Unintended Immortality-Chapter 536: West of Yang Pass, No Friends Remain

In the Shadu region, countless people stepped out of their homes. Even though the air was bitterly cold and the northern wind cut like a knife, they paid no heed. They simply looked up at the inky clouds overhead, at the snowflakes swirling in the sky.

The snow was frigid, but as it fell to the ground, it brought nothing but life.

Countless people cheered, countless people wept.

“It's snowing!”

“The heavens have finally shown mercy!”

“Why couldn't it have come just a day earlier?”

“If only Father had held on for two more days...”

“Mr. Chang! It's snowing!”

Some commoners had long since had their lips and cheeks cracked open, their skin revealing deep lines and dried blood. Yet, in their murky, dulled eyes, light finally flickered to life.

Some simply tilted their heads back, mouths wide open, trying to catch the falling snowflakes. Their eyes reflected the drifting white blossoms in the sky.

Some, as soon as the snow touched the ground, didn't care if it had picked up dust or dirt. They hurriedly scooped it up and stuffed it into their mouths, fearing that the snowfall might last only for this fleeting moment—that if they waited even a second longer, it would be gone.

A merchant traveler had already collapsed along the road, his consciousness fading. His body burned hot and then turned cold in intervals. But in his final moments of clarity, he felt something cool and damp land on his face.

Summoning the last bit of his strength, he forced his eyes open.

And what he saw was the very scene he had dreamed of, the vision he had imagined countless times in his delirium.

For a moment, it was almost impossible to distinguish reality from illusion.

Some people wailed in grief and regret, for their dearest loved ones had fallen on the very eve of this newfound hope, dreaming of this very scene until their dying breath.

In the Gobi Desert, wild donkeys knelt on the ground, raising their heads toward the sky.

Scorpions crawled out from their burrows, standing upon the sand, welcoming the divine light and snowfall with their bodies.

The cold wind howled, shrouding the land in murky haze.

Even the ghostly officials from Fengzhou, who were passing through while escorting wandering souls, halted in their tracks at the sight. Even the local demons, spirits, or deities—whether legitimate gods or earth gods—could not help but reveal themselves upon witnessing this scene.

They stood in silent observation of the vast expanse of heaven and earth, sensing the astonishing spiritual energy and boundless vitality within it, as if a realization had dawned upon them.

This was no mere celestial phenomenon; it was a divine miracle.

The heavy snowfall continued for three days and three nights. It waxed and waned, but it never stopped, blanketing the entire land.

The dunes of the desert and the undulating ridges of the Gobi had always been like waves in a slow-motion ocean, sculpted over countless geological ages. But now, the snowfall had painted over everything, turning the vast expanse into a frozen sea of ice and snow.

Not until the third day did the wind and sun begin to part the clouds. When the bright sunlight finally bathed the earth again, the snow and ice started to melt. They seeped into the parched desert, eagerly devoured by the thirsty land.

Along gullies and crevices, the melted snow converged into trickling streams. And for the first time in ages, the desert echoed with the long-lost sound of flowing water—a melody played by nature itself.

The Medicinal Spring’s water level rose rapidly. Within a single day, it had returned to its usual height from years past.

Truly, it had nourished the earth and revived all things.

Song You, along with his calico cat, his jujube-red horse, and his swallow, returned to Shadu. Finding an abandoned dwelling, he buried the remains of its previous owner before settling in temporarily.

When he had first arrived in Shadu, it had been mid-autumn. By the time he had gathered spiritual resonance and summoned the rain on the mountain, it was already late autumn. Now, it was deep winter. The desert had grown too cold for travel, and even the most daring merchant caravans had halted their journeys.

The once-bustling trade routes had become desolate and empty. With the new year fast approaching, Song You decided to take a break, remaining in Shadu to observe the region’s climate changes and the impact of this miraculous snowfall on the land.

As he had predicted, this manmade rain and snow had not only replenished some of the desert’s lost water but also restored a measure of water qi spiritual resonance to the land.

If the people of Shadu could rekindle their faith in the Great Immortal Hu Mu, and if the local statues and sacred sites dedicated to him could be restored, then Hu Mu’s divine power might return, giving him the ability to once again work his miracles.

But the population of Shazhou was simply too vast.

This was the natural course of the land—a grand shift of earth and time, an inevitable transformation beyond the control of man or god. The snowfall, miraculous as it was, was merely a drop in the ocean.

No matter how skillfully Hu Mu redistributed the water, it would never be enough to sustain all the people of Shazhou.

It wasn’t even enough for the people of Shadu alone.

At most, it could achieve what Hu Mu had foretold. It would grant the locals a temporary reprieve, a chance to catch their breath, an opportunity to leave and seek a new home. But if they refused to seek another way, then, as he had warned, nature itself would drive them away in its own ruthless manner.

And that would be a far more tragic and bitter fate.

***

It was the spring of the twelfth year of Mingde. Though, by now, it likely shouldn’t be called Mingde anymore.

According to the traditions of Great Yan, a new emperor would only retain the previous ruler’s era name for a single year. After that, a new era name would be chosen.

The prefect of Shazhou brought generous gifts to visit Song You and informed him, “A message arrived from the capital yesterday—His Majesty has changed the era name to 'Da’an[1],' signifying grand peace and stability across the land.”

“Da’an, huh.”

“Yes...”

Prefect Zhang hesitated for a moment before quickly adding, “Thanks to you, the court has agreed to allow some of Shazhou’s people to migrate to Yuezhou via Yanzhou. This is truly a lifeline for them.”

In truth, Shazhou was not that far from Yuezhou.

Yanzhou stretched long across the north, bordering Longzhou, Shazhou, and the Western Regions. From Shazhou, traveling north led to Yanzhou’s western part. Heading eastward, one would transition from the vast desert and Gobi to open grasslands. On Yanzhou’s eastern side was Yuezhou, a region with a favorable climate and, conveniently, a shortage of laborers.

Yet, Prefect Zhang was well aware that Shazhou was Great Yan’s final stronghold before the Western Regions and an essential trade and military corridor. Historically, its position had been of utmost strategic importance. If Great Yan wished to maintain control over the Western Regions, it had to do so through Shazhou. Likewise, if a powerful enemy from the Western Regions sought to invade, they, too, would have to pass through here.

The imperial court needed people to secure and reinforce its rule over this land.

Moreover, the central government was unaware of the full severity of last year’s drought in the Northwest. Had he submitted his petition without mentioning Song You’s name, it likely wouldn’t have been trusted or approved so easily.

“When will the migration begin?”

“Spring has just begun. Informing all the local counties, notifying the people, and organizing the migration to Yuezhou will take time. I intend to arrange everything as quickly as possible. If we act swiftly, they might still make it in time for the spring planting.”

Prefect Zhang paused before adding, “Although both the local government and the imperial court will provide relief grain, with so many people involved, it will still be no small burden.” freёnovelkiss-com

“You’ve worked hard, Prefect.”

“It is all thanks to you, sir. That snowfall last month—who knows how many lives it saved in Shazhou?”

Prefect Zhang spoke with deep respect. He had been in the city that day, witnessing not only the endless flurry of falling snow but also the pillar of radiant light rising into the sky and the waves of divine energy rippling across the heavens. Even now, recalling that scene, his eyes still shone with awe and reverence at what he felt was a miracle.

“Had you not intervened with your divine powers, sir, countless people in Shazhou would already be dead by now even if the court had approved the migration.”

Song You listened to the praise without much reaction. He merely pressed his lips together before saying, “Since that is the case, I’ll leave the people of Shazhou in your hands. I will be departing soon.”

“Sir, when do you plan to leave?”

“Tomorrow.” Song You cupped his hands in farewell. “I must continue westward—there is something I need to find. I've heard that the drought in the Western Regions is even worse than in Shazhou, so I wish to see it for myself.”

Prefect Zhang hurriedly returned the gesture and said solemnly, “Since your mind is set, I will not dare to keep you. The Western Regions are vast—at least the size of several prefectures in Great Yan. If you continue westward from here, once you pass through Xifeng Pass, you will have officially entered the Western Regions.”

“I will draft an official document today. Once the border guards see it, they will grant you passage through the pass.”

“Many thanks, Prefect.”

“The Western Regions are filled with many small kingdoms. Great Yan has established the four garrisons of Anxi there. If you need assistance, you may present this document to the commanders of any military garrison, and I’m sure they will not dare to neglect you.”

Prefect Zhang paused before continuing, “According to merchants and couriers traveling through Shadu, beyond Xifeng Pass lies two thousand li of drought-stricken land. There is even a place called Flame Mountain, where the heat is unbearable even in winter. Flames rise skyward, so fierce that neither birds nor deities dare fly over them.

“However, beyond those two thousand li, the climate becomes pleasant again. There lies the Mount Tian meadows, rich with water and lush pastures, a place known as 'the Jiangnan beyond the frontier.'

“But the farther west you go, the more the people there differ from us in appearance, and fewer will speak the language of Great Yan. If you face language barriers, you may seek out merchants traveling between regions or visit a Great Yan military garrison, where you can find someone who understands the local tongues.”

“I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Prefect.”

Song You took mental note of the details while expressing his sincere gratitude.

After some more conversation, Prefect Zhang took his leave. Not long after, he sent over the personally signed document.

Song You began packing his belongings.

Though the weather remained cold, the northern winds still lingering and the eastern winds yet to arrive, he did not delay his departure. With his calico cat and jujube-red horse, he left the city and headed west.

They passed through the Medicinal Spring post again.

The Medicinal Spring’s water level had dropped slightly but was still plentiful. By the edge of the spring, the water plants, seemingly nourished by the lingering spiritual qi, had already begun to show hints of green among the withered leaves despite the lingering winter chill.

“There’s a stone over there!” The calico cat suddenly twisted its head and stared at a distant spot.

Following its gaze, Song You noticed something new.

At the base of the sand dunes where he had spent a hundred days, there now stood a stone stele over a zhang tall, with two large words carved into its surface, “Snowfall Monument.”

Beneath it were two smaller lines of text.

The calico cat stood on its hind legs, gazing at the monument for a moment before suddenly sprinting over, circling it once, then dashing back to Song You.

The inscription read, “In the autumn of the eleventh year of Mingde, a great drought struck the Northwest. Here, an immortal established an altar and summoned rain, blessing all living things.”

“...”

Song You shook his head with a small smile but said nothing.

Shadu was preparing for its great migration northward.

He wondered how future generations would record this event—the monumental climate shift that would reshape the entire Northwest. How would they tell the tale of the people who, in defiance of nature and the heavens, migrated in search of survival?

Traveling westward, the vast desert stretched endlessly before him.

Amidst the vast desert, an unbroken stretch of earth-yellow Great Wall emerged, extending all the way westward, standing like a towering barrier upon the land.

Beacon towers appeared frequently along the way, all in the same earth-yellow hue, weathered by the passage of time and the elements.

Song You walked along the route without encountering any inspections or questioning, until he arrived at the renowned Xifeng Pass, a name immortalized in countless poems. Gazing upon the grand and imposing fortress, he found that the garrison stationed there did not trouble him in the slightest. Instead, they greeted him with deep respect.

Clearly, long before he had even reached this place, word of his deeds had already spread.

After all, that heavy snowfall had nourished more than just the people and merchants of Shadu. It had also blessed them.

1. "大安" (dà ān) means "great peace" or "great safety" – It conveys a sense of stability, security, and tranquility. In ancient China, ​"Da'an" (大安) was an era name used during the Jin dynasty by Emperor Wanyan Yongji. ☜

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