Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

Song Changsheng and Master Bai Yan had only met once. It was during the tournament in Dingyuan City, where Song Changsheng directly eliminated the Celestial Vein Sect, causing them to lose all face.

By all rights, he should consider himself lucky that Master Bai Yan didn’t hold a grudge. So why would he bestow such a lavish gift?

”I am honored by the Master’s favor in bestowing such a treasure, but I am unworthy of it,” Song Changsheng said, politely trying to refuse.

’The treasure is wonderful, but accepting it would put him in their debt. The greater the gift, the greater the favor owed.’

Jin Rihua stepped forward and said with a chuckle, ”It is but a humble gift, Clan Leader Song. Please don’t be so modest. Besides, a Master’s word is law. How could he possibly take back a gift he has bestowed?”

”Then I must thank the Master for his generous gift.” Song Changsheng sighed to himself and personally accepted the Golden Han White Jade Fruit Branch from Jin Rihua’s hands.

No one understood the unease and resistance in Song Changsheng’s heart. Everyone else was simply filled with envy. A treasure bestowed by a Golden Core Master—what an incredible honor!

”Such a generous gift. It seems Master Bai Yan thinks very highly of Song Changsheng,” Su Ye remarked with a hint of surprise, casually tossing a grape into his mouth from within the Golden Crow Sect’s delegation.

”The Celestial Vein Sect has been getting closer and closer to Luoxia City in recent years. What’s so surprising about them trying to win over the Song Clan while they’re at it?

Helping someone when they’re in need is always more appreciated than adding to their success later on.

With Song Changsheng’s talent, as long as he doesn’t meet an untimely end, he’s guaranteed to become a major power. He might even become the next Great City Lord. Showing some goodwill early on is never a bad investment.”

Hearing Xia Qingxue’s analysis, Su Ye’s mouth formed a perfect ”O.” He looked her up and down, as if seeing her for the very first time.

”Surprised?” Xia Qingxue asked, her tone flat.

Su Ye nodded eagerly, leaning in a little closer. ”You never used to talk about things like this.”

”Just because I don’t say it doesn’t mean I don’t understand. Besides, the Celestial Vein Sect’s intentions are painfully obvious. Just like yours.”

”Are you telling me you came here with no ulterior motives?” Xia Qingxue turned to Su Ye, her beautiful eyes filled with a probing gaze.

”Ah, so you’ve found me out, Young Ancestor? And here I thought I was being so subtle.”

”Besides seeing if Song Changsheng is an opponent worth my attention, I’m also here on an important mission from the Old Ancestor. Do you want to know what it is, Young Ancestor?” Su Ye asked, deliberately being coy.

But Xia Qingxue clearly had no intention of playing along. She simply stared at him coldly.

One look was all it took for Su Ye to throw up his hands in surrender. ”The Old Ancestor is very interested in Song Changsheng,” he confessed. ”He wants to know how someone with unremarkable aptitude and no backing from a major sect has managed to leave every other genius in the Daqi Cultivation World in the dust.”

”What are you planning?” Xia Qingxue frowned. The Song Clan had saved her life, after all. If Su Ye was planning to make a move against them in the shadows, she couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

”Don’t you worry, Young Ancestor. I guarantee no one will be the wiser.” Su Ye didn’t elaborate, simply giving Xia Qingxue a mysterious wink.

With that, he stood up and, beaming at Song Changsheng, announced, ”The Golden Crow Sect has also prepared a humble gift to congratulate Clan Leader Song on ascending to the Purple Mansion.”

As he spoke, a brocade box covered by a red cloth materialized in his palm.

In an instant, numerous Divine Thoughts swept over, trying to peer inside.

But the red cloth was clearly no ordinary item; it blocked everyone’s Divine Thoughts, even those of Purple Mansion Cultivators. This only made the guests all the more curious.

Su Ye had no intention of satisfying their curiosity. He walked straight over and handed the box to Song Qingqing, specifically instructing her not to remove the red cloth, milking the suspense for all it was worth.

Song Changsheng had no idea what Su Ye was playing at. After clasping his hands in thanks, he gestured for Song Qingqing to take the gift away.

By this point, most of the guests had presented their gifts. Only Luoxia City had yet to make a move. For a moment, all eyes fell upon Shen Qingxiu.

The relationship between Luoxia City and Song Changsheng was an open secret. Not only had they repeatedly and staunchly supported him, but it was even rumored that Zhuang Yuechan—the heir to the Great City Lord’s mantle—had already publicly pledged her life to him.

This special relationship made everyone eager to see what kind of gift Luoxia City would offer. Would they try to outshine the Celestial Vein Sect and the Golden Crow Sect? Or would they, as they did at Song Xianming’s ceremony, present a gift that was practical rather than ostentatious?

With a gentle smile, Shen Qingxiu took a Jade Box from Shen Shishi’s hands. She looked at Song Changsheng and said, ”Your Martial Aunt is truly happy to see the success you’ve achieved today.”

”Senior Brother feels the same way. He intended to come in person, but we received word from Dingyuan City that the Demon Race is stirring again in the Demon Realm. He had to change his plans last minute and lead Zhengchun and the others to preside over Dingyuan City. He asked me to bring you a gift he crafted himself.”

As she spoke, Shen Qingxiu opened the Jade Box. Inside lay a small, exquisite, Seven-Colored Sea Conch.

”Master...” A warm feeling washed over Song Changsheng as he looked at the gift in Shen Qingxiu’s hands. Muu Guibai’s gift might not have been as stunning as the one from the Celestial Vein Sect, nor as mysterious as the one from the Golden Crow Sect, but to Song Changsheng, it was the most valuable and precious of all.

Song Changsheng descended from the high platform and came to stand before Shen Qingxiu. Receiving the Jade Box with both hands, he bowed respectfully. ”Thank you, Master, for this gift!”

Shen Qingxiu quickly helped Song Changsheng up and said softly, ”This is a Demonic Sound Conch Shell that Senior Brother refined especially for you. He has sealed a wisp of his zither music inside. By activating it with your Mana, you can release it. It can confound the Sixth Sense and wound a person’s very soul.”

”Remember, it can only be activated once. You must be extremely cautious when you choose to use it.”

”I understand.”

”Good. Go on. You are the star of today’s events,” Shen Qingxiu said, pleased.

Song Changsheng returned to the high platform, and Song Luzhou took that as his cue to announce the start of the ancestral worship ceremony.

All the Song Clan cultivators gathered before the Soul Lamp Hall. Led by Song Changsheng, they paid their respects to the clan ancestors and their fallen kin. They recited the memorial oration, the gist of which was to inform the clan’s heroic spirits in the heavens that the family had produced another Purple Mansion Cultivator. It also stated that under his leadership, they had annihilated the Lieyang Sect and avenged their blood feud.

When the recitation was finished, Song Changsheng tossed the Jade Scroll containing the oration into a Furnace Cauldron. A bell tolled nine times across Vast Mist Peak, signifying the end of the ancestral ceremony.

And so began the final part of the grand ceremony.

For three days, Song Changsheng lectured from the high platform, sharing his insights and experiences on breaking through to the Purple Mansion realm with the assembled guests. He also elaborated on his personal understanding and epiphanies regarding the ”Dao.” It was a lecture packed with substance.

Some in the audience were left completely bewildered, while others were utterly captivated, some even feeling the bottlenecks in their own cultivation begin to loosen.

When the three-day lecture concluded, everyone had gained something, making the trip well worth it.

Once the ceremony ended, Song Changsheng and a group of clan Elders saw the guests off. Just as Xia Qingxue walked past, a cold voice echoed in his mind, ”Be careful of Su Ye.”

Hearing this, Song Changsheng’s expression flickered. He was about to ask her to clarify, but Xia Qingxue and her contingent had already departed from Vast Mist Peak, leaving him with only the sight of her retreating, aloof figure.

Song Changsheng could only commit her words to memory. He had long been suspicious of Su Ye’s reasons for being there, and Xia Qingxue’s warning only confirmed his conjectures.

The problem now, however, was that he didn’t know what Su Ye was plotting, or how he would make his move.

The unknown is often the most frightening thing of all.

He returned to the Minor Affairs Hall, his mind heavy with worry. A short while later, Song Qingqing came to report that all the gifts from the various powers had been secured and to ask what he wanted to do with them.

At her words, Song Changsheng’s mind instantly flashed to the gift Su Ye had presented during the ceremony.

The thought made him break out in a cold sweat...