Chapter 709: Eternal Life

Although the Northern Wilderness warriors had been driven off, everyone now understood that Master Xiang had encountered unimaginable danger—otherwise, he would not have lost even his own home.

"Great Yi, thank you for your intervention; because of you, we have avoided this great disaster." At this moment, Xiang's servants, guards, and retainers gathered together and approached Li Yi, sincerely expressing their gratitude.

Li Yi said: "Master Xiang has fallen into trouble. Though I don't know what crime he committed, it's certainly fatal. I need to find someone to inquire about the reason, so for the time being, I won't be able to protect you. You'd best take this opportunity to leave Beihuang City and hide until Xiang returns safely."

"If all else fails, flee for your lives. If Xiang asks later, say it was my suggestion."

He offered this advice to them.

"Great Yi, you helped our master—this grace we cannot repay, but please rest assured: we will never burden you or bring trouble to our master."

One retainer swore solemnly.

As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately raised his great sword and slashed at the person beside him.

Within mere seconds, several concubines and servants had their heads severed, dying on the spot.

The retainer then raised his bloodied great sword and said: "When the master is disgraced, the servant dies. We cannot do anything for our master, but we cannot let him or our honored guest worry over our lowly lives. Better to die now with honor than live in shame."

Saying this, he swung his sword again toward others.

The others, seeing this, showed grief and anger but did not dodge or retreat, allowing the loyal retainer to sever their heads.

The other guards, seeing this, also found it reasonable and began killing those around them.

In mere moments, nearly all of Xiang's household were dead; then the guards themselves cut off their own heads, offering their lives rather than become a burden.

Soon.

The ruins of Xiang's home held only dozens of corpses—no one remained alive.

Li Yi looked on, his eyes filled with complex emotion. He did not stop them, for he respected their choice—to die for their master was perhaps their best path.

E Ji and Su Ji stared at the corpses scattered across the ground, their eyes filled with sorrow, for several of the concubines had once been their friends, and some servants had once cared for them.

Yet now they were cold, lifeless bodies.

Li Yi felt no prolonged lament. He simply opened his mouth and exhaled, channeling his Heartfire Qi into a roaring flame that swept across the entire scene, utterly burning the corpses to ash, leaving nothing but dust to vanish.

The people were dead; their bodies could not be left to rot. Burning them was the best choice.

As for Xiang's ruined estate, Li Yi once again used his House-Building Art to restore it to its original state—a mere trivial effort.

Though the house stood empty, at least some of Xiang's possessions were preserved—perhaps enough to serve as capital for a future resurgence.

"Let's go. Return to our residence," Li Yi said next.

The remaining few nodded and followed Li Yi away from the site.

Soon, they arrived at their new home.

Though not far from Beihuang City, this place felt utterly out of place—its architecture and layout were delicate and practical, even subtly aligned with the contours of mountains and rivers.

Qiu Niu, seeing Li Yi return safely, sprinted over; its massive form made the ground tremble slightly.

"A offspring of a true dragon—this is dragon blood," Grand Priest Dou Kun nodded slightly, acknowledging Qiu Niu's potential.

Li Yi said: "Grand Priest, I entrust all matters of the household to you. I must attempt to save Xiang. Though our time together was brief, I owe him a debt—now is the time to repay it."

"Master, rest assured—I will care for everything here," Grand Priest Dou Kun said solemnly.

Li Yi nodded, then left behind some crimson gold for Dou Kun to manage expenses—after all, feeding so many people required money.

"Master, where are you going? Should I accompany you?" Shan Guo stepped forward and said: "Though I cannot help much, I can handle small tasks for you."

Li Yi said: "Long Yu is injured and unconscious. Stay here and care for him. E Ji and Su Ji are not even warriors—they cannot handle much. I'll go alone. If danger arises, Qiu Niu will handle it."

"If even Qiu Niu cannot guard this home, then flee for your lives. Don't kill yourselves for me."

After giving these instructions, he strode away.

Shan Guo watched Li Yi's departing figure, a flicker of worry appearing in her eyes.

Beside her, Grand Priest Dou Kun said: "Trust our master. He is a powerful Divine Blood Warrior—any danger or hardship he can overcome. This is what he must endure to grow. In time, he will become a god of a region."

"Yes, our master will one day be a god. No danger or hardship can defeat him," E Ji and Su Ji nodded deeply, fully believing Grand Priest Dou Kun's words.

Seeing this, Shan Guo's lingering worry gradually faded, replaced by unwavering conviction.

Great Yi may be the last bloodline of the ancestral guardians' deity in this world—he cannot meet misfortune before becoming a god.

Outside his home, Li Yi still pondered how to save Xiang.

He was a stranger here, completely in the dark. He had intended only to quietly stay at Xiang's home, live off his hospitality, and peacefully pass through his transformation phase—yet this had happened.

"Find Nu Heng. Perhaps she can help."

After much thought, Li Yi realized only this woman could aid him.

Soon.

He found Nu Heng's residence.

It was a large, exquisite estate, filled with mountain flowers and adorned with countless jewels on its walls. Though garishly colorful, in this primitive wilderness, color signified wealth and nobility.

"I am Da Yi. I wish to meet your mistress, Nu Heng. Please inform her of my visit," Li Yi told the two guards at the gate.

The guards recognized Li Yi—they had been present when he purchased his previous house—and immediately replied: "Honored Divine Blood Warrior, please wait. I shall inform our mistress of your visit."

Li Yi nodded.

Moments later, a young, beautiful woman stepped out to greet him: "Honored guest, my mistress Nu Heng invites you in."

It seemed Nu Heng had not refused Li Yi's visit.

Soon.

Guided by the maid, Li Yi arrived at a garden brimming with mountain flowers.

In the center stood a small pavilion, where Master Nu Heng sat, having prepared fine wine, exotic fruits, and rare beast meat to receive her esteemed guest.

"Mistress, the honored guest has arrived," the maid said respectfully.

Nu Heng rose at once and smiled: "Great Yi, I didn't expect us to meet again so soon. Please sit and taste the wine I prepared for you—it's brewed from exotic fruits gathered by the mountain beast Zhu Yan, one jar worth a hundred gold pieces—a rare treasure."

Li Yi, inhaling the intoxicating aroma, made no pretense—he picked up a cup and drained it in one gulp, unafraid of poison.

Immediately, he felt a surge of energy spreading from his abdomen throughout his body; his soul felt extraordinarily elevated, his pores opened wide, and a strange, fragrant scent emanated from his skin.

Nu Heng, smelling the unusual fragrance radiating from Li Yi, was startled.

Others, after drinking, emitted foul odors—even she had once been the same. Only after daily consumption did the stench fade, eventually replaced by the scent of a hundred flowers.

"Great Yi, you are unlike other Divine Blood Warriors—you are unique," Nu Heng smiled.

Li Yi set down his cup and did not respond. Instead, he said: "Master Nu Heng, you are a wise woman. You must know why I've come."

Nu Heng said: "Xiang killed another merchant lord within Beihuang City. He violated the city's ban. The city lord himself ordered the Northern Wilderness warriors to arrest him—and to execute all his servants and concubines."

"Fortunately, Xiang's wife and children were not in Beihuang City. As a busy merchant lord, one does not reside in only one place."

Li Yi said: "I don't care what Xiang did. I only care whether his life can be saved."

Nu Heng said: "Great Yi, even as a Divine Blood Warrior, this is nearly impossible. As a merchant lord, I do not wish to aid you against a city lord."

"I'm not asking you to fight a city lord. Only that Master Xiang escapes Beihuang City alive," Li Yi said. "I believe you can manage that."

"To save Xiang requires a price. Tell me, Great Yi—what price are you willing to pay?" Nu Heng poured Li Yi another cup of wine.

The amber wine shimmered with swirling vapor, its fragrance filling the air.

Li Yi glanced down, raised the cup, and said: "As I said before, the most precious thing in the world is life. If you help me, I will teach you the method of eternal life."

The "method of eternal life" he referred to was the Immortal cultivation art.

If Nu Heng could cultivate to the point of becoming an Immortal, she would naturally achieve eternal life.

Eternal life?

At these words, even the composed Nu Heng's expression shattered into shock.

In this primitive world, only a regional god could achieve eternal life. No warrior, no matter how powerful, could escape death.

As a merchant lord, she had no potential to become a god, nor was she a strong warrior. Death waited for her, inevitable.

Now, hearing of the method of eternal life from Li Yi's lips, she was utterly speechless.

"The method of eternal life? Great Yi—is your claim true?" Yet after a moment's composure, Nu Heng immediately questioned its authenticity.

Li Yi said nothing. Instead, he drew from his Five Elements Bracelet an object resembling a compass.

"This is the Lifespan Disc—it can measure your remaining years. If you doubt me, test it yourself."

The Lifespan Disc was a rare artifact he had acquired in the Four Seas and Eight Provinces.

Though it had no other function besides measuring lifespan, it was still worth keeping.

(End of Chapter)