Gu leaned against the ancient tree, singing a sorrowful song with a hoarse and melancholic voice. Branches continuously broke off from the giant tree beside him, falling onto the snowy ground and shattering into dust.
Ning Gu’s eyes, once filled with tears, now appeared hollow and inexplicably empty as he gazed up at the endless sky, the light in them gradually dimming.
At that very moment, a clear and resonant voice suddenly rang out:
“Life is far from birth, death is near from the start;
Rising to scattered dust, who knows of returning to old age?”
Hearing this song, a dazzling light suddenly flickered in Ning Gu’s scattered eyes. His body, which had been on the verge of collapse, straightened up once more, and he exclaimed loudly, “What does Master Mei have to teach me?—What lies at the end of life, has the master thought of it?”
The singer was none other than Mei Qing. He was immersed in the cycle of life and death that Ning Gu had displayed, and many scenes and pieces of information that had once surfaced in his mind reappeared, mingling with the passage of time, each one comprehended in his heart, unaware of his surroundings. It was only when Ning Gu’s life force suddenly weakened that Mei Qing was startled awake and began to sing.
At this moment, there seemed to be something more in Mei Qing’s gaze.
He looked at Ning Gu with a touch of pity and said softly, “Since it is called life, it is naturally not death. How can life have an end?”
A layer of confusion appeared in Ning Gu’s eyes. He gently stroked the withered wood beside him and murmured, “Life is not death? Life is endless? Then why does this tree flourish in spring, grow lush in summer, become desolate in autumn, and wither in winter? Spring turns to winter, a thousand cycles, yet it inevitably breaks and dries, falling to the ground as dust? If even the tree is like this, how can man endure?”
Mei Qing said indifferently, “Though the tree is like this, when the firewood is exhausted, the fire is passed on.”
The light in Ning Gu’s eyes gradually stabilized. He slowly turned his head and stared fixedly at Mei Qing, asking, “Is it true, Master Mei? Have you seen it? Have you truly seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded and said no more.
Ning Gu laughed wildly, tears of turbid water rolling down his face. The withered wood beside him suddenly burst into a vibrant green light, and the branches grew madly, intertwining and wrapping around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, forming a large green cocoon.
Lush green leaves swayed in the wind, and at the top of the branches, a huge flower gradually bloomed.
The flower was of five colors, layer upon layer, gradually unfolding, and then the petals fell one by one. A fruit the size of a fist slowly formed at the base of the flower’s stamen.
The fruit’s surface was black and unremarkable. When the fruit finally matured, with a soft sound, it detached from the branch and gently fell to the ground in front of Mei Qing.
At the same time, the giant tree, which had been sprouting branches and leaves, suddenly withered from top to bottom at the moment the fruit ripened. A gentle breeze arose, and the massive trunk suddenly crumbled into fine dust, scattering and disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Mei Qing bent 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 Wentai let out a burst of wild laughter, shaking his head continuously, “Pitiful! Pitiful! The soaring snake rides the mist, only to become dust and ashes. Mei Qing, what do you have to rely on now?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly, his right hand flicking, and the small cauldron reappeared in his palm. He turned his head to Fan Wentai and said, “What others consider a treasure, I regard as rubble. Master Fan, this cauldron is of little use to me. In fact, it may even be harmful to you. Your cultivation is already so high, why are you still so obsessed with this thing?”
Fan Wentai’s eyes flashed with light, and he said in a deep voice, “Zhang Liusun, don’t think I don’t know the wonders of this cauldron. After all, we once shared the same body, and even… heh, many of your memories have been split into my mind. Back then, why did you order me around, calling me ‘cauldron slave’? Wasn’t it because you had this cauldron, and you were stronger than me? Yes, I was a cauldron slave, a cauldron slave… heh, but now, I am the esteemed Plum Blossom Master Fan Wentai! I will take back this cauldron, and from now on, it will be my slave! Not just this cauldron, but you, you, all of you, will kneel at my feet and be my slaves!”
As Fan Wentai spoke, he breathed heavily, his fingers pointing at Mei Qing, Tao Zhongwen, and the puppet-like Duan Chaoyong, laughing wildly, “Ji Yong, that fool! Didn’t he know I am the number one in the world? How dare he deceive me! Look at him, what was his fate? Zhongwen, I originally wanted to spare your life, but unfortunately, after the master obtains the cauldron, a living soul is needed for the sacrifice… and you! Zhang Liusun! Back then, you took me as a servant, even took over my body, and drove me into that slave’s body! All of you, how dare you look down on me? You are wrong! I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, those who oppose me will die! That shaman was so strong just now, but where is he now?”
Hearing this, a flash of light appeared in Tao Zhongwen’s eyes, but it quickly calmed, and he stared intently at Fan Wentai, deep in thought.
Mei Qing shook his head and remained silent.
Fan Wentai laughed long and loud, his voice shaking the valley, the rumbling sound echoing endlessly, resonating all around. As he laughed, he suddenly stopped, turned to Mei Qing, and said seriously, “Master Zhang, although you have offended me, you have also been of some use to me. As long as you are willing to hand over the cauldron, I promise to let bygones be bygones, and I will even teach you the method of cultivating the primordial spirit, taking you as my disciple. How about it? Rest assured, I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, am a man of my word.”
Mei Qing looked at the small cauldron in his hand, a faint smile on his face, and said, “If you want the cauldron, take it. But to seize it like this, the way of heaven is constant, and it is not a good thing.”
With that, Mei Qing gently tossed the cauldron, effortlessly throwing it over.
This action of Mei Qing’s not only surprised Fan Wentai but also Tao Zhongwen, who was standing nearby.
Fan Wentai reached out and caught the cauldron, his expression shifting between dark and light. After a moment of thought, he quickly flipped his left hand, and numerous talismans danced like scattered flowers, striking the cauldron repeatedly. After carefully inspecting it with his spiritual sense and confirming that Mei Qing had not placed any seals or tricks on it, his expression changed from disbelief to wild joy. His eyes shone with intense light, and he let out a burst of ecstatic laughter.
Tao Zhongwen’s expression grew even more surprised. Like Fan Wentai, he had thought that Mei Qing must be playing some kind of trick, using the cauldron to lure Fan Wentai into a trap. But seeing that Fan Wentai had thoroughly inspected it and that several talismans had already tightly controlled the cauldron, his heart sank. He couldn’t help but wonder if Mei Qing had truly submitted. Then, recalling Fan Wentai’s earlier mention of using his primordial spirit to sacrifice the cauldron, a look of despair involuntarily appeared on his face.
Fan Wentai laughed like a madman, shouting, “Good! Good! This time, I will merge my primordial spirit with this cauldron, and I will see who in the world can touch me! The supreme immortal, the primordial essence, the spiritual talisman, the divine staff, commanding all spirits! Perish with me, live with me, after countless kalpas, take my form! Execute!”
As he spoke, several strange magical instruments scattered around, encircling the cauldron. His hands moved rapidly, and a small golden talisman flew out, instantly expanding several times, projecting several large seal-like talismans in mid-air, interweaving to form a strange magical array.
Fan Wentai stood motionless, slowly raising the cauldron to the level of his forehead, and shouted, “Heaven’s gate, earth’s trap, purple door, mysterious palace! Command!”
At that moment, a ripple appeared above his head, and a small golden figure suddenly emerged.
The figure’s appearance was vastly different from Fan Wentai’s current form, with long eyebrows, a thin face, deep-set eyes, and completely naked. Yet, it spoke in an aged voice, “Haha, now is the time! Execute!”
With that, the figure shook and plunged into the cauldron.
A sound like a baby’s wail came from the cauldron, followed by the loud clanging of metal and the howling of jade. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky, and a fierce wind, like a dragon crossing the heavens, surged from the cauldron’s mouth. The magical instruments and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron also glowed, releasing bursts of wild true essence and spiritual energy, stirring the surrounding mist into a kaleidoscope of colors.
This continued for half an incense stick’s time before the mist gradually dissipated, and the magical instruments quieted down. The once colorful cauldron now appeared dull and black, the wind and energy settled, and a clear, melodious sound, like the ringing of gold and jade, emanated from the cauldron.
Hearing this sound, Tao Zhongwen’s face filled with despair. He gritted his teeth, and with a flip of his fingers, a jade pendant shaped like five plum blossoms suddenly flew out. He shouted, “Scenery, release me, spirit ascend to the supreme! Execute!”
The jade plum blossom suddenly spun like a whirlwind, flashing past Tao Zhongwen’s neck. With a clang, Tao Zhongwen’s head flew into the air, and a white, misty light shot out from his severed neck like a shooting star, fleeing into the distance.
From the cauldron in the air came a disdainful chuckle, followed by a “hum,” and it began to chase after Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit.
But after only a few feet, the cauldron suddenly stopped in mid-air, motionless.
“What is this? Why? Why?” A furious roar erupted from the cauldron, and Fan Wentai’s voice shouted angrily, “Zhang Liusun, what trick are you playing? Impossible, this is impossible, the cauldron has been refined by me, how can it not obey my command? Ah…”
Fan Wentai let out a strange cry, and the cauldron suddenly began to spin in place, accompanied by his continuous strange cries. Strange characters continuously appeared on the cauldron’s surface.
Suddenly, a black mist appeared at the cauldron’s mouth, and Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit emerged, his two hands raised, waving left and right, trying to escape from the cauldron. But black tendrils, like giant snakes, continuously sprang from the cauldron, rapidly wrapping around Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit, enveloping him from head to toe. In moments, Fan Wentai was wrapped into a black, spherical mass, gradually being pulled back into the cauldron, his voice growing weaker until it was completely silent.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit had no time to witness this scene. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, and to avoid being sacrificed to the cauldron, he had seized the moment when Fan Wentai was ecstatic over obtaining the cauldron, gritted his teeth, and performed a desperate act to escape with his primordial spirit. Unfortunately, Fan Wentai had set up a magical array specifically to trap primordial spirits. After only a few steps, Tao Zhongwen felt as if a mountain was pressing down on him, and fierce winds like knives surrounded him, filling him with terror.
But with only his primordial spirit and no preparation, how could he withstand the array’s erosion?
In a panic, he dodged left and right, holding out for a moment, but ultimately could not escape the surrounding knife-like winds. With a human-like scream, he was torn to pieces, his spirit instantly scattered.
Mei Qing’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow. He looked at the small cauldron that had returned to his hand and sighed, “You only know that this treasure cauldron exists in the world, but you do not know that this child cauldron was born from the mother cauldron. Now that the mother cauldron is within me, and you have merged your primordial spirit with the child cauldron, have you not sought your own death?”
Gu leaned against the ancient tree, singing a mournful song with a hoarse and sorrowful voice. Branches continuously fell from the giant tree beside him, landing on the snow-covered ground and shattering into dust.
Ning Gu’s eyes, once clouded with tears, now turned hollow and empty as he gazed at the endless sky, the light within them gradually dimming.
Just then, a clear and resonant voice suddenly rang out:
“Life is far, death is near;
Rising to scattered dust, who knows of returning to withered age?”
Hearing this song, a dazzling light suddenly flickered in Ning Gu’s scattered eyes. His body, which had been on the verge of collapse, straightened once more. He shouted, “Master Mei, what do you teach me?—What lies at the end of life? Have you thought of it?”
The singer was none other than Mei Qing. He was immersed in the cycle of life and death that Ning Gu had displayed. Many scenes and pieces of information that had once flooded his mind resurfaced, mingling with the passage of time, each one deeply understood. He was so lost in thought that he didn’t even realize where he was until Ning Gu’s life force suddenly weakened, jolting Mei Qing awake and prompting him to sing.
At this moment, Mei Qing’s eyes seemed to hold something more.
He looked at Ning Gu with a touch of pity and said softly, “Since it is called life, it is not death. How can life have an end?”
A look of confusion spread across Ning Gu’s face. He gently stroked the withered tree beside him and murmured, “Life is not death? Life is endless? Then why does this tree flourish in spring, grow lush in summer, wither in autumn, and lie barren in winter? Spring turns to winter, a thousand cycles, yet in the end, the branches break and the trunk withers, turning to dust. If even the tree is like this, how can man endure?”
Mei Qing replied calmly, “Though the tree is so, when the firewood is exhausted, the fire is passed on.”
The light in Ning Gu’s eyes gradually stabilized. He slowly turned his head and stared intently at Mei Qing, asking, “Master Mei, is it true? Have you seen it? Have you truly seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded but said no more.
Ning Gu burst into wild laughter, tears streaming down his face. The withered tree beside him suddenly radiated a vibrant green light. Branches grew wildly, intertwining and wrapping around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, forming a large green cocoon.
Lush green leaves swayed in the wind, and at the top of the branches, a massive flower gradually bloomed.
The flower was multicolored, its petals unfolding layer by layer before falling one by one. At the base of the flower’s pistil, a fruit the size of a fist slowly formed.
The fruit’s surface was dark and unremarkable. When it finally ripened, with a soft sound, it detached from the branch and gently landed on the ground in front of Mei Qing.
At that moment, the once lush and thriving giant tree suddenly withered from top to bottom. A gentle breeze arose, and the massive trunk crumbled into fine dust, scattering in all directions and disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Mei Qing bent down, picked up the fruit, examined it carefully for a while, and then slowly tucked it into his robe.
“Haha…” Fan Wentai, not far away, burst into wild laughter, shaking his head repeatedly. “Pitiful! Pitiful! The soaring serpent rides the mist, but in the end, it turns to dust. Mei Qing, what do you have to rely on now?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly. With a flick of his right hand, the small cauldron reappeared in his palm. He turned his head slightly toward Fan Wentai and said, “What others consider a treasure, I regard as rubble. Master Fan, this cauldron is of little use to me. In fact, it may even harm you. Your cultivation has already reached such heights, why are you still obsessed with this thing?”
Fan Wentai’s eyes flickered with light. He said in a deep voice, “Zhang Liusun, don’t think I don’t know the wonders of this cauldron. After all, we once shared the same body, and even… heh, many of your memories have been split into my mind. Back then, why did you order me around, calling me ‘Cauldron Slave’? Wasn’t it because you had this cauldron, and you were stronger than me? Yes, back then, I was the Cauldron Slave, the Cauldron Slave… heh, but now, I am the esteemed Plum Blossom Master Fan Wentai! I will reclaim this cauldron and make it my slave from now on! Not just this cauldron, but you, you, and all of you, will kneel at my feet and become my slaves!”
As he spoke, Fan Wentai’s breathing grew heavy. His finger pointed at Mei Qing, Tao Zhongwen, and the puppet-like Duan Chaoyong, while he laughed maniacally. “Ji Yong, that fool! Didn’t he know I am the strongest in the world? How dare he deceive me! Look at him, what happened to him? Zhongwen, I originally wanted to spare your life, but unfortunately, after I obtain the cauldron, I will need a living soul to sacrifice… And you! Zhang Liusun! Back then, you treated me as a servant, took over my body, and banished me to that slave’s body! All of you, how dare you look down on me? You were wrong! I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, those who oppose me will die! That shaman was quite strong earlier, wasn’t he? Where is he now?”
Hearing this, a flash of light appeared in Tao Zhongwen’s eyes, but it quickly subsided. His expression became as calm as water, though his eyes remained fixed on Fan Wentai, deep in thought.
Mei Qing shook his head and remained silent.
Fan Wentai laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the valley, the sound reverberating endlessly. As he laughed, he suddenly stopped, turned to Mei Qing, and said seriously, “Master Zhang, although you have wronged me, you have also been of some use to me. As long as you hand over the cauldron, I promise to let bygones be bygones. I will even teach you the method of cultivating your primordial spirit and take you as my disciple. How about it? Rest assured, I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, am a man of my word.”
Mei Qing glanced at the small cauldron in his hand, a faint smile on his face. “If you want the cauldron, take it. But remember, seizing it by force is not a virtuous act, for the ways of heaven are constant.”
With that, Mei Qing lightly tossed the cauldron over.
This move not only surprised Fan Wentai but also Tao Zhongwen, who stood nearby, his face showing astonishment.
Fan Wentai caught the cauldron, his expression shifting between doubt and joy. After a moment of thought, he quickly flipped his left hand, and a series of talismanic symbols danced around the cauldron, striking it repeatedly. After thoroughly inspecting it with his spiritual sense and confirming that Mei Qing had not placed any seals or tricks on it, Fan Wentai’s expression turned from disbelief to ecstasy. His eyes shone with a fierce light, and he let out a triumphant laugh.
Tao Zhongwen’s expression grew even more surprised. Like Fan Wentai, he had initially believed that Mei Qing was playing some kind of trick, using the cauldron to lure Fan Wentai into a trap. But seeing that Fan Wentai had thoroughly inspected the cauldron and that several talismanic symbols had already tightly controlled it, Tao Zhongwen’s heart sank. He began to wonder if Mei Qing had truly submitted. Recalling Fan Wentai’s earlier statement about sacrificing his primordial spirit to the cauldron, a look of despair involuntarily appeared on his face.
Fan Wentai laughed maniacally, unable to contain his joy. He shouted, “Good! Good! This time, when I merge my primordial spirit with this cauldron, who in the world will dare to challenge me? The Supreme Immortal, the Primordial Essence, the Divine Talisman, the Sacred Staff, they shall command all spirits. They shall perish with me, they shall live with me. After ten thousand calamities, they shall take my form. So it is decreed!”
As he spoke, several strange magical instruments flew out from his hands, surrounding the cauldron. His hands moved rapidly, and a small golden talisman flew out, instantly enlarging several times. In mid-air, it projected several large, seal-like symbols that intertwined to form a strange magical array.
Fan Wentai stood motionless, slowly raising the cauldron to the level of his forehead. He chanted, “The Gate of Heaven, the Pit of Earth, the Purple Door, the Mysterious Palace. So it is decreed!”
At that moment, a golden figure suddenly appeared above his head.
The figure looked vastly different from Fan Wentai’s current appearance. It had long eyebrows, a thin face, deep-set eyes, and was completely naked. Yet, it spoke in an aged voice, “Haha, now is the time! Go!”
With that, the figure shook itself and plunged into the cauldron.
A sound like a baby’s wail came from the cauldron, followed by the clanging of metal and the howling of jade. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky, and a fierce wind, like a dragon soaring through the heavens, burst forth from the cauldron’s mouth. The magical instruments and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron also began to glow, emitting wild surges of true essence and spiritual energy, churning the surrounding air into a misty, multicolored haze.
This continued for half an incense stick’s time before the mist gradually dissipated. The magical instruments quieted down, and the once colorful cauldron turned a dull black. The wind ceased, and a clear, melodious sound emanated from the cauldron, like the ringing of gold and jade, pure and moving.
Hearing this sound, Tao Zhongwen’s face filled with despair. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly flipped his hand, and a jade pendant shaped like five plum blossoms flew out. He shouted, “The scenery dissolves for me, the spirit ascends to the Supreme Purity. Go!”
The jade plum blossom began to spin rapidly, like a flash of lightning, and flew past Tao Zhongwen’s neck. With a clang, Tao Zhongwen’s head shot into the air, and a white, misty light flew out from his severed neck, streaking away like a shooting star.
From the cauldron in the air came a disdainful chuckle, followed by a “hum,” as it began to chase after Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit.
But after only a few feet, the cauldron suddenly stopped in mid-air, motionless.
“What’s going on? Why? Why?” A furious roar erupted from the cauldron. Fan Wentai’s voice shouted angrily, “Zhang Liusun, what trick are you playing? It’s impossible, this can’t be. I’ve already refined the cauldron, why won’t it obey me? Ah…”
Fan Wentai let out a strange cry as the cauldron began to spin in place. As he continued to cry out, strange characters began to appear on the cauldron’s surface.
Suddenly, a black mist appeared at the cauldron’s mouth, and Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit emerged, its hands flailing as it tried to escape. But black tendrils, like giant snakes, continuously shot out from the cauldron, rapidly wrapping around Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit, encasing it from head to toe. In moments, Fan Wentai was completely enveloped in a black sphere, gradually being pulled back into the cauldron. His voice grew weaker until it was completely silenced.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit had no time to witness this scene. Seeing that the situation was hopeless and wanting to avoid being sacrificed to the cauldron, he had seized the moment when Fan Wentai was ecstatic over obtaining the cauldron to escape. But Fan Wentai had set up a magical array specifically to trap primordial spirits. After only a few steps, Tao Zhongwen felt as if a mountain were pressing down on him, and the surrounding wind was like a blade. He was terrified.
Unfortunately, he had fled with only his primordial spirit and had made no preparations beforehand. How could he withstand the erosion of the magical array?
Panicking, he dodged left and right, but after a moment, he could no longer avoid the blade-like wind. With a human-like scream, his primordial spirit was torn to pieces, instantly dispersing into nothingness.
Mei Qing’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow. He simply looked at the small cauldron that had returned to his hand and sighed, “You only knew of the existence of this cauldron, but you didn’t know that this is a child cauldron, born from the mother cauldron. Now that the mother cauldron is within me, and you merged your primordial spirit with the child cauldron, weren’t you seeking your own death?”
At that very moment, a clear and resonant voice suddenly rang out:
“Birth draws ever farther, death arrives all too soon;
Rising to fall into dust, who knows if withered stalks regrow?”
Upon hearing this song, a flicker of dazzling light flashed in Ning Gu’s scattered gaze. His previously swaying body straightened again as he called out loudly, “Master Mei, how can you instruct me?—What lies at the end of life? Have you, Master, already found the answer?”
The singer was indeed Mei Qing. Immersed in the transformation of life cycles revealed by Ning Gu, many scenes and insights surged again in his mind, blending with the passage of time, each deeply felt within his heart, unaware of where he was. Only when Ning Gu’s breath of life suddenly weakened did Mei Qing awaken, singing this song.
At this moment, something more seemed to appear in Mei Qing’s gaze.
He looked at Ning Gu with a touch of pity and softly said, “If it is said to be life, it is naturally not death. How can life have an end?”
A layer of confusion passed through Ning Gu’s eyes. He gently stroked the dead tree beside him, murmuring, “Life not death? Endless life? 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 for a thousand years, inevitably leading to broken branches and dry trunks, falling into dust? If even trees are thus, how can humans bear it?”
Mei Qing replied calmly, “Though trees may be so, their fire passes on even when the wood is gone.”
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? Have you really seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded and said nothing more.
Ning Gu burst into wild laughter, tears rolling down his cheeks. Suddenly, the withered tree beside him radiated a verdant glow. Branches sprouted forth like mad, twisting and entwining, wrapping tightly around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, forming a giant green cocoon.
Green leaves swayed in the wind. At the top of the branches, a huge flower gradually bloomed in brilliant colors, layer upon layer unfolding, then each petal drifting down. At the base of the flower’s stamen, a fruit the size of a clenched fist gradually formed.
Though the fruit’s surface was dark and unremarkable, when it finally matured, it detached with a soft sound and gently fell to the ground before Mei Qing’s feet.
At the very moment the fruit ripened, the once-lush tree suddenly withered from top to bottom into dry timber. A gentle breeze blew, and the massive branches instantly shattered into fine dust, scattering into the air and vanishing without a trace.
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 laughter, shaking his head repeatedly, “What a pity! What a pity! Even the serpent soaring through mist eventually turns to dust. 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 reappeared in his palm. He turned his head toward Fan Wen Tai and said, “Others may treasure it, but I treat it as mere pottery. Master Fan, this cauldron holds little value for me, and may even bring you harm. Now that your cultivation has reached such a high level, why still cling to this object?”
The light in Fan Wen Tai’s eyes flickered as he replied gravely, “Zhang Liu Sun, don’t think I don’t know the secrets of this cauldron. After all, we once shared the same body, and even… heh heh, many of your memories have been transferred into my mind. Back then, why did you boss me around, calling me ‘Ding Nu’ time and again? Wasn’t it only because you held the cauldron and were stronger than me? Indeed, back then I was your cauldron servant—Ding Nu… heh heh. Now, I am the esteemed Plum Blossom Immortal, Fan Wen Tai! I must reclaim this cauldron and make it my servant from now on! Not just this cauldron, but you, all of you, must kneel at my feet and become my servants!”
As he spoke, Fan Wen Tai breathed heavily, his finger pointing back and forth between Mei Qing, Tao Zhong Wen, and the motionless Duan Chaoyong. He laughed loudly again, “Ji Yong, such a fool! How dare he deceive me when I am the greatest 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! How dare you all look down on me? You were wrong! I, Fan Wen Tai, the Plum Blossom Immortal, those who oppose me shall meet only 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, and then he became as calm as still water, his eyes fixed thoughtfully on Fan Wen Tai.
Mei Qing shook his head and remained silent.
Leaning against an ancient tree, Ning Gu sang a mournful song with a hoarse and sorrowful voice. Branches continuously broke off from the giant tree beside him, falling onto the snow-covered ground and shattering into dust.
The tears in Ning Gu’s turbid eyes had dried up, and his gaze became hollow and inexplicable as he looked up at the endless sky, the light gradually dimming.
Just then, a clear and bright voice suddenly rang out:
“Life’s days are far, death’s days are near;
Rising from scattered dust, who knows the return to withering old age?”
Hearing this song, Ning Gu’s scattered eyes suddenly flashed with a dazzling light. His body, which had been on the verge of collapse, straightened up again, and he shouted, “Master Mei, what do you teach me? What lies at the end of life? Have you thought of it?”
The singer was none other than Mei Qing. He was immersed in the cycle of life and death that Ning Gu had revealed, and many scenes and pieces of information that had once flooded his mind reappeared, blending with the passage of time, each one deeply understood, as if he had lost track of where he was. It wasn’t until Ning Gu’s life force suddenly weakened that Mei Qing was jolted awake and began to sing.
At this moment, there seemed to be something more in Mei Qing’s eyes.
He looked at Ning Gu with a touch of pity and said softly, “Since it is called life, it is not death. How can life have an end?”
A layer of confusion floated in Ning Gu’s eyes. He gently stroked the withered tree beside him and murmured, “Life is not death? Life is endless? Then why does this tree flourish in spring, grow lush in summer, become desolate in autumn, and wither in winter? Spring turns to winter, a thousand-year cycle, yet it inevitably breaks and withers, turning to dust. If even the tree is like this, how can humans endure?”
Mei Qing said indifferently, “Though the tree is like this, the fire continues even after the wood is consumed.”
The light in Ning Gu’s eyes gradually stabilized. He slowly turned his head and stared at Mei Qing, asking, “Master Mei, is it true? Have you seen it? Have you truly seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded but said nothing more.
Ning Gu laughed wildly, tears streaming down his face. The withered tree beside him suddenly burst into a vibrant green light, and its branches grew madly, intertwining and wrapping around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, forming a large green cocoon.
Lush green leaves swayed in the wind, and at the top of the branches, a huge flower gradually bloomed.
The flower was multicolored, layer upon layer unfolding, and then its petals fell one by one. A fruit the size of a fist gradually formed at the base of the flower’s stamen.
The fruit’s surface was black and unremarkable. When it finally ripened, with a soft sound, it detached from the branch and gently fell to the ground in front of Mei Qing.
Meanwhile, the once lush and thriving giant tree suddenly withered from top to bottom at the moment the fruit matured. A gentle breeze arose, and the massive trunk suddenly crumbled into fine dust, scattering and disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Mei Qing bent down, picked up the fruit, examined it carefully for a while, and then slowly tucked it into his robe.
“Haha…” Fan Wentai, not far away, burst into wild laughter, shaking his head repeatedly. “Pitiful! Pitiful! The soaring serpent rides the mist, but in the end, it turns to dust. Mei Qing, what do you have to rely on now?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly, and with a flick of his right hand, the small cauldron reappeared in his palm. He turned to Fan Wentai and said, “What others consider a treasure, I regard as rubble. Master Fan, this cauldron is of little use to me. In fact, it may even harm you. Your cultivation is already so high, why are you still obsessed with this thing?”
Fan Wentai’s eyes flickered with light, and he said in a deep voice, “Zhang Liusun, don’t think I don’t know the wonders of this cauldron. After all, we once shared the same body, and even… heh, many of your memories have been split into my mind. Back then, why did you order me around, calling me ‘cauldron slave’? Wasn’t it because you had this cauldron and were stronger than me? Yes, back then I was a cauldron slave, a cauldron slave… heh, but now, I am the esteemed Plum Blossom Master Fan Wentai! I will take back this cauldron and make it my slave from now on! Not just this cauldron, but you, you, and all of you will kneel at my feet and serve as my slaves!”
As Fan Wentai spoke, he breathed heavily, his finger pointing back and forth between Mei Qing, Tao Zhongwen, and the puppet-like Duan Chaoyong, while laughing maniacally. “Ji Yong, that fool! Didn’t he know I am the greatest in the world? How dare he deceive me! Look at him, what happened to him? Zhongwen, I originally wanted to spare your life, but unfortunately, after the master obtains the cauldron, a living soul is needed for the sacrifice… and you! Zhang Liusun! Back then, you treated me as a servant, took over my body, and threw me into that A Nu’s body! All of you dared to look down on me? You were wrong! I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, those who oppose me will die! That shaman was quite strong, wasn’t he? Where is he now?”
Tao Zhongwen listened, a flash of light in his eyes that quickly disappeared, and his expression became as calm as water. However, his eyes were fixed on Fan Wentai, deep in thought.
Mei Qing shook his head and remained silent.
Fan Wentai laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the valley, the sound reverberating endlessly. After laughing for a while, he suddenly stopped, turned to Mei Qing, and said seriously, “Master Zhang, although you have wronged me, you have also been of some use to me. As long as you hand over the cauldron, I promise to let bygones be bygones. I will even teach you the method of cultivating the primordial spirit and take you as my disciple. How about it? Rest assured, I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, am a man of my word.”
Mei Qing looked at the small cauldron in his hand, a faint smile on his face, and said, “If you want the cauldron, take it. But such a forceful seizure is not a good thing in the eyes of the heavens.”
With that, Mei Qing gently tossed the cauldron over.
This move by Mei Qing not only surprised Fan Wentai but also Tao Zhongwen, who was standing nearby.
Fan Wentai caught the cauldron, his expression shifting between dark and light. After a moment of thought, he quickly flipped his left hand, and a series of talismans danced like scattered flowers, striking the cauldron repeatedly. After thoroughly inspecting it with his divine sense and confirming that Mei Qing had left no seals or tricks, his expression changed from disbelief to wild joy. His eyes shone with intense light, and he let out a burst of ecstatic laughter.
Tao Zhongwen, standing nearby, looked even more surprised. Like Fan Wentai, he had thought Mei Qing must be playing some trick, using the cauldron to lure Fan Wentai into a trap. But seeing Fan Wentai’s thorough inspection and the fact that several talismans had tightly controlled the cauldron, his heart sank. He couldn’t help but wonder if Mei Qing had truly surrendered. Remembering Fan Wentai’s earlier mention of using his primordial spirit to sacrifice the cauldron, a look of despair involuntarily appeared on his face.
Fan Wentai laughed like a madman, shouting, “Good! Good! This time, I will merge my primordial spirit with this cauldron, and see who in the world can touch me! The Supreme Immortal, the Primordial Essence, the Divine Talisman, the Spirit Staff, commanding all spirits—perish with me, be born with me, after ten thousand kalpas, take my form and act!”
As he spoke, several strange magical tools scattered around, surrounding the cauldron. His hands moved rapidly, and a small golden talisman flew out, instantly expanding several times in size. In mid-air, it projected several large, seal-like talismans that intertwined to form a strange magical array.
Fan Wentai stood motionless, slowly raising the cauldron to the level of his forehead, and shouted, “Heaven’s gate, earth’s trap, purple door, mysterious palace—command!”
Suddenly, a ripple appeared above his head, and a small golden figure emerged.
The figure looked vastly different from Fan Wentai’s current appearance, with long eyebrows, a thin face, deep-set eyes, and completely naked. It spoke in an aged voice, “Haha, now is the time! Go!”
With that, the figure shook itself and plunged into the cauldron.
A sound like a baby’s cry came from the cauldron, followed by the clanging of metal and the howling of jade. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky, and a fierce wind like a dragon soared out of the cauldron’s mouth. The magical tools and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron also began to glow, emitting wild bursts of true essence and spiritual energy, stirring up a misty, multicolored haze.
This lasted for half an incense stick’s time before the mist gradually dissipated, and the magical tools quieted down. The once colorful cauldron turned a dull black, and the wind and energy settled. A clear, melodious sound emanated from the cauldron, like the ringing of gold and jade, pure and moving.
Hearing this sound, Tao Zhongwen’s face filled with despair. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly flipped his hand, and a jade pendant shaped like five plum blossoms flew out. He shouted, “Scenery, dissolve for me, spirit ascend to the supreme—go!”
The jade plum blossom began to spin like a whirlwind, flashing past Tao Zhongwen’s neck. With a clang, Tao Zhongwen’s head flew into the air, and a white light shot out from his severed neck like a shooting star, darting away.
From the cauldron in the air came a disdainful chuckle, followed by a “hum,” as it chased after Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit.
But after only a few feet, the cauldron suddenly stopped in mid-air, motionless.
“What’s going on? Why? Why?” A furious roar erupted from the cauldron, Fan Wentai’s voice shouting angrily, “Zhang Liusun, what trick are you playing? Impossible, this is impossible, the cauldron has been refined by me, how can it not obey my command? Ah…”
Fan Wentai let out a strange cry as the cauldron suddenly began to spin in place. With each of Fan Wentai’s strange cries, strange characters continuously appeared on the cauldron’s surface.
Suddenly, a black mist appeared at the cauldron’s mouth, and Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit emerged, his hands waving wildly, trying to escape from the cauldron. But black tendrils like giant snakes continuously shot out from the cauldron, quickly wrapping around Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit, encasing him from head to toe. In moments, Fan Wentai was wrapped into a black ball, gradually pulled back into the cauldron, his voice growing weaker until it was completely silent.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit had no time to witness this scene. Seeing that the situation was hopeless and to avoid being sacrificed to the cauldron, he had seized the moment when Fan Wentai was ecstatic over obtaining the cauldron to escape. But Fan Wentai had set up a magical array specifically to trap primordial spirits. After only a few steps, Tao Zhongwen felt as if a mountain was pressing down on him, and fierce winds like knives surrounded him, filling him with terror.
Unfortunately, he had fled with only his primordial spirit and had no preparation. How could he withstand the erosion of the array?
In a panic, he dodged left and right, but after a moment, he could no longer avoid the knife-like winds. With a human-like scream, his primordial spirit was torn into pieces, instantly dispersing.
Mei Qing’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow as he looked at the small cauldron now back in his hand. He sighed and said, “You only know that this cauldron exists in the world, but you don’t know that this child cauldron was born from the mother cauldron. Now that the mother cauldron is within me, and you merged your primordial spirit with the child cauldron, isn’t that seeking your own death?”
Mei Qing glanced at the small cauldron in his hand and replied with a half-smile, “If you want this cauldron, take it. But such forceful taking is not a beautiful act, for the Dao of Heaven is constant.”
With that, Mei Qing lightly tossed the cauldron, sending it flying toward Fan Wen Tai with surprising ease.
This action of Mei Qing’s shocked not only Fan Wen Tai but also Tao Zhong Wen standing nearby.
Fan Wen Tai caught the cauldron, his expression fluctuating between disbelief and excitement. After a moment’s thought, he raised his left hand, sending out a flurry of talismanic symbols like scattered blossoms, striking the cauldron repeatedly. After thoroughly inspecting it with his spiritual senses and confirming that Mei Qing had placed no seals or hidden mechanisms within, his expression shifted from disbelief to ecstatic joy. His eyes gleamed with sharp light as he burst into a fit of wild, delighted laughter.
Leaning against an ancient tree, Ning Gu sang a mournful song with a hoarse and sorrowful voice. Branches continuously fell from the giant tree beside him, landing on the snow-covered ground and shattering into dust.
The tears in Ning Gu’s turbid eyes had dried up, leaving his gaze empty and inexplicable. He looked up at the endless sky, where the light gradually dimmed.
At that very moment, a clear and resonant voice suddenly rang out:
“Life’s days are far, death’s days are near;
From dust we rise, to dust we return.
How can we know the cycle of withering and renewal?”
Hearing this song, a dazzling light suddenly flickered in Ning Gu’s scattered eyes. His body, which had been on the verge of collapse, straightened up once more. He shouted, “Young Master Mei, what do you teach me? What lies at the end of life? Have you thought of it?”
The singer was none other than Mei Qing. He was immersed in the cycle of life and death that Ning Gu had displayed. Many scenes and pieces of information that had once flooded his mind resurfaced, mingling with the passage of time, each one deeply understood. He was lost in thought until Ning Gu’s life force suddenly weakened, jolting Mei Qing awake and prompting him to sing.
At this moment, there seemed to be something more in Mei Qing’s gaze.
He looked at Ning Gu with a touch of pity and said softly, “If it is called life, it is not death. How can life have an end?”
A layer of confusion appeared in Ning Gu’s eyes. He gently caressed the withered tree beside him and murmured, “Life is not death? Life is endless? Then why does this tree flourish in spring, grow lush in summer, wither in autumn, and become barren in winter? Spring turns to winter, a thousand cycles, yet it inevitably breaks and withers, turning to dust. If even the tree is like this, how can humans endure?”
Mei Qing replied calmly, “Though the tree is like this, when the firewood is exhausted, the fire is passed on.”
The light in Ning Gu’s eyes gradually stabilized. He slowly turned his head and stared intently at Mei Qing, asking, “Young Master Mei, is it true? Have you seen it? Have you truly seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded but said nothing more.
Ning Gu burst into wild laughter, tears streaming down his face. The withered tree beside him suddenly radiated a vibrant green light. Branches grew frantically, intertwining and wrapping around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, forming a large green cocoon.
Lush green leaves swayed in the wind, and at the top of the branches, a massive flower gradually bloomed.
The flower was multicolored, its petals unfolding layer by layer before falling one by one. A fruit the size of a fist slowly formed at the base of the flower.
The fruit’s surface was dark and unremarkable. When it finally ripened, it fell from the branch with a soft sound, landing gently on the ground in front of Mei Qing.
Meanwhile, the once lush and thriving giant tree suddenly withered from top to bottom at the moment the fruit matured. A gentle breeze arose, and the massive trunk crumbled into dust, scattering and disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Mei Qing bent down, picked up the fruit, examined it carefully for a while, and then slowly tucked it into his robe.
“Ha ha…” Fan Wentai, not far away, burst into wild laughter, shaking his head repeatedly. “Pitiful! Pitiful! The soaring serpent rides the mist, only to become dust and ashes. Mei Qing, what do you have to rely on now?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly, and with a flick of his right hand, the small cauldron reappeared in his palm. He turned his head to Fan Wentai and said, “What others treasure as a precious artifact, I regard as mere rubble. Master Fan, this cauldron is of little use to me. In fact, it may even be harmful to you. Your cultivation has already reached such heights. Why are you still so obsessed with this thing?”
Fan Wentai’s eyes flickered with light as he said in a deep voice, “Zhang Liusun, don’t think I don’t know the wonders of this cauldron. After all, we once shared the same body, and even… heh, many of your memories have been divided into my mind. Back then, why did you order me around, calling me ‘Cauldron Slave’? Wasn’t it because you had this cauldron and were stronger than me? Yes, back then I was the Cauldron Slave, the Cauldron Slave… heh, but now, I am the esteemed Plum Blossom Master Fan Wentai! I will reclaim this cauldron and make it my slave from now on! Not just this cauldron, but you, you, and all of you will kneel at my feet and become my slaves!”
As he spoke, Fan Wentai breathed heavily, his finger pointing at Mei Qing, Tao Zhongwen, and the puppet-like Duan Chaoyong, while laughing maniacally. “That fool Ji Yong! Didn’t he know I am the greatest in the world? How dare he deceive me! Look at him, what has become of him? Zhongwen, I originally wanted to spare your life, but unfortunately, after the master obtains the cauldron, a living soul is needed for the sacrifice… and you! Zhang Liusun! Back then, you treated me as a servant, took over my body, and banished me to that A Nu’s body! All of you dared to look down on me? You were wrong! I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, am your death sentence! That shaman was quite powerful, wasn’t he? Where is he now?”
Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Tao Zhongwen’s eyes, but he quickly calmed down, his gaze fixed on Fan Wentai, deep in thought.
Mei Qing shook his head and remained silent.
Fan Wentai let out a long, resonant laugh that echoed through the valley, the sound reverberating endlessly. As he laughed, he suddenly stopped, turned to Mei Qing, and said seriously, “Master Zhang, although you have wronged me, you have also been of some use to me. As long as you hand over the cauldron, I promise to let bygones be bygones. I will even teach you the method of cultivating your primordial spirit and take you as my disciple. How about it? Rest assured, I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, am a man of my word.”
Mei Qing glanced at the small cauldron in his hand, a faint smile on his face. “If you want this cauldron, take it. But such a forceful seizure is not a virtuous act. The ways of heaven are constant.”
With that, Mei Qing lightly tossed the cauldron over.
This move by Mei Qing not only surprised Fan Wentai but also left Tao Zhongwen, who was standing nearby, with a look of astonishment.
Fan Wentai caught the cauldron, his expression shifting between uncertainty and contemplation. After a moment, he flipped his left hand repeatedly, and a series of talismanic symbols danced like scattered flowers, striking the cauldron one after another. After repeatedly checking with his spiritual sense and confirming that Mei Qing had left no seals or tricks on the cauldron, his expression shifted from disbelief to ecstasy. His eyes shone with a fierce light as he let out a burst of triumphant laughter.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhongwen’s expression grew even more surprised. Like Fan Wentai, he had believed that Mei Qing must be playing some kind of trick, using the cauldron to lure Fan Wentai into a trap. But seeing that Fan Wentai had thoroughly inspected the cauldron and that his talismans had tightly controlled it, Tao Zhongwen’s heart sank. He began to wonder if Mei Qing had truly submitted. Recalling Fan Wentai’s earlier mention of using his primordial spirit as a sacrifice for the cauldron, a look of despair involuntarily appeared on his face.
Fan Wentai laughed maniacally, shouting, “Good! Good! This time, when my primordial spirit merges with this cauldron, who in the world will dare to touch me? The Supreme Immortal, the Primordial Essence, the Divine Talisman, the Sacred Staff, commanding all spirits—perish with me, be born with me, after ten thousand kalpas, take my form! Execute!”
As he spoke, several strange magical tools scattered around, encircling the cauldron. His hands moved rapidly, and a small golden talisman flew out, instantly expanding several times in size. In mid-air, it projected several large, seal-like symbols that intertwined to form a strange magical array.
Fan Wentai stood motionless, slowly raising the cauldron to the level of his forehead, and shouted, “Heaven’s Gate, Earth’s Pit, Purple Door, Mysterious Palace—command!”
Suddenly, a ripple appeared above his head, and a small golden figure emerged.
The figure looked vastly different from Fan Wentai’s current appearance, with long eyebrows, a thin face, deep-set eyes, and completely naked. It spoke in an aged voice, “Ha ha, now is the time! Execute!”
With that, the figure shook itself and plunged into the cauldron.
A sound like a baby’s wail came from the cauldron, followed by a cacophony of metallic and jade-like noises. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky, and a fierce wind, like a dragon soaring through the heavens, erupted from the cauldron’s mouth. The magical tools and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron also began to glow, emitting wild bursts of true essence and spiritual energy, churning the surrounding air into a misty, multicolored haze.
This continued for the time it takes to burn half an incense stick before the mist gradually dissipated, and the magical tools quieted down. The once colorful cauldron now appeared dull and black, the wind and energy settled, and a clear, melodious sound emanated from the cauldron, like the ringing of gold and jade.
Hearing this sound, Tao Zhongwen’s face filled with despair. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly flipped his hand, and a jade pendant shaped like five plum blossoms flew out. He shouted, “Scenery, release me, spirit ascend to the heavens—execute!”
The jade plum blossom began to spin rapidly, like a gust of wind, and passed by Tao Zhongwen’s neck. With a clang, his head flew into the air, and a white, misty light shot out from his severed neck, streaking away like a meteor.
From the cauldron in the air came a disdainful chuckle, followed by a “hum,” as it chased after Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit.
But after only a few feet, the cauldron suddenly stopped in mid-air, motionless.
“What’s going on? Why? Why?” A furious roar erupted from the cauldron as Fan Wentai’s voice shouted angrily, “Zhang Liusun, what trick are you playing? Impossible, this is impossible! The cauldron has been refined by me, how can it not obey my commands? Ah…”
Fan Wentai let out a strange cry as the cauldron suddenly began to spin in place. Amid his continuous strange cries, strange characters began to appear on the cauldron’s surface.
Suddenly, a black mist emerged from the cauldron’s mouth, and Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit poked its head out. His two hands raised, waving frantically, trying to escape from the cauldron. But black tendrils, like giant snakes, continuously shot out from the cauldron, rapidly wrapping around Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit, encasing him from head to toe. In moments, Fan Wentai was wrapped into a black, spherical mass, gradually being pulled back into the cauldron, his voice growing weaker until it was completely silent.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit had no time to witness this scene. Seeing that the situation was hopeless and to avoid being sacrificed to the cauldron, he had seized the moment when Fan Wentai was ecstatic over obtaining the cauldron to make his escape. He had resorted to self-destruction, hoping to flee with his primordial spirit. However, Fan Wentai had set up a magical array specifically designed to trap primordial spirits. After only a few steps, Tao Zhongwen felt as if a mountain were pressing down on him, and the surrounding wind was like a blade. He was terrified.
Unfortunately, with only his primordial spirit and no preparation, he was no match for the array’s power.
Panicking, he dodged left and right, but after a brief struggle, he could not escape the blade-like wind. With a human-like scream, his primordial spirit was torn into pieces, instantly dispersing into nothingness.
Mei Qing’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow as he looked at the small cauldron now back in his hand. He sighed, “You only know of this treasure cauldron in the world, but you do not know that this child cauldron was born from the mother cauldron. Now that the mother cauldron is within me, and you have merged your primordial spirit with the child cauldron, have you not sought your own death?”
Leaning against an ancient tree, Ning Gu sang a mournful song with a hoarse and melancholic voice. Branches continuously fell from the giant tree beside him, landing on the snowy ground and shattering into dust.
Ning Gu’s turbid eyes had dried of tears, now empty and unfathomable, gazing up at the endless sky as the light within them gradually dimmed.
Just then, a clear and resonant voice suddenly rang out:
“Life’s day is far, death’s day is near;
Rising to scattered dust, who knows of returning to withered age?”
Hearing this song, Ning Gu’s scattered gaze suddenly flashed with a dazzling light. His body, which had been on the verge of collapse, straightened once more. He shouted, “Master Mei, what wisdom do you offer? What lies at the end of life? Have you glimpsed it?”
The singer was none other than Mei Qing. He had been immersed in the cycle of life and death that Ning Gu had revealed, and many scenes and thoughts that had once surfaced in his mind reappeared, mingling with the passage of time, each one deeply understood. He had been lost in thought until Ning Gu’s life force suddenly weakened, jolting Mei Qing awake and prompting him to sing.
Now, Mei Qing’s eyes seemed to hold something more.
He looked at Ning Gu with a touch of pity and said softly, “If it is called life, it is not death. How can life have an end?”
A layer of confusion clouded Ning Gu’s eyes. He gently stroked the withered tree beside him and murmured, “Life is not death? Life is endless? Then why does this tree flourish in spring, grow lush in summer, wither in autumn, and lie barren in winter? Spring departs, winter returns, a thousand cycles, yet it cannot escape the fate of broken branches and dry trunks, crumbling into dust. If even the tree is thus, how much more so for man?”
Mei Qing replied calmly, “Though the tree may wither, the fire passes on when the wood is consumed.”
The light in Ning Gu’s eyes gradually stabilized. He slowly turned his head and fixed his gaze on Mei Qing, asking, “Master Mei, is it true? Have you seen it? Truly seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded but said no more.
Ning Gu burst into wild laughter, tears streaming down his face. The withered tree beside him suddenly glowed with a vibrant green light, and its branches grew frantically, intertwining and wrapping around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, forming a large green cocoon.
Lush green leaves swayed in the wind, and at the top of the tree, a massive flower gradually bloomed.
The flower was multicolored, its petals unfolding layer by layer, then falling one by one. At the base of the flower’s stamen, a fruit the size of a fist slowly formed.
The fruit’s surface was dark and unremarkable. When it finally ripened, it detached from the branch with a soft sound and gently landed on the ground before Mei Qing.
The once lush and towering tree, at the moment the fruit matured, suddenly withered from top to bottom. A gentle breeze arose, and the massive trunk crumbled into dust, scattering in all directions and disappearing without a trace in an instant.
Mei Qing bent down, picked up the fruit, examined it carefully for a moment, and then slowly tucked it into his robe.
“Ha ha…” Fan Wentai, not far away, let out a burst of wild laughter, shaking his head repeatedly. “Pitiful! Pitiful! The soaring serpent rides the mist, yet ends as dust. Mei Qing, what do you have to rely on now?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly, and with a flick of his right hand, the small cauldron reappeared in his palm. He turned to Fan Wentai and said, “What others treasure, I regard as rubble. Master Fan, this cauldron is of little use to me. In fact, it may even harm you. Your cultivation has already reached such heights, why do you still cling to this thing?”
Fan Wentai’s eyes flashed with intensity as he said in a deep voice, “Zhang Liusun, don’t think I don’t know the secrets of this cauldron. After all, we once shared the same body, and even… heh, many of your memories have been split into my mind. Back then, why did you order me around, calling me ‘Cauldron Slave’? Wasn’t it because you held this cauldron, because you were stronger than me? Yes, back then I was the Cauldron Slave, the Cauldron Slave… heh, but now, I am the esteemed Master Fan Wentai of the Plum Blossom Sect! I will reclaim this cauldron and make it my slave from now on! Not just this cauldron, but you, you, and all of you will grovel at my feet, becoming my slaves!”
As he spoke, Fan Wentai’s breathing grew heavy, his finger pointing at Mei Qing, Tao Zhongwen, and the motionless Duan Chaoyong in turn. He laughed maniacally, “Ji Yong, that fool! Didn’t he know I am the greatest in the world? How dare he deceive me! Look at him, what has become of him? Zhongwen, I had thought to spare your life, but unfortunately, once I obtain the cauldron, I will need a living soul to offer as a sacrifice… and you! Zhang Liusun! Back then, you treated me as a servant, even took over my body, and banished me to that slave’s body! All of you dared to look down on me? You were wrong! I, Fan Wentai, Master of the Plum Blossom Sect, those who oppose me will meet their doom! That shaman was strong, wasn’t he? Where is he now?”
Tao Zhongwen listened, a flash of light in his eyes that quickly subsided, leaving them calm as water. He stared intently at Fan Wentai, deep in thought.
Mei Qing shook his head, remaining silent.
Fan Wentai let out a long, booming laugh that echoed through the valley, the sound reverberating endlessly. As his laughter subsided, he suddenly turned serious and said to Mei Qing, “Master Zhang, though you have wronged me, you have also been of some use to me. If you are willing to hand over the cauldron, I promise to let bygones be bygones. I will even teach you the methods of cultivating your primordial spirit and take you as my disciple. How about it? Rest assured, I, Fan Wentai of the Plum Blossom Sect, am a man of my word.”
Mei Qing glanced at the small cauldron in his hand, a faint smile on his lips. “If you want the cauldron, take it. But to seize it by force is not a virtuous act, for the ways of heaven are constant.”
With that, Mei Qing lightly tossed the cauldron, sending it effortlessly toward Fan Wentai.
This move surprised not only Fan Wentai but also Tao Zhongwen, who stood nearby, his face showing astonishment.
Fan Wentai caught the cauldron, his expression shifting between doubt and contemplation. After a moment’s thought, he quickly flipped his left hand, and a series of talismanic symbols danced like scattered flowers, striking the cauldron repeatedly. After thoroughly inspecting it with his spiritual sense and confirming that Mei Qing had left no seals or tricks, Fan Wentai’s expression shifted from disbelief to wild joy. His eyes blazed with intense light as he let out a triumphant laugh.
Tao Zhongwen, standing to the side, looked even more astonished. Like Fan Wentai, he had assumed Mei Qing was playing some kind of trick, using the cauldron to lure Fan Wentai into a trap. But seeing Fan Wentai’s thorough inspection and the multiple talismans now tightly controlling the cauldron, Tao Zhongwen’s heart sank. He wondered if Mei Qing had truly surrendered. Then, recalling Fan Wentai’s earlier mention of using his primordial spirit as a sacrifice, a look of despair involuntarily crossed his face.
Fan Wentai laughed maniacally, unable to contain his joy. “Good! Good! This time, I will merge my primordial spirit with this cauldron, and I will see who in the world can touch me! The Supreme Immortal, the Primordial Essence, the Divine Talisman, the Sacred Staff, commanding all spirits—perish with me, be born with me, after ten thousand kalpas, take my form! Execute!”
As he spoke, several strange magical instruments flew out from his hands, surrounding the cauldron. His hands moved rapidly, and a small golden talisman spun out, instantly enlarging several times. In mid-air, it projected several large, seal-like symbols that intertwined to form a strange magical array.
Fan Wentai stood motionless, slowly raising the cauldron to the level of his forehead. He chanted, “Heaven’s Gate, Earth’s Pit, Purple Door, Mysterious Palace—command!”
Suddenly, a ripple appeared above his head, and a small golden figure emerged.
The figure looked vastly different from Fan Wentai’s current appearance, with long eyebrows, a thin face, and deep-set eyes. It was completely naked, yet it spoke in an aged voice, “Ha ha, now is the time! Execute!”
With that, the figure shook itself and dove into the cauldron.
A sound like a baby’s wail emanated from the cauldron, followed by the clanging of metal and the howling of jade. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky, and a fierce wind, like a dragon soaring through the heavens, burst forth from the cauldron’s mouth. The magical instruments and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron also began to glow, releasing wild streams of true essence and spiritual energy, stirring the surrounding air into a misty, multicolored haze.
This continued for the time it takes to burn half an incense stick before the mist gradually dissipated, and the magical instruments quieted down. The once colorful cauldron now appeared dull and black, the wind and energy settling. A clear, melodious sound, like the ringing of gold and jade, emerged from the cauldron.
Hearing this sound, Tao Zhongwen’s face filled with despair. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly flipped his hand, and a jade pendant shaped like five plum blossoms flew out. He chanted, “Scenery dissolves for me, the spirit ascends to the highest purity—execute!”
The jade plum blossom began to spin like a whirlwind, flashing past Tao Zhongwen’s neck. With a sharp sound, Tao Zhongwen’s head flew into the air, and a white, misty light shot out from his severed neck like a meteor streaking across the sky, fleeing into the distance.
From the cauldron in the air came a disdainful chuckle, followed by a “hum” as it began to chase after Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit.
But after only a few feet, the cauldron suddenly froze in mid-air, unmoving.
“What’s going on? Why? Why?” A furious roar erupted from the cauldron. Fan Wentai’s voice shouted angrily, “Zhang Liusun, what trick are you playing? Impossible, this can’t be, I’ve already refined the cauldron, why won’t it obey me? Ah…”
Fan Wentai let out a strange cry as the cauldron suddenly began to spin in place. Amid his continuous cries, strange characters began to appear on the cauldron’s surface.
Suddenly, a black mist emerged from the cauldron’s mouth, and Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit poked its head out. His hands flailed wildly, trying to escape the cauldron, but black tendrils like giant snakes continuously shot out, rapidly wrapping around his spirit and pulling him back into the cauldron. In moments, Fan Wentai was completely enveloped in a black sphere, his voice growing weaker until it fell silent.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit had no time to witness this scene. Seeing no other option and fearing being sacrificed to the cauldron, he had seized the moment of Fan Wentai’s ecstasy to escape, sacrificing his body to flee with his primordial spirit. But Fan Wentai had set up a magical array specifically designed to trap primordial spirits. After only a few steps, Tao Zhongwen felt as if a mountain were pressing down on him, and the surrounding wind cut like knives. He was terrified.
Unfortunately, with only his primordial spirit and no preparation, he had no way to resist the array’s erosion.
Panicking, he dodged left and right, but after a brief struggle, he could no longer avoid the cutting winds. With a human-like scream, his spirit was torn into pieces, instantly dispersing into nothingness.
Mei Qing’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow as he looked at the small cauldron now back in his hand. He sighed, “You only knew of this treasure cauldron, but you did not know that this is the child cauldron, born of the mother cauldron. Now that the mother cauldron is within me, and you have merged your primordial spirit with the child cauldron, you have only sought your own doom.”
Leaning against an ancient tree, Ning Gu sang a mournful song with a hoarse and melancholic voice. Branches continuously fell from the giant tree beside him, landing on the snowy ground and shattering into dust.
Ning Gu’s turbid eyes had dried of tears, now empty and unfathomable, gazing up at the endless sky as the light gradually dimmed.
At that very moment, a clear and resonant voice suddenly rang out:
“Life’s days are far, death’s days are near;
From dust we rise, to dust we return.
How can we know the reversal of withering and aging?”
Hearing this song, Ning Gu’s scattered gaze suddenly flashed with a dazzling light. His body, which had been on the verge of collapse, straightened once more. He shouted, “Master Mei, what do you teach me? What lies at the end of life? Have you thought of it?”
The singer was none other than Mei Qing. He was immersed in the cycle of life and death that Ning Gu had displayed. Many scenes and pieces of information that had once flooded his mind reappeared, mingling with the passage of time, each one deeply understood. He was lost in thought until Ning Gu’s life force suddenly weakened, jolting Mei Qing awake, prompting him to sing.
At this moment, there seemed to be something more in Mei Qing’s gaze.
He looked at Ning Gu with a touch of pity and said softly, “Since it is called life, it is not death. How can life have an end?”
A layer of confusion clouded Ning Gu’s eyes. He gently stroked the withered tree beside him and murmured, “Life is not death? Life is endless? Then why does this tree flourish in spring, grow lush in summer, wither in autumn, and lie dormant in winter? Spring departs, winter returns, a thousand cycles, yet it cannot escape the fate of broken branches and withering, turning to dust. If even trees are like this, how can humans endure?”
Mei Qing replied calmly, “Though the tree is like this, when the firewood is exhausted, the fire is passed on.”
The light in Ning Gu’s eyes gradually stabilized. He slowly turned his head and stared intently at Mei Qing, asking, “Master Mei, is it true? Have you seen it? Truly seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded but said no more.
Ning Gu laughed maniacally, tears of turbid sorrow rolling down his face. The withered tree beside him suddenly burst into a vibrant green brilliance. Branches grew wildly, intertwining and wrapping around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, forming a large green cocoon.
Lush green leaves swayed in the wind, and at the top of the branches, a massive flower gradually bloomed.
The flower was multicolored, its petals unfolding layer by layer, then falling one by one. At the base of the pistil, a fruit the size of a fist slowly formed.
The fruit’s exterior was dark and unremarkable. When it finally ripened, with a soft sound, it detached from the branch and gently landed on the ground before Mei Qing.
At the moment the fruit matured, the once lush and thriving giant tree suddenly withered from top to bottom. A gentle breeze arose, and the massive trunk crumbled into fine dust, scattering in all directions, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Mei Qing bent down, picked up the fruit, examined it carefully for a while, and then slowly tucked it into his robe.
“Ha ha…” Not far away, Fan Wentai burst into a fit of laughter, shaking his head repeatedly. “Pitiful! Pitiful! The soaring serpent rides the mist, yet it ends as dust. Mei Qing, what do you have to rely on now?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly, his right hand flicking, and the small cauldron reappeared in his palm. He turned his head to Fan Wentai and said, “What others treasure, I regard as rubble. Master Fan, this cauldron is of little use to me. In fact, it may even harm you. Your cultivation is already so high, why are you still obsessed with this thing?”
Fan Wentai’s eyes flashed with light, and he said in a deep voice, “Zhang Liusun, don’t think I don’t know the wonders of this cauldron. After all, we once shared the same body, and even… heh, many of your memories have been split into my mind. Back then, why did you order me around, calling me ‘cauldron slave’? Wasn’t it because you had this cauldron, and you were stronger than me? Yes, back then I was a cauldron slave, a cauldron slave… heh, but now, I am the esteemed Plum Blossom Master Fan Wentai! I will reclaim this cauldron, and from now on, it will be my slave! Not just this cauldron, but you, you, all of you, will grovel at my feet, becoming my slaves!”
As Fan Wentai spoke, he breathed heavily, his finger pointing alternately at Mei Qing, Tao Zhongwen, and the puppet-like Duan Chaoyong, laughing maniacally. “Ji Yong, that fool! Doesn’t he know I am the number one in the world? How dare he deceive me! Look at him, what has become of him? Zhongwen, I originally wanted to spare your life, but unfortunately, after the master obtains the cauldron, a living soul is needed for the sacrifice… And you! Zhang Liusun! Back then, you treated me as a servant, even took over my body, and banished me to that Anu’s body! All of you, you dared to look down on me? You were wrong! I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, those who oppose me will die! That shaman was strong, wasn’t he? Now, where is he?”
Hearing this, a flash of light appeared in Tao Zhongwen’s eyes, but it quickly subsided, leaving his expression as calm as water. However, his eyes were fixed intently on Fan Wentai, deep in thought.
Mei Qing shook his head, remaining silent.
Fan Wentai laughed heartily, his voice echoing through the valley, the sound reverberating endlessly. As he laughed, he suddenly stopped, turned to Mei Qing, and said seriously, “Master Zhang, although you have wronged me, you have also been of some use to me. As long as you hand over the cauldron, I promise to let bygones be bygones. I will even teach you the method of cultivating your primordial spirit and take you as my disciple. How about it? Rest assured, I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, am a man of my word.”
Mei Qing looked at the small cauldron in his hand, his expression ambiguous, and said, “If you want this cauldron, take it. But such forceful seizure is not a good thing, as the ways of heaven are constant.”
With that, Mei Qing gently tossed the cauldron over.
This move by Mei Qing not only surprised Fan Wentai but also Tao Zhongwen, who stood nearby, his face showing astonishment.
Fan Wentai caught the cauldron, his expression shifting between doubt and joy. After a moment of thought, he quickly flipped his left hand, and a series of talismans danced like scattered flowers, striking the cauldron repeatedly. After thoroughly inspecting it with his spiritual sense and confirming that Mei Qing had left no seals or tricks, his expression shifted from disbelief to ecstasy. His eyes gleamed with intense light, and he let out a burst of joyous laughter.
Tao Zhongwen, standing nearby, looked even more surprised. Like Fan Wentai, he had believed that Mei Qing must be playing some trick, using the cauldron to lure Fan Wentai into a trap. But seeing that Fan Wentai had thoroughly examined the cauldron and that several talismans had already tightly controlled it, his heart sank. He wondered if Mei Qing had truly submitted. Recalling Fan Wentai’s earlier mention of using his primordial spirit to sacrifice the cauldron, a look of despair involuntarily appeared on his face.
Fan Wentai laughed maniacally, shouting, “Good! Good! This time, my primordial spirit will merge with this cauldron, and I will see who in the world can touch me! The Supreme Immortal, the Primordial Essence, the Divine Talisman, the Sacred Staff, commanding all spirits! Perish with me, be born with me, after countless calamities, take my form! Execute!”
As he spoke, several strange magical instruments flew out, surrounding the cauldron. His hands moved rapidly, and a small golden talisman flew out, instantly enlarging several times, projecting several large seal-like characters in the air, intertwining to form a strange magical array.
Fan Wentai stood motionless, slowly raising the cauldron to the level of his forehead, and shouted, “Heaven’s Gate, Earth’s Pit, Purple Door, Mysterious Palace, command!”
Suddenly, a ripple appeared above his head, and a small golden figure emerged.
The figure looked vastly different from Fan Wentai’s current appearance, with long eyebrows, a thin face, deep-set eyes, and completely naked. It spoke in an aged voice, “Ha ha, now is the time! Execute!”
With that, the figure shook itself and plunged into the cauldron.
A sound like a baby’s cry came from the cauldron, followed by the clanging of metal and the howling of jade. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky, and a fierce wind, like a dragon, surged from the cauldron’s mouth. The magical instruments and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron also glowed, releasing wild bursts of true essence and spiritual energy, stirring the surrounding mist into a kaleidoscope of colors.
This continued for half an incense stick’s time before the mist gradually dissipated, and the magical instruments quieted down. The once colorful cauldron now appeared dull and black, the wind ceased, and a clear, melodious sound emanated from the cauldron, like the ringing of gold and jade, pure and moving.
Hearing this sound, Tao Zhongwen’s face showed utter despair. He gritted his teeth, and with a flip of his finger, a jade pendant shaped like five plum blossoms suddenly flew out. He shouted, “Scenery, release me, spirit ascend to the heavens, execute!”
The jade plum blossom began to spin rapidly, like a gust of wind, and flew past Tao Zhongwen’s neck. With a clang, Tao Zhongwen’s head flew into the air, and a white, misty light shot out from his severed neck, streaking away like a meteor.
From the cauldron in the air came a disdainful chuckle, followed by a “hum,” as it chased after Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit.
But after only a few feet, the cauldron suddenly stopped in mid-air, motionless.
“What’s going on? Why? Why?” A furious roar erupted from the cauldron, Fan Wentai’s voice shouting angrily, “Zhang Liusun, what trick are you playing? Impossible, this is impossible, I have already refined the cauldron, why won’t it obey me? Ah…”
Fan Wentai let out a strange cry as the cauldron began to spin in place, accompanied by his continuous strange shouts. Strange characters began to appear on the cauldron’s surface.
Suddenly, a black mist emerged from the cauldron’s mouth, and Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit poked its head out, its hands waving frantically, trying to escape. But black tendrils, like giant snakes, continuously sprang from the cauldron, rapidly wrapping around Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit, enveloping it from head to toe. In moments, Fan Wentai was encased in a black, spherical mass, gradually being pulled back into the cauldron, his voice growing weaker until it was completely silent.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit had no time to witness this scene. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, he had seized the moment when Fan Wentai was ecstatic over obtaining the cauldron to escape, biting the bullet and sacrificing his body to flee with his primordial spirit. However, Fan Wentai had set up a magical array specifically to trap primordial spirits. After only a few steps, Tao Zhongwen felt as if a mountain was pressing down on him, and the surrounding wind was like knives. He was terrified.
Unfortunately, he had fled with only his primordial spirit, unprepared, and could not withstand the array’s erosion.
Panicking, he dodged left and right, holding on for a moment, but ultimately could not escape the surrounding knife-like wind. With a human-like scream, his primordial spirit was torn to pieces, instantly dispersing.
Mei Qing’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow. He looked at the small cauldron that had returned to his hand and sighed, “You only know that this cauldron exists in the world, but you do not know that this child cauldron was born from the mother cauldron. Now that the mother cauldron is within me, and you have merged your primordial spirit with the child cauldron, isn’t that seeking your own death?”
Remaining motionless, Fan Wen Tai slowly raised the cauldron to the level of his forehead and shouted, “Heavenly Gate and Earthly Well, Purple Portal and Mysterious Palace—Command!”
Suddenly, a ripple appeared above his head, and a small golden figure abruptly emerged.
The figure looked very different from Fan Wen Tai’s current appearance—long eyebrows, a thin face, deep-set eyes, and completely naked. Yet it spoke in a hoary voice, “Haha, this is the moment! Now!”
With that, it shook its body and dove straight into the cauldron.
A wailing sound, like a baby’s cry, erupted from the cauldron, followed by a cacophony of metallic and jade-like sounds. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky. A violent wind burst forth from the cauldron’s mouth like a dragon soaring through the heavens. The magical artifacts and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron simultaneously emitted radiant light, releasing turbulent spiritual energy and qi, stirring the surrounding mist into a swirling, colorful haze.
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 turned dull and black, its energy quieted. A clear, melodious whistle emanated from within the cauldron, resonating like the sound of metal and jade, pure and moving.
Upon hearing this whistle, Tao Zhong Wen’s face turned even more despairing. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly flipped his hand, and a jade pendant shaped like five plum blossoms flew out. He shouted, “Spirit, ascend to the Pure Abode—Now!”
The jade plum blossom suddenly began to spin, darting like lightning past Tao Zhong Wen’s neck. With a sharp sound, his head shot into the air, while a pale white glow erupted from his severed neck like a meteor streaking across the sky, fleeing outward.
Leaning against an ancient tree, Ning Gu sang a mournful song with a hoarse and sorrowful voice. Branches continuously fell from the giant tree beside him, landing on the snow-covered ground and shattering into dust.
Tears had dried in Ning Gu’s turbid eyes, leaving them hollow and inexplicably empty. He gazed up at the endless sky, where the light gradually dimmed.
At that very moment, a clear and resonant voice suddenly rang out:
“Life’s days are distant, death’s days are near;
Rising to scattered dust, who knows of returning to withered age?”
Hearing this song, a dazzling light suddenly flickered in Ning Gu’s scattered gaze. His body, which had been on the verge of collapse, straightened once more. He shouted, “Young Master Mei, what do you teach me? What lies at the end of life? Have you thought of it?”
The singer was none other than Mei Qing. He had been immersed in the cycle of life and death that Ning Gu had displayed, and many scenes and information that had once flooded his mind resurfaced, blending with the passage of time, each realization sinking deep into his heart. He had been lost in thought, unaware of his surroundings, until Ning Gu’s life force suddenly weakened, jolting Mei Qing awake and prompting him to sing.
At this moment, there seemed to be something more in Mei Qing’s gaze.
He looked at Ning Gu with a touch of pity and said softly, “If it is called life, it is not death. How can life have an end?”
A layer of confusion floated in Ning Gu’s eyes. He gently stroked the withered tree beside him and murmured, “Life is not death? Life is endless? Then why does this tree flourish in spring, grow lush in summer, wither in autumn, and lie barren in winter? Spring turns to winter, a thousand cycles, yet it inevitably breaks and withers, turning to dust. If even the tree is like this, how can humans endure?”
Mei Qing replied calmly, “Though the tree is like this, when the firewood is exhausted, the fire is passed on.”
The light in Ning Gu’s eyes gradually stabilized. He slowly turned his head and stared intently at Mei Qing, asking, “Young Master Mei, is it true? Have you seen it? Have you truly seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded but said no more.
Ning Gu burst into wild laughter, turbid tears rolling down his cheeks. The withered tree beside him suddenly radiated a vibrant green light, and its branches grew madly, intertwining and wrapping around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, forming a large green cocoon.
Lush green leaves swayed in the wind, and at the top of the branches, a massive flower gradually bloomed.
The flower was multicolored, its petals layered and unfolding one by one, then falling away. At the base of the flower’s pistil, a fruit the size of a fist slowly formed.
The fruit’s surface was dark and unremarkable. When it finally ripened, with a soft sound, it detached from the branch and gently landed on the ground before Mei Qing.
Meanwhile, the once lush and thriving giant tree, at the moment the fruit matured, suddenly withered from top to bottom. A gentle breeze arose, and the massive trunk crumbled into fine dust, scattering in all directions and disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Mei Qing bent down, picked up the fruit, examined it carefully for a moment, and then slowly tucked it into his robe.
“Ha ha…” Fan Wentai, not far away, burst into wild laughter, shaking his head repeatedly. “Pitiful! Pitiful! The soaring serpent rides the mist, yet it ends as dust and ashes. Mei Qing, what do you have to rely on now?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly. With a flick of his right hand, the small cauldron reappeared in his palm. He turned his head to Fan Wentai and said, “What others treasure, I regard as mere rubble. Master Fan, this cauldron is of little use to me. In fact, it may even harm you. Your cultivation has already reached such heights. Why are you still obsessed with this thing?”
A glint flashed in Fan Wentai’s eyes, and he said in a deep voice, “Zhang Liusun, don’t think I don’t know the wonders of this cauldron. After all, we once shared the same body, and even… heh, many of your memories have been split into my mind. Back then, why did you order me around, calling me ‘cauldron slave’? Wasn’t it because you had this cauldron and were stronger than me? Yes, back then I was a cauldron slave, a cauldron slave… heh, but now, I am the esteemed Plum Blossom Master Fan Wentai! I will reclaim this cauldron and make it my slave from now on! Not just this cauldron, but you, you, and all of you will kneel at my feet and serve as my slaves!”
As he spoke, Fan Wentai’s breathing grew heavy. His finger pointed at Mei Qing, Tao Zhongwen, and the motionless Duan Chaoyong, who stood like a wooden puppet. He laughed maniacally and said, “Ji Yong, that fool! Didn’t he know I am the greatest in the world? How dare he deceive me! Look at him, what has become of him? Zhongwen, I originally wanted to spare your life, but unfortunately, after the master obtains the cauldron, a living soul is needed for the sacrifice… And you! Zhang Liusun! Back then, you treated me as a servant, took over my body, and banished me to that slave’s body! All of you dared to look down on me? You were wrong! I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, will make those who oppose me meet their doom! That shaman was quite powerful earlier, wasn’t he? Where is he now?”
Hearing this, a glint flashed in Tao Zhongwen’s eyes, but he quickly calmed down, his gaze fixed on Fan Wentai, deep in thought.
Mei Qing shook his head and remained silent.
Fan Wentai laughed heartily, his voice echoing through the valley, the sound reverberating endlessly. As he laughed, he suddenly stopped, turned to Mei Qing, and said seriously, “Master Zhang, although you have offended me, you have also been of some use to me. As long as you hand over the cauldron, I promise to let bygones be bygones. I will even teach you the method of cultivating your primordial spirit and take you as my disciple. How about it? Rest assured, I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, am a man of my word.”
Mei Qing glanced at the small cauldron in his hand, a faint smile on his face. “If you want the cauldron, take it. But such forceful seizure is not a virtuous act according to the natural order.”
With that, Mei Qing lightly tossed the cauldron over.
This move by Mei Qing not only surprised Fan Wentai but also left Tao Zhongwen, standing nearby, with a look of astonishment.
Fan Wentai caught the cauldron, his expression shifting between doubt and delight. After a moment of thought, he quickly flipped his left hand, and a series of talismanic symbols danced like scattered flowers, striking the cauldron repeatedly. After thoroughly inspecting it with his spiritual sense and confirming that Mei Qing had left no seals or tricks, Fan Wentai’s expression turned from disbelief to ecstasy. His eyes gleamed with intense light, and he burst into a fit of joyous laughter.
Tao Zhongwen’s expression grew even more bewildered. Like Fan Wentai, he had assumed that Mei Qing must be playing some kind of trick, using the cauldron to lure Fan Wentai into a trap. But seeing Fan Wentai’s thorough inspection and the multiple talismans now tightly controlling the cauldron, Tao Zhongwen’s heart sank. He wondered if Mei Qing had truly surrendered. Recalling Fan Wentai’s earlier mention of using his primordial spirit to sacrifice the cauldron, a look of despair involuntarily appeared on his face.
Fan Wentai laughed like a madman, shouting, “Good! Good! This time, with my primordial spirit merged into this cauldron, who in the world can touch me? The Supreme Immortal, the Primordial Essence, the Divine Talisman, the Sacred Staff, commanding all spirits—perish with me, be born with me, after ten thousand kalpas, take my form. Execute!”
As he spoke, several strange magical instruments flew out from his hands, surrounding the cauldron. His hands moved rapidly, and a small golden talisman spun out, instantly enlarging several times. In mid-air, it projected several large, seal-like symbols that intertwined to form a strange magical array.
Fan Wentai stood motionless, slowly raising the cauldron to the level of his forehead. He chanted, “Heaven’s Gate, Earth’s Pit, Purple Door, Mysterious Palace. Command!”
Suddenly, a ripple appeared above his head, and a small golden figure emerged.
The figure looked vastly different from Fan Wentai’s current appearance—long eyebrows, a thin face, deep-set eyes, and completely naked. Yet it spoke in an aged voice, “Ha ha, now is the time! Execute!”
With that, the figure shook itself and dove into the cauldron.
A sound like a baby’s wail came from the cauldron, followed by the clanging of metal and the howling of jade. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky, and a fierce wind, like a dragon soaring through the heavens, erupted from the cauldron’s mouth. The magical instruments and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron also began to glow, emitting waves of wild spiritual energy, stirring the surrounding mist into a kaleidoscope of colors.
This continued for half an incense stick’s time before the mist gradually dissipated. The magical instruments quieted down, and the once colorful cauldron turned a dull black. The wind died down, and a clear, melodious sound, like the ringing of jade, emanated from the cauldron.
Hearing this sound, Tao Zhongwen’s face filled with despair. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly flipped his hand, and a jade pendant shaped like five plum blossoms flew out. He chanted, “Scenery dissolves for me, spirit ascends to the heavens. Execute!”
The jade plum blossom spun rapidly, like a flash of lightning, and passed by Tao Zhongwen’s neck. With a clang, Tao Zhongwen’s head flew into the air, and a white, misty light shot out from his severed neck, streaking away like a meteor.
From the cauldron in the air came a disdainful chuckle, followed by a “hum,” as it chased after Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit.
But after only a few feet, the cauldron suddenly froze in mid-air, motionless.
“What’s going on? Why? Why?” A furious roar erupted from the cauldron. Fan Wentai’s voice shouted angrily, “Zhang Liusun, what trick are you playing? Impossible, this is impossible! The cauldron has been refined by me. Why won’t it obey my commands? Ah…”
Fan Wentai let out a strange cry as the cauldron suddenly began to spin in place. Amid his continuous strange cries, strange characters began to appear on the cauldron’s surface.
Suddenly, a black mist emerged from the cauldron’s mouth, and Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit poked its head out. His hands flailed wildly, trying to escape from the cauldron, but black tendrils, like giant snakes, continuously sprang from the cauldron, rapidly wrapping around Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit. In moments, he was encased in a black, spherical cocoon, gradually being pulled back into the cauldron. His cries grew weaker until they fell silent.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit had no time to witness this scene. Seeing that the situation was hopeless and to avoid being sacrificed to the cauldron, he had seized the moment of Fan Wentai’s ecstasy to escape, biting the bullet and severing his body to release his primordial spirit. However, Fan Wentai had set up a magical array specifically to trap primordial spirits. After only a few steps, Tao Zhongwen felt as if a mountain were pressing down on him, and the surrounding wind was like knives. He was terrified.
Unfortunately, with only his primordial spirit and no preparation, he was no match for the array’s erosion.
Panicking, he dodged left and right, but after a moment, he could no longer avoid the knife-like wind. With a human-like scream, his primordial spirit was torn into pieces, instantly dispersing into nothingness.
Mei Qing’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow. He looked at the small cauldron that had returned to his hand and sighed, “You only know of this treasure cauldron in the world, but you do not know that this child cauldron was born from the mother cauldron. Now that the mother cauldron is within me, yet you merged your primordial spirit into the child cauldron—isn’t that seeking your own death?”
But having traveled only a few feet, the cauldron abruptly froze midair.
“What’s happening? Why? Why?” A furious roar erupted from within the cauldron. Fan Wen Tai’s voice shouted in rage, “Zhang Liu Sun, what trickery have you done? Impossible! This cauldron has already been refined by me! Why won’t it obey my commands? Ah…”
Fan Wen Tai suddenly let out a strange cry. The cauldron began spinning in place, and as Fan Wen Tai continued to scream, strange characters surfaced one after another on its body.
Leaning against an ancient tree, Ning Gu sang a mournful song with a hoarse and melancholic voice. Branches continuously fell from the giant tree beside him, landing on the snow-covered ground and shattering into dust.
Tears had dried in Ning Gu’s turbid eyes, leaving them hollow and inexplicably empty as he gazed up at the endless sky, the light gradually dimming.
At that very moment, a clear and bright voice suddenly rang out:
“The day of birth is far, the day of death is near;
Rising to scattered dust, who knows of withering age?”
Hearing this song, a dazzling light suddenly flickered in Ning Gu’s scattered gaze. His body, which had been on the verge of collapse, straightened once more as he loudly exclaimed, “Young Master Mei, what do you teach me?—What lies at the end of life? Have you thought of it?”
The singer was none other than Mei Qing. He had been immersed in the cycle of life and death that Ning Gu had revealed, and many scenes and information that had once flooded his mind resurfaced one by one, mingling with the passage of time and being deeply understood in his heart. He had lost all sense of his surroundings until Ning Gu’s life force suddenly weakened, jolting Mei Qing awake and prompting him to sing.
At this moment, there seemed to be something more in Mei Qing’s gaze.
He looked at Ning Gu with a hint of pity and softly said, “Since it is called life, it is not death. How can life have an end?”
A layer of confusion floated in Ning Gu’s eyes. He gently stroked the withered tree beside him and murmured, “Life is not death? Life is endless? Then why does this tree flourish in spring, grow lush in summer, wither in autumn, and lie barren in winter? Spring passes and winter returns, a thousand cycles, yet it cannot escape the fate of broken branches and withering, turning to dust. If even the tree is like this, how much more so for humans?”
Mei Qing calmly replied, “Though the tree is so, when the firewood is exhausted, the fire is passed on.”
The light in Ning Gu’s eyes gradually stabilized. He slowly turned his head and fixed his gaze on Mei Qing, asking, “Young Master Mei, is it true? Have you seen it? Truly seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded but said no more.
Ning Gu burst into wild laughter, turbid tears rolling down his cheeks. The withered tree beside him suddenly radiated a vibrant green light, and its branches grew madly, intertwining and wrapping around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, forming a large green cocoon.
Lush green leaves swayed in the wind, and at the top of the branches, a huge flower gradually bloomed.
The flower was multicolored, its petals unfolding layer by layer before falling one by one. At the base of the flower’s stamen, a fruit the size of a fist slowly formed.
The fruit’s surface was black and unremarkable. When it finally ripened, with a soft sound, it detached from the branch and gently landed on the ground before Mei Qing.
Meanwhile, the once lush and thriving giant tree, at the moment the fruit matured, suddenly withered from top to bottom. A gentle breeze arose, and the massive trunk shattered into fine dust, scattering and disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Mei Qing bent down, picked up the fruit, examined it carefully for a while, and then slowly tucked it into his robe.
“Haha…” Fan Wentai, not far away, burst into wild laughter, shaking his head repeatedly. “Pitiful! Pitiful! The soaring serpent rides the mist, yet it ends as dust. Mei Qing, what do you have to rely on now?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly, his right hand flicking, and the small cauldron reappeared in his palm. He turned his head to Fan Wentai and said, “What others consider a treasure, I regard as rubble. Master Fan, this cauldron is of little use to me. It may even be harmful to you. Your cultivation has already reached such heights—why are you still obsessed with this thing?”
Fan Wentai’s eyes flickered with light as he said in a deep voice, “Zhang Liusun, don’t think I don’t know the wonders of this cauldron. After all, we once shared the same body, and even… heh, many of your memories have been split into my mind. Back then, why did you order me around, calling me ‘cauldron slave’? Wasn’t it because you held this cauldron and were stronger than me? Yes, back then I was a cauldron slave, a cauldron slave… heh, but now, I am the esteemed Plum Blossom Master Fan Wentai! I will reclaim this cauldron and make it my slave from now on! Not just this cauldron, but you, you, all of you, will grovel at my feet and serve as my slaves!”
As Fan Wentai spoke, he breathed heavily, his finger pointing at Mei Qing, Tao Zhongwen, and the puppet-like Duan Chaoyong, laughing maniacally. “That fool Ji Yong! Didn’t he know I am the greatest in the world? How dare he deceive me! Look at him—what has become of him? Zhongwen, I originally intended to spare your life, but unfortunately, after the master obtains the cauldron, a living soul is needed for the sacrifice… and you! Zhang Liusun! Back then, you treated me as a servant, took over my body, and cast me into that slave’s body! All of you dared to look down on me? You were wrong! I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, am your doom! That shaman was strong, wasn’t he? Now, where is he?”
Hearing this, a flash of light appeared in Tao Zhongwen’s eyes before they calmed like still water. He stared intently at Fan Wentai, deep in thought.
Mei Qing shook his head and remained silent.
Fan Wentai laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the valley, the sound reverberating endlessly. As he laughed, he suddenly stopped, turned to Mei Qing, and said seriously, “Master Zhang, though you have offended me, you have also been of some use to me. If you are willing to hand over the cauldron, I promise to let bygones be bygones. I will even teach you the method of cultivating your primordial spirit and take you as my disciple. How about it? Rest assured, I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, never speak idly.”
Mei Qing glanced at the small cauldron in his hand, his expression half-smiling as he said, “If you want the cauldron, take it. But such a forceful seizure is not in harmony with the natural order, and it is not a good thing.”
With that, Mei Qing lightly tossed the cauldron over.
This action not only surprised Fan Wentai but also left Tao Zhongwen, who was standing nearby, with a look of astonishment.
Fan Wentai caught the cauldron, his expression shifting between dark and light. After a moment of thought, he quickly flipped his left hand, and a series of talismanic symbols danced like scattered flowers, striking the cauldron repeatedly. After carefully inspecting it with his spiritual sense and confirming that Mei Qing had left no seals or tricks, his expression shifted from disbelief to ecstasy. His eyes gleamed with intense light as he burst into a fit of wild, delighted laughter.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhongwen’s expression grew even more surprised. Like Fan Wentai, he had assumed that Mei Qing must be playing some trick, using the cauldron to lure Fan Wentai into a trap. But seeing Fan Wentai’s thorough inspection and the fact that several talismans had already tightly controlled the cauldron, his heart sank. He began to wonder if Mei Qing had truly surrendered. Recalling Fan Wentai’s earlier mention of using his primordial spirit as a sacrifice, a look of despair involuntarily appeared on his face.
Fan Wentai, now in a state of near madness, laughed uncontrollably, shouting, “Good! Good! This time, I will merge my primordial spirit with this cauldron, and I will see who in the world can touch me! The Supreme Immortal, the Primordial Essence, the Divine Talisman, the Sacred Staff—they shall control all spirits! Perish with me, be born with me, and after ten thousand kalpas, take my form! Execute!”
As he spoke, several strange magical instruments scattered around him, encircling the cauldron. His hands moved rapidly, and a small golden talisman flew out, instantly expanding several times in size. In mid-air, it projected several large, seal-like symbols that intertwined to form a strange magical array.
Fan Wentai stood motionless, slowly raising the cauldron to the level of his forehead, and chanted, “Heaven’s Gate, Earth’s Trap, Purple Door, Mystic Palace—command!”
Suddenly, a ripple appeared above his head, and a small golden figure emerged.
The figure looked vastly different from Fan Wentai’s current appearance—long eyebrows, a thin face, deep-set eyes, and completely naked. Yet, it spoke in an aged voice, “Haha, now is the time! Execute!”
With that, the figure shook itself and plunged into the cauldron.
A sound like a baby’s wail emanated from the cauldron, followed by the clanging of metal and the howling of jade. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky, and a fierce wind, like a dragon soaring through the heavens, erupted from the cauldron’s mouth. The magical instruments and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron also began to glow, emitting waves of wild spiritual energy that stirred the surrounding mist into a kaleidoscope of colors.
This continued for the time it takes to burn half an incense stick before the mist gradually dissipated. The magical instruments quieted down, and the once colorful cauldron turned a dull black. The wind ceased, and a clear, melodious sound, like the ringing of jade, emanated from the cauldron.
Hearing this sound, Tao Zhongwen’s face filled with despair. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly flipped his hand, and a jade pendant shaped like five plum blossoms flew out. He chanted, “Scenery dissolves for me, the spirit ascends to the Supreme Purity—execute!”
The jade plum blossom began to spin like a whirlwind, flashing past Tao Zhongwen’s neck. With a clang, his head flew into the air, and a white, misty light shot out from his severed neck like a meteor, swiftly fleeing.
From the cauldron in the air came a disdainful chuckle, followed by a “hum” as it chased after Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit.
But after only a few feet, the cauldron suddenly froze in mid-air, unmoving.
“What’s going on? Why? Why?” A furious roar erupted from the cauldron as Fan Wentai’s voice shouted, “Zhang Liusun, what trick are you playing? Impossible, this is impossible! The cauldron has been refined by me—why won’t it obey my commands? Ah…”
Fan Wentai let out a strange cry as the cauldron began to spin in place. With each of his cries, strange characters continuously appeared on the cauldron’s surface.
Suddenly, a black mist emerged from the cauldron’s mouth, and Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit poked its head out. His two hands waved frantically, trying to escape from the cauldron. But black tendrils, like giant serpents, continuously sprang from the cauldron, swiftly wrapping around Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit from head to toe. In moments, he was encased in a black, spherical mass, gradually pulled back into the cauldron. His voice grew weaker until it was completely silenced.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit had no time to witness this scene. Seeing that the situation was hopeless and to avoid being sacrificed to the cauldron, he had seized the moment when Fan Wentai was ecstatic over obtaining the cauldron to make his escape. He had gritted his teeth and performed a desperate act of self-destruction, hoping to flee with his primordial spirit. Unbeknownst to him, Fan Wentai had set up a magical array specifically designed to trap primordial spirits. Thus, after only a few steps, he felt as if a mountain were pressing down on him, and the surrounding wind was like knives. He was terrified.
Unfortunately, he had fled with only his primordial spirit and had made no preparations beforehand. How could he withstand the erosion of the magical array?
Panicking, he dodged left and right, but after a brief struggle, he could not escape the knife-like wind. With a human-like scream, he was torn into pieces, his spirit instantly scattered.
Mei Qing’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow as he looked at the small cauldron that had returned to his hand. He sighed and said, “You only knew of this treasure cauldron in the world, but you did not know that this child cauldron was born from the mother cauldron. Now that the mother cauldron is within me, and you merged your primordial spirit with the child cauldron, were you not seeking your own death?”
Leaning against an ancient tree, Ning Gu sang a sorrowful song with a hoarse and melancholic voice. Branches continuously fell from the giant tree beside him, landing on the snow-covered ground, shattering into dust.
The tears in Ning Gu’s turbid eyes had dried up, and his gaze became inexplicably empty as he looked up at the endless sky, the light gradually dimming.
At that very moment, a clear and bright voice suddenly rang out:
“The day of birth is far, the day of death is near;
Rising to scattered dust, who knows of returning to withered old age?”
Hearing this song, a dazzling light suddenly flashed in Ning Gu’s scattered eyes. His body, which had been on the verge of collapse, straightened up once more, and he loudly exclaimed, “Young Master Mei, what do you teach me?—What lies at the end of life? Have you thought of it?”
The singer was none other than Mei Qing. He was immersed in the cycle of life that Ning Gu had revealed, and many scenes and pieces of information that had once flooded his mind resurfaced one by one, mingling with the passage of time, each realization deeply felt, as if he had lost all sense of place. It was only when Ning Gu’s life force suddenly weakened that Mei Qing was jolted awake and began to sing.
At this moment, there seemed to be something more in Mei Qing’s gaze.
He looked at Ning Gu with a touch of pity and softly said, “Since it is called life, it is not death. How can life have an end?”
A layer of confusion floated in Ning Gu’s eyes. He gently stroked the withered tree beside him and murmured, “Life is not death? Life is endless? Then why does this tree flourish in spring, grow lush in summer, wither in autumn, and become desolate in winter? Spring passes and winter returns, a thousand cycles, yet it inevitably breaks and withers, falling to the ground as dust. If even trees are like this, how much more so for humans?”
Mei Qing calmly replied, “Though the tree is like this, when the firewood is exhausted, the fire is passed on.”
The light in Ning Gu’s eyes gradually stabilized. He slowly turned his head and fixed his gaze on Mei Qing, asking, “Young Master Mei, is it true? Have you seen it? Have you truly seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded but said no more.
Ning Gu laughed wildly, tears of turbid sorrow rolling down his cheeks. The withered tree beside him suddenly burst forth with a vibrant green light, its branches growing madly, intertwining and wrapping around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, forming a large green cocoon.
Lush green leaves swayed in the wind, and at the top of the branches, a huge flower gradually bloomed.
The flower was of five colors, layer upon layer, unfolding one by one, then petal by petal falling away. At the base of the flower’s stamen, a fruit the size of a fist gradually formed.
The fruit’s surface was black and unremarkable. When it finally ripened, with a soft sound, it detached from the branch and gently landed on the ground before Mei Qing.
And the once lush and thriving giant tree, at the moment the fruit matured, suddenly withered from top to bottom. A gentle breeze arose, and the massive trunk shattered into fine dust, scattering and disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Mei Qing bent down, gently picked up the fruit, examined it carefully for a while, and then slowly tucked it into his robe.
“Haha…” Fan Wentai, not far away, let out a burst of wild laughter, shaking his head continuously. “Pitiful! Pitiful! The soaring serpent rides the mist, only to become dust and ashes. Mei Qing, what do you have to rely on now?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly, his right hand flicking, and the small cauldron reappeared in his palm. He turned his head to Fan Wentai and said, “What others consider a treasure, I see as mere rubble. Master Fan, this cauldron is of little use to me. It may even be harmful to you. Your cultivation is already so high, why are you still obsessed with this thing?”
Fan Wentai’s eyes flashed with light, and he said in a deep voice, “Zhang Liusun, don’t think I don’t know the wonders of this cauldron. After all, we once shared the same body, and even… heh, many of your memories have been split into my mind. Back then, why did you order me around, calling me ‘cauldron slave’? Wasn’t it because you had this cauldron, and you were stronger than me? Yes, back then I was a cauldron slave, a cauldron slave… heh, but now, I am the esteemed Plum Blossom Master Fan Wentai! I will take back this cauldron and make it my slave from now on! Not just this cauldron, but you, you, and all of you, will grovel at my feet and be my slaves!”
As Fan Wentai spoke, he breathed heavily, his finger pointing at Mei Qing, Tao Zhongwen, and the puppet-like Duan Chaoyong in turn, laughing wildly. “That fool Ji Yong! Didn’t he know I am the greatest in the world? How dare he deceive me! Look at him, what has become of him? Zhongwen, I originally wanted to spare your life, but unfortunately, after I obtain the cauldron, I will need a living soul to sacrifice… and you! Zhang Liusun! Back then, you treated me as a servant, took over my body, and threw me into that slave’s body! All of you, you dared to look down on me? You were wrong! I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, those who oppose me will die! That shaman was strong, wasn’t he? Where is he now?”
Tao Zhongwen listened, a flash of light in his eyes, but then he calmed down, his gaze fixed on Fan Wentai, deep in thought.
Mei Qing shook his head and remained silent.
Fan Wentai laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the valley, the sound reverberating endlessly. As he laughed, he suddenly stopped, turned to Mei Qing, and said seriously, “Master Zhang, though you have wronged me, you have also been of some use to me. If you are willing to hand over the cauldron, I promise to let bygones be bygones, and I will even teach you the method of cultivating your primordial spirit, taking you as my disciple. How about it? Rest assured, I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, am a man of my word.”
Mei Qing looked at the small cauldron in his hand, a faint smile on his face, and said, “If you want the cauldron, take it. But such a forceful seizure is not a good thing, for the ways of heaven are constant.”
With that, Mei Qing lightly tossed the cauldron over.
This move by Mei Qing not only surprised Fan Wentai but also Tao Zhongwen, who looked on in astonishment.
Fan Wentai caught the cauldron, his expression shifting between dark and light. After a moment of thought, he quickly flipped his left hand, and a series of talismans flew out like a flurry of flowers, striking the cauldron repeatedly. After using his divine sense to inspect it several times, he finally confirmed that Mei Qing had left no seals or tricks on it. His expression shifted from disbelief to wild joy, his eyes shining with intense light, and he let out a burst of ecstatic laughter.
Tao Zhongwen, on the other hand, looked even more surprised. Like Fan Wentai, he had thought Mei Qing must be playing some trick, using the cauldron to lure Fan Wentai into a trap. But seeing Fan Wentai’s thorough inspection and the multiple talismans tightly controlling the cauldron, his heart sank, and he began to wonder if Mei Qing had truly surrendered. Remembering Fan Wentai’s earlier words about using his primordial spirit to sacrifice to the cauldron, a look of despair involuntarily appeared on his face.
Fan Wentai laughed like a madman, shouting, “Good! Good! This time, I will merge my primordial spirit with this cauldron, and I will see who in the world can harm me! The supreme immortal, the primordial essence, the divine talismans, and the sacred staff, with me they shall perish, with me they shall live, after ten thousand calamities, they shall take my form. So be it!”
As he spoke, several strange magical tools scattered around, surrounding the cauldron. His hands moved rapidly, and a small golden talisman flew out, instantly enlarging several times, projecting several large, seal-like characters in the air, intertwining to form a strange magical array.
Fan Wentai stood motionless, slowly raising the cauldron to the level of his forehead, and shouted, “Heaven’s gate, earth’s trap, purple door, and black palace, I command you!”
Suddenly, a wave of energy rippled above his head, and a small golden figure appeared at the top of his head.
The figure looked vastly different from Fan Wentai’s current appearance, with long eyebrows, a thin face, deep-set eyes, and completely naked. It spoke in an aged voice, “Haha, now is the time! Go!”
With that, the figure shook itself and plunged into the cauldron.
A sound like a baby’s wail came from the cauldron, followed by the clanging of metal and the howling of jade. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky, and a fierce wind rose from the cauldron’s mouth like a dragon soaring through the heavens. The magical tools and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron also began to glow, emitting wild bursts of true essence and spiritual energy, stirring the surrounding mist into a kaleidoscope of colors.
This continued for half the time it takes to burn an incense stick before the mist gradually dissipated, and the magical tools quieted down. The once colorful cauldron now appeared dull and black, the wind and energy settled, and a clear, melodious sound emerged from the cauldron, like the ringing of gold and jade, pure and moving.
Hearing this sound, Tao Zhongwen’s face filled with despair. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly flipped his hand, and a jade pendant shaped like five plum blossoms flew out. He shouted, “Scenery, release me, spirit ascend to the heavens, go!”
The jade plum blossom suddenly spun like lightning, passing by Tao Zhongwen’s neck. With a clang, Tao Zhongwen’s head flew into the air, and a white light shot out from his severed neck like a meteor, swiftly flying away.
From the cauldron in the air came a disdainful chuckle, followed by a “hum,” and it began to chase after Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit.
But after only a few feet, the cauldron suddenly stopped in mid-air, motionless.
“What is this? Why? Why?” A furious roar erupted from the cauldron, Fan Wentai’s voice shouting in anger, “Zhang Liusun, what trick are you playing? Impossible, this is impossible, the cauldron has been refined by me, how can it not obey my commands? Ah…”
Fan Wentai suddenly let out a strange cry as the cauldron began to spin in place, accompanied by his continuous strange cries. Strange characters began to appear on the cauldron’s surface.
Suddenly, a black mist appeared at the cauldron’s mouth, and Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit emerged, his two hands waving frantically, trying to escape from the cauldron. But black tendrils like giant snakes continuously sprang from the cauldron, rapidly wrapping around Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit, enveloping him from head to toe. In moments, Fan Wentai was wrapped into a black ball, gradually being pulled back into the cauldron, his voice growing weaker until it was completely silent.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit had no time to witness this scene. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, he had taken advantage of Fan Wentai’s wild joy upon obtaining the cauldron to seize a fleeting opportunity, gritting his teeth and severing his body to escape with his primordial spirit. But he had not anticipated that Fan Wentai had set up a magical array specifically to trap primordial spirits. After only a few steps, he felt as if a mountain were pressing down on him, and the surrounding wind was like knives. He was terrified.
Unfortunately, he had fled with only his primordial spirit and had made no preparations beforehand. How could he withstand the erosion of the magical array?
Panicking, he dodged left and right, holding on for a moment, but ultimately could not escape the knife-like wind. With a human-like scream, he was torn into pieces, his spirit instantly scattered.
Mei Qing’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow as he looked at the small cauldron that had returned to his hand and sighed, “You only knew of this treasure cauldron in the world, but you did not know that this child cauldron was born from the mother cauldron. Now that the mother cauldron is within me, and you merged your primordial spirit with the child cauldron, did you not seek your own death?”
Ning Gu leaned against an ancient tree, singing a mournful song with a hoarse and sorrowful voice. Branches continuously fell from the giant tree beside him, landing on the snow-covered ground and shattering into dust.
The tears in Ning Gu’s turbid eyes had dried up, and his gaze became inexplicably empty as he looked up at the endless sky, the light gradually dimming.
At that very moment, a clear and bright voice suddenly rang out:
“The day of birth is far, the day of death is near;
Rising to scattered dust, who knows the return to withered age?”
Hearing this song, Ning Gu’s scattered eyes suddenly flashed with a dazzling light. His body, which had been on the verge of collapse, straightened up once more, and he loudly exclaimed, “What wisdom do you offer, Master Mei? What lies at the end of life? Have you thought of it?”
The singer was none other than Mei Qing. He was immersed in the cycle of life and death that Ning Gu had displayed, and many scenes and pieces of information that had once flooded his mind reappeared, blending with the passage of time, each one deeply understood in his heart, as if he had lost all sense of place. It was only when Ning Gu’s life force suddenly weakened that Mei Qing was startled awake and began to sing.
At this moment, there seemed to be something more in Mei Qing’s gaze.
He looked at Ning Gu with a touch of pity and softly said, “Since it is called life, it is naturally not death. How can life have an end?”
A layer of confusion floated in Ning Gu’s eyes. He gently stroked the withered tree beside him and murmured, “Life is not death? Life is endless? Then why does this tree flourish in spring, grow lush in summer, become desolate in autumn, and wither in winter? Spring turns to winter, a thousand cycles, yet it inevitably breaks and withers, falling to the ground as dust. If even a tree is like this, how much more so for a man?”
Mei Qing said indifferently, “Though the tree is like this, when the firewood is exhausted, the fire is passed on.”
The light in Ning Gu’s eyes gradually stabilized. He slowly turned his head and stared at Mei Qing, asking, “Master Mei, is it true? Have you seen it? Have you truly seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded but said no more.
Ning Gu laughed wildly, tears of turbid water rolling down his face. The withered tree beside him suddenly burst forth with a vibrant green light, and its branches grew madly, intertwining and wrapping around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, forming a large green cocoon.
Lush green leaves swayed in the wind, and at the top of the branches, a huge flower gradually bloomed.
The flower was of five colors, layer upon layer, unfolding and then falling petal by petal. At the base of the flower’s pistil, a fruit the size of a fist slowly formed.
The fruit’s surface was black and unremarkable. When it finally ripened, with a soft sound, it detached from the branch and gently landed on the ground in front of Mei Qing.
The giant tree, which had once sprouted lush branches, suddenly withered from top to bottom at the moment the fruit matured. A gentle breeze arose, and the massive trunk suddenly crumbled into fine dust, scattering and disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Mei Qing bent 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 Wentai let out a burst of wild laughter, shaking his head repeatedly. “Pitiful! Pitiful! The soaring serpent rides the mist, only to become dust and ashes. Mei Qing, what do you have to rely on now?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly, his right hand flicking, and the small cauldron reappeared in his palm. He turned his head to Fan Wentai and said, “What others treasure, I regard as rubble. Master Fan, this cauldron is of little use to me. It might even be harmful to you. Your cultivation has already reached such heights, why are you still obsessed with this thing?”
Fan Wentai’s eyes flashed with light, and he said in a deep voice, “Zhang Liusun, don’t think I don’t know the wonders of this cauldron. After all, we once shared the same body, and even… heh, many of your memories were split into my mind. Back then, why did you order me around, calling me ‘cauldron slave’? Wasn’t it because you had this cauldron, and you were stronger than me? Yes, back then I was a cauldron slave, a cauldron slave… heh, but now, I am the esteemed Plum Blossom Master Fan Wentai! I will reclaim this cauldron, and from now on, it will be my slave! Not just this cauldron, but you, you, all of you, will grovel at my feet, becoming my slaves!”
As Fan Wentai spoke, he breathed heavily, his finger pointing at Mei Qing, Tao Zhongwen, and the puppet-like Duan Chaoyong, laughing wildly. “That fool Ji Yong! Didn’t he know I am the greatest in the world? How dare he deceive me! Look at him, what has become of him? Zhongwen, I originally wanted to spare your life, but unfortunately, after the master obtains the cauldron, he needs a living soul for the sacrifice… and you! Zhang Liusun! Back then, you treated me as a servant, even took over my body, and banished me to that A Nu’s body! All of you, you dared to look down on me? You were wrong! I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, those who oppose me will die! That shaman was quite strong, wasn’t he? Now, where is he?”
Hearing this, a flash of light appeared in Tao Zhongwen’s eyes, but it quickly subsided, and he became as calm as water. His eyes, however, were fixed on Fan Wentai, deep in thought.
Mei Qing shook his head and remained silent.
Fan Wentai laughed heartily, his voice echoing through the valley, the sound reverberating endlessly. As he laughed, he suddenly stopped, turned to Mei Qing, and said seriously, “Master Zhang, although you have wronged me, you have also been of some use to me. As long as you hand over the cauldron, I promise to let bygones be bygones. I will even teach you the method of cultivating your primordial spirit and take you as my disciple. How about it? Rest assured, I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, am a man of my word.”
Mei Qing looked at the small cauldron in his hand, a faint smile on his face, and said, “If you want the cauldron, take it. But such forceful seizure is not a good thing, for the ways of heaven are constant.”
With that, Mei Qing gently tossed the cauldron over.
This move by Mei Qing not only surprised Fan Wentai but also Tao Zhongwen, who was standing nearby.
Fan Wentai reached out and caught the cauldron, his expression shifting between light and dark. After a moment of thought, he quickly flipped his left hand, and a series of talismans danced like chaotic flowers, striking the cauldron repeatedly. After carefully inspecting it with his spiritual sense and confirming that Mei Qing had not placed any seals or tricks on it, his expression shifted from disbelief to wild joy. His eyes shone with a fierce light, and he let out a burst of ecstatic laughter.
Tao Zhongwen, standing to the side, looked even more surprised. Like Fan Wentai, he had thought that Mei Qing must be playing some kind of trick, using the cauldron to lure Fan Wentai into a trap. But seeing Fan Wentai’s thorough inspection and the fact that several talismans had already tightly controlled the cauldron, his heart sank. He began to wonder if Mei Qing had truly surrendered. Then, remembering Fan Wentai’s earlier words about using his primordial spirit to sacrifice the cauldron, a look of despair involuntarily appeared on his face.
Fan Wentai laughed like a madman, shouting, “Good! Good! This time, I will merge my primordial spirit with this cauldron, and I will see who in the world can touch me! The Supreme Immortal, the Primordial Essence, the Spirit Talisman, the Divine Staff, commanding all the underworld. Perish with me, be born with me, after ten thousand kalpas, take my form. Execute!”
As he spoke, several strange magical instruments scattered around, encircling the cauldron. His hands moved rapidly, and a small golden talisman flew out, instantly expanding several times in size. In mid-air, it projected several large, seal-like talismans that intertwined to form a strange magical array.
Fan Wentai stood motionless, slowly raising the cauldron to the level of his forehead, and shouted, “Heaven’s Gate, Earth’s Pit, Purple Door, Mysterious Palace. Command!”
Suddenly, a ripple appeared above his head, and a small golden figure emerged.
The figure looked vastly different from Fan Wentai’s current appearance, with long eyebrows, a thin face, deep-set eyes, and completely naked. It spoke in an aged voice, “Haha, now is the time! Execute!”
With that, the figure shook itself and plunged into the cauldron.
A sound like a baby’s wail came from the cauldron, followed by the clanging of metal and the whistling of jade. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky, and a fierce wind, like a dragon soaring through the heavens, burst forth from the cauldron’s mouth. The magical instruments and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron also began to glow, emitting waves of wild spiritual energy, stirring the surrounding mist into a kaleidoscope of colors.
This lasted for the time it takes to burn half an incense stick before the mist gradually dissipated, and the magical instruments quieted down. The once colorful cauldron now appeared dull and black, the wind and energy settled, and a clear, melodious sound emanated from the cauldron, like the ringing of gold and jade, pure and moving.
Hearing this sound, Tao Zhongwen’s face filled with despair. He gritted his teeth, and suddenly a jade pendant shaped like five plum blossoms flew out from his hand. He shouted, “Scenery, release me, spirit ascend to the upper realm. Execute!”
The jade plum blossom suddenly began to spin, swift as lightning, passing by Tao Zhongwen’s neck. With a clang, Tao Zhongwen’s head flew into the air, and a white, misty light shot out from his severed neck like a meteor streaking across the sky, fleeing outward.
From the cauldron in the air came a disdainful chuckle, followed by a “hum,” as it chased after Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit.
But after only a few feet, the cauldron suddenly stopped in mid-air, motionless.
“What is this? Why? Why?” A furious roar erupted from the cauldron, Fan Wentai’s voice shouting angrily, “Zhang Liusun, what trick are you playing? Impossible, this is impossible, the cauldron has been refined by me, how can it not obey my commands? Ah…”
Fan Wentai let out a strange cry, and the cauldron suddenly began to spin in place. As Fan Wentai continued to cry out, strange characters began to appear on the cauldron’s surface.
Suddenly, a black mist appeared at the cauldron’s mouth, and Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit emerged, his two hands waving wildly, trying to escape from the cauldron. But black tendrils, like giant snakes, continuously shot out from the cauldron, rapidly wrapping around Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit, enveloping him from head to toe. In moments, Fan Wentai was wrapped into a black ball, gradually being pulled back into the cauldron, his voice growing weaker until it was completely silent.
Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit had no time to witness this scene. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, he had taken advantage of Fan Wentai’s ecstasy over obtaining the cauldron to seize a fleeting opportunity, gritting his teeth and sacrificing his body to escape with his primordial spirit. But he had not anticipated that Fan Wentai had set up a magical array specifically to trap primordial spirits. After only a few steps, he felt as if a mountain were pressing down on him, and fierce winds like knives surrounded him, filling him with terror.
Unfortunately, he had fled with only his primordial spirit and had made no preparations beforehand. How could he withstand the erosion of the magical array?
Panicking, he dodged left and right, holding on for a moment, but ultimately could not escape the knife-like winds. With a human-like scream, he was torn into pieces, his spirit instantly scattered.
Mei Qing’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow. He looked at the small cauldron that had returned to his hand and sighed, “You only knew of this treasure cauldron in the world, but you did not know that this child cauldron was born from the mother cauldron. Now that the mother cauldron is within me, and you merged your primordial spirit with the child cauldron, were you not seeking your own death?”
Leaning against an ancient tree, Ning Gu sang a sorrowful song with a hoarse and melancholic voice. Branches continuously fell from the giant tree beside him, landing on the snowy ground and shattering into dust.
The tears in Ning Gu’s turbid eyes had dried up, and his gaze became hollow and inexplicable as he looked up at the endless sky, the light gradually dimming.
At that very moment, a clear and bright voice suddenly rang out:
“The day of birth is far, the day of death is near;
Rising to scattered dust, who knows the return to withered age?”
Hearing this song, a dazzling light suddenly flashed in Ning Gu’s scattered eyes. His body, which had been on the verge of collapse, straightened up once more, and he shouted, “Master Mei, what do you teach me?—What lies at the end of life? Have you thought of it?”
The singer was none other than Mei Qing. He was immersed in the cycle of life and death that Ning Gu had revealed, and many scenes and pieces of information that had once surfaced in his mind reappeared, blending with the passage of time, each one deeply understood in his heart, as if he had lost all sense of place. It wasn’t until Ning Gu’s life force suddenly weakened that Mei Qing was jolted awake and began to sing.
At this moment, there seemed to be something more in Mei Qing’s gaze.
He looked at Ning Gu with a touch of pity and said softly, “Since it is called life, it is not death. How can life have an end?”
A layer of confusion appeared in Ning Gu’s eyes. He gently stroked the withered tree beside him and murmured, “Life is not death? Life is endless? Then why does this tree flourish in spring, grow lush in summer, become desolate in autumn, and wither in winter? Spring turns to winter, a thousand cycles, yet it inevitably breaks and withers, falling to the ground as dust. If even the tree is like this, how can man endure?”
Mei Qing said indifferently, “Though the tree is like this, when the firewood is exhausted, the fire is passed on.”
The light in Ning Gu’s eyes gradually stabilized. He slowly turned his head and stared intently at Mei Qing, asking, “Master Mei, is it true? Have you seen it? Have you truly seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded but said no more.
Ning Gu laughed wildly, tears rolling down his turbid eyes. The withered tree beside him suddenly burst forth with a vibrant green light, and its branches grew madly, intertwining and wrapping around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, forming a large green cocoon.
Lush green leaves swayed in the wind, and at the top of the branches, a huge flower gradually bloomed.
The flower was multicolored, its petals layered and unfolding one by one, then falling away. At the base of the flower’s pistil, a fruit the size of a fist gradually formed.
The fruit’s surface was black and unremarkable. When it finally ripened, with a soft sound, it detached from the branch and gently landed on the ground before Mei Qing.
At the moment the fruit matured, the once lush and towering tree suddenly withered from top to bottom. A gentle breeze arose, and the massive trunk shattered into fine dust, scattering and disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Mei Qing bent down, picked up the fruit, examined it carefully for a while, and then slowly tucked it into his robe.
“Haha…” Fan Wentai, not far away, let out a burst of wild laughter, shaking his head repeatedly. “Pitiful! Pitiful! The soaring serpent rides the mist, only to become dust and ashes. Mei Qing, what do you have to rely on now?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly, and with a flick of his right hand, the small cauldron reappeared in his palm. He turned his head to Fan Wentai and said, “What others consider a treasure, I see as rubble. Master Fan, this cauldron is of little use to me. In fact, it may even be harmful to you. Your cultivation has already reached such heights, why are you still so obsessed with this thing?”
A glint of light flashed in Fan Wentai’s eyes, and he said in a deep voice, “Zhang Liusun, don’t think I don’t know the wonders of this cauldron. After all, we once shared the same body, and even… heh, many of your memories have been split into my mind. Back then, why did you order me around, calling me ‘cauldron slave’? Wasn’t it because you had this cauldron, and you were stronger than me? Yes, back then I was a cauldron slave, a cauldron slave… heh, but now, I am the esteemed Plum Blossom Master Fan Wentai! I will take back this cauldron, and from now on, it will be my slave! Not just this cauldron, but you, you, and all of you, will kneel at my feet and be my slaves!”
As he spoke, Fan Wentai breathed heavily, his finger pointing at Mei Qing, Tao Zhongwen, and the motionless Duan Chaoyong in turn, laughing wildly. “That fool Ji Yong! Didn’t he know I am the greatest in the world? How dare he deceive me! Look at him, what has become of him? Zhongwen, I originally wanted to spare your life, but unfortunately, after the master obtains the cauldron, he will need a living soul for the sacrifice… and you! Zhang Liusun! Back then, you treated me as a servant, took over my body, and threw me into that slave’s body! All of you, how dare you look down on me? You are wrong! I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, those who oppose me will die! That shaman was quite powerful earlier, wasn’t he? Where is he now?”
Hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Tao Zhongwen’s eyes, but he quickly calmed down, his eyes fixed on Fan Wentai, deep in thought.
Mei Qing shook his head and remained silent.
Fan Wentai laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the valley, the rumbling sound reverberating endlessly. As he laughed, he suddenly stopped, turned to Mei Qing, and said seriously, “Master Zhang, although you have wronged me, you have also been of some use to me. As long as you are willing to hand over the cauldron, I promise to let bygones be bygones. I will even teach you the method of cultivating your primordial spirit and take you as my disciple. How about it? Rest assured, I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, am a man of my word.”
Mei Qing looked at the small cauldron in his hand, a faint smile on his face, and said, “If you want this cauldron, take it. But such forceful seizure is not a good thing, as the ways of heaven are constant.”
With that, Mei Qing lightly tossed the cauldron over.
This move by Mei Qing not only surprised Fan Wentai but also Tao Zhongwen, who stood nearby, his face showing astonishment.
Fan Wentai caught the cauldron, his expression shifting between light and dark. After a moment of thought, he quickly flipped his left hand, and a series of talismans danced like chaotic flowers, striking the cauldron repeatedly. After carefully inspecting it with his spiritual sense and confirming that Mei Qing had left no seals or tricks, his expression shifted from disbelief to wild joy. His eyes gleamed with intense light, and he let out a burst of ecstatic laughter.
Tao Zhongwen’s expression grew even more surprised. Like Fan Wentai, he had thought that Mei Qing must be playing some trick, using the cauldron to lure Fan Wentai into a trap. But seeing that Fan Wentai had thoroughly inspected the cauldron and that several talismans had already tightly controlled it, his heart sank. He began to wonder if Mei Qing had truly surrendered. Then, recalling Fan Wentai’s earlier mention of using his primordial spirit to sacrifice the cauldron, a look of despair involuntarily appeared on his face.
Fan Wentai laughed like a madman, shouting, “Good! Good! This time, with my primordial spirit merged into this cauldron, who in the world can harm me? The supreme immortal, the primordial essence, the divine talisman, the sacred staff, commanding all spirits—perish with me, live with me, after ten thousand kalpas, take my form! Execute!”
As he spoke, several strange magical instruments scattered around, encircling the cauldron. His hands moved rapidly, and a small golden talisman flew out, instantly expanding several times in size. In mid-air, it projected several large, seal-like talismans, intertwining and forming a strange magical array.
Fan Wentai stood motionless, slowly raising the cauldron to the level of his forehead, and shouted, “Heaven’s gate, earth’s trap, purple door, mysterious palace—command!”
Suddenly, a ripple appeared above his head, and a small golden figure emerged.
The figure looked vastly different from Fan Wentai’s current appearance, with long eyebrows, a thin face, and deep-set eyes. It was completely naked, but its voice was old and hoarse, saying, “Haha, now is the time! Execute!”
With that, the figure shook itself and plunged into the cauldron.
A sound like a baby’s cry came from the cauldron, followed by the clanging of metal and the howling of jade. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky, and a fierce wind rose from the cauldron’s mouth, like a dragon soaring through the heavens. The magical instruments and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron also began to glow, emitting waves of wild spiritual energy, stirring the surrounding mist into a kaleidoscope of colors.
This continued for half an incense stick’s time before the mist gradually dissipated, and the magical instruments quieted down. The once colorful cauldron now appeared dull and black, the wind ceased, and a clear, melodious sound emanated from the cauldron, like the ringing of gold and jade, pure and moving.
Hearing this sound, Tao Zhongwen’s face filled with despair. He gritted his teeth, and with a flip of his finger, a jade pendant shaped like five plum blossoms flew out. He shouted, “Scenery, dissolve for me, spirit ascend to the highest purity—execute!”
The jade plum blossom suddenly began to spin, like a flash of lightning, and passed by Tao Zhongwen’s neck. With a clang, Tao Zhongwen’s head flew into the air, and a white, misty light shot out from his severed neck, like a meteor streaking across the sky, fleeing outward.
From the cauldron in the air came a disdainful chuckle, followed by a “hum,” and it began to chase after Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit.
But after only a few feet, the cauldron suddenly stopped in mid-air, motionless.
“What is this? Why? Why?” A furious roar erupted from the cauldron, Fan Wentai’s voice shouting angrily, “Zhang Liusun, what trick are you playing? Impossible, this is impossible, the cauldron has been refined by me, how can it not obey my commands? Ah…”
Fan Wentai let out a strange cry, and the cauldron began to spin in place. As Fan Wentai continued to cry out, strange characters began to appear on the cauldron’s surface.
Suddenly, a black mist emerged from the cauldron’s mouth, and Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit poked its head out, its hands waving frantically, trying to escape from the cauldron. But black tendrils like giant snakes continuously shot out from the cauldron, quickly wrapping around Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit, enveloping it from head to toe. In moments, Fan Wentai was wrapped into a black ball, gradually being pulled back into the cauldron, his voice growing weaker until it was completely silent.
Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit had no time to witness this scene. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, he had seized the moment when Fan Wentai was ecstatic over obtaining the cauldron to make his escape, biting the bullet and sacrificing his body to flee with his primordial spirit. But he had not anticipated that Fan Wentai had set up a magical array specifically to trap primordial spirits. After only a few steps, he felt as if a mountain was pressing down on him, and the surrounding wind was like knives. He was terrified.
Unfortunately, he had fled with only his primordial spirit and had made no preparations beforehand. How could he withstand the erosion of the magical array?
In a panic, he dodged left and right, but after a moment, he could no longer avoid the knife-like wind. With a human-like scream, he was torn into pieces, his spirit instantly scattered.
Mei Qing’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow. He looked at the small cauldron that had returned to his hand and sighed, “You only know that this cauldron exists in the world, but you do not know that this child cauldron was born from the mother cauldron. Now that the mother cauldron is within me, and you have merged your primordial spirit into the child cauldron, isn’t that seeking your own death?”
Leaning against an ancient tree, Ning Gu sang a sorrowful song with a hoarse and melancholic voice. Branches continuously fell from the giant tree beside him, landing on the snow-covered ground and shattering into dust.
Tears had dried in Ning Gu’s turbid eyes, leaving them hollow and unfathomable. He gazed up at the endless sky, the light in his eyes gradually dimming.
At that very moment, a clear and resonant voice suddenly rang out:
“Life drifts far, death draws near;
From dust we rise, to dust we return.
Who knows if we’ll wither or flourish?”
Hearing this song, a dazzling light suddenly flickered in Ning Gu’s scattered gaze. His body, which had been on the verge of collapse, straightened once more. He shouted, “Young Master Mei, what wisdom do you impart? What lies at the end of life? Have you found the answer?”
The singer was none other than Mei Qing. He had been immersed in the cycle of life and death that Ning Gu had revealed, and many scenes and thoughts that had once flooded his mind resurfaced, blending with the passage of time, each one deeply understood. He had been lost in contemplation, unaware of his surroundings, until Ning Gu’s life force suddenly weakened, jolting Mei Qing awake and prompting him to sing.
Now, there seemed to be something more in Mei Qing’s gaze.
He looked at Ning Gu with a touch of pity and said softly, “If there is life, there is death. How can life have an end?”
A look of confusion clouded Ning Gu’s eyes. He gently stroked the withered tree beside him and murmured, “Life is not death? Life is endless? Then why does this tree flourish in spring, grow lush in summer, wither in autumn, and lie barren in winter? Spring turns to winter, cycles repeat, yet in the end, the branches break, the trunk withers, and it crumbles into dust. If even the tree is so, how can man endure?”
Mei Qing replied calmly, “Though the tree may wither, the fire passes on through the kindling.”
The light in Ning Gu’s eyes gradually stabilized. He slowly turned his head and stared intently at Mei Qing, asking, “Young Master Mei, is it true? Have you seen it? Truly seen it?”
Mei Qing nodded but said nothing more.
Ning Gu burst into wild laughter, tears streaming down his face. The withered tree beside him suddenly radiated a vibrant green light. Its branches grew frantically, intertwining and wrapping around Ning Gu’s emaciated body, forming a large green cocoon.
Lush green leaves swayed in the wind, and at the top of the tree, a massive flower gradually bloomed.
The flower was multicolored, its petals unfolding layer by layer before falling one by one. At the base of the flower’s pistil, a fruit the size of a fist slowly formed.
The fruit’s surface was dark and unremarkable. When it finally ripened, it detached from the branch with a soft sound and gently landed on the ground before Mei Qing.
At that moment, the once lush and towering tree suddenly withered from top to bottom. A gentle breeze arose, and the massive trunk crumbled into dust, scattering in all directions and disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Mei Qing bent down, picked up the fruit, examined it carefully for a moment, and then slowly tucked it into his robe.
“Ha ha ha…” Fan Wentai, not far away, burst into wild laughter, shaking his head repeatedly. “Pitiful! Pitiful! The soaring serpent rides the mist, yet ends as dust. Mei Qing, what do you have to rely on now?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly. With a flick of his right hand, the small cauldron reappeared in his palm. He turned to Fan Wentai and said, “What others treasure, I see as mere rubble. Master Fan, this cauldron is of little use to me. In fact, it may do you more harm than good. Your cultivation is already so advanced. Why are you still obsessed with this thing?”
Fan Wentai’s eyes flashed with intensity as he said in a deep voice, “Zhang Liusun, don’t think I don’t know the wonders of this cauldron. After all, we once shared the same body, and even… heh, many of your memories have been split into my mind. Back then, why did you order me around, calling me ‘cauldron slave’? Wasn’t it because you had this cauldron, and you were stronger than me? Yes, I was the cauldron slave, the cauldron slave… heh, but now, I am the esteemed Plum Blossom Master Fan Wentai! I will reclaim this cauldron and make it my slave from now on! Not just this cauldron, but you, you, and all of you will kneel at my feet and serve as my slaves!”
As he spoke, Fan Wentai breathed heavily, his finger pointing at Mei Qing, Tao Zhongwen, and the puppet-like Duan Chaoyong in turn. He laughed maniacally and said, “That fool Ji Yong! Didn’t he know I am the greatest in the world? How dare he deceive me! Look at him now, what has become of him? Zhongwen, I had planned to spare your life, but unfortunately, after I obtain the cauldron, I will need a living soul to offer as a sacrifice… And you! Zhang Liusun! Back then, you treated me as a servant, took over my body, and cast me into that slave’s body! All of you dared to look down on me? You were wrong! I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, will destroy anyone who opposes me! That shaman was strong, wasn’t he? Where is he now?”
Tao Zhongwen listened, a flash of light in his eyes before they returned to calmness. He stared intently at Fan Wentai, deep in thought.
Mei Qing shook his head and remained silent.
Fan Wentai laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the valley, the sound reverberating endlessly. After laughing for a while, he suddenly stopped, turned to Mei Qing, and said seriously, “Master Zhang, though you have wronged me, you have also been of some use to me. If you are willing to hand over the cauldron, I promise to let bygones be bygones. I will even teach you the method of cultivating your primordial spirit and take you as my disciple. How about it? Rest assured, I, Fan Wentai, the Plum Blossom Master, never lie.”
Mei Qing glanced at the small cauldron in his hand, a faint smile on his face. “If you want the cauldron, take it. But such forceful seizure is not in accordance with the natural order and is not a good thing.”
With that, Mei Qing lightly tossed the cauldron over.
This move surprised not only Fan Wentai but also Tao Zhongwen, who stood nearby, his face showing astonishment.
Fan Wentai caught the cauldron, his expression shifting between doubt and delight. After a moment of thought, he quickly flipped his left hand, and a series of talismans danced like scattered flowers, striking the cauldron repeatedly. After thoroughly inspecting it with his spiritual sense and confirming that Mei Qing had left no seals or tricks, his expression shifted from disbelief to ecstasy. His eyes gleamed with intense light as he burst into a fit of joyous laughter.
Tao Zhongwen, standing to the side, looked even more surprised. Like Fan Wentai, he had assumed that Mei Qing was playing some kind of trick, using the cauldron to lure Fan Wentai into a trap. But seeing that Fan Wentai had thoroughly inspected the cauldron and that his talismans had firmly secured it, Tao Zhongwen’s heart sank. He wondered if Mei Qing had truly surrendered. Recalling Fan Wentai’s earlier mention of using his primordial spirit as a sacrifice, a look of despair involuntarily appeared on his face.
Fan Wentai laughed maniacally, shouting, “Good! Good! This time, I will merge my primordial spirit with this cauldron, and who in the world will dare to challenge me? The Supreme Immortal, the Primordial Essence, the Divine Talisman, and the Sacred Staff, all shall obey me! With me, they shall perish; with me, they shall be reborn. After countless calamities, they shall take my form. So I command!”
As he spoke, several strange magical tools scattered around the cauldron, forming a protective circle. His hands moved rapidly, and a small golden talisman flew out, instantly expanding several times in size. In mid-air, it projected several large, seal-like characters that intertwined to form a strange magical array.
Fan Wentai stood motionless, slowly raising the cauldron to the level of his forehead. He chanted, “Heaven’s Gate, Earth’s Pit, Purple Door, and Mysterious Palace. I command!”
Suddenly, a ripple appeared above his head, and a small golden figure emerged. This figure looked vastly different from Fan Wentai’s current appearance, with long eyebrows, a thin face, and deep-set eyes. It was completely naked but spoke in an aged voice, “Ha ha, now is the time! Act!”
With that, the figure shook itself and plunged into the cauldron.
A sound like a baby’s cry emanated from the cauldron, followed by the clanging of metal and the howling of jade. Beams of green and white light shot into the sky, and a fierce wind, like a dragon soaring through the heavens, erupted from the cauldron’s mouth. The magical tools and golden talismans surrounding the cauldron also began to glow, releasing waves of chaotic spiritual energy, stirring the surrounding mist into a kaleidoscope of colors.
This continued for half the time it takes to burn an incense stick before the mist gradually dissipated. The magical tools quieted down, and the once colorful cauldron turned a dull black. The wind died down, and a clear, melodious sound, like the ringing of jade, emanated from the cauldron.
Hearing this sound, Tao Zhongwen’s face filled with despair. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly flipped his hand, and a jade pendant shaped like five plum blossoms flew out. He shouted, “Scenery, release me! Spirit, ascend to the heavens. Act!”
The jade plum blossom began to spin rapidly, like a flash of lightning, and sliced through Tao Zhongwen’s neck. With a clang, his head flew into the air, and a white, misty light shot out from his severed neck like a meteor, fleeing into the distance.
From the cauldron in the air came a disdainful chuckle, followed by a “hum” as it chased after Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit.
But after only a few feet, the cauldron suddenly froze in mid-air, unmoving.
“What’s going on? Why? Why?” A furious roar erupted from the cauldron. Fan Wentai’s voice shouted angrily, “Zhang Liusun, what trick are you playing? Impossible, this is impossible! The cauldron has been refined by me. How can it not obey my commands? Ah…”
Fan Wentai let out a strange cry as the cauldron began to spin in place. Amid his continuous cries, strange characters began to appear on the cauldron’s surface.
Suddenly, a black mist emerged from the cauldron’s mouth, and Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit poked its head out. His two hands flailed wildly, trying to escape the cauldron. But black tendrils, like giant snakes or vines, continuously sprang from the cauldron, rapidly wrapping around Fan Wentai’s primordial spirit from head to toe. In moments, he was encased in a black, spherical cocoon, gradually being pulled back into the cauldron. His voice grew weaker until it was completely silenced.
Meanwhile, Tao Zhongwen’s fleeing primordial spirit had no time to witness this scene. Seeing that the situation was hopeless and to avoid being sacrificed to the cauldron, he had seized the moment when Fan Wentai was ecstatic over obtaining the cauldron to make his escape. He had resolved to sever his own body and flee with his primordial spirit. But Fan Wentai had set up a magical array specifically to trap primordial spirits. After only a few steps, Tao Zhongwen felt as if a mountain were pressing down on him, and the surrounding wind was like knives. He was terrified.
Unfortunately, he had fled with only his primordial spirit and had made no preparations. How could he withstand the erosion of the magical array?
Panicking, he dodged left and right, but after a moment, he could no longer avoid the knife-like wind. With a human-like scream, his primordial spirit was torn to shreds, instantly dispersing into nothingness.
Mei Qing’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow. He looked at the small cauldron that had returned to his hand and sighed, “You only knew of this treasure cauldron, but you did not know that this is a child cauldron, born from the mother cauldron. Now that the mother cauldron is within me, and you merged your primordial spirit with the child cauldron, you have brought about your own demise.”
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