Chapter 189: A Mountain Suspended, A River Submerged (3)
Originally, the trip to Longevity Village was part of a collaborative project with the southern regional authorities, but no one expected an accident to occur halfway through the journey.
While expressing their concern for the show’s production team, the officials from the southern region also specifically assigned a guide who was familiar with the Longevity Village area. This guide would not only introduce the local customs and culture to both the production team and the audience—promoting tourism—but also ensure that the crew didn’t get lost again.
—Although the southern officials had already conducted research before agreeing to cooperate with the show and were aware of the previous dangers encountered in earlier episodes, they honestly didn’t expect yet another disaster this time!
The local staff who were supposed to welcome the production team noticed something was wrong when the crew didn’t arrive on time. The moment they turned on the livestream, they saw the team had gotten into a car accident on the highway. They were completely stunned.
They had never seen anyone with such bad luck. Sure, people say that when someone is truly unlucky, they can even choke on water—but this show was running into danger episode after episode!
They didn’t even manage to leave Binhai City before getting into a crash—only to run into violent criminals as well.
From the livestream, it was clear the guests had all been shaken.
Even the staff watching were left dumbfounded.
Before the team set off again, the local staff made a point to call Zhang Wubing, asking with concern if there was anything they could do to help.
Zhang Wubing looked up at the clear blue sky and the scenery flashing past outside the window. He was in great spirits and smiled as he reassured them that everything was fine. The guide they had assigned was very professional—there was nothing to worry about.
As he said this, even the driver couldn’t help but glance up at him through the rearview mirror.
…Director, you don’t have to sound that confident. Really, I think we’ve still got some hurdles ahead.
Ever since encountering that sudden young man on the highway and all the bizarre events that followed—the endless road, the mournful wailing that sounded like a funeral procession—the driver had been more than a little spooked.
After they were rescued, he had been full of suppressed rage and lingering fear. He had planned to erupt on Zhang Wubing, maybe even shout something like, “I quit, to hell with this!” and slam his resignation letter in the man’s face.
But unexpectedly, Zhang Wubing had suffered even more than him. And though he looked every bit as shaken and disheveled, having just barely escaped with his life, he still came over to check on the driver, asking if he was hurt—and even offered him a raise on the spot.
To the driver, this made Zhang Wubing the best boss he’d ever had.
Few responsibilities, easygoing temper, generous pay—and most importantly, a genuinely kind heart.
The way Zhang Wubing had looked back then was so pitiful that even the driver felt a stab of sympathy. But Zhang Wubing had still found the strength to care about someone else. The words the driver had been about to spit out got stuck in his throat.
So, with a long sigh, he decided to stick with it.
Originally, the show’s crew was just a haphazard group that Zhang Wubing had thrown together right before filming. No one knew each other well.
But after these few episodes, somehow, the ones who stayed began to feel more like a family.
When the assistant director and others would sigh and say as much, the driver had always brushed it off.
It wasn’t until this time, when it was his turn, that the driver finally understood—Zhang Wubing might be a bit of a fool, but he was a good man. So good, in fact, that you didn’t want to betray the trust he gave you.
He spaced out for a few seconds, but quickly forced himself to refocus, fixing his eyes on the road ahead.
What happened last time had been a serious wake-up call. He could not let another crash happen again.
Thankfully, everything went smoothly on the road. Everyone who had been tense finally started to relax.
As they passed the highway entrance, Zhang Wubing was surprised to spot the car of the official in charge.
It was important to note that the follow-up work related to Binhai University and the Yin Path incident was still ongoing. On top of that, the Taoists from Haiyun Temple were almost all injured, leaving the official in charge without his usual support team. He had been run ragged.
Just a few days ago, when Zhang Wubing had spoken to him on the phone, he could hear someone in the background saying the official hadn’t slept for days, and was surviving on just bread and water.
And yet, the official was now parked at the side of the highway, leaning against his car and watching the convoy pass by.
He even raised his hand with a smile, waving toward the vehicles and mouthing, Safe travels.
The guests inside lit up like kids on a field trip seeing their parents. They happily waved back at him from the windows.
Yan Shixun rested his chin on his hand, gazing out the window. When he saw the official’s tired and worn face, his eyes paused on the man’s dim, shadowed forehead—and without thinking, he raised a hand to begin a calculation.
Then he took out his phone and sent a message to the official in charge:
[Golden Fire brings disaster, watch out for stomach issues. Go get checked at a hospital if you have time.]
The official heard the message notification and pulled out his phone. When he saw Yan Shixun’s reminder, a look of surprise appeared on his face, followed by a soft smile as his expression relaxed.
[Alright, I’ll go once I finish my work.]
Whoever said Mr. Yan was cold… clearly didn’t know him well. To those he was familiar with, he was attentive and gentle in the most quiet, enduring way.
The official looked up at the convoy moving farther and farther away and felt a wave of emotion rise in his heart.
Still, being cared for by a friend—it was truly a wonderful feeling.
Smiling sincerely, the official genuinely regarded Yan Shixun as a friend, not just someone he liaised with at work.
He didn’t relax until the convoy safely passed the site of the previous incident and reached the next highway exit. Only then did he return to the city by car.
Meanwhile, inside the business vehicle, the guide from the southern region was still smiling as he introduced the group to their destination.
The southern region wanted to expand its tourism industry to boost the local economy in remote mountainous areas and improve the standard of living for surrounding communities. Therefore, they had put considerable effort into choosing the shooting location.
In modern cities, life moved faster and faster. Many office workers were physically and mentally exhausted. But when they tried to relax by visiting popular attractions, they were faced with endless lines, more lines, and yet more lines.
No one knew whether those trips actually brought happiness—but one thing was clear: they didn’t bring relaxation.
So this time, the southern region was promoting a theme of relaxation and wellness, offering busy urbanites a natural oxygen haven. It wasn’t just meant to ease their minds, but also to restore their physical health through a pure environment.
Thus, the idea of Longevity Village came into being.
Originally named “Mountain Hollow Village,” it was just an ordinary small village nestled deep in the mountainous area of the southern region known as the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.
However, decades ago, a group of surveyors got lost in the mountains and stumbled into the village at the foot of a hill, where they were rescued. They soon discovered that although the village had a high number of elderly residents, every one of them had glowing complexions and energetic demeanors. They moved briskly while working in the fields, and lifting several buckets of water was nothing to them.
At first, the surveyors assumed the villagers’ good health came from years of physical labor. But after asking further, they were shocked to learn that many of these elders were already over a hundred years old.
Stunned by the truth, the surveyors eagerly asked how the villagers maintained such excellent health.
The villagers thought about it and, feeling a little confused, replied that they hadn’t done anything special. They just ate what they grew themselves, drank spring water from the mountains, worked at sunrise, and rested at sunset.
The surveyors didn’t doubt them. They simply sighed in admiration, thinking: truly, the local environment nurtures the people who live in it.
Out of professional habit, they collected a test tube of stream water and a handful of the local soil before they left, intending to analyze them back home and keep the samples on file.
What they hadn’t expected was that the test results would shock them.
The village’s soil and water both showed properties highly beneficial to human health.
No wonder the elders were in such great condition!
At first, this information spread only within a small circle. Later, a young intern among the survey team wrote about it on her social media as a kind of diary entry marveling at the wonders of nature.
Some people who read her post thought she was just trying to attract attention, so they fiercely criticized her.
How could there be an entire village full of centenarians, all in good health?
Even the best wellness centers in the capital wouldn’t dare make such a claim.
Unable to hold back, the young intern presented more evidence to support her statements.
At the same time, someone managed to locate the village’s whereabouts and, unwilling to simply believe the intern, decided to go there in person and even made a bet with her.
The intern, being young and hot-blooded, was angered by the baseless doubt. She agreed to the bet on the spot, and the online audience at the time bore witness to it.
Two months passed, and the person who had gone to the village hadn’t posted any updates. Many people believed either the intern had bribed him to stay silent, or that he never went in the first place.
Just as the online chatter was reaching a peak, that person suddenly reappeared on the intern’s social media page, visibly emotional.
“Everyone, it’s true!”
His message was filled with exclamation points and jumbled phrasing—clearly, he was overwhelmed: “The village really exists, and everyone there lives to be over a hundred years old. It’s unbelievable!”
Those who had been skeptical flocked to ask him what happened.
He explained that the village was deep in the mountains, in a remote and hard-to-reach area. The surrounding magnetic fields were so strong that they disrupted his compass. Even as an experienced hiker, he had nearly failed to find it. That’s why it took him two months.
Eventually, a middle-aged local who had been returning to the village learned of his purpose and personally guided him there.
“After staying there for a while, even the injuries I got when I was younger started to heal—it’s amazing!”
The man said excitedly: “This truly is a genuine Longevity Village!”
Hearing his enthusiastic praise, the intern also reaffirmed the remarkable quality of the village’s soil and water. Onlookers were stunned. Caught between disbelief and fascination, they started to feel tempted.
After all, once youth had passed, who didn’t have a few chronic issues? Minor problems accumulated over time and became difficult to endure. Even trips to the hospital often failed to cure them—those ailments weren’t fatal but were endlessly troublesome.
Yet here was someone providing firsthand testimony, saying that all of those little issues had disappeared. Now, every day felt as light and energetic as when he was eighteen.
“The only pity, is that since the effect is tied to the water and soil, after leaving the village, the old problems slowly started to return.”
The man added regretfully: “That’s why I’ve decided to settle everything in the city, gather my savings, and move to the village permanently.”
“After working most of my life, it’s time to retire and enjoy the rest of it.”
After posting that, he never came online again.
This left curious bystanders even more restless, desperate to find out if the village was really as magical as they said.
Fortunately, the man had shared the location and directions to the village, which allowed many interested people to follow in his footsteps.
The village seemed to possess a mysterious charm. Everyone who visited it came back full of praise, claiming that the local environment had significantly improved their health.
Many even decided to wrap up their affairs outside and move there to live for a while.
With everyone speaking so highly of the place, the village’s reputation began to spread. More and more people encountered travel logs about it online.
Photos shared by travelers showed lush and expansive landscapes, charming and quaint villages, and smiling group shots of visitors and lively elderly villagers. Many people couldn’t help but feel: this was the perfect place for rest and recovery.
And so, through word of mouth, the name of Mountain Hollow Village spread far and wide. During its rise in popularity, as many had started referring to it as “Longevity Village,” people gradually forgot its original name and just called it that.
The southern region soon took notice of the growing online attention. They saw that more and more people were traveling there, and some even settled down. Others opened guesthouses, boosting the local economy.
After conducting an on-site investigation, the regional government concluded that Longevity Village did indeed have great potential. Thus, during this collaboration with the program team, they decided to promote it.
—If Longevity Village succeeded, it could serve as an umbrella effect, positively impacting all the surrounding villages and revitalizing the regional economy. The road and infrastructure development plans could also proceed steadily.
The southern region could practically see a bright future ahead.
“The reason people feel healthier in Longevity Village is largely due to the water, it comes straight from the upstream sources, with zero pollution, and carries beneficial minerals from the forest soil. This helps the body naturally regulate itself. Anyone who drinks it will feel a difference.”
The guide explained to the group with a smile: “Everyone here today should try the village’s signature dish—Longevity Fish. It’s a must-try!”
“But for those watching at home, if you’re curious about Longevity Village, please don’t buy products online that claim to come from there.”
The guide warned dutifully into the camera. “All those agricultural products and spring water advertised as being from Longevity Village are fake and ineffective.”
An Nanyuan looked puzzled. “How can you be so sure? I mean, even if there are many fakes, there must be a few genuine ones, right?”
As he spoke, An Nanyuan opened a shopping app and, sure enough, found listings for products from Longevity Village.
However, no matter which store it was, the reviews weren’t great. Many people said the products were no different from regular ones—just overpriced nonsense marketed for gullible buyers.
Some sellers tried to explain helplessly that they had indeed brought the goods directly from the village, and the water had been collected straight from the stream. They even offered video proof to support their claims.
But angry reviews still poured in. One customer said the water tasted bad, so they poured it into their fish tank—and all the fish died. Clearly, the water was no good.
Yet others pointed out that domestic fish couldn’t handle sudden changes in their environment. It was normal for them to die when their conditions changed so drastically.
An Nanyuan browsed through several shops and felt increasingly confused.
He figured it was like resellers or scalpers—of course, there would be fakes, but surely not all of them were fake?
The guide chuckled and explained, “Actually, not every seller is fake. Some of the products do come from the village. When I stayed there, I saw a few guesthouse owners doing that kind of business.”
“But Mr. An, there’s something you may not know, there’s a saying: the local environment nurtures the people. That’s not just talk—it’s true.”
The guide patiently elaborated: “The water and soil of Longevity Village are only effective within the village itself. Even if you take the water away, it loses its properties. Once it leaves Longevity Village, it’s just ordinary water.”
Lu Xingxing, who had been lethargically reciting her lines, suddenly perked up when he heard this. “Wait, really?”
The guide nodded. “My hometown is near the Longevity Village. That area has a very unique geographical location—it’s right at the junction of two tectonic plates, and the magnetic field there is extremely chaotic. Ordinary traditional methods become ineffective in the mountains, and that’s exactly what gives the land and water there their distinct qualities.”
“Some say it’s because there’s a mountain god in Longevity Village, but I don’t really believe in those superstitions.”
He laughed with a simple, sincere air, scratching his head as he added, “I think the reason the water and soil in Longevity Village are so good is because there are no worries deep in the mountains, and the people around are all very kind. If you were drinking in the city while arguing with someone, it wouldn’t do you any good either.”
An Nanyuan: …That actually makes so much sense, I almost forgot I believed in science.
Yan Shixun, who had been listening quietly all this time without saying a word, finally turned his face that had been half-resting in his palm and looked toward the guide with half-lidded eyes.
Yan Shixun had once traveled with Li Chengyun to the southern regions—not Longevity Village, but another remote village deep in the mountains.
At the time, it was a desperate mother who had rushed onto the road, flinging herself in front of Li Chengyun’s car, begging him for help. She said her daughter was being accused of witchcraft and was about to be burned by the villagers. She pleaded with him to save her daughter.
The two of them had only been passing through, but this sudden situation caught them off guard. Li Chengyun said it was fate guiding them, so he chose to help the mother and followed her into the mountains.
That was the first time a young Yan Shixun had traversed such treacherous terrain.
The canyon river flowed violently, crashing furiously against the cliff walls. If someone fell in, they would be swept away in an instant with no chance of rescue.
Yet the only bridge connecting the two cliffs was a few planks tied together with two hemp ropes.
As a youth, Yan Shixun had walked across the rope bridge without daring to breathe too hard, terrified that even the slightest shift in balance would send him tumbling into the raging waters below.
The mother led them to a remote village. When they arrived, a bonfire had already been lit. A desperate young girl was tied to a wooden frame, crying helplessly, insisting she wasn’t a witch and didn’t know anything.
Yan Shixun had assumed Li Chengyun would save the girl, but to his surprise, Li Chengyun only glanced at her a few times, then folded his arms and stepped back. No matter how much the mother begged, he remained unmoved.
The young Yan Shixun didn’t understand.
Li Chengyun smiled helplessly and explained that there were several wrongful spirits clinging to the girl.
Following his master’s instructions, Yan Shixun observed carefully. Sure enough, beneath the girl’s clothes, he saw something squirming like clusters of maggots. When he looked closer, the shapes formed into horrifying human faces.
Li Chengyun was quietly amazed at his disciple’s gift. He had spent decades honing his own perception and judgment, yet his student grasped it instantly.
He didn’t show his pride outwardly, instead continuing to teach Yan Shixun. He explained that this was a case where a person had been refined into a gu (a venomous creature used in southern sorcery) and was being raised on her body.
Although the girl appeared pitiful and innocent, evoking sympathy and a desire to help, the lingering spirits clinging to her were proof of her crimes.
Then, Li Chengyun turned to the mother who had brought them and said that for young witches who wanted to quickly gain power, they could use the souls of their closest loved ones to create their first gu, which greatly increased the chances of success.
The love and hate between close family members were often the strongest emotions, making their souls the most effective ingredients for crafting human gu.
When the mother heard this, her face changed dramatically. Her earlier softness and concern vanished in an instant, replaced by a ferocious lunge toward Li Chengyun.
But Li Chengyun had been prepared and swiftly cut her down with his peachwood sword.
The villagers were stunned. At the same time, the girl who had been crying out suddenly let out a sharp, frenzied scream, as if she had gone mad.
Li Chengyun remained completely unaffected. He stood calmly in the puddle of blood and gore that had once been the mother, his expression peaceful, still gently instructing his disciple.
He told Yan Shixun that not everyone who looked vicious and threatening was guilty, and not everyone who appeared pitiful and weak was truly innocent. As someone who dealt with spirits and exorcism, a single wrong judgment could mean killing the innocent or letting evil go free.
That mother, he explained, had already been made into a gu by her daughter. Her empty shell of a body had been manipulated to stand by the roadside, stopping anyone who might help her daughter escape, so they could flee from the hands of the villagers.
The seemingly bloodthirsty villagers were only trying to protect their families. And the poor crying girl was, in fact, the true instigator.
That experience had been a valuable lesson for the young Yan Shixun, and it left him with a deep impression of the sorcery practices in the southern region.
Now, hearing the guide speak of the mountains and rivers in the south, Yan Shixun couldn’t help but recall those memories. As he thought back to the days of wandering the land with Li Chengyun, a faint smile appeared on his face.
But… Li Chengyun had already been gone for a long time.
That hermit who always wore white robes would smile with his sleeves folded, never once wavering in his convictions, never losing his smile no matter what crisis he faced. It was as if he were always gently smiling as he turned his head slightly and asked the person next to him, “Xiao Xun, did you remember?”
Yes, Master. I remembered.
Yan Shixun lowered his eyes softly.
A hand reached out from the side and gently held his arm. A cool touch came through the fabric, but it carried a surprising sense of reassurance.
Yan Shixun suddenly came back to himself, quickly sweeping away the dazed sorrow in his eyes and returning to his usual calm. He turned his gaze sideways.
Ye Li was smiling at him. “Shixun, I’m here.”
Yan Shixun stared at him steadily, as if wanting to say something, but after a long while, he merely chuckled softly and swallowed the words he had intended to say.
“You being here—what good does it do?” Yan Shixun said with a half-smile. “You’re someone who can blow up a kitchen just trying to cook.”
The kitchen at home had needed quite a few repairs lately.
Several times, when the official in charge or people from Haiyun Temple came looking for Yan Shixun, they saw him with his black shirt sleeves rolled up, revealing his toned forearms, fully focused on repairing the kitchen.
They had even wondered if their memories had been reset—how come it was always the same scene every time they came?
The official in charge had even joked that Yan Shixun looked like a glitched NPC in a video game, endlessly repeating the same task.
Yan Shixun was helpless to refute that.
At first, he still felt somewhat awkward around Ye Li. But lately, whenever he wasn’t home, Ye Li would seize the chance to practice cooking (and blow up the kitchen). Bit by bit, the image of Ye Li as some powerful spirit had been replaced in his mind by someone who stood awkwardly in the ruins, trying to explain himself.
It was as if a clay idol on a shrine had come to life, becoming someone real and tangible, close enough to feel the warmth of.
After a few such incidents, that lingering awkwardness Yan Shixun felt toward Ye Li had gradually faded.
Ye Li, however, was unaware of this.
He hadn’t realized that the clumsy side he least wanted Yan Shixun to see had actually helped close the distance between them.
Now, hearing Yan Shixun bring it up, Ye Li fell silent, a rare flicker of embarrassment showing on his usually stern face.
“If we were camping, I’d actually do alright with the cooking.”
Ye Li said, trying to sound composed: “You could give it a try, Shixun.”
“In winter? Camping?”
Yan Shixun raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Even in the milder southern regions, winter isn’t exactly warm. And it’s even colder up in the mountains. Go camping in this season and you’ll wake up the next day as an ice sculpture.”
Ye Li: “…”
Shixun, give me a way out here…
“Oh, oh, oh! Master Aunt
is amazing! You even know wilderness survival skills?”
From behind, Lu Xingxing suddenly chimed in. He was hoping Yan Shixun would put in a few good words for him with Taoist Song Yi, so he’d been occasionally eavesdropping on the conversation between the two sitting in front. He just happened to catch that part.
He immediately dropped his book, craning his neck excitedly over the seat like a school kid on a field trip trying to talk to a classmate a few seats away.
Lu Xingxing looked at Ye Li with starry-eyed admiration. He thought being able to survive in the wild and go camping was just too cool.
His eyes practically sparkled as he gazed at Ye Li, so much so that Yan Shixun, who turned his head in surprise, nearly got blinded by the shine.
“If Master Uncle says winter isn’t good for camping, then let’s go in the spring!”
Lu Xingxing offered happily. “The mountain at Haiyun Temple is perfect for camping. And it’d be a great chance for Master Uncle to go back and visit Haiyun Temple too. Isn’t that ideal?”
Yan Shixun let out a light scoff. “If you just want to play around, go by yourself. Even if we go camping together, do you really think he’d care about your meals?”
This much, Yan Shixun knew about Ye Li.
After all this time spent together, even if he still didn’t fully understand why Ye Li always treated him differently, he had at least seen through Ye Li’s detached attitude toward others. He knew Ye Li wasn’t the type to help others without a reason.
If Lu Xingxing thought that going camping together meant he’d get taken care of, he was clearly mistaken.
“Camping? What camping?”
Next to them, Song Ci woke up drowsily, his face creased with sleep lines. He’d only heard a few scattered words but was now intrigued.
The young master immediately joined in with Lu Xingxing, excitedly chatting about the idea of camping.
Meanwhile, Yan Shixun turned his head back toward Ye Li, raised an eyebrow, and said, “You don’t look all that frail to me. Since that’s the case, go sit in the back.”
Ye Li frowned. “Why?”
Yan Shixun replied lazily, “Didn’t you say when we got on the car that you weren’t feeling well and had to sit next to me?”
He stretched out and added, “It’s still a long way to Longevity Village. I’m planning to take a nap. You’re in the way.”
Yan Shixun stretched out his long legs slightly and said, “It’s too cramped—I can’t even stretch my legs.”
He looked just like a big lazy cat stretching out its paw to block someone, lazily guarding his territory.
Ye Li was caught off guard by how cute Yan Shixun looked when he smiled like that—so much so that he forgot to breathe for a moment.
Then he softened his gaze, threw himself back onto the seat, and said with a smile, “Ouch, it hurts. I must’ve pulled something and now I can’t walk.”
Yan Shixun scoffed, clearly not buying his excuse.
But Ye Li showed no embarrassment from having his transparent lie exposed. Instead, he patted his own shoulder and said with a grin, “I’ll be here, and I won’t disturb your sleep.”
“In fact, with me here, you’ll sleep even better, won’t you?” Ye Li smiled suggestively. “A human pillow—angle adjustable. Isn’t that great?”
“In modern terms, you could say this is artificial intelligence.”
Yan Shixun: No, this was ghost-powered intelligence.
After a long car ride, exhaustion was inevitable. Yan Shixun was seated right in front, unlike the other guests who were laughing and messing around for the cameras. With the noise and laughter buzzing in the background, he leaned his head to the side and gradually dozed off.
An Nanyuan leaned over and asked in a hushed tone, “Brother Yan, do you think that so-called ‘Longevity Village’ is really that magical? How can something be effective in one place but completely useless somewhere else?”
The guide was from the southern region and firmly believed in the powers of the Longevity Village, so An Nanyuan had waited until the guide was out of earshot to voice his doubts, worried he might offend him.
Yan Shixun opened his eyes slightly and glanced at An Nanyuan crouching beside him.
Though he’d never been to the Longevity Village and hadn’t even heard of it before, the idea that water loses its effects once it’s removed from its source wasn’t at all surprising to him.
There was a long-standing folk belief that water recognized its native soil.
For instance, spring water from a particular place might brew the finest liquor. But if the water was diverted elsewhere and used for the same process, the result would be a completely different drink. Only at the source would it retain its unique qualities.
Or certain sauces in a village required water drawn from a specific well in that village to achieve a distinct, rich, and fragrant flavor. Even if the water was transported out of the village and used, the sauce just wouldn’t taste the same.
After much puzzling and research, the conclusion had been that the place of origin harbored specific types of fungi or microbes that could only survive in that environment.
And as water passed through these microbial colonies, it carried unique flavors and effects with it. Once it left its source, the microbes would die, and so the effects vanished.
Yan Shixun briefly shared this theory with An Nanyuan and said, “Maybe it’s the same situation with the Longevity Village.”
After all, the land was vast and full of wonders.
An Nanyuan was wide-eyed with amazement and exclaimed how incredible it all sounded.
He had grown up in the city and had never seen the things Yan Shixun described.
But because An Nanyuan had accidentally raised his voice, the guide had noticed them.
He came over smiling and said, “Mr. Yan is indeed knowledgeable. That’s exactly what the researchers who came to investigate the Longevity Village said as well. Since the village is so secluded and there’s no pollution upstream, who knows what kind of treasures the water might carry down.”
“When we arrive, you must all try it for yourselves.”
The guide sighed with emotion and added, “It’s the best water I’ve had in my life. I could drink it straight from the stream and never get tired of it—it even beats the finest delicacies.”
The viewers watching the livestream were thoroughly intrigued by the guide’s description.
[What kind of water is that? Can it really be that good? Don’t lie to me—I didn’t read that many books.]
[I’ve only ever heard that fancy people abroad have ‘water-tasting’ events. Different waters have different flavors. Looks like our domestic options are just as good—why not start something similar here?]
[Hahaha, maybe it’s because the southern region folks are just too pure. Look, even the netizens are getting anxious for them and trying to think of ways they can make money from it.]
[I actually think this is a great idea. I usually hate drinking water, but if it tastes this good—even without any special effects—I’d still pay for it.]
[Was this guide a salesman in a past life? Just listening to him made me thirsty.]
The viewers excitedly discussed the Longevity Village. Many who had never heard of it before were now saying that if the village turned out to be as wonderful as described, they’d definitely consider it for their next trip.
Some even started booking their visits already.
[I just looked it up! Turns out lots of backpackers have been there before, just like the guide said! The scenery looks amazing. I’m going next time—no lines either! I’m crying tears of joy.]
The cheerful banter of the audience blended with the laughter from the guests, making everyone feel warm and entertained.
Amid the joy and chatter, Yan Shixun drifted off into a light sleep.
By the time he opened his eyes again, they had already arrived in the southern region.
The guide looked like a traveler returning home. Just spotting the outline of the distant mountains was enough to make him visibly emotional.
He smiled and pointed out the window, his voice full of nostalgia and pride. “Just past those mountains is the Longevity Village. The view’s not bad, right?”
“But the road ahead is still under construction, so vehicles can’t go into the mountains. We’ll need to get out and walk the rest of the way.”
He chuckled and added, “Don’t worry about the cars—tourism infrastructure here is gradually improving. There’s a dedicated parking area where the vehicles will be safe.”
Everyone had been stuck in the car for hours, and their backs and legs were starting to ache. Lu Xingxing even complained that his butt was going numb.
So when the guide said they had to get out and walk, no one grumbled. In fact, they cheered and seemed excited.
“Perfect time to stretch our legs a bit!”
Zhao Zhen stretched with all his might, his bones cracking loudly. He laughed and said, “Once you hit eighteen, your health just goes downhill. I’m almost thirty now.”
Standing nearby, Song Ci took two steps back with an expression of disdain, clearly trying to distance himself from Zhao Zhen.
Even if he lived to eighty, he’d still feel eighteen. Zhao Zhen, on the other hand, was always acting like an old man—ugh, what a downer.
The young master turned to look for Lu Xingxing, only to see him still frowning at his massive backpack.
Taoist Song Yi had stuffed a bunch of books in there—and they were heavy!
Song Ci: “…”
All my teammates are idiots.
Without hesitation, Song Ci went straight to find Yan Shixun.
Once the car was parked, everyone chatted and laughed as they followed the guide up into the mountains. Along the way, they passed by many guesthouses with strong local character. The owners, whether bosses or their spouses, all smiled and greeted them warmly.
The sky was clear, and the towering mountains stood in quiet majesty.
Beneath the trees, yellow chrysanthemums bloomed in the early winter breeze, swaying gently.
If you love what Ciacia is doing, then consider showing your support by supporting a cup of tea for her at Kofi. If you can’t wait for the next release chapter, subscribe to advanced chapters membership on her Kofi to get access to up to 10 chapters!
