I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 436: Mid-Stage Fight, Turning the Tables

”How could someone like me, Lan Changʼan, who is but a newly advanced Nascent Soul cultivator, be worthy of having the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley personally take action?”

Staring at the seemingly harmless chubby old man, Lan Changʼan’s expression was solemn, clearly caught off guard.

”Lan Changqing, your reputation has already spread throughout the Eastern Region. You are no longer an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator, so why bother pretending in front of this old man?”

The Grand Elder spoke slowly, a smile on his face as he stroked his exposed, round belly.

Over the years, Lan Changʼan had brought immense trouble to Beast King Valley, completely disrupting their existing strategic plans.

His return to the Eastern Region, along with three Nascent Soul-level combatants, forced the Righteous Dao Alliance leader into full conflict, abandoning peace negotiations. The peaceful assimilation plan had crumbled.

Lan Changʼan humiliated the Peacock Saintess and slapped the faces of two Nascent Soul Elders, leaving Beast King Valley unprepared and forcing them to hastily initiate the cultivation war.

Several years ago, Lan Changʼan caused the fall of two True Monarchs from Beast King Valley, again disturbing the balance of top-tier battle power between both sides.

What Beast King Valley feared most was that Lan Changqing had slain two fourth-rank demon kings in succession, both with a single blow.

Lan Changʼan had become a nightmare for Beast King Valley’s war machines!
If things continued this way, Beast King Valley would be powerless to attack the Righteous Dao Alliance, and their only advantage in direct combat would vanish without a trace.

Lan Changʼan’s influence wasn’t limited to the demonic battleground on the Righteous Dao Alliance’s side, it had even indirectly affected the Seven Kingdoms Alliance.

The situation in the Seven Kingdoms Alliance had stabilized in recent years.

Not only had Beast King Valley withdrawn their support from that side, but they also sought help from the Nether Spring Sect and the Unseen Gate, thereby indirectly weakening the offensive power on the Seven Kingdoms Alliance side.

”Grand Elder, have you come today to ambush me?”

Lan Changʼan sighed inwardly. It seemed that trying to stir the waters on the main battlefield and take the opportunity to capture Demonic Nascent Souls was going to be difficult.

He had relied on the power of the Heavenly Master and had long prepared this scheme, concealing many heavenly secrets.

But the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley was also a fourth-rank divination grandmaster, not so easily fooled.

So long as the Grand Elder wasn’t a fool, he would already be able to confirm one fact:

Lan Changʼan is the greatest variable, possibly even the key factor that would determine the outcome of this cultivation war.

Thus, the Grand Elder had set aside his status and personally come to target Lan Changʼan.

”This old man isn’t fond of killing and slaughter.”

”So long as True Monarch Lan, Lord Earthrock, and Fairy Xia remain within this front-line region, this old man is more than happy to enjoy some peace and quiet.”

The Grand Elder’s tone was relaxed, seemingly devoid of killing intent.

But Lan Changʼan was not deceived by appearances.

If they could, Beast King Valley would love nothing more than to tear him to pieces.

It’s just that Lan Changʼan represented three Nascent Soul-level powers. Even for a mid-stage Nascent Soul leader from the Demonic Sect, killing him outright was unrealistic.

…

”A single Grand Elder trying to restrain the combined power of three Nascent Soul cultivators? Isn’t that a bit too arrogant?”

Lan Changʼan’s eyes flickered as the Black Heaven Wings unfurled from his back. He attempted to fly toward Yuanliu City to join Fairy Xia in reinforcing the main battlefield.

”Hehe, Fellow Daoist Lan, why don’t you give it a try?”

The Grand Elder remained calm and unhurried, transforming into a flowing streak of white cloud and merging with the sky.

Lan Changʼan had only flown about a hundred li.

From deep within the clouds came a thunderous boom. A surge of peak mid-stage Nascent Soul spiritual power rippled out, accompanied by a suffocating wave of spiritual pressure that made one’s heart tremble.

Lan Changʼan’s heart tightened sharply. He activated a cyan-colored protective shield and dodged swiftly, then instantly split into three.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Ssst—

Dozens of semi-transparent crystalline silken threads mysteriously emerged from the void, slicing through the rapidly dodging forms of Lan Changʼan.

Two of his Illusory Wood Doppelgängers were instantly annihilated by the strange threads.

Crack!

His protective shield shattered on impact, pierced by two of the crystalline threads.

A chill ran through Lan Changʼan’s body. A clean tear appeared on the white robe covering his shoulder.

These semi-transparent crystalline threads were a divine ability the Beast King Valley Grand Elder had cultivated using his natal Heavenly Silkworm. They were extraordinarily fast and capable of skimming through shallow layers of space, making them nearly impossible to defend against.

Their properties resembled Jing Wufeng’s spatial attacks, but they were more continuous and unrelenting.

Whoosh!

The Black Heaven Wings on Lan Changʼan’s back flapped violently as he accelerated his evasive maneuvers, stirring up a storm of black wind and mist that swept out for a hundred zhang.

Yet the crystalline threads were unnaturally tough, with terrifying penetration. Many of them tore through the black wind barrier, forcing Lan Changʼan to dodge frantically.

”As expected of the leader of the Demonic Sect.”

Lan Changʼan drew a deep breath, not daring to be careless. He summoned his magical treasure Dragonwood Staff.

The Dragonwood Staff expanded in the wind, transforming into a towering ancient tree nearly a hundred zhang tall. Crimson dragon shadows were etched along its surface, blocking most of the incoming crystalline threads.

But the staff became entangled in threads. Its spiritual light dimmed, and it rapidly shrank, clearly unable to withstand the onslaught.

In truth, a fire-attribute treasure or divine ability would be more effective against this kind of silken thread, for example, a high-quality treasure like the Purple Gourd.

Swish! Swish! Swish…

Lan Changʼan then activated his Puppet Control Technique, summoning twelve peak third-rank puppets around him.

From within the puppet army formation, twelve streams of puppet energy converged and interlinked, flickering with arcs of lightning to form a purple-blue puppet force formation.

A purple-blue barrier enveloped Lan Changʼan, emitting sparks of lightning to repel the crystalline threads from the shallow space.

The formation’s momentum looked like it would transform into an overwhelming web, trying to trap Lan Changʼan and his puppet formation completely.

”A puppet formation of this scale! This brat really has hidden cards.”

As expected, the Beast King Valley Grand Elder’s eyes gleamed with a hidden light.

The stronger Lan Changʼan’s hidden cards, the more worthwhile it was for him to personally intervene.

At present, a puppet formation made up of twelve peak third-rank puppets was enough to withstand the offensive power of an experienced early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

Combined with Lan Changʼan himself, he had barely managed to hold his ground against the Grand Elder’s first probing assault.

”Young friend Lan, let’s see what else you’ve got.”

The Grand Elder, full of interest, extended his arm. From his sleeve flew out a peculiar, ancient-looking compass.

Whoosh!

The compass hovered above Lan Changʼan and the puppet formation, emanating a ripple of invisible, intangible waves.

Invisible to the naked eye, the vortex of ripples began to absorb and draw in the surrounding spiritual energy and mana.

Lan Changʼan instantly felt his mana consumption spike. The control over his magical treasures became sluggish. His divine abilities and mana were being invisibly suppressed.

Even the puppet formation was affected.

A considerable amount of puppet energy fueling the formation began to mysteriously drain away, lowering its efficiency.

Lan Changʼan’s face turned grim.

Even with the puppet army deployed, he had believed himself capable of standing toe-to-toe with a newly advanced mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator like True Monarch Netherwater.

He hadn’t expected to be so casually suppressed by the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley.

The puppet cores within his many puppets were being consumed at an alarming rate, it was unclear how long they would last…

...

“Master, I’ve come to help you!”

From the hill beneath his feet, earthen-colored crystalline light emerged, radiating a vast aura of Earth Fiend Qi.

Seeing its master suppressed, Lord Earthrock had no choice but to act ahead of schedule.

Transforming into its giant Rat King form, it stirred up a sky-filling sandstorm and sending massive boulders rolling toward the Grand Elder and the compass magical treasure.

The Grand Elder smiled faintly and formed a hand seal. With a wave of spiritual power, the compass high in the sky began to spin rapidly, and within the vortex of invisible ripples, a mysterious void appeared.

Whoosh~

In an instant, the surging sandstorm and massive boulders dramatically lost momentum, disintegrating and breaking apart. The scattered spell and demonic energy were all absorbed.

Instead, the spinning compass flared with sudden spiritual brilliance, pausing briefly in midair.

Boom!

A fan-shaped wave burst forth from the compass, containing an immense force field that slammed into the fourth-rank Rat King.

Lord Earthrock let out a muffled grunt as it was flung backward, a slight depression forming on its head and a trace of blood seeping out.

Fortunately, the body of a Demon King was tough and resilient, these were only surface wounds.

However, the powerful counterattack was abruptly halted.

From the beginning of the exchange, through the puppet army formation and Lord Earthrock’s appearance, Lan Changʼan’s side had yet to pose any real threat to the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley.

“This old bastard’s spiritual power is overwhelming, and his foundation is deep. No wonder Chu Tianfeng said that on the battlefield, it’s enough just to hold him back. Don’t even think about threatening him, it’s a waste of effort.”

Lan Changʼan had initially been skeptical, but now, after a round of testing, he understood.

He adjusted his strategy, ordering Lord Earthrock and the puppet formation to switch to a defensive posture. In defense mode, the consumption of the puppet formation decreased accordingly.

As expected, things became much more manageable.

The Grand Elder of Beast King Valley also seemed unable to pose much of a threat under this arrangement.

“Lan Changʼan, if you were at the peak of early-stage Nascent Soul and had stronger spiritual power and spiritual sense, this old man truly wouldn’t be able to do anything to you.”

The Grand Elder sighed, his usually calm eyes flashing with a sharp light.

His obese figure, robed in flowing robes, took a step forward, as if a mountain had shifted across a hundred zhang.

Slaughtering Spirit Hand!

His palm expanded to the size of a fan, entwined with white silken threads, and ignited with a ghostly flame of blood and black. He slapped toward Lan Changʼan from afar.

Lan Changʼan’s heart skipped a beat, he felt a long-lost sense of crisis.

Boom!

A massive Slaughtering Spirit Hand, imprinted in black and white, half-real and half-illusory, struck him with inescapable speed.

At that moment, the space around Lan Changʼan seemed to warp and compress.

Nearby, Lord Earthrock was affected as well, its soul wavered slightly with dizziness and disarray, and its blood energy churned.

Lan Changʼan took the brunt of the attack. His protective shield collapsed on the spot.

Not only that, he immediately summoned a fourth-rank spiritual talisman barrier, but it too was shattered by the semi-illusory Slaughtering Spirit Hand.

“Slaughtering Spirit... Soul Erasure…”

Lan Changʼan staggered slightly, his complexion paling, brows tightly furrowed.

That semi-illusory giant hand had not only struck his body, it had impacted his Nascent Soul and spiritual sense as well.

He quickly activated a divine soul secret technique from the Thousand Machines Divine Transformation Art, stabilizing his briefly disoriented consciousness. The cyan Nascent Soul within him, though showing signs of distress, rapidly calmed and returned to normal.

Simultaneously, the Evergreen mana in his body automatically circulated, soothing minor internal injuries and damage to his vitality.

On the other side, the Grand Elderʼs explosive attack consumed a great deal of spiritual power, spiritual sense, and vitality. He paused briefly.

“He blocked it? And he doesn’t seem seriously injured…”

The Grand Elder frowned slightly, looking at the steady Lan Changʼan. The expected result, spitting blood on the spot, hadn’t occurred.

Lan Changʼan opened his eyes, lightly licking the blood from the corner of his mouth, a hint of exhilaration in his gaze.

It had been many years since he’d been wounded, even lightly.

“That palm just now from the Grand Elder… it hurt a bit. But the lingering sensation afterward had an indescribable numbness and pleasure.”

With the flow of Evergreen mana, Lan Changʼan’s quasi-fourth-rank body quickly healed the minor injuries and restored itself completely.

The Grand Elder’s pupils contracted as he spoke in a low voice:

“Don’t get cocky, little friend Lan. If you’re injured, don’t hold it in. You’ll end up with internal damage.”

Despite his words, the Grand Elder felt that something was off about the earlier Slaughtering Spirit Hand attack. After two layers of impact buffering, the strike on Lan Changʼan had lost its edge.

Lan Changʼan’s body was far tougher than expected. It seemed he had also cultivated the body-refining path and had considerable attainment in it.

Moreover, his Nascent Soul spiritual sense was stronger than even many veteran Nascent Soul cultivators. He had also cultivated a soul-refining secret technique.

All these factors combined led to the Grand Elder’s killing blow failing to achieve its intended effect.

But to say that it had caused almost no threat at all, even he found that hard to believe.

However, in the subsequent clashes, Lan Changʼan’s spiritual power remained abundant and unending. His magical treasure control with spiritual sense remained sharp and fluid.

It was clear that he had not suffered any real damage.

“This brat is truly a turtle shell…”

The Grand Elder of Beast King Valley muttered inwardly, finally giving up the idea of seriously injuring or defeating Lan Changʼan.

Though Slaughtering Spirit Hand wasn’t his ultimate technique, its lethality was significant and yet it failed to cause any substantial harm to Lan Changʼan.

He realized that Lan Changqing, like himself, had survivability far beyond that of others at their cultivation level.

When two turtle shells collide, it’s naturally hard to determine a winner.

…

Above the clouds, Lan Changʼan and the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley had been locked in battle for some time. Both sides had gradually adapted to each other’s methods, back and forth they went, neither able to gain the upper hand.

The Grand Elder remained relatively composed and had the greater initiative.

During their exchange, Lan Changʼan confirmed that the Grand Elder possessed late-stage third-rank attainment in body refinement.

According to Chu Tianfeng, this man’s natal Heavenly Silkworm had exceptional regenerative and healing abilities.

However, Lan Changʼan had yet to land a proper injury on the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley.

At that moment, from the side came a cold streak of frost-light, a Nascent Soul cultivator’s aura surged forth.

“Husband, this concubine is here to assist you!”

Fairy Xia charged in from the flank, coordinating with Lan Changʼan to pincer the Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder’s eyelids twitched. Just endless trouble…

As a thousand-year-old Nascent Soul cultivator, he was now faced with the prospect of a three-on-one group battle.

His original plan was to restrain Lan Changʼan, Lord Earthrock, and Fairy Xia, the trio of Nascent Soul combatants.

Yet earlier, even without Fairy Xia taking action, Lan Changʼan alone had been enough to go toe-to-toe with him.

He had to admit, Lan Changʼan’s true strength far surpassed his initial expectations.

If it had been Sect Master Meng in his place, there was a good chance he would’ve been suppressed, maybe even forced into retreat.

With Fairy Xia entering the fray, the Grand Elder didn’t retreat, but his expression turned more solemn.

Fairy Xia formed a series of hand seals. Her flowing dress danced as snowflakes scattered around her, she looked like an immortal of ice and snow.

A dreamlike, crystal-jade lotus treasure drifted out from her person.

The Ice Lotus Treasure split into seven, transforming into seven crystalline lotuses glowing with green light. Some rotated protectively around her; others flew with extreme agility to strike the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley.

Each blow from the crystal lotuses was like a crashing iceberg, fragments exploded with chilling force, the frost biting to the bone.

“This treasure integrates both offense and defense, flexible and powerful… Definitely not a product of the Great Qing.”

The Grand Elder was mildly shocked, he finally understood why True Monarch Black Feather and Elder Ten Thousand Crane had met such disastrous ends.

Fairy Xia possessed an Innate Dao Physique that enhanced cold-element spells and divine abilities. This synergized perfectly with the powerful magical treasure. Her combat strength was no less than a veteran early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

Now faced with three attackers, the Grand Elder felt the pressure and was forced to summon his Heavenly Silkworm Treasure Robe for protection.

Woven from Heavenly Silkworm silk, the robe radiated a dense white glow. The shifting silk strands formed a glowing protective shroud.

The Heavenly Silkworm Treasure Robe was impervious to fire and water. Backed by the formidable spiritual power of a demonic sect leader, it blocked about half of the incoming attacks.

Simultaneously, the Grand Elder manipulated the compass treasure, continuing to weaken Lan Changʼan and the puppet formation’s combat power, absorbing spiritual energy and occasionally launching counterattacks.

“This old bastard’s tough as hell.”

Lan Changʼan’s face remained impassive as he slid one hand into his sleeve.

Receiving the signal, Lord Earthrock and Fairy Xia coordinated their moves.

Lord Earthrock used Earth Bind Technique, anchoring the Grand Elder’s body in place.

Fairy Xia opened her delicate mouth and released several bluish-green Ice Flames, they were ominous and threatening as they pounced toward the Grand Elder.

These were her natal Ice Flames, cultivated through her Dao physique and secret inheritance from True Monarch Soaring Snow.

At the same time, Lan Changʼan’s Dragonwood Staff launched a frontal strike.

The Grand Elder fought while retreating, the glowing shroud of his Treasure Robe dimmed by more than half.

Almost simultaneously, Lan Changʼanʼs hand, hidden inside his sleeve, made its move.

Whoosh—

A feathered Poison Needle streaked through the air, its trajectory obscured by all the previous attacks, and landed precisely on target.

“Puff” the robe’s light barrier finally broke.

Though the Grand Elder dodged his vital points, the feathered poison needle still pierced the Heavenly Silkworm robe.

A thin trail of blood seeped from the silken surface.

Lan Changʼan’s face lit up with joy.

This feathered poison needle had been coated in a deadly blend of fourth-rank toxins, extracted from the original version of the Five Birds Venom Fire Fan, a signature of the poison master Old Evil Shen.

It might not be fatal to a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, but it was enough to weaken their condition and fighting strength.

“Turtle Lan, you truly are devious and treacherous.”

The Grand Elder’s face darkened.

He hadn’t expected this.

Yet despite being hit by the poison needle, the Grand Elder did not panic, nor did he fly into a rage or immediately take an antidote.

Instead, he calmly reached out with two fingers, plucked the feathered poison needle from his robe, and said in a flat tone:

“This level of fourth-rank poison is still too weak to harm this old man.”

As it turned out, his natal Heavenly Silkworm possessed miraculous toxin-neutralizing and detoxification properties.

Even the Heavenly Silkworm Treasure Robe had strong poison-resisting effects.

Thus, even though the feathered poison needle tore his flesh, it posed no real threat.

He didn’t even need to consume an antidote.

Seeing Lan Changʼan in the distance frozen for a moment, the Grand Elder couldnʼt help but feel a trace of pride.

But just as he looked more closely, his expression changed drastically.

Swish!

The distant Lan Changʼan was just a residual shadow!

In truth, when the Grand Elder had been distracted by the poison needle, Lan Changʼan had already activated Illusory Wood Doppelgänger.

A green-glowing figure appeared on the Grand Elder’s opposite side.

Withering Divine Light!

Without hesitation, Lan Changʼan unleashed the life-draining forbidden technique, his palm condensed a deep, warped, decaying green light, radiating the aura of time’s erosion, and struck the Grand Elder once again.

“Pfft!”

The already damaged Treasure Robe’s barrier was once more shattered by the Withering Divine Light.

“No!”

As a millennia-old cultivator, the Grand Elder’s heart trembled, this was a threat he hadn’t felt in hundreds of years.

He transformed into a streak of white light, rapidly retreating.

The Heavenly Silkworm Treasure Robe on his body lost its glow. The refined silkworm threads dulled, and large sections withered.

Beneath the torn robe, a shriveled, bloody hole was left in his chest.

“Turtle Lan, how dare you—!”

For the first time, the Grand Elder lost his temper. The fat on his round face quivered slightly, and his heart bled.

That one strike had cost him ten years of lifespan, his life essence had been drained.

If it were just a regular injury, he wouldn’t care. His natal Heavenly Silkworm could have healed it instantly.

But the stolen lifespan, that could never be recovered.

Aside from the loss of lifespan, the Heavenly Silkworm Treasure Robe’s spiritual quality was damaged, its defensive power sharply reduced.

Still, no matter how furious or heartbroken he was, it didn’t change the fact that he had been wounded, his life shortened, and he had suffered a massive loss.

...

“Prepare to retreat!”

Lan Changʼan suddenly raised his hand, not only did he forgo pursuing his advantage, but he also signaled Fairy Xia and Lord Earthrock to cease their attacks.

At the moment, the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley was injured, his vitality depleted, and his defensive treasure robe damaged. His overall condition and strength were certainly in decline.

“Such injuries mean little to the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley,” Lan Changʼan explained as they withdrew.

It was known that the Grand Elder’s natal Heavenly Silkworm still possessed a divine ability “Rebirth from the Cocoon,” it was capable of fully restoring him to peak condition.

However, that ability could only be used once every hundred years.

From the start, Lan Changʼan had never intended to gravely wound or defeat the Grand Elder.

Making him lose ten years of lifespan and develop wariness, that was already an ideal result.

Among all the mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators Lan Changʼan had faced, if the Yu Emperor was the greatest offensive, then the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley was undoubtedly the ”strongest shield.”

“That brat’s not giving chase…”

The Grand Elder pressed a hand to his chest. The wound left by the Withering Divine Light stifled vitality, and his natal Heavenly Silkworm’s healing ability was extremely slow in repairing it.

He was the injured one, yet Lan Changʼan was the one choosing to leave.

”Taking the advantage and then running?”

The Grand Elder felt worse than if he’d swallowed a fly.

“The situation is already clear…”

Lan Changʼan had activated his fourth-rank divination art. He sensed the shift in fate and the clearing of obscuring heavenly secrets, the fog of destiny had lifted completely.

The Nascent Soul within his body stirred with a flash of inspiration, as if drawn by some mysterious pull, a sign that a significant opportunity was approaching.

Two hundred li from the front-line stronghold, Lan Changʼan instinctively looked off in a certain direction.

...

Several hundred li away, a demonic wind filled with murderous aura swept across the skies.

A fourth-rank Peng Bird with a wingspan of over twenty zhang sliced through the air at breakneck speed.

On its back sat a man in a green robe, appearing about thirty years old, with a high forehead and unremarkable features.

There was no detectable mana fluctuation on the green-robed man, his Nascent Soul and spiritual power had been sealed by some secret art, leaving no trace of energy. He relied entirely on the Peng Bird’s speed to travel.

“Fellow Daoist Lan, please wait! This Chen has long admired you from afar. I’ve come on behalf of the Righteous Dao Alliance with urgent matters to discuss.”

The Peng Bird’s speed rivaled that of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator and was rapidly approaching.

At the same time, the green-robed man glanced toward the location of the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley, his brows knitting slightly.

“Weren’t we promised a great battle? At the very least, Lan Changqing should’ve been heavily injured, his vitality depleted… But the situation doesn’t match that at all…”

“Could this be a trick? The old monsters from the Six Demonic Sects are not to be trusted…”

After all, back in the day, he’d nearly lost his life while being hunted by Nascent Soul experts from two demonic sects.

If not for the current delicate situation, where both factions’ Nascent Soul cultivators kept each other in check, and opportunities were rare, he never would’ve considered cooperating with Beast King Valley.

“Just as I thought… this moment would lure you in.”

Lan Changʼan silently gauged the distance.

With his escape speed, he could easily reach the front-line stronghold before the newcomer arrived.

“You return to the frontline stronghold first. Follow the plan I left in the jade slip,” Lan Changʼan instructed, preparing to cover the rear.

“Be careful, husband,” Xia Wenyue replied with some concern, but did not ask further.

In truth, Fairy Xia staying behind would’ve been a strong support.

But the next phase of the confrontation involved high risks. Lan Changʼan carried far too many secrets, it was best to avoid exposing them.

Thus, Lan Changʼan chose to stay and cover the retreat.

At this point, three powerful forces had taken the field:

One was the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley, his spiritual energy remained the most abundant.

Another was the Peng Bird and the green-robed man atop it. Now that his seal was lifting, True Monarch Cyanwood’s spiritual power and the aura of the Evergreen Technique radiated outward, giving Lan Changʼan a sense of familiarity.

The last was Lan Changʼan and Lord Earthrock, seemingly the weakest of the three.

The three forces formed an almost perfect equilateral triangle across dozens of li, cautiously watching one another in mutual tension.