What if I don't want to ascend to immortality?

Chapter 2 Meng Qingtong

In the sweltering heat of July, the sunlight shone like molten gold covering the road.

The middle-aged man with a large belly had his sparse eyebrows almost furrowed together. He wiped his sweat with a towel handed to him by the driver and moved his legs to let his leather shoes leave the soft and sticky asphalt and land on the stone base of the mountain road guardrail.

He glanced at the young man fanning himself beside him and advised, "Xiao Sun, it's so hot, let's go inside the car and wait. Your junior isn't answering her phone, who knows when she'll be here. If it gets any hotter, I'll be sweating like crazy."

The young man surnamed Sun shook his head and said with a smile, "Mr. Du, please get in the car and enjoy the air conditioning. I am a proper spiritualist, after all; I can handle a little bit of sun."

Mr. Du's chubby cheeks trembled slightly as he moved closer to the luxury SUV parked next to him, letting in some cool breeze from the driver's open window to relieve the heat. "Not to brag, but this junior of yours has a rather strange temper. It's only a few dozen kilometers away, I could have just sent a car to pick her up. Why not just set a time and wait here? What's the point?"

Xiao Sun smiled and replied, "She took on another job nearby and wanted to complete it all at once."

Mr. Du's expression darkened slightly, and he muttered under his breath, "Why do you spiritualists take jobs like taxi drivers, even sharing rides?"

Noticing his boss's displeasure, Xiao Sun rubbed his right shoulder, still smiling, and said, "Try to understand. My junior is an orphan and has had a hard life since she was young. Otherwise, the college wouldn't have given her the green light to work outside before she graduated."

Mr. Du took out his cigarette case, hesitated for a moment, then put it back in his pocket, his eyes full of suspicion. "Xiao Sun, tell me the truth, you've been out of school for years, and you can't even do this kind of work, so you're giving it to a junior classmate... You're not deliberately favoring her so she can earn commission, are you? You've been my assistant for over half a year, you know what kind of person I am. We're not short of money, what we need right now is efficiency. The sooner we start construction on that mountain, the more tens of thousands we can save."

Xiao Sun's smile became even more forced. He moved his right hand and said softly, "President Du, as I told you, my junior is a very famous genius girl in the Second Academy. The ruins we need to investigate are of a very high level. If she is not capable enough, the academy will not allow her to take on the task. To tell you the truth, even if my right hand were not injured, I would not be as good as her."

Mr. Du pursed his lips, but didn't say anything more. He just irritably wiped the beads of sweat that were about to fall from his forehead.

After waiting a while longer, Mr. Du glanced at his expensive watch, frowned, and said, "Only five minutes left. Why don't you make another call?"

Xiao Sun took out her phone, pulled up a number from her contacts, and pressed her finger on the dial icon but didn't press it. She whispered, "She's always punctual, always early. She should be here by now."

After waiting another half minute, just as he was about to dial the number, his ears twitched slightly, catching a series of sounds coming from the bend in the mountain road. His eyes lit up immediately, and he laughed, "It's here, it's here, it's finally here."

This place is located on the western outskirts of Dongding City, which has only recently been developed. The mountain road is not yet fully completed, so there are basically no idle people wandering around at this time. Apart from people related to the exploration project of the ruins here, there are probably only passenger taxis that occasionally pass by at the foot of the mountain.

Mr. Du, not hearing the sound of a car engine, asked in confusion, "I'm looking at the road below, but I haven't seen a car coming up?"

Xiao Sun said with a smile, "My junior is quite frugal; she hasn't bought a car yet."

"I didn't see any taxis pass by down there either. Did she run up the mountain?"

Ignoring Mr. Du's slightly sarcastic tone, Xiao Sun looked down at the bend in the mountain road, and sure enough, a bicycle was speeding by at high speed.

The bicycle was clearly quite old; where there should have been a bell, only a base remained. However, the whole bicycle was rattling and clattering, so it certainly didn't need any additional sound-producing device.

In the nearby villages, if you offer more than ten dollars for such an antique car, you're considered ripped off.

The one pedaling the old bicycle so hard it felt like a whirlwind, making it travel at the speed of a small motorcycle, was a young girl with a hint of childishness still lingering on her face. Her medium-length, jet-black hair was tied back in a short ponytail that swayed from side to side, revealing a smooth forehead glistening with sweat beneath her widow's peak. Her eyebrows were thick and straight, like two small swords flying diagonally above her eyes, the tips pointing to the straight bridge of her nose, perfectly dividing her bright, almond-shaped eyes with slightly upturned corners.

Her thin lips were being tightly bitten by her fine white teeth, and sweat gathered from both sides to her small chin, dripping in a continuous stream that was almost a line. When the wind blew in her face, it landed right in the hollow of her neck, soaking a large area of ​​the round neck of her short-sleeved shirt.

However, the simple top was already almost soaked through, and the sports vest underneath was clearly visible in the sunlight. The vest wasn't big, and the hem of the short sleeves was rolled up and tied in a knot, confidently showing off the prominent abdominal muscles on both sides of the waist.

The lines converged into the waistband of the faded denim shorts, extending from the other end to taut, full, and powerfully slender legs. As they pedaled furiously on the bicycle, the slightly bulging muscle contours constantly expanded and contracted, as if bursting forth with endless vitality.

By any measure, she didn't look like a student studying at the Second Spirit Academy in Dongding City—her skin was even darker than Xiao Sun's, like undiluted honey.

Mr. Du frowned. Based on his experience as a well-known real estate businessman, he knew that spiritual practitioners—especially powerful female spiritual practitioners—were all elegant, noble, and dignified fair-skinned beauties.

Besides, she's already doing off-campus assignments; if she's really capable, why would she be short of money? Why would she ride such a beat-up bike, which is probably older than her, up the mountain?
He knew that Xiao Sun always took care of the younger generation in the Second Hospital, but he, as the boss, was the one who made the final decision and paid the money. He couldn't go too far, could he?
“Sun Shenglai,” he said, using his full name with displeasure, “are you sure this silly wild girl can do it? Construction on that mountain must begin within ten days. Don’t make me end up in a lawsuit with the Relics Protection Association!”

Originally, President Du did not intend to use the word "silly" to describe her, since the young woman seemed quite shrewd and capable.

But before he could even open his mouth, he discovered that the genius girl had taken the wrong route on her bicycle.

After turning the corner, the mountain road forks, one path continuing uphill and the other going straight along the outer edge, leading to a small village called Hanmengzhuang, more than ten kilometers away.

They waited on the flat road outside with their bikes, while the junior schoolmate who was indeed not late rode uphill all the way.

Sun Shenglai quickly raised his hand and waved it from side to side, shouting, "Xiao Meng! Over here, over here!"

The girl glanced at it, her expression changed, and she suddenly squeezed the brakes, swerving the car sideways. With her long legs on the ground, she made a cool emergency stop.

After a slight hesitation, instead of returning to the fork in the road, she peeked out and then picked up her bicycle, tucked it under her arm, jumped over the guardrail, and slid down the steep slope of at least seven or eight meters between the two roads.

Mr. Du turned pale with fright and yelled, "Hey! Are you out of your mind?!"

Sun Shenglai also subconsciously took two steps, but immediately thought of something, stopped, and shook his head with a wry smile.

The already worn heels of her old mesh sneakers were severely damaged by the gravel on the slope, and her pure white cotton socks were covered in mud and dust. Despite her dusty appearance, the girl didn't look disheveled at all. She landed with unusual lightness and agility, then calmly adjusted her large canvas backpack, casually parked her bike by the roadside, and, while brushing aside the sweat-streaked hair sticking to her forehead with her fingertips, walked towards Sun Shenglai, smiling and saying, "How about it? I'm not late, am I?"

Sun Shenglai smiled and sighed, saying, "There's still almost a minute left. Is it really worth jumping down for this?" She took out her phone from the side pocket of her backpack, swiped away the missed calls, and raised an eyebrow. "It's three o'clock, so it's three o'clock. I hate being late the most."

Mr. Du leaned closer, a warm and friendly smile spreading across his chubby face. "Classmate... your surname is Meng, right?"

“Yes, it’s me.” She extended her right hand, and the delicate bracelets on her wrist clinked softly. “You must be the client for this time? I am Meng Qingtong, Qing as in clear and clear, and Tong as in pupil.”

As her name suggests, her eyes were indeed clear and bright, and her dark pupils seemed to penetrate into people's hearts.

After shaking Mr. Du's hand politely, Meng Qingtong continued, "Although it was Dean Fang who introduced the job to the Heritage Protection Association, and Senior Brother Sun also helped with the recommendation, the letter of authorization has not yet been formally signed. If Mr. Du feels it is not suitable, there is still time to find someone else."

Her voice was sweet and pleasant, and she spoke quickly, which startled President Du. He didn't react for a moment and blankly replied, "Change people? Change what kind of people?"

She pulled a towel from her backpack, ripped off her hairband, tilted her head, and wiped her sweaty hair. With a subtle self-deprecating tone, she said, "Just a reminder. If you think I'm young, incompetent, and overcharging, you can still back out now. But if you sign and then breach the contract, I won't be so easy to talk to."

Before President Du could speak, Sun Shenglai interjected, "Don't worry, as long as we sign, there won't be a breach of contract. We can discuss the specific terms before we sign."

He glanced at President Du and added, "Junior, President Du is an amateur. Before we talk, why don't you show us a few skills first?"

Meng Qingtong smiled brightly and said, "Senior brother, you know I specialize in spirit talismans and minor in spirit arrays. I burn money every time I use them. I can't compare to you spirit magic practitioners at all. I can judge your skills, but what about the expenses? Will you reimburse me?"

Meeting Sun Shenglai's questioning gaze, President Du generously said, "No problem. Although I haven't studied spiritual arts, I know a little bit about them. Sun, you help me check, so we don't reimburse Sister Meng too little and make her suffer."

Meng Qingtong put the towel back in her backpack, took out a bottle of water and gulped down a few mouthfuls, then put the bottle back. She casually pulled out two slightly yellow talismans, each about two fingers wide and a hand span long, from the side, turned her head to look at a small peak resembling a camel's hut on the northeast side of the railing, and asked, "President Du, the place where you want to build the spiritual retreat center is over there, right?"

Sun Shenglai answered, "Yes, that peak is the place with the most abundant spiritual energy in the vicinity; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it's a convergence of spiritual veins. But its location is so remote that the higher-ups in the spiritual cultivation world of the Dongding region had no interest in developing it, which is why President Du won the bid. It's just that we didn't expect to discover ruins, and at such a high level, which has significantly increased the time cost. You know how inefficient the Ruins Protection Association is; if this drags on any longer, this project will really be a huge loss."

Meng Qingtong nodded to indicate that she understood, picked up her backpack and walked to the railing. "Well... let's just talk when we get there. Once we've agreed on the terms, we can start working right away."

Before she finished speaking, she raised her hand and flicked it, sending two talismans flying into the air.

"Flowing Light, activate!"

With a crisp shout, one talisman instantly transformed into a soft ball of light, enveloping another talisman, which then became a dazzling shooting star, flying towards the gentle slope she indicated.

As the ball of light landed, she flicked her wrist and shouted, "Shifting Shadows, activate!"

The talisman on the falling paper flashed brightly, and in the light, the surrounding air appeared to distort slightly.

In the blink of an eye, Meng Qingtong's slender figure appeared in the light, while the now dim talisman slowly fell to the ground where it had been.

Mr. Du stared wide-eyed, gripping the railing as he peered over, exclaiming incredulously, "What... what kind of talisman is this? It can teleport? I've never even heard of such a thing! They don't even show it like this in movies, do you know any magic with similar effects, Xiao Sun?"

Seeing Sun Shenglai shake his head, he said in confusion, "Isn't the Spiritual Law supposed to be the head of the six systems?"

With a hint of pride, Sun Shenglai said softly, "President Du, it's not a difference between the two major systems of spiritual magic and spiritual talismans, but between her and me. Since you have some understanding of the spiritual magic system, you should know the general division of four grades and twelve levels, right?"

Mr. Du looked at Meng Qingtong, who was sitting on a gentle slope a few hundred meters away, leisurely drinking water with her backpack, and nodded with a serious expression.

"The divine talismans we usually talk about refer to the highest level, Grade A, Upper Grade. They're the most difficult to obtain and the most powerful. And that 'Shadow Shift' technique we just saw is one of the most difficult among talismans in this grade," Sun Shenglai said with a smile. "Now you know why she's called the genius girl of the Second Academy, right?"

Mr. Du's eyes lit up. He grabbed Sun Shenglai's hand and said eagerly, "Come on, get in the car, let's hurry over and sign the power of attorney first! Little Sun, she keeps calling me 'senior brother.' You see, if you have the chance, try to persuade her. The major development plan has just started, and real estate is definitely the future of the nine districts. After she graduates from the Second Academy, she can just come work for me. I can hand over this spiritual retreat center to her to manage..."

Sun Shenglai shook his head, interrupting his boss's incessant chatter. He raised his hand to form a hand seal in front of his chest, muttered incantations, and finally whispered, "Auspicious Cloud Technique!"

A mist rose beneath his feet and instantly condensed into a white cloud larger than the SUV next to him.

He controlled the cloud, helping President Du to take off together and fly towards Meng Qingtong, saying with a smile, "Hold on tight, the car is too slow, let's go like this. We can talk about other things after this commission is completed."

The speed of the auspicious cloud soaring into the sky is roughly between that of a glider and a hot air balloon, covering a distance of several hundred meters in no time.

But after the two landed, before the excited CEO Du could even say what he had prepared in his mind, Meng Qingtong stood up, looked at Sun Shenglai with a serious expression, and reached out her hand, saying, "Senior brother, can I borrow your phone for a moment?"

Sun Shenglai handed over the phone, frowning slightly: "What's wrong? Is yours out of battery?"

Meng Qingtong shook her head, turned to look at the cliff below the peak where wisps of spiritual energy swirled, and where a curtain of vines hung. "My phone is too old, and the level of spiritual rune attachment is not high enough. I'm afraid... I can't see the true situation of this ruin."

Sun Shenglai's expression changed slightly. "Uh...you mean to say that my previous survey was wrong?"

“I just sensed a very rhythmic fluctuation in the spiritual energy ripples of this ruin,” she said, raising her phone and quickly tapping the camera on the back panel with her slender fingertips, activating the transparent spiritual runes attached to it and switching the system to Spirit Master mode. “I think it felt like a heartbeat.”

"Are you kidding me?!" Sun Shenglai exclaimed in shock, his back covered in cold sweat. "This is an ancient site that is over 1,500 years old, and it hasn't been disturbed for at least 1,500 years."

With one hand on her hip, Meng Qingtong aimed the activated survey frame at the vines and said expectantly, "Let's guess what kind of old monster we'll encounter."

(End of this chapter)