I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

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Chapter 365: The Battle for the Mine

The first year of Lan Changʼan’s tenure as overseer of Fujiling Mine passed without major incidents.

The Ye Clan and the breakaway Tie Clan faction did not launch any large-scale offensives. Instead, the conflict remained covert, with both sidesʼ scouting forces frequently clashing in the shadows.

Though the spiritual energy at Fujiling Mine was inferior to that of Yunxia Sect’s main temple, it still had its advantages for Lan Changʼan.

For one, without Nascent Soul cultivators constantly monitoring him, his movements were freer.

Occasionally, he could leave in secret to conduct private transactions.

Additionally, his position granted him privileged access to high-quality minerals, allowing him to perfect his puppet army formation project.

Not only did he receive newly excavated high-grade ores, but Fujiling Market hosted a massive mineral trade every year.

As the de facto ruler of the region, Lan Changʼan always had priority access to materials suited for puppet refinement—at a bargain price.

Even the “filial piety” he received last year had significantly boosted the development of his puppet army formation.

In Hidden Bamboo Pavilion, Lan Changʼan was meditating in seclusion when he suddenly looked toward the courtyard.

Outside, Immortal Xiuyu, dressed in a plain azure robe, bowed respectfully.

”Elder Xiang, my master has sent a message.”

After receiving Lan Changʼan’s approval, she passed through the formation barrier and entered.

The two took their seats, and Lan Changʼan accepted a jade transmission slip, breaking its protection seal.

Xiuyu observed him curiously, eager to gauge his reaction.

Though she was Purple Mist True Monarch’s personal disciple, she did not have the authority to access a Nascent Soul cultivator’s direct transmission before him.

At Fujiling Mine, Lan Changʼan was the sole decision-maker—her role was merely to assist and report.

After scanning the message, Lan Changʼan’s expression remained calm, as if he had expected this development.

Though he and Purple Mist True Monarch had an emergency communication method, capable of transmitting messages across tens of thousands of li instantly, the cost was too great to be used casually.

...

”The dispute over the mines has reached a critical stage. Great Yu’s Imperial Family has stepped in as a mediator.”

Lan Changʼan set down the jade slip and spoke.

”Each side will send one Nascent Soul cultivator to the imperial court to negotiate a peaceful resolution.”

Xiuyu blinked in surprise.

”Negotiations? Already?”

Though sudden, this was within reason.

After all, both Yunxia Sect and the Ye Clan were Nascent Soul factions of similar standing—a full-scale war was highly unlikely.

The only logical conclusion was a diplomatic settlement.

”Purple Mist True Monarch has already departed for the negotiations,” Lan Changʼan added.

”But before that, securing Fujiling Mine is of utmost importance. Under no circumstances can we afford another defeat like before.”

Hearing this, Xiuyu nodded seriously, her tone firm.

”Yes, this is a critical moment. Our actions here directly affect my master’s bargaining power in the negotiations.”

The two discussed tightening defenses to prepare for potential enemy maneuvers.

After careful thought, Xiuyu hesitated before making a request.

”Elder Xiang, our intelligence network has been outmatched by the Ye Clan for some time. We are at a disadvantage in information gathering.”

”Could you provide us with a few of your puppets to enhance our scouting capabilities?”

Though she tried to remain composed, her eyes carried traces of expectation.

Lan Changʼan did not hesitate.

”That won’t be necessary.”

He shook his head.

”If our intelligence is lacking, then we simply narrow our scope. Our only priority is securing Fujiling Mine. As long as we don’t become a burden to Purple Mist True Monarch, we’ve done our part.”

Hearing this, Xiuyu pursed her lips, visibly disappointed.

When Lan Changʼan first arrived, he had moved swiftly and decisively, ruthlessly purging internal corruption.

This had given Xiuyu hope that he would take a more proactive approach in dealing with the Ye Clan’s advances.

But instead, after stabilizing internal affairs, he had adopted an entirely defensive stance.

Five hundred li away, Tie Clan’s breakaway faction, backed by the Ye Clan, had constructed a forward base led by Patriarch Tie Danxin.

Though they had not directly attacked Fujiling Mine, they had secured a strong foothold at Yunxia Sect’s territorial edge—a clear provocation.

Xiuyu had assumed Lan Changʼan would retaliate in kind, perhaps by harassing enemy supply lines or disrupting their expansion efforts.

But instead, he turtled up, showing zero interest in counterattacking.

To her, this was a wasted opportunity.

If he simply deployed some puppets, he could exert pressure on the enemy without directly escalating the conflict.

Instead, he did nothing.

”Donʼt worry, Immortal Xiuyu. When the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally straighten itself out.”

Sensing her disappointment, Lan Changʼan smiled faintly.

Xiuyu forced a smile but couldn’t shake her unease.

”The Ye Clan is making steady progress. If we remain passive for too long, they might erode our position completely…”

But she held her tongue—she had no authority to challenge Lan Changʼan’s decision.

Even so, she feared that mere passive defense would not be enough to secure a favorable outcome for her master.

If they lost too much ground, Purple Mist True Monarch’s leverage in negotiations would diminish.

...

Lan Changʼan was fully aware of Purple Mist True Monarch’s expectations.

If securing Fujiling Mine were graded on a scale of one hundred, simply holding the fort would score around sixty or seventy—a passing mark, but nothing remarkable.

However, if he could not only defend the mine but also repel or drive away the Ye Clan forces, restoring Yunxia Sect’s prestige, that would be the ideal outcome.

Lan Changʼan had his own considerations for being so conservative.

His priority was refining his puppet army formation, not expanding Yunxia Sect’s influence.

He could strike back, but he was too lazy to bother with unnecessary complications.

As a divination expert, he saw through the Ye Clan’s strategy.

For the past year, they had deliberately left openings, likely hoping to bait a counterattack.

If he took the bait, Yunxia Sect would likely suffer losses—and while he himself wasn’t in danger, Fujiling Mine and the sect’s cultivators would pay the price.

”After enduring for an entire year, the Ye Clanʼs strategy has still not met expectations. How much longer can they endure?”

Lan Changʼan glanced northward, where the Ye Clan’s encampment lay hundreds of li away.

With the recent news of peace negotiations, he quickly performed a calculation.

”Finally, they canʼt help it.”

A moment later, his lips curled into a smirk.

A battle of patience?

There were few people in the cultivation world who could possibly outlast him.

...

Two days later.

Hundreds of li away, the Ye Clan’s base suddenly surged with spiritual energy.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

From the fortress-like encampment, streaks of light—flying boats, spirit birds, and sword beams—converged in the sky.

At the center of the massive gathering, a colossal third-rank spirit warship—spanning several dozen zhang in length—rumbled into motion, shattering the clouds as it advanced.

Aboard the spirit warship, there were four Core Formation cultivators, nearly ten Fake Dan experts, and over 200 Foundation Establishment and late-stage Qi-Refining cultivators.

”Elder Ye, we have gathered our forces, the time is ripe. By using our power to suppress others, it will surpass all calculations.”

From the top of the spirit ship, a hoarse male voice echoed.

The speaker was a man with a mechanical lower body, his prosthetic metal legs glinting under the sunlight. His spiritual energy carried traces of puppet energy, marking him as a third-rank middle-grade puppet master recruited by the Ye Clan.

Elder Ye, dressed in scholar’s robes, his signature feathered fan resting on his lap, sighed deeply.

Gone was the confident strategist—his expression was now heavy with frustration.

”I had hoped to resolve this without bloodshed,” he lamented.

”A direct assault—regardless of our numerical advantage—means heavy losses on both sides.”

As a true tactician, Elder Ye preferred low-cost, high-yield solutions.

If possible, he would have manipulated the situation so that the Ye Clan gained control of the mine without a battle.

But for the past year, Xiang Dalong had simply refused to react.

Instead of falling into their traps, the man had fortified the mine into an impenetrable fortress—and completely ignored their provocations.

In addition to stationed outposts on the border, intelligence suppression, and small-scale harassment, Elder Ye did not dare to push further or adopt a more aggressive strategy.

After all, the Fujiling Mine was within the influence of the Yunxia Sect, and even on the outskirts, the support from the Yunxia Sect’s mountain gate would be faster than that of the Ye family.

”Elder Ye, Yunxia Sect’s only Nascent Soul cultivator is currently at the imperial court. This is the best time to seize the mine outright!”

The one who spoke was Tie Danxin, a short, dark-skinned, muscular man.

Though he was the weakest of the four Core Formation cultivators, his role was politically crucial.

As the leader of the Tie Clan’s breakaway faction, he was the justification for the Ye Clan’s involvement.

Without a local claim, the Ye Clan’s attack would be seen as unprovoked aggression, potentially inviting retaliation from multiple factions.

By contrast, with Tie Danxin in the vanguard, they could frame this as an internal struggle, making it far easier to secure the mine post-conflict.

Elder Ye glanced at him, expression unreadable.

This was the least favorable scenario, but now, we have no choice but to commit to this course of action.

Elder Ye shifted his gaze to the side, where a lone figure sat cross-legged, unmoving.

”Fanchen,” he called out.

The most critical factor in this battle was none other than Ye Fanchen—a late-stage Core Formation sword cultivator.

Among all their forces, he was the trump card.

Without opening his eyes, Ye Fanchen responded lazily:

”Call me when we arrive.”

Elder Ye’s eye twitched.

”This warship moves fast, you know.”

If not for the constant patrols around Fujiling Mine, this would practically be an ambush.

...

”Enemy attack!”

”The Ye Clan’s spirit warship and the Tie Clan traitors are launching a full-scale assault!”

The third-rank spirit warship tore through the skies, and as soon as it entered a few dozen li of Fujiling Mine, it triggered the defensive formation alarms.

Due to the Ye Clan’s intelligence suppression, the defenders at Fujiling Mine had not fully mobilized before the assault began.

Boom!

From the warship’s bow, several dark-red crystal beams erupted from spirit cannons, crashing against the mine’s protective barrier.

The massive purple-cyan energy dome trembled violently, sections of its surface dimmed and flickered, signaling its instability.

”Form ranks! Prepare for defensive formation!”

Lan Changʼan rose into the sky, stepping out of the Hidden Bamboo Pavilion. He narrowed his eyes, studying the warship’s artillery, mildly surprised.

A third-rank spirit warship was an expensive asset, and for it to be equipped with such a powerful spirit crystal cannon was an exceedingly rare sight—even during the demonic invasion war of Great Qing.

Fortunately, as someone focused solely on defense, Lan Changʼan had prepared in advance.

Without requiring much direction from him, under Immortal Xiuyu’s coordination, the Fake Dan cultivators led the Foundation Establishment troops to reinforce the formation’s core, pushing the third-rank grand formation’s defensive power to its absolute peak.

Meanwhile, the Ye Clan’s Core Formation cultivators took flight, unleashing their magical treasures and preparing their divine spells.

Boom! Crackle!

Elder Ye, a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, waved his feathered fan, summoning a storm of fire, lightning, and boulders—an apocalyptic barrage against the mine’s barrier.

Beside him, Tie Danxin and the masked puppet master wasted no time, unleashing their own techniques, intensifying the assault.

”Elder Xiang, the formation is consuming too much energy! Iʼm afraid the spiritual vein and our forces won’t last beyond a single incense stick’s time!”

The mine’s primary formation master, an elderly Fake Dan cultivator, sent an urgent transmission.

“One incense stick? The enemyʼs Great Cultivator has yet to make a move.”

Lan Changʼan was also a third-rank formation master with even more refined skills and knew that the actual situation was even less optimistic.

At this moment, a chilling sword intent locked onto him.

It actually made him feel a slight sense of threat.

Lan Changʼan turned his gaze toward the spirit warship, past the three Core Formation attackers, toward a lone swordsman on the deck.

The man, clad in simple robes, sat cross-legged, his twin swords resting on his back. When he opened his eyes, it was as if invisible sword blades were slicing through the void itself.

A chill pierced straight into Lan Chang’an’s soul.

This kind of oppressive presence—among all the Core Formation Great Cultivators he had encountered in this life—had only been matched by the Peacock Saintess and Jing Wufeng.

Clang!

Ye Fanchen drew one of his twin swords, and heaven and earth trembled.

Without even swinging it, the clouds above split apart, forming an unnatural rift.

The mere presence of his unsheathed blade caused both allies and enemies alike, including the Core Formation cultivators, to feel a primal fear deep in their souls.

Whoosh—!

From the gap in the sky, a seemingly gentle azure sword wind descended, it carried the force of a raging storm as it chopped down on the third-rank formation.

Crack!

The mine’s protective formation instantly shattered, a massive rupture appearing in its surface.

Even after breaking through the barrier, the sword wind retained 30% of its original power, sweeping into the mountains below, and tearing rock and soil apart.

”Elder! Save me—!”

A middle-aged Fake Dan cultivator, positioned at one of the formation’s key nodes, found himself directly in the path of the sword wind.

His protective aura shattered instantly.

Just at that moment, a mountain-like Core Formation aura descended upon the breached section of the formation.

Whoosh!

A vast, green hand emerged, shielding the Fake Dan cultivator stationed at the formation base, calmly sweeping away the sword wind, before closing its palm and snuffing it out like a candle flame.

”Thank you, Elder Xiang! You saved my life!”

The middle-aged Fake Dan cultivator who had just been saved stood behind Lan Chang’an, his face drained of color, looking as if he had just escaped the jaws of death.

The power of that sword strike had nearly reached the threshold of the Nascent Soul stage. Even after being buffered by the formation, its remaining force was still enough to annihilate an early-stage Core Formation cultivator.

Ye Fanchen narrowed his eyes, gripping his ancient cyan sword.

”This person’s mana is exceptionally vast, on par with the Core Formation Great Cultivators of a major Nascent Soul sect…”

Elder Xiang’s mana was even purer and more powerful than expected.

Otherwise, to use raw mana to coat his flesh and forcibly extinguish the lingering sword energy with his bare hand—such a move was extremely dangerous and could easily damage his own body.

”Ye Fanchen. As a disciple of the Southern Region’s Heavenly Sword Pavilion, you returned to the Central Region on a mission, and you even have the leisure to meddle in the battle between the two major powers?”

As soon as Lan Changʼan spoke, Elder Ye, Ye Fanchen, and the others visibly stiffened.

“How does Xiang Dalong know Ye Fanchen’s background—even the fact that he is carrying out a sect mission?”

Elder Ye was secretly alarmed.

Ye Fanchen had been absent from the Central Region for many years, and even the forces within the Great Yu Kingdom paid little attention to him.

This return was meant to be highly confidential—only a handful of Ye Clan higher-ups were aware of the true reason behind it.

If a power as vast as the Great Yu imperial family had caught some whispers, that would have been understandable.

However, the Yunxia Sect, and especially Xiangʼs side, should have been restricted in their intelligence channels, heavily suppressed by the Ye Clan.

Ever since taking over the mining grounds, Lan Changʼan had been adopting a defensive strategy, with limited access to outside intelligence. How could he have obtained this information?

Little did outsiders know—Lan Changʼan’s fourth-rank puppet clone had been roaming the surrounding regions, discreetly gathering intelligence.

By piecing together clues and combining them with divination techniques, Lan Changʼan had uncovered Ye Fanchen’s background—without ever stepping foot outside.

...

”I hold no enmity toward Elder Xiang.”

Ye Fanchen’s voice was calm, his demeanor composed despite his identity being exposed.

”This battle is simple. If you can withstand my sword for one hundred breaths, I will withdraw and take no part in the mine’s siege.”

”One hundred breaths?”

Lan Changʼan chuckled. ”Worthy of a disciple from the greatest sword sect in Great Yuan. You stand above your peers, Fellow Daoist Ye. Since you wish for a match, I shall gladly exchange a few moves. I hope that Fellow Daoist Ye will be merciful.”

As he spoke, Lan Changʼan left behind two ordinary third-rank puppets to assist Immortal Xiuyu in defending the mine.

Whoosh!

Then, in a streak of green light, he shot into the sky above the battlefield, standing opposite Ye Fanchen in the drifting clouds.

Both forces had a tacit understanding and did not participate in the duel between the two Core Formation Great Cultivators.

Lan Changʼan had no choice but to fight.

Ye Fanchen’s sword art was too overwhelming. If left unchecked, he could single-handedly dismantle the mine’s defenses.

The third-rank spirit vein of Fujing Mine was far inferior to the top third-rank spirit vein of Jin YunValley. The maximum power it could sustain for the formation was inherently limited.

Even with his best efforts, Lan Changʼan knew the defensive array couldn’t withstand Ye Fanchen’s assault indefinitely.

Furthermore, when it came to raw attack power, Lan Changʼanʼs conventional techniques fell short against a top sword cultivator.

Of course, in a cultivatorʼs duel, it wasnʼt solely about comparing the strongest aspect. The principle of the wooden bucket also applied—oneʼs weaknesses could determine the overall outcome.

Clang!

Ye Fanchen drew his second sword—a golden-bladed ancient sword.

At that moment—

A dragon’s roar echoed through the sky.

The golden blade, inscribed with fine-scale patterns, flickered with radiant golden light, reflecting in the storm-touched clouds.

”Elder Xiang, take care—this is the Golden Scale Sword Pool. It suppresses all wood-based techniques.”

Ye Fanchen’s casual words barely fell when—

Whoosh—!

A streak of crystalline sword qi, wreathed in golden dragon scales, shattered the void, cutting across a hundred zhang of the sky, aiming straight for Lan Changʼan.

Yet Lan Changʼan had already moved before Ye Fanchen, though the latterʼs strike was faster.

As his robes fluttered in the high-altitude winds, a brilliant emerald light surged around him, casting a lush green glow over his body.

With a swift hand seal—

Countless translucent green leaves manifested in the air.

Illusory Leaf Flying Sword!

Each leaf, shimmering with illusory energy, flickered between solid and incorporeal forms as they shot toward the golden-scaled sword qi.

Shing! Shing! Shing!

As the two attacks clashed—

The emerald leaf swords shattered one after another!

Ye Fanchen’s Golden Scale Sword Pool, fueled by his metal-attribute spiritual energy, effortlessly shredded the first waves of Illusory Leaf Flying Swords, rendering them powerless against its crushing sharpness.

At first, it seemed like Ye Fanchen’s words were true—his technique had completely countered Lan Changʼan’s wood-based technique.

”No! This is not an ordinary wood-path technique.”

Ye Fanchenʼs Golden Scale Sword Pool, as the golden dragon-scaled sword aura cleaved through the air, was unyielding in the first half, yet as it progressed, he felt an intangible resistance.

The latter part of his sharp sword aura, now laced with golden dragon scales, was entangled by countless verdant phantom leaf swords, each one as if teeming with life.

Even though he sliced through numerous illusory leaf swords, Lan Changʼan’s body pulsed with a vibrant emerald light, as new leaves perpetually sprouted and transformed into flying swords.

What’s more, these swords were unpredictable. Some of them, virtual and shifting, infiltrated his mind and pierced his consciousness, causing a faint stinging sensation.

The pain in his divine soul was a form of interference, which hindered his mental clarity and impacted his swordsmanship, subtly weakening his combat prowess.

”Transforming leaves into swords, the swords shifting between reality and illusion, containing a mental invasion technique—what kind of wood-element divine art is this?”

Ye Fanchen’s initial strike had yielded no advantage; it had been entirely neutralized by Lan Changʼan.

Lan Changʼan’s wood-element illusionary sword technique, though not as potent as his own, excelled in their unyielding persistence and eerie unpredictability. They not only hindered his swordplay but also undermined his sword-dao mentality.

”Just a small path of illusionary swords from the wood-element arts, it canʼt be compared to the supreme sword art of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion.”

Lan Changʼan smiled lightly, the emerald glow surrounding him expanding as even more phantom leaf swords appeared, their ethereal forms shifting and swirling, launching another counterattack against Ye Fanchen.

Having lived through several lifetimes, and with memories of multiple Nascent Soul True Monarchs, over the course of many long years, Lan Changʼan mastering a few fitting divine techniques was naturally no big deal.

One of them, the Illusory Leaf Flying Sword, was something he cultivated during his time in the Great Yuan, taking advantage of his affinity with wood-element techniques.

This divine art required significant energy from both oneʼs mana and spiritual sense. Even advanced late-stage Core Formation cultivators would find it difficult to maintain for long.

However, Lan Changʼan’s divine soul was far beyond the Core Formation stage, and his Evergreen Technique lent him endurance and continuity that enhanced the power of this technique, allowing him to wield it with great effectiveness.

”The combination of a secondary pathʼs illusion sword technique with wood-element divine powers... thatʼs quite interesting.”

Ye Fanchen smiled, his divine soul stirred. He immediately invoked the Heavenly Sword Pavilion’s renowned Six Imperial Slashes of the Sky.

Whoosh!

In an instant, Ye Fanchen summoned the sword with his mind, and the golden-scaled ancient sword grew to over twenty meters. Two transparent golden sword auras split off to either side, resembling dragon-scaled blades.

Pfft!

The enormous sword light, gleaming with golden scales, crashed through the illusory leaf swords like a raging tide, slicing through them with thunderous force.

In just a few breaths, Ye Fanchen’s Six Imperial Slashes of the Sky overwhelmed Lan Changʼan, forcing the emerald light surrounding him to shrink back, diminishing with every strike.

”A technique that consumes both mana and spiritual sense—how long do you think you can keep this up?”

Ye Fanchen’s gaze sharpened, and he began to unleash attack after attack, aiming to crush Lan Changʼan in one go.

Endurance was not something sword cultivators excelled at.

The hundred-breath window he had mentioned earlier wasn’t a sign of arrogance but rather a calculated tactic.

If Lan Changʼan could endure for a hundred breaths, it would indicate that their power difference wasn’t significant, and a life-or-death battle would be necessary to determine the victor.

Ye Fanchen, being from the branch family of the Ye Clan, had only a lukewarm attachment to the main branch and wasn’t willing to sacrifice everything for them.

His most potent dual-sword form required immense strain and was reserved for life-or-death battles.

Twenty breaths later…

Ding! A sharp clang rang out, sparks flying.

The Golden Scale Sword Pool that Ye Fanchen controlled grew dim, and the sword trembled as it bounced back, the tip quivering in hesitation.

”It was so close to breaking through! He really does possess a superior-grade third-rank puppet.”

Ye Fanchen’s breath quickened, and a faint sweat beaded at his hairline.

Boom!

A sudden explosion of emerald light erupted around Lan Changʼan, sending shockwaves reverberating for miles.

In front of him appeared a shield-shaped magical treasure and a golden-winged tiger puppet, standing in defense.

The dual-winged golden tiger puppet, a newly forged third-rank superior-grade puppet by Lan Changʼan in recent years, was not as powerful as the other two of the same rank.

”Hehehe, Elder Xiang’s puppetry art, I have been longing for it.”

As soon as the dual-winged golden tiger puppet appeared, the masked man beneath the clouds let out a creepy, excited laugh.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The masked man slapped his storage bag, and three vicious wolf puppets appeared in the void.

A chilling black wind began to swirl, and the three wolves worked in tandem, conjuring a black wind escape light that shot toward the dual-winged golden tiger puppet at a speed comparable to the late stage of Core Formation.

”A complete set of puppets, a combined attack technique!”

Lan Changʼan’s eyes brightened as he glanced over the three wolf puppets.

The three wolves’ puppet energies came from the same source. One of them, as large as an elephant, was a third-rank middle-grade puppet. The other two were exquisite third-rank low-grade puppets, close to middle-grade.

Whoosh!

The golden tiger puppet flapped its wings, gold flames swirling around it, transforming into a violent golden sun. It collided with the three wolf puppets, engaging in a fierce battle—biting, swatting, and sending continuous crashing sounds echoing through the air.

Surprisingly, the third-rank superior-grade dual-winged golden tiger puppet was momentarily held back by the three wolves. Though it gained the upper hand, the fight remained undecided for the time being.

Since they were complete sets of puppets, the three wolves formed a combined attack technique that was greater than the effect of one plus one.

”Elder Xiang, your strongest puppet has been countered. The illusionary sword technique earlier consumed quite a bit of your energy.”

”You’ve already done your best in this battle. How about we call it a draw? The fate of the Fujiling Mine can be decided by the next duel.”

Ye Fanchen sheathed his Golden Scale Sword Pool, a confident smile playing on his lips.

Without the protection of a third-rank superior-grade puppet, Elder Xiang would have already been injured and defeated.

At this moment, Ye Fanchen offered Elder Xiang an opportunity to retreat, avoiding a life-or-death battle, while also showcasing the elegance and poise of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion’s true disciples.