Longevity through Upgrading Buildings Chapter 1303: Warm Wine, Farewell

Lindong City, East of the city.

Cold Bamboo Valley.

Cold bamboo itself is a kind of bamboo growing in cold places, its height barely reaching one’s knee, walking through it feels more like traversing wild grass than through bamboo.

This place is named Cold Bamboo Valley because the mountains are filled with these cold bamboos.

In earlier years, many cultivators came here to enjoy the scenery, but later, cultivators planted even more abundant and lush cold bamboo in the northern mountain valleys of Lindong City, causing this place to gradually become deserted.

“Swish——”

A black escape light descended from the sky, landing at the outermost edge of this Cold Bamboo Valley, transforming into the figure of a black-robed elder.

The black-robed elder was none other than Ji Yuan.

Upon arriving here, he subconsciously looked towards a small hill within this Cold Bamboo Valley, spotting a mound of earth at the top of the hill amidst the cold bamboo.

A tombstone stood before the mound.

“Master, this…”

Tu Yue was stunned at this sight.

This time, Ji Yuan did not speak further with her, instead, he stepped forward directly to the mound.

The mound was a small grave, not tall, with fresh soil on top as though someone had recently added earth to it.

The writing on the stone tablet was also fresh.

It seemed as though someone had just carved it recently.

Ji Yuan’s gaze swept over the inscriptions on the stone tablet, his lips moved, but he couldn’t speak.

A line of words was clearly engraved on the stele.

“Grave of the Loose Cultivator Xue Yi of Lindong City.”

As Ji Yuan raised his hand, mana wove into the tablet, and soon the text on the tombstone transformed, replaced by:

“Grave of the Loose Cultivator Wen Jiu and his wife Yan Shi of Lindong City.”

Wen Jiu had died.

With his Dao Companion Yan Lanlan, they lived together, died in the same grave.

Though Ji Yuan had anticipated this before setting off, seeing it truly left his heart aching.

“Master, there’s something else!”

Tu Yue seemed to notice something and quickly exclaimed in reminder.

“I know.”

Ji Yuan replied, sweeping his hand across the tombstone, producing a letter from it, inscribed on the envelope:

“To Brother Ji personally, left by the unworthy Wen Jiu.”

The letter had a restriction but wasn’t sealed with wax, so Ji Yuan easily took out the letter inside, unfolded it, and saw the entire sheet was filled with tiny script.

“Brother Ji, by the time you read this letter, I have likely already gone to find Lan’Er. She has always been timid, disliking traveling alone, so please forgive my unworthy departure without a word… I’ve accomplished little in my life, failing in both mastering cultivation technique and refining body. Years have turned, and my life has been unfulfilled over hundreds of years. Yet I achieved three things: marrying a loving wife, Yan Shi, having a wonderful daughter ‘Yu’Er’, and gaining a good friend ‘Ji Yuan’. All this sounds rather pitiful, lamentable, and somewhat hateful.”

“This Cold Bamboo Valley was where Lan’Er and I first met. I had just joined the Black and White Divine Hall and was assigned to Lindong City. During one of my outings, I arrived at this Cold Bamboo Valley. Back then, it was a bustling place full of visitors. That day the sky was bright and clear, I spotted Lan’Er among the crowd, and she noticed me as well. Brother Ji, truth be told, from the first moment I saw her, I knew she was my one and only for a lifetime. It turns out, my judgment was not wrong… Met in Cold Bamboo Valley, became acquainted and familiar in Lindong City, married in West Border City, and finally raised a daughter in Lindong City. Everything went exceptionally smoothly. Yet in the end… it ended with the demise of our physical forms and dispersal of our souls. The unpredictability of life is indeed unavoidable, unforeseeable.”

“But fortunately, I’ve encountered Brother Ji in this already short life. Ironically, I, Wen Jiu, once boasted friends across Extreme Abyss… yet when trouble truly arose, only Brother Ji would lend a hand. But at least, there’s Brother Ji who can help fulfill this last wish. Thus, the only thing I can’t let go of is my daughter Yu’Er far at the Cloud Cliff Temple. But she has always been sensible, she didn’t cry or make a fuss when I let Lord Wen take her to cultivate at the Cloud Cliff Temple, she only said she would miss her parents… I also promised to visit her at the Cloud Cliff Temple in five years, but now, alas, the unpredictability of fate. I only hope she won’t blame her parents for being incapable after knowing this. I’ve already informed Lord Wen about these matters, who also knows ‘Brother Li’ is a benefactor to the Wen family. His character was once flamboyant, but after this incident, he has become more stable. If Brother Ji meets him one day, trust him.”

“Lastly, Wen Jiu and his wife Yan Shi, hereby express their deep gratitude to Brother Ji for his great kindness.”

“I, Wen Jiu, have nothing to repay with, only having a Body Refining Technique left by my ancestors… regretfully, my aptitude is dull, never mastering it, staying on its doorstep my whole life. This technique is stored at the ice frost archives in Lindong City, cabinet number 28. The token to retrieve it is in this phrase. ‘Wen Jiu leans against the railing and watches sword shadows, pine winds enter cup intoxicating a lifetime’. After Brother Ji goes there and says this phrase to the shopkeeper, he will give you the stored item.”

“Brother Ji… I wish you great fortune on your journey along the Great Dao, longevity equal to the heavens. Wen Jiu, has gone.”

Ji Yuan looked at the text left in the letter, his emotions couldn’t settle for a long time.

Wen Jiu, is gone.

He was the cultivator of Black and White Divine Hall, whom Ji Yuan first met in West Border City, once full of youthful vigor, now silently departed.

Regarding the letter in hand, Ji Yuan naturally noticed his lingering aura on its surface.