Unintended Immortality
Chapter 458: Nuo Music Drives Away Filth

Chapter 458: Nuo Music Drives Away Filth

After sending Wenpingzi off, Song You returned to the main hall. The young girl was still sitting on the stool, looking dazed—her mind dulled from eating too much.

Yet, despite her blank expression, she kept her head tilted up, staring unblinkingly at the Daoist. At this moment, she couldn’t even transform back into a cat.

There was simply too much food in her stomach—and if she tried to shift into feline form, her cat belly wouldn’t be able to hold it all.

If she forced the transformation, she would probably end up looking like a perfectly round, three-colored ball.

“What are you thinking about?”

“I’m not thinking about anything.”

“Oh?”

Suddenly, the young girl stared at him even more intently, “I am Lady Calico’s follower.”

“What?”

“I am Lady Calico’s follower!” She repeated, her face completely solemn.

“Ah, that.” Song You nodded and said casually, “You’re not wrong. Lady Calico is always quick and agile, always running ahead of me and the horse. If anything, I’m the one following Lady Calico.”

The young girl sat up straight, her face serious. “Exactly! Right!”

The young girl shook her head vigorously, snapping herself out of her dazed state.

Then, as if nothing had happened, she shrunk forward, slid off the stool in one swift motion, and landed neatly on the floor—immediately setting about tidying up the table.

Lady Calico was a reasonable being. She didn’t need anyone to teach her gratitude—she understood it instinctively. She had visited many temples and monasteries with the Daoist, had been hosted as a guest, and knew what it meant to repay kindness. So even though today's meal had been extravagant, she did not feel it was wasteful.

However, just as she carried the bowls and chopsticks into the kitchen and placed them on the stove, she suddenly froze.

As if remembering something, she rushed to the hearth, crouched down, and began digging through the ashes with a pair of fire tongs.

“Clatter—”

Soon, she unearthed a charred lump from the ashes, knocking off a cloud of soot before placing it on the floor.

Then, she excitedly turned to Song You and announced—

“Daoist the! Eat the Swallow Ratatoe!”

“Roasted?”

“Yes! I roasted it for you!”

“It seems you’ve fully mastered the greatest joy of tending a fire.”

“Eat the Swallow Ratatoe!”

“I just finished eating.”

“I specially roasted this for you!”

“I’ll eat it later.”

“I specially picked this one for you!”

“Hmm?” Song You’s ears caught onto a key detail, and he looked at her curiously.

“What do you mean by picked?”

“I picked it with my eyes!”

“And what did you like about this one?”

“It looked pretty!”

“...”

Lady Calico’s face was fair and delicate, yet her expression remained unreadable—only serious. She stood in front of the stove, head tilted up, meeting his gaze without blinking.

Song You stared at her for a while, but found nothing to decipher in her expression.

So, he looked away, stepped forward from the stove, and said as he walked, “Alright, alright. Since this is your heartfelt gesture, I suppose I have no choice but to enjoy a post-meal dessert.”

“Post-meal dessert!”

“That’s right...”

Luckily, the meal had lasted long enough that the Swallow Potato was still hot, but not too hot to handle.

Song You picked it up and examined it carefully.

The Swallow Potato was already charred black from roasting. It was about palm-sized, three to four fingers wide, its shape far from elegant—he couldn’t quite see what Lady Calico had found so “pretty” about it.

“Thump, thump...”

He tapped it against the ground, producing a dull sound as loose bits of carbonized skin flaked off.

Then, carefully, he peeled it open. The outer layer of burnt skin was thick—a sign that the fire had been too intense, and that it had been placed too close to the flame’s center.

Lady Calico still had a lot of room for improvement in this particular skill.

However—

Once the charred shell was removed, the inside revealed a vibrant orange-yellow flesh—soft, sticky, and even moist and glistening due to its high sugar content.

“Oh, it's a yellow-centered one...” Song You turned toward his young attendant, commenting with mild surprise.

“That's right!” The young girl stood directly in front of him, gazing up at him without blinking.

“It looks delicious at first glance.”

“That's right!”

“Why are you staring at me like this, Lady Calico?”

“Eat quickly!”

“...”

Song You suspected that this was just another one of her strange cat instincts—some kind of “feeding the Daoist” or “sacrificing for a companion” quirk. Without thinking too much about it, he simply shook his head and began carefully taking a bite.

Sure enough, it was soft and sweet, with a very high sugar content.

“Lady Calico, you made an excellent choice.”

“That's right!”

“You’re acting a little strange today.”

“Eat! Eat quickly!”

“Would you like a bite?”

“You eat. I have something even better.”

“...”

Song You shook his head, too lazy to think further.

During this time, the little girl stood in front of him, watching intently without blinking. Only when he finished eating did she finally feel satisfied, then ran off to fetch a stool, climbed up to the stove, and began washing the dishes.

***

Life in Yangdu was actually pleasant and peaceful. Once a Daoist found a stable residence and could cook for himself, even the only drawback disappeared.

Over the next few days, he continued to wander the streets frequently, observing the bustling scenes of Yangdu and its local customs. Occasionally, he would catch the scent of incense, taking the opportunity to gauge how many people in Yangdu were secretly worshiping the Jile God. Naturally, he also kept an eye out for any trace of where the Jile God might be hiding, though he found nothing.

Along the way, he would buy some meat and vegetables to cook at home.

Life was quite fulfilling.

Meanwhile, Lady Calico often buried herself in writing, completely absorbed in her work. She was meticulous, sometimes using Extraordinary Tales of Heaven’s Valley as a reference for her studies. Inevitably, her progress was slow.

When she grew tired of writing, she would take her fishing rod and head to the riverbank. If she caught only a few fish, she would keep them for herself. The Daoist always had an endless repertoire of fish dishes, too many for her to learn. If she caught a lot, she would set up a small stall on the bridge to sell them, earning a bit of extra money to help with household expenses.

Occasionally, she would take the horse out for a walk.

Or, if the Daoist was out too late, she would personally cook dinner to make sure he had something to eat when he returned.

As for Swallow, he had fully embraced the role of a farmer, spending his days planting grass in the courtyard and using spells to accelerate its growth.

Cattails and jointgrasses—both favorites of horses—grew in the small patch of land. Though the courtyard wasn't large enough to provide an endless supply for the jujube-red horse, with the help of his magic, it was at least enough to improve the horse’s diet.

This way, the jujube-red horse could enjoy its preferred forage while the swallow rapidly improved his mastery of wood magic—a perfect exchange of mutual benefit.

Gradually, the Purification Festival of Yangdu approached.

The Purification Festival took place in the latter part of the twelfth lunar month, just before the New Year. It was not much different from the usual tradition of clearing out the old and welcoming the new on New Year's Eve in other places. However, because Yangdu had previously suffered from a plague caused by demons and evil spirits, it developed its own separate Purification Festival.

On the day of the festival, as soon as dawn broke, the streets outside erupted with the continuous crackling of firecrackers.

Not to mention any demons or spirits—even Lady Calico was startled awake. She climbed to the window, staring blankly outside, while Swallow quickly retreated indoors.

Then came the sound of drums and gongs, along with the chanting of sutras and hymns.

Daoists and monks from outside the city entered in groups. Some formed processions that paraded through the streets and alleys, chanting scriptures and scattering talismans. Others performed rituals or sat in prayer on the high platforms specially erected in the city.

Meanwhile, various shamans and sorcerers conducted their own unique rites in different parts of the city and beyond—some slaughtered chickens and sheep as offerings, while others danced naked in their rituals. Among them were many folk masters and wandering charlatans, knocking on doors from house to house.

Whenever they encountered a shop or a prominent residence, they would inevitably try to solicit some money.

But the highlight of the festival was still the traditional Nuo dance[1].

A grand procession marched through Yangdu’s main thoroughfare, drums and gongs beating loudly as they carried divine statues. Leading the way were groups of shamans, each wearing distinct opera masks and corresponding headgear, dressed in ceremonial costumes. Some were empty-handed, while others wielded unique ritual instruments.

As they walked, they performed an ancient and eerie dance, clapping their hands, shouting loudly from time to time. Amidst the rising smoke of firecrackers, for a fleeting moment, it truly seemed as if ancient deities were passing through the mortal world.

The spectacle attracted an immense crowd of onlookers.

Some children watched with wide eyes, unwilling to miss a single moment. Others were so frightened by the strange and unsettling scene that they burst into tears, their parents hastily comforting them.

At this moment, if one were to ask—who was the greatest impurity in Yangdu?

Most of the townspeople knew the answer.

Of course, there were still some who remained ignorant, believing the Jile God to be a true deity—one who could bring them wealth and deliver them from suffering.

And yet, though many had heard of people who suffered misfortune due to the Jile God, none had ever heard of anyone receiving true blessings from worshiping it. At best, believing in the Jile God only ensured that one would not fall victim to disaster—not disaster from fate, but disaster from the Jile God itself.

Such a deity—how was it any different from filth? But how could the Jile God be removed so easily?

If it could have been dealt with, it would have been eradicated last year.

Only a handful of Daoists, monks, shamans, and sorcerers had heard vague rumors that an elderly Daoist master had arrived at Tianxing Temple outside the city. The old master was highly skilled, yet after searching for the Jile God in Yangdu for an entire year, he still hadn’t found it.

Recently, he had invited a renowned expert in formation techniques from elsewhere, intending to use the Purification Festival as an opportunity to set up a grand formation in Yangdu. If the formation succeeded, the Jile God would have nowhere to hide and would naturally be eliminated.

“Is that for real?”

A young voice came from beneath the eerie and frightening Nuo opera mask. Amid the clamor of gongs, drums, suona horns, and firecrackers, only those closest to him could hear clearly.

“That's what they say, but who really knows?”

“I actually heard about that old Daoist at Tianxing Temple before. They say all the Daoists there treat him with utmost respect. He’s skilled in magic and can even communicate with deities. If he’s so confident, he’s probably not wrong, right?”

“One can only hope.”

The Nuo dancer clapped his hands as he continued his movements but still pressed the person beside him with another question, “And where did you hear this?”

“That old Daoist master is staying at Tianxing Temple—how could such a thing be kept secret from the Daoists there? This morning, I ran into one of the temple’s Daoists as he was entering the city and overheard him talking about it. But don’t go spreading it around too carelessly—if this reaches the ears of those who worship the Jile God, it could be trouble.”

“Of course! I just want the Jile God gone as soon as possible!”

“I'm only telling you because I trust you!”

“When is that expert supposed to arrive?”

“They say he’s already here, staying somewhere in the eastern part of the city. But as for the exact location, I have no idea.”

“That's good...”

The young man kept moving, his actions uninterrupted.

But as he glanced sideways unintentionally, he suddenly froze—

Amid the gathered townsfolk, there stood a towering figure, taller than a man. Its face was blood-red, its entire body covered in white fur. The fierce ghostly deity had eyes like those of a tiger or leopard, staring directly at them.

“Ah!”

The young man let out a startled cry, his movements halting for a brief moment.

People always said Nuo opera[2] was eerie, but this terrifying entity—this malevolent ghostly deity—was far more frightening than any of them wearing masks and performing the ritual dance.

It looked exactly like the Jile God!

But before the young man could get a clearer look, the ghostly figure had already vanished without a trace. The townsfolk who had been standing there remained as they were, still watching the procession. In fact, due to his mistake—his failure to keep up with the dance movements—more eyes turned toward him, as if none of them had ever seen such a being standing before them just moments ago.

Was it an illusion? A trick of the eye?

That thought crossed his mind, but a deep chill ran through him—he knew it was not.

Legend had it that through the mask of a Nuo dancer, one could glimpse the divine.

Having followed his father and brothers for years, he had heard many stories of dancers catching glimpses of gods while performing, accidentally locking eyes with them. Because of this, they were always warned never to wear the masks lightly.

“...”

The young man was terrified. He hurried to catch up with the procession, silently praying that his conversation just now hadn't inadvertently allowed the Jile God to escape its fate—or worse, doomed the expert who had come to vanquish it.

1. Nuo dance is one of the oldest Han Chinese rituals for exorcism and deity worship, a dance performed to ward off plagues, dispel misfortune, and invoke blessings. Originating from the early natural worship of the Han ancestors, it emerged during the formation of primitive clan societies. In the vast regions west and north of the Yellow River, totem worship and shamanistic beliefs began to take shape. As a long-standing social and cultural phenomenon, it carries strong religious and artistic significance. ☜

2. Nuo opera is a theatrical genre that evolved from Nuo dance. Performers often wear masks representing deities, while in some regions, they apply face paint instead. The performance movements are relatively primitive, with music primarily accompanied by gongs and drums, along with vocal chanting. ☜