I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 143: Double Advancement

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Half a month later.

By the lotus pond on Little Turtle Peak.

A lively girl in a flower-patterned dress sat on the back of the Profound Water Turtle, her delicate hands caressing the ancient patterns on the turtleʼs shell, reluctant to part.

”Tanʼer, if you donʼt go back now, youʼll delay your cultivation, and your master might scold you,” Lan Changʼan said with a stern face.

After leaving Feiyue Lake last time, he didnʼt expect this Foundation Establishment niece to insist on visiting the Profound Water Turtle.

Over a decade ago, when Zhao Tanʼer was planning for her Foundation Establishment, she visited with her master, Zhao Siyao, and had fallen in love with the adorable Profound Water Turtle.

”Uncle Lan, my master is going to attend the Lantern Festival in Zijing Immortal City next month. Are you really not planning to go and surprise her?” Zhao Tanʼer jumped off the turtle shell, her bright eyes watching Lan Changʼanʼs expression closely.

”This time, my master was matched by a Core Formation cultivator, who arranged a meeting between him and his junior. If you donʼt make a move, you might regret it for life.”

During her stay at Little Turtle Peak, Zhao Tanʼer had repeatedly hinted at pairing Lan Changʼan and Zhao Siyao.
Lan Changʼan was half-convinced by her words. Zhao Siyao, a high-value single Foundation Establishment cultivator in Jin Yun Valley, had been the subject of many matchmaking attempts by elders.

If Zhao Siyao had been willing to bend to such pressures and accept the implied conditions, she would have done so long ago at the ninth layer of Qi-Refining, not waiting until now.

”There are matters between elders that you donʼt understand,” Lan Changʼan shook his head.

”Uncle Lan, please just go once, wonʼt you?” Zhao Tanʼer pouted, her teeth bright against her lips, pleading.

”Your uncle is currently having a burst of inspiration and is tackling a talisman problem, aiming for the superior second rank, so I donʼt have time. Next time, for sure,” Lan Changʼan replied, unwilling to argue further, and retreated into his cave, activating the restrictions to isolate Zhao Tanʼer.

”Hmph, as wimpy as a turtle, canʼt you take the initiative for once?” Zhao Tanʼer fumed but was helpless.

”Little green, see you next time,” Zhao Tanʼer extended a finger to the Profound Water Turtleʼs head for a pinky promise.

Seeing her approaching finger, the Profound Water Turtle instinctively flinched in pain and immediately retreated into its shell. Zhao Tanʼer was not a gentle girl; her way of showing affection was somewhat unique, and she had scared the Profound Water Turtle over the past few days.

”Hmph! Youʼre just like him, a turtle hiding in its shell!” Zhao Tanʼer grumbled and flew away from Little Turtle Peak.

Splash! Splash! Confirming her departure, the Profound Water Turtle splashed around joyfully in the lotus pond.

”Finally gone,” Lan Changʼan sighed in relief inside his cave.

He didnʼt come out immediately but went to the alchemy room in the cave, picking up the long-abandoned practice of alchemy.

Years ago, Lan Changʼan had approached the threshold of becoming a second-rank alchemist, but fully stepping into the second rank had been elusive.

He had to pay a steep price to occasionally produce second-rank pills, though never without suffering heavy losses—his success rate and the quality of the finished pills were highly unstable.

Facing this significant bottleneck, Lan Changʼan chose to temporarily set it aside, and then return later to seek a breakthrough.

”Hmm?”

This time, Lan Changʼan felt his technique was smooth, his fire control was precise, and his mindset calm and relaxed.

Several days later, he successfully refined a furnace of second-rank cultivation pills.

Out of six Essence Condensing Pills, two were successful, and their quality was decent without significant flaws. Lan Changʼan was delighted; this success rate met the standard of a second-rank alchemist.

After resting for a few days, he attempted another batch of second-rank pills, only to find that his success rate dropped to twenty percent, and the overall quality noticeably declined.

It seemed the previous success was an exceptional performance.

However, Lan Changʼan was confident that his alchemy skills had improved, and breaking through this barrier was only a matter of time. He decided to slightly increase his focus on alchemy practice in the following years.

...

Three years later.

In the alchemy room on Little Turtle Peak, a strong medicinal fragrance filled the air. The large bronze furnace, about ten feet high, glowed with spiritual light, and its lid trembled gently.

Lan Changʼan, unhurried, skillfully cast the furnace opening technique.

A burst of spiritual light emerged, lifting the furnace lid, and a rush of hot steam swirled.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Six pills flew into Lan Changʼanʼs hand. Three were as black as charcoal, considered waste pills. One pill had a severely flawed fourth dao pattern, teetering between waste and inferior quality. The remaining two pills had full and crystal clear patterns, resembling green grapes.

The total number of successful pills depended on the amount of material used.

”Not bad. The pill quality and success rate have stabilized. From now on, I wonʼt be at a loss when making familiar second-rank low-grade pills,” Lan Changʼan smiled and nodded, storing away the pills and furnace.

About half a year ago, his alchemy skills had stabilized at the second-rank low grade. It had taken him decades, with the support of his cultivation and spiritual sense to achieve this level, proving his alchemy talent was indeed lacking.

In contrast, his puppetry skills, picked up later, were nearly at the second-rank superior grade. If not for the scarcity of second-rank superior-grade puppet materials, limiting practice opportunities, Lan Changʼan might have become a second-rank superior-grade puppet master within these few years.

”In one more year, Iʼll reach the fifth level of Foundation Establishment. Then, I can visit Liaoyuan Immortal City to purchase second-rank superior-grade puppet materials, find third-rank spirit bamboo, second-rank Life Extension Pills, and Core Formation auxiliary pills, among other things” Lan Changʼan pondered.

At one hundred and thirteen years old, he estimated reaching the fifth level of Foundation Establishment by one hundred and fourteen.

One of the reasons why he considered the more distant Liaoyuan Immortal City instead of Huanglong Immortal City was because the latter had noticeably declined in recent years.

Liaoyuan Immortal City was the number one Immortal City in the Liang Kingdom, located on the east side of the Flame Departing Palace. In fact, the actual controller behind this immortal city was the Nascent Soul-level force, Flame Departing Palace.

Back when Lan Changʼan was planning for Foundation Establishment, he chose Huanglong Immortal City because it was a haven for loose cultivators, grounded and affordable, especially for talisman materials, suitable for cultivators without strong backgrounds.

Liaoyuan Immortal City frequently saw Core Formation experts, so it naturally boasted higher standards and scale than Huanglong Immortal City; thus, housing prices, rent, and other expenses within the city naturally increased accordingly.

When his cultivation was weaker, Lan Changʼan avoided encountering Core Formation cultivators, not willing to even enter their sensory range.

Now, at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment, with his Evergreen Techniqueʼs concealing abilities greatly enhanced, ordinary Immortals couldnʼt easily discern his true state, reducing his concerns.

...

Lan Changʼan emerged from his cave and accepted two letters delivered by the Earth Burrowing Rat.

One was from Guan Qiaozhi. Guan Qiaozhi had been away for five or six years. In recent years, she had settled around Hengshui Prefecture, adopting some orphans. Some were abandoned babies without names.

Guan Qiaozhi named the boys Lan and the girls Guan, seemingly trying to help Lan Changʼan extend his lineage in a different way to make up for the lack.

In this letter, Guan Qiaozhi focused on a boy named Qi Feng. Qi Feng was a descendant of Lan Changʼanʼs adoptive father, Qi Jingyun, several generations removed.

A few years ago, Guan Qiaozhi had discovered magical power fluctuations in Qi Feng and officially introduced him to the path of cultivation.

”From a martial world gang background, experienced and cautious, acting with tact and steadiness, upper low-grade spiritual roots, aspiring to the Great Dao...”

Guan Qiaozhi described Qi Feng as having many similarities to Lan Changʼan. Hence, she provided some guidance but did not give many resources.

Recently, Qi Feng had reached the fourth layer of Qi-Refining and was about to formally enter the cultivation world. When Guan Qiaozhi discovered him, he had been practicing the ”Origin-Opening Scripture” for many years and had a solid foundation at the second layer of the Qi-Refining stage.

”Qi Feng? That sounds good.”

Guan Qiaozhiʼs care for the descendant of his adoptive father was actually in line with Lan Changʼanʼs wishes.

He understood Guan Qiaozhiʼs desire to show affection toward them, so as long as she didnʼt turn Little Turtle Peak into an orphanage, he had no objections.

As someone who understood his temperament, Guan Qiaozhi wouldnʼt do such a thing as dumping burdens on him.

...

The second letter was from Li Erqing. Its contents were entirely within Lan Changʼanʼs expectations.

The Mu Familyʼs three Foundation Establishment cultivators and the increasing number of Qi-Refining clansmen had strained the spiritual vein at Feiyue Lake and it was no longer enough to sustain them.

In recent years, the Mu Family at Feiyue Lake had considered expanding to nearby areas. However, the plan failed due to the lack of suitable targets and opportunities.

To the north of Feiyue Lake was a Foundation Establishment family, far enough away to avoid conflict. This family had close ties with the Beast Taming Zhou Family, making them nearly a vassal.

To the south was the Maple Leaf Huang Family, and the cultivation site to the east was the Bamboo Leaf Mountain Market Town, both Huang Family territories.

The Huang Family had a late-stage Foundation Establishment protector and had recently produced a young Foundation Establishment cultivator.

To the southwest was a Foundation Establishment family close to Jin Yun Valley, whose ancestor had been a Fake-Dan master decades ago, and they still maintained connections with Jin Yun Valley.

Ultimately, the Mu Family, with its three Foundation Establishment cultivators, only managed to annex one or two small Qi-Refining families, slightly expanding its industry and influence.

However, the fundamental problem remained unsolved. If they couldnʼt expand outward, internal conflicts would intensify, with new and old factions clashing over limited resources and spiritual veins, further oppressing the lower-ranked family members.

Li Erqing expressed his concerns about the Mu Familyʼs dilemma and hinted at seeking advice.

...

A few days after the letter arrived, Li Erqing personally came to Little Turtle Peak and had a long talk with Lan Changʼan late into the night.

”I suddenly realized the deeper meaning of the third suggestion you made when Uncle Renlong died,” Li Erqing said with a complex expression and sighed.

At that time, Huang Tankong had plotted against the Mu Family, leaving Li Erqing as the only outsider Foundation Establishment cultivator. To prevent the Mu Family from splitting, Lan Changʼan made three suggestions. The first two involved resolving internal conflicts, suggesting Li Erqing relinquish power to cultivate a new Foundation Establishment cultivator within the Mu Familyʼs old faction.

The third suggestion involved diverting the conflict externally: ”If one day Feiyue Lakeʼs situation stabilizes and cannot meet your factionʼs cultivation needs, you can take your direct descendants and establish your own family outside.”

Recalling Lan Changʼanʼs words from back then, Li Erqing couldnʼt help but admire his foresight.

As long as Li Erqing remained, the interests of his numerous descendants would perpetuate the long-standing new versus old conflict.

”Erqing, are you planning to establish your own lineage?” Lan Changʼan asked with a smile.

If Li Erqing took this step, it would be understandable. His lifeʼs peak was achieving Foundation Establishment, with no hope for greater heights. Establishing a cultivation family with his surname, with descendants continuing to thrive and pursue the path of cultivation, might someday produce an Immortal. This continuation of bloodline was, in a sense, a pursuit of longevity.

”Haha! How could I let big brother down so easily?” Li Erqing laughed heartily, shaking his head.

”I swear, as a son-in-law of the Mu Family, I will remain a Mu Family member for life, protecting Feiyue Lake until my last breath.”

Seeing Lan Changʼanʼs surprised expression, Li Erqing felt a mix of inexplicable pleasure and pride.

”Oh, then how do you plan to resolve the hidden danger?” Lan Changʼan was indeed a bit surprised.

Li Erqingʼs decision was a commendable act of gratitude. Without the Mu Familyʼs shelter and cultivation, Li Erqing would never have enjoyed such splendor through his children alone.

”Congren has offered to venture to a remote region, taking most of our direct descendants,” Li Erqing explained.

”With this, there will be no internal conflict between the new and old factions within Feiyue Lake.”

Lan Changʼan praised, ”Congren is truly responsible.”

No wonder Li Erqing had been so proud of his grandson in recent years.

Lan Changʼan understood the deeper intent behind this plan. While Li Erqing would protect the Mu Family and not establish his own lineage, his grandson, taking direct descendants to a new place, would eventually have the foundation to establish a new family.

Li Erqing and Lan Changʼan discussed many details about Mu Congrenʼs plan to venture out.

Near the border of the Liang Kingdom, there were affordable second-rank spiritual veins for rent or sale due to the remote location, lack of trade prosperity, and harsh conditions. Additionally, being on the fringe of sect influence, the security was less stable.

”This time, I came to seek some protective means for Congren,” Li Erqing said.

Hearing this, Lan Changʼanʼs interest piqued. He happened to have a reserve of second-rank talismans and puppets. Especially the second-rank mid and low-grade puppets he practiced with, which he couldnʼt openly sell without revealing his status as a second-rank puppet master.

”This set of talismans is a small token from me. The rest of the protective items will be sold at store prices,” Lan Changʼan said, handing over a talisman box with several second-rank low-grade talismans inside.

Then he brought out a box of second-rank talismans, mainly mid and low-grade, with a few superior-grade ones, along with a couple of supreme-grade magic weapons and several second-rank puppets.

”This...”

Li Erqing was stunned, his eyes wide, swallowing hard.

After a long struggle, Li Erqing took a deep breath, reluctantly tearing his gaze away.

He looked at Lan Changʼan with a newfound respect. He had prepared well, gathering many spirit stones, yet it felt like a drop in the bucket.

These war supplies were just Lan Changʼanʼs routine resources, which he didnʼt mind showing to trusted individuals.

In the end, Li Erqing exhausted his lifetime savings, including support from the Mu Familyʼs elder faction, and still owed Lan Changʼan two thousand spirit stones.

He bought a supreme-grade magic weapon, two second-rank puppets, and more than a dozen second-rank mid and superior-grade talismans.

The next day, Lan Changʼan saw off a dazed and pained Li Erqing.

Li Erqing had never spent so many spirit stones in his life. The high-quality, reasonably priced war supplies from Lan Changʼan were too tempting.

The two thousand spirit stones Li Erqing owed were not a concern for Lan Changʼan, he had many grandchildren and there was no shortage of people to pay off the debt.

...

A year later.

In the secret room on Little Turtle Peak.

”One hundred and fourteen years old, at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment. The mid-Foundation Establishment progress is two-thirds complete,” Lan Changʼan slowly finished his cultivation, feeling the expansion of the energy lake in his dantian and the deepening Evergreen power.

This small level advancement didnʼt significantly change the quality of his power, but the total amount increased by about thirty percent, aiding in talisman crafting and prolonged battles.

Gurgle! Gurgle!

The Profound Water Turtle at Lan Changʼanʼs side greedily absorbed the lingering aura, making excited and urgent sounds.

”Oh? Already at the peak of the first rank?” Lan Changʼan inspected the Profound Water Turtle, sensing the mana in its body was at its peak, lacking only a qualitative transformation. The Profound Water Turtle eagerly nuzzled his clothes, showing its impatience.

...