I’ve Heard That Even Immortals Die

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(Don't let the chapters pile up. If you do, the story really will die.)

Coming soon: the no-couples feel-good story The God of Wealth Arrives, Bringing Good Fortune, and the dual-protagonist wuxia story I Urge You to Turn from Evil to Good. I hope you'll add them to your collection to show your support.

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[About This Story]

“White jade towers rise in the heavens, with twelve pavilions and five cities. An immortal strokes my crown, ties my hair, and grants me eternal life.”

Twelve years ago, the eldest son of the Shao family died suddenly on his younger brother's birthday. Forced by circumstances, the second young master, Shao Yan, fled to the southern borderlands.

The circumstances surrounding the eldest son's death were shrouded in mystery, and the Shao family refused to discuss them. Their curious attitude toward Shao Yan only fueled speculation...

But the second young master Shao had an excellent reputation, a peerless and elegant figure like an immortal. How could he have committed the crime of murdering his own brother, as the rumors claimed?

So the rumors were only rumors, baseless hearsay, and not to be believed.

Twelve years later, Shao Yan's relationship with his family gradually began to thaw, and it seemed that everything was finally looking up.

But painstakingly picking apart the truth is a painful process. Looking back, every incident cuts him to the bone.

He wasn't the only one trapped in the past.

The façade of a loving father and filial son, of brothers who cherished one another, was torn away. Beneath the fog lay hatred, deep in the bones and impossible to endure.

On the anniversary of his elder brother's death, twelve years later, Shao Yan drew his sword and slit his own throat in the ancestral hall.

Onlookers pitied the second young master of the Shao family, lamenting that he'd spent half his life dependent on others, adrift and displaced. Others mocked him, laughing that he'd willingly lowered himself and spent years beneath everyone else.

Now, as they watched him hover at death's door, all they could offer was a sigh.

Was this atonement, or the beginning of a new sin? The dark ice in Shao Yan's eyes had never melted. It was as dense as the black clouds churning across the horizon.

“My master told me to lay aside my grudges, let go of delusion and resentment, start anew, and change my ways. Don't pine for waters that have flowed away. Turn back from the sea of suffering and awaken to the seeds of good karma.”

A chess piece fell. Shao Yan smiled faintly.

“But what can I do? This hatred stretches on without end, like the river flowing east, while life's sorrows endure.”

Reader's Guide

1. The story contains extended flashbacks and has a slow pace.

2. The timeline shifts around, and the plot threads are tightly interwoven. Be ready to think outside the box and let your imagination run wild.

3. The author's writing skills are poor and the style is rather abstract. If that bothers you, this story may not be for you.

4. The author is firmly against romance, so please don't force romantic interpretations.

5. The title is credited to Liu Ji, the poem at the beginning of the blurb to Li Bai, the poem at the end to Li Yu and Bai Juyi, and the theatrical lyrics to The Unicorn Purse.

6. This is not a typical tragic beauty-strong protagonist story. There are no misunderstandings, and the protagonist is no saintly, innocent flower. As you can see, the blurb uses an unreliable narrative, with oblique, Spring and Autumn-style writing throughout.

7. This is a low-magic xianxia world, and the plot doesn't focus on that aspect.

8. Kind comments from readers supporting the official release are very welcome. Long reviews make the author happy, and I'm looking forward to discussing the plot with readers.

9. Updates will slow down in 2026, and there may be pauses or hiatuses. Feel free to wait until there are more chapters.

If you're fine with the reader's guide, please move on to the author's note in Chapter One.

The blurb for the upcoming The God of Wealth Arrives, Bringing Good Fortune is below!

[Upcoming Story]

The God of Wealth Arrives, Bringing Good Fortune: One rooster takes on the entire Celestial Realm.

“Eight thousand mountains, a mighty land! All members of the demon race, let us, uh, cock-a-doodle-doo!”

The rags-to-riches story of a rooster who couldn't be bothered.

Mu Feng, leader of the demon race, spent five hundred years lazing about in the mortal world before ascending to the Celestial Realm, carrying the hopes of his entire village on his shoulders.

Mu Feng had expected a peaceful life as a civil servant in the Celestial Realm. He never imagined that he would face discrimination because of his demon heritage.

After his superior stole his military achievements, Mu Feng finally snapped. He chopped off the man's head, fought his way to the Hall of Miraculous Mists, and won himself a satisfying position, the Martial God of Wealth, by threatening the Celestial Emperor.

Mu Feng thought he could finally rest easy. But when he opened the books in the God of Wealth's temple, his face fell. He realized there was a serious problem: the Nine Heavens were so broke they were at rock bottom. Forget skimming off the top, he'd be lucky not to have to pay out of pocket!

The new God of Wealth took stock of the situation and worked through the night drafting A Comprehensive Reform Plan to Rescue the Celestial Realm's Finances. He turned the Heavenly Court upside down and added another notch to his fearsome reputation.

He also played a major part in Mu Feng topping the Most Hated Immortals list for dozens of consecutive years.

A certain lynx: “Why is our boss always like that?”

A certain child: “Sigh, my adoptive father, the Celestial Realm's richest man with absolutely no rooster charm.”

Mu Feng: “I'm not interested in money.”

Reader's Guide:

1. The protagonist is a rooster who gained sentience. He isn't human, demon, or god, and his thought process is abnormal.

2. The protagonist is at the peak of combat power and never loses.

3. Your Rooster Bro has been down on his luck, but he's never been poor. Even when he suffers hardship, it's because he chose to experience life for himself.

Moral: When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you. Those who fight monsters must take care not to become monsters themselves. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.