Immortal Travel of Longevity

“If we head north and turn east at a good pace, we should reach the Sheng River in about two days and cross into Jindi by nightfall.”

Yan Land was not particularly large, but its roads were treacherously difficult to travel.

Once the rain fell, the paths turned into a muddy mire. The horse could find no purchase, its hooves slipping easily in the muck.

And since it was the height of the rainy season, the journey had grown even more arduous.

Lihua despised the rain, but Yu Hongjin absolutely loved it. Fish naturally gravitated toward water, while cats feared it, feeling miserable at the mere sight of it.

On rainy days, the cat hid inside the horse carriage, burrowing securely into Yunxiang's arms. This made Yu Hongjin jealous, sparking a fierce argument between the fish and the feline.

Yunxiang had to mediate from the sidelines, and when words failed, she resorted to action. She was a gentle woman, but she showed no mercy to the childish antics of Yu Hongjin and Lihua.

Both the fish and the cat received a firm smack on their bottoms. Lihua in particular took a hit that set its belly jiggling.

The two of them felt terribly wronged.

They had stocked up on provisions back in Qiuyue Fang, but as they neared the Sheng River, their rations were running low. They pulled into a Market Town to rest.

There, they purchased some dry flatbread and a few fresh fish for Lihua. Yu Hongjin, meanwhile, stealthily bought two jugs of wine and stashed them away.

That night, they took shelter in a roadside temple.

This shrine did not belong to a Mountain God or a local earth deity.

It was dedicated to a Water God.

Judging by its pristine condition, it was clearly new, having been built only a few years prior.

It was only when Chen Changsheng got a clear look at the enshrined idol that he realized exactly whose temple this was.

Unsurprisingly, it was a shrine built by the local commoners to worship the Water God of the Sheng River.

In other words, it was Long Rong's temple.

Speaking of which, ever since Long Rong endured her Heavenly Tribulation, her whereabouts had remained a mystery.

Many days had passed since then.

Yet there had been no signs of movement in the Great River or the surrounding waterways.

Could it be that she was skipping the process of walking the waters?

That was unlikely. She was probably just dragging it out, trying her best to avoid Chen Changsheng.

But he couldn't rule out the possibility of an alternative method.

There were countless Divine Abilities and mystical arts in this world. Who was to say there wasn't a way to achieve Dragon Transformation without walking the waters?

Chen Changsheng gathered some firewood and started a fire.

Yunxiang stepped up to the shrine's idol and lit three sticks of incense. Since they were borrowing the space, it was only proper to show some respect.

One didn't have to believe, but a heart should still hold a measure of reverence.

Chen Changsheng toasted some dry flatbread over the fire and handed a piece to Yunxiang.

Yunxiang took a few bites, washing it down with water.

Chen Changsheng said, “The food on the road has been a bit lacking. Next time we pass a Market Town, we'll buy something better so you won't have to suffer as much.”

Yunxiang nodded, then softly replied, “Actually, I don't mind what I eat. As long as I am with Mister, there is no such thing as suffering.”

Chen Changsheng paused, momentarily unsure of how to respond. In the end, he simply offered her a smile.

Yunxiang went back to her dry flatbread, saying nothing more.

The two of them fell into a comfortable, unspoken silence.

Lihua and Yu Hongjin exchanged a glance. The fish and the cat both sensed the strange atmosphere, but neither dared to speak a word.

Later that night.

A bright moon hung high in the sky.

The temple was illuminated by the campfire.

Yunxiang leaned against the wall, gently massaging her head. Resting against the hard surface had given her a slight ache.

Exhausted and heavy with sleep, she simply wrapped her arms around Chen Changsheng's shoulder and asked, “Can I hold you while I sleep, Mister?”

Chen Changsheng blinked in surprise, but he nodded in agreement.

Yunxiang clung to his arm and rested her head on Mister's shoulder.

Yet, resting against him like this, sleep suddenly eluded her.

Her heart thumped wildly in her chest, refusing to calm down. But a moment later, a wave of melancholy washed over her.

“The innkeeper we met earlier... he thought I was your elder...”

Chen Changsheng replied, “That's only because This Chen looks a bit too young...”

Yunxiang smiled. “I was only mentioning it in passing.”

She had always been like this; there were certain things she simply could not bring herself to say out loud. In truth, most women of her gentle and reserved nature were the same, rarely speaking their minds directly.

What woman did not care about her own looks?

Who did not care about growing old?

Yunxiang felt a pang of sorrow in her heart, but ultimately, she said no more about the matter.

Yunxiang fell asleep resting on Mister's shoulder, while Yu Hongjin drifted into a deep slumber clutching the toasty Lihua. Having the cat to warm her was far more effective than the campfire.

At dawn, a rooster crowed.

Mao'er woke up.

It opened its eyes, only to see a white-haired old man sitting by the campfire, toasting a piece of dry flatbread.

Lihua started in surprise. After a moment of shock, the cat asked, “Old grandpa, who are you?”

Yu Hongjin woke up as well.

Seeing the somewhat aged elder sitting before them, she immediately grew vigilant.

“Where is Mister Chen?”

Yu Hongjin hurriedly shook Sister Yun awake.

The old man sitting before them looked as if he was wanting to speak yet holding back. He seemed on the verge of saying something, but the sound of Yunxiang waking stopped him short.

Yunxiang opened her eyes, looking a bit disoriented at first.

When her gaze fell upon the white-haired old man, she froze.

It took her a long moment to process what she was seeing.

She slowly stepped forward and reached out with both hands, gently cupping the old man's face. For a moment, she couldn't believe her eyes.

Chen Changsheng looked at her and asked, “Is there really a need to stare for so long?”

Yunxiang snapped back to reality and let out a sudden, bubbling laugh.

“Is... is it that funny?” Chen Changsheng asked, looking slightly awkward.

Yunxiang shook her head, her laughter softening a bit as she replied, “It's not funny. You looked perfectly fine—why did you turn yourself into someone so ugly?”

Chen Changsheng said, “Wasn't it to prevent some blind innkeeper from making the same mistake?”

“No,”

Yunxiang said with a smile, looking a little shy. “You're ugly.”

Chen Changsheng blinked.

Yunxiang turned her head away. Despite her age, she acted just like a young girl, muttering under her breath, “You're ugly. So ugly. Change back. Come on, change it back...”

Chen Changsheng finally processed her words. He stroked his newly sprouted beard and nodded. “I actually think this looks quite nice.”

Yunxiang pursed her lips and turned back to look at him, her cheeks flushed red.

Meanwhile, the fish and the cat finally recovered from their prolonged state of shock.

They exchanged a glance, feeling as though the scene before them was entirely surreal.

Lihua whispered, “What are they doing?”

Yu Hongjin shushed the cat and replied, “I heard Sister Zhishu talk about this before. It's called flirting. It's a very naughty thing.”

Lihua's eyes went wide. It repeated in awe, “A naughty thing!”

Yu Hongjin nodded emphatically.

Her expression grew solemn. She clicked her tongue and muttered, “I can't watch. I just can't watch this.”

From then on.

The young, azure-robed Mister was no longer seen on the road.

Instead, there was a gray-haired, bearded old gentleman, similarly dressed in azure robes.

The old gentleman drove the horse carriage, accompanied by a tabby cat sitting beside him.

Whenever passersby saw him, they would typically remark on how hale and hearty he was for his age, or say something to that effect.

Elderly farmers working in the fields outside the towns would look up toward the road.

They would see an elderly lady step down from the horse carriage, taking out a handkerchief to gently wipe the sweat from the old gentleman's brow.

It was a scene that made onlookers a bit envious, leaving a tender, bittersweet ache in their hearts.

But inevitably, they would sigh and murmur about how wonderful it was.

To share such a deep, enduring love.

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