Immortal Travel of Longevity

Wei Shujian fell silent. He took a deep breath and said, "It really chose you."

When Wei Shujian brought out that true fire once more, the cluster of Azure Fire flew toward Chen Changsheng of its own accord.

Chen Changsheng looked over. Raising his hand, he caught the Azure Fire.

Inspecting it from every angle, he frowned.

Was this Azure Fire an ownerless thing?

Wei Shujian said, "I beg you, take it away. This entire mountain has suffered countless disasters because of this single cluster of Azure Fire. My death, the deaths of everyone here—they are all closely tied to it. I ask for nothing else; I only hope you take it away. I don't care if you just throw it out. As long as it remains here, I will never be able to leave."

Chen Changsheng had originally intended to toss the Azure Fire aside, but to his surprise, after he threw it away, it immediately drifted right back to him.

He looked at Wei Shujian and asked, "What do you mean when you say you cannot leave?"

"The story must begin from the very start."

"Because of this, the sect leader died at their hands. Then, the two of them fought a bitter battle over who would claim the Azure Fire. My master lost his life here. That true fire core you saw was left behind by him."

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng roughly understood the situation.

It turned out that none of them were good people.

Wei Shujian pursed his lips and said, "When I learned the terrible news of my master's death, my heart felt as if it were being twisted by a knife. I utterly despised the hypocrisy of human nature. So, I conspired with the Azure Fire and destroyed this entire mountain..."

"What do you mean, you conspired with the Azure Fire?"

"It is alive."

Wei Shujian looked at the Azure Fire. "It is not a dead object. The death of its master drew out the Azure Fire's hatred. I took the opportunity to steal it, which also caused it to lose control. That turned this entire Immortal Mountain into a sea of flames. Everyone in the mountain perished, and their souls were left unable to escape."

"Under the influence of the Azure Fire, this place was transformed into a Soul-Locking Mountain. No matter whose soul enters here, they can never leave. I am on good terms with the Azure Fire, and it helps stabilize my soul. Otherwise, I would have eventually ended up like my martial uncle, Master Void Fire—losing my mind and endlessly striking the bell."

"Over these past hundreds of years, I have tried every possible method, but I have not been able to take a single step out of here."

Wei Shujian pursed his lips and added, "When you were at the foot of the mountain earlier, the Azure Fire stirred. That was why I went down to meet you. I originally just wanted to see what you were capable of, but unexpectedly, you revealed the fire methods of my Qinghuo Daoshan. Therefore, I led you up the mountain."

Half in doubt, Chen Changsheng cupped the Azure Fire in his palm and inspected it.

He indeed detected the intelligence within it.

A cluster of true fire was actually capable of Awakening Intelligence and Rousing Spirit?

This Azure Fire was also laden with heavy nether energy. It was uncertain whether it had always been this way, or if it had continuously absorbed the yin energy of this place. That much could not be determined for now.

But in Chen Changsheng's eyes, the words coming from the man before him were likely half true and half false.

Even so, this Azure Fire greatly intrigued Chen Changsheng.

Mostly because of the intelligence it had inexplicably developed.

Thinking up to here, Chen Changsheng held the Azure Fire in his palm and asked, "What benefit does this hold for This Chen?"

Wei Shujian was taken aback. "This Azure Fire..."

"This is your problem, not a benefit."

"..."

Wei Shujian fell silent for a moment before saying, "As a practitioner of ghost cultivation, nothing I possess is compatible with you. If you are asking for a benefit..."

He thought it over and offered, "The Qinghuo Dao Scripture of my Qinghuo Daoshan is engraved on the Bronze Bell at the summit. What do you think of that?"

Chen Changsheng considered it. "A true fire Divine Ability..."

Chen Changsheng was indeed quite interested.

He ascended the mountain and began to read the contents of the Qinghuo Dao Scripture upon the Bronze Bell.

Wei Shujian stood off to the side and asked, "How is it?"

Chen Changsheng gave a slight nod. "It is indeed a supreme fire method."

Holding the Azure Fire up as a light, Chen Changsheng read it word by word.

Wei Shujian watched with a hint of exasperation, unable to understand what this person was thinking. He was also somewhat worried that Chen Changsheng might suddenly go back on his word.

However, Chen Changsheng's gaze suddenly shifted toward the ghost striking the bell nearby.

The man's soul was dressed in tattered clothes. The manner of his death had been particularly gruesome, which made his spirit look incredibly terrifying. He had indeed burned to death.

Chen Changsheng studied it for a moment, then withdrew his gaze.

He looked back at the Azure Fire in his hand, momentarily unsure of what to do with it.

After a thought, an idea suddenly struck him.

He took the Gourd from his waist and spoke to the Azure Fire. "How about going in here?"

As if it understood Chen Changsheng's words, the Azure Fire slipped right through the mouth and into the Gourd.

Seeing this, Chen Changsheng smiled. Put that way, it was actually quite obedient.

Wei Shujian was shocked by the sight. In all these years, he had never been able to command the Azure Fire, yet for this man, it only took a single sentence.

Wei Shujian said, "Fellow Daoist, you see..."

"This Chen has an affinity with this Azure Fire."

Chen Changsheng chuckled. "Though speaking of which, since Fellow Daoist knew the Azure Fire was a living thing, why didn't it ever cross your mind that it might also talk to people?"

Wei Shujian froze at his words.

Chen Changsheng said, "It seems Fellow Daoist Void Fire truly knows nothing about this Azure Fire."

A cold glint instantly flashed across Wei Shujian's face.

The Sword at his waist suddenly sprang from its sheath. In an instant, the nether energy blanketing the entire mountain violently shuddered.

"Clang..."

"Smack!"

In the blink of an eye, Chen Changsheng stepped forward and firmly pinned the blade right back into its scabbard.

The next moment, Chen Changsheng raised his hand and wrote an ancient character in midair.

"Suppress!!"

Yin-Yang Qi surged from his fingertips. In a mere split second, the roiling nether energy was instantly suppressed.

Shock completely drained the color from Wei Shujian's face. He spun around and tried to flee.

Chen Changsheng raised the Gourd, aiming it at Wei Shujian. "Fellow Daoist Void Fire, if you take one more step, This Chen will have to let you test the power of this Azure Fire."

Wei Shujian immediately stopped in his tracks.

He said, "There is no enmity between us. I only wanted to send this Azure Fire away. I have no intention of making an enemy of you. Why don't we stop here?"

Chen Changsheng said, "You may not have made an enemy of This Chen, Fellow Daoist, but there is someone else who has been thinking of you."

As he spoke, Chen Changsheng shifted his gaze toward the front of the ancient bell.

The previously muddled ghost suddenly seemed to snap awake. It stared at Wei Shujian with eyes full of an endless, seething resentment.

Wei Shujian's heart lurched in fear. "S-Sect Leader..."

The ghost striking the bell had never been Master Void Fire at all. Instead, it was the sect leader of Qinghuo Daoshan, who had died a tragic death at the hands of the two conspirators.

"Weren't you already mad..." Wei Shujian's mind seemed to reel as he stumbled back several steps.

"Traitorous disciple!!"

The ghost strode forward, glaring at Wei Shujian with ice-cold eyes.

Wei Shujian's gaze hardened. "You have the nerve to say that? If you hadn't refused to pass the Azure Fire on to us back then, how could things have ever reached this state? You deserved to die!"

Chen Changsheng had absolutely no desire to get involved in a situation like this.

Uncorking the Gourd, the Azure Fire drifted out, calmly watching everything unfold before it.

"As far as you are concerned, neither of them are good people."

"One wanted to use you for immortality, only to twist himself into a malevolent ghost. The other coveted ascension and schemed endlessly, only to ultimately burn himself."

Chen Changsheng said, "There truly is no shortage of wicked people in this world."

The Azure Fire flickered. After a brief daze, it communicated something to Chen Changsheng.

Understanding its intent, Chen Changsheng nodded. "Alright, let's go."

He stepped onto the Immortal Sword and took to the air.

The two fighting men immediately looked over.

"Don't you leave!!"

The sect master of Qingyun Dao Mountain barked fiercely.

Chen Changsheng merely gave him a calm glance. The next moment, the Azure Fire in his palm flared with true flames and violently pounced forward.

"Ah!!"

With a miserable shriek, the man was blasted back, allowing Chen Changsheng to depart from the area.

As he left, Chen Changsheng glanced back.

After a moment of thought, he raised his hand.

Puzzled, the Azure Fire voiced its doubt.

Chen Changsheng explained, "These two already harbor wicked intentions. If they are allowed to escape, wouldn't a Tribulation arise?"

Using his finger as a brush, Chen Changsheng raised his hand and wrote.

Several ancient characters spiraled into the air above the Dao mountain. In an instant, golden light exploded, and a crushing suppressive force poured down, shrouding the entire mountain range.

Watching these scenes unfold, the Azure Fire expressed its thoughts to Chen Changsheng.

Chen Changsheng paused in surprise. "You know how to do this too?"

The Azure Fire promptly began to explain.

Chen Changsheng looked dazed upon hearing this. "You also used ancient characters to suppress the ghosts here?"

The Azure Fire conveyed its confirmation.

Finding it unbelievable, boundless curiosity welled up within Chen Changsheng.

For now, he rode his sword away from the area.

Along the way, Chen Changsheng continuously communicated with the Azure Fire.

"Where did you learn this method of ancient characters?"

Through their exchange, Chen Changsheng slowly sorted everything out.

What he found hard to believe was that the Azure Fire seemed to understand the Dao of ancient characters innately.

Chen Changsheng then asked about the Azure Fire's origins.

From its explanation, a sudden realization dawned on him.

The Azure Fire was not born naturally. Instead, a cultivator had cast a spell to awaken its sentience. Perhaps it was at that very moment that the cultivator who awakened it left the Dao of ancient characters upon the fire.

As the Azure Fire continued to share, Chen Changsheng heard a name in its words.

True Man Lihuo.

Ever since the Azure Fire awoke, it had assisted True Man Lihuo in concocting pills and refining medicines. Because it possessed innate sentience, it could increase True Man Lihuo's alchemy efficiency. For a very long time, it stayed inside a furnace.

Until later, when something unknown happened, the furnace was never opened again. A long time passed until the Formations on the furnace gradually failed, allowing the Azure Fire to escape. What followed was a period of wandering and hardship.

It witnessed the vastness of the world, but because of its unique nature, it had to hide everywhere it went. However, luck was not always on its side.

Eventually, a cultivator discovered its tracks, and it fell into his hands.

This person later became Daoist Qinghuo.

After that came Qinghuo Daoshan.

"So that's how it is..."

Chen Changsheng understood and then asked, "What about True Man Lihuo?"

The Azure Fire indicated it didn't know. After emerging from the furnace, it had searched for a long time but never found any news of him.

Moreover, this was already something from over thirteen hundred years ago.

Chen Changsheng murmured, "This True Man Lihuo possessed profound Dao Cultivation. If no accidents befell him, I fear he is still in this world today."

The Azure Fire flickered, unwilling to return.

It did not want to be locked inside a furnace.

Before escaping, it had believed the furnace was its everything, its entire world, but things were different now.

The people of this world were all the same.

They were always deceiving it.

True Man Lihuo simply wanted convenience in alchemy, trapping it in the furnace and keeping it ignorant of the vast outside world.

Daoist Qinghuo deceived it with sweet words for the sake of immortality.

Void Fire Daoist committed treasonous acts, killing his master and senior brother to seize the Azure Fire.

Humans were all so hypocritical.

Chen Changsheng asked, "Then why do you follow This Chen?"

The Azure Fire looked at him, giving Chen Changsheng an unexpected answer.

Chen Changsheng carried a scent that felt familiar to it.

"Familiar?"

Chen Changsheng pondered for a moment and asked, "On This Chen?"

The Azure Fire told Chen Changsheng that this scent did not come from him personally, but from an external object.

This left Chen Changsheng even more puzzled.

'It seems to be the scent of a Sword.'

Chen Changsheng was dazed upon hearing this. "A Sword?"

"The Taiqing Sword?"

The Azure Fire did not know its name, but hearing Chen Changsheng mention it sparked a sliver of memory.

'I don't know, but I have definitely seen it before. Otherwise, it wouldn't feel so familiar.'

Hearing it say this, a guess instantly formed in Chen Changsheng's mind.

Speaking of a Sword, Chen Changsheng only had one by his side whose origins were unclear, forged by someone unknown.

That was the Taiqing Sword.

Could it be...

Had the Taiqing Sword once been tempered by the Azure Fire?

Or rather, was the Taiqing Sword forged using this Azure Fire?

This speculation made Chen Changsheng's heart skip a beat.

"Thirteen hundred years..."

Chen Changsheng zoned out for a moment before snapping back to reality.

If he went by the timeline, the Taiqing Sword was likely not forged by the Azure Fire. The greatest possibility was that it had been tempered by the Azure Fire later on.

Chen Changsheng said, "The Taiqing Sword is no longer in This Chen's hands."

Chen Changsheng reminisced for a moment, suddenly recalling something.

Back when he was immersed in the Dream Method, that Taiqing Sword seemed to have been left behind in the Mortal World.

Its whereabouts after that were unknown.

If not for this reminder, Chen Changsheng wouldn't have been able to remember the Taiqing Sword right now.

The Azure Fire was puzzled, waiting for Chen Changsheng to explain.

Chen Changsheng said, "I experienced some things in the past and accidentally lost it in the Mortal World. I do not know whose hands it is in now."

The Azure Fire did not press the matter.

Chen Changsheng then asked, "Since you don't plan on returning to find that True Man Lihuo, what are your plans now?"

The Azure Fire did not speak. It remained silent, seemingly unsure of where it wanted to go either.

Chen Changsheng thought about it and said, "If you do not mind, how about you follow This Chen for now? This Chen plans to travel all across this Cultivation World and draw up Geographical Maps. Would you be interested?"

The Azure Fire was merely lacking a choice. Now that Chen Changsheng had given it one, it naturally agreed.

For the Azure Fire, it didn't know how to judge people, but it knew how to judge objects. The master of something it had once refined wouldn't be a bad person.

Or rather, the people True Man Lihuo knew would not be wicked.

The road ahead was long.

The Azure Fire also grew curious about the journey to come.

This would always be better than being locked in a furnace, and far, far better than being deceived by others.

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