205: Hard to Speak of Immortality and Undying Life; The Hawks' and Doves' Stances

Spiritual practice knows no time, and the years pass without Jiazi in the mountains.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, two years have passed.

Within the Longevity Sect, spring is in full bloom, and the east wind and rain dampen the moss.

Listening to the pattering rain outside the cave abode, Chen Dengming watched with a gentle gaze as Xu Wei's spirit floated out of the paper figure, wearily flying into the Soul House. His heart was filled with sorrow and helplessness.

Two years have passed, and he has become stronger and stronger with his cultivation, but Xu Wei's Soul Power has become weaker and weaker, seemingly approaching the point of exhaustion.

The saying goes that when a person dies, it's like a lamp going out. Xu Wei once attempted suicide, but his soul was rescued in time and remained restless, just as the lamp oil hadn't run out and the flame hadn't gone out.

However, even the Yin Longevity has its limits, and Xu Wei is now gradually reaching her limit; the light is about to go out.

Chen Dengming could only prepare himself mentally and bid farewell to Xu Wei.

Life and death have always been enormous questions facing those who seek immortality.

For the living, prolonging life is fraught with difficulties, even impossible, and ultimately they cannot escape turning to dust.

Just like during the ancient Ascension Convention, those old relics who were barely clinging to life, such as Shi Yiyin of the Wonderful Sound Sect, all tried every means to survive and live forever, but to no avail.

For the dead to become spirits and wish to live a long life is even more difficult than ascending to heaven.

"Immortality. I alone am immortal, yet it's hard to say I can never die."

Those around him, however, are neither destined for immortality nor to eternal life.

Chen Dengming was deeply moved. He walked out of the cave abode with his hands behind his back, looked into the distance, and was suddenly filled with a sense of profound vicissitude.

Now he is 95 years old, nearing the ripe old age. Considering his experiences in his previous life, he has come to terms with many things and can accept some outcomes with equanimity.

At this moment, a small black dot flew in from the distant sky, gradually growing larger and exuding Sha Qi, before intruding into the Longevity Sect.

However, some of the Longevity Sect's patrolling disciples, instead of stopping it, would respectfully address it as "Uncle Leopard," making the black leopard that flew over even more smug, its head held high, its chest puffed out, very proud and self-satisfied.

Seeing the smug-looking black leopard flying towards him, Chen Dengming smiled.

A sudden gust of wind!

With the sunlight mostly obscured, the massive body of the Black Cloud Leopard appeared before Chen Dengming, lowering its large head and prostrating itself on the ground in a coquettish manner, emitting a melodious growl.

Perhaps only Chen Dengming could understand the Black Panther's words, and he shook his head after hearing this.

"Hei Zi, it's not impossible for you to stay here at the Longevity Sect and enjoy yourself, but you'll have to make another trip and bring me some things over there."

"Huh!?"

The Black Cloud Leopard straightened its body, pricked up its ears, and stared intently with its two black gem-like eyes, revealing an expression of listening attentively.

Patience for a moment brings great wealth and honor; one becomes a golden leopard.

It's just a round trip.

With a little hard work, you can stay here in the Longevity Sect, enjoying the beautiful mountains and rivers and living a carefree life. Every day, you can drink from the Spirit Spring, taking a sip and spitting it out, inhaling Spiritual Qi and then farting, and you can even enjoy being called Uncle-Master Leopard by the disciples of the major sects.

This life is a hundred times better than that of Foundation Establishment Demon Beast who has to hide all day long, fearing being killed.

"Take."

Chen Dengming made a hand seal, took out two bottles from his Storage Bag, and flew towards the Black Cloud Leopard.

The Black Cloud Leopard opened its mouth, exhaled a breath of cloud, and then put the two bottles into the cloud.

Chen Dengming said slowly, "There is a Foundation Establishment in each of these medicine bottles. Give these two bottles to Black Wind and Jiang Qiang respectively, and this mission will be considered complete."

"Woo!"

The Black Cloud Leopard readily agreed, then stretched out its head and drank a few mouthfuls of the Spirit Spring in front of the door. After that, it let out a low growl and prepared to set off.

Chen Dengming raised his hand to stop him.

"No rush! Now that you're back, have a good meal before you leave. Your mistress went out to buy Spirit Plant and fruits; she should be back by now."

The Black Cloud Leopard immediately stopped and turned around with delight, its eyes darting to a melon patch in the garden not far away.

Chen Dengming smiled and said, "It's not the right season yet, it's not ripe, and it's very bitter. You've never been one to endure hardship, so you won't be used to it."

Upon hearing this, the Black Cloud Leopard immediately lost interest.

Now, two years later, Black Wind and Jiang Qiang have managed the Ten Thousand Mile Frontier of the Southern Region very well.

Whether it's the former Lüojia Mountain, the Gathering Place, or Brocade Workshop, all have been restored to the peaceful and prosperous state they were more than a decade ago.

Furthermore, due to the large-scale elimination of the Demon Beast kept by the Lin family, the environment on the border has improved significantly. In the past two years, fewer Rogue Cultivator have died, and the population has naturally increased, making the Marketplace increasingly prosperous.

However, this also marks the beginning of a test for Black Wind and Jiang Qiang.

Both of them were only at the Qi Refining Stage.

To truly possess two First-Rank Spirit Vein and manage such a large territory would still be extremely difficult.

Fortunately, with the Black Cloud Leopard, a Foundation Establishment Demon Beast, in charge over the past two years, and with the reputation of "South Mountain Sect Zhu Xun" not yet completely fading, the two have been able to operate smoothly. This year, they even contributed two hundred Mid-grade Spirit Crystal to Chen Dengming, demonstrating their considerable ability to amass wealth.

However, the Black Cloud Leopard was unwilling to stay in that remote and impoverished area forever.

This leopard is also ambitious; it wants to stay in a place with good Spirit Vein like the Longevity Sect, where it may one day form its Forming Core and become Great Demon.

Chen Dengming never intended to rely on Black Cloud Leopard to maintain his prestige indefinitely.

Ultimately, the burden of dealing with matters on the Ten Thousand Mile Frontier will fall on the shoulders of Jiang Qiang and Black Wind.

Black Wind is already a cultivator at the Qi Cultivation Tenth Level. With a little more accumulation, he can take a Foundation Establishment to try and break through to the Foundation Establishment.

With his Medium-grade Spiritual Root aptitude and a bit of luck, he might succeed with just one Foundation Establishment.

Jiang Qiang's aptitude is far inferior; he has only broken through to the Qi Cultivation Sixth Level, and is still far from Foundation Establishment.

But Chen Dengming would not overlook this old comrade.

Foundation Establishment are nothing special to him now; he'd find them too sweet to eat, even if he tried to eat them like candy.

I received four after exchanging them.

Giving away two of these old comrades who risked their lives for me is nothing.

If Black Wind can break through to the Foundation Establishment, then his family business in the Ten Thousand Mile Frontier can develop steadily for the next ten years or so.

More than a decade later, he had his own ways of protecting the family business, and it was a matter that didn't require much effort either way.

After the Black Cloud Leopard had eaten and drunk its fill, it flew away.

Chen Dengming, under He Yingyu's care, also began to change into his Dharma robes inside the cave abode.

My two years of cultivation were spent peacefully.

Now it's time for him to take up his post again.

He Yingyu's assigned job was in a nearby Cultivation Family, so the two of them were essentially working separately.

"I've inquired, and there's not much news about you on the Battlefield anymore. Although your name is still on the Devil Cultivators' Kill List, it's quite low down. Be careful on this mission, but you should be able to handle it."

As He Yingyu buttoned Chen Dengming's shirt one button at a time, she carefully gave him instructions.

Chen Dengming smiled and grabbed He Yingyu's hand, saying, "You've asked about this news several times already; I'm tired of hearing it."

Don't worry, if there's any real danger, I'll always prioritize safety. Our Longevity Sect's mission has always been to ensure safety first."

He Yingyu rolled her eyes, slapped Chen Dengming's restless hand, and said, "I've been asking around because I was worried."

As you know, half a year ago, Qiao Zhaoxian was ambushed by a Golden Core Late Stage cultivator from the Mochao Kingdom. If he hadn't been Candidate Dao Son and the Tiandao Sect hadn't bestowed upon him the Heavenly Dao Token, the legendary Qiao Taotao Zhaoxian would probably have come to an end.

I'm worried about you.

By the end, He Yingyu's eyes were slightly red; she was genuinely worried.

"Hey, don't cry. I'm telling you, sometimes when we cultivate together, I'm so strong, but you never cry, you just hold it in."

"This hasn't even happened yet, and you're already about to cry?"

"Hate!"

He Yingyu burst into laughter through her tears, playfully scolding, "You're becoming more and more dishonest! I thought you were quite honest before."

"I wasn't honest back then. If I had been honest, like Senior Brother Guan, you probably wouldn't have even given me a second glance."

After a brief moment of tenderness, Chen Dengming did not linger.

Donning a dark blue, third-tier low-level magic Jia Wood, she departed as He Yingyu gazed at her tenderly from the doorway.

This time, he received the information, went to the Longevity Hall to learn about the mission, chose to Duty Assignment, and then went to carry it out.

This approach ensures both freedom and secrecy in his missions, demonstrating the sect's high level of protection and attention towards him.

Chen Dengming suspected that perhaps it was Qiao Zhaoxian's attack half a year ago that shocked the sects in the Eastern Region, making them pay more attention to his safety. That's why it took two years before they prepared to send him out to perform his Duty Assignment.

Otherwise, according to common sense, he should have gone out to Duty Assignment a year or six months ago.

Two years have now passed.

His Evergreen Merit has broken through to the tenth level, Core Power has increased by 50% compared to before.

He has mastered both Gold Control Technique and Puppet Technique to the master level, and his Lifespan Limit has been extended to 874 years.

The lifespan lost in the previous battle against the Blazing Flame Blood Devil has now been almost completely restored.

His strength has increased significantly since two years ago.

As long as you don't go astray after going out, you should be able to complete your mission and return safely.

Soon.

He flew to the Longevity Hall on Longevity Peak.

Only then did they notice two familiar figures standing at the entrance of the hall.

Upon seeing one of the figures, Chen Dengming couldn't help but exclaim with delight.

"Sect Master Qiu!"

"Um?"

The figure turned around, with a thin face, a short beard on his chin, and a tall, slender body that looked like it was made of steel. His eyes were bright and piercing. He smiled when he saw Chen Dengming.

"Nephew Disciple Chen! Long time no see!"

"Haha, Sect Master Qiu, it has indeed been a long time. I have been in seclusion for the past two years, cultivating diligently, and have not left the sect or returned to the Evergreen Sect. Please don't take offense!"

How could that be?

Qiu Feng laughed, "You caused such a huge uproar two years ago, the entire Devil Cultivator camp was in an uproar because of you."

Our Longevity Sect's Evergreen Sect is proud of you. Your choice to keep a low profile these past two years is a good one; the tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind.

At this point in their conversation, both of them thought of Qiao Zhaoxian.

"Haha, you two uncle and nephew are reunited and have so much to say, but let's prioritize the Sect Mission first! What do you say, Brother Qiu?"

Just then, a hearty laugh came from the side.

Chen Dengming, realizing he had been slighted, immediately turned around, bowed, and said, "Uncle-Master Zhu!"

The speaker was Zhu Guangbiao. He waved his hand generously and said, "Alright, no need to be so polite with an old acquaintance like me. Come on, let's all go inside."

Chen Dengming nodded with a smile.

Seeing this, Qiu Feng chuckled and shook his head, then strode into the Longevity Hall with his hands behind his back.

He was a senior member of the Longevity Sect, on par with the sect leader Xing Huiguang. Zhu Guangbiao was just his junior Junior Brother. With his Golden Core Late Stage strength, he was naturally respected wherever he went.

However, Zhu Guangbiao's magnanimous and polite attitude towards Chen Dengming was clearly due to Chen Dengming's demonstrated combat prowess in slaying a Golden Core cultivator; otherwise, he wouldn't have acted this way, which made Qiu Feng feel quite proud.

After the two groups entered the hall, Xing Huiguang, the sect leader of the Longevity Sect, and Guan Chao, another Golden Core Great Cultivator in charge of matters, also appeared.

Finally Xing Huiguang and Qiu Feng discussed the matter in the main hall.

Chen Dengming then followed Guan Chao to the side hall to select his Duty Assignment.

"Nephew Disciple Chen, as you know, you are now on the Kill List of the Devil Cultivator."

However, the sect cannot give you special treatment in Duty Assignment; you still have to carry them out."

As soon Guan Chao sat down, his expression became amiable, and he Open Door.

Chen Dengming bowed modestly, "This disciple naturally understands. This disciple has never dared to be so arrogant as to only enjoy the benefits of the sect and to seek special privileges for myself. In fact, this disciple doesn't have such privileges."

Guan Chao nodded with satisfaction and smiled, "Everyone says you are sensible, know when to advance and retreat, and are humble. It seems that's true. I have high hopes for you becoming the next Longevity Seed."

"Ouch."

Chen Dengming was flattered and quickly bowed, saying politely, "Thank you for your high regard, Martial Uncle Guan. I dare not accept such praise."

He had heard similar things many times during his occasional visits to True Man Yu Ding and Gongsun Zai over the past two years.

Now, it's almost a conditioned reflex for me to immediately say I don't deserve it.

We absolutely must not become complacent or act as if we are the only ones who can do it.

Even if I can compete for it in the future, it's not a big deal.

On the surface, however, he didn't want to stand out too much, lest he be ostracized and disliked by his fellow fake Alchemist, causing a bunch of messy and troublesome things to happen.

In his current view, choosing Longevity Seed is not much different from choosing a leader in a Hong Kong movie in his previous life.

Let's be amicable. If you vote for me this year, I might vote for you next year.

There's no need to outwardly act like you're determined to bite me, and then secretly arrange to go fishing or play rock-throwing games; that would only damage the relationship.

The higher-ups of the Longevity Sect weren't fools either. In terms of strength, they were overwhelmingly superior. He had already experienced their intelligence and methods before, so it was better to be humble and pretend to be Xiao Chen.

Guan Chao made a few probing questions and was quite satisfied with Chen Dengming's persistent and tactful behavior.

That's what makes someone truly talented.

He clearly has great abilities, but he doesn't flaunt them.

Making a fortune quietly suited his taste perfectly.

He took out more than a dozen Jade Slip from his Storage Bag, casually placed them on the table, and said.

"Come on, choose one. If you really can't choose, just draw lots."

"Huh?" Chen Dengming was stunned, looking at the Jade Slip on the table. "These are all missions?"

"Good."

Guan Chao's expression turned serious. He said, "However, there are some things I can tell you privately. The sect originally intended to provide you with some protection within the rules and arrange some non-dangerous tasks for you to handle."

However, some people hold a different opinion, believing that there is no reason to guard against thieves for a thousand days and that the problem must be addressed proactively.

Therefore, these tasks actually fall into two different routes; the key is how you choose.

Guan Chao paused, then added, "You don't need to worry. Even if you choose the option of proactively resolving the problem, the sect won't let you bear the burden alone. You should understand now why Qiu Feng came here."

Chen Dengming was taken aback, but then he understood.

This may be a point of contention between the pro-war and conservative factions within the sect.

Guan Chao, on the other hand, was a neutral party.

But in either case, it wasn't about harming him, but rather about helping him solve his problems.

Now, we're giving him the choice.

But this

Could this be another case of choosing sides between two factions?

Is it okay to remain neutral?

Chen Dengming thought to himself, then glanced at Guan Chao a few more times.

They noticed that the old fox had already started drinking his tea with a serious expression, seemingly determined not to offer any further advice.

He immediately had no choice but to use his Divine Sense to browse the mission details, analyze the information, and make a choice.

This is troublesome, so troublesome.

In large sects, with more people, there are more disagreements, which leads to trouble.

This is still the relatively health-conscious and leisurely Longevity Sect. If it were the more competitive Tiandao Sect, there would probably be even more trouble.

After a cup of tea.

Chen Dengming frowned and took out a mission Jade Slip that looked relatively good, not too dangerous, but not too useless either, and handed it to Guan Chao.

"Martial Uncle Guan, I've chosen this mission. Could you give me your opinion? Or perhaps we could meet at my cave cave abode for tea and a chat? I still have a few jars of my treasured Misty Rain Pavilion Spirit Tea there."

"Misty Rain Pavilion Spirit Tea?"

Guan Chao's eyes lit up, then he snorted softly, took the Jade Slip, and shook his head with a smile, "You brat. I won't drink the spirit tea, but I can remind you..."

He blinked, secretly glanced at the main hall, and sent out his Divine Sense.

Chen Dengming's eyes brightened slightly, and a smile appeared on his face. He made up his mind that when Hei Zi returned, he would have Hei Zi deliver the spiritual tea to Martial Uncle Guan's cave abode without leaving a trace.