I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 49 But what if it's the path to immortality?
The City God's eyes immediately swept over, and Judge Wu picked up the iron pen from the ground, his hand trembling slightly under his sleeve.

"Are there really such divine beings in this world..."

"I was so engrossed in listening that I lost track of time."

His voice was hoarse, he wore a red and black military robe, had a blue face and fangs, and his eyes were wide open in anger. The Martial Judge was always a god who punished sinners and suppressed evil, and he was extremely majestic. In his hand, he used an iron pen to determine life and death, and to sentence someone with a stroke of his pen.

How could he have dropped the iron pen on the ground because he was so engrossed in listening?

The judge and the night-roaming god also sensed something was wrong and looked over.

The City God stared intently at him.

He said slowly, "Even those who are spirits or deities should have a sense of awe."

"There are so many illicit worships in the mountains and fields, with day and night gods watching over us without rest or oversight. Yet we have never heard of this so-called Temple of the Fourth Prince."

"Wu Pan, what is the reason for this?"

Judge Wu's face was ashen, he trembled with fear, and sweat poured down his face.

He slowly lowered his head.

He lifted his crimson official robe and knelt down.

The City God pursed his lips, somewhat disappointed. Looking at him kneeling on the ground, he sighed and asked, "Are you going to tell the truth yourself, or do you want to go to the immortals to explain yourself?"

"What kind of thing is the Temple of the Fourth Prince that it can even command the judge of my City God Temple to cover for him?"

Judge Wu knew he had done a bad job, and he never imagined that there were immortals in this world.

He lay prostrate on the ground and said:

"I personally witnessed the construction of the Temple of the Fourth Prince. It was built by a Taoist priest from Ruzhou who knew some magic and looked like one of those ancient sorcerers."

"He used magic to build temples, employing the method of turning stone into gold, and required mortals to offer incense to help him cultivate."

The City God asked.

"Midas turned into gold?"

"Yes, I have also seen this method. It involves mixing five minerals—cinnabar, realgar, orpiment, alum, and azurite—and then using a clever method to transform them into gold. The worshippers in the temple are only seeking mundane things like gold and silver, which can be obtained through this method."

The City God stroked his beard.

"If it can turn stones into gold, why is it necessary to raise funds and set the donation amount so high?"

Judge Wu lay prostrate on the ground.

"The alchemist said that ordinary people are obsessed with desires, and the more they expend, the greater their desires become. If one takes this as the way, then the foundation of the Way will be profound."

"Because mortals cannot control their greed."

The City God then asked:

"Then why did you help him? You are a ghost official, a deity appointed by imperial decree. What did he promise you?"

Judge Wu remained silent for a moment, then said in a low voice:

"Fame and fortune are fleeting clouds in the eyes of ghosts and gods."

"But what about the path to immortality?"

The City God remained silent for a while.

When asked, "What is that sorcerer's name, and what is his Taoist title?"

“A man from Ruzhou named Zhou Ling, who called himself Jin Yuan Shangren, named his temple Silangjun Temple in order to attract pilgrims. He was also known as Silangjun.”

"Does he have any teachers? The immortal should inquire further."

……

……

A young Taoist priest, his figure ethereal, slowly emerged from the statue. He wore a black Taoist robe adorned with crimson flame patterns, exceptionally beautiful.

His hair was loose and untied, and he was unconventional and unrestrained, disregarding etiquette.

At the same time, there seemed to be some kind of change in the air, isolating this small area and preventing the worshippers outside from hearing or seeing anything.

The Taoist priest walked up to the group.

Looking at the four people, one was an immortal, one was a mountain god, one was a Taoist priest, and one was a mortal.

Oh, and there's also a village boy.

He rolled up his sleeves and bowed to Jiang She.

He asked with a smile.

"Does the immortal harbor some strange thoughts?"

The Taoist priest laughed: "I'm afraid when the immortal ascended to Ruzhou, he noticed my little temple. He was quite patient, letting that little boy run around like a fly without urging him on."

Old Deer Mountain God looked on in astonishment.

He was the lord of the mountains and rivers, and had previously punished those who practiced unorthodox methods under his rule. Usually, they were the ones who begged for mercy, but this man spoke with a smile, completely disregarding the consequences for himself. A rare sight indeed.

Jiang She did not respond.

He overheard that some of the people who came to pray were motivated by greed; some were cursing their brothers to die so they could inherit the family fortune; and others, over forty years old, wanted to climb the social ladder and make their dreams come true by marrying into wealth.

A faint black aura appeared on their foreheads, indicating that most of these signs had already come true.

This "Fourth Prince" granted their request.

Jiang She asked, "Why should we grant them what they want?"

The Taoist priest answered calmly:

"When people come to me with requests, why not grant them one or two requests? They are nothing but gold and silver, common things, nothing rare."

The old deer mountain god watched from the side for a while.

He pointed out incisively: "You want to ask for incense offerings and the power of believers' wishes."

The Taoist priest did not refute this.

"I'm afraid that in the eyes of a true immortal, I would be considered a heretic or evil person."

As he spoke, he burst into laughter.

My gaze swept over the magnificent palace, past the kneeling pilgrims, and out to the surrounding mountains.

The Taoist priest, "Fourth Master," said, "But if it weren't for these evil heretics, how could we, who seek immortality, obtain the secret to eternal life? Would the worshippers in the temple be able to gain wealth and fame?"

"We cannot remain forever like the green hills."

"I only wish to glimpse the path to immortality."

"To live forever with heaven and earth."

"Human life is short, so what is the difference between us and mayflies? In the time it takes for immortals to sit in meditation and play in the mortal world, ordinary people have already lived out their entire lives."

Even ghosts and gods cannot escape the shackles of lifespan.

“With each passing day, one’s lifespan decreases by one day. Yet, without making any progress and without attaining the Dharma, one’s death date approaches, and one’s heart is filled with fear and dread.”

At this point, the Taoist priest, "Fourth Master," burst into laughter.

He spoke each word as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth, almost as if he were gritting his teeth.

"I won't do it that way!"

"I demand...immortality!"

Yuan Danqiu and Li Bai listened intently, seeing the man laugh until tears streamed down his face, witnessing his extreme aversion to death, and thinking of all those in history who sought immortality and enlightenment, their hearts were filled with unease.

Will I be like that someday?

The village boy didn't quite understand. When he saw the person who came out of the statue suddenly burst into laughter, he was startled and couldn't help but take two steps back.

Jiang She listened quietly to him speak.

I couldn't help but think of that day, when the Earth God held a banquet and all the demons wept bitterly.

Lifespan, oh lifespan, so short, so fair. Whether emperor or servant, Taoist seeking immortality or mountain demon, all will eventually die of old age.

And how to view life and death.

It is the difference in mindset.

The highest level of understanding lies in being able to calmly accept life and death.

When Zhuangzi's wife died, he beat a basin and sang. Ji Kang played the Guangling zither and calmly faced death. Even the fierce tiger in the mountains knows that death comes before life.

Life and death are discussed in jest, with a playful and detached attitude.

Jiang She stroked the cat in his arms, rubbed its ears, and covered them.

He asked, "When you saw that man's brother die because of you, did you feel any remorse?"

"Nothing."

The Taoist priest spoke of decisiveness, and since sensing the arrival of the immortals, he already knew his fate.

He straightened his clothes and knelt upright on the ground.

Knowing the consequences, he spoke with unusual composure:
"I entered the Dao at the age of sixteen. Since I began my cultivation, I have had no regrets in my life except for not attaining the Great Dao of Immortality."

Jiang She looked towards the incense burning in the temple.

"That's it."

"It's a pity that I can't get what I want."

Despite saying this, there was no hint of regret in his voice.

　I ran out of time while writing this chapter, so I might revise it later.

　　Following along is very important for a new book, so I'm asking for your continued support here QAQ. I'll try to update more frequently after it's released.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)