I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals-Chapter 368: The Final Ten Years

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Chapter 368: The Final Ten Years

“…As long as it is within my power, I will grant it to you!”

Lan Chang'an felt that there was a subtle implication hidden within True Monarch Purple Mist’s words.

He glanced at her—her posture remained graceful and dignified, still the high and untouchable Supreme Elder, exuding elegance and nobility.

Refusing to dwell on unnecessary thoughts, he followed his heart.

“I lack neither wealth nor protective means. The only thing missing is the materials for my Nascent Soul advancement. If the sect has any such reserves, I hope Senior Sister Jiang can grant them to me.”

Upon hearing this, True Monarch Purple Mist gazed into his eyes, sensing the firm resolve in his Dao heart.

While she admired his unwavering determination, she couldn’t help but feel a trace of disappointment and frustration.

Just now, she had subtly revealed her interest, albeit in a reserved and indirect manner.

If Elder Xiang harbored even a hint of admiration or had any unspoken desires, he should have at least hesitated before responding.

Yet, he showed not even the slightest hesitation—his only concern was securing resources for forming his Nascent Soul.

Suppressing her thoughts, she maintained her composure.

“How far along is Junior Brother in his Nascent Soul preparations? What materials do you currently lack?”

"I mainly need primary ingredients for the Infant Transformation Pill. I already have a backup for the Nascent Soul spirit item and the Heart Tribulation treasure, but they are not of high grade—merely passable.”

Lan Chang'an’s statement contained some deliberate omissions.

His Nascent Soul spirit item, Ziwu Clear Wind was of superior quality and was obtained from Old Man Heavenly Net.

His Heart Tribulation treasure, Superior Purity Pill, had been originally intended for Lord Earthrock but was kept as a backup instead.

His auxiliary herbs for the Infant Transformation Pill had already been mostly gathered, through sect exchanges and private acquisitions.

However, the three main ingredients for the pill were monopolized by major Nascent Soul factions, and he had yet to obtain them.

Technically, he did have one of the main ingredients—a Tianying Fruit, the rarest and most important among the three.

Before leaving the Great Qing and the Seven Kingdoms Alliance, Lan Chang'an had discovered the location of a hidden treasure vault belonging to the Heavenly Net Sect, which contained a Tianying Fruit.

At the time, he was being hunted by True Monarch Cyanwood, and the fruit still needed a hundred years to ripen. He hadn’t had the time to claim it.

Thus, he sold Wang Feng a favor, giving him the blood pearl and information to trace it, and had him "safekeeping" the Tianying Fruit for him.

Later, in the Great Yuan, Lan Chang'an performed a divination. With Heavenly Net Patriarch’s death, retrieving the fruit should now be much easier, and it was highly likely that Wang Feng had already obtained it.

After a brief moment of thought, True Monarch Purple Mist spoke.

"The sect’s secret inner treasury contains a fully matured Moonfall Flower—one of the main ingredients for the Infant Transformation Pill. You may exchange sect contributions for it.”

Lan Chang'an’s heart leaped with joy—this reward carried genuine sincerity and was far from a mere formality.

The so-called "secret inner treasury" was separate from the sect’s public treasury—these should be private, high-grade reserves under True Monarch Purple Mist’s personal control, unavailable to outsiders.

"May I ask how much sect contribution is required for the Moonfall Flower?"

Lan Chang'an inquired.

"According to sect traditions, core resources for advancing to Nascent Soul are exclusively reserved for our sect’s true disciples. As such, you must pay the full price of 80,000 sect contribution points, with no discounts—otherwise, it would be unfair to others.”

This was a personal exception that violated sect tradition.

If True Monarch Yunlan were still alive, he would have firmly opposed this decision.

"Eighty thousand contribution points? I will do my best to gather them."

Lan Chang'an wisely chose not to push his luck.

While 80,000 points was an enormous sum, he was not short on wealth—earning contributions would not be difficult.

His service at Fujiling Mine, along with his victory in battle, would grant him sect rewards.

The remaining contribution points could be earned through puppet trades.

He didn’t even need to use his best puppets. He could sell low-grade third-rank puppets or craft new ones from spare materials—it was only a matter of time.

...

True Monarch Purple Mist stayed at the mine for less than half an hour before departing back to Yunxia Sect.

Lan Chang'an remained at Fujiling Mine, intending to stay for a few more years.

Guarding the mine provided steady annual contributions and resources, and it was easy to gather puppet materials.

Once his puppet army was complete and he had collected 80,000 contribution points, he would then return to Yunxia Sect.

After half a year, Lan Chang'an turned 362 years old.

His performance in battle at Fujiling Mine had spread throughout the Great Yu Kingdom.

In private discussions, some cultivators even claimed—

“Elder Xiang might be the strongest Core Formation cultivator in the Great Yu Kingdom.”

The kingdom had many Core Formation Great Cultivators and no clear ‘number one’ in this era.

The last acknowledged strongest before his Nascent Soul breakthrough was "Tianyuan Sword Monarch" Yuanjin of the Great Yu imperial family.

Lan Chang'an had no interest in such empty titles, but he had an inkling that someone was deliberately fueling these rumors.

Fortunately, no other Core Formation Great Cultivator had come to challenge him for such fake fame.

Most late-stage Core Formation cultivators were already two or three centuries old. In order to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, they were competing, scheming, vomiting blood—how could they have the leisure for anything else?

Unless there were benefits driving them, high-ranking cultivators would not fall to such shallow, childish things.

As Lan Chang'an’s reputation soared, bad news arrived from Yunxia Sect.

Meanwhile, their lifelong rival, Great Snake Mountain, erupted in celebration—they had received a major piece of good news.

Great Snake Mountain has given birth to a new Nascent Soul True Monarch!

“True Monarch Red Refinement, a master of poison refinement, has spent centuries immersed in toxic cultivation. Before breaking through to Nascent Soul, he was already Great Snake Mountain’s best poison master.”

Lan Chang'an quickly received intelligence on the newly ascended Nascent Soul cultivator from Great Snake Mountain.

For centuries, Great Snake Mountain had not produced a new Nascent Soul, so in terms of historical progression, this was merely a normal generational replacement.

However, the fact that the one to ascend was Red Refinement came as a surprise to many.

Among the candidates for Nascent Soul, Red Refinement was neither the most talented nor the youngest.

His breakthrough age was reported to be 377 years old.

By comparison, in major Nascent Soul factions, cultivators typically ascended by the age of 300.

For those with heavenly spiritual roots and abundant sect resources, breakthroughs could occur as early as 250 years old.

At 300, a Core Formation Great Cultivator was considered to be at their prime, much like a mortal reaching their peak adulthood.

While cultivators outlived mortals, they were not true immortals. Their fleshly bodies remained subject to the natural laws of aging, illness, and death.

After 350 years old, the chances of forming a Nascent Soul dropped sharply.

By 400 years old, the probability of success became negligible.

Thus, many suspected that Red Refinement’s success was linked to Red Serpent True Monarch's harvest in the last Ancient Nether Hall expedition.

That Ancient Nether Hall had been unusually rich in opportunities—even a spiritual treasure had appeared.

All the surviving Nascent Soul cultivators had gained some form of benefit.

Perhaps True Monarch Red Serpent had obtained a unique spirit item perfectly suited for toxic cultivation, making Red Refinement the ideal choice for ascension.

Another theory was that Red Refinement’s unmatched poison-refining talent had earned him special treatment, as he may have successfully developed a fourth-rank deadly poison in the past.

“Interesting. Red Refinement True Monarch’s breakthrough age is almost exactly what I had projected for myself.”

Lan Chang'an was somewhat intrigued.

After all, Red Refinement did not cultivate longevity techniques—on the contrary, poison cultivation typically shortened one’s lifespan.

That he had managed to survive and ascend was no small feat.

However, beyond that, Lan Chang'an had little concern for Great Snake Mountain’s new Nascent Soul cultivator.

Instead, it was True Monarch Purple Mist who would undoubtedly feel the most pressure.

Great Snake Mountain’s current leader, True Monarch Red Serpent, was already stronger than her.

Their faction’s ancient beast, the Scarlet Abyss Serpent King, was rumored to be even mightier than Red Serpent True Monarch himself.

And now, with the addition of a newly ascended Nascent Soul expert specializing in poison, Great Snake Mountain has officially surpassed Yunxia Sect in overall strength.

...

In the blink of an eye, Lan Chang'an had been holding down the mine for another five years.

After driving away the Ye Clan, the mine had become stable—no longer requiring a Core Formation Great Cultivator to oversee it.

Keeping him stationed here was an unnecessary expense for the sect.

Yet, Lan Chang'an refused to leave, and Yunxia Sect had no justification to force him out.

Finally, at age 368, he completed the long-planned puppet army.

The puppet army formation consisted of four superior third-rank puppets and twelve mid-grade third-rank puppets.

A total of 16 puppets, forming a cohesive military formation.

When activated, their combined puppet force fused into a battle array, making them capable of holding off an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator in a defensive battle.

Of course, puppet formations had limitations.

They excelled at territorial defense and counterattacks but lacked the mobility of Nascent Soul cultivators.

A Nascent Soul expert could come and go as they pleased, while static puppet formations struggled to chase down elusive enemies.

However, integrating the Exotic Spirit Peacock Puppet into the battle array could help mitigate this weakness.

The Exotic Spirit Peacock Puppet already outperformed standard peak third-rank puppets.

If it fused with the formation, its combat power would be greatly enhanced.

Although there was no suitable testing ground, Lan Chang'an was confident that the Exotic Spirit Peacock Puppet-led battle array would be strong enough to defeat True Monarch Purple Mist.

After completing the puppet army, Lan Chang'an had exhausted nearly all his third-rank puppet materials.

To finish the project, he had even salvaged materials from looted magical treasures.

Despite the massive resource consumption, the end result was well worth it.

Now, even without Lord Earthrock, even without the fourth life descent, he could rely solely on his puppet techniques to contend with Nascent Soul cultivators.

At the same time, his sect contribution balance finally reached 80,000 points.

“I’ve gathered 80,000 contribution points. Time to return and exchange them for the Moonfall Flower.”

Lan Chang'an let out a deep breath.

After years of stationing at Fujiling Mine, he had achieved far more than expected.

From now on, his sole focus would be preparing for his Nascent Soul breakthrough.

...

A few days later, Lan Chang'an successfully returned to Yunxia Sect.

The newly appointed mid-Core Formation cultivator took over Fujiling Mine, allowing him to shift his focus entirely to his Nascent Soul preparations.

Upon returning, the first thing he did was not visit Lord Earthrock.

Nor was it out of respect for sect hierarchy.

His priority was to immediately exchange for the Moonfall Flower before any unforeseen complications arose.

Even though Moonfall Flower was the least valuable of the three main ingredients for the Infant Transformation Pill, it was still a strategic resource tightly controlled by Nascent Soul factions.

Unlike auxiliary ingredients, primary ingredients could be directly consumed, offering at least a small boost in the chances of a successful Nascent Soul breakthrough.

Among them, Tianying Fruit was the most powerful, and Miluo Grass and Moonfall Flower were less effective but still essential.

Of the three, Lan Chang'an had yet to secure the first two.

Zixia Peak cave residence.

After a short wait, Lan Chang'an met with True Monarch Purple Mist inside her cave abode.

But today she wasn’t dressed in her customary violet imperial robes.

Instead, she wore a simple, flowing white silk dress, its sheer fabric carrying a delicate yet alluring translucence.

Her long, raven-black hair was still slightly damp, cascading down her back like a cloud of mist.

It was evident she had just bathed, her luminous skin gleaming like flawless jade, a faint rosy hue accentuating her delicate features.

Her gown clung softly to her figure, and beneath the thin veil of silk, the faint curve of her chest was vaguely discernible.

Lan Chang'an immediately averted his gaze, keeping his expression composed to avoid any sign of offense.

"This is… unusual."

For a brief moment, a strange thought flickered in his mind.

It reminded him of Guan Qiaozhi, a former concubine from his time in Huanglong Immortal City, who had once worn a similar silk dress in an attempt to seduce him.

"Could it be… that True Monarch Purple Mist is scheming something?"

The idea made him wary.

Far from home, deep within foreign lands, one must always remain vigilant.

Fortunately, True Monarch Purple Mist did not overstep any boundaries.

Despite her ethereal charm, she maintained her usual dignified demeanor, and her every gesture remained composed and measured.

Once he explained the purpose of his visit, she transmitted an order to retrieve the Moonfall Flower.

Not long after, a tall, handsome cultivator emerged from the inner gardens of the cave abode, carrying a silver-glowing flower that radiated a faint moonlit aura.

It was none other than Hu Ang.

Moonfall Flowers were cultivated within fourth-rank spirit fields all year round, meaning True Monarch Purple Mist could not carry them on her person at all times.

Without the spiritual nourishment of a fourth-rank spirit vein, even a fully matured flower would rapidly wither and lose its medicinal potency.

Within a fourth-rank spirit field, it took 1,000 years to mature. In a lower-grade field, the process could take several thousand years, if not a full tenfold longer.

This made cultivation impossible for most sects and individual cultivators, even if they managed to obtain seeds.

Lan Chang'an raised an eyebrow.

Hu Ang?

While he was aware that Hu Ang was True Monarch Purple Mist’s personal disciple, he hadn’t expected to see him tending to her most precious spiritual medicine.

Taking note of Lan Chang'an’s reaction, True Monarch Purple Mist chuckled softly as she handed him the flower.

“The previous disciple in charge of the spirit fields has aged, and it just so happens that Hu Ang has some talent in herbal cultivation. He volunteered to take over the duty, and I must say, he has done an excellent job.”

“I see. Little Ang is truly a multi-talented, a rare good seedling.”

Lan Chang'an politely accepted the flower, offering a few words of praise.

Meanwhile, Hu Ang stepped into the main hall.

Upon seeing True Monarch Purple Mist in her silk-veiled attire, his eye twitched slightly.

He knew his Dao Companion as a reserved and dignified woman.

She had never worn anything this sheer and intimate.

Then he watched as she personally handed the Moonfall Flower to Xiang Dalong.

His displeasure only deepened.

Little Ang?

Hearing Xiang Dalong's call, Hu Ang was both furious and shocked but dared not show it.

He had to forcefully suppress his emotions, ensuring they wouldn’t be detected.

“Elder Xiang flatters me.”

With a brief, measured reply, he bowed slightly and promptly excused himself.

As he stepped out of the hall, Hu Ang took a deep breath, struggling to suppress his rising frustration.

"Ziyan would never betray me!"

"With Great Snake Mountain’s growing power, and the imperial court harboring ulterior motives, she is under immense pressure. It makes sense that she would need to lower herself and build closer ties with Xiang Dalong."

After rationally analyzing the situation, his anger gradually faded.

"Good. It seems Xiang Dalong is only focused on cultivation and material gain. He is indifferent to women."

...

After successfully exchanging the Moonfall Flower, True Monarch Purple Mist unexpectedly brought up a matter regarding Lord Earthrock.

“Some years ago, I arranged for Lord Earthrock to have several high-bloodline third-rank spirit rats for companionship—to ease its loneliness.”

“However, despite their presence, Lord Earthrock has never conceived offspring. I even invited several medical experts to examine the issue, but none found any abnormalities.”

High-bloodline third-rank spirit rats were rare. True Monarch Purple Mist had used her sect connections to acquire them, and half of them were borrowed.

Now that Lord Earthrock had ascended to a fourth-rank Demon King, its mutated bloodline was exceptionally valuable.

But her intention wasn’t merely to breed superior spirit rats.

If Lord Earthrock bore offspring, it would strengthen its sense of belonging to Yunxia Sect.

Yet to True Monarch Purple Mist’s frustration—

Lord Earthrock never rejected the spirit rats' company, even draining the males dry, leaving them exhausted and terrified.

However, it never conceived, which was a huge disappointment.

“This wasn’t my doing. For over 300 years before we even arrived in Great Yuan, Lord Earthrock has always been this way.”

Lan Chang'an chuckled, speaking the truth.

Back in the Beast Taming Zhou Family, Zhou Qingxuan had once suggested that the Earth Burrowing Rat's behavior might be subconsciously influenced by its master.

“It's rare in the cultivation world that both master and pet would refuse to leave behind any descendants.”

True Monarch Purple Mist laughed lightly, teasing him before dropping the subject.

While the two conversed—

Whoosh!

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A violent whirlwind of sand mixed with earth-attribute demonic energy surged toward Zixia Peak.

Moments later, a half-demonic humanoid figure emerged—the transformed Lord Earthrock.

It was clad in a purple-red Daoist robe, and compared to years ago, its face had grown rounder, and its figure slightly bulkier.

“Master, you’ve returned.”

Upon seeing Lan Chang'an, Lord Earthrock’s voice—now resembling that of a half-grown child—carried genuine joy.

“You’ve put on some weight. Have you been slacking off in your cultivation?”

Lan Chang'an chuckled and patted its head.

Lord Earthrock, now almost as tall as Lan Chang'an, instinctively lowered its head in response—clearly a bit guilty.

Unlike its past days of rigorous training, Lord Earthrock—now a sect guardian beast—was pampered and well-fed, with endless resources at its disposal.

Though it had not neglected cultivation, it no longer trained with the same desperation as before.

Lan Chang'an had no complaints.

Its ascension to a fourth-rank Demon King was already a miracle born of countless coincidences.

Given its bloodline limitations, even with unwavering effort, advancing beyond this stage was nearly impossible.

Having struggled for so many years, it was fair for it to enjoy some well-earned comfort.

...

“Senior Sister Jiang, I plan to leave the sect soon—to travel across the Central Region in search of other resources for my Nascent Soul breakthrough.”

Taking this opportunity, Lan Chang'an revealed his future plans, ensuring True Monarch Purple Mist would have time to make arrangements.

“How long until you reach peak Core Formation?”

True Monarch Purple Mist scrutinized him carefully.

“About ten years.”

Lan Chang'an was keenly aware of his own cultivation progress, he estimated he would reach the peak of late Core Formation by the age of 380.

After calculating the timeline, True Monarch Purple Mist made a proposal—

“In two years, Cloudsky City will hold its once-per-decade auction, attracting Nascent Soul cultivators from all across the Central Region. If you’re not in a hurry, you may accompany me. I believe you will find what you seek.”

“Cloudsky City’s grand auction? That aligns perfectly with my plans.”

Lan Chang'an readily agreed.

Twenty to thirty years ago, during his first visit to Cloudsky City, he had managed to trade for a tribulation-resolving treasure at the Nascent Soul Exchange Gathering.

This created the conditions for the successful Transformation of the Earth Burrowing Rat later on.

At that time, his cultivation had been too weak to bid for high-value resources, so his gains had been limited.

Nowadays, Lan Chang'an's strength and status had risen dramatically, and returning to Cloudsky City offered far greater opportunities to obtain Nascent Soul resources than any other place.

Moreover, Cloudsky City was also where he maintained contact with Jing Wufeng.

...

For the next two years, Lan Chang'an devoted himself entirely to cultivation after returning to Yunxia Sect.

Aside from occasional talisman crafting and divination, he set aside puppetry and body refinement for the time being.

In Puppetry, the materials were exhausted and there wasn't much room for improvement.

Body Refinement, it had remained stagnant at peak third-rank for years, with no way to advance.

Influenced by the environment of heaven and earth, advancing to the fourth rank in body refining was far more difficult than breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.

For the Nascent Soul stage, one could still seek external aids like Infant Transformation Pills or tribulation treasures.

However, the heavenly treasures required for advancing body refining to the fourth rank were nearly extinct in the present age.

The only resource in his possession that could aid in reaching the fourth rank of body refining was the Blood Dragon Fruit, but it was far from enough.

This was still the compensation provided by Jing Wufeng after the "profit-sharing" when he came out of the Ancient Nether Hall years ago.

Therefore, advancing to the fourth rank in body refinement would have to wait until he achieved the Nascent Soul stage in the future, and even then, it was uncertain whether it was possible.

“Three hundred eighty years old—just ten years left.”

One day, after completing his daily cultivation, Lan Chang'an felt his Evergreen mana approaching the absolute limits of Core Formation.

That very same day, True Monarch Purple Mist transmitted a message through spiritual sense to prepare to depart for Cloudsky City, Central Region's number one Immortal City.

“Hopefully, this journey will yield the final pieces I need.”

As Lan Chang'an stepped out of his cave abode, he murmured to himself.

With most of his Nascent Soul materials secured, in these last ten years, he planned to gather the remaining pieces, ensuring that when he reached the peak of the Core Formation stage, he could break through to the Nascent Soul stage at any time.