Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 356: The Story of an Old Friend

Suddenly, a voice echoed through the room, "Not even seventy years old, yet you've wrecked your body like this?"

"Who’s there?"

"Guards—"

A stranger had appeared in the room without warning. Madam Wu's expression changed drastically, and she was about to cry out for the guards to protect them, but Wu Chuanzong stopped her.

She turned to her husband in astonishment, only to find that the man who wielded immense power and had long mastered the art of concealing his emotions was now visibly shaken. His eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

"Sir!"

Wu Chuanzong shot to his feet and, under Madam Wu's stunned gaze, dropped to his knees with a loud thud. "Sir! Is it really you? I finally get to see you before I die!"

At that moment, Madam Wu felt her vision blur as another figure suddenly appeared before her.

She focused on the newcomer—he looked incredibly young, no older than his early twenties. However, his presence left a lasting impression at first glance, making it impossible to truly regard him as just a young man.

Madam Wu's mouth fell open in shock, her mind momentarily frozen.

Suddenly, a realization struck her. The person in the portrait—he looked exactly like this!

Back then, he was twenty-one, and Wu Chuanzong was nineteen. Both had been full of youthful vigor.

Now, he had returned, unchanged, still a youth. But Wu Chuanzong's hair had turned completely white.

Seeing Wu Chuanzong's heartfelt reaction, Qin Sang felt a warmth spread through his heart. He gently helped the kneeling Wu Chuanzong to his feet, watching as the old man wept uncontrollably.

"Get up!"

Qin Sang, touched by the deep emotions of his old friend, patted his shoulder lightly. So many thoughts flooded his mind that he didn’t even know where to begin.

"I heard you’re now the grand preceptor of the empire, permitted to wear a sword in the imperial court, allowed to bow without addressing the emperor by name, and you don’t even have to kneel before the sovereign. So why are you kneeling before a mere wanderer like me?"

"Sir!"

Wu Chuanzong grasped Qin Sang’s arms tightly and declared resolutely, "Without you, there would be no Wu Chuanzong today! Your kindness is akin to giving me a second life. Of course, I should kneel!"

...

It took some time for Qin Sang to finally calm the overly emotional Wu Chuanzong.

The two sat facing each other as Wu Chuanzong dismissed his wife to fetch tea.

Looking at Qin Sang’s youthful face, Wu Chuanzong felt nothing but joy for him. "Sir, have you become an immortal?"

Qin Sang chuckled self-deprecatingly and shook his head. "At best, I can only be considered an immortal cultivator. Only after stepping into the world of cultivation did I realize—it is no paradise, not as beautiful as one might imagine. It is full of deception and schemes, open confrontations and hidden daggers. Cultivators are still human; they are dream-chasers, pursuing an unattainable dream..."

With Wu Chuanzong’s experience, he was not surprised by Qin Sang’s words. He simply sighed. "Indeed, the world is the same, no matter where you go. However, fortune favors the virtuous. I believe you will rise above it all!"

"I hope so." Qin Sang sighed softly.

His spiritual consciousness swept over Wu Chuanzong, and his brows furrowed. "Your body is covered in old wounds—battle scars from years of war? You've worn yourself out completely. No matter how advanced your martial arts are, it won’t help. Your true qi has become a burden, exhausting what little vitality you have left. Give me your arm."

Qin Sang was surprised to find that Wu Chuanzong had reached the peak of the nurture stage, just a step away from the innate stage.

Given his high status and daily burdens, it was impressive that he had achieved such martial prowess—it was a testament to his relentless dedication.

Wu Chuanzong followed his instructions, suddenly realizing. "No wonder I feel a burst of energy after practicing martial arts, yet my body deteriorates day by day. I thought it was just due to old age..."

Qin Sang pondered for a moment before cautiously channeling a trace of spiritual power into Wu Chuanzong’s meridians.

Old age, coupled with hidden injuries over the years...

To put it bluntly, Wu Chuanzong’s body was on the verge of collapse. If left unchecked, he wouldn’t last more than a couple of years. Even with treatment, it would have to be done with extreme care, or it might do more harm than good.

Just then, Madam Wu returned, personally carrying a tray of tea. Upon seeing the scene before her, her face lit up with expectation and excitement. She immediately slowed her steps, afraid of disturbing Qin Sang, and carefully approached.

Qin Sang controlled his spiritual power meticulously, guiding it through Wu Chuanzong’s meridians bit by bit, helping to smooth out his internal energy. Unfortunately, given Wu Chuanzong’s age and deteriorated health, it was impossible to use this opportunity to push him into the innate stage.

An entire hour passed before Qin Sang finally finished.

The tea had gone cold.

Madam Wu clenched her hands tightly, ignoring her husband’s impatient glances. She watched Qin Sang anxiously, waiting for his verdict.

"Madam Wu, please have a seat."

Qin Sang noticed a faint familiarity in Madam Wu’s features. Suddenly, it dawned on him—she was the girl who had nearly fallen victim to Wang Liu. Back then, Wu Chuanzong had shown kindness, and unexpectedly, it had led to a blessed marriage.

"Take this bottle of pills. Each pill should be divided into three doses, taken three times in total. It should be enough to heal most of your old injuries. However, some damage cannot be fully repaired, and given your age, you should avoid recklessly using true qi from now on. Madam Wu can also take one pill to help regulate her health and prolong her life."

Qin Sang retrieved a bottle of healing pills, which had effects similar to Water Dew Pills. The Han Family would occasionally bestow medicinal pills for health preservation, but to maintain the balance of the mortal world, their quality was far inferior to Water Dew Pills.

At this point, such pills were useless to him. These particular ones had been acquired in the Eight Trigrams Forbidden Ground from the man in the straw hat, and he still had a few left. It was fortunate that he had them, as any higher-grade pills would likely overwhelm Wu Chuanzong’s mortal body with its potent medicinal energy.

"Thank you, Sir!"

Wu Chuanzong and Madam Wu rose to offer their respects.

After Qin Sang’s treatment, Wu Chuanzong already felt his body much lighter, filling him with delight.

"Sit down so we can talk."

Qin Sang pressed Wu Chuanzong’s shoulder to stop him from bowing again and said, "Tell me about the others. What happened to Elder Yue, Bai Jianglan, Water Monkey, and the rest?"

Wu Chuanzong handed the jade bottle containing the elixirs to Madam Wu, who grasped it tightly as if it were a treasure.

"Elder Yue was gravely wounded by assassins while protecting the late empress during the military coup that night. Afterward, he retired from public life."

"Bai Jianglan rose to the rank of imperial guard commander. He retired due to illness at the age of fifty-eight and passed away in the auxiliary capital at sixty-seven. The late empress, in gratitude for his service, took care of his descendants. However, Commander Bai strictly forbade his descendants from joining the military, so they mostly became merchants or officials. The Bai Family has since prospered."

"Water Monkey achieved great merit after you left. He was granted the title of the Ning King and was assigned to guard your homeland—the former Ning Kingdom, now renamed Jiangzhou by the late empress."

"Zhang Wenkui and the others also benefited from your legacy and earned the trust of the late empress, each making a name for themselves."

"And then... there’s the Qin Family."

Hearing this, Qin Sang was momentarily stunned but did not interrupt.

"Your parents, elder brother, and sister-in-law all lived long and peaceful lives, passing away naturally in their later years. I never revealed your whereabouts to them, but I believe they had some idea."

"Your eldest and second brothers each had a son. One became a general, the other a high-ranking minister. Both now hold prestigious positions and will surely lead the Qin Family to greater heights."

"The Qin Family’s descendants continue to produce exceptional individuals, their future bright with promise."

Qin Sang listened in silence before finally sighing. "You’ve worked hard."

Having spent time in the mortal world, he understood how difficult it was for a family with no foundation to rise to prominence within just a few decades.

Without Wu Chuanzong’s unwavering support, the Qin Family could never have flourished as they did.