I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

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A Few Days Later.

The bustling Qingsha Bay had finally returned to tranquility.

The Xia Family, after summarizing and organizing the gifts received during the Core Formation Ceremony, sent them to Autumnwind Isle.

Lan Chang'an only accepted the portion that belonged to him, such as gifts from figures like Li Hai, Ling Feng, Shen Bixin, and the Hanyu Immortal.

Many of the gifts were merely exchanges of goodwill between business associations, where giving and reciprocating were common.

Even so, the Xia Family took the opportunity to make a profit.

Since it was a Core Formation Ceremony, the value of the gifts sent was notably higher than usual.

Some cultivation sects that had minimal dealings with the Wufu Merchant Association even sent representatives to attend.

Among them, there was no shortage of third-rank spiritual items and materials.

The Hanyu Immortal presented a set of third-rank talisman drawing tools, including a talisman brush, spiritual ink, and an inkstone—suitable for Lan Chang'an’s daily use.

Talisman drawing tools, after all, are consumables.

The mid-grade third-rank talisman brush Lan Chang'an had obtained years ago was severely worn and could only be used a few dozen more times.

“Soul-Cleansing Pearl, Bitter Clear Bamboo…”

“The gift from Liang Shaotian’s eldest disciple is truly thoughtful.”

Lan Chang'an’s expression turned strange as he chuckled softly.

The Soul-Cleansing Pearl, a soul-path treasure, could nurture and refine the soul, making it far more valuable than ordinary third-rank treasures.

The Bitter Clear Bamboo could calm the mind and purify the heart, dispelling inner demons and mental obstacles, providing a slight boost in breakthroughs to major realms.

When used together, these two items were excellent for soul recovery and improving harmony between soul and body.

“Could it be that this person genuinely believes the legendary great cultivator Yan Donglai's bullshit?”

Lan Chang'an speculated that Liang Shaotian might have found records about "Yan Donglai" in ancient texts, leading to an inexplicable reverence for him.

Yan Donglai was no ordinary late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. Known as a legendary great cultivator, his fame wasn’t confined to a single region of the Heaven Honoured Continent.

This was a conclusion Lan Chang'an had reached after two lifetimes.

In his past life in the Great Kun region, there were some records about Yan Donglai, though sparse—indicating that Yan was likely not a cultivator native to Great Kun. ȓ

Lan Chang'an knew little about cultivation levels beyond Nascent Soul. He only heard that Nascent Soul True Monarchs possessed the strength to traverse vast distances between cultivation regions.

For early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, long journeys might still pose risks. But for a late-stage Nascent Soul great cultivator, such travel was likely a breeze.

From Xing Peng, Lan Chang'an learned that 300 years ago, the Ten Sects of the Xuan Gate in the Central Region of Great Qing produced a late-stage Nascent Soul leader who led the sect to defeat the Six Demonic Sects.

This Xuan Gate leader had vanished nearly 200 years ago.

Most likely, they had left Great Qing to roam other regions, seeking the elusive chance to ascend to the Deity Transformation Realm.

...

Half a Month Later.

The newly advanced Core Formation cultivator, "Evergreen Immortal," had officially become an honored elder for both the Wufu Merchant Association and the Snow Fox Merchant Association.

This news spread swiftly across the area surrounding Cloudsmoke Immortal City.

The Wufu and Snow Fox Merchant Associations had reached certain cooperative agreements, earning preferential treatment and support from the latter.

Lan Chang'an, with his inspiring reputation as a Core Formation cultivator, became a shining symbol of prestige.

Even if his role as an honored elder was only honorary, it still brought considerable status enhancement for the Snow Fox Merchant Association.

Mysteriously, Xiang Jinglong had suddenly ceased his pursuit of the Hanyu Immortal. As a result, the Snow Fox Merchant Association's internal and external crises were resolved effortlessly.

Lan Chang'an and the Xia Family Patriarch were seen appearing at the Snow Fox Merchant Association’s headquarters, confirming the news for many cultivators.

The silver-haired, snow-robed Hanyu Immortal, along with several senior members of the association, personally escorted Lan Chang'an and the Xia Family Patriarch out of the premises.

“Immortal Lan is so amiable—truly a man of noble character and great virtue,” a few senior members of the merchant guild praised.

The Hanyu Immortal watched the departing streaks of light belonging to Lan Chang'an and the Xia Family Patriarch, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

It was she who had proposed the idea of making Lan Chang'an an honored elder for both associations to foster cooperation.

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Initially, she had anticipated some resistance.

Unexpectedly, Lan Chang'an was remarkably agreeable, showing no signs of making things difficult during the negotiations.

As long as Lan Chang'an was willing, the Wufu Merchant Association, which also stood to benefit, had no reason to object.

Moreover, the spiritual vein at Qingsha Bay was at best a quasi-third-rank vein—not enough to retain a Core Formation cultivator.

“Xiang Jinglong’s decision to back off likely has something to do with Immortal Lan as well,” she speculated.

That day, when the head disciple of the Demonic Sect, Li Hai, attended the Core Formation Ceremony, the Hanyu Immortal had begun piecing together some suspicions.

Unintentionally, Lan Chang'an had greatly aided the Snow Fox Merchant Association.

Respectful and grateful, the Hanyu Immortal couldn’t help but develop a sense of admiration and a desire to repay the favor.

In comparison to Xiang Immortal, who had disappeared and broken his promises, Lan Chang'an truly embodied a noble character.

She had, on more than one occasion, tried to draw closer to Lan Chang'an—sending voice transmissions with hints of her desire to "repay" him.

Lan Chang'an, however, remained unmoved, maintaining an appropriate distance with a refined and gentlemanly demeanor.

The Hanyu Immortal felt a sense of regret and longing.

Such a man—untainted by the world, pure as jade—was someone she could never have.

“The gap between people can truly be so vast.”

She couldn’t help but think of that untrustworthy, withered old man in a straw raincoat. The thought left her feeling uncomfortable, even disgusted.

If only that straw-raincoat elder from years ago could be replaced by someone like Lan Chang'an, things would have been perfect.

...

Leaving Cloudsmoke Immortal City, Lan Chang'an had resolved his karmic ties with the Snow Fox Merchant Association.

By agreeing to serve as an honorary elder, he had repaid an old favor.

Lan Chang'an disliked owing others. He was nothing like Xiang Jinglong, who enjoyed freeloading and shirking debts.

Now, his position also granted him the opportunity to share cultivation insights with the Cold Jade Immortal, potentially rekindling a fleeting relationship.

But Lan Chang'an refrained from pursuing such an outcome.

For one, his interest had greatly diminished.

After all, such relationships were shallow and lacked genuine emotion.

For another, prolonged close interaction might fail to escape a woman’s intuition, potentially exposing his identity.

...

On the Journey, Lan Chang'an noticed that the Xia Family Patriarch seemed to harbor concerns, perhaps feeling threatened by the Snow Fox Merchant Association’s efforts to win him over.

“Immortal Lan, the spiritual vein at Autumnwind Isle is too humble for someone of your stature,” Xia Hongyu said with a sense of guilt.

“In two years, with the combined resources of the Wufu Merchant Association, we could hire a vein formation master to cultivate a small third-rank spiritual vein at the headquarters.”

In the cultivation world, spiritual veins could be nurtured and enhanced, even relocated to a degree.

However, this required the expertise of a vein formation master.

This profession, a specialized branch of formation arts, was both rare and obscure.

With sufficient investment in spirit stones and formations, it was possible to extract a segment of a third-rank spiritual vein from elsewhere to upgrade a high-grade second-rank vein to the third rank.

However, this only allowed for small-scale transfers. The resulting third-rank spiritual energy area would be small and could sustain the daily cultivation of only one True Dan cultivator.

For Core Formation breakthroughs, however, the energy requirements were immense, and such a setup would fall short.

The higher the rank of the spiritual vein, the more challenging it was to cultivate or relocate.

In the surrounding cultivation nations, there wasn’t a single fourth-rank vein formation master.

The main stronghold of the Xuan Yin Demonic Sect had reportedly paid a high price to employ a high-tier vein formation master, successfully relocating and cultivating a third-rank spiritual vein.

“There’s no need for the Xia Patriarch to expend resources. Having formed my core, I won’t remain in Jing Kingdom for long, and I certainly won’t consider the Snow Fox Merchant Association,” Lan Chang'an said candidly, revealing his future plans.

“Indeed, as a cultivator of the Liang Kingdom, it’s only natural for you to return home in glory after forming your core,” Xia Hongyu sighed, making no attempt to persuade him otherwise.

Lan Chang'an had already decided to leave.

Knowing he wasn’t being poached by the Snow Fox Merchant Association made Xia Hongyu feel much more at ease.

The Hanyu Immortal was a woman of stunning beauty—icy and ethereal, both cold and noble. Her willingness to lower herself to draw Lan Chang'an in had not gone unnoticed by Xia Hongyu.

He deeply admired Lan Chang'an’s self-control. Had it been him, he might not have resisted the temptation.

The Dao of Longevity emphasized restraint.

While not requiring absolute abstinence, it did demand moderation.

“As a fellow cultivator of the Longevity Dao, no wonder Fellow Daoist Lan has progressed so much further. Viewing beauty as mere bones, leaving no offspring—this is how one remains unshackled…”

Xia Hongyu faintly began to realize the gap between himself and Lan Chang'an.

...

Returning to Autumnwind Isle, Lan Chang'an entered the deep pool area through an underground tunnel.

This place was secured by formations, and the pool's water served as a natural barrier.

If Lan Chang'an wasn’t present, the Earth Burrowing Rat would stand guard. If both he and the Earth Burrowing Rat were absent, the mysterious Xuanmu Vine located deep beneath the pool would be taken away to ensure its safety.

Lan Chang'an descended to the stone chamber at the bottom of the pool.

He circulated his Evergreen mana to nourish and water the Xuanmu Vine.

Since advancing to Core Formation, Lan Chang'an had stopped regular cultivation, often coming here in recent days to use his mana to nurture the vine.

"Even with Core Formation-level Evergreen mana, the withered parts of the vine show no signs of revival, and the minuscule green section only grows at an almost imperceptible pace."

Through these recent experiments, Lan Chang'an reached a preliminary conclusion:

The nourishing and healing effects of Core Formation-level Evergreen mana were several times stronger than during his Foundation Establishment stage.

He thought back to the time he healed the root illness of Xia Wenyue, and the eldest lady of the Mu Family, with his current strength, it likely wouldn’t have required sacrificing any of his lifespan.

Even so, the Evergreen mana at the Core Formation stage couldn’t reverse the withering of the Xuanmu Vine.

“It seems I’ll have to consume my lifespan.”

Lan Chang'an realized this might be tied to some fundamental law of heaven and earth. Without a significant price like consuming lifespan, it would be nearly impossible to reverse the withering state of the vine.

Fortunately, after forming his Core, Lan Chang'an’s lifespan was incredibly abundant—over a thousand years.

Spending a few decades or even a century to attempt to save the mysterious Xuanmu Vine was entirely feasible.

“However, the time isn’t right.”

“When I reform my Core, my cultivation will temporarily drop back to the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, and my current thousand-year lifespan will no longer exist.”

To maintain peak condition, Lan Chang'an knew he couldn’t recklessly consume his lifespan for an uncertain attempt at this stage.

...

For the Core Reformation, Lan Chang'an already had a general plan.

Based on intelligence obtained from Xing Peng, the Six Demonic Sects were poised to invade soon.

Lan Chang'an intended to complete the Core Shattering and Reformation process within the next few years.

Fortunately, the Liang Kingdom and Jing Kingdom, located near the northern part of the Black Fog Mountain Range, were in the rear lines.

The Feng Kingdom, vast and situated in the center, served as a buffer.

Meanwhile, the original Yan Kingdom and the Chen Kingdom would likely face the brunt of the initial invasion.

Unless the cultivation war completely collapsed, the conflict wouldn’t reach the rear lines for several years.

"The location of the spiritual vein that I choose for the final breakthrough during Core Reformation will be critical," Lan Chang'an thought deeply, his gaze turning towards the Liang Kingdom and Feng Kingdom.

For this crucial breakthrough, all his precious resources—Crystal Condensation Pill, Tianjing Water, Five Element Earth, and Bitter Clear Bamboo—would need to be used.

A small place like Jing Kingdom was unsuitable for such an endeavor.

Even forming an upper-tier True Dan in Jing Kingdom would draw too much attention, as such achievements were rarely seen here, it would easily break the record of several centuries again.

In larger cultivation nations, such as the Feng Kingdom or the Seven Kingdoms Alliance, the broader horizons of the cultivators meant such accomplishments wouldn’t cause a stir.

Forming a higher quality True Dan primarily indicated greater potential, purer spiritual power, and a slightly higher chance of advancing to the Nascent Soul Realm. However, it wasn’t a guarantee.

Even a prodigious Heavenly Spirit Root cultivator might find themselves stuck before forming a Nascent Soul.

After all, the final hurdle of forming a Nascent Soul—The Heart Demon Tribulation—was a test that disregarded aptitude and spiritual power alike.

...

Lan Chang'an already possessed a complete set of materials needed for a Crystal Condensation Pill.

However, for the final breakthrough, he would only need one Crystal Condensation Pill.

Given his certainty of success, additional Crystal Condensation Pills weren’t necessary—unless he sought to create a superior-quality pill. But that possibility was low and could invite unnecessary complications.

Lacking a trusted third-rank alchemist, Lan Chang'an made a practical decision: there was no need to chase after a superior Crystal Condensation Pill.

Superior-grade pills mainly increased the success rate of forming a Dan, but they didn’t directly enhance its quality. It merely made the process easier, leaving the cultivator with more energy to focus on improving the finished Dan’s quality.

With his past-life experience, peak soul strength from his previous life, and quasi-third-rank physique, Lan Chang'an found the Core Formation process relatively straightforward.

For him, a superior Crystal Condensation Pill was just icing on the cake. Instead, he prioritized adding another high-quality Core Formation spiritual item to his resources.

“Rather than chasing after a superior-quality Crystal Condensation Pill, it’s better to find a top-tier body refining technique and elevate my physique to a true third-rank level!”

Currently, Lan Chang'an’s body refining realm was infinitely close to the third rank.

If he could achieve that breakthrough, his physical body would rival a third-rank Great Demon. In that case, his Core Reformation would become unbeatable.

Unfortunately, the Cloud Sand Body Refinement Manual he initially practiced only reached the quasi-third rank at its highest level.

The limiting factor for Lan Chang'an’s body refinement progress wasn’t his aptitude but the ceiling of the technique itself.

“Before leaving Jing Kingdom, I must try to find a compatible, advanced body refining technique.”

As long as the technique was sufficient, Lan Chang'an was confident he could elevate his body refinement to the third rank within a relatively short period!

...

Over the next six months, Lan Chang'an traveled across the cultivation world of Jing Kingdom, visiting various immortal cities and marketplaces.

The cultivation world of the Jing Kingdom had a highly developed trade system, with techniques circulating far more freely than in the Liang Kingdom.

This was advantageous for ordinary cultivators.

Of course, Lan Chang'an no longer counted as an ordinary cultivator.

Obtaining a Core Formation-level body refining technique was relatively easy for him.

The challenge lay in:

The new technique needed to align with the style and principles of the Cloud Sand Body Refinement Manual. Otherwise, switching would be akin to starting over, costing him more time.

If the styles of the techniques were similar, it could be considered a technique transition rather than a full restart, significantly shortening the time required to adapt.

As for whether the technique was slightly stronger or weaker, Lan Chang'an didn’t particularly care. After all, he didn’t focus on body refinement as his main cultivation path or follow the way of body cultivation.

Aside from compatibility, Lan Chang'an also wanted to avoid revealing his identity while searching for a technique. A body refining technique, if kept secret, could serve as a critical hidden weapon in desperate situations.

These two factors significantly increased the difficulty of his search.

Fortunately, Lan Chang'an had access to intelligence networks, including help from the Incense Master within the Unseen Gate.

In addition, Jing Kingdom had its own intelligence-selling factions.

After six months, Lan Chang'an acquired two alternative body refining techniques, they were Hundred-Refinement Vajra Art and Demonic Dragon Overlord Physique.

Hundred-Refinement Vajra Art – A straightforward, unremarkable technique that tempered the body through repeated forging, akin to refining iron. It could reach the late third rank but required vast amounts of precious materials and placed a significant strain on the body. Lan Chang'an purchased this from the "Wanshu Pavilion" using spirit stones.

Demonic Dragon Overlord Physique – A fragmented technique with great power but demanding conditions. Cultivators needed to integrate special types of Great Demon blood during practice, granting them partial demonic transformations. Lan Chang'an bought this from a declining beast-taming family based on intelligence leads.

“If I don’t find anything better, I’ll settle for the Hundred-Refinement Vajra Art,” Lan Chang'an sighed.

While mediocre and lacking in power, the technique’s overall style was somewhat similar to the Cloud Sand Body Refinement Manual.

As for the Demonic Dragon Overlord Physique, its requirements were far too harsh, involving the absorption of demonic blood. Additionally, its side effects—demonic transformations during combat—didn’t align with Lan Chang'an’s long-term philosophy for this life.

...

Just as Lan Chang'an returned to Autumnwind Isle and prepared to practice the Hundred-Refinement Vajra Art, Xing Peng brought a new piece of information.

“Master Lan, I’ve uncovered another lead. It concerns a body refining technique that’s considered the best in the Liang Kingdom and among the top in neighboring nations.”

A man in a gray robe and hood emerged from the shadows of the room.

“What technique?”

“It’s called the Earth Fiend Heaven-Supporting Art. The practitioner is none other than Xiang Jinglong, the external elder of the Demonic Sect.”

“That man cultivates such a high-level technique? Why wasn’t this known earlier?” Lan Chang'an asked, his surprise evident.

“Because this technique was granted to him by Liang Shaotian twenty years ago. Xiang Jinglong was instructed to switch techniques. The Earth Fiend Heaven-Supporting Art doesn’t stand out before reaching the third rank—it only enhances physical strength and demonic energy slightly.

“But just a few months ago, Xiang Jinglong risked his life in seclusion. When he emerged recently, despite bleeding from his seven orifices, he succeeded in breaking through to the third-rank body refining realm!”

Hearing this, Lan Chang'an couldn’t help but feel a trace of admiration.

“Xiang Immortal is truly no ordinary man!”

He guessed that Xiang Jinglong had likely turned his resentment into motivation, dangerously pushing himself to a breakthrough.

That kind of ruthlessness, while counterproductive for Core Formation, could create opportunities for breakthroughs in body refinement.

“Where is Xiang Jinglong now? Do you have detailed information on the Earth Fiend Heaven-Supporting Art?”