Chapter 641

Class dismissed,

Jiang Ding did not return to the dormitory; he wandered around the Immortal Sects, tearing through space to shuttle between places, and unknowingly arrived at his hometown, Rongcheng City.

Looking out, people came and went.

Elderly people in their twilight years, middle-aged men carrying heavy burdens, spirited youths, and a group of kindergarten children wearing little yellow hats.

Old age, middle age, youth, childhood—like a single person's entire life.

Looking out, in this place of his hometown, he could no longer find anyone he knew; childhood companions and their children had all turned to dust, existing only in the memories of a few.

Relatives in the world were few and far between, and he was about to bid them farewell.

"Mother..."

Jiang Ding murmured to himself.

Lin Lin Wanqiu, two hundred and seven years old this year, with ninety-seven years remaining before the limit after her life-extending period; currently in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, with a very long distance still to the peak of Foundation Establishment.

Moreover, the path to Jin Dan after the peak of Foundation Establishment held almost no hope.

Her aptitude and talent were relatively ordinary; even with the opportunity to form a Jin Dan and numerous spirit herbs for forming Jin Dan, nothing would change.

Ninety-nine percent of people in the world were like this.

So ordinary, so difficult to reverse, with no hope of reaching the Jin Dan.

Even the dual spiritual root geniuses, one in hundreds of thousands, must undergo slaughter and bloody battles, tempering their magic power and divine soul, only then could they fight for a chance at Jin Dan.

Along the way, Foundation Establishment cultivators who fell behind and died were as numerous as carp crossing the river, a common sight.

"The Great Dao is merciless..."

Jiang Ding slowly paced through this familiar yet strange city.

Occasionally, elderly people looked over at this fifteen or sixteen-year-old teenager with confusion; in this small city with not many people, he left no impression at all.

After pondering, they smiled gently, assuming he was an outsider student.

No one knew him, no one remembered him.

What meaning did the top scholar of the Immortal Sects from over a hundred, nearly two hundred years ago, the pride of Rongcheng, hold for people nowadays?

Already buried in old paper piles, in the corners of websites that no one might browse even once in decades.

Time buried everything.

In history, how many brilliant and shining figures there were.

Jiang Ding suddenly felt a bit sorrowful, wandering aimlessly through the city like a child who could not find his mother, walking alone everywhere, not knowing when he would stop.

Until a high-end residential area.

Pure white characters for "funeral," white cloth everywhere, and some scattered paper money.

In a corner, a sheet with black characters on white paper was pasted, with several words clearly visible on it.

'Funeral preparation and burial arrangements for Mr. Hua Long...'

Jiang Ding was stunned.

Hua Long.

The father of Hua Bing, the high school class monitor; a Foundation Establishment cultivator he had heard of since childhood.

This Foundation Establishment cultivator's desire for the Dao path was not that strong; even as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he maintained a mortal's routine, living daily with his daughter and family, staying in this small hometown city since forming his Foundation, and rarely going out.

Now, he had reached the end of his life.

"Even senior cultivators are beginning to pass away..."

Jiang Ding sighed softly and walked in.

No one stopped him; guests coming and going to pay condolences were endless. This Foundation Establishment cultivator had taken root in Rongcheng all his life, nurturing countless juniors he had befriended; his popularity was excellent, and among those coming and going were many who were extremely grief-stricken, all with genuine feelings, with no coldness after the tea was gone.

Following the queue of people, he offered a stick of incense before the old gentleman's urn and portrait.

"Thank you."

Hua Bing stood by his side, eyes red and swollen, and said softly in thanks: "If my father knew that a True Person of Jin Dan had traveled thousands of miles to personally come and pay condolences, he would be very happy."

"Accept your grief."

Jiang Ding nodded, said nothing, turned around, and left.

Hua Bing is now at the peak of Foundation Establishment; his magic power and divine sense have been tempered to a certain limit, with a deep foundation.

Over the years, he has fought on the Immortal Sect battlefields, experienced many dangers, gained many opportunities, and all his efforts have not been in vain.

Presumably, he will attempt to break through to Jin Dan in recent years.

Li Li Junhao was not here.

Over a hundred years later, the emotions from high school have faded somewhat; he is now busy with a major scientific research project that was hard-won, possibly gaining an opportunity to form a Jin Dan, and cannot spare the time.

Jiang Ding had no extra words of comfort.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator nearing two hundred years old is already accustomed to life and death, has experienced many things, and disregards many things; her sorrow cannot be alleviated by words, and she can only face it herself.

Slowly, Jiang Ding paced back home.

It was mealtime; he cooked for the family, stir-fried vegetables with the Taqing Flying Sword, washed dishes, scrubbed them clean, and cleaned the house.

The Infant Treasure-grade Flying Sword worked quickly and efficiently, and was clean; even under a microscope, no dirt could be found, and the home was as clean as new.

After the meal.

Lin Lin Wanqiu and Jiang Yuan, for some reason, fell into silence.

"Mom, do you know Mr. Hua Long?"

Jiang Ding asked softly.

"I know him."

Lin Lin Wanqiu sighed: "There are only so many Foundation Establishment cultivators in Rongcheng; how could I not know him? Senior Hua was a very good person who taught me much knowledge about Foundation Establishment. Unfortunately, people have a time when their lifespan ends; this is the decree of Heaven, difficult to avoid..."

"The decree of Heaven?"

"There is no destiny in this world."

Jiang Ding shook his head slightly, looking at his mother: "Mother, go to the Chen Mian Mi Jing. You still have ninety-seven years of lifespan remaining. Cultivators below the Jin Dan realm can have the flow of time slowed by a hundredfold within the Chen Mian Mi Jing. I referenced the methods the Taiyi Qingmu Xianzong uses to preserve their Dao Children — you can live for a very long time."

"In nine thousand years, if I have not died, I will surely find a method to let you break through to the Jin Dan realm."

"If I die in battle, or fail to break through to a higher realm, the Central Array Spirit computer will release you from the Chen Mian Mi Jing. Not much time will have been wasted."

"If such a time comes, then live on, carrying my hopes with you."

Lin Lin Wanqiu was stunned.

Nine thousand years — for a Foundation Establishment cultivator like her, it was far too distant. The history of the Immortal Sects was only a little over ten thousand years; an epic of ages was nothing more than this.

"Alright."

Lin Lin Wanqiu said so.

There was no politeness, no deflection, no pretense of maternal kindness, no courteous words about not wanting to trouble her son.

"May my son attain the Dao."

"May it be that nine thousand years from now, I can see my son Jiang Canghai Tianjun invincible across the realms — wherever his gaze falls, the Badaxian Sect shall all bow in submission; wherever his divine sense passes, it shall all be territory of the Immortal Sects; citizens may safely and without worry travel the entire sea of stars; and there shall be no more ceaseless wars like the ones we have now."

Lin Lin Wanqiu offered her heartfelt blessing.

"Hahahaha…"

Jiang Ding laughed heartily.

"Mother's blessing is grand indeed. I shall do my best to fulfill it."

Then he turned his head to look at Jiang Yuan.

"Sister, what do you think?"

"To speak honestly, one more slot in the Chen Mian Mi Jing will not cause me any trouble. You only need to follow your own heart."

As siblings, Jiang Ding respected her decision, no matter what.

"Brother."

"I hope I can see you again nine thousand years from now."

Jiang Yuan said at once.

"It shall be so."

Jiang Ding said with relief: "Xiao Yun went to join the army? I will give her an opportunity for Core Formation. If her own effort and talent are sufficient, there will come a day she forms her Core. You need not worry."

"Mm, brother."

(End of this chapter)