"How is Xie An's condition?"
"His stroke is no longer serious. He only needs to take his medicine on time. But he's already advanced in years, and I'm afraid he won't last more than a few days."
Only after the voices gradually faded into the distance did Xie An, lying on his sickbed, manage to open his eyes. He moved his cracked lips feebly and let out a long sigh.
"I've been in this world for thirty years. Am I finally going to die of old age?"
He had originally been a miserable wage slave from Blue Star, saddled with a mortgage and a car loan. He had no choice but to accept his vicious boss's endless demands for overtime. One night, after staying up late to work overtime, his brain suddenly became starved of oxygen and he passed out. When he woke up, he had become a pawnshop assistant in Wuqiao Town of the Great Qian Dynasty.
The Great Qian's government was corrupt, powerful clans carved up the land, bandits ran rampant, and evil spirits and demons wreaked havoc. The common people's lives were cheap as blades of grass.
Xie An had terrible luck. Even after transmigrating, he hadn't received a cheat.
Still, relying on his cleverness and diligence, he had climbed step by step into the position of Appraisal Master at the Li Family Pawnshop.
An Appraisal Master was responsible for examining items and setting their prices, deciding whether to accept them as collateral. It was skilled technical work, and the pay was considerably better than that of ordinary assistants. His life had been fairly manageable.
But a month ago, he had inexplicably suffered a stroke. His fifty-year-old body had rapidly deteriorated, and by now his organs were failing. He was at the end of his tether, his lamp nearly out of oil.
In this chaotic age, fifty was already considered a ripe old age. Yet Xie An, a transmigrator, was unwilling to accept such an ordinary, short life. He, too, had once harbored dreams...
At first, he had wanted to dress in fine clothes, ride a fine horse, and roam the world with a sword. In middle age, he had wanted only to stay home with his wife and children beside a warm kang. In old age, he had wanted immortality.
He had spent half his life searching without result, only to discover that he was ultimately just an ordinary person.
All his former fantasies had become flowers reflected in a mirror and the moon's reflection in water, a dream of Nanke.
Looking back over his life...
He had achieved nothing, gained nothing, and had nothing he was good at.
What a meaningless life.
"Master, it's time to take your medicine."
A knock at the door interrupted Xie An's thoughts.
Judging by the voice, his disciple He Chunli had come to deliver his medicine.
The pawnshop trade depended on the unique skills of its Appraisal Masters. It was customary in the industry for masters to take on disciples, so their skills would not be lost.
As the Appraisal Master of the Li Family Pawnshop, Xie An naturally possessed an exceptional talent for identifying items. He had taken on three disciples, and He Chunli was one of them.
I still have to take the medicine.
Xie An struggled down from the bed, wrapped himself in a thick cotton-padded coat, endured his aching, numb, and dizzy body, and leaned on his dragon-headed cane as he tottered over to open the door.
"Where's Zhang Bing?"
He Chunli, gaunt and sallow, answered shyly, "Brother Zhang is busy receiving a Guest Official."
He lived in the rear courtyard of the Li Family Pawnshop, less than a hundred paces away. Could Zhang Bing really be so busy that he hadn't come to visit his dying master even once in half a month?
Xie An did not expose him. He took the medicine pot and returned to his room.
After painstakingly swallowing the nauseating herbal broth, his body still showed not the slightest sign of improvement.
"Looks like I really am at the end of my tether..."
He stared at the dry, wrinkled back of his hand and began making arrangements for what would come after his death.
"I'll buy a good coffin later, and find a treasured burial site. I suppose this is all my life can amount to. Well, if life has already violated you, you might as well close your eyes and enjoy it..."
Just then, a white Daoist Talisman suddenly appeared before his eyes.
Host detected...
"A cheat?"
Xie An, whose heart had long since become still as water, was rarely stirred into excitement.
Before long, a complete panel appeared before him.
Host: Xie An Currently available Legacy: Lifelong Legacy. Acquire?
It really was a cheat.
"Immortality..."
Xie An stared dumbfoundedly, his face filled with disbelief.
A moment ago, he had still been lamenting that life had violated him, and now a Lifelong Legacy had arrived...
A timely rain indeed.
Although he had little time left, perhaps he could still struggle one more time?
"Acquire!"
As Xie An activated the thought, the Daoist Talisman suddenly released a streak of white radiance, which flew into his body.
Buzz!
Xie An clearly felt a stream of heat rolling through his body, flowing through all four limbs and hundreds of bones.
His originally shriveled, feeble, sickly body suddenly seemed to have been injected with a powerful stimulant. He became vigorous and full of vitality, his qi and blood brimming over.
His murky vision also cleared considerably. In an instant, he seemed several years younger.
Although the sensation faded quickly, it had definitely not been an illusion. It had truly happened.
Acquisition successful. Current Lifelong Legacy level: Level 1. Effect: Doubles the efficiency of cultivating Health Cultivation Techniques. Persist in health cultivation and you will certainly prolong your life and increase your lifespan. With time, you may achieve immortality! Current health cultivation technique: None
"Achieve immortality..."
The appearance of those four words made Xie An's scalp tingle with excitement, and his eyes burn hot.
Looking at the deeply wrinkled face in the Bronze Mirror, looking at his head of white hair, he could no longer hold back his tears.
After pursuing immortality bitterly for half his life, just as he was about to die of old age... he had finally seen hope!
Others could cultivate a health cultivation technique only to nurture their health.
But after merging with the Lifelong Legacy, cultivating a health cultivation technique would certainly prolong his life and increase his lifespan. With time, he might even achieve immortality!
That was absurdly powerful.
Having spent thirty years in this world, Xie An knew full well that Martial Arts Grandmasters existed here and could live to be a hundred and fifty. Some powerful cultivators could even live for two or three hundred years...
To ordinary mortals, fifty was the age of a guttering candle.
But to cultivators, fifty was the age when their flowers were in full bloom.
That was truly something to look forward to.
Although martial cultivation emphasized Root Bone talent and guidance from a renowned master, as long as he lived long enough, he could slowly feel his way forward. Even with poor Root Bone, he might not be unable to become a Martial Arts Grandmaster of his generation.
Being fifty had another advantage: he had shed the impatience of youth, and his mentality was exceptionally steady.
He could endure loneliness, tolerate slow growth, and was in no hurry to make a name for himself or display his holiness.
He would not risk becoming too prominent and dying halfway through because of reckless courage and a love of fighting.
Although the cheat had arrived late, there were advantages to arriving late as well.
"The Great Qian has always had a saying: poor families pursue literature, wealthy families pursue martial arts. It isn't easy for ordinary people to learn martial arts. Either they join the army and trade their lives for resources, or they spend a fortune learning at a martial arts academy. On top of that, they need to spend even more money on medicinal supplements and secret manuals.
"Even an ordinary martial arts manual on the market, whose authenticity no one can guarantee, costs at least a dozen taels of silver. That isn't an expense common folk can afford.
"Compared to that, a health cultivation technique is far cheaper."
"Right, Shopkeeper Chen at the pawnshop has a Health Cultivation Technique. I'll go ask him for it."
With the Lifelong Legacy, cultivating a cheap Health Cultivation Technique could increase his lifespan. Why should he fear a mere stroke?
Noon.
The Li Family Pawnshop was packed with Guest Officials.
As soon as Xie An entered the shop, leaning on his dragon-headed cane, the assistants greeted him one after another, calling out "Master Xie" with every other breath.
Though the Li Family Pawnshop was only a small pawnshop in Wuqiao Town, the position of Appraisal Master was far too important. Even Shopkeeper Chen treated Xie An with great respect.
However, everyone's greetings were clearly less enthusiastic than before. There was more perfunctory neglect in them.
Clearly, everyone knew that Xie An did not have many days left.
Xie An had long since grown used to such scenes. He went straight to Shopkeeper Chen, who was crouched over the counter fighting crickets, and said, "Old Chen, I remember you have a Health Cultivation Technique. Could I borrow it for a look?"
Shopkeeper Chen immediately raised his head and stared at Xie An in astonishment. "Old Xie, don't tell me you're planning to practice martial arts at your age—your zodiac sign is a whole cycle older than mine."
Before you continue