“Why does it seem like it’s not very effective?” Immortal Sage Jicheng smiled as he voiced the question for Ximen Yue.
Ximen Yue quickly bowed apologetically.
However, Immortal Sage Jicheng waved his hand, unconcerned: “The Heaven Feather Pill grants 800 years of life. The Longevity Fruit, 500 years. The Life Extending Fruit, 300 years.”
“These are all extremely rare treasures. Among the countless treasures I’ve seen in my past 3,612 years, the value of these few is definitely remarkable.”
“But now, they’re all cheap for someone like me, who is nearing death.”
Immortal Sage Jicheng somewhat self-mockingly said.
“Together, they can add 1,600 years of life for an ordinary cultivator.”
“But when used on me…”
“Hehe, guess, what’s the effect?”
At this moment, Han Yi, seeing Immortal Sage Jicheng seeming quite approachable, became a bit bolder.
He answered first: “500 years?”
Immortal Sage Jicheng chuckled lightly and shook his head repeatedly.
“200 years?” Ximen Yue guessed.
Immortal Sage Jicheng still shook his head.
“20 years?” Li Fan suddenly spoke up.
The guessed number was a bit outrageous, causing both Han Yi and Ximen Yue to look at him.
“Although your courage is already quite significant, you’ve still overestimated!” Immortal Sage Jicheng laughed heartily, raising a finger with his right hand.
“Ten years.”
“That’s the deadline I can strive for.”
“And this is the result even when considering other cultivators’ offerings of life-extending treasures.”
Immortal Sage Jicheng’s voice was heavy, but he smiled.
However, Li Fan and the others all showed expressions of shock at his words.
“How could this be?” Ximen Yue’s face was full of disbelief. “Could it be that the appraisal effect of the Tianxuan Mirror is also fake?”
Li Fan and Han Yi, too, had extremely serious expressions, looking at Immortal Sage Jicheng, trying to get answers from him.
Immortal Sage Jicheng, however, didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he pointed to the big tree in front of them and asked the three, “Do you know what kind of tree this is?”
After looking at it for a while, both Han Yi and Ximen Yue shook their heads, not recognizing it.
Li Fan, on the other hand, didn’t hesitate to say, “It’s a Qingyun Willow, a common spiritual wood with no value other than ornamental.”
After all, he had been studying the Heavenly Doctor’s Scripture for so long, and it wasn’t in vain.
Immortal Sage Jicheng used his murky gaze to size up Li Fan, seemingly surprised that he could recognize it.
Continuing, he asked, “Do you know how long a Qingyun Willow can live at most?”
Li Fan thought for a moment and said, “A Qingyun Willow tree can live for 800 years, which is already extremely rare. It’s almost impossible for it to exceed a thousand years.”
Immortal Sage Jicheng nodded slowly, “You’re right.”
“This Qingyun Willow was planted by me when I broke through Dao Integration and was designated as the successor to the Commander-in-Chief of the Guard more than nine hundred years ago.”
“That was a time when I was full of ambition and aspirations.”
“I thought death was still far away from me. I could go further and had hopes for longevity.”
Immortal Sage shook his head.
“Truly ignorant and arrogant…”
He sighed, then returned to the topic.
“For over a hundred years, I’ve watched my old companion, who has been with me all the way, nearing death.”
“I’ve tried every method to keep him alive.”
“Green Wood Spirit Liquid, Immortal Soil Cream…”
“I’ve tried every kind of treasure.”
“But it’s just barely pulling him back from the brink of death.”
“Hanging by a thread…”
“At that time, I knew. Death is inevitable for us.”
Immortal Sage Jicheng looked up again at the withered Qingyun Willow.
“I just didn’t expect that the same fate would come to me so quickly.”
After Immortal Sage Jicheng finished speaking, he fell into silence.
Li Fan and the others exchanged glances, not daring to disturb, only standing silently waiting.
After a long time, Immortal Sage Jicheng slowly spoke again, “When the end is near, except for advancing further and completing one’s own overall transformation, all other means can only slightly delay the arrival of death.”
“Not only is the effect greatly reduced, but the more you struggle, the faster other similar means become ineffective.”
“Just like the life-extending treasures you submitted. I have already taken too many similar ones before. That’s why the result went from 1,600 years to ten years.”
“Fate wants you to die at three o’clock, it’s difficult to keep you until five.”
Immortal Sage Jicheng looked up at the sky, a strange expression flickering in his murky eyes.
“However, ten years. For me, it’s also enough.”
The old man’s voice gradually lowered, and Li Fan and the others could no longer hear clearly.
“May I ask, Immortal Sage, does this mean that these life-extending treasures aren’t actually as precious as imagined?” After a long time, Han Yi couldn’t help but ask.
Immortal Sage Jicheng glanced at the three of them and chuckled lowly.
“The younger you are, the more precious they are.”
“The older you are, the more useless they become.”
“Do you understand?”
Upon hearing this, the three of them wore pensive expressions.
“Well, seeing you energetic young people today is a rare occurrence for me to talk a bit more.”
“Now it’s time to give you your rewards.”
Without any visible action from Immortal Sage Jicheng, three jade plaques emitting colorful light suddenly appeared and flew towards Li Fan and the others.
Li Fan received the jade plaque, only to see mysterious patterns carved around it, with the character ‘法’ (law) encircled in the center.
“This is the ‘Observing Law Jade Plaque’. With this token, you can go to the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, the Law Enforcement Hall, and apply to use the Pearl of Derivation.” Immortal Sage introduced to the three.
As if remembering something, Immortal Sage Jicheng reminded again, “Remember, each ‘Observing Law Jade Plaque’ only has one application opportunity.”
“After the application is made, you may have to wait a long time before it’s your turn. And, each technique derivation also has a time limit.”
“Don’t be too greedy and miss out.”
“Hehe, back in the day…”
Immortal Sage Jicheng’s voice grew smaller and smaller, until it was barely audible.
At this moment, the blue-robed cultivator who had led them in quietly reappeared beside them.
“Let’s go.”
He transmitted the message.
Li Fan and the others put away the ‘Observing Law Jade Plaque’ and slowly exited the courtyard.
“Young man, let me give you some advice. Your jade plaque can only apply for techniques at the Nascent Soul level. If it’s just used to derive the main techniques of cultivation realms, it’s a bit wasteful.”
“You can try using the Pearl of Derivation to derive techniques with special effects. Even at the Nascent Soul level, it may still be effective.”
Just as Li Fan stepped out of the courtyard, he suddenly heard the voice of Immortal Sage Jicheng.
Li Fan couldn’t help but look back, only to see Immortal Sage Jicheng, as he had seen before, touching the withered Qingyun Willow.
A lonely figure.
Li Fan saw a man, walking towards the end of life.
He bowed respectfully to him and left quietly.