Immortal Travel of Longevity

Great Xiang was no longer the Great Xiang it once was, and the Northern Desert was no longer the Northern Desert of the past.

Such a sudden Tribulation had thrown nearly all the rules of this world into chaos. People clung to life by a thread, the masses were destitute, and now they were forced to seek refuge in foreign lands.

It was laughable, sorrowful, lamentable...

Chen Changsheng took a sip of wine, looking out at the street. When he first set out, he had merely wanted to see exactly how chaotic the Northwest had become. Now, upon his return, he seemed to harbor that very same purpose.

He let out a light sigh, lamenting the fickleness of the world.

After a brief rest, he left the shop and wandered through Jianggu City.

Notably, he came across a temple dedicated to a celestial official. It appeared to have been built less than two years ago.

The statue of the celestial official wore a yellow robe and bore a fierce, glaring expression, accompanied by a tiger at its side. Plumes of Incense smoke curled up from the Ritual Cauldron. A few pilgrims were offering their respects, though they were sparse in number.

Within the temple were both Northern Desert People and natives of Great Xiang, praying for entirely different things.

Most likely, this temple had been erected before the Northern Desert occupied the region.

But now, the temple had lost its divinity. Even though it still received pilgrims, the power of their Incense had nowhere to go.

Tu Hu had received his conferment from the emperor of Great Xiang, but this land was no longer part of Great Xiang, meaning it was no longer under his jurisdiction.

Chen Changsheng shook his head and walked away.

He planned to leave the city and head toward Great Xiang.

The road outside the city was much easier to travel than before. The sky was no longer choked with blowing sand, and the surrounding trees and mountain forests were gradually growing dense.

He arrived at a village outside the city. It was abandoned, its houses left in ruins, though he could still vaguely make out the traces of past life. Had it not been for this sudden era of chaos, perhaps this place would have remained exactly as it always was—peaceful and serene.

However, just as Chen Changsheng was about to look away, he suddenly noticed an old man sitting in a doorway beneath the eaves of that desolate village.

The old man sat listlessly by the door, as if waiting for something.

Chen Changsheng walked over.

The old man raised his head and saw him. He opened his mouth, revealing gums that had lost nearly all their teeth.

"Who... who are you looking for?"

He spoke with a slight stutter, a blank look clouding his eyes.

"I'm merely passing through," Chen Changsheng said. "I thought this place was abandoned. I didn't expect to find an elder here, so I came over to take a look."

"Oh, I see..."

The old man nodded. "They went out. No one is home right now."

"I see..."

Chen Changsheng asked, "How long have you been here, old man?"

The old man blinked. "I can't remember."

"Why are you here all alone?"

"I'm not. They just went out. They'll be back in a little while."

The old man said with a blink.

"Went out?"

Chen Changsheng paused, glancing around the ring of dilapidated, lifeless houses.

"When did they head out?"

"They left at daybreak."

The old man asked, "Who is it you're looking for, young man?"

Chen Changsheng paused, then shook his head. "This Chen isn't looking for anyone."

He found the old man rather strange. At first, he suspected he might be a wandering spirit, but upon closer inspection, he confirmed that the man was indeed a living human.

"Then what did you come here for?" the old man asked.

Chen Changsheng said, "This Chen..."

He glanced at the old man, and as he met his gaze once more, he noticed something.

"Ah..."

Chen Changsheng understood.

The old man was likely somewhat delirious; there was a problem with his mind.

"How long have you been waiting, old man?"

"How long..."

The old man suddenly froze. He patted his head, struggling to process the question.

"That's right... how long have I been waiting?"

The old man began to doubt his own memory. He thought for a long time but couldn't come up with an answer.

His gaze suddenly glazed over, as if lost in some memory.

"Old man?" Chen Changsheng asked.

The old man turned his head back, staring blankly at Chen Changsheng.

Suddenly, tears welled up in his eyes, and their rims instantly turned red.

"Why am I the only one left? Why am I the only one left..."

The old man muttered the words to himself.

His arms trembled, as if he simply couldn't accept this suddenly realized truth.

"Erwa! Erwa!"

"Second Brother, where are you?! Second Brother!"

The old man abruptly stood up and shouted into his surroundings. It was as if his lingering delusions had completely shattered in an instant, laying bare the stark truth.

Chen Changsheng watched the scene unfold. He opened his mouth but found himself unable to speak.

"Old man."

He hurriedly stepped forward to pull the old man back.

"Where is everyone? Where did they go? They didn't come back? They didn't come back?"

The old man cried out to Chen Changsheng, his voice choking with sobs.

"They..." Chen Changsheng was at a loss for words.

But suddenly, the old man's gaze turned dull once more.

After a brief silence, the old man looked back at Chen Changsheng and blurted out, "Who are you?"

Chen Changsheng froze in place.

He lowered his hand, looking somewhat at a loss.

"I don't recognize you!" the old man said, backing away a few steps.

In that moment, he looked exactly like a child.

Chen Changsheng looked around at the desolate houses, listening to the birds cooing in the mountain stream.

For a fleeting moment, it was as if he could see the peaceful and tranquil village of the old man's memories. But now, everyone was gone, the homes were empty, and all that remained was utter desolation.

The old man was mad.

Chen Changsheng couldn't help but wonder: if he too lived in memories and reality like this old man, would he one day end up just like him?

When everyone was gone, how would he cope?

Chen Changsheng let out a breath, suddenly feeling somewhat bewildered.

Before leaving, he left a trace of Magical Power on the old man. This Magical Power would protect him from harm, but Chen Changsheng did not cure the elder's madness.

Because he couldn't tell whether doing so would ultimately be good or bad.

In such a tragic era, many things simply made no sense.

After walking out of the village, Chen Changsheng couldn't help but look back one last time at the desolate village.

Now, the only thing left in this place was a mad old man.

He let out a breath and did not turn back again.

Chen Changsheng also suddenly realized that the road ahead was still very, very long.

After walking for a long time, he spotted Northern Desert People on horseback patrolling the distant mountain forests.

Unless he was mistaken, the territory of Great Xiang lay just ahead.

Chen Changsheng evaded the Northern Desert People's patrols and crossed through the mountain forests, the view before him gradually opening up.

The lonely chirping of insects and birds in the mountain stream echoed in his ears.

Suddenly, he found himself missing that annoying Mao'er.

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