"When the Host lives long enough, you will discover that nothing in this world remains constant forever. Such is the way of Heaven, and so it is with people."
"Hah! The System sure has a way with words, spouting profound wisdom one line after another," Chen Changsheng chuckled to himself. He stood up, glanced at the first light of dawn breaking on the horizon, casually stamped out the campfire, and continued his journey south.
When a person possesses a near-boundless lifespan, aside from becoming exceedingly cautious, they also risk being consumed by profound boredom. To combat this utter tedium, Chen Changsheng had set a small goal for himself: to check on Niansheng and see if she was doing well.
Yet, in pursuing this goal, he discovered another passion: learning. Whenever he encountered a trade that piqued his interest, he would stop and spend a few years mastering it. Over these twenty years, he had been a beggar, sold tofu, and even learned the craft of brewing. But among all these trades, his favorite and most skilled remained the complete funeral service package.
The reason was simple. Unlike every other profession, even begging involved territorial disputes. The coffin business, however, was far more peaceful. Thieves wouldn't steal them, bandits wouldn't rob them. Whether you were a high official, a noble, or even royalty, everyone ended up enclosed within these few planks of wood eventually.
Furthermore, his skill in geomancy—selecting auspicious burial sites—had skyrocketed. Others relied solely on theoretical knowledge from books; whether it worked or not was anyone's guess. But Chen Changsheng was different. After arranging a burial, he could slowly observe the subsequent fortunes of the family. His longest observation period spanned five years.
It was precisely this stop-and-go approach that meant Chen Changsheng had covered only three thousand li in twenty years.
...
Linglong Town
Watching figures flitting across the sky above from time to time, Chen Changsheng clicked his tongue. "No wonder that woman looked so disdainful when I said I'd visit. It took me fifty years in total to get here. An ordinary person, if unlucky, would be hard-pressed to even live to fifty."
After a brief lament about time's relentlessness, he began searching the town for a suitable shopfront. This town lay at the foot of the Linglong Sect's mountain and was a frequent haunt for low-level cultivators and the sect's servants.
His original plan had been to infiltrate the Linglong Sect to check on Niansheng. But upon arriving in Linglong Town, he abandoned the idea. Tales of Li Niansheng were widespread within a hundred li of the Linglong Sect.
A once-in-a-millennium genius had emerged in the Linglong Sect. She had reached the peak of the Golden Core realm in just fifty years since entering the sect. Her astounding talent had even stirred the Sect Leader, who had been in prolonged seclusion. Facing such a heaven-chosen talent, countless young elites vied for her attention, hoping to become her cultivation partner.
Yet, in response to all these talents, Li Niansheng had only one consistent reply: "All of you combined are not worth a single Changsheng."
Over time, Li Niansheng became known in the cultivation world as the purest cultivator, for her obsession with longevity (长生, Chángshēng) was unmatched.
In stark contrast to Li Niansheng's dazzling prominence, Chen Changsheng's presence was practically negligible. No one in Linglong Town noticed the opening of a tiny coffin shop in the most remote corner of the town, a place so small it could only fit two or three coffins.
...
"Is anyone here?"
A small, shaved head peeked cautiously into the coffin shop.
Hearing the noise, a figure swished upright from inside a coffin. The little monk was so startled he jumped back. Only after confirming the person was alive did he pat his chest to calm his racing heart.
"Benefactor, why are you lying in a coffin? Coffins are for the dead."
Looking at the little monk's serious expression, Chen Changsheng smiled. He had run this coffin shop for three years with almost no customers. If it weren't for him growing and selling some low-level spirit herbs on the side, the shop would have closed down long ago.
"Little monk, you're not quite right about that," Chen Changsheng said. "Whether mortal or cultivator, everyone meets their end. Since that's the case, why should the living scorn their final resting place?"
The little monk tilted his head, considering this, then clasped his hands together. "Amitabha! Thank you for the guidance, Benefactor. This little monk was attached to the form."
"Heh. For a little guy, you're quite perceptive." Chen Changsheng jumped out of the coffin and ruffled the little monk's smooth, round head. "So, little monk, what brings you to my coffin shop?"
The little monk lowered his head. "Recently, the Tianfo Temple and the Linglong Sect joined forces to subdue a wicked demonic cultivator. He refused to surrender unto death and was... executed by a Linglong Sect elder. Although that benefactor committed many evils, this little monk cannot bear to see him exposed in the wilderness. I wish to buy a coffin to give him a proper burial."
Hearing this, Chen Changsheng clicked his tongue. "Do you have money? I'm running a business here; I can't operate at a loss."
"I have prepared the payment." The little monk took three medium-grade spirit stones from his storage pouch and offered them to Chen Changsheng.
Looking at the valuable stones, Chen Changsheng smiled and took only one. "One medium-grade spirit stone buys the best all-inclusive service I offer. When can we depart?"
"Now, please. If we delay any longer, that benefactor's body will begin to rot."
Accepting the request, Chen Changsheng left with the little monk without hesitation. As for the coffin shop... he didn't even bother to lock the door. The shop only contained two ordinary coffins. Anyone with a shred of sense wouldn't bother stealing them.
...
The Wilderness
Led by the little monk, Chen Changsheng finally saw the so-called demonic cultivator. In death, he was no different from any other dead mortal. If one had to point out a difference, it was that half of his face had been completely shattered.
Seeing this, Chen Changsheng couldn't help but sigh. "Little monk, are all you cultivators this... impersonal? Regardless of what he did in life, he was still someone you went to great lengths to capture. Execution is one thing, but the least you could do is dig a pit to bury him. Leaving him out in the wild like this... what's the meaning of it? In this entire cultivation world, it seems you're the only one with a shred of human decency."
In response to Chen Changsheng's words, the little monk simply chanted sutras silently.
Seeing this, Chen Changsheng shook his head and began the work of preparing the body.