Marrying Wives and Attaining Immortality in a Chaotic World

Chapter 326: Value

Xu Lian followed Qin Fan through the void, and suddenly, he felt that moving through the void seemed a bit slow – although this was merely an illusion, as it only took a few breaths in reality.

They arrived at a small town on the border of the Yin Dynasty’s territory, with the Qian Dynasty’s lands just beyond. The Qian Dynasty was also a top-tier power, though it had been established later than the Yin Dynasty. Its origin could still be traced back to the latter part of the Primordial Era.

With a sweep of his consciousness, Xu Lian located Qin Liu. He had purchased a mansion in one of the alleys of the city, and together with several impoverished women to serve as maids, he was living a life of luxury typical of wealthy households. Despite being over two hundred years old, Qin Liu clearly hadn’t lost his zest for life.

Xu Lian took a single step and appeared at the entrance of the mansion, pushing open the door and walking in. Qin Fan quickly followed and announced, “Grandpa, I’ve brought Uncle Xu with me.”

Seeing Xu Lian, who still looked like a teenager, Qin Liu’s eyes filled with envy. “Time seems to have stood still for you, Second Brother. You’re still as robust, handsome, and full of vitality as ever.”

Xu Lian, with no particular agenda, casually pulled over the most beautiful of the maids. “You certainly know how to enjoy life.”

The woman was terrified, her face was pale, and she angrily tried to push him away. “What are you doing?”

She turned to Qin Liu for help, but he glared at her. “Don’t be so ignorant. Although I call him Second Brother, he’s actually the head of the household, understand?”

Upon hearing this, the woman immediately became submissive.

However, Xu Lian lost interest and pushed her away. With a wave of his hand, he said, “All of you, leave.”

The maids had no choice but to leave.

Qin Liu sighed. “Second Brother has so many wives, each one more beautiful than the last, so naturally these ordinary girls don’t catch your eye. But I’m different – my wife back home keeps me on a tight leash. It’s been hard. I thought I’d make up for it while traveling the world, but my body isn’t what it used to be. My spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak.”

If you want longevity medicine, just say so… Xu Lian didn’t take the bait. Instead, he asked, “Where is the ancient ruin you discovered?”

Qin Liu replied, “It’s in this town.”

Xu Lian waited for him to continue, but Qin Liu stopped talking. His intentions were clear – he wouldn’t reveal the location unless Xu Lian extended his life span.

Xu Lian gave him a strange look. So Qin Liu’s real purpose in traveling the world searching for tombs and ancient ruins was to exchange his discoveries for longevity. Tomb raiding might be his greatest passion, but when faced with the prospect of death, survival took priority.

“Sixth Brother’s will to survive is truly strong. You’re really going to great lengths to live,” Xu Lian said with a hint of amusement.

Qin Liu shrugged his shoulders helplessly. “What can I do? Second Brother has abandoned me, but I can’t abandon myself. Since you won’t extend my lifespan, I have to find ways to do it myself.”

Qin Fan was confused. Hadn’t Uncle Xu just said earlier that he and Grandfather shared deep brotherly bonds?

Xu Lian explained, “I have no choice. My family is big, and there are too many people who need their lives extended. I’m not a god – I can’t get that much longevity medicine. Besides, life extension is only temporary. A few hundred or even a thousand years is about the limit-it can’t go on forever. This is something that all of you will have to face eventually. Even I, and even supreme-level experts, will grow old and die one day. That’s why I’ve chosen to let nature take its course. Just like my childhood friends, followers, and companions from Green Bamboo Town-Zhang Yuan, Pu Ling, Han Du-they’ve all passed away. I even returned several times to quietly attend their funerals, watching them be laid to rest. That’s the passage of time. I’m still trying to cross the river, and I haven’t reached the other side yet. If I try to take too many people with me, my own boat will sink.”

Qin Liu nodded. “I understand your difficulties and worries. That’s why I set out to travel the world in search of tombs and ancient ruins – to prove my own worth. After all, people are defined by their worth. When someone becomes poor, even relatives stop visiting because they have no value. Friendships work the same way – there’s either mutual companionship or mutual help. Only then can a friendship last. Even close family members are similar – there is either the value of blood ties or the emotional value of mutual dependence. Explaining things too clearly takes away the charm. Sometimes, it’s better to remain a little ignorant”.

After living for two hundred years, even a pig would gain some wisdom. Xu Lian wasn’t surprised to hear such profound words from Qin Liu. Old age often brings reflection.

Xu Lian took out a King-level Black Lotus Seed and placed it on the tea table, smiling. “Whether you’ve really found an ancient ruin or not, this Black Lotus Seed is yours.”

Qin Liu pounced on it like a starving wolf, devouring it with both hands. His white hair and wrinkled skin visibly changed, regaining the appearance of youth in an astonishing display.

After finishing the seed, Qin Liu said, “I’m not quite sure if what I’ve found is an ancient ruin, but I’ve discovered something important enough to bring you here. You know me, I never like to owe friends. Since I asked for the longevity medicine, I’ll definitely give you something of equal value in return.”

Xu Lian thought carefully. Qin Liu was indeed like that. When he first rescued Qin Liu from the prison in Pingyang County, Qin Liu repaid him by leading him to a tomb where he obtained a rudimentary manual. Later, Qin Liu guided him to another ancient tomb where he acquired the Great Desolate Dragon Grasp, an unparalleled divine technique.

After consuming the King-level Black Lotus Seed, Qin Liu rested for half a day, fully restoring his youthful appearance. To avoid causing a stir in the town, he abandoned the mansion, leaving some silver for the maids, and departed with Xu Lian.

The three of them traveled to a remote ravine outside of town.

“Are there any graves or ancient ruins here?” Xu Lian asked, puzzled. Although he did not understand the art of tomb raiding or Feng Shui, his powerful cultivation allowed him to sense that this place did not seem like a site of auspicious energy.

Qin Liu, now restored to his youthful form, explained, “Tombs and ancient ruins aren’t always located in places of good feng shui. That’s a common misconception among laypeople. In reality, the most practical and effective way to find tombs and ruins is to travel far and wide and investigate anomalies. Following these anomalies often leads to discoveries. The townsfolk call this ravine ‘Ghost Cry Gully’. 

Those who enter often hear strange noises. Some brave souls have investigated, but found nothing. Over time, people grew accustomed to it. After all, strange phenomena aren’t uncommon in this world. My grandson helped me traverse the void while traveling the world, searching for tombs and ruins. I pay special attention to places with anomalies. When we passed through this city and heard about this place, I decided to investigate – and indeed, I found something.”

As they spoke, the three of them entered the ravine. Qin Liu raised a finger to his lips, signaling silence.

Xu Lian listened carefully. With his advanced cultivation, he could hear the sound more clearly. It wasn’t a ghostly scream, but rather a low whisper.

“Here,” said Qin Liu, leading them to a pond. He pointed downward.

Xu Lian’s gaze pierced through the water, revealing a rusty iron door below. This was clearly no ordinary door – if it were, even Qin Fan at the Return to Truth stage wouldn’t have been able to open it.

Without hesitation, Xu Lian jumped in. Protected by the laws of divine kingdom, he wasn’t worried about accidents. He gently pushed the iron door, causing the entire mountain to shake, but the door remained intact, surprising him.

Then he tapped on the stone walls around the door, creating waves. Clearly, there was some kind of barrier.

“I tried to dig a tunnel to bypass the door,” Qin Liu said, “but I couldn’t get through.”

Instinctively, Xu Lian considered using the Sword of Destruction to break through the door or barrier. However, he remembered the commotion caused by forcibly breaking ancient tomb seals in the past – it attracted unwanted attention from powerful cultivators. If this was truly an ancient tomb or ruin containing valuable treasures, he didn’t want to draw attention and risk losing the prize.

Instead, he extended his left hand and activated the divine bone within it. Slowly, he applied force to the iron door. Miraculously, the door began to cave in. Gradually, the divine bone ripped open a crack, revealing a spatial passageway.

“It’s open,” Xu Lian said. “Let’s widen it a bit more so that we can enter.”

Qin Liu and Qin Fan’s spirits lifted.

Xu Lian was also excited. Using the divine bone in his left hand, which rivaled quasi-sage-level strength, he had managed to break through the door. Clearly, it was extraordinary, and the destination of this spatial passageway must be significant. Otherwise, such a strong door wouldn’t have been constructed.

He continued to use the divine bone to widen the gap, then bent down and entered. Qin Fan was about to follow, but Qin Liu shot him a glare. “Your grandfather hasn’t gone in yet.”

Helplessly, Qin Fan gestured respectfully. “Grandfather, please go first.”

Qin Liu huffed, “No respect,” before entering.

Xu Lian couldn’t help but be jealous of the bond between grandfather and grandson. With so many descendants, his relationships had grown distant. Favoring one child over another often led to jealousy. In order to maintain fairness, he chose to keep his distance from all of them.

Once inside the spatial corridor, the mysterious voices became clearer.

The three of them exchanged glances while remaining cautious. Xu Lian, who had the strongest cultivation and was protected by the laws of the Divine Kingdom, took the lead. Qin Liu walked in the middle, while Qin Fan brought up the rear. They walked slowly through the passage.