I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 426: The Bonds Are Settled, Ten Years Flew By

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A few days later.

News of Evergreen True Monarch’s return to Jin Yun Valley spread across the cultivation world of Liang Kingdom, even reaching the remote Nightless City.

That day, two streaks of Core Formation light rapidly approached Jin Yun Valley.

“Xiaochuan, pride can’t fill your belly. When we meet your Uncle Lan later, you need to show some respect. Evergreen True Monarch keeps his promises and has always treated the younger generation fairly.”

A middle-aged man with graying hair at the temples, dressed in a broad robe with purple patterns, spoke earnestly.

The aura of a late-stage Core Formation cultivator clearly revealed his identity as Liang Kingdom’s number one loose cultivator, Nightless Immortal.

Flying alongside Jiang Yechen was a young man in a pale blue robe. His complexion was fair, and his bearing refined.

“Wasn’t it you who said, ‘Even if he ascends to Nascent Soul, we don’t need to curry favor’? Now look at you, adoptive father taking it so seriously.”

Shi Xiaochuan replied indifferently.
“You little brat! Back then, didn’t you fully agree with your old man? You even said, ‘I have unyielding bones and never bow my back!’”

Jiang Yechen was furious, scolding him in embarrassment.

“Whether or not we came to Jin Yun Valley, I would’ve followed you anyway.”

Shi Xiaochuan shrugged, looking unconcerned.

“If we didn’t come, worst case, we dissolve Nightless City. If we do meet True Monarch Lan, I’ll be respectful and polite, but I will not open my mouth to beg him for anything.”

“Fine, fine! Just don’t pull a sour face when I speak later.”

Jiang Yechen sighed.

Due to his upbringing, Shi Xiaochuan shared some of his adoptive father’s old personality traits. Add to that his outstanding talent, and it was natural he carried a bit of aloof pride.

Influenced subtly over time, Shi Xiaochuan didn’t have a great impression of the Evergreen Immortal from back then.

In his view, Evergreen Immortal had “abandoned” his aged foster mother Shi Manrong in his early years, later taking a new lover and forsaking the old for the new.

Recently, hearing that Fairy Xia, Lan Changqing(Evergreen)’s concubine, had successfully formed her Nascent Soul, Jiang Yechen could no longer hold back.

He changed his mind and brought Shi Xiaochuan to visit Lan Changʼan.

…

Upon arriving at Jin Yun Valley, the disciples guarding the mountain didn’t dare slack off and immediately reported their presence.

Soon, an official decree came from Evergreen Peak: True Monarch Lan would grant them an audience.

Jiang Yechen secretly let out a sigh of relief.

He hadn’t visited Evergreen True Monarch before, not just out of pride or a desire not to grovel, but also because he feared being coldly turned away by someone who had risen so high.

Led by the sect’s disciples, the father and son entered the heart of Jin Yun Valley.

Shi Xiaochuan put away his casual demeanor, unexpectedly growing tense, he no longer felt the nonchalance he had anticipated.

Being personally received by a Nascent Soul True Monarch was, for Shi Xiaochuan, a first in his cultivation journey.

They entered a side hall of the Dao grounds.

There, they saw Evergreen True Monarch seated calmly, dressed in familiar white robes.

“Jiang Yechen of Nightless City greets True Monarch Lan.”

“Junior Shi Xiaochuan pays respects to Uncle Lan.”

Jiang Yechen and Shi Xiaochuan bowed together.

Hundreds of years had passed, and upon seeing Lan Changʼan again, unchanged in youth and appearance, Jiang Yechen felt a complicated mix of emotions.

All the cultivators of their era, whether friend or foe, had long turned to bones and ashes.

As a True Dan cultivator, he had outlived ninety-nine percent of them.

And Lan Changʼan was the only one among his old acquaintances to successfully ascend to Nascent Soul.

Shi Xiaochuan was slightly dazed. In his youth, he had seen Evergreen Immortal once with his foster mother.

The man from a hundred years ago and the one before him now were nearly identical, only now he carried the weight of time and a deeper, more solemn presence.

In that moment, he suddenly understood his foster mother’s state of mind back then, why she and Lan Changʼan had parted peacefully, without resentment.

In the long span of Evergreen True Monarch’s life, his mother Shi Manrong was merely a passerby in a certain phase. She had long since come to terms with that, and was content with the memories they shared, never demanding a title or final outcome.

“Fellow Daoist Jiang, no need for formalities. I have very few old friends left in Liang Kingdom.”

Lan Changʼan showed a nostalgic expression and raised his hand, granting them seats.

In the hall, Lan Changʼan chatted with Jiang Yechen about old times, his tone warm and relaxed, without any airs.

Shi Xiaochuan listened quietly at the side. When the topic turned to him, he responded respectfully.

“For someone of Xiaochuan’s age to achieve mid-grade third-rank formation master level is no small feat. However, cultivation is the foundation. One must clearly prioritize.”

Lan Changʼan offered only a brief comment.

As for specific guidance in cultivation, Jiang Yechen, a late-stage Core Formation cultivator, could handle that.

Shi Xiaochuan possessed high-grade spiritual roots and had reached the peak of early-stage Core Formation.

In the eyes of ordinary people, he was a rare genius. But from Lan Changʼan’s perspective, he was merely above average.

His formed True Dan was likely of mid-tier quality, not particularly outstanding.

With such a foundation, the hope of forming a Nascent Soul was slim. In a large sect, he wouldn’t even qualify as a backup for a Nascent Soul seed.

Moreover, since he had split part of his focus to study formations, even advancing to late-stage Core Formation in the future was unlikely.

Jiang Yechen also had high-grade roots, and reaching late-stage Core Formation had involved not only fierce battles in the past but also considerable fortune.

An hour later.

Lan Changʼan stood to see them off.

Before their departure, he gave Shi Xiaochuan several gifts.

Besides late Core Formation breakthrough pill, protective talismans, and puppets, he also gave him a full fourth-rank formation inheritance.

This formation inheritance partly originated from the Great Yuan and differed from the mainstream styles of the Great Qing side. It would likely enhance Shi Xiaochuan’s formation attainments.

Lan Changʼan’s own talent in formations exceeded his skill in alchemy, though it fell short of his abilities in talismans and puppet refinement.

However, in recent years, he hadn’t had the time or energy to delve deeply into new cultivation arts.

Shi Xiaochuan was different. His innate talent was higher, and with Nascent Soul likely out of reach, he’d have more time in the future to pursue formation mastery, perhaps even breaking into the ranks of fourth-rank formation grandmasters.

…

Under the astonished gazes of the cultivators of Jin Yun Valley, Jiang Yechen and his son set off on their return journey.

“Adoptive Father, why didn’t you ask Uncle Lan for help earlier regarding Nightless City’s troubles? If the promise from back then can only be used once, I, Xiaochuan, would rather…”

Shi Xiaochuan opened the brocade box containing True Monarch Lan’s gifts. After sweeping through it with his spiritual sense, he suddenly felt a heavy weight, and the rest of his words were swallowed back.

Earlier, during the conversation, Jiang Yechen hadn’t directly mentioned the troubles plaguing Nightless City.

In the early years, the town of Nightless was painstakingly built by Jiang Yechen and Shi Manrong. Over the past hundred years, father and son had managed it with great effort, it was hard-earned.

Shi Xiaochuan had grown up there, and in truth, was even more reluctant to let it go than he let on. It hadn’t been as easy as he had made it sound.

“In the cultivation world, one’s realm and strength are the foundation of everything. With only one promise, True Monarch Lan’s favor is more important for your future.”

Jiang Yechen stroked his beard and smiled, clearly having a plan in mind:

“If the information is correct, among all the old acquaintances and juniors that True Monarch Lan received, our audience was the longest, an entire hour.”

“An hour?”

Shi Xiaochuan’s eyes glimmered with thought, silently admiring his adoptive father’s cleverness, using a single favor to gain two benefits.

As expected, a few days after the return of the father and son, the situation in Nightless City took a sharp turn.

The high-ranking cultivators stationed for investigation by the sect withdrew one after another.

The factions aligned with the Golden Sun Sect, who had tried to encroach upon Nightless City’s interests, collectively went silent and ceased their probing actions.

Several large merchant guilds and noble clans who had been observing the situation from the sidelines began actively requesting meetings, seeking major collaborations with Nightless City, and showing sincere goodwill.

Not only did Nightless City resolve its crisis, but it also ushered in a rare opportunity for growth and development.

“Adoptive Father was right, pride alone can’t feed you.”

After that visit, Shi Xiaochuan had already let go of his previous prejudices. After experiencing what followed, his heart was filled with complex emotions.

…

A few months later.

The influence of Lan Changʼan’s return to the cultivation world of the Liang Kingdom had gone far beyond what Jiang Yechen and his son had expected.

Just days ago, representatives of the two great Nascent Soul sects of the Liang Kingdom had gathered for negotiations.

The power structure of Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world was reshuffled and re-divided.

Previously, as a newly ascended Nascent Soul force, Jin Yun Valley lacked deep foundations and had only one Nascent Soul True Monarch, yet presided over one-third of Liang Kingdom’s territory.

With Lan Changʼan’s addition, Jin Yun Valley now essentially possessed three Nascent Soul-level combatants. Such a division of power had become obviously unbalanced.

In the cultivation world, influence and say are always measured by strength.

After Lan Changʼan helped his concubine successfully ascend to Nascent Soul, the Golden Sun Sect finally relented.

The Righteous Dao Alliance stepped in to mediate the matter.

From that point on, Golden Sun Sect and Jin Yun Valley would each control half of the Liang Kingdom’s territory and influence.

Due to geographical factors, Nightless City remained under the Golden Sun Sect’s jurisdiction.

As the party that “lost out,” the Golden Sun Sect was compensated with certain resources during the negotiations. Moreover, the half of the territory they retained possessed better spirit veins and cultivation resources.

This outcome had already surpassed Zhang Tieshan’s expectations. In addition to the resource compensation, there were also several future services from a fourth-rank artifact refining grandmaster.

Jin Yun Valley - Forbidden Grounds in the Rear Mountains.

Lan Changʼan and Zhang Tianfeng raised their cups in merry drinking, alternating between toasts and poems, reminiscing on the struggles and setbacks of the past and gazing upon the present, where they now held sway over the tides of fate.

Hundreds of years ago, the two of them had stepped into the cultivation world as mere Qi-Refining novices, lowly and insignificant.

Who would have thought that today, they would stand shoulder to shoulder, presiding over the winds and clouds of the cultivation world?

In the end, as the drinks began to take effect, a touch of melancholy inevitably surfaced between them.

Looking back at the past, the friends and beauties of their generation had long since turned to dust. Only the two of them remained, standing at the pinnacle of the clouds.

…

As Lan Changʼan and Zhang Tieshan raised their cups to toast beneath the moon…

In the direction of the Fengyuan Kingdom, a third-rank azure flying boat sliced through the wind and clouds, crossing an endless desert of flying sand and entering the cultivation world of the Liang Kingdom.

On the third-rank flying boat, a man and a woman, both emanating Core Formation auras, caused all who sensed them to steer clear.

“Brother, thank you for accompanying your little sister on this long journey to the Liang branch of the Righteous Dao Alliance.”

The crisp and melodious female voice came from a Core Formation female cultivator aboard the boat. She wore a pale green classical immortal robe, with starry eyes and bright white teeth. A single veil of white gauze concealed her striking beauty, this was none other than the famed “Fairy Cloud Dream.”

“No trouble at all! You and I, siblings, riding through the desert together, it’s just another form of tempering ourselves. Besides, this trip to the Righteous Dao Alliance is a chance to procure plenty of resources and gain insight into the current war with the demonic path.”

The man on the flying boat looked about thirty, dressed in a straight-cut azure robe, standing tall and proud like a pine. Between his brows radiated a heroic spirit.

This pair of siblings was none other than the Yun siblings who made a name for themselves in Fengyuan Kingdom.

The elder brother was named Yun Hao, and the younger sister, Yun Meng(Cloud Dream).

After entering Liang Kingdom, the Yun siblings discreetly altered their identities and used secret arts to change their appearances.

They concealed their Core Formation cultivation and entered the northern lands of the Liang Kingdom, passing through the Black Blood Road in the crack of the Black Fog Mountain Range, disguising themselves as Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Several days later, they arrived at Wuqi Mountain.

Looking upon the misty, undulating peaks, not particularly tall or treacherous, Cloud Dream was momentarily lost in a daze, a long-lost sense of familiarity rushed into her heart.

After reaching Core Formation, the reason she had changed her Dao title was because she had begun to occasionally have strange dreams.

The most vivid images were of a spiritual turtle, and a gentle man in white robes, both stirred a deep sense of intimacy in her.

After much contemplation, Cloud Dream did not believe it was merely a case of daydreams or imagination.

Back then, before Mister Xu vanished, he had spent time with her in just such a form—white robes, and a spirit turtle.

After her Core Formation breakthrough, more similar fragments had appeared in her dreams. Cloud Dream realized that these were likely hints or signs Mister Xu had left her before his departure.

Three years ago, upon hearing of major upheavals in the Outer Sect Alliance and of rumors about a mysterious group known as the Azure Dragon Society, she went to Xuan Yin Pavilion to investigate.

There, she received a message left by Mister Xu: If you ever have the chance, go take a look at Little Turtle Peak on Wuqi Mountain.

Night fell.

With their cultivation, the two siblings had no difficulty slipping into Little Turtle Peak unnoticed.

At present, Little Turtle Peak was the ancestral territory of the Qi Clan, and the main base of the Changwei Escort Agency.

Two hundred years had brought great changes to the world. The structure of Little Turtle Peak had shifted considerably, but the original pool at the mountaintop still remained, preserved due to ancestral teachings—it was now used to temper treasures and weapons.

Standing before the pool, Cloud Dream once again felt a dazed sense of familiarity. Several blurry fragments from her dreams began to clear up.

Long ago, a young girl, barefoot, sat atop a Profound Water Turtle, playing on the rippling surface of the water.

“Grave of Lady Guan Qiaozhi.”

On a certain hilltop, Cloud Dream discovered a prominent tomb. The characters engraved on the tombstone caught her attention, and her thoughts were again swept away.

“Guan Qiaozhi…”

Cloud Dream softly recited the name and closed her eyes. Deep within her sea of consciousness, more familiar scenes and fragments surged forth.

Her elder brother Yun Hao, who had accompanied her the whole way noticed something but did not interrupt her.

A long while later, Cloud Dream opened her eyes with a glint of clarity.

The next day, after inquiring around, the Yun siblings learned that Little Turtle Peak had once been the former residence of Evergreen True Monarch, the legendary Nascent Soul cultivator of Liang Kingdom.

Evergreen True Monarch had possessed a Profound Water Turtle with earth-grade bloodline, and had thus named the peak “Little Turtle Peak” in his early years.

In recent years, tales and rumors about Evergreen True Monarch had been widely discussed in Liang’s cultivation circles.

It was said that Evergreen True Monarch had not forgotten old kindness and had helped his concubine, Fairy Xia, ascend to Nascent Soul, which had caused a major stir at the time.

“Fairy Xia… True Monarch Xuanbing… a concubine?”

Upon digging deeper, Cloud Dream learned that even after reaching Nascent Soul, Fairy Xia had not been elevated to official wife.

Then… who was the official wife?

Cloud Dream knew herself well, it certainly wasn’t her.

From the dream memories, she had only been a servant-concubine, whose duties were to attend to her master, care for the spirit turtle, and watch over it as it grew.

Of course, the memories she now possessed were mostly fragmented scenes. There was a sense of detachment, as if they had been experienced in a dream, not a full awakening of a past life.

The familiar scenery of her former cultivation ground at Little Turtle Peak had stirred emotions, allowing her to recall even more images and details from her dreams.

…

Half a month later.

The Yun siblings arrived at Jin Yun Valley, formally wishing to visit and greet Evergreen True Monarch as Core Formation cultivators.

The result was that they were informed that Evergreen True Monarch was in closed-door cultivation and was not receiving visitors.

Outside the mountain gate, Cloud Dream waited for half a month without receiving any message or response.

She felt somewhat disheartened and left with her elder brother Yun Hao accompanying her.

“Mister Xu has taken a concubine and now has a Nascent Soul fairy as his partner…”

Cloud Dream had known before she even set out that she couldn’t harbor any expectations or hopes.

A hundred years ago, before he left, Mister Xu had refined Crystal Condensation Pills for the Yun siblings, and even left her a superior spiritual item for Core Formation.

Far from owing her anything, Mister Xu had, in fact, shown her great kindness.

Two days after leaving Jin Yun Valley, they passed by a lake.

Splash!

The waters surged violently, mist and clouds swirled in the sky, and a heavy rain poured down.

Beneath the curtain of rain, a massive, dark green Profound Water Turtle surfaced in the lake.

“Big Turtle, is that you?”

Cloud Dream gazed at the giant turtle that approached joyfully, stepping across the waves and inviting her to sit atop its back and play. Everything felt so natural, so familiar.

Soon, laughter like silver bells rang out across the rain-veiled lake.

Fairy Cloud Dream seemed to return to her teenage years, her long hair wet, her robe soaked by the waves, outlining the curves of her full bosom.

“That’s really the water turtle from back then?”

Yun Hao’s mouth opened slightly. He could faintly sense an oppressive spiritual pressure from the Profound Water Turtle, more threatening than any late-stage Core Formation Great Cultivator he’d encountered.

Even if the two of them joined forces, they likely wouldn’t be its match.

At some unknown point, a half-demon ratman in a robe sitting by the lakeshore appeared. It yawned and gave the Yun siblings a lazy smile.

“Transformation Demon King!”

Yun Hao’s body froze, a chill running down his spine, he couldn’t sense any trace of the otherʼs magical aura.

After spending half a day together, the rain in the sky gradually ceased.

Cloud Dreamʼs heart was now clear and reluctantly waved goodbye to the Profound Water Turtle.

“This was bestowed by the master.”

Lord Earthrock stepped forward and handed a storage pouch to Fairy Cloud Dream.

“Thank you for the gift, True Monarch.”

Fairy Cloud Dream did not refuse. She turned toward the direction of Jin Yun Valley and offered a graceful bow.

She did not ask why True Monarch Lan had refused to meet her.

This journey had already resolved the lingering doubts in her heart, it had fulfilled its purpose.

Though she now understood the truth, she had not truly awakened her past life. The previous life was but a dream; this life was the true reality.

Fairy Cloud Dream returned to Fengyuan Kingdom to the Outer Sect Alliance alongside her brother.

The journey had given her many new insights into cultivation and talisman crafting, which would take time to fully digest.

…

Jin Yun Valley, Evergreen Peak Dao Ground.

Lan Changʼan sat in silent meditation, his mind inexplicably clear and unburdened.

Since returning to Great Qing, he had methodically resolved the karmic ties and entanglements of the past.

Especially the promise he had owed Shi Xiaochuan, which had now been fulfilled.

Previously, he had refused to meet the Yun siblings because he didn’t want to complicate matters and risk drawing attention from demonic infiltrators.

He had taken the initiative to awaken Xiao Qingshan, but had chosen not to do the same for Fairy Cloud Dream, letting things develop naturally made for a useful comparison.

In the years that followed, the Righteous Dao Alliance and Beast King Valley remained locked in a tense standoff, but an outright war in the cultivation world never broke out.

The Righteous Dao Alliance treated the situation as an opportunity for military training and internal restructuring.

The Beast King Valley faction, after Lord Earthrock had purged several hidden traitors, became noticeably more low-profile.

During this period of equilibrium, Lan Changʼan focused his efforts on cultivation and refining divine secret arts.

At times, he traveled to Feng Kingdom to privately meet with Fairy Xia, where they cultivated the Dual Cauldron Dragon-Phoenix Technique together. As their proficiency with the technique grew, the effects became more lasting, visiting once a month was sufficient.

Thanks to his mastery in fourth-rank divination, Lan Changʼan had concealed these rendezvous well; no one else knew his whereabouts.

…

Time passed. Ten years went by.

Inside the secluded chamber of Evergreen Peak.

This day, Lan Changʼan opened his eyes. In the depths of his pitch-black pupils, profound Dao patterns flickered and vanished.

“The Thousand Machines Divine Transformation Art has been cultivated to the sixth layer, it’s slightly improved my spiritual sense at the Nascent Soul level.”

A wave of spiritual sense, nearing that of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, spread through the chamber.

At this moment, Lan Changʼan did not have the fourth life descend.

Whoosh!

An invisible spike, shaped like a long nail, pierced through a third-rank spiritual plant in the chamber. Its vitality withered in an instant.

The Thousand Machines Divine Transformation Art had many wondrous applications for spiritual sense, not only for controlling puppets but also for unleashing soul-targeting lethal arts.

After ten years of bitter cultivation, several of Lan Changʼan’s core divine arts had all seen advancement. For example, Withering Extinction Divine Light had progressed significantly.

His skills in fourth-rank talisman crafting and puppet refinement had also stabilized, no longer at a beginner’s threshold.

Lan Changʼan had even taken the time to craft a batch of fourth-rank spiritual talismans for various contingencies. Some talismans made from fourth-rank refined spiritual wood were especially suitable for long-term nurturing and enhancement.

“If I can cultivate Thousand Machines Divine Transformation Art to the seventh layer, and summon the fourth life, my spiritual sense will likely surpass most mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators and approach the level of Nascent Soul Great Cultivators. At that point, I could sweep the Eastern Region and pose a great threat to True Monarch Cyanwood.”

“Unfortunately… the situation no longer allows it.”

Lan Changʼan let out a quiet sigh, gazing toward the direction of the Seven Kingdoms Alliance—the war over there was collapsing.

And that wasn’t all.

In recent years, the Evergreen Nascent Soul within him had started to resonate faintly… and the sensation was also coming from the direction of the Seven Kingdoms Alliance.

New novel thatʼs equally as fun^^ Five Immortal Sects