Longevity Candle

Chapter 2 Jingwei
The candlelight was dim and barely perceptible in the sunlight.

Jiang Zhu opened his eyes, and what came into view were azure eyes, full of curiosity.

He was startled and instinctively floated backward before he could see what it was.

A bird, shaped like a crow, with patterned head, emerald green feathers on its back, white beak and red feet.

He remembered the green light before he fell asleep.

"Are you a wandering spirit or a mountain and sea spirit?" The strange bird flapped its wings and flew to him, full of curiosity.

Jiang Zhu shook his head: "I am just a wisp of candlelight. Only when I absorb enough sunlight and moonlight can I wake up briefly. I can only be awake for three hours."

"What is that?" the strange bird asked, puzzled.

“You could call them wandering spirits,” Jiang Zhu said in surprise. “You can actually hear me. I’ve tried to communicate with them, but they can’t hear me or see me.”

"Mortal eyes can hardly see wandering souls," the strange bird said.

"Are you a spirit of the mountains and seas? Did you come to sense their prayers?" Jiang Zhu asked. "They can't hear your voice either?"

"You ask so many questions." The strange bird tilted its head. "Are they praying to the elves?"

“Yes, the abbot of Baiyun Temple prayed for the spirits to descend and grant him magical power so that he could embark on the path of immortality,” Jiang Zhu said. “On that high platform are the offerings prepared by the abbot.”

"whispering sound."

It showed a human-like disdain, saying, "Mortal things are beneath the notice of even monsters, let alone spirits. At least prepare three sticks of incense."

"What are spirits and monsters?" Jiang Zhu was filled with curiosity about this world.

Humans divide our mountains, seas, and mystical creatures into two categories: those that are beautiful and lovely are called spirits; those that are ugly and harmful are called monsters.

The strange bird said, "Whether it is a spirit or a monster, they can all be granted magical power to help mortals embark on the path to immortality, but mortals also need to have the talent for immortality."

"Then do you think I have the talent for immortality?" Jiang Zhu asked expectantly.

The strange bird scrutinized him carefully: "Yes, but I don't have any human cultivation methods."

"Okay." Jiang Zhu was disappointed.

“But I can teach you a method to gather the essence of the sun and moon, which may help you awaken faster and stay longer. If you can absorb more, it can also be converted into magical power,” the strange bird said.

"Really?" Jiang Zhu was overjoyed.

"Your time is too short, I'll teach you later."

The strange bird said, "My name is Jingwei, and I come from the East Sea."

"Jingwei?" Jiang Zhu asked in surprise, examining it closely. "Could you bring twigs and pebbles to fill the East Sea?"

Jingwei looked at him in astonishment: "Why do you say that? The East Sea is vast and boundless. How long and how many months would it take to fill the sea with tree branches and pebbles? Isn't that ridiculous?"

“I just heard that the Jingwei bird throws twigs and pebbles into the East China Sea,” Jiang Zhu said.

“Perhaps I was seen by mortals when I was building my nest,” Jingwei said. “To answer your previous question, I used my magic to hide myself. They couldn’t see me or hear my voice.”

"It's so good to have magic powers," Jiang Zhu said enviously. "Weren't you moved by their prayers? Why did you come here?"

“I was traveling far away, intending to see all the mountains and rivers, when I saw you suddenly disappear. They built a high platform to pray for you, and out of curiosity, I stopped,” Jingwei explained.

"Then I've disappointed you, haven't I? I'm not some kind of divine being," Jiang Zhu said.

“It’s alright. Your body is very sturdy. I’ve tried, and my magic power can’t move it.” Jingwei said, “It’s the hardest object I’ve ever seen, even more sturdy than the magical artifacts of those immortal masters and Taoists.”

"Have you ever met any immortal masters or Taoist priests?" Jiang Zhu asked curiously. "Could you tell me about them?"

"I've never seen one before, only broken magical artifacts, which are not even as good as my feathers."

Jingwei said, "I will teach you the method of absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, and I must continue my journey."

"Will they come back?" Jiang Zhu asked.

"When I return, I will invite you to the shores of the East China Sea." A beam of azure light appeared from the Jingwei bird's beak and disappeared into Jiang Zhu's brow.

She spread her wings, soared upwards, and disappeared into the clouds in the blink of an eye.

Jiang Zhu watched her leave, feeling very envious.

He also longed to be free, to soar through the skies, and to see this wondrous world.

But he couldn't leave; he was bound by the green lamp, and his awakenings were brief.

He glanced at the abbot of Baiyun Temple. He was old. Even as a martial artist, years of exposure to the elements had taken their toll on his body.

His disciples had changed again, and six more graves appeared on the back mountain. Seeking immortality, seeking immortality—with such actions, would the immortals even give you a second glance?
He searched for the memory in his mind, which was a method for absorbing the essence of the sun and moon.

Sit cross-legged and try practicing.

The essence of the sun and moon gathers here, some of which is absorbed into the body, and some is stored in the green lamp.

Really!

He was overjoyed; if he could stay longer, he might actually be able to see the outside world.

Three hours passed quickly, and he fell into a deep sleep once more.

Time flows by, and we remain asleep, unaware of the passing years.

When Jiang Zhu woke up again, the high platform was still there, but the abbot of Baiyun Temple was no longer sitting cross-legged. Only the seven disciples were still sitting below the high platform.

He already possessed a trace of magical power, which shimmered with golden and silver light.

My senses became sharper, and I could clearly perceive weak breathing sounds coming from inside the room.

Abbot of Baiyun Temple!

Jiang Zhu drifted to the main room of Baiyun Temple. His hair was already gray, his face was covered with wrinkles, and his eyes were cloudy.

He was so old, and he kept muttering, "Why don't you answer me? Why don't you answer me?"

“Mountain and sea spirits, immortal masters and Taoist practitioners, even harmful monsters, I am willing to worship them all…”

Jiang Zhu sighed softly; his internal organs had reached their limit.

After a moment's thought, golden and silver light rippled, and Jiang Zhu's body solidified, appearing before him.

"Immortal, Immortal Master..."

His cloudy eyes suddenly flashed with a sharp light. Looking at the suddenly appearing Jiang Zhu, the abbot of Baiyun Temple excitedly reached out his hand, wanting to grasp the immortal destiny he had prayed for all his life.

“The spirit of the mountains and seas has been here before,” Jiang Zhu said quietly. “Her name is Jingwei, and she is on a long journey, but she will not stop for you, nor will I.”

"Why, why?" The abbot of Baiyun Temple looked at him unwillingly: "Immortal Master, I have been asking for this all my life. I am willing to give up everything."

"Why are you so determined to seek immortality?" Jiang Zhu asked.

"I...I once saw the Immortal Master, over three hundred years old, his appearance unchanged. My martial arts cultivation, which I was so proud of, was utterly insignificant..."

He recounted what happened back then, his face filled with deep despair, which eventually transformed into an unwavering pursuit of immortality.

He searched through ancient books and visited various places, and learned that there was no way to cultivate, but one could ask the spirits of mountains and seas for blessings to give birth to magical power.

He wanted to retain his youthful appearance and live forever!
But all of this failed.

"Immortal Master, grant me blessings and guide me onto the path of immortality. I will be your most devout follower..."

He exclaimed excitedly.

"You haven't even considered the fourteen graves on the back mountain, your wife and children. With such heartlessness and ingratitude, who would dare to guide you onto the path of immortality?"

Jiang Zhu spoke calmly, saying slowly, "An empty Taoist temple, no matter how magnificent on the outside, has no incense offerings. How could the spirits of the mountains and seas possibly stay there?"

The abbot of Baiyun Temple was stunned. He had done all this so that the spirits or immortals would arrive, and he could send them directly to live there.

"Baiyun Temple is too high up, far removed from the mortal world. How can it receive offerings?" Jiang Zhu asked again.

The abbot of Baiyun Temple collapsed; his firm Daoist heart was destroyed by Jiang Zhu's few words.

Two streams of tears flowed from his eyes: "Immortal Master, could you please bring my Seven Star Sword Technique to my family? My name is Yan Nanxing, and the manual is under my bed."

Jiang Zhu did not answer, and his body became weak again.

With his ethereal form, he easily viewed the contents of the manual and floated out of the Taoist temple.

The abbot of Baiyun Temple, dragging his aged body, summoned a disciple and gripped his hand tightly: "Yunhe, open the mountain gate and let people come to offer incense. When the incense is abundant, the immortal master will come. We must wait for the immortal master to revive me and help me embark on the path of immortality."

"I saw a fairy! I saw a fairy..."

His aged expression was frantic and agitated; his body, pushed to its limit, was powerless and had lost all breath.

The disciple stared blankly at him, about to answer, when the abbot of Baiyun Temple had already died.

Jiang Zhu never expected that the abbot of Baiyun Temple would still be thinking of seeking immortality, hoping that the immortal master would resurrect him.

(End of this chapter)