novelraw Chapter 1025: How Could There Be a Path to Immortality in This World? (33)
Chapter 1025: How Could There Be a Path to Immortality in This World? (33)
Golden hair, a Western-style maid outfit, wielding strange yet terrifying black flames, and... breathtaking beauty.
In the room where Gongsun Shiyu and Gongsun Zhishui were meeting, Lai Caisheng was drawing and flipping through a deck of cards, following Gongsun Zhishui’s description. However, after each card was revealed, he casually set it aside—it seemed he wasn’t finding what he was looking for.
So, divine draws didn’t exist.
Only after going through the entire deck did Lai Caisheng stop and meet everyone's gaze.
“No, I can’t divine anything,” Lai Caisheng shook his head.
Gongsun Shiyu was visibly surprised, furrowing his brows slightly.
Gongsun Zhishui, on the other hand, was stunned. “Even the Plain-Clothed Daoist doesn’t know?”
Lai Caisheng responded calmly, “Any calculation about the future or the unknown isn’t created out of thin air. This world is an interconnected yet independent whole, with invisible threads linking all things. We merely touch these threads to find what we seek. But if no such thread leading to the destination exists, then we are powerless.”
“You’re saying... this woman may not have such a thread?” Gongsun Shiyu suddenly asked.
Lai Caisheng replied indifferently, “It doesn’t necessarily mean she doesn’t have one. It could also be that the information you provided isn’t enough for the ‘thread’ to appear. However, since even I can’t trace her origins for now, it does prove one thing.”“Speak.” Gongsun Shiyu was direct.
Lai Caisheng said seriously, “She may possess the power to defy fate… According to you, even when you summoned the Xuanyuan Sword’s radiance, it couldn’t withstand her black flames; instead, the sword light was eroded and disappeared. This suggests that these flames may be on the same level as the Xuanyuan Sword of the Divine Land.”
Gongsun Zhishui was shocked. “On the same level as the Xuanyuan Sword? But the Xuanyuan Sword was forged by the ancient Yellow Emperor, imbued with the collective will of all beings… Could anything in this world truly match it?”
Lai Caisheng spoke slowly, “In the ancient times before the decline of Dao and Demon, the Divine Land flourished with extraordinary artifacts. For example, the Nine Provinces Cauldron created by Yu the Great. Though it may not be as renowned as the Xuanyuan Sword, do you truly think it’s weaker?”
“The Nine Provinces Cauldron is just a legend—no one has ever seen it,” Gongsun Zhishui shook his head.
Lai Caisheng replied, “To mortals, the Xuanyuan Sword is also just an ancient legend… The Divine Land is filled with countless secrets, and the entire structure of this world surpasses it. The mysteries within are profound, and we are merely frogs at the bottom of a well. Zhishui, don’t let our limited knowledge restrict our imagination.”
Recalling how he was completely overwhelmed by that woman’s attack—losing consciousness instantly, with even his clan’s inherited battle spirit erased—Gongsun Zhishui’s expression darkened.
Was he really that weak?
“Since ancient times, in the face of Dao and Demonic Energy, humans have always been the weaker side,” Gongsun Shiyu said calmly. “But why has humanity endured for countless years? Because we have limitless potential. Weakness doesn’t mean helplessness. Our ancestors started from the weakest state and grew stronger, never giving up despite failures.”
Gongsun Zhishui exhaled, feeling somewhat ashamed. If anyone should feel the greatest blow, it should be their young master, Gongsun Shiyu.
He had inherited a portion of the Yellow Emperor’s power and could summon the radiance of the Divine Land’s Xuanyuan Sword—yet in a single battle, all his pride had been shattered.
That kind of wild laughter toward the heavens had never appeared on Gongsun Shiyu’s face before.
“You’ve gained insight, Shiyu,” Lai Caisheng smiled slightly, showing a look of approval.
Gongsun Shiyu, however, simply furrowed his brows before responding indifferently, “Let’s set aside this foreign woman for now… I just want to know—has failing to retrieve the item you need affected you?”
Lai Caisheng was silent for a moment before speaking slowly, “The ritual is at the end of the gathering. There’s still plenty of time… Until the final moment, no one can say what will happen. I can’t give you a definite answer right now.”
Gongsun Shiyu said, “My sword’s radiance has been destroyed; it will take time to restore. Zhishui’s battle spirit was erased; he’ll need to return to the clan to inherit a new one. During this time, I may not be able to offer much help. I’ve heard that both the Daoist and Demon worlds have seen a number of mysterious disappearances lately. This seems highly unusual—you should be cautious as well.”
Lai Caisheng nodded. “It seems you’re quite concerned with external affairs, Shiyu.”
Gongsun Shiyu replied coolly, “It’s just that my clan has people working in the Management Bureau.”
Lai Caisheng suddenly asked, “Has the True Lord Long really come to Mt. Tai?”
Gongsun Shiyu frowned. “Why are you asking?”
Lai Caisheng answered slowly, “Just curious. Before this, the True Dragon, the Management Bureau, and Xuanyuan Palace issued a joint statement… Yet despite that, we haven’t seen the True Dragon appear. I heard this True Dragon has never cared much for the Penglai Grand Gathering and has often been absent. But this time, it seems like she’s deliberately avoiding the spotlight?”
“I’ve already met with her before coming here,” Gongsun Shiyu said flatly. “Is that enough to ease your doubts?”
Lai Caisheng smiled. “If you say so, then I have no reason to doubt. Well, I’ll leave you two to rest. I’ve arranged accommodations—”
“No need.”
Gongsun Shiyu interrupted, “Xuanyuan Palace has plenty of properties outside. There’s no need to trouble the Daoist Association… I’ve said what I needed to say. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave. There are too many people here, and I don’t want unnecessary complications. I don’t want anyone thinking Xuanyuan Palace has secret dealings with you or the Daoist Association.”
“Miss Gong, please escort Shiyu and Zhishui out,” Lai Caisheng instructed without pressing them to stay.
Just then, a hurried voice called from outside.
“Representative Lai! Representative Lai! Please… please come quickly!”
The messenger was flustered, making Miss Gong think that the tension between Daoist and Demon factions at the banquet had finally escalated into violence.
However, the panicked person rushed straight into the room and ran to the window, abruptly pulling open the curtains!
The moment the curtains parted, a brilliant beam of light shot into the night sky from the depths of Mt. Tai, dazzlingly bright.
Both Lai Caisheng and Gongsun Shiyu frowned, their expressions turning serious.
Like light reflecting off water, the incandescent glow illuminated their faces, even through the glass.
“What… exactly is happening?”
Lai Caisheng glanced at the time again. Midnight—just moments before zero hour.
Somewhere atop a high tower at the banquet venue, a white shadow flashed by and finally stopped there.
Her cold face was facing the direction where the pillar of light was being released.
Qin Chuyu gazed at the light pillar with a puzzled expression, lost in thought. "This is... spiritual energy? Such an immense radiance of spiritual energy… Is a divine artifact emerging, or is it..."
She quickly glanced below. The Daoist and Demon faction members—who had been engaged in heated discussions—were now all fixated on the extraordinary pillar of light, falling silent in an instant.
In that moment, Qin Chuyu gracefully drifted toward the source of the explosion.
---
Almost at the same time, in the secluded meditation chamber within the exclusive courtyard of the Daoist faction at Crouching Dragon Estate.
Daoist Baijie slowly opened his eyes... Midnight was approaching—the moment when one day transitioned into the next, when one year passed into another.
In the center of the room, Mr. Blind also opened his eyes.
His white, cloudy pupils suddenly bulged as if they were about to burst from their sockets. Around his eyes, veins swelled and spread across his entire face, making him look terrifying and grotesque.
The precious objects placed around him—meant to enhance his spiritual perception—began trembling violently.
Suddenly, a swirling current of energy surged through the chamber.
Those treasured items shattered into specks of spiritual light, which were swiftly drawn into Mr. Blind’s body by the swirling energy.
A look of agony twisted his face, and blood trickled from both eyes. His hair grew wildly in an instant, while a fierce and ominous aura burst from within him, taking shape in the form of a demonic shadow!
"Quick!!" Mr. Blind spat out a single urgent word—as if that was all he could manage to say.
Seeing this, Daoist Baijie swiftly formed intricate hand seals with both hands. A surge of powerful energy erupted from him, manifesting a massive Yin-Yang diagram around Mr. Blind!
The Yin-Yang symbol spun rapidly, suppressing the demonic aura that had taken shape. The shadow, seemingly unwilling to dissipate, let out a piercing wail before fading.
As the Yin-Yang diagram ceased its rotation, Mr. Blind collapsed to the ground, completely drained.
Daoist Baijie immediately rushed to support him, placing a hand on his back to transfer some spiritual energy. "That was close… You almost became an avatar of Tai Sui, a harbinger of calamity. If you hadn’t survived this, I would have had no choice but to..."
"They say fortune lies in taking risks..." Mr. Blind muttered weakly as he turned over, his face pale. "At the moment of the year’s transition, the world pauses ever so briefly—that’s when external forces can invade most easily. I allowed Tai Sui to possess me as a decoy to glimpse the heavens’ will. Once the world resumed its motion, the Dao would mistake me for Tai Sui itself..."
"And the result?" Daoist Baijie understood the dangers of this act but was more concerned about the outcome—it couldn’t be for nothing.
"A resurgence of spiritual energy… The world is undergoing a great change… Whether it’s a blessing or a disaster… remains unknown… But I saw… war…"
"War?" Daoist Baijie’s expression darkened. He was about to press further when Mr. Blind lost consciousness.
At that moment, a beam of spiritual light pierced through the meditation chamber’s wall, materializing into a yellow talisman beside him.
"A transmission talisman?" Daoist Baijie frowned, picked up the talisman, and pressed it to his forehead.
The next moment, his expression changed dramatically. He rushed out of the chamber and looked up at the night sky—at the massive pillar of light piercing through the heavens.
"A resurgence of spiritual energy… A great upheaval in the world…" Daoist Baijie’s eyes widened completely, his face grim. "The world… is changing."
---
Near Mt. Tai, on New Year's Eve, people who had been watching TV or spending time with family were drawn to the dazzling light shining through their windows.
They walked over to their windows, gazing up at the sky with curiosity.
Pedestrians on the streets stopped in their tracks, whispering and discussing. Many raised their phones, capturing the spectacle.
And so—
"UFO?"
"Maybe it's just a laser? Some kind of 'Jesus Light' effect? Or maybe an optical experiment?"
"Which Daoist master is undergoing tribulation here?!"
Social media platforms exploded with discussions, with countless comments and livestreams flooding the internet at lightning speed.
---
"Don't tell me… aliens are invading Earth?" Ren Ziling muttered as she casually picked up her wine glass from the coffee table and took a sip.
On the table were cheese, blackcurrants, cookies, and chips. The wine had been a gift from a client—and she had already finished an entire bottle alone.
Her face was flushed red, her vision growing hazy.
Even though Li Zi and Ma Houde had both invited her for dinner, she had chosen to stay home by herself in the end.
Sitting on a rug, leaning against the sofa, she had her laptop on her crossed legs. A nearby ashtray was filled with cigarette butts.
From 7 PM to now, from last year to this year, from age 29 to 30—she had toasted herself in solitude.
"That brat… didn’t even send a single text…"
She hiccupped.
Her eyes grew heavy, probably from the alcohol… Red wine really did have a strong delayed effect.
Ren Ziling slowly closed her eyes, her body slumping to the side.
So sleepy. Maybe she’d just sleep on the floor until morning… Too lazy to move.
Strange… Was the carpet always this soft?
If she fell over like this, shouldn't she have hit her head? But it didn’t hurt at all…
It felt… like something was holding her.
So warm.
So comfortable.
She was drifting off…
Tomorrow… What was she supposed to do tomorrow…?
Forget it… So sleepy…
Who…
Was…
"Tonight, just stay a little longer."
"Understood, Master."
From 11:59 PM to 12:00 AM, and then 12:00 AM to 12:01 AM—
Time ticked forward, as if it had paused for an instant before resuming.
And just like that—
The year had passed.
(End of Chapter)
Tai Sui (太岁) refers to a powerful metaphysical force in Chinese mythology and Daoist cosmology. It is associated with the Grand Duke Jupiter (太岁星君), a deity that governs fate, time, and the flow of cosmic energy for each year. Tai Sui is often linked to calamity, misfortune, and spiritual disturbances when not properly respected.