Infinite Professions

Chapter 153 - 68: End of Lifespan (Part 3)

Apart from his fishing and farming affairs, his alchemical skills had also significantly improved, producing a large number of Middle Grade and Lower Grade White Spirit Pills. He secretly purchased the recipe for Yellow Millet Wine and brewed a vat using three thousand pounds of Yellow Millet.

Spirit Rice, Spirit Pill, Spirit Stone, Spirit Wine.

And also Spirit Fish, Spirit Medicine, as well as various miscellaneous items.

Currently, Shen Hex’s wealth has completely surpassed that of the number one Scattered Wealth Boy, Ding Shengji. Through his diligent labor, he has built a foundation with fishing, farming, alchemy, and winemaking.

Hard work paid off, and the satisfaction is immense.

"Uncle Zhong!"

Just as Shen Hex was filled with joy, a voice came from outside, pulling him back to reality.

"Hmm!?"

Shen Hex’s gaze sharpened as he collected several storage pouches with a flip of his hand, then got up to open the door.

Upon opening the door, he saw a young man standing in front of him, his eyes red.

"Yang Yun?"

Seeing this, Shen Hex was also surprised: "What’s wrong?"

"Uncle Zhong!"

The young man, his eyes red, spoke with tears in his voice: "My father... his time has come!"

"..."

Shen Hex remained silent.

This young man’s name was Yang Yun, son of Yang Qii, who was born late in Yang Qii’s life. He was brought to the valley by Yang Qii fourteen years ago, hence he regarded Shen Hex as an elder and would call him Uncle Zhong daily.

Hearing his words, Shen Hex sighed: "Take me to him."

"Hmm!"

Yang Yun nodded and turned to lead the way, taking Shen Hex to the Spirit Field where he and his father were.

It was past the autumn harvest, the Spirit Rice had been completely harvested, so outwardly, Shen Hex’s Spirit Field looked no different from the surrounding ones, with just rows of fields.

Following Yang Qii, Shen Hex arrived at a cottage, where many Martial Cultivators and Spirit Farmers had gathered—friends and neighbors whom Yang Qii had met over the years.

"Brother Zhong, you’re here!"

"Brother Yang he..."

"Alas!"

The crowd greeted him; though not excessively warm, they weren’t cold either.

Following Yang Yun into the cottage, Shen Hex saw an elder lying on a bed, his hair graying, skin wrinkled, his whole body exuding a heavy aura of death.

"Brother Yang!"

Shen Hex stepped forward, seeing him this way, his brow furrowed: "How did it come to this?"

"Younger Brother Zhong, you’ve come?"

Yang Qii lay on the bed, smiling upon seeing him: "Brother, I’m leaving."

"Father!"

Yang Yun wept beside him, and then turned to Shen Hex: "Father has passed his Martial Dao Gang Yuan onto me, hence landing in this state."

"..."

Shen Hex remained silent for a while, then looked at Yang Qii: "Does Brother Yang have anything else to say?"

"Haha!"

Yang Qii laughed and waved his hand, signaling the others to leave, leaving him alone with Shen Hex.

"Younger Brother Zhong, back when you first arrived, I did indeed harbor some covetous feelings."

After everyone left, Yang Qii looked at Shen Hex, speaking with surprising words.

Shen Hex shook his head, eyes steady: "There’s no need to bring up the past,"

"I know you don’t care, but to me, it’s a knot in my heart."

Yang Qii spoke faintly: "This Cultivation Realm is so bitter and difficult, pushing many onto the path of desperation and the wrong path. Back then, I had a moment of impulse, fortunately, you were cautious and didn’t step out of Red Maple Valley for fifteen years, thus dissipating my ill intent."

With that, he took a jade box from the side: "Inside this box are insights from years of farming and fishing, along with some Secret Techniques I’ve gathered over the years. They might not be useful to you, but consider it compensation and I hope you’ll forgive me."

"This is unnecessary!"

Shen Hex immediately refused.

"Take it, if you don’t, I won’t be at peace!"

Yang Qii said with a bitter smile, then turned his gaze to those outside the cottage, especially focusing on Yang Yun’s figure.

"I’ve taken many wives and concubines in the mundane world, fathered numerous children, but only Yun’Er has a Spiritual Root. The hope of the Yang Family rests on him."

"I know, someone like me doesn’t have the right to ask for anything, but I still hope, Younger Brother, in consideration of our years as neighbors, farmers, and fishermen, you can support him when possible in the future."

"..."

Facing Yang Qii’s gaze, Shen Hex remained silent, then nodded: "If he encounters trouble in the future, and I can help, I will not stand idle!"

"Thank you, thank you!"

Yang Qii looked at him, deeply moved: "If there is a next life, I will repay Brother Zhong’s kindness even if I become an ox or horse."

The words turned from brothers to juniors.

Shen Hex spoke no more: "Is there anything else to arrange?"

"That’s enough, that’s enough!"

"..."

Moments later, Shen Hex left the sorrow-filled Yang Family, heading alone to Red Maple Marketplace.

Life, aging, sickness, death, are all inevitable, especially for Martial Cultivators like Yang Qii.

In this world, Cultivators don’t have exaggerated lifespans; before Foundation Establishment, they can live up to one hundred and fifty years, even with a Life Extension Technique, no more than two hundred.

After Foundation Establishment, there’s slight improvement, but only three to four hundred lifespan, only by forming a Golden Core can one enjoy five hundred years. If one masters life extension, they may have eight hundred years.

As for Nascent Soul, Shen Hex hadn’t heard much, but it’s said to enjoy a thousand years or more, thus being called a Nascent Soul Old Monster.

In reality, the Human Empire is somewhat similar in this regard; whether in Martial Dao, Immortal Dao, or other Cultivation Systems, Tier Five cultivators have lifespans around eight hundred.

Clearly, this number of lifespan isn’t a limitation of the world, but rather what cultivation achieves, only reaching this point.

However, in the real world, there are every sort of bizarre, unimaginable professions, along with various professional items and life extension methods. So as long as the career is chosen wisely, or wealth is abundant, then Tier Five cultivators can live for one or two thousand years.

But it’s only one or two thousand years, unless one reaches Tier Twelve, becoming an existence akin to Immortal, Buddha, and Divine, or transfers to some special career, obtaining "longevity" characteristics, the lifespan has limits, eventually leading to death.

Shen Hex, though having the power to travel, can use the flow of time to enlarge lifespan, yet in Martial Dynasty World and Spirit Control Realm with disciples, subordinates, old friends’ parting from life and death still moved him; bidding Yang Qii farewell now, further inciting memories.

Longevity, longevity!

How arduous, how arduous!

But this is also the meaning of cultivation.

Shen Hex’s gaze was calm, no waves flickered, he could only walk steadily towards the marketplace.