Chapter 1440: The Sword Immortal Heads South

Perhaps it was on a whim, but Chen Changsheng very much wanted to meet this woman named Wu Yin. Yet on his way there, he ran into an old acquaintance.

Even Xuanji was surprised.

She didn't understand why Sister Nianyi was here in the Imperial Observatory.

Tong Nianyi served the two of them tea from the Imperial Observatory.

Xuanji asked, "Sister Nianyi, have you been here all these years?"

Tong Nianyi thought for a moment. "I had nowhere to go, so I simply stayed in this building for some peace and quiet."

"Please have some tea, Mister."

Chen Changsheng accepted the tea, then asked, "Have you never thought of taking a trip to the Cultivation World?"

"I went to take a look once, but it didn't feel as good as the Mortal World."

Tong Nianyi sat down, and the group chatted on.

Old friends naturally had much to say upon reuniting.

Xuanji was the most talkative. No one had played with her all these years, and she had been bored to death.

After chatting for a long while, Xuanji turned her gaze toward the rest of the Imperial Observatory. She was rather curious about the things inside.

Only then did Chen Changsheng ask his question.

"That woman named Wu Yin."

Tong Nianyi said, "It was just a coincidence. I merely gave her a little push."

"Is that so."

Chen Changsheng murmured, then asked, "You seem to think highly of her?"

Tong Nianyi nodded. "She has boldness and the means. She is an exceptionally suitable candidate."

Chen Changsheng said, "I recall you stopped concerning yourself with such matters later on."

"Actually..."

Tong Nianyi lowered her head. "I don't really understand my own thoughts, either. I suppose there were just some things in my heart I couldn't let go of. It wasn't really for my own sake."

Chen Changsheng nodded. "It is good to do as you wish."

Tong Nianyi said, "Wu Yin might have turned her back on worldly conventions, but she will definitely be a suitable ruler. Do not worry, Mister. I won't act recklessly."

Chen Changsheng shook his head. "This Chen does not care about such things. The Mortal World will be what it will be. This Chen is merely an onlooker."

That night, Chen Changsheng saw the Empress Dowager, Wu Yin, from across the terrace.

Her physiognomy showed signs of great prosperity, but perhaps due to Tong Nianyi's intervention, half her destiny had become blurred and unclear.

Chen Changsheng didn't pay it much mind. He was just curious, which was why he had wanted to take a look.

After all, the surname Wu was truly quite a coincidence.

Tong Nianyi asked, "Mister, it seems you haven't visited the Mortal World in many years."

Chen Changsheng replied, "I've been busy with other matters."

Tong Nianyi said, "Father and Mother both miss you a bit, Mister."

"Also..."

Tong Nianyi's tone shifted, and Chen Changsheng turned to look at her.

"My father, he..."

Tong Nianyi did not continue.

But upon hearing this, Chen Changsheng sensed something wrong.

Looking back over the years, it was as if he only just realized how much time had passed.

Tong Zhihuan had entered the Dao too late...

Even though his cultivation of the medical Dao made up for many shortcomings, the gap in his Post-Heaven foundation was obvious.

His Lifespan, in the end, was not as long as that of other cultivators.

Chen Changsheng fell into a brief daze.

His state of mind, peaceful for so long, trembled once more.

"Where is he?"

"Father and Mother returned to Qiuyue Fang."

"They should be in the temple."

Chen Changsheng nodded, then left without looking back.

Tong Nianyi looked up and let out a long sigh in her heart.

When Xuanji came looking, she found no sign of her granduncle and asked, "Where is Granduncle?"

Tong Nianyi said, "Mister headed south."

...

That night, a beam of sword light streaked across the sky.

The cultivators of the Three Teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism all sensed it and looked up.

"Who is that?"

"Could it be the Sword Immortal Yan Bei'an?"

"It doesn't quite look like him."

Such a streak of sword light drew the attention of many.

A single glance was enough to tell that it was extraordinary.

In their memories, probably only the Sword Immortal Yan Bei'an possessed such skill.

But since it wasn't him, who could it be?

This streak of sword light shot straight south, making for the border Market Town.

At this moment in Liuyun Temple, dead wood met spring. Saplings sprouted from the trunk of the peach tree that had withered years ago, and flowers bloomed upon its branches.

It was as if time had instantly reversed to those bygone years.

Moonlight spilled into the temple.

Tao'er held the white-haired Tong Zhihuan in her arms, gently patting his back as she spoke of the past.

It seemed she had already come to terms with it.

This was destined; all men must eventually die.

The same was true for a demon.

Tao'er called out softly. "Do you think I'll be able to meet you again in your next life?"

Tong Zhihuan said, "You will."

His voice was feeble; he was already frail with age.

Perhaps in those earlier years, he would have stubbornly pursued immortality, but after truly stepping onto this path, he realized the root of humanity. Eternal life was merely an illusion, and life and death were but a single thought.

Both he and Tao'er wanted to be the one who left later, because that way, the other wouldn't have to suffer the torment of grief.

"Cough, cough..."

Tong Zhihuan let out a cough. "I thought that with my years of cultivation, I'd be able to leave after you."

"What silly things are you saying?"

"Sigh..."

Tong Zhihuan sighed. "After I am gone, what will you do?"

Tao'er patted his back lightly, as if coaxing a child. "We still have Nianyi."

Tong Zhihuan remained silent. He knew these were merely words of comfort.

He had no obsession with eternal life; he was only worried that Tao'er would be heartbroken.

"Do you still remember when we first met?" Tao'er asked.

Tong Zhihuan looked up at the peach tree above them. "I remember..."

"Back then, I was sitting under this tree reading medical books. When we first met, I was entirely at a loss, and you kept calling me a blockhead."

Tao'er said, "You really were quite silly back then."

"I didn't say I wasn't."

Tong Zhihuan replied with a smile.

Tao'er gently stroked his back. "Back then, we were both so naive, but I was a bit bolder than you."

Tong Zhihuan held her hand. "You and I were always meant to share this fate in this life."

"Yes..."

Silence fell between the two of them.

Tao'er looked up at the bright moon hanging high in the sky.

"Blockhead."

"Hmm?"

"Tonight is the fifteenth. The moon is quite full."

"Yeah..."

Tong Zhihuan seemed to sense something. He said, "Tao'er, I won't make it to the full moon on the sixteenth. It's my fault."

Tao'er froze, and tears spilled uncontrollably from her eyes.

Unable to hide it any longer, her tears fell.

Tong Zhihuan reached out to wipe away her tears.

"Don't cry."

Tong Zhihuan said, "There is still the next life, after all."

Saying this, he took a Peace Token from his robes.

"Do you still remember this?"

"You must keep it safe. If I don't recognize you, just show it to me. I will remember this Peace Token. It was the one you gave to me back then."