Longevity Candle

Chapter 133 Quiet in the Mortal World

Both enemies and friends.

Watching Dream Island disappear, Li Qingchen knew he would never see Yunmeng again.

Fusheng has already left this world, and she will not stay any longer.

The vast South China Sea, a moving island.

Li Qingchen has returned, and Yan Yu is leading the people on the island to consume the mist and qi to accumulate magical power.

"Little Qingchen, why are you back?" Yanyu poured a cup of peach blossom wine.

"We've come to seek help from the old tortoise senior. Qingdeng has encountered trouble, and Ningguo is also facing a calamity," Li Qingchen said.

"Trouble? What can we do?" Yan Yu frowned.

Li Qingchen said, "It's still early. I just came to ask if you would be willing to lend a helping hand."

Yan Yu nodded: "Then go ahead. He hasn't been sleeping well lately and has woken up several times."

Living here, they entered the path of immortality, and they had conversations with the old tortoise.

Li Qingchen, along with Lan Yue and Jiang Yunmeng, disappeared into the sea.

The old tortoise's consciousness flickered: "Little guy, you gave the Cloud Dream Sword to her?"

“It was the Yunmeng Sword that chose her; her name is Jiang Yunmeng,” Li Qingchen said.

"Jiang Yunmeng..." the old tortoise murmured.

Jiang Yunmeng bowed and said, "Greetings, old elf."

"What do you want from me?" the old tortoise asked.

"Do you still remember Jiang Zhu? That green lamp?" Li Qingchen said directly, "He's in big trouble, and I'd like to ask for your help."

“Jiang Zhu? I remember him, but I promised someone I would no longer interfere in worldly affairs,” the old tortoise said.

"Do you remember who that person was?" Li Qingchen asked.

“I don’t remember. I’ve long forgotten him, but there’s a promise I made: he could be my friend, or he could be my enemy,” the old tortoise said.

“His name was Fusheng, and he’s no longer here,” Li Qingchen sighed.

"Floating Life?" The old tortoise's consciousness fluctuated violently, and azure light, centered on Peach Blossom Island, swept in all directions.

At this moment, Li Qingchen, Lan Yue, Jiang Yunmeng, the people on Peach Blossom Island, and the aquatic creatures of the sea saw a magnificent world.

There were countless living beings and cities that stretched as far as the eye could see, like a complete world.

Li Qingchen and the others looked bewildered. They had actually returned to Yigu City, back to the peach grove, and met Niu Youdao and the Old Snake King.

Just as they were about to ask, Yigu City vanished, and the cities faded away as if they had never existed.

They remain at the bottom of the sea, never having left.

But everything that just happened felt so real.

"Magic tricks?" Jiang Yunmeng murmured.

The old tortoise's voice rang out: "That was my dream."

"A dream? How could you dream about Yigu City?" Li Qingchen asked in surprise.

“You have that city in your hearts, so that city entered my dream,” the old tortoise explained. “I remembered him. Will he die too?”

“Everyone dies, and elves die too,” Blue Moon said.

"Yes, they will all die." The old tortoise sighed deeply. "Little Yunmeng, how do you know about magic tricks and illusions?"

“Jiang Zhu taught me. He created magic tricks to commemorate Fusheng,” Jiang Yunmeng replied.

"Did he teach you to infect the Gu worms on your body?" the old tortoise asked.

"You also know about Gu worms? Jiang Zhu calls them that too," Jiang Yunmeng said in surprise.

“Because Fusheng also created Gu worms.” The old tortoise sighed softly, “You and Yunmeng are very similar. It all feels like a dream. He always said that the world is a series of imperfect reincarnations. Seeing you is like going back to the beginning.”

"What was life like back then?" Lan Yue couldn't help but ask.

She knew too little about Fusheng and Yunmeng, and wanted to know more about these two ancient beings.

Li Qingchen was also somewhat curious, but not persistent.

Jiang Yunmeng's curiosity grew even stronger, because she bore a resemblance to Yunmeng and had also gained the approval of the Yunmeng Sword.

"He is the closest being to an immortal." The old tortoise recalled the past, and those long-forgotten memories resurfaced in a moment.

"The closest thing to an immortal?" Lan Yue's eyes widened. "Have you ever seen an immortal?"

"I've never seen him. Even if he were a mortal, he would only be the closest to becoming an immortal," the old tortoise said. "He always longed to become an immortal, but it seems he failed."

"What is your relationship with Fusheng? Yunmeng said you are both enemies and friends," Lanyue asked.

"Both enemy and friend? That's quite fitting." The old tortoise pondered for a moment and said, "I should have pursued the path of immortality with him, but I lost to him in a battle of magic and was driven to the South Sea by him."

Li Qingchen: "??"

Was the old tortoise, which was sleeping in the South China Sea, driven here by Fusheng?
“Yunmeng used to come to see me; she was my good friend.” The old tortoise muttered, “She’s gone now, and in the end, I won.”

Did the old tortoise win?
The two humans and the elf fell silent. Yes, they were all gone now, but the old tortoise remained.

The old tortoise spat out a pink bead, which landed in front of Jiang Yunmeng: "Take it. When needed, infuse it with magic power, and Fusheng will appear."

"Fusheng will reappear?" Lan Yue exclaimed in horror. "He has already disappeared. Is it a remnant of his power?"

Those that have already died should only have some remnants left behind, right?

But Fusheng is the closest existence to immortality, so perhaps he has other means, which are impossible to fathom.

"I suppose so, it's something he suppressed." The old tortoise said, "He placed his mortal world in my dream, probably to suppress something, I forget the specifics, but he said this bead could save my life."

"This……"

Jiang Yunmeng felt the bead was a bit too hot to handle.

If something that needs to be suppressed in this life is released, won't it cause even greater trouble?

"Alright, I should go back to dreaming. I haven't caught up with Fusheng yet," the old tortoise said, before falling back into slumber.

After handing the beads to Jiang Yunmeng, he seemed to have been relieved of a heavy burden and slept soundly.

Jiang Yunmeng grasped the bead and left with them.

Having crossed the south and returned to Ningguo, Lan Yue asked, "Do we need to go to East Kunlun now?"

"Let's wait for Jiang Zhu to wake up. There's no rush on the matter in Dongkunlun," Li Qingchen said.

He wanted Jiang Zhu to see what those pink beads were.

Although he wanted to protect Jiang Zhu, he was also afraid of causing even bigger trouble.

"Very well." Lan Yue nodded. "Could you tell me about Fusheng and Yunmeng?"

"I'll wait until later. I still need to find Zhang Youwei and reunite with Taiping Dao," Li Qingchen said.

Lan Yue nodded, not in a hurry, and settled down in the peach grove.

Li Qingchen left to seek out the secluded Taiping Dao, taking Xiaolong with him.

The true dragon enters the world, an era of great strife begins.

Jiang Yunmeng also began to make his move. He planned to use Gu worms to control more people and create a Gu worm army.

Niu Youdao, Lan Yue, and the Old Snake King were all secretly protecting her.

Time flies, a new year has arrived, and the peaches are ripe.

Jiang Zhu is back, and he runs the stall with Lao Wang.

He sensed the presence of Blue Moon and Niu Youdao, and waited until nightfall before coming alone to the peach grove.

"My two old friends, you've come for the old dragon?" Jiang Zhu asked bluntly. "Yes, the old dragon, he..."

Lan Yue didn't hide anything and told the whole story.

"He wants to compete with the true dragon... Old dragon." After understanding, Jiang Zhu sighed with a complicated expression: "Competing with the true dragon may be his only pursuit."

In the end, he still entered the mortal world and, like ordinary people, had aspirations.

Perhaps this is the meaning he sought throughout his long dragon life.

"Sigh." Lan Yue sighed, "If it were just a contest of magic, that would be fine, but he has embarked on the path of immortality and the path of following the heavens. I'm afraid he will become like those elves, chasing after immortality."

The old dragon has lived for countless years, but what about the real dragon?

The emergence of a true dragon is extremely demanding; it requires an incomparably powerful nation, far surpassing Ning Kingdom, to be able to transform into one.

If left unchecked, the old dragon might never see the real dragon in its entire life.

So he took the initiative and pushed it forward.

The Dragon Blood Serpent isn't a good choice, but if it's just for fighting and not for friendship, it's actually the best option.

Because what the old dragon wanted was a battle without holding back, to determine who was superior.

Dragonblood Serpents, creatures that show almost no mercy, are excellent opponents.

When Jiang Yunmeng arrived, Lan Yue notified her immediately.

"Jiang Zhu." Jiang Yunmeng took out the pink bead: "This was given to me by the old tortoise. He said that if I infuse it with magic power, Fusheng will appear, but it will also bring out the things that Fusheng was suppressing."

“Fusheng… sigh.” Jiang Zhu looked at the pink beads, then examined her closely: “You can keep them.”

“I will apply it at the appropriate time,” Jiang Yunmeng said.

She didn't care what would happen next; she only cared about her friends and Jiang Zhu.

Perhaps it was those magic tricks from her childhood that left such a deep impression on her.

"You don't need to worry about me. They can't kill me," Jiang Zhu said calmly.

Even if he faced mortal danger, he would only return to a life of quiet contemplation.

“This time, we are facing the Path of Immortality and the Path of Following Heaven, and you have not obtained the power of life,” Lan Yue said worriedly.

Niu Youdao said in a low voice, "Jiang Zhu, don't be careless, and don't think that it will implicate us. We also want to awaken the old dragon and let him return to his former self."

"Li Qingchen did it for this land. He reunited the Taiping Dao and wanted peace in the world."

Jiang Yunmeng said, "I am seeking revenge, but it just so happens that I share a common enemy with you."

Jiang Zhu sighed softly, "I really will be fine. You don't need to comfort me. Since you have goals, then go ahead and do your own thing."

"And what about you? Aren't you going to make any preparations?" Lan Yue asked.

"I hope they arrive a little later so I can see Old Wang off," Jiang Zhu said with a faint smile.

"Old Wang? What's so special about him? He looks like an ordinary person to me," Niu Youdao asked, puzzled.

"He's just a mortal. You're overthinking it," Jiang Zhu said calmly.

Why would you do this for a mere mortal?

"Hey, he's the one who took me in, not the other way around," Jiang Zhu corrected.

“There’s not much difference,” Blue Moon said.

"You know what, Old Wang is really different. He doesn't want anything, even if I could give him a fortune or make him a Qi cultivator to fulfill his childhood dream."

“That’s because he didn’t know your identity,” Lan Yue said.

"Old Wang isn't stupid. He wouldn't be able to tell that I haven't aged a day?"

Jiang Zhu waved his hand and left the peach grove: "Go to East Kunlun if you want, I just want to live quietly in the mortal world right now."

When we met over the years, Old Wang had aged, but he hadn't changed at all.

Considering his past words, Old Wang couldn't possibly fail to see that he was no ordinary man.

But Old Wang still didn't ask for anything, and even when his adopted son betrayed him, he didn't want his help.

Jiang Zhu had also looked at Old Wang; he was an ordinary person, the most ordinary person in the world.

He had no glorious past, no good family background, and no outstanding talent; he was utterly ordinary.

Jiang Zhu is different from the spirits of mountains and seas, and the immortal masters and Taoists, because he himself started from an ordinary background and came from an ordinary world.

Having already attained immortality and grasped eternal life, what more is there to seek?
He was content with his life and died peacefully, wandering through the mortal world.

As for the past, he didn't want to chase after it, whether it was Fusheng or Fusheng's past life.

As Fusheng said, I have been to this world.

Jiang Zhu, too, has been to this mortal world.

Back in the courtyard, Old Wang was already asleep.

Jiang Zhu lay on the bed and fell asleep peacefully.

A mortal's sleep is far more comfortable than his deep sleep under the dim light of a lamp.

In the past, upon waking, I would gather my magical power and pass by in a hurry.

He is content now, waking up for a few days a year.

If one is too attached to staying in this world, perhaps one will become a second fleeting existence.

The night passed, and Jiang Zhu went to run the stall with Lao Wang as usual.

Jiang Zhu's handsome and refined appearance did attract some customers.

Old Wang joked with a smile, "The day you can't sell any more noodles, just go find a rich girl, and you won't have to worry about food or drink."

"I'm so envious of you, you can't even find a wife." Jiang Zhu chuckled, "How about I find you a companion?"

"I'm getting old, I've long lost my ambition," Old Wang said with a smile. "Besides, which wife these days doesn't have a family? I don't want to be chased and beaten by a group of people, or drowned in a pig cage."

"That eighteen-year-old girl?"

"Get lost." Old Wang blushed slightly. "I have a reputation to maintain, you shameless bastard."

When he had some free time, Jiang Zhu made himself a bowl of noodles.

Old Wang sorted through the copper coins and left the stall.

"Where are you going?" Jiang Zhu asked.

"Go find your wife, don't follow me." Old Wang walked away without looking back, limping.

Jiang Zhu smiled and didn't follow, focusing on eating her noodles.

Half an hour later, Old Wang returned, holding a gourd in his hand, and placed it in front of him: "Here you go."

"Don't you want your life savings anymore?" Jiang Zhu opened the gourd, took a sip, and it was the worst kind of strong liquor.

"You're a drinker, it's been a while since I've seen you drink," Old Wang said. "I have to take good care of you, otherwise who will see me off when I'm gone?"

“You’ve served me very well. I’ll be there when you leave.” Jiang Zhu added, “Until the peaches are ripe.”

"Hey, you heartless bastard, if you don't want to see me off, then don't. Do you think I can decide when I leave?" Old Wang said with a laugh.

"Then you should control yourself. I only come back for a few days each year."

Jiang Zhu said, "Just think of me as a wandering knight-errant who never stays at home."

"Alright, I'll try to leave around this time," Old Wang said with a smile.

Jiang Zhu swallowed the noodles and took another sip of wine: "If you won't let me give you anything, then you can try this wine too."

"Okay." Old Wang took the gourd, took a sip, and gasped from the spiciness: "It's really awful. I'll buy you better wine next time."

(End of this chapter)