Unintended Immortality-Chapter 496: The City God Is No Longer Who He Once Was

“Sir, two bowls of century egg and lean pork porridge, and one bowl of vegetable and lean pork porridge.”

“Alright—wait! Mr. Song?”

The shopkeeper, busy tending to his customers, had just acknowledged the order when he suddenly found the voice familiar. He turned his head and, upon recognizing Song You, exclaimed in surprise, “You’re back?!”

“I just returned.” Song You casually found a seat. “It’s been a while, sir. I trust you’ve been well?”

“Thanks to your blessings, I’m still in good health.”

“I heard that when Prince Shun led his troops into Changjing, he allowed his soldiers to plunder the city for three days. Did it affect your business?”

“Oh, that’s true! It was a disaster!” The shopkeeper shook his head as he worked, lamenting, “But funny enough, those imperial guards looted half of Changjing, yet they never came to our area. The whole of Willow Street was spared—not a single soldier set foot here. We all got lucky...”

“Is that so?” Song You narrowed his eyes slightly, watching the shopkeeper carefully.

“Later on, we heard that while Prince Shun allowed the three days of plundering, he still laid down some rules. The soldiers were forbidden from arson and murder, and forbidden from harming women. There were also certain places in the city they were not allowed to enter.”

The shopkeeper arrived with two bowls of century egg and lean pork porridge, placing them on the table before continuing,

“Some say they weren’t allowed to enter the Marquis of Wuan’s residence, the State Preceptor’s Stargazing Tower, Tianhai Temple near the city walls, and the estates of second-grade officials or the major families. Of course, all government offices were off-limits too.

“But for some reason, none of them dared to come here either. The streets all around were looted clean, but our area was left untouched.”

“That is rather strange.”

“Isn’t it?!” The shopkeeper chuckled as he went to fetch the third bowl of vegetable and lean pork porridge.

Song You took one bowl of century egg porridge for himself and pushed the other toward Lady Calico.

The vegetable porridge went to Yan An.

Only then did he continue, “On our way back to Changjing, we noticed that the city feels much quieter... but also much more chaotic than before.”

“Oh, that started long ago.”

“Hmm? How so?”

“When exactly did you leave, Mr. Song?”

“Spring of the eighth year of Mingde.”

“Then it’s been nearly three years.”

“Yes.”

“Things started changing not long after you left, Mr. Song. They say His Majesty’s health kept deteriorating, and he gradually stopped attending court. With the State Preceptor gone, rumors began spreading, and Changjing grew more chaotic.

“More and more rich playboys ran wild in the streets, and the number of local thugs bullying merchants kept increasing. The newly appointed Prime Minister, that Yu fellow, actually did a decent job—but he simply couldn’t handle it all.”

“Like the Grand Commander before?”

“The Grand Commander? Oh, him!” The shopkeeper waved his hand with a chuckle. “He’s quieted down now. But these days, people say that the trouble in Changjing isn’t just about one or two officials—it’s everywhere.”

“I see.”

“Then this summer, Prince Shun stormed into the capital. Three days of plundering by the imperial guards—even though there were orders to restrain them, people still died, fires were still set. Since then, Changjing has been even more chaotic.”

The shopkeeper lowered his voice slightly before adding, “Now that the Crown Prince has returned, but His Majesty is missing, even though the Prime Minister is cracking down hard and arresting people left and right, he still can’t fix the root of the problem.”

“The hearts of the people are in turmoil.”

“Exactly! Exactly!” The shopkeeper nodded eagerly. “That’s it!”

“Has there been any supernatural trouble?”

“Not really.” The shopkeeper shook his head.

“They say the City God has become incredibly powerful. His divine officers patrol Changjing at night, and people with particularly unique bazi have even reported seeing them on multiple occasions.”

He sighed, lowering his voice again.

“The people of Changjing nowadays are far more terrifying than evil ghosts. Someone knocking on your door at midnight? No one worries it’s a ghost. They fear it’s a person.”

“Thank you...”

“Hah! If anything, I should be thanking you, Mr. Song! Business has been getting worse and worse, so it’s rare to have you back, supporting my humble shop!”

With that, the shopkeeper turned away to tend to his other customers.

Meanwhile, the little girl beside Yan An whispered, “If you finish that bowl of porridge... you won’t be able to turn back into a swallow anymore.”

Song You quietly picked up his spoon and began tasting his meat porridge.

The flavor was still about the same.

The porridge itself was a little thinner than before, but the shredded meat was nearly the same—perhaps even more than usual.

That was because the shopkeeper, upon recognizing Song You, had subtly scooped an extra portion of meat for him when serving.

But Song You had noticed that the pot of porridge itself had less meat than before.

It seemed that Prince Shun’s rebellion had left a profound impact on Changjing. The greatest disruption had likely been those three days of looting.

The porridge was still freshly cooked—steaming hot.

Fortunately, it was already late autumn, and with winter approaching, the evening air in Changjing carried a slight chill.

The top layer of the porridge quickly cooled from scalding to warm.

By slowly skimming off this top layer, the remaining portion would cool just right—keeping a steady rhythm, one could finish the bowl comfortably.

“The bill, please.”

The price hadn’t changed—only an extra mouth was added to the bill. Lady Calico carefully counted out the coins to settle the payment.

“So your disciple is in charge of the money now?” The shopkeeper grinned at Song You as he took the payment.

“She always has been.”

“Safe travels!”

“Alright...” The Daoist crossed the street, returning to the small building.

By then, dusk had settled, though it was not yet fully dark.

Song You picked up the bucket that Yan An had originally prepared for fetching water. At the well near the alley entrance, he drew two buckets at a time, making several trips.

First, he washed out the water vat—the leftover water was given to Lady Calico to wipe down the tables and mop the upstairs floor.

Then, he refilled the vat with fresh water.

By the time he carried the final bucket back, night had fully fallen.

Lady Calico had meticulously cleaned the tables, chairs, cabinets, and floors. Yan An had cleared away the cobwebs in the corners.

A home untouched for three years had been restored to its former state in an instant.

“Whoosh...”

An oil lamp flickered to life, casting a warm glow across the wooden building. Inside, there was no harsh lighting and no outside noise.

The silence held a timeless, classical charm.

“Lady Calico, come here.”

“Mm?”

The little girl looked at him in confusion but followed nonetheless.

She was led toward the wall—where several markings had been made in the past. She immediately realized what he was about to do.

Without hesitation, she dashed over and stood straight against the wall—her posture as upright as possible. She even strained her entire body—pushing herself taller, as if trying to stretch the very bones in her frame.

Judging by how she was trembling from the effort, she must have been hoping to squeeze out every last bit of height possible.

The young girl held her breath, feeling both nervous and excited. She glanced upward, as if trying to roll her eyes all the way back just to catch a glimpse of what was happening above her head.

Seeing this, Song You also grew serious.

He even crouched slightly so that his gaze aligned perfectly with the top of her head, then slowly moved his hand across.

“...” Without a sound, the girl’s head seemed to rise a little higher.

“Why are you standing on tiptoe again?”

“I’m not!”

“And don’t fluff up your hair.”

“...I’m not standing on tiptoe!”

Song You pressed down lightly with his palm, flattening the strangely puffed-up hair that had suddenly fluffed out. Taking advantage of the proper height, he gently marked a line with his fingertip.

“Done.”

The young girl immediately stepped away from the wall and turned to look.

Another mark had been added. It was nearly a finger-width higher than the last one.

“Not bad,” Song You remarked. “It’s been about three years since the last mark, but you’ve grown more in height this time than before.” He paused, then added with a smile, “Given enough time, you might even surpass me.”

“That’s right!”

The young girl fixed her gaze on the series of marks on the wall.

“Yan An, come over too,” Song You called out to the boy nearby. “Stand next to Lady Calico.”

“Yes...” The boy obediently stepped forward.

Another mark was made. His height was still noticeably taller than Lady Calico’s.

This wall recorded their growth. Though, in all likelihood, the heights marked here would soon be frozen in time.

Perhaps, many years later, Lady Calico would return to this place, revisiting old memories. If Changjing still stood, if this street remained unchanged, if this little building had not been torn down—then, upon seeing the marks on the wall, she might be overwhelmed with nostalgia.

“...” Song You couldn’t help but smile.

Just then, a gentle breeze suddenly swept through the doorway, dispersing the mist that had just begun to rise.

“Flap, flap, flap...”

In an instant, the young boy transformed into a swallow, fluttering to the windowsill to peer outside. The cat, which had yet to take its true form, also sensed something. Thinking it was that fox again, it immediately dashed to the window, paws pressed against the frame as it looked down.

The young girl turned back and informed the Daoist, “It’s the City God...”

Without waiting for his response, she immediately spun around and ran downstairs, her footsteps making the wooden floorboards chime with a rhythmic ding-dong.

The Daoist straightened his robes and followed.

As soon as the door opened, a radiant divine light filled the entrance.

The young girl stood at the doorway and said,“Please come in.”

“Thank you, Lady Calico.”

The City God, his body glowing with divine radiance, stepped inside with two attendant officials. As they entered, the light gradually dimmed. He then turned toward Song You, offering a respectful bow.

“Greetings, sir. Greetings as well to the little Swallow Immortal.”

“City God, you’ve arrived quite early.”

“Upon hearing that you had returned to the capital today, I dared not delay. As soon as night fell, I came to pay my respects.” The old City God spoke with utmost reverence.

“You are too kind, City God.”

The tables and chairs inside had just been wiped down, but in the deep autumn air, the dampness lingered, leaving the wood still dark and moist. Song You flicked his sleeve, drying them instantly. The wood regained its firmness and a lighter tone before he gestured for the City God to take a seat.

Only then did City God dare to sit down.

“Your divine powers, as well as those of your two officials, have improved once more.” Song You glanced at the City God and the two aides standing respectfully behind him.

One official looked bewildered, while the other turned toward their superior for guidance.

But this time, the City God of Changjing did not respond with the usual polite phrase “It is all thanks to your blessings.”

Although, to be fair, such words were not entirely mere courtesy.

Instead, he let out a sigh and said, “Before you left, sir, the State Preceptor had already been absent from court for years. Later, His Majesty also withdrew from governance. And with only Yu Jianbai, a single man alone, it was impossible to support the weight of the nation.

“Not to mention that since the beginning of this year, the heavens and the earth have changed. The Great Yan Dynasty’s fate is declining. Many beings—once vanished, extinct, or in deep slumber—have all begun to resurface. This summer, Changjing was struck by both war and calamity. The people have suffered terribly, so they had no one else to turn to but this humble god.”

Hearing this, Song You nodded. At the same time, he couldn’t help but contemplate these words carefully.

There were at least three key takeaways.

First, the City God’s words were precise and professional. This indicated that over the years, he had gained profound experience in dealing with demons and malevolent spirits. The City God from six or seven years ago would not have been able to articulate things this way.

Second, his awareness of the changes in heaven and earth, as well as the decline of Great Yan’s fortune, proved that his divine power had greatly advanced. When Song You last met him three years ago, the City God had already been worthy of his title. Now, he has already drawn upon the power of this greatest city of the era, gaining extraordinary divine strength.

Lastly, there was a deeper meaning hidden within his tone.

“City God, you’re no longer the same as before.”

Song You nodded at him with a smile as he spoke.

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