Gu Xie leaned against an ancient tree, singing sorrowfully with a hoarse and mournful voice. Branches continuously snapped off the giant tree beside him, falling onto the snowy ground and shattering into dust.
Ning Gu’s clouded eyes had long since shed their tears, leaving his gaze hollow and unfathomable. He gazed upward at the boundless sky, the light in his eyes gradually fading away.
At that moment, a clear and resonant voice suddenly rang out:
“Birth’s day is ever distant; death’s day comes all too soon.
Now we fall like scattered dust—how can we return to youth?”
Upon hearing these lyrics, a brilliant gleam suddenly shone in Ning Gu’s scattered eyes. His previously faltering body straightened once more as he shouted, “Master Mei, how do you instruct me?—What lies at the end of life? Have you, Master, already found the answer?”
The one singing was indeed Mei Qing. Immersed in the transformation of life and death revealed by Ning Gu, many scenes and insights surged again in his mind, blending with the passage of time, each moment deeply felt within his heart, so much so that he lost awareness of his surroundings. Only when Ning Gu’s breath of life suddenly weakened did Mei Qing awaken, singing this song.
At this moment, something new seemed to appear in Mei Qing’s eyes.
He gazed at Ning Gu with a touch of pity and softly said, “If it is said to be born, then naturally it is not death. How can life have an end?”
A layer of confusion passed over Ning Gu’s eyes. Gently stroking the dead tree beside him, he murmured, “Born, yet not death? Life without end? Then why does this tree flourish in spring, grow dense in summer, become desolate in autumn, and wither in winter? Spring departs, winter returns, cycling endlessly for a thousand years, inevitably breaking branches and decaying trunks, falling into dust and mud. If even trees are thus, how can humans be spared?”
Mei Qing replied calmly, “Though the tree perishes, the fire passes on.”
The light in Ning Gu’s eyes gradually steadied. Slowly turning his head, he fixed his gaze on Mei Qing and asked, “Master Mei, is this truly so? Have you seen it? Truly seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded slightly and said no more.
Ning Gu burst into raucous laughter, tears rolling down his cheeks. Suddenly, the withered tree beside him radiated a green glow. Branches erupted wildly, growing at an uncontrollable pace, winding and entwining around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, wrapping him layer by layer into a massive green cocoon.
Green leaves swayed in the wind. At the tip of the branches, a giant flower gradually bloomed, displaying a five-colored brilliance, its petals unfolding in layers, then drifting down one by one. At the base of the flower, a fruit the size of a clenched fist slowly formed.
Though outwardly dark and unremarkable, when the fruit finally matured, it detached from the branch with a soft sound, gently falling onto the ground before Mei Qing’s feet.
At that very moment the fruit matured, the once lush and flourishing tree suddenly withered from the top down. A gentle breeze stirred, and the massive branches shattered into fine dust, scattering into the air and vanishing in an instant.
Mei Qing stooped down, gently picked up the fruit, examined it carefully for a while, and then slowly tucked it into his robe.
“Haha…” Not far away, Fan Wen Tai burst into wild laughter, shaking his head repeatedly. “What a pity! What a pity! Even the serpent soaring in mist eventually becomes dust and ash. Mei Qing, what do you have left to rely on now?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly. With a flick of his right hand, the small cauldron appeared again in his palm. Tilting his head toward Fan Wen Tai, he said, “Others may treasure it, but I treat it as mere pottery. Master Fan, this cauldron holds little value for me. It may even be harmful to you. Now that your cultivation has reached such a high level, why still cling to this object?”
A flicker of light passed through Fan Wen Tai’s eyes as he solemnly replied, “Zhang Liu Sun, don’t think I don’t know the secrets of this cauldron. After all, we once shared one body, and even… heh heh, many of your memories have been transferred into my mind. Back then, why could you order me around, calling me ‘cauldron slave’ time and again? Wasn’t it simply because you possessed the cauldron and were stronger than me? Yes, back then I was a mere cauldron slave… heh heh… now, I am the esteemed Plum Blossom Immortal, Fan Wen Tai! I will reclaim this cauldron and make it my servant from now on! Not only this cauldron, but you, all of you, must kneel at my feet and become my slaves!”
Fan Wen Tai shouted while heavily breathing, his fingers pointing back and forth between Mei Qing, Tao Zhong Wen, and the motionless Duan Chaoyong. He laughed loudly, “Ji Yong, what a fool! How dare he deceive me when I am clearly the supreme one under heaven? Look at what became of him! Zhong Wen, I originally intended to spare your life, but unfortunately, after my master obtained the cauldron, he needed a living soul for sacrifice… And you! Zhang Liu Sun! Back then you treated me like a servant and even seized my body, casting me into that lowly servant’s form! You all dared to look down on me? You were wrong! I, Fan Wen Tai, the Plum Blossom Immortal, anyone who opposes me walks the path to death! Wasn’t that shaman quite powerful just now? Now, where is he?”
Upon hearing this, a flicker of light passed through Tao Zhong Wen’s eyes, but it quickly vanished. He remained calm, his eyes fixed on Fan Wen Tai with deep contemplation.
Mei Qing shook his head silently.
Fan Wen Tai let out a long, thunderous laugh that echoed through the valley, reverberating endlessly. Suddenly, his laughter ceased. He turned his head toward Mei Qing, his expression serious now. “Master Zhang, though you have wronged me before, you still have some use to me. If you hand over the cauldron, I promise to forgive all past grievances. I will even transmit to you the cultivation method for the Yuan Shen and accept you as my disciple. You can rest assured, I, Fan Wen Tai, the Plum Blossom Immortal, never speak falsely.”
Mei Qing glanced at the small cauldron in his hand and said with a faint smile, “If you truly desire this cauldron, then take it. However, seizing it forcefully goes against the natural order—it is not a virtuous act.”
With that, Mei Qing lightly tossed the cauldron forward, as casually as if it were nothing.
This action of Mei Qing’s surprised not only Fan Wen Tai but also Tao Zhong Wen standing nearby.
Fan Wen Tai reached out and caught it, his expression shifting between doubt and delight. After a brief moment of contemplation, he flipped his left hand, releasing a flurry of talismanic characters like scattered petals, all striking the cauldron’s surface. After thoroughly inspecting it with his spiritual sense and finding no trace of Mei Qing’s seals or hidden tricks, his expression transformed from disbelief to ecstatic joy. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he let out a triumphant, maniacal laugh.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhong Wen’s face showed even greater astonishment. Like Fan Wen Tai, he had initially believed Mei Qing must be plotting some scheme, using the cauldron to lure Fan into a trap. But upon seeing Fan Wen Tai’s exhaustive inspection and the numerous talismans binding the cauldron tightly, a heavy feeling settled in his heart. Could it be that Mei Qing had truly surrendered? Remembering Fan Wen Tai’s earlier mention of sacrificing his Yuan Shen to the cauldron, Tao Zhong Wen’s face involuntarily displayed a look of despair.
Fan Wen Tai laughed maniacally, shouting, “Excellent! Excellent! Now that my Yuan Shen merges with this cauldron, who in all the heavens can threaten me? Supreme Immortals, Primordial Spirits, Divine Talismans and Sacred Staffs—bow before me, submit to me, perish and be reborn with me, for eternity shall bear my name! Command fulfilled!”
With a wave of his hands, several strange magical artifacts scattered outward, forming a protective circle around the cauldron. His hands moved rapidly, and a small golden talisman spun out, instantly expanding several times its size. In midair, it projected several enormous, seal-like characters that wove together, forming a peculiar magical array.
Remaining perfectly still, Fan Wen Tai slowly raised the cauldron to the level of his forehead and shouted, “Heaven’s Gate, Earth’s Chasm, Purple House, Black Palace—Command!”
Suddenly, a ripple appeared above his head, and a small golden figure emerged.
This tiny figure looked vastly different from Fan Wen Tai’s current form—long eyebrows, a gaunt face, deep-set eyes, and completely naked. Yet it spoke in an aged voice, “Haha! This is the moment! Now!”
With that, it shook its body and dove headfirst into the cauldron.
A wailing cry, like that of a newborn infant, echoed from within the cauldron, followed by a cacophony of metallic and jade-like sounds. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky, and a powerful gust of wind erupted from the cauldron like a dragon soaring through the heavens. The magical artifacts and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron simultaneously emitted brilliant light, releasing chaotic spiritual energy and true essence that churned the surrounding air into a swirling, multicolored mist.
This continued for about half an incense stick’s time before the mist gradually dissipated and the magical artifacts calmed. The cauldron, once glowing with vibrant colors, now appeared dull and black, devoid of luster. The wind and energy subsided, and a clear, melodious sound emerged from the cauldron, like the ringing of precious metal and jade, pure and moving.
Upon hearing this sound, Tao Zhong Wen’s face turned even more despairing. Clenching his teeth, he suddenly flipped his hand, and a jade pendant shaped like a plum blossom with five petals shot forth. He shouted, “Form dissolves, spirit ascends to the Pure Land—Now!”
The jade plum blossom suddenly began to spin, moving like lightning, sweeping past Tao Zhong Wen’s neck. With a sharp sound, his head shot into the air, and a white glow erupted from the severed neck like a meteor streaking across the sky, fleeing outward.
Suddenly, the cauldron in the air emitted a disdainful, clear laugh. With a “buzz,” it shot forth to pursue Tao Zhong Wen’s escaping Yuan Shen.
However, after traveling only a few feet, the cauldron abruptly halted midair, motionless.
“What is this? What’s happening? Why?” A furious roar erupted from within the cauldron, Fan Wen Tai’s voice shrieking in disbelief, “Zhang Liu Sun, what trickery have you done? Impossible! This is impossible! The cauldron has already been refined by me—why won’t it obey my commands? Ahhh…”
Fan Wen Tai suddenly let out a strange cry. The cauldron began spinning in place, and as Fan continued to scream, strange symbols continuously emerged across its surface.
Suddenly, a black mist appeared at the cauldron’s mouth, and Fan Wen Tai’s Yuan Shen poked its head out. His hands waved desperately, trying to escape the cauldron. But thick strands of black mist, like giant snakes, continuously shot out from within the cauldron, quickly wrapping around Fan’s Yuan Shen from head to toe. Within moments, Fan was completely wrapped into a dark, round mass and slowly pulled back into the cauldron, his cries gradually fading until all was silent.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhong Wen’s escaping Yuan Shen had no time to witness this scene. Knowing the situation was hopeless and wanting to avoid becoming a sacrificial soul, he seized the moment of Fan Wen Tai’s ecstatic joy upon obtaining the cauldron, biting his lip and performing a martial soul-severance technique, attempting to escape with his Yuan Shen. Unfortunately, Fan had already set up a formation here specifically to trap escaping souls. As soon as Tao fled a few steps, he felt an immense pressure, like a mountain crushing down upon him, and sharp gusts of wind like blades cutting through the air, filling him with terror.
Unfortunately, Tao had fled only with his Yuan Shen, unprepared for such a situation. How could he resist the formation’s corrosive power?
Panicked and darting left and right, he managed to hold on for a while before ultimately failing to evade the blade-like winds. With a final, agonized scream, his Yuan Shen was torn apart piece by piece, his soul instantly scattered.
Mei Qing’s expression remained impassive as he looked at the small cauldron now back in his hand and sighed, “You knew only of this cauldron’s existence, but you didn’t know that this is merely a secondary cauldron, born from the original. The original cauldron resides within me. You merged your Yuan Shen into this secondary cauldron—wasn’t that simply seeking your own doom?”
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