Longevity Candle

Chapter 94 The Return of the Qingjiang Spirit, the True Dragon Immortal Master of the South China Sea

The war eventually reached Peach Blossom Tavern. The Chang family and the surrounding clans united and raised tens of thousands of soldiers, not counting the old, weak, women and children.

The war lasted for months, and it was almost entirely bloodshed.

The clan had no rules or regulations, nor did it have generals who were well-versed in military strategy; all it possessed were supernatural abilities.

The powerful and influential people of Ningguo did invite many scholars and elites who were well-versed in military strategy and tactics from Ningguo.

After all, Ningguo is peaceful, and many people want to find a way out, so they need to pass the exams step by step.

But in Yunmeng, if successful, it would be a new merit of following the emperor, a shortcut.

Those who considered themselves talented flocked to the event, hoping to make a name for themselves.

Gu Pingsheng watched the war, watching the death of hundreds at the beginning, and the sacrifice of thousands later.

Countless venomous snakes have died outside the city, and flames burn daily, along with various snake repellents, to drive away the snakes.

Even the golden snakes inside the tavern seemed a little uncomfortable.

In the third month of the war, both sides fought fiercely and suffered heavy losses, almost exhausting their resources.

The three snake kings of the Chang family ultimately could not withstand the madness of the powerful and wealthy; two were killed in battle, and the third was seriously injured.

An elderly man from the Chang family arrived at Peach Blossom Tavern.

The tavern was empty of customers; with the war raging, who would come to drink?

Li Zhu and Li Meng were quite relaxed as they watched the old man enter. The old man from the Chang family was already over a hundred years old.

At this moment, he had lost his arrogance; his body trembled, like a candle flickering in the wind.

Li Zhu poured him a bowl of wine: "Old Master Chang, please sit down."

"I..." Old Master Chang opened his mouth, but instead of drinking, he scanned his surroundings, trying to find the snake king.

“He won’t get involved in worldly affairs.” Li Zhu knew what he was thinking: “I’m old too, and my sword is no longer sharp.”

“You are also a part of Qiuyue City,” Old Master Chang said in a dry voice.

“There’s no response from the mountains, is there?” Li Zhu asked.

"You're behind this?" Old Master Chang's pupils dilated, his eyes wide with anger.

Li Zhu asked, "Grandpa Chang, do you still remember how your ancestors started their business?"

Old Master Chang was somewhat bewildered. The Chang family had experienced several ups and downs. He only vaguely remembered the ancestor who first established the family: "It was our ancestor who learned the art of controlling snakes in the mountains and subdued the snake king."

“Wrong.” Li Zhu shook his head and said, “Back then, the ancestor of the Chang family went into the mountains to find medicine in order to save the people of Qiuyue. A celestial master happened to see him and thought he was a kind person. He taught him the method of controlling snakes and gave him medicine.”

"Out of gratitude, your ancestors worshipped him for generations, but as your family grew larger and larger, it gradually became the clan it is today. Although he no longer protects you, he has not taken back the blessings he once bestowed."

"The Chang family is willing to give up all their wealth. Can you save the Chang family one more time?" the patriarch of the Chang family said in a deep voice.

Li Zhu shook his head: "I'm not that person, I'm just telling you the reason."

"Where is he?" Old Master Chang asked hurriedly.

“The Nanling Mountains,” Li Zhu said.

There are countless mountains in the Nanling Mountains, but whether or not they can be found depends entirely on Master Yuhua himself; he cannot make the decision for Master Yuhua.

If a celestial master is unwilling, even if mortals search all over the mountains, they will not be able to find him.

"If he were to give away all his wealth, would he be willing to save him?" Old Master Chang asked again.

“You should ask him,” Li Zhu said.

Old Master Chang fell silent. He knew in his heart that if that immortal master had been willing to save him, he would have already entered the mortal realm.

He looked at Li Zhu, his cloudy eyes filled with resentment: "I am willing to give up all my wealth, just to borrow the Snake King for a moment."

"Please leave." Li Zhu's expression turned cold, and she gave him the order to leave.

"This is the only time. There aren't many people left outside the city. With the Snake King's help, my Chang family will surely win!" Old Master Chang said anxiously, his breathing becoming rapid.

Li Zhu sighed softly, "We're closing now, please, sir."

He won't participate in this war. Gu Pingsheng, the former Emperor of Yunmeng, is watching from the sidelines, wishing he could tear this old man Chang apart.

Old Master Chang dared not force him and could only leave the Peach Blossom Tavern in disappointment.

He eventually sent his clansmen to Nanling to find the immortal master.

He patted the last snake king, telling it to leave and go to protect the departed descendants of the Chang family.

Now that things have come to this, we can only use our last bit of strength to preserve the Chang family bloodline.

"The clan..." The old man of the Chang family closed his eyes in anguish.

He never imagined this day would come, much less that Emperor Yunmeng would abandon his kingdom to send his clans to the battlefield.

In the second year of Jiang Zhu's slumber, the gates of Qiuyue City were opened wide, and the powerful and influential people of Ningguo entered Qiuyue City.

The remaining soldiers looted the riches and began to revel.

Although they lacked manpower, they had enough money to continuously recruit people from Ningguo.

The Peach Blossom Tavern closed down, and the family left Autumn Moon City to live in seclusion in the Peach Blossom Forest.

In that same year, a divine power descended, and a golden city wall rose from the ground, blocking Ningguo from Yunmeng.

The road that had been painstakingly built was now cut off.

The flames of the candlelight spread so widely that even spirits and immortals dared not approach.

The imperial edict spread throughout the country, and the court conscripted soldiers, sending them to the north and forbidding them from going to the south.

Although some daring individuals still sneak out, their numbers are extremely small and far from enough for the wealthy and powerful to form a large army.

Deep in the mountains, the spirits of the mountains and seas and the immortal masters gazed at the Wall of Candlelight.

"The mortals have finally exhausted the power of the Taiping Yiye."

They were also cheering and mocking the shortsightedness of mortals who were about to squander the fortune left by Li Qingping.

Yunmeng once again became a huge prison, but this time it wasn't for wandering souls, but for the slaughter of mortals.

The peach blossoms bloomed and faded, and the peaches ripened again and again. Occasionally, some peach blossom wine would be brewed, most of which was given by Li Qingxuan to the suffering people.

The masters of Autumn Moon City have changed one after another; no one has been able to stay for long.

The clans and the powerful figures of Ningguo began to divide up their territories and govern accordingly.

Without Ningguo as a backup plan, the powerful and wealthy no longer dared to act recklessly. They began to win over the people of Yunmeng, and although the effect was not great, it was better than nothing.

The clans were also struggling; in order to protect their territory, they had to improve the lives of the people and give them more money.

As the war dragged on, the weaker clans were either wiped out, fled, or survived by attaching themselves to larger clans.

Today, Yunmeng still has four major clans: the Elephant Clan, the Dark Night Clan, the Agu Clan, and the Water Clan.

The four major ethnic groups each have several thousand members and possess unique supernatural abilities.

The most mysterious Dark Night Clan hides in the shadows, never seen by outsiders, who only know that they have the means to control people's minds.

Many powerful figures were controlled by them during the war, and they turned against them on the front lines, severely damaging the powerful elites of Ningguo.

Gu Pingsheng had wandered the world and already knew about the four major clans.

Another year has passed, with flowers blooming and fading, and peaches ripening.

The candlelight flickered again, and Jiang Zhu awoke from his deep sleep.

Li Qingxuan looked even more haggard; her research into immortality had already left her with many hidden injuries.

Gu Xinsheng also entered the path of immortality and cultivated a small amount of magical power.

Li Zhu and his wife have also grown old; they have had a very happy life.

"Uncle Jiang Zhu," Li Qingxuan called out, drawing everyone's attention.

Jiang Zhu nodded slightly: "Judging from your appearance, you are all fine. Qingxuan, however, could you go and find some medicinal herbs to heal your injuries?"

“Immortal Master Yuhua healed me.” Li Qingxuan smiled. “I was exploring new methods, and I got injured like this again.”

"Why rush? Cultivate slowly, increase your lifespan, and you can do it later when you have time," Jiang Zhu said.

"We can't let someone who doesn't understand do it. Gu Pingsheng is good at cultivation, but he lacks innovation."

The new students are young and their temperaments are unstable; they are unable to concentrate on their studies.

Li Qingxuan shook her head.

Gu Pingsheng looked ashamed: "I'm sorry, I really don't know much about the path of cultivation." "Jiang Zhu, the Nine-Tailed Lady will be here shortly," Hu Ling said.

"Why is she here?" Jiang Zhu asked in surprise. "There's no chance now."

Now is not the time to seek revenge against Shuntiandao.

Without the old crow, it would be extremely difficult for them to find the wood in the void.

"It was the old dragon who invited them. I heard it was initiated by the Qingjiang spirits, and they also invited Baihe and Jingwei," Hu Ling said.

"They've arrived." Jiang Zhu looked towards the depths of the peach grove and walked over with several jars of peach blossom wine.

An old dragon, a nine-tailed fairy fox, a white crane couple, a Jingwei bird, a green ox, and a blue peacock.

"Jiang Zhu." The Jingwei bird flew over first and landed on his shoulder: "It's been a long time."

"Why are you all here?" Jiang Zhu asked curiously. "Is it to follow the will of Heaven?"

"It's because of me."

A familiar yet unfamiliar voice rang out, and a green snake crawled from afar, its body gradually shrinking to about a meter in length. It was the Qingjiang Spirit: "Long time no see, Green Lamp Spirit."

"Let's stop reminiscing and talk about that matter instead." The clear and ethereal voice belonged to Blue Peacock.

Jiang Zhu also looked at Qingjiang Elf with curiosity. He had fully recovered from his injuries and said he would never set foot on this land again. Why did he come back and summon them?

"In the South China Sea, I met a celestial master with profound dragon blood," said the Qingjiang spirit.

"what?"

"A true Immortal Master with Dragon Blood?"

The elves gasped in surprise, the old dragon's expression changed, and the white crane couple were also moved.

Jiang Zhu frowned: "Are Dragon Blood Immortal Masters rare? Old Flood Dragon is still a dragon."

“True dragons only exist in legends.” The old dragon said, “True dragons are not only legends among humans, but also among us elves. No elf has ever seen one. Over the long years, we have only occasionally heard the legends of one or two dragon-blooded immortal masters.”

"Since it has already happened, why are you so distraught?" Jiang Zhu asked. "Or are you trying to get the true dragon to lower its gaze?"

"Because among the elves, there is a legend that the true dragon is the closest being to the Candlelight and the Shadow, and there are related clues on him."

The old dragon said, "The dragon blood immortals who have appeared in the past all had thin bloodlines, but the one that the Qingjiang spirit saw had thick dragon blood."

“He encountered trouble and asked me for help. The South Sea Spirits and I alone cannot solve the problem, so I have returned to ask for your assistance,” said the Qingjiang Spirit.

"What's the trouble?" Jiang Zhu asked.

"The Path to Immortality seeks to slay dragons," the Qingjiang spirit said in a low voice.

"Slaying dragons? They've gone mad. Without the nation's destiny, how can they slay dragons?" Nine-Tailed Fox asked.

"They are just Dragon Blood Immortals, not true dragons. Although their karma is strong, they can withstand it due to the merits they have accumulated and their status as elves."

The Qingjiang Elf explained, "Immortal masters with abundant dragon blood might actually have news of real dragons. Even if they don't, the dragon blood on their bodies alone is enough to drive them crazy."

"Are we enough to fight against the Path of Immortality?" The old dragon looked worried.

The longer one lives, the more one realizes how terrifying the path to immortality is.

The Jingwei bird tilted its head and said, "How about I make a trip to the west and invite that country bumpkin here?"

“There’s no time. We’re not fighting against all the immortals. The other elves will be held back by the South Sea elves. We just need to hold off those who are trying to capture the Dragon Blood Immortal Master and give him a chance to escape.”

The spirit of Qingjiang said, "Jingwei doesn't need to go, and neither does Jiangzhu. I sought you out to borrow a page of peace. Jingwei can give us some of the power of peace."

“The Taiping Yiye has lost its ancient power of illumination.” Jiang Zhu raised his hand, and the Taiping Yiye flew over.

“The Peaceful Page in the North exists, but we can’t get it. However, you should be able to. The power of illumination there is dissipating. Instead of wasting it, we should use it to save Immortal Master Dragon Blood.”

The Qingjiang Spirit recounted, "Even a few remnants of the ancient candlelight of the Taiping Yiye are enough to frighten away the Longevity Path and allow the Dragon Blood Immortal Master to escape."

Jiang Zhu pondered, "I can try, but I'm not sure I can get it out."

"If that's the case, we can give it a try," said the white crane couple.

The old dragon nodded: "Alright."

"There's no time to lose. I'll take Jiang Zhu to retrieve the Taiping Yiye (a document related to peace and tranquility). You can discuss the details," said Jingwei Bird.

"Thank you."

The Jingwei bird flew down to the green lamp, grabbed it, and flew away.

"Jiang Zhu, how did your magic power increase so much? I feel like I'm facing the boundless East Sea." The Jingwei bird was very envious.

Although she enjoys traveling, she hasn't neglected her cultivation. Jiang Zhu used to be a wandering soul who didn't know how to cultivate, but now, looking at him, she feels like looking at an old, elusive dragon.

"By some stroke of luck, are you still traveling far now? Have you gone to the West to see the peasant slave?" Jiang Zhu asked.

“I visited him. He spends his days with the Book of Peace, teaching those barbarians.”

The Jingwei bird recounted, "He desperately wanted a celestial master like Li Qingping, but the West is primitive and uncivilized, making it difficult for even a normal person to emerge."

“It will happen,” Jiang Zhu said.

"How have you been all these years?" Jingwei bird asked.

"It's the same as always, wake up and take a look at the world." Jiang Zhu said, "Li Qingxuan has successfully walked the path of immortality in the mortal world, which can be considered as continuing Li Qingping's path."

“Li Qingping is truly amazing. He is the human I admire most, it’s just that his life was a bit short.” The Jingwei bird said, “We’ve arrived.”

A peaceful chapter unfolded, transforming into a golden wall that sealed off both nations. The remaining, ancient, and sacred power of the Candlelight was so potent that even the Jingwei bird dared not approach it.

Jiang Zhu did not feel oppressed; instead, she felt a sense of peace.

He arrived at the Taiping City Wall and felt a familiar feeling.

"Li Qingping?" Jiang Zhu placed his hand on it.

"Jiang Zhu, Jiang Zhu..."

The familiar call transcends time and space, coming from the past.

“I’m here,” Jiang Zhu replied.

The ancient power of illumination emerged from the Taiping Yiye page and entered Jiang Zhu's hand.

Unfortunately, there were only calls to leave no message, or perhaps they didn't want to leave any message.

Jiang Zhu pondered for a moment, then used his own power of illumination to wrap a wisp of the ancient illumination and store it within.

The spirits of mountains and seas, immortal masters and Taoists dare not approach this place, thus they can also disguise themselves.

The ancient light of the candle was already dissipating, so the power he left behind should be able to be concealed, and that's about right.

Back in the peach grove.

Jiang Zhu's palm revealed the ancient power of illumination: "Let's leave the page of peace behind. I've sealed away this ancient power of illumination; you can use it as you wish."

Jingwei also gave them the power to live in peace and tranquility.

"Thank you." The Qingjiang Elf carefully accepted the gift.

"I wish you a safe and successful trip," Jiang Zhu said.

“Jiang Zhu, I don’t know you yet. I have a name, Niu Youdao,” said the green ox who had been silent until now.

The blue peacock also introduced itself: "Blue Moon."

"Don't worry, we have many friends in the South China Sea, nothing will happen," the old dragon laughed.

“I’ll be waiting for you to come back in Yunmeng. The peach blossom wine will be very fragrant then,” Jiang Zhu said.

"it is good."

The old dragon and other spirits rode away on the clouds.

Nine-Tailed Fox looked at Jiang Zhu: "Take good care of Hu Ling for me. I will come back and settle accounts with Shun Tiandao."

From the direction of Nanling, many lights shone brightly, and they rode together on the clouds to the South China Sea. They were all going to help the Dragon Blood Immortal Master.

"You cicada, you've still been running around." Jiang Zhu sighed softly. Was the old dragon without desires or wants?

Despite encountering a celestial master with profound dragon blood, he still managed to leave the Southern Ridge.

"Jiang Zhu, I've had many insights lately. Let's talk about peace and tranquility with Li Qingxuan," said the Jingwei bird.

"it is good."

(End of this chapter)