Unintended Immortality

Chapter 170: Ghostly Visit at Midnight

By the time they left that place, it was nearly three in the morning.

Heroine Wu led the horse while holding a lantern, being quite vigilant. She frequently glanced left and right, fearing that hidden arrows might suddenly spring from the grass or that a nefarious individual might be following them from behind.

However, they encountered no trouble until they returned to the village.

“Surprisingly, nothing happened!” The woman seemed a bit taken aback.

“It’s because you were vigilant.”

“It’s not just me being cautious; something feels off today.”

“What do you mean?”

“When we were walking through the ghost market, I noticed several subtle gazes darting around me, my divine steed, you, and even behind you and on Lady Calico. They were hidden well, but I could see through it. Most likely, some surviving jianghu heroes from Mount Beiqin spread word of our characteristics,” Heroine Wu paused for a moment.

She added, “I initially thought they were coming to find us, but now I think it’s more likely that news of those jianghu heroes' grim fates and deaths reached them, which made them hesitant to act.”

The Daoist, upon hearing this, was secretly worried. “Then won’t you face trouble when you leave the city in the future?”

“Stop overthinking it.” Heroine Wu reached the entrance of the thatched tavern, waved her hand dismissively, and casually explained, “I rarely ride my horse when leaving the city, so they won’t recognize me. Besides, I don’t even take those small fries seriously.”

She paused for a moment. “Furthermore, I don’t go out of the city every day. Most of the time, I’m not alone when I do go out. No one would dare to trouble me, so you should focus on your own safety. Don’t let a hidden arrow get you, and watch out for pickpockets.”

“That’s a relief.” Only then did the Daoist feel reassured.

Then, the group of people had arrived at the entrance of the thatched tavern. The tavern was simple, with a wooden fence outside and a small courtyard inside.

“There’s an adult.” The little girl leaned closer to the fence, peering through the gaps to see inside.

The Daoist and the woman looked over but could only see a patch of darkness within. Even when they raised the lantern, it illuminated only a small area nearby.

However, they soon heard footsteps approaching from inside. A dark figure quickly walked out, entering the dim light of the lantern to open the door for them.

It was a female villager.

“You’re back...”

“Sorry for the trouble.”

“It’s no trouble...”

The group stepped into the courtyard, while the woman hurried to tie up the horse.

Song You lived in the thatched hut on the left, with Heroine Wu next to him. There were only a few huts in this courtyard, but other horses had already been tied up by now, indicating that other guests had returned earlier than them.

This woman was the mother of the brother and sister they had met during the day. They had a brief conversation over dinner that evening and learned that the men in their family were serving in the north, leaving the three women and an elder at home.

The ghost market was filled with all kinds of people, including countless petty thieves. Whenever a guest brought a horse and stayed at an inn, the owner must keep watch all night.

It was hard-earned money.

Song You said nothing, returned to his room to wash up, and placed his paintings and belongings neatly before sitting cross-legged on the bed. Taking advantage of the still-unfolding day and the recent arrival of the summer solstice, he continued to perceive the seasonal spiritual resonance.

The cat transformed back into its original form and nestled beside him.

The summer solstice brought forth intense and robust spiritual qi. Although Lady Calico was a demon, she also practiced the Yin-Yang Method, allowing her to benefit from this energy.

***

As the long night reached its halfway point, a ghost came to visit.

This ghost appeared as a thin scholar, with a complexion as pale as paper. He was floating and walking halfway as he aimed at the few thatched taverns in the west of the village, then he moved straight over to investigate them one by one.

The first tavern consisted of several scattered thatched huts. The scholar ghost examined each one from left to right, but none of the residents caught his interest. The second tavern had a courtyard, enclosed by walls made of small stones. With a gentle push of his toes against the ground, he floated over the wall and into the courtyard, continuing his inspection.

This tavern housed quite a few merchants, and judging by their bags, they seemed to carry a substantial amount of wealth.

Though silver and gold were heavy for a ghost, his cultivation skill allowed him to manage it just fine. While the merchants all rested their bags beneath their heads or held them tightly in their arms, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to extract them.

However, today he had a more important target.

Glancing again, he saw that the Daoist had also opened his eyes. Those eyes were calm and unwavering.

“Whoosh...”

The oil lamp in the room flared to life, casting its glow throughout the space.

In this yang energy-filled room, the scholar ghost felt as if he were experiencing the same agony he had felt when he first became a ghost and naively wandered into the scorching sun. It was even more excruciating now.

But he couldn’t move, so he was forced to steel himself and look toward the Daoist in front of him, almost gritting his teeth as he said, “Immortal Master, spare me...”

The Daoist hadn’t spoken yet, but the calico cat beside him stood up. It shook its head and stared at the ghost curiously before speaking in human language, “What are you doing in our house? Are you trying to steal our money?”

“I didn’t intend to offend you...”

“I didn’t intend to offend you...” the cat mimicked.

The scholar ghost was in extreme agony, and to make matters worse, the calico cat was mocking him by mimicking his tone. He was both pained and furious.

The Daoist patted the cat’s tail before finally looking at the ghost and speaking, “For what purpose have you come here?”

“I was merely passing by...”

“...”

The Daoist listened, then pressed his lips together and turned to the cat beside him, saying, “Lady Calico, he’s lying to us.”

“...!”

Lady Calico’s expression instantly turned serious. It exchanged a glance with the Daoist to confirm, then turned back with a more menacing look. It took a deep breath and exhaled toward the ghost. “Whoosh...”

Its breath turned into flames.

“Ah!” Even though it was just a slight burn, the ghost yelped in pain.

“Lady Calico, your cultivation has reached a point where even your breath carries spirituality,” the Daoist praised before turning back to the ghost, asking again, “Now, can you tell me why you’re here?”

“Immortal Master, spare me...”

The ghost finally gritted his teeth through the pain and said, “I often frequent the ghost market, and tonight I saw your pack brimming with spiritual resonance, so I thought to steal it...”

After speaking, he hurriedly added, “Please, Immortal Master, have mercy on me—it’s my first offense!”

“...!”

Lady Calico’s eyes narrowed at once. So, he really did come to steal something.

How was that any different from a rat?

However...

Just as Lady Calico was about to get angrier, a look of confusion crossed its face. It stared at the scholar ghost, tilting its head. “Why do you talk to yourself when you steal?”

“...”

So, it was because of his talking that it had caught him.

The scholar ghost’s face twisted with regret, shame, and embarrassment before he gritted his teeth and explained, “It’s a habit from when I was alive. After becoming a ghost, I just can’t seem to stop muttering to myself while I steal...”

“Oh...”

“That’s quite peculiar.”

“Please, Immortal Master and Cat Immortal, spare me!”

“...!”

The words “cat immortal” made Lady Calico feel very pleased.

Though it was in a good mood, she remained silent, simply turning to look at the Daoist.

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