gods and Demons?" Hee Lingchuan thought of Sunx Fuping and Nian Songyu, and then of Hong Xiangqian. All of them had been firm believers in Gods and Demons. Nian Songyu had even used his own body as a vessel to welcome a Divine Descent.

But none of them had met a good end.

’Was that an exception, or the norm?’

He couldn’t help but think of the Red General again. Everyone knew that Zhong Shengguang worshiped a Celestial God, and Panlong City revered Mitian.

’The final fate of this city, and these people... would it also be...’

Sunx Fuling’s words pulled his attention back. "It was only then that he finally comprehended the Heart Method left by his master and revised the *Collection of Passing Water*. This was originally a Divination Book passed down by Venerable Wood Spirit, but in the later ages when Spiritual Qi faded, its predictions became inaccurate, repeatedly missing the mark. Master Dongli readjusted it, gave it a new name, and carved it into a Golden Book, leaving it for one who was fated to find it."

Hee Lingchuan’s spirits lifted when he heard the words "Divination Book," but then he remembered that he had turned the Immortal Cave Mansion upside down and hadn’t found a third usable item, let alone any Golden Book.

Sunx Fuling was also asking him, "*Collection of Passing Water*, have you seen it?"

Hee Lingchuan shook his head. "An Old Turtle Demon took it. No wonder it’s so skilled in that art; it’s nothing like an ordinary Mountain Spirit or wild monster." ’So the old turtle obtained the legacy treasure of an Ancient Immortal.’

"Master Dongli said that time is like passing water, once gone, it never returns. In this age of fading Spiritual Qi, those with foresight are like fish in the water; only by leaping with all their might can they occasionally glimpse the scene ahead, but it’s just a fleeting peek, not the whole picture."

"...So that’s how it is." Disappointment welled in Hee Lingchuan’s heart.

If even Master Dongli, the one who revised the *Collection of Passing Water*, believed this, then his own hopes of changing his future destiny seemed even more remote.

Sunx Fuling sighed softly. "So this is how the Immortals ultimately disappeared. Master Dongli’s death was too... mundane."

"Hm?"

"You can call it passing away peacefully, but I think it was more like he died of old age—just like a mortal."

"..." ’So the Immortal just died of old age?’ "What an utterly boring ending."

"Even the strongest fish will die if it’s out of water for too long," Sunx Fuling said. "He requests that whoever sees this Immortal’s Legacy take his token to the old site of the Great Returning Sect on Shou’an Mountain and place it in Guihua Tower. Although the Great Returning Sect is no more, he wished for his ’fallen leaves to return to their roots.’"