Longevity Chronicles

In the quiet room, whether it was Tao Qian or the ones called Little Age and Lian Jing'er, all were bewildered by Lin Xiaohua's sudden exclamation.

Seeing his face turn utterly pale, his eyes filled with extreme sorrow, they thought he was about to face some great disaster.

That was it?

Observing the strange look on their faces, Lin Xiaohua seemed to find an outlet for venting. He slumped back onto the soft pillow and started to ramble to a junior and two Alien Species who had gained sentience, pouring out his grievances.

"Among the Twelve Major Daoist Sects, only a few sects prohibit the union of Yin and Yang, and most major sect disciples in cultivation would keep concubines, changing them every few decades, truly reckless and shameless."

"I, Lin Xiaohua, am ashamed to associate with them. Although I do consort with ghostly charms, after celebrating some joyous days, I always provide them with compensation, either helping them to transcend and reincarnate or bestowing various Yin Talisman Soul Treasures upon them, allowing them to protect themselves and even enter the Dao to cultivate."

"Such actions, who wouldn't call me a hero as well?"

"But who would have thought that I, Lin Xiaohua, would eventually fall. I encountered my nemesis and destroyer, Pei Niannu."

"You cannot imagine how stunning Pei Niannu was when I first saw her. She was imprisoned in the 'Kuhun Mountain', dressed in white, cold and beautifully detached from the world. Ignoring the rules and precepts of my sect, I befriended her, and later, due to mutual affection, we became involved."

"Although I sensed that she wanted to use my Heavenly Talisman Essence to escape her plight, I did not stop her, simply indulging in the merging of our souls."

"Thus, I knew her true nature was not as the verdict of Kuhun Mountain said: 'A ghost king causing chaos and misery to all living beings.'"

"Even though I was expelled from my sect because of her, I do not regret my initial choice, but later..."

At this point, Lin Xiaohua's eyes filled with tears, seemingly carrying immense grievance.

Pausing and sobbing for a moment, he then continued:

"Later, she came to me again, claiming she had wronged me, and feigningly stayed with me for a few days."

"That would have been enough, but she also said that it was not right for me to not cultivate the Heavenly Talisman Skill. She wanted me to abandon this physical body and follow her to cultivate the Ghost Path, even bringing the Primordial Spirit Secret Soul Scripture and trying to force me to cultivate it."

"That still wasn't the worst part."

"She revealed her true identity and background, turned out she was actually the Princess of the Ghost Country 'No Food Country' on the surface. She confessed her deep affection for me, her infatuation with me, and insisted that I return with her to get married."

"She said that once I entered the Ghost Country, I would be the esteemed Prince Consort, able to live and cultivate the Ghost Immortal Technique together with her."

"A true man could never suffer such an indignity. After a huge argument with her, we parted ways unhappily."

"I thought that was the end of it; although I, Lin Xiaohua, lost a perfect Daoist partner, I preserved my freedom of soul."

"But I don't know by what means she managed it, from then onwards, every enchanting ghost that met me was terrified of me. Forget about mingling with me, they would flee in panic just at the sight of me."

"Now the situation is dire, the truth finally revealed. She plans to forcefully dominate and destroy this dharma body of mine, making it a fait accompli and leaving me no chance for regret."

"Little Age, Lian Jing'er, come, help me up, I must return to the Heavenly Talisman Sect, I must admit my wrongs to my master. I certainly don't want to be dragged to that Ghost Country to be a Prince Consort..."

In that quiet room, Lin Xiaohua's cries of struggle echoed continuously.

After being reminded by Tao Qian, Lin Xiaohua's analysis partly hit the mark of the truth.

Sadly, not entirely!

Because the one who acted against him was not that Princess called "Pei Niannu," but her mother.

The King of the No Food Ghost Country, for the sake of her daughter's marriage prospects, personally intervened, even using a Supreme Treasure that Tao Qian couldn't detect.

Although Lin Xiaohua also came from a Great Sect, how could he compete with a Ghost Country monarch?

The gap was unimaginable.

Tao Qian now recalled that when Master Xiao first saw Lin Xiaohua, he muttered, "Almost misjudged."

Clearly, this Elder of the Ten Thousand Infant Sect, although not having an unusually perceptive soul like Tao Qian's, had also realized that Lin Xiaohua, an abandoned disciple of the Heavenly Talisman Sect, had already been reserved as a son-in-law by the No Food Country Master.

Anyone who dared to interfere would have to confront her.

No wonder Master Xiao, knowing that Lin Xiaohua was near death, had shown no sign of concern.

Watching Lin Xiaohua struggle desperately, too weak even to rise, Tao Qian thought for a moment but decided not to shatter his last sliver of hope.

Even Little Age and Lian Jing'er, two Alien Life forms, could tell that Daoist Xiao Hua was somewhat insincere.

From the tone of his recollections of "Pei Niannu," he truly fell in love with the female ghost.

However, his long history of a wanton lifestyle, coupled with his deeply ingrained haughty temperament, prevented him from accepting Pei Niannu's kindness.

Regardless of the information Tao Qian glimpsed or the judgement by Lin Xiaohua's mother-in-law, it all proved that Daoist Xiao Hua's talent greatly matched the Primordial Spirit Secret Soul Scripture.

If he were to seek immortality and the Dao, the path most suited for Lin Xiaohua might actually be the Ghost Immortal Technique.

Tao Qian thought about letting Lin Xiaohua keep a bit of fantasy, but soon he himself realized:

With a sigh, he slumped back, uttering with a listless tone:

"Forget it, it's no use."

"To force me to switch to cultivating the Ghost Path against my will is something Nian Nu alone would find difficult to accomplish; I, Lin Xiaohua, after all, had been intimately involved with her long enough to know her through and through."

"She must have run home to complain and then stirred up the No Food Country Master. My mother-in-law is really fierce. Back then, she had a conflict with our Heavenly Talisman Sect. Eight elders joined hands to challenge her, but she chased them all the way to the Heavenly Talisman Sect Mountain Gate with a 'Big Ghost Mother Divine Soul Sword.'"

"Although she was almost captured by the sect master of our Heavenly Talisman Sect, that battle also made her famous."

"Since it was her who made the move, I indeed had no chance to resist."

Lin Xiaohua spat out these words, causing Tao Qian to once again barely restrain his urge to retort.

Daoist Xiao Hua, you struggle so adamantly, yet inadvertently, you even call her 'mother-in-law' in advance, how polite.

Tao Qian vaguely realized that Lin Xiaohua was not so resistant to converting to the Ghost Path anymore; he just wasn't ready to end his carefree life immediately.

"Scumbag!"

Tao Qian silently cursed.

He was thinking that since there was such a sequel, perhaps the matter of entrusting his care could also be settled now.

Yet, before Tao Qian could speak, Lin Xiaohua caught hold of him again.

His expression became rather complex, a hint of reluctance fleeting across his face, but he still said,

"Brother Tao, I will die in two days, and there may be a great disturbance then, but it will be of no harm to you and others. However, I still have to entrust Little Age and Lian Jing'er to you."

"The No Food Ghost Country only allows ghosts and spirits to exist. That is a rule, absolutely intractable, even Nian Nu and her mother can't change it."

"Moreover, if my sect's records aren't wrong, after I die and transform into a ghost, that mother-in-law of mine will certainly appear to sever my karma, entrusting you to avoid her is most fitting."

"This outcome coincides vaguely with my own calculations; what was that extremely faint lifeline about? Turns out it was waiting here for me. Nian Nu, oh Nian Nu, you just wait for me."

After saying these things, Lin Xiaohua no longer talked about Pei Niannu and the mother-in-law.

Instead, he began instructing Tao Qian again, resolving his confusions.

Previously, he had said he wanted to ensure Tao Qian had the cultivation appropriate to a disciple of a great sect. Now, with his arrogant temperament flaring up again, he began to impart all sorts of secrets and profound knowledge to Tao Qian.

Compared to gossip and love matters, this knowledge was boring for Little Age and Lian Jing'er, the two little things finding it so dull they were falling asleep.

As for Tao Qian, who aspired to 'long-lasting vision,' he listened with keen interest.

A day quickly passed.

After saying goodbye to a much weakened Lin Xiaohua, Tao Qian was about to leave and planned to try and cultivate the 'Secret Demon Transformation Technique' tonight to increase his Protective Dao strength.

However, he was stopped halfway by a maid of Master Xiao, clad in yellow robes, looking pretty, and from the palpitations in his mind, obviously exceeding Tao Qian's current Cultivation Realm.

But this maid was not at all arrogant; she gently said, "Daoist Tao, the true master requests your presence."

Not knowing what it was about, but having received such a great favor, Tao Qian did not decline.

He followed the maid toward the residence of Master Xiao.

Tao Qian guessed in his heart: It must be that Master Xiao is again anxious about the safety of the Immortal Infant, wanting me to probe further.

Thinking thus, during the journey, they passed by some large rooms within the Star-picking Pavilion.

Occasionally, he could hear inside excited and enthusiastic discussions from young disciples from various sects and those Cultivators who had reached the Qi Refining Realm.

The fragmented words coming together were surprising to Tao Qian, as he had missed many exciting events in just one day.

"So it turns out, the magic duels had already begun."

"For an entire day, Master Xiao led the many cultivators inside the Star-picking Pavilion right outside Seeking Immortal City, set up against demons descending from Iron Buddha Mountain, fought dozens of times."

"During which, demons continuously used underhanded tactics, trying to instill fear similar to the 'Human-faced Worm Disaster' in the hundred thousand citizens of Seeking Immortal County."

"Strategies like poisoning, polluting, evil techniques, and demon arrays were thrown at Seeking Immortal County, but all were resolved by Master Xiao."

"Perhaps it's because of this, Master Xiao is somewhat anxious, probably afraid that the Beautiful Corpse Bodhisattva might vent her frustration on her own son?"

These thoughts emerged in Tao Qian's mind.

He had already followed the maid to the second to last floor, passing by many quiet rooms.

These rooms had been empty yesterday, said to be prepared for the powerful cultivators who would come to help.

Now passing by, many rooms were still empty.

But as Tao Qian walked past with the maid in those few breaths, his mind seemed to have an additional Primordial War Drum, and a Barbaric Giant wielding a battle hammer, furiously pounding the drum.

"Boom, boom, boom"

Wave after wave of terrifying palpitations throbbed through Tao Qian's mind.

With such noise, Tao Qian needed not even guess, instantly concluding,

"Fire God Temple, Lingxi Temple, Wind Thunder Cliff, Wudang Sect... The strong cultivators dispatched by these Daoist or Heterodox Sects had all arrived, currently within the Star-picking Pavilion, all kept secret, not even a trace revealed."

"Summoning me here might not be to inquire about the safety of the Immortal Infant, but perhaps to let me inform him of the true situation on the mountain; could it be that Master Xiao intends... to attack Iron Buddha Mountain tonight?"