I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 317: The Number One Cultivator

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Moments later, Li Congren retracted his respectful gesture. His earlier actions seemed to pay homage to the departed ancestor of the Mu Family.

Mu Changxiu, still shaken, turned to look back. Sure enough, Mu Bingyun had passed away. Her expression was serene as she took her final breath.

After a brief period of mourning, Mu Changxiu sent out a voice transmission, instructing the family to prepare for a funeral of mixed sorrow and celebration.

”Immortal Li, was Grandpa Lan here just now?”

Mu Changxiu’s tone was urgent as he questioned Li Congren.

For someone of Li Congrenʼs caliber—a Fake Dan cultivator—to behave with such reverence, it was no trivial matter.

Although Mu Bingyun was somewhat of an elder, her status alone would not have warranted such a deferential attitude from Li Congren.

The two young members of the Li family from Snow Plum Mountain, standing nearby, also cast curious glances at their grandfather.

”Perhaps only Aunt Bingyun knows the truth,” Li Congren replied with a calm gaze, meeting Mu Changxiu’s eyes directly. The latter felt a twinge of embarrassment, as if his thoughts had been seen through.
In the Mu Family of Feiyue Lake, Mu Bingyun was the last cultivator with a profound connection to the Evergreen Immortal.

As for Mu Changxiu, he had only met Evergreen Immortal once as a child, under his mother’s guidance. On that occasion, he even received a meeting gift from the legendary figure.

After that, their interactions ceased.

Now, as the Mu Family declined and dangers loomed in the shadows, Mu Changxiu was desperate to meet the wandering cultivator whose legendary deeds had left a mark on the Liang Kingdomʼs cultivation world.

How could someone like Li Congren, who had merely mid-grade spiritual roots—comparable to Mu Changxiu’s aptitude—achieve Fake Dan?

This could not solely be attributed to wealth, resources, or the fortuitous assistance of the Treasure-Seeking Rat he had in his early years.

More than a century ago, during his Foundation Establishment period, Lan Changʼan had fled to Jing Kingdom to take refuge, where he owed Li Congren a favor.

Years later, when Evergreen Immortal returned to the Liang Kingdom, he deliberately stayed a night at Snow Plum Mountain. This simple gesture terrified the rival Dongmen Family, compelling them to offer apologies and turn hostility into friendship.

That night, besides Lan Changʼan, another guest at Snow Plum Mountain was Zhang Tianfeng, the current leader of Jin Yun Valley!

From then on, the Li Family of Snow Plum Mountain not only resolved its troubles but also gained immense prestige in the surrounding region. The familyʼs businesses and industries flourished more than ever.

Before Li Congren advanced to Fake Dan, the Snow Plum Mountain Merchant Association already boasted ten Foundation Establishment cultivators, including several honorary elders.

This layer of protection, combined with an alliance with the Beast Taming Zhou Family, solidified Snow Plum Mountain’s foundation and allowed Li Congren to acquire the necessary resources for forming a Fake Dan.

Mu Changxiuʼs conjectures were not baseless. The events were well-documented in The Legend of Changqing and The Journeys of the Profound Turtle, both biographies recounting these occurrences.

Especially The Legend of Changqing, which praised Lan Changʼan as the Liang Kingdomʼs number one loose cultivator. The biography speculated that his eventual retreat to Fengyuan Kingdom was either a low-key decision or an attempt to evade powerful enemies, willingly abandoning such fame.

...

Inside his cave dwelling, Mu Changxiu pressed again and again, suspecting that Li Congren was hiding something.

”Changxiu, some matters cannot be forced,” Li Congren replied with a furrowed brow, his tone firm. The weight of his words frightened Mu Changxiu, who quickly bowed repeatedly in apology.

Mu Changxiu sighed bitterly, knowing it was futile to press further, though he still clung to a sliver of hope.

He was unwilling to let the connection between Evergreen Immortal and Feiyue Lake be severed in his generation.

Later that day, Li Congren, accompanied by his two young descendants, visited a courtyard villa on Heartmoon Island.

”Grandfather, back then, you had people write a biography about Evergreen Immortal without his permission. If he ever found out, would he not be displeased?”

One of the young cultivators, the girl in a purple dress, was Li Congren’s most cherished granddaughter. Her bright, sparkling black eyes shone with curiosity about the legendary figure.

As it turned out, the mainstream versions of The Legend of Changqing and The Journeys of the Profound Turtle were both commissioned by Li Congren himself.

”Ahem! At that time, there were certain slanderous accounts circulating in the market, tarnishing Evergreen Immortal’s reputation. I merely sought to protect his legacy. I believe Grandpa Lan would not hold it against me,” Li Congren explained with a light cough.

He wasn’t lying. Some lowbrow writers had dared to defame Grandpa Lan, calling him cowardly and comparing him to a turtle fleeing for its life. Others portrayed Grandpa Lan as a promiscuous person and wrote it as an unorthodox harem erotic novel.

The biographies compiled under his leadership corrected the historical truth! Portraying Lan Changʼan as a man of noble character, untainted by fame or fortune, and unswayed by the charms of women.

Even the so-called ”escapes” in his life were reinterpreted as deliberate acts of foresight and prudence, demonstrating a visionary mind that ultimately allowed him to have the last laugh.

As for occasional romantic entanglements, they were framed as the inevitable result of powerful female cultivators being drawn to his extraordinary charisma, willingly becoming fleeting figures in his legendary life.

”More than fifty years…”

In the guestroom, Li Congren gazed at the moon, lost in thought. It had been over sixty years since his last meeting with Grandpa Lan.

In the eyes of the world, Evergreen Immortal had vanished from the Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world for more than fifty years.

Only a few unverified rumors remained—some claimed he had perished in the endless desert, while others believed he was hiding in Fengyuan Kingdom, waiting for the chaos of war to subside before returning.

Now, though the demonic war had ended a decade or two ago, there was still no sign of Evergreen Immortal.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, the lights in the room went out, and a cold gust of wind swept through.

Li Congren’s heart tightened as his body froze with tension.

When the eerie wind subsided, he found a sound transmission talisman in his hand.

After listening to the message, Li Congren’s face lit up with joy.

Late into the night, he left Heartmoon Island alone, flying toward the lakeside Emerald Manor.

Emerald Manor was where the middle- and lower-ranked members of the Mu Family cultivated.

In his youth, Lan Changʼan had hidden here for many years, along with another figure, Li Erqing.

In particular, the ancestral residence of Old Ancestor Erqing, who had married into the Mu Family, had given birth to a number of bloodline descendants, preserving the memories of that era.

Li Congren took a deep breath and dived into the former residence of the Evergreen Immortal.

...

From the outside, Evergreen Immortalʼs former residence was pitch black and eerily silent.

As Li Congren stepped into the small courtyard, he was surprised to find that the lights inside the house were already lit.

Creak!

The study door slowly opened on its own, revealing a serene and otherworldly man in white robes sitting at the desk. His features were as refined as jade, exuding an aura of elegance and detachment.

It was a familiar figure—unchanged from Li Congren’s memories.

“Unfilial junior, Li Congren, greets Grandpa Lan.”

Li Congren floated into the study and bowed deeply.

At this moment, he noticed a veiled female cultivator in a green dress standing behind Lan Changʼan. She carried a freshly brewed pot of tea and placed it on the table.

Though the woman’s appearance was plain, her bearing was graceful, and the depth of her aura was unfathomable. Li Congren couldn’t see through her cultivation level—she was likely a True Dan expert.

Lan Changʼan raised his hand, gesturing for Li Congren to take a seat. His eyes sparkled with warmth as he assessed him.

“Not bad. With your aptitude, to have reached the Fake Dan stage is impressive. You truly live up to being Erqing’s most promising grandson.”

In truth, Lan Changʼan had already noted Li Congren’s breakthrough to Fake Dan cultivation fifteen or sixteen years ago when he came to the Liang Kingdom to outwit the Peacock Saintess.

In the vast world of cultivators, a mid-grade spiritual root cultivator forming a Fake Dan wasn’t exactly unheard of, but it was uncommon enough to draw some attention.

However, in the eyes of Core Formation Great Cultivators or Nascent Soul True Monarchs, it wasn’t worth much acknowledgment. Unless it was a low-grade spiritual root who formed a Nascent Soul, it could only be considered a ”child of fortune.”

“Congren is dull and unworthy. I have failed to form a True Dan and let Grandpa Lan’s guidance and protection down,” Li Congren said earnestly, his tone tinged with regret.

Years ago, after witnessing the overwhelming prestige of a True Dan cultivator at Snow Plum Mountain, Li Congren had become acutely aware of the vast gulf in power and status between Fake Dan and True Dan cultivators.

At the time, he had sworn that if he ever had a chance to form a Core, he would strive to form a True Dan no matter the cost.

Unfortunately, he ultimately fell short of that final half-step.

“Haha, Congren, your accomplishments already make you the most outstanding descendant of Li Erqing’s main lineage. You’ve built and sustained your family with great skill. Though this generation lacks a True Dan, that doesn’t mean future generations won’t produce one,” Lan Changʼan replied with a light chuckle.

Lan Changʼan had already calculated that the Snow Plum Mountain Li Family’s fortunes far surpassed those of Feiyue Lake’s Mu Family.

Even with Li Congren’s achievements limited to a Fake Dan, the prosperity and momentum of Snow Plum Mountain’s lineage pointed toward continued growth and success.

Of course, in families like these, a True Dan cultivator was usually the peak of what they could produce. It was exceedingly difficult to break through beyond that level.

After some casual conversation, Lan Changʼan began to inquire about the state of the Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world.

During this exchange, the veiled woman in green occasionally asked questions as well, and Li Congren answered thoroughly. However, he refrained from inquiring about her identity.

That relationship with Xing Peng, Lan Changʼan didnʼt want Fairy Ni Yue to know about it.

Li Congren, as the operator of a trading network that spanned multiple cultivation nations, had access to information far beyond the average cultivator.

Through him, Fairy Ni Yue learned about the current state of her former sect, the Xuan Yin Pavilion.

The sect’s former mountain gate had been seized by a Core Formation sect that migrated from the original Feng Kingdom. This sect now operated under the influence of the Golden Sun Sect, it was a powerful faction that was even stronger than Jin Yun Valley.

Reclaiming her former sect’s mountain gate was an almost impossible task within Fairy Ni Yue’s lifetime.

Lan Changʼan also took the opportunity to ask about the current situation of the Peacock Saintess.

Li Congren paused for a moment before replying, “The Peacock Demoness is still being held in captivity by the Golden Sun Sect. Beast King Valley, while unharmed, has shown no willingness to offer sincere terms to secure her release. Killing her would bring no benefit to the Golden Sun Sect, so they continue to hold her.”

Lan Changʼan smiled faintly upon hearing this.

The Peacock Saintess was indeed in a precarious and humiliating situation—neither able to return to her clan nor allowed to die.

Her spiritual power had been sealed, leaving her unable to cultivate. Over time, her cultivation base would inevitably deteriorate.

“However, I heard that Ten Thousand Crane True Monarch of Beast King Valley privately sent intermediaries to negotiate. It seems they’ve promised the Golden Sun Sect some benefits, which has led to the Peacock Demoness being granted limited freedom within their mountain gates. She now works as a servant, performing menial tasks. Her days, while humiliating, are slightly better than before…”

“Reduced to a servant girl??”

At first, Lan Changʼan had been concerned that the Peacock Saintess might regain some degree of liberty and attempt to escape.

However, upon learning the details, he felt reassured.

The Peacock Saintess’ spiritual powers weren’t just sealed; her feet were shackled with chains personally refined by a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

Should she attempt to leave the Golden Sun Sect’s territory, the restrictions would activate, subjecting her to unbearable pain that was worse than death.

It was said that many of the Golden Sun Sect’s guests would deliberately visit the outer mountain area just to catch a glimpse of the once-proud Peacock Saintess, now reduced to a mere servant.

The Peacock Saintess silently endured this humiliation, refusing to say a word.

If Lan Changʼan were to visit the Golden Sun Sect, he would undoubtedly have the opportunity to see her—but approaching her would not be permitted.

Lan Changʼan speculated that the Golden Sun Sect feared the potential unification of the surrounding nations under Beast King Valley. Thus, they dared not inflict irreparable harm on the Peacock Saintess.

By sparing her, they left room for negotiations in the future, ensuring they wouldn’t become the target of revenge or payback if the political tides shifted.

After all, being targeted by the upper echelons of Beast King Valley was a far graver matter than simply relocating a sect due to defeat.

...

Half an hour later, Li Congren left with a ruddy complexion, bowing deeply as he took his leave.

Before departing, he had managed to purchase a few reasonably priced third-rank talismans and a third-rank low-grade puppet from Lan Changʼan.

Lan Changʼan also entrusted him with two tasks.

The first was to assist the Mu Family within his means.

Though Lan Changʼan’s ties with the Mu Family had gradually faded over time, the lineage of Li Erqing remained closely connected to the Mu Family of Feiyue Lake through blood ties.

Without the foundation provided by Feiyue Lake, there would be no Snow Plum Mountain today.

Lan Changʼan had previously calculated that after Mu Bingyun’s passing, the Mu Family’s fortunes would decline drastically, and they might even face the danger of annihilation in the near future.

The second task was for Li Congren to deliver a pearl as a meeting gift to the descendants of Qi Feng during the upcoming funeral.

It turned out that Lan Changʼan had discovered an outstanding descendant of Qi Feng with high-grade spiritual roots.

Lan Changʼan was already pleased that his adoptive fatherʼs descendants had struggled and established a family within the cultivation world.

Qi Feng, in particular, had faithfully cared for Little Turtle Peak, including maintaining the tomb of Guan Qiaozhi.

Such character and dedication earned Lan Changʼan’s admiration, prompting him to reward them.

The pearl gifted by Lan Changʼan would slightly accelerate the recipient’s cultivation speed prior to Core Formation, while also gently nurturing their spiritual roots, reducing the risk of damaging the foundation during cultivation.

“Darling Lan, tonight... are we spending the night in your old residence from your youth?”

Fairy Ni Yue approached gracefully from behind, her scent elegant and subtle. Her voice was soft and melodic, like the sound of a gentle spring.

Years ago, upon discovering that the “Turtle Lan” was none other than Lan Changʼan, Fairy Ni Yue had been stunned for a time.

But later, after witnessing his true character and abilities, she accepted the truth with a smile. Their bond only deepened as a result.

“This evening, in my old residence, you shall play and dance through the night in commemoration of old times,” Lan Changʼan responded with a lighthearted laugh.

At his words, the woman in the green dress transformed. Her clothing shifted into the elegant Nishang Feathered Garment, and she removed her veil, revealing a peerless, breathtakingly beautiful face.

Her celestial beauty, illuminated by the moonlight in the courtyard, made her seem like an ethereal goddess descended to the mortal world.

Then, an ancient zither appeared, floating mid-air, as hauntingly serene music filled the space, echoing with the ethereal grace of the valleys and heavens.

Lan Changʼan listened to the music and watched the dance. In the haze of the moment, his mind drifted back over two hundred years, to the days of his Qi Refining period. Back then, he lived cautiously, reliant on the goodwill of others, always walking on eggshells.

Who would have thought, he mused, that one day, I would return to this old dwelling, and have the Liang Kingdom’s most famous fairy play music and dance for me, her song and flute harmonizing under the moonlight?

The next morning, the lakeside courtyard of the old residence was silent, with no sign of its previous visitors.

Aside from Li Congren, no one in the entire Feiyue Lake territory was aware that Evergreen Immortal had spent the night in his former home.

...

In the days that followed, Lan Changʼan did not attend Mu Bingyun’s funeral.

He had no intention of letting the outside world learn the exact details of his return.

A few days later.

Lan Changʼan and Fairy Ni Yue traveled in the flying carriage, arriving at Nightless Town, a gathering place for loose cultivators near the southeastern border of the Liang Kingdom.

Nightless Town was a newly established large-scale marketplace located in the rear of the former demonic battlefield. Its location was convenient for accessing both the Feng Kingdom and Wangyue Immortal City.

To the east of Nightless Town lay the perilous Poison Swamp, a treacherous land teeming with poisonous creatures and exotic beasts. The swamp was said to be ten times more dangerous than the Flying Sand Desert that led to the Fengyuan Kingdom, posing a threat even to True Dan cultivators.

Beyond the Poison Swamp lay the territories of the Two Teachingsʼ sects, though the distance was immense.

In recent years, Nightless Town had grown rapidly under the leadership of Nightless Immortal, the Liang Kingdom’s most renowned loose cultivator. The town attracted numerous refugees and loose cultivators fleeing the demonic war, expanding to a size comparable to some immortal cities.

However, its spiritual vein was limited in scale, making it difficult to accommodate a large number of Core Formation cultivators.

The town was built around a mountain range, with the central peak housing a few mist-shrouded caves. These caves served as the residences of the town’s upper echelon of rulers.

Inside the second cave to the left, a late Foundation Establishment elder of the marketplace entered to report.

“Fairy Shi, the sensing array at the central hub just detected a brief fluctuation before returning to normal. I suspect an unknown cultivator may have concealed their identity and entered the town illegally…”

In the courtyard of the cave, a beautiful woman in her late thirties was lounging lazily against a railing. She wore a dark green long dress that outlined her mature and alluring figure.

“What color warning signal did the array display?” Fairy Shi asked, her voice calm.

“It seemed to flash five colors,” the elder replied hesitantly.

“Five colors… and it only lasted for a moment?”

Fairy Shi’s relaxed demeanor vanished as her sharp gaze focused, her expression turning solemn.

The town’s protective array could detect cultivators entering without proper verification. The colors of the signal corresponded to their cultivation level:

The Qi-Refining stage is one color, the Foundation Establishment stage two colors... Fake Dan Immortals are but three colors.

If five colors appeared, it indicated the presence of at least a True Dan cultivator, the highest level of alert.

However, since the reaction lasted only an instant, the intruder might have either left immediately or avoided further detection, infiltrating the town.

“Leave this matter to me. I will report it to Immortal Jiang,” Fairy Shi said steadily, dismissing the elder.

As the elder left, Fairy Shi’s peripheral vision caught a small, dog-sized demonic rat perched on a decorative rock formation in her garden. It looked utterly ordinary.

To her surprise, the elder had failed to notice the rat, even though it was only a few meters away from him.

“… It’s you,” Fairy Shi murmured, startled. The rat’s intelligent gaze closely resembled a certain figure from her memories.

For an ordinary third-rank demonic rat to waltz into her cave undetected was impossible.

Fairy Shi’s spiritual sense swept toward the guest pavilion outside her cave, where she saw a man and a woman seated together.

“Huh! Mother, where did this rat come from?”

A clean and delicate boy in white robes approached, his curious eyes fixed on the demonic rat atop the rock formation.

“Xiaochuan, there are guests outside. Go and invite them in. Do not alert anyone else,” Fairy Shi instructed.

“Got it!”

The white-robed boy accepted a token and walked out of the cave.

In the pavilion sat a man in white robes and a veiled woman in a green dress.

The veiled woman’s features were unremarkable, with her veil covering the lower half of her face.

The white-robed man, however, radiated an air of tranquility and warmth. The boy found himself momentarily stunned, for the man’s demeanor was exceptionally rare among the male cultivators he had met. There was even an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

The pair’s cultivation aura was unfathomable to him, it was impossible to tell if they were real or not.

“Junior Shi Xiaochuan, at my mother’s command, I’ve come to invite the two of you to our cave,” the boy said with a polite bow.

“Xiaochuan, is your mother Fairy Shi? The famed formation master of Nightless Town?” Lan Changʼan asked with a faint smile.

“Uh-huh,” the boy nodded affirmatively.

Lan Changʼan didn’t overthink it. He decided he would prepare a small meeting gift for Fairy Shi’s son later.

Times had changed.

After so many years of no contact, even relationships between Dao companions would grow cold, let alone fleeting romantic ties formed in the heat of the moment.

Even if Fairy Shi had married and had children, Lan Changʼan considered it perfectly natural.

After all, Fairy Shi had divorced at a young age. Back when they first met on Wuqi Mountain, she had expressed her desire for a child to carry on her bloodline.

Lan Changʼan instructed the veiled woman to remain in the pavilion while he followed Shi Xiaochuan alone.

As soon as Lan Changʼan stepped into the cave, a powerful Core Formation aura surged from the neighboring cave. The oppressive force belonged to a mid-Core Formation expert.

Whoosh!

A streak of violet light shot toward them, condensing into the figure of a stern-faced man in a violet robe with sword-like eyebrows and a prominent forehead. His expression was grim, and his voice carried an air of hostility.

“Surname Lan! You still have the gall to come looking for Manrong?”

“Fellow Daoist Jiang, long time no see!”

Lan Changʼan immediately recognized the man—it was Jiang Yechen, with whom he had some past acquaintance. Jiang Yechen was now known as Nightless Immortal, the Liang Kingdom’s foremost loose cultivator.

Compared to a century ago, Jiang Yechen appeared only a few years older. His aura was steadier now, lacking the sharp, almost effeminate quality of his younger self.

Lan Changʼan secretly mused. He had heard rumors of Jiang Yechen and Fairy Shi having a close relationship. Could it be that the two had become a couple?

Jiang Yechen’s early lover, Shen Bixin, had married someone else and, based on her lifespan, had likely passed away over sixty years ago.

However, Jiang Yechen and Fairy Shi lived in separate caves, which didn’t seem like the behavior of Dao companions.

“Fellow Daoist Jiang, a guest is still a guest. My remaining lifespan is short, and I wish to reminisce with an old friend,” Fairy Shi’s soft, melancholy voice came from within the cave, tinged with a hint of pleading.

Jiang Yechen snorted coldly, his face still dark as he followed Lan Changʼan into the cave.

“Master,” Shi Xiaochuan greeted him in a small voice, not daring to breathe loudly.

Jiang Yechen placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder in a fatherly manner as they entered the cave together.

Back at the pavilion, the veiled woman smirked faintly.

She couldn’t help but think that the temperament and image of the boy in white robes bore a closer resemblance to Lan Changʼan than to Jiang Yechen.

...

Inside the side hall, Lan Changʼan saw Fairy Shi again after several decades.

Though her lifespan was nearing its end, Shi Manrong had maintained her youthful appearance through cultivation techniques. She now appeared as a dignified, mature woman in her late thirties or early forties.

While her beauty had faded somewhat compared to her younger years, she exuded an elegant and refined charm. Her demeanor was tranquil, like a chrysanthemum in late autumn, carrying an air of calm resilience and grace.

“Fellow Daoist Lan, why didn’t you let that female cultivator outside join us?”

“She’s a tribal female cultivator from the Fengyuan Kingdom, reserved by nature and not fond of interacting with strangers,” Lan Changʼan replied evenly, his expression unreadable.

Shi Manrong didn’t think much of it. The veiled female cultivator outside had an average appearance and unremarkable temperament.

A native tribal female cultivator?

Jiang Yechen, who was sitting nearby, couldn’t help but ponder. In his mind, Lan Changʼan’s circumstances during his exile to the Fengyuan Kingdom seemed less than ideal. Perhaps he had relied on forming a relationship with a native noblewoman, offering himself as a partner to secure a stable environment for cultivation and survival, eventually advancing to the mid-Core Formation stage.

Otherwise, given Lan Changʼan’s standards back then, he wouldn’t have settled for such an ordinary-looking tribal woman.

Having been separated from Shen Bixin for over a hundred years, Jiang Yechen’s life experiences had significantly shaped his perspective. He had grown past superficial attachments to beauty and began appreciating more mature and nuanced qualities.

Over the past twenty years, during his collaboration with Shi Manrong, his admiration for her had steadily grown.

Although she was no longer as stunning as many younger female cultivators, her dignified and steadfast aura, honed by years of hardship, gave her the charm of a plum blossom blooming in the snow. This noble, resilient quality resonated deeply with Jiang Yechen.

The two of them had developed a close relationship, though they had yet to cross any intimate boundaries.

Now that Shi Manrong’s lifespan was dwindling, Jiang Yechen had been diligently seeking a third-rank Life Extension Pill for her, hoping to win her favor. Unfortunately, his efforts had not borne fruit.

Lan Changʼan, Shi Manrong, and Jiang Yechen conversed for a while, catching up on the past.

It was revealed during their conversation that Shi Xiaochuan was Shi Manrong’s adopted son. Not only did the boy have a talent for formations, but he also possessed a high-grade spiritual root.

Jiang Yechen, as the Liang Kingdom’s foremost loose cultivator, had taken the initiative to accept Shi Xiaochuan as his disciple, a request Shi Manrong couldn’t reasonably refuse.

However, due to Jiang Yechen’s presence, the conversation remained shallow and avoided deeper topics.

Lan Changʼan hinted multiple times that he wanted to speak privately with Shi Manrong, but Jiang Yechen refused to leave, his expression cold and unyielding. He looked at Lan Changʼan with the sharp gaze of someone guarding against a scoundrel.

Jiang Yechen began with a faint smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “I’ve read some accounts in The Legend of Changqing. If you hadn’t retreated to foreign lands, you would have been the rightful titleholder of Liang Kingdom’s greatest loose cultivator.”

His smile gradually turned frosty, and a bone-chilling pressure emanated from him. His aura was far beyond that of an ordinary Core Formation cultivator of the same stage.

“Today, I happen to be itching for a little practice. If you, Fellow Daoist Lan can last a hundred breaths against me in a spar, I’ll stop interfering in your private reunion with Manrong.”

Over the years, Jiang Yechen’s impressive fortuitous encounters had propelled him to the pinnacle of the Liang Kingdom’s loose cultivators. With his naturally exceptional aptitude and relentless pursuit of power, he had become the undisputed number one loose cultivator in the kingdom.

Among Core Formation cultivators outside of sects, he was unmatched, and even within the sects, few at the same level could rival him.

One hundred and fifty years ago, during the competition for the peak master position on Wuqi Mountain, Jiang Yechen had been the most qualified candidate, only to be brushed off by the “short-sighted” Turtle Lan.

At the time, Jiang Yechen had remained outwardly calm, but inwardly, he had harbored some resentment.

Adding insult to injury, decades ago, the very Shi Manrong he admired had been abandoned by the fleeing Turtle Lan.

Now, the shameless Turtle Lan had the audacity to come back looking for her?

Here in Nightless Town, Jiang Yechen’s territory, he had every reason to teach Turtle Lan a lesson.

It was time for him to demonstrate that the might of the number one loose cultivator in Liang Kingdo surpassed ordinary Core Formation cultivators.