“It's a good thing we're out enjoying spring now. If we waited a few more days, summer would be here.”0

The grass by the riverbank was lush and green, like a soft carpet spread across the land. Wildflowers of various colors blossomed, giving the place a grassland-like feel—though the grass wasn’t nearly as deep as on the vast grasslands of Yanzhou.0

Behind them, an irregularly shaped cloth was laid out on the ground, with a few rough wooden plates holding sliced braised meat, mantou, pastries, and some wild fruits they had picked along the way.0

A Daoist stood nearby, speaking to his cat.0

“That’s right.”0

The little girl sat on a stone by the river, wearing a straw hat, holding a fishing rod, as motionless as a meditating monk. She stared at the water’s surface, answering without even turning her head.0

“...” Song You shook his head and turned back.0

As he walked, he took deep breaths, sensing the world around him. 0

Something felt… off. He focused, trying to grasp it—but there was nothing. The sensation was elusive, impossible to pin down.0

Since arriving in Yangdu late last year, he had spent the first half of his time there in the dead of winter. The extreme cold, coupled with the presence of the Jile God, meant he hadn’t left the city. As spring gradually arrived, he found Yangdu bustling and lively—just...0