Longevity Candle

Chapter 116 The Demon from the Mud of Yesteryear Has Grown Up

Li Qingchen's face was grim. He hadn't expected that the tabby cat would return to Sheng Kingdom to cause trouble for Jiang Chenxi.

"They want me to bewitch the Emperor and use the nation's destiny and dragon energy to deal with the elves."

Jiang Chenxi said.

"Isn't this what the Longevity Path does? Why would Master..."

Li Qingchen didn't understand. Did he give up on West Kunlun and plan to take the path of immortality?

"The current Emperor Sheng is already bewitched by me, and he listens to me very much." Jiang Chenxi said softly, "Do you want to stay? I have already begun to take control of the court, and then this Sheng Kingdom will be yours and mine."

Li Qingchen stared at her blankly, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity.

She is no longer the pitiful demon she once was, but a concubine who can control the emperor.

"Together we will build the kingdom into the one you desire. If you do not desire power, I will help you kill the elves and grant you immortality."

Jiang Chenxi said excitedly, "Elves have very long lifespans, then we can fly together forever..."

"Chenxi!" Li Qingchen shouted, "Don't be like this, wake up, I'll take you to Peach Blossom Spring, where you can live a carefree life and no one will be able to bully you anymore."

"I am perfectly sober." Jiang Chenxi's expression was cold: "You are the one who is not sober. I am already a royal consort, and I will soon become the empress of the Sheng Kingdom, ruling the world. Now you want me to give up all of this?"

Li Qingchen looked at her in disbelief: "Is power really that good? Even you are attached to it?"

"Power is wonderful. No one can bully me anymore." Jiang Chenxi smiled maniacally. "Those who bullied me back then have all been killed by me. The generals who invaded Yunmengze had their souls extracted and were tortured day and night. This feeling is too wonderful."

Li Qingchen felt a chill run through his body; the person before him was no longer the pitiful person he once was.

"You haven't experienced my suffering. You're so amazing. You were born a descendant of Peach Blossom Spring, blessed with the grace of a green lamp, and have an elf as your master to help you pave the way to immortality."

Have you ever experienced the suffering of your biological father abusing you like a dog, wishing he could strangle you?
Have you ever experienced being cursed by the entire village, like being driven away by a wild dog, trampling me into the mud...?

"I want revenge! I want those who bullied me to suffer! The pain I endured back then, their descendants will have to bear it all!"

“I found all those people from back then. I cut off their hands and feet, put them in a big vat, and used their life essence to keep them alive.”

Every now and then, I would go to see them, and their pained and desperate appearance always made me laugh…

Li Qingchen's eyes widened in disbelief; he couldn't believe Jiang Chenxi would do such a thing.

At that moment, he didn't know how to persuade them, and even had the urge to draw his sword.

Seemingly seeing through his thoughts, Jiang Chenxi sneered, "You want to kill me? Then come on! With just one sword strike, you can take two lives, leaving the Emperor without his beloved. Let's see if that good-for-nothing can hold up the Sheng Kingdom!"

"I……"

"You have no idea what I want. Your charity and pity will only make me more miserable."

You've never treated me like a normal person, just a beggar on the street, a stray dog, someone you only gave me a bun out of momentary kindness.

"I didn't, Chenxi, calm down." Li Qingchen's face was grim.

He did feel sorry for Jiang Chenxi, but not as much as she described.

"I'm very calm." Jiang Chenxi looked into the void: "Blue Lantern Spirit, can I hold the Blue Lantern? Just once."

"What do you want to do?" Li Qingchen asked warily.

Jiang Zhu appeared, looking at her calmly: "I hope the candlelight can dispel your confusion."

"Thank you." Jiang Chenxi looked at Li Qingchen.

Li Qingchen remained silent for a moment, then handed her the green lamp.

“Master said that you can dispel confusion, break through darkness, and let people see the light…”

Holding the green lamp, she asked devoutly and humbly, "Can I see the light?"

Jiang Zhu sighed softly, "Didn't you see it?"

"Yes, I saw it." Jiang Chenxi looked at Li Qingchen, hesitating to speak.

“He can’t hear,” Jiang Zhu said. “Is there anything you need me to tell him?”

“There were so many things I wanted to say to him before, but now I don’t need to.” Jiang Chenxi said bitterly, “My master and the cat spirit want me to bewitch Emperor Sheng and attack Ning Kingdom, dragging Ning Kingdom into a quagmire.”

Using the dragon's aura of national fortune to kill spirits and prolong life is a deception of Li Qingchen.

Their goal, from beginning to end, has always been to bring down Ningguo.

“You can go back to Peach Blossom Spring with him,” Jiang Zhu said.

“What good would it do to go? It would just be another Yunmengze.” Jiang Chenxi said in a low voice, “I know about what happened in West Kunlun. You should go there and give up on that idea.”

Jiang Zhu sighed softly, "This tabby cat really knows how to cause trouble."

"Master also wanted to take revenge on Sheng Kingdom; he was just adding fuel to the fire."

Jiang Chenxi shook her head slightly: "I only hope that my child can survive."

“We can let Qingchen take him away then,” Jiang Zhu said. “But are you really sure you want to do that?”

"The ambition for peace is wonderful. I hope that in the future, the flower of peace will bloom all over the prosperous country, and I also hope that he and Sister Yuqing will always be at peace," Jiang Chenxi said with longing.

She returned the green lamp to Li Qingchen and left the back garden without looking back.

Jiang Zhu sighed softly, watching her leave as a ray of moonlight shone down.

Within Li Qingchen's body, the dormant Yunmeng Sword suddenly emitted a sword aura that entered Jiang Chenxi's body and merged into the fetus.

Jiang Zhu frowned, not expecting the Cloud Dream Sword to choose Jiang Chenxi's child, but it was only a favor; the true body did not leave Li Qingchen.

"Let's go," Jiang Zhu said. "Your master-disciple relationship with the tabby cat ends here."

"Ancestor, why did she become like this? Why can't my master let go of immortality? Does he want to join the Path of Immortality?"

Li Qingchen rode away on a cloud, heading straight for Yunmeng Marsh.

“He can’t wait any longer and wants to go to West Kunlun,” Jiang Zhu said calmly.

“Go to West Kunlun if you want, why cause chaos between our two countries?” Li Qingchen said angrily.

"He will enjoy immortality alone." Jiang Zhu said, "Only when the two countries are in chaos will it attract elves and immortal masters. Once they find two more elf targets, no one will pay attention to him anymore."

Li Qingchen clenched his fist: "An elf is still an elf, incorrigible!"

Above Yunmeng Marsh, Li Qingchen unleashed his immense magical power, causing the beasts of the area to tremble in fear, yet the Nine-Colored Deer and the Tabby Cat were nowhere to be seen.

“Let’s go. They’re hiding from you. Let’s accumulate the essence of the sun and moon, and awaken me when the two countries go to war and the Dragon Blood Serpent comes looking for you,” Jiang Zhu said.

Left with no other choice, Li Qingchen had to return to Peach Blossom Village.

Jiang Zhu fell into a deep sleep again. He had made his decision: to go and see the Western Kunlun Mountains.

As time went by, the craze for immortality in Ningguo intensified, with everyone in the world seeking to live forever.

Qi cultivators wreak havoc on the world, causing turmoil in society.

Fourth year.

A message reached Ningguo: Shengguo had peaches of immortality; eating one would grant one a thousand years of life and instantly lead to immortality.

In a short time, people from Ningguo flocked to Shengguo.

The massive machine that is Ningguo has once again turned its gaze toward Shengguo.

Before the Ning Kingdom's army could even set off, the Sheng Kingdom's army had already crossed the border and invaded Ning Kingdom. When the news spread, the entire Ning Kingdom was stunned.

Since the establishment of Ningguo, they have always been the ones attacking others, and now they dare to take the initiative to attack them?

Is this emperor of the Sheng Kingdom out of his mind?

In the fourth year, the Ningguo army, with the help of Qi cultivators, arrived at the battlefield.

As expected, Ningguo won a great victory. What was unexpected was that the Shengguo army was easily defeated, and the general leading the army turned out to be a spoiled brat.

Meanwhile, the Ningguo army also received news that the peaches of immortality had been made into an elixir of life and were located in the imperial palace.

Immediately, the Ningguo army crossed the Great Wall and marched straight into the Shengguo Kingdom.

For the elixir of immortality, and also for conquering new territories!
The Sheng Kingdom was plunged into war once again, and most people in the north chose to surrender, having long yearned for the Ning Kingdom.

The Ningguo army encountered almost no obstacles, advancing triumphantly and sweeping all before them.

In the sixth year, the Ningguo army had already conquered the northern lands, but finally encountered a counterattack, and the offensive slowed down.

News of the elixir of immortality spread far and wide, and cultivators from all walks of life flocked to the Sheng Kingdom.

Meanwhile, news spread throughout the Sheng Kingdom that the elixir of immortality had fallen into the hands of the Demon Queen Jiang Chenxi. There were ten such elixirs, and each person could only consume one in their lifetime.

Nine elixirs of immortality, each granting a lifespan of a thousand years!

Inside Peach Blossom Spring.

Li Qingchen gripped his sword, his heart heavy.

"If you want to go, then go ahead," Qin Yuqing said gently, holding the child.

“I can’t go.” Li Qingchen looked in the direction of Sheng Kingdom, her eyes filled with tears. “She’s right. I pitied her, and it was my fault.”

Just as Qin Yuqing was about to say something, a golden light appeared in the distant void, and the Dragon Blood Serpent arrived.

He looked down at Li Qingchen: "Li Qingchen, the Sheng Kingdom is in chaos. I wonder if Jiang Zhu could lower his gaze once more?"

“We are from Ningguo, and we will not interfere in the affairs of Shengguo,” Li Qingchen said expressionlessly. “Please leave.”

"What about that demon? Aren't you going to do anything about it? She's the one who caused all of this!" the Dragon-Blood Serpent roared. "She's wreaked havoc on the country and its people; are you going to let her bear this infamy for all eternity?"

She cannot directly interfere in the palace. Jiang Chenxi has already seized imperial power and is only waiting to ascend the throne as a woman.

The Emperor was infatuated with her and protected her, refusing to listen to anyone else except her.

Even if Jiang Chenxi didn't listen to Li Qingchen's words, she could still consider them.

Moreover, he wanted Li Qingchen to kill Jiang Chenxi and solve the disaster at its source.

Li Qingchen remained silent. The reason he hesitated was because of this matter; he didn't want her to die with a bad reputation.

But Jiang Zhu said that this was her choice.

"And what about your master, that tabby cat? Don't you care whether he lives or dies?" the Dragon Blood Serpent said in a deep voice.

"Master? What happened to him?" Li Qingchen was taken aback.

The Dragon Blood Serpent said, "Jiang Chenxi wanted to kill him, which has already affected the fate of the nation, and has suppressed them in the palace."

Li Qingchen's expression changed. He still had feelings for the tabby cat after all: "You go first, I'll be there shortly."

"Okay, hurry up, Jiang Chenxi is about to make her move," the Dragon Blood Serpent said hastily.

Li Qingchen watched him leave, and Qin Yuqing grasped his hand: "I'll go with you."

"I'm not going." Li Qingchen shook his head, took out the green lamp, and infused it with the essence of the sun and moon.

Jiang Zhu awoke from his slumber: "Jiang Chenxi made her move?"

“He has already immobilized the tabby cat, and the Dragon Blood Serpent just came to ask for help,” Li Qingchen said.

"What will you choose?" Jiang Zhu asked.

Li Qingchen was silent for a moment: "Can you save her?"

“She didn’t want to.” Jiang Zhu shook his head and said, “I asked her back then if she wanted to continue, and she made her choice. The Yunmeng Sword Qi and my magic power are in her child’s body, so they should be able to protect her child.”

“I didn’t expect her to do this,” Li Qingchen sighed.

"She, in a way, extended the life of Ningguo once again," Jiang Zhu said.

Jiang Chenxi has already dealt with the generals of Sheng Kingdom. Under her corruption, the army has become utterly decadent and vulnerable.

Then, using peaches of immortality and elixirs of longevity as bait, they lured Ningguo there.

The Qi cultivators have all left, pursuing immortality in Sheng Kingdom, which has relieved the internal pressure in Ning Kingdom.

If the Emperor of Ningguo turns his attention to Shengguo and governs it with peace of mind, Ningguo will become even stronger with the help of Shengguo's land.

The spirits will wreak havoc in the world, but the crisis will be resolved, and the tabby cat's plans will fall through.

Jiang Chenxi will bear the infamy of bringing disaster to the country and its people!
The distant imperial palace of the prosperous kingdom.

Inside the secret room.

The tabby cat looked grim, its body enveloped by the nation's destiny, making it unable to move.

His injuries had not yet healed, and he did not possess the boundless magical power of the Nine-Colored Deer. Faced with the suppression of the national destiny dragon energy, he was unable to escape for the time being.

Jiang Chenxi looked at him calmly, beside him was a corpse dressed in a dragon robe, the Emperor Sheng.

"You really are a vicious woman!" the tabby cat said coldly. "Both the Nine-Colored Deer and I misjudged you."

"A poisonous woman?" Jiang Chenxi smiled. "You chose her. That demon from the mud has grown up. You should be pleased."

The tabby cat's gaze darkened, and he had to admit that he had misjudged the cat once again.

The first time was Li Qingping, and the second time was Jiang Chenxi.

He didn't say anything like, "If you do this, aren't you worried about the consequences?"

Since Jiang Chenxi has gone this far, it means that she is prepared for death, just like Li Qingping was back then.

"Why? Only by dragging Ningguo into the quagmire will Shengguo have a chance, and only then will you have a chance."

The tabby cat said in a deep voice, "Even if you don't listen to us, you can still go and kill elves to gain immortality."

"Aren't you an elf?" Jiang Chenxi said coldly.

"You can't kill me," the tabby cat said coldly, with great confidence.

"I can't kill you, but you're an elixir of immortality." Jiang Chenxi's face lit up with a broad smile: "I wonder if Ning Guo can kill you?"

"You..." The tabby cat's expression changed drastically, staring at her in shock and anger: "Why did you do this? What good would it do you?"

"He was in Ningguo, and he hoped that Taiping would flourish."

Jiang Chenxi remained expressionless, her gaze cold and ruthless: "He gave me a ray of light, and only then did I realize that I am a person, a living, breathing person. But you want to destroy Taiping, destroy the country built by his ancestors for generations, and you even want me to destroy it with my own hands..."

"He can give me a ray of light, while you and Master, your so-called lowered gaze is nothing more than today's charity and pity. I can't even get close to you. In your eyes, I am the mud in the ground, extremely filthy, as if getting close to you would defile you."

The green lamp didn't see my filth. The moment I grasped it, I finally understood why Li Qingping had targeted you all—you're just a bunch of self-righteous fools!

"Immortality? To hell with immortality! You can't get to West Kunlun, just wait to die!"

(End of this chapter)