I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 483 ·Deity Transformation Trump Card, Curse of Time

TL/N; Welcome back peeps! And here's a lil recap, since its been such a long hiatus

Previously, on the story...

When Marquis Tianwu of the Jin Immortal Dynasty arrived at the Great Yu capital, Overturning Sea True Monarch stepped in—largely to give Lan Chang'an face, and engaged Tianwu in an epic Great Cultivator duel in the sixth layer of the Nine Fiery Heavens using the Sea Suppressing Halberd and Xuanli Spear, ending in a fierce deadlock. Meanwhile, Lan Chang'an nonchalantly rolled up on his giant rat king simply to collect his guaranteed "appearance fee" without lifting a finger, just as Lord Earthrock successfully brute-forced her way to a mid-fourth-rank demon king status. Behind closed doors, Marquis Tianwu dropped a bombshell on the Yu imperial family: a token and a secret ancestral letter proving the Yu Clan's founder was an exiled branch bound by a 10,000-year-old bloodline oath to open maritime trade routes for the expanding Immortal Dynasty, sweetened by the offer of a Dragon Star Pill.

While Great Yu grappled with its destiny, a continent-shaking event erupted: the Heavenly One Great Tribulation struck the Heaven Honoured Continent. The reigning Heavenly One Divine Sovereign hunted down and brutally executed the elite Confucian Saint along with three False Heavenly Lords using the terrifying Heaven-Severing Fate-Stealing Sword. Amidst the cataclysmic redistribution of world fortune, a hidden portion of divine luck covertly drained straight into Lan Chang'an’s underground Xuanmu Vine Gourd, violently accelerating its sapling growth. Back in Yunxia Sect, Xiao Qingshan successfully defied the odds and broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, while senior figures like Yan Donglai noted that True Monarch Jing Wufeng was slated to be the next Heavenly One Divine Sovereign.

Deep in the western forest, the late-fourth-rank Black Phoenix and Priestess Piao (the Moon Demon Holy Maiden who still holds a grudge against Lan) watched the chaos unfold and plotted long-term moves. As the political stability of Great Yuan cracked and the looming Ancient Nether Hall drew closer, Lan Chang'an began seriously contemplating packing up and moving overseas.

Now: Our guy Lan Chang'an stays low, enjoying his multi-faceted power (two mid-fourth-rank spirit beasts including a newly upgraded Lord Earthrock, advanced puppet mastery with Puppet Master Wei, and a stacked arsenal), dodging political entanglements, and keeping a cool head as the stunningly ethereal Sacred Lotus Maiden abruptly arrives at the Yunxia Sect mountain gate to see him./ Alright, thats all. Heres hoping we reach Deity Transformation in one go!

Chapter 483: Deity Transformation Trump Card, Curse of Time

The lotus-robed maiden left only a few words, then swept her spiritual sense lightly across the entire Yunxia Sect before turning to descend the mountain.

The two mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators within the sect felt their hearts tremble, suddenly aware of something profound.

Only the early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, Xiao Qingshan, remained completely oblivious.

"Who is this girl? I can't sense anything from her at all..."

True Monarch Purple Mist scanned with her spiritual sense, her heart sinking in shock and uncertainty.

That girl in the silver lotus dress possessed a transcendent air, detached from the mundane.

Even when Purple Mist tried to probe her with mid-Nascent Soul spiritual sense, it was like passing through an illusory veil of light and air, there was no trace of spiritual power to detect.

Could it be… this unfathomable young woman was actually a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator?

Just then, a message came from the gate disciples:

"The mysterious lotus-dressed girl requests a meeting with True Monarch Xiang."

She wants to see Dalong?

Jiang Ziyan frowned slightly, an ominous feeling rising in her chest, faint suspicion gnawed at her thoughts.

Though she and Xiang Dalong were deeply bonded, there were still too many layers of mystery to him, as though there was always another veil she couldn’t lift.

Not to mention, the other of the Twin Dragons of Great Yuan had broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage years ago.

And now this enigmatic lotus maiden appeared, her beauty peerless and her age seemingly far too young.

A flicker of jealousy surged in Jiang Ziyan’s heart.

She could only hope this girl wasn’t familiar with Lan Chang'an, better if she wasn’t tangled with him too deeply.

Elsewhere, upon receiving the message, Lan Chang'an rose and flew toward the sect gates.

Recently, he’d had a flash of insight, his divinations had revealed an omen of great fortune.

Sweeping his spiritual sense over the Sacred Lotus Maiden, though they had never met before, he already had a fair idea of her origins.

Such a young late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator could not have emerged from the Great Yuan province.

Back then, Jing Wufeng had shocked Overturning Sea True Monarch with how young he was when reaching that stage.

But this girl... surpassed even that.

Without hesitation, Lan Chang'an flew directly out of Yunxia Sect, descending to meet the Sacred Lotus Maiden at the base of the mountain.

"So you really do know her..."

Jiang Ziyan’s face twisted with bitterness, sorrow creeping in.

True, at first, her relationship with Lan Chang’an based on the Dao discussions, was more of a union that was out of self interest.

But after two hundred years together, feelings had naturally grown. Xiang Dalong had done much for Yunxia Sect, becoming its unshakable pillar.

To say there was no genuine affection would be to lie to herself.

Now, a breathtaking beauty, one who had never shown her face before, had come of her own accord to seek him out.

And Lan Chang'an didn’t even hesitate to go see her.

Ziyan couldn’t help overthinking it. She began to suspect the two had known each other long ago, perhaps even shared a romance.

After all, Xiang Dalong’s origins were shrouded in mystery, and he had disappeared from Great Yuan for over a hundred years…

...

At the foot of the mountain.

An invisible, transparent barrier shimmered into existence, enclosing a twenty-zhang radius around Lan Chang'an and the Sacred Lotus Maiden.

From the outside, only two blurred figures could be seen inside, nothing of their conversation could be heard or discerned.

"So, you are True Monarch Xiang?"

The Sacred Lotus Maiden stepped closer, her gaze locking onto Lan Chang'an.

Her brows and eyes resembled a lotus blooming from crystal waters, her expression filled with curiosity as she studied him seriously, like someone who already had some understanding of who he was.

As she tilted her head up, the moonlight shimmered off her slender neck, pale and flawless like carved jade.

A wisp of lotus fragrance lingered in the air, calming the heart and soul.

Lan Chang'an’s instincts screamed, he took a step back involuntarily.

He cupped his hands.

“Indeed. I am Xiang. May I ask your Dao title, and where you hail from, Fairy?”

While she studied him, an invisible pressure pressed on him, his scalp tingled and his heart stirred with warning.

Her spiritual sense… was far stronger than that of Jing Wufeng in his late stage Nascent Soul years ago.

Lan Chang'an had a gut feeling, this girl was formidable. Even more dangerous than the Marquis Tianwu.

Fortunately, the girl’s gaze carried no hostility, only curiosity.

“My Dao title is Sacred Lotus. I’ve come on behalf of Divine Sovereign Jing to fulfill an old promise.”

The Sacred Lotus Maiden bowed slightly, her tone calm as she stated her purpose.

Divine Sovereign Jing?

Lan Chang'an’s heart shook violently.

He blurted out, “You mean... Fellow Daoist Jing?”

Though he had already guessed as much, having even bet on this outcome long ago,

Still, hearing the words “Divine Sovereign Jing” from this girl’s lips stirred waves in his heart.

He struggled to process the idea that an old acquaintance had become the Heavenly One Divine Sovereign, a legend recorded in the Annals of Wordly Wonders across the Heaven Honoured Continent.

Not even every Deity Transformation cultivator could make that list, only those whose names had become immortalized through truly legendary feats.

At this moment, Lan Chang'an felt as though he had personally witnessed and even helped shape a living legend.

The Sacred Lotus Maiden gave him a calm glance and said nothing more.

She raised her slender hand and took out several items.

The most eye-catching was a primal battle axe.

Its haft was dark and lusterless, seemingly made of some unknown ancient wood. The back of the axe was heavy and dark green, while the blade was wide, cold light pulsing from its edge.

“The pseudo-spiritual treasure, Sky-Cleaving Axe!”

Lan Chang'an’s heart leapt. He was no stranger to this weapon.

Back during the demon sealing battle, he had joined forces with Jing Wufeng to wield this very axe, cutting down the physically indestructible Iron-Blood Kui Demon.

The Sky-Cleaving Axe was a pseudo-spiritual treasure with terrifying power of destruction.

Now, seeing it again, Lan Chang'an noticed some changes.

The axe had shrunk by nearly a tenth in size. Its material seemed upgraded, and its surface array patterns were far more intricate.

“The Sky-Cleaving Axe has been reforged, infused with several fifth-rank spirit ores. Its quality has improved slightly. Though it lacks an artifact spirit, it now borders on a true spiritual treasure, you may call it a quasi-spiritual treasure.”

The Sacred Lotus Maiden calmly explained.

She then gestured toward three floating silver talismans nearby.

“These three are fifth-rank spatial talismans, along with the Sky-Cleaving Axe, all part of the Divine Sovereign’s promised gift to you.”

Fifth-rank talismans?

Lan Chang'an’s heart pounded. He held his breath as he extended his spiritual power to examine the talismans.

Fifth-rank talismans corresponded to the Deity Transformation realm.

Each one sealed a devastating Deity Transformation-level spell, crafted and imbued by a Deity Transformation True Monarch.

“Spatial Barrier, Spatial Blade, Spatial Shift…”

As a fourth-rank master of talismans, Lan Chang'an was able to discern their effects by inspecting the inscriptions.

He had long thought that fifth-rank talismans were extinct in the current cultivation world, he never expected Heavenly One Sect to actually part with them.

And these weren’t just any talismans, they were rare space-element ones.

The price he had once paid, burning away lifespan to cultivate the Ninefold Bitterheart Lotus and offering the heavenly demon secret art, all of it had been returned far beyond expectations.

...

Receiving the Sky-Cleaving Axe and the three fifth-rank talismans, Lan Chang'an struggled to contain the elation surging in his heart.

But as his excitement slowly cooled, a sense of unease crept in.

According to their prior agreement, Jing Wufeng only needed to gift him the Sky-Cleaving Axe and a single Deity Transformation life-saving talisman.

Yet now, not only had the axe been reforged with its quality nearing a true spiritual treasure but the promised life-saving item had multiplied into three fifth-rank talismans.

Jing Wufeng’s reciprocation was excessive, far beyond expectation, clearly it was unusual.

“Did Divine Sovereign Jing leave any specific message?”

Lan Chang'an took a deep breath, eyes sharp, already sensing something was amiss.

A faint note of approval flickered across the Sacred Lotus Maiden’s face.

“The Divine Sovereign instructed that following this exchange, there will be no more debts between him and True Monarch Xiang.”

Lan Chang'an’s heart sank at the words.

The night wind carried a chill. The axe in his hand, once a gift, now felt profoundly heavy.

“So that’s how it is…”

Lan Chang'an let out a bitter chuckle, recalling the moment of parting with Jing Wufeng all those years ago.

At the time, as a fourth-rank diviner, he’d experienced an inexplicable premonition, an uncanny stirring of fate that parting would mark a significant turning point in their karmic connection.

That he would lose something.

And now he understood, all the blessings of fate… had already come with a price tag.

To receive such a windfall now, he would inevitably lose something of equal weight.

Still, this cold and calculated severing of ties, this sharp cutoff of cause and effect…

Did not resemble the Jing Tian True Monarch he had once known.

Was this rational detachment the price of becoming the Heavenly One Divine Sovereign, the number one cultivator in the human realm?

...

After a long silence, Lan Chang'an couldn’t help but ask:

“And… how is Fellow Daoist Jing doing?”

His genuine concern softened the Sacred Lotus Maiden’s expression. After a brief pause, she replied thoughtfully:

“He’s doing well! After breaking through to the Deity Transformation realm, he still needs to remain in seclusion for many years and has no time to go out.”

When speaking of the newly ascended Divine Sovereign Jing, her nominal Dao companion, a trace of complexity flickered in her eyes. She clearly didn’t wish to say more.

Lan Chang'an also dared not ask further.

Involving the secrets of Heavenly One Sect, involving the strongest cultivator in the human world...

If he knew too much, it might do more harm than good.

Still, based on the Sacred Lotus Maiden’s subtle reactions, Lan Chang'an could guess he wasn’t the only one who felt Jing Wufeng had become distant.

But… to say Jing had become an entirely different person? That wasn’t quite it either.

This extraordinarily thoughtful gift, the reforged Sky-Cleaving Axe and three perfectly matched Deity Transformation talismans all tailored to his needs, could only have come from someone who understood him intimately.

Only someone like the old Jing Wufeng.

...

“Alright. My task on this trip is complete.”

The Sacred Lotus Maiden drew back her emotions and offered a faint smile, preparing to leave.

“Fairy Sacred Lotus, you've traveled so far to grace us, why not stay for a few days? Let me host you as a guest of Yunxia Sect.”

Lan Chang'an quickly spoke, attempting to keep her from departing.

The Sacred Lotus Maiden glanced at him, then shook her head.

“There’s no need.”

It was nightfall.

This was their first meeting and Lan Chang'an was asking her to stay at the sect overnight?

She had a feeling he wasn't simply being polite.

Then again, Xiang Dalong likely didn’t know she was Dao companion to the Divine Sovereign Jing.

Even after being declined, Lan Chang'an didn’t show any embarrassment. Instead, he sincerely asked:

“Would Fairy Sacred Lotus be willing to leave a method of contact? I still have many questions and hope to seek your advice in the future.”

Asking again, the Sacred Lotus Maiden looked at him speechlessly, her patience wearing thin. A trace of irritation flashed in her heart.

Was this man seriously trying to curry favor?

Now she understood how the "shame of the Heavenly One Sect" had learned his ways back then.

“If True Monarch Xiang has something to say, please speak plainly.”

She frowned lightly.

One second thought, she realized this Twin Dragon of Great Yuan should not be so shallow. Perhaps he truly had an important matter to discuss.

“I cultivate the Evergreen Technique, so it’s inconvenient for me to mention that person’s name. I hoped to ask Fairy Sacred Lotus for some insight…”

Lan Chang'an finally veered into the true topic.

Because of his cultivation of the Evergreen Technique, he had entered the awareness of a certain legendary great cultivator. He didn’t dare casually speak Yan Donglai’s name.

That figure was perhaps a fifth-rank diviner himself and he might sense it, one could never be too careful.

“Why should this Monarch answer your questions and risk offending him for no reason?”

The Sacred Lotus Maiden chuckled coldly.

Even Deity Transformation cultivators weren’t eager to cross paths with Yan Donglai, a legendary figure whose divine abilities rivaled the veteran Deity Transformation cultivators.

For centuries, rumors had it that Yan Donglai had schemed several Deity Transformation powerhouses into death, though no hard evidence had ever surfaced.

Her reaction didn’t discourage Lan Chang'an, it made him glad instead.

He had clearly asked the right question.

The Sacred Lotus Maiden definitely knew more than most about Yan Donglai.

“If Fairy Sacred Lotus is willing to share her knowledge, I shall owe you a great personal debt.”

Lan Chang'an made a solemn vow.

A great personal debt?

The Sacred Lotus Maiden gave him another look, and her gaze shifted ever so slightly.

Lan Chang'an’s ability to rival great cultivators didn’t impress her much.

Every servant of Heavenly One Sect was late-stage Nascent Soul at minimum and most, after training within the sect, could easily surpass peers of the same realm.

But this man…

This man had impacted the fate of this generation’s Heavenly One Divine Sovereign and that was something she could not take lightly.

...

"Very well."

The Sacred Lotus Maiden agreed to Lan Chang'an’s proposal with some interest.

She opened her slender palm and summoned a Green Lotus Divine Lantern.

Strands of strange, lotus-like flame drifted out with ripples of mysterious light, weaving an additional layer of shielding into the barrier surrounding them.

Lan Chang'an was secretly startled, he could sense the surrounding threads of fate and heavenly secrets being heavily veiled.

His eyes scanned the lantern in the girl’s palm, speculating that it was an unusual and rare spiritual treasure.

For some reason, the Nine Seal Stele inside him stirred faintly.

“As for Yan Donglai’s exact circumstances, I cannot say. But regarding the flaws of the Evergreen Demonic Technique, I suppose I can tell you…”

The Sacred Lotus Maiden’s rosy lips moved slightly as she used her secret transmission art to relay a piece of confidential information.

“The Fallen Immortal Realm… the shattered ruins of the Evergreen Dao Palace…”

“The orthodox Evergreen cultivation… and the twisted Demonic Evergreen…”

“The Curse of Time!”

Lan Chang'an listened, shocked and thrilled in equal measure, as he received the highly classified intelligence.

It turned out that the Evergreen Technique had already split into two lineages in the Fallen Immortal Realm, one orthodox and the other demonic.

What had spread to the lower realms was mostly the faster-track version, the Demonic Evergreen Technique.

It offered rapid advancement, greatly extending lifespan and increasing cultivation power unlike the orthodox version, which required slow progression and the polishing of enlightenment over centuries.

But such shortcuts, inevitably, came with a price.

Yan Donglai had lived for over ten thousand years, clearly defying the natural laws of Heaven and Earth. There had to be consequences.

The information passed on by True Monarch Sacred Lotus pinpointed Yan Donglai’s weakness.

That she could share this was entirely because she had the Heavenly One Sect behind her.

Had she been from any other top power, even if they knew such secrets, they wouldn’t dare speak of them so freely to Lan Chang'an.

Now knowing Yan Donglai’s achilles’ heel, Lan Chang'an felt a glimmer of hope.

But it was only that, a glimmer.

At the level of a Heavenly Lord, even knowing your enemy’s weak point meant little if you didn’t have the strength to exploit it.

Even if Lan Chang'an immediately broke through to late Nascent Soul, he’d still be thousands of years behind Yan Donglai’s accumulation.

Of course, if he could survive the coming Thousand-Year Tribulation, reach the peak of late Nascent Soul, and rely on the Nine Seal Stele to grow for another thousand years, then perhaps, just perhaps he might stand a chance.

“Is there a way to remove this Curse of Time?”

Lan Chang'an had learned from the secret information that unless the curse was lifted, Yan Donglai would never reach Deity Transformation.

“What, True Monarch Xiang… are you also planning to walk the path of the Demonic Evergreen?”

The Sacred Lotus Maiden’s tone rose slightly, half-jesting, half-reproachful.

Lan Chang'an’s expression froze.

She didn’t tease him any further and answered plainly:

“Only an Evergreen cultivator who has reached the Deity Transformation realm might be able to undo Yan Donglai’s curse.”

A flash of understanding lit up in Lan Chang'an’s eyes.

So Yan Donglai was caught in a dead loop:

Afflicted by the Curse of Time, he couldn’t ascend to Deity Transformation, and to lift this curse, only an already advanced cultivator of Evergreen Technique could offer a solution.

“My sincere thanks for your guidance, Fairy Sacred Lotus.”

Lan Chang'an bowed deeply, a rare gesture of heartfelt gratitude.

“Remember your promise. I hope you won’t stray down the path of the Demonic Evergreen Technique.”

The Sacred Lotus Maiden received the bow, yet her tone grew solemn.

Her mind flickered briefly, like waking from a long dream to memories of a past life.

In that former life, the Demonic Evergreen Technique had been infamous in her human realm, hunted down by the cultivator alliance.

She herself had slain more than one of its practitioners.

Unfortunately, in her past life, she was just a step away from ascending to the Fallen Immortal Realm, so close to returning to the main sect.

Alas, she should never have provoked that peerless grandmaster who shook the ancient world. That one mistake ruined everything.

“What Fairy Sacred Lotus has shared today, This Xiang shall never forget.”

Lan Chang'an promised with a straight face.

...

With their exchange complete, the Sacred Lotus Maiden made no move to linger.

She dispelled the formation, retrieved her lantern and lotus fire, and took to the air.

Step by step, ethereal lotus blossoms unfurled beneath her feet as she drifted away like a celestial being.

Lan Chang'an watched that exquisite, graceful figure, unable to conceal his admiration for beauty.

Though he couldn’t afford her, he had to admit that her looks, her grace, her noble and mysterious air were flawless.

He mused silently, Just what is her relationship with Jing Wufeng?

On the other side.

Hundreds of li away from the Yunxia Sect, the Sacred Lotus Maiden suddenly paused midair, sensing something inexplicable. She turned her head toward a patch of forested mountain.

“Who’s there?”

The forest remained utterly silent, no sound, no movement.

Could it have just been her imagination?

She frowned slightly and swept her spiritual sense over the area, but detected nothing.

In a shadowy valley three hundred li away…

Lord Thousand Shadows, his form shifting between illusion and reality, melted into the gloom, vanishing into the plane of shadows.

“What is her origin? Even at such a distance, she almost sensed my gaze…”

He held his breath, shocked.

Among the Nascent Soul great cultivators of Heaven Honoured Continent, ninety percent wouldn’t have the slightest inkling of his presence at that range.

“I cannot stay here for long. Better to leave than risk alerting her.”

Though the Sacred Lotus Maiden had already flown far away, Lord Thousand Shadows didn’t dare linger.

These last few years, the Holy Maiden had been steadily advancing toward the peak of mid-fourth rank, and her breakthrough to late-fourth rank was imminent.

Thus, he had been ordered to monitor Lan Chang'an’s movements, preventing him from fleeing or escaping ahead of time.

Yet he’d only just resumed his mission, and already he had nearly been spotted by that mysterious silver-lotus girl.

He activated his stealth arts to the utmost and carefully withdrew from Yunxia Sect’s territory.

...

Back at the sect mountain gate, Lan Chang'an returned.

Though his spiritual sense was already at the threshold of a Nascent Soul great cultivator, it still paled in comparison to the Sacred Lotus Maiden’s. Combined with the great distance, he never sensed Lord Thousand Shadows’ presence at all.

“Dalong, that mysterious woman just now… was she an old friend of yours?”

Jiang Ziyan greeted him, trying her best to smile, though a shadow flickered in her gaze.

The Sacred Lotus Maiden had looked so young, so stunning and she was a Nascent Soul great cultivator, making all other Nascent Soul fairies pale in comparison.

She sighed inwardly. No wonder Yunxia Sect alone can’t keep your heart.

“Ziyan, you misunderstood. Fairy Sacred Lotus is a friend of Fellow Daoist Jing, we met for the first time today.”

Lan Chang'an smiled and explained the truth.

Jing Tian True Monarch’s friend?

Jiang Ziyan fell silent, lost in thought.

Two such young Nascent Soul great cultivators appearing at once…

In the entire Heaven Honoured Continent, how many factions could produce such figures?

...

Lan Chang'an consoled Purple Mist Fairy with a few gentle words before returning to Yunlan Peak.

Inside his cave residence, he sat cross-legged and made a brief divination. His expression quickly turned grave.

“With this cause and effect severed… I must leave the Great Yuan as soon as possible and journey to the overseas cultivation world.”

He made the decision without hesitation.

This was because the karmic tie between him and the Heavenly One Sect, and between him and True Monarch Jing Tian had now been severed.

Back then, he had placed a heavy bet on Jing Wufeng partly to entangle himself in the Heavenly One Sect’s karma and cloud the waters, buying himself some protection.

That way, Yan Donglai would hesitate to act rashly against him.

But now, with True Monarch Jing Tian having fulfilled his promise and repaid all past favors, that karmic bond had been cut.

Only a faint remnant of connection remained between him and the Heavenly One Sect, no longer useful as a smokescreen.

If Yan Donglai focused his attention on him, he would eventually see through it.

With his decision made, Lan Chang'an immediately contacted Puppet Master Wei and Lord Earthrock, who were out procuring supplies.

Plans never keep pace with change.

His original plan to cultivate in the Great Yuan for another hundred years, or at least a sixty-year cycle had to be scrapped.

Lan Chang'an entered his sealed chamber and took out the Sky-Cleaving Axe and the three fifth-rank spiritual talismans.

Before Wei and Lord Earthrock returned, he could use this time to refine the Sky-Cleaving Axe with his Evergreen Nascent Fire.

With this powerful quasi-spiritual treasure in hand, Lan Chang'an’s offensive capability would be greatly enhanced, enough to pose a threat to even late Nascent Soul cultivators.

At last, his long deficiency in firepower was partially remedied.

As for the three fifth-rank talismans, they were overwhelming weapons below the Deity Transformation level, akin to dimensional strikes from a higher plane.

However, Lan Chang'an knew well that using just three fifth-rank talismans to take on Yan Donglai was utterly unrealistic.

Such trump cards were meant for self-preservation, they offered very limited threat to a Deity Transformation cultivator.

Each of these talismans contained a powerful divine spell from a Deity Transformation Heavenly Lord, but they were still inferior to true Deity Transformation-level treasures.

Against Nascent Soul great cultivators, they could be devastating.

But then again, which Nascent Soul great cultivator wasn’t well-prepared for life-and-death situations? If they went all out, many could survive a couple of Deity Transformation strikes.

Lan Chang'an analyzed this rationally, he couldn’t afford to overestimate his cards.

That said, these space-attribute talismans were especially potent.

Used at the right moment, they just might injure or even bring down a Deity Transformation expert.

After all, the laws of space reigned supreme.

Such talismans were far more precious than other elements.

While refining the Sky-Cleaving Axe, Lan Chang'an also studied the structure of the fifth-rank talismans, hoping to gain inspiration and elevate his own mastery of fourth-rank talisman crafting.

Over the years, his cultivation across the hundred immortal arts had mainly prioritized puppetry, body refinement, and divination, with talismans slightly neglected.

Partly due to limited energy, but also because crafting fourth-rank talismans required specific brushes and rare base materials which he lacked, so he had few chances to practice.

...

Half a month later.

Lan Chang'an had nearly completed refining the Sky-Cleaving Axe.

Puppet Master Wei and Lord Earthrock had also returned to Yunxia Sect.

With the plan to flee across the outer seas, Lan Chang'an had a feeling this journey would be long and arduous.

This time, he wouldn’t simply vanish without a word.

Lan Chang'an had sensed the early signs, foreboding omens that the cultivation world of the Great Yuan was headed into chaos, with the air of an approaching era of war.

He summoned Xiao Qingshan and informed this Nascent Soul True Monarch of his decision to set out on a long journey.

As for his exact destination, Lan Chang'an chose not to disclose it to either of the sect’s other two True Monarchs.

“While Big Brother is away, you should not attend the Ancient Nether Hall, nor should you waste demon crystals on entrance tokens.”

“The coming demonic tide in the Central Region will be unlike anything we’ve seen. It may even affect the demon seal in the Abyssal Demon Realm. Be cautious.”

“Honestly cultivate in the sect. Explore the side path of yin and yang. Establish a legacy. Strengthen your foundation…”

Lan Chang'an gave him many instructions.

“I’ll remember everything you said, big brother.”

Xiao Qingshan responded without hesitation, his belief unwavering.

In his past life in the Great Qing, he had proven one truth: Listening to his big brother never led him astray.

As for the Purple Mist Fairy, Lan Chang'an would also give her some subtle warnings and reminders.

But as a mid-stage Nascent Soul giant, she had her own views and instincts and might not follow everything he said.

...

In the two months that followed,

Lan Chang'an spent his time alternating between discussing the Dao with Purple Mist Fairy and sharing moments of tender intimacy.

During this period, he subtly hinted that he might be leaving soon, as a way to lay some groundwork in advance.

Jiang Ziyan had long sensed this day would come.

She even suspected that Lan Chang'an’s plan to leave might have something to do with the fleeting appearance of the stunning lotus-robed maiden.

Melancholy welled quietly within her, but she still agreed to Lan Chang'an’s proposed strategy for preserving the sect in the turbulent times ahead.

Lan Chang'an estimated that this departure might last for many years and decided to leave Yunxia Sect with some foundations to withstand the coming era of chaos.

In this lifetime, Yunxia Sect had been the place where he spent the most time cultivating, he had successively broken through to early and mid-stage Nascent Soul here.

Lord Earthrock had also advanced to early and mid-fourth rank within these mountains.

With time came sentiment, it was impossible not to form attachments.

Over the past two centuries, Lan Chang'an had forged two quasi-fourth-rank puppets for Yunxia Sect.

Before leaving, he decided to hand over a third-rank puppet formation that he no longer needed.

At his current level, any real threat would be from great cultivators or higher.

The third-rank puppet formation, composed of elite third-rank puppets, could resist even seasoned early Nascent Soul cultivators but only in static, defensive battles.

To Lan Chang'an now, it was more a burden than an asset.

In the end, Xiao Qingshan and Yunxia Sect jointly bought the puppet formation.

Yunxia Sect covered half the cost.

For the other half, Xiao Qingshan pressed for funds and borrowed discreetly from the Xiao family’s private reserves.

Ownership of the puppet formation belonged to Yunxia Sect, but usage rights remained with Xiao Qingshan.

In exchange, Lan Chang'an acquired a large cache of fourth-rank puppet refinement materials, including skins from demon kings, rare spiritual herbs, and other materials.

One could say he had squeezed every last drop of value from the third-rank formation.

Though it cost Yunxia Sect and the Xiao family dearly, strategic resources capable of fighting Nascent Soul cultivators were nearly impossible to find.

In addition to the powerful puppets, Lan Chang'an had left behind a general fourth-rank puppet inheritance, one that avoided core secrets like the Thousand Machines Divine Transformation Art.

Over the past century, Yunxia Sect had also successfully cultivated two third-rank puppet masters.

“With a Nascent Soul giant overseeing the sect, a mid-fourth-rank grand formation for defense, and a puppet army to support it, Yunxia Sect should do well so long as they don't get greedy,”

Lan Chang'an reflected quietly.

As the sect’s shining star, he felt he had done everything he could for them over the last two to three centuries. Aside from failing Yunlan True Monarch, he had no regrets.

If Yunlan True Monarch’s spirit lingers in the heavens, and sees Yunxia Sect flourishing and growing ever stronger, surely… he will be at peace.

(Chapter End)