Immortality, Immortality

Chapter 11

For a moment, there was a stillness. Suddenly, the two retreated simultaneously, one slightly out of breath, the other's expression changing slightly. Both had used their ultimate moves. But now it seemed that if they persisted, the only result would be mutual destruction.

Li Huangyin looked at Ye Changsheng with interest and smiled: "As expected of Sect Master Ye, even now, killing you is not so easy."

Ye Changsheng said slowly, "You flatter me, Pavilion Master Li."

"Until we meet again." Li Huangyin took a few steps, flew outside, and disappeared without a trace.

The next morning, Little Pockmark was woken up by a knocking sound at the door. With his hair all messy, he opened the door and screamed. Brother Spoon's spoon followed immediately: "You black-haired brat who only eats and doesn't work, what time is it and you're still lying in bed? The Ye family didn't invite you here to be a young master. Hurry up and get to work."

Little Pockmarked Man nodded repeatedly and dashed out through the gap in the cabinet with the bushy beard. When he got to the kitchen, Old Song brought him a pot of soup: "This is for Miss Bai Qiuling. Take it to her quickly."

Chang Sheng was on the verge of tears. Why did he have to deliver food for two people? Before he could even complain, the bearded cook, carrying a spoon, stormed into the kitchen. With a tremor, he grabbed the pot and ran off.

Changsheng stood in front of the porch and knocked on the door. After a while, a woman's voice came from inside: "Come in."

Chang Sheng pushed open the door and entered the room. His brows furrowed involuntarily. There were actually three people inside. Bai Qiuling and Helan Huarong were sitting facing each other, and there were many acupuncture medicine bottles on the table. Ling Baiyu stood to the side, looking nervous and glancing at Bai Qiuling repeatedly.

She lowered her head and walked forward; she could even feel that all three of them were looking up at her.

Suddenly, he felt dizzy and his vision blurred. Changsheng blinked hard and placed a pot of soup in front of what appeared to be Bai Qiuling. He lost his balance and "bang!" the white clay pot fell to the ground.

Changsheng sighed inwardly, what a pity to waste such a pot of white fungus and lotus seed soup.

Ling Baiyu hurriedly asked Bai Qiuling if she was burned, then turned around and glared at Ye Changsheng with red eyes: "You ungrateful servant, can't you even carry a pot of soup?"

Bai Qiuling grabbed him, and he gestured that he was fine, but he wouldn't let it go. He raised his hand, ready to slap her.

Helan Ronghua took Changsheng's hand and gently pulled her behind her, saying softly, "Baiyu, you've lost your composure."

Leading Changsheng calmly towards the door, Ling Baiyu seemed to realize that he was a little excited, but when he turned around and saw Bai Qiuling's face, he didn't care about anything else.

Bai Qiuling stared blankly at the pot of soup on the ground, watching their departing figures, lost in thought for a moment.

Fanshengyuan

Helan picked up the ointment and gently rubbed it on Changsheng's slightly reddened hand. The ointment was black and felt cool and comfortable when applied, instantly relieving the burning sensation from before.

Neither of them spoke. Changsheng turned her head to look at the silver-edged spider plant by the window, where Helan Ronghua was applying medicine to her again and again.

Finally, Changsheng looked at his hand, which was wrapped in thick gauze, and murmured, "It's too thick. I still have to work."

Helan lowered her eyes and said calmly, "I don't know why you came back, but your health... you know, you don't have to stay there..."

Changsheng smiled gently: "Thank you for your concern, Master, but my time is running out, and there are some things I still need to do."

Helan's heart tightened, and he could only watch her leave.

Changsheng swept the floor meticulously, not even missing the gaps between the millstone and the wooden stake. If the bearded man saw this, he might not only refrain from hitting himself on the head, but would also offer some praise.

Sure enough, speak of the devil and he appears. The bearded cook walked over with a beaming smile and patted Ye Changsheng's frail shoulder with infinite kindness: "Little pockmarked boy, you don't have to work in the kitchen anymore. Young Master Helan said you're very clever and wants you to go to Fansheng Garden. This is a blessing you've accumulated over several lifetimes... You, look at your expression. You're not happy? I really can't see what's so clever about you. If you don't go today, you can forget about staying in this kitchen. Our little temple can't accommodate a Buddha like you."

Changsheng smiled apologetically, saying that he was really willing, and that he had been stunned by the great news. He would pack his bags and go happily in a little while.

White lotuses sway in the breeze, their reflections shimmering like snow on the clear water.

Changsheng carried a small blue coarse cloth bundle and walked slowly away, thus becoming the first servant of Fansheng Garden in eight years.

Time flies so fast, and youth cannot be retrieved.

Mu Rong Hall is the main hall and guest hall of the Ye family mansion. It has a simple structure but is decorated with grand carvings, giving people a solemn and dignified feeling.

Ye Junshan stood in the hall, exuding an awe-inspiring presence, like a king looking down upon the land and its people. Before him stood the eight major sects and ten major gangs of the martial world, as well as various martial arts families and wandering knights from mountain villas.

He raised his cup and solemnly declared, "Eight years ago, in the battle of Luoyang Tower, countless heroes perished, and I too lost my beloved son. Recently, this evil cult has risen again, stirring up trouble and wreaking havoc on the martial world. Who dares to join me in destroying it!"

Before the words were even finished, a roar shook the heavens and the earth, and everyone below raised their arms and shouted, "We swear to destroy them together with our leader!"

Jia Ling deliberately chose a conspicuous seat, hoping that Ye Changsheng would spot her at a glance. They descended the mountain together amidst Huang Ting and Madam Huang's incessant chatter. Before leaving, Old Master Huang rubbed his hand, glancing at Ye Changsheng beside him with a kind smile, saying, "I'm leaving everything to you."

Naturally, Huang Qiuyi came along as well. The two had broken up not long ago, and they arrived in Jiangling a little late.

At this moment, Huang Qiuyi stared wide-eyed at the man in the blue robe in the hall, his eyes filled with unwavering admiration.

Jia Ling shook her head, looked around, and spotted quite a few familiar faces. The third person seated in the opposite row was the tall man who had broken through the wall of the Spring Breeze Full Moon Pavilion that day. Behind him were two men, one in black and one in white. The most eye-catching was the beautiful woman in brown, though she wondered where her meteor hammer had gone.

She seemed to remember that there were four of them at the inn that day. Jia Ling swayed her head and peered back. A gloomy face flashed before her eyes. Jia Ling was somewhat surprised. This was clearly Zhu Luan, the second young master of the Zhu family. Would the only son of the imperial merchant also come to participate in the grand gathering of the martial arts world? Suddenly, she remembered that Zhu Luan seemed to have stayed in Changmen of Yinshan for quite some time.

According to Huang Qiuyi, the front row seats belonged to the seven great martial arts families who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Ye family: the Bai family of Kuizhou, the Zhao family of Xiangyang, the Ling family of Yingchang, the Han family of Mingzhou, the Gongsun family of Ezhou, and the Zhang family of Qizhou. These seven families were mostly on good terms, their influence intertwined, and their ties deeply entrenched. Thus, when Ye Sheng founded the Yinshan Changmen sect, Bai Qiuling of the Bai family, Ling Baiyu of the Ling family, Han Dang and Gongsun Xi of the Han and Gongsun families, among others, swore to follow him to the death.

With a few loud bangs, Jia Ling was startled and looked up at the main hall, where everyone was drinking their wine and smashing their cups to swear an oath.

After the meeting ended and everyone dispersed, Jia Ling led Huang Qiuyi around. As they turned a corner, they saw Gongsun Xi and his group in the corridor ahead. Just as Jia Ling was about to go up and greet them, Zhong Qiniang suddenly appeared, blocking his way. She clenched her fists and looked at the woman in front of her with disdain: "Bai Qiuling, you actually dare to come to the Ye family!"

The woman named Bai Qiuling remained silent, turning her face away with her lips slightly parted but no sound was uttered.

A handsome man beside her glanced at her anxiously, then turned to Zhong Qiniang and whispered, "It's been so many years since I last saw you, Qiniang, why are you doing this to yourself..."

Zhong Qiniang laughed loudly, looking into the eyes of the man opposite her and saying word by word, "Ling Baiyu, look at yourself. When the sect leader was alive, she, Bai Qiuling, never even glanced at you. Now that the sect leader died because of her, she has chosen to settle for you, hasn't she?"

“You…” Ling Baiyu’s brows furrowed, and he gripped the sword at his waist.

Zhong Qiniang's eyes widened in anger, and the two were about to fight, swords drawn.

Gongsun Xi subtly blocked their view, looked at Bai Qiuling, and said calmly, "It's good to get out for a walk." He then glanced at Ling Baiyu, "You two should leave first."

Jia Ling tapped her folding fan absentmindedly, and it was clear that among the group, apart from the one named Ling Baiyu who was not very friendly to the girl, the other person also seemed to find the name Bai Qiuling very familiar.

Huang Qiuyi, who was standing to the side, had already gone up to greet Han Dang, who was a big guy, with a big smile: "Brother Han, it's great to see you again, Brother Han."

Han Dang was slightly taken aback, but then smiled and said loudly, "So it's Qiu Yi. It's been a long time. I didn't expect to see you at the Ye residence. Has Master Huang come?"

Huang Qiuyi shook his head: "Dad is recuperating at home, so he sent me."

Jia Ling covered her face and chuckled. How could Old Man Huang, who was so energetic, be bedridden? These old hags of the martial arts world were all formidable.

Leaving Huang Qiuyi, who was having a heated conversation with Han Dang, Jia Ling slipped away alone, thinking it would be more reassuring to find Ye Changsheng as soon as possible.

Wandering aimlessly through several courtyards, I found every pavilion, tower, covered bridge, waterside terrace, and flying eaves painted in vibrant colors, all exquisitely beautiful. I marveled at how truly deserving of the title of the foremost martial arts family. But in such a vast place, where could I find Ye Changsheng? I wondered what identity she used. Earlier, I had asked a water-carrying maid if any new itinerant doctors or similar practitioners had joined the household. The maid looked puzzled and said that Young Master Helan was the best doctor in Jiangling.

Could it be that Ye Changsheng has been discovered? Jia Ling's heart skipped a beat. Before coming here, she only said that she was looking for something. Could it be that she really stole someone's things and was arrested?

As he was lost in thought, he stumbled and was pulled into the artificial cave by a dark hand. A face, almost invisible in the dim light, loomed large before him.

Jia Ling cried out, "Oh dear!" but the person quickly covered her mouth. The person seemed helpless and sighed, "Don't shout, it's me."

Jia Ling's eyes widened. She pulled off the dark hand that was covering her mouth, stared at Ye Changsheng for a long time, and sighed to the sky, "How much ink will this take?"

Changsheng smiled and said, "This is a disguise potion, not ink."

Jia Ling reached out and vigorously wiped her face, and the color did not fade. She cleared her throat and said, "Ye Junshan is preparing to attack Luoyang Tower in a month. Have you found the item? What are your plans?"

Ye Changsheng said calmly, "Luoyang Tower is located at a very high altitude, with snow falling all year round. The terrain is steep and easy to defend but difficult to attack. The road to the top is full of traps and mechanisms. Moreover, there are many experts and assassins inside Luoyang Tower. I don't know why Ye Junshan is so determined to flatten Luoyang Tower. However, in my opinion, most of these martial arts heroes will probably never return."

Jia Ling nodded: "That's true. It is said that most of the ten tribes led by Ye Sheng died in battle. Ye Sheng and the sect leader Liang Ning were both seriously injured and died at Luoyang Cliff. The next sect leader is Li Huangyin."

Changsheng chuckled and patted Jia Ling on the shoulder: "You know quite a lot."

Jia Ling waved her fan and smiled, "You flatter me, you flatter me. The storyteller from Qi Tangpu knows more."

He sat down in front of the statue of Changsheng and said apologetically, "Jia Ling, where do you live?"

This left Jia Ling puzzled. After thinking for a moment, she pointed to the side and said, "Probably in that direction."

Changsheng nodded and said, "Follow me."

Once outside the artificial hill, Jia Ling followed Ye Changsheng through countless winding paths, finally stopping at a pavilion above a lotus pond.

Jia Ling was still a little dizzy. She frowned. Ye Changsheng had only been at the Ye residence for a few days longer than them, but he was already so familiar with the surroundings. He climbed walls and crawled through holes without missing a beat. She glanced at the boundless lotus pond and thought that all he was missing was diving.

Upon entering, Jia Ling snapped her folding fan shut and exclaimed in admiration, "This little attic may seem simple and elegant, but in fact, the nanmu pen holder on the window table alone is worth at least a hundred taels of silver, not to mention the calligraphy and paintings on the walls, the table, the chairs, and the vase on the table."

Ye Changsheng led him to the bedside, and with a gust of wind from his palm, Jia Ling felt a sharp pain in her neck and then lost consciousness.

Ye Changsheng apologetically took off Jia Ling's shoes, then covered her tightly with the quilt before finally drawing the curtains. He sighed softly; only in this way could his breathing remain balanced, which should be enough to deceive that person.

He went to the side room, changed into a black outfit, glanced at the heavy darkness outside the window, and broke through the window to leave.

Ye Changsheng leaped onto the rooftop and arrived at Ye Junshan's study. He slowly crouched down, pulled out half a tile, and peered down. In the dim yellow light, he could see about four people inside. Ye Junshan was at his desk, and two others sat opposite him: Bai Yinghong, the head of the Bai family of Kuizhou and Bai Qiuling's father; and Gongsun Yunhe, the head of the Gongsun family of Ezhou. Standing to the side was Uncle Zhong, the Ye family's steward.

Gongsun Yunhe said, "Since we have decided to go to Luoyang Tower together on the ninth day of next month, Brother Junshan, you don't need to worry. You will definitely do your best to help us. This siege of Luoyang Tower is not only to rid the martial arts world of a scourge, but also to avenge Sheng'er."

Bai Yinghong clenched his fists tightly: "Back then, my daughter did something unforgivable and harmed Sheng'er. The Alliance Leader was merciful and spared her life. Whenever there is any need for me, Bai Yinghong, the Bai family of Kuizhou will do anything to help her."

Ye Junshan stood up, patted Bai Yinghong on the shoulder, and sighed, "Ten years ago, Liang Ning, the master of Luoyang Tower, killed three thousand unarmed civilians in Guandong Village just to obtain the Seven Abyss, one of the Three Swords. Although Liang Ning is dead, Li Huangyin should not be underestimated. This battle will be extremely dangerous, and the future is uncertain."

He waved his hand and sighed, "Go down."

Everyone took their leave. In the dim candlelight, Changsheng couldn't fathom what Ye Junshan was thinking.

As soon as the lights went out, Ye Junshan left the study. Changsheng jumped down quietly and slipped into the study without making a sound. If he remembered correctly, when he was a child, he accidentally wandered into the study and came across an old book in the bottom corner. As a result, a small compartment appeared behind the bookshelf.

Following the steps he remembered, Changsheng walked through the area, stopped in front of the old book, and pulled it out. With a "whoosh," the bookshelf in front of him slid to the sides, revealing a hidden compartment. Changsheng stuffed the contents of the compartment into a bundle, and in the blink of an eye, he leaped out of the window and disappeared into the vast night.

Sitting on the large, leafy locust tree, Ye Changsheng took out the small bottle from his pocket. The bottle was very light and smooth. Under the moonlight, golden flowers were outlined on the flawless white porcelain, along with two small characters in large seal script: "Bo Xian".

Ye Changsheng returned to Fansheng Garden and took a bath with cold water, washing away the black, sticky medicine from his body. As the layers of medicine receded, his fair skin was revealed.

This room originally belonged to Ye Sheng. Eight years have passed, and nothing has been touched; it remains exactly the same as before. Most of the clothes in the dressing room were men's clothing. Chang Sheng rummaged through them for a long time before finally finding a moon-white lotus-patterned robe. She casually tied her hair up, looked at herself in the mirror, and realized she still looked like a girl.

He slowly walked into the inner room, lifted the quilt, and patted Jia Ling, who was still sleeping soundly.

Jia Ling opened her eyes groggily, staring at Ye Changsheng with a sleepy expression, as if she had never seen him before. Ye Changsheng coughed and said slowly, "Since Xiao Mazi is gone, let's go."

Moonlight streamed into those dazzling eyes, lotus blossoms swayed in the moonlight, her jade-like face seemed unattainable. Changsheng gazed at him calmly, her beauty under the moonlight as poetic and picturesque as a painting. For the first time, Jia Ling felt that those eyes held the purity of a lotus, and a captivating allure like water.

The mountain faces the musician

Jiangling Prefecture had a city wall of eighteen li and a wide moat more than ten feet deep. There were sixty-six bridges of various kinds and more than six hundred palaces, temples, shrines and monasteries, far exceeding the scale of the so-called "four hundred and eighty temples of the Southern Dynasties" in Jiankang.

The complete brick city was built by Gao Jixing, the Prince of Nanping during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Historical records state that Gao Jixing, aiming to establish a powerful and separatist regime, made Jingzhou the capital of Nanping and spared no expense, employing 100,000 people. When brick production failed, he even used bricks from tombs. The earlier city walls of Jingzhou were incomplete and described as "towers facing each other." At the same time, Gao Jixing also added a Jincheng (inner city) within the city, which was the first complete brick city within the city and also known as the Xiang King's City.

Jiangling was originally a prosperous place, and many young people in the martial arts world liked to come here to enjoy the breeze, drink, spar, play drinking games, and travel around. Furthermore, the presence of Ye Junshan, the leader of the martial arts alliance, also attracted many heroes who were eager to try their luck, hoping to have an unexpected encounter with this important figure on their journey.

Outside the inner city, on Xiangping Street, merchants and laborers came and went, making it a very lively place. This street is named after "tourism" and is known for "play". It is a favorite gathering place for literati, scholars and young knights. Along the street, which is about three miles long, there are countless shops such as "Lingjiang Inn", "Mujun Restaurant", "Heroine Cloth Shop" and brothels called "Changmen Courtyard" and "Heroine Courtyard".

A woman dressed in a moon-white robe lingered awkwardly on the stone street in front of the courtyard for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. The man in brocade robes behind her grew impatient and dragged her through the gate. The large, brightly lit gold signboard on the plaque caught the eye—Changmen Courtyard.

Despite Jia Ling's prior preparation, she was still overwhelmed by the sudden influx of beauties. All she could see were white, fleshy bodies and light gauze handkerchiefs in pink, blue, purple, and red. Before she could utter a single word, she was pushed into an inner room.

Ye Changsheng patted his chest as he looked at the spot where Jia Ling had disappeared, thankfully he still looked like a woman.