Longevity Candle

Chapter 127 The Best Elixir of Immortality

Gu Qingxu and the giant python were both taken aback: "What is magic trick?"

"It's an illusion; whatever you think, you can see."

Jiang Yun dreamt of returning home.

Gu Qingxu frowned: "He didn't teach you martial arts or immortal cultivation methods?"

Jiang Yunmeng didn't want to answer him, but the giant python was also asking out of curiosity, so she had no choice but to say, "No, he taught me how to communicate with small animals."

"What kind of terrible method is this?" Gu Qingxu said angrily, "Isn't he the one who loves to look down on the mundane world? You have a connection with him, but instead of teaching him real skills, he won't teach you anything."

Back then, Jiang Chenxi immobilized him, preventing him from reaching West Kunlun; Li Qingchen and Jiang Zhu went instead.

In his view, Jiang Chenxi had also reduced this big trouble for Jiang Zhu.

With this connection, how could he be inferior to Li Qingxuan and Li Qingchen?
Moreover, Jiang Yunmeng is the inheritor of the Yunmeng Sword, which means she is connected to Yunmeng from back then.

Yunmeng and Fusheng have a past connection, and after much thought, Jiangzhu should take better care of them.

But they only taught Jiang Yunmeng how to communicate with small animals?
"He has his own reasons. If you're angry, go find him," the giant python said coldly.

"He has a connection with me?" Jiang Yunmeng asked, puzzled. "What connection?"

"This one……"

"cough."

Just as the giant python was about to speak, Gu Qingxu interrupted him, saying, "It's not a very deep connection. How about this, if he won't teach you, I will."

"I don't need you to teach me," Jiang Yunmeng snorted.

“You can learn from him. Li Qingchen was also taught by him back then.” The giant python said slowly, “When it comes to swordsmanship, even Jiang Zhu is not as good as him.”

Jiang Yunmeng fell silent. She didn't know why she rejected Gu Qingxu; it seemed to stem from a deep-seated aversion.

She had never felt this way before, except when she saw the person in front of her.

Therefore, she always resisted cultivating with Gu Qingxu.

But now, it seems I have no other choice.

Jiang Zhu?
She wants revenge for her father's murder. Can magic tricks and illusions bring her revenge?

She felt that wouldn't work, so she had to use the sword in her hand.

Gu Qingxu seemed to know what she was thinking: "I will only teach you swordsmanship, I will not accept you as a disciple."

"Why?" Jiang Yunmeng looked directly at him, trying to find the reason.

This is so strange. The person I despise is insisting on teaching me the path of cultivation so that I will have the power to avenge my father's death.

He even helped me along the way, allowing me to find out the root cause of the turmoil.

If it were an ordinary Qi cultivator, she could understand that he wanted to take advantage of her.

But this Gu Qingxu is unfathomable, far surpassing even the Old Snake King.

"There's no reason why. If I had to give a reason, it would be because I'm willing." Gu Qingxu said calmly, "With your talent and my guidance, I can help you achieve immortality through martial arts in five years at most."

"I don't seek immortality, I only desire the ability to take revenge," Jiang Yunmeng said.

“Then three years.” Gu Qingxu pondered, “I will definitely teach you everything I know, including the self-sealing technique I just created, without holding anything back.”

"A self-sealing method?" the old snake king asked. "What kind of method is that?"

"The method of transforming immortality into mortality. If you want to learn it, I will teach you." Gu Qingxu said proudly, "As long as you learn this method, you can seal your magic power at any time, or reverse your magic power and return to the martial path. You can kill without incurring karma."

"Keep it for yourself." The old snake king yawned. "I'm going back to sleep. If you go looking for him, wake me up."

He left to find a suitable place to sleep.

"Come, I'll take you to Qingjiang, and borrow the waves of Qingjiang to aid your Taiyin Sword Path."

Gu Qingxu led Jiang Yunmeng towards Qingjiang.

Yi Gu City.

Jiang Zhu fell into a deep sleep again, this time for six days.

As more and more people fled from afar, Jiang Wanning gathered able-bodied men, trained new soldiers, and at the same time reclaimed wasteland and stockpiled grain.

War has broken out in various parts of Ningguo, and the flames of war are burning in the distance, with countless casualties unknown.

As Yigu City became more lively, Old Wang's noodle stall business gradually flourished, and more and more small stalls and vendors appeared.

At the end of the first year, Emperor Ning issued an order, sending him to quell the rebels a hundred miles away.

Jiang Wanning immediately assembled his troops to prepare for the suppression of the bandits.

The people of Yigu City were naturally reluctant to let him go, and many even called for Jiang Wanning to establish himself as emperor.

But Jiang Wanning still left, saying he was loyal to the emperor and loved his country, and wanted the world to return to peace.

The people admired his loyalty and righteousness, and thousands of people saw him off.

Unexpectedly, before the army had gone more than ten miles, a group of rebels attacked and blocked Jiang Wanning's army.

Therefore, Jiang Wanning led his army to annihilate the rebels, while simultaneously reporting back to Emperor Ning that he could not escape.

Perhaps it was because Jiang Wanning had too many new troops, or perhaps the rebels were too strong, but the two sides fought to a draw and then remained locked in a stalemate.

And so, Jiang Wanning gained a reputation for loyalty and righteousness. Before he even left Yigu City, the people were happy, and everyone was overjoyed.

More and more people migrated here, and surprisingly, Jiang Wanning welcomed all of them, managing to support nearly 50,000 troops in Yigu City.

A remote town, still recovering from war and with people's livelihoods not yet fully restored, has raised an army of 50,000.

It was a dream come true.

The common people didn't think much of it. In their eyes, Jiang Wanning gave them peace and allowed them to survive, so Jiang Wanning was a good person.

Zhang Ming had already left while Jiang Zhu was asleep, taking several disciples with him to travel the world.

The following year, Yigu City became even more bustling, and the two sides were still in a standoff, with everything remaining calm.

The Taiping Rebellion broke out in the south, and the Taiping army directly rebelled, capturing many cities. Emperor Ning was furious, but had no one to rely on, so he decided to personally lead the expedition.

The outside world is in chaos, but it hasn't affected this place.

Two years passed quickly, and Jiang Zhu awoke from his deep sleep.

Yunmeng Tavern has a new owner; the only change is the signboard, now called Kelai Restaurant, which is run by a young couple.

They're not selling peach blossom wine, they're selling strong liquor from Ningguo.

The peach orchard outside the city was taken over by a wealthy merchant, who forbade anyone from picking the peaches.

Jiang Zhu arrived at the tavern, ordered a jar of wine, and borrowed the money.

It was an ordinary jar of strong liquor, also diluted with water, but not excessively.

"Those Red Turban bandits are really formidable; they managed to fight General Wanning for two years."

"Yes, I thought those Red Turban bandits were no match for us, but I didn't expect them to actually be able to hold off General Wanning."

"In my opinion, this is a good thing. If the Red Turban rebels were so easily defeated, General Wanning would have left long ago, and we wouldn't be having a good time."

“But if General Wanning can’t even scan the Red Turban rebels, how will he face the Taiping Army in the future? I’ve heard that the Red Turban rebels were driven over by the Taiping Army.”

Inside the tavern, everyone was discussing the current war situation.

The Taiping Army emerged in the south, raising the banner of peace and expansion. In just a few years, it rapidly expanded to 200,000 soldiers.

The Red Turban rebels were also a southern uprising army. They clashed with the Taiping Army and suffered a crushing defeat, fleeing all the way to a nearby city.

The Red Turban rebels were quite powerful. Although they couldn't defeat the Taiping Army, they still managed to capture cities and strongholds along the way, and their battles with Jiang Wanning were evenly matched. The people were happy that Jiang Wanning wasn't leaving, but they also worried that he wouldn't be able to stop the Taiping Army's impending advance.

"The imperial court can't send more troops either, alas," someone sighed.

"We can't count on the imperial court anymore. I've heard that the northern grasslands have made a comeback."

“Those small countries to the west are also getting restless.”

With chaos erupting everywhere in Ningguo, Emperor Ning is too preoccupied with his own affairs to possibly send more troops.
The northern grasslands, where they were driven to the far north by Ningguo, are filled with generations of blood feud. How could they possibly miss this opportunity?

Western countries, too, have been severely oppressed by Ningguo and are all holding their breath in resentment.

Ningguo, the strongest nation, has fallen from its pedestal, and everyone wants a piece of its pie.

Jiang Zhu listened for a few minutes, then picked up the wine jar and left.

He went straight to Old Wang's noodle shop and ordered a bowl of noodles.

Old Wang looked radiant; his life had improved, and so had his mood.

"Now that you're living a good life, shouldn't you treat me to a bowl of noodles?" Jiang Zhu chuckled.

"No way, I have a son," Old Wang said with a chuckle, scratching his head, clearly a miser.

Jiang Zhu wasn't angry; Old Wang was accumulating wealth for the future.

These good days may come to an end at any time. With some savings, we might try to escape to another place to live in the future.

"Having a son makes a difference." Jiang Zhu smiled, eating his noodles, a hint of surprise appearing on his face: "Not bad, your noodles taste better than before, they have a chicken flavor."

"Hey, it's my son's secret recipe," Old Wang said proudly. "My son is very clever. You can't find chicken meat, but you can taste the flavor of chicken, and it's not chicken soup."

Jiang Zhu smiled and said, "I can tell by the taste."

"Please have mercy on me." Old Wang's expression immediately changed, and he quickly begged for forgiveness.

He had seen Jiang Zhu's mouth before; it could tell you anything just by looking at it.

I thought that my son's secret recipe wouldn't be detectable by taste, but it turns out that it really is.

Jiang Zhu ate his noodles without saying anything more.

Chicken bones were ground into powder and used as a seasoning; it must be said, Gou Sheng was indeed a clever fellow.

He naturally wouldn't say it out loud; this was sabotaging someone's business and cutting off their source of income.

"What's been happening in the city lately?" Jiang Zhu asked.

"There's no excitement at all, just magic tricks. It's a pity that Master Zhang is gone, and the remaining disciples haven't mastered the art. All they do all day is learn the same old three things: peonies, peach trees, and magic ropes."

Old Wang said.

People who haven't seen it before find it novel, but now that there are so many performances of it, they lose interest.

"The same old three dishes are indeed boring." Jiang Zhu finished his bowl of noodles, picked up the wine jar, and left.

He went to see the magic show, and what he said was pretty much the same as what Old Wang had said.

Although it's not as lively as before, it's still enough to make a living, since there are still many people who haven't seen it.

Jiang Zhu didn't go to see them. These people didn't study hard on their own and didn't have Zhang Ming's drive, so he was too lazy to give them any pointers.

If he doesn't understand innovation and improvement, and doesn't delve into what the customers want, even if he teaches, he'll only end up going from the same three things to the same four.

"Urgent dispatch! War reports from the south, spread them out everywhere."

A fast horse galloped into the city, and the city's residents immediately made way for it.

"A report from the south? An urgent dispatch? Has the Taiping Army attacked?"

In an instant, the entire city of Yigu was plunged into chaos and fear of the unknown.

Jiang Zhu sighed softly. What was bound to happen had finally arrived.

The fast horse quickly arrived at the general's mansion. The soldier dismounted and said urgently, "Reporting, His Majesty's personal expedition has encountered an army of 200,000 in the south. His retreat has been cut off. Please send troops to his aid immediately."

"what?"

Jiang Wanning felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and almost collapsed.

The white-bearded old man beside him quickly helped him up, preventing him from falling.

"Please, General, lead your troops to our aid immediately. The Taiping Army has joined forces with the South," the soldier said urgently.

A hint of joy flashed in Jiang Wanning's eyes, but his face was extremely solemn: "You must be tired from the journey. Go and rest first. I will muster the troops and head south."

Having said that, he returned to his residence with the white-bearded old man.

Upon entering the study and dismissing everyone else, Jiang Wanning said softly, "Wang Shi, shall we send out the troops now?"

“Of course we must send troops, after all, Ningguo hasn’t fallen yet.” The white-bearded old man pondered, “But we absolutely cannot go to the south.”

"Continue to let the Red Turban rebels obstruct us?" Jiang Wanning frowned and said, "We should take a stand, but we can't actually fight the Red Turban rebels."

The Red Turban bandits were also his men, or rather, his allies!
Although the two sides appear to be in a standoff and constantly clashing, they are actually helping and supporting each other.

Why did the Taiping Army fail to wipe out the Red Turban rebels?
That's because they didn't want him to go south!

He didn't want to obey the Emperor's orders, so the Red Turban Rebellion appeared, giving him a perfect excuse.

It would be possible to make the Red Turban bandits give way, but that would be too obvious; anyone with eyes could see through it at a glance.

"I disguised myself as a general and confronted the Red Turban rebels. The general took the opportunity to lead his troops around them."

Wang Shi pondered for a moment and said, "As long as the general keeps a good sense of proportion, it's best to get lost a few times."

“I understand.” Jiang Wanning nodded gently.

The Emperor Ning cannot be saved; he would rather die in the south. Once the Emperor Ning is dead, it will not be a rebellion, but a struggle for the throne!
Jiang Wanning certainly wanted to compete, but he knew that whoever jumped out now would die.

The collapse of Ningguo does not mean that this land has lost its power.

Conversely, the forces hidden in the shadows are extremely terrifying, all waiting for their chance.

Jiang Zhu stopped paying attention to the two people and roughly guessed what had happened in Ningguo.

The cultivators who went to search for the Peaches of Immortality back then have all disappeared without a trace, as if they had evaporated.

It now seems that, like Jiang Wanning, the royal general, they have long been hiding in various places, assisting relevant forces, preparing to compete for the world and become the master of this land.

There must be a powerful force behind Jiang Wanning, which could be an official in the imperial court or a family.

As Ningguo has developed to this point, a powerful and wealthy class has already taken shape.

Add to that the allure of immortality, and who wouldn't want to become the Ning Emperor, who wouldn't want to enjoy the chance to live forever?

The previous ruler of Yelang had this opportunity for immortality monopolized by Emperor Ning!
The officials, gentry, and powerful figures who didn't get a chance to participate probably all harbored resentment.

"It seems the mountain and sea spirits have given them quite a bit of benefit," Jiang Zhu mused.

He sensed a powerful life force emanating from that royal master, a life force that no Qi cultivator who had refined essence into Qi could possess.

Behind him, there must be spirits from the mountains and seas, as well as immortal masters and Taoist priests.

Only they could bestow this boundless vitality.

"They're really willing to go all out. They used to be unwilling even with their eyes down, but now they're willing to bleed themselves dry," Jiang Zhu scoffed.

If normal methods of extending lifespan don't work, then a three-to-five-year lifespan is not something a Qi cultivator would covet.

But the flesh and blood of elves are the best elixir of immortality...

(End of this chapter)