I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 173: Handling the Spoils

The restriction on Senior Brother Zhuoʼs storage pouch was quickly broken.

Lan Changʼan began to inventory the items inside, carefully screening for anything suspicious.

Aside from a second-rank communication talisman, there were no other tracking devices. This communication talisman didnʼt have location-tracking capabilities. For now, it cannot be destroyed, as the corresponding talisman would detect that.

There were fewer spirit stones than Lan Changʼan had expected—only a few thousand. However, the resources inside far exceeded his expectations.

In addition to the golden magical treasure prototype, there were two supreme-grade magical weapons: one for offense and one for defense, both of the highest quality in their respective categories.

”Are these materials for the Crystal Condensation Pill?” Lan Changʼan was most surprised by the ingredients for the Crystal Condensation Pill.

Earlier, during his conversation with Song Wenshu, Senior Brother Zhuo mentioned that he had only gathered about thirty percent of the materials needed for the Crystal Condensation Pill. However, the reality was that he had collected over seventy percent of the necessary ingredients.

What was missing was a key main ingredient and two or three other materials. Among the auxiliary herbs, the most valuable one, the Fire Essence Date, had already been obtained and was stored in a jade box.

No wonder Senior Brother Zhuo didnʼt have many spirit stones left. Gathering seventy percent of the materials for the Crystal Condensation Pill, acquiring a magical treasure prototype, and obtaining quasi-third-rank talismans had consumed a vast amount of resources. Moreover, he had to surrender a portion of the spirit stones he plundered.
”Good thing I decided to take him down. With these materials, if I can find the right connections, I already qualify to collaborate on refining the Crystal Condensation Pill.” Lan Changʼan was glad to have made the decision to leave no loose ends.

If Senior Brother Zhuo had successfully formed his Core, the consequences would have been dire. Even though Lan Changʼan estimated that Zhuo would likely only achieve a Fake-Dan, an enemy at the Fake-Dan level in the open was one thing; a hidden adversary lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to take revenge, was an entirely different threat.

Capturing Senior Brother Zhuo privately was the best decision Lan Changʼan made tonight. The greatest benefit wasn’t just the resources he could now claim for himself.

If he had teamed up with Fairy Shi to kill Zhuo, they would have risked offending Flame Departing Palace cultivators, leaving behind unknown hidden dangers.

...

An hour later, Lan Changʼan returned to the lake where the battle had taken place and met up with Fairy Shi. This was their prearranged meeting spot.

”Fellow Daoist Lan, did you find anything?” Fairy Shi, who had arrived before him, asked.

Lan Changʼan shook his head. ”I found some clues, but after following them, I found nothing of value. After that, I met up with the Earth Burrowing Rat, but it couldnʼt track the target either.”

”Hmm, that ʼNight Fishermanʼ is indeed skilled in tracking and deception. It seems weʼve all been misled,” Fairy Shi said, acknowledging that she hadnʼt discovered anything either.

”However, given his severe injuries and the damage to his lifespan, itʼs unlikely heʼll dare to come near Wuqi Mountain again in the short term.”

Todayʼs battle had severely wounded the notorious Night Fisherman and killed two bandits at the Foundation Establishment Realm, effectively reasserting Wuqi Mountainʼs deterrent power. In the future, most rogue cultivators would have to think twice before attempting to rob near the mountain.

”Fellow Daoist Lan, here are the spoils from killing the two rogue Foundation Establishment cultivators. Letʼs split them equally.” Fairy Shi took out two storage pouches and displayed the spirit stones and other items inside.

The wealth of the two dead rogue cultivators was modest, but there were still two supreme-grade magical weapons, as well as other magic weapons, pills, and talismans. These were enough to cover their battle losses and even allow for a small profit.

Lan Changʼan’s apparent losses included the self-destructed mid-grade second-rank puppet, a damaged supreme-grade magical weapon, and several talismans. From Fairy Shiʼs perspective, his contribution was far from negligible, hence her proposal to split the spoils evenly.

”Fairy Shi, I should only take thirty percent at most. You were the main force in tonightʼs battle, you expended valuable talismanic treasure uses, and this matter started because of Bingyun...” Lan Changʼan insisted on reducing his share of the spoils.

Considering the Earth Burrowing Ratʼs contribution, his efforts weren’t much less than Fairy Shiʼs. However, Fairy Shi had helped both him and Mu Bingyun out of personal favor, which was significant.

If she hadnʼt severely injured Senior Brother Zhuo, Lan Changʼan wouldn’t have been able to capture this well-known late Foundation Establishment expert so easily.

After some back and forth, Fairy Shi agreed to take sixty percent of the spoils, earning herself a tidy profit. She looked at Lan Changʼan with a touch of appreciation.

Normally, Lan Changʼan was fair in his dealings, never taking more or less than his due. But she hadn’t expected him to be so generous when it really mattered.

...

By the time Lan Changʼan and Fairy Shi returned to Wuqi Mountain, dawn was just breaking.

Lan Changʼan had not brought the captured Senior Brother Zhuo with him.

Firstly, carrying a living person was inconvenient, especially since they couldnʼt be stored in a storage pouch as a corpse could. Secondly, he wanted to avoid any unexpected situations that might give him away.

A notorious rogue cultivator like the Night Fisherman might attract the attention of Fake-Dan cultivators from a sect.

Lan Changʼan had the Earth Burrowing Rat watch over Senior Brother Zhuo, hiding him underground near Wuqi Mountain. With his cultivation crippled and severe injuries, Zhuo posed no threat.

”Uncle Lan.”

At Little Turtle Peak, Mu Bingyun stood on the mountaintop, her face filled with worry. When she saw the familiar white-robed figure returning, her smile bloomed like snow melting in winter.

”Fairy Shi, Fellow Daoist Lan.” Ye Fei arrived from Little Pill Peak.

The three peak masters, along with Mu Bingyun, gathered in the cave mansion on Little Turtle Peak.

After hearing the situation, Ye Fei had no objections to Lan Changʼan and Fairy Shiʼs private actions. After all, hunting down rogue cultivators was inherently risky, and with his strength being the weakest, it made the most sense for him to remain stationed at Wuqi Mountain.

”The two of you made the right decision. After Miss Bingyun returned, I inspected Wuqi Mountain and identified a rogue cultivatorʼs spy.”

”A spy?” Lan Changʼan asked, knowing that if all three peak masters had left together, their movements might have alerted the Night Fisherman.

”The spy was a late-stage Qi-Refining cultivator, skilled in disguise, who had replaced one of the servant cultivators affiliated with Little Pill Peak...” Ye Fei explained the details.

Since it was just a Qi-Refining cultivator, Lan Changʼan didnʼt pay much attention. Wuqi Mountain, being a small trading hub, couldn’t be completely isolated from the outside world, and the three peak masters still needed some laborers.

The affiliated cultivators of the three main peaks couldn’t entirely prevent spies. Besides the affiliated cultivators, those guests who came to the mountain could also take on this role.

Lan Changʼan only needed to ensure that there were no issues on his own Little Turtle Peak.

”There is a dereliction of duty on the part of Wuqi Mountainʼs steward, Lan Lin, and considering that she is already old and has served the mountain for most of her life, it might be best to dismiss her,” Fairy Shi suggested.

Lan Changʼan and Ye Fei had no objections. The steward was a trusted servant chosen by the previous owner of Little Pill Peak, Lin Ye. In recent years, she had aged considerably and her duties had mostly been taken over by her descendants.

...

Half an hour later, the meeting concluded.

In the cave mansion on Little Turtle Peak, Lan Changʼan and Mu Bingyun sat facing each other.

”About last night, Uncle Lan did not ask for your permission,” Lan Changʼan said, expressing his apology.

By now, Mu Bingyun must have realized the truth—that she had been used as bait. Lan Changʼan decided to be upfront about it to avoid any lingering resentment.

”Last night, when Uncle Lan and Fairy Shi arrived in time, I had already guessed it,” Mu Bingyun said, her lips slightly pursed, her expression serene, though tinged with a hint of grievance.

”Uncle Lan did it for my own good, to eliminate any future threats. If you hadnʼt acted, I wouldn’t have survived.” Mu Bingyun understood the bigger picture, though she couldn’t help but feel somewhat uncomfortable.

”Iʼm glad you understand,” Lan Changʼan replied with a smile.

In truth, neither of them owed the other anything. Lan Changʼan had saved Mu Bingyun, but he had also used her as bait, resolving a significant threat and gained a substantial reward for himself.

”So, Uncle Lan didn’t keep me overnight because he wanted to lure out the Night Fisherman,” Mu Bingyun said, her eyes bright as she seriously studied Lan Changʼan, clearly concerned about this point.

”Right,” Lan Changʼan admitted. That was indeed the main reason. Last night, he had found an excuse not to let Mu Bingyun stay overnight in his cave.

”So, Uncle Lan doesn’t mind if I stay overnight at your place,” Mu Bingyun said with a soft smile, her dimples appearing as she spoke.

Lan Changʼan hesitated for a moment, then quickly added, ”Only occasionally. Each peak on Wuqi Mountain is meant for a single Foundation Establishment cultivator.”

Mu Bingyun nodded. ”I understand the rules of Wuqi Mountain, but if a Foundation Establishment visitor is not cultivating and doesn’t place any additional burden on the spiritual vein, it shouldnʼt be an issue.”

Lan Changʼan was at a loss for words, surprised that Mu Bingyun had found such a loophole.

That day, Mu Bingyun seemed to return to her former role as a maid, calmly and joyfully attending to the affairs of Little Turtle Peak, keeping busy throughout the day.

That night, she stayed overnight in the cave on Little Turtle Peak, sleeping in the room she had once occupied years ago.

...

The next morning, Mu Bingyun rose early.

After much deliberation, she finally mustered the courage to take out a letter she had personally written and placed it under her pillow.

If Lan Changʼan entered her room, he might find the letter. If he didn’t, he might never see it.

Leaving the letter behind made her heart race, her cheeks flushing slightly.

At dawn, as the sun began to rise, Mu Bingyun took her leave.

Lan Changʼan didn’t try to stop her, nor did he go into her room.

The restriction on Senior Brother Zhuoʼs storage pouch was quickly broken.

Lan Changʼan began to inventory the items inside, carefully screening for anything suspicious.

Aside from a second-rank communication talisman, there were no other tracking devices. This communication talisman didnʼt have location-tracking capabilities. For now, it cannot be destroyed, as the corresponding talisman would detect that.

There were fewer spirit stones than Lan Changʼan had expected—only a few thousand. However, the resources inside far exceeded his expectations.

In addition to the golden magical treasure prototype, there were two supreme-grade magical weapons: one for offense and one for defense, both of the highest quality in their respective categories.

”Are these materials for the Crystal Condensation Pill?” Lan Changʼan was most surprised by the ingredients for the Crystal Condensation Pill.

Earlier, during his conversation with Song Wenshu, Senior Brother Zhuo mentioned that he had only gathered about thirty percent of the materials needed for the Crystal Condensation Pill. However, the reality was that he had collected over seventy percent of the necessary ingredients.

What was missing was a key main ingredient and two or three other materials. Among the auxiliary herbs, the most valuable one, the Fire Essence Date, had already been obtained and was stored in a jade box.

No wonder Senior Brother Zhuo didnʼt have many spirit stones left. Gathering seventy percent of the materials for the Crystal Condensation Pill, acquiring a magical treasure prototype, and obtaining quasi-third-rank talismans had consumed a vast amount of resources. Moreover, he had to surrender a portion of the spirit stones he plundered.

”Good thing I decided to take him down. With these materials, if I can find the right connections, I already qualify to collaborate on refining the Crystal Condensation Pill.” Lan Changʼan was glad to have made the decision to leave no loose ends.

If Senior Brother Zhuo had successfully formed his Core, the consequences would have been dire. Even though Lan Changʼan estimated that Zhuo would likely only achieve a Fake-Dan, an enemy at the Fake-Dan level in the open was one thing; a hidden adversary lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to take revenge, was an entirely different threat.

Capturing Senior Brother Zhuo privately was the best decision Lan Changʼan made tonight. The greatest benefit wasn’t just the resources he could now claim for himself.

If he had teamed up with Fairy Shi to kill Zhuo, they would have risked offending Flame Departing Palace cultivators, leaving behind unknown hidden dangers.

...

An hour later, Lan Changʼan returned to the lake where the battle had taken place and met up with Fairy Shi. This was their prearranged meeting spot.

”Fellow Daoist Lan, did you find anything?” Fairy Shi, who had arrived before him, asked.

Lan Changʼan shook his head. ”I found some clues, but after following them, I found nothing of value. After that, I met up with the Earth Burrowing Rat, but it couldnʼt track the target either.”

”Hmm, that ʼNight Fishermanʼ is indeed skilled in tracking and deception. It seems weʼve all been misled,” Fairy Shi said, acknowledging that she hadnʼt discovered anything either.

”However, given his severe injuries and the damage to his lifespan, itʼs unlikely heʼll dare to come near Wuqi Mountain again in the short term.”

Todayʼs battle had severely wounded the notorious Night Fisherman and killed two bandits at the Foundation Establishment Realm, effectively reasserting Wuqi Mountainʼs deterrent power. In the future, most rogue cultivators would have to think twice before attempting to rob near the mountain.

”Fellow Daoist Lan, here are the spoils from killing the two rogue Foundation Establishment cultivators. Letʼs split them equally.” Fairy Shi took out two storage pouches and displayed the spirit stones and other items inside.

The wealth of the two dead rogue cultivators was modest, but there were still two supreme-grade magical weapons, as well as other magic weapons, pills, and talismans. These were enough to cover their battle losses and even allow for a small profit.

Lan Changʼan’s apparent losses included the self-destructed mid-grade second-rank puppet, a damaged supreme-grade magical weapon, and several talismans. From Fairy Shiʼs perspective, his contribution was far from negligible, hence her proposal to split the spoils evenly.

”Fairy Shi, I should only take thirty percent at most. You were the main force in tonightʼs battle, you expended valuable talismanic treasure uses, and this matter started because of Bingyun...” Lan Changʼan insisted on reducing his share of the spoils.

Considering the Earth Burrowing Ratʼs contribution, his efforts weren’t much less than Fairy Shiʼs. However, Fairy Shi had helped both him and Mu Bingyun out of personal favor, which was significant.

If she hadnʼt severely injured Senior Brother Zhuo, Lan Changʼan wouldn’t have been able to capture this well-known late Foundation Establishment expert so easily.

After some back and forth, Fairy Shi agreed to take sixty percent of the spoils, earning herself a tidy profit. She looked at Lan Changʼan with a touch of appreciation.

Normally, Lan Changʼan was fair in his dealings, never taking more or less than his due. But she hadn’t expected him to be so generous when it really mattered.

...

By the time Lan Changʼan and Fairy Shi returned to Wuqi Mountain, dawn was just breaking.

Lan Changʼan had not brought the captured Senior Brother Zhuo with him.

Firstly, carrying a living person was inconvenient, especially since they couldnʼt be stored in a storage pouch as a corpse could. Secondly, he wanted to avoid any unexpected situations that might give him away.

A notorious rogue cultivator like the Night Fisherman might attract the attention of Fake-Dan cultivators from a sect.

Lan Changʼan had the Earth Burrowing Rat watch over Senior Brother Zhuo, hiding him underground near Wuqi Mountain. With his cultivation crippled and severe injuries, Zhuo posed no threat.

”Uncle Lan.”

At Little Turtle Peak, Mu Bingyun stood on the mountaintop, her face filled with worry. When she saw the familiar white-robed figure returning, her smile bloomed like snow melting in winter.

”Fairy Shi, Fellow Daoist Lan.” Ye Fei arrived from Little Pill Peak.

The three peak masters, along with Mu Bingyun, gathered in the cave mansion on Little Turtle Peak.

After hearing the situation, Ye Fei had no objections to Lan Changʼan and Fairy Shiʼs private actions. After all, hunting down rogue cultivators was inherently risky, and with his strength being the weakest, it made the most sense for him to remain stationed at Wuqi Mountain.

”The two of you made the right decision. After Miss Bingyun returned, I inspected Wuqi Mountain and identified a rogue cultivatorʼs spy.”

”A spy?” Lan Changʼan asked, knowing that if all three peak masters had left together, their movements might have alerted the Night Fisherman.

”The spy was a late-stage Qi-Refining cultivator, skilled in disguise, who had replaced one of the servant cultivators affiliated with Little Pill Peak...” Ye Fei explained the details.

Since it was just a Qi-Refining cultivator, Lan Changʼan didnʼt pay much attention. Wuqi Mountain, being a small trading hub, couldn’t be completely isolated from the outside world, and the three peak masters still needed some laborers.

The affiliated cultivators of the three main peaks couldn’t entirely prevent spies. Besides the affiliated cultivators, those guests who came to the mountain could also take on this role.

Lan Changʼan only needed to ensure that there were no issues on his own Little Turtle Peak.

”There is a dereliction of duty on the part of Wuqi Mountainʼs steward, Lan Lin, and considering that she is already old and has served the mountain for most of her life, it might be best to dismiss her,” Fairy Shi suggested.

Lan Changʼan and Ye Fei had no objections. The steward was a trusted servant chosen by the previous owner of Little Pill Peak, Lin Ye. In recent years, she had aged considerably and her duties had mostly been taken over by her descendants.

...

Half an hour later, the meeting concluded.

In the cave mansion on Little Turtle Peak, Lan Changʼan and Mu Bingyun sat facing each other.

”About last night, Uncle Lan did not ask for your permission,” Lan Changʼan said, expressing his apology.

By now, Mu Bingyun must have realized the truth—that she had been used as bait. Lan Changʼan decided to be upfront about it to avoid any lingering resentment.

”Last night, when Uncle Lan and Fairy Shi arrived in time, I had already guessed it,” Mu Bingyun said, her lips slightly pursed, her expression serene, though tinged with a hint of grievance.

”Uncle Lan did it for my own good, to eliminate any future threats. If you hadnʼt acted, I wouldn’t have survived.” Mu Bingyun understood the bigger picture, though she couldn’t help but feel somewhat uncomfortable.

”Iʼm glad you understand,” Lan Changʼan replied with a smile.

In truth, neither of them owed the other anything. Lan Changʼan had saved Mu Bingyun, but he had also used her as bait, resolving a significant threat and gained a substantial reward for himself.

”So, Uncle Lan didn’t keep me overnight because he wanted to lure out the Night Fisherman,” Mu Bingyun said, her eyes bright as she seriously studied Lan Changʼan, clearly concerned about this point.

”Right,” Lan Changʼan admitted. That was indeed the main reason. Last night, he had found an excuse not to let Mu Bingyun stay overnight in his cave.

”So, Uncle Lan doesn’t mind if I stay overnight at your place,” Mu Bingyun said with a soft smile, her dimples appearing as she spoke.

Lan Changʼan hesitated for a moment, then quickly added, ”Only occasionally. Each peak on Wuqi Mountain is meant for a single Foundation Establishment cultivator.”

Mu Bingyun nodded. ”I understand the rules of Wuqi Mountain, but if a Foundation Establishment visitor is not cultivating and doesn’t place any additional burden on the spiritual vein, it shouldnʼt be an issue.”

Lan Changʼan was at a loss for words, surprised that Mu Bingyun had found such a loophole.

That day, Mu Bingyun seemed to return to her former role as a maid, calmly and joyfully attending to the affairs of Little Turtle Peak, keeping busy throughout the day.

That night, she stayed overnight in the cave on Little Turtle Peak, sleeping in the room she had once occupied years ago.

...

The next morning, Mu Bingyun rose early.

After much deliberation, she finally mustered the courage to take out a letter she had personally written and placed it under her pillow.

If Lan Changʼan entered her room, he might find the letter. If he didn’t, he might never see it.

Leaving the letter behind made her heart race, her cheeks flushing slightly.

At dawn, as the sun began to rise, Mu Bingyun took her leave.

Lan Changʼan didn’t try to stop her, nor did he go into her room.