Sixth Senior Brother's words left Chen Changsheng with a vague sense of worry.

However, this feeling didn't last long before Chen Changsheng let it go.

Having walked the world for decades, Chen Changsheng understood a truth: when things exceed your capabilities, they won't stop happening just because you don't want them to.

Instead of worrying all day, it's better to live happily each day, for time will prove everything.

Including whether your suspicions are correct.

...

Back at Shangqing Temple, Chen Changsheng resumed his leisurely life.

He either went to the Book Tomb to read or practiced the nameless fist technique of the Immortal Lord of a Hundred Defeats to keep fit.

When the Primordial Spirit Master went to the border, he took more than half of Shangqing Temple's strength with him.

Thus, although Yuanshan was still young, with Chen Changsheng's assistance, they could barely maintain the operations of Shangqing Temple.

Moreover, as Yuanshan experienced more, his growth accelerated, and it wasn't long before Chen Changsheng became a hands-off manager.

However, during this time, something unexpected happened to Chen Changsheng.

The battle between the Royal Dynasty and the Nightmoon Kingdom lasted a full twenty years.

By the fifth year, even the reclusive Ancestor of Divine Transformation went to the border.

...

At the Book Tomb of Shangqing Temple.

After slowly putting down the last book, Chen Changsheng stretched his somewhat stiff body.

At this moment, a handsome man with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, dressed in a Taoist robe, approached.

"What about the matter we discussed yesterday?"

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng glanced at him and said flatly, "No way!"

"Why not?"

"Ten years ago, you said that once you finished reading the books in the Book Tomb, you'd allow me to go to the border. Now that you've read all the books, why can't I go?"

"Don't forget, I'm the acting head of Shangqing Temple."

Looking at the man who was yelling at him, Chen Changsheng smiled and said, "It's been twenty years, and the little kid who used to ask me about everything."

"Now finally dares to slam the table and challenge me."

"Not bad, you've made progress."

Hearing Chen Changsheng's words, the now-grown Yuanshan's eyes began to redden, and he spoke with a choked voice.

"Seventh Senior Brother is dead, Fifth Senior Brother is blind, and our most beloved Senior Brother has lost an arm."

"Brother Changsheng, I'm now at the late Golden Elixir stage. I can help them, I really don't want to see our senior brothers get hurt anymore."

Looking at Yuanshan's reddened eyes, Chen Changsheng was momentarily at a loss for words.

He had been keeping an eye on the situation at the border over the years, and things were not looking good for the Royal Dynasty.

More than a dozen great powers at the Elemental Infant stage had perished, and there were even rumors that Divine Transformation stage cultivators had started to fall on the battlefield.

In such a brutal battlefield, sending Yuanshan out would be sending him to his death.

On such a battlefield, even a Golden Elixir stage cultivator was just a slightly more advanced cannon fodder.

Just as Chen Changsheng was about to find another reason to stop Yuanshan from going to the battlefield, a familiar aura suddenly emanated from above Shangqing Temple.

Sensing this aura, Chen Changsheng and Yuanshan quickly went out to greet it.

But what they saw was their Third Senior Brother, covered in blood, missing his left hand and blind in his right eye.

"From now on, I am the head of Shangqing Temple, and Ninth Junior Brother Song Yuanshan is the deputy head."

"All branches of Shangqing Temple are to retreat three thousand miles to the west!"

The once-lazy Third Senior Brother had become decisive and didn't even have time to greet the two junior brothers he hadn't seen in a long time.

After issuing a series of orders, Third Senior Brother finally relaxed his tense spirit.

Seeing the greatly changed Third Senior Brother, Yuanshan trembled as he walked over.

"Third Senior Brother, where is Master?"

Facing Yuanshan's inquiry, Third Senior Brother replied in a hoarse voice.

"For some reason, the Nightmoon Kingdom's Elemental Infant stage powers suddenly doubled."

"Master was besieged by three late Elemental Infant stage cultivators and ultimately fell on Phoenix Mountain."

"We senior brothers were acting together, but we were ambushed, and Senior Brother self-destructed to send me out."

"The Royal Dynasty was defeated, ceding five thousand miles from the border as compensation to the Nightmoon Kingdom."

Hearing this news, Yuanshan immediately felt the world spinning.

Then, Yuanshan grabbed Third Senior Brother's collar and questioned him harshly, "Where is Master's body?"

"Why didn't you bring it back? Do you want to see Master's body turned into a puppet?"

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Facing Yuanshan's roar, Third Senior Brother didn't resist, only remained in endless silence.

"Stop shaking, if you keep shaking, you'll kill Third Senior Brother."

Chen Changsheng's calm voice came from behind, and Yuanshan instinctively stopped his actions.

Turning his head, he saw that Chen Changsheng had somehow brought the Thunderstrike Wood coffin from the back mountain.

Before Yuanshan could figure out what Chen Changsheng was planning, Chen Changsheng had already approached Third Senior Brother.

He took out a porcelain bottle and gave Third Senior Brother a pill.

It seemed as if Chen Changsheng was unaffected by the recent bad news.

"You've injured your foundation, and my abilities are limited, I can't save you."

"The Nightmoon Kingdom's offensive is so fierce, their goal is definitely not just five thousand miles, they must want to annex the entire Royal Dynasty."

"Yuanshan has good talent, but he's still a bit childish. Over the next fifty years, you must teach him well, the future of Shangqing Temple rests on him."

After speaking, Chen Changsheng put the Thunderstrike Wood coffin into the System Space and turned to leave.

At this moment, the dazed Third Senior Brother reacted and immediately said, "Changsheng, what are you going to do?"

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng stopped, hesitated for a moment, and said.

"I'm going to collect the bodies of Master and the senior brothers."

"To be honest, Senior Brother, before coming to Shangqing Temple, my old trade was selling coffins."

"And that Thunderstrike Wood coffin was prepared in advance for Master, now it's just the right time to use it."

"We cultivate immortality for longevity, everyone thinks that after achieving longevity, one can attain great freedom, but little do they know that longevity is the greatest suffering."

"The world is like a Sea of Bitterness, and longevity means forever floating in this sea."

"Master and the others have left the Sea of Bitterness, we should be happy for them."

Saying this, Chen Changsheng hesitated again, then turned to Third Senior Brother with a bright smile and said.

"I remember you once told a story from the cultivation world to scare Yuanshan."

"You said there's a mysterious existence in the cultivation world, who specializes in collecting the bodies of those whose lifespans have ended."

"Once he appears, it means death is imminent."

"No one knows the name of this mysterious existence, only that he is called..."

"Funeral Escort!"