Unintended Immortality-Chapter 318: The Limited Edition Senior Sister Lady Calico

“Do you have any idea when Sir Shu might return?”

“I dare not deceive you, immortal master...” Steward Luo’s expression grew even more apologetic. “It’s hard to say. Master’s divine steed can travel a thousand li in a day, and as demon-slaying is a serious matter, Master surely won’t delay along the way.

“However, slaying demons isn’t an easy task, and Master also has a habit of sitting crossed-legged and meditating afterward to reflect and deepen his understanding. If all goes smoothly, he might return in a few days, but if things don’t go well, it could take a month—or even longer. Before he left, the sect leader made arrangements for disciple recruitment in his absence.”

“I see,” Song You replied, nodding in understanding.

Demons were different from humans—they were cunning and unpredictable. Whether it was a mountain hiding a tiger or fields concealing insects, the vastness made them difficult to search. How long it took to exorcize a demon was hard to estimate.

Shu Yifan, who cultivated the Divine Thunder Sword Dao and had only recently achieved enlightenment through martial arts, naturally needed to meditate and refine his insights of Sword Dao after each battle.

Still, Song You had his own journey to continue. Waiting here for a few days, or even ten, was manageable, but waiting a month or more would be far too much of a delay.

At this point, Steward Luo sneaked another glance at him and said hesitantly, “Our sect leader has often mentioned you in the year and a half since your parting. If you aren’t in a rush to resume your travels, sir, you could wait for him here at the sect.”

Clearly putting in some effort, Steward Luo remembered something the sect leader had once mentioned. Knowing this “immortal” enjoyed cultural beauty, fine food, and good stories, he added, “Our Mount Wu may not have any extraordinary features, but every morning, the mist flows like silk ribbons. And if you climb to the summit, you can witness a radiant Buddha’s light—something rarely seen elsewhere.”

The Daoist lowered his head to meet the gaze of the calico cat.

The cat tilted its head upward, its eyes large and bright.

“Very well then...”

As though he had just consulted with Lady Calico, Song You said to Steward Luo, “We’ll stay in the sect for seven days. If Sir Shu returns during that time, that will be ideal. If he doesn’t, then I suppose something on the road has delayed him, and we’ll set out to find him.”

“Thank you, sir,” Steward Luo said.

“I’m afraid we’ll be imposing for a few days.”

“Not at all! Your presence graces our sect; how could it be called an imposition? I’ll arrange lodging for you immediately.”

“My horse doesn’t need to be tethered,” Song You added. “Once the luggage is unloaded, you can just let it roam freely on the mountain. If you see it, just feed it a few handfuls of semi-dry hay.”

“Understood, sir,” Steward Luo replied quickly, leading the way.

As they walked, Steward Luo couldn’t help but steal glances at the calico cat and the jujube-red horse.

He had heard the tales: Five or six years ago, the sect leader had met this Daoist during a thunderstorm in the abandoned mortuary of Xuzhou, where he received guidance that would lead to the fame of the Thunderstrike Sword.

In early spring two years ago, the sect leader had reunited with this Daoist in Changjing and spent over a year with him in Hezhou, slaying demons and subduing monsters. Countless legends remained in Hezhou about their deeds.

It was even said that the sect leader, entrusted by this immortal master, had borrowed an entire mountain from Pingzhou to suppress the Snowy Plains Demon King. He had also witnessed the Daoist vanquish demons, with thunder and lightning lighting up the night sky—a sight so profound that it inspired the Thunderstrike Sword Dao, elevating him to the extraordinary.

The stories about this Daoist's cat and horse had also taken on a life of their own in some places, portraying them as extraordinary beings.

It was said that the cat could transform into a giant tiger, devour ghosts and demons, and even breathe three-colored flames. As for the horse, it was rumored to transform into a green flood dragon, or sometimes even a red dragon. How much of this was true and how much mere embellishment was anyone's guess.

Seeing the cat now, with its strikingly beautiful appearance and an almost otherworldly grace, it did seem extraordinary. Compared to it, the jujube-red horse appeared far more ordinary—small and scrawny, with nothing remarkable in its demeanor. Its behavior was no different from any common horse, which left one feeling a bit disappointed.

But just then—

The jujube-red horse seemed to sense something. It turned its head slightly, fixing one eye directly on Steward Luo, staring at him with an unnervingly intense gaze.

“...”

Steward Luo quickly averted his eyes, not daring to look any longer.

***

Song You settled down in the sect for his stay.

With little else to do, he spent his days wandering the mountain, watching the children practice martial arts, or venturing deeper into the woods to search for wild fruits or enjoy the scenery. At mealtimes, Steward Luo would bring him local delicacies, and the rest of the time, no one disturbed him. If he stayed indoors, he could enjoy a peaceful retreat.

Several days passed, but Shu Yifan had not returned.

The Daoist, ever calm, remained patient and unhurried.

Lady Calico, however, grew bored. Transforming into her human form, she caught a whole handful of crickets, clutched them in her hands, and wandered outside to amuse herself.

Lady Calico imitated the Daoist’s demeanor, strolling leisurely and unhurriedly. Her face remained expressionless as she walked, glancing left and right in a manner that faintly resembled Song You’s.

However, as she walked, she would occasionally pick a cricket from her hand and casually toss it into the air.

“Swish...”

A swallow would dart by and snatch the cricket in its beak.

Around her, many children and teenagers were diligently practicing martial arts, guided by adult martial artists who observed and instructed them.

Rather than formal training, the adults seemed to be testing their aptitude as part of the selection process. Those who had already been chosen and officially admitted into the sect were practicing foundational skills to build their groundwork. At this stage, disciples of such young age were not yet taught Shu Yifan’s swordsmanship or philosophies directly by him.

The martial artists, clearly having been briefed by Steward Luo, treated the little girl with respect. They didn’t interfere with her activities and often cast curious glances her way.

The children and teenagers, on the other hand, found her presence puzzling. While they toiled hard at their training, she wandered freely through the sect grounds, her demeanor composed and relaxed. Adding to the mystery, her striking appearance and poise set her apart. Even the senior members of the sect—the senior uncles—just let her be, and thus they all treated her with great respect.

Many assumed she was the sect’s first disciple, their senior sister.

Occasionally, they would see her demonstrate extraordinary reflexes and agility, casually catching insects in mid-flight with astonishing speed and precision. This only strengthened their belief that she had already mastered some legendary martial arts their parents often spoke of.

In the jianghu, freedom and hierarchy often existed in a delicate balance. Seniority was not determined by age, but by the order of one’s entry into the sect. Among disciples, those who joined earlier naturally held a higher rank.

“Greetings, Senior Sister...”

“Good day, Senior Sister.”

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As the young girl walked past, a few young boys nervously greeted her.

“...?”

Lady Calico froze for a moment, then swiftly turned her head with a sharp motion, staring directly at them.

“S-Senior Sister...”

The group of children, caught under her intense gaze, suddenly felt uneasy and didn’t know what to do.

“...”

The young girl’s eyes darted around for a moment, and then she nodded slightly to them. Without a word, she resumed her slow, deliberate steps, leaving the area with her usual composure.

Seeing this, the children immediately lit up with joy.

Other kids, noticing this, began rushing over to greet her as well, eagerly calling her “Senior Sister.” Just a simple nod from her made them elated.

Such was the nature of children.

Lady Calico found this all quite amusing, though her face betrayed none of her thoughts. She continued her leisurely stroll, occasionally tossing a cricket into the air. The swallow played along, darting quickly to snatch it. The children, watching the scene, were in awe, filled with admiration and longing.

***

In the guest room of the Thunderstrike Sword Sect…

The Daoist sat cross-legged on the bed, gazing out the window. Outside, the clouds and mist shifted like flowing silk, his expression serene and tranquil.

On the bed beside him, a large space had been cleared, where a little girl in tri-colored clothing lay flat on her back, legs kicking toward the air. Her delighted voice rang out as she shared with the Daoist, “They think I’m their Senior Sister! They’re so silly… Hehehe… They called me sister… They called me sister...”

The Daoist continued gazing out the window, though a faint smile now played on his lips.

Only when Lady Calico had finally calmed down a bit did he turn to her and ask, “How many days has it been since we arrived here?”

“Um!” The little girl flipped over in an instant, sitting cross-legged in a compact bundle. Tilting her head to think for a moment, she replied, “Todays’ the fifth day...”

“Sir Shu still hasn’t returned.”

“That’s true!” The little girl thought seriously for a moment before saying, “That Shu fellow’s name has so many versions...”

A cat’s focus was always a little different.

The Daoist didn’t mind her musings and instead turned to ask her:

“Are there?”

“There just are so many! That Shu fellow, Shu Yifan, Sir Shu, Master, and something like Swodmwaster…”

The little girl counted on her fingers as she spoke.

“Hmm...” Song You nodded thoughtfully. Instead of carefully explaining, he simply agreed and said, “That’s true enough.”

“I’m very clever.”

“Of course.”

“And if we don’t manage to meet that Shu fe;;pw?”

“That would be for you to decide.”

“Let’s go find him!”

“As you decide,” Song You said with a pause, “but since we don’t know where Mr. Shu went first, we will have to rely on your wisdom to decide where to start looking, Lady Calico.”

“I will decide, meow?”

“Indeed...”

Song You turned slightly, facing her directly. With care and seriousness, he began to explain the matter to her.

To the north, Jiyan County was troubled by insect demons, about 400 li away from here. To the west, Jinhe County had a tiger demon, about 600 or 700 li away from here. The north was closer, while the west was farther.

It was said that the insect demons could devastate an entire county’s crops in no time, whereas the tiger demon, though fierce and man-eating, posed a slower and less urgent threat. From this perspective, Shu Yifan might have gone north first.

However, swarms of locusts, though disastrous, weren’t always caused by demons. It could just as easily be panic and misunderstanding fueling the rumors. Furthermore, the Thunderstrike Sword Dao was well-suited for dealing with a tiger demon, but far less so for combating insect demons. It was like how the gods of the Thunder Division struggled to eradicate the rat demon in Lanmo County in the past.

Even with his mastery of martial arts, Shu Yifan would find it challenging to eliminate an entire infestation of locusts alone. From this perspective, he might have headed west first.

Song You, after all, hadn’t mastered the abilities of Grandmaster Tiansuan and couldn’t determine where Shu Yifan might have gone first.

Now, nearly ten days had passed, and it was unclear whether Shu Yifan was still at the first location or had already finished there and moved on to the second.

“I don’t know...” The little girl, sitting on the bed, answered honestly.

“Then...” Song You thought for a moment and said, “Let’s head north first.”

“Head north first!”

“Do you agree?”

“I will follow you.”

“Very well.”

Having made his decision, Song You stopped overthinking.

For one, insect infestations were more urgent than the tiger demon. For another, his journey back to Changjing would eventually take him westward. By going north first and then west, the route would naturally pass through a small part of Hezhou and onward to Angzhou, leading back to Changjing.

If they headed west first and then backtracked to the north, it would involve retracing a significant amount of ground unnecessarily.

Since they didn’t know Shu Yifan’s exact location, they would simply leave it to fate.

“Two more days.”

“Two more days...”

“Lady Calico, you should go out and take a walk. Let those people call you 'Senior Sister.' Once we leave here, it might be a long time before you have another chance to enjoy being a ‘senior sister.'”

“That’s true!” The little girl’s expression suddenly grew serious.