I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

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Chapter 476: Ancient Forest Black Phoenix, Eighth Level of Refinement

Western Region of the Great Yuan.

An endless stretch of ancient forest, almost perpetually shrouded in corrosive black rain.

Towering, shadowy ancient trees crackled softly in the misty rain, as ominous auras of decay, demonic energy, and beastly qi mingled and steamed through the air.

The harsh environment rendered this place a forbidden zone to human cultivation civilization.

Especially the dark ancient forest bordering the Central Region's Forbidden Zone, its soil dyed a deep crimson-black, its trees cloaked in faint black miasma filled with demonic and malevolent energies.

Every time a demonic calamity erupted, remnants of demonized beasts would infiltrate this place.

Some of the forest’s native birds and beasts, under the long-term influence of the demonic miasma, had mutated into becoming increasingly savage and bloodthirsty.

Sects from the Great Yuan had once attempted to conquer this Boundless Ancient Forest, only to meet with crushing defeat.

The forest was simply too vast, bearing an innate grand array by nature.

Human cultivators who ventured in suffered from acclimatization issues, lost their sense of direction, found their magical abilities and divine arts suppressed, and were constantly corroded by the black rain.

Demonic beasts within were endless; the deeper one ventured, the more their power was suppressed.

Moreover, internal strife plagued human cultivation civilization, making unity nearly impossible.

Aside from the demonic calamities that erupted every few centuries, the ancient forest of the Western Region posed no active threat to the Great Yuan cultivation world. The two had coexisted for countless years.

Rumor held that deep within the forest lay a peak mid fourth-rank avian king.

It possessed the bloodline of a true spirit descendant, with divine powers not inferior to a human Great Cultivator.

This true spirit descendant avian king possessed a flying speed unmatched under the advantageous geography of the forest, making even human Great Cultivators hesitant to engage it in a life-or-death struggle.

...

On this day, deep within the heart of the forest, a cold phoenix cry echoed as though it rose from an endless abyss.

Boom!

A plume of black flame erupted, outlining the silhouette of a celestial phoenix’s plumes. Forbidden dark energy dispersed through the ancient black forest.

For ten thousand li around, countless demonic beasts and monsters trembled, a primal fear awakening in the depths of their bloodlines.

Birds of all kinds screamed, spreading their wings in devout worship, creating the wondrous sight of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix.

In the depths of the forest ignited by the Black Phoenix Flame,

rooted across dozens of li stood a towering black phoenixwood tree.

A tall figure with black phoenix plumes sat cross-legged. Black flames bearing phoenix markings swirled around his body, imbuing him with a mysterious and noble air.

His facial features and feathers bore resemblance to a human, though slightly flatter. Beneath the shadow of his brow ridge, his long and narrow violet-black eyes gleamed with a chilling sharpness.

The black phoenix feathers on his body naturally formed a feathered robe that fit like a second skin, covering his form. The ends of his feathered arms ended in iron-like phoenix claws.

Above those claws, a massive demonic crystal hovered, its luster dark and fathomless.

The crystal emitted an incredibly pure demonic aura, enough to stir the heart of any living Deity Transformation Heavenly Lord.

Within the crystal, a knuckle-sized piece of black flesh was sealed.

Terrifying flesh and blood energy flowed from it, merging with the pure demonic qi of the crystal, and then into the body of the black phoenix man, the true spirit descendant.

“Congratulations Fellow Daoist Black Phoenix on awakening your true spirit bloodline and advancing to the late stage of the fourth rank!”

A hoarse, magnetic female voice drifted forth.

Beneath the black phoenixwood tree, seven or eight powerful auras of demonic origin stood, each at least comparable to a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

The speaker was a mysterious female cultivator with moon-blue patterned skin, garbed in ceremonial robes.

At the center of her brow was a crescent mark; her eyes were deep blue and resplendent. She held a staff in hand, her ceremonial robe full at the chest, the slit at her thigh revealing smooth and shapely legs, a figure brimming with exotic allure.

Had Lan Chang'an been present, he would have immediately recognized this "Priestess Piao."

Aside from Priestess Piao, the Shadow Demon who once wounded Jing Wufeng was also among them.

This scout from the Demonic Peak Realm, like a living shadow, wavered between substance and void, its body faintly twisting and warping in the dark wind.

Unlike its weakened state after breaching the Demon-Sealing Array, the Lord Thousand Shadows had now recovered to the peak of the fourth rank. It was eerie and dangerous, its depths impossible to fathom.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty Black Phoenix.”

Several other powerful presences under the phoenixwood tree followed suit, beasts and birds twisted by demonic energy, some in humanoid form, others in hybrid forms of beast and demon.

“I am grateful to Priestess Piao for your assistance.”

The Black Phoenix man smiled and nodded, glancing toward Priestess Piao and the Lord Thousand Shadows.

“Without the Myriad Demons Crystal and the flesh of the ‘Heaven-Supporting Giant Sovereign,’ I could never have advanced so smoothly to the late fourth rank in the barren environment of the Heaven Honoured human realm.”

True spirit descendants in the human realm were like dragons stranded in shallow waters.

Advancing to the late fourth rank was far more difficult than for those with ordinary heavenly-grade bloodlines.

The higher one’s bloodline tier, the more demanding the environment, and the greater the resource consumption for advancement.

“Keke~ You were born in this demonized ancient forest, and your true spirit black phoenix bloodline is particularly attuned to the power of the demonic realm. If it were another true spirit descendant, one with celestial phoenix blood, such fortune would not be theirs.”

Priestess Piao chuckled behind her hand.

“Fellow Daoist Black Phoenix, quickly restrain your aura. Before the plan begins, do not alert the human Great Cultivators or expose the true demon aura on your body.”

The burly Lord Thousand Shadows, half-real, half-illusory, reminded calmly.

“Hmph! Even if the three Great Cultivators of the Great Yuan joined forces and came at me, I would not necessarily fear them.”

The Black Phoenix man snorted coldly, arrogance in his tone.

Yet even so, he began circulating his power in meditation, slowly reining in the strength of his demonized true spirit bloodline.

The floating Myriad Demons Crystal dimmed as its demonic light receded.

Priestess Piao waved her staff, sending out mysterious ripples. The crystal with the sealed flesh knuckle whooshed into her palm.

The Black Phoenix man glanced at the bone-joint-like flesh sealed within the Myriad Demons Crystal, suppressing the longing in his heart.

That was a piece of flesh from an Undying Giant Demon, its physical toughness nearing the Void Refinement realm.

The Undying Giant Demon from the Central Region’s Demon Abyss was known in the Demonic Peak Realm as a Realm-Breaker Sovereign or Heaven-Supporting Giant Sovereign, used for launching attacks across realms.

Heaven-Supporting Giant's physical body is exceptionally strong,

but its cultivation level is only at the fifth rank, and due to the weaker suppression from the realm’s laws, it faced far less restriction compared to a Void Refinement Venerable, allowing it to barely exist within this world.

During the ancient invasion, it was left behind in the Heaven Honoured human realm, where it was sealed by the heavenly spiritual treasure Eight Dragon Lock.

“Fellow Daoist Black Phoenix, first stabilize your cultivation. Absorbing too much Sovereign flesh and demonic qi too quickly will lead to loss of sanity and a killing frenzy, which would be counterproductive to our plan.”

Priestess Piao kindly advised.

Then, she smiled again and promised, “When Fellow Daoist Black Phoenix renders great merit and returns to the Demonic Peak Realm, ascending to the fifth rank will be well within reach. On higher-level planes, your true spirit bloodline may be further awakened, reaching the sixth-rank Venerable Realm is not out of the question.”

“I’ll borrow your auspicious words.”

The Black Phoenix man nodded. Collaborating with the Demonic Peak Realm aligned perfectly with his best interests.

Remaining in the Heaven Honoured Continent made even a fourth-rank late stage breakthrough exceedingly difficult.

The continent’s fortune was dominated by humanity, foreign races faced the constraints of heaven and earth when attempting to reach the fifth rank. It was nearly impossible.

…

After a round of celebration, Priestess Piao and Lord Thousand Shadows exchanged a glance before quietly retreating into the shadows of the ancient forest.

“Your Highness, the Holy Maiden…”

Lord Thousand Shadows sent a concealed voice transmission, delivering intelligence about the Great Yuan region from the past two years.

“The Twin Dragons of Great Yuan... have grown at such an astonishing pace…”

Priestess Piao’s eyes turned cold, the frost-like sigil between her brows flickering like a cold moon.

Back during the demon-sealing battle, the Twin Dragons had repaired the Demon-Sealing Grand Array, thwarting the Demonic Peak Realm’s invasion plans.

Fortunately, Priestess Piao had used a forbidden Moon Demon secret art to summon the divine intent of the "Illusory Moon Holy Sovereign" through the Realm-Breaker Sovereign, shaking the grand seal.

While clad in a fifth rank enchanted robe, Lord Thousand Shadows had slipped through the sealed formation, retrieving a small piece of flesh and bone from the sovereign’s fingertip.

“Don’t call me ‘Holy Maiden’ in public,” Priestess Piao said, displeased.

“Yes, Priestess Piao.”

“We’ve finally made progress here in Yuan Province. We must avoid any complications that would draw the attention of the human realm’s Deity Transformation Heavenly Lords.”

Lord Thousand Shadows knew well, Priestess Piao held deep resentment toward the Twin Dragons.

Especially toward Xiang Dalong. Back then, his Barbed Arrow had interrupted Priestess Piao mid-ritual while she was channeling the Venerable’s divine intent, causing a devastating backlash that left the priestess severely injured.

That alone was enough.

Later, in Kun Province, the long-established demon stronghold she had cultivated for years was reportedly exposed, likely by Xiang Dalong and wiped out by a Heavenly Lord avatar who had heard of it.

Grudge upon grudge.

“It’s my fault… I came too late.”

Lord Thousand Shadows wore a look of guilt, proactively admitting fault.

A century and a half ago, after he and Priestess Piao were wounded escaping the Central Region's forbidden zone, they were pursued by Sword Hermit and the Yellow Springs Ghost True Monarch.

They split up while fleeing.

Lord Thousand Shadows had drawn most of the pursuers and escaped to the outer seas.

There, he went into deep seclusion to recover, slowly regrowing his severed arm and restoring his peak strength.

At the time, he took refuge on Outer Heaven Island, a haven for loose cultivators in the outer seas, where he heard of the miraculous medicine of the Evergreen Immortal healer.

The spirit medicine from the Evergreen Immortal healer had astounding effects able to regenerate flesh and bone. Even across different bloodlines, it had accelerated his healing.

Tempted, Lord Thousand Shadows plotted to abduct the female healer.

After all, the remnants of the Demon Clan in this realm included many maimed and crippled kin, healers were urgently needed to repair their foundations.

And when the Demonic Peak Realm launched its full invasion and shattered the seal, there would only be more casualties.

But unexpectedly, his disguise as a patient was seen through by the healer.

He fell into her trap instead.

She had secretly joined forces with a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator and nearly ended his life.

That woman was terrifying, her means ran deep.

Severely injured again, Lord Thousand Shadows was forced to flee back to the outer seas, wasting many more years in recovery.

“Let that brat live a few more years…”

Priestess Piao bit her silver teeth, her tone icy cold. Her gaze seemed to pierce through layers of forest shadows, fixed on the distant Great Yu Kingdom of the Central Region.

…

Yunxia Sect, Yunlan Peak Cave Abode.

“What?! The Black Phoenix, that True Spirit descendent has advanced to late fourth rank?”

Lan Chang'an was shocked, turning to look at Jiang Ziyan, who sat cross-legged with a grave expression.

A chill ran down his spine, and he nearly sneezed right into Purple Mist Fairy’s face.

The ancient forest of the Western Region had always remained aloof from the other four regions of Great Yuan.

Lan Chang'an had heard of that True Spirit descendent Black Phoenix.

Even at mid-stage fourth rank, it was said to rival great cultivators and was hailed as the king of birds, possessing unparalleled speed.

Still, despite its mighty bloodline, it had remained confined to the forest’s depths, wary of crossing into human territory, always kept in check by Great Yuan’s Three Great Cultivators.

But now, with its breakthrough into late-stage fourth rank, the Black Phoenix’s strength and divine abilities far exceeded those of human cultivators at the same level.

The Three Great Cultivators of Great Yuan, each based in different regions, might no longer be able to suppress it.

After all, they could not always act in unison.

And a late-stage fourth rank avian king with True Spirit bloodline would easily outpace even human great cultivators.

“Our Central Region is the weakest of Great Yuan’s five regions, and it just so happens to border the Western Ancient Forest.”

Jiang Ziyan could hardly hide her apprehension, unease flickering in her eyes.

A late-stage fourth rank Black Phoenix could drastically upset Great Yuan’s balance of power.

Especially along the borderlands next to the Western Forest, many lesser cultivation sects had begun to sense the looming danger.

“This isn’t a simple matter…”

Lan Chang'an fell into deep thought.

Great Yu Kingdom was likely the safest place in the Central Region. Focused on his cultivation within the sect, steadily accumulating strength, he had little to fear for now.

Still, the Black Phoenix’s sudden breakthrough felt suspicious to him.

Lan Chang'an attempted a divination, but as expected, no signs or omens revealed themselves.

The bloodline of a late-stage fourth rank True Spirit descendant offered immense resistance to heavenly divination, nearly on par with that of a Deity Transformation cultivator.

After all, the ancestors of such descendants, those legendary ancient True Spirits were existences that rivaled True Immortals.

“Right, has the sect’s fourth rank middle-grade formation finally been completed?”

“I’ve toiled for years and racked up countless favors, but yes it’s finally done.”

…

Over the next six months.

All major powers in Great Yuan kept a close eye on the movements of the Western Forest.

Fear and unease spread among the sects bordering the shadowed woods.

In some border cities and markets, people fled, buildings were abandoned, and entire towns fell silent.

The Central Region’s dominant factions secretly gathered intelligence and discussed countermeasures.

Surprisingly, no strange movements came from the Western Ancient Forest.

The Black Phoenix, newly advanced to late fourth rank, seemed focused on consolidating its cultivation and behaved more discreetly than expected.

Despite its breakthrough, it never once left the forest.

Let alone stir up trouble in the outside world.

It was rumored that the Three Great Cultivators of Great Yuan had journeyed together into the dark ancient forest.

They confronted the Black Phoenix, exchanged brief words, and reached an uneasy truce.

The Black Phoenix declared it had no ambition to expand its territory and was content to live in peace, undisturbed by human affairs.

The anxious factions of the Central Region finally let out a sigh of relief.

…

One year later.

Central Region Forbidden Zone, Ancient Battlefield.

High above a deep gorge, cracks shimmered in and out of visibility across the void.

Suddenly, an elder clad in a plain robe with a bamboo hairpin stepped out of one such rift.

“Hm… this spatial rift is fairly stable. Still usable.”

Yan Donglai halted and surveyed his surroundings.

Having lived for far too long, he knew the location of many such spatial rifts scattered across the Heaven Honoured Continent.

What spelled near-certain death for most cultivators occasionally served him as a convenient shortcut.

This legendary great cultivator strode forward.

Each step left behind a chain of flickering afterimages, each spaced a li apart.

There was almost no fluctuation of spiritual power from his body, his presence nearly undetectable, disturbing none of the fearsome creatures lurking in the Forbidden Zone.

“Hm? The heavenly omens are in chaos.”

Yan Donglai narrowed his eyes, activating his Qi observation technique as he gazed toward the Western Forest.

“A late-stage fourth rank True Spirit descendant… quite an anomaly.”

After a brief calculation, he shook his head slightly.

The late-stage Black Phoenix had now fully matured.

Deep within its dark forest domain, commanding legions of monsters and holding an overwhelming geographical advantage.

Even a Deity Transformation Heavenly Lord’s avatar would not do well if it enters alone.

And now, amid the most perilous Heavenly One Great Tribulation, all Deity Transformation Heavenly Lords had gone to ground.

The Black Phoenix’s breakthrough had come at a strangely perfect time.

In the short term, the Deity Transformation experts would not interfere, granting the Black Phoenix precious time to grow unchecked.

…

Yan Donglai had no desire to stir up trouble and leisurely stepped into the bustling territories of the Central Region.

He drew near the Great Yu Kingdom.

Suddenly, he halted, his expression darkening as he began divining.

“Good brat! The karma of Heavenly One Sect- ”

Yan Donglai couldn’t help but show a rare shift in expression. A flicker of wariness glinted in his eyes, and he dared not delve further into the calculation.

He hadn’t expected Lan Chang'an to be entangled with the disciples of the Heavenly One Sect, forming such a deep karmic tie.

As the matter involved the Heavenly One Trial, he could not interfere lightly.

Forcing a deeper divination could alert that Heavenly One Divine Sovereign.

That being was one of only two in the Deity Transformation level of the human world that truly gave Yan Donglai pause.

Lan Chang'an’s advancement to mid Nascent Soul had gone far more smoothly than anticipated, his potential was promising.

Yan Donglai’s true body had personally journeyed from Heavenly River Province to keep close watch.

But never had he imagined that Lan Chang'an would be connected to the Heavenly One Sect by karma.

The name of the Twin Dragons of Great Yuan was renowned far and wide.

“This boy’s talent originally lagged behind Cyanwood, yet his fortune and fate have surged... Could it be Heavenly One Sect is grooming him?”

“No wonder every previous attempt to divine him felt shrouded in mist, always veiled, never fully clear.”

Yan Donglai pondered deeply, realization dawning.

The karmic entanglement with Heavenly One disrupted the flow of fate, throwing off calculations and increasing their difficulty.

“Interesting. A disciple of the Evergreen Cultivation Art entangled in deep karma with Heavenly One Sect... This is the first time in ten thousand years.”

Gazing toward the Great Yu Kingdom, Yan Donglai showed not worry, but delight.

In the past, Evergreen cultivators had never made such headway.

Not just with Heavenly One Sect, none of the Deity Transformation sacred lands or superpowers in this world had ever been penetrated by Evergreen disciples.

The ancient top-tier factions of this realm were aware of his existence. They suspected him of harboring ill intentions and remained highly guarded.

These top factions had even gone so far as to destroy all traces of the Evergreen Technique, forbidding disciples from studying or cultivating it.

Furthermore, cultivating the Evergreen Technique required an exceptional wood affinity or to be reincarnated cultivators. The conditions were exceedingly demanding.

Thus, Evergreen had never been able to infiltrate those ancient legacies.

Lan Chang'an’s unusual situation, however, brought him a pleasant surprise.

After long contemplation, Yan Donglai chose not to enter the Great Yu Kingdom.

That brat was a fourth-rank divination grandmaster, also suspected of cultivating perception-enhancing divine abilities. His intuition was razor-sharp.

“Let him reach the peak of mid-stage Nascent Soul, then observe again and make a decision.”

Yan Donglai quietly left the Central Region.

After the Heavenly One Great Tribulation, karma would reveal itself naturally.

Until then, he could not delve deeper or intervene in Lan Chang'an’s fate.

Before leaving Great Yuan, the legendary great cultivator glanced once more toward the distant overseas seas, a trace of disappointment on his face.

That one had managed to escape a thousand-year tribulation once, but still had not advanced to late-stage Nascent Soul.

Due to certain considerations, Yan Donglai ultimately did not venture overseas.

…

Great Yu Kingdom, Yunxia Sect.

With the Black Phoenix crisis temporarily quelled, the situation in the Central Region stabilized.

Lan Chang'an finally relaxed, entering seclusion to cultivate, while continuing monthly Dao discussions with Purple Mist Fairy.

Neither his body refinement nor his spiritual sense cultivation were neglected.

Five years passed, and Lan Chang'an reached the age of 581.

The Thousand Machines Divine Transformation Art advanced to the eighth layer about ten years ahead of schedule.

Inside the quiet chamber on Yunlan Peak.

“The Ninefold Bitterheart Lotus lives up to its name…”

Lan Chang'an opened his deep, inky-black eyes with a faint smile.

At this moment, he no longer had the support of his fourth life.

Yet his spiritual sense, even at a casual sweep, had reached the threshold of late-stage Nascent Soul, maintaining heightened perception at all times.

The spiritual sense enhancement of the Thousand Machines Divine Transformation Art varied by the practitioner.

Having experienced several lifetimes of cultivation, his soul was immensely powerful and gifted. The enhancement effects were exceptional.

At his current stage, the support from his fourth-life’s early Nascent Soul cultivation merely provided marginal gains.

“If I could absorb a peak mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator and convert them into a past-life reincarnation, the enhancement would be far more substantial.”

Lan Chang'an mused silently.

The arrival of a peak mid-stage Nascent Soul soul would allow his spiritual sense to surpass most great cultivators.

Only then could his Nailhead Arrows truly unleash lethal power.

But such opportunities were exceedingly rare.

Even luring and ambushing a mid-stage Nascent Soul like True Monarch Netherwater had required a full effort, let alone one at the peak.

Of course, one could consider targeting those near the end of their lifespan.

But such aged Nascent Soul cultivators usually passed away peacefully in their sects, hardly an easy target.

“We’ll leave it to fate.”

Lan Chang'an wasn’t about to bully the elderly without reason.

At the mid-stage Nascent Soul level, it would be better to refine all aspects to their peak first, then act cautiously.

…

Inside the secret chamber, Lan Chang'an tested the eighth layer of the Spirit Refinement Art.

Whoosh-chii-

Eight superior-grade fourth-rank Azure Profound Swords poured out like a downpour of autumn rain, swordlight crisscrossing the chamber, weaving through the air without damaging a single piece of furniture.

His spiritual sense was powerful, his control was flawless.

Over the past few years, all eight Azure Profound Swords under his command had been refined to superior-grade fourth-rank.

The four original superior-grade swords from True Monarch Cyanwood had also received slight enhancements.

Now, there was no need for elaborate formations.

Unleashing all eight superior-grade Azure Profound Swords as a single set of magical treasure would be instantaneous and devastating.

As for the remaining eight Azure Profound Swords, he slowed their pace to conserve lifespan and focused primarily on gentle nurturing.

If all sixteen Azure Profound Swords reached superior-grade fourth-rank, controlling them would actually become more difficult.

…

Half a day later.

Lan Chang'an descended to the underground palace beneath his cave abode and retrieved the last Bitterheart Lotus seed.

“Master.”

Profound Water Monarch and Lord Earthrock looked at him with longing.

“Profound Water Monarch, your lifespan is still long, you’re in no hurry.”

Without hesitation, Lan Chang'an handed the final lotus seed to Lord Earthrock.

“Thank you, Master.”

Lord Earthrock bowed gratefully.

It immediately swallowed the lotus seed in one gulp, without hesitation.

Profound Water Monarch's eyes widened and he gulped instinctively.

His gaze shifted toward the distant Xuanmu Vine Gourd.

In the vat of Five-Element Earth, a tiny Bitterheart Lotus sprout had emerged.

“It's growing well.”

Lan Chang'an could tell Profound Water Monarch had been tending it with care.

The daily raining technique had been cultivated to a profound level.

The gourd vine, nourished year-round by premium spiritual liquids, passed the benefits onto the lotus.

“Wait a few more years. Once you're in perfect condition, attempt your breakthrough to mid stage.”

Before leaving, Lan Chang'an gave Lord Earthrock a few instructions.

Aside from this lotus, his journey to Great Kun had also yielded a trace of rare Earth Mother's Essence, as well as a precious earth-type spiritual herb Stonecore Ganoderma.

The Earth Mother's Essence was far too faint, a mere wisp so Lan Chang'an had sealed it away for now.

The Stonecore Ganoderma required several centuries to reach superior-grade fourth-rank, but it would significantly boost the chance of breaking through to mid-stage fourth-rank.

With years of nurturing and a small investment of his lifespan, it had now reached the threshold of superior-grade fourth-rank. Its cost was much lower than the Ninefold Bitterheart Lotus.

“Understood, Master!”

Lord Earthrock nodded solemnly.

It knew well, this would be the final chance to break through to the mid-stage.

...

Seven years passed in the blink of an eye.

Lan Chang'an had now reached the age of 588, spending over two decades consolidating his cultivation in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

Beyond his cultivation and body tempering, several divine abilities and secret arts such as Listening Sea Divine Ear and Withering Extinction Divine Light had also progressed steadily.

Just a few days ago, Lan Chang'an handed the superior-grade fourth-rank spiritual herb Stonecore Ganoderma to Lord Earthrock.

As for that wisp of Earth Mother's Essence, its quantity was far too meager and being a non-spiritual plant, could not be nurtured with Evergreen Technique. Lan Chang'an had kept it reserved for future use, perhaps to nourish and refine his Five Element Earth.

Having received the Stonecore Ganoderma, Lord Earthrock began its closed-door seclusion, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to attempt the breakthrough.

This was, after all, its final chance.

Thus, Lord Earthrock was unusually cautious, even preparing additional spirit resources on its own in hopes of a successful advancement.

...

While Lord Earthrock was preparing to break through to mid-fourth rank, a long-suppressed secret rumor emerged from the Great Yu Kingdom.

“Dalong, I bring wonderful news!”

Jiang Ziyan’s complexion was radiant, her mood clearly elevated.

“According to confirmed reports from major intelligence networks, the old patriarch of the imperial family has finally passed away of old age!”

“Oh?”

Lan Chang'an smiled faintly, showing no surprise.

The timing of the patriarch’s death was just about what he had predicted.

Even if the old patriarch were still alive, he no longer posed any true threat to the current Lan Chang'an.

Yet, the significance of his death could not be understated.

The Great Yu imperial family had now completely declined from their former peak, unable to maintain the power of three giants in one clan.

Their clan-guarding sacred beast, the ancient dragon-crocodile could only prolong its life through long sealed slumber and was no longer a reliable combat asset.

Fortunately, the Great Yu Kingdom had already merged with the Great Luo Kingdom.

Tianyuan Sword Monarch Yu Yuanjin had risen and now wielded the Azure Dragon Sword, making up for the loss of the imperial family's top-tier combat strength.

The imperial family conducted the patriarch’s funeral in a discreet and low-key manner, with only core family members in attendance, without inviting other major powers of the Great Yu Kingdom.

...

Before the imperial funeral concluded.

The Yunxia Sect welcomed two distinguished guests from afar, their attire clearly unlike that of Great Yuan cultivators.

“Please wait here a moment, seniors. Allow this junior to announce your arrival.”

The gatekeeper disciple carefully observed the man and woman at the mountain gate. Their bearing was extraordinary, and he dared not show the slightest neglect.

The man at the front was a middle-aged scholar in elegant ancient robes, his head adorned with a raven-blue square cap from which hung two dark silk tassels. His eyes were clear and penetrating, exuding a worldly wisdom.

At his waist hung a polished bamboo inkstone and a slightly worn brocade pouch.

The woman beside him wore a flowing gown like cascading moonlight, over which draped a pale cyan cloud-shouldered shawl of shark silk. Her figure was graceful and elegant, soft curves accentuated subtly. Even just her silhouette carried an air of tranquil beauty.

A veil of snowy gauze hung from her temples, concealing her exquisite features.

Only her serene and luminous eyes were visible, like the moon sinking into a wintry lake, enough to draw one’s soul into quiet reverie.

The gatekeeper disciples dared not meet her gaze directly, their minds unsettled by her presence.

Even with her face veiled, the noble grace and poise she radiated astonished all who passed.

“The famed Twin Dragons of Great Yuan, rumors of their name have already reached the Tian Zhi Pavilion. To think the County Princess Qianshui has formed a connection with such figures?”

The scholarly man stood poised, his smile calm and composed. He exchanged voice transmissions with the veiled beauty beside him.

“If we can persuade this man, our mission will become far easier.”