Immortality and Cultivation: I Have Three Times the Lifespan

Chapter 56 Another Helping Hand

"Given the current situation, it's impossible to leave the Biyue Lake area; that would be even more dangerous..."

Yang Changsheng pondered to himself that he didn't have enough spirit stones and his cultivation level was too low. Every seemingly feasible path was blocked by the unavoidable reality.

But time waits for no one; every day of delay brings danger one step closer.

"Brother Changsheng, if you're having some financial difficulties right now... I still have some spirit stones here."

Liu Xiaoying spoke in a clear, melodious voice with a smile.

She turned slightly to the side, her bright eyes gazing at the handsome young man beside her. Her exquisite features, illuminated by the soft light of the private room, appeared even more gentle and refined.

There was no condescension or condescension in the girl's eyes, only pure concern and sincerity, like the warm winter sun trying to dispel the gloom between his brows.

Yang Changsheng looked up and met her gaze.

That crystal-clear sincerity inexplicably stirred a ripple in my calm and serene Dao heart, causing a subtle, almost imperceptible tremor.

But soon, this emotion was suppressed by a deeper sense of reason.

The girl in front of him was only eighteen years old, but her cultivation had already reached the sixth level of Qi Refining, and she was a talisman master with a promising future.

Her world and her own, a struggling, shallow-rooted mid-level fisherman and low-grade puppeteer, were separated by an insurmountable chasm.

The relaxed atmosphere during occasional interactions and the kindness shown when giving away talismans may simply be the naivety of a noblewoman who is inexperienced in the ways of the world, and should not be taken seriously.

Even if it really exists, what right do I have to bear it, and what can I use to maintain it?

The path to immortality is long and arduous; right now, I can barely take care of myself, so how can I talk about anything else?

"I believe in Brother Changsheng's abilities..."

Liu Xiaoying's voice rang out again, carrying a reassuring certainty.

As she spoke, she raised her slender hand, which had been resting quietly on her knee, and reached into the elegant storage bag at her waist, embroidered with a few vibrant green bamboo leaves.

With nimble, slender fingers, a small, heavy pouch of spirit stones was gently taken out.

The bag is meticulously woven from fine and resilient ice silk, and under the soft light of the private room, it gleams with a restrained yet gentle pearly luster. A ribbon of the same color is tied to the opening of the bag, adorned with a warm and lustrous dust-repelling bead.

The bag wasn't large, but its slight downward curve clearly indicated that it contained far more than two hundred spirit stones.

Liu Xiaoying did not hand it over immediately, but gently placed the valuable spirit stone bag on the table in front of her.

Her fingertips unconsciously rubbed lightly against the warm, dust-repelling bead.

This subtle movement, along with the relaxed and composed expression on her pretty face as if it were nothing serious, was all part of the action.

This cleverly and naturally dissolves any trace of charity that might have been involved, leaving only the pure act of helping each other between friends.

"Sigh, in the end, I still can't compare to him?"

A look of understanding and complexity flashed in Li Qingshan's eyes, which then turned into a silent sigh.

Despite having the highest status and frequently engaging in transactions with the two women, he remains just an ordinary friend; he clearly lacks charm.

"Brother Changsheng and Liu..."

Wang Ergou suddenly looked up, glancing at Liu Xiaoying and then at Yang Changsheng, his dark, weathered face filled with surprise.

It turns out that at some point, the youngest and most beautiful girl had already found someone she loved.

Su Wanqing raised her eyebrows slightly, her bright red lips curled up slightly, and her gaze swept between the two of them, everything was understood without words.

She had noticed this before, and now it seems she was right. Otherwise, why would they have gone to such lengths, making her best friend a little jealous?

The atmosphere in the private room became even more subtle and intriguing because of the appearance of this bag of spirit stones.

"I will return it to you as soon as possible," Yang Changsheng said in a low and steady voice, breaking the brief silence.

He offered no feigned refusal, nor did he feel ecstatic at being showered with such a large sum of money. After a moment's thought, he reached out and accepted the ice silk spirit stone bag.

My fingertips brushed against the table, and I felt the coolness and heavy weight of the bag.

Without checking it, he put it directly into his storage bag.

He remembered these favors.

The life force bestowed upon him by the Golden Ancient Tree Mark has many wonderful uses, and coupled with his increasingly refined puppetry skills, this is the foundation upon which he has the confidence to repay his debts.

Just when the shadow of war loomed, everyone was in danger, and those with the means were thinking about how to profit from the war, Liu Xiaoying unhesitatingly offered such a huge sum of money to help...

This debt of gratitude is far heavier than the spirit stone itself; I can only repay it gradually in the future.

When Liu Xiaoying saw him accept it, the corners of her pink lips curved into a sweet arc, and her clear eyes sparkled.

"Um."

She simply responded softly, without saying anything about not being in a hurry or not needing to pay it back, as if it were just an ordinary transaction involving spirit stones.

However, deep in Liu Xiaoying's heart, she let out a very soft sigh.

By next year at the latest, the family will have traveled millions of miles to leave the Southern Region's cultivation world, and by then, they will never see this person again.

It is already a great blessing to be able to help him break free from his shackles and step into a wider world before parting.

Seeing that the atmosphere was about to fall into a subtle stagnation again, Su Wanqing spoke up at the right time: "Alright, alright, it's good that the matter of the spirit stones has been resolved, but given the current situation, it will be difficult for us to have a small gathering like today."

Wang Ergou chose to cultivate spirit fields, and the others also had their own plans. The previous approach was already quite risky, so it was time to change.

Everyone turned their attention to that direction.

"I propose that we change this gathering to once every three years. Let's all work hard... and in three years, I hope we can all reach new heights and then enjoy drinks and conversation here at Zuixianlou again!"

Su Wanqing spoke in a gentle voice, with a smile on her face.

Her long hair flowed in the wind, her snow-white clothes were spotless, her face was stunning, and she possessed a dignified and elegant demeanor that made her very convincing.

"Sister Su is right."

Liu Xiaoying was the first to respond, her smile returning to normal, though the slight ripple in the depths of her eyes had not yet completely subsided.

"Three years? That's good! It'll save me from constantly thinking about drinking... and interfering with my cultivation!"

Li Qingshan laughed loudly, with a touch of nonchalance, but there was also a hint of seriousness about the future in his eyes.

Wang Ergou nodded hurriedly: "Yes, yes, I'll listen to Master Su."

He was simple-minded and felt that the pressure was lessened because he didn't have to attend gatherings so frequently for the time being.

Yang Changsheng nodded: "That's good. Take care, and we'll meet again in three years."

His voice was calm, yet it contained a promise for the future and a blessing for his companions.

The group exchanged a few more quiet words, wished each other well, and then got up to leave the private room of Zuixianlou.

Having made up his mind, Yang Changsheng no longer hesitated. After nodding to the crowd, he turned around and left Zuixianlou with steady steps.

His goal was clear.

The Lu family's external affairs hall, now free, is of utmost urgency.

Li Qingshan watched Yang Changsheng's departing figure, then looked at Wang Ergou beside him, who seemed somewhat lost and dejected, and felt a mix of emotions.

Once upon a time, they were all clueless fishing and farming apprentices.

Now, Yang Changsheng has shown his true colors and is about to break free from his constraints. Liu Xiaoying and Su Wanqing each have their own support and bright futures.

Only he and the honest, simple-minded Er Gou seemed to be stuck in the same place, becoming part of the struggle for survival at the bottom of this emerald lake.