Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi-Chapter 49: Memories Like the Wind (Part 2)

"Doctor Zhang... no, Lord Governor."

Zhou Changgui awoke, forcibly suppressing the stormy waves in his heart, and quickly stood up to pay his respects:

"Back then, I was foolish and failed to see. I never expected Mr. Zhang to be a Martial Arts Grandmaster!"

Only now did he truly understand why he suddenly gained the favor of the Gang Leader and was appointed as Squad Leader of Baihe Sub Branch?

The real reason was not because he was particularly savvy and capable, but simply because years ago he had dealings with this Grandmaster.

Under his preconceived notions, he hadn’t even thought he had seen another identity of Zhang Yao.

"Captain Zhou, you are too kind."

Zhang Yao smiled slightly and waved his hand, saying: "Ten years ago, I was not yet a Grandmaster."

After the two sat down again and exchanged pleasantries, Zhou Changgui cautiously said:

"I am fortunate to earn the Gang Leader’s trust, and unworthily accept the role of new Baihe Sub Branch Squad Leader."

"This time, I have come to pay respects to Lord Governor, especially prepared a token of gift, and hope Lord Governor would graciously accept it."

As he spoke, he pushed a long, rectangular ornate box beside him, crafted entirely of black walnut wood with intricate patterns, looking quite exquisite.

"Oh?"

Zhang Yao raised an eyebrow, showing a hint of curiosity:

"What is inside?"

Zhou Changgui replied:

"It is a treasure sword deemed a divine weapon, both in crafting method and material, rare in the world, especially mixed with a great amount of Red Bright Stone..."

His words stopped abruptly.

He suddenly recalled that the effects of the sword and Red Bright Stone were told to his companion by the very "Doctor Zhang" before he came to know of them.

Before departing from Jiangdu, he thought that a Grandmaster surely wouldn’t care for mundane riches and treasures, thus specially selected this divine sword. But now it seemed he might have been too clever for his own good.

Zhang Yao uncharacteristically paused for a moment, looked at the black walnut wood box, and slowly said:

"So, in this box is the sword of Chu Xingge?"

"...Yes, didn’t expect you recall that young man."

Zhou Changgui couldn’t guess Zhang Yao’s demeanor, only bowed his head and responded.

"Alright, I will accept the gift."

Zhang Yao nodded slightly.

Heart relieved, Zhou Changgui conversed with him for a while before respectfully taking his leave.

After Zhou Changgui left:

"Click."

Zhang Yao got up and walked over to open the black walnut wood box, seeing a long sword lying quietly on the bright yellow velvet cloth.

He drew the treasure sword, seeing its flickering cold light and peerlessly sharp edge, with two ancient small characters carved at the bottom of the blade—’Chixiao’.

"Forever cherish a childlike heart, never abandon lofty ambition."

"Chixiao... nice name."

He sheathed the sword and placed it back in the black walnut wood box, instructing:

"Hang this sword in my study."

"Yes."

Two beautiful maids answered respectfully, carrying the box away.

He sat back in the main seat, pondered for a moment, then suddenly spoke:

"Linglong, you are local noble family origin. How much do you know about Zhou Changgui?"

With his understanding of local noble families, knowing a new Cao Bang Squad Leader would definitely prompt them to investigate, he could take advantage of their findings.

Upon hearing Zhang Yao’s question, a pretty maid standing nearby softly replied:

"Replying to Master."

"The new Captain Zhou supposedly joined Cao Bang at the age of ten, apprenticing under the then Ling River Squad Leader, ’Wave-Flipper’ Xiao Zirong."

"But this Xiao Zirong... though highly skilled in Martial Arts, according to some secret gossip, liked males and secretly kept boys, an embarrassment to some high-ups in the gang."

"Zhou Changgui stayed under him for over a decade before finding an opportunity to defect and become enemies, hostile ever since."

"Last year, under Zhou Changgui’s design, ’Wave-Flipper’ Xiao Zirong was found to have embezzled gang assets, stripped of his title, and personally executed by Zhou Changgui."

Zhang Yao, hearing her words, fell into silence.

Though many facts were unclear, merely a piece of information was enough to infer some truth. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

He silently pondered for a while, then asked:

"Does this man have a wife and children?"

"No."

Linglong shook her head and replied:

"He is forty-six years old but remains unmarried, and is famous in Jiangdu City for not having an interest in women."

"Many secretly mocked him, but since he became an Absolute Peak Expert a few years ago, hardly anyone dares to mention it."

"...I understand."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yao couldn’t help but sigh deeply, internally lamenting:

"Master... oh Master..."

"If you knew your excessive love doomed your only son, causing the Zhou family to lose its descendants, you would find it hard to rest in peace."

Past love and hatred finally found a fitting reason, yet everything had long been buried in the past.

Past events gone with the wind, impossible to retract.

......

The murmuring river water flowed steadily into Bai Bo Lake.

Peaceful times passed like water, and in a flash, fifteen years had gone by.

The chaos of Da Wei persisted, even showing signs of intensification, but Baihe City in Jiangzhou experienced fifteen years of calm and tranquility.

Fifteen years later:

Zhang Yao sat in the garden pavilion at the Governor’s Mansion, brewing tea, and looked up at the southbound geese, the scene nearly identical to many years ago.

Yet he knew that the geese migrating north and south had changed several times.

"Another year is going to pass..."

He withdrew his gaze, a hint of melancholy surfacing in his heart.

More than a decade passed, his beard grew more lush, and the whole person was no longer so young, appearing as a middle-aged man in his forties.

This was a result of deliberate control—an ability at the Grandmaster Level that allowed gray hair to turn black and wrinkles to appear, obviously able to easily control one’s appearance aging.

Not just appearance, his heart seemed a bit elderly too.

"I thought this lifestyle, I wouldn’t tire even after a hundred years."

"But unexpectedly, just after twenty years, I grew weary."

With self-mocking laughter, Zhang Yao picked up the teapot from the Red Clay Small Fire Stove and poured himself a hot cup of tea.

Twenty years of life as a Governor:

Women around him changed batch after batch, he experienced all sorts of indulgences, yet this lifestyle increasingly felt tedious.

No matter how delicious mountain delicacies, eating them daily would eventually become unbearable.

The geese fly south every year, yet the one watching remains the same person.

"Perhaps it’s time I change environment, change lifestyle?"

Zhang Yao fell into contemplation, somewhat unsure.

For the first time, he felt a small trouble of being a Longevity Seeker, hesitating about future living.

"Master."

At this moment, a new housekeeper hurried over, respectfully said:

"Gang Leader Li of Cao Bang has arrived, seeking an audience with you."