Longevity Candle

Chapter 131 Desiring to Compete with the True Dragon

Yigu City, Peach Blossom Grove.

Five-colored light shone brightly, and a bluish light lingered.

The old snake king poked its head out, and Jiang Yunmeng looked at the light in the sky with some curiosity.

A blue ox and a blue peacock.

"You two elves, how did you get here?" the old snake king asked curiously.

Niu Youdao and Lan Yue had been cultivating in seclusion in the Nanling Mountains, rarely venturing into the secular world. They were even reluctant to leave the Nanling Mountains on ordinary days, but now they had come to the land of Ningguo.

“The old dragon has changed. He has embarked on the path of immortality and the path of following the heavens. We don’t want to get involved with them. What about Jiang Zhu?” Niu Youdao asked in a low voice.

They had all witnessed the changes in the old dragon.

If it were anything else, they would definitely help without hesitation.

This time, however, the old dragon took the initiative to walk the path of immortality and the path of following the heavens, and was no longer a fellow spirit.

"He has fallen into a deep sleep. He will wake up next year when the peaches ripen," the old snake king said. "The old dragon also came to inquire whether it was possible to go north, and Jiang Zhu agreed."

"Why did he agree?" Lan Yue frowned and said, "He shouldn't have agreed. The old dragon has gone mad."

"Whether they agree or not, they will all head north." The old snake king paused, then introduced, "This is Jiang Yunmeng, Jiang Chenxi's daughter."

“Jiang Chenxi? It’s her.” Lan Yue looked at Jiang Yunmeng with a sigh: “She is a pitiful person, so it is expected that Jiang Zhu would take pity on her.”

"Greetings, seniors," Jiang Yunmeng said.

"This time, the Longevity Path and the Heavenly Path have joined forces to target Jiang Zhu."

Niu Youdao's voice rang out: "Can you contact Bai He and the others?"

"You want to help Jiang Zhu?" the old snake king asked in surprise.

"If Jiang Zhu hadn't lowered his gaze back then, the Dragon Blood Serpent would have been killed by the Longevity Path long ago. What an ungrateful wretch."

Niu Youdao said coldly, "I, Old Niu, can't stand this kind of thing the most. We haven't forgotten what Shuntiandao did in Yunmeng back then, but Old Jiaolong chose to join forces with them to target Jiang Zhu. He has long lost his original intention."

"They've already gone to the West to enjoy peace," the old snake king mused. "Jiang Zhu sent them there to seek refuge."

Lan Yue said, "Jiang Zhu is really kind-hearted. Does he want his friends to leave and take on this calamity himself?"

“He doesn’t seem worried,” the old snake king said.

"Is Jiang Zhu in big trouble?" Jiang Yunmeng asked with a worried expression.

“It’s not a big problem anymore, he’ll die.” Lan Yue said in a deep voice, “The Path of Longevity and the Path of Following Heaven are powerful elven forces, including ancient elves with boundless magical power and many great elves. They haven’t made a move yet because Jiang Zhu controls the Southern Dragon Qi.”

"Southern dragon energy?" Jiang Yunmeng asked in surprise.

"Yes, the dragon energy in the south is controlled by Jiang Zhu, and they are wary of it. But if they take over Ning Kingdom and use the dragon energy of this land to suppress it, they can kill Jiang Zhu without any burden."

Niu Youdao explained.

"Then Jiang Zhu, wouldn't he be able to command the dragon energy of the south to fight against them?" Jiang Yunmeng asked.

"Yes, but Jiang Zhu won't do that. If he does, the southern lands will once again descend into war."

Moreover, the spirits of the Longevity Path and the Heavenly Path are too numerous; even if they unite, the Southern Dragon Qi alone cannot suppress them.

Niu Youdao said in a deep voice.

"If we put Ningguo's dragon energy in Jiang Zhu's hands, wouldn't the problem be easily solved?" Jiang Yunmeng asked.

"Yes, that's why we came to find Jiang Zhu to discuss this matter."

Lan Yue replied, "We are friends and don't want anything to happen to him, but we can't do it on our own."

"Then who do we need?"

"In the West, Li Qingchen will revive the Way of Peace," Lan Yue said.

The Taiping Dao was very powerful back then, spreading throughout Ningguo. If he were to return, even if only one or two tenths of the Taiping Dao remained, it would still be a great help.

Most importantly, the Taiping Dao (Way of Peace) represented the orthodoxy of this land back then.

Jiang Yunmeng pondered for a moment: "Then I'll go to the West and see if I can find Li Qingchen."

“I’ll go,” the old snake king said. “You still need to control Yigu City. If something goes wrong after you leave, I won’t be able to handle it.”

He doesn't know the art of Gu worms, but Jiang Yunmeng's Gu worms have already infiltrated the Wang family.

"I'll take you to the West," Lan Yue said. "Old Niu, you protect Xiao Yunmeng."

“Alright,” Niu Youdao nodded.

The old snake king blinked: "You can establish contact with Jiang Yunmeng and let her borrow your power."

With the power of these two great elves, we are truly safe.

His cultivation level is far inferior to that of these two great elves.

"Borrowing strength?" the two elves asked in confusion.

"It's a technique created by Jiang Zhu called 'Inviting Immortals,' which allows us to borrow a single thought from you, even if we're separated by thousands of mountains and rivers," the old snake king explained.

"That's interesting, we can give it a try." Niu Youdao was quite interested.

Jiang Yunmeng wasn't stupid; she immediately used her magic to summon them.

Without further hesitation, Blue Moon unleashed a five-colored rainbow, lifting the old snake king and soaring upwards until it disappeared into the horizon.

While studying the invocation technique, Niu Youdao asked, "How has Jiang Zhu been these past few years?"

"Him? He's living with a cripple now, selling noodles and drinking when he wakes up," Jiang Yunmeng said.

"A mortal?" Niu Youdao raised an eyebrow.

“Yes.” Jiang Yunmeng nodded.

“This guy still prefers to hang out with mortals,” Niu Youdao said with amusement. “He’s even doing business with mortals.”

“A small stall can’t be considered a business,” Jiang Yunmeng said. “He once looked down at a man named Zhang Ming, who taught him illusion magic and magic tricks.”

When talking about magic tricks, Jiang Yunmeng's eyes lit up.

Scenes from my childhood are etched in my heart, and a smile unconsciously appears on my lips.

Niu Youdao listened quietly, finding it somewhat amusing: "Perhaps I should also take a look at the mortal world. This kind of quiet cultivation in the mountains and forests isn't very interesting."

"Isn't it austere to meditate in the mountains and forests?" Jiang Yunmeng asked curiously.

She didn't understand why these spirits could endure loneliness in the mountains and forests.
“Living a hard life? I don’t think so.” Niu Youdao shook his head and said, “Perhaps we’re used to it. We have possessed magical powers since birth and have long lifespans.”

"One blink and decades have passed in the mortal realm; one moment of seclusion and hundreds of years have gone by. Moreover, mortal beings are very weak; they can't withstand even a breath. If you accidentally kill one, you'll incur karmic retribution..."

As Jiang Yunmeng listened to his story, it seemed that the elves weren't so great after all; they did nothing but sleep and cultivate.

Towards the end of the dynasty, they would perform a ritual to offer incense, accumulate merit, and accelerate their spiritual progress.

"What is the purpose of your cultivation?" Jiang Yunmeng suddenly asked.

"What is the purpose of cultivation?" Niu Youdao paused, his clear bull eyes showing a hint of complexity: "At first, I wanted to become a great elf so that I wouldn't be bullied. Don't think that just because we are the darlings of heaven and earth, elves will fight over some precious lands."

"And another thing is that I want to become a great elf, to roam freely across the world, and to pursue a longer lifespan."

"In the past, the land of Yunmeng was suppressed by the Shuntian Dao. We had a common goal: to fight against the Shuntian Dao and protect our homeland."

The sky above us, which follows the way of Heaven, was smashed by Jiang Zhu. Now that the oppression above us is gone, we are free and joyful…

Niu Youdao recounted that he too had pursued immortality, but through secluded cultivation, he improved himself. Each breakthrough they made as spirits increased their lifespan far beyond that of immortal masters and Taoist practitioners.

Almost no immortal masters or Taoist practitioners could outlive the elves.

But even the longest lifespan has an end.

Niu Youdao sighed, “I have seen old elves pass away and return to heaven and earth, and I have also seen young elves pursue immortality and perish on the path to immortality.”

"The elves perished? Were they killed by the fate of their nation?"

"No, it was killed by an ancient remnant."

"Ancient remnants?"

"This world is not as simple as you imagine. There have been too many beings who pursued immortality and conducted countless experiments on it."

These experimental grounds are inaccessible to mortals and contain immense magical power. You were taught by that cat, because you understand him, right?

Niu Youdao looked at her and immediately saw through her.

"I know." Jiang Yunmeng's tone was complicated, with a trace of indelible hatred in her heart.

She didn't know what the tabby cat was thinking, but she knew that her mother's tragic later life was caused by the tabby cat.

She's already so pitiful, why can't she have a good ending?
"That cat follows the way of Heaven; they are pursuing the Heavenly Realm, which is one of the experiments for immortality."

The ancient sword on his back was obtained from a celestial realm, and it's no less powerful than your Cloud Dream Sword.

Niu Youdao recounted, "I don't know what that Heavenly Realm is called, but I've heard that he almost died there."

"The Heavenly Realm," Jiang Yunmeng murmured to herself.

She had heard of West Kunlun, where there used to be a celestial realm, but when Jiang Zhu went there, the celestial realm had already collapsed.

“These experimental sites are the most terrifying. They are where the power of many ancient elves is gathered. Even the remnants are enough to kill a great elf, or even an old elf with boundless magic power.”

Niu Youdao said in a deep voice, "I also had the idea, but I gave up. I don't think I can be stronger than those fallen elves."

He not only entertained the idea, but also peeked into those longevity experiment sites.

It was just a fleeting glimpse, witnessing the fall of an elf, that left a shadow in his heart, and he never wanted to think about it again.

"I have hesitated many times, longing for immortality and fearing that I will reach the end of my life. Perhaps one day, I will change my mindset like the old dragon."

The way of the ox is very complex, and no spirit can guarantee that one's mindset will always remain consistent.

Jiang Yunmeng remained silent. People's hearts can change, and this applies to elves as well.

Experiencing different things will change your state of mind.

Perhaps one day, Niu Youdao will also think about seeking immortality, or even embark on the path of immortality or the path of following the will of Heaven.

……

The distant West.

A city has been built here; it is no longer a barbaric land where people lived by hunting and gathering.

However, the area is not yet unified, and the various cities are still living their own separate lives.

Peace and tranquility prevailed here, and the people living here were generally happy. For the time being, no one was chasing after the elite or dividing society into classes.

In the mountains and forests, Li Qingchen was cultivating in seclusion, studying the Taiping Scripture, with a snake-like creature beside him.

Unlike the Dragonblood Serpent, this serpentine creature's horns resemble deer antlers, while the Dragonblood Serpent's horns are sharp.

Moreover, his claws have five toes.

He was very close to Li Qingchen and liked to sleep on an ancient tree next to him, next to which was a peach tree.

The Emperor's Rest Tree swayed, spreading peace and tranquility, and also awakened Li Qingchen, who was immersed in his studies.

"What's wrong?" Li Qingchen asked, looking up.

Before the Emperor's Tree could speak, the white crane couple arrived, the nine-tailed bird emerged from the forest, the Jingwei bird flew in from afar, and the peach spirit materialized from the peach tree.

“An elf has arrived,” said the Emperor Tree.

Nine-Tailed Fox said, "The peacock of Nanling, and the old snake king."

As soon as he finished speaking, a rainbow streaked across the sky and landed in the mountains and forests.

"Old Snake King," Li Qingchen said with delight, "you've finally agreed to come to the West."

"Is something the matter?" Nine-Tailed Fox looked at Blue Moon. If there was nothing wrong, this great elf would not have left the Southern Ridge and come to the West.

Lan Yue said, "The ones who asked for your help are the Longevity Path and the Heavenly Path, who have joined forces to deal with Jiang Zhu in this battle for power."

"What? They're going to attack Jiang Zhu?"

Jingwei was furious. Even with her worry-free power, she glared wide-eyed: "Aren't they afraid of the dragon's aura from the south?"

"Even with Jiang Zhu's southern dragon energy, the combined forces of the Longevity Path and the Heavenly Path cannot stop them," Nine-Tailed Fox said, frowning. "What about the Dragon Blood Serpent?"

"The Dragon Blood Serpent and the Old Dragon are on the side of the Path of Longevity and the Path of Following Heaven," Lan Yue said coldly.

"That ungrateful wretch! If it weren't for Jiang Zhu, how could he have enjoyed the fate of the Southern Kingdom?" Nine-Tailed Fox roared.

The white crane couple were also quite angry: "How could he forget the life-saving grace he received back then?"

"How is Ningguo now?" Li Qingchen asked calmly, glancing at Xiaolong beside him.

He might know why the Dragon Blood Serpent was targeting Jiang Zhu.

The battle for the true dragon!

However, he didn't know why the old dragon had to get involved; he wasn't pursuing the transformation into a dragon.

The Emperor's Rest Tree reflected a human figure: "Why did the old dragon get involved?"

Blue Moon looked at Little Dragon: "Perhaps, it's because of him."

"Him?" The elves looked at him. "Is it related to him?"

Xiao Long asked, quite confused, "What's wrong with me?"

"A battle for the true dragon!" Li Qingchen said in a deep voice, "However, what I don't understand is why the old dragon wants to participate. If he needs the blood of the true dragon, I can give him some."

“What he wants is not true dragon blood. If he needed it, he would have already obtained it from the Dragon Blood Serpent back then.”

Lan Yue sighed, "He is a dragon between heaven and earth, an old dragon. Although he was peaceful in the past and seemed to pursue nothing, he was very stubborn about the matter of becoming a true dragon."

“Stubborn?” Nine-Tailed frowned. “I don’t understand either. He clearly doesn’t pursue immortality, so why is he so eager about the matter of the True Dragon?”

“He wants to compete with a true dragon,” Lan Yue said in a deep voice.

The elves were taken aback. The old dragon wanted to compete with the real dragon!
As an ancient dragon in the world, he possessed boundless magical power and was arrogant.

Historically, however, dragons have always been subordinate to true dragons.

Having lived for countless years, possessing boundless magical power, and being the King of Nanling, he had no more ambitions.

The appearance of the true dragon reignited his calm and unwavering heart.

Rather than wanting to compete with a real dragon, it's more accurate to say that they want to prove that the jiaolong (蛟龙) is no weaker than a real dragon.

Therefore, he chose the south, allied with the Dragon Blood Serpent, and wanted to create a true dragon so that he could fight the true dragon again.

(End of this chapter)