Immortal Travel of Longevity

Deep within the mountain forests, vegetation flourished, teeming with abundant Spiritual Energy.

The mountains hid countless spirits and endless varieties of immortal herbs. Wisps of ethereal mist drifted upward, lending an air of profound tranquility to the lush landscape.

After nightfall, insects chirped endlessly alongside the low growls of wild beasts. Sentient tiger demons presided over the depths, having awakened their intelligence to claim dominion over these lands.

Such were the wilds of the Cultivation World. The greener and more vibrant a forest appeared, the deeper the perils it hid. Careless cultivators who wandered into these woods often met gruesome ends, leaving not even bones behind.

Yet beneath the veil of night, the gleam of a Sword flashed and vanished through the trees.

A man with a cold, stern face gripped the Sword. His footsteps were as light as willow catkins, and when he leapt, he soared with the grace of a Celestial Immortal.

Ahead of him, a bloodstained figure fled desperately, running as if chased by a horde of malevolent ghosts.

The fleeing man pinched a Talisman, hoping to use it to escape.

But before the Talisman could ignite, the Sword's gleam slashed toward him!

A miserable scream tore through the night as two severed fingers hit the ground. Black mist bled from the stumps, drifting upward into the air.

An instant later, the pursuer's Sword pressed firmly against the fugitive's neck.

"Changshan!" the man roared. "I have no quarrel with you! Why must you drive me to a dead end?"

Changshan paused. "Senior Brother, you have fallen to the demonic path."

At those words, the man's eyes flared a vivid, bloody red, looking as though he might lash out at any second.

Changshan raised two fingers and softly chanted, "Cleanse!"

As the word left his lips, he tapped his fingers against the man's forehead.

The fugitive regained a shred of clarity. He shook his head and spat, "Stop acting so completely self-righteous. So what if I took up the Demonic Blade? Have I slaughtered the innocent? Have I committed any atrocities? I've done nothing wrong! What gives you the right to drive me to the brink?"

Changshan hesitated briefly. "Senior Brother, one more step and we are out of the mountains. If you lose your mind out there like you just did, the consequences would be catastrophic."

"Bullshit! I'm perfectly fine!"

He let out a harsh sneer. "Besides, what gives you the right to target me? Zisu defies the Heavenly Dao to practice forbidden, heretical arts. Going by sect rules, the things she does in the shadows are enough to have her executed by a thousand cuts hundreds of times over! You know exactly what she's doing, yet you play dumb. Did you think I was blind to it?"

Changshan's heart skipped a beat. He lowered his gaze and said, "As a manager of the Hall of Law Enforcement, I will report this matter to the Sect Master when we return so it can be handled appropriately."

His Senior Brother froze before letting out a mocking bark of laughter. "Will you, really? Heh..."

"Everyone knows you and Zisu have belonged to the same sect since your days in the mortal realm. You two are inseparable. Could you really bring yourself to execute justice on your own family? Bah, it's just empty talk. No one believes you'd actually go through with it."

Changshan looked up at him. "Senior Brother, there is no need to speak of other matters. The Sect Master will deal with Zisu. But you have fallen to the demonic path, and the elders of the Hall of Law Enforcement ordered me to apprehend you. Please don't make this worse for yourself. If you return with me, there might still be a chance for you to rejoin the Righteous Path. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to draw my Sword."

Hearing this, the man finally stopped struggling.

His Magical Power was completely depleted, his Talisman ruined by blood, and his life-saving tricks exhausted. He had no choice but to submit.

"Heh..."

He sneered bitterly. Unwilling as he was, he had lost any chance to resist.

Changshan took out an Immortal Rope. "Forgive the offense."

The Immortal Rope bound his Senior Brother tight, sealing away his Magical Power. Changshan successfully escorted him back through the mountain gates and handed him over to the elders of the Hall of Law Enforcement. Whatever fate awaited his Senior Brother from there was no longer his concern.

His sole duty was to apprehend criminals. He knew better than to pry into matters that didn't involve him.

Later, rumors circulated that Senior Brother Huo had initially been shielded by his master, but he ultimately went mad and was slain by the elders of the Hall of Law Enforcement. Because the demonic qi steeped in his body was so profound, not even a trace of his bones remained.

Changshan treated the news with indifference. Over the years, incidents like this occasionally cropped up within the sect. More than a few had fallen to the demonic path, and almost all of them shared the exact same fate.

"Senior Brother."

A slender, elegant figure stepped into his Cave Abode.

Changshan, who had been meditating and cultivating, looked up. He paused before cupping his hands. "Senior Sister."

Zisu offered a gentle smile. "I've told you not to call me Senior Sister. Can't we just stick to how we addressed each other back at the temple?"

Years had passed. Zisu had grown into a tall young woman. Dressed in a flowing silk Purple Robe, with her hair pinned up by a jade hairpin, she looked refined and elegant. She was no longer the little girl from years ago.

Changshan replied, "Since we are in the sect, we must abide by its rules. I joined the sect after you, so it is only natural that I address you as Senior Sister."

Zisu chuckled. "You're still as stubborn as ever, Senior Brother."

She had long grown used to this dynamic, yet she brought it up every time she visited, even knowing Changshan would never change his mind.

Changshan asked, "What brings you here today, Senior Sister?"

"I came to ask about Senior Brother Huo."

"Senior Brother Huo was dealt with by the elders in the end. I don't know much about the details."

"Is that so..."

Zisu paused before pressing further. "When you apprehended him that day, did he happen to say anything?"

Her gaze locked onto Changshan's eyes.

Changshan met her gaze. After a long silence, he let out a heavy sigh. "Zisu..."

Zisu's heart tightened. "So, you do know?"

Changshan nodded slightly. "I've known for a long time. Years ago, when Master ordered me to tend the fields and cultivate spiritual medicines in the Back Mountain, I accidentally caught you practicing forbidden, heretical arts in the shadows."

Zisu froze. She had never expected he had discovered her secret that long ago.

She bit her lip. "Senior Brother, you have to listen to me. I had a reason for doing it. I..."

But the words caught in her throat. She didn't know how to explain herself.

Perhaps the more she tried to explain, the more tangled the truth would become.

Changshan hesitated before speaking again. "Junior Sister, what exactly have you been doing all these years? Why does your Cave Abode frequently reek of death? Why are severed heads and corpses so frequently dug up from under the trees in the Back Mountain? What exactly are you trying to accomplish?"

Zisu lowered her head, remaining silent.

Changshan pressed, "Were you the one who killed those people?"

Zisu jolted. "I didn't kill them! They were already dead."

"Are you refining corpse puppets?"

"No..."

Zisu took two steps forward, then turned back to look at Changshan. "Senior Brother, can you keep this a secret for a while longer? At least don't let our Master find out."

Changshan stared at her. "If even I know, do you honestly think our Master is blind to it? Zisu, do you still not understand? Master and I have been shielding you this entire time! If we hadn't, you would have been exposed ages ago!"

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