I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals-Chapter 402: Awakening the Past Life, Farewell to Great Yuan

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Chapter 402: Awakening the Past Life, Farewell to Great Yuan

After inquiring about the formation techniques, the two began discussing the demons who had escaped from the demon-sealing battle.

"Jing has just returned from the coastal areas of the Eastern Region and obtained reliable information. That powerful Shadow Demon, suspected to be at the peak of the fourth rank, had not yet recovered when it was pursued by a group of Nascent Soul experts led by a human Great Cultivator. Reportedly, the Shadow Demon and the Moon Demon Priestess were forced to separate, one fled to the open sea, while the other escaped toward the boundaries of the inland regions..."

Jing Wufeng shared his intelligence.

"I've been in the Central Region and only received a rough account. Those two demons aren't simple. It's a pity we couldn't eliminate them completely; they may cause trouble in the outer provinces in the future."

Lan Chang'an regretted that they had failed to root out the problem entirely.

If that Shadow Demon were to recover to its peak form, it would be faster than a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator. Even if the two of them joined forces, they wouldn’t be its match.

Fortunately, the two demonic cultivators were wounded and had fled to the outer provinces, so there was no immediate threat.

Even if those demons held grudges and returned for revenge in the future, Lan Chang'an would have long since returned to Great Qing.

...

By evening, Lan Chang'an and Jing Wufeng passed over the territory of Great Snake Mountain.

The formation protecting Great Snake Mountain was active, and the two Nascent Soul True Monarchs had remained low-key for years, rarely leaving their territory.

Their disciples also behaved themselves, avoiding conflicts with the Yunxia Sect.

In fact, in several disputed industries, Great Snake Mountain had voluntarily conceded, giving up some of its interests in exchange for peace.

"Times have changed. Great Snake Mountain has become so cowardly, this True Monarch can’t get used to it..."

Lan Chang'an sighed with some regret.

For years, he had been looking for an opportunity to deal a blow to Great Snake Mountain, but he never found one.

Perhaps it was their fear of the Twin Dragons of the Central Region, or perhaps they had received guidance from a powerful figure, but the two Nascent Soul cultivators of Great Snake Mountain had been lying low all these years.

Lan Chang'an couldn’t just attack their mountain gate outright.

With a fourth-rank grand formation protecting them and two Nascent Soul experts holding the fort, even if he and Jing Wufeng joined forces, they wouldn’t be able to do much.

Even that itinerant cultivator, the Pagoda Wanderer, had disappeared without a trace.

However, before leaving Great Yuan, Lan Chang'an planned to plant a hidden thorn in Great Snake Mountain.

Years ago, when he devoured the refined soul from the Essence Spirit Core of the Scarlet Abyss Serpent King, he learned that the Pagoda Wanderer had secret ties to Yaqi Mountain.

Yet, Great Snake Mountain maintained a good relationship with the Pagoda Wanderer, effectively placing bets on both sides.

Before returning to Great Qing, Lan Chang'an would quietly send this information to the imperial family of Great Yu, where the divination grandmaster could verify its authenticity.

This way, once Yunxia Sect was left with only one Nascent Soul expert, the imperial family would lean toward supporting True Monarch Purple Mist and remain wary of Great Snake Mountain.

As for Yunxia Sect, Lan Chang'an felt he owed them nothing.

Years ago, he had crafted a quasi-fourth-rank puppet for Yunxia Sect, strengthening the sect’s foundation.

Moreover, he had left behind a complete puppet-crafting inheritance, allowing Yunxia Sect to nurture its own puppet masters.

As the sect’s "lucky star," Lan Chang'an had also brought the Xuanmu Vine Gourd to take root in the mountain gate, enhancing the sect’s fortune and fostering a new generation of talented disciples.

True Monarch Purple Mist was a Heaven-Spirit Root cultivator, with a talent superior to her senior brother, True Monarch Yunlan. In the future, she might even have a chance to ascend further.

...

Three years later.

In the Eastern Region of Great Yuan, high above the vast, endless sea.

The void trembled above the clouds, accompanied by a deep, distant whale cry that echoed through the skies. The sound sent chills through the hearts of both sea beasts and human cultivators within a radius of several hundred li.

Two massive Void Whales cast their colossal shadows as they glided through the shallow layers of the void, their forms reflecting onto the ocean’s surface below.

One of the Void Whales was even larger, resembling a floating island, its back covered with thick layers of moss and fern-like vegetation.

The sheer force of the whale’s void-piercing cry was enough to leave nearby sea beasts disoriented and bleeding from their orifices.

Whoosh!

A tremendous whirlpool formed, guided by a shadow of the void, swallowing countless fish, shrimp, and marine beasts in its wake.

"Fellow Daoist Jing, didn’t we agree to hunt a Void Whale at the early fourth rank? Why is there suddenly a peak mid-fourth-rank one? Even a Great Cultivator wouldn’t be able to take it down!"

Ahead of the void-wave whirlpool, two figures, as small as mere fish and shrimp by comparison, were fleeing in a sorry state.

Lan Chang'an and Jing Wufeng looked disheveled—hair messy, robes tattered.

Though neither was injured, their faces were covered in dust and exhaustion. Their vitality had been severely depleted, and they were frantically burning through their spiritual power to escape at full speed.

Jing Wufeng, panting heavily, spoke with a wry smile, "I didn’t expect it either. The Void Whale I failed to hunt back then… ended up finding an even stronger mate over these past few years."

As the saying goes, plans never keep up with changes—things rarely go as one envisions.

The two had arranged to hunt a specific Void Whale, searching for a long time before finally locating its hidden lair deep within the ocean.

But to their misfortune, another Void Whale had appeared, one at the peak of mid-fourth-rank. It was massive, and its spatial abilities severely restricted Jing Wufeng’s movements.

Their divine abilities and secret arts barely left a scratch, completely nullified by the whales’ devouring abilities.

In contrast, the Void Whale with a heavenly bloodline didn’t even need to exert itself, just a single sneeze from it was enough to put them on high alert.

For days, Lan Chang'an and Jing Wufeng had been relentlessly pursued by the two Void Whales, only managing to shake them off as they neared the coastline.

Finally, the whales slowed their chase, letting out deep, earth-shaking cries—clearly a warning.

They knew this area was under the jurisdiction of the Sixteen Sea Suppressing Sects, a region brimming with magical treasures and formations designed to counter sea demon kings.

Stepping back onto land, the two cultivators were finally safe. They turned to watch the enormous whale shadows retreat into the void.

Jing Wufeng, thoroughly exhausted, plopped down onto the ground and sighed in frustration, "I never thought that we the Twin Dragons of the Central Region who have always been undefeated when working together would suffer such an embarrassing loss near the Eastern Region’s coastline."

Sitting cross-legged to regulate his breathing, Lan Chang'an reflected for a moment before nodding with a knowing look.

"Indeed, the cultivation world hasn't misnamed us."

"Oh? What do you mean, Fellow Daoist Xiang?"

Lan Chang'an’s expression was solemn as he explained,

"‘Twin Dragons of the Central Region’, signifies that when we join forces in the Central Region, we reign supreme, never tasting defeat. But the moment we step into another territory, we lose that advantage."

Jing Wufeng was stunned for a second, then burst into laughter, slapping his thigh.

"Well said! Fellow Daoist Xiang truly deserves his title as a fourth-rank divination grandmaster!"

"It seems the reason this plan failed… was simply because we weren’t in our element. Next time we collaborate, we’d best stick to the Central Region."

The two exchanged looks and laughed heartily, their frustration from being chased in disgrace dissipating in an instant.

...

After a while, their spiritual power had recovered considerably.

"Fellow Daoist Xiang, here are some treasures and spiritual materials I picked up from the Void Whale’s lair. We’ll split them up later."

Jing Wufeng waved his hand, revealing a pile of spirit shells, pearls, mineral crystals, and other valuables.

"Lord Earthrock also managed to snatch some sea goods."

At Lan Chang'an’s words, Lord Earthrock materialized, opening its mouth to spit out its own spoils.

While Lord Earthrock’s haul was smaller than Jing Wufeng’s, among the collection was a spirit beast egg with dark green patterns.

"Eh? A Blackwater Qilin egg!"

Jing Wufeng’s eyes lit up upon identifying it, unable to hide his excitement.

Lan Chang'an already had powerful spirit pets, and Jing Wufeng couldn’t help but feel envious. However, ordinary spirit beasts didn’t interest him, as they had little hope of advancing to the fourth rank.

The Blackwater Qilin was a heavenly-grade water-elemental spirit beast, its growth potential and aptitude for fighting are all superior.

After some discussion, they agreed that the Blackwater Qilin egg would go to Jing Wufeng, while Lan Chang'an would take all the other treasures, including a few rare spatial ores.

After all, an unhatched spirit beast wasn’t inherently valuable, it required immense resources to cultivate to the Core Formation or Nascent Soul stage, no less than a human cultivator.

If one wanted it to mature faster, the resources required would be multiple times that of a human.

"Fellow Daoist Xiang, I also have a third-rank Longevity Fruit here to compensate for your losses from the failed whale hunt this time."

Having obtained the Blackwater Qilin egg, Jing Wufeng took out a third-rank longevity fruit as further compensation.

During their desperate escape, Lan Chang'an burned some of his lifespan using a special escape technique. With this longevity fruit as the main ingredient, supplemented by other herbs, he could refine three third-rank Life Extension Pills.

Mosquito legs were also meat, Lan Chang'an’s resistance to third-rank Life Extension Pills hadn’t reached its limit yet.

...

A few days later.

Lan Chang'an and Jing Wufeng parted ways in the Eastern Region, each setting out to procure the resources they needed.

Jing Wufeng focused on purchasing suitable water-elemental spiritual materials to assist in incubating the Blackwater Qilin egg.

Before bidding farewell, Lan Chang'an took the initiative to offer his help. He suggested using the Evergreen Technique to nourish the qilin egg, infusing it with vitality to promote healthier and stronger growth.

With his cultivation now at a higher level, even if it cost him only a few days of lifespan, the effect would be no less potent than when he had nurtured the Profound Water Turtle Egg with the same method.

Jing Wufeng was deeply grateful. He even joked that when the Blackwater Qilin matured, gained the ability to speak, and developed its intelligence, he would have it recognize Lan Chang'an as its adoptive father.

Lan Chang'an merely smiled and said nothing.

Who knew how many years would pass before they would meet again after this farewell?

"Heavenly One Sect, True Monarch Jing Tian... the legendary Heavenly One nine disciples..."

After parting ways, Lan Chang'an murmured to himself.

Upon returning from the demon sealing battle, he had scoured ancient texts, intelligence reports, and even memories from the several Nascent Souls, filtering through the information regarding the oldest and most powerful lineages on Heaven Honoured Continent.

Even the top-tier sacred lands of a given realm couldn't guarantee that every generation would produce a Deity Transformation Heavenly Lord. Some eras saw them flourishing, while others saw them decline, rising and falling like waves through history.

However, there was one legendary "small sect" that stood apart from the rest.

This Void Whale hunt and their final collaboration… Jing Wufeng had likely realized this as well.

Yet, both of them had tacitly chosen not to acknowledge it, not pointing out the identity.

...

One year later.

Lan Chang'an quietly returned to the Forbidden Zone of the Central Region.

For the past half-year, he had remained in the Eastern Region, gathering additional formation materials and rare treasures to upgrade the Exotic Spirit Peacock.

Now that he had nearly all the necessary components to repair the space formation, he decided to venture once more into the hidden location where the spatial formation lay.

The Demonic Calamity in the Central Region had long subsided, and most of the demonic energy in the Forbidden Zone had dissipated, making the situation relatively stable.

Before stepping into the Ancient Forbidden Zone, Lan Chang'an performed a divination once again.

Unlike last time, when the readings were chaotic and filled with uncertainty, the signs had improved significantly.

"The seal of the Demonic Abyss has been repaired, the demonic cultivators have fled to the outer regions, and most of the potential dangers have been eliminated."

With that, Lan Chang'an felt reassured.

He donned his long-unused Hundred Illusions Mask, assuming a different identity.

Along with the Black Wind Cloak which concealed his aura, he became nearly undetectable within the Forbidden Zone of the Central Region, allowing him to move about freely.

As long as he didn't seek trouble with high-level demonic creatures or recklessly intrude upon dangerous forbidden areas, Lan Chang'an was now relatively safe at this stage.

Even Nascent Soul Great Cultivators would find it difficult to detect him if he intentionally avoided them.

Ten days later.

Concealing his presence and proceeding with caution, Lan Chang'an finally arrived at a hidden cave deep within the Myriad Demons Valley.

This cave housed the spatial formation constructed by the Tinghai Pavilion.

The surrounding rock formations had the ability to block spiritual sense detection, and further protective formations concealed the cave’s existence.

Within the cave, there was a spatial node, serving as the entrance to the formation's teleportation passage.

"Ninety years have passed… fortunately, nothing seems to have changed."

Lan Chang'an carefully examined the condition of the formation.

The formation altar and its four formation pillars stood in silence.

In the formation set up by Tinghai Pavilion, there was a primary and secondary division—this was the main formation, the control hub of the system.

Before leaving last time, Lan Chang'an had shut it down, ensuring that even if someone in Great Qing discovered the corresponding teleportation node, they wouldn’t be able to activate it from that side.

He reached out, running his fingers over the damaged formation patterns on the stone platform and pillars, systematically verifying the repair methods he had devised in his mind.

Several days later.

Lan Chang'an repeatedly simulated and refined his repair plan, integrating it with the actual setup before making any modifications.

He even utilized divination calculation techniques to optimize the process.

Finally, he took out a large pile of materials and began the actual repair work. freёweɓnovel.com

To minimize material loss and prevent further damage, every step was meticulously verified multiple times before execution.

Half a month later, the materials in front of Lan Chang'an had been almost completely used up.

"It’s basically complete… I wonder how well it will function?"

Feeling a surge of anticipation, Lan Chang'an formed a hand seal and activated the spatial formation.

Buzz!

At the center of the formation altar, where the spatial node was located, a twisting, deep blue light gate flickered into existence.

Ripples of spatial energy spread outward like waves.

The Tinghai Pavilion’s spatial formation was designed with water-elemental energy, helping to mitigate the pressure of spatial travel.

Lan Chang'an observed the formation for a while before nodding to himself.

"The stability… it's improved from back then."

To test the stability of the passage, Lan Chang'an first dispatched a puppet clone through the deep blue light gate into the spatial tunnel.

Having reached the Nascent Soul stage, his connection to his puppet clones or rather, the projection of his past life had grown much stronger.

Although he couldn’t perceive the exact environment within the spatial passage, he could still make a rough judgment about its safety.

After the time it took to brew a cup of tea, the puppet clone returned, stepping back through the blue light gate according to its preset command.

This time, however, it had only traveled within the spatial tunnel, without reaching the other end in Great Qing.

"A superior-grade third-rank puppet, equivalent to a late Core Formation cultivator, can traverse the passage unharmed."

Lan Chang'an examined the puppet clone, finding it almost completely undamaged, the only sign of stress was a slight compression on its outer shell due to spatial pressure.

Far better than last time when Lan Chang'an traversed through, his robe was torn to shreds, his hair shaved off, leaving him in a disheveled and miserable state.

“Old Wei, you go and try?”

Lan Chang'an smirked. If the fourth-rank puppet could safely traverse the passage, then he himself should be fine.

"Alright."

Without hesitation, Puppet Master Wei turned into a blur, swiftly diving into the spatial tunnel.

Moments later, the puppet with the green armor excitedly emerged.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, the spatial passage’s stability is sufficient to support Nascent Soul-level cultivators!"

Lan Chang'an inspected the fourth-rank puppet, noticing slight indentations on its armor and headpiece.

"It seems that powerful Nascent Soul cultivators still cause some turbulence within the passage. While not fatal, there’s a risk of severe injuries."

With this assessment, he now had a general understanding of the situation.

For final confirmation, he also had Lord Earthrock test the passage, its results were nearly identical to those of Puppet Master Wei.

"We don’t need to rush things. We can gather a bit more material to further enhance the formation’s stability."

Lan Chang'an had no intention of returning to Great Qing in a disheveled state.

For the first repair, achieving this level of functionality was already a great success.

When it came time for the actual traversal, it wouldn’t just be one Nascent Soul-level individual, there would be at least three, and additional factors such as artifacts would also need to be considered.

...

After returning to Yunxia Sect, Lan Chang'an and Puppet Master Wei began working on enhancing the Exotic Spirit Peacock Puppet, refining and replacing certain materials to strengthen its capabilities.

Over the course of several months, the Exotic Spirit Peacock successfully completed its upgrade. Although its outline and appearance remained largely unchanged, its body size doubled.

"Exotic spirit puppets have extremely high material requirements. This peacock has only barely stepped into the fourth rank."

Lan Chang'an exhaled deeply, feeling both satisfaction and the weight of future improvements.

Before him, a five-colored peacock, its wings spanning seven to eight zhang, floated elegantly in the air. Its emerald-green eyes gleamed with intelligence, while rays of five-colored divine light flickered between its feathers, emanating a chaotic, ancient bloodline aura.

Its spiritual pressure was comparable to when Lord Earthrock had advanced to a fourth-rank demon king.

In terms of raw combat ability, the Exotic Spirit Peacock Puppet might not be the strongest among fourth-rank entities, but it had remarkable mobility and wielded the mystical Five-Colored Divine Light.

Lan Chang'an conducted a simple test, Lord Earthrock's protective demonic energy shield was effortlessly swept away and shattered by the Five-Colored Divine Light.

After completing the puppet enhancement, Lan Chang'an dispatched Puppet Master Wei to continue procuring materials needed to repair the spatial formation.

Meanwhile, he took time to attend an auction and a small gathering of Nascent Soul cultivators. Since he was only purchasing minor spatial materials and standard formation components, there was little concern about drawing unwanted attention.

...

Time flew by as another two and a half years passed.

Lan Chang'an was now nearing 412 years old.

It had been more than ninety years since he arrived in Great Yuan.

One day, above the main cave mansion of Yunlan Peak, the skies stirred, and spiritual energy gathered, forming layers of radiant clouds.

"A Core Formation breakthrough phenomenon!"

"It's happening on Yunlan Peak! The one breaking through must be Steward Xiao!"

Countless cultivators in the Yunxia Sect turned their eyes toward the core region of the sect’s fourth-rank spiritual vein, their expressions filled with admiration and envy.

Rumors had long circulated that Xiao Qingshan had meticulously prepared for his Core Formation breakthrough, with assistance from both Nascent Soul True Monarchs of the sect. His treatment was nearly on par with a Golden Dan seed.

After seven days, the breakthrough phenomenon faded, and the spiritual energy returned to calm.

"Upper-middle tier True Dan quality."

Lan Chang'an had been observing the process through his spiritual sense, and Xiao Qingshan didn't disappoint.

Though Xiao Qingshan’s spiritual roots weren’t particularly outstanding, he possessed remarkable talent in an unorthodox path, which was highly advantageous for longevity.

The old Heavenly Net Ancetor of back then had neither a Dao Body nor Earth-Spirit Roots, yet had still managed to form a Nascent Soul through the Yin-Yang unorthodox path and numerous fortuitous encounters.

Even within cultivation history, there were rare cases of "Heaven-defying Destined Ones" with weak spiritual roots.

For instance, Lord Longyang, an infamous figure from ancient times, had reversed fate through dual cultivation arts and against all odds reached the pinnacle of the human world, earning him a place in "Worldly Wonders series" on Heaven Honoured Continent.

However, Lord Longyang lived in an era when spiritual resources were far richer than they are today, and his legend had been distorted by time, making it difficult to verify the exact truth.

As for Xiao Qingshan, Lan Chang'an did not detect the overwhelming fate that someone like Lord Longyang would have possessed.

He had long suspected that Xiao Qingshan’s innate affinity for unconventional paths might be linked to his past life as Li Erqing, who had spent that lifetime marrying multiple wives, producing many descendants, and accumulating familial blessings.

Similarly, Guan Qiaozhi's reincarnation, Yun Ling, had shown notable talent in talisman crafting.

...

Ten days later.

After stabilizing his newfound cultivation, Xiao Qingshan emerged from seclusion and immediately sought out Lan Chang'an.

"Many thanks to Elder Xiang for your guidance. I am fortunate to have formed a True Dan, I could never repay this kindness in a single lifetime."

Xiao Qingshan bowed deeply, gazing at the youthful, ageless man in white before him.

In that moment, a profound sense of familiarity surged within him, far stronger than ever before.

He hesitated, wanting to speak yet unsure how to express himself.

"Hehe, our bond indeed extends beyond just this lifetime."

Lan Chang'an chuckled lightly, aware that Xiao Qingshan had begun to awaken fragments of his past life's memories.

"Lan… Big Brother Lan?"

Xiao Qingshan's eyes widened as the words instinctively slipped from his lips, echoes of dreams he could not fully remember.

The moment he spoke, he himself was stunned. Though his memories were hazy and he couldn’t recall the exact relationship, the name came forth as naturally as breathing.

Lan Chang'an smiled knowingly.

"Since you can call me 'Big Brother,' then as a True Monarch, I shall grant you some enlightenment."

His deep, ancient gaze, carrying the weight of countless cycles of time, locked onto Xiao Qingshan.

He raised a single finger and pressed it against Xiao Qingshan's brow.

Buzz!

From within the Nine Seal Stele, the fourth life imprint belonging to Master Lihuo dimmed slightly.

A strand of crystalline white light flowed forth, transforming into a rudimentary thread of Reincarnation Power, which traveled through Lan Chang'an’s fingertip and into Xiao Qingshan’s soul.

For a long while, Xiao Qingshan remained motionless.

Then, as if waking from a deep slumber, he muttered in shock:

"I was… a farm boy? Li Ergou…"

His expression flickered.

"No… I was Li Erqing… I once walked the immortal path… became the son-in-law of the Mu Family at Feiyue Lake…"

As the barrier between lifetimes crumbled, a surge of past-life memories flooded his consciousness.

"Big Brother Lan! It really is you!"

In the span of mere moments, he relived the two hundred years of his past existence. Tears welled up in his eyes as he grasped Lan Chang'an’s hands, overcome with emotion.

Before him, the True Monarch Xiang was identical to the Big Brother Lan of his past life. The only difference was a few strands of silver in his hair, adding a touch of world-weariness and depth.

"Big Brother Lan… how many years have passed since I died?"

With his past life memories restored, Xiao Qingshan had countless questions.

"What became of Feiyue Lake’s Mu Family…? And the Li Family of Snow Plum Mountain? Did any of my descendants cause you trouble?"

"How did the war against the demonic path end? Was Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world overrun?"

Lan Chang'an gazed at him warmly and answered his questions patiently.

As time passed, Xiao Qingshan gradually calmed down, disentangling himself from the emotions of his past life that were like a tidal wave.

"Qingshan, you must understand the difference between this life and your past one."

Lan Chang'an’s voice was calm yet firm, sending a shudder through Xiao Qingshan’s soul.

He quickly came to his senses, his mind settling.

For cultivators who awaken past-life memories, their present life always takes precedence, especially when their past self was weaker.

Even if a cultivator fully remembered a past life, it would feel like a dream—fleeting and distant. Only those with overwhelmingly strong past lives could let their previous identities dominate their present one.

As a Core Formation cultivator, Xiao Qingshan’s current self naturally held more weight.

"Take your time to reflect on your past life, it may help your comprehension of the Dao."

Lan Chang'an patted him on the shoulder, letting him comprehend on his own.

...

Two months later.

Xiao Qingshan’s Core Formation Celebration was held at Qingluan Peak.

Years ago, Qingluan Peak had been Lan Chang'an’s place of cultivation. Now, it had been specially allocated to Xiao Qingshan as his personal cultivation field.

Initially, the celebration was intended to be a modest affair.

However, the two Nascent Soul True Monarchs of Yunxia Sect both personally attended, elevating the event's significance.

"Unknowingly, Yunxia Sect has given birth to so many rising stars."

On the day of the celebration, Lan Chang'an noticed several unfamiliar faces—promising Foundation Establishment geniuses and newly ascended Core Formation cultivators.

Having been with Yunxia Sect for over ninety years, he had witnessed its steady rise, and now the sect was thriving.

The sect’s flourishing fate and fortune would remain strong even after his departure, sustaining prosperity for years to come.

"Greetings, True Monarch Xiang."

Many prominent figures arrived, including Sect Master Xuefeng, Immortal Huadu, and Colorful Moon Immortal.

Each of them was a formidable cultivator and had made the journey to personally congratulate Xiao Qingshan.

Lan Chang'an sat side by side with True Monarch Purple Mist, their presence harmonious and well-matched—even more fitting than the era of True Monarch Yunlan.

After attending this celebration, Lan Chang'an would be returning to Great Qing.

For this reason, he cherished the gathering, taking the opportunity to catch up and exchange insights with familiar high-level cultivators.

"Haoyuan, come sit with your Uncle Xiang and share a few drinks."

True Monarch Purple Mist summoned her most favored disciple, Jiang Haoyuan, a Golden Dan prodigy whose cultivation was approaching the late Core Formation stage.

"Uncle Xiang, this junior offers you a toast."

Jiang Haoyuan was no longer the young boy of the past.

Now as a Golden Dan cultivator, he stood out among his peers, possessing an air of confidence and even a trace of arrogance.

However, before Lan Chang'an, he remained respectful and well-mannered.

Observing Jiang Haoyuan, Lan Chang'an silently performed a divination.

In his fate, Lan Chang'an discerned a great calamity awaiting him before his Nascent Soul breakthrough, though the exact nature of the danger remained uncertain.

Through divine transmission, Lan Chang'an privately informed True Monarch Purple Mist of a specific timeframe to watch for, which might help him survive the ordeal.

Jiang Ziyan’s expression turned solemn, engraving the warning into her memory.

"Has Alchemist Le given a clear response?"

Lan Chang'an inquired further.

"Alchemist Le said that the promise made to you back then will not be called upon anytime soon. However, before you embark on your journey, he hopes you can make an appearance at the Alchemy Dao Alliance."

"Very well."

Lan Chang'an nodded. With this, all matters in Great Yuan had been settled.

...

That night, after the celebration ended.

True Monarch Purple Mist had drunk quite a bit of high-grade spirit wine, her delicate face flushed with a mesmerizing hue.

She made no effort to sober up, allowing a light drunkenness to linger as she leaned into Lan Chang'an’s embrace.

Lan Chang'an gently supported her, guiding her back to Zixia Peak’s cave residence.

That night, words were unnecessary. Their souls intertwined, their bodies united, their spirits resonating as one.

The next morning.

As the morning light filtered through the curtains, True Monarch Purple Mist slowly opened her starry eyes, only to find the chamber in disarray, yet Lan Chang'an was nowhere to be seen.

Yunlan Peak, Qingluan Peak, the underground cultivation grounds...

Throughout the entire Yunxia Sect, there was no trace of Lan Chang'an or his two favored companions.

Even the traces of his presence had been wiped away by some unknown means.

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