I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 311: Time and Opportunity

Read 30 Chapters Ahead On Patreon :D /zilawere

The news of the ceasefire from the demonic factions barely caused a ripple in the Fengyuan Kingdom. Most cultivators were entirely unaware of the matter. Only a handful of high-ranking individuals and cultivators affiliated with the Righteous Dao Alliance paid it any attention.

In the blink of an eye, two years passed.

Lan Changʼanʼs age reached 250.

For those in the Core Formation stage, this was a critical milestone.

If one could advance to the late Core Formation stage before the age of 250, it indicated decent potential and the hope of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm in the future. By the time one reached their 300s, they would be considered in their prime as a Core Formation cultivator.

After that, however, the chances of forming a Nascent Soul would drop sharply past the age of 350.

On this day, Lan Changʼan successfully completed the creation of his fourth mid-grade third-rank puppet.

This particular puppet was modeled after the Huang Dragon Beast, with its entire body covered in tough scales, making it adept at combat in deserts and forests.

“This should be enough for now.”
At his current stage, Lan Changʼan decided not to create any more mid-grade third-rank puppets, as the materials for this grade were difficult and costly to gather.

From now on, he planned to channel his resources into tackling higher-level puppet refinement techniques.

Even so, the puppet army he currently possessed was already terrifying, far exceeding the imagination of other puppet masters at the same cultivation level.

He now had a total of four mid-grade third-rank puppets: The Black Lord Assassin, The Pink Butterfly Female Cultivator, The Black Eagle Puppet, And the Huang Dragon Beast Puppet.

The first two puppets were designed as clones, created with advanced lifelike crafting techniques and repeatedly tempered for peak performance.

In addition to these, he had more than ten low-grade third-rank puppets, including a squad of eight archery puppets.

Such a large puppet army would be an immense burden even for a wealthy Core Formation cultivator to maintain.

Moreover, the difficulty of controlling so many puppets far surpassed the spiritual sense limits of an ordinary third-rank puppet master.

However, Lan Changʼan’s spiritual sense was anything but ordinary. Two of his strongest puppet clones puppets didn’t even require him to allocate his spiritual sense to control them.

After perfecting his puppet lineup, Lan Changʼan retrieved numerous divination artifacts.

Upon learning of the ceasefire intelligence, he had greatly increased the frequency of his divinations to once every half a month.

This was only possible because Lan Changʼan cultivated the Evergreen Technique, granting him abundant vitality and a long lifespan. If it had been any other Core Formation cultivator practicing divination, they wouldn’t have been able to sustain such effort.

“Finally, it’s about to happen!”

After a long period of divination with his eyes closed, Lan Changʼan opened them, his surroundings filled with floating divination items. Among them were a silver ring and a feathered wing, both were in a sealed state.

The silver ring was one of the Spirit-Taming Rings worn on the ankle of the Peacock Saintess.

The feathered wing was one of the three crown feathers cut from the body of the Five-Colored Peacock.

These two items weren’t divination artifacts by nature but served as mediator objects for divination, increasing the accuracy of his calculations.

Divination, as mystical as it was, wasn’t purely random. It required a foundation of actual information and mediums to function properly.

From his previous divinations, Lan Changʼan had deduced that within three years of the ceasefire, the Peacock Saintess had a high probability of visiting the Fengyuan Kingdom. ℝ𝘼ƝȱꞖƐ§

Now that over two years had passed, it was clear that the Peacock Saintess had finished her preparations.

“Judging from the signs, the Peacock Saintess comes well-prepared. However, the degree of threat and her exact abilities remain unclear—shrouded by obscured heavenly secrets.”

Lan Changʼan murmured softly, his eyes flickering with thought.

For further clarity, the Peacock Saintess would have to come closer or step directly into the Fengyuan Kingdom. Only then could his divination provide more precise insights.

The difficulty of divination was tied to distance in both time and space.

For example, predicting events a thousand years into the future or matters beyond the human realm would be exponentially more challenging.

Based on the current situation, Lan Changʼan had several plans of response:

For one, if the Peacock Saintess doesn’t play by the rules and brings Nascent Soul cultivators to assist her, Lan Changʼan had no intention of playing with her. He would simply flee.

The Peacock Saintess was the descendant of a prominent cultivator, her grandfather being a Nascent Soul elder of the Beast King Valley.

However, the possibility of a Nascent Soul elder from Beast King Valley directly intervening was low.

After all, the matter involved the Peacock Saintess’s heart knot, and she would be cautious not to alarm Lan Changʼan prematurely.

Moreover, the number of Nascent Soul elders in Beast King Valley was limited. Even if one was dispatched, traveling to the Fengyuan Kingdom would require passing through Righteous Dao Alliance territory, where their presence could easily be detected.

Such actions would be tantamount to provocation and a violation of the freshly signed truce.

Secondly, without the intervention of a Nascent Soul-level fighter, Lan Changʼan would have an invincible position, holding the advantage and the freedom to advance or retreat as he pleased.

“Peacock Saintess, if you want to reclaim this ring and wash away your shame, it all depends on your sincerity.”

Lan Changʼan chuckled leisurely, toying with the smooth and exquisite silver ring in his hand.

If the Peacock Saintess still possessed the same strength as she had years ago, Lan Changʼan was confident he could take her down.

At her level, she was already considered one of the top-tier Core Formation cultivators. Without breaking into the Nascent Soul stage, her strength would not see significant improvement.

...

The border of Fengyuan Kingdom.

Three figures traversed the harsh and remote expanse of the Flying Sand Desert, steadily approaching the ancient desert civilization in the heart of the desert.

At a certain moment, the trio descended near the ground, revealing their forms: two men and one woman, each exuding an aura of deep, unfathomable power.

”Saintess, we’ll soon enter the borders of Fengyuan Kingdom,” said a dry, hoarse voice. The speaker was a young man with pronounced cheekbones draped in a black cloak.

Perched on his shoulder was a black crow, its eyes flickering with gray-black flames, radiating an ominous air.

On the battlefield of the demonic path, the name of Black Crow Immortal was enough to strike fear into the hearts of many Core Formation cultivators of the Righteous Dao Alliance.

At the center of the group was a stunning woman, dressed in a rainbow-hued feathered robe. Her eyes were as brilliant as twin moons, and her every movement exuded an aura of nobility and peerless beauty.

Hovering in mid-air, her flawless jade-like feet floated untouched by the sands, immune to the encroaching winds. On one crystalline, delicate ankle, she wore a golden ring.

If Lan Changʼan were present, he would instantly recognize her—the Peacock Saintess, whose appearance remained unchanged from years ago.

”The rumors were true,” said the third member of the group, an old, hunched man sitting atop a sand beast resembling a camel. His face was gaunt, his hair white as snow, and his cloudy eyes seemed like a stagnant pool of dead water, devoid of vitality.

”The Fengyuan Kingdom’s ‘Heavenly Master’ is said to possess extraordinary divination skills. This ancient kingdom is protected by the vast karmic will of the heavens. Any threatening force stepping into its territory risks being sensed by that supreme Heavenly Master...”

The old man’s voice was faint and raspy, filled with a weariness that matched his appearance. Though being at the mid-Core Formation stage, the man emanated an aura of decay.

”Elder Shi, how do the Heavenly Master’s divination abilities compare to the Grand Elder of our Beast King Valley?”

Black Crow Immortal’s sharp, hawk-like gaze flashed with interest as he asked the question.

To him, the so-called ”Heavenly Master” was nothing more than a Nascent Soul beginner from a remote land. In the eyes of a mighty sect like Beast King Valley, such a figure was of little consequence.

”In terms of divination alone, the Heavenly Master is stronger,” Elder Shi replied without hesitation.

The path of divination was far more difficult than any of the other arts in the Hundred Immortal Arts. Even the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley, a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, had only barely reached the fourth rank in the divination art.

The Heavenly Master of Fengyuan Kingdom, however, was a true fourth-rank Divination Grandmaster, having achieved this mastery for hundreds of years.

Black Crow Immortal let out a cold snort, suppressing his initial disdain. He chose not to speak further ill of the Heavenly Master, mindful of the possibility of his malicious thoughts being sensed.

A trace of unease flickered in Elder Shi’s eyes.

The fearsome reputation of a fourth-rank Divination Grandmaster was little known among ordinary cultivators due to the obscurity of the art.

Even if several Nascent Soul cultivators joined forces, they would struggle to threaten such a figure and might instead find themselves being toyed with.

”Rest assured, Elder Shi,” said the Peacock Saintess with a slight nod, taking note of his warnings.

For this trip to Fengyuan Kingdom, there was only one individual they absolutely could not afford to offend—the Heavenly Master.

As they drew closer to the borders of Fengyuan Kingdom, the faint silhouette of an oasis appeared on the distant horizon.

Suddenly, in the barren desert ahead, a fierce wind arose, gathering the swirling sand.

Amid the scorching heat, a single snowflake materialized out of thin air.

This bizarre phenomenon caused the expressions of the Peacock Saintess and her companions to shift as their steps came to a halt.

In the blink of an eye, the swirling sands and snowflakes coalesced into a towering statue of a Daoist clad in pristine white robes, standing with its hands clasped behind its back.

Though the statue was clearly an inanimate construct, its back seemed to merge seamlessly with the vast desert, exuding the boundless majesty of nature itself.

”The Heavenly Master!”

A wave of suffocating pressure descended upon the trio, as if they were caught in the eye of a sandstorm that could swallow the heavens and earth.

The oppressive aura emanating from the Daoist statue was on par with the personal presence of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

”Little girl from Beast King Valley,” the Daoist statue spoke, its voice cold and hollow, carrying an echo that seemed to resonate with the heavens and earth.

”Fengyuan Kingdom will not bar you from visiting in private. However, Nascent Soul cultivators are forbidden to act without permission in this land.”

The statue’s white robes were immaculate, untouched by even a speck of dust. Its words, though measured, carried an unyielding authority.

”Fengyuan Kingdom’s rules are well known to me,” the Peacock Saintess replied gracefully, bowing with elegance.

Her brilliant eyes gleamed with a composed smile, though a faint trace of cunning flickered deep within her gaze.

”By the way, I bring a message from my grandfather for the Heavenly Master.”

Unfazed, she produced a feather from her storage ring, letting it float toward the Daoist statue.

The statue’s hand moved, catching the feather between its fingers. It listened silently as the voice of a Nascent Soul elder from Beast King Valley echoed through the message contained within.

After a few moments, the prestigious and domineering feather dissolved in the statue’s hand.

”This Heavenly Master won’t meddle in your affairs. See to it yourselves.”

After a brief silence, the Daoist statue’s voice echoed once more, devoid of emotion.

Crack!

Suddenly, cracks began to appear across the statue, which had been formed from sand and snow. It quickly collapsed, crumbling into a heap on the desert floor.

The oppressive presence of the Heavenly Master vanished as abruptly as it had appeared.

”Thank you, Heavenly Master, for your indulgence!”

The Peacock Saintessʼs heart leaped with joy, though she maintained her composure. Her delicate fingers brushed against the heavy spirit beast pouch hanging at her waist.

Her grandfather had been right. Even the Heavenly Master of Fengyuan Kingdom had to give face to a top-tier sect like Beast King Valley.

This was the power and prestige of a supreme sect within the Great Qing.

In the barren desert, the shattered remains of the Daoist statue lay scattered. The cracked face of the statue bore an abstract expression, its broken lips seeming to curl into the faintest hint of a cold smirk.

From afar, the Heavenly Master watched as the trio’s silhouettes disappeared into the borders of Fengyuan Kingdom.

...

A few months later.

The Peacock Saintess and her two companions, now disguised as merchants, arrived at the territory of the Outer Sect Alliance.

Before them lay a sprawling oasis, rich with rivers and vibrant life, a stark contrast to the barren desert they had traversed.

”Saintess, we’ve ruled out the first two targets. The Core Formation cultivator named ‘Xu Xuan’ is likely an alias for Lan Changʼan,” said Elder Shi.

He sat atop his camel-like sand beast, his withered and lifeless face now tinged with a faint greenish-black hue—a sign of impending death.

”Thank you for your hard work, Elder Shi. Black Crow Immortal, go investigate the oasis.”

The Peacock Saintess glanced at Elder Shi. The man could no longer be described as merely old or decaying; his body exuded an aura of death.

Elder Shi’s lifespan was nearly at its end. He had not planned to return alive from this journey.

In return for helping the Saintess lock onto her target, his descendants and clan members had already been promised the legacy favor of Beast King Valley. Some of these promises had even been fulfilled before their departure.

Half a month later.

The Peacock Saintess and Black Crow Immortal reconvened outside the source of the oasis, their expressions grim.

”Those closely associated with Xu Xuan, such as Granny Yun and Yun Hao, have been missing for over a year...” Black Crow Immortal reported in a deep voice.

Elder Shi remained seated atop his mount, his eyes shut in concentration. After a long while, he opened them, bloodshot and filled with exhaustion. His expression grew solemn as he sighed.

”Saintess, ever since entering the Fengyuan Kingdom, I’ve felt immense resistance in my divinations.”

”If this Lan Changʼan isn’t a master of divination himself, then he must have someone of great power aiding him. Every step we’ve taken so far has been anticipated by him in advance.”

Elder Shi had discovered that any attempt to divine the whereabouts of Granny Yun and her companions was blocked by the vast, impenetrable threads of fate.

”That Turtle Talisman Master, itʼs good enough to be proficient in talismans and medicine, could it be that heʼs also a divination expert?”

Black Crow Immortal shook his head in disbelief.

The Peacock Saintess, however, had not disclosed Lan Changʼan’s true background to him.

High-level cultivators who reincarnated or possessed others to rebuild their cultivation occasionally retained fragments of memories from their past lives. It was not uncommon for such individuals to demonstrate extraordinary skills.

In the ancient and illustrious sects of the Great Qing, including Beast King Valley, there had been similar cases throughout history.

That said, whether through reincarnation or possession, it was exceedingly rare for one to surpass the limits of their original self.

”Could it be the Ice and Snow Sacred Mountain is backing him, and covering his tracks?” the Peacock Saintess wondered aloud.

Decades ago, during her initial attempt to hunt him down, Lan Changʼan’s survival had seemed to rely more on protective divination artifacts than personal mastery. At that time, he hadn’t displayed the level of skill now capable of countering Elder Shi.

Elder Shi’s divination means was considered top-notch under the fourth rank, and no one in the Beast King Valley under Nascent Soul was stronger than him.

”Unlikely. If the Heavenly Master was assisting him, I would’ve been unable to proceed even this far,” Elder Shi replied firmly, trusting the Heavenly Master’s promise.

Following their clues, the trio—still disguised as merchants—arrived at the Gutian Immortal City.

The oasis Xuan Yin Pavilion was located in lay between Gutian Immortal City and Changfeng Immortal City.

”Saintess, I have reached my limit. I can only perform one final divination.”

Outside Gutian Immortal City, Elder Shi’s voice was hoarse. His face was pale, and his body had withered to the point of resembling a lifeless corpse.

”Elder Shi, simply divining Lan Changʼan’s identity and whereabouts has already fulfilled your mission.”

The Peacock Saintess’s peerless features carried a solemn expression. She bowed deeply in respect to the elder.

Elder Shi closed his eyes. Within his emaciated frame, the last vestiges of his life force and spiritual energy began to burn like a flickering candle nearing its end.

Huff—

A faint and intangible flame consumed the divination artifacts around him, turning them all to ash.

For a brief moment, Elder Shi’s divination ability reached the threshold of fourth rank, allowing him to glimpse the vast, invisible web of fate and the mysterious flow of the heavenly river.

When he opened his eyes again, his pupils had turned completely black, and he was now irreversibly blind.

His lifespan was also completely exhausted.

This was the price of forcefully prying into the secrets of heaven.

”Saintess, the outcome of this trip is uncertain. The chances of success are no more than fifty percent.”

”Preserve your strength… be cautious… return…”

Due to his depleted life force, Elder Shi was unable to fully articulate the secrets he had glimpsed.

All that remained was a charred, smoking corpse radiating an ominous aura of death.

Caw! Caw!

The black crow perched on Black Crow Immortal’s shoulder flapped its wings, attempting to peck at Elder Shi’s corpse.

Slap!

The Peacock Saintess raised her delicate hand, releasing a fan-shaped burst of tri-colored phoenix light that sent the black crow tumbling to the ground.

”You fool!”

Black Crow Immortal shouted, reprimanding his spirit pet with a swift kick.

The black crow, a spirit beast of ominous lineage, was highly sensitive to the scent of death and misfortune. It was also capable of cursing its targets with bad luck during combat.

”Uncertain outcome? A fifty percent chance of success? Elder Shi must’ve been delirious in his final moments,” Black Crow Immortal scoffed.

The Peacock Saintess was a top-tier Core Formation cultivator with a Nascent Soul-level trump card. Her life-bound spirit bird had also advanced to the late third-rank stage a year ago.

With Black Crow Immortal’s support and the added advantage of his crow’s curses, who in this region could possibly stand against them?

The only real threat, the Heavenly Master, had already promised not to interfere.

The Peacock Saintess frowned slightly, deep in thought. She, too, was puzzled.

Her hidden trump cards were far more powerful than Black Crow Immortal imagined, enough to sweep through even the top sects of the Outer Sect Alliance.

And yet, Elder Shi’s final words weighed heavily on her mind.

…

“Black Crow, you go to Gutian Immortal City to gather information. I’ll scout the surrounding areas,” the Peacock Saintess instructed calmly.

Gutian Immortal City was a prominent high-tier city on the route to the Fragrant Grass Oasis.

“Don’t worry, Saintess. Gutian Immortal City has plenty of intelligence networks. The ‘Xuan Yin Hall’ run by Xuan Yin Pavilion operates within the city—I’ll visit it to probe for some leads,” Black Crow Immortal replied with a sly smile.

After enduring the desolate sands for so long, he was eager for some “refreshment.”

“Tomorrow, we’ll rendezvous 500 li outside Gutian Immortal City,” the Peacock Saintess said as she ascended into the Nine Fiery Heavens on her flying light. Her expression flickered with unreadable thoughts, allowing Black Crow Immortal to act freely as he searched for clues.

It was night.

Disguised as a black-clad merchant, Black Crow Immortal was lounging in a private room at Xuan Yin Hall, indulging himself.

“Tsk, tsk. Finally, something cultured in this shit-hole of a place,” he sneered, enjoying the company of two beautiful female musicians.

The two women, wearing elegant blue-and-white palace robes, sat gracefully beside him. They were disciples of the outer sect of Xuan Yin Pavilion, known for their beauty and refined demeanor. As musicians, they performed rather than selling their bodies.

Black Crow Immortal had paid an exorbitant price to convince them to bend the rules, allowing him to hold them as they played their instruments—a flute and a xiao. The musicians maintained their distance, rebuffing any further advances.

“Hmph! Playing coy like saints while acting like whores,” Black Crow Immortal muttered under his breath, displeased by their resistance.

Without hesitation, he activated a forbidden technique—”Enthralling Spirit Technique”—to cloud their minds.

The eyes of the two female musicians dulled momentarily before softening. Moments later, their expressions turned affectionate, and they leaned willingly into his embrace, unable to resist their own urges.

That night, Black Crow Immortal not only enjoyed their services in an intimate “one-dragon-two-phoenix” arrangement.

He also used the opportunity to extract intelligence from the mouths of these two Xuan Yin Pavilion disciples regarding Xu Immortal.

By the time the night ended, Black Crow Immortal had both indulged his desires and completed his task.

When dawn broke, he got up and left Xuan Yin Hall, leaving behind the two musicians with no memory of the night’s events.

Remembering the Peacock Saintess’s instructions, Black Crow Immortal departed Gutian Immortal City and traveled to the designated meeting point 500 li away.

The Peacock Saintess had always arranged for their meetings to take place outside of oases or cities, preferring to avoid drawing attention.

In truth, high-tier immortal cities like Gutian were relatively safe for cultivators of their level. However, Black Crow Immortal had come to the conclusion that the Peacock Saintess simply wanted to avoid crowded places to prevent unnecessary disruptions to their mission.

Ever since the assassination of Zhao Siyao, Black Crow Immortal had noticed a change in the Peacock Saintess’s attitude toward him. She seemed to admire him more and had reached out to him several times to deepen their rapport.

It was clear to him that his actions had helped the Peacock Saintess vent her frustrations and reclaim some of her dignity.

This mission was another sign of his rising status in her eyes. The fact that she had personally brought him along on such an important operation spoke volumes about her trust in him.

…

As Black Crow Immortal left Xuan Yin Hall, his gaze was drawn to a graceful, captivating silhouette.

The woman was dressed in a light pink dress, her side profile exuding an unparalleled charm. That brief glance left Black Crow Immortal stunned.

Compared to the two musicians he had ”enjoyed” the previous night, this woman’s allure was on an entirely different level. By contrast, they now felt tasteless and dull.

The pink-clad beauty had just exited Xuan Yin Hall. Her cultivation was at the Fake Dan stage, which meant she likely held a higher position within Xuan Yin Hall’s hierarchy.

An idea took root in Black Crow Immortalʼs mind.

Capturing this woman would not only allow him to enjoy her stunning beauty but also extract higher-level intelligence—truly killing two birds with one stone.

As a mid-Core Formation cultivator and a master of ambushes, taking down a Fake Dan cultivator without a sound posed little challenge.

At dawn, when the city streets were largely deserted, Black Crow Immortal kept a safe distance and tailed the pink-clad beauty into a secluded alleyway.

Swish!

In an instant, Black Crow Immortal transformed into a wisp of black smoke, surging toward the Fake Dan woman.

At the same time, he activated a spiritual sense attack technique to catch her completely off guard.

Caw! Caw!

However, just as he made his move, his black crow spirit pet let out an uneasy, jarring cry.

”Damn it! You’re going to alert—”

Black Crow Immortal’s thoughts froze as an intense sense of alarm gripped him.

The crow was unnervingly sensitive to danger. It wouldn’t cry out without reason.

The pink-clad woman turned around, and a faint smile graced her lips.

Her face, though breathtakingly beautiful, carried an unnatural charm—a striking resemblance to a snake spirit’s allure.

Black Crow Immortal’s mind wavered, and his vision turned hazy, overtaken by a sea of pink.

The beauty’s pink dress slipped from her shoulders, revealing her flawless figure. She gazed at him with seductive eyes, exuding boundless charm as she opened her arms to him.

”No! An illusion spell!”

Black Crow Immortal bit down hard on his tongue, forcing himself awake.

In the distance, he vaguely heard his crow letting out a final screech of agony. The spiritual sense technique he had unleashed earlier seemed to have vanished into a bottomless void.

The seductive illusion cast by the pink-clad woman had clearly reached the peak of third rank.

Although he managed to partially break free from the illusion, his physical body remained shrouded in a pink mist, leaving him groggy and disoriented.

”You vile enchantress!”

Black Crow Immortal’s voice trembled with fear as he roared. He summoned a black-flame-burning lantern magical treasure in an attempt to ward off his attacker.

This woman’s spiritual sense was far stronger than his. She was likely a Core Formation cultivator as well, perhaps even a Core Formation Great Cultivator.

Still, they were inside a high-tier city. If he could stir up enough commotion, he might yet escape with his life.

“Do you find me beautiful?” the pink-clad woman asked, her every gesture tugging at Black Crow Immortal’s mind, requiring great will to fight against it.

”Hiss! Not good… poison!”

Black Crow Immortal suddenly realized that the air he was breathing carried a strange toxicity. Even his Core trembled slightly in discomfort.

Shing!

A concealed sleeve arrow pierced through the air, striking him from behind and penetrating his chest. Toxic blood spurted from the wound.

”There’s… also an assassin…”

Black Crow Immortal’s body stiffened as he looked down at the poisoned arrow lodged in his heart.

From the shadows of a nearby corner, a figure wearing a straw hat emerged, exuding a cold and deadly aura.

At the same time, Black Crow Immortal noticed his black crow spirit pet lying lifeless on the ground. A similar poisoned sleeve arrow had pierced its abdomen.

Third-rank mid-grade lethal poison…

Third-rank top-tier illusion arts…

There was also an ambush by the mysterious assassin...

”Cough, cough, you really think highly of me...”

Black Crow Immortal let out a bitter chuckle as the poison and his fatal wound took hold. His consciousness was swallowed by the pink-hued illusion, leaving him with no chance of escape.

“Your Excellency Black Lord, your stealth and lethal strike are truly unmatched. This one admires your precision,” the pink-clad woman said with a coquettish smile.

“Fairy Pink Butterfly, your illusion arts and ability to isolate perception are equally praiseworthy,” the straw-hat assassin replied in a cold voice.

The two exchanged a brief glance, then quickly worked to destroy the evidence and clean up the scene.

The surrounding hundred-zhang area was shrouded by the Pink Butterfly’s illusion, isolating the fight from outside detection.

However, the commotion might still trigger the city’s defensive formation. The two assassins wasted no time in departing the area.

...

Hundreds of li outside Gutian Immortal City, at the exact moment of Black Crow Immortal’s death, the Peacock Saintess felt a sharp disturbance.

She flipped her palm to take out a shattered soul jade tablet, it was Black Crow Immortal’s.

“Lan Changʼan, you finally couldnʼt help yourself and avenged Zhao Siyao!”

Her expression didn’t darken with anger. Instead, a chilling smile crept across her face.

With a flash of rainbow-colored light, the Peacock Saintess shot toward Gutian Immortal City, her terrifying Great Cultivator Core Formation aura rippling outward.

At the same time, a five-colored peacock descended from the Nine Fiery Heavens above Gutian Immortal City, gazing coldly at the city below, no larger than a wooden box from its aerial vantage point.

It turned out the Peacock Saintess had brought Black Crow Immortal along not as a trusted ally, but as bait.

She knew that Lan Changʼan, out of respect for the two centuries of friendship he had shared with Zhao Siyao, would not resist the urge to act when he saw Black Crow Immortal alone.

”To take down Black Crow Immortal so quickly… ordinary Core Formation Great Cultivators couldn’t achieve this. It must have been Lan Changʼan!”

The Peacock Saintess’s eyes gleamed with murderous intent as she sped toward the city.

As she approached, however, she sensed something was amiss.

“There was no commotion? Could Black Crow Immortal have been killed inside the city?”

Her original plan had been for Lan Changʼan to strike Black Crow Immortal during his journey outside the city.

But it was far too quiet. There were no signs of battle along the route.

“Core Formation Great Cultivator!”

Cultivators along her path looked on in terror and awe, quickly moving aside to avoid the immense pressure of a Core Formation Great Cultivator.

Some high-tier cultivators, however, exchanged puzzled glances.

As her fearsome aura surged closer, Gutian Immortal City’s third-rank defensive formation lit up, triggering alarms and alerting the city.

Several streams of True Dan auras rose in response, among them was also a Core Formation Great Cultivator, whose voice echoed out with hostility:

”Who dares trespass in Gutian Immortal City? Identify yourself, foul demoness!”