Attaining the Fortune of Longevity

By all reason and logic, given the terrifying might displayed by the verdant fragment in the vision, the senile, decrepit Mound-Guarding Lord should never have been able to approach it. Indeed, whether the Mound-Guarding Lord of that era could have survived within the Sea of Infinity at all was a massive question mark. Yet perhaps it was the green fragment's own choosing—a destined encounter ordained by the unseen. In the end, the Mound-Guarding Lord arrived beside the fragment completely safe and sound. Deep beneath the Sea of Infinity, the fragment blazed with dazzling radiance, instantly freezing the surrounding, violent vortex in its tracks. Thus, the Mound-Guarding Lord was able to traverse layer upon layer of obstacles and touch the verdant fragment. After that, though the vortex shifted from stillness back to movement, roaring with even greater fury, it could no longer harm the Mound-Guarding Lord, who was now enveloped in vital essence. No matter how time flowed or how the great Daos of the world rose and fell, nothing could affect the Mound-Guarding Lord, who held "Longevity" in hand, in the slightest. This was true, genuine Longevity! Attaining this single Dao was enough to traverse the Mountains and Seas, free from worry through eternal kalpas. His grizzled hair and beard turned black once more, and all the decay and senility upon his body vanished entirely. Restored to his youth, the Mound-Guarding Lord stepped forward slowly, strolling out from the depths of the Sea of Infinity without the slightest strain. Wherever he passed, the verdant light solidified into a road that spanned across the Mountains and Seas. Even as mountains crumbled and seas surged, amid howling winds and terrifying waves, this Road of Longevity treated it all as nothing. When the Mound-Guarding Lord returned from the Sea of Infinity, the endless green light along the Road of Longevity crumbled as well, scattering across the heavens. Much of it was swallowed by the churning waves, entering into the infinite possibilities nurtured within the Sea of Infinity. Yet the Mound-Guarding Lord did not care in the slightest. Returning to the edge of the Mountains and Seas, the familiar place where he had stood guard for almost the entirety of his life, the Mound-Guarding Lord sat cross-legged as usual, guarding the mound and gazing out at the sea. Just as he had always done. ... While Li Fan was immersed in the visions of the past, Chengdao's gentle voice drifted into his ears. "Master is the true owner of Longevity. However, he had no intention of keeping it exclusively to himself and was willing to share it with me—all because of Longevity's infinite nature. "Just like the infinity of the Mountains and Seas, whoever attains Longevity obtains limitless, inexhaustible lifespan. Even if it were divided equally among all living beings under heaven, what each individual received would still be infinite. "The method of immortal ascension connects to the Mountains and Seas, whereas this marvelous art of Longevity connects to Longevity itself! "It says: The Mountains and Seas sustain all things; a solitary star brings forth life. Heaven and earth endow the beginning; Longevity brings universal fruition. The myriad realms lie like chess pieces; all spirits enlighten the soul. Once synesthesia connects, the quest for the Dao reaches the pinnacle. Whatever is imagined must be answered; whatever is contemplated shall be fulfilled..." Li Fan held his breath and focused with unprecedented concentration, engraving every word Chengdao recited into his heart and constantly savoring and turning it over in his mind. On the surface, this did not appear to be a mere description of a divine art or magic. Instead, it was like a hymn—a song composed and chanted by the Mound-Guarding Lord as he watched over the mound by the Mountains and Seas. The ancient, weathered voice crossed the Mountains and Seas and pierced through time, falling into Li Fan's ears in this very moment. Through the eyes of the Mound-Guarding Lord, Li Fan seemed to witness the shifts of eras across the boundless Mountains and Seas. The flow of years within the phantom vision felt completely real; Li Fan could faintly sense its erosion gnawing at him. Yet the Mound-Guarding Hymn of Longevity firmly shielded him, sparing Li Fan the torment of time's passing. Movement and stillness, destruction and creation, annihilation and eternity... The manifold contrasts among them allowed Li Fan to faintly grasp what Longevity truly meant. "The infinity of the Sea. The force and momentum of the Mountains. "And then Revert to the True, and Longevity. "It seems every one of these creations on the scale of the Mountains and Seas represents a supreme authority unique to itself. Mount Shangfang can forge True Immortals in the mortal world, while the Sea of Infinity can grant True Immortals a leap in strength and bestow the attribute of infinity. "And my Revert to the True... "In an instant, it can upend the Mountains and Seas and return to the past. When true becomes false, the false is also true; all things can either turn to illusory bubbles or be made real with a single thought." Li Fan could not help but recall every instance in which he had used Revert to the True. Each comprehension of the transformation of true and false felt just like when the two sages, Lianshan and Guihai, carved the mountains and opened the seas to forge the Immortal Realm in the distant past. "In truth, the underlying principle is the same. All of them forge a path from nothingness. It is just that the final destinations reached by these three thoroughfares—cultivating immortality, Longevity, and Revert to the True—are different." Synthesizing his own experiences, Li Fan pondered the hymn of Longevity left behind by the Mound-Guarding Lord. To his pleasant surprise, he found that reality was likely just as he had guessed. The principles connecting the three shared many commonalities. Having already traveled a considerable distance along two of the paths, Li Fan now stepped onto this third grand Dao; with only a slight bit of contemplation, he found the way familiar. Thus, before Chengdao's utterly shocked gaze, a pillar of green light suddenly erupted from Li Fan, soaring straight into the heavens. The vigorous vital essence bursting from it was billions of times greater than all the accumulation over the past century within the Great Wall. In merely a few breaths, it reversed life and death. The Pitch-Black Star Sea, which had previously been dead and silent with life only covering the Xuanhuang Realm and the Primordial Immortal Realm, was no longer murky, but illuminated with brilliant radiance. Any living being that caught a glimpse of this green light had their lifespan surge tenfold at the very least. And those fortunate souls who managed to absorb the rare few fragments that scattered as the green pillar disintegrated were transformed into what the mortal world called longevity species—sharing lifespan with heaven and earth, imperishable through ten thousand kalpas. As for Li Fan... Though he appeared calm on the surface, a monstrous wave had quietly risen in his heart as he stared at the Revert to the True interface. The age counter, which had previously resembled a doomsday countdown, had vanished. In its place was a bizarre green symbol. It looked strikingly like the broken corner of some object, yet possessed its own complete nature. Though the symbol appeared to consist of only a few strokes, Li Fan could not see it in its entirety. The moment the thought of trying to see it clearly arose in his mind, a wave of dizziness washed over him, as though he had been drinking nonstop for three days and nights; his stomach and divine soul churned in utter turmoil. Li Fan was forced to suppress the desire to investigate further. Yet this discomfort was not what astonished him most. What truly sent myriad thoughts racing through his mind was the symbol's unstable, constantly shifting state. Indeed, this green Longevity symbol was not permanently fixed on the Revert to the True interface. It merely alternated with his original age counter. Both were real. Yet neither was real. *Could it be that the true owner of Longevity is not me, but the Mound-Guarding Lord? I merely used the path left behind after his footsteps to touch the threshold of Longevity. Once the Mound-Guarding Lord chooses to close this pathway, I will lose the power of Longevity.* *Just like how the Primordial Bone once stowed away with me to return to an anchored point. Although it also experienced the transformation of true and false, it was built upon the foundation of my control over everything. In the next life, the Primordial Bone was refined into a Heavenly Pillar, never truly attaining the mighty power of Revert to the True...* *The Mound-Guarding Lord can share Longevity with others at will, yet I cannot impart the divine ability of true becoming false to anyone. This seems to indicate that he has achieved complete mastery over the Grand Dao of Longevity, whereas I have not truly mastered Revert to the True.* ... In an instant, thousands of thoughts surged through Li Fan's mind, completely occupying his consciousness. So much so that he had not even had the chance to properly savor the true taste of Longevity. Immediately after, an unprovoked sense of crisis welled up in Li Fan's heart. The sensation of being watched that he had felt when Great Sage Jingfen peered at him surfaced once again. This time, although the feeling was somewhat fainter, the instinctual sense of crisis rising within him was even more intense. Li Fan understood in his heart that once he genuinely contacted the Grand Dao of Longevity through the wonderful art left by the Mound-Guarding Lord, even the protection of illusion becoming true could not block the perception of the Grand Dao's owner. Yet perhaps because the Mound-Guarding Lord was not presently within the mortal world of the Mountains and Seas, although he sensed Li Fan as a sudden intruder, he did not descend immediately. Still, Li Fan had a premonition: once the Mound-Guarding Lord returned to the Mountains and Seas, the first thing he would likely do would be to appear before Li Fan to examine the background of this person who had suddenly attained Longevity. *It seems I cannot remain in this life for long,* Li Fan sighed inwardly. From the moment he began cultivating and comprehending this hymn of Longevity, Li Fan had already foreseen that his actions would inevitably alert the Mound-Guarding Lord. Yet he had still chosen to do it. After all, the Grand Dao of Longevity lay within arm's reach; how many could resist such temptation? Furthermore, Li Fan had Revert to the True as his safety net, giving him the confidence to experience it once and then slip away immediately. The Mound-Guarding Lord could return and descend at any moment, leaving Li Fan sitting on pins and needles. Yet he did not choose to depart right away. Instead, he seized these final moments to carefully continue savoring the Grand Dao of Longevity within him. *In truth, when I think carefully about it, there is nothing so elaborate about it.* *It boils down to nothing more than the word 'Longevity.' Yet because it is supremely simple, it is supremely sacred. Just like Revert to the True, where through the shifting of true and false, one can disregard everything in the mortal world; this simple concept of Longevity can likewise disregard all calamities under heaven.* *Though I do not possess the complete attainment of Longevity, I still have the confidence to drift through the Dao Annihilation Tribulation without perishing. How much more so for the master of Longevity, the Mound-Guarding Lord?* In a certain sense, having obtained the fortune of Longevity, Li Fan already met the conditions to become a transcendent powerhouse. It was just that this stemmed from another's gift rather than his own cultivation. If the Mound-Guarding Lord retracted the fortune or closed the pathway to cease sharing it with others, Li Fan would instantly be knocked back to his original state. Even knowing that the fortune of Longevity in his grasp was temporary, Li Fan was unwilling to let go in the short term. Just as the older one grew, the more one feared death, only those who truly possessed something feared losing it even more. Holding a weight of ten thousand jin in his hands, he was reluctant to cast it aside. Like a starving man, Li Fan seized every last scrap of time to comprehend this Grand Dao of Longevity. He remained so composed, but Chengdao, who had taught him the art, was nowhere near as steady. Looking as though all his spirit and energy had been drained away, Chengdao stared blankly at Li Fan, who had suddenly attained the Dao, his mouth opening and closing repeatedly as if wanting to speak. He was utterly crestfallen. Even the nourishment of the Longevity fortune could not banish the senility welling up from deep within him. After a long time, Chengdao finally could not hold back and asked, "Junior Brother... have you attained enlightenment?" Li Fan nodded slightly. "I must thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother. I have indeed gained some comprehension." The last sliver of hope in Chengdao's heart was completely shattered. Given his mental fortitude, he could not help but fall into a daze, finding it difficult to understand as self-pity and self-reproach took hold: "I have walked along this path for I know not how many years, yet I have only caught a faint glimpse of true Longevity's shadow. "Seeing how unsettled your mind has been recently, likely because you saw no hope of transcendence and were trapped by worries over your lifespan, I took it upon myself to pass on the art on Master's behalf. "Yet who would have thought..." Chengdao gave three bitter laughs in a row. "You, who only just set foot on the path, not only overtook me in an instant, but are already standing at the finish line?" He looked toward the outer heavens in bewilderment. "Master, is this your favoritism, or is this disciple truly dull-witted?" Although the two of them were acting as real senior and fake junior martial brothers in this life, Chengdao's conduct on various matters had left a very good impression on Li Fan. Seeing his confusion now, Li Fan took a moment while comprehending the Grand Dao of Longevity to offer words of comfort. "Senior Brother, there is no need to be disheartened. In my view, walking this path too quickly is not necessarily a good thing. "For some reason, my compatibility with this path happens to be extraordinary. I did not walk it step-by-step; rather, it was a direct leap from the starting line to the finish line. Fast though it was, I left no imprint of my own along the way. If one day Master severs the path, I will plummet from the apex in an instant. I fear not even a speck of this Longevity fortune will remain. "You, however, are different. "First, what you cultivate is the method of 'Chengdao'—Bearing the Dao. Walking in his footsteps and emulating him step-by-step aligns perfectly with your Dao path. Second, this path is one you have personally walked at a measured pace across countless ages; it is covered in your footprints. Even if Master truly cuts off the road one day, relying on the footprints you left behind, you will still be able to preserve a measure of the Longevity fortune's power. While it might not allow you to endure alongside the Mountains and Seas, rivaling transcendence would not be difficult." ... Li Fan gently offered his counsel. In this moment, their identities seemed to reverse: Li Fan appeared to be the senior brother who had long attained the Dao, while Chengdao was the junior brother who had only just stepped onto the cultivation path. After pondering for a long time, Chengdao realized that Li Fan's words were true. He instantly felt much better. Yet the gloom in his heart was not something that could be dispelled in a short time. He could not resist mocking himself: "From where I stand, you are the true disciple of the Mound-Guarding Lord, Junior Brother. As for me, I am merely a lucky stone by the Mountains and Seas." Li Fan gave a bitter smile and did not reply. Envy aside, no jealousy sprouted in Chengdao's heart. After a few days, once his mindset had adjusted, the atmosphere between the two returned to what it had been before. Only now, the one frequently offering guidance had become Li Fan. And the one listening had become Chengdao. Chengdao felt no shame or displeasure because of this. With Li Fan—a forerunner who had already reached the destination—personally coaching him, his comprehension of the Longevity fortune also advanced by leaps and bounds. Moreover, the depth of his foundation was far beyond anything Li Fan could match. Li Fan was not blinded by his dazzling feat of attaining the Dao in a single bound. He knew in his heart that the fact his comprehension had gone so smoothly was inextricably linked to Revert to the True. *Either it gave face to Revert to the True...* *Or it sensed the anomaly of my status as the master of Revert to the True and deliberately let me through to leave a mark.* *Whichever the reason, my current situation is perilous indeed.* Li Fan also looked up slightly, gazing toward the outer heavens.