I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

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Chapter 361: Excess Dividends

Jing Wufeng’s advancement to the Nascent Soul stage was no surprise to Lan Changʼan.

After all, this man possessed a top-tier Innate Dao Physique, had supreme qualifications, and an extraordinary foundation. Over a decade ago, he had already cultivated to the peak of the Immortal Golden Dan.

Upon learning of Jing Wufeng’s whereabouts, Lan Changʼan did not take the initiative to contact him. Due to the oath’s influence, if the man intended to share dividends, he would naturally come sooner or later.

After that, Lan Changʼan quietly kept an eye on Jing Wufeng’s movements.

This heavenly pride had made a name for himself in the Ancient Nether Hall and had now advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, making him a high-profile figure that major factions—including intelligence organizations—closely monitored.

Half a year later.

Lan Changʼan received new information: Jing Wufeng had reappeared in Cloudsky City, the number one immortal city of the Central Region.

However, Jing Wufeng did not stay in Cloudsky Immortal City for long before vanishing for a while.

Two months later, when he resurfaced, it was within the domain of ”Yaqi Mountain”, located south of Great Yu Kingdom.

Yaqi Mountain was an alliance of demonic factions and had a hostile relationship with the Great Yu Kingdom, placing them in opposing camps.

The reason was that parts of Yaqi Mountain’s territory originally belonged to the Great Yu Kingdom during its prime.

This time, Jing Wufeng appeared as a Nascent Soul True Monarch, engaging in battle for the first time.

Rumors had it that he was surrounded by two veteran Nascent Soul True Monarchs.

However, the outcome of the battle shocked everyone.

Despite fighting one against two, not only did Jing Wufeng emerge victorious, but he also severely injured one of the early-stage Nascent Soul True Monarchs, leaving them on the brink of death.

This battle shook the surrounding cultivation world.

Factions such as Great Yu Kingdom, Yaqi Mountain, Great Luo Kingdom, and Wanfeng Mountain all began to closely monitor and gather intelligence on Jing Wufeng.

It was said that this ”Jing Tian True Monarch” had an exceptionally powerful Innate Dao Physique, with magical powers and divine abilities far exceeding those of the same realm. His victory was not due to powerful external objects.

During the battle, Jing Tian True Monarch did not reveal the spiritual treasure, dispelling certain rumors and suspicions, making his enemies even more apprehensive.

”He should be arriving soon…”

Lan Changʼan analyzed Jing Wufeng’s movements, deducing that the man was heading toward the Great Yu Kingdom.

The imperial family of Great Yu seemed to notice this trend and publicly announced an invitation for Jing Wufeng to visit. However, he completely ignored it.

...

Two days later.

A powerful Nascent Soul-level flying light, like a silver rainbow piercing through the sky, arrived before Yunxia Sect’s mountain gate.

On the fourth-rank main peak, where she was meditating in seclusion, Purple Mist Fairy immediately sensed it and was slightly moved.

The visitor’s mana aura was vast and unfathomable, making it impossible for her to perceive its depths. She even felt a faint sense of pressure.

”I am Jing Wufeng, here to pay a visit to Yunxia Sect.”

Dressed in a green silk robe, Jing Wufeng stood calmly in the sky above Yunxia Sect. The silver wind mist beneath his feet dissipated, and the invisible spatial ripples around him vanished.

”Jing Tian True Monarch? Why would he suddenly visit Yunxia Sect?”

True Monarch Purple Mist maintained a serious expression. She had naturally heard of this newly advanced Nascent Soul expert and his illustrious reputation.

If the battle records were true, then Jing Tian True Monarch’s mana and divine abilities were top-tier even among early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, surpassing even her Dao companion, Yunlan True Monarch.

Not daring to be negligent, Purple Mist Fairy immediately flew out of her cave dwelling while communicating with Lan Changʼan via spiritual sense.

”I wonʼt hide it from Senior Sister Purple Mist, I happened to cross paths with Jing Tian True Monarch years ago when he was still at the Core Formation stage. Before entering the Ancient Nether Hall, he commissioned me to craft a superior-grade third-rank puppet, but he still owed me some spirit stones for the materials.”

Lan Changʼan bitterly smiled, responding through voice transmission, explaining the situation.

The last time they met, Jing Wufeng was rather low-key, only contacting him privately to avoid alarming Yunxia Sect.

This time, however, he was openly paying a visit.

Thinking about it, this was understandable.

Now that he had achieved the Nascent Soul stage, standing at the peak of the cultivation world, it was only natural for him to feel high-spirited.

If he had been a Nascent Soul cultivator back then, he wouldn’t have needed to sneak around when visiting Proud Moon Palace to see Xia Wenyue.

Moreover, after advancing to Nascent Soul, Jing Wufeng’s abilities had undergone a complete transformation, far exceeding ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.

His displayed strength was already close to mid-stage Nascent Soul. Given his spatial-type Innate Dao Physique, even mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators might not be able to deal with him.

At his current level, Jing Wufeng could roam the entire Central Region of the Great Yuan unchallenged.

Across the vast Great Yuan, there were only very few existences such as the Three Great Cultivators that could pose a real threat to him.

”So youʼre saying… Jing Tian True Monarch is here to repay a favor?”

True Monarch Purple Mistʼs starry eyes flickered in surprise as she sized up the bald, blue-robed Elder Xiang.

An ascetic cultivator like Xiang Dalong, who rarely comes out of seclusion, was actually able to make the acquaintance of such a powerful Nascent Soul True Monarch?

”That should be the case. Although my relationship with Jing Tian True Monarch is not deep, based on our past interactions, he is someone who values credibility.” Lan Changʼan nodded.

True Monarch Purple Mist wrapped her flying light around Lan Changʼan, flying out of the mountain gate together to welcome Jing Tian True Monarch.

”Fairy Purple Mist’s renowned beauty, I, Jing, have long admired it.”

Jing Wufeng smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

True Monarch Purple Mist gracefully bowed slightly, smiling faintly:

”I recently heard of the esteemed reputation of True Monarch Jing Tian, and I am quite in awe.”

Jing Wufeng’s pale cyan pupils swept past the elegant female True Monarch before his gaze lingered meaningfully on Lan Changʼan.

Elder Xiang possessed formidable strength, with a fourth-rank puppet and a transformation demon king at his side, making him powerful enough to suppress most Nascent Soul cultivators. Yet, he remained low-key within the Yunxia Sect, clearly with some deeper motives.

”Congratulations, True Monarch Jing, on reaching the Nascent Soul stage. Now, the world will know your name.”

Lan Changʼan was about to bow and offer a junior’s salute.

”Ah, Fellow Daoist Xiang, no need for such formalities. We have known each other since the Core Formation stage. My breakthrough to Nascent Soul was, in part, thanks to Elder Xiang’s assistance.”

Jing Wufeng immediately raised his hand, and his invisible mana lifted Lan Changʼan, insisting on treating him as an equal.

Lan Changʼan did not refuse. With his fourth-rank Sacred Beast companion, he was more than capable of interacting as an equal with an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator.

After some brief pleasantries, Lan Changʼan accompanied the two True Monarchs to Yunxia Sect’s main hall, where they conversed.

During the conversation, True Monarch Purple Mist took the opportunity to inquire about her Dao companion, Yunlan True Monarch.

After all, Jing Wufeng was among the high-level cultivators who had entered the Ancient Nether Hall.

”Inside the Ancient Nether Hall, I met Fellow Daoist Yunlan once or twice… The last time I saw him, it was just a fleeting glance. He was injured, but it wasn’t fatal.”

Jing Wufeng recalled with a thoughtful expression.

True Monarch Purple Mist continued asking for more details before finally expressing her gratitude.

The conflicts within the Ancient Nether Hall revolved around opportunities and treasures, and Yunlan True Monarch had clashed with more than just one or two Nascent Soul cultivators.

Even Jing Wufeng had made enemies among several Nascent Soul cultivators, not just a single major faction.

“Demonic Blade Nangong Xiu… Pagoda Wanderer…”

True Monarch Purple Mist silently recited two names in her mind.

Based on the accounts of several who had entered the Ancient Nether Hall, she had pinpointed two primary suspects who had both interacted with Yunlan True Monarch before his physical body was destroyed.

Among them, ”Demonic Blade” Nangong Xiu had dueled Yunlan True Monarch over precious materials and opportunities.

Meanwhile, Pagoda Wanderer, a Nascent Soul cultivator, had been a close acquaintance of Yunlan True Monarch for several hundred years.

After the incident in the Ancient Nether Hall, Nangong Xiu had gone into hiding as a wanted criminal pursued by the Southern Region’s Sword Pavilion. Pagoda Wanderer, on the other hand, had left the Central Region entirely, reportedly heading toward the eastern coastal areas.

Half an hour later.

Jing Wufeng proposed visiting Lan Changʼan’s residence for a private conversation and to settle his past debts.

True Monarch Purple Mist did not interfere, merely watching the two leave, her expression thoughtful.

She had noticed that Jing Tian True Monarch showed no particular interest in her or Yunxia Sect—his visit was clearly aimed at Elder Xiang.

Given Jing Tian True Monarch’s strength and prestige, even ordinary Nascent Soul True Monarchs had to treat him with respect.

A mere Core Formation cultivator, even with a fourth-rank spirit beast, should not warrant such personal attention from Jing Tian True Monarch.

For this to occur, either the two sides were really good friends or Elder Xiang possessed some hidden abilities or secrets that made him valuable to Jing Wufeng.

Since Elder Xiang joined the Yunxia Sect, he had rarely left the sect, meaning he had limited opportunities to form external connections.

Yet, when recalling Lord Earthrock’s constant deference and respect toward Elder Xiang…

True Monarch Purple Mist had a sudden realization.

For the first time, she found herself genuinely curious about the seemingly ordinary Elder Xiang and his mysterious past.

...

Qingluan Peak cave residence.

Jing Wufeng was the second Nascent Soul True Monarch to visit Lan Changʼan’s abode.

The first had been the Xiao Family Ancestor—that visit had been due to Xiao Qingshan serving as a bridge between them.

Inside the inner hall of the cave residence, Lan Changʼan dismissed his attendants, leaving only him and Jing Wufeng to speak privately.

The Xuanmu Vine Gourd, which had once been cultivated here, had been relocated several years ago to the underground fourth-rank spirit vein where Lord Earthrock resided, providing it with a superior environment for growth and protection by a fourth-rank demon king.

”Fellow Daoist Jing, after all these years, I did not expect you would form your Nascent Soul within the Alchemy Dao Alliance’s territory. That was beyond my expectations.”

Lan Changʼan appeared slightly surprised.

From what he knew, Jing Wufeng had established some connections in Cloudsky City and had originally entered the Ancient Nether Hall alongside Cloudsky City’s Nascent Soul cultivators.

”Sigh, the situation within the Ancient Nether Hall was too complex… too many opportunities and too much temptation. It’s difficult to explain in just a few words. Fellow Daoist Xiang, you can simply think of it as a case of ‘unequal distribution of spoils.’”

”After leaving the Ancient Nether Hall, I had no choice but to retreat and change my identity. I sought to form my Nascent Soul in the more neutral territory of the Alchemy Dao Alliance. In exchange, I had to part with several millennia-old spirit herbs and even a lost ancient alchemy formula I obtained from the Ancient Nether Hall, all to secure the fourth-rank spirit vein necessary for my breakthrough.”

Jing Wufeng recounted his struggles, revealing a hint of unease and complexity in his expression.

To secure his Nascent Soul breakthrough and overcome his crisis, he had even befriended the granddaughter of a fourth-rank alchemist to ensure the alchemistʼs support.

Fortunately, after reaching the Nascent Soul stage, none of that mattered anymore.

The Nascent Soul old monsters of Cloudsky City, who had once coveted his belongings, were now all acting friendly and no longer spreading harmful rumors about him.

”This time, I have come to return the puppet I borrowed, as well as your promised share of the profits.”

Jing Wufeng first took out a severely damaged puppet.

Lan Changʼan examined the charred, limb-missing, nearly scrapped assassin puppet and felt a bit speechless.

This assassin puppet had been the strongest third-rank puppet he had created besides his fourth-rank model, representing years of dedication to puppet refinement techniques.

Fortunately, its core components were barely intact, meaning there was a chance to salvage and reuse them.

”Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Xiang, I made a promise to compensate for the puppet’s damage.”

Jing Wufeng, looking slightly apologetic, took out two storage pouches.

Lan Changʼan swept his spiritual sense into the first bulging storage pouch.

Inside was an assortment of refining materials, all at least third-rank superior grade, with some even reaching quasi-fourth-rank—more than enough to craft a new top-grade third-rank puppet.

The second storage pouch contained his share of the profits from the Ancient Nether Hall.

”Fourth-rank Moonwood… Purple Nether Ore… Profound Crystal Marrow…”

Lan Changʼan’s eyelid twitched. The profits within the storage pouch far exceeded his expectations.

Among the six or seven high-grade materials, all were fourth-rank, and nearly half of them were mid-grade fourth-rank.

Moonwood, mid-grade fourth-rank, was a rare spiritual wood in the cultivation world, used for formations, magical treasure embryos, and spirit talismans.

Purple Nether Ore, a mid-grade fourth-rank, fourth-rank ore containing soul-attributed properties, can be used to enhance the power of the Barbed Arrows.

Profound Crystal Marrow, mid-grade fourth-rank, a precious refining material that could increase the quality and power of magical treasures and even be used to craft high-grade puppets.

These three materials were the most valuable, though the Purple Nether Ore was only a few dozen catties, while the other two were available in greater quantities.

”Fellow Daoist Xiang, without even entering the Ancient Nether Hall to risk life and limb, you have reaped profits surpassing some Nascent Soul old monsters.”

Jing Wufeng observed Lan Changʼan’s expression and sighed.

Even though his own strength had been formidable within the Ancient Nether Hall, facing Nascent Soul True Monarchs head-on had not been realistic—ambushes were his best option.

Fortunately, the assassin puppet had suited him perfectly, helping him eliminate troublesome Nascent Soul old monsters in the chaos.

”As long as it meets the agreed-upon ten percent share, Fellow Daoist Jing, I have no complaints.”

Lan Changʼan calmly stored away the storage pouches.

Hearing this, Jing Wufeng’s smile stiffened slightly, and he fell silent.

Jing Wufeng gave a wry smile and said, ”To be honest, I still owe a little on that ten percent share. I’ve spent a great deal on advancing to Nascent Soul, cultivating divine abilities, and forging magical treasures to protect myself. Right now, my resources are stretched thin...”

Lan Changʼan had only been testing him just now. With a relaxed smile, he replied, ”That’s understandable. Fellow Daoist Jing went through life-and-death trials in the Ancient Nether Hall, then had to recover from injuries and evade enemies. It was unavoidable.”

He chuckled and continued, ”I’m not a greedy person. The profits you’ve provided are already satisfactory. Let’s consider this our agreement fulfilled.”

Jing Wufeng subtly exhaled in relief, inwardly appreciating Elder Xiang’s sense of propriety and restraint.

Truthfully, he had some regrets about the one-tenth profit-sharing agreement—he hadn’t set an upper limit.

No one had expected that this expedition into the Ancient Nether Hall would yield such unprecedented rewards.

”In Cloudsky City, I specifically traded for a fourth-rank Blood Dragon Fruit, a supreme material for body refinement, and a rare treasure for cultivators of that path. Even if consumed directly, it enhances one’s physical cultivation.”

”Take this as my compensation.”

Jing Wufeng’s tone was solemn as he handed over a sealed jade box.

Lan Changʼan received it and scanned it with his spiritual sense. Inside, a blood-red fruit with faint dragon scales radiated immense heaven and earth blood essence energy.

The value of this fruit far exceeded ordinary fourth-rank spiritual fruits, second only to the legendary Infant Transformation Fruit.

Lan Changʼan had been dual cultivating, refining both qi and body, with his body refinement reaching the peak of the late third-rank.

However, the jump to fourth-rank body refinement was an insurmountable chasm—he had reached the limit of what he could achieve naturally.

Talent, opportunities, and spirit environmental conditions all served as barriers.

If he were to cultivate step by step, even after hundreds of years, he might never break through to fourth-rank.

In fact, the difficulty of advancing was even greater than forming a Nascent Soul.

In the current cultivation world, body refinement was far more difficult than qi cultivation, with the gap only widening at higher levels.

In the path of qi cultivation, rumors of Deity Transformation cultivators still surfaced occasionally. But in the path of body refinement, reaching the fifth rank had been unheard of even in Tianyuan for countless years.

Now, with this fourth-rank Blood Dragon Fruit, Lan Changʼan saw a glimmer of hope for his future.

Once he formed his Nascent Soul, he could seek further opportunities to advance his body refinement to the fourth rank.

...

”Fellow Daoist Jing, you have my gratitude. This harvest has far exceeded my expectations—I am truly satisfied.”

Lan Changʼan immediately expressed his thanks.

The two exchanged a knowing smile, bringing this transaction to a smooth and satisfactory close.

Afterward, their conversation became more relaxed, akin to old friends catching up after years apart.

During their chat, Lan Changʼan’s curiosity got the better of him, and he asked about certain events within the Ancient Nether Hall.

”That rumored pseudo-spiritual treasure… Did Fellow Daoist Jing ever lay eyes on it?”

His gaze flickered with intrigue.

Jing Wufeng sighed, ”That pseudo-spiritual treasure leaned towards demonic cultivation. I only glimpsed it from a distance and felt an overwhelming sense of unease. I wouldn’t dare approach it.”

”But most of those old Nascent Soul monsters didn’t understand the true nature of a spiritual treasure. Their fight over it was laughable. Itʼs a pity, but If my divine abilities had been stronger at the time, I might have had a chance to compete for it.”

A hint of regret showed in Jing Wufeng’s expression.

Lan Changʼan raised an eyebrow and asked with a hint of mischief, ”I’ve also heard rumors that you possess clues to that spiritual treasure. Any truth to that?”

Jing Wufeng immediately shook his head and denied it.

”Absolutely not! That demonic spiritual treasure is incompatible with my cultivation path. Even if I obtained it, it would be more trouble than it’s worth for an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.”

Then he gave Lan Changʼan a meaningful look.

”Elder Xiang, you wouldn’t believe such baseless rumors, would you?”

Lan Changʼan chuckled. ”We cultivators neither believe nor spread rumors.”

He didn’t press the matter any further.

If Jing Wufeng truly had obtained a spiritual treasure, it was best not to know too much.

At the level of a true spiritual treasure, it represented terrifying power and deterrence, so how could there be a distinction between good and evil?

As the sun set, Jing Wufeng prepared to take his leave.

Before departing, he left behind some meaningful words:

”Fellow Daoist Xiang, you and I are both outsiders in the Yuan Provence’s cultivation world. We should look out for each other and stand together.”

Lan Changʼan’s eyes flickered with emotion, watching Jing Wufeng’s retreating figure.

In truth, his origins outside of the Great Yuan were no secret—he had been honest about it when he first joined the Yunxia Sect, borrowing inspiration from Jing Wufeng’s own story as an excuse.

It wasn’t surprising that Jing Wufeng had seen through it.

After multiple collaborations, Jing Wufeng had undoubtedly gathered intelligence on him. Moreover, he possessed various esoteric techniques, making it easy for him to trace someone’s origins.

Looking back, the identity of ”Xiang Dalong” had first emerged near the Forbidden Zone of the Central Region—he had no prior background in any other part of the Great Yuan.

...

True Monarch Purple Mist neither tried to retain nor recruit Jing Tian True Monarch.

Yunxia Sect had already taken in Elder Xiang and Lord Earthrock—it had no capacity left to accommodate this great Buddha.

With Jing Tian True Monarch’s reputation and battle record, even an ordinary early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator facing him alone would be in mortal danger.

”This man is involved with the clues to a spiritual treasure and has provoked several Nascent Soul True Monarchs from the major factions of the Central Region. You should be cautious in your dealings with him, Junior Brother.”

True Monarch Purple Mist specially transmitted a message to warn Lan Changʼan.

”Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister. I will maintain my distance from him.”

Lan Changʼan understood the Purple Mist Fairy’s goodwill.

Jing Tian True Monarch’s direct visit to him had both advantages and disadvantages.

The advantage was that with another powerful True Monarch as a friend, external forces would be more wary of him.

The downside was that Lan Changʼan became somewhat implicated and attracted the attention of more forces and powerful figures.

Did Jing Tian True Monarch fail to grasp these risks?

Lan Changʼan deduced that Jing Wufeng had done it on purpose—by tying their fates together, he was solidifying an alliance that would benefit him in the future demon-sealing mission.

”If this man has obtained the pseudo-spiritual treasure, future troubles will be unpredictable.”

Lan Changʼan strongly suspected that Jing Wufeng might have gotten his hands on the pseudo-spiritual treasure.

During their time in the Ancient Nether Hall, Jing Wufeng was essentially an underestimated Nascent Soul cultivator. While his raw power wasn’t outstanding, his spatial abilities made him a master of stealth and theft.

With the pseudo-spiritual treasure in his grasp, he could theoretically slay ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators with ease—even Lan Changʼan would be in grave danger.

Fortunately, based on the memories inherited from the Tinghai Pavilion’s heir, Shazhai True Monarch, pseudo-spiritual treasures had an extreme energy drain.

Even for Nascent Soul grandmasters, it was not something they could freely wield.

Records in Tinghai Pavilion’s archives even mentioned that three Nascent Soul True Monarchs once had to work together to wield a pseudo-spiritual treasure against foreign enemies.

From this, Lan Changʼan deduced that an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator could at most unleash a single strike with a pseudo-spiritual treasure, and that single strike might drain nearly all their mana and deplete their essence, blood, and vital energy.

Even though Jing Wufeng possessed Thousand-Year Spirit Milk, the cost was not just mana and blood essence, but also a massive burden on his Nascent Soul’s spiritual sense that was loaded several times.

Thus, staying within the sect, even if Jing Wufeng controlled the pseudo-spiritual treasure and had the ability to kill Lan Changʼan to silence him, the risks were still considerable, and he would also have to consider the aftermath.

”Itʼs best to avoid private meetings with Jing Wufeng before I ascend to Nascent Soul.”

Lan Changʼan made up his mind.

No matter how much he trusted Jing Wufeng from past collaborations, he could not put himself at risk.

...

That night, the cave residence’s secret chamber.

In his secret chamber, Lan Changʼan summoned his fourth-rank green-armored puppet, and together they examined the newly acquired fourth-rank materials.

”Excellent! Most of these materials can be used to refine the exotic spirit puppet or to reinforce my puppet body!”

The ghostly flames in the green-armored puppet’s eye sockets flickered with excitement.

Lan Changʼan communicated telepathically with Puppet Master Wei for a moment.

”Iʼll be keeping the Moonwood and Purple Nether Stone for my own use. The rest can be used as puppet materials.”

Even with all these materials, it was impossible to significantly upgrade the green-armored puppet, moreover, Puppet Master Wei lacked any experience in building a mid fourth-rank puppet.

However, the materials were more than sufficient to forge the Exotic Spirit Peacock Puppet they had been planning—in fact, there was even a surplus.

”With the previous dragon bone frame, dragon tendons, and dragonhide as our core fourth-rank materials, the crafting conditions for the Exotic Spirit Peacock Puppet have exceeded expectations. We can begin the process ahead of schedule!”

Puppet Master Wei could barely contain his excitement.

Now that the materials were in place, they had a higher margin for error—there was no need to obsess over the details.