I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Chapter 592: Chapter 431 Everlasting Immortality
 

“Ghosts indeed exist in this world!”

Old Deer floated at the head of the bed, looking at Tang Mingyuan whose face was pale.

“Ghosts are born from resentment, you have never seen them, mostly because you’ve lived too smoothly, never witnessing the darkness of the world.”

“Why can’t they see you?”

Tang Mingyuan calmed his thoughts slightly, after all, having lived two lifetimes, his ability to accept new things had greatly strengthened, he pointed at the servant standing guard outside the door.

After being frightened into fainting last night, the servant had carried Tang Mingyuan back to his bedroom and called for a doctor for treatment; he had just regained consciousness a moment ago.

“You are not like them, your soul is far superior to ordinary people.”

Old Deer floated about: “I have spent decades studying and nurturing my soul, and with the help of the Soul Refining Technique to congeal a ghost body, yet I still fall short compared to you, truly a natural-born Dao child, a spiritual youngster.”

“I certainly won’t become a Daoist or a monk.”

Tang Mingyuan understood that his soul was so powerful because it had merged with the remnant soul of his predecessor, then he asked, “From your words, it seems you served in the palace?”

“I am Old Deer, who once served in the Cold Palace.”

Old Deer did not hide anything and said directly: “Little Yi Zi, that is, Governor Zhou, it would not be too much to call me a teacher.”

Tang Mingyuan exclaimed, “The relationship between teacher and pupil is like that between father and son, why did you leave Governor Zhou’s side?”

Old Deer sighed: “After I became a ghost, I always followed Little Yi Zi, but accidentally stumbled upon a huge secret; my whereabouts were inadvertently exposed, and Little Yi Zi sought to silence me.”

“I see.”

Tang Mingyuan’s eyes flickered as he changed the subject, “Eunuch Deer, I can arrange a tomb for you, with good Feng Shui and seclusion, Governor Zhou will surely never find it.”

“Hee hee hee!”

Old Deer let out a bizarre laugh, like needles piercing the soul: “You don’t want to know what that secret is?”

“I don’t!”

Tang Mingyuan shook his head like a rattle-drum: “People who know too many secrets don’t end well.”

“I insist on telling you.”

Old Deer said: “People say that Governor Zhou has an unparalleled talent, but in reality that’s not the case; he achieved the Epiphyllum Treasure Tome by consuming something else.”

Having heard about this sinister technique from Zhao Mu, Tang Mingyuan had a faint guess and was so scared that he covered his ears, wishing he could faint again.

“Youth everlasting, immortality within grasp!”

Old Deer had no mouth, nose, or ears on his face, and his voice arose directly in Tang Mingyuan’s mind, filled with unabashed greed, obsession, madness, and fear.

“In order to prolong my life, I cultivated in pure-heartedness and desirelessness for decades; even though power and status were within easy reach, I dared not touch a whisker of it.”

“Before I died, I went through various tortures, forcibly igniting my resentment towards the world, drawing the Innate Qi to pour into my soul, and only then did I transform from a person into a vengeful ghost!”

Old Deer spoke enviously: “Yet there are those in the world who don’t have to give up anything to obtain everlasting life.”

“Everlasting life…”

Tang Mingyuan lay on the bed dazed, with no intention of listening to Old Deer’s complaints; his mind was focused on how to survive in the days to come.

How many emperors through the ages, for that illusory everlasting immortality, would rather bring disaster to their country and suffering to their people?

Now that he had seen a true immortal, how mad they must become, and those who knew this secret had no choice but to die.

Old Deer sobered from his frenzy, and his tumultuous soul body slowly calmed.

“What are you afraid of, boy, I will make this secret public, surely not all the people in the world can be killed, right?”

Tang Mingyuan instantly breathed a sigh of relief: “That would be best; then I don’t have to hide in a mountain ravine and eat dirt.”

Old Deer said: “Aren’t you going to ask why I want to reveal the secret?”

Tang Mingyuan replied: “I suppose Eunuch Deer can do nothing to Governor Zhou.”

“Little Yi Zi even sleeps with his eyes open, protected by nine layers of True Gang at all times; I can find no opportunity to find a new host.”

Old Deer said: “Rather than keep it to myself, I’d rather reveal it; if the world’s heroes besiege Little Yi Zi, there might be some hope.”

“Eunuch Deer is quite calculating.”

Tang Mingyuan sneered to himself, suspecting that Old Deer wanted more than just to stir up trouble, there was also a hint of wanting to destroy what he couldn’t possess.

Old Deer said: “Now that the important matter is settled, I still have a small matter.”

Tang Mingyuan said, “Please speak, Eunuch Lu.”

Eunuch Lu sighed, “I have no children, no heir to carry on my legacy while alive, and even in death, nobody to tend my grave.”

“Seeing that you were born with a strong soul today, I wanted to take you as my disciple and pass on my mantle.”

“This… doesn’t seem right, I have a master.”

Tang Mingyuan was extremely cautious, unsure how many truths were woven into the ghostly narratives spun by the figure before him.

A person who, in life, could cut away their own future to sever ties with their ancestors’ graves would hardly be expected to suddenly care about passing on some nonsensical mantle after death.

“I value substance over reputation,” said Eunuch Lu.

Eunuch Lu continued, “I will pass the Cultivation Technique on to you, and whether you choose to practice it or not will be entirely up to you.”

Tang Mingyuan had no rebuttal and couldn’t stop the obstructing voice anyway, so he simply agreed, “Please bestow your teachings, Eunuch Lu.”

“Ever since I learned of the existence of ghosts, and that the lifespan of malevolent spirits is many times that of the living, I’ve been obsessed with how a person can become a ghost,” Eunuch Lu said unhurriedly.

“I combed through the Inner Palace Service’s Scripture Pavilion, found several Buddhist and Taoist texts on soul nurturing, and after contemplation, integrated them into a single volume of Soul Nurturing Art.”

“Later, I joined the Triyang Sect and learned the Ghost Refining Technique. Just before dying, I applied it to myself and, luckily, succeeded.”

“Now that I’ve become a malevolent spirit, I’ve gained new insights into the Soul Nurturing and Ghost Refining Techniques. After identifying and filling the gaps, I perfected a complete Cultivation Technique…”

After a moment of reflection, Eunuch Lu continued, “Let’s call it the Immortal’s Longevity Scripture. I will pass this scripture on to you, and when your time comes, you may try using it.”

“Life is ephemeral, a mere season for plants and trees!”

Tang Mingyuan preached like a virtuous high monk, “Let’s not waste our lives away. When we die, dust returns to dust, earth to earth; why cling to it excessively?”

“That kind of nonsense, I’ve heard thousands and thousands of times,” Eunuch Lu replied.

“You’re still young and unaware of the helplessness that comes with old age, the fear when one’s life is nearing its end. What do you know of transcending life and death?”

“Today, I pass this technique on to you. When you’re old, you can decide whether or not to cultivate it.”

Eunuch Lu picked up a brush and, with swift strokes, wrote on a piece of paper. To others, it would appear as if the brush was writing by itself.

A moment later.

The brush with a clatter fell onto the table, and the chilly presence in the room dissipated.

Tang Mingyuan stared at the paper filled with writing, silent for a long time before carefully tucking it into his chest.

Coming from a past life in the era of an information and technology explosion, the idea of people becoming ghosts was easier for him to accept than it might be for people of this era.

With an embarrassed expression, Tang Mingyuan couldn’t help but lament in his heart.

“What is this all about! Why do I keep losing out to ancient people?”

…

Longqing’s first year.

The first day of the lunar month.

The Inner Palace Service was at rest.

But not Eunuch Yuan, who, amid the biting cold wind, cleaned the chamber pot with red, cracked hands.

Once a personal attendant to the former emperor, he hadn’t managed to demonstrate loyalty during the regime change and was inevitably facing retribution—either guarding the Imperial Mausoleum or experiencing an “accidental” drowning.

Eunuch Yuan, once a dignified Superintendent of the Imperial Household Department, swallowed his pride and knelt before his junior, Xiaozhong, kowtowing earnestly.

After flattering him extensively and professing his undying loyalty, he also cursed Eunuch Zhou’s ancestors for eighteen generations.

Xiaozhong, of course, was pleased and casually commanded Eunuch Yuan to tend to the night incense.

Eunuch Yuan scrubbed the chamber pot diligently, carefully removing every speck of dirt with his fingertips to please and bring comfort to his superior.

Suddenly.

An elderly voice drifted with the wind.

“Eunuch Yuan, Superintendent of the Imperial Household Department, is such self-degradation worth it? Perhaps retiring to the Imperial Mausoleum would be better!”

Eunuch Yuan didn’t stop his work, even sticking his head further into the chamber pot to carefully sniff, using the opportunity to shield himself as he whispered back.

“Aren’t you stuck here as well?”

“As long as I remain in this palace, I will eventually reclaim everything that belongs to me!”