I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 61: The Successor of an Old Friend

Transitioning from the seventh to the eighth layer of Qi-Refining isnʼt considered a major breakthrough.

From the seventh to the ninth layer belonged to the late stage of Qi-Refining. Each layer increases oneʼs power by no more than twenty to thirty percent.

However, transitioning from the early to the middle stage or from the middle to the late stage of Qi-Refining results in a significant power increase, almost doubling it.

The same was true for the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Two days later, once his power stabilized, Lan Changʼan exited the secret chamber.

The Profound Water Turtle, sensing the lingering aura on him, clumsily followed with its limbs flailing in a somewhat silly manner.

Currently, the Profound Water Turtle had been hatched for over a decade and had firmly entered the ranks of first-rank early stage spirit beast.

In terms of physique, it lagged behind its true cultivation level.

The Profound Water Turtle was adept at concealing its aura, making it difficult for ordinary cultivators to discern its true nature unless they were a highly skilled spirit beast tamer.

”Squeak! Squeak!”
The Earth Burrowing Rat eagerly brought a letter, darting in from the courtyard.

Lan Changʼan took the letter, it was from Li Erqing.

In the letter, Li Erqing expressed his longing and mentioned that if not for his wife and children, he would have visited Huanglong Immortal City.

About a year ago, Li Erqingʼs cultivation had reached the eighth layer of Qi-Refining.

Without any bottlenecks in the minor stages and with his mind at ease, coupled with the family rewards of medicinal resources, Li Erqingʼs cultivation progressed steadily.

It wasnʼt that Li Erqingʼs cultivation speed was exceptionally fast, but rather that Lan Changʼanʼs Evergreen Technique was slow and limited by the passing of years.

Li Erqing also mentioned Mu Xiuyun in his letter.

Five years ago, after failing to achieve Foundation Establishment, Mu Xiuyun had been managing the shop in Bamboo Leaf Mountain, and her dealings with the family became less and less.

Itʼs not hard to imagine that failing to achieve Foundation Establishment had a significant impact on Mu Xiuyunʼs state of mind.

In previous years, Lan Changʼan had sent two letters to the shop in Bamboo Leaf Mountain, inquiring about Mu Xiuyunʼs situation with the intention of comforting and guiding her.

However, there was no response from Mu Xiuyunʼs side.

...

Lan Changʼan had just finished reading the letter.

A deep male voice came from outside the courtyard gate:

”Is this Water Moon Residence? Is it where Fellow Daoist Lan resides?”

Lan Changʼan sensed a wave of spiritual sense emanating outside.

The visitor was clearly a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

”Ah, itʼs Fellow Daoist Zhang. Please come in!” Lan Changʼan opened the formation and greeted them at the entrance of the courtyard.

Two people arrived, one of whom was a slightly dark-skinned, stern-faced young cultivator, Zhang Tieshan.

After seven or eight years, Zhang Tieshan had already become a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it looked like he had made a breakthrough in recent years.

”Uncle Lan.”

Behind Zhang Tieshan was a disheveled young man whose former handsome features could still be faintly seen.

”Lin Lu, you are here too.” Lan Changʼan responded coldly.

Regarding Lin Luʼs situation, Zhao Siyao had mentioned it in her letters some years ago.

The last time he saw Lin Lu was ten years ago in front of his father Lin Yiʼs tombstone; now, this young man was about thirty years old.

It was hard to associate the disheveled young man before him with the rather arrogant young man from the sect a decade or so ago.

”In the past ten years, Lin Lu has squandered almost all the inheritance left by his father, Lin Yi.” Lan Changʼan recalled what Zhao Siyao had mentioned in her letter.

...

In the first year or two after Lin Yiʼs death, Lin Lu was relatively well-behaved. But in the following seven or eight years, it was a different story.

Initially, Lin Lu made many dubious friends, some of whom were wandering cultivators, and there were also outer sect disciples.

With ample financial resources, Lin Lu was flattered and indulged in their company.

He hosted banquets, visited pleasure houses, changed dual cultivation partners twice, and competed with sect disciples.

During this period, he lavishly squandered the inheritance left by his father.

A few years ago, after a stern reprimand from Zhang Tieshan, Lin Lu severed ties with those dubious friends, corrected his habits, and intended to make a fresh start.

However, at this time, a pure and lovely inner sect female disciple entered his life.

This pure female cultivator, innocent and romantic, was different from his previous companions and didnʼt covet his wealth.

When they first met, the pure female disciple often gave him gifts, which were even more valuable than the gifts Lin Yi had given her.

Lin Yi thought he had found true love.

Two years ago, this pure female disciple was vying for a core disciple position and asked him to lend her a considerable amount of spirit stones.

The female discipleʼs qualifications and prospects were good.

Lin Lu thought of how Lan Changʼan and others had invested in Zhao Siyao back then and gained the connections and friendships of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

He and the pure female disciple were genuinely in love, and their relationship was extraordinary, so it was entirely possible to follow suit.

He dreamed of having a Foundation Establishment female daoist partner in the future, a more successful investment than Lan Changʼanʼs in Zhao Siyao.

Lin Lu sold off his assets and gave her several hundred remaining spirit stones.

But the result was that after becoming a core disciple, the pure female disciple turned her back on him.

Not only that, she also fell for a disciple with a good background within the sect.

As for the several hundred spirit stones Lin Lu had lent her? There were no written records.

Moreover, to appear generous, Lin Lu had claimed they were gifts.

...

The haggard Lin Lu before him had his cultivation stagnated at the sixth layer of Qi-Refining, lost both his wealth and love, and his spirit was broken, his Dao heart unstable.

Despite his father Lin Yi sacrificing his life to leave him a good hand, he ended up in such a sorry state.

Lin Luʼs only remaining bottom line was not squandering the spiritual land of the Hidden Immortal Pavilion, where his father Lin Yi was buried.

”Fellow Daoist Zhang, please come in and have a seat.” Lan Changʼan politely invited Zhang Tieshan in.

Half a year ago, Zhao Siyao had informed Lan Changʼan in a letter about Zhang Tieshanʼs visit.

Zhang Tieshan, who had been close friends with Lin Yi, naturally didnʼt want Lin Yiʼs only cultivator son to fall into ruin.

”Fellow Daoist Lan, I want Lin Lu to change his environment and temper himself in Huanglong Immortal City for a few years. I hope you can look after him.” Zhang Tieshan explained his intention.

”Donʼt worry, Fellow Daoist Lan. He wonʼt disturb your cultivation. I have rented him a room in the inner city and arranged a job for him.”

”I was friends with Lin Yi for over twenty years, so itʼs only right to look after his son.” Lan Changʼan didnʼt refuse.

What he meant by looking after him was doing what he could within his limits, without affecting his own cultivation and safety.

”Thank you very much.” Zhang Tieshan had actually prepared a breakthrough pill for Lin Lu.

However, he wanted to temper Lin Luʼs character first before giving it to him.

This way, they would not owe each other anything and could treat Lin Lu as an ordinary disciple in the future.

...

After explaining Lin Luʼs situation, Zhang Tieshan took out a storage pouch.

”Fellow Daoist Lan, this is something Senior Sister Zhao asked me to bring you.”

Inside the storage pouch were materials for the Foundation Establishment Pill that Zhao Siyao had collected for Lan Changʼan over the years.

Lan Changʼan glanced at it, feeling delighted.

Zhao Siyao had collected one main ingredient and five or six auxiliary ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Lan Changʼan estimated that these materials were worth at least several hundred spirit stones.

He was about to take out spirit stones to commission Zhang Tieshan to bring back to Jinyun Valley.

”Senior Sister Zhao said you helped her a lot with her Foundation Establishment, so thereʼs no need to pay for these materials.” Zhang Tieshan stopped him.

Lan Changʼan sighed softly and didnʼt insist.

Zhao Siyao was repaying his favor.

Once this favor was exhausted, if there was still a significant gap in their realms, their relationship would inevitably become distant and alienated.

...

”Fellow Daoist Zhang came to Huanglong Immortal City this time to eliminate the ʼEvil-faced Flying Eagleʼ?” During their conversation, Lan Changʼan learned about one of Zhang Tieshanʼs objectives for this trip.

”The Evil-faced Flying Eagle has been missing for years. Based on some indications, he might be lurking around Huanglong Immortal City.” Zhang Tieshan analyzed.

”After all, he has been at the ninth layer of Qi-Refining for many years. In a chaotic place like Huanglong Immortal City, he has a better chance of establishing a foundation.”

Lan Changʼan agreed, ”If this villain establishes a foundation, the harm will be tenfold. With Fellow Daoist Zhangʼs Foundation Establishment cultivation, Iʼm sure youʼll succeed this time.”

”Itʼs not that easy. This villain is good at disguising and being cautious. Moreover, he has been low-key and dormant in recent years.” Zhang Tieshan shook his head and sighed.

After chatting for a while, Zhang Tieshan left with Lin Lu.

When leaving the courtyard, Zhang Tieshan glanced at the Profound Water Turtle in the corner, seemingly lost in thought.

Back then, at the auction in Bamboo Leaf Mountain Market, Lan Changʼan had contended for the Life Extension Pill with a centenarian and purchased the Profound Water Turtle.

Afterward, the reputation of the Turtle Talisman Master became a topic of amusement among the surrounding cultivators and was a hot topic for a while.

Lan Changʼan deliberately let the Profound Water Turtle show its face once in a while.

If it was always hidden at home, suddenly bringing out a big turtle one day would seem abrupt and unusual.

...

Lan Changʼan escorted Zhang Tieshan out of the courtyard.

A visit from a Foundation Establishment cultivator drew the attention of the surrounding neighbors, dispelling any doubts about Lan Changʼanʼs background.

Soon after.

Master Guan learned of this and enthusiastically hosted a banquet, inviting Lan Changʼan to his home.

Lan Changʼan had been in Huanglong Immortal City for seven or eight years, maintaining a talisman-for-materials exchange relationship with Master Guan and his disciple, with frequent interactions.

In the evening, Lan Changʼan arrived at Master Guanʼs house.

”Senior Brother Lan, youʼre here!” A sweet girl’s voice called.

Now, Guan Qiaozhi had blossomed into a young woman, dressed in an embroidered blouse and skirt, with a light figure and graceful curves.

Though not of stunning beauty, she was charming and lovely.

After greeting, Guan Qiaozhi went to the kitchen to help.

Lan Changʼan and Master Guan drank and chatted as usual.

”Ah, I donʼt know how much longer Iʼll be able to enjoy this girlʼs delicious food.” This time, Master Guan looked even older, having passed the age of eighty.

Lan Changʼan had a keen sense of longevity and could tell that Master Guan had less than ten years to live.

The theoretical lifespan for Qi-Refining cultivators could reach 120 years.

However, battles, injuries, energy loss, great joys and sorrows, and minor flaws in cultivation methods—all these factors would affect the lifespan.

Generally, Qi-Refining cultivators who lived to about a hundred years were considered to have died of old age.

Master Guan had suffered serious injuries back in the day, making it difficult for him to live long.