The Slumber That Came

Jiang Rongyue stood on the top floor of the Moon Worship Tower, overlooking the entire Chao Xian City.

It was early morning, and a light mist, like a veil, swept across the streets and houses before gradually dissipating in the wind, disappearing into nothingness.

Her clothes were thin, and the sleeves of her robes swayed in the wind, which seemed even stronger from the height of the building. Her long hair, which was tied up, swayed at the ends, and her silhouette had a somewhat ethereal quality.

The Sect Master of Chao Xian, who built this city and watched it gradually prosper to this day, looked at the scene of mist sweeping over Chao Xian City, but his mind couldn't help but recall the scenery of Mount Taixu.

Every morning, countless mountains and forests are swept by a vast, ocean-like mist, mirroring the distant sea of clouds on the horizon, like inverted mirrors, with only the distant Cloud Cliff Sea as the sole support and link.

She couldn't help but start counting how many years it had been since she last visited her master and Grand Martial Uncle at Mount Taixu.

Fourteen years have passed since Shishi returned from her travels, took him up the mountain with her, and returned to Chao Xian City.

That was a truly distant time.

Since arriving at Mount Taixu, Jiang Rongyue has regarded it as her home.

She never imagined that one day she would be in a situation where she could go back but didn't want to.

But as time went by, more than twenty years after entering the Realm of Emptiness, the girl vaguely foresaw her current fate.

The Xiao Yun of yesteryear is now Jiang Rongyue.

If she hadn't married Li Shishi, Jiang Rongyue would likely have chosen to use her own abilities to achieve immortality, thus accompanying the immortals on their long lifespans to jointly establish [Chaoxian] and Taixu Sect.

But now, she has chosen to live a mundane and uneventful life with Li Shishi, to end her life in this way, which she considers quite happy.

It's difficult to say which of these two outcomes is correct or which is happier.

But precisely because no one can give an accurate assessment, Jiang Rongyue's own choice is so unquestionable and without any regrets.

She is fifty years old this year.

In an era where even emperors had an average lifespan of only forty years, this was considered a long life.

Even if the Void Sword Qi is refined to its highest level, it is merely a method of utilizing the Heaven and Earth Qi that has reached the limit in the conventional sense for humans, but it has no hope of achieving immortality.

Jiang Rongyue had practiced the [Immortal Decree], and she had to admit that the health cultivation method compiled by her Grand Martial Uncle surpassed all similar methods circulating in the martial arts world. Through the intuitive feeling of sword heart and the basic exercises of martial arts to temper every fiber of the body and muscle, the benefits of this method were very intuitive.

It not only preserves one's appearance to the greatest extent possible, which would otherwise fade with age, but also subtly enhances the body's potential and lifespan.

Both she and Li Shishi, thanks to this, at an age when they are called "grandmother," still seem to be living in their prime, without showing any signs of aging in the true sense.

The reason for this result, apart from the effect of the [Immortal Decree], is most significantly due to the Stigmata that naturally amplify physical attributes.

The subtle structure and limits of their bodies were different from those of ordinary people. To put it more clearly, before Li Shishi received Ji Xuanyuan's inheritance and after receiving his Stigmata, she was already distinguished from normal humans as a different, more advanced race.

Whether it's physical fitness, lifespan, innate talent in Qi cultivation, or even many other details, they are far superior to ordinary people.

Even if some of this advantage is not insurmountable, it still gives these humans a unique advantage.

Li Shishi could not have reached the ideal limit of the [Immortal Decree], nor did she have the foundation to withstand the erosion of time. Yet, she is able to present such a beautiful appearance now, all thanks to the existence of the Stigmata.

However, this also has its limitations. After some time, even before Su Qing'an enters a long, as if immortal, slumber, the seemingly frozen time between the two will pass by at a faster rate than before.

By then, the waning vitality and aging internal organs interfere with the once fair and supple skin, causing it to become loose and dull.

Wrinkles that once seemed irrelevant will gradually appear around the eyes and on the face as time goes by, eventually turning one into an old person in the bronze mirror who no longer fits into fine clothes.

Li Shishi was certainly not completely indifferent to this, but she still always said with a smile:

"It doesn't matter if she gets old, I love Rongyue the most, I'll love her no matter what."

"Being young has its advantages, and being old has its advantages too."

"How can one have a complete life if they don't experience it all?"

Jiang Rongyue remembered the girl nestled in her arms back then, playing with her loose strands of hair, and casually saying:

"Don't you think that the fact that we have worries about aging and fears about no longer looking good is itself a kind of happiness?"

"Because think about it, if I hadn't met Sister Chi Yuan and Su Su, I definitely would never have had that vivid feeling about the difference between immortal beings and mortals."

"But if I hadn't met Susu, I wouldn't have left the Capital City, and I certainly wouldn't have met you."

"So, returning to the original question, the very existence of such a vivid fear is evidence of happiness."

She spoke in strange syllogisms, using twisted and bizarre logic to prove her correctness.

Jiang Rongyue listened in silence, then smiled gently and replied that she agreed.

At that time, Li Shishi's eyes were slightly upturned, and she exuded a cloying smile. She was still an unforgettable beauty.

Of course, that remains true now.

"The morning chill was quite strong."

A familiar voice came from behind Jiang Rongyue, and then a coat was draped over her shoulders. Li Shishi's face was lightly made up, and she smiled faintly as she spoke softly:

"It's better to wear it draped over your shoulders."

She followed the other person's gaze and looked down at the city, sighing:

"So much time has passed without us realizing it. Chao Xian City is almost as prosperous as Bianliang City used to be."

Thirty years have completely propelled history forward.

The Song court was thus forced to move south, Prince Kang Zhao Gou, ascended the throne in Yingtian Prefecture, establishing the Song Dynasty as we know it today.

Emperor Gaozong of Song ascended the throne on the first day of the fifth month in 1127, changed the Jianyan, and established Lin'an Prefecture as the new capital.

The Jin Dynasty, founded by the Jurchen Tribe, was bordered by the Jin Dynasty River to the east and the Dasanguan Pass to the west, and it continued to covet the Central Plains. Meanwhile, the Western Xia, which outwardly submitted to the Liao, Song, and Jin dynasties but in reality declared itself an independent empire, gradually stood alongside the Jin, coveting the spoils of the Central Plains.

The war that occurred in between was largely averted due to a notice issued by [Chao Xian], which prevented the common people from being drawn into this power struggle and from suffering a senseless and unreasonable massacre.

From then on, massacring entire cities and large-scale plundering of civilians became an absolute, unspoken rule, thereby reducing the suffering of some people in such chaotic times.

[Pilgrimage] cannot change the natural cycle of dynasties; this is the bottom line for maintaining the purity of this sect.

Therefore, they could only use the immortal's reputation to do their best. Fortunately, all parties were very concerned about the threat of being overturned by an outsider. In fact, due to excessive fantasies and speculations about the immortal's abilities, they did not even dare to make any probing moves.

Otherwise, from Jiang Rongyue and Li Shishi's perspective, it would be really difficult for them to explicitly use their personal names and the threat of force to threaten the several regimes that are splitting Shenzhou.

Even though everything went smoothly, compared to the people of Taixu Prefecture, the situation of people in other regions still seemed bleak.

I wonder if it's because as one gets older, one becomes increasingly clear about what one did in the past.

Jiang Rongyue suddenly seemed a little dazed. Looking at the city below the Moon Worship Tower, which was difficult to see in its entirety, she sighed and said:

"Yes, when I first conceived the idea of building this city, I just thought it might be of help to my master."

"But looking back decades later, I was suddenly struck by how much has changed."

"Initially, the permanent residents here numbered only a few hundred thousand, but now it has become the most prosperous city in the entire Shenzhou, accommodating a population comparable to that of Bianliang City in its heyday."

"And having reached this point, even if the original intention hasn't changed, one has unintentionally shouldered many responsibilities and things that were never considered before."

She once thought that her life would only have one sword, as if forged from frost, and that she would have no other way of living except to cut down all obstacles.

But from the day he met his master, the frozen time seemed to be quietly wound up, heading towards countless future paths and a life beyond his inner imagination.

Even on the day [Chaoxian] was established, Jiang Rongyue believed that her life would only consist of her family from Mount Taixu and Li Shishi by her side.

But thirty years later, Chao Xian City, which was originally just one of the gifts, and [Chaoxian] have unknowingly become a part of my life, like a bone hidden in my flesh that is hard to cut out, and I can't let go of it now.

This was an outcome she, who was born slow-witted, had never anticipated, yet it was also a good thing that allowed her to realize her life's value.

At this moment, Jiang Rongyue could no longer be called a girl or a young woman, but her eyes still held a hint of bewilderment, like mist in her vision. She was still the same person she was decades ago, always making people uneasy.

Following this feeling, she asked:

"Does Shishi think things will get better or worse in the future?"

Li Shishi gazed at the distant sunrise, then embraced the other person's slender waist from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder blade, welcoming the increasingly strong spring breeze from the high-rise building together, and said with a smile:

"Of course it would be better!"

Time really flies; in the blink of an eye, the two have been married for twenty-seven years.

She once shattered her sword heart, and now she is stuck at the Clear Mirror Realm, seemingly with no hope of ever reaching the Void Realm in this lifetime.

In reality, since the day she found Jiang Rongyue at Cloud Dragon Waterfall, Li Shishi had never independently practiced the Sword Heart Technique even once. Even her Mingjing realm advancements were natural advancements that occurred as she grew older. She seemed to be not far from the final peak.

But... it doesn't matter anymore.

In this era of Honkai and decline, it seems that ordinary people have no need for such powerful abilities during their hundred-year lifespan.

Li Shishi only remembered that on the day she stepped into the Mingjing, she was able to ride Paper Kite and fly higher and farther. Although she could no longer truly control the wind at will, she was much freer from then on, which made her extremely excited and happy.

But what happens next?

That feeling seems to have faded away, and I was much happier when I was by the lake listening to the rain and brewing tea with Jiang Rongyue; those feelings lingered longer.

She thought she had the mindset of a complete mortal, and even if she had a real chance to live forever, she might not reach out and grab it.

But this is good too.

Li Shishi was never unhappy because of her contentment with an ordinary life.

She would write letters to Su Su and Sister Chi Yuan from time to time; occasionally, she would ask Xiao Xuan to act as her navigation system when they went out to play; and she would take Jiang Rongyue, that blockhead, to explore the ever-changing Chao Xian City on a daily basis.

Participated in the development and planning of [Chaoxian]; used the abilities of [Fellow Daoist] to find promising talents, and occasionally helped Rongyue mentor her apprentices; updated the side stories of <The Legend of the Immortal> and other novels almost every year...

She felt that was enough.

There are so many interesting little things in life, which is already wonderful enough and enough to make one feel satisfied.

On the other hand, [Chaoxian] has matured to the point that it only needs to ensure there are successors to maintain its good condition. With the Immortal Chi Yuan as the protector who has helped this sapling take root, the two of them, as the original founders, are also free to lay down their teams. It seems that it is time for them to truly join hands and travel the world together.

Look, even though it's the twilight of life, you can still do the things you wanted to do when you were young with the person you love.

Such beauty and romance are, in themselves, the perfect arrangement.

Li Shishi looked back and recounted everything from the past, then continued to respond:

"Besides, Susu has already given us the answer regarding this."

"The future will definitely be a much, much better era than the present. The people of Shenzhou will be able to eat their fill and dress warmly, and all demons and Magic City be nipped in the bud, preventing the tragedies that arise from them from ever happening again."

"War will be ended for a long time, and peace will continue to exist on this land."

"And even if we can't see it, it doesn't matter, because just knowing these things makes everything we're doing seem hopeful."

This was her most sincere wish.

Even though Jiang Rongyue was unaware that the person behind it all had once thought immortality was within her grasp, she was still stunned by the words that were spreading in the wind among the high-rise buildings.

Finally, she just smiled and responded softly:

"Yes, we'll stop here."

"The rest, Master and Grand Martial Uncle will witness for us."

Li Shishi and Jiang Rongyue are not incapable of adapting to life in the post-modern era. Their personalities and abilities make them highly adaptable, and they should be able to integrate into that colorful era in just a few days.

But... this is fine.

They were content with just that.

Time flies, and years pass by.

The boy's hair was as if it had been covered in frost and snow, but it had lost its former jet black. He sat at the source of the Cloud Cliff Sea, watching the Milky Way fall from this angle with the immortals beside him, as well as the vast and prosperous Mount Taixu.

Su Qing'an glanced at the girl's appearance. Her pupils were tinged with a beautiful rose red, and her winter gray hair had turned snow-white. After his hair had completely lost its black color, Chi Yuan seemed to maintain this posture for a long time in order to be more compatible with him.

As for him, apart from losing his original hair color, the decades have not changed his appearance much.

But only Su Qing'an himself understood that as his lifespan drew closer, all his bodily functions were steadily declining, neglecting the practice of the [Immortal Decree]. With only twenty years left to live, he could clearly feel the real passage of time and the disparity between his current state and the past.

This is a very strange experience, a state that is difficult for ordinary people to understand.

On the one hand, the outer shell still maintains its youthful appearance, while on the other hand, everything inside the shell is aging normally, like a sculpture where the inner beauty is frozen on the outside.

At the same time, due to an overly sensitive instinct and martial arts realm.

Su Qing'an could clearly sense that she was getting older almost every minute and every second. The feeling of a countdown hanging firmly on her soul, constantly ticking away, was like a constant announcement that her death was approaching.

It's easy to imagine that most people would find it difficult to remain calm.

But for him, who was used to living and fighting within the limits of his lifespan, it was something that was dispensable.

The scenery of Mount Taixu has not changed much over the years. The chaotic seasons have gradually returned to normal with a steady trend. However, this change was so subtle in the past that it is probably only in later times that the complete disappearance of this strange scenery can be noticed.

During this not-so-short period, the two did not stay on Mount Taixu for the entire time.

Just as Li Shishi and Jiang Rongyue continued to travel the world after retirement, so too did Su Qing'an and Fu Hua.

After all, the entertainment facilities of this era were rather dull and uninteresting. Living on Mount Taixu for a long time meant having nothing to do, and there was almost no fun except for games between husband and wife.

Therefore, tourism became the only option.

The only difference is that the former traveled within the Shenzhou mainland, while the latter traveled across the entire world.

Another thirty years have passed. During this time, the two have traveled to almost every civilization and local custom that has emerged in the world. They have also repeated their wedding ceremony several times using local customs because they found it fun. They have also seen this natural landscape that has evolved from the continent of the last era, whether it was newly born or existed in the past.

This process was not boring.

Repeatedly pondering the differences between civilizations in various regions and the languages and knowledge that have evolved from them may not be a particularly meaningful thing, but it is certainly a good way to pass the time.

Of course, this is on the premise that one does not use the manas consciousness.

Otherwise, it would be utterly boring.

In the end, the couple returned to their original starting point, back to Mount Taixu.

As for the reasons...

The boy gazed at the mountains and sea so close at hand, feeling the warmth of the soft hand in his palm. His heart suddenly felt a sense of relief, yet also a profound emptiness.

Today is the time for rest.