Chapter 19: The Limit of Longevity

The glass doors of the building slid open slowly. Having removed his protective suit, Lu Zhenhai stepped out into the setting sun, stretching his body vigorously.

It was nearly eight o’clock in the evening, but since it was summer, the sky had not yet fully darkened. He took deep breaths of the fresh outdoor air, slightly easing the throbbing pain in his head.

They had spent a solid twelve hours inside the secure room. Except for brief breaks to eat and use the restroom, they had non-stop poured over materials. Now, suddenly stepping into the open air, it took a moment for them to adjust.

During those twelve hours, besides the history of the Jiuli Sect, they had devoured numerous ancient texts and reports from various agencies detailing the internal structure and legacy of Peach Blossom Spring.

If their previous understanding of Peach Blossom Spring was akin to a casual online encyclopedia entry, now each of them could confidently defend a master’s thesis.

Unfortunately, this thesis defense was not for graduation but merely the proposal stage. Over the next two days, they would formulate an action plan based on the materials and intelligence they had gathered, and soon the entire Liang Prefecture would mobilize around that plan.

Lu Zhenhai raised his hand to rub his temples. Every commissioner present possessed cultivation, their mental and physical endurance far surpassing ordinary people, yet the continuous influx of dense information still caused headaches.

A specially made cigarette was handed to him. “Want one?”

Lu Zhenhai glanced back at his subordinate standing behind him, then took the cigarette and lit it. The two stood at the doorway, exhaling smoke as they gazed at the fading sunset, each lost in thought.

“Captain Lu, what’s your opinion of the Zhou Wuqing mentioned in the Jiuli history?” the subordinate suddenly asked.

Seeing Lu Zhenhai look over, he waved the cigarette butt in his hand awkwardly. “Nothing much, just found it quite impressive. Just casually talking.”

Lu Zhenhai took a deep drag, exhaling thick smoke.

“The reason Jiuli ultimately triumphed in the Southern and Northern Wars is multifaceted. For example, during the early Southern and Northern Dynasties, when Peach Blossom Spring rose to power, many sects were eradicated, and the cultivation world saw an influx of unaligned wanderers. Jiuli’s policy of opening their sect treasury and generously recruiting talent happened to attract many of these individuals, enabling their rapid expansion like a snowball effect and eventually forming an immortal alliance centered on them.”

“From the enemy’s perspective, Peach Blossom Spring had too many factions under its banner. While this granted them an early advantage in the war, as their sphere of influence grew, the interests of the sects, Buddhist orders, barbarians, and demon clans diverged and could not be unified.”

“The clearest manifestation was that each faction sought to place a mundane emperor representing their interests on the throne, leading to frequent regime changes in the Southern Dynasties. In under two centuries, four dynasties rose and fell. These factional struggles caused internal fractures later on, offering Jiuli an opportunity to seize the upper hand.”

“But regardless, Zhou Wuqing’s emergence was a pivotal turning point in history.”

At this, he removed the cigarette butt and exhaled a plume of smoke.

“Claiming he single-handedly reversed the entire Southern and Northern war is an exaggeration, but his formidable combat strength undoubtedly saved Jiuli from ruin and greatly bolstered the sects’ confidence in opposing Peach Blossom Spring. More importantly, his appearance made the sects realize the previously overlooked value of unaligned wanderers — what today would be called a classic case of united front work.”

“Without him, Jiuli would have lacked a symbolic figure to attract wanderers. Even if they hadn’t perished during the Northern Wei fragmentation, it would have been impossible for them to rise as the foremost cultivation power within just a few decades. The unification of North and South might have been delayed by decades, even centuries. Then, the emergence of the Sui and Tang dynasties could be questionable.”

“Captain Lu, your words sound quite academic,” the commissioner said with a laugh between drags of his cigarette. “If I ever get sent for further study and have to write a report, I’ll use Zhou Wuqing’s story as the theme and copy your analysis. That kind of ‘gold content’ is unquestionable — might even earn me an award.”

“You’d better confirm that first. According to regulations, cultivators featured in study reports must have been dead for over two hundred years. If Zhou Wuqing doesn’t meet that criterion, your report won’t pass.”

“That can’t be, right?” The commissioner exhaled smoke with a smile. “From the Southern and Northern Dynasties to now is over fifteen hundred years. Without cultivation techniques, even a Nascent Soul stage immortal would have died of old age. Besides, judging from the descriptions, Zhou Wuqing was at least Nascent Soul level during the Southern and Northern Wars, meaning he lived for several centuries. By now, his grave would certainly be over two hundred years old.”

“You’re quite precise,” Lu Zhenhai nodded ambiguously.

Though it was a joke, he found no humor in it.

Though the Jiuli Sect history was brief, through those words they seemed to truly touch that war hidden fifteen hundred years ago, witnessing the life of the legendary cultivator Zhou Wuqing.

In the long era of turmoil, he was like a shooting star across the Central Plains’ sky. All who saw his brilliance were vanquished, even this descendant living more than a millennium later felt profound reverence.

Without him, the Jiuli Sect might never have defeated Peach Blossom Spring and risen. The Sanitation Bureau would never have gained such an important ally at its founding. Seen this way, his influence truly spanned a millennium.

Yet even such an existence could not escape the decree of fate and the inevitability of death, ending as a forgotten hero buried beneath the dust of the mortal world.

Immortality is not eternal life. Cultivators age and die in the end; all dazzling legends quietly fade, becoming thin pages of history for future generations to judge.

Reflecting on this, the two fell silent, letting the curling smoke serve as a silent tribute.

Their mourning lasted less than a minute before the vibration of a phone interrupted them. Lu Zhenhai picked it up; the caller ID showed it was from within the Sanitation Bureau.

“A call at this hour?” His heart skipped a beat. Such calls usually meant sudden developments. Could there be new instructions from above?

With utmost vigilance, he answered. His eyes flickered sharply.

“There are Peach Blossom Spring members suddenly appearing within Liang City... moving toward residential areas?”

……

At the same time, Liang Park.

The fiery remnants of the sunset shimmered in the lake, while the surrounding grasses echoed with insect chirps. Looking around, the vast park was desolate; within a mile, no one was in sight except for two people in the woods.

Qin Jiajia glanced at Zhou Qing beside her. He was rubbing his eyes, a trace of drowsiness on his face. She knew Zhou Qing usually slept early, so it was about time to head back.

Contrary to her expectation of tension, the hours of negotiation had felt like an ordinary stroll and chat, only the topics were cultivation and the immortal world.

With every segment of conversation, she felt her understanding shattered and rebuilt. If worldview shifts could be likened to dynastic changes, today she had leapt from the Spring and Autumn period straight to the Chen Bridge Mutiny.

Before this, she thought she knew Zhou Qing well enough, but after such deep talks, she felt she understood him less and less.

Though he appeared to be about her age, his memories spanned a thousand years; everything he spoke of seemed worlds away.

Suddenly, she recalled something. Unlike distant rumors, this matter was close at hand.

“I heard from the bureau that about a month ago, you killed several passing evil cultivators?”