Longevity Candle

Chapter 137 The Elf Enters the World to Spread the Word
"It's better not to become an immortal. If you become an immortal, it will lose its original flavor."

Hearing Old Wang's murmurs, the tabby cat suddenly laughed.

His laughter was silent, yet it was exceptionally ferocious, as if he had gone mad.

Old Wang was already drunk and fell asleep.

Jiang Zhu put him on the bed, glanced at the tabby cat, and saw that he was still smiling.

Laughing, the tabby cat staggered out.

Jiang Zhu sighed softly. He had just taken care of Old Wang, and now he had to look after this cat.

He went into the courtyard, lay down on the ground, and looked at the starry sky.

"When I was young, I looked up at the sky and thought the stars were dazzling and must be very beautiful," the tabby cat muttered. "When I grew up, I crossed the void and saw a sky full of stars."

"The starry sky was very dark, and after I arrived, the stars were no longer bright and were no longer as dazzling."

The uneven terrain and desolate land are incomparable even to this world…

"At that moment, I was very disappointed. Why did it look brilliant from afar, but dull, lifeless, and devoid of vitality up close?"

The tabby cat murmured, as if talking to itself, or perhaps speaking to Jiang Zhu.

Jiang Zhu asked, "Have you ever been to the moon?"

“I’ve been there. I’ve even been to the Sun, looking for the glowing candlelight inside, but I was even more disappointed when I got there.”

The moon was so lonely and lifeless, and the sun was like a furnace, devoid of life.

The tabby cat said in a deep voice, "If the Candlelight and the Shadowy Spirits really exist, why don't they modify the sun and the moon?"

“The sun and moonlight will bring life to this world,” Jiang Zhu said.

"And what about the countless stars in the sky? Why do they seem lifeless?" the tabby cat asked.

“A living star is not easy to form; it requires many factors, which is quite incredible,” Jiang Zhu said. “In the vast starry sky, there must be other stars that contain life.”

"I've never seen one. I've been to many stars, but I've never seen any living beings."

The tabby cat replied, "There are some very tiny insects, as small as dust, that can't be considered living beings."

“After a long period of time, they may transform into new beings,” Jiang Zhu said.

"Transformation?"

“Just like a snake transforming into a dragon, or an insect breaking free of its cocoon to become a butterfly, it’s a leap in life,” Jiang Zhu explained. “It’s also like your sword, which evolves from basic to complex, and then from intricate to simple.”

"The greatest truths are both complex and simple; who can truly explain them?"

"The Great Dao? What is that?"

"The Dao is inherently empty; the Dao sought in one's heart is like your sword, which can be called the Dao of the Sword. If you are confident that you are the best in the world, then your sword is the strongest Dao."

Jiang Zhu sat down beside him and said gently, "Li Qingping and Li Qingxuan seek the Way of Great Peace. To them, the Way of Great Peace is the Great Way."

Whether it's following the way of Heaven or pursuing immortality, although they both involve the word "Dao," they are both obsessed with achieving immortality.

The so-called Dao is simply one's own actions and desires.

"In the vast world of mortals, all thoughts are illusory, and even the Dao is illusory. It is only because people pursue it that the Dao exists."

"Where's Old Wang?" The tabby cat turned around and glanced at Old Wang's room.

"He pursued fame and fortune, but when he couldn't get them, he stopped pursuing them and lived his life peacefully. That was his ordinary way of life."

Jiang Zhu pondered and said, "The two of us are his dream, distant stars. We do not enter the path of immortality because we are unwilling to approach the stars."

"Yes, if he knew that the high and mighty, pure and flawless immortal was like this, he would probably be utterly disappointed, just like I was back then."

The tabby cat then asked, "And you? What path have you sought?"

“I’m just like Old Wang,” Jiang Zhu said with a faint smile. “After living this life to the end, I will be a brilliant star.”

"What did you ask for?" the tabby cat asked.

"I once prayed to stay in the human world forever. In the beginning, I could only come out for one or two hours every ten years or so."

Now, I only travel a few days a year, and it's a blessing to be able to eat a few peaches each time they ripen.

Jiang Zhu said, "That's good. In the past, I accumulated magical power and clung to freedom. Now, like Old Wang, I have come to understand myself."

"No way to achieve freedom?" The tabby cat frowned. "What exactly is this green lamp of yours?"

"I don't know," Jiang Zhu shook his head.

"It wasn't Fusheng who did it?"

“He doesn’t have that kind of ability,” Jiang Zhu said. “Sometimes I envy you guys. You can see the stars above and dive into the deep sea below, so free and unrestrained, especially the Jingwei bird, who loves to travel far and wide…”

Jiang Zhu expressed his envy: with such magical power, what couldn't one do?
Look at the mountains and rivers, the scenery of the world.

Then, brew a pot of wine to savor the flavors of life, and you'll feel carefree and content.

Whenever the mood strikes, I go to the starry sky, look at the stars, and search for living things.

"Tsk, you live a really pathetic life. I used to envy you, gathering together to create peace and prosperity, and causing so much trouble."

The tabby cat suddenly chuckled: "I'll come to see you when I remember, and if I don't, you can just keep eating the peach by yourself."

"You fat cat," Jiang Zhu laughed and scolded, "Old Wang is in your hands now."

"Don't worry." The tabby cat waved its paw. "I've just mastered a new sword technique. How about I call it Old Wang?"

"What kind of lousy sword move is this?" Jiang Zhu shook his head. "You should go ask Old Wang."

"Yeah, Old Wang really doesn't sound good," the tabby cat muttered.

The two of them, a man and a cat, were stargazing in the yard, chatting idly.

The tabby cat stopped pondering swordsmanship; he planned to peacefully accompany Old Wang on his final journey, knowing he would have plenty of time to study swordsmanship later.

Several days passed quickly, and Jiang Zhu fell into a deep sleep once more.

Despite his advanced age, Old Wang continues to sell noodles.

The tabby cat stayed by his side like an ordinary cat.

Two months later, Old Wang was bedridden, his body covered with age spots, and sometimes he would utter incoherent words that even the tabby cat couldn't understand.

The tabby cat was getting anxious; for the first time, he didn't want a mortal to die.

Even if Li Qingchen and Jiang Yunmeng were to die right now, he wouldn't be this impatient.

He went out for a while, and when he came back, he was holding a pill in his hand.

When he returned, Old Wang was sitting in the courtyard with a ruddy complexion and vigorous spirit, and he had even changed into a new set of clothes.

In his hand, he held a peach wood lamp.

The tabby cat stared at him blankly. Old Wang had always been reluctant to wear that outfit; it had been found in the home of a wealthy family.

"This pill, if taken, can add three to five years to one's lifespan, but it doesn't count as entering the path of immortality." The tabby cat took out the pill and handed it to Old Wang.

Old Wang grinned, took the pill, but didn't take it: "It's truly an honor to have you all by my side."

“Eat him, and even if you don’t become an immortal, it’ll be good to live a few more years,” the tabby cat said.

Old Wang remained motionless, muttering to himself, "Sometimes I'm really curious about what kind of place I'll go, what the Netherworld looks like..."

The tabby cat remained silent.

"Thinking about it carefully, I've never enjoyed anything in this life. I don't know what wealth and glory are like, and I don't know what it's like to cultivate immortality and seek the Dao."

Old Wang muttered to himself.

"I can take you anywhere," the tabby cat said in a low voice.

"I'm not going." Old Wang reached out and struggled to pick him up, placing him on his lap. "It's good that I can't wait for Jiang Zhu anymore."

"What's the point of waiting if I can't wait for him?"

"It's better that he's not here. Who watches their friend leave?" "Am I not your friend?"

“You are, but you are different from him. He is just a friend, you are my family.”

"Family?" The tabby cat paused, "Why? He's been with you longer, so he should be more like family."

"He's too far away. Even when we drink together or set up a stall together, I still feel a sense of distance from him. I can never get close to him."

You're different. If I tease you, you get angry, and you call me a lousy old man behind my back. He never gets angry; he's not like a human being..."

"Did you hear me cursing at you?"

"You were practically cursing me right in the ear, how could I not hear you?" Old Wang said with amusement.

“He doesn’t seem like a human being. I’m not human either,” the tabby cat said.

"Humans have seven emotions and six desires, joy, anger, sorrow and happiness. I used to be happy when he argued with me, but after he stopped arguing, I couldn't feel his human warmth anymore."

Old Wang murmured, "You have a strong human scent about you."

Human touch.

The tabby cat fell silent. Had it acquired the scent of a mortal?

Jiang Zhu seems to have changed as well.

In the past, he would look down at the Taiping Dao and help them pursue peace throughout the world.

But Jiang Zhu now cares nothing for the chaos of the world; he is in the mortal world, yet he is outside of it.

Life is but a dream?

The tabby cat had a vague idea that Jiang Zhu might be influenced by Fu Sheng, or perhaps he was running away from something.

"I practice swordsmanship and have just mastered a new move. I originally wanted to call you by your name, but it doesn't sound very nice."

The tabby cat said, "Give me a name, a name I will always remember."

"I have never been exposed to the path of immortality, I only read a few books when I was young, how can I name your sword moves?"

"Go ahead and take it; if it's not right, I'll change it."

“Thirty-three, that’s the best-sounding name I can think of,” Old Wang said.

Why is it called Thirty-Three?

"That year, I realized the ordinariness of life and buried my dream of immortality deep in my heart forever," Old Wang said.

"Then let's call it Thirty-Three."

"Starting from the ordinary, not content with the ordinary, recognizing the ordinariness, and ending in the ordinary, remaining steadfast to the end, that's quite good..."

Old Wang murmured to himself, then gradually fell silent.

A phantom figure grasped the peach wood lamp and, under the watchful eye of the tabby cat, drifted into the unknown darkness.

The tabby cat watched him leave, then suddenly said, "Please pass on a message to the old crow for me: I, Gu Qingxu, have wronged him."

Old Wang turned around, nodded, and disappeared into the darkness.

Crimson ghost flowers bloom, welcoming the departed souls into the underworld.

A piercing crow's caw echoed in the darkness, as if responding to the tabby cat, taking away a new soul.

Under the cover of night, the tabby cat carried Old Wang's body to the mountains and forests, dug a deep pit, and buried him there.

It begins in ordinariness and ends in ordinariness.

He asked for nothing, not even a grand funeral, and simply returned to the mountains.

It seems that there has never been an Old Wang in the world, yet it also seems that everyone in the mortal world is an Old Wang.

The tabby cat sat in front of Old Wang's grave for a whole month.

A figure in white robes came from afar, carrying a jar of wine. He poured a bowlful, took a sip, and tossed it to the tabby cat.

The tabby cat took a swig of wine and said, "I thought you wouldn't come to see me before you grasped the dragon energy of the nation's destiny."

He looked at the figure in white, and it was Jiang Yunmeng.

Jiang Yunmeng's gaze was calm: "I do have reason to hate you, and I've thought about drawing my sword against you more than once, but I won't use my national power to do so."

"Hmm?" The tabby cat asked in confusion, "Even without the nation's fortune, you could never defeat me in your entire life."

“Then we cannot win.” Jiang Yunmeng took the wine jar and took a big gulp: “Jiang Yunmeng of Peach Blossom Spring, I beg you to enter the world and create the Peaceful Sword Path, are you willing?”

The tabby cat was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to extend an invitation.

Jiang Yunmeng looked at him quietly, without urging him.

The atmosphere became somewhat somber for a moment.

After a long silence, Jiang Yunmeng said, "Give me a straight answer, whether you agree or not."

"I don't care about Peach Blossom Spring's identity," the tabby cat suddenly snorted.

Jiang Yunmeng was silent for a moment, then said, "Master."

The tabby cat grinned and said, "I'll accompany you on this journey. I just created a new move, and it will definitely look amazing when you practice it."

“I don’t learn fancy sword techniques, I only care about practicality,” Jiang Yunmeng said. “Besides, I have already learned the Yunmeng Sword Technique, which is no worse than your swordsmanship.”

"Ha, if we're talking about strength, I admit I'm inferior to Yunmeng, but when it comes to swordsmanship, no matter how powerful Yunmeng is, she can't beat my Thirty-Three," the tabby cat said proudly.

"Thirty-three? What a terrible name."

"Old Wang got it, it's a great name, let me tell you about it."

A man and a cat left the mountains and forests, entered the mortal world, and left Yigu City far behind.

Today, Ningguo is plagued by severe internal strife and family feuds in various regions, leaving its people destitute.

The Way of Peace provides disaster relief everywhere, spreads the Dao of Immortality, and guides people to become Qi cultivators, transcending the mortal realm.

The peasant slave established the Way of Peace and Tranquility. With peace in one's heart, one can be carefree, transcend the mundane, enter the path of immortality, and escape the sea of ​​suffering in the mortal world.

The white crane couple passed down the Way of Peace and Prosperity.

The Nine-Tailed Immortal Fox sought out Zhang Ming and established the Taiping Illusionary Path.

Lan Yue also joined the Taiping Dao and established the Five Elements Immortal Path.

The way of the ox is the way of peaceful agriculture, which all farmers can cultivate.

Jingwei the bird returned to the shores of the East Sea and started to experiment on her own, but no one knew what kind of teachings she had passed down.

The entire Ningguo region has undergone tremendous changes.

All three parties and major families are besieging Jiang Yunmeng. Although they are also besieging other elven sects, the elves are just spreading their teachings everywhere and don't confront them head-on.

Jiang Yunmeng, after so many years of development, has long since established a large number of troops in various mountainous areas and remote towns.

They dispersed their forces, igniting battles in various places, and then retreated into the mountains and forests after causing chaos.

Those mountain and sea spirits, immortal masters and Taoists, cannot always follow the army, nor can they manage every inch of land.

Furthermore, with the introduction of the Taiping Daoist teachings, many people from various families and three factions secretly began practicing them.

No matter how generous the spirits of the mountains and seas may be, they cannot bear to part with the path of immortality.

Who doesn't want to achieve immortality and live forever?
Jiang Yunmeng gave them the opportunity to learn any Taoist arts they wanted, without asking them to do anything, but simply instilling in them the will to maintain peace.

In an instant, the families in Ningguo panicked; too many of their subordinates had betrayed them.

Many people from all three factions also went to join the Way of Peace.

In particular, the peaceful and carefree life of the peasants had a natural power to bewitch people; almost everyone who went there became a believer.

(End of this chapter)