Immortal Travel of Longevity

The moon hung on tree branches, crickets chirped beside the mountain stream.

Cloaked in purple robes, Wang Yu lay sleeping soundly on the stone slab inside the cave.

Xuan Di opened his eyes. His gaze landed on Wang Yu, deep in slumber. He let out a quiet breath and slowly rose from the stone platform.

His steps were unsteady; stumbling on the way down, he almost fell.

The cave mouth lay just steps away, yet it felt worlds distant to him.

He crept forward, pausing after every step to take several heavy breaths. Crossing that small space took long hours.

Just before exiting, a sudden voice rang out.

“So this is your grand plan?”

Xuan Di lifted his head. Under the night sky, he spotted Chen Changsheng at the cave entrance.

“Sir…” Chen Changsheng stepped closer. “Your disciple isn’t so dull-witted. Surely he’ll figure it out.”

Xuan Di sighed. “Perhaps… perhaps he won’t.”

Chen Changsheng paused at that.

Xuan Di gazed upward. “Since you’ve guessed as well, sir, help me make this convincing.”

Chen Changsheng stared at him silently.

Then, reaching into his coin pouch, he pulled out one copper coin and offered it to Xuan Di.

“A touch of my magic rests within this. It’ll summon a stream of golden light to cloak you.”

Xuan Di clenched the coin tightly. “My thanks, sir.”

He resumed his painstaking trek toward daylight.

…

At dawn’s near arrival, a cold breeze swept into the cavern.

Wang Yu shivered, stirring awake.

He glanced toward the stone bed — his master wasn’t there.

Alarm hit him. “Master?!” he cried out.

His eyes darted around the hollow space before he scrambled outside.

“Master!”

His shouts echoed until he spotted Xuan Di sitting cross-legged just beyond the cave.

Relief washed over Wang Yu as he approached. “Why come out here, Master? The chill bites hard. I’ll help you back in.”

But his master remained perfectly motionless, ignoring him.

A chill gripped Wang Yu’s heart as he drew nearer.

The faint rise and fall of Xuan Di’s chest calmed him slightly.

“Master?”

Wang Yu whispered, but Xuan Di stayed silent. Perhaps he’d drifted off — deep sleep always left him unaware of noise.

So Wang Yu settled beside his master, waiting patiently.

Moments before the sun crested the peaks,

Xuan Di’s eyes snapped open.

“Wang Yu…”

That dry rasp reached the boy’s ears.

Wang Yu opened his eyes. “You’re awake, Master.”

Xuan Di fixed his gaze on the mountain ridge, where strands of light were beginning to glow.

“With me gone, you must live fiercely.”

Words that usually fought their way out now flowed clear and steady.

Wang Yu stared blankly. “Master?”

“What are you saying?”

Xuan Di managed a smile. “No sorrow. Your master… has touched eternity.”

“Eternity?”

The boy froze.

It made no sense.

He turned toward the mountains as a crimson sun climbed past the summits.

Xuan Di pushed himself upright and stepped forward.

Morning light bathed his form.

Tss——

Faint wisps rose as his skin crackled silently.

The Corpse Toxin inside him recoiled from daylight.

Dense smoke began curling around Xuan Di. Wang Yu watched numbly, rising slowly.

“Master…”

Xuan Di spoke firmly, “Remember: Death walks beside life. Don’t obsess too deeply. Only the true path leads to the Great Dao… to everlasting life.”

“Your master sought truth half a lifetime. Now he finally… finally grasps it.”

Xuan Di breathed deeply.

As the sun crowned in full brilliance,

tiny flames sparked across his skin. Robes dissolved into ash while he advanced steadily, the copper coin clutched tight in his fist suddenly blazed radiant gold.

Abruptly, a golden pillar descended, encasing him.

Wang Yu gaped speechless, disbelief flooding his eyes.

“Is this…”

“Daytime Ascension.”

Flames now danced along Xuan Di’s limbs.

He faced away so Wang Yu couldn’t see the agony wrenching his features.

“Your master…”

“…has become immortal.”

“My dear disciple… I can guide you no longer.”

As his final words trailed off,

Wang Yu tore violently from his daze.

He dropped to his knees. “Disciple Wang Yu… pays homage to Master’s… Ascension!”

Tears streamed as he knelt trembling, each breath ragged and broken.

Xuan Di faced the rising sun as the light of the flames danced around him.

His body began to disintegrate amid the raging fire, finally turning to ashes that settled upon the ground.

The golden light gradually faded away.

Wang Yu knelt nearby. Tears streamed down his face as he struggled with all his might not to let out a sob.

“Master…”

He murmured, repeating only those two words, over and over.

Atop the mountain peak, Chen Changsheng looked down upon the scene. Lightly leaping down, he landed behind Wang Yu.

Wang Yu’s posture stiffened slightly. He turned his head to look.

Chen Changsheng said, “Your Master ascended to the Immortal Realm in broad daylight. He has glimpsed the Great Dao—the ultimate truth. Shouldn’t that be a joyful thing?”

Wang Yu, eyes red-rimmed, lips trembling, replied, “I am happy for my Master…”

His gaze remained fixed on the remnants of ashes on the ground.

Wang Yu stood up and walked forward. He removed the purple robe he was wearing.

He gathered the ashes, cradling them carefully into the folds of the purple robe.

Tears fell continuously from his eyes, never ceasing, yet he remained utterly silent.

Chen Changsheng stood to the side. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words emerged.

Wang Yu carefully gathered every last bit of ash into the purple robe.

He wiped his tears with his hand and turned his gaze towards the distant rising sun.

The light fell upon him, and it also illuminated the celestial robe in his arms.

Wang Yu took a long, deep breath, then carefully cradled the ash-filled robe against his chest.

He walked past Chen Changsheng, holding the robe that contained the ashes, and slowly entered the cave.

He spent many hours inside the cave, carefully piling the ashes into a small hillock.

He went outside, cut a piece of wood into a plaque, and carved words upon it.

> Grand Celestial Master of Zhenlong Mountain, Xuan Di, Ascended to Immortal Realm From This Place

> May the Great Dao Last Long

Wang Yu placed three joss sticks in the mound of ashes and gave three solemn kowtows.

Chen Changsheng stood behind him and asked, “It’s dark and shadowy inside the cave. This doesn’t seem like a good resting place.”

Wang Yu shook his head and simply said, “It’s fine here.”

After the three kowtows, he spoke again, “Master, your disciple vows to remember your teachings, to follow the righteous path, to seek the Great Dao that unfolds before us.”

He kowtowed three more times.

Wang Yu stood up.

He looked at Chen Changsheng behind him.

As he brushed past him, Wang Yu spoke, “I’m not stupid. I’m not blind.”

“My Master feared the light. This place… it’s perfect.”

Chen Changsheng’s expression remained calm, though a faint sigh echoed within his heart.

Wang Yu walked past him and emerged from the cave.

Seeing the morning sun again, tears overwhelmed him; he began to sob uncontrollably, the tears tracing hot paths down his cheeks.

Wang Yu clenched his fists.

He knelt once more, this time before the mountain itself—before Zhenlong Mountain.

He let out a heart-wrenching cry, his face contorted with pain.

How he wished he were truly stupid!

Then perhaps he might have remained ignorant. Never have seen.

But fate cruelly decreed otherwise…

None of it. Absolutely none of it… had truly managed to deceive him.