Outside, Ascendant Fuluan was still being punished to stand, while Xu Qing, having concluded official matters in the Bone Temple, suddenly took out a jade plaque from the Mountain and River Map.
"Brother Demon Exorcist, you have a wide knowledge; can you recognize the purpose of this plaque?"
Demon Exorcism True Monarch glanced at it and exclaimed in surprise: "An invitation to the Penglai Festival? You truly have good fortune!"
"But it's unfortunately..."
Xu Qing raised an eyebrow and asked: "What's unfortunate?"
Demon Exorcism True Monarch explained: "That Penglai Immortal Gathering, also known as the Celestial Assembly, is held once every six cycles and is a festival not inferior to the Flat Peach Gathering of the Celestial Realm or the Ullambana Festival of the Buddhist realm."
"This jade plaque is the admittance credential for the latest Immortal Gathering, however, before the festival began, sudden chaos erupted in the Underworld, and all immortals within the three realms and six paths were shocked, leaving no choice but to postpone the attendance time. Later, when the Heaven-Reaching Road broke, the Three Stars, Eight Immortals, Five Directions and Five Elders could not descend to the mortal realm, naturally making the journey to Penglai Immortal Island impossible."
"Thinking back now, this gathering has already been postponed for two thousand years!"
Demon Exorcism True Monarch sighed: "Everyone who obtains this jade plaque is a remarkable divine being, even I am not qualified to attend this festival."
"However, Brother Xu need not feel regret; as long as Brother can endure until the great calamity ends, once the celestial road is clear, Penglai will surely restart the gathering. At that time, even if Daoist's lifespan is left with only one day, you could find opportunity to ascend to immortality."
"Lifespan..." Xu Qing, holding the jade plaque, was silent for a long time. He was contemplating what immortal fate this plaque might hold, yet he realized it was merely a key to prolonging life.
Seeing Xu Qing remain silent, Demon Exorcism True Monarch assumed he hadn't understood, so he reminded again: "Do not think I exaggerate; that Celestial Assembly includes not just celestial gods, even the Kunlun Mountain Master and the Five Directions Emperor will attend."
"At that time, even picking up a leftover peach pit could extend your life by thousands of years; who knows, you might find a good peach pit and live for ten thousand years."
"..."
Xu Qing heard and grimaced, realizing his long journey to Penglai was just to eat leftovers?
Not mentioning his disinterest in peach pits for longevity, just considering his relationship with the monkey behind the Little Water Curtain Cave; upon reaching Penglai, how could he possibly eat leftovers?
But speaking of it, even if Penglai held a gathering right now, Xu Qing wouldn't immediately set off.
Kunlun Mountain Master, Five Directions Emperor—these titles alone sound impressive; Xu Qing being a zombie not yet a Kui Ba, he wouldn't dare go and join the commotion.
Alright! This plaque can only be kept for now, awaiting the day when heaven and earth are connected, averaging attendance at Penglai's gathering.
...
Two days later, Bone Temple of the True Monarch.
"Daoist Xu..."
After standing outside for a long punishment, Ascendant Fuluan approached with a cheeky smile, only to be directly ignored by Xu Qing.
"Brother Demon Exorcist..."
Demon Exorcism True Monarch was meditating with closed eyes, not paying attention.
Not feeling embarrassed, Immortal continued, watching the consensus between the two 'big leagues,' he then unsolicitously took out Spirit Incense and ran to the True Monarch statue to pray.
"..."
Xu Qing looked at the Immortal spirit whose skin was even thicker, reaffirming his inner judgment.
This Ascendant Fuluan truly is someone, wholeheartedly seeking the path, willing to make any compromise for the great cause of immortality.
Such people are often most ruthless and unfeeling.
In the Incense Hall, Demon Exorcism True Monarch, holding a jade scroll, sat for over half a year. During this time, Xu Qing and Ascendant Fuluan were not idle; they took turns acting as caretakers, one cultivating while the other went to hunt ghosts, very much like a family of three with two husbands attending to an ugly wife after childbirth.
"Daoist Fuluan, how many years since you entered the Xuan Sect?"
On this day, Ascendant Fuluan captured over a hundred skeleton ghosts, Xu Qing intercepted them under the guise of claiming a more effective purification ritual for consumption, performing a ritual recklessly.
After the purification of these skeleton ghosts, taking the chance while Demon Exorcism True Monarch tore into evil ghosts, in solitude Xu Qing and Ascendant Fuluan chatted away.
"I entered the Xuan Sect after the founding Emperor unified the six directions, and have been here for over two thousand years."
Xu Qing looked with surprise, realizing this human-looking Immortal was in fact an ancient living relic.
"Daoist Fuluan, where are you from, your accent seems like you are from Jin Sect, are we perhaps compatriots?"
Ascendant Fuluan's eyes flickered, and he smiled: "What a coincidence, my family name is Xu, and I am indeed of the same house as Daoist Xu. However, I am not a Jin Sect native, for the five lakes and four seas, anywhere under heaven can serve as my place of cultivation."
"As for my accent... haha." Ascendant Fuluan chuckled: "Over the years, I've traveled through the three mountains and five peaks, the four seas and eight regions. Not just Jin Sect dialect, but also that of Yuzhang, Qilu, Central State, even Western Regions, Japan, Northern Lands, and the Southern Countries, I can speak them all!"
Of the same house?
Xu Qing's heart skipped a beat, asking: "Since Daoist Fuluan is a figure from over two thousand years ago, you must have seen the founding Emperor then..."
Ascendant Fuluan's expression froze, speaking in an inexplicable tone: "Emperors and ministers, nobles and high officials, ultimately, are just passing guests. Even though we may have once served the imperial family, a hundred or a thousand years later, who can tell who is sovereign and who is subject?"
Xu Qing recalled the Golden Man hidden beneath the Celestial Lord General's temple, and inquired: "Then does Daoist know the whereabouts of the Twelve Golden Men forged by the founding Emperor?"
"Of course I know! Those Golden Men were the embodiment of the founding Emperor's will to unify the six directions, specialized in striking against disloyalty. Unfortunately, later, when the world fell apart again, the true dragon retreated with it. Those twelve Golden Men were melted down by later generations into ten, to be forged into money."
Ascendant Fuluan expressed his relief: "Those Golden Men were not to be trifled with, even though the old dynasty was gone, they still attempted to revive the founding Emperor, so it is just as well they were destroyed."