I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 457: Turning the Scheme to His Advantage, Blurring Truth with Falsehood

Read 40 Chapters Ahead On Patreon :D https://www.patreon.com/zilawere

One year later.

Lan Changʼan had turned 526 years old, and it had been thirteen years since his return to Great Yuan.

“True Monarch Xiang! The frontlines grow ever more brutal. The imperial family has sent another urgent secret letter, hoping you will take the field.”

Within the cave manor atop Yunlan Peak, the white-haired, white-robed Sect Master Xuefeng bowed deeply, his tone brimming with somber urgency.

“No need to rush.”

Lan Changʼan sat serenely like a fisherman at ease, and replied with a calm voice:

“The old patriarch of the imperial clan, the strongest among them, is nearing the end of his lifespan. It is they who should be anxious. Right now is a fleeting period of peak power for the Great Yu Kingdom. With three known mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators on the surface, they must devour the Great Luo Kingdom.”

At present, Great Yu’s war efforts had stalled, progress inching forward with difficulty. Lan Changʼan was certain that the final chapter had not yet arrived.

The imperial clan had yet to unveil their true trump cards or unleash their most formidable means.
Great Yuʼs royalty feared the cost of a pyrrhic victory, winning the war but at a loss so great it would cripple the nation. Their strategy aimed to preserve strength by having allies and internal factions do the heavy lifting, exhausting the enemy through attrition.

This, the Sect Master Xuefeng fully understood.

He continued his report:

“Recently, our sect’s Supreme Elder clashed with a Nascent Soul cultivator from Yaqi Mountain’s demonic faction and suffered serious injuries.”

“The imperial court recommends the Supreme Elder return to the sect for recovery. They suggest… perhaps True Monarch Xiang could take her place for a time.”

The sect master looked troubled, forcing himself to speak.

Of the two Nascent Soul cultivators within Yunxia Sect, the stronger and more renowned, Xiang Dalong, had remained in seclusion, never setting foot on the battlefield.

Instead, it was Purple Mist Fairy who had fought tooth and nail at the front, leading her disciples in blood-soaked battles.

Many within the Yunxia Sect had begun to whisper complaints.

Across Great Yu, rumors abounded, mocking Xiang Dalong as a turtle hiding in his shell, a dragon in name only, long fallen from grace.

Especially after Purple Mist Fairy was injured at the front, discontent within the sect only grew.

Even Sword Monarch Yu Yuanjin, an old acquaintance, could no longer stay silent.

Yu Yuanjin had already reached mid-stage Nascent Soul and was defending Great Yu’s western border from Yaqi Mountain incursions.

He had bluntly expressed disappointment in Xiang Dalong, believing that the latter hid behind a woman, lacking the courage and drive to press forward.

“When I reach the peak of early-stage Nascent Soul and master my divine powers, I will act.”

Lan Changʼan responded with righteous certainty.

“I’ve heard of Ziyan’s injuries. They are not serious. Besides, while wounded, she managed to defeat and repel a Yaqi Mountain demonic cultivator, a great victory for our sect.”

“Under the Supreme Elder’s leadership, our disciples have fought valiantly, amassing battle merits that can be exchanged for strategic resources. I believe it won’t be long before our sect’s fourth rank spiritual vein upgrades to mid-grade, truly a restoration of our ancestor’s legacy!”

Sect Master Xuefeng: “……”

In truth, during his so-called seclusion, Lan Changʼan would occasionally visit the frontlines in secret, maintaining a hidden connection with Jiang Ziyan.

Her injuries were minor, he had already healed them in a casual meeting.

With Lord Earthrock watching over her, Purple Mist Fairy had no need to fear for her life and could fight freely on the battlefield.

Lord Earthrock had never directly engaged in battle; instead, he lingered on the edges, scavenging and looting the fallen.

Lan Changʼan quietly mused: the Great Yu imperial court, under the guise of rotating troops and with the aid of mounting public pressure, was attempting to force him onto the battlefield.

After all, Xiang Dalong, with his mid-stage Nascent Soul strength, could shoulder considerable burden for the Great Yu imperial clan.

…

“Anything else to report?”

Lan Changʼan looked toward the Sect Master Xuefeng, who now stood in uneasy silence.

The sect master straightened, his expression serious as he respectfully said:

“One other matter, concerning Alchemist Le’s lineage within the Alchemy Dao Alliance.”

With that, he presented a sealed letter.

“Alchemist Le? I heard he passed away years ago.”

Lan Changʼan casually asked as he opened the letter.

Back in his early days in Great Yuan, he had asked Alchemist Le to craft an Infant Transformation Pill and a fourth rank Life Extension Pill, owing the man a favor ever since.

“Indeed. Before your return, True Monarch Xiang, Alchemist Le had already passed, succumbing to old age.”

The sect master hesitated, then added,

“These past years, Alchemist Le’s descendants have fared poorly. It’s said that certain Nascent Soul old monsters within the Alchemy Dao Alliance covet the legacy and alchemical inheritance he left behind…”

“Mm.”

Lan Changʼan nodded, reading the letter as a deep frown crept across his face.

His expression turned grim as he suddenly snapped:

“Outrageous!”

The letter was signed by “Le Qingni”, Alchemist Le’s most beloved granddaughter.

Lan Changʼan had met her several times back then. She was the one who received him when he first sought Alchemist Le’s aid in pill crafting.

Later, during his Nascent Soul tribulation, Le Qingni and her Dao Companion, Chu Yang, had come to Yunxia Sect to witness his tribulation.

Chu Yang had been Alchemist Le’s prized disciple, a peerless alchemy talent already touching the threshold of fourth rank with his peak Core Formation cultivation.

The two married and inherited the majority of Grandmaster Le’s estate and pill-making secrets.

Before passing, Alchemist Le entrusted his old friends to watch over the couple, distributing wealth freely to ensure their future.

His hope was that they would support each other until one of them broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, securing a foothold in the Central Region.

Twenty years ago, Chu Yang successfully refined an Infant Transformation Pill.

Not daring to delay, he attempted the breakthrough immediately, only to perish under the heavenly lightning tribulation.

Le Qingni was left a widow.

While Chu Yang was alive, the two of them, bolstered by Alchemist Le’s past influence, had managed to fend off outside threats.

But after his death, Le Qingni was left defenseless within the Alchemy Dao Alliance.

Worse yet, her beauty which was cold and ethereal, combined with her inheritance of a portion of Alchemist Le’s estate and unique alchemical methods, made her a prize many coveted.

Even worse, the one who desired her most was none other than one of Alchemist Le’s old friends, a Nascent Soul cultivator known as True Monarch Refinement Cauldron.

A master of both artifact and pill forging, Refinement Cauldron had long admired Alchemist Le’s alchemical prowess.

Le Qingni now suspected that her husband’s death during tribulation might not have been natural, after all, the spirit item he used to resist heavenly lightning had been enhanced by none other than True Monarch Refinement Cauldron.

Yet, at the critical moment, that very artifact shattered.

Due to internal checks and balances among Nascent Soul alchemists and the Alchemy Dao Alliance’s rules, Refinement Cauldron could not act too openly.

So instead, he pressured her into agreeing to marry his disciple, hoping to annex her legacy under the guise of union.

From his lecherous glances, Le Qingni suspected it wasn’t just about her marrying a disciple. Something far more sinister lurked beneath.

After all, the disciple in question was the most simple and honest among them, likely a pawn.

Far away in the Alchemy Dao Alliance, Le Qingni had recently heard rumors of Xiang True Monarch’s return, rekindling a glimmer of hope.

Yet she was under constant surveillance by Refinement Cauldron’s sect, unable to leave or send word freely.

To lower Refinement Cauldron’s guard, she feigned consent to the engagement, stalling for time.

Only when the old monster relaxed did she dispatch a secret servant of Alchemist Le to deliver a plea for help to Great Yu and Yunxia Sect.

…

”True Monarch Xiang, the Alchemy Dao Alliance is the largest neutral pill-forging union in the Central Region, and its influence extends far beyond. At a time when Great Yu is embroiled in war and the Supreme Elder fights on the front lines, I fear it may not be wise…”

The Sect Master Xuefeng spoke cautiously, watching Lan Changʼan’s expression with care.

Lan Changʼan gradually calmed. After a brief mental calculation, he issued a crisp command:

“Immediately send a formal condemnation to ‘True Monarch Refinement Cauldron’ of the Alchemy Dao Alliance, expressing strong discontent!”

“For True Monarch Refinement Cauldron to dare deceive and threaten Fairy Le… even if he resides far from the Great Yu Kingdom, he must be punished!”

“Yes, True Monarch Xiang!”

“I will arrange it at once. The warning will be delivered swiftly to the Alchemy Dao Alliance!”

Hearing these orders, the Sect Master Xuefeng finally exhaled in relief, a faint smile surfacing on his face.

To him, it was already generous that True Monarch Xiang would even bother to lend his voice.

After all, the friendship between Lan Changʼan and Alchemist Le had been, at best, cordial. And many of Alchemist Le’s closer allies had done nothing, even seizing the chance to prey on his legacy.

Moreover, Alchemist Le had long borrowed True Monarch Xiang’s prestige to deter ill-wishers, using up much of that goodwill without ever calling in the actual favor.

Now, Lan Changʼan’s refusal to abandon the matter, even if only a verbal condemnation, would provide Fairy Le some degree of backing. Enough to give the scheming Nascent Soul cultivators a moment’s pause.

Had the famed ”Twin Dragons of the Central Region” not vanished for so long, and had Yunxia Sect not been embroiled in Great Yu’s war, matters might’ve been different.

In the old days, just one word from True Monarch Xiang, spoken from afar, could send even ancient Nascent Soul experts scrambling back in fear, dropping all designs.

But now? Whether this warning would bear real effect remained uncertain.

…

A few days later.

A white-robed man silently departed from the mountain gate of Yunxia Sect, his presence so subdued it was as if he didn’t exist.

Once he had flown several thousand li, he reached a remote and desolate wilderness, where he transformed into a streak of azure light, soaring into the upper Nine Fiery Heavens above the clouds.

At the same time…

Deep within a dense forest near the border of Yunxia Sect and Great Snake Mountain,

“He’s moved.”

The voice was deep and low, belonging to a man wearing a conical bamboo hat, his build lean and sharp.

He had a thick mane of hair, a bulbous nose, and piercing falcon-like eyes that gazed far into the distance.

Hovering over his palm were several strange flying insects. At his feet lounged a two-headed demonic hound, lazily lolling its tongue.

Far above, high in the skies, more strange insects and exotic birds fluttered, connected to the man through some mysterious surveillance network.

“Xiang Dalong actually left?”

The speaker was True Monarch Netherwater, clad in a black magical gown and veil, her tone tinged with surprise.

Through long-term surveillance, they had observed Xiang Dalong hiding within Yunxia Sect while Purple Mist Fairy fought on the front lines, earning him scorn from many high-tier cultivators.

Netherwater had suspected that Xiang Dalong’s refusal to emerge was due to wariness of her.

“Unexpected. Seems the man actually honors his word, rare among cultivators these days.”

A soft chuckle came from the Grand Elder of the Black Sea Sect.

His hair was gray and loose, facial features androgynous, with sharp ears and a crystalline fair complexion that made him look no older than a youth in his twenties.

The scheme involving Fairy Le had only been a probing move, one small piece on the board. The two mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators of the Black Sea Sect never placed great hopes on it.

They had a second approach: to target Purple Mist Fairy directly, luring Xiang Dalong into action.

But the tracking master they hired confirmed that Purple Mist Fairy was guarded by a fourth-rank demon king, making her extremely difficult to ambush quickly or cleanly.

To strike at her and fail would mean openly declaring war on the Great Yu Kingdom, and alerting Xiang Dalong in the process.

Thus, one last reliable tactic remained.

Wait for the critical moment in the Great Yu campaign.

At such a time, the imperial court would be willing to pay the price and would almost certainly call upon Xiang Dalong.

Once he took the field, even if it was a negotiation tactic to raise his value, outsiders could deduce his intentions.

As long as Xiang Dalong entered the war, the three Nascent Soul cultivators hidden in the shadows could act in concert, seizing the advantage.

If he were injured in battle, or his vitality drained afterward, the chance of success would skyrocket.

“Master Gou, are you certain Xiang Dalong has left?”

True Monarch Netherwater still couldn’t quite believe it. They hadn’t even placed high hopes on this setup, yet it had lured the dragon from his cave.

If not for their manipulations behind the scenes, Le Qingni’s letter of plea would never have reached the Great Yu Kingdom.

“No doubt about it, it’s him!”

“Nascent Soul cultivation, aura and appearance confirmed. Yunxia Sect doesn’t have a third Nascent Soul cultivator, do they?”

Master Gou spoke with great confidence. He had laid insect and bird surveillance nodes throughout Yunxia Sect’s surroundings and had already locked onto the target.

“Excellent. If this succeeds, Black Sea Sect will owe you a favor and handsomely reward you.”

The gray-haired youth chuckled, serene and composed.

His aura surged quietly, vast as a sea of clouds, clearly at the peak of mid-stage Nascent Soul.

Tracing Master Gou was famed along the Eastern Reigon’s coastal regions.

His clan operated sea trade routes dependent on the Sixteen Sea-Suppressing Sects. Aside from being a master tracker, he was also a top-tier third rank divination expert, his twin talents enhancing each other to astonishing effect.

It was precisely for this reason that to seek lost ruins near Tinghai Pavilion and increasing their chances against Xiang Dalong Black Sea Sect had invited him to take the field.

…

“Gentlemen! The direction Xiang Dalong is heading, itʼs straight toward the Alchemy Dao Alliance.”

A moment later, Master Gou suddenly spoke.

Hearing this, both True Monarch Netherwater and the gray-haired man lit up with joy.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Master Gou activated a concealment technique, and the three of them descended onto an enormous leaf-shaped flying treasure, soaring into the clouds in pursuit.

This flying treasure’s speed vastly surpassed that of ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.

Half a day later, just beyond the borders of Great Yu Kingdom.

The powerful spiritual sense of the Black Sea Sect’s Grand Elder faintly detected Nascent Soul-level flying light streaking across the fourth layer of the Nine Fiery Heavens.

A white-robed figure darted through this level of the sky, surrounded by tempest winds, strange fires, falling meteors, and icy hail, heavenly phenomena that disrupted spiritual senses to a degree.

“Target located!”

Without hesitation, the three Nascent Soul cultivators of the Eastern Region gave chase.

Even if their target possessed mid-stage Nascent Soul-level strength or was a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator outright, the trio had full confidence in handling him together.

Swish! Swish!

The gray-haired man and True Monarch Netherwater transformed into twin beams of black-water light, moving far faster than the early-stage Master Gou.

Among them, the Black Sea Grand Elder flew even faster than True Monarch Netherwater.

“No need to rush, gentlemen. We’re already outside Great Yu borders. With me here, Xiang Dalong won’t escape.”

Master Gou smiled leisurely, completely at ease.

His task of tracking the target was essentially done. Since he wasn’t one of the primary combatants, he simply needed to remain nearby and offer support.

Yet in just moments, he lagged nearly a thousand li behind.

Then, suddenly, he sensed a familiar wood-element flying light closing in from behind.

“Might I have your name, this Grandmaster?”

From the verdant beam of wood-element light, a white-robed man, warm and refined like jade, spoke with a subtle smile.

“X-Xiang Dalong!”

Master Gou’s eyes bulged wide in terror.

“Impossible! Then who’s that Nascent Soul ahead-?”

Chills ran down his spine as he glanced forward at the two mid-stage Nascent Souls still in hot pursuit.

If the man behind him was Xiang Dalong, then… who was the white-robed Nascent Soul they were chasing?

“The two Fellow Daoists…”

Cold sweat beaded across Master Gou’s forehead. Knowing he was no match, he immediately retrieved a transmission token to warn the two up ahead.

Luckily, the gap between them was under a thousand li.

Xiang Dalong, despite his strength, relied on puppet formations to contend with mid-stage Nascent Souls. His personal offensive capabilities should, theoretically, be weaker than theirs.

Though Master Gou wasn’t a skilled combatant, he had some confidence he could hold out for a moment or two.

“To dare get distracted… in front of me?”

Lan Changʼan chuckled lightly, reading his opponent’s intentions with ease.

But he showed no mercy.

As he closed in swiftly, a barbed arrow hidden within his sleeve was suddenly unleashed.

The range of this Barbed Arrow far exceeded that of ordinary magical treasures.

“Not good! Argh—!”

Just as Master Gou sensed the threat, his Nascent Soul quivered violently, and his consciousness was torn with piercing agony before plunging into chaos.

Shhkk—

A strange, piercing barbed arrow tore through the void, flashing with dim golden light. On a soul level, it shrieked like metal scraping against metal, and in an instant, it was reflected in the terrified pupils of Master Gou’s Nascent Soul.

His body froze, the protective treasure he had just activated dropping to the ground, while his defensive barrier dimmed and vanished.

The arrow disappeared into the void, leaving behind an aura of doom and destruction.

Swish!

The blood-streaked arrow returned to Lan Changʼan’s hand.

At the same time—

Zzzap! BOOM!

A thick, charred wooden stake floated above Master Gou’s head. Blue lightning of destruction descended, obliterating the severely wounded Nascent Soul, along with his physical body, spiritual pet, and all else.

Only a single spatial ring drifted through the air into Lan Changʼan’s grasp.

To ensure a swift kill, Lan Changʼan hadn’t attempted to capture the Nascent Soul, there were just too many unknowns.

After all, the remaining two Nascent Soul cultivators were just about a thousand li away; they’d arrive shortly.

As for the power of the Barbed Arrow, True Monarch Netherwater had experienced it once in the past, but she had no idea how greatly it had evolved since then.

...

Above the cloud sea.

“Something’s wrong! That white-robed cultivator up ahead may have Nascent Soul-level aura and spiritual fluctuations, but he doesn’t seem like a living being!”

The Grand Elder of the Black Sea Sect narrowed his eyes, spiritual sense sweeping forth with intensity. His expression changed instantly upon closer inspection.

True Monarch Netherwater, who trailed slightly behind, also sensed the discrepancy after being warned.

The white-robed cultivator’s appearance and skin were nearly identical to Xiang Dalong’s. More critically, he radiated a Nascent Soul-level spiritual fluctuation, enough to fool even veteran experts.

“Senior Brother! Master Gou just sent a distress message, he’s encountered the real Xiang Dalong!”

True Monarch Netherwater’s voice turned sharp as she retrieved a transmission token.

Theyʼd been duped.

The two mid-stage Nascent Soul experts of the Black Sea Sect exchanged glances, both faces turned dark with fury.

“Xiang Dalong… he’s likely already become a fourth-rank Puppet Master. That white-robed figure ahead must be one of his Nascent Soul-grade puppets!”

True Monarch Netherwater’s thoughts raced, and in a flash, she grasped the truth.

Before vanishing all those years ago, Xiang Dalong was rumored to have reached the threshold of fourth-rank Puppet Master.

After over a century, for him to break through and become a true grandmaster wasn’t surprising.

“Xiang! Da! Long!”

The Black Sea Grand Elder trembled with fury, feeling thoroughly played.

By now, he had caught up to the white-robed figure. With a wave of his hand, a sky-filling tide of black water surged forth like a monstrous tsunami, blotting out the sun and sky.

Whoooom—!

A colossal obsidian hand formed from the black waves, reaching down with destructive power that dimmed the heavens like the end of days.

In the next moment, the giant hand closed in on the white-robed man’s head.

Crack!

Even before the hand arrived, the immense pressure tore through the white-robed figure’s garments, revealing thick, metallic scales beneath.

The fourth-rank puppet’s arms swelled, transforming into a massive metallic shield, straining to resist the crushing blow.

BOOM!

A thunderous impact echoed like a mountain splitting apart.

The puppetʼs hands split open from the force, and it was sent tumbling through the air, crashing down into the forest below like a meteor.

Though durable, even a fourth-rank puppet couldnʼt completely withstand a strike of such force. Had it been an ordinary early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, they would have spat blood from heavy injury.

Hm?!

The Black Sea Grand Elder’s spiritual sense swept the dust-shrouded forest.

The white-robed puppet had rolled with the impact, only to vanish instantly after hitting the trees.

A suspicion formed in his mind, there might be a pre-set fourth-rank illusion array hidden in that forest.

But… there were no fourth-rank spirit veins in this region. For such a powerful array to function here was extremely suspicious.

“Senior Brother, we need to save Master Gou now, we can’t let Xiang Dalong get away!”

True Monarch Netherwater’s voice turned urgent.

She noticed the transmission with Master Gou had been cut off, an ominous sign.

If Master Gou died here, it would severely hamper their ability to track and hunt Xiang Dalong going forward.

Not waiting for a reply, she spun around and sped toward the location where Gou and Xiang Dalong had clashed.

Her silver teeth clenched, eyes flashing with bitter hatred and murderous intent.

Over a century ago… the blood feud, the stolen treasure, she had never once forgotten!

“Master Gou must not die! The true body of Xiang Dalong is the key!”

The Black Sea Grand Elder’s face was ashen with reluctance. He pulled his gaze from the illusory forest, there was no time to investigate further and turned to chase after Netherwater.

In such a brief time, Master Gou should still be alive!

Unfortunately, the two of them were not from the same sect as Gou, they had no soul lamp or life-painting linked to him, so they couldn’t sense his death.

They didn’t know that Master Gou, right after sending his distress signal, had already been annihilated by Lan Changʼan’s thunderous strike.

Even among top-tier mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, killing an opponent in such a short instant was virtually unheard of. It defied reason.

…

True Monarch Netherwater was the first to arrive at the scene.

Her spiritual sense swept the area and at once she found the charred remains of Master Gou and his spirit pet, still dissipating into drifting black ash and smoke.

“Xiang Dalong! You dared to kill Master Gou?!”

Shock and rage filled her voice. Her fair face paled further, disbelief flooding her expression.

“A dignified force of the Central Region lying in ambush here… killing a non-combatant Nascent Soul cultivator within ten breaths, is that truly so surprising to you, Fellow Daoist Netherwater?”

Lan Changʼan, calm as ever, put away the arc-crackling Thunderwood Stake.

Clearly, Master Gou had been slain moments ago by that peculiar lightning-type magical treasure.

Too late.

Netherwater’s heart clenched with bitter regret.

If only she had reacted faster, turned back without hesitation, she might have saved Master Gou.

Though the man was no fighter, losing him now greatly reduced their odds of successfully hunting Xiang Dalong.

Yet…

Why hadn’t Xiang Dalong fled?

He actually remained here after the kill? Such arrogance… gave the two Black Sea Sect powerhouses, whose cultivation arts perfectly complemented each other, a real opportunity.