Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

As soon as the disciple finished speaking, the tense atmosphere in the meeting hall instantly vanished, replaced by a dead silence. Liu Hongye, whose head had been bowed, snapped it up at that moment.

"Someone from the Song Clan is here? What are they here for?"

"It can’t be to deliver a declaration of war, can it?"

"Could it be a ploy to lure us out?"

Seeing the guesses grow more and more absurd, Liu Hongye took a deep breath and said in a heavy voice, "Silence!

"We’ll know the purpose of the Song Clan’s visit once we see them. Anyone with the courage, follow me down the mountain."

With that said, he was the first to rise and leave.

Following close behind him were Liu Hongyan and two other Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the Liu Clan.

Xia Aii and the last person remaining in the hall exchanged a glance and, in the end, followed as well.

The group exited the meeting hall. Down at the mountain gate, a strikingly handsome young cultivator in a white, moon-patterned robe stood with an air of aloof pride. The Sect Protection Array was already active, and the Liuyun Sect cultivators were on high alert, as if facing a formidable foe.

Seeing this, Liu Hongye couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. ’The Liuyun Sect has become like a flock of startled birds. The Song Clan only sent a single person, yet we’re putting on such a display. We’re just making a fool of ourselves for no reason.’

Waving for the others to relax, he walked to the mountain gate alone and cupped his hands slightly. "So, it is Elder Chang’an who has graced us with his presence. To what do we owe the honor?"

Song Chang’an said nothing, merely flicking his hand and sending out a streak of light.

Liu Hongye caught it calmly, discovering it to be a purple invitation with gold foil stamping.

Just then, Song Chang’an spoke in a flat tone, "On the seventh day of the second lunar month, a Purple Mansion Grand Ceremony will be held on Vast Mist Peak. If Sect Leader Liu has the time, you may come to observe the rite. I will take my leave now!"

With that, he cupped his hands once more and left directly via Sword Control. He had many more such invitations in his robe and no time to waste on them.

"How dare the Song Clan be so insolent!" A flash of anger appeared in Liu Hongyan’s eyes. ’Is this how you extend an invitation? They’re simply looking down on us.’

Liu Hongye, however, tucked the invitation into his wide sleeve with a solemn expression and sighed. "In the past, this would indeed be insolent. But now, we should be grateful that the Song Clan is even willing to send us an invitation.

"There are many such invitations, but not a single one will be sent to the Martial Spirit Sect. That is the difference.

"The fact that we can still receive an invitation means the Song Clan doesn’t yet see us as a thorn in their side. There is still room for de-escalation between us. This is an opportunity the Song Clan has given us: either be ground to dust in resistance or submit at their feet."

From the moment he learned that Song Xianming had broken through to the Purple Mansion realm, Liu Hongye already had his answer. But he had been waiting—waiting to see the Song Clan’s attitude.

Fortunately, the Song Clan had no intention of wiping them out completely, leaving them with a choice.

Liu Hongyan and the others fell silent upon hearing this. As unwilling as they were to accept it, this was the situation they now faced.

"Prepare a generous gift. On the seventh day of the second lunar month, we will go to Vast Mist Peak." Leaving these words behind, Liu Hongye flicked his sleeve and departed, leaving the others to their sorrow in the wind...

Song Changsheng didn’t know how the Liuyun Sect would choose. He was busy right now. Very, very busy.

There were many things to prepare for the Purple Mansion Grand Ceremony, and the invitations were of utmost importance. Deciding who needed to be sent one, who didn’t, and who would be the one to deliver it—all of this was a science in itself.

Although Song Chang’an delivered most of the invitations, his deliveries were limited to the Foundation Establishment Influences and Loose Cultivators on good terms with the Song Clan. For the others, Song Chang’an’s status was not yet sufficient.

These required Song Changsheng, the Young Clan Leader, to go in person.

Nearby was the Wang Clan of the Wutong Mountain Range. As a staunch ally of the Song Clan, after careful consideration, Song Changsheng decided to go in person to show his respect.

After that came the Xiang Province Rong Clan, the Lin Province Huansha Sect, the Hel Province Demon Suppression Hall, the Xuu Province Celestial Sword Sect, and the Meng Province Hundred Herbs Hall. Song Changsheng personally visited and delivered invitations to all the Purple Mansion Influences in the Daqi Cultivation World, with the sole exception of the Lieyang Sect.

Some of these powers had dealings with the Song Clan, and some did not. But familiar or not, the invitations had to be delivered. To not deliver one was to be ignorant of etiquette; for them to receive one and not attend was their own breach of decorum.

No one would mind having one more friend. In any case, on the surface, everyone acted courteously, patting their chests and promising they would definitely attend.

Besides these few major powers, Song Changsheng also made a special trip to Nine Swords Mountain to invite Yuann Tianshu.

Song Changsheng did not invite any other Purple Mansion Independent Cultivators. After all, one learns from the mistakes of the past; the tragedy of the Hundred Herbs Hall was still fresh in his mind, so he had to be more careful.

Finally, there were the three Golden Core Major Sects.

Following established custom, Song Changsheng made trips to the Golden Crow Sect and the Celestial Vein Sect. He didn’t know if they would come, but he had fulfilled the proper etiquette.

He intentionally saved Luoxia City for last. After all, the relationship between the Song Clan and Luoxia City was ultimately different from the other two.

Not only did he pay his respects to the Great City Lord, but he also paid individual visits to Zhan Tianxia, Elder Xiao, Bai Zhengchun, and Shen Qingxiu, handing each of them an invitation.

It was a pity that Yinn Shang and Niu Dazhuang were still campaigning in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, and Zhuang Yuechan was also in seclusion. The only person he saw was his nominal senior brother, Xing Zhao.

After completing his round of visits, Song Changsheng looked at the two remaining invitations in his hand and sighed softly. One was for Xu Yunhe, who had entered the Hundred Thousand Mountains with the Allied Army; even Luoxia City couldn’t find him.

The other was for Little Fatty Zhu Yiqun. There was even less to say about him—no one had seen a trace of him for years. Song Changsheng didn’t even know if he was dead or alive.

Tucking the two invitations safely into his robe, Song Changsheng returned to the clan.

In order to deliver the invitations, he had run all over the entire Daqi Cultivation World, not daring to delay for a moment along the way. By the time he returned to the clan, it was almost the second month.

With less than ten days until the seventh, the entire Song Clan was decorated with lanterns and colorful banners. The atmosphere grew increasingly festive, and everyone was beaming with joy—all except for one person, who stood on the edge of a broken cliff, staring blankly at the distant white clouds.

That person was Song Qingxi. For three years now, every time she returned to the clan, she would come to Luoyue Cliff to stand for a while. She was fulfilling a promise, and she was also waiting for someone.

The sun sank in the west, and its fading light stretched Song Qingxi’s shadow long and thin.

Xia Yunxue watched Song Qingxi’s back from a distance and sighed deeply. ’From ancient times to the present, only the matter of "love" is the most difficult to understand. Even I don’t know how to console her.’

Little Lingyun, at her side, stared wide-eyed as Song Qingxi was gradually swallowed by the encroaching darkness. He tugged on Xia Yunxue’s hand and asked in a childish, milky voice, "Grandma, why isn’t Big Sister coming home?"

Gently ruffling the little one’s soft hair, Xia Yunxue explained softly, "Because she’s waiting for someone."

"Waiting for someone? Is it for that Big Brother she talks about?" the little one asked, his eyes wide with innocence.

"Yun’Er is so smart." Xia Yunxue smiled faintly and, as if by magic, produced a piece of dried fruit and held it out to him.

Little Lingyun happily took it and stuffed it into his mouth, mumbling with his words slurred, "Where did that Big Brother go? Why doesn’t he come back? Doesn’t he miss home? When Yun’Er is at school, I really miss home."

Xia Yunxue bent down, picked Lingyun up, and turned to face the direction of the setting sun, saying nothing.

She didn’t know where the child who had left home was now, nor did she know why he hadn’t returned. But she believed he must miss home; he was probably just unable to come back for some special reason.

She firmly believed that the wandering son would eventually come home...

「On the morning of the seventh day of the second lunar month.」

The weather was clear and sunny. White clouds dotted the sky, drifting with the wind.

Atop Vast Mist Peak, a bell tolled eighteen times, its dull, heavy chimes spreading out in all directions.

Nearly all the Song Clan disciples who were away had rushed back to the clan. Guided by the tolling of the bell, they, dressed in uniform robes, hurried to their various posts according to their assigned duties.

The seventh day of the second lunar month—a day all Song Clan Members would remember for the rest of their lives.

"Open the mountain gate!"

Following Song Xianyun’s powerful, resonant shout, the mountain gate at the foot of Vast Mist Peak slowly opened. A contingent of Song Clan Members, led by Song Changsheng, began to welcome the guests from various powers.

The Purple Mansion Grand Ceremony had officially begun!

...