CHAPTER 347: CHAPTER 225: THE LEGEND OF LONGEVITY

All across Saint Anna City, people in various disguises moved through the crowds.

They wore wireless earpieces, reporting their respective situations as they walked and talked to themselves.

"The target has left Bell Street and is approaching the Seventh District."

"Currently, they have left Saint Anna City, and there’s no way to track them anymore."

"Let’s use satellite surveillance. The subordinates of the Fourth Councillor probably never thought of doing this."

"Haha, it’s the information age now. What good is being the Councillor if you have no resources? They’re nothing but fools with empty power."

As a Yangwang U8 left Saint Anna City, every move it made was observed by those hidden in the shadows.

Cadillac SUVs successively drove out of Saint Anna City, pursuing in the direction Sun Yan had left.

The leader’s SUV had a white man dressed in a high-end luxury suit seated in the back, savoring a glass of red wine, with a cigar in hand, leisurely exhaling smoke.

Beside him was a woman in a bodycon skirt with her legs crossed, draped in a mink coat, curiously asking, "Mr. Kuer, why is the Councillor so interested in that Eastern person this time, even willing to oppose the Fourth Councillor? Is this cost really worth it?"

"Tina, this is what you don’t understand. The secret that the Eastern person holds is so significant that being at odds with the Fourth Councillor becomes a minor issue if the Councillor can acquire it."

The woman widened her eyes: "Is it really that powerful?"

The white man swirled his wineglass, gazing out the window with profound meaning, he said: "Do you know there are ancient legends in the East about mortals being able to achieve longevity? I have a few stories here,

The first story is that in ancient times, there was an Emperor named Qin Shi Huang, and in the "Classic of Mountains and Seas. Immortal Mountains Abroad," it is recorded that the Penglai, Yingzhou, and Fangzhang in the East Sea are the dwellings of immortals, and on those mountains, there exist methods of prolonging life and increasing longevity. Qin Shi Huang dispatched an alchemist named Xu Fu to sail out in search of these methods for him,

Yet Xu Fu, after many struggles, did not bring back any divine medicine for Qin Shi Huang, saying there were Flood Dragons in the East Sea stopping anyone from approaching the Immortal Islands. Qin Shi Huang then sent the Tiger and Wolf Army to assist in slaying the dragons. According to Qin History, when Xu Fu reached the sea passage, he had the crossbowmen ready; soon a Flood Dragon surfaced, over ten feet long. Seeing the dragon blockading the passage, the general ordered it shot down. The body was brought back to Xianyang, refined into lamp oil by the warlocks, and it is said that the Undying Divine Lamp burning in the Qinling Mausoleum used it.

The second story is about another ancient Emperor named Huang Di, who had a steed called ’Cheng Huang,’ and it is said riding Cheng Huang could extend one’s life by 800 to 2000 years. Riding it once meant two thousand more years of life. Before his ascension, Huang Di took his clan members aboard Cheng Huang,

But while Heaven allowed a lifeline for saints, it did not permit everyone to achieve longevity. So those of the Huang Di clan clasping onto Cheng Huang’s tail and wings were all shaken off during the ascension. After this, legendary tales about Cheng Huang abound in folklore, and our specially trained researchers in Eastern mythology suggest that Cheng Huang might be a high-civilization flying device, which increases longevity due to its speed, like the flashing of electric stones.

The third story is from the Great Wilderness South Scripture which recorded an immortal tree named the "Undying" and a spring named the "Ageless." It is said that consuming the fruit of this tree and drinking the spring water grants immortality.

The fourth story is of the immortal Prince Qiao, originally called Ji Jin, who originally had a chance to become the Emperor of Zhou but was exiled for angering his father, King Ling of Zhou. Not even the surname Ji could be used, so he changed his name to Prince Qiao. This person met the immortal Fu Qiusheng, entered the mountain for cultivation, and after leaving, bid farewell to his family and ascended to immortality.

The fourth story is about Zhang Sanfeng in Eastern history, who was born during the late Song dynasty and lived to the end of the Yuan dynasty, even once assisting Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu Di also sent people to seek out Zhang Sanfeng. From the late Song to the Yongle period, that encapsulates several hundred years.

There is also Huashan’s Patriarch Chen Tuan, who lived through multiple dynasties. A person of the late Tang dynasty, but lived to see the entire span of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. It is said he played chess with Zhao Kuangyin, Emperor Taizu of Song, when he was not yet recognized, winning Huashan from him as his Taoist temple. Emperor Taizong of Song revered him as Sir Xi Yi.

Chen Tuan the Patriarch is said to also be Zhang Sanfeng’s ancestral master, passing his teachings to Fire Dragon Zhenren, who later took on Zhang Sanfeng as a disciple.

In ancient Eastern traditions, the existence of longevity is not a secret but is merely part of folklore, leading many to regard it as myth."

The woman, lost in a cloud of confusion, couldn’t help but ask: "Are you telling me that the person we’re looking for holds the secret to immortality? How is that possible? Human life is finite, and as one ages, cells begin to deteriorate, leading to the decline of various organ functions. This is the natural order, and no one can defy it,

Even for those wealthy individuals privately undergoing stem cell transplant surgeries, blood transfusions, relying on various expensive medicines, it only extends their lives by a few years, so how can humans achieve immortality unless the cells are altered into a whole new species."

Just after the woman finished speaking, the white man revealed a cryptic and deep smile: "How do you know that those beings from Eastern mythology aren’t exactly that?

Immortals might be an entirely new species, and there is a saying in the East, ’Immortals and mortals are eternally separate.’"

The woman laughed: "Mr. Kuer, might you have an overly romanticized view of Eastern mythology? It’s simply impossible. If there truly are immortals in the East, then does that mean there really is a Thunder God Sol in Northern Europe, a Zeus, and an Apollo in Greece?"

"I don’t know if there are truly divine spirits in Europe, but the secrets that exist in the East far surpass your imagination. The Overseas South Scripture states: ’The undying people live to the east, their skin is black, they live long, and do not die.’ The Great Wilderness South Scripture states: ’There is a land of the undying, with the Ah Surnames and Sweet Woods as food.

The Records of Things Forgotten even documents such a story: Emperor Qin Shi was fond of immortals and had contact with the Wanqu people, who traveled aboard a spiral ship. The ship, shaped like a spiral, sank beneath the sea without water entering, also known as the ’Lunpo Ship.’ Their citizens are ten feet tall, wearing woven beast and bird feathers for covering. Emperor Qin Shi spoke with them, seeing events from when heaven and earth first formed as clearly as if witnessed in person. They said, ’Yours truly travels upon the void, traversing ten thousand miles daily. Even upon aging, observing affairs beyond heaven and earth from his seat. Our nation is 90,000 miles from Xianchi where the sun sets, with ten thousand years as a day.

The land is often cloaked in shadows and fog, but when clear skies appear, the heavens open as if cracked by clouds, radiant like the Han River. Then, black dragons and dark phoenixes descend from above night, we ignite stones to continue daylight. These stones come from Burning Mountain, glowing of their own accord, shattering when struck, appearing as millet, each grain illuminating an entire hall. The Flame Emperor once used this fire upon the invention of cooked food. Now, our people offer this stone. If a stone is thrown into a stream, it erupts in foam, flowing for dozens of miles, naming the water Jiaoyuan Valley. Our country is ten thousand miles from Xuanyuan Hill, where Shao Dian’s offspring forged a great cauldron from copper of Shoushan. Observed from afar, it was seen to emit golden fire and chaotic movement. Jubilantly watching, I saw that a saint was born in Qingdu. And indeed, Yao of Qingdu was born. Further, witnessing red clouds entering Fenghao City, I dashed to see ─ it indeed is a rare symbol of Red Finch.’ Emperor Qin Shi said, ’These are divine beings.’ This further convinced him of immortality."

Why was Emperor Qin Shi so obsessed with sending Xu Fu to sea in search of Immortal Mountain and finding the secret to immortality? With his mind as a once-in-a-lifetime emperor, he is unlikely to indulge in frivolous fantasies, seeming more likely to have witnessed something firsthand that confirmed to him that immortality and immortals truly exist, Xu Fu never returned after setting out, and everyone thinks he perished in the East Sea,

But in fact, this wasn’t the case. Xu Fu has been living all along, continuously exploring methods of immortality throughout long history, and the person in the Blood Coffin is one of his experimental subjects. From the current situation, Xu Fu’s experiment on that person regarding immortality seems to have succeeded. Do you know what this means, Tina?"

Kuer eagerly licked his lips: "The secret to immortality is right in front of us. Once we capture that person, we can analyze his blood to see what makes him different from humans, enabling us to create a mass-producible batch of immortals.

If we lay low and wait patiently, the entire world will eventually fall under our control, and the Third Councillor will become the ruler of the new world. In light of this, being at odds with the Fourth Councillor matters little."

"So that’s it." Tina finally understood, her complexion turning a rosy shade without realizing it.

Kuer’s words painted a vivid picture before her eyes, depicting the wonderful scenery of a new world.

"Mr. Kuer, the person has entered the town."

Just then, the driver steadily slowed the vehicle, and the outline of Gospel Town clearly came into view in the distance.

"Drive in, seal off the entire town, and don’t let anyone in or out until the target is captured." Kuer lowered the car window, solemnly regarding Gospel Town.

"I’ll give the order right away. Our special forces can be in position in three minutes."