Chapter 132: 177, 178. Waiting for the Rabbit by the Flat Peach Tree, the Perfect

Facts prove that when a piece of news flies everywhere, it is extremely difficult for people to distinguish its truth from falsehood, and even more difficult to weigh whether they are qualified to obtain that benefit.

When the rumor spread across the world that "Jilei Mountain has an ancient Flat Peach tree that blossoms every thousand years and bears fruit every thousand years, and eating one peach can grant Chang Sheng Bu Lao," many people in the world became restless.

The great clans and clever people would all wait for an opportunity to act, but when they saw that the White Tiger Guard—part of the Four Symbols Guard only established in the Huangcheng in recent years—had actually been dispatched, and that the Six-Yi Daoist of Xuanwu Temple (the mastermind behind the Six Towns, the ancestor of the Yan family, Yan Muyi) had also led disciples out, the great clans could no longer sit still.

Who doesn't want Chang Sheng Bu Lao? Even if they know "it is absolutely impossible to truly achieve Chang Sheng Bu Lao by eating one peach," they still harbor the thought that "at the very least, it could extend one's life by a thousand or eight hundred years."

And this is already enough.

As the world was stirred into a frenzy, on a mountain peak of Jilei Mountain, A Ting was leaning against an old tree, painting the clouds.

The cloud tides rose and fell; one moment the world was all white, and the next, mountains and rivers appeared.

These mountains and rivers were mostly covered in a purple glow, which was a strange, dandelion-like downy grass that flew everywhere in the sky, and would adhere to trees if it touched them.

Various demonic beasts ran rampant in the mountains, yet they truly did not leave Jilei Mountain, only wandering within the mountains, and it was unknown what the reason was.

An Daxiaojie sat on a dilapidated stone chair that had fallen into disrepair; it was unknown when that stone chair had been left there, and on the cracks, one could vaguely see some neatly carved vertical and horizontal lines.

Those lines felt cold to the touch, and somewhat prickly.

An Daxiaojie chatted casually with Song Cheng, discussing topics like "could this be a chessboard, did someone play chess here in the past"—the Great Shang history had long been read to tatters by the two of them.

Before the Great Shang, there was no imperial dynasty, but rather a world divided by the martial arts community.

Later, the Ji Tianzi married Wu Xilu, the daughter of the Divine Weapon Hall master, and then united with the Yan family of the Star Gazing Tower to campaign north and south, unifying the world; as for his purpose, it was to stabilize the situation, wait quietly for the Ghost Tide, and then secretly manipulate the scenes to move the yin and yang, thereby causing all rivers to return to the sea, draining the Ghost Tide and yin energy into the ocean.

However, the history of the Great Shang totals only one thousand two hundred-plus years.

The martial arts division before that was only recorded for three hundred years.

During those three hundred years, the Divine Weapon Hall was always rising and falling, and it only became powerful in the later period by relying on a "heavenly meteorite" to forge divine weapons.

As for what that "heavenly meteorite" was, although there were no records, Yan Muyi knew it very clearly.

That was the "Gold Crystal" among the "Five Elements Crystal."

The terrifying aspect of "Gold Crystal" lies in its ability to forge high-grade weapons, and it can be controlled by mortals, but it is extremely brittle; the lifespan of a "Gold Crystal Weapon" is not long, and after use, it will rapidly "degrade," becoming weaker and weaker.

The "Fine Blade" that Song Cheng obtained in his early years "as an arrow for the Hun Tian Breaking Qi Crossbow" was exactly something that had "degraded."

Later on, the so-called divine weapons of the Divine Weapon Hall were all just for show.

Therefore, previously, in order to break the Six Towns, even though he had dangled the bait of "being able to choose a divine weapon," not a single descendant of a great clan was moved by it.

Of course, no one knew where that "meteorite Gold Crystal" came from.

Yan Muyi and the Demon-Subduing Daoist's speculation was that it "flew over from some unknown continent that had already been destroyed."

As for how it flew so far, no one knew.

Because the passage connecting continent to continent is a mystery; it is a chaotic, tattered cloth, and even those existences who have experienced the destruction of a continent and reached the "Mysterious Grade Grade B" do not have the qualifications or ability to know that information. The Divine Weapon Hall, to put it bluntly, was just a force that rose by accident in history, and its so-called "worship of the Wu River god" was also just inheriting the martial arts traditions of that time.

The waters of the Great Shang are this deep, as deep as the shallowest layer on the surface of the abyss-like ocean.

Now, this "sesame-seed-sized secret" has all been sorted out for Song Cheng.

As for the history from one thousand five hundred years ago, that is gone, let alone anything earlier.

Back in the day, that Ji Tianzi was also a figure of the times, a heroic lord who almost dominated an era, but now he has turned into A Ting's rabbit.

Song Cheng also felt emotional in his heart, and at the same time used this as a warning: if one does not want to become someone else's rabbit in the future, one must be prepared for danger in times of peace.

Over these years, he has coordinated the world's techniques and secretly obtained the methods of various families, precisely because "Mysterious Grade Grade B" is difficult to break through.

The formation of the Four Fierce Lands is slow but dangerous.

However, the Four Fierce Lands had already formed long ago on other continents that had already been destroyed.

Then, has anyone used that opportunity to break through?

And where are the people who broke through? Song Cheng narrowed his eyes, looking at the clouds in the sky.

A Ting was looking at the clouds in the mountains.

He was looking at the sky.

An Daxiaojie was stroking the stone bench under her buttocks.

It was rare to come out for a trip, which also made her feel very relaxed.

At noon, Song Cheng did not go deep into Jilei Mountain; he just caught some game nearby and found a mountain stream, and the family had a meal of roasted food. An Daxiaojie said: "It was quite good when I first ate it, but I'm sick of it after eating it every day."

She meant she wanted to head back.

A Ting, however, ate very happily; after finishing, she found a comfortable hillside to lie down on, and the rabbits by her side started their grass-eating mode.

An Daxiaojie looked at her daughter's lazy, earthy appearance and trembled with anger.

She could manipulate outsiders, but she found it difficult to manipulate her daughter.

Song Cheng said with a smile: "A Ting definitely doesn't want to go back for matchmaking, that's why she's here to annoy you."

An Daxiaojie said angrily: "I didn't force her to get married immediately, just let her look at them first... She's already sixteen, look at how many men she sees in a year?"

Song Cheng said: "With those many eyes of hers, she sees quite a few men."

An Daxiaojie glared and said: "You!!"

Immediately, she let out a coquettish snort and said: "You father and daughter only know how to annoy me, you'll be the death of me!"

"Don't be angry, don't be angry." Song Cheng smiled.

An Daxiaojie also snorted and lay down on the earthy hillside.

Then, Song Cheng also lay down.

The family of three just lay on the slope together like this, watching the mountain clouds drift leisurely, watching the sunset twilight, and then watching the bright moon in the sky.

Song Cheng's visualization can only vaguely hear fuzzy information; it's unreliable.

And if the Soul drifts around in the sky, there are too many people seen.

If one really wants to understand information, one still needs to possess a body.

But possession is actually quite troublesome.

For things like immortals, you cannot frequently manifest, and you cannot possess bodies indiscriminately.

High and aloof, mysterious and unfathomable—only then can faith be maintained.

Therefore, when he possesses bodies now, he generally fixes his choices on specific people.

These people are the Young Boys of the Xuanwu Temple, also known as "Holy Child."

These "Holy Child" themselves hold lofty status, and their families also rise in prominence; the previous Qin Rong and He Zheng are now "Holy Child."

Of course, the Xuan Nu Palace also has "Mysterious Maiden Attendant." Regardless of whether they are Holy Child or Mysterious Maiden Attendant, they are existences with extremely high status and family ties. If Song Cheng wants to maintain a stable hierarchy and a sustainable faith, he can only possess these people he has selected.

It is just like how "the Heavenly Son is not omnipotent and cannot do whatever he wants"; even when acting as a "god," one must follow the basic laws. Song Cheng is a person who does not follow the rules.

But if you want stability, you must abide by the rules you have set yourself, and even if you violate them, you must never be discovered.

Otherwise, if Song Cheng were to possess bodies indiscriminately, wouldn't everything fall into complete chaos?

Now, Song Cheng is calculating in his heart the spread rate of the information regarding the "Jilei Mountain Changsheng Bulao Yao," estimating the time, and feeling it is about right, he persuades his daughter to return with him.

Not even halfway through the return journey, the number of people on the road increases; many are disguised as ordinary people, but in reality, they are all martial arts experts.

Young Miss An looks outside and says, "It has become quite lively; there weren't this many people when we came."

Song Cheng replies with a "Yes," then whips his horse to speed up the return journey.

Upon returning to the Song Prince Mansion in the Imperial Capital, A Ting, who has been tanned into a little dark girl, goes to take a lovely bath.

As for Young Miss An, she impatiently begins to accept the requests for visits from the young heroes of the Imperial Capital. Most of those heroes are here to visit Song Cheng, but as it happens, she can let A Ting look through the window to see if she is satisfied.

However, after Young Miss An investigates a little, she discovers that the young heroes of today all seem to have suddenly become busy and have left the Imperial Capital one after another.

Upon further investigation, she traces it back to that "secret spreading in the dark"—the Changsheng Bulao Yao of Jilei Mountain.

Young Miss An is dumbfounded.

Didn't she just return from Jilei Mountain?

And once involved in such a matter, her mindset immediately shifts from "an old mother tormented by her daughter" to "a cunning and venomous wife."

That night, when she is sleeping with Song Cheng, she leans in by the pillow and asks, "That matter at Jilei Mountain, is it a trap you laid?"

Song Cheng nods, then explains the matter once, and finally says solemnly, "None of you are allowed to go; there is a big problem with this."

Young Miss An nods heavily, thinks for a moment, and adds, "So, you sent the White Tiger Guard and the Six-Yi Daoist there, not actually to explore Jilei Mountain, but to dispel the doubts of the noble families while making a backup arrangement.

In case some lucky brat really obtains that Flat Peach, then... you will let the White Tiger Guard and the Six-Yi Daoist take action and snatch it directly, right?"

Song Cheng says, "That is certainly the case."

"However, I still have a conscience; people won't be killed, and I might even bring them back to cultivate them properly."

"After all, if there really is such a thing as destiny in the world, that brat's destiny must be quite good."

Young Miss An says, "I will have the Yin She go there too, as an extra layer of insurance. After all, Jilei Mountain is so big, we should set up a few more ambushes."

Song Cheng says, "Fine."

The husband and wife secretly conspire, laying out plans across a thousand miles.

Since they don't know what medicine is in the gourd, they will let others go and taste it.

Time flies, and late autumn passes.

The weather enters winter, but there is little coldness on Jilei Mountain.

Not until mid-winter does a sky full of red clouds bring a massive snowstorm; the mountains are burdened with snow. In the past, the deep mountains would have been peaceful at this time, but now they remain noisy and chaotic, with slaughter everywhere.

The "Jilei Mountain Immortality Medicine" has turned into a massive meat-grinder vortex, dragging the entire martial arts world, the imperial court, and even the noble families into it.

Everything... has reached a white-hot stage.

And this is not just a journey to "find the immortality medicine," a journey to "fight against monsters together," but also a place for many factions to settle old scores.

What is more provocative than framing "a certain faction for obtaining the Changsheng Bulao Yao"? Even without that, some people will come alone to assassinate their enemies. These people come not for the immortality medicine at all, but simply for revenge.

Others come to dominate a certain area; they do not come for the immortality medicine, but to kill the elites of rival factions here.

After all, there are far too many grievances, rights, and wrongs, and interests in the martial arts world.

As for the "Six-Yi Daoist" Yan Muxue, she is leading a large group of gathered experts, advancing steadily and heading straight for "Yaochi Peak."

Without official leadership, many noble families and factions dare not charge; where the officials are, that is the front line of the battlefield.

Yan Muxue is in the light, and the Demon-Subduing Daoist is in the dark.

Both of their original bodies are now controlled by Song Cheng, and they know that Song Cheng is the Xuanwu Emperor, so no one dares to harbor ulterior motives; yet, even so, both of them harbor covetousness for the "immortality medicine."

If there were only one Flat Peach, there would be nothing to say. But what if there are two, three, or four? If they secretly eat two and hand the rest over to Song Cheng, wouldn't it be fine? Everyone has their own heart, and each harbors their own ghosts.

This "Jilei Mountain Changsheng Bulao Yao" is just a trigger, detonating so many rights and wrongs in the human world.

At this time, Song Cheng is sitting with Su Mengzhen in a deserted, dilapidated pavilion in the wind and snow.

As for other intersections, they have long been secretly guarded by the Holy Child of the Xuanwu Temple; once any trace of a Flat Peach is discovered, he will descend instantly.

If his Soul cannot win the fight, he will return his spirit to his body and let his original body pursue.

Su Mengzhen stands in front of the railing of the dilapidated pavilion.

As a member of the Su Family, she was naturally startled by the information about the "Changsheng Bulao Yao," yet when she excitedly found Song Cheng and wanted to "team up" with him to find the medicine, she was told the truth.

Su Mengzhen is speechless for a long time, then obediently follows behind Song Cheng.

However, the two never discuss the problem of "what to do if there really is a Flat Peach and it is not enough to go around."

Too many people want to eat the Flat Peach.

Even if its authenticity is uncertain, they must still fight for a spot to eat the Flat Peach.

However, smart people will not fight over such things before the matter is settled.

Su Mengzhen is quite smart; from beginning to end, she never asks if she can eat a Flat Peach, nor does she act like a spoiled child to beg for one, nor does she impatiently offer her body as if "reliving an old Dream," but instead directs the Su Family to search everywhere through the Yin She while letting herself linger by Song Cheng's side, calling him brother-in-law with every breath.

"Brother-in-law, Xiao Yu'er is about to break through the Reappearance Tribulation."

Suddenly, Su Mengzhen speaks again, and then, as if recalling the past, her cold voice has a hint of ethereal warmth, "You could carry your sister-in-law through the Reappearance Tribulation, surely you wouldn't not carry your wife, right?"

Song Cheng says, "I will naturally enter the tribulation with her; the Sun Nine Pattern Golden Sculpture seal is already prepared by me."

As the two are talking, they suddenly hear the sound of fighting drifting in the wind from far away; just as Su Mengzhen is about to go forward to check, she sees a giant, pitch-black Dharma image of a Xuanwu expanding from within Song Cheng's body.

For these many years, Song Cheng's appearance had never changed; he was a youth twenty years ago, and he is still a youth now.

It was just that the terrifying, massive Xuanwu appeared like a true deity, looking down upon this land.

His perception, covering over a hundred miles, spread out in an instant.

Song Cheng closed his eyes slightly, swept a glance at the fighting in the distance, listened for a moment, shook his head secretly, and then withdrew his Dharma form, saying, "It is just a martial arts feud, nothing of note."

Seeing Su Mengzhen staring at him with wide eyes, he smiled and said, "I am of the same lineage as the Xuanwu Emperor; the techniques he can master, I can naturally master as well."

He had resolved to pursue greater power and travel to further places, so regarding these secrets from those around him, he had naturally passed the "confidentiality period" and no longer wished to hide them.

Su Mengzhen was not stupid; she stared at him blankly, then, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she bristled: "That's not it! Aren't you the Six-Tailed Xuanhu of my Su Family? How can you also transform into a Xuanwu?"

Song Cheng smiled, his Soul shifting instantly; at one moment he transformed into a Six-Tailed Xuanhu, at another into a giant Xuanwu statue, then into a dragon leaping through the Canghai, then into the Flaming Golden Pupils Sculpture of the Yu Prefecture Zhao Family, then into a scholar of the Fengzhou Cui Family, and then he even presented as a giant monk of the Jiangnan Xiao Family. The monk stood within the Pure Land, a brilliant, glazed Circular Light behind him.

Then, like a phantom bubble, all manifestations faded away, revealing once more the appearance of the black-robed youth standing in the pavilion.

Su Mengzhen was completely stunned.

Song Cheng walked closer and wrapped his arms around her waist; the two pressed together, their clothes squeezed so tightly that there was no gap between them.

"Your heart is beating very fast," Song Cheng said.

Su Mengzhen's body truly went soft.

In an instant, she thought of many things, and she also thought of the scene from several years ago when she saw Xuan Nu Niang Niang.

She could no longer restrain herself and took the opportunity to hold Song Cheng tightly.

Power and authority, much like each other, are both terrifying, pure drugs.

Su Mengzhen was completely conquered.

Facing the former little Song, her brother-in-law, she might have originally been able to play some tricks, but now, in front of such a figure, she could no longer display even the slightest bit.

Her body was burning hot, and as she went limp in Song Cheng's arms, she finally cooed, "From now on, I will follow you!"

Song Cheng said, "No."

Su Mengzhen was taken aback, then immediately understood his meaning, and said resentfully, "Men are all no good! Even when you are this strong, you are still the same!"

Song Cheng laughed heartily.

Su Mengzhen was a unique pleasure on his path to longevity.

He had his light, and naturally, he also had his dark and licentious side.

In the freezing pavilion, indescribable sounds soon rang out, and unspeakable things occurred.

"You bad thing, you're hateful!"

"You bad thing, you even pretended to be Xuan Nu Niang Niang!"

"You are so bad!"

Having seen Song Cheng's secrets, Su Mengzhen transformed from the cold, calculating Su Family head into a clingy little cat.

It was not purely to please Song Cheng; Su Mengzhen herself was also enjoying it, unable to extricate herself, relishing the secret, intimate connection with this terrifying powerhouse.

In the blink of an eye, another month passed.

The winter that would usually last a very long time in the North Land passed in an instant here at Jilei Mountain.

Even though it was only the end of the first month, all the accumulated snow had already melted away.

Many things had happened at the dilapidated pavilion, and during this time, many martial artists and even members of noble families passed by, but they were unable to discover Song Cheng and Su Mengzhen, who were hidden nearby.

At this time, the stream surged, and there were more fish in the water.

Reaching out to touch it, the water was actually warm.

Su Mengzhen had good skills, so she was using a homemade stone pot to boil water and make soup.

Song Cheng followed the flow of the water and looked into the distance.

Although the weather was warm, for the water falling from a high place to maintain such warmth, there was only one explanation: the geothermal fire here was intense.

In other words, the Yang energy was very dense, which was the exact opposite of the North Land.

Heavy Yin energy breeds Ghosts; dense Yang energy gathers magical beasts. With Yin and Yang generating each other, everything seemed to appear symmetrical.

Song Cheng felt the warm stream between his fingers, suddenly frowned, looked at Su Mengzhen, who was picking up firewood and stewing fish soup like a beautiful farm wife on the other side, and suddenly said, "Is it possible that we have both walked into a misconception?"

"Are you talking about whether the peaches exist?"

"No."

Song Cheng said, "Whether the peaches exist or not is unimportant; what is important is what important thing is hidden on this mountain, and as long as someone goes to destroy it, that is enough. The thing being destroyed is very likely that peach tree.

We are fixated on whether the peaches are real.

But if there is a person who truly spread the information, then that person's intent is whether or not someone will go to pick the peaches."

Su Mengzhen used a homemade stone ladle to scoop a mouthful of soup, drank it, and said, "The soup is ready!"

Song Cheng walked over.

The two sat cross-legged and, as if treating each other with the utmost respect, used stone bowls to scoop the soup separately.

Su Mengzhen thought for a moment before saying, "It's not impossible, but everything is just a guess.

If you guess this way, then I can also guess: could the person behind the scenes be able to anticipate your current anticipation, make you harbor doubts, and then force you to take action yourself, appearing on the scene, thereby putting you at a disadvantage?

Besides, those immortal peaches bloom every thousand years and bear fruit every thousand years, only in this era.

Unless you ignore it completely, what else can you do?

But can you ignore it?"

"Perhaps all of us only have this one chance at longevity.

This is an open conspiracy; you cannot block it."

Song Cheng said, "We still know too little about this land."

Su Mengzhen squinted at him and said, "Yes, yes, yes, the great expert Song knows too little, and I, this little woman, know even less."

Song Cheng said again, "That stream is hot, which means this is a place of Yang energy."

Su Mengzhen said, "Then we still must explore it."

Song Cheng thought for a moment, and that very day he went out for a stroll; the first reason was to understand the progress of the exploration, and the second was to issue an order: if the Ageless Flat Peach Tree were found, one must not rashly pick the peaches, otherwise they would be executed without mercy, but the Xuanwu Emperor promised that the person who discovered the Ageless Flat Peach Tree could be given one peach.

As for the progress, it was very strange.

Yaochi Peak had already been found, and the terrain was exactly as drawn on the map provided by the alchemist.

However, the situation inside the peak was incomparably complex, just like a Ghost wall.

Normally, a "Ghost wall" is an illusion, but if even Yan Muyi encountered a "Ghost wall" upon entering, then that was extremely unusual.

Some people traveled for seven days and seven nights, clearly enough to cross many Yaochi Peaks, yet they ended up back at their starting point;

Some people clearly only took a single step, yet they went directly from the southernmost side of Yaochi Peak to the northernmost side; all sorts of situations were exceptionally bizarre.

However, no matter how great the "illusion" was, it could not withstand a large number of people.

As the number of people entering Yaochi Peak increased, more of the scenery was "unlocked."

If there truly was an Ageless Flat Peach Tree at the peak, then there would always be a lucky person who would encounter it.

At this moment, quite far from Jilei Mountain, a family of three was walking.

"Mother, stop eating."

A delicate little boy wearing a wide robe called out with a smile.

Beside him was a woman whose body was tense, her movements and posture no different from a rabbit.

That woman would even bend down from time to time to eat the grass by the side of the road, appearing extremely strange.

"Father, you aren't allowed to be fierce to people either."

The little boy looked toward the man on the other side.

That man was like a leopard, vigilantly prowling the surroundings, and from time to time he would even dart out like lightning to bite the birds in the trees to death.

In this family of three, the only one who appeared extremely normal was that little boy.

The little boy smiled.

He smiled exceptionally happily.

He muttered to himself, "Fortunately, I had the senior to use as an example, otherwise I wouldn't have dared to take this final step. This matter is indeed feasible."

(End of chapter)