Immortal Travel of Longevity

In a flash, autumn was approaching.

Taking advantage of the fine weather, while it was neither too hot nor too cold, Ruyi brought Dong Chiyu to Chunhui Prefecture.

Over the years, Tao'er and Tong Zhihuan had stopped wandering. A person couldn't spend their entire life on the road, after all. Nianyi was now a prefect with many duties, so they had decided to settle down, rest, and help take care of him.

Having not seen them for several years, Tong Zhihuan noticed that Ruyi and Dong Chiyu had both changed drastically.

Time spared no one; in the blink of an eye, decades had slipped by.

Dong Chiyu was a little nervous, but at Ruyi's urging, she extended her wrist.

After checking her pulse, Tong Zhihuan's expression remained calm. "Your pulse is steady and reasonably strong," he said. "Your recent illnesses were likely just minor passing ailments. Neither of you needs to worry too much."

Dong Chiyu breathed a sigh of relief at his words.

It was as if a heavy stone had been lifted from Ruyi's heart as well.

She had simply been terrified of the Blockhead falling ill. At their age, a minor ailment could turn into a major, life-threatening sickness.

"Big Brother Tong, please examine Ruyi as well."

"What is there to examine? My hair is just a little gray, but I've never been sick."

But under Dong Chiyu's insistence, Ruyi gave in.

As Tong Zhihuan checked her pulse, however, he slightly furrowed his brow.

Seeing this, Dong Chiyu asked, "Big Brother Tong, Ruyi is alright, isn't she?"

Tong Zhihuan looked up, his gaze fixing on Ruyi.

He found Ruyi staring back at him, her eyes seeming to convey a silent message.

Catching her meaning, Tong Zhihuan said, "Judging from the pulse, there are no symptoms or signs of illness. Neither of you has any major issues."

Ruyi sighed in relief and said, "See? I told you there was nothing wrong with me."

Seeing her act so smug, Dong Chiyu warned, "You still need to be careful. You aren't a young woman anymore; you can't bounce back like you used to."

"Hah, Blockhead, you think I'm old."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Yes, you did."

Within two sentences, the pair started bickering.

Trading remarks back and forth, neither was willing to back down.

Ruyi didn't actually want to keep bickering; she merely wanted to use the distraction to gloss over the matter.

Having arrived in Chunhui Prefecture, the two stayed at the Tong estate.

Dong Chiyu went into their room first to set down her belongings.

Only then did Tong Zhihuan look at Ruyi. "Are you really not going to tell her?"

Ruyi's face lost its earlier composure. "Big Brother Tong, what is there to say? If she knew, she would be sad for a very, very long time. While we're alive, we should try to be as happy as possible."

Tong Zhihuan nodded. Thinking about it, she was right. What good would come of saying such a thing?

Ruyi pursed her lips and said, "She is just a Blockhead. Once a Blockhead develops feelings, it's very hard for them to let go."

Naturally, she knew her own body best.

After all, she had been cared for by Uncle Chen since childhood. A strand of Sword Qi and a Dragon Spirit roamed through her meridians, altering her body in ways unlike ordinary people.

At first, she hadn't quite understood how to use that Sword Qi and Dragon Spirit. Slowly, she had figured it out and grasped the gist of it. Simply by closing her eyes, she could look inside her own organs; no change in her body could be hidden from her.

She had long since estimated her own Lifespan.

It was then that she realized she would likely pass away before Dong Mutou.

The age gap between them was simply too vast.

Ruyi didn't want to dwell on these things anymore. Changing the subject, she asked, "By the way, Big Brother Tong, how has Nianyi been all these years?"

Following her lead, Tong Zhihuan chatted with her about him.

Neither of them brought up the matter they had deliberately concealed again.

...

By the winter months, the weather grew colder and colder.

That year, it snowed in Qingshan City as well.

Business at Yu Hongjin's wine shop not only didn't decline, but grew much busier. In this winter season, everyone hoped for a mouthful of warm wine.

Her wine wasn't hot, but some of it was strong enough. Once it went down to the belly, it warmed you right up.

Yu Hongjin wore a thick, bright red padded jacket, making her look incredibly festive. Anyone who saw such an adorable little girl would praise her as well-behaved.

Lately, however, the smile had vanished from her face.

She was entirely alone once again.

Sister Zhishu was gone.

Right before her eyes.

Her soul had drifted away like willow catkins rising from a riverbank, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

She hadn't cried that day, but when night fell, she had wept fiercely, her tears soaking her pillow.

Yet she also understood that nothing could be done.

Sister Zhishu was a common mortal. She had never possessed the state of mind a cultivator should have, and therefore, she could never truly comprehend ghost cultivation.

Cultivators often said that if one's dao heart was not firm, they would eventually enter fire and fall into demons.

For ghost cultivation, this risk was even more pronounced.

Transforming into a ghost meant losing certain things—being unable to feel cold or warmth, unable to taste flavors, and having nothing to hope for.

Under such circumstances, existence was merely a daily hardship for Zhishu.

Therefore, Yu Hongjin could only watch as she found her release.

This also meant that Sister Zhishu would have no next life.

After Zhishu passed on, Yu Hongjin had thought several times about closing the shop and leaving this heartbreaking place. But upon stepping out of the city, she found that she seemed to have nowhere else to go.

In her memory, the only places remaining were ones that brought her sorrow.

"Haa..."

Yu Hongjin breathed a puff of hot air into her palms. She found herself smiling less and less.

She, too, was trapped in this Red Dust.

Tangled and impossible to unravel.

Gradually, Yu Hongjin seemed to understand why Chen Changsheng hadn't been able to save Sister Yun back then.

Just as she hadn't been able to save Zhishu.

The affairs of this world truly tortured the heart.

"Hongjin, Hongjin!"

Yu Hongjin froze for a moment and looked outside.

She saw a young boy with a bright red nose. Light snow dusted his shoulders and hair. His clothes were filthy and carried a distinct odor. Sniffling, he hurried up to the door.

"Look..."

The child showed Yu Hongjin what he was cradling in his hands.

Yu Hongjin glanced down. Resting in his palm was an egg.

"Little Mouse, where did you get an egg? You didn't steal it, did you?"

The child called Little Mouse grinned and said, "I didn't steal it. I begged for it. A noble dining at the Golden Joy Pavilion gave it to me."

Hearing this, Yu Hongjin said, "It's snowing. You should go out begging less. If you don't have anything to eat, come find me. Freezing to death isn't worth it."

Little Mouse didn't reply to that. He simply offered the egg to her and said, "For you."

Yu Hongjin blinked in surprise. "Why give it to me?"

Little Mouse said, "The older brothers and sisters say eggs are good things, that eating them makes you grow taller. You always help us out. Last time, I heard you grumbling about how you could never grow taller, so I begged for this for you. Eating it will make you grow taller."

Stunned, Yu Hongjin reached out and took the egg.

A moment later, she snapped back to her senses, but her gaze fell back onto the egg.

It wasn't anything valuable.

Yet holding it in her hand, it felt so heavy.

She didn't know why she wanted to cry. Perhaps it was because of Little Mouse's innocence, or perhaps it was because there was still someone in the world who cared about her...

The egg was warm. There was no telling how long Little Mouse had cradled it in his hands.

Spring, the twenty-first year of Shunzhi.

Spring had arrived with its beautiful scenery, yet this was also the time when many departed the living world. Winter was the hardest to endure, but death so often claimed people just as spring began.

Many people survived the bitter cold of winter, only to pass away in the warming spring breeze. It was as if they were reminiscing about their lives, lingering just long enough to see one last spring before leaving without regrets.

When newly arrived souls crossed paths in the Underworld, they would occasionally chat about the spring scenery of the Mortal World.

Chen Changsheng would sometimes go and listen. In past years he had been able to see Huaixu, but now he could see nothing at all. The Underworld was dark and gloomy; only the Sand Sea held a faint glimmer of light, keeping the mind from growing too heavy.

Zhao Yuqing sat beside him, toying with a pebble in his hand.

"It has been twenty-one years in the blink of an eye," Zhao Yuqing said.

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng replied, "Don't remind me from now on. Whenever you bring it up, I always end up dwelling on it."

"Isn't this to give you some motivation? You asked me to help you, but several years have passed and I haven't seen you make a single move."

"For something so likely to get me killed, I naturally need to be absolutely certain before I act."

"Is that so?"

Zhao Yuqing smiled, but then added, "To be honest, the world outside is still better. This Underworld is completely indistinguishable from a prison."

"Indeed."

Chen Changsheng paused for a moment before asking, "What about you? When do you plan to leave?"

Zhao Yuqing thought about it, then said, "I don't know."

"Why not?"

"I haven't figured it out yet."

Chen Changsheng looked slightly distracted for a moment before saying, "You mean Meng Po?"

"Yeah."

Zhao Yuqing's brows furrowed at the mention of her.

Truth be told, even now he still couldn't figure out whether Meng Po was actually Yu Xuan's soul.

Perhaps it was a misconception, or perhaps it was because she had lost her past memories, but Zhao Yuqing couldn't shake the feeling that the person before him was no longer the one from his past.

Chen Changsheng shook his head and said, "This Chen isn't sure either."

"You aren't sure either?"

"That's right."

Chen Changsheng said, "You are at least familiar with her, but I have never met her."

Zhao Yuqing fell silent for a moment before saying, "You really do draw a clear line between your past life and your current self."

Chen Changsheng blinked. "Why wouldn't I?"

Zhao Yuqing said, "Reincarnating to continue a past destiny is something many people beg for but can never attain, yet you cast it aside with disdain. That's why I don't understand you."

Chen Changsheng laughed at that. "I am simply me. It is a very simple truth."

The two of them continued their idle chatter.

The yellow sand blew against their faces, covering them in dust.

As they spoke, the topic drifted back to the matters of the Underworld.

Lately, the number of ghost cultivators in the Sand Sea had been growing.

There had never been any rules here; it was just a barren expanse of empty space.

But because of this, there were no restrictions either.

Many deceased cultivators had turned into ghost cultivators, taking root in the Sand Sea to pursue the immortal path.

However, the vast majority of them were just cultivators with meager Dao Cultivation.

Those with profound Dao Cultivation never bothered with such things. The merit they possessed was more than enough to guarantee a good reincarnation in their next life, allowing them to return to the immortal path and achieve greatness once again.

"I don't have the final say over the matters of this Sand Sea," Chen Changsheng remarked.

Zhao Yuqing nodded. "True."

This Underworld didn't belong to him, Chen Changsheng. The true Prefecture Lord was Manyue.

The two of them were just destitute wanderers who had been taken in.

"It doesn't seem to make much difference anyway."

Zhao Yuqing said, "Ultimately, Miss Manyue was once a part of the Heavenly Dao. She even perfected Reincarnation and perfected herself, yet she still ended up in the hands of the Heavenly Dao."

"It's different."

Chen Changsheng said, "Miss Manyue is the incarnation of Reincarnation. She possesses human emo—"

His words suddenly caught in his throat, and he corrected himself, "She has a human touch."

"A human touch?"

Zhao Yuqing paused upon hearing this and narrowed his eyes.

"How could the Heavenly Dao possess human emotions? That is unfounded nonsense."

"I feel that she does."

Chen Changsheng recalled the times he had spent with Manyue in the past.

Manyue liked reading, especially play scripts. She was most fascinated by the inexplicable, complex emotions depicted within them. She would keep reading a script until its pages were practically falling apart.

She was perhaps a bit too rigidly bound by rules, yet she was also vastly different.

Zhao Yuqing, however, remained skeptical. He glanced at Chen Changsheng, his gaze seeming to convey a silent message.

Chen Changsheng merely shook his head, offering no reply.

Seeing this, Zhao Yuqing didn't press the matter.

He just felt that something was off about Manyue. Perhaps it was his own internal prejudice; he had never harbored any goodwill toward the Heavenly Dao.

Meanwhile, every single word of their conversation fell clearly upon Manyue's ears.

She was the Prefecture Lord of this place; how could she possibly not hear them?

"A human touch?"

Manyue murmured, looking down at the book she held in her hands.

Chen Changsheng had said that, yet she herself didn't quite understand.

What exactly was a human touch?

She couldn't find the answer in her books. Even after reading them until they fell apart, the answer eluded her.

Chen Changsheng stood up and brushed the dust from his clothes.

"I have made my decision."

"In a few days, I will initiate the Dream Method once again."

Zhao Yuqing paused upon hearing this. He stood up as well and said, "I thought you were trying to come up with another way these past two years."

He had always assumed that Chen Changsheng's inaction meant he had found a solution elsewhere. Yet now, he was bringing up the Dream Method once more.

Zhao Yuqing had never looked favorably upon that Dream Method. The scenes within Chen Changsheng's dreams were far too bizarre and brimming with an evil aura. Perhaps it was connected to the demonic energy from that demonic corpse, but in no way was it a good method. At least, he didn't think it was.

Chen Changsheng shook his head and said, "Other methods won't work..."

"Why do you say that?"

"As the saying goes, 'use their own methods against them.' Since I was defeated by the Dream Method, I can also triumph through the Dream Method. Furthermore..."

"With my foundation and accumulation, there is absolutely no way I can compare to that demon. Only through this method can I put up a fight against him. It's my only chance, and I can't afford to wait any longer."

Zhao Yuqing fell into thought.

He couldn't comprehend Chen Changsheng's line of thought; sometimes, his ideas were just too unrestrained, imaginative, and wildly creative.

But at other times, he felt that Chen Changsheng made perfect sense, even though Chen Changsheng never actually bothered to explain the reasoning behind it.

On the surface, it sounded completely reasonable, but the moment you actually listened to it, it was total bullshit.

That was how Zhao Yuqing felt.

Chen Changsheng waved his hand and then turned to walk deeper into the Underworld.

Zhao Yuqing asked, "What exactly is inside that Dream Method of yours?"

Chen Changsheng paused upon hearing this.

After pondering for a moment, he gave an answer.

Zhao Yuqing blanked for a second after hearing it, furrowing his brows as he repeated Chen Changsheng's words.

"Demonic heresy?"

He actually found Chen Changsheng's description quite fitting.

Even a dog would shake its head in disgust upon seeing his Dream Method. If that wasn't demonic heresy, then what was?

He merely thought that at the time. But who could have expected that the events which followed would completely exceed his expectations, simultaneously making him profoundly realize what true demonic heresy actually was.

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