That whole night, Chen Changsheng tried many methods, but in the end, they all failed.

The Soul Flame came from life. Making it burn brighter was incredibly difficult. And Chen Changsheng also found that the stronger his Cultivation became, the harder it was to make the Soul Flame thrive.

Just like a Mortal—taking a single Elixir could extend their Lifespan. But for a deeply accomplished Cultivator, increasing Lifespan even a little was especially difficult.

Abandoning his Cultivation and turning back into a Mortal… maybe that was a way.

But…

Chen Changsheng cultivated his Soul Spirit. There was no sense in restarting that. How it was now, was simply how it was.

Thinking this, Chen Changsheng raised an eyebrow.

“Maybe my hair wasn’t deliberately planned by my previous life’s self. Perhaps back then, realizing such a method, seeking change, he hid his Magical Power within the hair itself.”

Chen Changsheng pondered, then suddenly realized something was wrong.

“No…”

Wasn’t Cultivation the direct way to make the Soul Flame burn brighter?

But over all these years, the time he was awake never seemed to increase much.

That shouldn’t be.

Chen Changsheng suddenly stood up.

He paced back and forth in the courtyard, and vaguely, clarity came.

“Could it be…”

“Yes, it must be this! It should be exactly this way!”

“I am not truly undying! Therefore, the two thousand years of the Mayfly Curse isn’t the tribulation itself—it’s when my Lifespan is nearing its end!”

“It’s just that my Lifespan… has been divided up!”

This was why his Cultivation increased, but the time he existed in the world didn’t grow much more.

So his Soul Flame was this weak, and the method of becoming a Mortal to strengthen the Soul Flame was actually useless.

Then, as long as he had enough Lifespan, he could remain in this world.

Chen Changsheng understood how to break the Mayfly Curse, but then he grew calm again.

It seemed…

Knowing it didn’t mean he had any solutions.

He knew roughly some things about his previous life. That version of him had quite high Cultivation, even able to stay awake for an entire year at a time. But in the end, he still failed to break the Curse.

Chen Changsheng couldn’t help feeling rather annoyed.

“I thought I’d found a way, but it turned out to be just an empty joy.”

Chen Changsheng shook his head with a bitter smile. Thinking about it, he had really taken it for granted.

An issue that his previous self, and the self before that, had never solved… how could it be so easily resolved by him now?

Chen Changsheng took a deep breath. He looked up and saw the sky was already bright.

Then, only then, did he remember that this whole night he had originally intended to ponder that True Flame.

“Not without gains, at least I know why I can only awaken these few days.”

Chen Changsheng stood up and looked at the rising sun outside. He sighed, then unexpectedly asked himself this question:

Did he have any true, compelling reason to keep living?

It seemed… he did not.

They spoke of long life, but in reality, it was just a false immortality.

His footprints would be in the passage of time. He was merely a person who occasionally surfaced.

What truly grieved him was that sense of defeat, the feeling of waking up to a drastically changed world. If it were just for a hundred days, to let him live those hundred days fully, he might even be willing.

But it was like an insurmountable gap, forever entangling him, tormenting him…

Chen Changsheng was in torment. From the moment he appeared in this world, it was agonizing.

…

In the morning, Wang Sanniang went to the street to set up her stall.

Ruyi and Ping’an came to the yard. But they noticed Uncle Chen didn’t seem happy that day. He often spaced out, lost in thought.

Ruyi asked, “Uncle Chen, did you get sick like Ruyi did?”

Chen Changsheng paused at this. He asked, “Why do you say that?”

Ruyi said, “That’s how Ruyi was when sick. Always without energy, lost in thought way far away.”

Chen Changsheng chuckled when he heard this. He patted Ruyi’s head and said, “Your Uncle Chen isn’t sick. I’ve just run into some troubles.”

After hearing this, Ruyi blinked. “If Uncle Chen is sick, remember to see a doctor! Mama says if you get sick, you need to take medicine to get better! And Doctor Wang in our neighborhood is really amazing! Ruyi took only two doses of medicine and got all better! Now I’m bouncing around!”

Chen Changsheng couldn’t help but laugh again at this.

After all Ruyi had said, she still thought he was sick.

Chen Changsheng sighed quietly. But inwardly, he suddenly thought to himself:

‘Maybe I really am sick.’

It seemed Old Huang had also said that about him before.

Chen Changsheng gave it some thought. Maybe he really should find some things to do.

Besides, he was going to run out of silver soon.

Finding work would prevent him from feeling like such an outsider in the world.

When Wang Sanniang returned from the street.

Chen Changsheng asked her if any places in Qingshan City were short on workers lately.

Wang Sanniang was surprised upon hearing this. “Brother Chen, are you… facing some difficulties lately?”

Chen Changsheng shook his head. “No, nothing like that. It’s just that it feels pointless being idle all the time. I’d like to do something.”

Wang Sanniang said, “If you do have any problems, Brother Chen, remember to tell me. I can offer some help.”

Chen Changsheng repeatedly explained that wasn’t the reason. Only then did she relax and begin discussing job opportunities.

As a woman, Sanniang didn’t know too much about that stuff. Plus, she hadn’t been setting up her stall very long, so she knew even less.

But Sanniang remembered something, “Oh! Earlier, I saw the Manager of Tang Family Teahouse searching for a Storyteller. It’s a proper job. The pay shouldn’t be bad. Brother Chen, do you want to give it a try?”

“Storyteller…”

Chen Changsheng thought for a moment, then said, “Perhaps I could try.”

Wang Sanniang said, “Brother Chen is learned. It should be easy for you.”

Chen Changsheng replied, “It’s not really like that. Storytellers don’t earn their rice just by being glib.”

None of the jobs in the “nine trades” were easy.

Sanniang agreed with Chen Changsheng. Running her stall these past days, she’d seen a lot. It truly wasn’t easy.

Now that he had this free time, Chen Changsheng decided to go see about it.

Tang Family Teahouse wasn’t too far. Chen Changsheng walked for less than fifteen minutes to get there.

At this hour, quite a few people were in the teahouse.

It was dusk and cool. Savoring a bowl of cold tea while just sitting comfortably was very pleasant.

Teahouse attendants were busy serving tea. Chen Changsheng went straight to the Manager. The manager of Tang Family Teahouse was not surnamed Tang. Regular tea guests mostly called him Manager Zhuang. Likely there was a Proprietor behind the scenes.

Manager Zhuang saw someone approach and said, “Guest, please be seated inside for tea. An attendant will serve you momentarily.”

Chen Changsheng said, “Manager, I am not here for tea. I wished to inquire about the Storyteller position.”

At these words, Manager Zhuang’s eyes lit up immediately. He stood up and said, “Brother, please come right in!”

Judging by the Manager’s expression, Tang Family Teahouse truly was urgently looking for a Storyteller.