Immortal Travel of Longevity

"This is the Divine Ability of Mirror Flower, Water Moon."

Chen Changsheng fell into a brief daze upon hearing this. He had heard of such a Divine Ability before but had never witnessed it with his own eyes. It perfectly matched what he had imagined it to be.

Seeing it now, he was truly astonished.

This was a Divine Ability that existed in the space between truth and illusion.

One side was real, the other false. The real could enter the false, and the false could follow the real.

"Marvelous..."

Chen Changsheng sighed in admiration, recovering his wits a moment later.

"Honored guest, please come this way."

Chen Changsheng followed his guide forward.

But as Chen Changsheng continued to approach, he suddenly froze.

Something seemed to be coiled around the entire mountain peak, though it was obscured by the clouds and mist, making it hard to see clearly.

As he continued forward, the mist grew increasingly dense.

Chen Changsheng marveled inwardly. This place was truly profound; from the outside, the vibrant wildflowers were plainly visible, but upon stepping closer, the mist completely swallowed his line of sight.

It felt very much like an Illusory Array, yet there was a fundamental difference.

This seemed to be a Divine Ability as well.

Chen Changsheng raised his hand, intending to open his Dharma Eye to inspect the entity at the mountain's summit.

However, the person beside him stopped him. "Honored guest, this place has its rules. Opening your Dharma Eye might cause offense."

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng didn't insist on looking.

He withdrew his gaze and asked, "That thing coiled around the mountain is..."

"It is a Divine Jiao."

"A Jiao..."

Chen Changsheng blanked for a moment. This indeed matched the brief glimpses he had caught earlier, though he had initially assumed it was a massive snake.

As they walked, a light suddenly flared up ahead. Within the thick fog, someone seemed to be holding a lantern.

His guide stopped and said, "Honored guest, the Ghost Market is just ahead. Every spot of light you see is a stall. There is no magical treasure in the world that cannot appear here, and no Divine Ability under heaven that cannot be found within. I wish you a fruitful return."

With those words, the guide slowly retreated, fading away into the heavy mist.

"Ring..."

The faint ringing of a bell drifted over, serving as a vendor's call to attract passing customers.

Chen Changsheng walked forward, vaguely noticing that the crowd around him had thickened. Everyone was shrouded in the fog, unable to see each other's faces.

Finding it rather interesting, Chen Changsheng stepped closer to one of the illuminated spots.

Upon nearing it, he found that under the light's glow, the mist seemed to part, fully illuminating the items laid out on the ground.

With just a single glance, Chen Changsheng spotted several incredible objects.

An Immortal Sword!

The sword still bore its original owner's Sword Intent. The Sword Intent was fierce and sharp; its master had definitely been no ordinary Sword Cultivator.

A Painted Scroll!

A note was left beside it: [Painted by the Painting Immortal Wu Daozi, Flood over Golden Mountain. Can cause the celestial river to burst its banks and flood the mountains.]

And...

Several pills exuding demonic energy.

Aside from those, a few miscellaneous items of unknown origin were set off to the side.

Chen Changsheng's gaze fell upon the pills.

"Demon Pills?"

The stall owner was hidden beneath the fog; only half of his body was visible.

The vendor spoke up, "Forged by a mighty expert after slaying a demonic cultivator, it formed into a Demon Pill. It can draw one into the demonic path, or serve as a tonic for advancement. However, this is only useful for a demonic cultivator."

Chen Changsheng paused briefly, understanding the implication.

These Demon Pills were probably only of use to a demonic cultivator.

Chen Changsheng looked over at the Painted Scroll and said, "This Painted Scroll is interesting."

"It doesn't come cheap."

Chen Changsheng reached out and pulled out a Yin-Yang Copper Coin.

"How many of these Yin-Yang Copper Coins in This Chen's hand is it worth?"

"I must trouble the customer to bring it a little closer."

The vendor carefully scrutinized the coin, sensing the pure Yin-Yang Qi radiating from it.

Seeing this, the vendor stood up.

"Please reach your hand into the fog, customer."

Chen Changsheng extended his hand.

He and the vendor clasped hands.

They negotiated the price via hand signs.

The vendor opened with an asking price of ten coins.

After two rounds of haggling, the price for the Painted Scroll was finalized at six coins.

Chen Changsheng readily handed over six Yin-Yang Copper Coins.

Having obtained the Painted Scroll, Chen Changsheng asked a question. "May I inquire about the origins of this Immortal Sword?"

"Customer, nothing here has an origin."

"Is that so..."

Chen Changsheng hesitated for a moment before saying, "Let's negotiate a price."

The vendor seemed momentarily stunned.

He probably thought this person had incredibly deep pockets.

Still, he wasn't going to turn away business that delivered itself to his doorstep.

This time the price was much steeper. After arguing for quite a while, they settled on twelve coins for the Immortal Sword.

In the beginning, the vendor had demanded thirty coins.

But he had continuously circled back and forth with Chen Changsheng.

That was until Chen Changsheng said, "Hardly anyone dares to take a sword from Sword Mountain, let alone one that still carries its original Sword Intent."

Helpless, the vendor finally let it go for twelve coins.

Chen Changsheng spoke the truth. Anyone could guess where such an Immortal Sword came from without even having to think about it. It was precisely because of the sword's origins that the vendor had been unable to sell it for so long.

In the vendor's eyes, selling it for twelve Yin-Yang Copper Coins was actually a massive loss.

But it was still better than having the item rot in his hands.

Chen Changsheng put the sword away and picked up the Painted Scroll again, asking, "The name is written right beside this Painted Scroll, so it must have an origin, right?"

"Of course it does."

"I have been in secluded cultivation for a long time and have never heard the name of this Painting Immortal. Vendor, why don't you tell me a little about him."

"This Painting Immortal crossed the sea from the Mortal World a few years ago. He navigates the Cultivation World relying entirely on his Art of Painting. Because of this, he entered the Dao. With his Art of Painting, he can draw objects to life, and even possesses the ability to blot out the sun and reshape the heavens and earth. After making a name for himself, everyone crowned him with the title of Painting Immortal."

"Do you know where this person is?"

"His whereabouts are erratic. I'm afraid he would be hard to find."

Chen Changsheng looked down at the vendor's hands, faintly making out the calluses on his palms.

Smiling, Chen Changsheng said, "Draw me another painting, how about it? This Chen wishes to experience it firsthand."

"Draw? Who..."

The vendor froze for a second before immediately catching on. The man in front of him had likely figured out that he was the one who painted this Painted Scroll.

Only then did Wu Daozi realize he had exposed a flaw.

He glanced down, spotting the thick calluses on his palms and a speck of ink on his shoe.

That was probably what gave him away.

Wu Daozi quickly deflected. "Customer, are you asking me to draw it? I certainly don't possess such a masterful Art of Painting."

"I'm just a little curious, that's all."

Chen Changsheng said, "In my early years in the Mortal World, I also heard of a certain Painter. His attainments in the Art of Painting were extremely profound. He once used brush and ink to draw a fake sun, trapping people for several days. I've long wanted to witness this wondrous Art of Painting, but never had the chance."

Wu Daozi blanked. He asked, "Customer, you came from the Mortal World?"

"That's right."

Wu Daozi couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship.

He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Wait here a moment."

He began packing up his stall, evidently having agreed to Chen Changsheng's request.

"Please follow the lantern, fellow Daoist."

Wu Daozi raised the lantern.

Chen Changsheng asked, "Aren't you going to take the things on the ground?"

Wu Daozi unrolled a Painting Scroll. With a flash of azure light, every object before them was swept into the painting.

Chen Changsheng watched in awe. "Fellow Daoist's Art of Painting is truly breathtaking," he murmured.

Wu Daozi gave a warm smile. "You overpraise me."

"Please follow me, fellow Daoist."

Wu Daozi led Chen Changsheng outward. Before long, they had left that region of dense fog far behind.

Slowly, Chen Changsheng could clearly make out the appearance of the man before him.

He was an old man with white hair and a white beard, dressed in a simple green robe. Now that the fog had cleared, the scent of ink lingering around him grew ever more distinct.

He looked exactly as Chen Changsheng had imagined.

Chen Changsheng glanced to the side, realizing they had already walked out of the area filled with blooming mountain flowers.

He observed it for a moment, murmuring, "Clear from afar, yet nothing but thick fog up close. Much like this Mirror Flower, Water Moon, it is thoroughly profound."

This time, Chen Changsheng got an even clearer view of the Flood Dragon coiled around the mountain. The white Flood Dragon lay resting its head, seemingly taking a nap.

With each breath, it exhaled wave after wave of mist.

The fog in these mountains likely originated from this very source.

Hearing this, Wu Daozi turned his head and said, "This is known as 'those involved are lost.' It is a Pre-Heaven Divine Ability of the Divine Jiao, the master of this place."

"That Flood Dragon is the master here?"

"Correct."

Wu Daozi added, "Moreover, this Mirror Flower, Water Moon might also be the handiwork of this Divine Jiao."

Piqued by curiosity, Chen Changsheng asked, "Is it still uncertain?"

"Yes."

Wu Daozi explained, "According to some of the seniors here, the Divine Jiao was already present when they discovered this place. But for some unknown reason, it has remained in a deep slumber for hundreds of years. That mist acts as a form of self-protection. It appears clear from a distance, but approach closer, and you will lose yourself within it."

"Later, someone discovered the profound properties of the red mountain flowers. By harnessing their floral essence, they crafted candles that could illuminate the way and dispel the fog. Slowly, the Black Market was born from this."

Chen Changsheng paused for a moment. "When I entered just now, the person guiding This Chen stopped me from opening my Dharma Eye. If this Flood Dragon won't wake up, why the concern?"

Wu Daozi replied, "They hold a deep respect for this Divine Jiao. Rumor has it that the founders of the Black Market actually possessed very little Cultivation Base at the start. It was the unique environment here that gave them a safe haven to establish themselves, allowing them to step by step join the ranks of mighty seniors. All of this is inseparable from the Divine Jiao. They treat it as their benefactor, hence the caution."

Chen Changsheng nodded in understanding.

The two arrived at the foot of a mountain, where a small hut stood. This was Wu Daozi's residence; he had been living in this Mirror Flower, Water Moon all these years.

"How long has fellow Daoist Wu been here?" Chen Changsheng asked.

"It has been three years."

Wu Daozi said, "At first, I merely wanted to buy some rare pigments in the Black Market. Later, I was guided here and witnessed the magic of this Mirror Flower, Water Moon, as well as that peculiar fog. I became completely engrossed, studying it every day. I hoped that one day I could paint the scene of the blooming mountain flowers—clear from afar, yet shrouded in mist up close. Who knew I would make absolutely no progress."

"Please."

Wu Daozi invited Chen Changsheng into the small hut.

Inside, numerous Painting Scrolls hung suspended in the air. Most were landscapes, depicting many of the very sights Chen Changsheng had seen on his way here.

But the most common Painting Scrolls were landscapes of the coiled white Flood Dragon surrounded by blooming mountain flowers. There were several such pieces, though all of them were only half-finished, as if he hadn't known how to proceed with his brush.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, would you prefer tea or wine?"

"Either is fine."

Wu Daozi had preferred wine lately, so he poured out two pots of wine.

The wine tasted exceptionally good.

After taking a sip, Chen Changsheng felt a strange sensation. "This wine sharpens the eyes?"

Wu Daozi smiled. "It's brewed using the red flowers from the mountain. Drinking it improves one's vision."

"These red flowers actually have such a miraculous effect?"

"They are said to be a companion plant to the Divine Jiao."

Wu Daozi picked up a red flower and handed it to Chen Changsheng.

Chen Changsheng laid it flat on his palm and examined it, but he couldn't discern any of its mysteries. His knowledge of such plants and vegetation was truly far too shallow.

Wu Daozi asked, "Fellow Daoist Chen came from the Mortal World. I've stayed inside this Mirror Flower, Water Moon all these years, cut off from the outside. I wonder how things are faring in the Mortal World lately?"

Chen Changsheng shook his head. "I might disappoint fellow Daoist Wu."

Chen Changsheng then recounted the situation in the Mortal World.

Hearing this, Wu Daozi sighed repeatedly. "How could Your Majesty make such a mistake? He... he isn't that kind of person..."

"A man might abandon all worldly desires, yet his curiosity alone remains undying. Ultimately, people will always be curious about the unknown."

Chen Changsheng added, "Let alone in a Mortal World as chaotic as it is today."

The current state of the Mortal World was trapped in limbo—unable to reach the level of an Immortal, yet plagued by Immortals and demons running amok. The more people learned, the more they sought to make contact.

Wu Daozi sighed softly, then shook his head with a long, drawn-out sigh.

Chen Changsheng asked, "What about fellow Daoist Wu? This Chen is quite curious about what Priest Wu said earlier at the stall. I mean no offense, I merely wonder if fellow Daoist was just boasting to make a sale, or if you truly hold the title of a Painting Immortal."

Wu Daozi blushed with a smile. "It was just a boast to make a sale, of course. I certainly don't hold the title of Painting Immortal. Without a catchy gimmick, these paintings are simply too hard to sell."

Chen Changsheng chuckled at that. "However, in This Chen's eyes, fellow Daoist Wu might just be worthy of the Painting Immortal title."

"You flatter me too much."

Wu Daozi said, "I'm still far from being a Painting Immortal."

Seeming a bit embarrassed, he quickly changed the subject. "Didn't fellow Daoist want to see the false become real in a painting? This Wu will show you."

With that, he hurried over to the desk, intentionally avoiding the question.

Seeing this, Chen Changsheng didn't press the matter and followed him.

Wu Daozi unrolled a sheet of paper. He raised a hand, flicked two drops of water onto the inkstone, and carefully ground the ink.

Chen Changsheng looked to the side. The cabinet by the wall was lined with numerous bottles and jars, packed full of the peculiar stones and pigments Wu Daozi had collected. It had absolutely everything one could imagine.

"Please watch, fellow Daoist."

Chen Changsheng turned back to look.

Wu Daozi lifted his brush and set it down as if guided by the divine. Every stroke and splash of ink seemed to possess an innate spiritual charm. In the blink of an eye, he had sketched a sparrow perched on a branch.

Seeing him pause his brush, Chen Changsheng pointed out, "It is still missing the pupils."

"Dot the eyes to make it real."

Wu Daozi said, and then laid down a final dot.

Suddenly, a sparrow's chirp rang out from the painting. With a flutter of wings, a sparrow leaped right off the paper.

Chen Changsheng was dazed for a moment, watching the sparrow fly out the window.

Startled, he murmured, "It truly is..."

"...eye-opening!"

Wu Daozi, however, gave a soft sigh and shook his head. "Once it rains, it will melt away. Ultimately, it is still fake."

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