Longevity Candle

Chapter 95 If He Lowers His Eyes, You Can Become Emperor
Jingwei stayed for a day to tell Li Qingxuan and the others about the power of carefree living she had comprehended.

After drinking two jars of peach blossom wine with Jiang Zhu, and waiting for him to fall asleep, Jingwei began her journey again.

She wouldn't linger; she only stopped briefly because of her friend, Qingdeng.

Li Qingxuan watched her leave, envying this free and unrestrained spirit, without worries or troubles.

Gu Xinsheng accepted the task of sending away the soul, left the peach grove, and followed Gu Pingsheng to send away the soul and perform good deeds.

The world is becoming increasingly chaotic, and the conflicts between the powerful and the clans in Ningguo are growing day by day.

Time passed, and in the third year of Jiang Zhu's slumber, war broke out again, plunging the world into chaos.

Just as the two sides were locked in fierce combat, a team of a thousand people emerged from the direction of Yunmengze.

Clad in armor, riding warhorses, and wielding sharp blades, they stormed into the city of a nearby clan.

The leading general was two meters tall, as burly as a bear, and possessed immense strength.

He wielded a halberd, and with a single strike, he cracked the city wall.

He was the first to scale the city wall, beheading generals, seizing flags, and single-handedly opening the city gate.

The thousand-strong army behind him was also far superior to ordinary people. They stormed into the city, their weapons flashing, injuring anyone who touched them and killing anyone who slashed them. No one could withstand them.

After capturing the city, they did not linger, but instead launched a night raid and stormed into the ancestral land of the Elephant Clan.

A thousand men charged into the enemy lines, routing the elephant tribe and forcing them to flee overnight.

When the news spread, it caused an uproar.

The Gu brothers were also stunned by the news: "Immortal masters, Taoist priests, or spirits from the mountains and seas have intervened?"

That power far surpasses that of ordinary people; it belongs to the Elephant Clan, who can control divine elephants. Even those born with divine strength must give way.

Yet these thousand men single-handedly routed the Elephant Clan in a direct confrontation, nearly annihilating them.

“Go back and ask Li Qingxuan, I’ll go take a look.” Gu Pingsheng said solemnly, “If it really is a celestial master or Taoist, and the spirits of the mountains and seas have intervened, we need to think of a way.”

“Okay.” Gu Xinsheng nodded. Gu Pingsheng was more suited to hiding, and his magical power was also superior to his.

The two parted ways, and Gu Pingsheng flew away.

In just half a day, he arrived at the location of that team. The army of a thousand men still had eight hundred men left. Although they had recruited many new soldiers, the core of the team was still this one.

Gu Pingsheng looked at it from afar and felt a wave of scorching heat that made him quite uncomfortable.

His imposing figure, standing two meters tall, was like an iron tower. His halberd, heavy as a thousand pounds, was driven into the ground like a flagpole.

He sat alone in the tent, drinking heavily, radiating heat.

Suddenly, he seemed to sense something, looked up at where Gu Pingsheng was, and his pupils showed golden patterns: "A wandering soul?"

"I suppose so," Gu Pingsheng revealed. "Are you a Daoist immortal master, or were you created by the spirits of mountains and seas?"

Now that he's been spotted, there's no point in him hiding anymore.

He stared at Gu Pingsheng in shock, his hands trembling slightly: "You, you are His Majesty?"

"The Yunmeng Emperor is long gone, only Gu Pingsheng remains." Gu Pingsheng sighed, "I heard about your achievements, so I came to see you."

"Yue Wu, son of Yue Shanhe, Commander of the Imperial Guards, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

He knelt on one knee and bowed respectfully.

Gu Pingsheng was slightly taken aback, helped him up, and asked, "Are they... alright?"

“They’re all dead.” Yue Wu said in a low voice, “The people are still safe and sound. My father secluded himself in the mountains and heard that those who seek immortality obtain divine blood, which is difficult for ordinary people to withstand.”

"Even just touching them can affect them with the supernatural. They all died under the influence of the supernatural, but we survived and obtained the power of the supernatural..."

He recounted how, in order to be so brave, the seekers of immortality gained divine power, but could not withstand it and died, their power falling upon them.

"Wouldn't it be better to wait patiently for the divine power to weaken?" Gu Pingsheng sighed.

“My father taught me from a young age to be loyal to the emperor, to love my country, and to disregard everything to obtain supernatural powers, all for the sake of this country and for His Majesty.”

Yue Wu said excitedly, "Your Majesty, come back! Your subject will definitely reclaim the land of Yunmeng for you, and then send troops to Ning Kingdom to exterminate the Ning Kingdom's people!"

"I am no longer a living person, nor can I interfere with worldly affairs. If you want this empire, then go and fight for it."

As for Ningguo, if you can conquer it, its people will all be your subjects. Why harbor thoughts of extermination?

"Your Majesty, you've changed." Yue Wu's eyes flashed with a fierce light: "The disaster in Yunmeng was caused by Ning Kingdom. They don't treat us Yunmeng people as human beings at all. All Ning people deserve to die!"

Gu Pingsheng's heart trembled, as if he had seen a ferocious beast, and he sensed a violent power within Yue Wu's body.

Although it does not follow the path of immortality, it is extremely terrifying and can easily tear apart tigers and leopards.

Faintly, one could hear the sound of a dragon's roar.

Old dragon!
He finally understood what kind of miraculous power Yue Wu had obtained: the blood of a dragon!

With a slight sigh, Gu Pingsheng left. He had long since relinquished all thoughts of the empire, the imperial throne, and the nation.

Yue Wu clenched his fists and ultimately did not call out again.

Having possessed unparalleled martial prowess, mastered military strategy and tactics, and already renowned throughout the land, it would be impossible for him to have no ambitions for imperial power.

However, deeply influenced by his father, he remained loyal to the emperor.

When he faced Emperor Yunmeng, he was both excited and apprehensive. He wanted him to return and restore the country, but he was also afraid of his return.

"It's better that you've let go." He smiled, his eyes filled with murderous intent: "As long as I live, I will destroy their country and exterminate their race!"

Perhaps it was the influence of the dragon's blood, or perhaps it was his original hatred, but he hated Ningguo to the core.

Gu Pingsheng stopped Li Qingxuan and her companion who had arrived and told them about Yue Wu.

The two fell silent, then sighed deeply: "The feud between our two nations is irreconcilable."

“It all started with these wealthy and powerful people; it’s a blood feud that’s irreconcilable,” Gu Pingsheng sighed.

Even if he were to be reborn and ascend the throne again, he would not be able to resolve this blood feud.

“The new flower is about to bloom,” Gu Xinsheng suddenly said, the crimson flower reflected in his palm.

"We didn't find anything related to the wood-seeking area, and the old crow didn't remember either," Gu Pingsheng frowned. "Did we get entangled in dragon energy again?"

“Yes, I can sense that this flower is intertwined with dragon energy, and a portion of it is heading towards Yue Wu,” Gu Xinsheng said solemnly.

Between heaven and earth, dragon energy, invisible to mortals, was slowly gathering and blessing Yue Wu, and a scarlet mark was taking shape.

The competition for the new Lord of Yunmeng has officially begun.

bang
Suddenly, a thunderclap appeared in the sky, and a huge, golden object fell from the sky like a meteorite, crashing outside the city.

The terrifying pressure, sacred and vast, unique immortal pressure, simultaneously attracted their attention.

"Mountain and Sea Spirits?" The three people's expressions changed drastically.

Hu Ling arrived on a cloud and landed beside them, looking at the golden, radiant figure: "Quickly retreat, his magical power is boundless."

The people inside the city also heard the commotion, and Yue Wu led eight hundred trusted men on horseback.

However, before they even got close, the horse stopped and refused to go any further, no matter how much they were whipped.

"Dismount! No matter what kind of monster it is, it cannot stop us!"

Yue Wu shouted coldly, full of confidence in his own strength.

A group of people dismounted and ran, moving as fast as the wind.

A huge pit, a golden and radiant mythical creature, its body as continuous as a giant snake, its scales as if cast in gold, its head like a crocodile, with a pair of sharp and slender horns, and its four feet shaped like eagle feet.

The golden scales were stained with blood, indicating that someone had injured them.

His gaze fell on Yue Wu, carrying a hint of gentleness, as if he sensed a friendly aura.

The gathering dragon energy gradually became visible, hovering above Yue Wu's head.

Unexpectedly, Yue Wu raised his halberd and charged towards the mysterious creature: "Kill! Bathed in divine blood, we will become even stronger!"

clang
The halberd and various sword hilts fell, but they could not break through the defense; instead, they caused blood to be drawn.

A single drop of blood pierced through the armor, shattered the swords, and the recoil sent them all flying.

The strange creature seized the opportunity to steady itself, then soared into the sky and disappeared into the clouds.

The dragon aura above Yue Wu's head drooped in disappointment, weakening somewhat.

High in the sky.

The mystical being looked down at Li Qingxuan and her companions, and tentatively asked, "Li Qingxuan? Hu Ling?"

"Do you know us?" Hu Ling asked humbly.

Li Qingxuan bowed and said, "Li Qingxuan of Taiping Dao, this is Gu Pingsheng and Xinsheng, and this is Jin She, my partner."

"When will Jiang Zhu wake up?" the mystical being asked.

“It will take a few more years,” Li Qingxuan said.

The mystical creature nodded slightly, and a scale flew out, landing in Li Qingxuan's hand. A drop of golden blood then entered the golden snake's body.

"When he awakens and touches this scale, I will come to thank him for his humility." The mystical being said, "I am the Dragon Blood Serpent, a celestial master under the True Dragon."

"A true dragon?" Li Qingxuan exclaimed in surprise, "Is it that Dragon Blood Immortal Master from the South China Sea?"

"Yes, the Path of Immortality is chasing me. I sensed the dragon energy of the nation's destiny and fell down, but I didn't expect that the person who obtained the dragon energy wanted to kill me."

"I need to find a new place to hide. Farewell." After saying this, the Dragon Blood Serpent swiftly disappeared into the clouds.

"They should be back soon," Hu Ling said expectantly.

"Let's go back," Li Qingxuan said.

"What about the dragon blood below?" Gu Pingsheng asked. The dragon blood serpent was injured and had left behind a lot of blood.

Li Qingxuan glanced down and said, "It's reserved for the dragon's aura of national destiny."

The dragon's aura of national destiny had actually absorbed the blood left behind by the serpent, making it even stronger.

The dragon blood serpent was not retrieved, presumably reserved for the nation's destiny and dragon energy, and can also be seen as a gesture of goodwill released while hiding in Yunmeng.

Back in the peach grove, Li Qingxuan and Hu Ling continued their research into immortal cultivation methods.

The golden snake received a drop of dragon blood, entered a deep slumber, and began its metamorphosis.

Li Qingxuan is researching a method that combines the Seven Star Sword Formation and the Taiyin Soul Refining Technique.

The Gu brothers continued to send off souls, but rarely returned.

Time passed, and in the fifth year, Nine-Tails and the others returned. Because they were all injured, they said goodbye and hurriedly returned to the mountains to cultivate in seclusion.

The golden snake had completed its transformation, and with the help of the dragon's blood, its magical power was even more profound than Li Qingxuan's.

Li Qingxuan looked older, with more and more white hair on her body.

Even Immortal Master Yuhua's medicine couldn't heal her injuries.

Hu Ling always advised her not to be so anxious, but she wouldn't listen and could only continue to study with her.

Gu Pingsheng would occasionally return to tell them about what was happening outside.

Yue Wu was always the first to charge, slaying generals and seizing flags. By absorbing a trace of the power of the dragon blood serpent, he became increasingly powerful.

Leading only a few hundred men, he dared to charge into an army of 100,000 and broke through in one fell swoop, like a god or demon.

He seized control of most of Yunmeng, forcing clans and nobles to unite.

At the same time, a new rebel army emerged. They were just ordinary people who had been county magistrates in the past, so they had some connection to the officialdom.

Although Yue Wu didn't care, many of his officials were descendants of the Yunmeng court officials, and due to their intricate connections, he still gave them some troops.

Yue Wu accepted the surrender of a powerful official, and that very night, he led his troops to raid the camp, killing the official and his 100,000 men.

This news shattered the hopes of the powerful and their families.

Yue Wu's officials strongly opposed it, but he suppressed their objections.

After Jiang Zhu had been asleep for seven years, Yue Wu decisively defeated the allied forces of the clan and the powerful, and once again launched a massacre.

If it were the Ning people, they could accept it, but since the war has progressed to this point, it's mostly the Yunmeng people who are affected.

The Ning people of yesteryear have long since merged with Yunmeng, and their subordinates are all Yunmeng commoners begging for a living.

When his subordinates' attempts to dissuade him failed, many were disheartened and chose to leave.

Yue Wu had gone completely mad, but he was so brave and fierce that his troops dared not resist.

After eight years of slumber, Yue Wu swept away the remaining forces in one fell swoop, ascended the throne in the capital of Yunmeng, and appointed his trusted confidants as kings, bestowing the title of king upon thirty-six of them in one go.

Autumn Moon City belongs to King Yun, under the command of Li Lianshan.

They thought Yunmeng would finally be at peace, but Yue Wu actually wanted to send troops to Ningguo. Eighteen kings tried to dissuade him, but he killed nine of them. The remaining twenty-seven new kings were terrified and outwardly agreed.

In the ninth year, the kings who had returned to their fiefdoms raised a large army again. The original nine kings joined forces with ten other kings and launched an attack, their army marching straight towards the capital.

In Qiuyue City, Xu Wenhe was already thirty years old. After a lifetime of military service, he finally became a county magistrate, just like his father.

"That old man Yue Wu is really not fair; he has eyes but doesn't recognize talent." Xu Wenhe muttered, "You still say that I have the makings of an emperor? Which emperor is as useless as me?"

From the darkness, a serpent appeared: "Your dragon aura hasn't dissipated, so he can't hold onto his throne. Isn't someone raising an army now?"

"You think those people are enough for him to fight?" Xu Wenhe's face turned pale. "You know how powerful he is. Eight hundred men can cut through an army of one hundred thousand. Who can fight him? If you saw him, wouldn't you have to cower? He's a real dragon."

"I am not a real dragon. I have said this many times. I am just a celestial master under the command of a real dragon."

The Dragon Blood Serpent said, "His bravery was created by our accident. If you can endure the pain of being cut into a thousand pieces, you should be able to be as brave as him."

Xu Wenhe shrank back; he valued his life above all else and had no desire to experience being torn to pieces.

"Don't rush, don't rush. As long as you have the dragon aura, you still have a chance." The Dragon Blood Serpent said, "I am afraid of the dragon aura on his body, but there is a great spirit who is not afraid. When he wakes up, if we can get him to lower his eyes, Yue Wu is not a problem."

“You always say that, but who knows when he’ll wake up? He might sleep for a hundred years, and I…”

"He's awake," said the Dragon Blood Serpent.

"He's awake?" Xu Wenhe looked at the Dragon Blood Serpent excitedly: "Then let's go see him quickly, let's go see him quickly. As long as you can get him to help me, I'll be your son."

"Some things shouldn't be said carelessly." The Dragon Blood Serpent stared intently at him.

"Hurry up and go," Xu Wenhe urged.

The dragon-blooded serpent immediately carried him out of the city.

In just a moment, he arrived at the peach grove and saw Jiang Zhu, who had already woken up.

Li Qingxuan grew increasingly old; her health had been damaged, and Jiang Zhu couldn't cure her.

People who were born from Nirvana cannot attain Nirvana even if they wish to.

A brilliant light appeared in the void, and the dragon-blooded serpent arrived.

Xu Wenhe knelt down with a thud: "Xu Wenhe, a mortal, pays homage to the Great Spirit."

Jiang Zhu fell silent, Hu Ling was stunned, and Li Qingxuan's lips twitched slightly.

Gu Pingsheng, who was floating to the side, frowned, somewhat disgusted: "How can you be so servile? How can the dragon's aura favor you?"

The Dragon Blood Serpent was somewhat embarrassed and quickly explained, "This has nothing to do with me. This kid is the most shameless and undignified among those favored by the dragon energy, but the dragon energy just hasn't left."

"No need for such formalities. Human emperors do not bow to mountain and sea spirits or immortal masters and Taoist priests," Jiang Zhu said.

“You are different. You are the greatest spirit. I should worship you. Besides, I am not an emperor.”

Xu Wenhe, utterly shameless, became even more humble: "I only beg you to look down on me. I have the people in my heart. Under my rule, the people of Qiuyue City are relatively well-off, but the time has been too short..."

Jiang Zhu remained silent, but looked at Gu Pingsheng. Gu Pingsheng said with a dark face, "He's not lying. He's alright at governing a county."

Although he disliked Xu Wenhe's character, he had to admit that Xu did indeed have a heart that loved the people.

“I am merely a hermit spirit, uninvolved in worldly affairs. Even if you come looking for me, what can I do?” Jiang Zhu asked. “Could I possibly appoint him emperor?”

Xu Wenhe was also taken aback. He only knew that Jiang Zhu could help him, and instinctively looked at the Dragon Blood Serpent.

Unexpectedly, the Dragon Blood Serpent nodded seriously and said, "Yes, back when we were conquering Shuntiandao, the Yunmeng Dragon Qi bowed down. With your help, we severed the root of Xunmu and were indebted to you. If you speak, Xu Wenhe will surely become an emperor."

Jiang Zhu reached out, and a wisp of scarlet light appeared between Xu Wenhe's brows, illuminating the flower.

"Why hasn't the power of the Yin Netherworld dissipated yet?" Jiang Zhu asked.

"We've been entangled for far too many years. To sever all ties completely, we need to wait patiently," said the Dragon Blood Serpent.

"Waiting for what?" Jiang Zhu asked.

"Wait for the emperor to die of old age, and then let the emperor who has obtained the power of Taiyin take him to the final resting place of wandering souls, which is the Netherworld," the Dragon Blood Serpent explained.

Gu Pingsheng said, "But after the emperor dies, this flower will scatter and be moved away. How can that work?"

“I can work with the nation’s destiny and dragon energy to peel off and seal this flower.”

The Dragon Blood Serpent said, "After Xu Wenhe passes away, we can take him to the Netherworld. We still need him to deal with Shuntiandao."

"You want to deal with Shuntiandao?" Jiang Zhu frowned. "Shuntiandao is currently stabilizing its search for wood, and the Immortal Path is temporarily at peace. Why start another conflict?"

"The old dragon wants to rescue the old crow, while I want to follow the trail of the true dragon."

The Dragon Blood Serpent made no secret of its intentions and spoke frankly: "Yunmeng wants to eliminate future troubles forever, and this is the best opportunity."

"The best?" Jiang Zhu frowned.

“That’s right. You can command the dragon energy once. If Xu Wenhe succeeds, I can take his place and combine the dragon energy to attack Shuntiandao.”

When the dragon energy dissipates again, you can command it to return and gather on Xu Wenhe, and there will be no war.

"Dragon Blood Serpent said in a low voice."

Upon hearing this, Gu Pingsheng was somewhat moved. Although he looked down on Xu Wenhe, he would support him if it could solve the problem once and for all and eliminate future troubles.

“The Phoenix once sealed the flames of the Candlelight. There are also clues about the Phoenix in the search wood. I can retrieve them for you,” said the Dragon Blood Serpent.

"If he can conquer the Yunmeng Kingdom, that is his ability, and the world will be at peace. I will then return the dragon energy to him. But if he fails, I will not interfere with the ownership of the dragon energy."

Jiang Zhu glanced at Xu Wenhe, then at the Dragon Blood Serpent, and sighed softly.

Was the old dragon really trying to save the old crow? Or was it perhaps also searching for the true dragon's trail?

He used to have no ambitions and was unwilling to conform to the mundane world, but when something truly moves him, he can't escape the mundane.

In the end, I'm just one of many people on the path of perseverance.

"Thank you," the Dragon Blood Serpent said.

Xu Wenhe paused, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

The Dragon Blood Serpent didn't give him a chance to speak and took him away directly.

(End of this chapter)