I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

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Seven days later.

Inside the alchemy chamber of the Yunlai Peak's cave dwelling.

The furnace lid opened with a clang, and radiant light surged forth. Three spirit pills, gleaming with a dark misty sheen, floated into Lan Chang'an's hand.

"Third-rank spirit pills, Black Dragon Pills."

Lan Chang'an examined the pills carefully. Each bore seven pill patterns, their luster radiant, their texture round and full.

The Black Dragon Pill was capable of neutralizing most of the world's potent toxins and was the third-rank specialty of Master Lihuo.

"In the past hundred years, these were nigh impossible to obtain. But now, as a third-rank alchemist, they come easily to hand."

Lan Chang'an chuckled lightly, feeling immensely pleased.

In this lifetime, he had dabbled in the art of alchemy, but his talent was mediocre. After over a century, he had only managed to become a low-grade second-rank alchemist, unable to advance to mid-grade.

In the previous few decades, he had nearly given up on alchemy altogether, focusing only on concocting basic pills for daily use.

Now, having reached the level of a third-rank alchemist, he had finally fulfilled a long-cherished dream.

In comparison, however, the arts of divination and artifact refinement had proven to be far more beneficial to Lan Chang'an.

Divination, the art of predicting fortune and misfortune, allowed for prudent decision-making and careful planning.

Artifact refinement, the highest skill of Master Lihuo in his past life among the many immortal cultivation arts, had reached the superior grade of third-rank craftsmanship.

Now, all of these skills belonged to Lan Chang'an.

With such expertise, he would no longer need to rely on others to craft his lifebound magical treasures in the future.

Moreover, artifact refinement greatly aided in the creation of puppets.

The weapons and armor of these puppets could now be personally refined by him to reach the level of true magical treasures, rather than being mere downgraded versions with only raw material strength and characteristics.

"The resources I poured into the Seven Kingdoms Alliance were absolutely worth it!"

Lan Chang'an put away the pills, his emotions still a little stirred.

The ability of the Nine Seal Stele to grant a full lifetime's experiences was fundamentally different from merely gaining the memories of a Nascent Soul-stage old monster.

If it were the latter, he would have had to start learning each skill from scratch, only benefiting from prior experience to avoid unnecessary detours.

It was akin to the vast sea of knowledge accessible on the internet from his pre-reincarnation Earth.

Even with abundant information available, mastering any field to its peak often required an entire lifetime of effort, and success was not guaranteed.

Master Lihuo occupied the fourth position on the Nine Seal Stele, directly behind Lan Chang'an's third life.

In essence, it would be more accurate to describe this as his "fourth life" rather than his "past life."

Over the past few days, Lan Chang'an had reflected on the experiences of this fourth life and realized that Master Lihuo's early years had been unusually smooth!

Born with heavenly spiritual roots, Master Lihuo's cultivation path from Qi-Refining to Core Formation had been practically obstacle-free, with almost no bottlenecks to hinder him.

Such a smooth journey left him lacking in hardships and tempering experiences.

This resulted in limited potential and drive after advancing to the Nascent Soul Realm.

Of course, this might not have been the sole reason for his stagnation.

The environmental conditions of the Great Qing Eastern Region also played a significant role.

After reaching the Nascent Soul Realm, Master Lihuo had chosen to stay within his comfort zone, showing little interest in exploration or expansion.

Tying his fate to the Flame Departing Palace of the Liang Kingdom had ultimately restricted his future prospects.

This reasoning was something Master Lihuo himself surely understood.

However, having grown up within the Flame Departing Palace since his youth, he had poured centuries of effort, emotions, and care into the sect. His disciples, companions, and descendants were all deeply intertwined with it.

Venturing beyond his established domain came with significant risks, not to mention leaving the Flame Departing Palace vulnerable to decline or even destruction in his absence.

...

"Fortunately, in this life, I have no plans to marry or bear children, nor will I bind myself entirely to any cultivation faction. I have far fewer concerns."

Lan Chang'an realized that what Master Lihuo had lacked, he possessed in abundance.

However, Master Lihuo's unparalleled natural talent and rapid cultivation progress were precisely what Lan Chang'an fell short of.

In the world of immortal cultivation, there was no such thing as absolute perfection.

Even powerful Nascent Soul True Monarchs had their limitations and, in certain aspects, might not surpass ordinary cultivators.

Standing on the shoulders of his "fourth life's" achievements, Lan Chang'an had a clearer plan for his future cultivation path:

Before the Nascent Soul Realm, he could still make do within the Great Qing Eastern Region.

After reaching the Nascent Soul Realm, however, if he wished to aim for higher realms, he would need to venture onto a broader stage.

This was especially true for someone like Lan Chang'an, who was a loose cultivator by origin.

The fourth-rank spirit veins and the limits of heaven and earth's fortune in this region imposed natural restrictions, making it extremely difficult for cultivators to break through their upper limits.

From the memories of his "fourth life," Lan Chang'an now had a clearer understanding of the geography of the Heaven Honoured Continent.

The previous Great Kun he had lived in was known as the Kun Province.

His current location was the Qing Province.

Such names were not unfamiliar to him, as Lan Chang'an had heard similar rumors in his previous life.

Kun Province and Qing Province were both considered mid-tier regions of the Heaven Honoured Continent.

In such regions, it was impossible for a cultivator to naturally advance to the Deity Transformation Realm, as fifth-rank spirit veins simply did not exist.

Even reaching the late Nascent Soul stage required immense luck and fortune.

The map from his fourth life depicted the Heaven Honoured Continent in a general sense, marking only the locations of a few ancient and prominent great provinces.

The legendary Central Region was said to be located in the heart of the Heaven Honoured Continent.

Meanwhile, the Fenghua Province, home to the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty, was situated in the eastern central region of the continent.

Qing Province was also located in the eastern part of Heaven Honoured, separated from Fenghua Province by two other great provinces.

On the map, the distance appeared small, but in reality, the journey was unimaginably vast.

His former Kun Province was not marked on the map, but Lan Chang'an was confident that after reaching the Nascent Soul Realm, finding its location would not be difficult.

The memories from his fourth life held a wealth of useful information for him.

For instance, the Fengyuan Kingdom.

Lan Chang'an learned that prior to the war of the Golden Sun's northern migration, Master Lihuo had sent some of his bloodline descendants to Fengyuan Kingdom.

Why the Fengyuan Kingdom?

In Master Lihuo's understanding, Fengyuan Kingdom's harsh environment made it unsuitable for cultivation development. Yet, during a demonic invasion, it served as a safe haven.

Not only was the Fengyuan Kingdom protected by natural barriers, but its impoverished land also made it unappealing to the Six Demonic Sects.

By leaving part of his bloodline there, Master Lihuo ensured the continuation of his lineage.

Of course, some of Master Lihuo's more exceptional disciples and descendants followed him to the Seven Kingdoms Alliance.

The Seven Kingdoms Alliance was more prosperous and had greater potential for development compared to the few nations under the Righteous Dao Alliance.

Whether for progress or survival, Master Lihuo had made comprehensive plans.

Additionally, Master Lihuo had hidden supplies to prepare for his descendants.

Lan Chang'an, however, had no intention of coveting them.

After all, he had effectively lived through Master Lihuo's entire life.

Though the influence of the Nine Seal Stele ensured his original mind remained unaffected, merely granting him the insights into another life, he couldn't help but feel a certain degree of attachment.

If the Nine Seal Stele lacked this ability, experiencing multiple lifetimes would have long since shattered his psyche, making it impossible to maintain his original spirit.

"If the Six Demonic Sects threaten the Liang Kingdom, Fengyuan Kingdom could serve as an excellent hiding place."

Lan Chang'an planned to include the Fengyuan Kingdom in his fallback strategies.

After all, even a Nascent Soul-stage old monster from his fourth life had sent his bloodline there to preserve it.

As for Fengyuan Kingdom's harsh environment and lack of resources, Lan Chang'an wasn't concerned.

Over the years, he had accumulated a substantial fortune, more than sufficient to sustain many years of cultivation needs.

...

Two days later.

Lan Chang'an was trying his hand at the art of refining weapons.

Suddenly, his thoughts shifted, and he took out the Elder's token from his storage pouch.

The token glowed faintly with white light, delivering a message.

"Immortal Tianfeng, gravely injured upon returning?"

Lan Chang'an paused, his hands stopping mid-task.

In the war against the demonic invasion, Zhang Tieshan had made significant contributions to Jin Yun Valley.

Over the past decade, he had slain two early Core Formation demonic cultivators, six or seven Fake Dan cultivators, and an equal number of demonic beasts.

This didn’t even include the demonic cultivators he had repelled or defended against during battles.

While his achievements lacked the legendary aura of crossing realms to kill enemies, his feats of slaying those at the same level were still remarkable.

In truth, demonic cultivators of the same rank were generally stronger than their counterparts from the Righteous Dao Alliance.

As such, to slay a Core Formation-level demonic cultivator on the battlefield was no small accomplishment.

The greater Zhang Tieshan's contributions, the less pressure on Jin Yun Valley, as fewer fresh disciples had to be sent to the front lines each year.

This system in the Righteous Dao Alliance was designed to incentivize high-ranking cultivators to fight and kill enemies.

Moreover, the merits earned on the battlefield could be exchanged for rare resources within the alliance.

Half an hour later.

A group of injured Jin Yun Valley cultivators returned to the sect.

Leading them was Zhang Tieshan.

Inside the Sect Leader’s Hall.

Lan Chang'an was the first to see the injured Zhang Tieshan.

Zhang Tieshan's face was pale, his aura weak. One of his legs was broken, supported, and nourished by a vine imbued with spiritual energy.

"Elder Lan, how is Elder Tianfeng's condition?"

The sect master of Jin Yun Valley, standing beside Zhang Tieshan, asked with concern.

Although Zhang Tieshan was only at the early Core Formation stage, his combat prowess was comparable to that of mid-Core Formation cultivators.

"His injuries are severe and require immediate treatment, or his Dao foundation may be damaged."

Lan Chang'an took Zhang Tieshan's pulse, but a peculiar expression flickered across his face.

It wasn’t the severity of Zhang Tieshan’s injuries that caught his attention.

To be sure, the injuries were serious—over a dozen broken bones, severe damage to his internal organs, lingering dark wounds, and even an impact on his dantian.

However, what truly drew Lan Chang'an's attention was the subtle and unique aura of a magical treasure hidden within Zhang Tieshan's body.

If it had been in the past, Lan Chang'an wouldn’t have noticed anything unusual.

But now, with the insight and perception of a Nascent Soul cultivator, coupled with direct contact via pulse reading, he detected the anomaly.

As a top-tier third-rank artifact refiner, Lan Chang'an recognized that the aura of this magical treasure was extraordinarily unique, containing a kind of spirituality that far surpassed ordinary treasures.

Even his famed Barbed Arrows, or the supreme magical treasures of Master Lihuo, paled in comparison.

"Could it be an imitation of a spiritual treasure? Or perhaps a fragment of a spiritual treasure?"

Based on his current knowledge, Lan Chang'an made an educated guess.

If it were a genuine spiritual treasure, deliberately concealing its aura, Lan Chang'an's current perception wouldn’t have been able to detect it at all.

"Elder Lan, can you ensure that my injuries heal without leaving lasting damage? Aside from the sect’s contribution points, I will offer additional compensation."

Zhang Tieshan’s voice was hoarse as he cupped his hands in respect.

Lan Chang'an was known for his medical skills, especially in nurturing the body.

The sect had specifically proposed that high-ranking cultivators returning from the battlefield could request his assistance, with Lan Chang'an receiving sect contributions in return.

However, Lan Chang'an would only treat the high ranking people with grave injuries, without consuming any lifespan.

Using these contributions, Lan Chang'an exchanged for resources or posted sect missions, hiring Jin Yun Valley disciples to handle errands for him.

"It will take at least three months. Once every seven days, I will come to Elder Zhang’s residence for treatment. In addition, I will need the following medicinal herbs..."

After pondering for a moment, Lan Chang'an outlined a treatment plan.

In truth, he could heal Zhang Tieshan in less than half the time.

However, three months was a reasonable timeframe for a renowned third-rank healer, ensuring no one would suspect him of hiding his true capabilities.

"Then I’ll have to trouble Elder Lan. Once I’ve recovered, I will refine your magical treasure for free as thanks."

A smile appeared on Zhang Tieshan's face.

Years ago, when Zhang Tieshan crafted the Barbed Arrows for Lan Chang'an, he had done his utmost. However, the spiritual treasure fragment involved in the process hadn’t been used to its fullest potential.

Over the years, Zhang Tieshan’s artifact refinement skills had improved. If given another chance, he was confident he could elevate the Barbed Arrows to the level of a superior-grade magical treasure.

"No need. I’m already having difficulty wielding mid-grade magical treasures effectively. Refining it further can wait for the future."

Lan Chang'an smiled and declined.

"If Elder Zhang feels indebted, you can compensate me with third-rank materials when the time comes."

"Very well, I’ll follow Elder Lan’s suggestion."

Zhang Tieshan nodded in agreement, though he found it slightly odd.

Based on Lan Chang'an's character, he had always been eager to refine his lifebound magical treasure to the utmost, enhancing his protective means.

...

An agreement was reached.

That very day, Lan Chang'an visited Zhang Tieshan's cave dwelling to treat his injuries.

Once the treatment was complete, Lan Chang'an would receive a generous amount of sect contribution points, as well as the third-rank treasure material Zhang Tieshan had promised as gratitude.

After Lan Chang'an left, Zhang Tieshan's expression turned hesitant.

"Senior Artifact Spirit, will Lan Chang'an discover your existence while treating my injuries?"

A voice, ancient and wise yet carrying a childlike tone, responded, "Rest assured. If he were the reincarnation of Yan Donglai and as familiar with you as you claim, he would have noticed long ago during your frequent close contact over the years."

The Artifact Spirit paused before continuing, "Based on my observations and analysis, his actions and temperament are vastly different from Yan Donglai's. If he were merely a talented cultivator who practices the Evergreen Technique, he wouldn’t possess such perception or insight."

"That’s good to hear. Letting him see my cultivation progress and quasi-third-rank body refinement capabilities is of no consequence," Zhang Tieshan said, finally at ease.

He had sought Lan Chang'an's help due to the severity of his injuries, fearing they might damage his foundation.

With his cultivation halfway through the early Core Formation stage, Zhang Tieshan was in a critical period to earn merit and compete for precious resources.

Once he advanced to the mid-Core Formation stage, his survival on the battlefield would greatly improve. Without interference from a Nascent Soul cultivator, few could threaten his life.

However, Zhang Tieshan's impressive performance on the battlefield in recent years had drawn the attention of high-level cultivators from Beast King Valley.

During his latest injury, he had been targeted by a late-third-rank avian demonic beast, whose speed far exceeded his own, nearly costing him his life.

Fortunately, the Grand Elder of Jin Yun Valley had intervened in time to rescue him.

Otherwise, Zhang Tieshan might have been forced to reveal the spiritual treasure fragment hidden within him just to save his life.

Back at Yunlai Peak's cave dwelling.

"Zhang Tieshan's fortuitous encounters are indeed remarkable. With such progress in cultivation, he must have at least formed a upper-tier Core, which is rare to see for hundreds of years for a low-grade spiritual root," Lan Chang'an mused to himself after the treatment.

Thanks to the perspective of a Nascent Soul-stage cultivator, Lan Chang'an had gleaned much about Zhang Tieshan's situation during the treatment.

He estimated that Zhang Tieshan had a good chance of advancing to the mid-Core Formation stage within twenty years.

For cultivators with low-grade spiritual roots, progress during the Qi-Refining and Foundation Establishment stages was often excruciatingly slow.

Before reaching the early Foundation Establishment stage, Zhang Tieshan's cultivation speed had been noticeably slower than Zhao Siyao's. However, he began to surpass her in the later stages of Foundation Establishment.

At the Core Formation stage, the influence of spiritual roots diminished, and the quality of the Core became a significant factor.

If the quality of the formed Core is poor, like that of Fu Xuemei—even with her superior earth spiritual root—would lead to mediocrity in the Core Formation stage.

Zhang Tieshan had formed his Core roughly eighteen years before Lan Chang'an, and unlike Lan Chang'an, he wasn’t constrained by the time limitations of the Evergreen Technique.

With his fortuitous encounters and combat prowess, Zhang Tieshan’s journey through the Core Formation stage might be smoother than his earlier cultivation stages.

...

In a flash, three years passed.

Zhang Tieshan, fully recovered from his injuries, returned to the frontlines two years ago.

Meanwhile, Zhao Siyao and her disciple Zhao Tan'er had both returned to Jin Yun Valley.

On this particular day, Lan Chang'an, now 195 years old, completed his daily cultivation and nourishing routine.

In the past three years, the purple-robed Daoist's shadow from the Nine Seal Stele's fourth life had gradually illuminated small portions.

Lan Chang'an estimated that it would take a total of twenty years to fully light up the Nascent Soul-stage True Monarch from the fourth life.

Until he nourished and forged a fourth-rank treasure talisman, this would remain Lan Chang'an's most powerful trump card.

"Uncle Lan! We're here again!"

In the afternoon, Zhao Tan'er's crisp, melodious voice rang out from outside Yunlai Peak.

"Come in," Lan Chang'an said with a faint smile, stepping out of his cave dwelling.

Outside the dwelling, there was an artificial pond.

Lan Chang'an, Zhao Siyao, and Zhao Tan'er sat together in a pavilion by the pond.

During the war, it was rare for Zhao Siyao and her disciple to be at Jin Yun Valley’s main sect simultaneously.

Recently, Zhao Tan'er had been visiting Yunlai Peak occasionally, knowing that Lan Chang'an often had free time in the afternoons.

On the mountain’s summit, the three of them would sometimes enjoy tea, play chess, or sing and drink wine together.

On fortunate days, Lan Chang'an could even listen to Zhao Siyao play the zither while Zhao Tan'er danced gracefully, creating a harmonious scene of music and performance.

As a Fake Dan cultivator with a lifespan of over 300 years, Zhao Siyao had developed a hobby in her leisure time: playing the seven-stringed zither.

Over the decades, her zither skills had reached a masterful level, her melodies becoming increasingly ethereal and serene.

Whenever Lan Chang'an listened to Zhao Siyao's music, he felt as though he could sense her inner thoughts.

There was no overwhelming joy, nor much sorrow or regret.

Yet, when she played for Lan Chang'an, there was occasionally a touch of liveliness in her otherwise tranquil music, or a gentle warmth reminiscent of flowing streams and towering mountains.

Lan Chang'an enjoyed such moments of simple tranquility.

Zhao Siyao’s dignified grace and tacit understanding, paired with Zhao Tan'er’s lively and mischievous demeanor, brought Lan Chang'an a rare sense of peace.

Sometimes, it even felt like they were a family of three.

Although their gazes occasionally met with mutual understanding and a smile, there was no real romantic ambiguity between them.

Even though Zhao Siyao now appeared around thirty-four or thirty-five, no longer retaining her youthful beauty, she did not end up like Mu Xiuyun in those days—sorrowful and heartbroken, ultimately too weathered to face the man who remained forever untouched by time.

By avoiding crossing that line, their relationship remained perfect as it was.

Lan Chang'an, who had experienced countless wives and concubines in his past lives, deeply understood the sentiment of "If only we had met at the beginning."

If he and Zhao Siyao were to cross that line, their current harmonious and pleasant relationship might not endure.

"Uncle Lan, were you even listening?"

Zhao Tan'er pouted, lightly tapping her teacup.

"This is my battle insight after defeating a Core Formation demonic cultivator on the battlefield. You don’t have much experience with same-realm combat, so you must pay close attention!"

"I’ve already heard it a few times, and I’ve gained quite a bit of insight," Lan Chang'an said with a smile as he exchanged a knowing look with Zhao Siyao.

Through years of experience, Zhao Tan'er had suffered injuries, slain enemies, and honed her combat prowess.

Perhaps due to her pure-hearted nature, her comprehension abilities were excellent, and she had grown rapidly.

As for her claim of defeating a Core Formation demonic cultivator, it was technically true.

Her opponent had underestimated her and fell victim to her schemes. With the aid of a quasi-third-rank puppet, she had injured them severely enough to force their retreat.

"Tan'er, when you can defeat Uncle Lan head-on, then you’ll have the qualifications to give him advice," Zhao Siyao teased, knowing Lan Chang'an's true strength was far beyond what he let on.

"Ugh! Even if I exhaust myself, I can’t break through that turtle shell of his!"

Zhao Tan'er’s expression fell as she sulked.

No matter how confident she felt after improving her techniques and divine abilities, she could never gain the upper hand against Lan Chang'an in sparring.

Eventually, her stamina would give out, and she’d find herself completely overwhelmed.

Thanks to Zhao Tan'er's exaggerated tales, Lan Chang'an had earned the nickname "Turtle Immortal" within Jin Yun Valley.

Lan Chang'an never refused her requests for sparring, using the opportunity to temper her abilities.

"Chang'an, I recently heard that you’ve been blacklisted and have a bounty on your head in the black market," Zhao Siyao asked with concern.

"It’s nothing to worry about," Lan Chang'an replied nonchalantly. "Lots of noise, but little action. As long as I don’t recklessly leave Jin Yun Valley, what can the Xie Family of Chen Kingdom do to me?"

It turned out that the Xie Family, frustrated by the ineffectiveness of their national bounty, had increased the reward and extended it to the black markets across various cultivation nations.

Zhao Siyao, preoccupied with the battlefield, had only recently received this delayed news.

"Uncle Lan, I heard that Uncle Erqing is nearing his end. His lifespan is almost at its limit. I want to visit him," Zhao Tan'er suggested.

"Li Congren mentioned in his letter that Li Erqing has forbidden his descendants from competing for second-rank Life Extension Pills to avoid wasting resources and creating enemies," Lan Chang'an sighed.

In the two decades since returning to the Liang Kingdom, Lan Chang'an had rarely ventured out, visiting Feiyue Lake only twice.

Instead, the now white-haired Li Erqing had visited him in Jin Yun Valley several times.

In recent years, Li Erqing’s health had deteriorated further, and he hadn’t visited again.

Reflecting on this, Lan Chang'an began to perform a divination.

"Uncle Lan, you know how to divine fortunes?" Zhao Tan'er’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

A few breaths later, Lan Chang'an finished his calculations and spoke in a low voice:

"Li Erqing has about one year of lifespan remaining. He’s currently bedridden."

(End of chapter)