I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 427: Heavenly Secrets as Aid, A War-Time Choice

According to Lan Changʼan’s original plan, if True Monarch Cyanwood didn’t come looking for him within a sixty-year cycle, he would take the initiative to head to the Central Region himself.

As it turns out, True Monarch Cyanwood was fairly confident, he had once again entered the Eastern Region of Great Qing.

According to the resonance sensed through the Evergreen Dao Fruit, True Monarch Cyanwood was currently lingering somewhere near the Seven Kingdoms Alliance, but had not yet approached the Righteous Dao Alliance.

The situation for the Seven Kingdoms Alliance was looking grim.

With overt and covert support from the Nether Spring Sect, the Seven Kingdoms Alliance had suffered defeat after defeat in the war against the demonic path.

Counting their previous losses, three of the Seven Kingdoms had now been conquered by the Blood Spirit Gate and the Illusion Demon Palace.

Either one of these sects alone was weaker than Beast King Valley, but together they were far stronger.

Lan Changʼan ended his cultivation session for the day.

“Master, this is the latest intel from the Righteous Dao Alliance main headquarters.”

Outside the chamber, Lord Earthrock handed over the filtered priority intelligence to Lan Changʼan.
Lan Changʼan accepted the encrypted jade slip, broke the restriction seal, and extracted the intel from the Righteous Dao Alliance’s command center.

“After the Seven Kingdoms Alliance withdrew their defensive line, the situation has slightly stabilized, just barely holding the line.”

“Additionally, True Monarch Cyanwood has openly appeared in the territory of the Seven Kingdoms Alliance and heavily wounded a Nascent Soul cultivator from the demonic path, which had a notable impact.”

After reading the report, Lan Changʼan’s eyes flickered as he fell into contemplation.

He had to admit, True Monarch Cyanwood’s timing was impeccable.

Unverified rumors suggested that True Monarch Cyanwood may have been invited by the Seven Kingdoms Alliance for assistance, or possibly received tacit approval from the Ten Xuan Sects.

True Monarch Cyanwood himself did not directly belong to one of the ten great sects. Instead, he came from an outer orthodox sect affiliated with that alliance.

Moreover, he had joined an already declining Nascent Soul sect midway through its decline.

This situation bore some resemblance to Lan Changʼan’s own background.

The difference was that True Monarch Cyanwood had spent far longer in that sect and had cultivated in the Central Region for most of his life.

Because of this kind of “semi-affiliated” identity, the appearance of True Monarch Cyanwood in the Eastern Region and his influence on the battlefield couldn’t easily be questioned by the Six Demonic Sects, nor could the Ten Sects of the Xuan Gate be held accountable.

After all, True Monarch Cyanwood was not part of a core sect of the Ten Great Sects.

Additionally, over a hundred years ago, during a “wandering journey” to the Eastern Region, it had been a Nascent Soul cultivator of the demonic path who attacked him first, thus forging the current grudge.

Judging from the intel, True Monarch Cyanwood’s main objective didn’t seem to be Lan Changʼan.

But Lan Changʼan’s intuition told him otherwise. True Monarch Cyanwood’s true target was indeed him, and his actions on the surface were just following the general trend.

…

Seven days later.

No one noticed that Evergreen True Monarch had vanished, disappearing into the boundless desert of Fengyuan Kingdom.

And even fewer knew that atop a snowy sacred mountain, two fourth-rank masters of divination had met in secret and formally agreed to work together.

Of course, the cooperation was limited strictly to fate-divining and prophecy. Heavenly Master Zhong would not leave Fengyuan Kingdom or personally intervene in outside matters.

“Ugh… now I owe that sly old fox another favor.”

Lan Changʼan chuckled, still somewhat satisfied as he returned to Liang Kingdom.

Heaven’s will and fate are formless and intangible, yet they can transcend space and offer aid.

From now on, even if Lan Changʼan was stationed in the Righteous Dao Alliance, he could receive subtle support from the Heavenly Master in secret.

This agreement was primarily aimed at True Monarch Cyanwood.

Personal confrontations involved fewer entanglements.

If it were to involve the entire demonic war, the scope would be too vast and the karmic backlash too strong, Master Zhong was unwilling to bear the brunt of such consequences, and would only offer limited assistance.

But even limited aid from the Heavenly Master gave Lan Changʼan a tactical edge, allowing him to control the tempo and withdraw or advance at will.

So long as True Monarch Cyanwood did not possess the combat strength of a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator, it would be difficult for him to truly threaten Lan Changʼan.

…

Shortly after returning to the Liang Kingdom.

The Righteous Dao Alliance’s main headquarters convened an important meeting, inviting Nascent Soul cultivators from all major factions.

True Monarch Tianfeng was patrolling and guarding the front lines.

Lan Changʼan had an exceptional status and identity and represented Jin Yun Valley at the meeting.

Righteous Dao Alliance, Main Headquarters.

Lan Changʼan appeared alongside Fairy Xia, the two walking together like an immortal couple.

In recent years, Xia Wenyue, as a newly ascended Nascent Soul cultivator, had mostly focused on cultivating spells and divine abilities and had not participated in front-line defense.

The two of them met monthly to discuss the Dao, usually at Proud Moon Palace or the Righteous Dao Alliance’s headquarters.

Because of this regular contact, they didn’t harbor much longing between meetings, there was a calm, quiet warmth instead.

In the main hall of the headquarters, Alliance Leader Chu sat in the seat of honor. The other attendees were the same familiar faces.

Fairy Xia was the only new face, representing Proud Moon Palace. Her master, True Monarch Golden Moon, was stationed on the front lines.

“According to reliable sources, in the Seven Kingdoms Alliance’s demonic warfront, although Beast King Valley hasn’t directly deployed any Nascent Soul cultivators, they’ve provided support in the form of several special spirit birds and exotic beasts, including two fourth-rank demon kings used for siege warfare. Their presence has had a significant impact on the battlefield.”

“That’s exactly why the Seven Kingdoms Alliance’s situation collapsed so quickly.”

Chu Tianfeng’s tone was heavy, with a hint of guilt.

Lan Changʼan nodded, his expression somber as he said:

“It seems that our previous defensive posture was too conservative. We didn’t put enough pressure on Beast King Valley. The Seven Kingdoms Alliance didn’t even ask us for aid, just hoped we could keep Beast King Valley occupied, and we failed even at that.”

The exchange between Chu Tianfeng and Lan Changʼan left the Nascent Soul representatives present slightly stunned.

Currently, the two top figures in the Righteous Dao Alliance were both clearly pro-war advocates.

The newly advanced Fairy Xia had also been cultivated and supported by Lan Changʼan.

It could be said that the war faction now held absolute dominance.

“Alliance Leader Chu, are you and True Monarch Lan suggesting we take the initiative to start a war with Beast King Valley?”

The leading figure of the peace faction, Six Sun True Monarch, frowned slightly and asked with concern.

“After sixty or seventy years of truce between our Righteous Dao Alliance and Beast King Valley, the gap in strength among the lower and mid-level ranks has only widened due to unequal trade agreements and disparities in foundational inheritance.”

“If we continue to be drained through trade for another few decades and the Seven Kingdoms Alliance fully collapses, our own people will lose heart and will. By then, we may not even get the chance to fight.”

Chu Tianfeng’s sharp gaze swept over the seated cultivators.

“Given the current state of things, our only options are to either submit to Beast King Valley or choose to fight.”

“Now that we have True Monarch Lan, Lord Earthrock, and Fairy Xia, three Nascent Soul-level combatants, our top-tier strength has never been stronger. The gap between us and Beast King Valley is not what it once was.”

After hearing the Alliance Leader’s speech, the Nascent Soul cultivators in the hall fell silent in thought.

If they were ever going to fight, now was indeed the best opportunity.

Six Sun True Monarch’s face darkened as his expression shifted, he felt his peace faction had never been weaker or more isolated.

Especially now that Fairy Xia had ascended to Nascent Soul and was effectively counterbalancing True Monarch Golden Moon within Proud Moon Palace.

“Must we really stake everything on this battle? Is there no room for temporary compromise?”

Six Sun True Monarch’s tone was low and unwilling.

“There is.”

Lan Changʼan smiled faintly.

“If Fellow Daoist Six Sun can break through the demonic path’s blockade and support the Seven Kingdoms Alliance, stabilizing their front and even turning the tide, then we won’t need to rush into battle.”

Upon hearing this, Six Sun True Monarch clenched his jaw in silent frustration but didn’t reply.

The proposal was indeed possible, but the risk was immense. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator would be gambling their life.

The Righteous Dao Alliance lost numerous elite scouts each year just to gather intel from the Seven Kingdoms, with many killed by Beast King Valley, Unseen Gate, or surrounded by Blood Spirit Gate and Illusion Demon Palace.

…

In truth, Lan Changʼan was confident he could accomplish this task.

Using the Black Wind Cloak, he could traverse the demonic encirclement and directly support the Seven Kingdoms’ frontlines.

However, if he got too close, then even if he restrained his aura and avoided using spiritual power, he might still be sensed by True Monarch Cyanwood, who cultivated the same Evergreen Technique.

True Monarch Cyanwood had strong ties within the Seven Kingdoms and held significant status there.

If they met on that turf, True Monarch Cyanwood might even rally support.

In contrast, Lan Changʼan had the home-field advantage within the Righteous Dao Alliance, with many powerful allies.

“To be honest, I, too, am a cultivator who seeks peace.”

Lan Changʼan spoke gently, with a calm smile.

“But oftentimes, the best way to end war is to fight one.”

“So long as we don’t suffer a crushing defeat, even if we only manage to maintain a stalemate for a while, it’ll force Beast King Valley to act cautiously. When that time comes, if we reopen negotiations, wouldn’t we have more leverage? Better conditions to bargain for?”

“Fellow Daoist Six Sun, think about it, if we were to simply submit to Beast King Valley now, how well do you think they’d treat us in the future?”

At these words, Six Sun True Monarch gave a bitter sigh and finally yielded, resigning himself to the majority will of the war faction.

So long as the war remained within acceptable bounds, even for a rational peace-seeker like him, it wouldn’t be entirely disadvantageous.

That day, the top brass of the Righteous Dao Alliance reached a preliminary consensus, they would restart the war against the demonic path, fully pin down Beast King Valley, and relieve pressure on the Seven Kingdoms Alliance.

As for True Monarch Golden Moon, who had not attended the meeting, her opinion no longer held sway.

Fairy Xia, representing Proud Moon Palace, had already voiced her agreement with the war strategy.

…

After the meeting ended.

Chu Tianfeng asked Lan Changʼan to stay behind for a private discussion.

Lan Changʼan, who now influenced multiple Nascent Soul-level powers, was the acknowledged second-in-command of the Righteous Dao Alliance, and many of the Alliance Leader’s decisions needed to be discussed with him.

“At this point in time, Alliance Leader Chu, did you choose to restart the war with the demonic path on the recommendation of the Ten Sects of Xuan Gate?”

Lan Changʼan probed directly.

According to his own calculations, assisted by the Heavenly Master, the next ten years were the best window, perhaps the last opportunity for the Righteous Dao Alliance to gamble on a decisive move.

“Mm. The big figures behind the Ten Sects of Xuan Gate are secretly supporting the Righteous Dao Alliance. Besides intelligence and heavenly divinations, they’ve also promised strategic resources specifically targeting Beast King Valley.”

Chu Tianfeng didn’t hide anything and revealed some internal secrets to Lan Changʼan.

Without the Ten Xuan Sects’ backing, even with his grand ambitions, Chu Tianfeng wouldn’t have been able to keep the Righteous Dao Alliance going for this long.

The Seven Kingdoms Alliance, with its greater strength, likely received even more support.

It was also likely that True Monarch Cyanwood had come at this particular moment due to the influence of the Ten Xuan Sects.

Through Chu Tianfeng, Lan Changʼan gained deeper insight into the stance of the Ten Xuan Sects’ upper leadership.

Although the Ten Xuan Sects were the top power in Great Qing, far surpassing the Six Demonic Sects, they were internally divided and riddled with infighting.

The Central Region was more prosperous and resource-rich, which led many of the major sects within the Ten Xuan Sects to grow complacent after expelling the demonic path, they no longer had a unified resolve.

Because of long-standing feuds and competition over benefits, some sects within the alliance even engaged in infighting.

As a result, the actual support provided by the Ten Xuan Sects was limited. They were highly unlikely to send top-tier Nascent Soul cultivators into the conflict directly.

The main reason that True Monarch Lingyu, one of the sect leaders, took this matter to heart was because his homeland was in Jing Kingdom, part of the Righteous Dao Alliance.

If the Alliance fell and Jing Kingdom came under Beast King Valley’s control, even he would have no justification to interfere.

…

“If the war resumes, could True Monarch Lan and Lord Earthrock together hold off a mid-stage Nascent Soul from Beast King Valley?”

Chu Tianfeng asked this most pressing question, his tone grave.

“If the goal is simply to hold one off, I’d say I have a 50 to 60 percent chance.”

Lan Changʼan replied without hesitation.

Chu Tianfeng was slightly startled, he hadn’t even mentioned which mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator he was referring to.

Among the Six Demonic Sects, there was a notable gap between sect leaders and other mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

For example, Beast King Valley’s Grand Elder possessed superior divine abilities and magical powers compared to the sect leader, even though both were at the mid-stage Nascent Soul level.

That’s not to mention the Grand Elder’s lifebound Heavenly Silkworm, which could practically revive him from death in a critical moment.

But to Lan Changʼan, neither of Beast King Valley’s two mid-stage Nascent Soul powerhouses posed a real threat, so it didn’t matter which one he faced.

As a beast-taming sect, both the sect leader and the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley relied heavily on spiritual beasts, such as fourth-rank pets.

However, this advantage is significantly reduced when facing someone like Lan Changʼan, who specialized in positional defense battles.

In recent years, since his return to Great Qing, he had thoroughly investigated the situation and made meticulous divinations.

When it came to raw offensive strength, the two mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators of Beast King Valley were not top-tier within their realm.

They were certainly inferior to someone like Emperor Yu, equipped with the Azure Dragon Sword, or Golden Kun Old Monster, whose metal-element techniques and magical treasures posed a natural threat to Lan Changʼan.

So no matter whom he faced, Lan Changʼan felt no pressure.

Especially now, after his return to Great Qing, his divine abilities had advanced tremendously. Compared to his famed “Twin Dragons of Central Region” era back in Great Yuan, he was now several levels stronger.

“Good.”

Chu Tianfeng finally smiled and felt at ease.

If Lan Changʼan wasn’t even afraid of Beast King Valley’s Grand Elder, then his true strength was surely greater than expected.

…

That night, Lan Changʼan stayed in the elder’s residence at the Righteous Dao Alliance’s headquarters.

Fairy Xia accompanied and attended to him.

Given their status and relationship, it was perfectly proper, there was no need to be discreet.

A few hours later after an intimate interlude, the bedchamber was filled with a lingering, fragrant aroma.

Lan Changʼan reclined lazily on the couch, gently stroking Fairy Xia’s cool and flawless back beneath her waist. In his ear, her soft and elegant voice drifted:

“Once war with the demonic path begins, the future is unpredictable. Husband, have you considered leaving behind a bloodline heir?”

Hearing this, Lan Changʼan’s heart stirred.

Was Fairy Xia seriously thinking of bearing him a child, or was she subtly hinting at the status of a formal wife?

“Wenyue should know… your husband has wandered far and wide and made too many enemies. Beast King Valley, Unseen Gate, even True Monarch Cyanwood…”

“The cultivation world is ever-changing. Even we Nascent Soul True Monarchs, who command wind and rain, cannot resist the tides of fate. One misstep, and we may fall from the clouds. Only by becoming a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator can one truly control a realm. Until I reach such invincible heights, how could I dare take a wife or sire a child?”

Lan Changʼan sighed deeply, expressing his hidden burdens.

If ordinary cultivators heard this, they might scoff.

But Fairy Xia, as a fellow Nascent Soul cultivator in the midst of this turbulent war, could empathize somewhat.

She mused inwardly that Lan Changʼan likely avoided taking a wife or leaving a child out of fear they’d be targeted during the war.

A concubine who was a Nascent Soul cultivator, on the other hand, wasn’t as vulnerable a target.

“Darling Lan’s aspirations are vast. I believe that day will come.”

Fairy Xia’s usually cold and snowy face bloomed into a rare smile, her voice filled with encouragement.

Lan Changʼan opened his mouth, a bit uncertain—Does she really believe that?

Fairy Xia was born with an innate Dao body, making her particularly suited for dual cultivation. Through the Dragon Phoenix Dual Cauldron Technique, her cultivation was progressing even faster than her masterʼs back then.

That was also why Lan Changʼan treated her with relative equality and didn’t regard her merely as a second cauldron. The Evergreen Technique had even given her feedback benefits.

Because of this, Fairy Xia was confident, if she could survive the war and gain some fortuitous encounters, she might one day reach mid-stage Nascent Soul.

If she had that possibility, then her partner, who possessed even greater destiny and opportunity, might indeed reach the level of Nascent Soul Great Cultivator.

Lan Changʼan sighed inwardly, he had underestimated how deeply Fairy Xia had admired him since her youth.

…

Half a month later, the Righteous Dao Alliance fully entered combat readiness, and the atmosphere grew tense.

However, mid- and lower-level cultivators within the alliance had grown accustomed to the tension after years of tempering.

Even with war looming, the number of cultivators fleeing at the last minute was surprisingly low.

As the second-highest-ranking figure in the Alliance, Lan Changʼan personally visited the frontlines for the first time to supervise and command.

The Alliance’s mobilization of so many high-level cultivators startled Beast King Valley, who responded in kind with a proportional show of force.

Not long after Lan Changʼan arrived at the front,

From Beast King Valley territory, a streak of Nascent Soul-level black wind flew in—a violent, demonic meteor-like blaze.

A new demonic True Monarch appeared, dressed in black-feathered robes, with a cold and stern expression.

“Hmm? Has this man already reconstructed his body and restored his Nascent Soul cultivation?”

Lan Changʼan narrowed his eyes, a faint smile forming at the corner of his lips.

He had come to the battlefield specifically to cause trouble, to provoke conflict.

The Righteous Dao Alliance was fundamentally weaker than Beast King Valley in heritage—if they attacked first, the odds of victory were slim.

But a defensive war was a different matter, the Alliance had rich experience and excelled at it.

That’s why Lan Changʼan and Alliance Leader Chu’s strategy was to stir up trouble and drag Beast King Valley into initiating the conflict.