Two Hundred Years of Lifespan?

The handsome young man was the Martial Arts Hall's Second Senior Brother, Shao Jianbo.

He nodded and said, "No need for formalities. Eat and drink as you please—we're all family!"

Jiang Che first raised a toast to his master and Senior Brother Shao, then lowered his head and began eating in earnest.

What a joke. These dishes looked expensive at a glance. Considering he had spent a hundred taels of silver, he had to eat enough to get his money's worth.

Jiang Che first tried a shrimp dish. The shrimp meat was firm and springy; despite being simply blanched, it carried not the slightest fishy taste. It was wonderfully fresh and sweet, cooked to perfection—not tough, not dry. After eating it, he felt a faint warmth spreading through his stomach.

He then sampled a steamed fish of some unknown kind. Its head and tail had been removed, leaving only the middle section. It had been skinned and deboned; with a light push of his chopsticks, he picked up a piece and put it into his mouth. It was equally fresh, tender, and silky, and the warmth in his belly grew stronger.

Jiang Che was somewhat stunned.

These dishes replenished Qi-Blood even better than low-grade Exotic Beast Meat! Not only that, their flavor was beyond comparison with anything served in restaurants outside. Someone had clearly put great thought into them and spent a fortune.

He had heard that such fish and shrimp were called Treasure Fish and Treasure Shrimp, and were exceedingly rare.

Naturally, their prices were also exorbitant. He had not expected the Shao Estate to use them for a banquet!

"These dishes all replenish Qi-Blood. If Junior Brother Jiang likes them, I'll have the kitchen prepare some separately for you to take home."

Shao Jianbo was drinking with his master. Catching sight of Jiang Che's expression, he said it casually.

"Ah, how could I possibly accept that?" Jiang Che hurriedly refused.

The dishes truly were excellent, but eating his fill and then taking more away—his skin was not that thick.

"Why are you being so polite with your senior brother? Do you know how much food the kitchen has that we can't finish? We throw away quite a bit every day!

"If you feel embarrassed, I'll have someone deliver it directly to your home. Mm, it's settled, then! You are not allowed to disobey your senior brother's words!"

Shao Jianbo's words were three parts command and seven parts jest, leaving Jiang Che unsure how to refuse.

Jiang Che could not keep declining.

"Then thank you, Senior Brother!"

Luo Kun drank cup after cup, seemingly already drunk. His eyes half-lidded, he suddenly said to Jiang Che:

"Jiang Che, why don't you ever bring Linger to the Martial Arts Hall to play? Do you all dislike this old man?"

Jiang Che hurriedly set down a bird leg of some unknown species and said:

"Master, I forgot about it. My fault, my fault! I'll bring Linger to the Martial Arts Hall tomorrow!"

"Hmph, don't think you can fool me! I know it—you all think I'm old and dislike me!" Luo Kun complained, his face flushed red.

Jiang Che did not know how to respond. He had never seen his master like this.

No longer stern, no longer wearing a straight face, Luo Kun instead resembled an ordinary drunken old man, borrowing the strength of wine to ramble on.

For some reason, Jiang Che found his master more approachable like this.

Luo Kun began talking to himself.

"When my daughter was about Linger's age, she was so well-behaved. She clung to me every day, calling me Daddy, Daddy.

"Sometimes, when I was practicing and had no time to play with her, I'd buy her a candied hawthorn skewer."

As he spoke of his daughter, the smile on his face deepened.

"Ah... but time truly flies. In the blink of an eye, she got married. She used to come back often, but ever since my old wife passed away, she hasn't returned home for a long time."

His tone began to sink as well.

"And that husband of hers is no good either!

"Every time my daughter comes home, she only cries and asks me for money. She never says what happened... I can only worry myself sick."

The more he spoke, the angrier he became.

"Ah... I still have the Martial Arts Hall to rely on, and some property besides. I can give my daughter however much she wants. But when I'm gone one day, what will she do?"

As he spoke, tears actually welled up in his eyes.

Jiang Che had no idea how to handle this. He glanced at Shao Jianbo and saw that he moved as smoothly as water following its course: first patting his master's back, then swiftly producing a handkerchief from who knew where, and finally offering a cup of hot tea. Clearly, he was already exceedingly practiced at the procedure.

"Master, you are still vigorous in your old age. Why say such unlucky things? Besides, you still have us disciples! If you need anything, just say the word!"

Luo Kun suddenly grabbed Shao Jianbo's hand and said:

"Jianbo, do you know? Among my disciples, you are the one most likely to break through to the Force-Entering Realm. Your master has always hoped to send you to the Azure Cloud Sect, but why have you never wanted to go?"

"Master, you make it sound like I can break through whenever I want. What if I fail?

"Besides, I spend every day eating, drinking, playing, and living free and easy. I'm happy enough. What's wrong with a life like this? Why must I go to the Azure Cloud Sect? Don't you agree?"

Shao Jianbo said with a cheeky grin.

"You... you..." Luo Kun pointed at Shao Jianbo, furious that iron would not become steel.

"Ah! Do you know that the Azure Cloud Sect cultivates immortality? If you become a True Person, your lifespan can reach two hundred years!

"How many years can you spend eating, drinking, and playing? Countless people yearn to enter a sect yet cannot. You're muddleheaded!"

Hearing Luo Kun's words, Jiang Che was instantly shocked. A piece of meat even fell from his chopsticks onto the table, yet he failed to notice.

"Cultivating immortality?!"

Such a thing existed in this world?

If one became a True Person, one's lifespan could reach two hundred years?

Was that real?!

Seeing Jiang Che's reaction, Shao Jianbo hurriedly laughed. "Master is drunk and talking nonsense, haha."

"I'm not drunk!" Luo Kun snapped.

"As long as you can enter the Force-Entering Realm, I can recommend you there! It's only the Force-Entering Realm—what is there to fear?!

"We have Pulse-Protecting Pills. At worst, you can try again after failing once. With your talent, you'll succeed eventually!"

Shao Jianbo's expression turned serious. "Master, I know the Azure Cloud Sect is formidable, but I have my own difficulties. Please stop forcing me."

Luo Kun's eyes suddenly cleared, and he no longer looked drunk. He stared at Shao Jianbo for a long while, then let out a sigh.

"Forget it, forget it. Let it be."

Then he began drinking cup after cup of sullen wine again.

As he drank, he eventually slumped over the table and began snoring. This time, he truly seemed drunk.

"Haha, Master got drunk and said some nonsense. Junior Brother, don't take it to heart."

Shao Jianbo laughed.

"Yes. I never expected Master to make jokes too." Jiang Che smiled as well.

The two tacitly avoided mentioning what had just happened.

"Then I'll take Master to rest first. Junior Brother Jiang, eat slowly."

"Alright, Senior Brother Shao. Take care."

Shao Jianbo supported Luo Kun and left the hall.

After settling his master in a side room, Shao Jianbo quietly withdrew and closed the door.

He did not return to the hall, instead making his way to a tranquil lakeside.

It was a small artificial lake, with a pavilion built at its center.

A swan-shaped little boat was moored by the shore. His younger sister found it childish and never rode it, but Shao Jianbo liked it greatly. Whenever the pressure became so heavy that he had nowhere to release it, he would come here and sit in the little boat, letting it drift across the lake, pretending he was floating upon the sea with boundless freedom.

But at this moment, he merely sat blankly on the shore, staring at the lake's surface, lost in thought.

After a long while, he let out a deep sigh.

In outsiders' eyes, the Shao Estate enjoyed limitless splendor.

But he knew that undercurrents were surging through Abyss-Facing City.

Among those openly opposing the Shao Estate was the Zhao Family, likewise one of the Five Great Families.

Not to mention the factions secretly throwing stumbling blocks in the shadows.

The Shao Family's escort agency, medicine shops, rice stores, and other businesses

had all been covertly sabotaged by those people.

On top of that, the old gentleman in the capital was nearing the age of retirement.

When that time came, the Shao Family would become a slab of fat meat, ready to be swallowed whole at any moment!