Eternal Life by Daily Divination

On Changqing Mountain.

Li Chang’an’s eyes were deep as he gazed down from the summit.

He had already seen the old man and the youth, and he had heard their conversation.

’It really is an old friend.’

Except, this old friend was much older than he remembered.

So much older that he almost didn’t recognize him.

Li Chang’an took a single step and, in the next instant, arrived at the foot of the mountain.

His sudden appearance startled the old man and the youth.

When the old man came to his senses and saw Li Chang’an’s youthful face, he was completely stunned. He seemed to be in a daze for a moment before subconsciously calling out.

“B-Big Brother?”

“It’s me.”

Li Chang’an smiled and gave a casual wave of his hand.

The next instant,

the three of them were on the mountain’s peak.

“Please, have a seat.”

Li Chang’an took out a pot of Spirit Tea.

His aura was peaceful, but he was a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator, after all.

Suddenly finding themselves in a Foundation Establishment Dojo, the old man and the youth were both visibly uncomfortable and couldn’t sit still.

“Big Brother, you… after all these years, you haven’t changed a bit.”

The old man’s voice was frail, and his careworn face held a trace of nervousness.

Li Chang’an smiled gently.

“You, on the other hand, have changed a great deal.”

The old man’s name was Xu Yang.

He had once been a martial arts master in a Mortal City. After being oppressed by the Prefect’s son, he had cut down the Young Master in a fit of rage and fled the city, becoming a fugitive.

Later, he met Li Chang’an and followed him on the path to seek immortality.

Due to his frank and righteous personality, many in their group of aspiring cultivators called him Second Brother.

At the gates of the Immortal Sect,

Xu Yang was also found to possess a Low Grade Spirit Root.

He was older than Li Chang’an, so there was no way he could enter an Immortal Sect.

However, he was unwilling to resign himself to being a bottom-tier Loose Cultivator in the Marketplace, so he bid farewell to Li Chang’an and the others.

As they parted,

he had boldly declared that he would one day reach Foundation Establishment and make the Elders of the Cyan Cloud Sect regret their decision!

But now, decades later,

Xu Yang’s Cultivation was still stuck at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer. His body was riddled with countless internal injuries, his vital essence and blood were failing, and Foundation Establishment was now an impossible dream.

With a casual point of his finger, Li Chang’an sent a stream of Evergreen Magical Power into Xu Yang.

The Magical Power coursed through Xu Yang’s body, healing his internal injuries one by one.

WHOOSH…

A gust of wind blew past, scattering the black mist that seeped from Xu Yang’s body.

This black mist was the accumulated toxins from his old injuries.

After just a few breaths,

Xu Yang seemed much more energetic, even looking a dozen years younger.

Sensing the change in his condition, he was overjoyed and relaxed considerably, no longer as nervous as before.

“Big Brother, thank you.”

“We’re friends. There’s no need for thanks. Tell me what you’ve been up to.”

Li Chang’an took a sip of his tea, unconcerned.

Xu Yang nodded and began to recount his experiences over the years.

Back then, after leaving the Immortal Sect, he had tried to join two other Major Sects but was turned away each time.

In the end,

he had no choice but to become a low-level Loose Cultivator. A few years later, he became Daoist partners with a woman who had an Inferior Spirit Root and started his own family.

For the next several decades, he worked tirelessly, toiling to raise his descendants and provide for his family.

“Big Brother, I actually knew you reached Foundation Establishment a long time ago. But whenever I remembered what I said when we parted, I was too ashamed to come see you.”

Xu Yang sighed deeply.

Li Chang’an, Xu Fugui, Chu Daniu, and the others had all reached Foundation Establishment.

Yet he was still just at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, weak and of lowly status. He truly didn’t want to face his old friends.

That was until a short while ago.

His family had run into trouble that he couldn’t resolve on his own, forcing him to seek outside help.

Originally, he had planned to ask another cultivator, a Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator known as Daoist Fire Cloud, for help, as the entire Xu Family depended on him for protection.

But…

A few days ago,

an old friend of his, the Sect Leader of the Red Refining Sect, suddenly sought him out and asked if his “Big Brother” was, in fact, the Changqing Mountain Lord.

’So you know the Sect Leader of the Red Refining Sect.’

Li Chang’an understood now.

No wonder the Red Refining Sect’s Sect Leader had looked so hesitant, as if he wanted to say something, on the day he was slaying that Demon.

“So, tell me. What kind of trouble are you in?”

’If it’s a minor issue, I don’t mind dealing with it for him.’

’But if the trouble is too great…’

’…I won’t let our old friendship sway me. I’ll just throw this old man and his companion off Changqing Mountain.’

Xu Yang hesitated, seeming to choose his words carefully.

“Big Brother, one of my family members offended a disciple of the Blood Shadow Monster. The man has issued an ultimatum: I must compensate him with all the Treasures of the Xu Family, or he will slaughter every last one of us.”

“The Blood Shadow Monster?”

Li Chang’an smiled.

“So it’s that old fellow.”

“Big Brother, you know the Blood Shadow Monster?”

“I’ve heard of him.”

’In his identity as Li Chang’an, of course, he didn’t know him.’

’But in his identity as Li Fan, he knew quite a few Foundation Establishment Tribulation Cultivators.’

’The Blood Shadow Monster was one of them.’

’The old monster has an Early Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation. His prowess in Magical Combat isn’t that strong, but his Escape Technique is brilliant. The Blood Shadow Escape Technique he cultivates is close to Earth Grade in Tier.’

’Relying on this Escape Technique, he even dares to clash with Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators.’

’I’ve heard a lot about this Blood Shadow Escape Technique. This would be a good opportunity to witness it for myself,’ Li Chang’an mused.

’With my current strength, I have no need to fear the Blood Shadow Monster.’

But when Xu Yang saw him remain silent, he assumed Li Chang’an was hesitating.

“Big Brother, I won’t ask you to help for nothing. I have a Treasure for you.”

“What kind of Treasure?”

Li Chang’an wasn’t particularly interested and asked casually.

’A mere Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivator couldn’t possibly have any truly great Treasures.’

However,

as Xu Yang took the Treasure from his Storage Pouch,

Li Chang’an suddenly detected a familiar aura.

’Huh? The Small Yi Mu Sword Array? No… that’s not right…’

His gaze sharpened as he focused on the Treasure in Xu Yang’s hand.

The Treasure was a wooden carving, depicting countless longswords forming a Sword Array, and it faintly emanated a sharp Sword Qi.

Xu Yang placed the wooden carving on the Jade Table and began to explain.