Immortal Travel of Longevity

Mu Ji didn't question the man further. Though suspicious, he wondered if it had just been a careless remark.

He sighed softly, though it didn't seem all that unusual.

After all, those people had already sought him out.

...

Back at the inn.

It was right at mealtime.

Miss Yun was having a meal with Yu Hongjin and Lihua.

Chen Changsheng returned just then, so he had the inn's waiter fetch an extra set of bowls and chopsticks.

"Did you see your old friend, Mister?" Miss Yun asked.

"That's good."

"What are you smiling about, Miss Yun?"

"I'm happy for you, Mister."

Chen Changsheng smiled at that.

Yu Hongjin smacked her lips as she ate, suddenly losing her appetite mid-bite.

She opened her mouth and blurted out, "In my next life, I might as well just be born deaf."

Yunxiang's face reddened at the remark.

Chen Changsheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

But the cat didn't quite catch the meaning. It looked at Yu Hongjin and asked, "Can fish hear people talk?"

Yu Hongjin stared at the cat for a moment. Smacking her lips, she said, "I honestly can't tell if you're pretending to be stupid or if you actually are."

Lihua blinked, having no idea why it was being told off again.

Still, it was used to it by now.

Very few nice things ever came out of Yu Hongjin's mouth anyway.

Lihua gave a soft huff. "Lihua is a big-bellied cat. I won't stoop to your level."

Hearing this, Yu Hongjin said, "Right, magnanimous. Your belly is definitely big enough to fit a boat inside."

Lihua glanced at her, then looked down at its own stomach. "I don't think it would fit?"

Seeing the look in its eyes, Yu Hongjin could only rub her forehead in exasperation.

Chen Changsheng and Yunxiang found their bickering amusing. With this girl and cat around, things were never boring.

After finishing their meal, they rested in the inn for a while.

With nothing else to do, they simply lay back; traveling wasn't easy.

This lasted until the afternoon.

Someone arrived at the inn.

It was an underworld deputy patrolling the streets.

"Is Mister Chen in?"

Hearing the voice, Chen Changsheng went to open the door and saw the person standing there.

The underworld deputy clasped his hands respectfully and said, "An underworld deputy under the jurisdiction of the Qiuyue Fang City God Temple greets you, Mister. The City God Lord has ordered me to invite you for a chat. A banquet has been laid out, and he quietly awaits your arrival."

Chen Changsheng paused for a moment, then said, "That is fine."

It had been a long time since he last saw Hong Sancai.

"Please wait for This Chen for a moment."

Chen Changsheng stepped back inside, woke Lihua, and asked it if it wanted to come.

Lihua blinked. "Is there a feast?"

Chen Changsheng smiled. "Yes, a feast."

"Then Lihua wants to go! Let's go, let's go!"

Chen Changsheng then went next door to call for Miss Yun.

Miss Yun waved her hand, however, and said, "Take Hongjin with you, Mister. Yunxiang is a mortal of the mundane world; it would probably be inappropriate for me to attend such a banquet."

"There is no such distinction," Chen Changsheng said. "Besides, the City God and This Chen were acquainted while he was still alive. He won't mind these things."

Yunxiang shook her head, still refusing.

Chen Changsheng grabbed her arm and tugged gently. "Let's go."

"You never used to drag people along like this, Mister," Yunxiang said helplessly.

Chen Changsheng looked at her and said, "You're just too used to being coy. This Chen has realized by now that for many things, it's better not to ask you."

Yunxiang couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. "Mister..."

"Hmm?"

"You really have changed."

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng froze for a second, then burst into a smile.

Things really were different now.

Yunxiang looked at the Mister and smiled too.

It wasn't a bad thing. He was still the Mister, and she liked him all the same.

.

.

The banquet was set up right inside the City God Temple.

Hong Sancai had arranged a massive table filled with every dish imaginable.

After a long wait, his guests finally arrived.

"Mister Chen, it has been far too long, far too long!"

Hong Sancai stepped forward with a smile.

Chen Changsheng looked at him and smiled. "How have you been lately, Temple Master Hong?"

"All is well, all is well."

After a few more pleasantries, they all took their seats.

Chen Changsheng introduced everyone to Hong Sancai one by one: Miss Yun, Yu Hongjin, and Lihua.

Hong Sancai nodded and smiled. "Since you left Qiuyue Fang, Mister, you've found quite a few fated connections. That's excellent."

Chen Changsheng said, "Are you not the same? You lived a long life while alive, and have found success even in death. Now, you've become a City God."

Hong Sancai nodded. "That is true."

He breathed out a sigh. This half-lifetime of fortune was something he never could have anticipated.

The two were old friends.

Hong Sancai knew Chen Changsheng well, and had specially sent someone to fetch the finest Autumn Moon Brew.

"In past years, it was always you bringing the wine, Mister. This time, allow me to treat you."

"Many thanks."

The two drank and chatted, their conversation revolving around nothing more than ancient history.

Where to begin...

Probably from the very first time Chen Changsheng visited the Daoist temple.

Back then, Chen Changsheng was still someone with a lot to say.

"You used to talk endlessly back then, Mister Chen. You wore my ears out; it was so annoying."

Chen Changsheng laughed at that and said, "A stinky Daoist naturally wouldn't understand what This Chen was saying."

Hong Sancai burst into laughter and chimed in, "Yes, this poor Daoist didn't understand, didn't understand at all."

That was exactly what Chen Changsheng had said to him all those years ago.

Yunxiang ate her food as she listened to the City God recount the Mister's past.

She hadn't expected that the Mister had actually been a chatterbox back then.

And she had never heard anyone mention it before.

It seemed to be from an even earlier time.

Halfway through listening to them chat, Yunxiang lost all interest in her food and just focused entirely on listening.

Similarly, the cat was curious about these things.

The only one completely uninterested was Yu Hongjin. Her gaze fell on the wine pot at the banquet, and while keeping an eye on everyone at the table, she hoped to sneak a couple of cups for herself when no one was looking.

She was practically craving it.

Lihua asked, "Was Chen the Good Man really like that before?"

It froze for a moment and said, "That's even weirder than what Mo Yuan said."

Indeed, the difference was massive.

Temple Master Hong said, "I wouldn't call it weird. The Mister was just extremely talkative then. His insights into Cultivation were also unlike anything this poor Daoist had ever heard or seen."

He let out a breath and said, "But Cultivation is just Cultivation; ultimately, it is still people who cultivate. People live among people and always have emotions. It is nothing more than a phase: when young and just babbling, we are curious about everything; as we grow a bit older and understand how the world works, troubles follow, and we always grow much quieter; and as we age even further..."

Hong Sancai had lived a long time and understood these things better than anyone.

At the end of it all, Hong Sancai said, "But now, the Mister seems more like... hmm..."

He felt a bit too embarrassed to say it.

Chen Changsheng said, "So what if you scold me by calling me an old urchin?"

Hong Sancai smiled after hearing this. "You understand me, Mister."

That was the principle of it.

Some people, after experiencing much, could look past things instead, and as they grew older, they lived like children.

But calling him an old urchin was an exaggeration.

He was indeed a bit mischievous, but that wasn't a bad thing.

Lihua seemed to understand, yet didn't. It blinked and said, "Does that mean Chen the Good Man has looked past things again? But why?"

Chen Changsheng looked at it, patted its head, and said, "Lihua deserves some of the credit for that."

Lihua just blinked in a daze.

What credit?

It didn't understand at all.

What could a cat know?

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