Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

It was a touch as light as a dragonfly skimming the water’s surface, yet it sent giant ripples through Song Changsheng’s heart. It was almost laughable, but across two lifetimes, this was his first time.

It left him stunned, frozen to the spot.

Zhuang Yuechan, on the other hand, immediately regretted her bold move. She couldn’t believe how forward she had been, and for a moment, her thoughts were in a complete tangle.

But when she saw his dumbstruck expression, she couldn’t help but laugh. It was the first time she had ever seen him look like that.

The sight did much to ease her own embarrassment and shyness.

Hearing Zhuang Yuechan’s bell-like laughter, Song Changsheng gradually came to his senses. He immediately cursed himself internally for being so pathetic. ’It was just a kiss. How could I lose my composure over that? What a sorry performance.’

He touched his cheek, where the warmth of her lips still lingered. Intent on reclaiming his "dignity," Song Changsheng teased, "Were you so moved that you felt you had no way to repay me? Are you planning to offer yourself in marriage, Yuechan?"

At his words, Zhuang Yuechan’s newly-found composure shattered. Her lovely face flushed scarlet in an instant, resembling a ripe Water Honey Peach that made one want to take a bite.

Flustered, she quickly covered her burning cheeks. "In your dreams," she huffed.

With that, she put on her veil and fled.

’She’s just a girl, after all. So thin-skinned.’ Watching Zhuang Yuechan’s panicked retreat, Song Changsheng couldn’t help but smile. Even the foul mood from his damaged Luwu Bell had lifted considerably.

He had been in this world for nearly thirty years. He had a doting mother and grandfather, caring elders, and respectful siblings and younger clan members. They had allowed him to feel a warmth he hadn’t experienced in a long, long time.

Yet for some reason, a lingering sense of loneliness always clung to him.

That was, until the day he’d planned to follow Wum Yan’s advice and give the swaddled Lingyun away. When the baby’s cries rang out, it was as if he’d had a sudden epiphany.

Perhaps the source of his loneliness was that he didn’t have a home of his own in this world. He was like water without a source, a tree without roots.

The clan was his home, but it wasn’t a home that belonged to him alone. What he wanted was a small family of his own—a beloved wife, a few children to raise. Only then would he feel he had truly put down roots in this world.

It sounded simple, but for him, it was a luxury.

For one, as the Young Clan Leader of the Song Clan, his marriage was not his own to decide.

And in a world where people’s hearts were so treacherous, finding a companion to walk alongside, one he could trust without a doubt, was incredibly difficult.

That was why he had always been resigned to letting fate decide the matter of his marriage. It would be wonderful to find someone naturally, but if he couldn’t, he would just find a suitable power for a marriage alliance.

But now, he suddenly realized Zhuang Yuechan seemed like an excellent choice.

Her beauty went without saying; she possessed a grace that could topple nations.

Her temperament was gentle, yet she possessed an inner strength. The fact that she could help Yinn Shang manage the affairs of the City Lord’s Mansion proved she was highly capable herself.

Her talent was top-tier in the Daqi Cultivation World; otherwise, she wouldn’t have won the Great City Lord’s favor and become his youngest Direct Disciple.

In the future, they could support each other in their shared pursuit of eternal life.

Most importantly, they had known each other for years, faced death together on several occasions, and never once let the other down. And now, their feelings for each other had grown beyond mere friendship.

As things stood, there was simply no one more suitable.

The only tricky part was the rather large gap in their backgrounds. It might lead to accusations of him being a social climber.

But that was a trivial issue. If something so small could stop him, what right did he, Song Changsheng, have to pursue the Great Dao? He might as well just obediently take a few concubines and expand the clan’s bloodline, right?

"Heh." Suddenly, without any warning, Song Changsheng laughed.

’A person’s environment really can change them. I don’t know when it happened, but my views on marriage have changed. To think I’m now weighing so many factors.’

’Before, mutual affection was the only thing I cared about. But now? Now it just seems like a bonus.’

He cursed himself for being shameless, then suppressed the thought and walked over to where the Tree Demon’s main body had been turned to ash. He spread his Divine Sense and began to search.

Tree Demons were different from Demon Beasts; they didn’t have many rare Artifact Refining Materials, nor did they possess an Inner Alchemy.

However, they possessed something far more precious: the Life Origin. It was the most valuable treasure found in plant-type Spirit Monsters and had countless miraculous uses.

Finding it would be a decent reward, and he could use it to compensate Zhuang Yuechan and Xu Yunhe for their losses.

After all, he had been the one to drag them into this mess. He couldn’t let them have a tour of the Ghost Gate only to return empty-handed, could he?

Little did Song Changsheng and the others know, everything that had just transpired was witnessed in its entirety by two figures standing amidst the clouds.

Using the clouds to conceal their forms, the Drunkard smacked his lips and looked at the white-robed Cultivator beside him. "This kid’s got some real luck on his side. Even I can’t tell what level of treasure that Tai Chi Diagram is."

"To be honest, even if you hadn’t intervened, that last bolt of Celestial Thunder likely wouldn’t have threatened them. They would’ve suffered a bit, at most, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for these youngsters."

The white-robed Cultivator stood with his hands clasped behind his back, an unnatural flush on his otherwise cold face. "Since he has already found his answer," he said faintly, "the trial is over. There is no need to cause them further hardship."