Chapter 341: Banquet of Longevity

The deluge of rain did not cease all night. Dark clouds gathered like a vast army, surging across the ancient city, while the mingling thunder and lightning sounded like the snorts of celestial steeds.

Siming sat alone by the window, her long silver hair cascading to the ground, coiling and piling up. The lightning flashed upon her snow-white cheeks. She opened her eyes, her gaze fixed on the sky. Wherever her eyes landed, streaks of lightning ripped through the firmament, as if the celestial events were not naturally occurring but merely reflections of the illusions within her pupils.

The overwhelming downpour seemed to isolate the world. Siming's face grew increasingly aloof, an indifference that was not coldness but ruthlessness.

As she gazed at the heavy rain, her spiritual world seemed about to be usurped by it, submerged by the cold threads of rain.

This state had persisted for many days. Siming knew it was a sign of her divine nature returning to her body. Once her divinity was fully restored, it would suppress the human emotions that had wantonly overgrown her consciousness like weeds during her seven hundred years of suffering, allowing her divine essence to become the dominant force in her spirit.

This should have been a joyful occasion, symbolizing her advancement on the path to becoming the ruler of the Divine Kingdom.

However, Siming felt no joy at all; instead, a profound fear arose within her. A deity, being above all worldly concerns, should not experience such an emotion... but she was perpetually uneasy.

Siming dispelled the sword enchantment in her hand, opened her eyes, and rose to close the window. With her back to the torrential rain outside, her gaze swept across the room: the deer antler carved wooden shelf, the peony brocade vase, the ivory bed... Slowly, she was forming subtle connections with each object.

Finally, she looked at Ning Changjiu, who was still asleep.

If the monkey demon had been present, it would have clearly seen the intricate, densely intertwined lines connecting the two of them.

Tonight, Ning Changjiu slept peacefully, uttering no more strange words.

Siming sat by the bed for a while, watching him. As dawn approached, Ning Changjiu slowly awakened.

Siming glanced at him and asked, "What did you dream about last night?"

Ning Changjiu rubbed his head and said, "You might not believe it, but in my dream, I... read books all night."

A faint smile appeared on Siming's usually indifferent face: "Your tall tales are getting less and less convincing."

Ning Changjiu sighed, thinking, 'The other day you believed my lies, but today you don't believe the truth... Never mind, I won't waste my time on a girl who dislikes reading!'

Ning Changjiu consoled himself, recalling the profound mysteries within the scrolls, still marveling at their depth.

Were it not for the imminent confrontation with the White Deer Star, he would have even wanted to go back to sleep.

Siming sat down at her dressing table. Ning Changjiu, putting on his robe, got up and walked behind her, suddenly asking, "Would you like some makeup?"

Siming frowned and asked, "Do you think I'm not beautiful as I am?"

Ning Changjiu replied, "I'm simply curious if adding another symbol of beauty to something already perfect could actually enhance its beauty."

"Heh, let me tell you a story," Siming said with a faint smile. "Once, in the Divine Kingdom, there was a genius cultivator whose flying sword reached the absolute limit of the world's rules. To surpass his own speed limit, he devised a method."

"What method?" Ning Changjiu asked.

Siming smiled faintly: "He stood on his flying sword, and when its speed reached its maximum, he started running on the sword."

Ning Changjiu frowned, not quite grasping her meaning, and simply asked, "So, do you want some makeup or not?"

"Casting pearls before swine!" Siming scoffed coldly, then stated indifferently, "A goddess is unsullied by dust; everything in the world is mere dust, including cosmetics."

Ning Changjiu sighed, looked at her radiant face in the mirror, and combed her already silken long hair.

Outside the window, flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder, though less frequent, still echoed intermittently.

After drinking their morning tea sprinkled with deer antler, they chatted idly for a while. Siming suddenly looked out the still dim window and announced, "They're here."

Above the torrential rain, the clouds glowed with a faint silver light. A white deer, imbued with this silver glow, gracefully stepped across the clouds as if traversing isolated islands at sea, nimbly leaping towards Bhikkhu Peak. The heavy rain roared beneath its hooves.

Soon after, a knock sounded at the door of Ning Changjiu and Siming's room.

Siming's fingertips twitched slightly, and the door gently opened. A childlike girl, sculpted from pink jade, stood outside. She was about to step in, but the moment her foot touched the floor, she cried out in pain, stumbling backward as if having trod on a forbidden, thunderous pool.

She looked at the woman sitting quietly inside, wearing a fox demon mask, and quickly apologized.

Yet, resentment festered in the girl's heart. 'Hmph, such a good figure, but she wears a mask to hide her face; her true appearance must not be attractive. Furthermore, a man and a woman spent the entire night together in one room, and not a single sound was heard. That's clearly unreasonable... Hmm, it couldn't be that the man is incapable, could it?'

The girl lowered her head, her gaze dark, and said, "Young master, young lady, Grandfather Star of Longevity requests your presence."

As she spoke, the girl presented two red umbrellas, gently placing them by the door.

Siming looked at the red umbrellas, recalling that Zhao Xiang'er liked red ones. She softly said, "Change the umbrella. I don't like this color."

The girl paused, assuming Siming was deliberately being difficult. After silently cursing, she obediently went to exchange it for an antique, beige paper umbrella.

Siming looked at the girl, gently shaking her head. "The customs of Bhikkhu Peak are truly peculiar," she remarked. "Even a tiny flower spirit dares to be so presumptuous with guests."

Ning Changjiu chuckled, "Perhaps you're being overly sensitive."

Siming retorted coldly, "How am I being sensitive?"

Ning Changjiu pondered for a moment, recalling numerous past events, then hesitated: "It's not appropriate to say."

Siming paused, then understood. Her eyes instantly narrowed, and she lunged at Ning Changjiu.

The girl heard the sudden cries of anguish from within the chamber and sneered, shaking her head.

'Hmph, be as arrogant as you like; once you meet Grandfather Star of Longevity, you'll still become his prisoner, won't you?'

After their playful scuffle in the room ended, Ning Changjiu rubbed his wrist and shoulder, rising helplessly. Siming, with her hands clasped behind her back, walked out with an expression as cold as frost.

The red and beige umbrellas were opened in the rain, their surfaces adorned with delicate flower patterns.

In early spring, the mountain flowers were blooming beautifully. Following the guidance of the boy and girl attendants, they walked along the path, which was covered with petals washed down by the heavy rain, soft as a carpet. In the still tranquil morning, a distant wooden building already glowed with a warm light.

That was the mansion of the White Deer Star of Longevity, with the characters 'Longevity Tower' inscribed on its plaque.

The boy and girl attendants led them to the entrance.

The door slowly opened, revealing the luxurious and exquisite decorations of the ancient building. The girl and boy attendants smiled and said, "Welcome, esteemed guests."

Ning Changjiu and Siming entered the building.

The architectural style of this ancient building had a distinctly human touch. The traditional ancient wooden carvings within depicted longevity peaches, turtle bases, white deer, and flowers. The doors, windows, and all four walls were adorned with grain patterns. Beside the pillars set into the walls, large rice jars filled with various grains were placed.

The rice in the jars was inexhaustible.

One could imagine that the occupant of this building must be an elderly person.

Upon entering, more boy and girl attendants came to greet them.

They appeared to be only seven or eight years old, but each was a beautiful child. Their eyebrows were shaved and redrawn, and faint makeup adorned their rosy faces. They smiled charmingly at the two guests, inspiring affection.

Siming regarded them with disdain.

"Guests, please come inside."

The door ahead slid open to both sides. The boy and girl attendants each drew back a curtain, and brilliant light from the inner room streamed in, reflecting dazzling colors.

Ning Changjiu and Siming exchanged glances and slowly walked inside.

The room inside had a high dome and was vast. It was semi-circular, with a square pool in the center reflecting vibrant candlelight. Around the pool sat boy and girl attendants, dressed in age-inappropriate, brightly colored garments with flowing sleeves, resembling a vibrant field of flowers.

They knelt along both sides of the path, holding candelabras above their heads. Their tender beauty blossomed amidst the soft, ambiguous candlelight.

Siming cast a casual glance around, then lightly stepped onto the soft, flower-embroidered carpet. Her black robe and silver-white hair fluttered with her movement, appearing like a cool, elegant breeze in this opulent hall.

A young child, bowing, looked up, her makeup accentuating her exaggerated cuteness. She took their umbrellas, carefully folding them, and then led them to the guests' seats.

The two sat down at the wooden table that had already been arranged.

The boy and girl attendants poured them tea.

Ning Changjiu glanced at the tea, then at Siming. Siming gently lifted a corner of her mask, revealing her perfectly sculpted jawline. She pressed her lips to the edge of the teacup, held it gently, and took a sip, her posture calm and elegant.

Many of the boy and girl attendants witnessed this scene. They held their breath, secretly watching, and though they only saw a mere glimpse, they were captivated by a breathtaking beauty.

Only then did Ning Changjiu take a sip of his tea.

In the pool ahead, lotus river lanterns drifted apart. Several figures floated out from the lanterns, transforming into singing girls. Unlike the surrounding child attendants, they were all graceful and slender, ethereal as smoke.

Ning Changjiu quietly admired the dance in the pool, his eyes calm.

As the dance concluded, from behind the fire-like screen ahead, a deer-like shadow stepped out into the light. Upon emerging from the screen, it transformed into a smiling old man leaning on a staff.

The old man had white hair and a long beard, wore a Taoist topknot, and had a stone camellia pinned to it.

In his right hand, he held a whisk, and in his left, a staff. He wore a yellow and black Taoist robe adorned with divination symbols. His posture was upright, exuding an immortal, Taoist aura.

The old man cupped his hands in greeting towards Ning Changjiu and Siming. "Two esteemed guests, you have traveled a great distance," he said. "Not only did this old man fail to welcome you adequately, but I also made you wait for two extra days. I am truly remorseful."

"It's quite alright," Ning Changjiu replied politely.

The White Deer Star of Longevity slowly walked to the opposite side of the pool. He smiled and asked, "What does the young master prefer? This old man has managed this mountain for hundreds of years and amassed countless human treasures and beauties. I wonder if any of them might catch your esteemed eye?"

Siming looked around and said, "These are your so-called beauties?"

Inside the Longevity Tower, the childlike girls, some holding candles and others holding vases, all showed expressions of resentment, yet dared not speak out.

The White Deer Star of Longevity smiled and said, "These are all flower spirits, one in ten thousand, each a perfect gem. In the future, they are destined to be peerless beauties. Raising them from childhood, watching the flower buds about to open, is what truly embodies beauty."

Ning Changjiu thought of the flower-guarding bells on the mountainside, which had been put in place to deter the White Deer from secretly eating the flowers.

Thinking of this, he looked at the flower spirits in the Longevity Tower and the white-haired, white-bearded Taoist-robed old man, feeling an involuntary chill of revulsion.

The White Deer Star of Longevity clapped his hands and smiled, "Ling'er, Huan'er, come play the zither and dance for our guests."

Two girls stepped out from the crowd, their movements graceful as they approached the center of the Longevity Tower. Their figures seemed to grow taller with each step. They bowed deeply, conjuring a zither and colorful ribbons from their hands. One played the zither while the other danced, making the already dazzling lights even more chaotic.

Ning Changjiu didn't watch the women dancing and playing the zither; he simply stared at the White Deer Star of Longevity.

The White Deer Star of Longevity smiled with narrowed eyes, looking back at them. "You two haven't been in Myriad Demon City for long, have you?" he asked.

Ning Changjiu chuckled, "Indeed, only a few days."

The White Deer Star of Longevity said, "Many demons have recently fled Myriad Demon City. Alas, I don't know where the rumors originated, claiming the Saint is dying and this city is on the verge of collapse. Many restless lesser spirits were frightened into fleeing overnight, and the number of guests coming to Myriad Demon City has significantly decreased. It truly wasn't easy for you two to travel such a long distance to get here."

Ning Changjiu asked, "How did you know we traveled such a long distance?"

The White Deer Star of Longevity stroked his beard, smiling but remaining silent. The young girl beside him said in a childish voice, "I already told the guests that our Grandfather Star of Longevity is immensely powerful and can foresee human and celestial events. When you two guests first arrived, Grandfather told us to prepare for your welcome."

Siming chuckled softly, "Foreseeing human and celestial events? Is it because of the universally known Heaven's Ranking?"

Ning Changjiu also understood.

The Heaven's Ranking had once issued a decree recalling the scattered authority of the Underworld Lord. The White Deer Star of Longevity had clearly received this news, and as he happened to possess one piece, he knew in advance that they would eventually come to Myriad Demon City.

The White Deer Star of Longevity looked at the woman with the fox mask and said, "Are you, Madam, the rumored Sect Master Si, the fourth strongest in the world?"

Siming did not consider "fourth strongest in the world" a particularly elegant title. Her attitude was neither cold nor warm. She blew away the steam floating on her tea and hummed in acknowledgment.

The White Deer Star of Longevity looked at the young man beside her and asked, "And this is..."

Siming replied, "A disciple from my sect."

The White Deer Star of Longevity nodded thoughtfully, re-evaluating their identities.

'...' Ning Changjiu thought to himself, 'Being a disciple is still better than being a servant.'

Siming took a sip of tea, then pushed the teacup in front of her and said, "Disciple, fill it up for your master."

Ning Changjiu increasingly suspected she had a certain tendency, but while traveling, he still gave Siming ample deference. "Yes, Master," he replied.

Siming nodded in satisfaction.

The White Deer Star of Longevity looked at the master and disciple, whose relationship seemed quite harmonious. "How has your stay been these past two days?" he asked. "Have my young attendants served you well? If you guests do not enjoy singing and dancing, I have another friend called Hundred-Faced Fox, who runs a theater troupe in the outer city. They perform everything, and I can summon him to entertain you both."

Siming chuckled softly, shaking her head, and spoke as if recounting precious possessions. "No need. Jumping through fire hoops, smashing large stones, and playing clowns are nothing unusual. My disciple is skilled in both singing and dancing and often entertains me with such performances."

'...' Ning Changjiu gritted his teeth and said, "As long as you're happy, Master."

The White Deer Star of Longevity stroked his beard and chuckled for a while, then praised, "Your sect's disciple is truly versatile."

Ning Changjiu silently drank his tea.

Siming put down her teacup, and the splendid lights within the hall seemed to dim slightly.

She said, "Let's get to the point. You know exactly what we've come for."

The White Deer Star of Longevity's smile faded slightly. He said, "Before we get to business, allow this old man to tell you a story."

The two remained silent, watching him. The White Deer Star of Longevity, a powerful figure who had just entered the Fifth Path, still felt a prickling sensation like needles. His expression unchanged, he calmly said, "A very long time ago, although the demon race was in decline, the world was vast, and there were always many places for them to hide. However, most ancient demon cities were merely corrals where ancient gods kept demons, treating them no different from chickens, ducks, pigs, or dogs."

All the boy and girl attendants fell silent, and the candlelight in their hands dimmed slightly.

"A thousand years ago, Bhikkhu Kingdom was a special place, tucked away in a corner, untouched by ancient gods. Auspicious omens formed into radiant mists, blooming flowers wove tapestries, immortals scattered peaches, and purple qi emanated from the east..."

"However, there is no eternal pure land in this world. Soon after, Bhikkhu Kingdom was set foot upon by an ancient god. This god proclaimed himself the King and established his kingdom in Bhikkhu, forcing both me and Hundred-Faced Fox to become national preceptors. At first, when he built the city in Bhikkhu, he did not treat the demon race too badly; he merely enslaved the demon citizens and did not carry out a massacre. But then one day..."

The White Deer Star of Longevity paused, then sighed deeply. "One day, the King summoned me and Hundred-Faced Fox and led us to a secret chamber in a forbidden area, where he showed us a divine artifact that had fallen from the heavens. It was an alchemy furnace with an eight-cornered, flying-eaved pavilion on top, yin-yang symbols painted below, and four bronze dragons chained to it! Its interior was full of ash, and the flames had died out. The King called it the 'Supreme Immortal Furnace,' claiming it was a relic that had fallen to the human world from the Celestial Court."

"The King told us that this furnace could refine elixirs of immortality!"

Hearing this, Ning Changjiu couldn't help but shake his head.

The White Deer Star of Longevity continued, "Alchemy requires ingredients. He wanted to use our hands to kill 1,110 young demons, take their hearts, and use them as ingredients to refine an unparalleled immortal elixir."

"Hundred-Faced Fox and I certainly didn't want to massacre our own kind. In the forbidden area, we exchanged glances, then lunged at the King... Alas, it was a long time before we awoke again. Before us lay piles of fresh, still-beating hearts. And beside the plates carrying the hearts stood a black shadow, with a long spear tied beside it, and on the spear was a head—the King's head, precisely."

Ning Changjiu asked, "Was that black shadow the Saint?"

"Yes," the White Deer Star of Longevity sighed, his expression tinged with nostalgia. "The King controlled our minds, making us the culprits of the alchemy, or rather... scapegoats! When the Saint arrived in Bhikkhu Kingdom, over five hundred demons had already been killed. It is said that on that day, Hundred-Faced Fox and I had already been pushed onto the gallows. The King emerged from the palace, trembling with fear, crying about being coerced by us. Just as the blade was about to fall, the Saint's keen eyes saw through the King's plot, struck him down, and gave me and the old fox a chance to atone."

As the story neared its end, many of the boy and girl attendants in the hall, surprisingly, covered their faces and began to weep in unison.

Ning Changjiu asked, "What does your story have to do with the authority of the Underworld Lord?"

The White Deer Star of Longevity said, "The authority of the Underworld Lord is related to that Supreme Demon Furnace. I only learned afterwards that the King was a fallen immortal, and the alchemy furnace was originally his. He obtained a piece of the Underworld Lord's authority in the human world and intended to refine it with the purest Yang fire and the most Yin and cold resentment, merging it with himself to gain the power of the netherworld's reincarnation and reascend to the Great Dao!"

Ning Changjiu asked, "Are both this alchemy furnace and the authority now with you?"

The White Deer Star of Longevity hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "That is indeed the case."

Ning Changjiu asked, "Are you also planning to refine the power of the Underworld Lord's authority?"

A resolute look appeared in the White Deer Star of Longevity's aged eyes. "Though the day Myriad Demon City collapses has not yet arrived, it is an inevitable event. On my Bhikkhu Peak, there are over a hundred thousand demons, both civilized and uncivilized. In the past, the Saint protected us, but in the coming chaotic era, we will have no one above us. As the master of this peak, I must protect them."

Ning Changjiu looked at the old man, who, with his Taoist topknot adorned with a flower and his immortal aura, gently shook his head.

He had seen those ghost temples outside the city.

If the White Deer was indeed the Ghost Emperor they spoke of, then this so-called Ghost Emperor was certainly not a benevolent demon.

Siming listened quietly for a long time, then spoke more directly: "I am here to take the authority. No matter your past, it cannot sway our intention."

The White Deer Star of Longevity slowly said, "The previous story was merely to express my resolve. The Saint entrusted Bhikkhu Peak to me, and of course, I must protect it with my life, without hesitation. If you wish to kill me, you wish to kill all the demons of Bhikkhu Peak! Even if the future is a chaotic era devoid of conscience, those who carry the blood debt of a hundred thousand will never die peacefully."

The boy and girl attendants kneeling nearby all looked up, their pupils tinged with red, staring at Ning Changjiu and Siming as if they were enemies.

Siming sneered, "Grandiloquent."

The White Deer Star of Longevity said, "What distinguished insight do you have, Sect Master Si?"

Siming spoke faintly, "Back then, you were misled by the King and massacred five hundred of your own kind. The Saint spared your life so you could atone, not so you could kill another five hundred demons to add to the alchemy furnace."

Ning Changjiu frowned slightly.

The White Deer Star of Longevity's expression changed slightly: "What did you say?"

Siming's cold words emerged from behind the fox demon mask: "Am I not clear enough? Although that old King was a fallen immortal and was struck down by the Saint, you... deep down, you never forgot his words: refining 1,110 demon hearts grants immortality. Later, the Saint died, and no one could suppress your greed anymore, could they?"

The White Deer Star of Longevity wrapped his Taoist robe tighter and said coldly, "You two are new to Myriad Demon City. Where did you hear such rumors?"

"Just my guess," Siming said, her voice clear and cold, her tone refined yet mocking. "If they were merely rumors, why would you need to draw your sword?"

Outside the Longevity Tower, which had been quiet when they arrived, was now surrounded by demon soldiers. These soldiers had deer antlers on their heads, held torches in one hand and broadswords in the other, their blade tips pointed at the lights within the building.

The White Deer Star of Longevity said, "If you are guests, I will treat you with sincerity. If you are here to seize authority, then for the stability of Bhikkhu Peak, I will have no choice but to meet you with force."

Siming gently shook her head and said, "You knew we would come long ago, yet you only prepared these minor soldiers to die. What's the matter? Is your Ginseng Fruit Tree lacking fertilizer, so you wish to use our hands to add more corpses?"

"When the peak faces hardship, contributing to it is an honor for all demons, dying without regret." The White Deer Star of Longevity slowly rose, observing them. "However," he stated, "the Supreme Alchemy Furnace still lacks one crucial ingredient!"

Siming lightly flicked the edge of her teacup, and the teacup shattered into dust.

"Disciple, follow me to subdue these demons."

Siming slowly rose, and the water in the pool froze solid into ice.