Longevity Candle

Chapter 21 Is she anxious because of aging?
Since the mysterious deaths of the bandits, Liu Family Town has seen a significant increase in government officials who patrol day and night.

Liu Sanzhu never remarried and was busy arranging Liu Lang's marriage.

Liu Lang obeyed all arrangements, as long as his future wife didn't stop him from doing as he pleased in the river.

He diligently practiced the martial arts taught by Jiang Zhu, which were perfectly suited to Jiang Langyin.

He seemed to be a born fisherman, his martial arts skills improving rapidly as he cleaved through the waves in the river, chasing after large fish.

Two years later, Liu Lang got married and started a family.

He didn't love his wife, but he didn't dislike her either, and she accepted his fishing in the river.

His wife is wonderful; she manages the household impeccably and often praises him for his abilities, even saying things like "the spirit of the river."

Liu Lang gradually fell in love with his wife and began to sleep with her.

The father and son built a secret room, where they kept a lamp burning, without letting their wives know.

Although Jiang Zhu did not need incense, they still made offerings to it.

The gods of the green lamps may be unnecessary, but they cannot be disrespected.

It was also out of gratitude to Jiang Zhu for his two acts of protection and for not asking for anything in return.

They couldn't think of any other way to repay the kindness besides offering sacrifices.

Liujia Town returned to peace, and the pain inflicted by the bandits healed with time.

On this day, Liu Lang rode across the river as usual, his inner energy flowing in perfect harmony with the river waves.

He seemed to have grasped something, and his mind seemed to drift away with the waves, resonating with the river.

His body drifted with the current, seemingly becoming part of the river waves.

In a daze, he sensed several figures in black walking on the bottom of the river, searching for something.

He was curious and watched the figure in black intently.

Suddenly, a man in black looked at him.

Liu Lang was startled. He focused his mind back on his body and realized that he had floated to the center of the river.

He quickly swam to his small boat, wondering whether those men in black were real or fake.

Besides yourself, who else could move freely at the bottom of the river?

He was filled with doubt, but dared not investigate, because he felt that the other party had seen him.

If the other person can see you, it's best to pretend you don't know them to avoid trouble.

He still remembers the disasters caused by the river bandits back then.

He boarded the small boat safely and returned home unharmed, which put his mind at ease.

In the days that followed, his mind resonated with the river waves several times, but he never saw the man in black again. He went to the bottom of the river but couldn't find him either, and he thought that it might have been an illusion.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, Liu Lang is already forty-three years old and has a twelve-year-old child.

His father, Liu Sanzhu, was old and his hair was gray; he could no longer go down the river.

Qin Jiang did not find out what happened to Ayan afterward, but he did find out that she was looking for a strange object.

Liu Sanzhu went to the secret room to offer incense as usual.

The candlelight flickered, and Jiang Zhu awoke from his slumber, looking at Liu Sanzhu, who was kneeling in devout worship: "I don't need incense, why insist on worshipping me?"

"You're awake?" Liu Sanzhu looked at him with surprise and said respectfully, "I can't repay you, you don't need it, but I can't leave without showing my gratitude."

"Whatever you want. How have you been all these years?" Jiang Zhu asked.

"These years have been very good. After the bandits, the imperial court dispatched a large army to wipe out the bandits in Qingjiang. Qingjiang is now more peaceful than ever before."

Liu Sanzhu recounted, "There are many more villages and towns nearby, and I heard that there are plans to build a new city in the vicinity."

"It's good that everything is peaceful." Jiang Zhu nodded and said, "Liu Lang... hmm?"

He suddenly frowned and asked, "Who is that woman in green in your house?" "She's my daughter-in-law, what's wrong with that?" Liu Sanzhu hurriedly asked.

"It's not that there's anything wrong with it, but she has a jade pendant on her body that contains a trace of magical power, which is not something an ordinary person should have."

Jiang Zhu pondered and said, "Back then, Ayan searched for half her life but never saw any magical power."

“Magic power?” Liu Sanzhu’s expression changed slightly: “My daughter-in-law is just an ordinary person, how could she have magic power? Over the years, she has always been well-behaved and has never come here.”

"Are you sure you haven't been here?" Jiang Zhu asked.

“I will leave a single hair at the entrance to the secret chamber, and there are also strands of hair connecting the walls. If anyone enters, the hair will break,” Liu Sanzhu said.

“You are quite observant. I only sensed magical power; perhaps it was passed down from her ancestors,” Jiang Zhu said.

Liu Sanzhu took note and recounted what Liu Lang had encountered back then: "Back then, Lang'er's martial arts were at their peak, and his heart was in harmony with the river. He saw a man in black searching in the river, and later went into the river to look for him, but he couldn't find him. I don't know if it was just an illusion."

"His ability to harmonize with the river waves and achieve mastery of martial arts is generally not an illusion, unless there is something special interfering."

Jiang Zhu pondered for a moment and said, "I'll go take a look at Qingjiang later."

"This is Lang'er's martial arts. He combined the martial arts you taught him with Jiang Lang Yin and named it Qing Jiang Yin."

At this point, Liu Sanzhu added, "I originally wanted to name it after you, but I was afraid it would cause you trouble, so I chose this name instead."

“I don’t care about any of that,” Jiang Zhu said.

Liu Sanzhu was silent for a moment, then suddenly looked up: "Then, what exactly do you care about?"

Jiang Zhu paused for a moment, then asked, "Why do you ask?"

"I inquired a lot and found that in the past, all the so-called gods and immortals in temples needed incense offerings."

Stories and tales of ghosts and monsters, some require yang energy, some require elixirs…

Liu Sanzhu said a lot.

Jiang Zhu remained silent and said, "What I need is something you could never get even if you gave your whole life, so why ask?"

"My son and I owe you a debt. If we were to enjoy it peacefully, how could we face you?" Liu Sanzhu's cloudy old eyes were a little red: "Was the girl Ayan back then searching for a rare item for you?"

“I said the same thing to her back then: life is short, enjoy the present, and don’t be attached to anything,” Jiang Zhu said.

"Yes, life is short. Eighteen years have passed. You look young, but I have grown old."

Liu Sanzhu looked at his aged hands: "Did the young lady Ayan feel anxious because of aging back then?"

Jiang Zhu was lost in thought, and in a daze, he remembered Ayan from back then.

Although she forced a smile, tears welled in her eyes, and she asked herself in a trembling voice if she looked ugly in her old age.

Back then, Ayan disregarded his own instructions, abandoned his stable life, and ventured into the world to search for rare treasures, all so that he could wake up as soon as possible.

"Jiang Zhu, this is the first and last time I will address you as such."

Liu Sanzhu stared at him: "Lang'er is already forty-three. I can't wait another eighteen years. I won't tell Lang'er. Besides, Master Qin hopes that I can change my appearance and secretly help him."

"What is he going to do?" Jiang Zhu frowned.

"I don't know. I think his caution might be related to the rare item. If there's anything you need, I can leave it for you."

Liu Sanzhu said, "Although I once saved him, I have been indebted to him for a lifetime and can never repay him. You have saved my family twice, and I should repay you as well. Furthermore, I would like to shamelessly ask you to do me another favor."

“Go ahead and speak,” Jiang Zhu said.

"Jiang Langyin possesses a technique that allows one to feign death by breathing to the point of death. I would like to ask you to help me test my daughter-in-law. If I reveal my magical power and she attacks me, you can guarantee my survival."

Liu Sanzhu said, "After I fake my death, someone will dig me up, and I will go to find what you need."

"Never mind." Jiang Zhu sighed softly, "I need the essence of the sun and moon to shorten my slumber and hasten my awakening."

“Wouldn’t it be a waste of your time to keep you enshrined in the secret chamber?” Liu Sanzhu said guiltily.

“Sleeping a little longer won’t hurt. Now that I have incense on my body, if you leave it outside, it will attract attention and be coveted by others,” Jiang Zhu said.

(End of this chapter)