I am about to die of old age, and I have awakened the character of longevity.

Chapter 118 Farewell, a generous gift!
After New Year’s Eve, the new year arrives.

The new year has begun.

Xie An sat cross-legged in the room, practicing Mingyu Gong all night.

"Master, get up and wash up. According to the rules, the people from Tangjiabao will come over to wish you a happy new year."

On the first day of the new year, the younger generation would pay New Year's greetings to the elders. Xie An hurriedly got up and washed up.

Not long after, Tang Qingfeng, the eldest brother of the Tang family, brought Tang Lin and Xiao Hongtang over to pay New Year's greetings.

Tang Qingyun came later, and since Tang Qingyun was not married, he came alone.

After a long period of work, an hour or so had passed. Xie An had a simple breakfast, changed his clothes, and went to the central courtyard.

The younger generations of Tangjiabao all paid New Year's greetings to Xie An, so Xie An should return the favor and pay New Year's greetings to Old Master Tang.

As soon as I entered the yard, I heard bursts of hearty laughter, and from afar I saw Old Master Tang and his three other brothers sitting around the fire in the pavilion, drinking tea and chatting.

Xie An deliberately lowered his footsteps and heard some of what they said.

The three brothers recounted what they had seen and heard during their time outside over the past few years. For example, Yi Qiutang, the blacksmith, had previously been given the opportunity to forge swords at the Tai'a Daoist Temple, where he had received honors. After returning to the blacksmith camp, his status steadily rose.

Chen Donghai was previously a captain of the Nanyang Prefecture Navy. After being injured, he retired from the army and went to sail for the martial artists, where he met many strange people and things.

As for Longxia, he was born a farmer and later went to Nanyang Prefecture to work as a grain official. After resigning from his post, he traveled around the country, and naturally what he saw and heard was extremely rich.

Xie An was so engrossed just standing outside the pavilion and listening.

He has lived in Qingwu County all his life and has never seen the outside world.

Now, listening to the stories told by Longxia and the other two, I feel that the outside world is even more magical, extraordinary, magnificent and colorful.

Just when Xie An was stunned, Long Xia's voice came.

"Fifth brother, stop standing there. Come and have some tea with us."

Xie An walked into the pavilion and did not rush to sit down. Instead, he bowed to the four people and wished them a happy new year. This drew a round of nods from everyone, and Longxia pulled Xie An to sit down.

"Don't take these empty formalities too seriously. We both know you have this in mind. Sit down and talk."

After a round of greetings, everyone continued to talk about what had happened before, not treating Xie An as an outsider at all. Xie An also listened carefully to the three people's stories about the strange and interesting things that happened outside.

For example, boatman Chen Donghai saw a fish several dozen feet long in the Dahuai River. It capsized more than a dozen fishing boats, prompting the local navy to attack it, resulting in heavy casualties. In the end, it took the intervention of the Demon Suppression Division to kill the fish.

Xie An raised his eyebrows, "Demon Suppression Division?"

Chen Donghai asked, "Why, Fourth Brother, you've never heard of the Demon Suppression Division?"

Wei Dian's previous plan was to obtain an official position in the Demon Suppression Division of Qingwu County. However, Wei Dian was poisoned by a corpse poison pill, which made him lose his career. He later gave this position to Lin Yun. However, Lin Yun, fearing death during the test, gave the position to Xie An.

At that time, it was the first time that Xie An heard the three words "Demon Suppression Division".

As for what the Demon Suppression Bureau did, Xie An had no idea.

Seeing Xie An was silent, Long Xia stepped out to smooth things over: "Fifth brother is still a second-level warrior, it's normal that he doesn't know about the existence of the Demon Suppression Division."

"Please give me some advice, second brother." Xie An asked humbly.

Long Xia narrated, "Since the fall of the previous dynasty, wars have broken out frequently across the country, and powerful individuals have seized power. Although the new dynasty maintained the apparent stability of Daqian, undercurrents were surging. With excessive killing and bloodshed, demons and evil spirits abounded. Emperor Jingtai had no choice but to honor Taoism as the state religion, using its power to eliminate the demons causing chaos throughout the world, while suppressing the powerful and consolidating his regime."

Therefore, the imperial court and the Daoist sect jointly established a special agency, the Demon Suppression Division. This agency was given the power to slay demons, monitor officials, and suppress powerful individuals. They were also granted the right to execute first and report later.

Over the past hundred years, relying on the power of the Demon Suppression Division, the order of the Jingtai New Dynasty has gradually stabilized..."

After listening to Longxia's story, Xie An roughly understood.

The Demon Suppression Division was similar to the Jinyiwei, but much more powerful than the Jinyiwei, and was under the dual leadership of the Daoist sect and the imperial power.

The old dynasty collapsed and the world was torn apart.

Emperor Jingtai was a man of great talent and strategy, but the foundation of the new dynasty he established was unstable. In the end, he had to rely on the power of Taoism and set up the Demon Suppression Bureau. After a hundred years of polishing, the world was barely stabilized.

This made Xie An realize a problem: although in the hearts of ordinary people, the imperial power is supreme. But now it seems that this is not necessarily the case, it is just an appearance.

Even a man of such extraordinary talent as Emperor Jingtai had to rely on the power of Taoism to consolidate his imperial power.

This aligns with Xie An's theory of a world in which powerful warriors abound: internal energy masters, martial arts masters... especially the ultimate masters, who wield immense power. This poses a significant threat to imperial rule. Consequently, Emperor Jingtai was forced to rely on the power of the Daoist sect to suppress martial artists and maintain the balance of imperial power.

If it were in a low-level martial arts world, the imperial court could suppress the world with just the army.

Daqian is a world of medium-level martial arts, and it is difficult to suppress it with the army. This is why organizations like the Demon Suppression Division were formed.

Xie An was keenly aware that this kind of imperial power was not stable. If a conflict arose between Emperor Jingtai and the Daoist sect, or if ambitious individuals emerged within the Daoist sect and coveted the imperial power...if the Daoist sect gave up, the world would collapse again.

Xie An did not reject a unified central government, as it was the most stable structure for an empire with a large population and vast territory. But he did reject bureaucratic collusion and the oppression of the people.

However, no matter how the people are exploited, it is not as miserable as war.

When prosperity comes, the people suffer; when decline comes, the people suffer...

It is always the people at the bottom who suffer.

It's absolutely true.

Longxia also shared an important message: in order to eliminate demons from the world, suppress the powerful, and monitor the officials, Emperor Jingtai not only established the Demon Suppression Palace at the central level, but also established subordinate Demon Suppression Offices in each prefecture—Demon Suppression Prefecture Offices and Prefecture Offices.

Nanyang Prefecture had its own Demon Suppression Division. Currently, a martial arts master presided over the division. Compared to the prefect of Nanyang Prefecture, this master was the true ruler of Nanyang Prefecture.

Xie An sighed deeply after hearing this. "Isn't it said that there is also a Demon Suppression Division in Qingwu County?"

Long Xia sighed, "Normally, the Demon Suppression Division should be at the prefecture level at the lowest, and counties generally don't have subordinate agencies. However, Qingwu County has a unique geographical location. On the one hand, it is the southeastern border of the Daqian Dynasty, and on the other hand, most of the remnants of the former state religion, the Changsheng Sect, have fled to Nanyang Prefecture. One branch escaped into the Dayin Mountains, and it's been almost a hundred years since then. To maintain peace in the area, the Nanyang Demon Suppression Division established a simple office in the county seat, the Demon Suppression Office, to constantly monitor the movements of the evil cultists in Dayin Mountain."

However, the Demon Suppression House in the county town is not well staffed, and they operate in secrecy, so it's normal that you, Fifth Brother, don't know about it."

It turned out to be the case.

Xie An vaguely remembered Yu He mentioning that a prominent figure in Nanyang Prefecture had reached an agreement with the Corpse Refining Hall to prevent its evil cult members from leaving the mountain. This ensured that the people of Qingwu County had not suffered catastrophic disasters for a century.

It seems that this big shot... is most likely a big shot from the Nanyang Demon Suppression Office.

Everything makes sense.

The Demon Suppression Division...seems to be quite powerful.

Xie An took note of it secretly.

Eh.

Chen Donghai suddenly sighed, filled with longing. "A martial arts Grandmaster! What a brilliant figure, worthy of being made a marquis or a prime minister, commanding great power. Even in the entire Nanzhou, there are only two Grandmasters. And we have one here in Nanyang Prefecture. This is a great honor for Nanyang Prefecture. Unfortunately, I've lived most of my life and never seen the Grandmaster in person. I heard she was a young and beautiful female warrior. Yes, big brother, you've seen her, right? Tell me more about her."

Tang Zhengyang sat at the head of the table, raised his cup and sipped his tea, smiling as he said, "I've told you all this countless times. It's old news, nothing to mention."

Chen Donghai glanced at Xie An, "Fifth brother just came, he hasn't heard of it."

Old Master Tang glanced at Xie An and said with a smile, "In this life, we practice health-preserving exercises and seek the secrets of longevity. Those glorious and dazzling martial arts competitions are destined to have little to do with us. Instead of wasting time on these things, it would be better to use them more on Mingyu Gong. If you can break through the shackles of your attributes and reach the nineteenth level in the future, you will be able to compete with martial arts masters."

The eldest brother spoke, and the others nodded in agreement without saying anything else.

"Fifth brother!"

Old Master Tang stood up at this moment, his expression solemn. "The New Year has passed, and all things are reviving. It's a good time to practice Mingyu Gong. After reading Mingyu Gong last night, do you have any questions?"

Xie An originally wanted to conceal the truth so as not to scare people by telling it.

To master Mingyu Gong in just one day... must be a very scary thing to think about.

However, Xie An thought again, his fifth brother... was still somewhat weak. It was nothing more than Old Master Tang seeing that he had cultivated the Crimson Palace Qi, which was equivalent to adding an insurance policy to the Tang Family Castle.

Deep down, I'm afraid that neither Old Master Tang nor the other three really value me that much.

It feels like a renowned teacher spotting a student with potential and giving them preferential treatment just to try to improve their chances. But it doesn't necessarily mean they truly value the student. After all, potential is just potential, not value.

Thinking of this, Xie An decided not to hide it and told the truth.

brush!
The originally lively and leisurely atmosphere suddenly became dead silent. The four old men all looked sideways, staring at Xie An in disbelief.

The one who was most stimulated was the youngest, Chen Donghai. "Fifth brother, you said you have mastered the Mingyu Gong?"

Xie An pretended to be ignorant and scratched his head. "I don't know the details, but I was bored and tried to run it according to the formula in the book. It seems... it works smoothly."

Chen Donghai refused to believe it. "Come on, try it out in front of us. If there's anything wrong, we can correct it so that Fifth Brother doesn't make the wrong move."

Long Xia and Yi Qiutang also came over. Although they were not as excited as Chen Donghai, they were also very anxious and clearly did not believe it. They thought Xie An might have misunderstood, as if he had grasped the subtle details and thought he had mastered it.

"it is good."

Xie An was also not vague. He walked to the wooden board next to the guardrail at the edge of the corridor and sat cross-legged, clearing his mind of distracting thoughts and entering a state of small meditation according to the mental method of fetal breathing.

No pulse, no breathing.

After his mind was completely calmed, he began to practice according to the Mingyu Gong mental method.

The heat hidden in the center of his chest radiated throughout his body, flowing along the surface of his skin. With the naked eye, he could see something moving slightly beneath his skin. Soon, Xie An's face flushed, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

After circulating the heat for a full cycle, Xie An stopped practicing. He looked up and saw the four old men across from him staring at him in amazement.

"Oh my God... It took me two full years to get started, and you, fifth brother, have only been here for one day..." Chen Donghai was so shocked that his voice was distorted.

Long Xia and Yi Qiutang were also secretly shocked.

They have been practicing Mingyu Gong for decades and have long been experts in it. They have a good idea of ​​whether Xie An has grasped the key points.

They had long anticipated that Xie An's progress might be faster than theirs.

But I didn't expect it to be so ridiculously fast.

For a moment, everyone was so shocked that their minds went blank and they didn't know what to say.

Tang Zhengyang was the first to recover and laughed heartily, "Good, good. As expected of you, Fifth Brother. Our Qingwu County has produced a prodigy in health-preserving exercises. Even my senior brother or my master... back then, they were far from having such talent."

After saying this, Tang Zhengyang patted Xie An's shoulder heavily, and was filled with excitement. "Although Fifth Brother has only been dabbling in Mingyu Gong for a short time, he is a genius and a late bloomer. He will surely achieve great things in the future. Who knows, he might even be able to break through the shackles of his attributes."

The others finally came to their senses.

"Fifth brother, you're a genius."

"Brother, you really found a treasure."

"Based on Fifth Brother's achievements, there's no guarantee that we'll see a way to break free from these shackles in our lifetime."

Xie An quickly stood up and bowed, responding modestly.

After this incident, Xie An clearly felt that the way the four of them looked at him was different, with more respect. It was as if the seemingly empty relationship had been solidified.

After some pleasantries, everyone asked Xie An about his thoughts, and Xie An generously shared them one by one. Except for the secret of a long life, he shared all his other insights.

Chen Donghai was greatly shocked. "It took me several years to figure out these tricks. Fifth brother is really amazing. Big brother, how about..."

Chen Donghai seemed to have something to say, but Tang Zhengyang glared back at him and he stopped talking.

Even so, everyone couldn't contain their joy, and called him "Fifth Brother" very affectionately.

Tang Zhengyang's attitude towards Xie An was obviously much more friendly. He gave him many precautions for practicing Mingyu Gong, and finally said earnestly: "Fifth brother, although you are gifted in health-preserving exercises, it will take more than ten years of accumulation to achieve success. The world is in chaos now, and health-preserving exercises to increase longevity are still in the exploratory stage, so you still can't fall behind in practicing martial arts.

In the underworld, making enemies and encountering bandits is inevitable. Without sufficient strength, you will sooner or later be framed and slaughtered. Holding power and then seeking the secret to longevity is the safest path."

Xie An said: "Brother, that's what I reminded you of. I'll keep it in mind."

"Well, you are not young anymore, you are at a stable age. It is a good thing for you to start practicing Mingyu Gong. Stay at the mansion for a few more days. It won't be too late to return to Xueling on the seventh or eighth day of the first lunar month. It is a good opportunity for us brothers to get together more often, exchange experiences and learn from each other."

"Listen to my eldest brother's orders."

In the following time, in addition to practicing Mingyu Gong and Taixi Gong in the other courtyard, Xie An went to the central courtyard to meet with his four brothers to practice martial arts and exchange experiences in health-preserving exercises.

As for the health-preserving exercises, Xie An did share his experience with the others. The four of them were experienced and accomplished, and their experiences were of great help to Xie An. Xie An, blessed with a long lifespan and a high level of understanding, also provided the other four with many insights.

But as for martial arts... there was nothing he could do. In front of the four of them, Xie An was just a newbie.

Even the youngest, Chen Donghai, has broken through the five basic levels and entered the realm of internal strength.

Fortunately, the four brothers were very patient and never tired of teaching Xie An, either by imparting their experience, or by personally practicing with him, or by giving him guidance on fighting techniques.

Xie An gained a lot.

Seven days passed by in a hurry.

Soon it was time to say goodbye.

On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, it was still snowing heavily in the early morning.

Xie An arrived at the central courtyard early and saw his three brothers all dressed in formal attire, with three green-maned horses tied to the tree trunks nearby.

Needless to say, the three brothers are leaving.

They were not originally from Qingwu County, but were called by the old man to celebrate the New Year and get to know his fifth brother.

Now, it's time to say goodbye again.

"Fifth brother, even though it's only been a few days, I, Longxia, recognize you as my fifth brother. You will be my fifth brother for the rest of my life." Longxia stepped forward and handed Xie An a red brocade box. "I'm just a farmer, so I don't have much to show for you. This is a thousand-year-old wild ginseng that can help you regulate your qi and blood, and increase your strength. Consider it a small token of my appreciation."

Thousand-year-old wild ginseng!
Wild ginseng is different from cultivated ginseng. It is grown in the mountains, gathering the essence of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, the sun and the moon. It is rare to see it grow for even a hundred years, let alone a thousand years!

If added to medicinal supplements, it will be of great help in improving the level of martial arts.

"Second brother, this is too expensive..."

Just as Xie An was about to refuse, Long Xia forced his way back, "If you recognize me as your second brother, then accept it."

Xie An said nothing more, and bowed, "Thank you, second brother."

Long Xia laughed happily: "That's right. Between brothers, a lifetime oath is made. How can we be so obsessed with trivial matters?"

"Haha, second brother has taken the lead. It would be inappropriate for me, as the third brother, not to show my support." Yi Qiutang walked over at this time, took out a piece of iron half the size of a human head, and handed it to Xie An.

When Xie An took it, he felt it was extremely heavy. Even with his strength, it was difficult for him to lift it. It was obvious that it was not an ordinary iron ore. "Third brother, this is..."

Long Xia said, "Fifth brother, your third brother isn't good with words, so let me do the talking. This precious iron is far more valuable than my ginseng. It's from outer space. It's extremely rare. If you find a suitable martial artist and blacksmith, you can forge it into a spiritual weapon. Even if you find an internal energy martial artist, you can still punch a huge hole in him."

Precious iron that can penetrate internal strength!

hiss!
Xie An's scalp tingled. Just as he was about to thank Yi Qiutang, he helped Xie An up and said, "No need to thank me. Although we met by chance, we are still brothers. You call me Third Brother, so I will give you Baotie. It's only right."

Xie An accepted it solemnly: "Thank you, Third Brother."

"You guys are so slow. You have to consider seniority when giving gifts. Finally, it's my turn." Chen Donghai stepped forward, took out a piece of animal bone, and stuffed it into Xie An's hand. "I'm going to be frank. This is a piece of precious fish monster bone I found in the Huai River. It can be crushed and used as medicine to enhance martial arts training. If it is polished, it can be used with the iron block that my third brother gave you to make a spiritual weapon, which is also very good."

"Fourth brother..."

"Okay, men, stop wasting time." Chen Donghai waved his hand to stop Xie An from saying anything sentimental. He then jumped on his horse and walked towards the gate with his other two brothers.

Xie An hurriedly caught up with them and bowed sincerely, "Brothers, when will we meet again?"

"Two or three years at the shortest, five or six at the longest. The journey is long, fifth brother, take care."

架！
With a neighing of horses, three fierce horses rushed out of the back door and disappeared into a cloud of dust.

Xie An stood alone at the door, looking at the vast white snow in the distance, and said goodbye with a bow: "Three brothers, take care!"

(End of this chapter)