Unintended Immortality-Chapter 427: The Road to the Little Kingdom

On the island’s beach, the cats and dogs had all retreated. The injured and the dead had also been taken away.

Song You didn’t return to the Cat Kingdom’s capital. Instead, he stopped right there on the beach, pulled out a woolen blanket from the small boat, and spread it out on the sand. He sat down casually, facing the sea.

Lady Calico, now back in her cat form, sat properly next to him.

The sky above was filled with countless stars and a crescent moon, casting their soft light over the world.

The ground had its own light as well—

The sea, though appearing dark, glowed faintly. Every time a wave crashed and sprayed into the air, the water lit up with a bluish luminescence, creating a magical, almost surreal effect. Both the Daoist and the cat were mesmerized.

Song You picked up a stone and tossed it into the sea.

Plop...

The splash of water triggered a bloom of glowing blue light, as if a luminous flower had blossomed on the surface of the ocean.

“Hmm?”

The cat blinked, tilting her head and twitching her ears before glancing over at her Daoist companion. Then, with a sudden puff of smoke, she transformed into her human form. She bent down, picked up another stone, and threw it into the sea.

Another glowing splash of blue lit up the waves.

Song You remained seated, calmly watching her play.

After a while, Lady Calico grew bored, returned to her cat form, and padded back to him. She resumed her position, sitting obediently next to him.

“Today, you were treated as a divine being by both the Cat Kingdom and the Dog Kingdom,” Song You said, glancing down at her. “The Cat Kingdom’s great general even suggested building a statue in your honor. How do you feel about that?”

“I was originally the Cat God, the Cat God of humans!” Lady Calico said seriously.

“I see.”

“The cats here can’t turn into humans!”

“That’s because they’re not as smart as you, Lady Calico.”

“But they can talk!”

“Still, they’re not as smart as you, and certainly not as powerful.”

“It feels strange...”

“How is it strange?” Song You chuckled, then glanced back at the hillside behind them to make sure the nearest Cat Kingdom “guards” couldn’t overhear their conversation due to the howling sea breeze.

Only then did he lean down and ask his cat knowingly, “Ever since we arrived on this island, you’ve been acting a bit strange, a little dazed. Why is that?”

“Because it feels strange...” the calico cat mumbled softly.

“Tell me more,” Song You said, finding it amusing.

“Tell me more...”

“Don’t just repeat my words. Explain in detail.”

“Explain in detail...”

“Lady Calico, you’re no fun.”

“I’m so much fun!”

“You’re not wrong.”

“I’m completely right!”

“Alright, I give up...”

Song You shook his head, leaning back on his hands, resting them on the wool blanket, and gazed up at the starry sky, the moonlight, and the glowing sea.

Lady Calico tried to copy him, awkwardly attempting to mimic his posture. After a few clumsy attempts, she realized that her cat body wasn’t designed for such movements, so she eventually gave up.

The sea breeze gently brushed past them as the sound of their conversation drifted along with it.

“I noticed that during today’s banquet, you seemed to enjoy their food quite a bit.”

“I noticed that during today’s banquet, you didn’t seem to enjoy their food very much, Daoist priest.”

“I'm not a cat, so of course.”

“I'm a cat, so of course...”

“By the way, what was that water inside the conch shell?”

“It was broth soaked with fish and shrimp.”

“I see.”

“I see...”

“Why do you keep repeating everything I say?”

“I was just about to ask you the same thing,” the calico cat said, turning her head toward him. “You just said it first.”

“...”

Song You couldn’t help but laugh and reached out to pat her head.

The cat didn’t avoid his touch, letting him stroke her while lazily narrowing her eyes. Only after he withdrew his hand did she quietly say, “This place is really magical...”

“What’s so magical about it?”

“The cats have their own country.”

“It truly is magical,” Song You agreed, his voice warm, as if telling her a bedtime story. “They say that in ancient times, people loved to give cats and dogs official titles. Just like how the people along the Jin Yang Road revered you as a goddess for your excellent mouse-catching skills, back then, small animals would often mimic humans and form their own kingdoms deep in the mountains and forests.

“At that time, there were far more monsters than there are now, so in the deep mountains and dense forests, small animals often imitated humans from the villages below by establishing their own kingdoms. Even today, the powerful and influential people in Changjing often refer to their pet cats and dogs as generals or officers.”

She said, “I’ve never seen anything like that...”

“Don’t feel discouraged, Lady Calico. I’ve only read about it in books,” Song You said, offering comfort.

“I haven't read many books...”

“Then go ahead and feel discouraged,” he teased.

“Meow?” Lady Calico turned her head and stared seriously at the Daoist.

“I was just joking, Lady Calico, don’t take it seriously,” Song You said with a slight smile. “As the saying goes, reading ten thousand books is not as valuable as traveling ten thousand li. Lady Calico, you’ve now traveled overseas, seen the Cat Kingdom with your own eyes, and witnessed all kinds of strange things on these remote seas. Isn’t that much more interesting than reading about them in books?”

“That’s true...”

“If you were to write a travel journal, documenting all the sights and experiences along the way with care and dedication, you might even compile it into a book someday. Who knows—it could be passed down for generations.”

“Really?”

“Possibly...”

“Possibly!”

“Possibly...”

“Like the way you wrote yours?”

“More or less.”

“More or less!” The cat blinked, her round eyes filled with wonder.

“Rest now, Lady Calico,” Song You suggested. “If you’re not in the mood to rest, you could cultivate for a while. The spiritual resonance here is abundant and unique—it could greatly benefit your cultivation. And if you don’t feel like cultivating, just watching the glowing sea is delightful. The world is full of endless wonders, mysteries, and changes. Every corner of it holds something profound.”

He paused, then added, “Who knows, perhaps one morning, you’ll wake up to find the Cat Kingdom and the Dog Kingdom gone, and all that’s left will be ordinary cats and dogs that can’t even speak.”

“Gone?”

“It’s just an example.”

“An example...”

“Tomorrow morning, we’ll visit the Dog Kingdom.”

“That’s right...”

The cat turned her head to look at the Daoist. Seeing that he had already closed his eyes and was sitting in meditation, she curled up on the ground.

However, she didn’t cultivate or sleep. Instead, she simply lay there, her chin resting on the ground, her round eyes wide open, watching the glowing waves roll onto the shore. Occasionally, when a fish swam by and stirred a trail of blue light, she followed its path with her gaze, completely content.

Before she knew it, drowsiness crept in.

As her mind replayed the Daoist’s words, she rolled over onto her side, facing him, and half-closed her eyes as she gazed at him. Gradually, she drifted off to sleep.

The Daoist, meanwhile, continued to immerse himself in the essence of the heavens and earth.

The spiritual resonance of the overseas kingdom was truly full of wonder.

***

The next morning, Song You visited the Dog Kingdom.

To his surprise, the ruler of the Dog Kingdom was still very young—a half-grown black dog with a soft, puppy-like voice. Despite its tender age, it carried itself with a sense of poise and authority.

“I am a Daoist from Great Yan, traveling the world,” Song You explained, bowing respectfully to the young ruler. “Recently, I found myself drifting at sea and accidentally arrived at the former Beast Kingdom’s continent. I landed on the Shazhou coast of the Cat Kingdom, where I was warmly received by their border commander, General Huang. I was then escorted to the Cat Kingdom’s capital, where I was treated with great hospitality.

“I had no intention of involving myself in the conflict between your two nations. However, due to my arrival, General Huang left his post, creating an opening for your army to invade.

“When I heard that both the Dog Kingdom and the Cat Kingdom share roots in Great Yan and had once been allies against the Monkey Kingdom, I could not bear to watch the two sides destroy each other over a misunderstanding. That is why I stepped in last night to request the withdrawal of your troops. If I have offended you in any way, I ask for your understanding, Your Majesty.”

“Mr. Song, your abilities are extraordinary, and even the divine cat who accompanies you possesses the power to destroy worlds. Even if there were any offense taken, what could we possibly do about it?” the young ruler said, sighing as he fixed his gaze on Song You.

It added, “Besides, our Dog Kingdom has always admired Great Yan and reveres its people as though they were deities. We wouldn’t dare hold any resentment.”

“Had I not intervened, with General Huang absent from his post, your army still wouldn’t have easily penetrated deep into the Shazhou region...” Song You felt a little awkward saying that, but he maintained his composure and polite tone.

After a brief pause, he continued, “Furthermore, the Cat Kingdom and the Dog Kingdom share a common ancestry and a common enemy. If you continue to battle over a small misunderstanding, won’t that just allow the Monkey Kingdom to benefit as the bystander?”

“And what do you suggest, sir?” The young ruler suddenly stood up, his eyes alight with curiosity.

“Thanks to the warm hospitality of the Cat Kingdom’s king and the Dog Kingdom’s grand marshal agreeing to withdraw the troops last night, I am willing to act as a mediator if the conflict between the two nations truly stems from a misunderstanding. I hope to help both sides resolve their differences and, if possible, restore the old alliance. Consider this as my token of thanks.”

“...”

The young ruler of the Dog Kingdom remained silent, his eyes flickering with thought.

“The Cat Kingdom’s people are arrogant and foolish,” the young ruler finally said. “Yes, it was wrong for our naval soldiers to trespass into their Shazhou coast. But think about it—if it were truly an invasion, why would we only send a mere dozen soldiers? We’ve always been willing to resolve this misunderstanding, but the Cat Kingdom’s stubbornness has made it difficult.”

“To be honest, the Cat Kingdom’s king has already realized it was a misunderstanding,” Song You said calmly. “But with casualties on both sides, the pride and stubbornness of both nations have deepened the misunderstanding, making it more difficult to untangle.”

“Is that so?”

“I am willing to mediate between the two sides.”

“...”

The young ruler glanced around the room, observing the expressions of the ministers and the grand marshal. Seeing no objections, he nodded.

“Our people have always trusted humans,” the young ruler said. “But the Cat Kingdom is full of suspicion and arrogance. Who knows if they—“

“Your nation trusts me, and the Cat Kingdom trusts Lady Calico,” Song You interjected. “When it comes to mediation, I believe no one is better suited than us.”

“If you can truly help restore peace between the two nations, you will have our deepest thanks.”

“It’s just a small effort,” Song You said earnestly, with Lady Calico at his side. “However, I must mention that my current journey is to seek the Little Kingdom. I’ve heard that your nation has wise individuals who enjoy traveling by sea and have some contact with the Little Kingdom. Once peace is restored, if Your Majesty permits, would it be possible for someone knowledgeable to guide us?”

“The Little Kingdom?”

“Indeed.”

“What do you intend to do there, sir?”

“I’ve heard of its strange wonders and would like to visit.”

“There is indeed a wise dog in our kingdom who has been to the Little Kingdom,” the young ruler explained.

“Many of the people there were originally from Great Yan, which is why they are warm and welcoming to us. However,” he paused briefly, “the Little Kingdom isn’t a place you can simply go to. Without a stroke of luck or careful planning, one must put in quite a bit of effort to get there.

“Although this wise dog knows the way, he has promised the citizens of that kingdom to keep it a secret and has never disclosed it to outsiders. Since our kingdom values loyalty and integrity above all, I can only promise to introduce him to you. But whether he will agree to take you there is something I cannot guarantee.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Joy flickered in Song You’s heart.

He stayed another day in the Dog Kingdom and, with little effort, successfully mediated the conflict between the two nations, allowing them to restore their alliance. True to his word, the young ruler had the grand marshal introduce Song You to the wise dog.

The experience was so surreal, it felt like a dream.