Where Immortals Once Walked

When He Lingchuan, Colonel Li, and the others arrived, Commandant Zhao had already hoisted up a severed head and bellowed, “Evil must be eradicated to the root! Traitor Lu is dead!”

Beheading the ringleader of the Woling Pass rebels was no small achievement.

“Hey...”

Commandant Zhao turned to look at him and asked, “What?”

“Lu Yao died too cleanly. That’s a cheap end for him.” He Lingchuan scratched his head. This Commandant Zhao really knows how to hog the credit. Worst of all, no one’s even competing with him for it.

Hearing and seeing their leader’s confirmed death, the handful of Lu’s men still on the field scattered like frightened rats.

But He Lingchuan suddenly felt a heat flaring at his neck.

The divine bone necklace was acting up again.

This morning, it had pulled a similar stunt inside the immortal’s cave abode before burrowing into the ground and doing who knows what until the entire cave collapsed.

Why is it flaring up again? Did it find something?

He Lingchuan’s spirits rose, and he tested it by pacing a few steps away.

The further he walked, the hotter the bone grew, as if roaring at him to turn back.

It was as if it were telling him, “Don’t leave. There’s a treasure here!”

Feigning a pursuit of the fleeing brigands, he walked back and forth a few times. The divine bone only calmed when he stood right before Lu Yao’s headless corpse.

So, the thing it wants me to get is on Lu Yao himself?

His eyes gleamed. He squatted down and began rifling through the body without hesitation. Everything in Lu Yao’s coat went straight into his own pouch, useful or not. The ogre had two rings on his hands. He Lingchuan did not even bother checking if they were storage tools. He stripped them off and slipped them on his own fingers.

By now, he was practiced at this work. He was as quick as a pickpocket in a crowded market. Three swipes and he had cleaned the body out before anyone could stop him.

Zhao Qinghe coughed into his fist. “Young Master, Commandant Zhao is watching you.”

Looting corpses before the battle was even done, his young master’s behavior was so outrageous that it made even him, a seasoned man-at-arms, blush with shame.

And sure enough, He Lingchuan could feel Commandant Zhao’s eyes boring into him, full of scorn and displeasure.

Spoils from the fallen “boss” were supposed to be the local militia garrison’s prize, yet he, an outsider’s son, had snatched them right under their noses. If not for his status as the precious son of a commandery administrator, Commandant Zhao would have already slapped him across the face.

Fortunately, after a few more tugs, He Lingchuan rose and stepped aside. This time, the divine bone necklace stayed cool.

This confirmed that whatever it wanted him to get was now in his possession.

The field was quieting. With Lu Yao dead, Pei Xinyong and the state troops both pulled back, sizing each other up with wary eyes.

Lian Deng came running. Pei Xinyong barked the moment he saw him, his voice leaping three pitches higher, “So these are the reinforcements you spoke of?”

Lian Deng had no choice but to confess. “General Wu was rescued by state troops. Both he and the Crocodile God have accepted amnesty.” A bitter smile twisted his face before he continued, “From now on, we’ll be living on state rations.”

Pei Xinyong sucked in a sharp breath, stunned at the absurdity of it.

Just last night, Wu Shaoyi’s men had reported—and all the intelligence he received had confirmed—that it was Lu Yao who had been recruited by the Royal Court of Yuan. Yet today, everything seemed to have reversed all of a sudden.

Wu Shaoyi was the one who defected instead?

Did he already betray us long ago?

Worst of all, Commandant Zhao’s attitude was nothing short of imperious. He lifted his chin and demanded, “Pei Xinyong, do you surrender or not?”

By now, the fog had already dissipated, and Pei Xinyong could clearly see that there were about a thousand state troops on the field. There were not as many as his own, but the number was close enough. More troubling was that there were still remnants of Wu’s men, recalled by Lian Deng, who now stood on the side of Yuan.

In other words, their numbers were even. And right now, his own shoulder was crippled, causing every movement to be agonizing.

The standoff was precarious.

He Lingchuan stepped forward and cleared his throat. “Desheng Town is still plagued by Lu Yao’s remnants. The newly surrendered Wu Shaoyi is currently in battle there. Why don’t we put our quarrels aside and wipe out the brigands first?”

Commandant Zhao gave a curt nod.

Pei Xinyong hesitated before agreeing as well.

And so the three forces joined as one, galloping toward Desheng Town.

Along the way, Zhao Qinghe spotted a shadowy figure skulking in the roadside woods. At his signal, several cavalrymen from the Coordinating Army broke off to give chase.

What followed was straightforward. Wu Shaoyi’s men were barely holding their ground against the brigands in Desheng Town. The arrival of state reinforcements immediately tipped the scales. Lu Yao’s men fell apart. Many of them were slain, many of them fled, but most of them threw down their weapons and surrendered.

Amidst the chaos, Pei Xinyong led his men in pursuit of the fugitives. But the further he chased, the farther he went until at last, he vanished entirely.

He Lingchuan was not surprised, and the two officers from the local militia garrison did not seem to care. They simply turned a blind eye to the event.

Pei Xinyong was strong, true. But the state side had already secured plenty of merit today. No one wanted to stir up new trouble.

After all, Pei Xinyong’s men were not going to linger here. They would roam elsewhere, and wherever that may be, that would be that specific region’s headache to handle.

After retaking Desheng Town, Commandant Zhao left Colonel Li behind to handle the prisoners, then split his forces. Some of his forces headed east toward Immortal Spirit Village, while he himself went with Wu Shaoyi, He Lingchuan, and the others toward Qianteng Town.

At last, the road was calm and uneventful.

Before long, He Lingchuan reunited with his family. He had sent Mao Tao ahead with word, so the He Family had been waiting anxiously.

Father and son met again, both overcome with joy.

He Chunhua rode forward, pushing past the crowd. He charged straight up to his son, seized him by the shoulders, and choked out, “You rascal, you rascal!”

He was too emotional to say more. The rest of his words caught in his throat, and his handsome face flushed red from the strain.

Seeing him like this, He Lingchuan was moved as well. He gave a sheepish grin. “Dad, I’m not so easy to hang[1]!”

This time, He Chunhua instantly translated the slang into the word “kill.” His teeth ground audibly as he squeezed out, “I knew you were born under a lucky star. Even falling off a cliff can’t kill you!”

The rest of the column crowded around, offering congratulations to the young master who had escaped death and returned whole.

When they looked him over closely, they saw he bore no shortage of small wounds, but no serious ones. Everyone marveled at his fortune. Anyone else would have been reduced to paste from such a fall, yet he had only a few scratches, and his face was not even scarred.

The scene of reunion grew bright with cheer.

He Yue ran forward, threw his arm around his older brother’s shoulder, and laughed aloud. “You made it back alive!”

But when he pressed down, He Lingchuan hissed, baring his teeth. “Ow!”

His shoulder had taken an axe wound. Though the bleeding had stopped long ago, He Yue’s hearty slap split it open again.

Startled, He Yue quickly apologized and turned to call for a physician.

Madame Ying’s eyes had grown moist. Gazing at her eldest, she murmured, “You’re home, that’s all that matters.”

He Lingchuan flashed her a grin of white teeth. “Sorry for making you worry.” Then he drew out the peachwood mirror from his coat and held it out to her. “This is yours, isn’t it?”

Madame Ying’s delight was plain as she accepted it and gently caressed the frame. “You snatched it back!”

Seeing his bloodstained face, she could not help lifting a handkerchief and dabbing at the fresh line of blood trickling from his brow. “There’s water in the carriage. Go wash your face properly.”

The gesture left He Chunhua quietly surprised. He Lingchuan only chuckled. “Alright, alright.” He strode off to the carriage, where Nanny Qian drew him a basin of water to wipe down.

By then, He Yue had returned with the military physician.

After a night and a day of battle and forced marches, He Lingchuan finally collapsed into a soft silk mattress. As the physician treated his wounds, sleep overtook him at last.

But after the physician left, the divine bone amulet upon his chest flickered faintly red. The glow was weak and lasted only a few breaths, too brief for anyone else to notice.

What did stir, though, was the turtle egg tucked against his chest.

* * *

He Lingchuan slept deeply, yet in the haze of dreams, he seemed to hear an ancient voice.

“He Lingchuan, when you pass the Revived Old Locust Tree at Fengling Port[2], bury the turtle egg in the hollow beneath its roots.”

The voice was utterly unfamiliar. He Lingchuan felt puzzled. Who’s talking to me?

As if hearing his thought, the voice continued, “I am the Water Spirit of Immortal Spirit Lake. I meant to enter your dreams, but the door was barred to me. After much pleading, and though I bear you no malice, I could only force through this sliver of spiritual sense. Hah, even to approach your dreams is so difficult. Truly, I’ve chosen the right person to seek.”

Wait, this is that old turtle monster? He Lingchuan dimly remembered he had something vital to ask, something that touched on his very survival, but at the moment, he could not recall what it was.

“You are the one I foresaw, the only one who can help my true body escape the crocodile monster’s pursuit. That is why I beg your aid. However, the dire omen I divined for you is no false warning.”

Does that mean I’m fated to die?

The Water Spirit answered, “This world does not have a single set outcome. In other words, hope is not lost. Your fate is shackled by greater forces. No one else can pierce its veil. I barely managed to pry out a few lines of verse. May they help you escape the death that stalks you.”

Is this another damn riddle?

* * *

He did not know how much later it was when He Yue shook him awake. “We’re here. Time to get down.”

He Lingchuan sat up, muttering under his breath. He Yue thought he heard him mumbling about “conceal ambition” and “false and real,” and could not help but laugh. “Brother, what are you chanting?”

“Nothing, I was just dreaming. There was an old man in my dream, and they kept talking, but it didn’t seem like anything they said was useful.” He Lingchuan yawned, then climbed down from the carriage. A cool night wind brushed his face. He looked up and saw that stars had already filled the sky. He realized that he must have slept for at least four hours. “Are we already at Qianteng Town?”

“Qianteng Town’s long behind us. We’re in Wuliu County now. Qianteng is just a small town of three hundred people. For proper supplies, the army had to come here. The county magistrate even sent word ahead. He’s hosting a banquet for us at Hongtai Tower to welcome us and calm our nerves.”

“He’s being that attentive?” He Lingchuan was taken aback. “He got news quick.”

“Immortal Spirit Village, Qianteng Town, and Desheng Town all fall under Wuliu County’s jurisdiction,” He Yue explained as he walked him out. “Word is that the rebels slaughtered villages, massed here, and even hunted down officials of the royal court. The county magistrate was horrified. This banquet is his way of showing deep concern.”

Officials of the royal court? He Lingchuan thought. Ah, that must be referring to Father.

Indeed, He Chunhua already carried a formal commission. By law, he was the Governor-General of Xia Province. He was now a regional grandee in his own right.

So yes, the county magistrate had every reason to be solicitous.

Pleased at the thought, He Lingchuan stretched lazily, eyes roaming the camp. “Eh? Why are there so few people?”

“Well, the post station in the county is quite large, and some local gentry even provided two estates free of charge for our lodging. Everyone’s been housed comfortably. Also, the commoners from Immortal Spirit Village had already parted ways with our family’s group back in Qianteng Town, and from there they will be resettled under Wuliu County’s authority.”

1. Ugh, this is more modern slang. I’m not exactly sure where it came from, but maybe from hanging a phone? Or simply hanging a man, I guess. Regardless, he’s basically just saying that he isn’t so easy to kill. ☜

2. This location was mentioned back in Chapter 14. ☜