I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 277: The Third-Rank Alchemist

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A month after Zhao Tanʼer left, Lan Changʼan, who had just turned 178, received an unexpected piece of information:

He had been put on a bounty list.

Although the influence of this wanted notice was currently limited to the Chen Kingdomʼs cultivation world.

The cultivation world of the Liang Kingdom did not recognize the Chen Kingdomʼs Xie Family bounty. After all, the target was an Elder of a sect within their own nation.

As for the neutral cultivators outside of these two nations, most leaned toward sympathizing with Lan Changʼan.

The Xie Family of the Chen Kingdom had failed to produce any solid evidence. To any discerning eye, it was clear that Lan Changʼan was most likely being framed.

On one side stood a good old man renowned for his inspiring reputation, low-profile nature, and steadfast integrity.

On the other stood a domineering faction that wielded unchecked authority within their own borders.

“Lacking righteousness and with the peopleʼs hearts turned against them—what is the Xie Family of the Chen Kingdom trying to achieve by doing this?”
In his cave abode on Yunlai Peak, Lan Changʼan furrowed his brows and fell into brief contemplation.

“Hm? The Xie Family’s bounty actually poses a real threat to me.”

The reward offered by the Xie Family of the Chen Kingdom was extraordinarily generous, including a mid-Core Formation-level breakthrough pill that was highly enticing to most Core Formation cultivators.

Any cultivator, regardless of their affiliation, could claim the bounty from the Chen Kingdom by capturing or killing Lan Changʼan.

“Moreover, openly issuing such a wanted notice might alarm Xia Wenyue, prompting her to negotiate with the Xie Family to intercede on my behalf.”

Lan Changʼan quickly grasped the core of the issue.

In the Chen Kingdomʼs cultivation world, the Xie Family undoubtedly controlled public opinion.

Cultivators within their borders might truly believe the accusation that Lan Changʼan had colluded with the Unseen Gate or the Xuan Yin Sect to kill Xie Wuji.

Cultivators with a grudge against demonic sects would likely accept the mission without hesitation.

After a moment of deliberation, Lan Changʼan picked up a brush and wrote a letter.

He sent it to Xia Wenyue in the Proud Moon Palace, signing it with his title as an Elder of Jin Yun Valley.

The letter contained no reminiscence of the past, nor any sentimentality about bygone days.

Lan Changʼan merely informed Xia Wenyue that he would not leave the territory of Jin Yun Valley and that he was absolutely safe.

Truthfully, if Xia Wenyue were to intercede on his behalf, the bounty issued by the Xie Family—and the false charges against him—could be resolved in an instant. ȑ

However, Lan Changʼan, who had been inexplicably framed, felt deep resentment toward the Xie Family.

Not only did he refuse to let them succeed, but he also vowed that, if the opportunity arose, he would make sure to strike them when they were down.

...

Two months later, Zhao Siyao returned to Jin Yun Valley from the frontlines.

On the day of her return, Lan Changʼan hosted a banquet to welcome back his old friend of a century.

Perhaps it was the years of hardship on the battlefield, but Zhao Siyao now appeared older than when they last met—she looked to be in her early thirties.

When she first arrived at Jin Yun Valley, her once ethereal white robes had been replaced by dark-green leather armor imbued with magical properties, accentuating her tall and elegant figure with an air of heroism.

After returning to her cave abode, Zhao Siyao changed into a simple light-colored dress. Her hair was tied into a high bun, and she wore no makeup, presenting a plain yet composed appearance.

Although she no longer possessed the stunning beauty of her younger days, she remained dignified, graceful, and mature.

From the young girl of a prestigious family to the otherworldly saintess of her sect, and now to a Fake Dan cultivator whose youthful glow had faded, Lan Changʼan had borne witness to the life changes and ups and downs of each of his friends.

In the Elderʼs cave abode, the two of them sat across from each other at a long desk. Their gazes were calm and clear, and the atmosphere between them was naturally relaxed.

Among his century-old friends, Lan Changʼan and Zhao Siyao shared a unique bond, one that carried a subtle yet profound mutual understanding.

Their relationship was more than mere friendship, but it was not romantic either. Such feelings had never begun to develop.

This had been the tone of their hundred-year-long friendship—centered on the camaraderie of fellow Daoists.

In truth, this bond was even more steadfast than most Dao companions.

Lan Changʼan did not wish to disrupt this balance, nor did he intend to turn it into a fleeting relationship that might sully over a century of friendship.

Even if he did not mind, Zhao Siyao, who was a disciplined and upright cultivator, would certainly not accept such a situation.

“I’ve heard that battles with demonic cultivators are especially brutal. Did you encounter any danger, Fellow Daoist Zhao?” Lan Changʼan asked.

“Cultivation wars never come without danger,” Zhao Siyao replied with a slightly somber tone.

“Even though I was stationed at a secondary line defensive city, I still faced several life-threatening battles. During one of the city defense fights, I almost lost my right arm. Fortunately, we repelled the enemy, and a healer managed to reattach it afterward.”

“Itʼs already a blessing that I was able to come back intact. Many of my comrades who fought alongside me...”

Zhao Siyaoʼs eyes reddened as she trailed off, unable to bring herself to describe the horrors.

She remembered the scene of a Fake Dan male cultivator who had saved her. His head had been blown apart, and the splatter of his blood and brain matter had stained her face.

“Your arm was severely injured? Let me take a look,” Lan Changʼan said with concern, his heart sinking at the thought of what she must have endured.

Had the injury been any more severe, she might not have survived.

Zhao Siyao rolled up her sleeve, revealing her ivory-colored arm. Near her shoulder, there was a thick scar, coiling like a centipede.

“Thankfully, the reattachment was timely. After two years of recuperation, it doesn’t affect my ability to fight,” she explained.

Lan Changʼan channeled his Evergreen mana into her arm, providing a full hour of healing and nourishment.

“If the battlefield healers had your skills, many more lives could have been saved,” Zhao Siyao said, her tone admiring as she flexed her arm, now feeling noticeably lighter.

“Hm, I wasn’t implying that you should go to the battlefield…” she added with a soft smile, her voice gentle.

“No worries! Even if that was your intention, I still wouldn’t go to the battlefield,” Lan Changʼan replied directly.

Zhao Siyao couldn’t help but laugh, the somberness from her return dissipating in the face of his honesty.

Afterward, Lan Changʼan asked Zhao Siyao about the ongoing war with the demonic sects.

While Xing Peng usually reported such matters to him, Zhao Siyaoʼs descriptions were far more detailed, allowing Lan Changʼan to gain a clearer and more vivid understanding of the situation.

...

The frontlines were mainly located in the Yan Kingdom and the Chen Kingdom.

In the Yan Kingdom, a fourth-rank spiritual vein was being defended by the remnant forces of two Nascent Soul True Monarchs whose sects had been destroyed by the Six Demonic Sects. These True Monarchs carried an irreconcilable hatred, having lost their sects, homes, friends, and mentors to the demonic sects.

The various cultivation nations allied under the Righteous Dao Alliance were continuously sending reinforcements to the frontlines.

From the Liang Kingdom, the Golden Sun Sect dispatched one Nascent Soul cultivator while keeping another to guard the homeland.

The three Nascent Soul factions of the Feng Kingdom, located closer to the Yan Kingdom’s frontlines, sent multiple Nascent Soul True Monarchs to support the fight.

The frontlines had already seen one major clash of Nascent Soul-level combat.

From the Beast King Valley, a prominent demonic sect, one mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator and three early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators had been deployed, along with two affiliated Nascent Soul True Monarchs from subordinate sects.

However, this did not represent the full strength of Beast King Valley.

It was rumored that the sect still had at least one mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator and two early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators stationed in their home territory and other regions they had previously conquered.

Among the Six Demonic Sects, Beast King Valley was one of the strongest.

Their top-tier combat power extended beyond Nascent Soul cultivators. They also commanded fourth-rank Demon Kings, bred through unique methods that sacrificed their potential and lifespan to grow to enormous sizes, as large as small mountains.

In direct combat, these Demon Kings were comparable to Nascent Soul True Monarchs.

The weaknesses of fourth-rank Demon Kings lay in their lower intelligence, slower mobility, and lack of diverse combat techniques compared to Nascent Soul cultivators.

As a countermeasure, the Righteous Dao Alliance had to rely on groups of Core Formation cultivators working in formation to hold off these Demon Kings during direct assaults.

In addition, Beast King Valley commanded regular fourth-rank demonic beasts, including fourth-rank flying beasts.

In terms of top-tier combat power, the Righteous Dao Alliance was at a disadvantage.

However, because the Alliance gathered forces from multiple cultivation nations, they had a numerical advantage in low- and mid-level cultivators, including Foundation Establishment, Fake Dan, and Core Formation levels.

Still, the massive number of low- and mid-tier beast fodder raised by Beast King Valley, which charged fearlessly into battle, helped mitigate this advantage.

As a result, the Righteous Dao Alliance had been forced to rely on defensive strategies, leveraging local advantages such as spiritual veins and fortified cities to resist the demonic sect’s invasion.

”With weaker top-tier combat power, weʼre left with no choice but to passively defend…”

Lan Changʼan sighed inwardly.

If they dared to go on the offensive, their forces would be split and attacked individually, unable to protect all fronts at once.

The defenders, on the other hand, could take advantage of the terrain and spiritual veins tied to fortified cities, paying a lower price to hold their positions.

Fortunately, the numerical advantage of mid- and low-level cultivators allowed them to sustain a war of attrition. Reinforcements from the rear continued to flow to the frontlines.

...

Two years later.

After recovering from her injuries, Zhao Siyao returned to the frontlines.

It was said that Zhao Tan’er had been injured on the battlefield—not seriously, but it had been a close call.

Female Core Formation cultivators were rare, making them prime targets in battle.

This was especially true for someone like Zhao Tan’er, a young and beautiful Core Formation cultivator.

As her master, Zhao Siyao was deeply concerned and decided to personally head to the frontlines to look after her and offer guidance.

Lan Changʼan, knowing that he could not dissuade her, did not try to stop her.

The bond between Zhao Siyao and Zhao Tan’er was akin to that of mother and daughter. Their shared time in the cultivation world spanned over a century, a bond that far surpassed that of blood relations.

The only thing Lan Changʼan could do was provide her with a few high-quality third-rank talismans at a friendly price.

A few days after Zhao Siyao left, a servant girl Little Qiu brought a package to Lan Changʼan.

“Elder Lan, this is a Life Extension Pill delivered by the Administrative Hall.”

Lan Changʼan nodded, taking the embroidered box into his secluded chamber.

Inside the box, a jade bottle contained the exact pill he needed: a superior-quality second-rank Life Extension Pill.

Lan Changʼan had obtained this pill by issuing a sect mission as an Elder, offering sect contribution points and a quasi-third-rank talisman as payment.

With the outbreak of the demonic sect invasion, the price of war supplies, especially high-quality talismans, had soared. In contrast, items like Life Extension Pills had actually become slightly cheaper.

Taking advantage of this situation, Lan Changʼan had been quietly gathering longevity resources, both openly and covertly.

In addition to today’s pill, he had recently attended an auction in Zijing Immortal City under an alias and purchased another superior-quality second-rank Life Extension Pill within the Jin Yun Valleyʼs sphere of influence.

If it had been in the Liang Kingdom of the past, superior-quality second-rank Life Extension Pills would not have been so easy to come by.

Since the Golden Sun Sect had taken over, they had relocated spiritual veins and brought with them many cultivation forces with deep heritages. This had made the cultivation world of the Liang Kingdom more prosperous than ever.

The ongoing war had also served as a catalyst. Some factions and alchemists, seeking to improve their chances of survival, were now willing to sell rare items like Life Extension Pills.

“Eighteen years of lifespan.”

This was the third superior-quality second-rank Life Extension Pill that Lan Changʼan had consumed.

Six months earlier, the second pill he had taken had extended his life by twenty-two years.

The first, which he had obtained in the Jing Kingdom, had added twenty-eight years.

Such effects were possible because superior-quality second-rank Life Extension Pills could reset resistance to longevity-enhancing medicines.

These two most recent pills had brought Lan Changʼan’s total lifespan to 1,040 years.

“Using sect missions to obtain such pills can only be done sparingly. Going forward, I’ll need to gather superior-quality second-rank Life Extension Pills covertly using my alias.”

“Additionally, third-rank Life Extension Pills now exist in the cultivation world of the Liang Kingdom, but they’re rarely sold and are mostly consumed internally.”

As a Core Formation Elder, Lan Changʼan had the qualifications to compete for third-rank Life Extension Pills.

Ordinary third-rank Life Extension Pills could extend one’s life by about thirty years. For Lan Changʼan, their effects would be doubled.

However, third-rank Life Extension Pills were exponentially more valuable than first-rank or second-rank pills because they were targeted at high-level cultivators, particularly Fake Dan cultivators and above.

Without strategic resources, obtaining a third-rank Life Extension Pill would be incredibly difficult.

“That set of Crystal Condensation Pill ingredients might just be useful,” Lan Changʼan mused.

He had a complete set of materials for refining Crystal Condensation Pills.

These materials had originally been obtained from the “Night Fisherman,” who had colluded with Song Wenshu. Over the years, Lan Changʼan had gradually gathered the missing key ingredient.

The final main ingredient had been obtained from the spatial storage ring of Master Lihuo.

Now, Lan Changʼan planned to commission a third-rank alchemist to refine the Crystal Condensation Pills.

Once refined, he could trade the pills for third-rank Life Extension Pills.

The ongoing demonic invasion had significantly increased the value of strategic resources like Crystal Condensation Pills.

Exchanging them for third-rank Life Extension Pills should be feasible.

If a cultivation force possessing third-rank Life Extension Pills had lost Core Formation cultivators on the battlefield, they would likely be desperate for such a trade.

...

Jin Yun Valley had an alchemist of mid-tier third-rank level.

This person, known by the Daoist title ”Morning Pill,” was a Core Formation early-stage cultivator and served as both the sect’s alchemy Elder and the head of the Herb and Wood Hall.

In terms of status and position, Morning Pill was above Lan Changʼan, who was only an honorary Elder.

Morning Pill Immortal was an alchemist nurtured entirely by Jin Yun Valley.

It was said that his spiritual root qualifications back in the day were barely sufficient, only middle-grade. However, his talent in alchemy was extraordinary.

To cultivate him into a third-rank master alchemist, Jin Yun Valley had invested vast resources, enabling him to barely condense a low-tier True Dan.

After forming his core, Morning Pill struggled to progress further. Even after consuming a breakthrough pill, he was unable to advance to the mid-Core Formation stage.

Lan Changʼan speculated that Morning Pill had overly relied on external aids such as pills before forming his Core, which had stunted his potential.

With no hope of advancing on the path to immortality, Morning Pill redirected his energy into alchemy.

In the past few years, Lan Changʼan had met Morning Pill only briefly, with little interaction.

Morning Pill spent most of his time in the alchemy chambers, while Lan Changʼan rarely ventured outside. It was common for them to go an entire year without crossing paths.

One day, Lan Changʼan decided to visit Morning Pill’s cave abode directly.

Morning Pill turned out to be a somewhat disheveled figure—a blue-robed Daoist with messy hair, dark circles under his eyes, and two wisps of a drooping mustache.

“If I refine Crystal Condensation Pills, I can usually produce two genuine pills. If my performance falters, one will be genuine quality, and the other inferior. If I perform exceptionally, it’s possible to produce three pills,” Morning Pill said patiently, showing no disdain for Lan Changʼan despite his lower rank as an honorary Elder.

“How much would it cost to commission you to refine the Crystal Condensation Pills?” Lan Changʼan asked.

“If Fellow Daoist Lan is willing to donate one Crystal Condensation Pill to the sect for contribution points, I will not charge a single coin,” Morning Pill replied, his eyes sparkling as he stroked his mustache with a smile.

Lan Changʼan was surprised. He hadn’t expected the alchemy elder to be so loyal to Jin Yun Valley.

With Morning Pill’s dedication, the sect wouldn’t lack new Core Formation cultivators for the next two centuries.

The sect had already replenished most of the Core Formation cultivators lost in earlier cultivation wars before the current demonic invasion had even begun.

“If Elder Morning Pill can refine three pills, I might consider donating one for contribution points. Otherwise, only a third-rank Life Extension Pill could convince me to trade,” Lan Changʼan replied tactfully, neither agreeing nor refusing outright.

After half an hour of negotiation, the two reached an agreement:

If three pills were successfully refined, Lan Changʼan would donate one to the sect, and Morning Pill would not take any payment.

If only two pills were refined, Lan Changʼan would compensate Morning Pill with third-rank talismans.

If Morning Pill’s performance faltered and fewer than two pills were produced, he would forgo payment entirely.

Having settled on the terms, Lan Changʼan handed over the materials and waited for Morning Pill to complete the refinement.

...

Half a month later, Lan Changʼan left Morning Pill’s abode with two genuine Crystal Condensation Pills in hand.

Morning Pill, who had given his all during the process, looked visibly exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes. He was disappointed that he couldn’t produce three pills but felt he had done his best.

Lan Changʼan, for his part, couldn’t help but reflect on the stark difference in character between Morning Pill and another alchemist he had once known—Alchemist Hua.

Morning Pill had exhausted himself for the sect’s benefit, going so far as to waive his fee to ensure an additional Crystal Condensation Pill for the sect.

Furthermore, Morning Pill promised Lan Changʼan that the matter of refining the pills would not be told to anyone else.

...

The very next day, the sect master of Jin Yun Valley paid Lan Changʼan a personal visit, hoping to spend a large sum of money to purchase a Crystal Condensation Pill from Lan Changʼan.

Lan Changʼan couldn’t help but inwardly curse. I just praised Morning Pill’s character, but now it seems he’s already turned around and leaked the news to the sect master!

“Of the two Crystal Condensation Pills I have, one is reserved to fulfill an old promise, and the other is to trade for a third-rank Life Extension Pill,” Lan Changʼan explained.

“If the sect master can get the third-rank Life Extension Pill, I would be happy to make the trade.”

With this reasoning, Lan Changʼan tactfully refused the sect master’s offer.

Jin Yun Valley wasn’t about to turn hostile over a single Crystal Condensation Pill. After all, even with such a pill, most cultivators could only reach the Fake Dan stage.

The sect’s Grand Elder and Zhang Tieshan were not currently present in Jin Yun Valley, and Lan Changʼan was confident that the remaining Core Formation cultivators, even if they joined forces, posed no real threat to him.

Moreover, he wasn’t without support—he possessed a third-rank puppet and a Half-Step Golden Dan demon beast.

“I will do my best to obtain a third-rank Life Extension Pill for you,” the sect master replied without pressing the matter further.

“I would also appreciate it if the sect master could keep my possession of Crystal Condensation Pills a secret,” Lan Changʼan said.

“Rest assured, this matter will remain known only to myself and Elder Morning Pill,” the sect master promised before taking his leave.

...

A few days later, several Fake Dan elders and hall masters came to visit Lan Changʼan, only to be told that he was in seclusion and not receiving guests.

“Damn it! Good thing this Immortal had the foresight to prepare for this,” Lan Changʼan thought to himself as he meditated in his secluded chamber, fully aware of the visitors’ intentions.

Just then, a rustling sound came from the ground as the Earth Burrowing Rat emerged, speaking in human tongue:

“Master, there’s a message from Xiao Peng. He wishes to meet you.”

“Tell him to wait for me tonight,” Lan Changʼan instructed.

Two years earlier, under the guise of the white-bearded elder from his past life, Lan Changʼan had promised Xing Peng a chance to achieve Core Formation, urging him to make the necessary preparations.

After centuries of refining his Evergreen secret spell, Lan Changʼan had devised a method to transfer its power temporarily to others without significant loss.

The best method was to infuse the secret spell’s power into a wood-attribute spiritual pearl or a high-quality wood-attribute pill, which could then be consumed to retain about 50-60% of the effect.

Lan Changʼan had even been experimenting with sealing the power of the Evergreen secret spell into talismans or treasure scrolls, though success had so far eluded him.

That night, Lan Changʼan slipped into the outer disciple courtyard where Xing Peng resided.

“Master Lan, this is the intelligence you requested regarding the Flame Departing Palace from the Seven Kingdoms Alliance,” Xing Peng said, respectfully handing over a jade slip.

“Per your instructions, I avoided alerting the higher-ups of the Unseen Gate. As a result, there may be some delay in the information.”

“Good,” Lan Changʼan said, taking the jade slip and scanning it with his spiritual sense.

His interest in the Flame Departing Palace was to fulfill the dying wish of Master Lihuo to obtain the reincarnation of this Nascent Soul True Monarch.

Lan Changʼan’s plan was to remain in seclusion at the early Core Formation stage for a decade or so, allowing his power to deepen and the spiritual arrow he was nurturing to reach peak condition before making a move on the Seven Kingdoms Alliance.

Only with sufficient strength could he aid the Flame Departing Palace.

The report revealed the following:

”The Flame Departing Palace had been relocated to the Seven Kingdoms Alliance for 17 years.

”By agreeing to send cultivators to assist in the war against the demonic sects, they had managed to purchase a small mid-grade third-rank spiritual vein.

”Years ago, a disciple named Wang Feng had obtained the core inheritance of the Flame Departing Palace and successfully formed a Golden Dan.

”The Flame Departing Palace hoped to acquire a quasi-fourth-rank spiritual vein in the future. This spiritual vein, with the potential to develop into a fourth-rank vein, was key to the palace’s revival. However, to acquire it, they needed to contribute more in the war and outcompete rivals.”

After gaining a general understanding of the current state of the Flame Departing Palace, Lan Changʼan shifted his focus to Xing Peng.

The outer disciple, disguised as one of humble status, wore a white silk robe today.

“Have you completed the preparations for Core Reformation?” Lan Changʼan asked.