Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 1434 - 906: Birth, Aging, Sickness, and Death Are Human Nature; The Immortal Path Is Fraught with Hardship and Defies the Heavens

Red Cloud had grown old.

Its body was no longer robust, its fur was no longer smooth, and its mane no longer blazed like flames as before.

Sighing loudly~~

Even its voice was no longer resounding.

Yang Zhenshan gently stroked its soft mane, cautiously channeling mana into its body.

Sighing loudly~~

Red Cloud called out comfortably.

Yang Zhenshan showed a smile on his face.

"Shall we take a walk outside?"

Sighing loudly~~

Its large eyes had also become clouded, but Yang Zhenshan could still see joy and anticipation in its eyes.

"Let’s go!"

Yang Zhenshan untied its reins and led it out of the stable.

Red Cloud was already over a hundred years old, although it was a Mutant Beast, its lifespan was limited to this.

Spiritual Spring Water could enhance its constitution, but could not extend its lifespan.

Sighing loudly~~

Red Cloud nuzzled its head against Yang Zhenshan, who hesitated for a moment but still lightly leaped onto the horse’s back.

"You’re old now, so just walk slowly!"

He knew Red Cloud wanted to run with him.

Sighing loudly~~

Red Cloud raised its head and neighed, but it could no longer lift its front legs.

Yang Zhenshan was on its back, but he was merely pretending, using mana to support his body without having Red Cloud carry him; even so, Red Cloud found it hard to take a step.

It slowly moved its hooves, walking along the green stone path, its clouded eyes fondly observing the surrounding scenery.

Yang Zhenshan patiently accompanied it, while in his heart reminisced about the days they charged into battle together.

Back then, Red Cloud was still young, its body strong like a beast, draped in Iron Armor, galloping through the battlefield, leaving corpses in its wake.

As he reminisced, tears welled up in Yang Zhenshan’s eyes.

He had passed the age of sentimentality, his heart growing colder as he aged, with few apart from old friends able to touch his heart.

But Red Cloud was different; it was an old friend.

He still remembered the year Red Cloud walked into his home, and the first time he saw Red Cloud, he couldn’t resist reaching out to touch the tuft of fiery red mane on its body.

He reached out to stroke Red Cloud’s mane again, finding the texture completely different now.

The smooth mane had become coarse and sparse.

He couldn’t bear to let go of Red Cloud!

"Old friend!" Yang Zhenshan dismounted, his eyes red as he looked into Red Cloud’s eyes.

Breathing softly~~ Breathing softly~~

Red Cloud’s breath became increasingly unstable, its breath growing weaker.

"Let’s go, I’ll take you back!"

Yang Zhenshan carefully used mana to carry Red Cloud back to the stable.

Vitality depleted, even immortals are powerless.

Yet, Yang Zhenshan refused to give up.

Returning to the stable, Red Cloud could no longer stand.

It lay helplessly on the hay, and Yang Zhenshan sat beside it in quiet companionship.

A day passed.

Yu Qingyi came over.

"Husband!"

"Hmm, it’s alright, I just want to be with it," Yang Zhenshan’s complexion had regained composure.

Life, sickness, and death are human nature.

Over the years, he lost count of how many old friends he had bid farewell to, sometimes he even ignored their passing.

But this old friend before him was the hardest to let go.

Yu Qingyi sat down beside him, gently stroking Red Cloud’s head.

Red Cloud’s eyes grew increasingly clouded, its breath ever weaker.

Another day passed.

Red Cloud’s breath was like a candle in the wind, seemingly about to extinguish at any moment.

Of course, a dying candle won’t continue burning, nor will Red Cloud’s breath last.

Finally, its breath completely vanished.

"It’s gone!" Yu Qingyi said softly.

Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, "Ah, I just can’t bear to part with it!"

"Parting in life and death is inevitable!" Yu Qingyi comforted.

Yang Zhenshan shook his head, his eyes glimmering with golden light.

"I want to keep it!"

Amidst the faint golden light, Yang Zhenshan saw an indistinct shadow.

That was Red Cloud’s spirit.

All beings in the world have souls, but there is no Underworld in this realm.

After death, the soul returns to the earth, without any talk of reincarnation.

Perhaps Buddhism speaks of reincarnation, but its reincarnation has nothing to do with the Underworld or the six realms of reincarnation.

Looking at Red Cloud’s spirit, Yang Zhenshan had a thought, and the Seven Treasures Soul Suppressing Tower in his Sea of Consciousness gently rotated, an invisible force seeping out to pull Red Cloud’s weak spirit into the Soul Returning Array.

The Soul Returning Array contains the independent space of the Luminous Soul Domain, capable of stripping a creature’s Divine Soul from its flesh and imprisoning it within the domain.

Red Cloud’s spirit didn’t qualify as a Divine Soul; the soul of a First-order Mutant Beast was very weak, even inferior to a typical person.

Yet Yang Zhenshan placed its spirit in the Luminous Soul Domain.

In this world, there were Ghost Cultivation methods.

Perhaps in the future, Red Cloud might become a Ghost Cultivator.

Moreover, the Seven Treasures Soul Suppressing Tower had the ability to nourish Divine Souls, allowing Red Cloud’s spirit to persist in the Luminous Soul Domain.

However, by doing so, Yang Zhenshan could no longer use the Soul Returning Array against foes.

Seeing Red Cloud’s spirit stable in the Luminous Soul Domain, Yang Zhenshan’s sadness also eased significantly.

Life, sickness, and death are human nature.

But the path of immortality is fraught with obstacles, a journey against heaven.

Human nature is not an immutable law of the Immortal Path.

"You should head back first. I’ll go find a Feng Shui treasure site for Red Cloud!"

Yang Zhenshan helped Yu Qingyi up, speaking softly.

Yu Qingyi didn’t know he had placed Red Cloud’s spirit into the Luminous Soul Domain, seeing his calm demeanor, her heart also relaxed somewhat.