Immortal Travel of Longevity

Time held no meaning in the Underworld.

Sometimes, after staying long enough, a person might even forget who they were.

Walking into the Underworld to become an underworld deputy for a single thread of survival was probably Tu Hu's most regrettable decision.

Eking out a miserable existence here was far worse than simply dying back then.

Later, however, he had seen an opportunity—a chance to leave the Underworld and regain his freedom. That chance was the demon's departure.

But now, he had returned.

When the Demon Sovereign stood before him, a single glance seemed to see right through his thoughts.

Yet the Demon Sovereign didn't say a single word to him.

Tu Hu breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're back?"

Yu Xuan asked, her expression unchanging.

The Demon Sovereign paused, then nodded.

"Want some soup?"

"Yes."

He sat down. A moment later, Yu Xuan brought over a bowl of soup.

The Demon Sovereign lifted the bowl, tilted his head back, and downed it.

When he finished, he shook his head. "It's a little sweeter than before."

Yu Xuan sat down. "There are more wandering souls in the Underworld now, so the yin energy is heavier. Some flowers bloomed along the banks of the Yellow Springs. They tasted decent, so I added them in."

"Besides, forgetting things is a good thing. Naturally, this soup should taste good."

The Demon Sovereign glanced at the remaining dregs in his bowl. After a moment's thought, he swallowed the very last drops.

He exhaled. "It is sweet."

Yu Xuan nodded but said nothing.

The Demon Sovereign asked, "Has the Underworld been peaceful these past few years?"

Yu Xuan thought for a moment. "It's been alright. With the Lord of the Underworld watching over things, nothing has happened."

"And you?"

"Me?"

Yu Xuan blinked. "I've been doing well. It's just that with more souls coming to the hall over the years, brewing the soup has become quite a hassle."

The Demon Sovereign considered this. "I'll have Manyue find you an assistant later."

Yu Xuan shook her head. "There's no need. It's just a minor chore."

She asked, "Is it fun outside?"

The Demon Sovereign paused. "It's alright. Everything has changed so drastically that I hardly recognize it anymore."

"What was it like before?" Yu Xuan asked.

The Demon Sovereign froze, then asked, "Do you really remember nothing at all?"

Yu Xuan blinked in confusion. "What am I supposed to remember?"

Looking into her eyes, the Demon Sovereign couldn't help but feel a sense of loss.

She had forgotten everything...

But on second thought, a sense of relief washed over him.

It was better she forgot.

It would save her from suffering any further sorrow over a stubborn, obsessed man like him.

"It's nothing."

The Demon Sovereign said, "It won't be long before I can send you into Reincarnation, and you won't have to stay in this sunless place anymore. You will live a good life, lifetime after lifetime, as an ordinary mortal woman."

Yu Xuan did not answer.

"Are you unwilling?" the Demon Sovereign asked.

Yu Xuan shook her head, but after thinking it over, she nodded.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

The Demon Sovereign paused, a faintly doting smile touching his face. "The outside is always better than here. Only by living can a person truly know who they are."

Yu Xuan tilted her head to look at him. "What counts as living?"

The Demon Sovereign said, "Being like the multitudes of the world."

"And what are the multitudes of the world like?"

Yu Xuan paused, then asked, "Are they like those wandering souls in the Sand Sea who refuse to leave?"

The Demon Sovereign was momentarily struck dumb. Only after a while did he answer, "Like the ones who are willing to drink the Meng Po Soup."

Yu Xuan lowered her head. "The ones willing to drink it... most of them are even more miserable than the ones who refuse to leave."

The Demon Sovereign straightened his posture and asked, "Do you not want to leave this place?"

"I simply don't know."

Silence fell between them.

The Demon Sovereign didn't know how to guide the woman before him. Suddenly, he felt that letting her stay in the Underworld had been a mistake.

He didn't know how to correct Yu Xuan's mindset, finally settling on an excuse: "You'll understand once you go there."

He stood up, giving Yu Xuan no further chance to ask questions.

"I have matters to attend to. I'll be leaving now."

Yu Xuan saw him to the entrance of Mengpo Hall, watching until the Demon Sovereign's figure disappeared outside.

She gazed out calmly, her eyes entirely placid, yet a ceaseless tide of thoughts churned in her mind.

Those myriad thoughts ultimately dissolved into a soft sigh.

She shook her head, returned to the Main Hall, and resumed brewing the soup.

...

The Demon Sovereign found Manyue.

"Are you still flipping through that tattered book of yours?"

The Demon Sovereign stepped forward and took the book from Manyue's hands.

Seeing the title Romance of the Western Chamber, he shook his head helplessly and handed it back to her.

Manyue carefully tucked the book into her embrace. "I just can't understand it, which is why I keep reading it," she said.

The Demon Sovereign exhaled. "You are the Heavenly Dao. How could you possess the human seven emotions and six desires? How could you possibly understand this book?"

Hearing this, Manyue fell silent.

She looked down at the book in her arms. It was so thoroughly battered by now that a single gust of wind seemed enough to scatter its pages.

"Must the Heavenly Dao be completely devoid of emotion?"

The Demon Sovereign answered bluntly, "It is impossible."

Manyue breathed out and didn't press the matter further. She set the book down and asked, "Where is Chen Changsheng?"

The Demon Sovereign replied, "He has stopped in a certain place."

Manyue paused at that. "Aren't you quite optimistic about him? This doesn't seem like the outcome you wanted."

The Demon Sovereign shook his head. "People with seven emotions and six desires are the hardest to control. He and I share the same destiny, but he hasn't reached the final step yet. He hasn't completely despaired."

"You have yourself to blame for that," Manyue said.

The Demon Sovereign paused. "How could I have known his past? How could I have known there would be someone willing to wait for him forever?"

Manyue chuckled lightly upon hearing this. "Is it only you who's allowed to have that?"

The Demon Sovereign stiffened and shot Manyue a glance.

Manyue ignored his look. "I don't care about the process. I only care about the result."

The Demon Sovereign gave a slight nod.

But Manyue suddenly shifted her tone. "Just make sure no unforeseen variables crop up—like Zhao Yuqing."

The Demon Sovereign paused, then shook his head. "There won't be."

"Mhm."

Manyue lifted her gaze to look out over this dim, shadowy realm.

She felt more and more that this place was incredibly tranquil. "The Underworld is too quiet. It's far less interesting than it used to be."

Hearing this, the Demon Sovereign said, "You are the Lord of this realm. If there is something you want to do, then go do it. As it stands now, the Underworld has fallen far short of my expectations."

"Hmm?"

"You are the heaven and earth of this realm. Although you possess mighty power, existences like Zhao Yuqing can still pose a threat to you. This shouldn't be the case. Why don't you treat this place like the spirit cage of the past?"

The Demon Sovereign paused before adding, "Even though the rules are incomplete, there will always be someone who manages to steal a sliver of opportunity."

Manyue considered his words. "You make a good point."

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