I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 309: Rise and Fall of the Vast Seas

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Lan Changʼan remembered that before he left the Liang Kingdom, the Heavenly Net Sect of the Chen Kingdomʼs cultivation world had been destroyed. The Nascent Soul Ancestor of the Heavenly Net Sect had once had his physical body destroyed and had to flee with his Nascent Soul spirit form.

However, that was decades ago.

”Reporting to His Excellency Black Lord, the Heavenly Net Sect has suffered multiple severe defeats in the war against the demonic path. This has greatly displeased the leader of the Righteous Dao Alliance, Chu Tianfeng. A few years ago, the Heavenly Net Ancestor was gravely injured again, forcing his Nascent Soul to leave his body. He is now recuperating and attempting to recover his strength. Alliance Leader Chu eventually transferred the command of Jing Kingdomʼs cultivation world to the Sect Master of Xuan Yin Sect, Liang Shaotian...”

Zhou Qingxuan explained the situation in detail.

Injured again, with the Nascent Soul forced to leave the body?

Lan Changʼan’s expression became somewhat strange. It seemed that the strength of the Heavenly Net Ancestor was at best on par with Master Lihuo.

Both of them were rather average in terms of strength among Nascent Soul cultivators, nothing particularly outstanding.

On the other hand, the Nascent Soul opponents they faced came from the top-tier demonic sect of Great Qing. Naturally, there was a gap in strength and foundation.

As for the Nascent Soul spirit body wandering outside its physical form, Lan Changʼan felt a faint sense of temptation.
But based on the vague feedback from the Nine Seal Stele, to ignite the ”Fifth Life,” he would need to devour either ten Nascent Souls or the Nascent Soul of a Deity Transformation Heavenly Lord.

Lan Changʼan dismissed the thought immediately. The risks were far too high, and the benefits were minimal.

This was not a plan he could execute at the current stage.

“A major loss for the Heavenly Net Sect?”

Lan Changʼan was rather curious about the events in Jing Kingdomʼs cultivation world.

This neutral cultivation kingdom had not only produced a child of fortune but was also home to a formidable figure like Liang Shaotian and a ruthless bandit like Xiang Jinglong.

Lan Changʼan himself had once cultivated in seclusion for many years in Jing Kingdom, where he discovered Xia Wenyue, who possessed an Innate Dao physique.

Through Zhou Qingxuanʼs recount, the Heavenly Net Sect had suffered three major defeats:

First, decades ago, the Chen Kingdom fell too quickly and was overtaken by the Beast King Valley, leaving the Feng Kingdom surrounded on two fronts.

Second, the Heavenly Net Sect was heavily infiltrated by the Unseen Gate, resulting in frequent intelligence leaks that significantly impacted the war efforts. This greatly angered the higher-ups of the Righteous Dao Alliance.

Thirdly, a few years ago, the demonic path seized half of Jing Kingdomʼs territory. Despite being given command, the Heavenly Net Sect failed disastrously, leading to the Nascent Soul Ancestor being gravely injured and forced to flee once again.

After this series of failures, Alliance Leader Chu completely lost faith in the Heavenly Net Sect and handed over command to the Xuan Yin Sect.

Lan Changʼan was speechless after hearing all this.

Back then, the Heavenly Net Sect was domineering and unrestrained within its borders. The Xie Family had turned the sect into a family-dominated power that wielded absolute control over the Chen Kingdom. ꭆ𝖆ƝòΒĘṥ

While they were unmatched in internal conflicts, their performance in external wars against the demonic path was utterly disgraceful.

Not only that, but the Heavenly Net Sect also carried its overbearing ways into the Jing Kingdom, competing fiercely for spiritual veins territories.

The Jing Kingdomʼs local forces, who were quite resentful towards the Heavenly Net Sect, would rather support the Xuan Yin Demonic Sect of the past.

At the very least, the Xuan Yin Sect was efficient and didn’t engage in excessive infighting.

During the two times the Heavenly Net Ancestor was gravely injured, when command was temporarily handed over to the Xuan Yin Sect, the situation stabilized under their leadership.

When the child of fortune Lingyu True Monarch intervened, the demonic path didn’t dare to send Nascent Soul cultivators into Jing Kingdom anymore.

With neither side deploying Nascent Soul experts, the Xuan Yin Sect unified the various cultivation factions in the Jing Kingdom and successfully expelled the demonic armies.

Of course, their success was largely due to Lingyu True Monarch’s intimidating reputation.

As for Liang Shaotian himself, he wasn’t particularly skilled at warfare.

However, his disciple Li Hai excelled at military strategy and tactics, while Protector Xiang Jinglong, a third-rank body refiner, was good at small-scale skirmishes.

Liang Shaotian’s personal fame was earned through actual combat.

On the battlefield against the demonic path, Liang Shaotian had killed a Core Formation Great Cultivator from Beast King Valley, and the number of demonic cultivators who fell by his hand was even greater. His military achievements were illustrious.

He had even fought the ”Peacock Saintess” to a draw, though he was somewhat suppressed during the confrontation.

Liang Shaotian was hailed as the Righteous Dao Allianceʼs greatest Core Formation cultivator.

After establishing their sect on Jing Kingdomʼs borders, the Xuan Yin Sect expanded rapidly, recruiting many disciples and steadily growing stronger.

Despite the fires of war, the Xuan Yin Sect’s strength didn’t diminish; rather, it increased, making it the most powerful native cultivation faction in Jing Kingdom.

“Two centuries of rise and fall. The once-infamous demonic cultivator, who was hunted and despised by his sect, has now become a hidden giant in the cultivation world.”

Lan Changʼan reminisced about his first encounter with Liang Shaotian.

Back then, the man was also a small fry.

An early-stage Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator, injured and on the run, his cultivation base had plummeted, and he was barely clinging to life.

…

Half an hour later.

After finishing his questioning of Zhou Qingxuan, Lan Changʼan had gained a general understanding of the state of the war between the Righteous Dao Alliance and the demonic path.

The main battlefield of the Righteous Dao Alliance was in the Feng Kingdom’s cultivation world, where three Nascent Soul sects held the line.

To the southwest, both the Chen and Yan Kingdoms had already fallen, conquered by Beast King Valley.

Feng Kingdom, with its vast lands, abundant resources, and numerous cultivation sects and families, was the hardest nut for the demonic path to crack. It was also the backbone of the Righteous Dao Alliance.

If Feng Kingdom fell, it would mean the collapse of the Alliance’s entire resistance.

Beast King Valley had already formed a semi-encirclement strategy.

If they were to conquer Jing Kingdom and Liang Kingdom next, it would amount to cutting off Feng Kingdom’s rear support.

At that point, Feng Kingdom, surrounded on all sides, would be doomed.

However, the emergence of the child of fortune in Jing Kingdom had shifted the tide of war, halting the Beast King Valleyʼs invasion at Jing Kingdom’s borders.

”That Lingyu True Monarch can be said to have inadvertently saved Liang Kingdom as well,” Lan Changʼan thought to himself.

The Liang Kingdom was adjacent to the Jing Kingdom. If the Jing Kingdom were to fall, the Liang Kingdom would be next in line.

The heavy injury sustained by the Sect Master of Beast King Valley had also slowed the momentum of the demonic invasion.

Currently, the two factions were in a stalemate.

Zhou Qingxuan also mentioned a piece of gossip.

It was rumored that the Righteous Dao Alliance and Beast King Valley were considering a truce, with high-level representatives from both sides having secret meetings.

For the wider cultivation world under the Righteous Dao Alliance, this would undoubtedly be good news.

But for Lan Changʼan, this was far from ideal.

Over the years, the Peacock Saintess hadn’t come to trouble him, primarily because she had been occupied with the cultivation war.

On the battlefield against the demonic path, Nascent Soul-level confrontations were rare.

As a top Core Formation cultivator, the Peacock Saintess was a critical asset on the demonic battlefield, exerting significant influence in regional skirmishes.

She simply couldn’t spare a year or two necessary to chase Lan Changʼan across the endless desert.

Moreover, crossing enemy territory during wartime came with inherent risks.

The demonic war itself was also a rare opportunity for her.

She could plunder resources and accumulate war merit, which could then be exchanged for rare Nascent Soul-level resources.

The greater her contributions, the higher her priority for obtaining an Infant Transformation Pill within Beast King Valley.

If the war with the demonic path were to cease, even temporarily for a few years, the situation would drastically change.

The Peacock Saintess would finally have the time to act against him!

This woman had already suffered a defeat at his hands once before, tasting bitter failure.

If she were to act again, she would certainly not take him lightly. She might even invite powerful comrades from her sect.

”Thankfully, the worst-case scenario hasn’t happened yet,” Lan Changʼan thought with relief.

Jing Kingdom and Liang Kingdom had managed to hold their ground.

The influence of Beast King Valley couldn’t extend into the vast desert region of Fengyuan Kingdom.

If the Peacock Saintess wanted to deal with Lan Changʼan, she would have to rely on her personal strength. She wouldn’t be able to overwhelm him with the sheer power of her sect.

…

The puppet clone did not immediately leave the Beast Taming Zhou Family.

Lan Changʼan still needed to gather more information about the war on the demonic battlefield to assist in future divinations.

He planned to personally question Incense Master Xing Peng of the Unseen Gate.

Zhou Qingxuan, Xing Peng’s direct superior, controlled the Gu worm restriction implanted in him, stabilizing it every three years.

A few days later.

A mysterious figure dressed in a gray-white long robe and wearing a hood silently entered the Beast Taming Zhou Family.

“Xing Peng greets His Excellency the Black Lord.”

Xing Peng bowed deeply, unable to discern the true nature of the puppet clone before him. However, he sensed the vast spiritual power emanating from it, far surpassing his own, and felt a chill in his heart.

Years ago, Lan Changʼan had acquired the remnants of the Thousand Mechanisms Sect’s puppet-making techniques at an auction. These included advanced mimicry techniques.

Ordinary puppets lacked the essence of a true soul’s power.

However, Lan Changʼan’s puppet clone possessed such a power.

Coupled with the mimicry techniques of the Thousand Mechanisms Sect, unless he engaged in a prolonged battle or extended interactions, it was difficult for even early-to-mid Core Formation cultivators to detect its nature.

“As far as I know, the higher-ups of Beast King Valley are currently divided on whether to negotiate a ceasefire. Even if a truce is agreed upon, it will likely be a delaying tactic. Eventually, they will seek retribution.”

Xing Peng reported respectfully.

His cousin, the Shadow Hall Chief within the Unseen Gate, had broken through to late Core Formation two decades ago and had a certain status in the sect.

Thanks to this connection, Xing Peng had a sharper sense of the higher-level happenings in the Six Demonic Sects than an ordinary Incense Master or Altar Master.

“What do you think is the likelihood of a ceasefire?”

Lan Changʼan, through his puppet clone, posed the question.

“Roughly fifty-fifty. It depends on two factors.”

Xing Peng paused for a moment before explaining.

“First, it depends on Lingyu True Monarch’s attitude and how much he is willing to defend Jing Kingdom and the Righteous Dao Alliance.”

“Second, it hinges on whether the other five sects of the Six Demonic Sects can spare resources to provide assistance. Among the Six Sects, there are cultivators who can counter Lingyu True Monarch.”

Hearing this, Lan Changʼan’s expression turned thoughtful.

The Six Demonic Sects was expanding eastward and was simultaneously invading multiple regions.

The Righteous Dao Alliance was just one of their targets.

Beast King Valley, being among the stronger sects of the Six, was tasked with invading several kingdoms.

If not for the unpredictable variable of the child of fortune, Beast King Valley would have succeeded by now.

If the other sects had the capacity to lend support, they could assist each other, but they would have to be paid handsomely.

“In addition to seeking reinforcements, Beast King Valley has one more trump card. The sect possesses a sealed fourth-rank Demon King with heavenly-grade bloodline, which has lived for thousands of years and has combat strength comparable to a peak late stage Nascent Soul cultivator.”

“However, this strongest fourth-rank Demon King is not fully controllable. It is prone to breaking free and causing devastating backlash, once nearly bringing Beast King Valley to the brink of annihilation. Unless it’s a last resort, Beast King Valley won’t dare to use this double-edged sword.”

Xing Peng revealed another secret of Beast King Valley.

A sealed fourth-rank Demon King?!

Lan Changʼan couldn’t help but gasp. The foundation and power of Beast King Valley were truly terrifying.

If even the mighty Beast King Valley had nearly been wiped out by that creature, its strength must indeed rival that of a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator.

If they could perfectly control this sealed beast, Beast King Valley could even challenge for dominance among the Six Demonic Sects.

“What about Jin Yun Valley? How are things there?”

Back in the day, Lan Changʼan had been forced to flee from Jin Yun Valley in less-than-dignified circumstances.

“The sect leader of Jin Yun Valley, now known as Tianfeng Immortal, has led the sect with steady progress.”

“Five years ago, Tianfeng Immortal severed one arm of Black Crow Immortal on the demonic battlefield and nearly killed him. His reputation has grown significantly.”

Tianfeng Immortal was the Daoist name of Zhang Tieshan.

Black Crow Immortal was a powerful mid-Core Formation cultivator of Beast King Valley and the direct killer of Zhao Siyao.

This news stirred Lan Changʼan’s emotions slightly.

Xing Peng also presented a jade slip containing detailed information about Jin Yun Valley.

“Two years ago, Zhao Tan’er advanced to mid-Core Formation stage, becoming Jin Yun Valley’s most prominent female Core Formation cultivator.”

“The Grand Elder was gravely injured, his strength severely diminished, and he has since retired to a secondary position.”

“Zhang Tieshan, as the sect leader, now holds full authority over Jin Yun Valley…”

Lan Changʼan sighed with emotion.

Whether it was the Righteous Dao Allianceʼs larger war situation or the familiar factions and individuals from his past, all had undergone relentless change and progression over the years.

Two hundred and twenty years ago.

Zhang Tieshan, Lan Changʼan, Zhao Siyao, Lin Yi, and Li Erqing were all peers who had cultivated during the same era and met during their Qi-Refining stage.

In those early years, the young noble Lin Yi had befriended Zhang Tieshan during their Qi-Refining days. Back then, no one could have anticipated Zhang Tieshan would have such achievements, and become the leader of Jin Yun Valley.

Even Lan Changʼan, two hundred years ago, hadn’t imagined Zhang Tieshan reaching such heights.

Back in Huanglong Immortal City, Lan Changʼan took down the ʼEvil-Faced Flying Eagleʼ and teamed up with Zhang Tieshan, then a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Law Enforcement Hall, to get what they both needed.

At the time, Lan Changʼan had complimented Zhang Tieshan, jokingly saying, “Perhaps in the future, I’ll witness Brother Zhang becoming an Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall.”

Zhang Tieshan had merely smiled without responding.

“Old Zhang becoming the leader of Jin Yun Valley is certainly good news. If he strengthens the sect further, it could become a potential refuge for me in the future.”

Lan Changʼan mused.

Jin Yun Valley possessed a medium-to-large third-rank superior-grade spiritual vein, with the potential to develop into a quasi-fourth-rank vein.

For Lan Changʼan, who would one day reach the level of a Core Formation Great Cultivator, such a spiritual vein would be a necessity.

What? Jin Yun Valley doesn’t welcome cultivators who fled in the past?

Lan Changʼan laughed inwardly. With a deep friendship of more than two hundred years in place, Old Zhang would surely force his way through and welcome his ”kingly return.”

“Old Zhang avenging Siyao on the battlefield shows that he is, like me, a man of great love and justice!”

Lan Changʼan felt a deep resonance with this sentiment.

He speculated that Zhao Tan’er’s smooth advancement to mid-Core Formation might have been due to Old Zhang’s care and support.

In truth, Lan Changʼan had not left Jin Yun Valley empty-handed when he fled.

Before leaving, he had provided Jin Yun Valley with critical intelligence about internal traitors.

According to the jade slip from Xing Peng:

Years ago, when Jing Kingdom was half-occupied by the demonic path, Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world heavily supported them, leaving its own defenses stretched thin.

At that time, the Unseen Gate’s spies, who had infiltrated various factions in the Liang Kingdom, seized the opportunity to create chaos in the rear.

During this upheaval, Jin Yun Valley, having purged its internal traitors in advance, remained alert and minimized its losses.

This early warning was Lan Changʼan’s final gift to Jin Yun Valley before he ran away.

…

After gathering sufficient intelligence, the puppet clone returned to the desert.

Lan Changʼan stored the straw hat assassin puppet into his storage pouch.

“Half-Step Golden Dan… Taiyin Jade Essence…”

Before heading back to Fengyuan Kingdom, he glanced in the direction of Feng Kingdom and the Proud Moon Palace.

After forming her Core, Xia Wenyue’s Innate Dao physique ”Cold Soul Jade Marrow” had begun to nurture Taiyin Jade Essence.

In the early Core Formation stage, the Taiyin Jade Essence was still in the initial nurturing stage and provided little benefit for Nascent Soul formation.

It would only mature in the mid-to-late Core Formation stage, when it could provide considerable assistance for breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.

According to ancient texts, Taiyin Jade Essence cultivated at the late Core Formation stage was almost equivalent to half an Infant Transformation Pill.

However, Lan Changʼan was currently only at the mid-Core Formation stage. Even if it was successfully nurtured, consuming it prematurely would be a waste of the Taiyin Jade Essence.

For years, Lan Changʼan had avoided going to Proud Moon Palace or contacting Xia Wenyue to prevent anyone from associating the two of them.

“After eighty years, that girl being a part of a major Nascent Soul sect, achieving Half-Step Golden Dan and having seen a lot, her feelings are bound to have faded…”

Back when Lan Changʼan was in Jing Kingdom, his actions toward Xia Wenyue were merely incidental. He had sowed a seed without much investment.

Even if things didn’t work out, it wouldn’t be a major loss.

He never planned to manipulate Xia Wenyue with emotional ties.

Nor did he believe that after more than a hundred years, her feelings for him would remain unchanged.

Lan Changʼan didn’t wish to test human nature.

Thus, back then, he had only sought Xia Wenyue’s willing promise, binding her with a heart demon oath.

As someone with an Innate Dao physique and potential to reach the Nascent Soul stage, the constraints of a heart demon oath would weigh far more heavily on her than on an ordinary cultivator.

Coupled with the grace of his life-saving kindness, Xia Wenyue was likely to fulfill her promise and hand over the Taiyin Jade Essence, provided there were no external interferences.

Lan Changʼan planned to seek her out and claim the elixir once he reached late Core Formation and began preparing for his breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage.

...

Two months later.

Upon returning to Fengyuan Kingdom, Lan Changʼan deliberately stopped by two tribal desolate cities to gather information about the Righteous Dao Alliance’s war.

“Do the natives of Fengyuan Kingdom really care so little about external affairs?”

The intelligence he gathered was severely delayed, outdated, and largely inaccurate.

The Fengyuan Kingdom, situated at the center of the vast desert, was like an isolated island due to its harsh environment and remote location. It rarely interacted with the outside world.

Thousands of years of experience had given its inhabitants a strong sense of confidence:

No matter how chaotic the outside world became, the “Brilliant Ancient Civilization” at the heart of the desert would remain unaffected.

Even the omnipresent Tian Zhi Pavilion, which had branches in nearly every kingdom of the Righteous Dao Alliance, had no presence in this barren land.

However, Lan Changʼan believed that the upper echelons of Fengyuan Kingdom—such as the Ice and Snow Sacred Mountain—would pay at least some attention to external events.

It was said that the Heavenly Master of the Ice and Snow Sacred Mountain was skilled in divination. With even the slightest bit of information, they could deduce major events from the comfort of their sanctuary.

With the Heavenly Master in control, the natives of the desolate cities and tribes didn’t need to concern themselves with the broader war.

Back in the Outer Sect Alliance territory, the situation was slightly better.

The Outer Sect Alliance was a gathering place for cultivators from various regions, some hailing from the Two Teachings’ territories of Five Poisons Sect and Thousand Mechanisms Sect, while others came from the Righteous Dao Alliance.

It was rumored that over the ages, cultivators from beyond Great Qing had occasionally crossed the desert from the northern regions to arrive here.

The most mysterious intelligence organization within the Outer Sect Alliance was known as Yellow Sand.

Through this organization, Lan Changʼan was finally able to obtain more reliable information about the Righteous Dao Alliance’s war, though it was still somewhat delayed.

Yellow Sand was said to originate from the Two Teachings’ territories and hadn’t initially focused on the Righteous Dao Alliance’s affairs.

However, in recent years, the intensity of the war between the Righteous Dao Alliance and the demonic path had drawn their attention.

The battle between the child of fortune and the Sect Master of Beast King Valley had shaken the Eastern Regions of Great Qing, capturing their interest.

With Yellow Sand as a dependable source of intelligence, Lan Changʼan finally had trustworthy “eyes and ears.”

This allowed him to keep track of the war without needing to constantly venture out to monitor the situation in the Righteous Dao Alliance’s territories.

…

On this day, Lan Changʼan returned to the Fragrant Grass Oasis and the mountain gate of Xuan Yin Pavilion.

That night, the Fairy Ni Yue personally visited him. Amid moments of warmth and intimacy, she inquired about the war between the Righteous Dao Alliance and the demonic path.

The intelligence Lan Changʼan brought back was far more detailed and comprehensive than what the Yellow Sand Organization had been able to gather.

“If there really is a truce, I’d want to return to my homeland in the Liang Kingdom,” Fairy Ni Yue said with a radiant smile, her tone laced with longing.

The prospect of a truce in the war against the demonic path was a blessing for most cultivators across the land, but only unfavorable to Lan Changʼan.

“The spiritual vein of Xuan Yin Pavilion’s former mountain gate has been occupied by forces aligned with the Golden Sun Sect. Returning there will only bring sadness,” Lan Changʼan said bluntly, pouring cold water on her hopes.

Fairy Ni Yue glared at him, but her eyes dimmed, revealing a hint of sorrow.

“By the way, did you find any information about the ‘Liu Qingyan’ I asked you to investigate?”

Before Lan Changʼan had left previously, Fairy Ni Yue had specifically made this request.

Years ago, fellow cultivators who had returned from the Liang Kingdom brought back news of a female cultivator named Liu Qingyan of Xuan Yin Pavilion who had successfully formed a True Dan. However, she had disappeared during the chaos of the war.

Fairy Ni Yue had sent people to search for her, but the high cost of traveling back and forth yielded no definite results.

“No,” Lan Changʼan replied, shaking his head.

Liu Qingyan was none other than himself—there was no need to investigate.

Hearing this, Fairy Ni Yue’s disappointment showed. Missing out on a Core Formation female cultivator was a loss for Xuan Yin Pavilion.

After returning to Xuan Yin Pavilion, Lan Changʼan accelerated his efforts to improve his divination skills and enhance his overall strength to prepare for future threats.

Improving his divination art was his top priority. Reaching the superior third rank was crucial, as it would not only increase his ability to make accurate predictions but also cover up his heavenly secrets.

With enhanced divination abilities and several third-rank divination artifacts in hand, Lan Changʼan’s calculations would become more precise and insightful.

This preparation was not only for dealing with the Peacock Saintess or Beast King Valley but also for potential confrontations with “fellow disciples” from Great Qing’s Central Region, other practitioners of the Evergreen Technique.

The stronger his divination skills, the greater his advantage.

In terms of raw power, Lan Changʼan knew his cultivation base wouldn’t improve significantly in the short term.

Instead, he focused on body refinement, puppet techniques, and formation arrays.

With the assistance of Xuan Yin Pavilion’s Dao of music, his cultivation of various cultivation arts progressed at an accelerated pace.

...

Two and a half years later.

At the age of 244, Lan Changʼan continued his cultivation at Xuan Yin Pavilion while quietly keeping an eye on the war between the Righteous Dao Alliance and the demonic path.

Using the information he acquired through various mediums, Lan Changʼan occasionally performed divinations.

Unfortunately, the results were increasingly unfavorable.

Over the past two to three years, the war between the Righteous Dao Alliance and Beast King Valley had settled into a stalemate. Though no truce had yet been declared, the situation was stabilizing.

Based on the intelligence he gathered and his divination results, Lan Changʼan sensed that the likelihood of a truce was gradually increasing.

Beast King Valley likely needed time to recover, digest the territories they had already conquered, and wait for the child of fortune to leave before resuming hostilities.

Lan Changʼan had already developed plans to address the potential dangers of a truce.

If the truce was short-lived, he could simply lay low for a while. This wouldn’t have much impact on his cultivation.

In fact, he might not even need to hide.

Remaining at Xuan Yin Pavilion and teaming up with the late-stage Core Formation expert Fairy Ni Yue, while relying on the pavilion’s powerful third-rank grand formation, they would be invincible as long as no Nascent Soul cultivators intervened.

If worst came to worst, Lan Changʼan could reveal his true identity as the Turtle Talisman Master, giving Fairy Ni Yue a “surprising revelation” to strengthen their alliance.

It was highly unlikely for a Nascent Soul expert to allow themselves to be dispatched by the Peacock Saintess to cross enemy territory and infiltrate the depths of Fengyuan Kingdom.

The Heavenly Master of Fengyuan Kingdom would not tolerate foreign Nascent Soul cultivators wreaking havoc on their land.

Moreover, for the Peacock Saintess to resolve her heart knot, she would have to rely mainly on her personal strength. If she brought in a Nascent Soul cultivator and scared Lan Changʼan into fleeing, she might never have another opportunity to confront him.

If the truce lasted a long time, giving the Peacock Saintess ample opportunity to target him, the situation would be more troublesome.

In that case, Lan Changʼan had two choices:

One was to run farther away.

He could cross the toxic marshlands to the territories of the Two Teachings.

Alternatively, he could head toward the Great Qing Central Region, which was the territory of the Ten Sects of the Xuan Gate. The demonic sects dared not invade that territory.

However, this option would require traversing other regions currently under invasion by the demonic path, forcing him to take a long and risky detour.

The second option: repeat the old trick using Mister Xu and Xuan Yin Pavilion as bait to capture the Peacock Saintess.

Even if he couldn’t completely eliminate her, capturing her Five-Colored Peacock beast and refining it into an exotic spirit puppet in the form of a quasi-true spirit would be a significant gain.

The second option would require confirming that the Peacock Saintess was pursuing him alone and without the assistance of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Although this was highly unlikely, it was still a possibility that Lan Changʼan needed to account for.

Regardless of the choice he would eventually make, improving his divination skills remained paramount.

While third-rank superior-level divination couldn’t predict the fate of a Nascent Soul expert, with adequate preparation, Lan Changʼan could still perform lifespan-burning calculations to gain some insights.

Over the past two years, Lan Changʼan had burned twenty years of his lifespan to push his divination art closer to the third-rank superior level.

The effects of this “lifespan sacrifice” were exceptional.

Although he had lost a lot of his lifespan, Lan Changʼan also received some good news in return:

The third-rank Longevity Fruit he had obtained years ago from the Wan Hua Merchant Association had finally ripened.

The other materials required to refine a third-rank Life Extension Pill had long been prepared.