Longevity Candle

Chapter 103 A teacher for a day is a father for life
The path to seeking the heavens, like the path to immortality, is a pipe dream.

Jiang Zhu didn't want the tabby cat to instill in Xiao Qingchen the idea of ​​seeking immortality by following the way of Heaven.

"Do you know about peaches of immortality? Eating one can grant you at least a thousand years of life!" The tabby cat proudly raised its head, seemingly showing off its vast knowledge of immortality.

Jiang Zhu glanced at him: "Did you spread the word that the Emperor of Sheng Kingdom wanted peaches?"

“I don’t want to deal with royalty,” the tabby cat said. “It must have been found by him himself, or spread by some elf or immortal master. The Longevity Path is more likely, as it fits their style of doing things.”

Jiang Zhu remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"Of course, it could also be in accordance with the will of Heaven, because the Peaches of Immortality are indeed what we are looking for, and a lifespan of a thousand years is quite considerable for us."

The tabby cat pondered for a moment and said, "But this is not my responsibility; it's the deer in Yunmengze's."

"Nine-Colored Deer?"

“It’s her, but she probably won’t tell anyone, because the peaches are related to the heavens. Of course, there might be other reasons that made her change her mind,” the tabby cat said.

"You've found another piece of sky?" Jiang Zhu asked in surprise. "Is it Candlelight or Shadow?"

“Zhuzhao, the peaches of immortality are from that celestial realm, and the peaches that grant a thousand years of life are just the lowest grade.” The tabby cat said wistfully, “Those are the real immortal peaches. The peach tree in Peach Blossom Spring is nothing compared to them.”

Xiao Qingchen's eyes widened as she listened. Even the lowest grade of peaches could extend one's lifespan by a thousand years. Could the highest grade of peaches truly grant immortality?

"Many people have died in the fleet searching for the peaches of immortality." Ning Qinghan walked over and picked up Xiao Qingchen: "Don't listen to this cat's nonsense, go back to sleep."

After he left, the tabby cat extended an invitation to Jiang Zhu: "Join the Shuntiandao. With your magical power and the Candle Illumination Technique, you will become an important member of our group."

Jiang Zhu looked at him coldly. Was the previous generation of the Green Lantern Spirit also invited by the Dao of Immortality in the same way?
“Go after him yourself. Once you’ve fulfilled the agreement, you’ll be free,” Jiang Zhu said.

"Hey, the day you change your mind, if there are endless peaches to eat, I don't believe you won't be tempted," the tabby cat sneered.

Jiang Zhu ignored him and focused on accumulating magical power.

The tabby cat didn't say much, simply found a spot, and fell fast asleep.

Six hours passed, and Jiang Zhu let out a barely perceptible sigh before returning to the dim light of the lamp.

Day two.

The tabby cat was woken up by Xiao Qingchen poking him with a stick. He said angrily, "What are you doing? It's very rude of you to disturb my slumber."

"Father and Mother are busy, and Aunt is going to pick peaches. Please take care of me," said Xiao Qingchen.

Cihuamao: "??"

I'm here to teach you swordsmanship, not to take care of children!

Seeing the sulking tabby cat, Xiao Qingchen quickly said, "How about we go to the river and cast a net to catch some fish for you?"

"Not interested." The tabby cat squinted its eyes. "Go play by yourself, I want to sleep."

"I will definitely practice my swordsmanship well tonight," Xiao Qingchen promised.

The tabby cat still ignored him.

“I want to hear your story of seeking the heavens,” said Xiao Qingchen.

The tabby cat opened its eyes and stood up: "Let's go, I'll teach you how to catch fish."

Xiao Qingchen quickly picked up the tabby cat and ran happily out of the inn.

Half an hour later, the tabby cat glared at Xiao Qingchen with gritted teeth, while he himself was being swayed back and forth by a little girl.

This bastard, trying to curry favor with a little girl with an elf?

How dare you!

"Your cat is so fat, it's so comfortable to hold." Erniu was very happy.

"Let us touch it too." A group of little kids gathered around.

Xiao Qingchen was startled and quickly stopped them: "Let's go catch fish quickly, or there won't be any spots left."

The group of children then remembered what they had come out for.

The tabby cat lay listlessly on the bank, watching a group of mischievous children fishing in the shallow waters of a tributary of the Chihe River.

Xiao Qingchen would kill the small fish and hand it to him, and the tabby cat reluctantly tried two of them.

As evening approached, Xiao Qingchen asked curiously, "Why don't you eat live fish?"

"They are all living beings in the world, and killing them creates karma, including fish."

The tabby cat said, "I'm not a mindless, killing spirit. I just like to have a taste now and then."

"Then why don't you eat the meat of the other people?" Xiao Qingchen asked in confusion.

“I have never liked mundane things; eating fish is probably just my nature,” the tabby cat said.

If I weren't a cat, I probably wouldn't even take a bite of the fish.

"You dislike ordinary things so much?" Xiao Qingchen asked, puzzled. "I think they taste delicious."

"You'll understand when you embark on the path of immortality. No matter how delicious mortal things are, they're of no help to the path of immortality; they're just useless," the tabby cat said.

"I don't understand," Xiao Qingchen shook her head.

The tabby cat didn't say anything more. When night fell, it taught him to practice swordsmanship.

Xiao Qingchen studied very hard this time, but the tabby cat's sword technique was a celestial sword art, and he could only practice the form for now.

Although I really wanted to give him the method, Xiao Qingchen insisted on refining essence into qi and becoming a qi cultivator.

The tabby cat also began to study the methods of Qi Refining, intending to combine it with its own sword techniques to create a sword immortal technique suitable for Xiao Qingchen.

"Qingdeng only comes out once every few years, and I accompany him day and night. Putting aside my identity as an elf, I don't believe this kid won't side with me," the tabby cat thought to itself.

If they can win over Xiao Qingchen, the Taiping Dao might side with them.

Life returned to normal, but the South China Sea was far from peaceful. Every year, there were teams searching for the peaches of immortality, and although only a portion of them returned without any harvest, the Emperor of Sheng Kingdom still did not give up.

It seems they are certain that the peaches are located in the South China Sea.

A year passed quickly, and the tabby cat had gotten used to Xiao Qingchen's playfulness. His friends, though mischievous, did not go too far.

Aside from some initial dissatisfaction, he gradually accepted it and his tolerance increased.

Of course, it was also due to Xiao Qingchen's talent that he mastered about 10% of his swordsmanship in just one year and also gained some understanding of the Heavenly Might.

One percent is already quite high.

The tabby cat was very excited. Even Li Qingping back then, if he wanted to learn his swordsmanship, he couldn't possibly learn even a tenth of it in a year, let alone comprehend the power of heaven.

That night, the tabby cat called Li Qingping and asked Li Taoshan to cook a table full of fish.

After shooing the people away, he sat down opposite Xiao Qingchen: "Today we won't practice swordsmanship. I'll tell you the story of Seeking Heaven. You're not allowed to refuse."

He had told the story a few times before, but Xiao Qingchen always made excuses to slip away, which made him furious. What happened to the story of Xun Tian?
Xiao Qingchen was about to refuse again when the tabby cat squinted and said, "I have studied a sword technique that is very suitable for you. That Green Lantern Spirit is a bit lacking; it didn't see your true talent."

"True talent?" Xiao Qingchen asked in confusion.

"You'll know after you hear the story. In ancient times, there lived a woman in this land named Yunmeng..."

"Yunmeng? The predecessor of the Sheng Kingdom?"

"Pretty much. The reason Yunmeng is called Yunmeng is actually because of that woman," the tabby cat said. "She was a seeker of immortality, searching for immortals in the mountains and forests."

"Why does she want to seek immortality?" Xiao Qingchen asked.

"Why are there so many whys? Are you going to listen or not?"

The tabby cat glared at him: "What else could you be seeking immortality for? Probably to achieve eternal life."

Yunmeng is from so many years ago, how would he know why Yunmeng is seeking immortality?
In the past, he could say with certainty that he sought immortality in order to achieve eternal life.

However, after meeting Li Qingping, experiencing Li Qingxuan, and understanding Taiping Zhizhi, he became uncertain.

There are always some people who do not strive for immortality.

"Then tell me, tell me." Xiao Qingchen took a sip of peach blossom wine and ate the fish.

"Yunmeng is a very talented person. She studies medicinal herbs and, with basic martial arts skills, has cultivated true qi..."

The tabby cat's gaze was deep, its thoughts drifting far away.

He had never seen Yunmeng before; he only discovered this seeker of immortality on his journey to find the heavens. At first, he was dismissive of her, but after getting to know her, he realized how extraordinary she was.

The old crow and the old dragon only knew about Taiyin Youming, but they didn't know why Yunmeng had always been called Yunmeng.

"Her talent and piety caught the attention of an elf, who lowered his eyes and bestowed upon her the arts of immortality."

Who is that elf?

"I don't know, she should be a celestial master under Youying. She has entered the path of immortality and possesses a long lifespan..."

Yunmeng, who possesses a long lifespan, joined the Path of Immortality along with that elf.

Together they chased after the flickering candlelight, traversing mountains and rivers, visiting spirits and immortal masters in various places.

Xiao Qingchen listened quietly, feeling a sense of longing as well.

Being able to travel across mountains and rivers, visiting immortals and seeking enlightenment in various places, is also a carefree and unrestrained experience.

He longed for that kind of life, but he was just a child and couldn't go anywhere.

"They followed the trail of the Seeking Tree and ascended to the Boundless Heaven of the Moon, hoping to see the ancient Youying. But they were disappointed. Youying was not in the Boundless Heaven. She had abandoned the Three-Headed Crow and left the Boundless Heaven."

"Wait, aren't the Three-Headed Ravens spirits of the Netherworld? Why are they in the Boundless Yin Heaven first?" Xiao Qingchen asked in confusion.

He had heard Tao Ling tell him that the Three-Headed Ravens were from the Netherworld.

"That's what I don't understand either, but that's the message she left behind. She abandoned everything and left because she discovered the path to immortality..."

Yunmeng gave up on working with the Dao of Immortality to study the Boundless Yin Heaven together, and left on her own.

"In a mysterious celestial realm, she found the Peach Tree of Immortality. The lowest grade of peaches can live for a thousand years, while the highest grade can live for a hundred thousand years. A hundred thousand years of lifespan! Even some elves cannot live that long, let alone you human immortal masters."

The tabby cat's eyes gleamed; those peaches were what he longed for.

Xiao Qingchen's eyes widened as well: "Ten thousand years..."

He couldn't imagine how long 100,000 years was, or how many years a country would last.

Countless ordinary people cannot even survive a single country.

"What is a hundred thousand years? As long as we find that mysterious celestial realm with its endless peaches of immortality, we can achieve eternity and true immortality."

The tabby cat said excitedly, "Then, your family and your friends will be able to stay with you forever."

Xiao Qingchen covered her ears: "I don't want to listen anymore, I don't want to listen anymore, the Ancestor won't let me pursue immortality."

"Then I won't tell you anymore." The tabby cat didn't continue; telling the story little by little, touching his heart, was enough.

As for Jiang Zhu, he wouldn't let me talk about it?

Once Xiao Qingchen sides with him, he can keep it a secret.

Xiao Qingchen ran straight back to her room, hid under the covers, and her heart was pounding.

The blanket was pulled back, and Li Taoshan smiled and patted his head: "It's just a story, don't take it seriously. You should cultivate well and see the peaceful and prosperous world."

"Father, I know." Xiao Qingchen's voice was a little weak.

"Let's go see Tao Ling tomorrow and learn more about our ancestors' stories."

"it is good."

Xiao Qingchen nodded and gradually fell asleep under Li Taoshan's comforting words.

The next day, Xiao Qingchen and Ning Qinghan went to Peach Blossom Spring, with the tabby cat following them.

“Tao Ling, the tabby cat said there are many peaches of immortality, one of which can make you live for 100,000 years. It also said there are countless peaches of immortality that can keep those around you forever.”

Xiao Qingchen said.

The tabby cat wasn't afraid of Tao Ling and said, "Of course, I found it back in Yunmeng."

"Then where is Yunmeng?" Tao Ling asked in return.

"They must be hiding. Who would want to share the peaches?" the tabby cat said.

Tao Ling then asked, "Then how do you think you can take the peaches from an ancient immortal?"

The tabby cat opened its mouth, but for a moment it couldn't refute.

Even though he was a great elf with unparalleled pride and confidence, he had no idea that he could defeat an ancient immortal.

"Don't be fooled by him," Tao Ling said gently. "You actually have an ancestor named Li Yaoyao, who was Li Qingping's older sister. She once naively wanted to keep everyone..."

There is little mention of Yao Yao, because the Way of Peace only inherited Li Qingping's ambition for peace.

Ning Qinghan and Xiao Qingchen listened quietly.

Back then, Yao Yao tried to keep everyone, but in the end, she found that she couldn't keep anyone.

Back then, Ayan tried to achieve immortality, but failed as well.

The tabby cat said, "That's because they didn't find the peaches of immortality."

Xiao Qingchen glanced at him: "Once I've finished learning swordsmanship, you can go and hunt for the peaches of immortality on your own."

"Cough, I didn't force you to go looking for peaches, I was just telling you a story," the tabby cat quickly corrected itself.

He could only coax Xiao Qingchen.

“You all go back first, I’d like to have a chat with this elf,” Tao Ling said.

“This…” Ning Qinghan and Xiao Qingchen looked worried.

“It’s alright. Jiang Zhu gave me the power of Taiyin, which transformed into a green lamp,” Tao Ling said.

The two were relieved and got up to leave.

After they left, the tabby cat said coldly, "What, you want to use dragon energy to get rid of me? You don't have that ability. Even if I am severely injured and suppressed by the national fortune, you can't kill me."

"I only ask that you enter my dream," Tao Ling said gently. "The Nine-Tailed Fox is waiting for you in her dream."

Just as the tabby cat was about to speak, everything went black, and it entered a dream.

A lush peach orchard, peach blossoms fluttering in the air, and a nine-tailed white fox strides in.

The tabby cat seemed dazed, and the peach trees around it appeared to have transformed into the long-desired peach trees and elixir of immortality.

It seems that immortality is just around the corner.

He quickly calmed himself down; the surrounding trees were still ordinary peach trees, nothing unusual.

Looking at the nine-tailed fox, he said coldly, "You are quite capable, managing to drag me directly into a dream."

"I couldn't have done it before, and I wasn't even worthy of being your opponent," Nine-Tails said frankly.

"You think you can bully me now that I'm down on my luck?" the tabby cat sneered, its eyes gleaming with increasing ferocity.

"I was truly surprised by the reappearance of the Green Lamp."

Nine-Tailed sighed with emotion, her nine tails swaying, and a scene appeared before her eyes: the battle between her and the alligator dragon spirit back then.

The tabby cat was puzzled and just watched.

The two spirits were evenly matched, and although the Nine-Tailed Fox was at a disadvantage, the Crocodile Dragon dared not kill it.

But then a bolt of Yin lightning struck, hitting the alligator dragon spirit and ending the battle.

The tabby cat stared blankly at the scene, filled with disbelief and a hint of horror.

"I know too little about the national destiny and dragon energy. At that time, it should have been due to the national destiny of Yunmeng."

Now, he's back, but Li Qingxuan is dead and on the verge of death.

The Nine-Tailed Fox said quietly, "How do you think Peach Spirit developed sentience?"

The tabby cat fell silent.

"As a fellow elf, I advise you to cherish your life." The Nine-Tailed Fox's eyes were cold: "Don't think he's kind-hearted and won't kill you. If you really anger him, you will become the second Crocodile Dragon. The fate of the Sheng Kingdom is still in his hands."

The tabby cat's face was grim, its eyes darting around, and a storm raged within it.

Wasn't the nation's destiny used to challenge the Netherworld?
Could it be that they got separated?

It's not impossible, after all, the dragon blood dragon lurking within could completely compensate for the lack of national fortune.

"He gave the alligator dragon to you?" the tabby cat asked.

“He didn’t take it with him at all, and Li Qingxuan didn’t want it either,” Nine-Tailed Fox sighed.

"How is this possible?" the tabby cat exclaimed incredulously.

The increased lifespan of an elf is beyond words.

Although the alligator dragon is not considered a great spirit, its life essence is still very powerful.

When the Path of Immortality kills a single elf, it's still a group of elves and immortal masters sharing the spoils. But Jiang Zhu actually left the alligator dragon to them?
Jiang Zhu could say he had a long lifespan, but Li Qingxuan back then was almost dead!

Even a piece of flesh or some essence blood would be enough for Li Qingxuan to gain a long lifespan.

“He doesn’t seek immortality, but that doesn’t mean he won’t kill elves.” Nine-Tails licked his lips. “If you continue to be reckless, as his friend, I’d be happy to share a bite.”

The tabby cat's heart skipped a beat: "Why are you saying all this? Wouldn't it be better if I died?"

"Perhaps it's because I feel indebted. Back then, I didn't help Yaoyao or Li Qingping at all, yet they considered me a friend."

Nine-Tailed Fox said in a deep voice, "Your sword is indeed the best in the world. If Xiao Qingchen is willing to learn swordsmanship, then teach him with all your heart."

The peach blossoms have faded, and the tabby cat has returned to reality.

He glanced at Tao Ling, then left without a word.

Nine-Tailed Fox did not come; it only left a trace of its magic power here to wait for him.

From that day on, the tabby cat seemed to be in a low mood and stopped telling Xiao Qingchen stories about seeking the heavens and achieving immortality.

Aside from teaching swordsmanship, or when Xiao Qingchen asked him questions, he wouldn't talk about anything supernatural.

Xiao Qingchen also found peace and quiet and began to study the teachings of the tabby cat.

A celestial sword technique can cultivate unparalleled sharp true energy, which flows throughout the body like sharp swords.

However, this method is too domineering. Even with the talent for immortality, one needs to cultivate it slowly and cannot rush into it.

Once successful, every gesture will exude sword energy.

"Yan Yu is still a bit lacking. Once you master this sword technique, even at the Refining Essence to Qi stage, you will be able to use immortal techniques," the tabby cat said proudly.

"So amazing?" Xiao Qingchen exclaimed in surprise.

"Of course, look who created it." The tabby cat proudly raised its head: "All kinds of forces in the world have their own rules and operating laws. As long as you find them, you can activate them."

"Although the process of refining essence into qi has just begun and has not yet entered the path of immortality, one can still draw upon a trace of the power of heaven and earth by relying on this principle, thereby enabling one to perform the methods of immortality."

Xiao Qingchen paused, looked solemnly at the tabby cat in front of her, bowed respectfully, and called out, "Master."

The tabby cat paused, a strange emotion stirring within it, and waved its hand, saying, "Call me Master. The title 'Master' sounds rather unpleasant."

Ning Qinghan and Li Taoshan, a married couple, came over, brought a cup of tea, and patted Xiao Qingchen on the shoulder: "Aren't you going to offer tea to your master?"

Xiao Qingchen obediently accepted it, her knees buckled, and she kowtowed respectfully: "According to our common customs, a teacher for a day is a father for life. You will also be my father from now on. Please have some tea, Master."

The tabby cat stared blankly for a moment, then picked up the teacup and drank it all in one gulp. It was still as unpalatable as before, but the taste was completely different, and it even tasted somewhat good.

(End of this chapter)