I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

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Lan Chang'an was well aware that owning a earth-grade, third-rank Profound Water Turtle as a mount while still in the early Core Formation stage was somewhat ostentatious.

Typically, cultivators in the early Core Formation stage would have spiritual mounts or pets at most in the late second rank.

Having a earth-grade, third-rank spiritual pet was generally the mark of cultivators at the mid- to late Core Formation stage.

And yet, this was already the result of Lan Chang'an deliberately suppressing the Profound Water Turtle's Core quality.

The Core Formation phenomenon from before was impossible to fully conceal across the cultivation world. It wasn’t as if he could slap a Hundred Illusion Mask on the turtle’s face.

Zhao Tan'er, being naturally energetic and restless, couldn’t sit still for long.

After a short while, she began playing on the Profound Water Turtle’s back, poking and prodding at it out of curiosity.

"Hehe! I’ve watched you grow up, and now I finally get to ride you!"

Her bright, lively eyes sparkled with mischief as she stretched out a slender finger and flicked the Profound Water Turtle’s massive head a few times.

The Profound Water Turtle instinctively shrank its head, a pained expression flashing across its face. The memory of being flicked on the head by Zhao Tan’er during its youth was still vivid in its mind.

But then, it paused.

The Profound Water Turtle realized that being flicked now didn’t hurt at all. In fact, it felt... rather comfortable.

It suddenly became aware that it was no longer the soft and vulnerable baby of years past. Its body and head had become far tougher, surpassing its former state by an unimaginable degree.

...

Half a day later.

The Profound Water Turtle carried the three Core Formation cultivators across the skies, arriving at the shimmering waters of Feiyue Lake.

Sensing the powerful aura of the third-rank spiritual beast, several streaks of light swiftly emerged from Feiyue Lake to greet them.

Among those who arrived were Foundation Establishment cultivators and as well as Immortals: two men and two women—Mu Jiuan and his wife, Mu Bingyun, and Li Congren.

"Greetings, Uncle Lan!"

"Greetings to Grandpa Lan!"

The four of them bowed respectfully, all addressing Lan Chang'an as a senior. Among them, Li Congren had the lowest seniority.

Mu Jiuan and his wife were the most powerful, both having achieved Core Formation.

Mu Jiuan appeared to be a man in his thirties or forties, with a fair complexion, dressed in a dark robe, and slightly overweight.

The once calm and handsome young man now bore little resemblance to his former self.

When Lan Chang'an saw him, he nearly didn’t recognize him at first glance.

"Uncle Lan," Mu Jiuan greeted, lowering his head respectfully. Though his tone was calm, his gaze betrayed a deep and well-hidden reverence.

Decades ago, the image of Lan Chang'an riding his Profound Water Turtle and single-handedly obliterating an entire squad of scouts from the Feng Kingdom had left a lasting impression on Mu Jiuan’s heart.

The gentle and unassuming Uncle Lan had revealed a terrifying side that had forever etched itself into his memory.

That shocking contrast was something Mu Jiuan would never forget.

And now, Uncle Lan had reached Core Formation, with even his Profound Water Turtle advancing to the third rank.

Mu Jiuan had a gut feeling: this deeply hidden Uncle Lan might one day become a legendary figure of the Liang Kingdom, on par with the likes of the famed Huanglong Immortal and the Huang Dragon Beast.

Lan Chang'an merely gave Mu Jiuan a casual glance. The latter's Fake Dan Formation achievement was slightly lower than he had anticipated.

However, it was Mu Jiuan's wife, Yu Yufu, who drew Lan Chang'an's attention for a moment longer.

Yu Yufu had successfully formed a True Dan and now appeared to be a beautiful woman in her late twenties or early thirties.

Her delicate and striking features, coupled with her elegant and refined temperament, gave her a unique presence in her ink-colored, flowing robes.

Lan Chang'an vaguely remembered that her talent was slightly inferior to Mu Jiuan’s. Yet, in the end, she had surpassed him and formed a True Dan.

In the cultivation world, fate worked differently for everyone, and with the insight of a Nascent Soul cultivator, Lan Chang'an knew such occurrences were not uncommon.

"Uncle Lan, I am Yu Yufu, Mu Jiuan's wife. The last time I saw you was over a hundred years ago at Wuqi Mountain," Yu Yufu said gracefully, bowing with decorum.

Worried that Lan Chang'an might not remember her, she introduced herself again.

Standing before the man who had once stunned her with his grace and elegance, Yu Yufu couldn't help but feel her emotions ripple slightly.

Lan Chang'an, tall, handsome, and serene, still resembled a timeless ancient tree—unchanging, steadfast, and quietly magnificent.

Her husband, on the other hand, was now visibly middle-aged, with faint traces of Fake Dan lifelessness beginning to set in.

In the cultivation world, second-rank Youth Retaining Pills only worked temporarily, maintaining one's appearance for a little over a century. If taken too late in life, they couldn’t revert one to their youthful state.

Back during her visit to Little Turtle Peak, Yu Yufu had been intrigued by the mysterious Lan Chang'an, who as a loose cultivator was raising a earth-grade bloodline Profound Water Turtle. She had suspected he was far from ordinary.

Unfortunately, her husband had shown little interest in getting closer to Uncle Lan at the time, leaving no further opportunity for deeper interaction.

After the Golden Sun Sect's northward migration, Mu Jiuan had confessed to her that Uncle Lan was far more extraordinary than he had initially realized.

When she pressed him for details, Mu Jiuan refused to say more.

The surviving members of the Golden Sun Sect had sworn an oath of secrecy, never to speak of what had happened during that shameful incident.

"Lady Yu, I remember you," Lan Chang'an replied with a slight bow in return, showing due respect to the Core Formation female cultivator.

He then greeted Li Congren and Mu Bingyun in turn.

The four before him represented Li Erqing's son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and the Mu family’s main branch.

The Profound Water Turtle landed gracefully on the shimmering surface of Feiyue Lake, gliding effortlessly across the waves.

Lan Chang'an and the Zhao master-disciple pair sat atop the turtle's broad back, surrounded by Mu Jiuan and the others, as they made their way to Li Erqing’s cave dwelling.

Splash!

The Profound Water Turtle cast a spell, causing a flower-shaped wave of water about one zhang wide to rise from the lake. The water gently carried Mu Bingyun to the turtle’s back.

"Little Water Turtle..."

Mu Bingyun’s bright eyes lit up with delight as she stepped onto the turtle’s back, her expression one of genuine joy.

"Wow, Bingyun! It’s been years, and you seem to have gotten thinner," Zhao Tan'er remarked cheerfully, grabbing Mu Bingyun's hand and pulling her down to sit beside her.

Mu Bingyun, dressed in a deep blue robe, appeared to be in her thirties. Her dignified and elegant demeanor complemented her delicate, beautiful features, though she looked slightly more haggard than the last time they had met.

"Hmm? Bingyun, is that a flower bracelet on your wrist?"

Zhao Tan'er’s sharp eyes quickly noticed the faintly visible white floral bracelet on Mu Bingyun’s wrist.

Mu Bingyun’s expression dimmed, and she lowered her head, her voice tinged with sadness. "My Dao companion..."

As it turned out, Mu Bingyun’s husband, a Golden Sun Sect cultivator, had perished on the frontlines during the demonic invasion.

This had happened a few years ago, a fact Lan Chang'an had already learned from the letter Mu Bingyun had sent him.

In the escalating war against the demonic forces, such tragedies had become all too common.

Widows like Shen Bixin and Mu Bingyun were now an everyday sight across the cultivation world.

It was precisely this backdrop of chaos and loss that made Li Erqing’s ability to live out his natural lifespan feel like an extraordinary blessing.

Upon reaching Moonheart Island, Lan Chang'an instructed the Profound Water Turtle to play in the waters of Feiyue Lake while he and the Zhao master-disciple pair headed straight to Li Erqing’s cave dwelling.

"Grandpa Lan... Immortal Lan..."

Inside the cave-dwelling, several of Li Erqing’s descendants surrounded his bedside. Upon seeing Lan Chang'an arrive, they all stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

On the bed lay Li Erqing, his once lively face now withered and covered with age spots. His skin, darkened and wrinkled, was stretched tightly over his gaunt frame.

Despite being surrounded by his many descendants, Li Erqing's expression remained indifferent.

Yet as Lan Chang'an’s gaze fell upon the elderly man, he could still faintly make out the contours of the youthful farmer from the past.

"Big Brother..."

The moment Li Erqing’s dim and lifeless eyes caught sight of the ageless man in white entering the room, they immediately lit up with a spark of vitality.

A faint flush crept onto his emaciated face as he weakly raised a trembling, skeletal arm.

Mu Jiuan gestured for the other descendants to leave the room.

Even Mu Jiuan, his wife Yu Yufu, Li Congren, and Mu Bingyun quietly stepped out, leaving only Lan Chang'an, Zhao Siyao, and Zhao Tan'er behind.

"Don’t let your emotions get the better of you—you still have more than half a month of lifespan left," Lan Chang'an said gently as he grasped the frail, withered hand, channeling his Evergreen Technique’s power to help smooth the old man’s blood flow.

Upon doing so, Lan Chang'an discovered that Li Erqing’s blood and energy were nearly completely dried up, his essence almost entirely depleted. The faint flicker of life he clung to was sustained only by the remnant force of his cultivation.

When one’s lifespan reached its natural limit, no amount of medical expertise could reverse it.

Despite his deteriorated state, Li Erqing’s stiff face broke into a rare smile. The sight of his yellowed, crooked teeth and sunken cheeks made his expression even uglier than if he were crying.

Lan Chang'an silently grumbled in his mind. Before you embarked on the path of cultivation, you had a mouthful of yellow teeth. Now, as you near the end of your life, they’re still the same. Not a single change.

For a moment, he couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the beautiful wives and concubines Li Erqing had taken over the years.

"Fairy Zhao..."

Li Erqing’s trembling hand reached out toward Zhao Siyao.

Perhaps due to his failing eyesight, the thirty-something Zhao Siyao, with her simple attire and faint crow’s feet, blurred in his vision.

In his eyes, she seemed to transform back into the cold and ethereal Fairy Zhao of his youth, her flowing robes radiating an otherworldly beauty.

The next moment, her figure changed again—into the scholarly and graceful young woman she had been when they first met.

"Erqing," Zhao Siyao said softly as she approached, taking his withered hand in hers.

Li Erqing’s cloudy eyes grew wet, and his frail hand trembled slightly.

Lan Chang'an noticed that Li Erqing’s heartbeat sped up just a little.

He exchanged a knowing smile with Zhao Siyao.

Back in their youth, Li Erqing hadn’t been the only one secretly enamored with Fairy Zhao—so had the young marquis, Lin Yi.

As a mere farmer’s son, Li Erqing had once blushed with joy whenever the refined and scholarly Zhao Siyao spared him a glance.

Zhao Siyao, ever graceful and understanding, had never belittled the shy farmer boy.

Later, as Zhao Siyao ascended within the sect, becoming the unattainable Fairy Zhao, Li Erqing had buried his feelings deep, knowing they were not from the same world.

Zhao Siyao, with her sharp mind and the keen intuition of a young woman, had been vaguely aware of both Lin Yi’s and Li Erqing’s admiration for her.

However, the one she had truly taken a liking to—Lan Chang'an—had chosen not to marry or start a family.

His fleeting romantic encounters over the years had eventually made Zhao Siyao suppress any lingering thoughts.

"Big Brother, Fairy Zhao... to see you both again before I die, Ergou has no regrets," Li Erqing said weakly, his voice trembling. "It’s a pity... Lin Yi passed away so young, and Lin Lu..."

That day, the three of them—Lan Chang'an, Zhao Siyao, and Li Erqing—talked for hours.

Later, Li Erqing referred to himself as "Ergou" (Second Dog), a nickname from his younger days.

Whether he thought this name change might alter his fortune remained a mystery.

Lan Chang'an and Zhao Siyao went along with it, calling him Ergou, as if they were back in their youth, nearly 180 years ago.

However, Ergou’s health was in poor condition. After chatting for a while, exhaustion overcame him.

"Ergou, rest well. Zhao Fairy and I will stay here on Moonheart Island to accompany you on your final journey."

That day, Lan Chang'an, Zhao Siyao, and Zhao Tan'er moved into the guest courtyard on Moonheart Island.

During the times when Li Erqing was feeling better, they met with him a couple more times.

As the family patriarch, Li Erqing also spent his final days arranging his affairs and passing on instructions to his descendants.

Half a month later.

In the guest room, Lan Chang'an suddenly felt a vague premonition. His gaze instinctively turned toward Li Erqing’s cave dwelling.

With his heightened senses, he heard the heart-wrenching cries of grief echoing from the cave. The voices were of men, women, young, and old alike.

Buzz!

Deep within Lan Chang'an’s mind, the Nine Seal Stele trembled faintly.

"Eh?"

Lan Chang'an made a soft sound of surprise as he became aware of an indescribable bond connecting him to the source of the cries in the cave dwelling.

It felt as though an invisible thread extended between him and Li Erqing’s location.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Following this mysterious connection, Lan Chang'an’s vision blurred momentarily.

Above Li Erqing’s cave dwelling, he saw a massive vortex of gray-white mist spiraling in the air.

The vortex seemed boundless, its depths stretching into infinity, overlapping with the fabric of the cultivation world itself.

No one else—neither the cultivators of Feiyue Lake nor the Core Formation Immortals—could see this mysterious vortex of gray mist.

Within the vortex, Lan Chang'an spotted a fragmented, shadowy soul resembling Li Erqing.

At its core was a bright spark of sentience, slowly being consumed by the swirling gray mist.

"Heaven and Earth’s Reincarnation?"

Lan Chang'an muttered, realizing that the invisible bond connecting him to Li Erqing was tied to that core spark of sentience.

As the spark was gradually swallowed by the vortex of reincarnation, the bond weakened and began to fade.