Otaku Translation: The Unintentional Path to Immortality Chapter 34

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WindResponse then spoke, "Dao Brother, our grandmaster has learned that you're traveling the world and are in need of a steed. Today, the Temple of Lord Yue is hosting a fair, and it's likely you'll be attending to procure a horse. However, given the shortage in the northern border, our grandmaster speculates that you may struggle to find a suitable one. As we were also planning to attend the fair to purchase items and engage with the Daoists in Yidu, we coincidentally have a devotee with connections who can assist. Therefore, our grandmaster has sent us to present you with a horse as a gift. Even if it's not for riding, it can still alleviate some of the burdens of your long journey."

EmergingCloud added, "We were worried that by the time we found Dao Brother, you would have already bought a horse, leaving us with no choice but to take it back. Fortunately, that's not the case."

Song You looked at the two of them.

Their Daoist robes provided limited warmth, and on this cold winter night, both individuals had their lips turning dark from the cold. To make matters worse, fog began to rise in the night, dampening their eyebrows and hair tips, adding to the chill in the air.

But the horse they brought was no ordinary horse. Though not tall and not particularly good-looking, it was sturdy and robust, with a broad chest and a thick mane—a typical Northern Yuan horse.

Although its appearance might not be exceptional among Northern Yuan horses, it was still the most suitable for long journeys.

Song You stood still, contemplating.

The two Daoists were anxious.

After a few seconds, Song You reached out and smiled, leading the horse towards him. "Thank you very much."

They breathed a sigh of relief. "No need for formalities, Dao Brother."

"It's cold tonight; come warm yourself by the fire."

"We won't disturb you any longer." WindResponse hurriedly said, "We've been out for a while; it's best to return soon."

"Our temple has good relations with the Temple of Azure Sky in the city west," EmergingCloud added, "The elders are staying there. And it's dangerous at night, so if we don't return soon, they'll be worried. We'll visit Dao Brother again tomorrow."

"Junior Sister is right; we still need to attend the fair tomorrow."

"Take care, Dao Brother. This horse is young and may have an unstable temperament."

"Dao Brother naturally has his magical methods to deal with it."

"You're right."

"Dear horse, oh dear horse, from now on, you must be obedient. Being able to accompany Dao Brother on journeys in the mortal world is a blessing earned through many lifetimes. It's something that we desire, yet unable to attain."

"Farewell, Dao Brother."

Although the seamless exchange of words between the two was quite interesting to witness, Song You could only watch as they walked away now.

Turning back to the horse, he realized it was indeed very young, prompting a sigh. While unsure of Guanghua Zi’s cultivation level, he was certain of his worldly wisdom and sharp calculating abilities. The old Daoist might not attain immortality in this life, but he had undeniably become a shrewd individual.

*Neigh* The chestnut horse snorted.

"Shh..." Song You calmly said to it, "Please be quiet while in the city. When I have the chance, I'll take you out for a ride."

The chestnut horse obediently quieted down.

Was this the behavior of an unstable-tempered horse?

Song You smiled in satisfaction.

Lady Calico, who had been staring at the horse with wide-eyed wonder, hurriedly asked after the two Daoists left, "Is this horse good?"

"Of course, it is."

Lady Calico was overjoyed to hear this.

Song You pondered for a while, roughly discerning her thoughts. Whether he fully comprehended them or not wasn't essential; after all, even humans couldn't entirely grasp each other's thoughts, let alone the thoughts of a cat.

As for the horse, it was a typical chestnut color, not particularly tall even among Northern Yuan horses. Most of the time, he only needed it to carry some baggage and travel leisurely, without the need for a tense and hurried march like in the army, nor did he require it to be particularly strong.

After closing the courtyard door, Song You led the horse to the bamboo grove and said, "The courtyard is quite simple, lacking a stable. I apologize for any inconvenience, but for now, you'll need to stay here. Please refrain from making excessive noise. Tomorrow morning, I'll purchase some fodder for you."

The horse stood still and made no sound, just as he had expected.

"In the days ahead, as we journey through mountains and rivers together, I kindly ask for your company and assistance in carrying my burdens. I, of course, will assure you fair treatment in return."

With that, Song You even bowed to the horse.

What was even more interesting was that; although the horse remained motionless, it blinked its dark eyes as if it understood what he meant.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Lady Calico, reluctantly tearing her gaze away from the horse, hurriedly ran to open the door.

Standing outside was Head Constable Luo.

Clad in black clothes and boots, with a sword at his waist.

These days, with the Temple of Lord Yue fair, many people from the martial arts world had come to the city, making it chaotic. The constables had even changed their metal rulers into steel swords.

Seeing that young girl again today, Head Constable Luo's expression changed slightly, but he didn't reveal too much of it. Maintaining their unspoken agreement not to call her Lady Calico, he greeted politely, "Has master returned?"

"He has just returned..." Just when Lady Calico finished speaking, she saw Song You approaching from behind.

"Is the shift not over yet, Head Constable?"

"We have encountered a mysterious case, so I came to consult with you, master."

Since Song You had come to terms with it before the start of winter, he no longer restrained himself from getting too involved with worldly affairs. Nowadays, whenever there was a mysterious case that required consultation, Head Constable Luo would come directly to seek advice from Song You, instead of searching for experts in temples, or among the populace. Most of the time, Song You could provide answers, and he rarely refused the small gifts Head Constable Luo brought along.

They had developed some understanding over the past few months.

Song You gestured for him to speak freely.

"Today, the administrative office received reports from many wealthy individuals claiming that their silver ingots had mysteriously disappeared. Most of these incidents occurred while they were watching magic tricks or performances.” Head Constable Luo explained in detail, “The fair is chaotic, so it's not uncommon for petty thieves to mix in. However, what's strange is that only the complete silver ingots were stolen, with no loss of copper coins or silver ingots crumbs. Some people had wrapped their silver ingots tightly, and even some officials had all their money placed in the boxes of their sedan chairs, yet silver ingots still went missing, and only the complete ones disappeared."

"Do you have any suspects..."

"Among these performers, there are many with sticky fingers or strange abilities. I suspect it's these wandering performers committing the crimes." Head Constable Luo glanced discreetly at Song You. "One group specialized in performing tricks called 'Three Immortals Return to the Cave' and 'Materialization out of Thin Air.' Not only are they related to these incidents, but most of the victims reported thefts occurring during these performances. I wish to inquire if there are similar methods in this world to steal silver ingots from a distance, Master."

"There is a magical art called 'the Art of Remote Object Manipulation', which is difficult to learn due to its strict requirements. It's not a technique widely known among the populace, but once mastered, it would allow one to take objects from a distance without the owner noticing or make them disappear."

Head Constable Luo continued to observe Song You's expression.

Although it seemed like Song You was simply answering his question, after months of interaction, Head Constable Luo could tell from his demeanor that Song You had already confirmed his suspicions.

"If that’s the case, it will be very difficult for us to catch the thieves. The law is strict, without any evidence, it will be very troublesome if we randomly arrest people."

"If the practitioner of such spells has the ability to take objects from afar, they wouldn't need to perform tricks like these. Even if they can't take objects from a thousand miles away, even if it's just a hundred or ten miles, or even just a mile, there's no need for them to resort to tricks." Song You asserted, "Given that the money was pilfered from those nearby, any ill-gotten gains wouldn't be stashed afar."

Head Constable Luo's expression suddenly changed, and he immediately understood how to solve the case. Then, with a snap, he clasped his hands together.

"Thank you, master. I'll take my leave." With that, he hurriedly left.

However, as he reached the door, he suddenly stopped, turned back, and glanced in the direction of the bamboo grove before swiftly adding, "Master, did you buy the horse at the fair today? If keeping it here is inconvenient, the administrative office has a dedicated stable. If you need it, I can have it taken to the office to be cared for, and the expenses will be covered by the government."

Song You couldn't help but smile and thanked him.

The sound of footsteps quickly faded away.

He remembered that the performers who performed the magic tricks were still working when he returned from the Temple of Lord Yue fair. He wondered if Head Constable Luo would be able to find them.

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