Immortal Travel of Longevity

Chen Changsheng's time in the Mortal World had never been long; it was always fleeting.

Once again, he returned to the Yellow Springs.

When Jiuxiaozi saw him again, he nodded with a smile and said, "I welcome the Heavenly Sovereign's return."

Chen Changsheng sat down cross-legged. "This Chen is not the Heavenly Sovereign; I have said this many times. When it comes to cultivation, you are even my senior. This Chen possesses the ability of the Dream Method, but my refinement still falls far short. If you truly do not know how to address me, simply calling me Fellow Daoist will do."

"Very well."

Jiuxiaozi nodded. He looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "Fellow Daoist seems to have gained much from this journey, yet you also appear trapped in a dilemma."

"Just a few fleeting hardships. They passed in the blink of an eye."

Chen Changsheng spoke with complete unconcern. "This Chen has spent his entire life chasing after the years. After so long, I have simply forgotten."

He paused, seemingly reluctant to dwell on the matter, and asked, "Can Priest Jiuxiaozi find that demon within Reincarnation now?"

Chen Changsheng froze for a moment before coming to his senses.

That was right. When all was said and done, this was merely a dream.

Chen Changsheng looked at him and said, "This Chen has learned of a theory of turning illusion into reality—specifically, transforming this Dream Method into a small world of its own. Once I return to the Mortal World, I can give it a try."

"However..."

Chen Changsheng paused before continuing, "Once this Dream Method is made real, the living beings within it will eventually transform into its underlying laws, serving as the foundation of that small world. But you, Priest, are an exception. You are the will of heaven itself. Once reality takes hold, you will likely assume control of that small world, acting as the heaven within heaven, the Dao within the Dao."

Jiuxiaozi merely replied, "This dream originated from Fellow Daoist. Whether it remains an illusion or becomes reality is naturally yours to decide. I only advise that you remain on guard against that demon. Should he return to attack, I fear Fellow Daoist would be unable to fend him off."

Chen Changsheng snapped back to attention, realizing that Jiuxiaozi's words made perfect sense.

"From the looks of it, I will have to delay this for a while."

Jiuxiaozi nodded. Looking at Chen Changsheng, he asked, "Could Fellow Daoist tell me about the grudge between you and that demon? And..."

"...and also about my own origins. I have been meaning to ask you about that."

Chen Changsheng met his gaze and said, "Your comprehension is extraordinary, Priest. You have likely made your own guesses, and they shouldn't be far off the mark. Back then, This Chen was trapped in a dire predicament. Left with no other choice, I severed a sliver of my divine sense and cast you into this Dream Method. Eventually, after weathering the vicissitudes of time, you transformed into the very nature of heaven and earth here, governing its rules."

"You were once a part of This Chen, Priest. But sitting here right now, we are two entirely different people."

Chen Changsheng thought of the Demon Sovereign, though his current dynamic with Jiuxiaozi was nowhere near as hostile.

Jiuxiaozi gave a slight nod. "In other words, I am but a chess piece placed by Fellow Daoist?"

Chen Changsheng opened his mouth to speak, but only let out a soft sigh before admitting, "You could say that."

"I see."

Jiuxiaozi did not grow angry at this revelation. He had long since severed his seven emotions and six desires. In his eyes, there was only the pure, straightforward logic of the Dao. To him, since he owed his existence to Chen Changsheng, there was simply no reason to bear him any ill will.

"And what was it that led to such a situation?"

Chen Changsheng stared blankly for a moment before murmuring, "If I am not mistaken, this story must begin from those long, long years ago..."

"My grudge with the Demon Sovereign likely began when..."

Chen Changsheng laid out his deductions and their ultimate consequences, sharing everything with the man sitting before him.

Jiuxiaozi listened, falling into a prolonged daze.

He seemingly never expected their respective journeys to be so strikingly similar.

It was like looking into a mirror—each seeing a reflection of the other within themselves. Endlessly repeating, tracing back to a singular source, it felt as though a scene from ancient times was playing out all over again.

The Heavenly Dao had severed its own desires, dividing itself: one half became heaven, and the other half became man.

Jiuxiaozi recalled the time when he had severed his own earthly ties and emotions. Distracted by the thought, he murmured, "In that case, I, too, have made a mistake..."

"We have all made mistakes," Chen Changsheng said. "At the very beginning, they are always difficult to notice. The transformations wrought by time are ultimately something people can never catch up to."

Jiuxiaozi fell silent at those words.

Even with his immense comprehension, he found himself lost in deep, prolonged thought.

It was as if everything that happened had been meticulously planned from the very start.

And the ending would always become exactly what they did not wish to see.

Jiuxiaozi looked at Chen Changsheng and asked, "So, everything Fellow Daoist is doing now... is it to alter all of this? To change the very heavens and the earth?"

Chen Changsheng froze for a moment before replying, "I do not yet know. But I have a lingering feeling that one day, I will inevitably reach that step."

Jiuxiaozi asked, "But what meaning does that hold for Fellow Daoist?"

"Just like me, the Heavenly Dao of the past severed its mortal sentiments. Both Fellow Daoist and the Demon Sovereign were born from those very seven emotions and six desires, which is exactly why you find yourselves trapped in this predicament of worldly passions. What brought all of this upon you were your emotions and desires, not the prison of time."

Those words seemed to instantly awaken Chen Changsheng.

"What traps This Chen is not time..."

Chen Changsheng stared in a daze for a moment, muttering, "Is it? Or is it not?"

He plunged into an inexplicable state of self-doubt.

Frowning, Chen Changsheng looked at Jiuxiaozi and countered, "Priest, you are mistaken. For This Chen, the only thing trapping me should be time. The one truly trapped by his emotions and desires should be that demon, not me."

Jiuxiaozi, however, disagreed. "From my perspective on this matter, Fellow Daoist is no different from that demon."

Chen Changsheng let out a slow breath, suddenly at a loss for words.

Once again, he fell into deep thought.

Seeing Chen Changsheng remain silent for a long time, Jiuxiaozi said, "If it is destined that you will walk the path of changing the heavens and the earth, then what awaits at the end of it all will be the severance of the seven emotions and six desires. That inherently runs completely counter to what Fellow Daoist originally intended."

Chen Changsheng shook his head. "This Chen merely wishes for an ordinary life."

Jiuxiaozi fell quiet for a moment before asking, "But when that time comes... will the people Fellow Daoist cares for, the people you remember, still be there?"

Chen Changsheng's mind drifted back into the past.

Throughout these countless years, the people he had once crossed paths with had drifted further and further away. He had even forgotten what some of them looked like—mostly because every time they reunited, their appearances were always different.

Thinking back on it, how many of his old friends were still around today?

He could likely count them on one hand.

It was clearly not like this in the beginning.

As Chen Changsheng dwelled on these thoughts, his expression grew increasingly vacant.

Jiuxiaozi paused at the sight and hurriedly called out, "Fellow Daoist, wake up!"

Chen Changsheng violently snapped back to reality, letting out a slight sigh of relief.

Jiuxiaozi warned, "Fellow Daoist must calm your mind. If an inner demon is born, I fear it will invite a great catastrophe."

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