"Are you blaming me for not saving your mother?" Chen Changsheng asked softly.
Li Niansheng quickly shook her head. "No! I never blamed you! When my mother died, I saw the grief and pain in your eyes. You've cared for me like a sister since I was little. I know you too well. If you had any way to save her, you would never have let her die." She took a shaky breath. "My mother... she told me that secret on her deathbed. She knew I—"
Before she could finish, Chen Changsheng gently stuffed a steamed bun into her mouth.
"Taking you rabbit-hunting tomorrow," he said with a warm smile. "And that's the end of this topic."
He then picked up his bowl and continued eating his congee, as if completely unaffected by her words.
Seeing his reaction, tears welled up in Li Niansheng's eyes. "Why?" she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "You let it happen once before. Are you going to make the same choice now?"
Faced with her distress, Chen Changsheng had no choice but to set his bowl down again. "I hope it will be your children and grandchildren who lay you to rest one day, not me," he said gently. "Do you understand what I mean?"
Hearing this, Li Niansheng's fists clenched tightly. Eighteen years ago, before she was even born, Chen Changsheng and her mother had been deeply in love. Yet, eighteen years later, he still looked no older than twenty. She didn't understand how it was possible, but she knew—Chen Changsheng would live for a very, very long time. So long it was beyond a mortal's comprehension.
The corner of her mouth trembled, but she forced a bright, teasing smile. "Brother Changsheng, you're so easy to fool. I tricked you again! As your punishment, what are you giving me today?"
Seeing the single tear tracing a path down her cheek, Chen Changsheng reached into his robe and pulled out a small, wooden rabbit. "For your birthday."
Li Niansheng took the rabbit and clutched it tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white from the force. "Brother Changsheng," she said, changing the subject, "I heard that an Immortal is coming to our town tomorrow to choose disciples. I... I want to try."
"Immortals live for a very, very long time. Perhaps then... I could stay by your side forever."
"Niansheng, being an Immortal isn't—"
"Brother Changsheng," she interrupted, "please, let me be willful just this once. Okay?"
Seeing the stubborn determination on her face, Chen Changsheng finally nodded. "Alright. As you wish."
Having received his agreement, Li Niansheng stood up. "I should go back now. And you... you should get more sun. Don't always lie around in that coffin."
With that, she turned and left. But at the doorway, her steps hesitated for a moment.
"Brother Changsheng," she said without looking back, "have you ever heard the saying? 'A person is often trapped for life by the things they couldn't have in their youth.' By doing this... aren't you just forging another chain for yourself?"
Her voice faded, and her figure vanished from the doorway.
Chen Changsheng gazed silently in the direction she had gone, his thoughts his own, known to no one.
...
Whoosh!
A yellow talisman paper shot into the air above the town and erupted into a dazzling golden light. Washed in this radiance, the miasma of plague that had shrouded the town began to dissolve rapidly.
The townspeople were overcome with gratitude for the Immortal's divine intervention. Yet, the woman standing poised on a flying sword remained aloof, her demeanor cold and distant despite their fervent thanks.
With a flick of her wrist, a ring on her finger glinted, and a massive stone monolith, roughly ten feet high, materialized and crashed onto the ground. The impact sent cobblestones cracking like a spider's web.
"Those under sixteen years, who seek the Long Path, may step forward to test their affinity," her voice rang out, clear and imperious.
Though brief, her words sent a wave of excitement through the entire town. If imperial power and official rank were lofty dreams for commoners, then Immortals were beings they scarcely dared imagine in their wildest dreams. To become an Immortal meant not only escaping hunger and hardship but also transcending the cycle of reincarnation, attaining true freedom in the world. Even the Emperor on his Dragon Throne would have to bow before a legendary Immortal!
Soon, the townsfolk brought all their children of age to test their fortune. But Immortal affinity was not as common as cabbage in the market. Over half the children in town had been tested, yet only a handful had managed to make the stone glow at all, and even then, the light was faint and feeble.
After a long wait, it was finally Li Niansheng's turn. When she gently placed her hand upon the cold stone, it instantly responded with a brilliant, eye-searing azure light.
Seeing this, the woman who had been hovering in the air immediately descended and appeared beside Li Niansheng. She began carefully examining the girl's physique.
"A Supreme Water Spirit Root, as expected!" she confirmed, her voice tinged with excitement she couldn't fully conceal. "Child, are you willing to take me as your master?"
Li Niansheng's initial reaction was one of pure joy. But the smile on her face soon faded, replaced by deep hesitation.
The veiled woman was not impatient. It was common for mortals to feel conflicted upon first encountering their Immortal destiny; most were reluctant to part with their worldly attachments. She was well-versed in handling such situations.
"Are you concerned about your family?" the Immortal asked gently.
Li Niansheng looked up. "Honored Immortal, if I become your disciple... will I be able to return?"
"Of course. Once your training is complete, you may descend the mountain." The woman then retrieved a bundle from her spatial ring and handed it to Li Niansheng. "Also, here are some things you may give to your family."
Li Niansheng looked at the bundle, puzzled. "Honored Immortal, what is inside?"
"You will know when you open it at home. You have one hour to settle your affairs. I will take you with me after that."
Clutching the bundle, the image of a familiar face surfaced in Li Niansheng's mind. She bowed deeply. "Thank you, Honored Immortal. I beg your leave to handle some personal matters."
With that, she turned and hurried away.
The Immortal woman watched Li Niansheng's retreating back, her eyes narrowing slightly. In the past, she had encountered recruits who were unwilling to leave. For those with mediocre talent, it was no great loss. But a Supreme Water Spirit Root was exceptionally rare. If she hadn't chanced upon this place on a whim, her sect would have missed this heaven-sent opportunity.
Such a destined encounter... she would not allow any mishaps to occur.
...
Coffin Shop
Chen Changsheng was reclining in his coffin, reading the "Classic of Burial," when Li Niansheng entered, her lips pressed tightly together.
Seeing his face, a soft, hesitant voice escaped her lips.
"Brother Changsheng... the Immortal wants to take me as her disciple."