Unintended Immortality

Chapter 196: Visiting the Snake Immortal in the Snowstorm

in the mountain hollow, there was no wind; the surface of the lake was as calm as a mirror, with cold mist rising, and a small boat remained motionless on the water. an old man sat in the boat, holding a bamboo pole, and the fishing line sank into the water, causing not even a ripple.

suddenly, there was some movement on the water's surface.

song you stopped at the edge of the lake, raised his hand, and was about to greet the old man when a gust of wind blew by. the mist swirled with the wind, and then the lake surface cracked with a loud noise, forming a solid ice path that extended straight to the small boat.

song you then lowered his hand and stepped onto the ice path. the floating ice was unsteady, wobbling often, but it didn’t crack or sink. as he walked, it only sent out ripples in the water.

the mirror-like ice was also disturbed. as song you walked, he glanced back at the calico cat. he noticed that, although the cat felt apprehensive and doubted the strength of the ice, it followed him cautiously, which reassured him.

when he reached the front of the boat, he performed his greeting once more.

“i am song you, the heir of the hidden dragon temple from lingquan county in yizhou. greetings, snake immortal.”

“please, come aboard,” the old man said.

“alright.” only then did song you and the cat step onto the small boat.

the small boat immediately rocked, sending ripples across the surface, accompanied by the creaking of the boat and the subtle sounds of splashing water. in this seemingly still world, there was finally some movement.

“plop...”

the sound of splashing water arose. the old man also lifted his fishing rod. a small silver fish, only about two fingers wide, was hooked on the line.

the small silver fish splashed into the bucket, making a noise.

“please sit.” the old man turned around, his face a very ordinary elderly visage, smiling at him. “i thought you would come in autumn.”

“i felt that this mountain would be beautiful when the heavy snow falls, so i waited until winter,” song you replied.

from the tone of the snake immortal, he could tell that the immortal had likely known he was the heir of the hidden dragon temple for some time. thus, the last time he had been helped was also because of the hidden dragon temple. what the state preceptor said about the snake immortal having a connection with the ancestors of the hidden dragon temple must also be true.

since that was the case, the snake immortal could be regarded as an elder. naturally, one should show respect to elders.

thus, song you respectfully bowed and continued, “i heard that it has snowed on the mount beiqin, so i came here. i arrived last night and intended to visit doctor cai first before paying my respects to you.

“however, it seems that doctor cai hasn’t been home for a long time. after spending the night at his doorstep, i came directly to visit you. i should express my gratitude for the assistance you provided last time.”

“doctor cai, huh...”

“i heard that you know doctor cai?”

“i do.” the snake immortal cast the fishing line back into the water. “he’s a good person, with exceptional medical skills and noble character. he often goes into the mountains to gather herbs and sometimes faces attacks from poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, so i protect him.”

“i have also heard that doctor cai has remarkable medical skills and even employs techniques that astonish and terrify people. i admire and am curious about him, so i wanted to witness his prowess,” song you said, sitting at the back of the boat and gently stroking the calico cat’s back. “unfortunately, i’ve come twice and haven’t encountered him; perhaps it’s just not meant to be.”

“he has gone north, and he probably won’t return for several years.”

“he has gone north?”

“yes, the northern conflicts have just settled down, but demons are rampant and diseases plague the people. they are in need of someone to help them.” the snake immortal said without turning his head. “before he left, he came to thank me for taking care of him all these years. he also said he didn’t know if he would be able to return.”

“i see.” song you slightly squinted, lost in thought.

the snake immortal on the boat then asked, “how is your master?”

“she was quite healthy when i left.”

“the five elements method is not good for prolonging life.”

“indeed.”

“the pine tree at the entrance of the hidden dragon temple, is it still there?”

“it has become an ancient pine.”

“oh?”

“i want to go north, but i also want to go south.”

their voices were soft, as if they were afraid of disturbing the fish swimming below.

the snake immortal’s fishing rod remained steady in his hand, his expression also calm and undisturbed. “are you thinking of going to fengzhou's mount ye?”

“you know about fengzhou, snake immortal?”

"the years have caught up with me, and i can no longer cultivate like i used to. with so much free time, i naturally know a lot," the snake immortal said with a smile before continuing, "you must already know that mount ye is part of a scheme between the state preceptor and the emperor. yet, if you're still eager to see it for yourself, could it be that you have some doubts in your heart?"

“hearing is not as reliable as seeing.”

“you’re quite astute, little fellow daoist.”

“please enlighten me, senior.”

“as for the reasons behind it, i’m not sure; i only know that the state preceptor’s intentions are likely not simple.” the snake immortal lifted his rod again, catching another small fish as he spoke.

he added, “going north concerns worldly matters—people suffer, and lives are in turmoil. going south relates to the underworld—heavenly dao shifts, and spirits find peace. it's indeed difficult to choose which direction to take first.”

song you asked, “what do you think the state preceptor is after?”

“in short, it’s neither worldly matters nor something that will yield results in a year or two.”

“not worldly matters...” this aligned roughly with what song you knew as well.

the snake immortal cast the hook into the lake again, and the two continued to fish while speaking softly. by noon, the snake immortal had caught seven or eight fish, including a large one. meanwhile, song you, lacking skill, had managed to catch only one, not even knowing where he had fallen short compared to the snake immortal.

in the afternoon, he said his farewells and prepared to leave.

the wind and snow in the mountains were quite heavy, with snowflakes seemingly blowing sideways. song you retraced the path the snake immortal had taken to guide him back, stepping deeply in some places and lightly in others, while the calico cat struggled to navigate the snow.

however, just as he climbed up the mountain, he heard voices ahead, mingled with the howling wind and snow.

“sir, it’s windy and snowy, and the forest is deep. let’s go back and come another day.”

“we’ve almost arrived; how can we turn back now?”

“that’s just what the mountain hunters say, perhaps only to earn your reward. how can we take it seriously? we’ve already entered mount beiqin; if we go further in, there’s a risk of being snowed in, and there are still wild beasts in the forest that don’t hibernate, starving and dangerous. it may be difficult for me to lead you out.”

“since there’s a snake path, how could we easily get lost? just keep moving forward, and we’ll surely find the snake immortal.”

“sigh...”

“it seems there’s someone ahead.”

“who is it?”

the two also spotted a daoist figure through the swirling snow in the forest.

however, the calico cat had sunk nearly halfway into the snow, exposing only half its head as it stared at them, making it invisible to the others.

“it’s a daoist.”

“we should call him sir.’“

“sir, there are often demons and spirits in the mountains that mislead people, especially in this heavy snowstorm. don’t trust too easily.”

“mount beiqin is the snake immortal’s territory. there are no demons here. don’t worry; let me go take a look.”

a middle-aged man in a thick long robe stepped forward through the wind and snow, smiling as he approached song you and bowed. “i am yu mo, a resident of changjing. i’ve come to the mountains seeking the snake immortal. meeting you, sir, feels quite fortuitous. may i ask where you have come from and where you are headed?”