A second life, An Eternal journey to Immortality

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After completing the Longevity Technique, and the body Refining Technique, he immersed himself in dreams, trying to draw fireball talismans, or practice fireball spells and other spells.

Jiang Cheng once again lived a regular life, one line at two o'clock every day.

Time passes like this day by day, and the days are dull but fulfilling.

Occasionally, I will draw the water blade talisman to keep the water blade talisman on my body sufficient.

Setting up a stall every day, I came into contact with many monks, not only customers, but also some monks who set up stalls together.

In addition to communicating with Taoist Yan next door from time to time,

Two months passed in quiet routine. Jiang Cheng practiced talisman crafting, honed his spells, and ran his stall. He occasionally chatted with Taoist Yan and gathered bits of information about the world. But life in Puchan Town remained simple—until one night at the Drunken Immortal pavilion.

In the Drunken Immortal Pavilion one of the most famous teahouses in Puchan Town's inner city,

A magnificent building the waiters caming in and out, The tables were made of dark mahogany, their surfaces polished to a mirror-like sheen. Each table was adorned with a small vase of spirit orchids, their petals glowing faintly with a soft, ethereal light.

The walls were decorated with intricate tapestries depicting legendary cultivators and mythical beasts, their threads shimmering with embedded spirit stones that caught the light.

The air was filled with the gentle clinking of porcelain cups and the low hum of conversation. Occasionally, a burst of laughter would rise above the murmur, echoing through the spacious hall.

In the corner, a zither player plucked at the strings of their instrument, the notes weaving through the room like a gentle breeze. The melody was soothing, yet carried an undercurrent of spiritual energy that seemed to resonate with the patrons.

Jiang Cheng sat in a quiet corner, savoring the warmth of a cup of spirit-infused tea. The air was thick with the aroma of roasted spirit nuts and aged wine, the gentle hum of conversation weaving through the cozy space.

Across from him, Old Man Liu stretched lazily, rubbing his graying beard. "Two months, and you still haven't gotten sick of this tea? I thought you'd have moved on to something stronger by now."

Jiang Cheng smirked. "Not everyone drinks like you, Old Liu. Some of us prefer to keep our heads clear."

"Bah!" Old Liu waved a dismissive hand. "A clear head is overrated. Besides, this place has the best wine in Puchan Town. You should try it at least once."

Jiang Cheng shook his head but said nothing. The two of them sat in comfortable silence, listening to the chatter around them.

The teahouse was packed as usual, a mix of merchants, rogue cultivators, and local sect disciples gathered around, exchanging stories and news.

Then, the door creaked open, and a figure stumbled inside.

The Drunken Gourd Immortal , as he was affectionately called, was a well-known casual Foundation Establishment cultivator in Puchan Town. His real name was lost to most—people simply called him Old Gourd because of the oversized wine gourd he carried everywhere. A man of unshakable cheer, he was rarely seen sober and even more rarely seen angry.

Tonight was no different. His robes were slightly disheveled, his cheeks flushed with drink, and his steps wobbly but steady enough that he never truly fell. He plopped down at a nearby table and waved a hand at the waiter.

"More wine! And food! Lots of food! I drink, therefore I eat!" he declared, slurring slightly, much to the amusement of those around him.

As he was halfway through his meal, a table of young cultivators near the center of the room caught his attention.

you don't understand," one of them, a cocky-looking youth, said. "Puchan Town is the largest settlement in the Periphery! Beyond it is only wilderness and a few scattered families ."

Another nodded. "The world is vast, you don't know what out there.

Old Gourd, mid-bite, suddenly burst into laughter. A loud, unrestrained, belly-shaking laugh that made his entire table shake.

Jiang Cheng had just lifted his teacup, savoring the warmth, when a sudden, thunderous lougher exploded through the teahouse like a spirit beast's roar. Jiang Cheng was Startled by the voice, His instincts kicked in before his brain could process the situation. he was about to blast Old Liu in front of him with a water blade talisman in fright fortunately he held his hand back.

Old Gourd hiccupped, wiped his mouth, and leaned back in his chair, a grin on his face.

You little frogs… sitting at the bottom of a well, thinking the sky above is the whole world."

The teahouse fell silent, all eyes turning to the drunken Foundation Establishment cultivator. Even Jiang Cheng found himself leaning forward, intrigued.

One of the young cultivators frowned. Senior, what do you mean?"

Old Gourd let out a chuckle, then leaned forward, lowering his voice as if revealing a great secret. "You think Puchan Town is big, That it's the center of civilization? Bah! This is just a speck, the last outpost before the unknown."

A few of the young monks exchanged uncertain glances. One scoffed. "Senior, you're exaggerating. Beyond the town is only the Endless Monster Mountains. We all know that."

Old Gourd slammed his gourd onto the table, making several cups rattle. "And do you know what lies beyond the Endless Monster Mountains?"

Silence.

Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes. This was what he had been seeking—true knowledge of the world.

Seeing the room's anticipation, Old Gourd grinned and raised a finger. "The Endless Mountains are exactly that—endless. They stretch from one edge of the Eastern Continent to the other, splitting the land in two. For thousands of years, even Golden Core true lords have ventured in and never returned."

A murmur ran through the room.

A cautious voice piped up. "But… isn't the Eastern Continent the entire world?"

Old Gourd burst into laughter, slapping his knee. "Hah! You think this continent is all there is? This continent is vast, but it's only one part of the world. Beyond the Endless Sea, there are lands we cannot even imagine. Realms where cultivators walk the skies like immortals, where ancient beings slumber beneath the waves, where entire cities are built on the backs of spirit beasts the size of mountains!"

The teahouse was completely silent now.

Old Gourd sighed, taking another long drink. His voice turned somber. "And even here, in this half continent, we are nothing. There are Nascent Soul Sects that rule entire domains—not towns, not cities, but vast territories hundreds of thousands of miles wide or millions . Each domain ruled by a Nascent Soul ancestor whose strength could shatter mountains with a flick of their sleeve, this is just the half we are in. There is other half...

One of the listeners swallowed hard. "Nascent Soul ancestors… like the Taiyi Sect?"

Old Gourd nodded. " Yes . The Taiyi Sect rules the Taiyi Domain, bordering the Endless Monster Mountains. They are the guardians of the frontier, their Taiyi Heavenly Scripture allowing their disciples to harmonize with the nine elements. But they are not the only ones."

He raised a finger. "The Golden Snake Sect, masters of taming monstrous beasts, ruling the Monster Taming Domain."

Another finger. "The Everfrost Sect, lords of the Frostveil Domain, where even the rivers freeze with spiritual energy."

A third. "The Scarlet Moon Sect, rulers of the Bloodshade Domain, masters of forbidden blood arts."

The tension in the room was thick.

Jiang Cheng felt his heart pound. He had known the world was vast, but this…

Old Gourd sighed again, shaking his head. "And these are just the domains I know of. There are others. Hidden sects, lost legacies, places so ancient that even Nascent Soul ancestors dare not tread." He took another long sip of wine before muttering, almost to himself, "Even the greatest sects of today are nothing before the true powers hidden in history…"

A young monk gulped. "Then… why don't these great sects rule everything?"

Old Gourd's expression darkened. "Because even Nascent Souls have things they fear. The world is not as simple as you think." He hesitated, then added, "There are things older than sects. Older than history itself."

The room was deathly silent.

Then, as if the weight of his words was too much, Old Gourd suddenly laughed and waved a hand dismissively. "But bah! What does it matter? Whether we live in a great sect's domain or a little market town, in the end, all we really need is good food and strong drink!"

Laughter erupted, breaking the tension.

Old Gourd groaned as he picked himself up from his sit . He looked around at the stunned faces of the juniors, their eyes still burning with excitement from all the secrets he had just spilled. The weight of his mistake fully settled in.

His drunken mind scrambled for a solution. And then—brilliance struck.

He straightened his posture, smoothed out his robe, and put on the most dignified, righteous expression he could muster. He clasped his hands behind his back and nodded solemnly.

"Ahem." He cleared his throat. "Well… I wasn't actually supposed to tell you all that."

Silence.

The juniors leaned forward expectantly, waiting for some kind of retraction, some clarification.

Instead, Old Gourd gave them a wise, knowing look and declared with absolute sincerity:

"Forget everything that happened tonight."

Silence stretched for a long, awkward moment.

Old Gourd nodded sagely. "Yes. Forget. Wipe it from your minds. It never happened." He made a vague mystical gesture with his hands, as if casting a mind-erasing spell. Poof. Gone.

Then he fly away swaying with the wind.

After Old Gourd's dramatic exit, the teahouse erupted into laughter and chatter, the tension of his revelations dissipating like smoke. Jiang Cheng sat back in his seat, his teacup forgotten. His mind raced with the images Old Gourd had painted—vast domains, Nascent Soul ancestors, and ancient powers hidden in the shadows.

He glanced at Old Liu, who was already pouring himself another cup of wine, seemingly unbothered by the weight of the conversation. "Do you think he was telling the truth?" Jiang Cheng asked quietly.

Old Liu shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Truth or not, it makes for a good story. But if you ask me, the world's always been bigger than Puchan Town. Whether you're ready to face it is another matter."

Jiang Cheng nodded slowly, his gaze drifting to the window, where the moon hung high in the sky. For the first time in months, the quiet routine of his life felt… small. And yet, the thought of stepping into that vast, unknown world filled him with both excitement and dread