Lifespan Nearing Its End, the Third Strand of Vitality

At the entrance to Linshui Street, Lin Xuankong carried his shoulder pole through the stream of pedestrians.

As he walked, he kept a watchful eye on his surroundings. Though he could not yet be completely certain whether Ma Xiong and Zhang Wu intended to deal with him, he had scarcely relaxed for a moment during the entire journey back from near the Inner City.

It was not that he was overly cautious. After so many days of unceasing cultivation, he was on the verge of reaching Entry Level in the Pine Crane Technique. If he capsized in a gutter at such a time, he would truly be the biggest sucker alive!

At this moment, pedestrians flowed endlessly along both sides of the road.

There were wealthy young masters in splendid robes and brocade boots, strolling leisurely with their servants.

There were also ragged beggars, holding broken bowls with faces caked in grime, bent over at the roadside as they begged.

Yet women were rarely seen walking the streets. On the rare occasion that two or three appeared, they were all seated in small sedan chairs. Great Xia had always been like this. Other than on certain festival days, women generally did not step beyond the inner gate or the outer gate, rarely showing their faces in public!

What eased Lin Xuankong's mood slightly was the occasional Azure-Robed Daoist passing by the roadside.

As far as he knew, these Daoists all came from the Yin Talisman Sect. The Yin Talisman Sect and the Black Tiger Gang had always been at odds. On Yin Talisman Sect territory, the Black Tiger Gang should not dare murder someone in broad daylight!

That was precisely why Lin Xuankong had chosen this street for his way home.

He had already walked more than half of Linshui Long Street. With only two li left before reaching Wutong Alley, Lin Xuankong, who had been walking for over an hour, rubbed his stomach. As this body grew stronger and stronger, its consumption grew greater as well. He had swallowed five or six flatbreads in the morning, yet before noon had even arrived, he was already hungry!

He headed toward a roadside stall selling chive dumplings. The last time he had passed through Linshui Street, Lin Xuankong had hardened his heart and gritted his teeth to buy several chive dumplings, intending to improve their meals a little.

Yet when he got home, his young lady had eaten them one after another, wiping out every last chive dumpling. His young lady actually loved chive-filled dumplings just like he did!

Remembering how Li Xiaolan had still wanted more after finishing the dumplings, using her little tongue to lick the bits of chive from her fingers, Lin Xuankong could not help but smile.

In the next instant, though, he sighed inwardly. Living with him had truly made that little foodie suffer!

"Give me six dumplings!" Lin Xuankong gritted his teeth, took six copper coins from his waist, and placed them on the table.

"Sure thing!" The Pie Old Man deftly wrapped six dumplings in oiled paper and handed them over.

Lin Xuankong was just about to reach out and take them when he suddenly swayed. The scene before his eyes spun heaven and earth upside down.

Alarmed, he staggered and pressed a hand against the table, barely keeping himself from collapsing on the spot.

Several breaths later, that sensation of his five senses blurring gradually faded away.

As Lin Xuankong slowly returned to normal, his brows furrowed tightly. These signs that his lifespan was nearing its end, these inexplicable spells of dizziness, were becoming more and more frequent. They had previously appeared only a few times in the evening, but now, before noon had even arrived, they were already beginning again.

The Pie Old Man beside him sounded somewhat flustered. "Brother, brother, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Just a little hungry!" Lin Xuankong took a deep breath, accepted the dumplings, and headed toward Wutong Alley.

The Pie Old Man watched Lin Xuankong's retreating back and could not help shaking his head.

"That Lin Family brother who sells flatbread—when I saw him a few days ago, he could carry dozens of jin of flatbread and walk like the wind. Why did he nearly topple over for no reason today? I heard he married a young wife. Could it be... ah, over a woman's head hangs a blade!"

"Creak—"

Only after pushing open the wooden door and entering the Wooden Building did Lin Xuankong finally let out a breath.

He set his shoulder pole beside the door, touched the dumplings in his chest that still held some warmth, and was just about to call the little foodie young lady downstairs for a treat when his gaze fell upon the wooden table in the outer room.

On the table sat a food box, along with more than a dozen paper-wrapped pastries. Red slips were pasted onto the paper, bearing three large characters: Ancient River District.

Ancient River District was the most famous pastry shop in Great Marsh Prefecture. It was said to have operated for over two hundred years.

The cheapest pastries from Ancient River District cost dozens of copper coins per tael. Only the nobles of the Inner City could afford them. Everything on the table probably required ten taels of silver to buy!

Who would send such expensive pastries? Lin Xuankong was rather surprised.

His former self had no relatives who could afford pastries from Ancient River District!

He walked over, glanced at the pastries a few times, then opened the food box.

A rich fragrance immediately rushed at his face. The first layer of the food box held a braised pork knuckle cooked until tender and melting. It had clearly been carefully prepared by a highly skilled chef! The layers beneath contained equally exquisite dishes, each with perfect color, aroma, and flavor—delicacies ordinary people in Great Marsh Prefecture might never taste once in their lives!

The surprise on Lin Xuankong's face deepened. Pastries and fine dishes alike.

"Don't steal any!" A crisp voice rang out behind him.

Lin Xuankong turned around. Sure enough, Li Xiaolan had once again appeared silently behind him.

"You bought all this?" Lin Xuankong looked at the fine dishes and pastries on the table, then somewhat awkwardly touched the oiled-paper package in his chest.

"How could I have the money to buy pastries this expensive?" Li Xiaolan shook her head. "Eldest Young Lady is leaving the city for a while, so she came specially to see me today."

Her slender fingers held a pastry, and crumbs still clung to the corner of her mouth.

"All these pastries were bought for me by Eldest Young Lady!

That food box was sent over by Granny Wang from the Clothing Shop through one of her servants. She said her family was entertaining guests and had ordered too many dishes, so she sent over a box! That Granny Wang is rather strange—she actually understands my tastes quite well!"

The Huang Family's Eldest Young Lady had grown up alongside Li Xiaolan, so it was only natural that mistress and servant shared such deep affection!

"Why would Granny Wang be so kind?" Lin Xuankong asked curiously.

"She said the handkerchiefs I embroidered and left with her to sell have been very popular with the women of the Inner City, earning her quite a bit of money! So? Aren't I impressive?"

Li Xiaolan took a bite of pastry, looking rather pleased with herself.

Seeing the proud expression on his young lady's face, Lin Xuankong could not help laughing. "Impressive. My young lady is accomplished in both letters and arms, of course you're impressive!"

But when he thought of the dumplings he had specifically bought for her in his chest, he grew somewhat dejected again.

So he headed toward his room. "I'm a little tired. I'll go lie down for a while."

The dishes in that food box could probably be exchanged for several thousand dumplings! He pushed open the wooden door, thinking this to himself.

"Stop!" Li Xiaolan's voice suddenly tightened.

Lin Xuankong froze. Before he could react, Li Xiaolan had already leaned close, her delicate little nose sniffing at his chest. Then her brows rose.

"That's the smell of chive dumplings! You bought chive dumplings and actually wanted to sneak off to your room to eat them all by yourself?"

The next instant, Lin Xuankong felt his chest go light. The oiled-paper package in his chest had already been snatched away by Li Xiaolan.

Li Xiaolan squeezed the package, her expression darkening. "There are even six chive dumplings! You actually wanted to eat all six by yourself? Hmph, they're all mine now!"

With that, she grabbed the package and headed upstairs. After taking a few steps, she smugly shook the package in her hand. "For the sake of all your hard work and these six chive dumplings, the dishes in that food box are yours!"

Lin Xuankong stared in astonishment.

You won't even leave me a single chive dumpling?

He turned to look at the food box on the table, then could not help shaking his head slightly and laughing. His young lady, honestly.

"This was the most sumptuous meal I'd had since crossing over!"

"Usually, it was either flatbread and pickled vegetables, or sorghum-flour buns with greens. Only once in a while could we buy half a jin of pork!

My young lady is excellent at embroidery. She got some benefits, and my stomach got to enjoy them!"

After wiping out half a pork knuckle, half a serving of oil-braised prawns, several flatbreads, and two bowls of soup to fill the cracks, Lin Xuankong patted his slightly bulging belly and returned to his room.

The food had been delicious... but because of his old age, he was missing quite a few teeth. The gaps between the few remaining teeth were huge enough that even tender pork knuckle got stuck in them!

Once the Pine Crane Longevity Technique reached a higher realm, would he have a chance to grow a new set of good teeth?

This Pine Crane Longevity Technique might even extend one's lifespan. Once cultivated to a profound level, growing a mouthful of dazzling white teeth should not be a problem, right?

As this thought crossed his mind, Lin Xuankong suddenly felt a tightness in his chest.

A suffocating sensation surged over him. He hurriedly leaned back against the bedding, not daring to move carelessly again.

More than ten breaths later, that overwhelming sense of oppression finally vanished. Lin Xuankong was left deeply shaken.

These signs that his lifespan was nearing its end were growing more and more frequent.

You have to hold on. As long as I get through today, I'll have a chance to reach Entry Level in the Pine Crane Technique tomorrow. If I die at a time like this, I truly won't be able to accept it!

After considering it, he simply pulled back the blanket and burrowed inside like an old man crawling into his nest.

He would lie down all afternoon and all night today, going nowhere, lest he go out and accidentally collapse from a brain hemorrhage!

In his dazed state, he drifted off to sleep.

Li Xiaolan came by once in the middle of it. Seeing that he was sleeping soundly, she did not wake him for dinner.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang~~~~~

"The weather is freezing cold. Keep warm."

During the fourth watch, the watchman's emotionless voice sounded from somewhere not far down the street.

Lin Xuankong, lying in bed, let out a muffled groan and woke amid extreme suffocation.

The feeling was as though someone had sealed his nose and mouth with cement, making his vision darken again and again.

His mouth hung open as he drew huge, forceful breaths, yet he could not feel even the slightest relief.

Dozens of breaths later, just as Lin Xuankong was nearly about to pass out, the sensation finally eased. By then, his body was soaked in cold sweat, his face was deathly pale, and even his lips had turned slightly purple!

After recovering for a while, Lin Xuankong, shivering all over, did not dare delay. He draped a garment around himself, sat upright beside the bed, and carefully circulated the mental method and breathing method of the Pine Crane Longevity Technique.

After completing the first circulation of the Pine Crane Longevity Technique, there was not much difference from usual.

Just as he began the second circulation of the Pine Crane Longevity Technique, a trace of joy suddenly appeared in Lin Xuankong's half-closed eyes.

He sensed that a third strand of Pine Crane Body Tempering Vitality had appeared within his body.

At first, this strand of vitality was still somewhat weak. But as the mental method circulated, it gradually took shape.

It slowly merged with the previous two strands of Mortal Transformation Vitality, becoming quite powerful. Then, carrying an exceptionally vigorous life force, it rapidly circulated through every inch of flesh in his body, deeply nourishing the hidden injuries and chronic ailments within!

He guided the Pine Crane Body Tempering Vitality throughout his entire body, then suddenly discovered that amid faint tremors, his flesh and blood were continuously changing, continuously striking toward a limit.