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

Chapter 160 Go higher!
Although Xie An and the eldest princess spent quite a while together.

But it's more of a transaction, a mutually beneficial one. What we do know is that the princess has a broad mind and good character. But to say there's much trust between them isn't quite right.

In addition, Xie An still knew little about the world. In the face of such a major event, Xie An still felt it would be more appropriate to ask Tang Zhengyang for his opinion.

After all, Tang Zhengyang has lived in Qingwu County for hundreds of years, and he must have a deep understanding of the situation in Nanyang Prefecture and Nanzhou.

Having more information as a reference would also make it easier for Xie An to weigh the pros and cons.

Although Xie An's Mingyu Gong had reached the eighteenth level, and he didn't seem to have many rivals in the entire Nanyang Prefecture, the current situation in Qingwu County was complicated, and he was living in a chaotic world. He still felt that he needed to be cautious and prudent.

There are so many talented and brilliant people who achieved great success in their youth, but ended up suffering misfortune and having a bad end because they tried too hard to attract attention.

Not to mention being comparable to an eighth-level martial artist, even a ninth-level martial artist, or even a martial arts master... there are probably many who were killed by others.

After seeing the letter of appointment, Tang Zhengyang suddenly took a deep breath.

"This princess truly values ​​my fifth brother. She gave him a letter of appointment as a fifth-rank general officer without hesitation. This is a high position and generous salary that many martial artists would never dare to dream of. If it were anyone else, they would have been grateful and immediately accepted the position. But my fifth brother, after receiving the letter of appointment, remained calm and composed, not impulsive. Instead, he came to inquire. This mentality alone surpasses countless others. If you want to achieve stability and long-term success, you should have this cautious mentality."

At the end of his speech, Tang Zhengyang looked at Xie An with a little more relief and recognition.

Xie An felt the same way. "We live in troubled times, the imperial court is in turmoil, and the Daoist Academy relies on martial arts to control the world. The relationship between the two sides is already complicated. Now, the Huainan King's men have come to Qingwu County, plus Li Changchun is still there, Jin Xiaotang has escaped, and there are remnants of the Changsheng Sect in Nanyang Prefecture, etc. Even a martial arts master needs to be cautious, let alone my half-baked strength."

Tang Zhengyang smiled cheerfully and said, "Fifth brother's strength is already quite impressive, so there's no need to be too modest. However, it's appropriate to be more cautious at the moment."

Tang Zhengyang held the letter of appointment and stared at it for a long time before finally offering a suggestion, "If Fifth Brother's strength was below that of a seventh-level martial artist, I would suggest you give up this letter of appointment. But now..."

Before he could finish his words, the water in the copper kettle on the stove beside him had already boiled, making a sharp humming sound and the "clang" sound of the boiling water pushing the lid of the kettle. A few drops of boiling water splashed out from the gap in the lid and landed on the red-hot charcoal in the stove, making a hissing sound and billowing green smoke.

Tang Zhengyang picked up the copper kettle and filled Xie An's porcelain cup. He continued, "Qingwu County only has two respectable martial arts sects: the Tiger and Wolf Sect and the Heavenly Sword Society. The top masters in each sect are only at the third level. The leader of martial arts in Nanyang Prefecture is the Tai'a Taoist Academy. Apart from the people brought by the princess, it cannot produce an eighth level martial artist. Looking at the entire Nanzhou, only the Nanzhou Taoist Academy can produce eighth and ninth level martial artists. And my fifth brother has already reached a level comparable to an eighth level martial artist. The resources that these sects mentioned above can provide to my fifth brother are very limited."

Xie An took a sip of tea and felt that the information provided by Tang Zhengyang was very valuable.

Tang Zhengyang continued, "Daqian encompasses thirty-six states, a vast territory. History records five thousand years of glorious civilization. Each state has its own opportunities, and some relics are hidden deep within, unknown to the world. It would be too difficult to find them alone, like looking for a needle in a haystack. Life is but a hundred years. If you can borrow strength, you should do so."

The biggest arena where we can leverage this power is the Dao Sect and the imperial court."

Xie An became more and more interested as he listened, "Please tell me more."

Tang Zhengyang said, "Every dynasty has expended considerable manpower and resources searching for relics and opportunities left on this land. This applies to sects, aristocratic families, and clans alike. The largest organizations among them are undoubtedly the current imperial court and the Daoist sect."

Xie An suddenly understood something, "Could it be that the second, third, and fourth brothers are always traveling around looking for opportunities in these ruins?"

Tang Zhengyang nodded, "That's right. The world is full of wonders. There are all kinds of precious plants, precious fish, magical beasts, precious medicines, and so on. If you can get one or two, there is a possibility of changing your life. It is said that there are still traces of immortals left in the land of Daqian. Many emperors are crazy about them. The secret techniques of refining corpses and souls created by the Changsheng Sect were also learned from the ancient books in the ruins."

At this point, Tang Zhengyang suddenly raised his head and looked at Xie An solemnly, "Daqian has been established for a hundred years and has honored Taoism as the state religion. Over the past hundred years, Taoism and the imperial court have expended countless manpower and resources to acquire relics and treasures from all over the world. For my fifth brother, this is the greatest resource library."

Fifth brother is gifted. It's only a matter of time before he masters the Mingyu Gong. He shouldn't just keep doing small things like the other four of us. Fifth brother, your life should be more than just Mingyu Gong. You should reach higher ground and see more magnificent scenery.

Only the imperial court and the Daoist sect have the resources to support my fifth brother in reaching higher heights."

Wow!

Tang Zhengyang picked up the kettle and poured water into Xie An's porcelain cup. He raised the spout of the kettle high, and the boiling hot water fell from the spout, forming a transparent water line surrounded by mist.

Just like Xie An's beating heart at this moment.

He naturally felt that Tang Zhengyang said this because he really regarded him as a brother and hoped that Xie An would live a better life than Tang Zhengyang.

Moreover, what Tang Zhengyang said was very profound.

It hit Xie An right in the heart.

Xie An had similar thoughts before, but Tang Zhengyang just said them out loud.

He held the porcelain cup in his pocket, feeling the warmth from the hot water in it, but he never uttered a word.

Tang Zhengyang chuckled softly and said, "I know that Fifth Brother has been a servant for half his life and is naturally cautious. He doesn't want to take any risks. But... I have given you everything I can. Mingyu Gong is the beginning. Once Fifth Brother has passed this mountain of Mingyu Gong, the road ahead... will be unknown. Fifth Brother will need to forge a path on his own. Walking on an unknown road, there are always some risks.

Furthermore, the eldest princess now values ​​you; she is truly a towering tree. Fifth Brother, all you need to do is make good use of the resources of this tree, and it will be enough for you to reach even greater heights, reaching heights you and I will never dream of in this lifetime. Then, Fifth Brother will be able to explore the unknown path with greater ease.”

After hearing this, Xie An agreed with it deeply and felt much more at ease.

In my two lifetimes, I only lived for a total of eighty years.

Old Master Tang is already 140 years old.

With nearly twice the time, what I saw and heard was indeed different.

"So, big brother agrees with me taking up a position at the Demon Suppression Division?"

Tang Zhengyang's eyes were sharp. "If it was just a fifth-rank Demon Suppression Commander, I wouldn't approve. This is because this is Nanzhou. You killed the seventh son of the King of Huainan, and the King of Huainan will not let you off easily. But you have the support of the Princess, so there will be no problem. Moreover, with the title of Commander, the King of Huainan will not be able to touch you.

"In addition, the Demon Suppression Division has a wealth of resources. You can obtain different treasures and precious pills by gaining different merits. Furthermore, the Demon Suppression Division doesn't belong entirely to the imperial court, but also to the Taoist sect. If you have connections in the Taoist sect in the future, you can leave the Demon Suppression Division at any time, and the imperial court will be unable to do anything to you."

Xie An took out a purple token and handed it to Tang Zhengyang with both hands.

Tang Zhengyang took it and flipped it over. It was half the size of a palm, an irregular hexagon with a circle of lotus patterns carved around it. The front was engraved with the words "Xie An". The back was engraved with "Tai Yi Dao Bai".

After seeing the words on the back, Tang Zhengyang was so shocked that he suddenly sat up from his chair, his eyes bulging out. "Is this also... given to you by the eldest princess?"

Xie An nodded and said, "It is said to be an identity token passed down by Taiyi Dao himself. I have little knowledge of it, so please help me take a look."

Tang Zhengyang was silent for a long time, sighing repeatedly, "This princess really treats you well. This is indeed the identity token of a direct disciple of Taiyi Dao. No one in the world would dare to forge this white word."

"What does this white word mean?"

Tang Zhengyang said, "I, too, may have limited experience, but I roughly know that Bai is the name of the leader of the Taiyi Dao sect. Even His Majesty Jingtai avoids this word. It is the most feared word in Daqian."

Who is this princess? She has such a talent. She can get a personal identity token for my fifth brother without even having to pass the Taiyi Dao test.

He picked up the token and solemnly returned it to Xie An. "With this token, you will be able to do even more as the Demon Suppression Commander. You can resign anytime you want. As long as you don't break any rules or laws, no one can stop you."

Xie An accepted the token and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, brother. I understand now."

Tang Zhengyang smiled and said, "I've only lived a few years longer and have gained a little more experience. However, the court is a complex place. Although I'm a steady person, I need to be extremely careful."

"I know what's going on." Xie An stood up and said goodbye. "Brother, if you are ready to go into seclusion, please let me know. I live in the Xie Mansion not far away."

"Of course. Also, that eldest princess... my fifth brother needs to pay special attention."

After leaving the central courtyard, the last bit of hesitation in Xie An's heart disappeared.

In particular, Tang Zhengyang's words "go higher" touched Xie An's heart.

This was a very objective statement, and one Xie An needed to face. The imperial court and the Daoist sects' quest for treasures, relics, and resources across the world was undoubtedly the greatest stage for martial arts and longevity. Xie An now held a token personally passed down from the Taiyi sect in one hand and a letter of appointment from the fifth-rank Demon Suppression Division in the other.

It's time to step onto a bigger stage.

It's much better than going out on your own and searching for a few small resources.

If you don’t make use of such a good stage, you would be a fool.

However, things have two sides.

Once you enter the court, it is like entering a deep sea. You need to think carefully before taking every step.

He also understood that, living in troubled times, with no relatives and no distinguished family background, there was no one to protect him if something went wrong. If Xie An wanted to go far, he could only rely on himself to forge a path step by step.

That’s right, with a long lifespan, I can indeed hide somewhere and complete the Mingyu Gong.

and then?
The Mingyu Gong couldn't support him in his pursuit of immortality. Furthermore, even if he cultivated the Mingyu Gong to perfection, he wouldn't be invincible in Daqian.

With a longevity character, Xie An needs to obtain better health-preserving skills, better secret methods of longevity, precious medicines, etc.

Being in Daqian, it is not realistic to want to completely break away from the Daqian court to develop.

Now that he has the eldest princess as a big tree, he can still live in peace for a while. What he should do is to take the opportunity to access more resource treasures through the big stage of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

After making up his mind, Xie An no longer had any hesitation and felt relieved.

It was afternoon, and the sun was shining brightly.

Despite the heavy drinking, Xie An didn't feel drunk. Daqian's distilled liquor wasn't very strong, only around 20 degrees. Even if it was strong, with Xie An's current Mingyu Gong level, a little heat would have evaporated the alcohol.

Before leaving Tangjiabao, Xie An specially sneaked out to visit Xiao Hongtang.

Xiao Hongtang and Tang Lin were huddled around the table, piecing together a pile of scraps of paper.

Little Red Sugar kept reminding him, "Mom, please go slow. Don't make any mistakes. We can't be careless with this map. If we make a mistake, what will happen if Grandpa gets the wrong way again and gets lost for a few more years?"

Tang Lin was speechless after hearing what Xiao Hongtang said, but she didn't have the heart to say anything. She continued to go along with Xiao Hongtang, "Okay, okay, I'll go slowly. Look, is this right?"

"Yeah, yeah. Okay."

Tang Lin: “…”

Xie An stood at the door and watched the mother and daughter being so attentive. He felt a little warmer in his heart. He did not go in to disturb them, but left quietly.

When we returned to Xie's house, it was already late afternoon.

As soon as he entered the house, Xie An saw that the house had changed a lot.

The withered potted plants were replaced with new, lush green ones. Lanterns were hung on the main gate, the hanging flower gate, and the corridors. A carpet was even laid inside and outside the hanging flower gate.

The three-courtyard house, which was not considered grand, has been completely renovated. It is filled with a warm and comfortable atmosphere, yet it is also grand.

Xie An felt in high spirits watching this. He stepped into the hanging flower gate and came to the courtyard. He saw Han Li holding a pair of pruning shears to trim a row of chrysanthemums in the corner of the wall, while He Chunli was holding a stepladder. Yu He stood on the ladder, holding a hammer in one hand and a nail in the other, hammering on the beam under the eaves while asking, "Xiao He, check if you hit it right? We'll be hanging lanterns soon."

He Chunli glanced at it from time to time and said, "A little to the left, a little more to the left, OK, stop."

Dang Dang Dang!
Yuhe determined the smell of the nail and began to hammer, making a "ding-dong" sound.

Xie An leaned against the door frame and watched them work. It felt more and more like home, and he couldn't help but smile.

The technological level of Daqian was similar to that of the ancient world. The misconception that ancient buildings used mortise and tenon joints instead of nails has long been a myth, but nails were actually widely used from a very early time.

Bronze nails appeared as early as ancient Egypt. As for Xie An's previous life, nails had already appeared in the Han Dynasty.

While mortise and tenon joints are strong, nails are more effective in securing and reinforcing smaller components and thinner surfaces. For example, rafters, roof fascias, and the corner beams of ancient buildings often require specially designed nails for securement.

Later, many buildings developed a connection method that mainly used mortise and tenon connections, supplemented by wooden pin connections, iron nail connections, and material splicing.

After hammering the nails in, Yuhe hung up the red lanterns, then stepped down the ladder to admire the work from a distance. A smile crossed her face, evidently pleased with her masterpiece. "It looks much more comfortable now. The master will surely be pleased when he comes back and sees it."

He Chunli also laughed, "Miss Yuhe is really clever and skillful. Brother Han and I can't live such a prosperous life."

Han Li teased at this time, "Why don't you marry Chunlan home someday?"

Although He Chunli was looking forward to it, his face turned red and he said stubbornly, "It's really boring to chat with you."

Suddenly, a voice familiar to everyone came, "I think Han Li said it very well, why is it so boring?"

Everyone turned around.

He Chunli hung his head and said, "Master is right."

Yuhe stepped forward and took Xie An's arm, "Master, do you think the house is decorated well?"

Xie An nodded with a smile and gave a very high evaluation, "It is warm and elegant, full of life, and it is much more comfortable to watch."

Yuhe was extremely satisfied. "As long as the master likes it, I'll go make dinner. Xiao He and Xiao Han, come and help."

The two apprentices then followed him to the kitchen to help.

As dusk falls, the meal is served.

The four of them sat together, enjoying their first reunion dinner in four years. They also drank a little wine. Although there wasn't much conversation, the meal felt incredibly warm.

After dinner, the two disciples brought stools and sat around Xie An, listening to him recount the past four years. Yuhe brought some fruit, and they continued their conversation until the early hours of the morning before each of them went off to rest.

The next morning.

Xie An got up early to practice Fan Mingyu Gong.

He did not become lazy or complacent because of his great achievements, but remained humble and hardworking.

It's a pity that the progress has not increased at all.

Fortunately, Xie An had anticipated this and did not feel disappointed.

"Brother Tang is right. It's always good to have many skills. Since Mingyu Gong is slow to improve in the short term, I'll focus on practicing martial arts as well and strive to achieve the martial arts master level as soon as possible. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. This is also an efficient use of time."

Thinking of this, Xie An took out the brocade box given by Tang Zhengyang and prepared to take an internal strength pill to break through the internal strength martial artist.

Just as he was about to take it, Yu He came rushing in from outside, "Master, Liu Chun is here to see you."

(End of this chapter)