A second life, An Eternal journey to Immortality

Liu Ying steps forward, her eyes steady with resolve despite the lingering tension in the air. She takes a deep breath before speaking, her voice soft yet unwavering:

"I understand, Brother Jiang. I don't care about why you rescued me—what matters is that you did. All I know is that you saved me, and that's enough for me. I don't care about justice or any of that lofty talk. I just want to be with you, like we've always been these past months as a mentor and a friend."

Jiang Cheng's hearty smile spread across his face as he repeated, "Good, good, good!" three times, his voice warm and resolute. With a gentle, almost tender gesture, he brushed Liu Ying's silver hair aside, his eyes glinting with a mix of determination and rare affection.

"fellow Daoist , Let's walk this path together, side by side, until the very end."

Liu Ying's eyes twinkled as she returned his smile. "Yes, fellow Daoist," she replied softly, her voice filled with quiet determination.

...

After a few moment of expressing their feelings Jiang Cheng's eyes widened as he took in the breathtaking yet eerie landscape. Towering mountains encircled them, and the distant, haunting voices of monsters echoed through the air. Startled, he turned to Liu Ying and asked, "Girl, where did you send us?"

Liu Ying's eyes darted around in panic as the eerie echoes filled the air. Her voice trembled as she replied, "I don't know—I just kept teleporting toward the mountains until we arrived here."

Jiang Cheng pulled a tattered map from his space bag and studied it intently. With a sudden burst, he leaped high into the air, scanning the landscape for any sign of danger. Landing lightly, he turned to Liu Ying and declared, "We should head west to get out of here. It seems Puchan Town is nearby, so we don't have to worry."

Liu Ying let out a relieved sigh.

Jiang Cheng though for a moment then added . "Let meditate for a bit to restore our spiritual energy,"

Then They both settled down in the quiet spot, the only sound the gentle rustle of wind, and entered a deep, silent meditation.

After an hour of meditation, Jiang Cheng and Liu Ying were back to their peak, silently moving through the terrain. They stuck close to each other, eyes darting nervously as they tiptoed through the eerie landscape.

Liu Ying, unable to hold back her curiosity, looked at Jiang Cheng, who was practically glued to her side. "Brother Jiang, are you... afraid here?" she asked, her voice teasingly .

Jiang Cheng froze for a split second, then quickly backed away, clearing his throat. "Afraid? Me? No! Don't spout nonsense, little girl!" he said, trying to look casual but glancing nervously around. "I'm just... uh, being cautious! That's all!" He gave a wild glance at the shadows in the distance, his eyes widening.

Liu Ying raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you sticking to me like a shadow?"

Jiang Cheng's face turned slightly red. "I'm just... saving energy! It's more efficient this way!" He waved his hand shamelessly , but his posture had already shifted into full-on 'defensive mode' as he instinctively sidestepped closer to her again. "You know, safety in numbers, right?"

Liu Ying smirked, amused by his antics. "Right, Brother Jiang. Safety in numbers," she said, playing along. "Just... don't trip over your own feet, okay?"

Jiang Cheng grinned, trying to reassure himself. "Don't worry, with this young master here, nothing will hap—"

Before he could finish, A small white rabbit hopped out from behind a bush.

Jiang Cheng's pupils shrank to pinpoints. "AMBUSH!"

Jiang Cheng's heart leaped into his throat, and without a second thought, he hurled two Piercing Wind Talismans at the creature.

Boom! Boom!

The talismans exploded, sending a bloody mist into the air as the rabbit vanished.

Liu Ying blinked, her face frozen in disbelief. "_"

"Brother Jiang... it's just a rabbit," she said, speechless.

Jiang Cheng, trying to maintain his composure, quickly cleared his throat . "Did you see that? That was a poisonous black mamba! If it weren't for me, you'd be dead by now."

He glanced at Liu Ying smugly, completely ignoring the rabbit part. "You're welcome."

Liu Ying, still trying to process what had just happened, looked at him with a deadpan expression. "Yes, you're right, Brother Jiang. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead."

Jiang Cheng nodded, satisfied with her response, and continued walking like nothing had happened, his chest puffed out a little more.

After a few minutes of cautious walking, Liu Ying suddenly paused, her eyes narrowing as she looked around . "Brother Jiang, follow me. I feel... something calling me in that direction," she said, pointing to her right.

Jiang Cheng blinked, looking around in confusion. "I don't feel anything," he said, scratching his head. "What's going on?"

Liu Ying's eyes gleamed with excitement. "I don't know... I just feel like there's an opportunity over there."

Jiang Cheng's heart sank, and he cursed inwardly. The dog author's at it again, throwing opportunities like candy at children. She's barely started, and already treasures are calling her! His jealousy was practically bubbling up to the surface.

He took a deep breath, trying to suppress his envy, and gave Liu Ying a forced smile. "Alright, let's go take a look, then."

But inside, he was fuming, thinking, What's next? Is she going to trip over an ancient artifact on the way there? A sword that chooses her as its master?

...

As they made their way up the winding mountain path, the rustling of leaves overhead caused Jiang Cheng to stiffen. His eyes darted upward, hand instinctively brushing against his space bag.

A small squirrel scurried across a branch, pausing to nibble on something.

Liu Ying glanced over suppressing her lougher. She leaned in slightly and whispered, "Careful, Brother Jiang. That squirrel might have a hidden blade."

Jiang Cheng exhaled sharply, relaxing, but only slightly. Looking around cautiously.

"You joke," he muttered, "but this world is full of strange beasts. Who's to say that squirrel isn't part of some covert rodent sect?"

The squirrel twitched its nose, staring back at him.

Liu Ying clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. "The Bladepaw Clan, perhaps?"

Jiang Cheng shook his head and quickened his pace. "Laugh now... until you wake up with a knife-wielding squirrel standing on your chest."

Behind them, The squirrel pauses. Stares at him.

Jiang Cheng: "Look at its eyes! It's planning something!"

Liu Ying: "__"

....

As they carefully avoided a few low-level monsters, Jiang Cheng and Liu Ying eventually arrived at the foot of a towering mountain. Liu Ying, her eyes sharp, suddenly stopped near a secluded spot on the left. "Here," she said, pointing to a patch of grass and thorns covering the ground.

Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow, but they both knelt down, clearing the thorns and grass away. To their surprise, they uncovered a hole in the earth, about two meters wide, hidden in plain sight. The dense vegetation had concealed it so well that no one would have noticed it unless they were actively looking.

With a mixture of curiosity and caution, they peered deeper into the hole. Their eyes widened in shock. Below them, nestled in the depths, was a beautiful cave with a serene little lake in the center. Surrounding the lake was a lush carpet of vibrant green grass, dotted with delicate wildflowers that swayed gently in the wind, their petals painted in hues of pink, purple, and gold. Further in, two towering trees stood side by side, their energies radiating so strongly that even from this distance, Jiang Cheng could feel the pulse of both Yang and Yin energy.

Jiang Cheng quickly pulled out the notebook he had purchased from Qinglin Pavilion and flipped through the pages until he found the entries on the trees.

"The one on the right," he began, "is the Yang Qi Tree." He stared at the tree, its golden leaves shimmering in the soft light from the cave's inner fire. "This tree bears fruits called Sunspire Orbs. They're said to rapidly nourish Yang energy within cultivators, especially males. Consuming them boosts vitality and helps males reach the peak of Qi Refining. It's said that the first time you eat one, your strength surges."

Liu Ying nodded, captivated by the description. Jiang Cheng's eyes then moved to the tree on the left.

"And here," he continued, "we have the Yin Qi Tree." The tree's silvery leaves glowed softly, casting an ethereal light as though kissed by the moon itself. "The fruit of this tree is called Moonshadow Pearls. These are especially beneficial for females, enhancing Yin energy and promoting spiritual harmony. Consuming them helps females refine their spiritual energy and progress faster through the higher levels of Qi Refining."

Liu Ying looked between the two trees, her expression both awed and thoughtful. "So, these fruits... they could help us grow even stronger?"

Jiang Cheng nodded solemnly, but his eyes darted around like a paranoid . "Yes, but remember, nothing in this world is free. Not even the air we breathe. And definitely not this magical glowing fruit. The Dog Author doesn't just hand out rewards without some kind of trap or life threatening challenge. Trust me, I've read the script.

He looked at her and said "little girl. You need to experience the danger of society before the author reward comes"

Liu Ying tilted her head, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Brother Jiang, who's this 'Dog Author' you keep talking about?"

Jiang Cheng, still peering around cautiously and eyeing the trees as if they might suddenly sprout a plot twist, he looked at her and said " the Author is slightly sadistic entity who controls our lives, writes our dialogue, and gets a little too much joy out of putting us in Dangerous situations.

Liu Ying blinked, her expression blank. "So... like fate?"

Jiang Cheng snorted, standing up and brushing dirt off his robes. "Fate? No, no. Fate is classy. you know, the Dog Author is like that one elder in the sect who's been stuck at the Nascent Soul stage for 500 years and takes out his frustration on everyone else.

Liu Ying frowned, still not quite getting it. " I don't Quite Understand"

Jiang Cheng waved his hands. "Don't question it! Just accept that our lives are basically a poorly written web novel, and I'm the extra who's only here to make you look good before I inevitably get killed off for 'emotional growth.'"

Liu Ying's eyes softened, and she took a step toward him. "Brother Jiang, you're not just an extra to me. You're important!"

Jiang Cheng raised a hand in panic. "Stop. Not another word! I've read the death flags! Once you say 'you're important to me,' the Dog Author sharpens his pen. Next thing you know, I'm coughing blood and giving you my family's secret cultivation manual while you promise to avenge me!"

Liu Ying: "Brother Jiang, you don't even have a family cultivation manual."

Jiang Cheng, eyes darting around: "That's exactly what an extra would say before dying!"

Liu Ying: "__"

Before Liu Ying could respond, Jiang Cheng swiftly pulled out two talismans and flung them into the cave.

Boom! Boom!

The ground shook as the explosions echoed through the cave. In the next instant, two giant poisonous spiders, each the size of a water tank, leapt from the shadows where the talismans had struck. Their dark, chitinous bodies glistened with venom, and their many eyes gleamed with a sinister light.

Jiang Cheng's face darkened. "I knew it! How could the Dog Author let us off so easily?"

He turned to Liu Ying with a face full of righteous indignation. "See? If we had just jumped in like you wanted, those monsters would've chased after me like their long-lost father and completely ignored you!"

Liu Ying stared at him, deadpan. "…Brother Jiang, do you think maybe it's because you look tastier?"

Jiang Cheng choked on his words, then coughed loudly to cover it up. "Nonsense! This is called experience and wisdom from reading a lot of novels ! Remember, little girl, wisdom!"

Liu Ying was stunned by his logical nonsense that she was speechless and couldn't say anything more to refute him.

So she turned to look at those Giant spiders and asked. "so what should we do with those monsters how can we kill them without sacrificing you brother Jiang". Saying it laughing at him.

Jiang Cheng's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot. He shot her a glare. "Little girl, you're getting bold, huh? Sacrifice me? In your dreams!"

Liu Ying giggled, covering her mouth, but her eyes were full of mischief.

Jiang Cheng snorted, then rubbed his chin as he studied the spiders. "Hmph, we don't need to fight head-on. These beasts might be fierce, but I… am smarter!"

Jiang Cheng's eyes gleamed like a mad scientist. "We unleash the most ancient and forbidden technique… Wealth Erosion Style!"

Liu Ying blinked. "What's that?"

Jiang Cheng's eyes gleamed. "We throw talismans… and keep throwing until they die!"

Liu Ying: "…"

Author : "__"