The system gave me immortality, and I survived everyone

Chapter 3: The arrival of the immortal, the best water spirit root · "Are you blaming me for not saving your mother?" · Chen Changsheng spoke softly, and Li Niansheng hurriedly replied. · "No, I never blamed you!" · "When my mother died, I saw sadness and pain in your eyes." · "Since I was small, you've taken care of me like a sister. I know you too well. If you had any way to save her, you would never have just watched her die." · "My mother told me this secret right before she passed. She knew that I..." · Before Li Niansheng could finish, a bun was shoved into her mouth. · Chen Changsheng laughed. "I'll take you out to catch rabbits tomorrow. Let's drop this subject." · With that, Chen Changsheng continued to sip his porridge, seemingly unaffected by Li Niansheng’s words. · Seeing his demeanor, tears welled up in Li Niansheng’s eyes. · "Why!" · "You missed your chance once before; are you really going to do the same thing now?" · Faced with her intensity, Chen Changsheng had to set his bowl down again. He spoke in a low voice. · "I hope that the one who buries you, in the end, will be your own descendants, not me. Do you understand what I mean?" · Hearing this, Li Niansheng tightened her fists. · Eighteen years ago, before she was even born, Chen Changsheng and her mother had already been deeply in love. · Yet, eighteen years had passed, and Chen Changsheng still looked like a man of twenty. · Though she didn't know why this was, Li Niansheng knew that Chen Changsheng would live for a very, very long time. · Longer than any mortal could ever imagine. · At this thought, her lips trembled, but she forced a smile. · "Brother Changsheng is always so easy to trick. I fooled you again." · "As punishment, what are you going to give me today?" · Watching the tears slide down Li Niansheng’s cheeks, Chen Changsheng pulled a small, hand-carved wooden rabbit from his robes and handed it to her. · "This is your birthday gift." · Taking the rabbit, Li Niansheng held it tightly in her grip. · She squeezed so hard that her knuckles turned white. · "Brother Changsheng, I heard an Immortal Cultivator is coming to The Town tomorrow to select disciples. I want to try." · "Immortals live for a very long time. Maybe then I can stay by your side forever." · "Niansheng, Immortals are not as—" · "Brother Changsheng, let me be selfish just this once, will you?" · Before Chen Changsheng could finish, Li Niansheng interrupted him. · Seeing her stubborn expression, Chen Changsheng nodded. "Fine. Everything as you wish." · Having secured his answer, Li Niansheng stood up. · "I’m going back now. Brother Changsheng, make sure you go out and soak up some sun when you have the time. Don't always spend your days lying in that coffin." · She turned to leave, but paused at the threshold. · "Brother Changsheng, have you ever heard the saying: 'A person is trapped for a lifetime by the things they could not possess in their youth'?" · "By doing this, are you not just adding a set of shackles to yourself?" · Once the words left her lips, she vanished. · Chen Changsheng stared in the direction she had disappeared for a long time without a word. As for what was in his heart, no one knew. · Whoosh! · A Yellow Talisman erupted in a blinding golden light above The Town. · Bathed in this brilliance, the plague that had shrouded the settlement was quickly dispelled. · The townspeople were overflowing with gratitude for the miraculous display of the Immortal Cultivator. · Yet, faced with their thanks, the woman standing upon her Flying Sword remained aloof, keeping everyone at a distance. · With a flick of her right hand, a giant boulder the size of a man appeared from her ring and crashed into the ground, sending spiderweb cracks rippling across the pavement. · "Those under sixteen who seek the Dao may come forward to test their Immortal Destiny." · It was a short sentence, but it sent the entire town into a frenzy. · If imperial power and bureaucracy were heights commoners could only dream of, then the Immortals were something they didn't even dare to imagine. · To become an Immortal meant not only an end to hunger, but escape from the cycle of reincarnation, and the attainment of absolute freedom. · Even an Emperor on his throne would have to bow before a legendary Immortal! · Soon, everyone in town brought their children to test their Immortal Destiny. · Alas, Immortal Destiny was not as common as cabbage at the market. Most of the town's children were tested, but only a handful managed to make the boulder glow, and even then, the light was extremely dim. · After a long wait, Li Niansheng finally reached the boulder. · As she gently placed her hand on the stone, it suddenly emitted a dazzling blue light. · Seeing this, the woman who had been hovering in the air appeared instantly beside Li Niansheng, carefully assessing her constitution. · "A Supreme Grade Water Spirit Root, indeed." · Once the woman confirmed her constitution, she spoke with excitement through her veil. · "Girl, are you willing to take me as your master?" · Li Niansheng had been happy at first to be chosen, but her smile didn't last long; she quickly grew hesitant. · The woman didn't rush her. She was all too familiar with how mortals reacted when they first stumbled upon Immortal Destiny—they were often filled with conflicting emotions, most notably an inability to let go of their earthly attachments. · "Are you worried about your family?" · Li Niansheng looked up. "Immortal, if I take you as my master, can I come back?" · "Of course. Once you have completed your studies, you will be free to descend the mountain." · "Also, here are some things you may give to your family." · With that, the woman retrieved a parcel from her spatial ring and handed it to her. · Li Niansheng was confused. "Immortal, what is in this?" · "You will know once you open it at home. You have one hour to settle your affairs. I will take you with me when the hour is up." · Looking at the parcel, the familiar face surfaced in her mind. · Li Niansheng bowed. "Thank you, Immortal. Please, allow me to attend to some trivial matters." · She turned and left. · Watching her back, the woman’s eyes narrowed. · She had encountered people who refused to leave before. For the mediocre, it didn't matter, but a Supreme Grade Water Spirit Root was truly rare. · If she hadn't happened to pass through and made a spur-of-the-moment decision, her sect would have missed out on this heaven-sent opportunity. · Such an opportunity must not be squandered. · The Coffin Shop. · Chen Changsheng was half-reclined in a coffin, reading the Funerary Sutra, when Li Niansheng walked in, biting her lip. · Looking at his face, a faint, small voice escaped her. · "Brother Changsheng, the Immortal wants to take me as her disciple." · [END]