Seeking Immortality

Although the young elders were looking for Xu Qingfan to register the magic weapons they had taken, they also noticed the arrival of Gongsun Huapo and the abnormality of Zhang Hualing. Especially when they saw Zhang Hualing's face change drastically and he left quickly, they all realized that something big might have happened in Jiuhua Mountain again. So when they saw Gongsun Huapo walking towards Xu Qingfan with a serious face, they all made way for her.

When Xu Qingfan saw Gongsun Huapo with a solemn face, he suddenly had a strong ominous premonition in his heart for some reason.

But Gongsun Hua Po walked up to Xu Qingfan, moved her lips slightly, and said in a voice transmission: "I will take care of the things here for the time being, you should hurry back to the top of Jiuhua Mountain now."

Xu Qingfan asked: "What happened?"

Gongsun Hua Po showed a trace of sadness on her face, and said in a hoarse voice: "Li... Senior Brother Liu, I'm afraid you can't hold on for much longer."

Hearing Gongsun Hua Po's words, Xu Qingfan was shocked. He, who always attached great importance to etiquette, didn't even say hello to Gongsun Hua Po and others, and quickly ran out of the secret library, leaving a group of young elders looking at each other in astonishment.

On the way to the top of Jiuhua Mountain, Xu Qingfan's mind was just a mess, but he couldn't have any ideas.

It was clear that Liu Huaxiang had greeted him calmly in the early morning. It was clear that before meditation last night, he was ridiculed by Liu Huaxiang for something. Liu Huaxiang had clearly said that he would give Xu Qingfan a copy after Xu Qingfan became the deacon elder of Jiuhua Mountain. It was clear that...

But how could Liu Huaxiang not hold on in just half a day?

Fate is unpredictable, this is the only feeling in Xu Qingfan's heart.

Once upon a time, when Xu Qingfan went out of the house every morning, he saw Liu Huaxiang who had been waiting outside. His face was full of wrinkles and he looked old. He was aging day by day. Now he looked like a monster and not a human, with a hunched body.

There, Xu Qingfan was very worried that this old man would suddenly disappear from his life one day.

However, although the old man was obviously aging every day, he was still living tenaciously every day. His hair was bald, his teeth were all gone, his face was full of age spots and wrinkles, and his skin was gray. Whenever Xu Qingfan thought that he could not resist the loss of life and was worried. On the next morning, when he woke up from meditation, he found that the old man was still standing quietly in the mist and early sun in the morning, waiting for him to appear, and then teach him something, or the way of dealing with things, or the magic of Taoism, or just set up a chess game, two cups of light tea, and drink with him.

In this constant worry and constant peace of mind, time passed day by day, and the old man defeated the god of death again and again, and still lived tenaciously, as if there were too many things in this world that he could not let go.

And Xu Qingfan gradually got used to the old man's successive victories when facing the god of death, and took it for granted that the old man would continue to win until it became a routine, until it became eternal.

Of course, people cannot defeat the god of death. Even if they can win for a while, an occasional defeat will ruin all their efforts. Even if they cultivate immortality, it is the same, unless they can really reach the legendary realm of immortality.

Xu Qingfan also knows this.

Although he knows it. But Xu Qingfan still fantasizes about the impossible eternal victory. Because Xu Qingfan simply can't imagine what will happen if this old man is no longer around him one day.

Although it has only been less than 30 years, Xu Qingfan has become accustomed to the old man's waiting every morning, and accustomed to the old man's constant debate, and then he will lose every time he argues, and then he will argue every time he loses.

If one day, this old man is gone, what will Xu Qingfan's life be like?

It can't be said that life is silent and dull, let alone living a life worse than death. That is a word used in romance novels in the mortal world. It seems to have become a special reference between men and women, but a very important part of Xu Qingfan's heart will definitely disappear suddenly, as if it was gone in an instant, leaving only a bloody scar, and I don't know when it will heal.

In a hurry, Xu Qingfan exerted his speed to the extreme, and flew from the secret library to the top of Jiuhua Mountain in less than a cup of tea.

But Xu Qingfan had no time to sigh at the improvement of his skills and speed, but ran quickly to the house where Liu Huaxiang was.

Outside the house, Ting'er and Xiaobi were waiting quietly, and there seemed to be a trace of confusion on their faces.

Xu Qingfan had no time to ask, but just pushed the door and went into the house quickly, but found that Zhang Hualing was standing quietly by the bed at this time, with a complicated look on his face, while Liu Huaxiang was lying quietly on the bed, his eyes slightly closed, without any movement, his face was sallow, and he didn't seem to be angry.

Suddenly, Xu Qingfan realized that the old man lying quietly in front of him was the only person he could call an elder in the world.

And this only elder.

After getting used to grief, or being numb to grief, Xu Qingfan looked at the old man lying quietly in front of him, but he was the only person he could call an elder in the world.

And this is the only elder.

After getting used to grief or becoming numb to grief, Xu Qingfan looked at the scene in front of him, not grief-stricken, not waving, his expression remained unchanged, just a little dull.

Quietly walked to the bed, staring at the deceased old man, his heart suddenly became empty.

Liu Huaxiang's funeral was arranged at the top of Jiuhua Mountain, where he had lived for many years. The funeral was as cold and lonely as the snow on Jiuhua Mountain. Perhaps it was because Liu Huaxiang was a loner, or because Zhang Hualing ordered all the Jiuhua elders to retreat together, so no one came to pay tribute.

Only Xu Qingfan, Ting'er, Xiaobi, the two people and the beast guarded the tomb of the old man who passed away silently.

The first seven days are said to be the days when the dead souls linger in the world, but I don't know what Liu Huaxiang would think when he saw this scene?

Or, with Liu Huaxiang's character, he just smiled indifferently.

During these seven days, in addition to keeping vigil for Liu Huaxiang, Xu Qingfan also set up the three academies of heaven, earth and man for Jiuhua Mountain in his spare time, arranged the more than 900 Jiuhua disciples who had lost their masters, and arranged the 17 young Jiuhua elders other than him as teachers of the three academies. At his suggestion, the elders of Jiuhua Mountain had a new setting - the elder who passed on skills. When Zhang Hualing officially appointed him as the general person in charge of the three academies, he just accepted it calmly.

Everything seemed so plain, as if Xu Qingfan had not changed at all because of this incident, but only Jin Qinghan and others who were familiar with Xu Qingfan would notice that Xu Qingfan's originally calm face had a hint of coldness.

After the first seven days, Xu Qingfan buried Liu Huaxiang in the Jiuhua ancestral mausoleum, sprinkled a cup of tea in front of the tomb, and after three bows, he returned to the top of Jiuhua Mountain again, entered the thatched house where Liu Huaxiang originally lived, and quietly looked at everything in front of him, familiar and strange.

Suddenly, Xu Qingfan's expression changed slightly, and he turned around, only to find that Zhang Hualing had appeared behind him at some point, looking at him quietly.

"Master, uncle." Xu Qingfan guessed the purpose of Zhang Hualing's coming, and although he understood it, his tone was still cold.

Zhang Hualing looked at the change in Xu Qingfan's expression, and a hint of relief appeared on his face without being noticed. Then he returned to his coldness and said softly: "Deacon Xu, Senior Brother Liu's first seven days have passed, and I, Jiuhua, should also take back this Baicao Garden. Don't blame me."

Xu Qingfan nodded gently. He said, "Disciple understands."

Zhang Hualing said again: "Then when you have packed up, move out of here. I have already arranged your new cave..."

But Xu Qingfan suddenly interrupted: "Don't bother the master with the cave. The disciple's original back cave is fine. It is quiet and has sufficient spiritual energy."

Zhang Hualing nodded. Seeing Xu Qingfan turning around and about to leave, he said again: "Deacon Xu, wait a moment."

Xu Qingfan turned around and asked: "Master, what else do you want?"

But Zhang Hualing suddenly took out a letter and a fist-sized crystal stone from his arms, handed it to Xu Qingfan, and said: "This is what Senior Brother Liu left for you."

Xu Qingfan was slightly stunned, and then his expression began to become calm again. After taking the two things from Zhang Hualing, he bowed slightly and took Ting'er back to the room to pack up. "

Watching Yuyun taking Ting'er and Xiaobi away from Xu Qingfan, Zhang Hualing stood quietly on the top of Jiuhua Mountain with a complicated expression.

After a long time, he suddenly asked: "Master, is this appropriate? "You have only taught him for less than 30 years. Can he meet your requirements?"

It seems to be asking himself, and it seems to be asking others.

After a long time, an extremely old voice suddenly came into his ears.

"Although there are less than 30 years, I have taught him everything I should have. The rest depends on his experience and self-understanding. I can't do more. Moreover, if I don't do this, he will never reach the level I want."

"Disciple is confused, please clarify, Master?"

Then the old voice said again: "Do you remember my comments on Xu Qingfan's shortcomings?"

Zhang Hualing said: "Disciple remembers that he is soft-hearted, indecisive, fantasizing, and dislikes worldly affairs."

"These shortcomings, although they still exist in the past 30 years, have begun to improve. What he lacks is only experience and knowledge, but over the years, I have discovered two other flaws in him."

"Oh? What flaws?"

"That is, he likes to act passively, prefers to rely on others to solve problems, and is not used to loneliness. Only by learning to be alone can he solve problems by himself. Only by learning to rely on himself can he slowly become proactive, and as long as I In one day, he will unconsciously rely on me, and his character will never change. So, I must leave, and I must leave when there is pressure on his shoulders. What's more, over the years, my body functions have seriously atrophied, and my end is coming. I really can't live for long. It's just that I left him a few years earlier. "

"Master..."

"Don't be too daughterly. I don't care. Why are you sad? It's better to have a quiet life like this. I estimate that with my current physical condition, I have less than three years to live. The damage of the soul-splitting technique to me is beyond my imagination. In the remaining three years, I will spend it in this Baicao Garden. Jiuhua Mountain has been sealed. Nothing major will happen in three years, so don't come to me again. "

After Zhang Hualing's persuasion failed, he finally left with endless sadness. When there was only snow and cold wind on the top of Jiuhua Mountain, this old voice sounded again, as if talking to the sky, and as if muttering to himself.

"For a living dead like me, it is more appropriate to enjoy peace and quiet alone when I leave the world."

At the same time, with a hint of coldness, Xu Qingfan, holding the two relics of Liu Huashen, returned to the cave in the back mountain where he had not been for nearly 30 years.