Immortal Travel of Longevity

The Cultivation World was very far from the Mortal World.

Chen Changsheng headed south to the nearest Flying Boat Ferry.

The Flying Vessels of Lingyue Immortal Island were up and running once more. Paying his fare with a jug of spirit wine, Chen Changsheng boarded one and resumed his journey south.

He was no longer the Chen Changsheng of the past, whose Magical Power was inexhaustible.

Sometimes, he had to budget carefully.

When Chen Changsheng first boarded, the Flying Vessel held very few cultivators. Only after passing two more ferries did the passenger count begin to swell.

Most of those aboard were Rogue Cultivators. Cultivators from established sects were a rare sight, as most Immortal Mountains provided their disciples with specialized Flying Vessel Dharma Instruments, eliminating the need for public vessels.

"Fellow Daoist, where are you heading?"

Standing by the edge of the deck, sipping wine, Chen Changsheng was drawn from his thoughts by a voice.

"Just wandering. What about you, Fellow Daoist?" Chen Changsheng asked.

Kong Ru chuckled. "Me? I'm just wandering too. Ah, right—I'm Kong Ru. I haven't yet asked for Fellow Daoist's name."

"Chen Changsheng."

"Fellow Daoist's name is truly extraordinary."

Chen Changsheng said, "Yours is as well."

Kong Ru scratched his head in confusion. "There isn't anything special about my name, is there?"

Chen Changsheng smiled and didn't explain.

At least to him, the name was far from ordinary.

'Kong' and 'Ru'.

Seeing those two characters joined together in a single person gave Chen Changsheng the distinct feeling that the man standing before him was destined to accomplish great things.

Come to think of it.

In this world, between heaven and earth, Chen Changsheng had witnessed the Dao and encountered Buddhism, yet he had never seen Confucian Studies. Of the three teachings from his past life, one link remained conspicuously absent.

But looking closely, the essence of Confucian Studies did exist; it was simply fragmented. The scholars of the Mortal World already held distinct, profound views on literature, but they remained one step short. They hadn't quite reached the point of establishing a formal teaching—or rather, they were missing a figurehead to lead the way.

When Chen Changsheng offered no further explanation, Kong Ru didn't pry. Instead, he asked, "Fellow Daoist, the world hasn't been peaceful lately, and demonic cultivators are constantly on the prowl. I've only just set out into the world and don't have much skill to my name. Since we're both just wandering, I wonder if I could tag along with you? We could look out for each other."

Chen Changsheng looked at him. "Tag along with This Chen?"

"If Fellow Daoist is unwilling, it's completely fine," Kong Ru quickly added. "It was a presumptuous request."

"Following This Chen might prove quite dull."

Chen Changsheng met his gaze and said, "Most people would not be interested in the things This Chen wishes to see or the places he intends to go."

Hearing this, Kong Ru hurriedly said, "What does that matter? If I don't go and see for myself, how will I know? Perhaps I'll find them interesting too."

"Then we shall travel together."

"Really!"

Overjoyed, Kong Ru hurriedly said, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist! Thank you!"

Chen Changsheng smiled. "You really are an honest fellow."

Kong Ru chuckled. "Hehe, my teacher told me that when making friends on the road, the most important thing is sincerity."

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng shook his head. "Your teacher must not have traveled much, otherwise he wouldn't have given you such advice."

"Ah?" Kong Ru asked. "Why does Fellow Daoist say that?"

Chen Changsheng said, "The principle itself is sound, but actually walking the road is a vastly different matter. Out here, sincerity is secondary when making friends. You can never be truly certain if the person you've met can even be called a friend. You might offer your sincerest heart, but the other person might just be plotting to sell you off for silver taels."

Kong Ru thought for a moment, then asked, "Fellow Daoist, I don't understand. Can't sincerity be met with sincerity?"

"Sometimes it can."

Chen Changsheng asked, "Is this your first time traveling far from home?"

Kong Ru looked taken aback. "How did Fellow Daoist know?"

"It's obvious at a glance."

"How... how is it obvious?"

"Trading sincerity for sincerity is a naive notion. Only someone on the road for the very first time would think that way. It wasn't a hard guess."

"Is that so..."

Kong Ru scratched his head, falling into deep thought.

Chen Changsheng asked, "Did you figure it out?"

"A little."

"Then do you still wish to travel with This Chen?"

"Why not? Fellow Daoist is a good person!"

"..."

Chen Changsheng was momentarily rendered speechless. This kid really was incredibly naive.

Still, Chen Changsheng found that he didn't dislike the young man. At the very least, having a companion on the road meant the journey wouldn't be too dull.

As Chen Changsheng pondered this, a thought suddenly sprang to mind.

'Confucianism?'

He paused, his gaze landing squarely on Kong Ru.

Kong Ru shifted uncomfortably under the stare. "F-Fellow Daoist, why are you looking at me like that?" he asked timidly.

Chen Changsheng withdrew his gaze and said, "Your name bears a grand karma."

Kong Ru blanked. "G-grand karma?"

"Exactly."

Chen Changsheng gave a warm, mysterious smile.

Kong Ru asked eagerly, "Dare I ask Fellow Daoist, what kind of grand karma does my name hold? Please enlighten me."

"The secrets of heaven must not be revealed," Chen Changsheng replied.

It was an obvious fabrication, but looking at the young man, Chen Changsheng figured he probably wouldn't doubt a word of it.

Kong Ru drew a sharp breath. "Fellow Daoist, then how will I ever know what this karma is?"

"Just let nature take its course." Chen Changsheng patted him on the shoulder. "Your future will undoubtedly be far from ordinary."

Kong Ru took the words to heart and couldn't help but ponder their meaning.

Turning his head away, Chen Changsheng shook his head in helpless amusement, muttering inwardly, 'He actually believed it.'

He was somehow even less clever than Lihua.

As Chen Changsheng mused, his thoughts drifted far into the distance.

Listening to these words, Kong Ru felt a lingering sense of trepidation. He harbored doubts about himself, but he never once suspected that Chen Changsheng might be stringing him along.

He simply felt he had met a good person.

This, to him, was exactly what it meant to trade sincerity for sincerity.

It was a pity that Chen Changsheng wasn't all that sincere himself. Occasionally, his playful side would flare up, urging him to tease this naive Rogue Cultivator who knew nothing of the world.

Chen Changsheng disembarked at the very next ferry.

"Fellow Daoist! Fellow Daoist, you walk so fast, I almost couldn't keep up!"

Kong Ru came jogging up, a book box strapped to his back. "Fellow Daoist, where are we going now?"

Two paths stretched out before them: one leading north, and the other leading west.

Chen Changsheng considered them for a moment, then looked at the young man. "Why don't you choose?"

"Me?"

"Yes. We are just wandering anyway, so pick a direction."

"Then... then how about this road heading east?"

"That is west."

"That's west?"

Chen Changsheng paused for a beat, then suddenly looked at Kong Ru and smiled. "Actually, I think heading east is a fine idea."

"Ah? But Fellow Daoist, there is no road to the east."

"Once people walk across it, does it not become a road?"

Hearing this, Kong Ru suddenly froze. He carefully turned the phrase over in his mind, falling into a momentary daze.

"Even Fellow Daoist's casual words harbor such profound truths..."

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