Longevity Candle

Chapter 84 Mortal Path to Immortality
Under the blazing sun, the three-headed raven finally awoke.

The three heads looked around, but couldn't find the figure in white: "Where's Jiang Zhu? Where did he go?"

"Uncle Jiang Zhu has left. How much of your memory have you recovered?" Li Qingxuan asked with concern.

"He just remembered some things and helped me heal some of the wounds to my soul."

The three-headed raven said, "I smelled a fragrance coming from afar, but I'm not sure exactly where."

"Fragrance?" Li Qingxuan frowned and said, "Last night, Uncle Jiang Zhu sensed a young man worshipping the moon and sending away wandering spirits. Could it be related to him?"

“It should be.” The right head said, “I remembered the Ritual Soul, which I can pass on to you, giving you another immortal technique.”

"Shouldn't you pass it on to him who is about to arrive?" Li Qingxuan asked; "The peach wood lamp is enough for me to send away the wandering soul."

“I’m afraid I’ll forget again. I don’t know how long I can remember. The Ritual Soul that Jiang Zhu watched was just a fragment.”

The right head said, "The true function of the Ritual Soul is to borrow the power of wandering souls."

"Borrowing the power of wandering souls?" Li Qingxuan asked curiously, "Wandering souls are weak, so what power can they possibly have to borrow?"

"Although the wandering soul is weak, it can gather moonlight, which can help you quickly gather the power of moonlight."

I speculate that the forgotten method of cultivating the soul involves the soul absorbing lunar essence to strengthen its body.

The person in the middle chimed in, "It can also be called—the method of nourishing the soul."

“If one can nourish the soul and then use rituals to borrow its power, then that power is indeed inexhaustible.” Li Qingxuan exclaimed, “You, who possess such great power, have been injured like this.”

The Kingdom of Yunmeng is home to countless wandering souls. Even if each wandering soul borrowed a little, it would still form an endless ocean.

Yet this powerful Three-Headed Raven was rendered insane by Shuntiandao.

"I don't know." The three heads shook their heads; he had forgotten the specifics of the battle.

The right head said, "Don't hesitate. I will teach you the method first. When midnight arrives, worship the moon and visualize the Yin and Yang. If you gain their approval, you can freely perform the ritual of worshiping the soul."

"Where exactly is the ancient Youying? Can mere moon worship gain recognition?"

With the Soul Ritual Technique now present between her brows, Li Qingxuan still harbored doubts: "You possess such supernatural powers; you must be related to the Taiyin Youying. Doesn't it care about you?"

"The light of the ghosts has remained unchanged since time immemorial, but no one knows where they are. I may be an elf who has inherited the ghosts' divine powers, or perhaps a celestial master."

The three-headed raven said, "All the spirits, immortals, and Taoists in the world are chasing after them. To them, we are no different from mortals. How many spirits and immortals would even look down upon the mortal world?"

"It was merely a coincidence that I took a look at the mortal world out of interest and sprinkled some blessings upon it. I am just one of them."

If you gain approval, your soul will bear a ghostly mark, which you will be able to sense yourself.

Li Qingxuan fell silent and decided to try it tonight.

She brought out peach blossom wine and drank it with the three crows. He suddenly said, "Don't believe everything that old snake said. Although I have forgotten a lot, I am sure that I have a grudge against him."

"Grievances?" Li Qingxuan pondered, "I remember them. I never intended to ask for his protection. If I can truly enter the immortal path and live to see the mortal world in accordance with the Heavenly Dao, I will leave Yunmeng."

The three-headed crows nodded and then began to drink heartily.

A moment later, he became delirious again and started fighting over the peach blossom wine, and the three heads started hitting each other.

Li Qingxuan was already used to it; they wanted to stimulate themselves and recall more through this kind of struggle.

It's truly pitiful that an old elf with such a long lifespan would look like this.

As the day passed, night fell.

The stars are scattered everywhere, and the bright moon hangs high, casting its light.

Li Qingxuan took a special bath and changed her clothes, solemnly performed the ritual to appease the spirits, and devoutly worshipped the moon, whispering ancient verses: "Eternal glow, the soul of the Unending Age prays to you..."

As she chanted, the moonlight in the heavens and earth gathered, seemingly forming a beam of light that shone upon her.

Li Qingxuan visualized the Taiyin Youying in her mind. At first, everything was normal, but gradually things started to go wrong.

The ghostly light in her mind had transformed into a green lamp, shimmering with silver light.

She felt as if a green lamp had been added inside her—Jiang Zhu!
The meager magical power transformed from the Seven Star Sword Technique actually entered her body on its own initiative, and began to circulate the Soul Ritual within her.

Although the body was in some pain, it was tempered.

Wandering spirits drifted in from all directions, spreading a chilling aura and gathering the faint moonlight.

Seemingly sensing her pain, the flow of magical power gradually ceased, returning to the Seven Star Sword Formation.

Li Qingxuan sat down cross-legged, exhaling turbid air: "I wonder when I will be able to enter the realm of immortality through martial arts and freely circulate my magical power."

The wandering spirits around her curiously looked her over, and one of them mustered up his courage and asked, "Little girl, why did you summon us here?"

"Summoning?" Li Qingxuan came to her senses and said, "I have succeeded in joining the Ritual Soul. Are you willing to leave now?"

She activated the Seven Star Sword Formation, and the power of the Taiyin magic spread out, transforming into the Taiyin Green Lamp.

The wandering spirits looked at the green lamp, saw the endless darkness, and realized their final destination.

Golden light of merit entered Li Qingxuan's body, and she sat cross-legged, using the merit to cultivate.

In the distance, the young man, also seemingly sensing something, gazed towards the peach grove, with a beam of moonlight above his head as well.

A moment later, he shouldered his sword case, used his lightness skill to quickly head towards the peach grove. Half a month later.

A young man in blue robes, carrying a sword case on his back and a jar of peach blossoms, came to the peach grove.

He had a scarlet mark between his eyebrows, resembling a flower petal.

Li Qingxuan was pruning peach branches when she saw the young man in the peach grove and sensed the powerful true energy and abundant merit within him.

"Taoyuan, Li Qingxuan, please have a seat." Li Qingxuan extended her hand in invitation.

The young man did not rush to sit down, but bowed and greeted them: "Yunmeng, Gu Yunshen, and Li Wanzhang are my masters. The Immortal Fox guided me in my pursuit of the Dao."

"Seeking the Dao?" Li Qingxuan pondered, "Seeking what Dao?"

Gu Yunshen said, "He didn't want me to bother you, but I found a fragment of a secret technique in the palace and obtained the Three Souls Method: the Soul Guiding Method, the Soul Ritual Method, and the Soul Living Method."

"You must have learned the method of guiding souls to their destination since you were able to send them away. I also sensed it when I performed the ritual for the soul, which is why I came."

"Is this the Three Souls Method you're seeking?" Li Qingxuan asked.

“The three souls are the foundation of the art. I heard my master and the fairy fox talk about the Way of Peace, and I yearn for it. I want to spread the Way of Peace to Yunmeng,” Gu Yunshen said.

“Uncle Wan Zhang inherited Taiping’s ambition, while I am a hidden lineage, not involved in worldly affairs. You have come to find me, is it also to distance yourself from worldly affairs?” Li Qingxuan asked.

"No, I want to enter the mortal world." Gu Yun Shen said firmly, "I want to spread the Peach Blossom Sword Technique and the Three Souls Technique throughout the world. Only when more people guide and worship the souls can wandering souls find their final resting place."

“You should know that this is not a power that mortals can wield. We also need the favor of immortals to send away the wandering souls,” Li Qingxuan said.

“So, I’ve come to find you,” Gu Yunshen said. “I want to understand that the path to cultivation for mortals is not this difficult. That is the path I seek.”

Li Qingxuan pondered. Although this was somewhat fantastical, if successful, all the wandering souls in the world could be sent back to their rightful place.

What I seek is simply to send away more wandering souls, isn't it?

If our ancestors could light the way for mortals, why can't we light the way for wandering souls?

“It’s difficult, but I will move in the direction you suggested,” Li Qingxuan said. “Do you have any insights?”

"Not for now." Gu Yunshen shook his head. This was the path of seeking immortality through mortal means, which was too difficult. "If the Taiping Ancestor were alive, he might be able to do it easily."

Just as Li Qingxuan was about to speak, the sleeping old crow woke up, flapped its wings and flew over, staring straight at Gu Yunshen: "Human, you smell so good."

Gu Yun Shen was startled: "An elf?"

“He is the one who performs the rituals.” Li Qingxuan reached out and grabbed the old crow, pulling it back. “The Three Souls Method you mentioned actually originated from him.”

"Originated from him?" Gu Yunshen looked at the old crow in surprise, not recognizing it at all.

The old crows swallowed hard and said in unison, "Let us peck you once, just once."

Gu Yunshen instinctively pressed down on the sword case, fearing that Li Qingxuan wouldn't be able to stop this old crow.

“His mind is damaged, his memory is unclear, and he is sometimes confused. He sensed your presence before, but then forgot.”

Li Qingxuan explained, "Tell me about the Three Souls Method; perhaps it will help him remember more."

"I only know about the Ritual Soul, a secret technique sealed by the imperial palace. I secretly watched and learned it. The Ritual Soul technique can draw on the power of wandering souls. If they do not wish to stay, they can go to the Netherworld."

Gu Yunshen did not hide anything and explained, "I do not know about the method of guiding souls, but it is by no means as simple as sending away wandering souls. The method of nurturing souls has been mentioned. It is a technique for nourishing souls, also known as Taiyin Soul Refining."

“Although I have the ability to guide souls, I only know how to send away wandering souls.” Li Qingxuan frowned and said, “That secret technique doesn’t mention anything about guiding souls at all?”

“It only mentions the technique of guiding souls, but if that’s the case, it overlaps with the technique of rites to the soul, so how could it be a separate technique?” Gu Yunshen said.

"Is there a detailed method for the resurrection of the soul?"

“No.” Gu Yun Shen sighed, “I secretly sneaked into the palace and read through many ancient books, which pointed to one place.”

Where?

"Yunmengze is thousands of miles away. Ancient records say that there were wandering spirits that harmed people in Yunmengze. The emperor of the previous dynasty issued an imperial edict, ordering that the wandering spirits must not harm people. At that time, the emperor's envoys tracked them all the way to the depths of Yunmengze. Since then, there have been no more reports of wandering spirits harming people in Yunmengze."

"A wandering spirit that can harm people has broken the boundary between Yin and Yang. It should be related to the Taiyin Soul Refining. Have you been to Yunmeng Marsh?"

“I’ve never been there. Although I can handle the miasma of Yunmeng Marsh, it’s teeming with poisonous insects, and the swamps are also home to pythons and ferocious beasts. If I’m not careful, I could perish there,” Gu Yunshen said solemnly.

Li Qingxuan pondered. She had already obtained the Snake King, which had been nourished by the old dragon's meager magical power. It could be called the king of all poisons, and even venomous snakes and fierce beasts would retreat.

"Caw." The old crow cawed again, looking greedily at Gu Yun Shen: "Just one bite, just one bite."

Gu Yun Shen hesitated for a moment, then forced out a little blood with his true energy: "Here you go."

The old crow eagerly swallowed the blood, its eyes brightening slightly: "A few more bites."

Gu Yun Shen: "..."

Li Qingxuan coughed lightly: "Netherworld Crow Immortal..."

"It's alright. If it helps you, senior, as long as you don't die, it's fine to take a few bites." Gu Yun Shen generously extended his arm.

Without hesitation, the three heads pierced through the flesh and skin with their sharp beaks and began to drink.

The scarlet pattern between Gu Yun Shen's brows brightened for a moment, reflecting a scarlet flower...

(End of this chapter)