Looking back, it was all like a fairyland.

What's that look?!

Lu Wu was truly terrified. Were they trying to use him as a medium? What kind of medium, dead or alive? Wait, the worst that could happen was death. His true form had long since been extinguished, so what was he worried about? It had only just dawned on him now. Wasn't it just death? He was eager to die.

The Mirage Dragon watched as Lu Wu's gaze shifted from shock to calm, and then back to his usual arrogant demeanor, carrying a sense of resignation. So it asked, "Is this medium dead or alive?"

Cao Chen was carving a talisman into the ground with a knife. When he finished, he pulled out a piece of gold, melted it, and gradually filled the talisman along its path. Gold represents destiny, and pure gold represents holiness and glory. And what was needed wasn't just ordinary gold; it was gold earned through effort and reward. This was why Cao Chen required half a tael of gold for his divination.

At this moment, he didn't feel bad about the gold. When the gold touched the talisman, it flashed a dazzling golden light. This golden light was not the usual straight light, but a light as soft as silk - soft rather than gentle, because this light had been bent.

Lin Yuan and Yun Yue watched this scene curiously. When all the engraved talismans were filled with gold, the golden threads intertwined together, one end connected to the talismans, and the other end disappeared into thin air.

After doing all this, Cao Chen answered the Mirage Dragon's question: "Dead or alive, it's fine, objects are fine too. Actually, it doesn't have to be the last one you came into contact with; the object you had the most contact with is fine too."

"We'll have to wait a little longer." Cao Chen finished speaking and then ignored the others. He stepped forward, his spiritual energy bursting forth from his body and merging into the ground. As the gold cooled and Cao Chen chanted, runes floated out from the gold, swirling around him and lighting up one by one.

Su Mu continued to study the bronze tree. It looked like it wouldn't be able to recover anytime soon. Although it lacked the nine doors, it was still a rare treasure. More importantly, the bronze tree was alive, and just like the elixir of immortality, it possessed immortality. Speaking of which, many things in Kunlun possessed immortality.

Was it the Emperor of Heaven? No, it could be someone else—the Queen Mother of the West. Immortality and longevity are the unchanging themes of this world. Whether cultivating immortality or becoming a god, the ultimate goal is immortality.

Su Mu didn't seem particularly interested in the Heavenly Emperor; he was more interested in the Queen Mother of the West. Granting immortality wasn't a highly regarded method in ancient times, as powerful beings were often immortal. Even weaker beings weren't as short-lived as they are now.

But that was ancient times. If it were today, as long as the Queen Mother of the West dared to speak out, he would instantly gather an army. He still remembered the old dragons he had encountered in the desert. These dragons were quite powerful, but they suffered from the problem of lifespan. If someone offered them immortality, they would definitely submit without hesitation.

After all, even creatures like dragons have lifespans. While their lifespans are much longer than humans—thousands of years, enough to span dozens of dynasties—this is truly a long lifespan. However, compared to immortality, it still pales in comparison.

Su Mu wondered to what extent the immortality granted by the Queen Mother of the West could truly extend, or whether it truly granted unlimited immortality. This remained to be determined, but it was a question worth considering. The only question he needed to consider was the subject of the experiment. Unfortunately, since he had already achieved immortality, he couldn't use himself for the experiment. However, he wasn't sure if his immortality was truly immortal. After all, Su Mu had only lived for a few decades at best, and the question of longevity seemed to have never crossed his mind; it seemed too far off.

He broke off another branch and examined it. The break quickly healed, and new branches sprouted. Even after leaving the bronze tree, the immortality of the branch in his hand remained undiminished, as if it were constant at that stage. However, the newly grown branch didn't seem to have reached the level of the one in his hand from the outset, and the re-gathering seemed to come at a cost.

Judging from this bronze tree, it seemed to be rooted in the entire kingdom of God. Only with the faith of a nation as its nourishment could such a bronze tree be nurtured. The bronze tree wasn't actually very large, only about ten meters tall. It seemed immortality wasn't as commonplace as he'd imagined.

To outsiders, this bronze tree might be even more precious than the nine gates. Su Mu didn't need so much; the piece he'd broken off was enough. He still had the elixir of immortality, and its immortality was far superior to the quality of the bronze tree.

A wooden box quickly appeared out of thin air in his hand. He placed the branch inside and put it away. Then he looked up outside the hall and saw a figure rushing over.

It was Shen Qiu. He was still dressed in his usual white robe, and above it were depictions of circling cranes, swimming fish, swirling dragons, and a reclining tiger. These animals roamed the white robe, a peculiar sight, each with its own distinct character. It was clear that Shen Qiu's style was years ahead of its time. The scent of ink on his body had also become stronger.

Although he was in a rush, he wasn't really in a rush, because Lin Yuan's letter mentioned Su Mu. With Su Mu around, no one could cause much trouble. If he couldn't even handle Su Mu, then he would be nothing more than a delivery boy.

Not only Su Mu saw it, but Yun Yue saw it too. This way of traveling was completely different from Lin Yuan's. If Lin Yuan was simple, then Shen Qiu's way of traveling could be called fancy.

Shen Qiu sat cross-legged on a white crane, leaving behind an inky black tail. Wherever this tail passed, it was hazy, transforming into countless fish swimming in all directions until it disappeared into thin air.

"Master!!" Lin Yuan called out.

Shen Qiu nodded, and with a wave of his hand, the white crane beneath him transformed into a black airflow that lifted him to the ground.

"You've been so slow," Su Mu said with a smile as she stepped forward.

"I didn't know you were here; even if I came, I could only watch from the sidelines." Shen Qiu chuckled.

The two hadn't seen each other for many years, but they were still chatting skillfully.

"You've come at the perfect time," Su Mu replied with a smile.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No, not at all, just being polite." Su Mu chuckled twice.

Shen Qiu shook his head helplessly; his old friend was still the same. He didn't answer, but instead looked around: "I was really startled when I first saw Kunlun in Lin Yuan's letter."