Immortality begins with meditation puppets

Humans are subject to unpredictable fortune and misfortune, and so is the god of longevity!
"Little Bu, Little Bu, what's wrong, Little Bu? Please don't let anything happen to you! How can I live if something happens to you!"

Looking at the crumbling coffin cloth, Liang Haishun cried out in anguish.

Liang Haishun risked his life in the Heavenly Master's ruins, donning his robes to fight, and finally achieved a victory recognized by the Heavenly Master's will, thus qualifying to sit on the futon and become a deity.

His good brother Su Qing understood him well. Knowing that Lao Liang was used to the "cloaked battle method" of exchanging lifespan for combat power, he chose a good divine position for him as the God of Longevity.

With this divine authority and the Life-Saving Cloth, Liang Haishun, though unlearned and incompetent, can still achieve great things later in life. In the future, he can retire in Wanghai Immortal City or explore the Western Sea with Su Qing. He will not lack lifespan. With the cloth on his body, he can play a role in either direction and will not become a burden to others.

Little did I expect that my joy wouldn't last long.

The Life-Destroying Cloth that had accompanied him to this day and contributed countless merits was showing signs of collapse. How could this not fill him with great fear? After all, without the Life-Destroying Cloth, even if Liang Haishun became a fourth-order God of Longevity, he would not be able to set up a high-level formation!
If you live longer, your manhood will soon be gone. Who will suffer from this?
"Fellow Daoist Liang, do not be in a hurry to grieve. This cloth can still be saved, or rather, Fellow Daoist Helian can still be saved!"

The moment the Cloth of Life-Ending Abode showed signs of abnormality, Su Qing had already changed into the Great Witch True Spirit. Using the incantation techniques of the Witch Clan, he deduced that the cloth was in sync with Helian Xian's life, and that the abnormality of the cloth meant that Helian Xian's life was threatened.

Judging from the fact that it has not completely collapsed and disintegrated, one can tell that although Helian Xian's current situation is critical, he is not completely dead yet.

"The quality of this cloth is actually related to Fellow Daoist Helian's life?"

Back then, Fellow Daoist Helian only said that this Life-Destroying Cloth was a family heirloom, and that his Helian family prospered because of it, but was also cursed by it. Anyone who came into contact with this cloth would involuntarily use it to shorten their lifespan. Therefore, he planned to retire in Demon Smoke City before giving the cloth to me.

Now it seems that the connection between this cloth and the Helian family is far more complex than he claimed? Damn it, has I, Old Liang, been completely fooled by Helian? If I want to use this cloth peacefully in the future, I must ensure Helian Xian's safety?

"Wait a minute, isn't he supposed to be retired in Demon Smoke City? What kind of danger could he be in? Could it be that the Pingxi Martial Kingdom has attacked Demon Smoke City?"

Liang Haishun held the Life-Destroying Cloth in one hand and took a big bite of the Immortal Peach in the other. He was worried about the condition of the cloth and the safety of his old friend. Just as he was about to ask Su Qing if he had a way to locate Helian Xian so that they could go to rescue him, he saw Su Qing's figure had already landed on Langya Immortal Island and found the Celestial Master Puppet Master Tong.

"Fellow Daoist Su, thanks to your help this time, I was able to fulfill the dying wish of my Ancestral Celestial Master. Now the karmic debt is settled, and the shackles are lifted. I cannot express my gratitude to you, but according to our previous agreement, you may take all the resources on Langya Immortal Island. I can even help you extract the essence of the Star Sun Vein!"

Although Tong Chang, who had fulfilled the Celestial Master's last wish, still looked like a frail old man, his temperament was completely different from before.

If the old Taoist Tong looked no different from anyone else, a person with a keen sense of perception could see that he was somewhat out of place and alienated from the energy of the world around him. Su Qing could also feel this feeling from Xiong Er and Hu Dan.

This is a manifestation of an alien being who has attained enlightenment but has not yet fully integrated into the universe.

Now, having fulfilled the Celestial Master's dying wish, Tong Chang has repaid his past karma and can completely forget his former identity as a puppet. He can cultivate in this world as an independent being, not controlled by anyone. Naturally, he is more free and unrestrained than before, and is more accepted by the world.

Su Qing was genuinely happy for his good fortune and scanned Langya Immortal Island with her divine sense.

This place, once regarded as the fourth immortal island in the Western Sea after Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou, has long since lost its former glory after the incident at the Celestial Master's Ruins, which led to attacks from the Penglai army and sea demons.

The once shimmering Xuanwu Lake, brimming with spiritual water, has now receded and dried up, leaving only a small pond. On the surface of the water, the withered shell of his great-aunt's uncle, the Xuanwu Lake God, is protruding, panting heavily.

The island's mountains, once lush and verdant, teeming with wild animals and birds, are now barren and desolate. The carcasses of wild animals lie hidden in the still-burning wildfires, and the mournful cries of birds still echo through the air.

The greatest destruction was to the very foundation of Langya Immortal Island. The change in that fourth-order Star Sun Essence Vein was a massive upheaval, like a dragon turning over in the earth, causing huge gaps to appear in the entire island's landmass. The Little Bamboo God, who had been conferred the title of deity, had long since perished, and the entire island exuded an unsettling aura of death.

Su Qing understood that this destruction was caused by him. When he advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, in order to obtain the Great Sun Star Infant merit, he forcibly suppressed the star and sun spiritual energy within this immortal island, which led to this current change.

Therefore, when Master Tong brought up the previous agreement again, asking him to take the Star Sun Essence Vein and the Essence Stone Mine with him, even he, who was usually thick-skinned, couldn't help but feel a little ashamed.

"Brother Tong and sister-in-law, what are your plans for the future?" Su Qing changed the subject.

"We were all blessed by the Four Celestial Masters to be able to cultivate in this world. Now, although the Celestial Masters' last wishes have been fulfilled, we still want to complete the mission that the Celestial Masters did not complete in the past, so that humanity may prosper and evil spirits may be eradicated."

The old Taoist priest planned to use Lanxiang and the Heart-Severing Gu as a base to exorcise evil spirits and subdue demons on Langya Immortal Island, so as not to have wasted the enlightenment the Celestial Master had given us in the past.

Holding his wife's warm little hand, Tong Chang smiled a contented smile that bachelors could never manage.

Su Qing glanced at Madam Lanxiang, then at the lone centipede that was flapping its six wings in a phantom pattern, and nodded slightly.
"I greatly admire Fellow Daoist Tong's ambition. However, Langya Immortal Island is strategically located. If the evil sea monsters of the Western Sea want to invade the inland areas of the Western Sea, they will inevitably pass through this island. In the future, we will have to face the threat of the Demon Buddha and the Great Sage Who Overturns the Sea. If there is a day when we cannot resist, Fellow Daoist can use the Heavenly Talisman to summon me. Even if we are thousands of miles away, I will come to help you."

As for the resources on this island, I've already taken enough. I have no face to take any more, so I'll leave them for you to use. With these resources, I might be able to recruit some cultivators from the Western Sea to bolster our forces and fight against the evil spirits!"

Su Qing was unusually generous, and Tong Chang, knowing his temperament, didn't stand on ceremony with him, only saying with some concern:

"When I first met Fellow Daoist Su, I knew that you were extraordinary. Your fortune and destiny were far beyond those of others. Looking at your journey, you have often turned danger into safety and managed to make great profits even in small matters. You seem to be a chosen one, favored by heaven and earth."

However, while the road ahead may be smooth, the road behind may not be so easy. At this critical juncture when a great calamity is about to begin, the Demon Buddha and the Great Sage Overturning the Sea are just the beginning. In the future, there may be more threats emerging in the Western Sea, the Central Plains, the Eastern Wilderness, and various places in Tianyuan. Whether Fellow Daoist Su can turn danger into safety every time remains to be seen.

This old Taoist priest makes a bold statement: within this thousand years, Fellow Daoist Su needs to improve his cultivation as soon as possible. Only if he can enter the sixth-order Void Refining Realm will he be able to compete with the successors of the hidden Daoist lineages, lead the great tide, and obtain the opportunities and fortunes left behind by the great sages and powerful beings of the past.

It should be understood that the Celestial Master relics within Langya Immortal Island, compared to the benefits left behind by those ancient Dao-merging beings, are like a mayfly compared to the vast sky—utterly incomparable. Fellow Daoist Su is a talented individual; you must not miss this opportunity.”

Clearly, after fulfilling the Celestial Master's dying wish, Old Daoist Tong's control and understanding of the Celestial Master's Dao patterns were far greater than before. He could now glimpse changes in the heavens that were previously difficult to perceive. Su Qing silently kept these heartfelt words in mind. "I have only recently advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, and it is still unknown whether I can reach the Divine Transformation stage within a thousand years. Fellow Daoist Tong thinks so highly of me, does he actually believe that I have the possibility of entering the sixth-level Void Refinement stage within a thousand years?"
"I can only say that we can try to move in that direction, but success depends on human effort, while fate is determined by heaven. Whether we can succeed depends on whether heaven and earth truly favor me as you say!"

Su Qing shook her head with a wry smile, her gaze shifting to Granny Xu, who stood behind Master Tong and seemed to want to say something but remained silent.

"Is this fellow Daoist a member of the Jiuli tribe?"

"Yes, reporting to the Great Shaman, no, to True Person Su, I am Xu Jing, born in the Jiuli tribe of the Eastern Wilderness. I was enlightened by a master and have acquired methods that are different from those of ordinary Jiuli people. Therefore, few people know my true identity."

In the past, after the souls of the people in my tribe were cursed by that sea witch, I have been searching for a way to lift the curse on my Jiuli people. However, that evil god is powerful and has the help of the withered wood immortal of the Thousand Islands Immortal Kingdom. With my abilities, I have never been able to find a way to defeat this fiend.

"This time, I received guidance from my master, and Fellow Daoist Tong invited me to this Langya Immortal Island. I only know that after coming here, I will be able to fulfill my long-cherished wish. Ever since True Person Su transformed into my Jiuli Great Witch, I have known that neither my master nor Fellow Daoist Tong has lied to me. My Jiuli people are truly saved..."

Grandma Xu was in tears. She had clearly been holding these words in her heart for a long time. As soon as Su Qing asked, she poured them out all at once, as if she was afraid that if she spoke too slowly, she would not have a chance to say them.

Seeing her like this, Su Qinglian told her to relax and talk slowly, there was no need to rush.

Later, Su Qing learned from Granny Xu that the ancient shamans had scattered and perished, with fewer than a hundred shamans remaining in the world.

These hundred sorcerers, as if cursed, died one after another over ten thousand years. Their offspring, such as the Jiuli and Kuafu tribes, who intermarried with humans, also suffered from various kinds of curses.

"Based on what I have learned from my travels throughout Tianyuan over the years, there are now eight tribes with the blood of the Wu tribe. Four of them are living and resting in the Hundred Thousand Mountains of the Southern Frontier, and have almost no contact with the outside world."

The Yi tribe lived in the Eastern Wilderness. Most of them were demon hunters. Although they lived a hard life, they multiplied and thrived thanks to their archery skills.

The Xuanming tribe is located in the far west. The tribe is small, and most of its members are ice craftsmen who make a living by building ice and snow spirit houses for others.

The Kuafu clan established a transnational escort agency in the Wu Kingdom of the Central Plains, where they lived a very prosperous life.

Only the Jiuli tribe, scattered across the eastern wilderness and western sea, uses incantations to tell fortunes and curses to protect themselves. Due to the curse of the sea witch, their lifespan is extremely short, and their situation is the most difficult!

After speaking, Granny Xu looked at Su Qing hopefully, her desires unspoken.

"I have long known about the plight of the Jiuli people, so Fellow Daoist Xu need not worry about it anymore. I can resolve the problem of the sea witch within one or two years, or at most ten years."

"There's another matter I need to trouble you with, Fellow Daoist Xu. There's a Jiuli tribe within Demon Smoke City, whose leader, Fellow Daoist Yao Fei, was previously only at the Foundation Establishment stage, and is still some distance from the Golden Core stage. Fellow Daoist Xu is aware of the current situation of the Desire Demon Immortal Kingdom. To prevent the war in the Demon Kingdom from affecting this Jiuli tribe, I request that you go to Demon Smoke City and assist Fellow Daoist Yao in relocating these tribespeople to Wanghai Immortal City. There, I have other arrangements, and perhaps I can find a peaceful and long-term home for the Jiuli tribe!"

What Granny Xu was worried about was nothing to Su Qing now. Even if she didn't say anything, the sea witch, being a manifestation of the Nine Li Dao patterns, already had a way to die. Su Qing would take care of her when he had the time.

Previously, Yao Fei had led the Jiuli tribe and helped Su Qing many times when he was still in a lowly position. Now that the Demon Kingdom was in a dangerous situation, it was not appropriate to rely solely on the witch for protection. Considering the situation carefully, Su Qing still wanted Granny Xu, a fourth-level professional, to take Yao Fei and the others to Wanghai, and then he would use a treasure ship to take them to the far west.

Granny Xu was overjoyed to hear that Su Qing intended to get rid of the sea witch. She took Su Qing's instructions to heart and bid farewell to Su Qing and Tong Chang. Without delay, she set off directly towards Demon Smoke City.

"Fellow Daoist Xu is of the Jiuli tribe, yet he received the teachings from a disciple of the Snail Emperor Palace. He is truly a person of great fortune. Fellow Daoist Su, having such a fellow Daoist serving under you only makes it clear that your fortune surpasses that of anyone else!"

Tong Chang watched Granny Xu's departing figure and nodded repeatedly with emotion.

"Fellow Daoist Tong, what you say is true. I, Old Zhu, only became your sworn brother because of Madam's sake. I, Old Zhu, am now a snake-dancing god. In the future, I, Old Huo Tou, and other fellow Daoists will all serve under you. Your good fortune is quite remarkable!"

Having obtained the divine rune, he became the guardian of the gods as he wished, and laughed loudly with Old Fire Head and the other cultivators.

"Yes, with the help of all my fellow Daoists, Fellow Daoist Tong, you mustn't take your good fortune for granted!" Su Qing smiled and patted Tong Chang's shoulder, holding his wife's small hand as he congratulated Tong Chang.

Just as Tong Chang was preparing to hold a grand banquet to celebrate the safe passage of the Heavenly Master's Relics incident and its satisfactory outcome, Su Qing suddenly became serious and asked Tong Chang to use his Heavenly Master abilities to calculate Helian Xian's fortune, misfortune, and location.

"Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, please, Laozi, show your power!"

Magic mirror, magic mirror, tell me where the owner of this tattered cloth is.

"Whoo-la-la-babi-la-ka, crystal ball, please help me, quickly calculate it!"

Su Qing overestimated Master Tong.

I thought that his control over the Celestial Master's Dao patterns was now greater than before, and that his ability to predict heavenly secrets and human destiny would not be as unreliable as before, which is why I asked him to predict Helian Xian's fate.

But seeing him still holding a bunch of props like a charlatan, chanting incantations that sounded dubious, I hesitated. Perhaps it would be more reliable for me to use my own incantation techniques to forcefully inquire about the secrets of heaven than for him...

Professional tasks should be handled by professionals.

Despite his unreliable methods, Tong Chang is still the same good cat that can catch mice.

"The Land of the Imprisoned Ox, the Abyss of the Hidden Dragon, contains two or three divine beings imprisoned within. This is the very person Fellow Daoist Su seeks. That place is more than two million miles southwest of Langya Immortal Island, and only three to five hundred thousand miles away from the Evil God Domain where the Sea Witch resides." (End of Chapter)