A Word of Farewell

"Stop the sedan chair."

Meng Jiuchuan raised his hand.

Upon hearing this, the servants carrying the sedan chair immediately stopped and, at Meng Jiuchuan's signal, lowered the sedan chair.

"Alright, you may all return to the palace now."

After dismissing everyone around him, Meng Jiuchuan finally smiled.

"You little rascal, I thought I'd never see you again before I die of old age."

As he spoke, Meng Jiuchuan stepped forward and looked Fang Zelin up and down.

Upon seeing the other person, he still looked handsome, just as he had before, and still appeared young.

Upon seeing this, Meng Jiuchuan's face showed a complex expression.

Judging from Fang Zelin's appearance, he will live much longer than him.

In his youth, he coveted the power he held; now that he is old, he wishes he could live a long life.

Unfortunately, he no longer had that opportunity to choose.

"I only spent a little time cultivating in the mountains, and I never imagined that thirty years would have passed."

Fang Zelin couldn't help but feel a little sentimental upon hearing this, "I'm about to leave on a long journey, and I'm afraid I won't see you again. I came here today to see you one last time."

"A long journey?"

Meng Jiuchuan was taken aback upon hearing this, not expecting that Fang Zelin had come to say goodbye.

"Yes, something seems to have happened in Northern Liang. I need to go check it out, but it'll probably take quite a while."

If you calculate the time, Meng Jiuchuan is now over sixty years old, almost seventy.

"I see."

Upon hearing this, Meng Jiuchuan glanced at Zhenke standing to the side and asked, "Could this be your dao companion?"

Standing to the side Zhenke, dressed in a jade-green long robe, her long black hair piled up, her hands behind her back, her crystal-clear eyes looking like a fairy standing there.

It's the kind of thing that's hard to look away from at first glance.

Meng Jiuchuan was momentarily stunned by this sight.

I had never seen a woman cultivating immortality before, but seeing her today, she is indeed remarkable.

"Don't talk nonsense. She's a disciple of one of my fellow Daoists. Something happened in Northern Liang, and she came with me to investigate."

Upon hearing Meng Jiuchuan's words, Fang Zelin quickly offered an explanation.

Although they are cultivators, they cannot make jokes like this lightly.

"I see."

Upon hearing this, Meng Jiuchuan nodded in understanding.

They're not dao companion, that's a pity.

My friend is still no good; he doesn't even know to become dao companion with such a beautiful fairy.

"Judging from this, I'm afraid it will be difficult to see you again in the future. I wonder if I could ask you for a favor?"

"This Great Qian will surely fall one day. I wonder if my descendants will be able to find some protection then? I don't want them to be slaughtered."

I've learned this kind of history before, during the Blazing Summer months.

When a new emperor ascends the throne, in order to consolidate his power, he will slaughter all the princes of the previous dynasty to prevent them from threatening his own position.

Meng Jiuchuan is getting on in years now, and he can't help but worry about his descendants.

Looking at Meng Jiuchuan's temples, which were covered with gray hair, Fang Zelin couldn't help but sigh, and then nodded gently.

"As long as none of your offspring are utterly wicked, I will protect your bloodline to prevent it from ending."

It's normal for Meng Jiuchuan to have such concerns.

If a new emperor ascends the throne, such emperors are generally ruthless and cruel.

It's not impossible for them to carry out a massacre against the former imperial family.

Meng Jiuchuan was someone he had helped rise to power, so if the other party's bloodline were to end like this, it would be partly his fault.

However, given these premises, Fang Zelin still set a goal.

Meng Jiuchuan was taken aback at first upon hearing this, then smiled.

"Given our friendship, I trust you. If you feel it's beyond saving, then don't. If you think it's possible to save them, then step in."

Seeing Meng Jiuchuan's open-mindedness, Fang Zelin breathed a sigh of relief.

Some requests from longtime friends are not so easy to refuse.

"Are you in a hurry to leave? If not, I'll arrange for us to have a drink together."

Fang Zelin sighed and shook his head, thinking about the miserable state of the two fellow Daoists he had just witnessed.

We don't even know how our two fellow Daoists died, so it's rather inappropriate for them to be drinking here right now.

"The situation is urgent; I'm afraid there's no time."

Fang Zelin shook his head in refusal, but then pulled out a jar of "All Things in Spring" from his sleeve. "You should have finished the previous wine, so I'll give you another jar."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Meng Jiuchuan's eyes lit up. He quickly reached out and took the seal, then opened it. Immediately, a refreshing fragrance wafted out.

Looking down at the fine wine in the jar, a look of joy spread across his face. "Hey, to be able to drink such divine wine in this lifetime, it's truly a life well-lived."

In this lifetime, I've been an emperor, had many concubines, had a good friend like Fang Zelin, and even enjoyed a jar of fine wine.

For Meng Jiuchuan, this was enough.

Moreover, the current state of the Great Qian is being governed quite well.

If the Great Qian could last a little longer, he, as the founding emperor, would also be remembered for generations.

"Alright, since you have other urgent business, I won't keep you any longer. If you have time in the future, don't forget to pour me a few cups of this fine wine when you visit my grave."

As Meng Jiuchuan spoke, he shook the wine jar in his hand.

He shook the wine jar in his hand, making a clattering sound.

Upon hearing this, Fang Zelin couldn't help but chuckle, but after laughing, a touch of sadness welled up in his heart.

After more than forty years of spiritual practice, I realize that all my friends will eventually leave me.

Thinking about it this way, it's no wonder that those fellow cultivators are all quietly cultivating in the mountains.

If you make many ordinary friends, you should avoid sending them away one by one in the future.

It's not that cultivators look down on their mortal friends; it's just that they don't like the sadness of parting.

Looking at Meng Jiuchuan in front of him, Fang Zelin's lips moved, many words were on the tip of his tongue, but in the end he just sighed and said two words, "Take care."

"What's wrong? When did cultivators become so indecisive? Hurry up and go!"

Upon hearing this, Meng Jiuchuan waved his hand dismissively, appearing incredibly nonchalant.

Fang Zelin nodded slightly, and together with Zhenke, they flew away on their swords, leaving behind only two streaks of light that slowly dissipated.

Meng Jiuchuan, carrying a jar of fine wine, said, "Isn't one jar a bit too little? We should have ordered another one."

After saying that, he shook his head and walked towards the palace.

As I get older, I need to spend more time with my family.

As for Fang Zelin, this will probably be the last time he sees the other party.

With this thought in mind, Meng Jiuchuan picked up the wine jar, took a sip of the fine wine, and a strange look flashed in his eyes.

This wine is completely different from the previous Clear as Empty; its taste is quite different.

"Hey, good wine!"

Meng Jiuchuan exclaimed in admiration, having largely shaken off his earlier worries.