Immortal Travel of Longevity

The Listening Rain Sword shielded Chen Changsheng.

An Immortal Sword protected its master; even in the most dire of times, it would face the threat head-on.

Zhao Yuqing's expression was deathly still, like a pool of stagnant water.

He pointed his Wooden Sword straight at Chen Changsheng. "Do not court death."

Chen Changsheng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He glanced at the stain, then looked back to Zhao Yuqing. "Again."

He gripped Listening to Rain and charged at Zhao Yuqing.

His swordplay was far sharper than before. He held nothing back in any of his stances, aiming every strike directly at Zhao Yuqing's vitals.

This sudden shift in style caught Zhao Yuqing off guard for a fraction of a second, but it was only a fraction. With a flick of his wrist, he knocked the sword from Chen Changsheng's grasp.

"Listening to Rain!"

Zhao Yuqing twisted to dodge. "The Sword Mountain Sword Control Art?"

Missing its mark, Listening to Rain returned to Chen Changsheng's grasp.

"This Chen has learned a bit of everything," Chen Changsheng replied.

Zhao Yuqing snorted coldly and closed the distance once more.

He slashed at Chen Changsheng's arm. This strike was vastly faster than the last; only now was he displaying his true swordplay.

When it came to the Dao of the Sword, anyone in the present world capable of rivaling Zhao Yuqing had likely not yet been born.

Chen Changsheng did not even have time to dodge before the blade landed on his arm.

Slash.

His robes tore open, and blood streamed from the wound.

Zhao Yuqing unleashed three more strikes, slashing Chen Changsheng's limbs. Though his attacks were ruthless, he ultimately pulled his blows; otherwise, Chen Changsheng would already be dead.

"You still have a chance to live," Zhao Yuqing said.

Bleeding from all four limbs, Chen Changsheng paused, then shook his head.

This reaction completely infuriated Zhao Yuqing.

Zhao Yuqing actually abandoned his sword. In the blink of an eye, he appeared right in front of Chen Changsheng.

Thud!

His fist slammed directly into Chen Changsheng's face, leaving a dark bruise.

Zhao Yuqing seized Chen Changsheng by the collar and gritted his teeth. "Are you out of your mind?!"

Faced with this sudden violent outburst, Chen Changsheng was momentarily taken aback. He seemingly had not expected Zhao Yuqing to resort to throwing punches.

Chen Changsheng looked at Zhao Yuqing, gave a light cough, and said, "You really do look like a demon lord right now."

"Demon lord! Demon lord!!"

Zhao Yuqing repeated the words, raising his fist to hammer Chen Changsheng in the face again.

Every punch connected with flesh, yet he channeled no Magical Power. He was purely venting his anger, hammering blow after blow into Chen Changsheng's face.

"Are you not afraid of death at all, Chen Changsheng?! Not afraid at all?!"

Zhao Yuqing roared, acting entirely unlike his usual self.

"Speak!"

Zhao Yuqing bellowed.

Chen Changsheng touched his bruised cheek. "Speaking of fearing death, I have never actually been afraid of it."

Zhao Yuqing threw him aside. "I gave you a chance! Why do you still seek death? Can't you just take the hint and back down? Are your bullshit principles really that important?!"

Chen Changsheng thought for a moment. "Naturally, they are important. They are the foundation upon which This Chen exists in the world."

Living in this world, a person encountered many things, but someone like Chen Changsheng would gradually drift toward apathy. Aside from the seven emotions and six desires, these very principles were the karmic anchor that maintained his patience with the world. Without them, he would one day fall into the abyss.

This was Chen Changsheng's Dao, and one of the reasons he lived.

Zhao Yuqing did not strike him again. He opened his mouth, but he seemingly no longer knew how to curse at Chen Changsheng.

He sighed softly. "You absolutely must kill her? You have to force me to choose?"

"If heaven cannot claim her, then This Chen will," Chen Changsheng said.

Zhao Yuqing sneered. "Only you, Chen Changsheng, would do such a thing."

His gaze turned toward the green snake by the Sheng River, who had slightly recovered.

He paused, then waved a hand and sighed. "Forget it. Never mind..."

Zhao Yuqing understood that today's clash was not going to end in a fight to the death.

Chen Changsheng's stubbornness was impossible to change.

And if changing this outcome meant killing Chen Changsheng, Zhao Yuqing was equally unwilling to do so.

There were simply some indescribable factors tangled up in all of this.

Zhao Yuqing was inherently someone who valued past bonds; otherwise, he would not have come here today. That was true of his feelings for Aman, and it was true for Chen Changsheng as well, even though his heart still harbored some distaste for the man.

"I wash my hands of this."

Zhao Yuqing let out a long breath, as if laying down a heavy burden. "If you intend to kill her, I will not stop you. But I ask that you spare her soul and send her into Reincarnation so she may have a next life."

Chen Changsheng frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled.

Zhao Yuqing offered no explanation. He simply waved a hand, his parted lips letting out a long sigh.

He had never found himself caught in such a difficult position.

One was his former master—though he no longer acknowledged that master now, they still shared that past connection. The other was an old acquaintance, the former master of Yunfu Mountain.

He could not bring himself to forsake either of them.

It was not that Chen Changsheng was more important, but rather that he simply did not want to be involved anymore. No matter what happened next, Zhao Yuqing wanted no part in it.

Chen Changsheng exhaled as the Listening Rain Sword flew over to support his weight.

He raised his hand and cupped his fist in salute toward Zhao Yuqing.

Zhao Yuqing shook his head. He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Let me see her once more."

He departed on his Wooden Sword, touching down on the banks of the Sheng River.

Zhao Yuqing looked at the green snake before him, who had already sprouted dragon horns. She was only short of running the river's course before she could transform into a true dragon.

Long Rong had woken up by now, but her residual strength was insufficient to revert to her human form.

Zhao Yuqing aided her with a surge of Magical Power.

Long Rong grew a bit more lucid and cast a sidelong glance at the figure beside her.

It was someone she had never seen before.

"Do you still recognize me, old mountain lord?" Zhao Yuqing asked calmly.

Long Rong froze, not understanding what he meant.

"Who... are you?"

"Simply put, you took great care of me in your past life," Zhao Yuqing replied.

Long Rong stared in a daze. "My past life? My past life?"

"It was a very long time ago," Zhao Yuqing said.

Long Rong suddenly realized something. "Then during that final Heavenly Tribulation... you were the one who helped me..."

"Yes," Zhao Yuqing said.

Long Rong pursed her lips in disbelief.

"Did you... want me to do something for you? Or..."

Zhao Yuqing shook his head. "I simply didn't want you to die. However, someone else wants you dead, and I cannot dissuade him. You will have to rely on yourself from now on. I can't help you anymore."

Long Rong coughed weakly and lowered her head. "Is it Mister Chen who wants to kill me?"

Zhao Yuqing exhaled. "According to his principles, in matters both public and private, you deserve to die. He has never been one for sentimentality; I am used to it by now."

Long Rong let out a breath and murmured, "Is that so..."

She was still somewhat bewildered. She did not understand why this stranger would show her such kindness—it was something she had never experienced before, at least not in this life.

Zhao Yuqing's gaze was incredibly pure, almost like looking at kin.

Meeting his gaze, Long Rong fell into a daze. She could not even remember the last time she had been looked at that way.

"What is your name?" Long Rong asked.

Zhao Yuqing thought for a moment and said, "Zhao Yuqing."

Long Rong paused. "You share a name with the demon lord from the rumors."

"That is me," Zhao Yuqing replied.

"What?"

"I said, I am the demon lord the world speaks of. Zhao Yuqing. Yes."

"..."

Long Rong was stunned once again.

She lowered her head, only occasionally glancing up at him.

She felt that this gentle-looking man before her could not possibly have any connection to a demon lord. To her, he just looked like a young Daoist priest.

"Don't speak nonsense," Long Rong said. "Saying such things will bring fatal disaster upon you."

Zhao Yuqing suddenly laughed.

Long Rong realized that this young Daoist looked very handsome when he smiled, making him seem even less like a demon lord.

"Back then on the mountain, you were just as nagging. Always talking so much."

"Is that so..."

Long Rong remained perplexed.

She looked away, seemingly searching for Chen Changsheng's figure, still anxious about her fate.

She paused, then looked back to Zhao Yuqing. "Does Mister Chen absolutely have to kill me?"

Zhao Yuqing's expression darkened, and he gave a helpless nod.

Long Rong pursed her lips and grasped his sleeve. "Please help me. I don't want to die yet. I can't accept this."

Zhao Yuqing was a cold man, and outsiders considered him a demon lord. Deep down, however, he was extremely soft-hearted—especially when dealing with old acquaintances.

He took a deep breath, not knowing how to explain the situation to Long Rong.

"Old mountain lord, your fate in this life has been poor. You have made too many mistakes, and I cannot easily absolve you of them."

"You were able to shatter the Heavenly Tribulation," Long Rong pressed. "That being the case, you should be able to hold off Chen Changsheng for me. If you really came to help me, then please..."

Zhao Yuqing knew that Long Rong's words harbored no good intentions.

He was no fool; how could he fail to hear the manipulation?

He also understood that the Long Rong before him was not the Aman of the past, nor was she the old mountain lord.

Between her past life and her present, she was fundamentally two entirely different people.

Zhao Yuqing looked at Long Rong and saw the desperate desire to live in her eyes. His lips trembled slightly as he remembered how the old mountain lord had cared for him back on the mountain, doting on him like a loving grandmother.

"How long do you need me to stall him?" Zhao Yuqing asked.

Long Rong pursed her lips. "Half a shichen. Just half a shichen."

Zhao Yuqing closed his eyes. "Alright."

"However, you must also promise me two things."

.

.

Chen Changsheng touched down.

He saw that Zhao Yuqing had already drawn his sword and was blocking the path in front of Long Rong.

"I stand here to delay you for half a shichen. Not a moment more, not a moment less."

Chen Changsheng stared at Zhao Yuqing, and in the end, did not say a single word.

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