I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 274: Within Reach

Read 30 Chapters Ahead On Patreon :D /zilawere

A moment later.

Inside the third-rank cave-dwelling, within the illusion array.

”Golden Dan Dao Rhythm, with a reward of a hundred years of lifespan? This small drizzle can hardly compensate for the losses I’ve endured and the price I’ve paid...”

Lan Changʼan’s expression was complicated, his face carrying a bitter smile. There was none of the joy other cultivators experienced when forming a Golden Dan and attaining enlightenment.

”One wrong step, and I regret forming this Golden Dan!”

He let out a long sigh.

If any cultivators under the heavens heard this, they would surely be shocked beyond belief.

Attaining the Immortal Golden Dan grants a minor enhancement to a specific characteristic of one’s cultivation technique—similar to an innate Dao physiqueʼs additional benefits.

In reality, an innate Dao physique is linked to bloodline inheritance. Far back in the lineage, there must have been a powerful ancestor.
For Lan Changʼan, his Evergreen Technique forming an Immortal Golden Dan and granting a hundred years of extended lifespan was consistent with its traits.

However, when his spiritual sense touched the Dao markings on the Evergreen Golden Dan, he inexplicably received a piece of information.

The Evergreen Technique’s Golden Dan could extend one’s lifespan by devouring the Dao Fruits cultivated by others using the same technique.

This piece of information could only be known after forming a Golden Dan.

At first glance, it didn’t sound like bad news. But Lan Changʼan immediately realized the truth: if he could devour others’ Dao Fruits, then other cultivators of the Evergreen Technique could devour his.

This was, in essence, a double-edged sword.

Dao Fruits refer to the results cultivated from the Evergreen Technique, such as the Golden Dan or the future Nascent Soul.

This reciprocal devouring effect only worked among practitioners of the Evergreen Technique. By consuming someone else’s Dao Fruit, one could absorb a certain portion of the target’s lifespan.

When a lower-level cultivator devoured the Dao Fruit of a higher-level cultivator, the effect was stronger.

Conversely, if a higher-level cultivator devoured a lower-level cultivator’s Dao Fruit, the effect would be weaker.

The life essence of cultivators in different realms differed significantly, which explained this phenomenon.

”If I hadn’t achieved the Golden Dan, the lifespan-extending effect of the Evergreen Technique’s Dao Fruit devouring would be at least halved. Moreover, regular Core Formation wouldn’t yield Dao Rhythm, nor would it reveal such a characteristic...”

Although Lan Changʼan regretted forming his Golden Dan to some extent, if he hadn’t done so, he would have remained oblivious and potentially fallen victim to someone’s schemes.

It was easy to imagine that those who formed Golden Dans using the Evergreen Technique would guard this secret with their lives and hide the fact that they cultivated it.

Fortunately, practitioners of the Evergreen Technique bore a close resemblance to those who cultivated mainstream wood-element techniques, making it easy to disguise their cultivation path.

...

At this moment, as Lan Changʼan observed his newly-formed Evergreen Golden Dan, the more he looked at it, the more it resembled a fruit.

In his past life, at the ruins of the legendary great cultivator Yan Donglai’s cave dwelling, he had obtained the Ancient Trees Evergreen Technique, which might have been a seed that Yan Donglai deliberately scattered.

However, such an abnormal longevity-focused cultivation technique felt like it had a much larger purpose. Lan Changʼan doubted that someone at the Nascent Soul or Deity Transformation stage could have left such a meticulous arrangement.

Perhaps Yan Donglai was merely a big fish among smaller fish, while at the top of the food chain lurked an even more terrifying deep-sea leviathan.

By comparison, Lan Changʼan, who had just formed his Golden Dan, could only count as a small fry.

”If I can endure until the Nascent Soul Realm, develop the Xuantian Relic, and accumulate sufficient trump cards, then I’ll be relatively safe...”

Lan Changʼan hadn’t abandoned the idea of cultivating the Evergreen Technique.

The sheer longevity it granted and its ability to repair damaged foundations were temptations he couldn’t resist.

Moreover, he still had the option of reincarnation into his next life.

Golden Dans were called Immortal Golden Dans for a reason.

When a Golden Dan cultivator dies, as long as the Golden Dan remains intact, their body could remain undecayed for thousands or even tens of thousands of years.

The Golden Dan possessed immortal properties.

Theoretically, Lan Changʼan could leave behind the Evergreen Dao Fruit of this life for his next reincarnation.

In his next life, as a lower-realm cultivator, if he consumed the Core Formation or Nascent Soul-level Evergreen Dao Fruit, wouldn’t he essentially achieve an instant power-up?

From this perspective, the Evergreen Technique’s Dao fruit-devouring characteristic provided more benefits than drawbacks to someone like Lan Changʼan, who possessed the Nine Seal Stele.

However, Lan Changʼan had to genuinely lay low and avoid detection by higher-realm practitioners of the Evergreen Technique.

On this vast Heaven Honoured Continent, and even in the entire Human Realm, how many other cultivators of the Evergreen Technique existed? Lan Changʼan had no way of knowing.

A doubt arose in his mind:

The reciprocal devouring of Dao Fruits among practitioners of the Evergreen Technique was a closely guarded secret, so it was normal that the outside world wouldn’t know.

Surely, every cultivator who formed a Golden Dan using this technique would keep this secret to their grave.

However cultivating the Evergreen Technique didn’t seem to require high aptitude. Even his low-grade wood spirit root allowed him to practice it, albeit slowly.

If he were the mastermind behind it all, wouldn’t it make sense to spread the Evergreen Technique even further, creating a large population of practitioners as “human ginseng fruits” to harvest at will?

Lan Changʼan didn’t know that the cultivation of the Evergreen Technique actually required certain qualifications or other hidden conditions.

If it were truly spread far and wide, the secret of Dao Fruit devouring would eventually be exposed.

Cultivators with good aptitude wouldn’t willingly practice it, as they’d risk becoming someone else’s pawn and face the threat of being devoured.

...

”So what if I become a human ginseng fruit? As long as I can achieve longevity, the Great Dao will remain within my reach.”

Lan Changʼan circulated the power of his Golden Dan, solidifying his cultivation realm.

Aside from the Nine Seal Stele, which served as a fallback, he still had the mysterious Xuantian Relic.

In the future, if he could unlock the opportunity tied to the Xuantian Treasure, he would have enough leverage to no longer fear the legendary Great Cultivator Yan Donglai.

After all, hindsight was twenty-twenty. Once the arrow has been released from the bowstring, there’s no turning back.

When he first began rebuilding his cultivation in this life, had he known about the massive pitfall hidden in the Evergreen Technique, Lan Changʼan would have definitely reconsidered.

”No wonder Golden Dan power feels different—this strength surpasses the True Dan I had in my previous life by several levels.”

As he consolidated his realm, Lan Changʼan keenly sensed the gap between a Golden Core and an ordinary Core.

While the difference wasn’t as significant as the gap between a Fake Dan and a True Dan, it still wasn’t just a minor disparity.

At the same cultivation stage, a Golden Dan cultivator could suppress other Core Formation cultivators with ease—provided that external factors like magical treasures, divine abilities, or other aids didn’t create a major imbalance.

However, relying solely on the strength of Golden Dan power to overcome realms was unrealistic.

From the early stage of Core Formation to the mid-stage, the quality and quantity of power would more than double.

Moreover, there was also a stark difference in spiritual sense.

A stronger spiritual sense allowed a cultivator to control more powerful magical treasures and unleash more devastating secret arts.

Normally, a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator could crush an early-stage True Dan cultivator.

However, even a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator would find it difficult to truly threaten the life of a Golden Dan cultivator, let alone crush them.

If a Golden Dan cultivator was equipped with better magical treasures and possessed combat-focused divine abilities, they might even have the potential to surpass realms in battle.

The greatest advantage of forming a Golden Dan lay in the foundational potential it provided—making it easier to break through bottlenecks and ascend to higher realms.

The secondary advantage was an edge in combat.

Lastly, there was a minor boost to the speed of daily cultivation.

As for whether the Evergreen Technique would allow him to cultivate faster after forming a Golden Dan, Lan Changʼan wasn’t entirely sure yet.

While stabilizing his cultivation realm, Lan Changʼan inspected the quasi-fourth-rank illusion array that was set up in his cave dwelling.

This array had been limited by the materials available at the time and the rank of Fairy Shi’s array skills, preventing it from being fully repaired to the standard of a fourth-rank array.

However, in terms of spiritual sense defense, it was comparable to a fourth-rank formation.

”The array is intact,” he noted with relief.

While Lan Changʼan was forming his Golden Dan, several Nascent Soul True Monarchs had scanned the area with their spiritual senses—multiple times, in fact.

The array’s integrity meant none of the Nascent Soul True Monarchs had forcibly broken through it.

If they had attempted such a thing, the array would have activated defensive mechanisms, alerting its owner, essentially initiating a declaration of war.

Lan Changʼan wasn’t surprised by the spiritual sense scans from True Monarchs.

If he were a Nascent Soul cultivator in a fourth-rank immortal city, upon noticing the atmospheric phenomenon associated with someone forming a Golden Dan, he’d also casually take a glance.

Most Nascent Soul True Monarchs had previously been Golden Dan cultivators themselves.

To them, witnessing someone forming a Golden Dan was nothing extraordinary—like a veteran watching a newcomer’s rise from the sidelines.

As for setting up defensive arrays, which cultivator wouldn’t do so when traveling outside?

Especially when undergoing critical breakthroughs like Foundation Establishment or Core Formation, where old enemies might attempt to sabotage them—an all-too-common occurrence in the cultivation world.

”Not setting up a protective array? One must have a death wish.”

An obstructive enemy could recklessly violate the laws of the immortal city and attack.

The stronger the defensive array, the more deterrence it provided to prying eyes.

With such a high-tier array in place, it was clear to onlookers that the Core forming cultivator inside had significant backing and wasn’t someone to provoke lightly, as it could lead to troublesome karmic consequences.

Experienced high-realm cultivators were often cautious and wouldn’t stir up trouble without a good reason—especially when faced with something whose origins they couldn’t discern.

Wangyue Immortal City, known as a well-regarded fourth-rank neutral city, had a history stretching back over ten thousand years.

Even Nascent Soul cultivators undergoing tribulation were permitted to do so here.

Lan Changʼan had previously gathered intelligence on the city, confirming that most cultivators who had formed upper-tier True Dans or Golden Dans within its boundaries ultimately left safely.

At the very least, there had been no exceptions regarding safety within the city itself.

Were it not for this reputation, Zhang Tieshan would never have chosen Wangyue Immortal City as the site to form his Core.

Zhang Tieshan’s goal had been to conceal the true quality of his Core after using the Core Dissolution Technique.

With his low-grade spirit root, even using such a method, it would still seem implausible for him to produce an upper-tier Core.

Lan Changʼan’s goal was the same: to hide his identity and the quality of his Golden Dan.

During the Core Formation process, the accompanying heavenly phenomenon couldn’t be concealed unless an exceptionally large-scale illusion array was used.

Only in Wangyue Immortal City could one form a Core without their identity or origins being questioned.

...

In any third-rank immortal city of the Liang Kingdom, the phenomenon of forming a Golden Dan would inevitably alarm the sect forces in the surrounding area.

”An unknown individual forming a Golden Dan within the sectʼs territory? The sectʼs Nascent Soul True Monarchs and high-level Core Formation elders would certainly investigate thoroughly.”

In fact, the situation could be even worse.

Before Lan Changʼan had even completed his Core Formation, sect elders or even a Nascent Soul True Monarch might have already been waiting outside his cave dwelling.

After all, the process of Core Formation was not something that could be completed in a single day or two.

If the individual in question had an unknown or suspicious identity, or worse, was a cultivator from a rival faction, they would likely be treated as a demonic spy and eliminated on the spot.

Although Lan Changʼan had a ”clean” identity, it was one that couldn’t be exposed and couldn’t bear scrutiny.

Therefore, Wangyue Immortal City was the best choice in the surrounding regions.

Forming an upper-tier True Dan or a Golden Dan was tantamount to revealing one’s wealth.

A third-rank spiritual vein was essential for this process, and this kind of ”wealth revelation” was nearly impossible to avoid because third-rank and fourth-rank spiritual veins were rare in the cultivation world.

The same issue would arise when forming a Nascent Soul in the future.

”If one is unwilling to accept even the slightest risk, then the door of Golden Dan and Nascent Soul, is not possible to go through.”

The difference lay in whether you chose to reveal your wealth in a big city or a small one.

In small places—

Take the Mu Family at Feiyue Lake as an example. Even though it was their own territory, simply forming a Foundation Establishment cultivator could provoke threats from hostile factions.

In Wangyue Immortal City, a high-tier, neutral fourth-rank city—

Not to mention Foundation Establishment, even ordinary Core Formation phenomenon barely attracted any attention.

However, the journey to Wangyue Immortal City was long and fraught with risks. Only Fake Dan Immortals or higher cultivators had the safety assurances to make the trip.

For a lone Foundation Establishment cultivator like ”Nie Yuan,” making the journey to Wangyue Immortal City was rare. Such individuals were easy targets, though they didn’t fear robbery from weaker cultivators.

Back in the day, Huanglong Mountain was tightly monitored by various sects, making it impossible for key figures to traverse the Liang Kingdom to reach remote places like Wangyue Immortal City.

The core members of Huanglong Mountain had already been compromised—how could they have allowed Fu Xuemei to escape and form her Core in a distant region?

Even when Fu Xuemei went to form her Core, she had to create a cover and fabricate the true Core Formation phenomenon just to evade internal traitors and sneak out via underground routes.

At the time, the route to Liaoyuan Immortal City had already been blocked by numerous high-level cultivators.

Fu Xuemei ended up forming her Core in the Black Fog Mountain Range. Luck was on her side, as she didn’t attract the attention of any Great Demons in the area.

The low-tier True Dan phenomenon she created was far weaker compared to a Golden Dan.

When Earth Burrowing Rat reached Core Formation, its Half-Step Golden Dan phenomenon had already attracted a mid-stage third-rank Great Demon.

Lan Changʼan successfully formed his Golden Dan, and the resulting phenomenon was even more grand!

A spiritual energy cloud spanning five li in radius, equivalent to ten li in diameter, formed—a scale comparable to that of an entire city!

Had he attempted Core Formation in the Black Fog Mountain Range, and with slightly worse luck, attracting a Nascent Beast at the Transformation Stage would not have been surprising.

...

Half a month later.

Lan Changʼan finished consolidating his cultivation realm.

”An Immortal Golden Dan—something I never dared to dream of in my previous life...”

He opened his eyes, still feeling a lingering excitement in his heart.

Even without any external fortuitous encounters, a Golden Dan cultivator had a two- to three-tenths chance of forming a Nascent Soul.

In his previous life, with his average conditions during his Nascent Soul attempt, his success rate had been at most one-tenth—it would have been a miracle if he had succeeded.

”The path of cultivation forbids complacency. Even as a Golden Dan cultivator, there’s no guarantee of smoothly advancing to the Nascent Soul Realm.”

”If the success rate of forming a Nascent Soul is below ninety percent, how is that any different from courting death?”

Lan Changʼan understood deeply that he still had a long way to go before reaching the Nascent Soul Realm.

His current achievements were far from sufficient. He didn’t even have the qualifications to marry and have children yet.

There was still much work to be done.

Only by steadily advancing to the Nascent Soul Realm could he truly take control of his own destiny.

After stabilizing his realm, Lan Changʼan adjusted his spiritual aura.

His second-life possession would still last for another half a year.

By combining the soul power of his previous life with the spiritual sense of his Golden Dan cultivation in this life, Lan Changʼan’s spiritual sense now far surpassed that of ordinary Core Formation cultivators.

With his strengthened spiritual sense, the Hundred Illusion Mask’s ability to disguise him had improved as well.

Based on his past experiences:

The identity simulated by the Hundred Illusion Mask was now strong enough to fool even a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

This was one of the reasons why Lan Changʼan dared to come to Wangyue Immortal City to form his Golden Dan. It wasn’t solely because of the city’s neutral and orderly reputation.

In his current state, his enhanced spiritual senses allowed him to keenly detect if a Nascent Soul cultivator’s spiritual sense swept over or locked onto him.

Everything was ready. Lan Changʼan dismantled the quasi-fourth-rank illusion array and officially exited seclusion.

”Congratulations, Immortal Nie, on forming your Immortal Golden Dan!”

Outside the cave dwelling, a crowd of cultivators had gathered. All of them were Core Formation cultivators.

The weakest among them were Fake Dan cultivators, while the strongest were late-stage Core Formation experts. There were about twenty people in total.

This wasn’t because Core Formation cultivators were ”cheap” or abundant.

First, this was a high-tier immortal city.

Second, once you enter a higher realm, you naturally join a corresponding social circle.

At this level, even Foundation Establishment cultivators didn’t dare approach Lan Changʼan to strike up a conversation.

Even Fake Dan cultivators felt honored to exchange a few words with him.

Meanwhile, late-stage Core Formation experts treated him with respect, conversing as equals and maintaining a polite demeanor.

This was the allure of an Immortal Golden Dan, the seed of a future Nascent Soul True Monarch.

Who wouldn’t want to establish a connection with a potential Nascent Soul True Monarch early on?

Lan Changʼan scanned the group gathered outside his cave dwelling. Among the early-stage Core Formation cultivators present, none had spiritual power stronger than his.

With his Immortal Golden Dan, he stood at the pinnacle of all Core Formation cultivators.

”Immortal Nie, we faced many challenges together on the road, and yet once we parted in the city... I never expected Immortal Nie to soar to greatness and achieve an Immortal Golden Dan!”

Granny Yan and Zhu Yuting finally managed to find an opportunity to speak with Lan Changʼan.

If not for Zhu Yuting having successfully formed a True Dan, she might not have been able to squeeze in a word.

”Big Brother Nie, this is a congratulatory gift from Granny and me.”

Zhu Yuting’s usual cold and reserved demeanor was gone. Her beautiful face now bore a radiant, enchanting smile.

She carefully held a gift box in both hands and solemnly presented it to Lan Changʼan.

”Ah, Immortal Zhu, you’re being too kind. I didn’t even have the chance to congratulate you on forming your True Dan.”

Lan Changʼan accepted the gift box.

The value of the gift was considerable—worth tens of thousands of spirit stones.

He didn’t bother addressing Zhu Yuting’s clever decision to change how she addressed him to ”Big Brother Nie.”

When the other cultivators heard Zhu Yuting’s new form of address, their gazes toward her subtly changed, their eyes carrying ambiguous expressions.

That day, Lan Changʼan entertained the Core Formation cultivators who brought him gifts inside his cave dwelling.

With congratulatory gifts worth tens of thousands of spirit stones, Lan Changʼan felt obligated to reciprocate with hospitality.

However, the Core Formation cultivators present didn’t know that their efforts to forge connections and present gifts were ultimately futile.

The identity of ”Nie Yuan” was a disguise that Lan Changʼan likely wouldn’t use much in the future.

...

Hmm?

While entertaining his guests, Lan Changʼan suddenly sensed something.

A Nascent Soul-level spiritual sense swept over the area and lingered on him briefly.

Over the course of an entire day, this kind of spiritual sense appeared three times, though it never displayed any hostility.

There were also cautious probes from late-stage Core Formation cultivators, which Lan Changʼan detected but chose to ignore, pretending not to notice.

After attaining Golden Dan, Lan Changʼan acknowledged his current limitations.

While he still couldn’t defeat late-stage Core Formation cultivators in battle, he was confident that he no longer feared them.

One of the Nascent Soul True Monarchs left behind a message through a voice transmission:

”You lucky brat from the Flame Departing Palace. This old man, ‘True Monarch Hengshan,’ has a bit of a relationship with the Lihuo Patriarch. With me here, no one around Wangyue Immortal City dares lay a hand on you! Otherwise, who would repay the favor that old codger owes me?”

Lan Changʼan’s thoughts stirred.

”True Monarch Hengshan? Is that the legendary Old Monster Xu, known for his skill in wielding heavy magical treasures?”

Information about the Nascent Soul True Monarch surfaced in his mind.

Among the nearby cultivation nations, there were only so many Nascent Soul cultivators.

Old Monster Xu was one of the more unique ones. It was rumored that he had been supported by Wangyue Immortal City and ultimately succeeded in forming his Nascent Soul.

As part of an agreement with Wangyue Immortal City, he had to help defend the city for many years.

”A favor from the Lihuo Patriarch? If that’s the case, then excellent! The one who owes a favor is the master!”

From the content of the voice transmission, Lan Changʼan could tell that this Nascent Soul old monster was trying to curry favor with him through a shared connection to the Flame Departing Palace.

The appeal of an Immortal Golden Dan was undeniable. Even Nascent Soul True Monarchs, who couldn’t guarantee that their descendants would achieve the same heights, often treated such individuals with respect and friendliness, hoping to establish a relationship.

After receiving the voice transmission, Lan Changʼan turned toward the center of the city and gave a respectful bow to express his gratitude.

Wangyue Immortal City – Fourth-Rank Spiritual Vein District.

In one of the central cave residences...

A red-faced, barefoot old man with a bulbous nose—Old Monster Xu, True Monarch Hengshan—nodded in satisfaction at Lan Changʼan’s respectful gesture.

”Hmm, forming a Golden Dan without arrogance or complacency, showing respect for elders... A promising young talent.”

Something crossed his mind, and he pulled out a communication jade.

He left a message on the jade:

”Judging by his aura, he is indeed a descendant of the Flame Departing Palace and may have inherited part of the Lihuo Patriarch’s legacy.”

The jade briefly flashed before the recorded message disappeared.

Earlier, his spiritual sense probe had confirmed ”Nie Yuanʼs” background.

Even if this individual’s identity had some discrepancies, Old Monster Xu wasn’t interested in investigating further.

For one, the rules of Wangyue Immortal City prohibited such actions. Openly violating them would tarnish his reputation.

Second, Wangyue Immortal City had more than one Nascent Soul cultivator, making it impossible for anyone to dominate the city completely or suppress all negative gossip.

If someone targeted a Golden Dan cultivator, rival Nascent Soul cultivators might step in to protect them.

Failing to eliminate the target would likely result in a future enemy at the Nascent Soul stage.

In such cases, the Nascent Soul cultivator who intervened to protect the Golden Dan would not only harm their opponent but also gain favor from the rescued party.

Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, Nascent Soul cultivators typically avoided offending neutral Golden Dan cultivators. Instead, they preferred to extend an olive branch.

Especially for those Nascent Soul cultivators nearing the end of their lifespan, with only a century or two left, considerations for their descendants or disciples became increasingly important.

As for Nie Yuan’s apparent background, the Flame Departing Palace still held some influence.

Even though the palace had relocated to the Seven Kingdoms Alliance, it still had high-level Core Formation masters.

Like a centipede that refused to die, the palace could potentially rise again someday.

...

A few days later.

After wrapping up his social obligations, Lan Changʼan chose not to host a grand Core Formation ceremony.

Granny Yan and Zhu Yuting visited him once again.

”Immortal Nie, now that the Flame Departing Palace no longer exists in the Liang Kingdom, if you have no pressing matters, why not visit Heng Kingdom as our guest?”

Granny Yan’s tone was warm as she enthusiastically extended the invitation.

”Once you arrive in Heng Kingdom, Yuting will take good care of you.”

Hearing this, Zhu Yuting’s reserved smile blossomed into a gentle expression. Her bright eyes sparkled like stars, carrying a hint of anticipation.

Lan Changʼan wasn’t oblivious—he could tell that Granny Yan was trying to match him with Zhu Yuting.

Both were newly ascended Core Formation cultivators, making them a well-matched pair in terms of talent and looks. If they became Dao companions, it would indeed make for a celebrated union.

As a Golden Dan cultivator, Lan Changʼan was at the apex of the “mate selection hierarchy” among Core Formation cultivators.

If he agreed, he could easily take Zhu Yuting, a True Dan female cultivator, as his Dao companion.

In his previous life, during the early and mid-Core Formation stages, the most powerful wives or concubines he had were only Fake Dan cultivators. He had never been able to attract a True Dan female cultivator.

What he couldn’t achieve in his past life was now readily within his grasp in this one.

”Immortal Nie, after forming my Core, I still have some personal matters to handle. Let’s leave it for the future.”

Lan Changʼan politely but firmly declined.

Zhu Yuting’s heart sank in disappointment, but Granny Yan didn’t press the matter.

”Immortal Nie, this is a token of mine. When you visit Heng Kingdom, you can use it to contact Yuting.”

Zhu Yuting hesitated before taking out a piece of white jade, faintly emitting a subtle fragrance, from the folds of her robe.

Lan Changʼan initially intended to refuse but changed his mind and accepted the token.

The piece of white jade, though only a second-rank spiritual artifact, bore the marks of an old inheritance. Its intimate proximity to Zhu Yuting suggested that it was a cherished possession.

Zhu Yuting didnʼt call him ”Big Brother Nie” in private anymore, leaving Lan Changʼan with a slightly improved impression of her.

”We have some matters to attend to in Heng Kingdom, so we won’t trouble you further, Immortal Nie.”

Granny Yan and Zhu Yuting soon bid their farewells and departed.

”Heng Kingdom...”

Back inside his cave dwelling, Lan Changʼan murmured to himself as he carefully put away the still-warm white jade token.

The Heng Kingdom was a small cultivation nation under the Righteous Dao Alliance, slightly weaker overall than the Jing Kingdom.

Geographically, it bordered the eastern edge of the Feng Kingdom, making it the easternmost cultivation nation in the Righteous Dao Alliance.

Like the Liang Kingdom in the north, the Heng Kingdom was positioned at the rear of the battlefield against the demonic forces.

By keeping the token, Lan Changʼan had given himself a potential escape route for the future.

If the main direction of the demonic invasion focused on Liang Kingdom, Heng Kingdom—on the far eastern edge—might serve as a safe haven for him to lie low.

...