Hong Lie chuckled. "Interesting, interesting. I'm a demon—no, that's not right, I'm not a demon. I am a demon! But I don't eat people. No, that's not right either, I do eat people. I just won't eat you. How should I put it? Ah, anyway, I won't eat you! You're too old!"
Song Yiren nodded frantically in fright. "Yes, yes, you won't eat me. You won't eat me."
Then Hong Lie spoke through his eagle beak. "Say, old man, this is Jiang Ziya! Your second younger brother is him. He ate a great many spiritual treasures, so his appearance never changed. What a pity—he ate so many innate spiritual treasures. If I'd eaten them, I'd probably have reached the Golden Immortal Realm long ago."
Of course, Hong Lie had no idea just how precious the things Wang Yuan had given him were.
But Song Yiren came to his senses as well. "Huh? So you're my second younger brother? You found an immortal?"
Jiang Ziya nodded. "Yes! I made you worry, Elder Brother. These past forty years were my fault."
Song Yiren said excitedly, "It's fine, it's fine. It's good that you're back, good that you're back!"
The old butler hurriedly added, "Master, second master, please come inside!"
When Hong Lie saw Jiang Ziya looking at him, he immediately understood what he meant. His body gradually shrank until he was only about one and a half meters tall.
Even so, he was still much larger than an ordinary eagle.
Hong Lie said, "Just find me a private room."
Jiang Ziya said, "Brother Hong Lie, aren't you going to chat with us?"
"No. You two talk. Just get me some good wine and food. The two of you have reunited, so you'll definitely end up crying your eyes out."
The butler said, "Lord Demon, please follow me."
Hong Lie followed the butler away, and was naturally served fine wine and dishes in his room.
Meanwhile, Song Yiren and Jiang Ziya entered the main hall.
Song Yiren looked Jiang Ziya over and said, "Second Brother, I never thought immortals truly existed! Second Brother, you've barely changed at all from forty years ago!"
Jiang Ziya took out three bright red fruits. "Elder Brother, let Sister-in-law and my nephew eat these. They'll add thirty years to their lifespans."
Song Yiren shook his head. "They're so precious. How could I accept them?"
Jiang Ziya sighed. "What's so precious about them? Back when I was on the mountain, I ate one every day. Yet I still failed to cultivate immortal arts."
Song Yiren asked, "Then did you learn any spells?"
Jiang Ziya nodded. "I learned a little. Star Shift, Mountain Moving Sea Pouring, summoning rain and wind."
Song Yiren exclaimed in astonishment, "What?! Aren't such divine abilities what immortals possess?"
Jiang Ziya realized that was true. To ordinary people, wasn't he an immortal?
"Are Elder Brother, Sister-in-law, and my nephew well?"
Song Yiren immediately had his wife, Zhao Clan's Wife, bring their son in.
Zhao Clan's Wife had heard earlier that her brother-in-law had returned after attaining the immortal path. She wanted to see him, but now that he was an immortal, it would be terrible if she behaved improperly.
Jiang Ziya quickly gave the fruits to Zhao Clan's Wife and his nephew.
The two hurriedly thanked Jiang Ziya. After the three of them ate the fruits, they truly became more than thirty years younger.
After looking at themselves in the mirror, the three were overjoyed and thanked Jiang Ziya again.
That evening, Song Landlord of the Song family held a flowing banquet.
It was to celebrate his second younger brother's return.
Everyone was delighted, for they had received generous rewards.
Everyone in Song Family Village learned that Song Landlord's younger brother had returned.
Moreover, Song Landlord had become more than thirty years younger. It was unbelievable to behold, and people came one after another with visiting cards, hoping to catch a glimpse of the immortal.
Jiang Ziya's head ached from looking at the visiting cards.
"Elder Brother, let's decline them."
"Very well, then we won't see them. But there is still a marriage arrangement in our family. Do you know of it?"
Jiang Ziya shook his head. He had long forgotten something from forty years ago.
Song Yiren sighed. "Ma Hong of Ma Family Village has a daughter who was betrothed to you. Do you remember?"
Jiang Ziya vaguely recalled it. "Oh, that little girl?"
Song Yiren nodded. "That's right. But when you went off to seek immortality and the Dao, you left without saying goodbye. That woman never broke off the engagement and has waited for you to return. She is now sixty-eight years old and still remains in her chambers... Ah, worthy brother, given your current state, you ought to marry a young and beautiful woman. But a woman so devoted should be taken into your household as a concubine. After all, she waited more than forty years for you!"
Jiang Ziya had never expected such lasting devotion from a woman in this world.
He was deeply moved. "Elder Brother, say no more. Since she never broke off the engagement, I will marry her!"
Song Yiren said in delight, "Good! I'll notify Ma Yuanwai!"
The next day, Jiang Ziya and Song Yiren went to Ma Hong's home to propose marriage.
Ma Yuanwai came out to welcome them. After they were seated, Jiang Ziya said to him, "father-in-law, please do not blame me. I spent more than forty years seeking immortality and the Dao... I have wronged your daughter."
She hid behind the door, and upon hearing Jiang Ziya's words, she sighed. It was enough that he had not forgotten.
In truth, she had heard the day before that Jiang Ziya was coming. She liked Jiang Ziya. She had liked him since childhood, and she still liked him after growing up.
But she had waited forty years...
Yet she never expected that she would truly wait until Jiang Ziya returned.
But Miss Ma discovered that Jiang Ziya still looked as though he were only in his thirties, very young indeed.
Then she looked at her own appearance and turned to leave.
Her maid asked, "Miss, why are you leaving? Why aren't you happy?"
Ma Shi gave a bitter smile and pointed to her wrinkled face. "Look at me. I'm already sixty-eight. How could I marry him?"
The little maid said, "Miss, you waited your whole life. Are you really not going to marry him just like this?"
Ma Shi murmured, "Precisely because I waited forty years for him, it proves that I love him. But if I marry him, all I can do is make him face my aged appearance. Let him go. Let Jiang Ziya remember only how I looked when I was young."
With that, Ma Shi threw herself onto the bed and began to cry.
It was all too late. Jiang Ziya was still young, but Miss Ma in the mirror was incomparably old.
The maid naturally understood her mistress's feelings. She went to the main hall and knelt directly before Jiang Ziya.
Tears streaming down her face, the maid knelt before Jiang Ziya. "Young Master, Miss loves you. She has loved you since she was little, but she is old now and no longer looks as she once did. She does not want you to see her aged appearance. But she truly waited for you so bitterly... Please show mercy. I heard that you possess immortal arts. Please help Miss!"
Tears also rolled down Ma Yuanwai's face. "Yes, this child has such poor fortune."
He thought of how his daughter had waited her entire life for Jiang Ziya.
He had heard that Jiang Ziya had mastered immortal arts, but his daughter was already sixty-eight. How could he bring himself to say it?
Jiang Ziya looked very young, as though he were only in his thirties.
After hesitating for a long time, Ma Yuanwai sighed. "Forget it, forget it. This marriage arrangement shall be broken off by the Ma family!"
With that, he took out some silver. "Worthy nephew, take this money with you. We are breaking off... the engagement."
Before you continue