Chapter 21: An Old Man Listening To Children’s Stories?
Watching this scholar’s confusion, Li Nianfan continued, “The sun goes up and the sun goes down. This is the law of life. If you can’t even grasp this basic fact, how are you to understand your own life?”
“One would experience the cycle of four seasons in ten years, and in a hundred years, one would experience the cycle of life starting from birth and aging to illness and death. In a thousand years, dynasties and rulers change. And in ten thousand years, one would see the turning of stars. In short, one cannot fathom experiencing all these in one day, so, of course, ordinary men can’t see this world with the lens of a single day!”
The scholar shivered with changing expressions on his face, sometimes excited and sometimes confused.
Li Nianfan left him there and walked back to his mountain. That was all he could help him with. Whether or not this scholar understood him was up to him. Although longevity was the dream of many, it was not worth it at all if one went insane because of this. It was better for ordinary men to be more realistic.
After returning to his residence, Li Nianfan tossed two fishes to Xiao Bai. He placed his order for what he wanted to eat for dinner. Then, he enjoyed his lunch on his own.
Meanwhile, a thousand miles away, an elderly man was rushing to the Wanjian Immortal Sect along with a young man. Both of them were also flying swordsmen.
On the way there, the elderly man was sighing with a look of despair. The young man finally could not help but ask, “Master, I’m afraid the Wanjian Immortal Sect no longer exists. Why’re we still going?”
The elderly man sighed, “Chong Er, cultivators have been going against the law of the sky. We aren’t ordinary men and there’s danger everywhere. When one dies from danger, there may not be anyone to take care of our dead bodies.
“Bai Wuchen and I cultivated swordsmanship for many years and fought one another for a hundred years. Now, only I will be able to take care of his dead bodies.”
“Master, what if we bump into the Sword Demon?” the young man asked worriedly.
The elderly man seemed unperturbed. “Let it be if that’s the case since I don’t have many years left to live anyway. If we do, you should keep running. I’ll buy you some time.”
He said it with a glint of despair in his eyes. Five years ago, his Sect was still in glory, yet the Sword Demon destroyed half of it. Now that he was old, his power was not as strong as before, so much so that the Sword Demon did not even want to challenge him or he would have died a long time ago.
Knowing Bai Wuchen and his stubborn attitude, he knew that Bai Wuchen would not try to escape the Sword Demon. His dead body must have turned cold by now.
Both of them flew into the sky, creating a long arch in their trail. It was not long after that they reached the territory of the Wanjian Immortal Sect.
Meanwhile, the elderly man sensed something and looked in the far opposite direction. Three long arches came into sight.
It was the three of them returning home after listening to Li Nianfan’s storytelling. Seeing this elderly man, Bai Wuchen froze, “Zhao Laotou, what brings you here?”
Zhao Laotou stopped for a moment and stared at Bai Wuchen in disbelief. “Bai Wuchen! Why’re you still alive? I came here to take care of your dead body!”
Bai Wuchen was not offended. He smiled, “Hahaha! Of course not! I’ll die after you and take care of your dead body instead!”
“Hmph!” Zhao Laotou did not refute but he curiously asked, “Didn’t the Sword Demon challenge you? Did you go into hiding?”
“Do I hide? Zhao Laotou, who do you think I am!” Bai Wuchen glared at him which was then followed by a cheeky smirk as he released some of his Qi.
Zhao Laotou trembled. He stared at him with wide eyes. “You-you’ve entered the Out of Aperture realm!?”
Bai Wuchen did not speak. He simply shut his eyes arrogantly.
“How did you break through? It doesn’t make sense! I’m better than you!” Zhao Laotou could not help sizing him up from head to toe bitterly.
“Can’t help it, but I just did!” Bai Wuchen said arrogantly.
Zhao Laotou seemed uneasy. He clasped his fists together as a gesture and greeted, “Congratulations to Senior Bai.” His voice was bitter. They both started together, but now his old mate had progressed beyond him. Of course, he did not feel good.
“Zhao Laotou, we’ve known each other for over a hundred years. Don’t call me senior!” Bai Wuchen explained hastily.
Zhao Laotou insisted. “According to the rules of status and power in the cultivation world, it’s only right for me to call you my senior.”
Bai Wuchen looked at Zhao Laotou with a hint of remorse. Despite knowing him for so long, Bai Wuchen knew that even if he became an Immortal, this old mate would never look up to him. Yet, he was now lowering his ego to greet him. There was only one explanation.
He did not have many years left.
He wanted Bai Wuchen to help look after his disciples and followers when he was gone. Every cultivator cultivated toward Immortality, but how many of them actually became one?
A Foundation Building cultivator had a life expectancy of two hundred years. Golden Core had four hundred years, Yuan Ying had eight hundred years, and Out of Aperture had one thousand and six hundred years. Each realm had a pre-fixed life expectancy, and one could live forever if one became an Immortal.
That was very, very rare.
It was likely that Zhao Laotou had less than fifty years left to live. As his old friend, Bai Wuchen saw right through him and could not help but sigh for his old mate.
After a moment of consideration, he decided that he had to help his old friend. “Even if I’ve reached Out of Aperture, do you think I’m a match for the Sword Demon?”
Zhao Laotou frowned slightly. He did not understand what he was trying to imply.
Bai Wuchen said, “The reason I broke through was because of an expert, who was the one who killed the Sword Demon.”
“What!?” Zhao Laotou’s voice was sharp and his face was filled with disbelief!
Even the young man behind him was shocked, as if he had heard the most impossible thing in the world! The expert was able to break through a Yuan Ying into an Out of Aperture? This expert must be very skilled!
Zhao Laotou asked, panting, “You’re not kidding me, right? Only an Immortal can do that!”
“Actually, I don’t think he’s just an Immortal,” Bai Wuchen said in a tone of admiration. He then began telling him his entire encounter with Li Nianfan from the beginning.
Listening to his description, Zhao Laotou’s expressions went from one of shock to respect, and he ended up being stunned, staring blankly at Bai Wuchen.
An air purifier that produced Spiritual Qi? A water filter that poured out Spiritual Water? A drawing containing Sword Intent? And it was only a draft? A jade pendant with a phoenix engraved on it was able to kill the Sword Demon and turn him into ashes? A congee containing the Basics of Wisdom?
These sounded absurd!
After listening to Bai Wuchen’s description of Li Nianfan, his face sank. “Bai Wuchen! I know you’re of a higher rank than I am now, but this doesn’t mean you can fool me!” He continued with an unfriendly tone, “You’re making this up, aren’t you? You’re taking me as a fool!”
Bai Wuchen smiled bitterly. “Zhao Laotou, I’m not kidding! You can see for yourself when you follow me to listen to his story-telling tomorrow.”
He did not blame Zhao Laotou for not believing him. Even he found it absurd and hard to believe. Who would believe it without seeing it for themselves?
“Follow you to listen to his story? Do you think I’m a three-year-old?” Zhao Laotou glared furiously, his face flushed red.
He was an aging man close to his death, yet Bai Wuchen was asking him to listen to someone’s story-telling? Who was he kidding?