On the Road to Longevity, Nothing but Corpses!

Just as Qi WuHuo was about to speak, the Mountain God raised a hand and said with a smile, "There's no need to rush your decision."

"First, let me tell you about a Mountain God's authority. The rites say, 'Mountains, forests, rivers, valleys, hills, and mounds that can give rise to clouds, bring wind and rain, and produce strange creatures are all called gods.' The Earth Gods, in fact, do not obey the Celestial Emperor's edicts. Compared with other gods, they face far fewer restrictions. Leaving their territory has little effect on them; they simply can't draw upon the power of the earth veins."

"But within the mountains and rivers that are their domain, they naturally possess several great divine abilities."

"They can summon clouds and mist."

"Bring wind and rain."

"They can use the earth veins to evolve escape arts, coming and going without a trace. They can also gather the power of incense and worship. It's a formidable divine ability."

"Furthermore, the power of incense and prayers offers a measure of protection. For instance, they can bring certain people good fortune, or help those under their protection study more efficiently."

"Of course, all of this depends on the earth veins functioning normally. Mountain Gods and Earth Gods naturally maintain the proper flow of the earth veins and earth Qi; that is why they're called Earth Gods. But none of that is why I hope you'll become a Mountain God."

The Mountain God smiled. "I know your heart is set on the Great Dao."

"Cultivation involves Primordial Essence, Primordial Qi, and the Primordial Spirit. You're still at the stage of Refining Primordial Essence. Once you've refined your Primordial Essence to its utmost, you can merge it with Primordial Qi and cultivate the Primordial Prenatal Qi. At that point, you may be called a Daoist Master. And when Primordial Essence and Primordial Qi merge, if you're within an earth vein, you can take advantage of the moment to cultivate a divine ability called the Earthly Origin Body Refining Heart Art."

"Every sect has its own secret methods. This, too, is one of the Earth Gods' secret arts."

The Fierce Tiger Mountain God raised his cup and drank. "To others, becoming an Earth God may be a destination they can only dream of. But to you and me, it's merely a place to stop and rest for a while. In the end, we'll leave. When you do, simply return this title to all living things in this land."

As he spoke, his expression remained calm. He drained his cup and set it down, his gaze settling on the sword on the table.

His hand brushed lightly over the blade. It gave a faint ring.

Qi WuHuo didn't make a decision right away. Looking at the sword, he asked, "Did you know Tantai Guochu, the Sword Immortal?"

The Mountain God fell silent for a long while. "Yes. We were friends more than three hundred years ago."

"I never imagined his descendant would do such a thing. If he were still alive, he'd have taken that man's head with a single stroke."

"Come with me."

He held the sword in his right hand, its tip angled slightly upward. The blade was long and slender; as he lifted it, it sang through the air with a clear note. One could imagine how swift it must be. The Mountain God rose and walked with the sword in hand. "Back then, I swallowed Huang Jing and gained wisdom. After a hundred years of cultivating in the mountains, I had acquired Primordial Prenatal Qi and the means to take human form."

"He was a swordsman from a martial arts sect in the mortal world, one who entered the Dao through the sword."

"We once traveled the world together. We crossed blades with bandits in the mountains and discussed the Dao beneath the moon with an old monk."

"For thirty years, he roamed the world with his sword, free and unrestrained, repaying kindness and vengeance alike."

"Later, he fell in love at first sight with a woman and settled in his hometown. I returned to the mountains. We agreed to meet every twenty years, when spring warmed the earth and the rivers thawed, at the place where we'd first met. We'd bring wine, reminisce about the past, and talk about the future. The first and second times we met, it was just like old times—blissfully carefree."

"Twenty years later, when we met again, he looked middle-aged. He had reached the Primordial Prenatal Qi stage and was invincible across the riverlands."

"He no longer needed a Sword Artifact."

"Twenty years after that, his wife passed away."

"Ten years later, the one who came to meet me was an old man with graying temples."

The Fierce Tiger Mountain God drank. "He gave me the sword manual he'd created himself, and in exchange, I wrote my name in the Jade Book he'd prepared."

"That day I stood on the ridge, watching him walk down the mountain, step by step. I never saw him again."

"And now, three hundred years have passed."

"Time truly is merciless."

The Mountain God stroked the sword, then swept his sleeve. The dead old Daoist's remains crumbled to dust. He made his way to the summit and planted the sword at the highest point of the mountain. The wind brushed its blade, like a low murmur. The towering Mountain God stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the river below. It was winter, and a layer of ice floes had formed on its surface. He raised his hand and tilted the wine jug.

The strong liquor splashed across the blade, its force still fierce.

"Old friend, your sword is with me, and so is your wine jug."

"Men like us need no more than a sword and a jug of wine to roam the world."

"To drink a jug of wine and gaze upon this world—that would be enough."

The Mountain God smiled as he poured out the last of the wine, then hung the jug from the hilt. He looked at the sword as though he were seeing the friend with whom he'd shared life and death in their youth. He seemed to see him in his final moments, frail with age and close to death. Then he suddenly smiled and swept his sleeve, carefree.

The past, the partings of life and death—

He let none of it settle in his heart.

He turned and walked down the mountain, murmuring to himself, "When the thousand-mile river first freezes, jade bells and pendants ring in scattered harmony."

"Fleeting life is like water beneath the ice."

"Day and night it flows east, unseen by man..."

"It's a good thing you're buried here with me. When I pursue the Great Dao one day and my allotted years run out, where will I be buried?"

The Mountain God and Qi WuHuo descended from the highest peak. Suddenly, the towering god said:

"WuHuo."

"How do you feel today?"

Qi WuHuo thought for a moment before replying, "I've seen life and death."

The Mountain God laughed freely. "Tantai Xuan was nearing the end of his allotted years, so he refined the lifespans of the living to extend his own. With a hundred or so lives on his hands, he was naturally treading the Left Path. But if you look to the root of it, he too sought longevity and refused to die. How is that desire any different from yours or mine?"

"Cultivators who don't stray from their original hearts and refuse to harm others may die peacefully, as my friend did."

"But those driven by fear will fall into the Left Path and perish in disaster."

"All things under heaven and earth follow their own laws."

"Today, it seems he provoked you and then met his end. Perhaps he thought so too, cursing his bad luck right up until he died. But in the inscrutable workings of fate, perhaps it was the Great Dao of heaven and earth that borrowed our hands to strike him down."

"Heaven and earth endure, their workings never cease."

"Who can say how one drink or one peck of food comes to pass?"

"You and I are those who pursue the Dao and seek longevity. One day, we'll have to grow accustomed to parting. Perhaps we'll pursue the Dao until we die."

"I have one thing to offer you."

The Fierce Tiger Mountain God gave a slight bow. He seemed to have no words. At last, he could only sigh with a smile—

"On the road to longevity."

"Nothing but corpses."

"Fellow Daoist... take care!"

As Qi WuHuo descended the mountain, the Mountain God thought for a moment, then beckoned. A current of wind swept the Black Iron Sword Box over to him. The Fierce Tiger Mountain God pressed down lightly with his hand. Suddenly, a boundless gale rushed over the box. A radiant glow flashed across its surface, then blazed fiercely before settling back into stillness. The incessant ringing had also stopped.

The Mountain God turned the sword box around and handed it over. "You must have realized today that you have no means of protecting the Dao."

"You're at a disadvantage when you encounter cultivators of the Left Path."

"Your Primordial Spirit is powerful. To certain practitioners of the Left Path, you're no different from a natural elixir."

"Your Primordial Qi hasn't merged with your Primordial Essence, so you can't send it outside your body. But your Primordial Spirit cultivation is strong, so you can still wield this."

"I erased Tantai Xuan's Primordial Spirit imprint. When you get back, slowly refine the imprint inside. It'll take about three years; after that, you'll be able to command it at will."

"Use it to protect your Dao."

The Mountain God smiled. "This isn't a favor or a trade."

"Just as you hurried up the mountain in the middle of the night after learning there was a problem with my cultivation art, because we're friends, I saw that your Primordial Spirit was powerful but you had no means of protecting the Dao and hoped to help my friend. This has nothing to do with cultivation—it's about loyalty."

Qi WuHuo cupped his hands. "Then I thank you."

He hadn't tempered this magical treasure or cultivated Primordial Prenatal Qi, so he couldn't activate its divine abilities. He had no choice but to strap the sword box to his back and walk down the mountain step by step. Along the way, he ran into the night watchman again. This time, however, the usually rather boorish man froze, then quickly stepped aside. For a long while, he said nothing.

Qi WuHuo was bewildered. Before he'd even made it home, he heard a commotion.

In the distance, he saw the narrow alley—too cramped even for a carriage—packed with fine silks and satins.

Men and women dressed in splendid clothes stood quietly inside the shabby little house.

At the sound, they turned around.

The blue-robed youth stood at the mouth of the alley, a black sword box on his back. The wind swept past, the hem of his robe faintly stained with blood, his features clear and bright.

There was a stir among them. Then, one after another, they clasped their hands. Their voices were uneven, but they called out loudly:

"Immortal Master Qi is here!"