Chapter 2167: Forever Young

Flurrying snowflakes fall down, as if the cloud layer is collapsing.

On the northwest face of Everlasting Holy Winter Peak, there is a huge cliff. It's not naturally formed, but carved by human hands.

The person hovering in front of the cliff is just a point in the vast wind and snow, easily ignored.

But that snow dragon robe is such a prominently obvious existence.

And with his hands behind his back, he looks at the high cliff. Words are engraved on the cliff, row by row.

The strokes are fierce like a frost-cold, fast knife. The words say:

Alas, northwest frozen snow for four thousand years, fluttering like what?

Is it rivers and mountains for ten thousand li with wings that do not fly, years like a long river stopping frost birds!

Hangu Pass outside, carrying books young official, a heart of hot blood in articles.

Tianjing City inside, wanderer knight, called as upright fellow hanging a long knife.

I see frost woman singing white jade, do not see old decay asking blue pottery!

All know fragile like snow moon, from ancient to now, one mirror shines.

Heroes, how many are there?

Also like red faces that do not see old!

"How do you have the leisure mood to come over?" Barefoot, in thin clothes, Fu Huan arrives through the wind and snow, appearing by his side. He also glances at the words engraved on the cliff and smiles, "Still reading this."

Hong Junyan does not turn his head, still looking at the cliff engraving. He praises, "Frost feathers fly to make snow, bright moon as a mirror shines ancient and modern. Good scene. Good lines."

That year, Hong Junyan's dao body was broken by Tang Yu. He escaped back to his country, proclaimed his dao solution and died.

Fu Huan then wrote this piece in the Polar Sky Pavilion.

The so-called "Hangu Pass outside, carrying books young official" and "Tianjing City inside, wanderer knight" are all him, Hong Junyan.

He felt the elegance of Ji Yusu from close proximity and once saw Ying Yunian, who was already famous before the country was built, and developed the ambition of "a great man should be like this." He raised troops in the bitter cold northwest, desiring to contend for the world.

The merits and demerits of those years have all become history. At this time, to appreciate, read, and reminisce about his own elegy here is quite subtle.

Fu Huan is silent for a while and says, "At that time, I did think, if you had truly died then, what would my mood be? Then, with this heart accompanying wine, I casually smeared it on – it's good that it wasn't real."

"No wonder the emotions are true and sincere, deceiving the people of the world!" Hong Junyan is quite emotional.

Fu Huan wrinkles his eyebrows, "Speaking of deceiving the people of the world, shouldn't that be said of you? You are the main plotter."

"Life, one bosom friend, extreme cold for four thousand years. These years, you have been hard." Hong Junyan says, "Compared to dying, living requires more power."

Fu Huan says, "I feel instead that compared to soberly facing this world, trapping oneself in empty vastness and unknown waiting requires more courage."

Hong Junyan laughs, "Do we two still need this mutual flattery?"

Fu Huan also laughs, "You started it."

"Heroes, how many are there? Also like red faces that do not see old!" Hong Junyan sighs deeply, "You know I am unwilling to grow old in mediocrity, so I staked everything on the future. But time flies, years are like a song, and those who do not see old times also have later ones. There are not too many opportunities in this era anymore."

Fu Huan laughs, "At first there were no opportunities, now there are not too many opportunities. Great progress! Our plan is greatly successful!"

Hong Junyan laughs heartily. After laughing, he says, "The demon race's Yu Zhen Dao lies in infinite possibilities. I see that in the Shenxiao battle, anything is possible. Our immediate urgency is still to elevate the army's combat power and catch up with Ba country's strong army... Can that Taixu Ring Money be purchased with Yuan Stones? A high price is fine. So many years of accumulation are not for accumulating; if we don't spend it, it will truly become burial goods."

"Not yet." Fu Huan shakes his head, "Wait until Taixu Ring Money can circulate among Taixu Walkers, then our money can be poured in – perhaps Taixu Pavilion has not obtained enough authority, perhaps it is just considering this situation and making restrictions. Currently, Taixu Ring Money only flows between walkers and the illusion."

Hong Junyan says, "Donation method? Help them repair Taixu corner towers, support Taixu Pavilion's renovation..."

Li country previously purchased Taixu illusion quotas under the name of donating to build the Taixu illusion.

Fu Huan waves his hand, "With each additional Taixu Walker, the Taixu illusion gains more power, and its quota is naturally easier to handle. Taixu Ring Money is different. Currently, to obtain enough Taixu Ring Money and purchase each person's unique Taixu Profound Chapter, one can only do so by undertaking Taixu tasks."

"It's still a few years late." Hong Junyan sighs, "This Taixu Pavilion should have been pushed into existence somehow."

He then adds, "But if it were a few years earlier, my return would also have been more difficult."

"Both the Buddhist holy lands, east and west, are not fishing for quotas. Many big sects in the world are watching helplessly. Neither Wei nor Song Sheng countries, also just watching and sharing..." Fu Huan casually interjects, "Speaking of these things, you can just inquire about them and stop there. You didn't grasp things so finely at first, did you? Do you need to start personally handling everything again after three thousand eight hundred years?"

"The Li Dynasty is newly established. Each of the five merged countries will have one diocese. All official titles and duties need to be redistributed... Everyone is busy to the point of dizziness." Hong Junyan smiles, "When I come to Holy Winter Peak, I always want to find some things to chat with you about. We can't just reminisce about old times, can we? Otherwise, how can I not appear as a dim monarch who neglects proper business?"

Fu Huan says, "In this new spring festival, to abandon the entire court of civil and military officials, to abandon the new year's plans, and come to this absolute peak with only ice and snow, idle to read and commemorate one's own elegy... This is very difficult to evaluate."

Li country's Taizu is majestic and profound. Officials seldom see him laugh. On this Holy Winter Peak, his smile almost never disappears.

He truly just chats idly while mixing in a few sentences about state affairs: "The Yu Abyss Great Wall has already started work. Training troops is not a matter of morning and evening. Wei Qingpeng is still leading cavalry to frolic in Yu Abyss. Meng Lingxiao and Guan Daoquan are together sorting out church affairs. I don't need to be too distracted... How is Xie Ai now? Among the younger generation of Li country, we just need to see if she can support the scene a bit."

Fu Huan says, "She is progressing very fast now. She will definitely reach the God Realm before March next year. With the experience of the Winter Emperor segment, and then the San Sheng Lan cause flower petal remolding her dao body, her opportunity in the Cave True Realm is also very great. As for deriving dao... it only depends on her own fortune. Except for Li Yi, Jiang Wang, and a few others, who else can say they are guaranteed to become one?"

"Dou Yangyu of Li Zhen diocese, Yelu Zhi of Qi Liao diocese?" Hong Junyan asks again.

Fu Huan is very direct, "Supporting the general situation under the scene is no problem. Supporting the scene you want is not very hopeful."

Dou Yangyu was originally a heaven's pride of Zhen country. He participated in the Outer Building field of the Dao Calendar 3919 Yellow River Meeting and was crippled on the spot by Zhongshan Wei Sun of Jing country, miserably eliminated.

And the original Liao country's heaven's pride, Yelu Zhi, also went up the Guan River Terrace... and had half his face smashed by Huang Sheli's pestle.

Fu Huan does not hold any real power or duty in the emerging Li country. He detached himself from state power early and returned to great force, an independent Dao Deriving strong. Hong Junyan sealed him as a national teacher, almost just in name.

But although he does not enjoy state power, he is still heartbroken for Li country.

Xie Ai, Dou Yangyu, Yelu Zhi, are all following him to cultivate now.

Before, he needed to guard Yu Abyss, defend against foreign enemies, and stabilize the state. Now, he only needs to sit in meditation and teach disciples. To use Hong Junyan's words – he's just short of retiring and enjoying old age, what else is he waiting for?

"It's time to cultivate more young people, at all costs." Hong Junyan says, "The next Yellow River Meeting is very important to us."

"I was also doing such work before, but at that time, talents were limited. Now, time is limited." Fu Huan says, "The Yellow River section's flood season generally does not exceed fifteen years and is not less than ten years. Seven years have already passed since the last Yellow River Meeting. That is to say, there are still at least three years and at most eight years. Don't hold too much hope. It's possible we have to wait another session to see some results."

"Cannot wait." Hong Junyan says, "If we cannot obtain an allocation behind the Ten Thousand Demons Gate through this session's Yellow River Meeting, then at that time, I can only personally lead troops to pioneer in the demon world. Not to mention the losses, the harvest will also be very dependent on luck."

Fu Huan says, "I see that recent policies always encourage childbirth, and then select infants with extremely good root bones nationwide, funded by the court, for concentrated cultivation. You are preparing for the next session's Taixu Pavilion members... Is it too early?"

Hong Junyan understands. Fu Huan's meaning is that the Shenxiao war is not over yet, so don't overly disperse energy. But he says, "I only worry it's too late!"

To walk with big strides and achieve solid success with each step, one can reach the ideal other shore. Because what is sought is too great.

Fu Huan is silent for a moment.

"There is still one thing that always makes me remember." Hong Junyan says casually, "Nalan Longzhi of Steal Heaven Manor. He stole something from the Winter Emperor at that time. What did he steal? The Winter Emperor was clearly very anxious at that time, chasing and killing everywhere. But later, Ning Daoru successfully cultivated to True Immortal and left without saying anything. Ying Yunian successfully transcended, and also didn't mention a word about this. Is it that He no longer cares, or is it, this is also another kind of fulfillment?"

Fu Huan says, "Since Steal Heaven Manor is not interfering with us, we don't need to investigate deeply."

Hong Junyan says, "You said at first that you encountered Pu Shun'an of Steal Heaven Manor in a book. I have flipped through that book until it's tattered, and still haven't seen it. Is the book still there?"

Fu Huan shakes his head, "I don't know when it disappeared."

"Not seeing it is also good." Hong Junyan says, turning his head to look into the distance. His territory spreads out in his vision, seemingly able to extend endlessly into the distance.

"It's another new spring, ah." The emperor of Li country sighs.

Fu Huan, who is hovering beside him, says, "But it's no longer just the two of us."

The two people who fought back to back in the cold long street that year, almost feeding the snow wolves, now once again stand on this world's highest place, contending for rivers and mountains with the most peak figures.

Year after year, new spring. Year after year, people are different.

"Release the fireworks!"

In the sky of Cloud City, dazzling fireworks bloom, as if the human world is still giving the universe a star river.

On the New Year's Eve night of Dao Calendar 3926, Jiang Wang brings his family and mouth to Cloud City – referring to Zhu Weiwu and Xiang Qian.

Kind-hearted Jiang Dongjia gave all employees a twenty-day holiday to visit relatives, with pay!

Bai Yuxia, however, just patted his butt and left, conveniently getting an advance on the account for visiting relatives. Lian Yuanchuan was dead set against going back, saying, "If I don't become a God Realm, Lian someone has no home."

Those resentful eyes made Jiang Dongjia very uncomfortable – so she stayed to guard Star Moon Plain and look after the tavern.

Bringing those employees who also didn't go home or had no home to return to, they continued to stay open. Business on New Year's Eve was good, and they could reasonably raise prices.

Chu Yao rode a fast horse back to Linzi to visit his mother.

Zhu Weiwu was dragged and pulled by Jiang someone. Xiang Qian just happened to pass by Star Moon Plain the day before New Year's Eve, just happened to enter Bai Yujing Tavern for a look, and just happened... to come along together.

This year, Jiang Anan is already fourteen years old and is growing more and more beautiful.

As she grows up, she is no longer as clingy to her brother as she was in childhood.

She already has Tongtian Realm cultivation and can push open the heavenly gate anytime – both Jiang Zhenren and Ye Zhenren suggest she wait a bit.

At this moment, she is bringing her followers, riding the Feng Hua Lamp, patrolling in the sky.

She likes the sky very much, perhaps because when she first came into contact with cultivation knowledge, her brother told her that he could take her flying later.

In the middle of the spacious courtyard, there is a warm stone table. The table is full of dishes, all exquisitely made, and the heat does not dissipate.

Jiang Wang, Ye Qingyu, Xiang Qian, and Zhu Weiwu, four people, sit around the table.

Stupid Gray tries its best to become very small, trying to regain its past cuteness in front of its old master. It leans beside Jiang Zhenren's feet and struggles with its own basin of food – it eats the most.

The evening wind is gentle, bringing warmth. Although the people present are not afraid of the cold, Jiang Zhenren still considerately uses true source fire boundary to adjust the temperature.

Inside the neighboring courtyard, the highly-paid big chefs are busy to the point of their feet not touching the ground. The sounds of pots, bowls, ladles, and basins colliding, in this fireworks-filled night sky, especially have the echo of "home."

Everyone is in high spirits, chatting about Ye Qingyu's experiences in outer space, Xiang Qian's trial sword process, Jiang Anan growing up year by year...

Among these four people, except for Ye Qingyu, they seldom have this "boring" happiness.

"Cough!"

An appropriate cough is heard outside the door.

Jiang Wang takes a step and pulls open the courtyard door, then sees the person outside with his hands behind his back, just happening to pass by, Ye Zhenren.

Yesterday, Jiang someone personally went to invite him, but he disdained even a glance, rewarding him with a closed door... Until Ye Qingyu and Jiang Anan both ran out.

At this time, he is still followed by Ah Chou. One person and one exotic beast have an extremely good appearance, and their posture is extremely high, like immortals and beasts descending together into the mortal world.

The true immortal lord opens the door to welcome them, still very enthusiastic: "Senior Ye, Senior Ah Chou, have you eaten?"

Ah Chou proudly shakes its head.

"Eh? You're having a meal here?" Ye Zhenren says in surprise, "I came out for a stroll, didn't expect such a coincidence."

Jiang Wang steps aside to make way into the courtyard, and invites again, "If you don't mind, come in and eat a little together."

Xiang Qian and Zhu Weiwu are not people who are good at social maneuvering. At this time, they silently stand up, their expressions as gentle as possible, indicating their welcome.

Ye Zhenren stands outside the door, yet glances at Ye Qingyu.

"Come in!" Ye Qingyu says impatiently.

"Since you're here, come in. It's the new year. Then I'll keep you company and sit for a bit." Ye Zhenren puts his hands behind his back and walks in.

Ah Chou follows closely behind.

Jiang Wang casually creates two large chairs and invites these two great masters to be seated.

"Come, everyone, sit down. Don't be restrained, treat it as your own home." As soon as Ye Zhenren arrives, he controls the field, opening bottles left and right, and continuously rounds of wine are poured.

That level of skill almost makes Jiang Wang see Xu Xiangqian, who used to be with Zhao Wuyan.

After drinking a few cups and saying a few lively words, Ye Zhenren looks up at the starry sky and suddenly frowns, "What is Anan doing? How long has she been playing? Our Anan is going to participate in the Yellow River Meeting! Cultivation cannot be relaxed, ah."

Jiang Zhenren listens and finds it very reasonable. Didn't he himself win the championship that year by cultivating diligently without stopping, hot or cold?

"Anan!" With this shout, he calls back Jiang Anan, who is happily playing.

One lamp of stars flies in the good night. Jiang Anan jumps down from the Feng Hua Lamp and lands gracefully in the courtyard: "Brother, what's up?"

Jiang Wang's expression is serious: "Your cultivation today—"

"Ai!" Ye Zhenren lifts his hand and, with a 'pa' sound, interrupts him reproachfully: "Cultivation is important, but how much can it be in one or two days? Are you acting like a brother like this? It's the new year, aren't you going to let her relax a bit?"

There will be an update at eight o'clock this evening.