Unintended Immortality-Chapter 434: You Must Know, All Beings Differ

“Whoosh...”

Lady Calico leapt nearly vertically into the air, soaring over a full zhang high. Her graceful body stretched mid-air, and her fur danced freely with the wind.

“...” She landed lightly and effortlessly.

They had reached the mountain peak.

The cat didn’t seem tired at all. She casually turned her head to glance behind her.

Below was the dense forest, its thick canopy obscuring the view of the Little Kingdom. However, she could faintly make out the clearing nestled between the mountains—that was the capital city, half-hidden by clouds and mist. The forest stretched all the way to the island’s sandy beaches, and beyond that lay the vast expanse of the sea.

“Humans become so weak when they shrink. They can’t even climb something this small,” Lady Calico huffed softly.

“Of course, they’re not as amazing as you, Lady Calico,” Song You replied as he slowly dismounted from the cat’s back, leaning on his bamboo staff. “Besides, isn’t it thanks to their weakness that you’ve had so much fun these past few days?”

“Humph...”

He had hit the nail on the head.

In this Little Kingdom, even though the plants and trees were the same size as before, Lady Calico walked among them like a massive beast, a great demon.

Whenever the citizens of the kingdom looked her way, their wide-eyed gazes of awe and fear filled her with satisfaction. She even began imitating the slow, heavy movements of truly enormous demons, deliberately making her steps seem more laborious.

She enjoyed every moment of it.

Especially the reverence in their eyes. For a cat who had grown up being chased away by people—sometimes even while on her way to fulfill her duty as the goddess’s cat catching mice—this newfound treatment was incredibly gratifying.

“...”

Song You paid her no further attention. He simply turned around and began walking forward through the wild grass, making his way toward the edge of the mountain.

It was a dormant volcano.

No wonder its base was so perfectly round.

He now stood at the rim of the volcanic crater. Peering inside, he saw a large depression at the center of the summit—a semi-spherical pit where lava had once erupted. The crater was deep and quiet, a place where nature's violent history had left its mark.

The rocky edges of the volcanic rim were covered in a thick layer of moss, with wild grasses growing from the cracks. At this time of year, many small flowers had bloomed, softening the once-intimidating image of the volcano into something serene and peaceful.

At the very center of the sunken volcanic crater, however, lay a dense cloud of mist, pooled like a basin of white liquid that gently rippled and flowed.

“Huff...”

Song You took a deep breath.

Such abundant spiritual qi. Such profound spiritual resonance.

“Daoist priest...” A paw gently bent the nearby wild grass as his cat’s familiar voice reached him. “Do you need me to carry you down again?”

“No need,” Song You replied.

With that, he began his descent.

The inner walls of the volcano were steep. Even for a normal-sized human, the height would be a challenge, but for someone reduced to the size of the little people, it felt ten times more daunting.

Song You gripped his bamboo staff tightly and leapt downward.

He slid along the rocky surface, using patches of wild grass to slow his descent and steady himself. He bounced lightly off the vegetation, even passing through clusters of wildflowers as he made his way down.

Finally, he entered the mist. The fog shimmered with a watery glow, carrying with it a sense of mystery.

How should he extract the Eastern Soil from here?

Song You shook his head. He didn’t search or strategize. Instead, he cupped his hands in a respectful bow toward the mountain, the mist, the Eastern Soil, and the surrounding world. “My name is Song You, a disciple of Hidden Dragon Temple. I have come here to retrieve the Eastern Soil to aid in the formation of the underworld.”

The moment his words fell, the sound of rushing wind echoed through the mist. A streak of colorless light pierced through the fog and shot directly toward him.

Compared to soil, the object before him looked more like water. It hovered in midair, constantly shifting its shape, with a faint mist gently rising from its surface.

Song You extended his hand and easily grasped it. It felt as light as nothing. Yet, the spiritual resonance within it was profoundly mysterious.

Song You lowered his gaze and observed it closely.

It seemed that the Five-Directions Soil did not conform strictly to the traditional elemental and directional associations of the five elements and five regions. Instead, they were nurtured by the unique spiritual resonance of their respective locations.

Here, being a maritime environment with dense moisture and peculiar spiritual energy, the Five-Directions Soil born from this place had a fluid, water-like nature. It was elusive and ever-changing, mysterious yet full of life, encompassing everything and brimming with vitality.

Its true nature would require deep contemplation to fully understand.

“It needs to be smaller,” Song You murmured.

As soon as he spoke, the Eastern Soil shrank in response.

He casually placed it into his chest pocket and glanced around. He made sure not to disturb the surrounding mountain mist before turning back toward the cat.

“Lady Calico, carry me back up.”

“What did you pocket just now?”

“The Eastern Soil.”

“The Eastern Soil...? I will carry you in my mouth!”

“Carry me on your back.”

“Fine, fine...”

The cat let out a disappointed sigh and lowered her body reluctantly.

The Daoist climbed onto her back and gripped her fur. As soon as he was secure, the cat stood up, but instead of racing up the mountain like before, she took small, careful steps as she climbed.

As she climbed, she occasionally turned her head slightly, stealing glances at the Daoist with the corner of her eye. “Are we leaving now?”

The Daoist sat on the cat’s back, holding his bamboo staff as he replied:

“Are you reluctant to leave?”

“This place is so much fun! Everyone here is tiny!”

“It’s definitely interesting.”

“Are we really leaving?”

“This Eastern Soil covers a vast sea region, and there are still a few kingdoms we haven’t visited. Perhaps we’ll explore them on our way back,” Song You said. “And when we return, you can go clam digging by the sea.”

“Oh... That sounds nice...”

The man and the cat walked on, chatting as they went.

Song You tilted his head to avoid a grass blade brushing against him, continuing to speak without pause. As soon as he straightened his head, he brushed past a wildflower growing on the mountainside. The petals were clean and covered in morning dew, and the stamens and pollen were clearly visible up close.

About half an hour later—

They reached the edge of the mountain peak. Song You stood with his bamboo staff in hand, while the cat sat next to him. Both of them faced forward, their gazes sweeping across the wild grass to take in the expansive view of the sea and sky.

As they gazed out, Lady Calico couldn’t help but sneak glances at the Daoist beside her. He was small, calm, and composed, and the more she looked at him, the more amusing she found the sight.

“Daoist priest.”

“Yes?”

“Look—you’re the same size as my tail.”

As she spoke, her fluffy tail swished around and curled beside him, standing upright to compare sizes.

The tail was slightly longer than Song You’s current height. Its fluffy fur made it seem even larger, and as it stood next to him, it genuinely appeared bigger than the Daoist.

Song You maintained his calm expression, though the fluffy fur of the tail brushing against his face, carried by the wind, made him feel a tickling sensation. He turned his head slightly to avoid it. “Why is your tail behaving so obediently today?”

“It wants to compare sizes with you.”

“Hasn’t the comparison ended?”

“It should be over... oh! It seems like it doesn’t think so!”

“...”

The cat’s eyes sparkled, and though feline faces didn’t reveal human expressions, her bright gaze made her features appear more radiant.

The Daoist and the cat stood side by side at the mountain’s peak, enjoying the breeze for half the day. Then, the cat carried him around the volcano’s rim, giving him a full view of the island’s stunning landscapes.

That night, the winds were calm. The cat found a sheltered spot, lay down on the ground, and the Daoist leaned against her. No bedding was needed—her warm, soft body was enough for a cozy night’s sleep.

The next morning, someone arrived at the mountain. To be precise, a dog arrived.

“I finally found the two of you,” the white dog said as it followed their scent. “I’ve come to say goodbye.”

“Are you leaving?” Song You asked.

“It’s time for me to return,” the white dog replied. “In my opinion, you won’t be returning to Beast Island anytime soon. Although the officials of the Little Kingdom have treated me warmly, just providing food and water for me here requires several people’s efforts each day. It’s not convenient for me to stay long, so I’ve come to bid you farewell and head back to Beast Island.”

“Would you like us to escort you back?”

“Absolutely not,” the white dog said immediately. “You have important matters to attend to. How could I dare delay you?”

“...”

Song You thought for a moment, then nodded and cupped his hands in a polite gesture of farewell. “Then thank you for guiding us this far.”

“Hahaha! I’ve figured it out,” the white dog said with a hearty laugh. “Even without me, the two of you would’ve found your way here. Besides, traveling alongside you, I’ve witnessed grand and wondrous sights that I haven’t seen in half a lifetime of wandering the seas. Well, let’s not argue over who benefited more from this journey—let’s just call it even and leave it at that! It’s more carefree this way.”

“Mr. Bai, you truly have great spirit.”

“Farewell.”

“Safe travels.”

the white dog didn’t linger. After glancing around at the surrounding scenery and taking in a breath of sea air, it exchanged a farewell bow with Song You. Though it had just exerted great effort climbing the mountain, it turned around without hesitation and began descending.

Song You stood at the edge of the mountain, watching its figure as it left.

The cat stretched her neck, carefully following its silhouette with her gaze.

They watched until the white dog disappeared into the forest below.

“It seems really impressive!” Lady Calico said earnestly.

“Yes, it is,” the Daoist softly agreed, nodding.

One must understand that the world’s beings were not the same. There were humans who fell short of monsters, and monsters who were wiser and more virtuous than humans. One should never judge by rigid standards.

***

Later that morning, they left the island.

Song You tricked Lady Calico into transforming into her human form, curious to see if she would shrink. When he found out she didn’t, he was a bit disappointed, but it worked out perfectly as he managed to coax her into rowing the boat while he lay back and enjoyed the scenery.

Following the directions given by the Little Kingdom, they headed south, toward the Mustache Kingdom.

The people there had frequent interactions with the Little Kingdom and had even learned their written language. Naturally, they held great respect for the legendary Celestial Empire. The kingdom got its name from the fact that all its inhabitants, regardless of gender, had a small strip of mustache on either side of their mouths. They considered it normal and did not see it as affecting their appearance or beauty.

Just like the Yasha Kingdom, the Beast Kingdom, and the Little Kingdom, the Mustache Kingdom had also been suffering from frequent storms and turbulent seas over the past year. The natural disasters had caused significant damage, but fortunately, the people of the Mustache Kingdom were all skilled swimmers, which minimized casualties.

However, the Mustache Kingdom had another major problem—

The Sea Dragon King had developed a taste for their people. For years, it had been customary for the Mustache Kingdom to offer 99 men and 99 women as sacrifices to the Sea Dragon King by bringing them to the shore annually.

Unable to resist, the kingdom had no choice but to send their elderly and sick to the beaches each year. But over the past year, for reasons unknown—whether it was due to a foul mood or something else—the Sea Dragon King had come to the Mustache Kingdom several times outside the annual ritual.

Each visit had brought disaster.

The Mustache Kingdom, originally a kingdom formed by the transformation of shrimp spirits, was naturally vulnerable to being preyed upon by sea dragons, as shrimp were a common food source for them.

Since this was a matter of the seas and the sea-dwelling demon clans, Song You hesitated to directly confront the Sea Dragon King. However, after the people’s desperate pleas, he agreed to help them find a protector.

As they traveled, they passed through several other kingdoms, each strange and fascinating in its own way.

With the Eastern Soil now in Song You’s possession, its profound spiritual resonance could be slowly comprehended over time. The entire sea region itself was a product of the Eastern Soil’s mystical spiritual resonance, so as Song You contemplated its essence, he could also observe the visible effects it had on the environment, allowing the two to reinforce each other and deepen his understanding.

This journey was an opportunity for significant cultivation.

At the same time, Song You was circling the sea, observing it closely and giving himself time to see what changes would occur now that the Eastern Soil had been removed.

As expected, the spiritual resonance of the region was dissipating slowly. The immediate and most significant change was the loss of its mystical aura, which would likely attract more intruders.

For nations like the Beast Kingdom, the Mustache Kingdom, and the Little Kingdom, this could potentially lead to disasters. Over time, as the spiritual energy continued to weaken, it would also disrupt the balance of these peculiar lands until the world naturally replenished the mystical resonance lost with the removal of the Eastern Soil.

To address the first issue, Song You set up formations to hide the region from unwanted intruders.

As for the second issue, he drew out some of the residual spiritual resonance from the Eastern Soil and sealed it back into the region, ensuring that the strange kingdoms could continue functioning as they had.

Since it was fate that he came to collect the Eastern Soil, he considered it his duty to minimize the harm and prevent any major calamities. This way, the region would avoid facing a disastrous upheaval.

After spending considerable time traveling, Song You had gained plenty of knowledge and seen much along the way.