I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 297: Nascent Soul Forbidden Shackles

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In the cultivation world of Feng Kingdom, at the Proud Moon Palace.

On the snow-clad main peak, shrouded in a blend of azure mists and rosy clouds, stood an expanse of jade-white palatial buildings, resembling celestial palaces that dwell in the chilling heights of the heavens.

The spiritual energy in the ice peakʼs vicinity had unmistakably reached the fourth rank.

Suddenly, a lotus platform with three-colored petals flew out from one of the jade palaces.

On the lotus platform stood a graceful female cultivator clad in a moon-white palace dress. She appeared to be around twenty years old, her slender waist resembling a willow branch, her snow-like complexion tranquil and picturesque. A faint trace of cool melancholy lingered between her brows, evoking the image of a solitary and ethereal fairy dwelling within an ice palace.

“Junior Sister Wenyue, our master forbids you from leaving the Proud Moon Palace’s territory. This is her heartfelt concern all to protect your rare and special innate Dao physique.”

A woman clad in a gauzy dress, with a vermillion mark between her brows, emerged from the jade palace and descended onto the lotus platform.

“The demonic battlefield has now spread to the southeastern borders of Feng Kingdom. Even within the country, instability grows. Who can guarantee that no demonic cultivators are lurking? You’ve only been at the Core Formation stage for two years. It would be better for you to cultivate in peace and polish your skills. Once you master life-saving techniques, Master will naturally allow you more freedom…”

The woman in the gauzy dress spoke in a gentle tone, patiently trying to console her.
“Master does not keep her word.”

Xia Wenyue lightly pursed her crimson lips and replied softly, “She promised me that after forming my Core, I would be allowed to go out and visit my friends and family.”

After sixty years of cultivation at the Foundation Establishment stage, Xia Wenyue had successfully reached Core Formation two years ago. Her upper-tier Core was adorned with traces of Dao patterns, which was considered a “Half-Step Golden Dan.”

“Times have changed. The Palace Mistress suffered severe injuries during the war with the demonic cultivators, and her Nascent Soul has been damaged. As her disciple and a pinnacle Core Formation cultivator with an Immortal Golden Dan, Master is now in seclusion, aiming to form her Nascent Soul. She has no spare energy to take care of your safety.”

“Senior Sister Nalan is right. Wenyue should consider the bigger picture and not cause trouble for the sect or to our master.”

Xia Wenyue’s starlit eyes flickered, and she sighed softly, ceasing her insistence.

“It’s good that you understand,” Senior Sister Nalan said with relief.

It was difficult to keep constant watch over a Core Formation cultivator if they were determined to leave.

Xia Wenyue’s ”Cold Soul Jade Marrow” innate Dao physique began to nurture ”Taiyin Jade Essence” after forming her Core. Once she advanced to the mid-to-late stages of the Core Formation, it provided a slight boost toward ascending to the Nascent Soul Realm, making her a key figure under the close watch of the demonic sects.

Even though the benefits of Taiyin Jade Essence were far inferior to the legendary ”Infant Transformation Pill” and wasnʼt a deciding factor, it still made Xia Wenyue a coveted individual.

In Feng Kingdom, many outstanding young cultivators from powerful factions sought her favor.

Even when Xia Wenyue was still in the Foundation Establishment stage, there were Core Formation experts who “lowered themselves” to court her, sending gifts and expressing admiration.

“Although I won’t leave carelessly, you must keep me informed of external developments, Senior Sister. Especially news from Jing Kingdom, and…”

“I know, you’re concerned about your old teacher from before you joined the sect. I will definitely keep an eye out for news about him.”

Senior Sister Nalan smiled sweetly.

“Here, this jade slip contains some intelligence that might interest you,” she said as she handed over a jade slip.

“Thank you, Senior Sister.”

Xia Wenyue stepped back onto her lotus platform and returned to her secluded mountain, which housed a third-rank spiritual vein.

Standing on the edge of the lonely cliff, Xia Wenyue’s eyes resembled tranquil autumnal waters, calm and still, but with a subtle chill that was hard to describe.

Eight years ago, Lan Changʼan had mysteriously disappeared in the Liang Kingdom, leaving no trace.

Lan Changʼan had no Dao companion or descendants. Moreover, he hadn’t left behind a soul lamp to monitor his life or death.

Rumors circulated that the ”Turtle Immortal” had fled early to avoid the war.

Some unconfirmed reports suggested that Lan Changʼan had been captured and killed by the Peacock Saintess of the demonic path, who sought the secrets of his cultivation of the Profound Water Turtle.

Later, Xia Wenyue asked her senior sister to consult a gifted diviner about his fate. However, an invisible obstruction hindered the divination, leaving only the confirmation that Lan Changʼan was alive, though his fate was uncertain.

“Master Lan, sixty years have passed since we last met… A few more years, and I may forget your appearance altogether.”

Xia Wenyue’s delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly as she murmured to herself.

It had been many years since Lan Changʼan had taken the initiative to contact her.

The lengthy span of six decades had worn away her once-vivid feelings for him.

Back when she was just an inexperienced young woman, she had harbored a faint, unspoken admiration for Lan Changʼan. Yet now… those feelings had gradually faded.

After joining the Proud Moon Palace and forming her Half-Step Golden Dan, Xia Wenyue had broadened her horizons. She was no longer the naïve girl from her clan who knew nothing of the world.

Among Xia Wenyue’s numerous admirers were prodigies with earth-grade spiritual roots, innate Dao physiques, and even sect geniuses who had already formed Golden Dans.

Compared to these dazzling individuals, Lan Changʼan, who had only managed to form a low-tier core, appeared unremarkable. Even with his skills in talismans and medicine, he could only be considered mediocre within her current social circle.

The man she had once revered and admired had long since lost the halo he once wore.

She could even guess that Lan Changʼan had the same goal as her current suitors and was scheming for her Taiyin Jade Essence.

The difference was that Lan Changʼan had never cloaked his intentions under the guise of love or courtship.

She felt grateful that during her naive and inexperienced youth Lan Changʼan had never taken advantage of her, nor deceived her emotions or body.

If she had lost her virginity back then, it would have affected her ability to produce Taiyin Jade Essence.

Though her feelings had faded, Xia Wenyue still held gratitude in her heart and did not forget the kindness he had shown her in the past.

Bound by a heart demon oath, she had kept their secrets and never revealed them to anyone.

Returning to her secluded cave-dwelling, Xia Wenyue took out the jade slip her senior sister had given her and began reading the intelligence it contained.

“The Jing Kingdom has yet to suffer a large-scale invasion by demonic cultivators, only small skirmishes and occasional probes…”

“The Xia Family in Qingsha Bay: the old patriarch’s health is declining, with only twenty to thirty years left in his lifespan. Fortunately, Xia Mingqu has successfully formed a Fake Dan.”

“Jin Yun Valley… Hmm? That Fairy Zhao—she fell in battle! Her body destroyed, her jade-like beauty gone forever!”

Xia Wenyue’s calm demeanor finally wavered.

She had once paid attention to Fairy Zhao’s situation because she was one of Lan Changʼan’s closest confidantes for over two centuries.

Years ago, she had even regarded Zhao Siyao as a potential romantic rival. Now, thinking back, she couldn’t help but sigh at the irony of it all.

“Fairy Zhao has fallen… Will the elusive Master Lan, whose life and death are uncertain, show up?” she mused with a tinge of pity.

Perhaps it was the inertia of having missed him for so long, but Xia Wenyue couldn’t let go of a certain fixation in her heart.

It had nothing to do with love or gratitude; she simply wanted to see the youthful and ageless Master Lan once more.

...

Liang Kingdom, Jin Yun Valley.

At Qunying Mountain, in front of a freshly erected tombstone.

The slender and haggard Zhao Tanʼer knelt on the ground, her robes in disarray, her eyes swollen and red as tears streamed down her face incessantly.

“Master, it’s all my fault!”

“If only you hadn’t given me that mid third-rank escape talisman, you wouldn’t have died…”

Over and over, Zhao Tanʼer repeated the same sentence before the tombstone, her words carrying a hint of madness.

The third-rank escape talisman was the best talisman Lan Changʼan had been able to produce at that time, apart from his treasure talismans.

In truth, Zhao Tan’er had already used the talisman two years ago during a life-or-death encounter in the demonic war, narrowly escaping death.

Had it not been for that talisman, it would have been Zhao Tanʼer who had died instead.

Swoosh!

A golden streak of light, emanating the aura of a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, descended from the sky.

“Are you certain that the culprit was the Black Crow Immortal?”

Zhang Tieshan, his black robes billowing as he waved his wide sleeves, lit an incense stick in front of the grave before speaking in a deep voice.

“Yes, Tan’er saw it with her own eyes.”

Zhao Tanʼer wiped away her tears, clenching her silver teeth tightly as hatred and killing intent filled her voice.

The Black Crow Immortal was a ruthless demonic cultivator from Beast King Valley, a mid-stage Core Formation expert.

This individual’s strength approached that of a late-stage Core Formation cultivator, and he had a record of killing righteous Core Formation cultivators in battle. His most impressive feat was holding off two mid-stage Core Formation cultivators simultaneously.

“If I encounter him on the battlefield and the opportunity arises, I, Zhang Tieshan, will personally kill this scoundrel to avenge you, Junior Sister Zhao.”

Zhang Tieshan’s dark face revealed a rare anger as he cupped his hands and made a solemn promise.

Apart from Lan Changʼan, Zhang Tieshan was Zhao Siyao’s closest friend in life, as well as her fellow disciple under the same sect.

“Thank you, Uncle Zhang,” Zhao Tan’er said, bowing deeply in gratitude.

Her own strength was far from enough to contend with the Black Crow Immortal. If she were to encounter him alone, she would be fortunate just to escape alive.

Zhang Tieshan, however, was a powerful combatant. He had formed his True Dan eighteen years before Lan Changʼan and had now reached the mid-stage of Core Formation.

In the entirety of Jin Yun Valley, aside from the Grand Elder, only Zhang Tieshan could go toe-to-toe with the Black Crow Immortal.

“I heard that when you found Junior Sister Zhao, she was hanging on by her last breath. Did she leave any final words of regret?”

Zhang Tieshan fell silent for a moment, guilt flickering across his face.

Due to the severe injuries of their sect master, Xuanxiao Immortal, Zhang Tieshan had been burdened with many of the sect leader’s duties, leaving him little time to care for Zhao Siyao in her final years.

As the acting leader of Jin Yun Valley, he had to act impartially as a representative of the sect. In the ongoing war with the demonic path, he couldn’t openly favor anyone, no matter how close they were to him.

“Master said… tell him not to come back,” Zhao Tan’er said, biting her lower lip as she recounted her master’s final words.

At that time, Zhao Siyao, lying in Zhao Tan’er’s arms, had been on the verge of death. Her face was waxen, her appearance aged, and her chest, abdomen, and legs were pierced through by black feathered needles.

Zhao Tan’er had been utterly helpless. In her desperation, she had wondered if she possessed Uncle Lan’s medical skills, she might have been able to save her master.

In fact, her master had left her two parting messages before passing.

One of them Zhao Tan’er kept buried deep in her heart and did not share with Zhang Tieshan.

“Him?”

Zhang Tieshan’s expression turned contemplative as his resolute gaze shifted toward the distant northern horizon of Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world.

As the de facto leader of the sect, Zhang Tieshan was privy to certain confidential information. Based on what he knew, he suspected Lan Changʼan had fled deep into the Endless Flying Sand Desert, toward Fengyuan Kingdom.

“Lan Changʼan, as Zhao Siyao’s closest friend, I understand if you choose not to return for revenge. But as for Black Crow Immortal, I, Zhang, will kill him on your behalf!”

Zhang Tieshan made a silent vow in his heart.

However, he also knew that the Black Crow Immortal was one of the strongest mid-stage Core Formation cultivators. As someone who had only recently entered the mid-stage himself, Zhang Tieshan wasn’t confident he could secure a kill within the next decade.

The reason why he understood Lan Changʼan’s decision was because Zhang Tieshan knew that the former was facing a far more terrifying enemy, which was the Peacock Saintess!

Several months ago, Zhang Tieshan had participated in a battle alongside two other Core Formation cultivators, including a late-stage Core Formation expert, to oppose the Peacock Saintess.

The result? Utter defeat.

At that time, the Peacock Saintess hadn’t even utilized her most powerful beast—the Five-Colored Peacock with heaven-grade bloodline.

Zhang Tieshan’s artifact spirit had warned him: this woman was incredibly dangerous, and he should avoid her at all costs.

During the battle, the Peacock Saintess had even glanced at him briefly, leaving a chilling remark:

“Tianfeng Immortal? I hear you have a close relationship with the Turtle Immortal?”

The moment she spoke, Zhang Tieshan felt his scalp tingle, as if he were being hunted by a predator.

Even with his artifact spirit of the fragmented spiritual treasure, the Peacock Saintess, the Beast King Valley’s top prodigy, was someone he could only look up to.

Beast King Valley, as one of the top sects in the Great Qing, was rumored to possess a pseudo-spiritual treasure as its sect-guarding artifact, forged from the fragments of an actual spiritual treasure.

Upon learning of Zhao Siyao’s death, Zhang Tieshan had investigated the Black Crow Immortal and discovered that the man had once pursued the Peacock Saintess a hundred years ago.

Eventually, the Peacock Saintess’s achievements left the Black Crow Immortal feeling unworthy, so he simply embraced this thigh and became the Holy Maidenʼs lapdog.

Jin Yun Valley, being merely a mid-grade Core Formation sect within the Righteous Path Alliance, could never afford to provoke someone like the Peacock Saintess. Doing so might lead to retribution or even annihilation in the future.

The Peacock Saintess wasn’t just any ordinary Nascent Soul seed. Her chances of forming a Nascent Soul True Monarch were considerably high.

With her profound foundation and the overwhelming talent of her ”Myriad Spirits Dao Psysique,” which granted her unparalleled control over spiritual beasts, she would stand out even among her peers if she reached the Nascent Soul Realm.

“Lan Changʼan, if you are not the reincarnation of Yan Donglai, then it’s best if you never come back…”

...

At the heart of the vast desert lies Fengyuan Kingdomʼs eastern corner, in the River Source Oasis. A serene mountain manor served as a cultivation site.

“So, that’s how it is,” Lan Changʼan muttered in a hoarse voice as he carefully stowed away several divination tools, stained with his own essence blood.

He stood silently for a moment, mourning.

Moments earlier, he had expended his lifespan and essence blood to perform a relatively precise divination.

The result revealed a cruel truth: the fate of the Zhao master-disciple pair dictated that only one of them could survive.

From this, Lan Changʼan deduced that Zhao Siyao likely handed over the third-rank mid-grade escape talisman to her only disciple, Zhao Tan’er, whom she treated like a daughter.

If given the choice again, Zhao Siyao would probably still sacrifice her own life to save Zhao Tan’er. After all, with her Fake Dan cultivation, she would not have lived much longer than a hundred years, even under ideal circumstances.

“From the trigrams, it seems the Peacock Saintess wasn’t directly responsible for Zhao Siyao’s death. As the Saintess of Beast King Valley, she wouldn’t bother personally targeting a mere Fake Dan cultivator.”

“However, even if she didn’t explicitly order it, those beneath her—Core Formation cultivators or admirers seeking her favor—might have acted on her unspoken intentions.”

Lan Changʼan felt a pang of guilt. Zhao Siyao’s death was, to some extent, entangled in the karmic web connected to him.

Of course, even without his involvement, Zhao Siyao was destined to face such a calamity eventually.

The act of giving the escape talisman to her disciple merely hastened the inevitable. The Peacock Saintess’s indirect involvement had only accelerated the process.

On the demonic battlefield, the mortality rate was extraordinarily high. For a Fake Dan cultivator, they were regarded as little more than high-ranking cannon fodder.

Fake Dan cultivators had no potential to advance further, and even if they were lost, a sect’s strength wouldn’t be significantly harmed. Hence, such cultivators were often assigned to high-risk tasks.

“So, she’s trying to lure me back to Liang Kingdom?”

Lan Changʼan picked up on the intent behind the Peacock Saintess’s actions.

After all, Zhao Siyao had been one of his closest friends in this world, a confidante and a red-flowered companion.

Lan Changʼan attempted to delve deeper into the karmic entanglements through divination, only to encounter an invisible barrier.

“Someone skilled in divination has shrouded the heavenly secrets. Their personʼs means are above me,” Lan Changʼan murmured thoughtfully, ultimately abandoning his attempt.

The art of divination was not omnipotent; it was subject to an unseen game of offense and defense.

Just as one could uncover secrets, another could obscure them—or even plant misleading ones.

It was like a game of chess, with moves and countermoves.

While the art of divination was niche, top-tier sects such as the Six Demonic Sects often employed masters of the craft to conceal their sect’s secrets and strategies, thwarting outside attempts at divination.

Additionally, rare treasures and materials existed that could resist or interfere with divinations, creating additional layers of obstruction.

Since divination had failed, Lan Changʼan turned to analyze the situation through the lens of a Nascent Soul True Monarch’s perspective.

After some time, his eyes gleamed as a sudden realization dawned upon him.

“Heh… a little Peacock thinks she can trap me? How naïve,” Lan Changʼan chuckled softly, his tone tinged with mockery.

It all made sense now.

Years ago, when the Peacock Saintess had pursued him, she had been utterly humiliated. Lan Changʼan had toyed with her, severing one of the three wings of her prized beast and damaging its essence. The Spirit-Taming Ring worn on her ankle, such a personal item, was also snatched away by Lan Changʼan.

This grievous humiliation had dealt a heavy blow to the prideful Peacock Saintess, it even left a knot in her Dao heart.

Even a small flaw in one’s Dao heart could magnify into a catastrophic obstacle during the future Nascent Soul tribulation.

Especially the terrifying Heart Demon Tribulation.

Without untying the knot in her heart, the Peacock Saintess would find it nearly impossible to advance to the Nascent Soul Realm. The risk of failure would be astronomical.

In fact, she might not even dare attempt the Nascent Soul tribulation at all.

And even if she hired a Nascent Soul True Monarch to kill Lan Changʼan, it wouldn’t solve the root of the problem. She would have to personally confront and defeat him to fully resolve her inner conflict and achieve clarity of mind.

Of course, this was merely Lan Changʼan’s analysis based on his Nascent Soul-level insight.

“Almost a sure thing. Otherwise, the Peacock Saintess wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of asking a skilled diviner to cover up this matter.”

Lan Changʼan was now confident in his conclusions.

With this revelation, he held the upper hand.

It was equivalent to saying that he had control over the forbidden shackle tied to the Peacock Saintess’s ascension to the Nascent Soul Realm.

If Lan Changʼan chose to remain hidden, never revealing himself, the Peacock Saintess’s chances of advancing to the Nascent Soul Realm would remain slim.

If he denied her the opportunity to resolve her inner demons, she would have no hope of succeeding.

His only concern was that if the Peacock Saintess couldn’t find him, she might retaliate by targeting Zhao Tan’er, the descendants of Li Erqing, or even taking vengeance on Jin Yun Valley.

“The Peacock Saintess has only recently entered the late stage of Core Formation—twenty-some years ago, at most. She still has a long way to go before reaching the peak of Core Formation Realm,” Lan Changʼan estimated.

He speculated that the Peacock Saintess wouldn’t become truly desperate until she began preparing to form her Nascent Soul, which could be decades away.

By that time, the demonic invasion war would likely have reached its conclusion.

Moreover, the Peacock Saintess’s cultivation speed wasn’t unrivaled. While her innate Dao physique granted her significant advantages in taming spiritual beasts, it didn’t accelerate her cultivation speed as much as an earth-grade spiritual root would.

...

Half a year later.

In the secret chamber of the estate, within a third-rank body-refinement medicinal pool.

”Mid-stage Third Rank Body Refinement!”

Lan Changʼan’s colossal dark-golden body shimmered faintly, covered in densely packed golden scales resembling fish scales. Slowly, the scales receded back into his skin, revealing his refined physique.

The oppressive aura of his powerful body and blood vanished from the chamber.

Half a month later, Lan Changʼan had fully stabilized his cultivation and could now freely control the power of his Golden Luo Overlord Body.

To the outside world, he declared that he was entering seclusion.

In reality, he had quietly left the River Source Oasis.

Lan Changʼan flew toward the outskirts of the desert, heading in the direction of Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world.

With his body refinement reaching the mid-stage of the third rank, Lan Changʼan’s strength and self-preservation abilities had improved significantly.

Even so, he had no intention of personally entering the Liang Kingdom cultivation world.

Two months later.

Lan Changʼan arrived at the outskirts of the Flying Sand Desert, close to the border of the Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world.

“Go!”

Sitting within a sand beast cart buried beneath the sand, Lan Changʼan activated his puppet clone.

Swoosh!

A figure cloaked in gray-white robes and a black cape, wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat, blurred into motion. The assassin’s silhouette vanished like an imperceptible shadow, entering the Liang Kingdom cultivation world.

The straw hat assassin carried within it the soul power of Lan Changʼan’s peak Core Formation life. Its spiritual sense was exceptional, and its mana cultivation level matched that of a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator.

The puppet could perform most of the general spells of human cultivators. In terms of stealth and concealment, it surpassed Lan Changʼan himself.

This puppet was, in essence, Lan Changʼan’s proxy, capable of handling dangerous tasks in his stead with little difference in efficacy.

A few days later.

The straw hat assassin approached the Beast Taming Zhou Family and remotely performed an incantation to stabilize the Gu insect restriction in Zhou Qingxuan’s mind.

According to the agreement, Lan Changʼan would remotely stabilize Zhou Qingxuan’s Gu insect restriction every ten years.

At the same time, Zhou Qingxuan controlled the Gu insect restriction embedded in Xing Peng, an Incense Master of the Unseen Gate.

Now, it was merely a year ahead of schedule.

Beast Taming Zhou Family, supreme elder’s cave mansion.

“Could it be? Is that old ghost coming back?”

Zhou Qingxuan, clad in an elegant pale-yellow dress and bearing the delicate face of a young maiden, felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding. Her expression shifted to one of shock and dread.

“This isn’t good! According to Xing Peng, the Unseen Gate has spies near the Zhou Family, Little Turtle Peak, and Jin Yun Valley…”

Her brows furrowed deeply as worry gripped her heart, not daring to go out easily.

Half an hour later, Zhou Qingxuan suddenly noticed the protective formation in her cave mansion being activated.

“Who?!”

Breaking into a cold sweat, she turned toward the shadows cast by her window drapes, where a mysterious figure wearing a bamboo hat slowly emerged.

“I go by the code name ‘Black Lord,’ a member of the Azure Dragon Society. I am here on the orders of my master to neutralize the Gu insect restriction in your mind and ask you a few questions.”

The straw hat figure’s voice was low and raspy. A soundproof barrier had already been set up within the room.

“The Azure Dragon Society? The Lord that Your Excellency is talking about…”

Zhou Qingxuan’s face went pale, her heart trembling with terror as she stared at the mysterious straw hat figure standing mere feet away.

The Beast Taming Zhou Family was protected by a third-rank formation and guarded by keen-sensed spirit beasts. Even a mid-to-late-stage Core Formation cultivator would find it challenging to infiltrate her chamber undetected.

...

Seven days later, outskirts of the Flying Sand Desert.

Splat!

Lan Changʼan emerged from the sand, brushing off grains from his robes. He gestured, and the straw hat assassin flew back to him, disappearing into his storage pouch.

Through the puppet, Lan Changʼan had successfully communicated with Zhou Qingxuan and gained detailed information about the current state of the war between the Righteous Alliance and the demonic path.

This included further details regarding Zhao Siyao’s death.

“The demonic invasion has focused on encircling and attacking Feng Kingdom. Yet, they haven’t launched a major offensive against Jing Kingdom?”

Lan Changʼan frowned, surprised by this revelation.

Having been away for nearly nine years, he hadn’t expected Jing Kingdom to remain relatively unscathed.

Neither the Feng Kingdom nor Jing Kingdom had fallen, so the flames of war hadn’t yet spread to Liang Kingdom.

Had it not been for the Peacock Saintess, Lan Changʼan might have continued cultivating in Liang Kingdom’s Jin Yun Valley for many more years—perhaps even long enough to alter Zhao Siyao’s fate.

“Black Crow Immortal… the direct killer of Zhao Siyao.”

With this vital intelligence, Lan Changʼan refrained from lingering further and retraced his steps back to the depths of the desert in the Fengyuan Kingdom.

No one could have guessed that Lan Changʼan had just made a trip back to the Liang Kingdom cultivation world in such an unconventional manner.

Through this operation, Lan Changʼan gained deeper insights into the usage of his puppet clone.

He began contemplating a future where he could craft a late-stage Core Formation-level puppet clone. Such a creation would bring about a qualitative leap in combat strength, it would be no less than his personal presence on the battlefield.

By then, he wouldn’t have to take risks personally; through remote control, he could exact revenge for Zhao Siyao.

Not only that, but he could also retaliate against the Peacock Saintess. He would strike back in kind, forcing her to restrain herself from dragging innocent individuals—his old friends and their descendants—into the conflict.

The Peacock Saintess wasn’t invincible. She had disciples, family, and a clan of her own.

If she believed she could threaten Lan Changʼan, a solitary cultivator with a long lifespan who did not take a wife or have children, she was gravely mistaken.