Immortality?

Chapter 9: Immortality?

Zhongxing Du, his saber at his hip and in official attire, strode into the Duke of Wei's Estate. The cap on his head was perfectly placed, his outfit exuding the authority of the Martial Rites Division.

No one blocked his path, and he proceeded directly to the main hall to pay his respects to Duke Wei, Li Guoyuan.

Li Guoyuan sat in the main seat, sipping tea. The entire Duke of Wei's Estate was in the process of packing, preparing to move the entire family out of Gongzhou City.

An imperial envoy had arrived from the capital to deliver a decree. Consort Li's favor with the Emperor continued to grow, and the Duke, benefiting from his daughter's favor, had been granted a noble title and then appointed Grand Minister of Finance.

His new post was in the capital, managing the Emperor's treasury, a clear sign of great trust.

The Li family was now truly prosperous, no longer just Imperial Relatives but also top-tier nobility. Officials from all over Gongzhou had been flocking to visit and offer gifts in recent days.

Zhongxing Du, having attached himself to this rising power, was now constantly at their beck and call. He had been dispatched by the Emperor to protect the Li family and was working tirelessly, hoping to leverage the Duke's influence to advance his own career.

The matter the Duke had tasked him with concerned the "sword immortal" who had been causing a stir throughout Gongzhou City.

Through the Martial Rites Division's intelligence network, Zhongxing Du had gathered some information about this sword immortal. While not detailed, it allowed him to vaguely infer the person's true identity.

Li Guoyuan was also paying close attention to this matter. As imperial in-laws, currying favor with the Emperor was paramount. Ever since he learned of the sword immortal, Li Guoyuan had a strong premonition that this presented an opportunity.

"Has the identity been confirmed?"

Zhongxing Du, looking travel-worn, as if he had just returned from outside the city, replied, "According to intelligence from Lu Canghai, this person hails from the Cloud Heaven Monastery of Mount Lao and is named Kongchenzi."

"However, Mount Lao spans thousands of miles, and many have lived in seclusion there since ancient times. This Cloud Heaven Monastery might just be a hidden dwelling deep within the clouds and mist, unheard of by outsiders."

"Lu Canghai is old-fashioned in his speech. Even with our long-standing acquaintance, I couldn't get much more out of him. The Taoist priest's demeanor isn't that of a youth; he possesses a mature, somewhat detached air, as if amused by the mortal world. His words and actions, his broad knowledge, are far beyond that of an ordinary person. We shouldn't judge him solely by his appearance."

"The day before yesterday, the Prefect sent Xie Zizhi with gifts of money and silver to visit this sword immortal, hoping to meet him. This person's attitude was arrogant, and in the end, Xie Zizhi didn't even get to see him. Instead, he was so terrified by a donkey that he fell gravely ill for three days."

Duke Wei, Li Guoyuan, nodded. "I've heard about that too. They say the donkey could speak human language and its strange eyes could bewitch people. It's a genuine monster. This Taoist priest is truly an extraordinary individual."

At this point, Zhongxing Du produced a booklet that had been delivered that morning, his expression growing more serious.

"And according to intelligence just gathered by the Martial Rites Division, in the previous dynasty, there was an unnamed Taoist priest who wielded a sword and traveled the land, ranking first on the Heavenly Secrets Ranking and Sword Ranking. Later, he rode a donkey into Kunlun, the Ancestral Court of Daoism, obtained immortal techniques, and retired to Mount Lao, his fate unknown."

"That was about sixty years ago."

"I specifically checked the martial world's Heavenly Secrets Ranking from a hundred years ago and found that this unnamed Taoist priest's appearance is identical to this sword immortal's. He also used an Azure Dragon Short Sword."

Having said that, Zhongxing Du unfolded a yellowed, old picture album, turned to a page, and handed it to Duke Wei, Li Guoyuan.

The painting depicted a Taoist priest riding a donkey, wearing the same robes, with a strikingly similar face, and the same bothersome donkey.

The only difference was the Taoist symbol on his brow.

However, to an ordinary person, there would be no other thought; the first impression would be that they were the same person.

Even Gao Xian, upon seeing it, would likely feel a jolt of surprise and begin to doubt the connection between his current body and the old abbot.

After Li Guoyuan finished looking, he suddenly stood up and exclaimed, "How is that possible? Are you saying this sword immortal, Kongchenzi, is from the previous dynasty?"

Li Guoyuan repeatedly shook his head. "By that calculation, he would be nearly a hundred years old. How could anyone live for a century and not age?"

Zhongxing Du replied, "For an ordinary person, it's impossible. But for someone who has been to the Ancestral Court of Daoism..."

Although he outwardly expressed disbelief, Li Guoyuan's heart was gradually accepting the deduction. In the end, he could only say, "Could he truly be an immortal?"

Zhongxing Du quickly affirmed. This was his achievement!

If successful, his rise to prominence would be just around the corner.

"Indeed. It seems this Taoist priest has achieved mastery and emerged from seclusion. It aligns with what Lu Canghai said; his demeanor and actions fit the deduction. His appearance matches the Heavenly Secrets Ranking from a hundred years ago, and the sword he uses and the strange donkey he rides further solidify the evidence."

"There are countless martial artists in the world, but I have never heard of anyone who could change the heavens and earth with a single sword strike, bringing spring to dead trees."

"This is no longer swordsmanship; it is immortal technique."

Li Guoyuan also sighed, "A sword strike to ascend to immortality, flowers blooming on every tree."

"This person, if not an immortal, is not far from it."

Li Guoyuan and Zhongxing Du had mistaken Gao Xian for the old Taoist priest from before. Only then did it fit the narrative of an immortal.

Otherwise, for a teenager to possess such swordsmanship and achieve immortality would completely defy everyone's imagination of what an immortal should be.

Li Guoyuan was extremely excited. He paced back and forth in the hall, finally placing the yellowed booklet on the table before sitting down. "I know His Majesty reveres the Dao. In recent years, he has been searching for scriptures and elixirs from all over the world. There are nearly a thousand Taoist priests in the capital alone, countless Taoist temples built in the suburbs, and he has even sent people to Kunlun to search for the ruins of the former Ancestral Court of Daoism."

"If..."

Their eyes met, and before the words were even spoken, they understood each other's thoughts.

Li Guoyuan felt it was time to proceed. "The Prefect of Gongzhou sent someone to visit but couldn't even get a meeting. Can you succeed?"

However, he still harbored a sliver of doubt. "This person appeared out of nowhere. With a single sword strike, he killed Young Master Silver Flower, caused flowers to bloom all over West Gate Street, and has a talking donkey. It's clear he's an extraordinary individual."

"But based solely on that one sword strike, the 'Flying Immortal Beyond the Heavens,' it's still not enough to confirm if he truly possesses immortal techniques. It's not entirely reliable."

"If something goes wrong in front of His Majesty, neither you nor I could bear the consequences."

Li Guoyuan's gaze was profound, while Zhongxing Du was overjoyed. This meant he had caught the Duke's attention.

"The Prefect is just the Prefect. The Duke and Consort Li represent His Majesty; they cannot be compared."

"Furthermore, I will be going there representing the court's Martial Rites Division. Informing him that I come on the Duke's recommendation carries different weight."

"As for whether this sword immortal lives up to his name, I will probe further in the next few days to find out."

Li Guoyuan: "How do we test him? Someone like that, with a temperament unlike ordinary people, even if we can't befriend him, we absolutely must not offend him."

"Don't worry, Duke. Zhongxing already has a plan." Zhongxing Du's eyes lit up, as if he held all the wisdom in his grasp.

Amidst the desolate graves outside the city, twenty to thirty men and women dressed in dark clothing and wearing black headscarves had gathered.

A carriage approached from a distance and stopped before them.

These were all disciples of the Silver Flower Palace. They had originally been assigned to wait outside Gongzhou City to receive their Palace Mistress. Now that she was dead, they were naturally in a state of disarray, without a leader.

No one emerged from the carriage; commands were issued directly from within.

"The Palace Mistress is dead. The elders have spoken: whoever can avenge the Palace Mistress and kill that sword immortal will be the next Palace Mistress of the Silver Flower Palace."

The tone shifted: "Most importantly, we must reclaim the Silver Flower Palace's legacy, the Depraved Flower Immortal Scripture."

One moment they seemed to harbor a deep hatred for the sword immortal, and the next, the people in the carriage revealed their true objective.

"If we can't get the antidote for the Silver Flower Powder, all of us..."

At this moment, the voice from within the carriage became extremely urgent: "will die!"