Longevity Candle

Chapter 125 Two Eras of Humanity

"Shopkeeper, may I have a drink?"

Jiang Zhu walked into a small tavern and placed two coins on the table.

The shopkeeper didn't mind the small amount and poured him a cup of wine.

Nowadays, grain is precious in Yigu City, so naturally, alcohol is also scarce.

The cheapest shochu was diluted with water.

"Come again tomorrow, but this time it can't be diluted," Jiang Zhu said.

The world is in chaos, and Yi Gu City has very little wealth. If it were a peaceful and prosperous time, this kind of liquor would be diluted with water and no one would buy it.

"Ha, sir, that's how it is." The shopkeeper chuckled awkwardly.

Nowadays, it's the same everywhere in the city; which wine seller doesn't dilute it with water?

Jiang Zhu drank the wine in his cup, tasting the worldly wine: "Is there any excitement to see in this city?"

"Then we'll have to go to Anning Restaurant. It's General Wanning's restaurant, and they have magicians performing magic tricks every day," the manager said upon hearing this.

"General Wanning runs a restaurant? And even hires magicians?" Jiang Zhu was slightly surprised.

This general is also a shrewd businessman.

"The restaurant was now unoccupied, and it would be a waste to leave it unused. The general thought magic tricks were excellent and said that he wanted to share the joy with the people, so he had the magicians perform and give them a way to make a living."

The shopkeeper explained.

Jiang Zhu nodded slightly: "Then I'll go take a look."

He got up and left, heading straight for the Wanning Restaurant.

Yigu City has regained some vitality. Although the people do not have much money, some wealthy families have moved here from other places.

Compared to the chaos outside, Yigu City, with Jiang Wanning there, was already considered a peaceful place.

The restaurant was packed, with many people standing.

Inside the lobby, there was a raised platform made of tables pushed together.

Zhang Ming is performing a new magic trick on the high platform.

He held a flowerpot in his hands, and in just a moment, the seeds took root and sprouted.

Under the tense and expectant gazes of the guests, a flower bud sprouted, and then bloomed into a peony.

He blew a breath, and peony petals fluttered and flew towards all the guests.

That peony seemed endless, its petals falling evenly, ensuring that they landed on everyone.

Jiang Zhu reached out and caught a petal, smiling as she watched Zhang Ming on the stage.

Gone is the innocence and uprightness of yesteryear; all that remains is worldly sophistication.

The chaotic world had long since worn down his edges, and he was no longer the naive and upright schoolteacher he once was.

"When peonies bloom, they symbolize wealth, good fortune, and family prosperity. I wish all of you, my esteemed guests, wealth, prosperity, and abundant riches."

Zhang Ming bowed slightly and clasped his hands in blessing.

"Good, we were just talking about peonies yesterday, and here they are today. Here's a reward." A well-to-do middle-aged guest generously tossed a piece of silver.

"These auspicious words sound nice."

"reward."

The guests were delighted and tipped them with either silver or copper coins.

"Thank you all, gentlemen." Zhang Ming bowed with a smile.

The disciples who asked for rewards all expressed their gratitude, even if it was just a single coin. They also thanked those who didn't give them any money.

As our patriarch once said, those with money should support us financially, and those without money should support us with their presence.

Magic tricks are all about the excitement; the more people there are, the more exciting it becomes, and the more likely people are to tip you.

When he got to Jiang Zhu, he had no money left, so he didn't give him any.

The disciple was a stranger; he had never seen him before.

The former disciples may have been sent away, or they may have died in the chaos.

A new magic trick has begun.

"A gentleman wishes to see a fairy, but I am merely a magician and have no idea what a fairy looks like."

Zhang Ming said with distress.

"Haha."

The audience burst into laughter, and someone shouted, "Fairy, we want to see the fairy too!"

Who wouldn't want to see what a fairy looks like?
Even if you know it's fake, isn't it just about having a thought?
“We mortals have all fantasized about fairies. I’m not afraid of being laughed at, but I’ve thought about it too.”

Zhang Ming laughed heartily, showing no stage fright whatsoever: "I once said that our ancestor was a celestial being from heaven, and since we have never seen a fairy, let's create a fairy in the likeness of our ancestor."

"Hey, hey, hey, your ancestor is a man, aren't you afraid he'll strike you dead with a bolt of lightning?" a handsome young man laughed.

"That's right, we want to see fairies, not handsome young men."

"No matter how carefree an immortal may be, we are not women."

Someone chuckled.

A black line appeared on Jiang Zhu's face. Could he transform himself into a fairy?
You are truly a good student to your teacher!

"If I were your ancestor, I would definitely descend to earth and kill you." The portly middle-aged man was amused.

"No, that's not true. As the patriarch said, 'The mortal world is full of phenomena, but immortals are formless yet possess all phenomena.'"

Zhang Ming said with a smile, "So, my ancestor can also be a fairy... Now, everyone, watch closely, I'm going to invite a fairy to descend to earth."

As he spoke, everyone fell silent, their eyes fixed on the stage, afraid of missing a single moment.

Zhang Ming formed hand seals and lightly stomped his feet, as if he were casting a spell.

A silver light swirled around his fingertips, resembling a real immortal's magic, which greatly piqued everyone's interest.

"Borrowing the light of heaven and earth, it transforms into a path to immortality."

Zhang Ming's voice carried a sense of piety, as if he were on a pilgrimage. The silvery light extended towards the roof, transforming into a silvery jade path.

A pair of snow-white jade feet appeared on the immortal path, and faint, ethereal zither music drifted over, as if celestial music were descending upon the world.

The onlookers' breathing quickened, their eyes burning as they stared intently at the people on the path to immortality.

The sound of the zither had already captivated their hearts and minds, immersing them completely.

Jiang Zhu was naturally unaffected, but he was also curious about how this disciple planned to change.

Her feet, as white as jade, descended from the celestial path into the mortal world.

A figure gradually appeared, dressed in a moon-white gown, surrounded by moonlight, exuding an ethereal aura, with a bright moon hanging behind her head, like a dream.

But that face was blurry and indistinct.

Jiang Zhu smiled. In that face, he saw Ayan from back then, Yaoyao from the past, Li Qingxuan, and even Li Qingping and Li Qingchen.

You can also see Jiang Chenxi and Jiang Yunmeng.

The so-called formlessness yet myriad forms refer to the forms that the human mind thinks about and clings to.

Everyone sees a different fairy.

However, that figure looked like a shrunken version of himself.

Traitor!
When the fairy reached the end of the fairy realm, she vanished as if she had never existed.

Everyone came to their senses, but instead of applauding or cheering, they all fell silent, sighing with melancholy. How many people in this world don't have a white moonlight in their hearts?

When the moonlight shines into the heart, when the fairy you long for transforms into an unforgettable memory, how many people can remain indifferent?
Zhang Ming did not utter a sound to disturb them, but bowed silently, bringing the magic trick to a close.

Zhang Ming left, but his disciples stayed; they were responsible for collecting the rewards.

After a long while, the guests came to their senses, and only then did the disciples dare to step forward to ask for a reward.

"That Zhang Ming is a complete scoundrel." The wealthy merchant tossed down a tael of silver and wiped his eyes.

The handsome young man placed ten taels of silver on the table and softly said, "Thank you."

He dropped ten taels of silver, covered his face, and left, seemingly afraid that people would see his shameful behavior.

Zhang Ming arrived at the backyard, about to go and tell the shopkeeper the good news, when he suddenly felt a pain in the back of his head.

But when he looked around, he saw nothing.

A voice echoed in my mind: "Bring out a jar of wine."

Overjoyed, Zhang Ming didn't even bother to tell the shopkeeper the good news. He picked up a jar of wine and went out through the back door.

As soon as I stepped out the back door, I saw that long-lost figure.

"Master, Master..." Zhang Ming moved his lips, his eyes reddening.

"You still remember you have a master? You're a fairy, tsk." Jiang Zhu took the wine jar and walked away.

“Master, didn’t you say that life is but a dream, and the mortal world is but an illusion? It’s all false.”

Zhang Ming quickly followed, chuckling, "Besides, you also teach your disciples not to be too rigid. With a master, how can we not use him?"

"You've really grown up." Jiang Zhu glanced at him, not really angry. "I heard that Yi Gu City has caused some trouble a few times?"

“Yes…” Zhang Ming recalled that time with lingering fear.

Fortunately, those people didn't understand illusions and didn't see through them.

But he was ultimately just a mortal; his illusions could barely protect him, and he couldn't protect more people.

He took the opportunity to send several disciples into the ranks of refugees, and others into the second batch of troops.

There was no way out for Yi Gucheng, so the only option was to let them leave and find their own way to survive.

“I plan to drive them all away after they graduate. I don’t know how long Yigu City can hold out,” Zhang Ming sighed.

"Hmm? You don't trust Jiang Wanning? Or are you worried that Emperor Ning will transfer him away?" Jiang Zhu asked.

Jiang Wanning is governing Yigu City very well now, and people have already moved there.

If things continue to develop in a step-by-step manner, Jiang Wanning's strength will continue to increase, eventually snowballing and rapidly growing stronger.

Zhang Ming was silent for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "I saw a deputy general next to Jiang Wanning. He was one of the generals who plundered Yigu City back then."

Jiang Zhu frowned: "In cahoots?"

“It’s hard to say. Jiang Wanning doesn’t seem to know he was involved. Besides me, only Jiang Yunmeng should have seen him,” Zhang Ming said.

"Jiang Yunmeng?"

"Yes, he was there when the Yunmeng Tavern was besieged. It was also with my help that Jiang Yunmeng was able to leave safely."

Zhang Ming sighed softly, "I wonder how that girl is doing now."

“She is safe,” Jiang Zhu said.

"That's good. Master, how long will you stay in the mortal realm this time?" Zhang Ming asked curiously.

"Three to five days," Jiang Zhu thought for a moment. "Since that deputy general is involved, then I will ask him to lend me some silver."

“Master, be careful. These generals are skilled in martial arts and possess the aura of the nation’s destiny. My illusions are easily seen through now,” Zhang Ming said.

When he helped them back then, he only deceived the other martial artists, not the generals.

Jiang Zhu glanced at the location of the city lord's mansion and nodded slightly: "It does indeed have the destiny of the nation."

Jiang Wanning possessed a portion of the nation's fortune, not bestowed by imperial power, but accumulated through his own efforts.

The nation's fortunes are now showing cracks, and the dragon's energy is leaking out. This leaking dragon energy will seek out a suitable person.

Therefore, Jiang Wanning's most important task now is to focus on development, win over the people, provide them with a peaceful life, and gain their support.

Once the nation's fate is completely divided, they will be able to acquire a large amount of national fortune and become warlords vying for power.

Jiang Zhu naturally had no intention of giving guidance, because Jiang Wanning already had a Qi Refiner by his side, whose strength was quite good.

"Tell me about yourself. You have quite a few tricks up your sleeve. How come I never noticed before? You have so many ideas, even though you're usually so dull-witted?" Jiang Zhu laughed.

"That's not my idea. I couldn't come up with it even if I racked my brains. So I had my apprentices ask the customers what kind of magic tricks they wanted to see, and then I studied based on their ideas."

Zhang Ming said, "Their ideas are all kinds of strange, but most of them are obsessed with power, wealth and beauty, while a few are thinking about immortality and magic."

"Immortal cultivation and immortality?"

"Yes, some people wanted to see the peaches before, but I didn't dare," Zhang Ming said with a wry smile.

If he dares to pull off a peach magic trick, he'll probably be brought before Emperor Ning soon and asked where the peaches are.

“The peaches of immortality cannot be transformed,” Jiang Zhu said. “Sometimes, magic tricks are passed down so often that people start to believe them.”

"Yes, gossip can be a powerful thing," Zhang Ming sighed, then asked, "Master, have you ever seen a peach from the heavens?"

"Never seen one before." Jiang Zhu casually found a rooftop, sat down, and drank some wine. "What, do you want to see the peaches of immortality?"

“Who wouldn’t want to?” Zhang Ming said, “Master, actually I…”

He opened his mouth, then stopped, as if afraid that what he said would displease Jiang Zhu.

"What are you thinking about?" Jiang Zhu asked.

Zhang Ming was silent for a moment, then mustered his courage and said, "I want to know why the world has become like this, and how to return to the peaceful and prosperous times of the past?"

"Do you know about the Way of Peace?" Jiang Zhu asked.

"I know, the Way of Peace has also disappeared."

“Back then, there was a man named Li Qingping who was born at the end of the Qian Kingdom, which was at the beginning of the Ning Kingdom. At that time, plagues were rampant, and mountain and sea spirits and immortal masters and Taoists entered the world to do good deeds and gather incense.”

"But they don't want to eradicate the plague at all; instead, they let it spread so that more mortals will come to them to beg for alms and offer incense..."

Jiang Zhu spoke in a calm tone, as if he were telling a fictional story: "These mountain and sea spirits, immortal masters and Taoists, are the immortals you mentioned."

“What…” Zhang Ming was stunned and looked at Jiang Zhu in horror.

"Li Qingping could have joined them and become one of the immortals, but he gave it up because he wanted a peaceful and prosperous world, a homeland free from plagues and disasters..."

Jiang Zhu continued his story, watching Zhang Ming listen intently, his expression shifting between admiration and anger, and sighed softly: "He learned medicine and swordsmanship. Can these two things bring peace to the world?"

“He…he succeeded,” Zhang Ming said, opening his mouth slightly.

Jiang Zhu glanced at him and said calmly, "There's time. The chance to become an immortal is for those who are prepared."

“Then I also have a connection with the immortals, namely my master.”

“No, you don’t. You’re just a magician, so don’t make any unnecessary preparations,” Jiang Zhu said seriously.

Zhang Ming was stunned.

"Do you think that once you've learned a skill, you should go and change the world, like Li Qingping, and seek peace for all, so that your life has meaning?" Jiang Zhu asked.

"Isn't that right?" Zhang Ming asked, puzzled.

"You don't know what kind of magic trick to perform, do you? Then I'll perform another one for you, a human world spanning two eras."

A wisp of candlelight appeared at Jiang Zhu's fingertips, a memory of the past, and also of Li Qingping and Li Qingchen, two eras.

(End of this chapter)