I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 202: Late Bloomer

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Lan Chang'an now understood Qi Feng’s predicament. Changing the topic, he asked, “How is your Aunt Guan doing?”

Guan Qiaozhi had left Little Turtle Peak thirty-three years ago at the age of seventy-five. At that time, her cultivation had stalled, and she was gradually aging and losing her beauty.

Back then, Lan Chang'an had predicted that, given her good care of herself and the absence of any significant conflicts, Guan Qiaozhi might live close to the lifespan limit of a Qi-Refining cultivator.

"Over the years, Aunt Guan has settled in a secluded mountain village in the mortal realm. She’s adopted some orphans, and the place is picturesque, self-sufficient, and free from worldly strife..."

As Qi Feng spoke of Guan Qiaozhi’s situation, a hint of warmth flashed in the eyes of this burly man.

Guan Qiaozhi had initially appeared in his life as his immortal guide to the immortal path, and later her care and guidance made her like a mentor to him.

To Qi Feng, Aunt Guan was practically a second mother.

"Living out her days in the mortal realm... not a bad way to spend her remaining years," Lan Chang'an mused.

A cultivator living in the mortal realm, as long as they kept a low profile and didn’t cause trouble, could enjoy a peaceful life.

During times of war in the cultivation world, some cultivators chose to hide in the mortal realm to avoid the dangers of conflict.

This choice had both advantages and disadvantages.

In the mortal realm, there were no spiritual veins to aid in cultivation, and the presence of too much mortal energy could stagnate a cultivator’s progress or even cause them to regress.

The higher the cultivator’s level, the more they would feel this gap when staying in the mundane.

Thus, the mortal world was only suitable as a temporary refuge for low-level Qi-Refining cultivators, and even then, not for too long.

It wasn’t uncommon for wars in the cultivation world to last ten or twenty years.

Qi-Refining cultivators already had limited lifespans, and wasting ten years during their prime would almost guarantee they’d never advance to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Moreover, hiding in the secular world wasn’t always safe.

Cultivation sects had many ways to detect a cultivator’s magical fluctuations. Unless they had a powerful method to suppress their aura, they couldn’t escape notice.

Of course, the current state of war in Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world wasn’t so dire that they needed to round up cultivators hiding in the mortal world.

The quality of low-level cultivators hiding there wasn’t worth the effort.

For now, Liang Kingdom’s sects were focusing their efforts on spiritual vein strongholds.

The various cultivation forces, including clans, immortal cities, and business associations, all had spiritual vein strongholds.

You can run, but you can’t hide.

Especially for those cultivation families tied by bloodlines, dragging along their families. They had no choice but to contribute manpower and resources.

...

"Qi Feng, what are your plans from here?" Lan Chang'an asked.

"I’ll recover from my injuries first, then..." Qi Feng hesitated, feeling lost.

Little Turtle Peak was merely a temporary refuge.

With the Liang Kingdom embroiled in a cultivation war and him being a wanted Qi-Refining cultivator drifting aimlessly, he had no stable place to settle. His fate was entirely at the mercy of the tides.

Lan Chang'an offered, "Little Turtle Peak needs a caretaker to handle odd jobs and errands. Would you be willing to stay and work here?"

"Stay on Little Turtle Peak as a caretaker?"

Qi Feng froze for a moment, then, overwhelmed with joy, knelt down in gratitude.

"I’m willing! Grandfather Lan, I’ll never forget this kindness!"

Upon first entering Little Turtle Peak, Qi Feng had felt as though he’d stepped into a peaceful haven, protected by spiritual beasts and surrounded by beautiful scenery.

Deep down, he had longed to live in such a spiritual vein stronghold, but he had never dared to entertain such ambitions.

Aunt Guan had forbade him from visiting Little Turtle Peak easily, clearly not wanting to trouble this senior ancestor, who was a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"You cultivating the Origin-Opening Scripture that I left behind is your fated opportunity to walk the path of immortality."

Lan Chang'an raised his hand, signaling Qi Feng to stand.

A century ago, out of gratitude to his adoptive father, Lan Chang'an had left the Origin-Opening Scripture at the Angry River Gang, leaving behind this immortal opportunity for his descendants.

And with Guan Qiaozhi’s relationship as well...

Remembering these two old connections, Lan Chang'an decided to make an exception and keep Qi Feng around.

"Qi Feng, you’ve cultivated to the eighth layer of Qi-Refining. Have you ever used breakthrough pills?"

Lan Chang'an inquired about his cultivation progress.

"No, I haven’t," Qi Feng answered honestly.

Seeing that his foundation was solid, Lan Chang'an nodded in satisfaction.

"Here, take these bottles of pills. In the future, if you encounter any difficulties in cultivation, feel free to ask me for guidance."

"Thank you, Grandfather Lan, for your kindness."

Qi Feng suppressed his excitement and humbly accepted the bottles of pills.

The opportunity to cultivate in a second-rank spiritual vein stronghold and receive guidance from a late-stage Foundation Establishment great cultivator was a dream come true for someone who had endured the hardships of life as a loose cultivator.

The pills Lan Chang'an had given were some he had refined in the past while practicing alchemy. Though not of the highest quality, they were still decent.

With the current state of war in the Liang Kingdom cultivation world, Lan Chang'an was making preparations to possibly flee to a foreign land.

In this transitional period, he didn’t mind offering a bit of help to his adoptive father’s descendant.

...

As Qi Feng walked out of the cave-dwelling, he took a deep breath of the fresh air at this mountain peak.

The pure spiritual energy of the second-rank spiritual vein stronghold filled him with a sense of comfort, and even the flow of his magical power seemed smoother.

"Sister Lan," Qi Feng called out.

Although his injuries hadn’t fully healed, he took the initiative to seek out the maid Lan Rou to learn more about the daily affairs on the mountain.

There was only one maid on the mountain, so there wasn’t much manpower.

Fortunately, the mountain was home to spiritual pets and puppets that handled most of the labor-intensive tasks.

After a brief discussion, the two of them worked out a division of labor.

"Given the unrest in the world outside, you’ll be responsible for keeping watch over the mountain, running errands for the master when he goes out, and helping with some of the miscellaneous tasks on the mountain."

"That’s no problem. I used to work as an escort," Qi Feng replied, feeling a sense of familiarity with the role.

Besides his wealth of combat experience, he had no other specialized skills to rely on.

As they chatted, a second-rank flying boat appeared, carrying three cultivators directly toward Little Turtle Peak.

At the bow stood a man with a long beard, appearing to be in his thirties or forties. He was a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Behind him stood a man and a woman, both at the eighth and ninth layers of Qi-Refining, respectively.

"Sect patrol cultivators!"

Qi Feng’s heart skipped a beat as he instantly recognized the two Qi-Refining cultivators behind the bearded man—they were the same pair who had been chasing him not long ago.

The two sect disciples also noticed Qi Feng and whispered something to the bearded Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The bearded man glanced at Qi Feng with a cool indifference.

Panic surged through Qi Feng, and he didn’t dare make eye contact with the sect’s Foundation Establishment expert.

Just as he was about to report to the cave-dwelling, Lan Rou’s calm voice rang out beside him:

"Senior Liu, my master has been informed of your visit. Please follow me to the residence."

"Thank you, Miss Lan, for your guidance."

The bearded man smiled kindly and, under Lan Rou’s escort, entered the cave mansion on Little Turtle Peak.

During the entire encounter, he didn’t give Qi Feng another glance.

Once Qi Feng calmed down, he noticed two subtle details.

First, despite the arrival of a Foundation Establishment sect cultivator, Grandfather Lan hadn’t personally come out to greet him.

Second, the bearded cultivator was exceedingly polite to Lan Rou, who was merely a maid.

Outside the cave.

Qi Feng found himself face-to-face with the two sect disciples, and the three of them stared at each other in awkward silence.

However, Qi Feng soon realized that the two sect disciples, who had chased him relentlessly just days before, no longer harbored much hostility toward him.

"Fellow Daoist Qi, what is your relationship with Senior Lan?"

The female disciple broke the silence with a gentle smile, clearly probing.

"Grandfather Lan and I..."

Qi Feng’s mind raced, and he responded smoothly, his demeanor calm and poised despite his earlier nerves.

Before he knew it, the three of them had fallen into casual conversation, the former hostility melting away.

Half an hour later.

Lan Chang'an and the bearded man emerged from the cave-dwelling, clearly enjoying their conversation.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, we’re family. No need for such formality in seeing me off," the bearded man said cheerfully, his face glowing with satisfaction.

Before leaving, he glanced at Qi Feng and said,

"Little friend Qi, you can rest assured on Little Turtle Peak. The evidence against you is insufficient. Once it’s presented to the Law Enforcement Hall, Elder Zhang will ensure your name is cleared from the wanted list."

"Thank you, Senior, for your care."

Qi Feng bowed deeply, both overjoyed and filled with shock.

Without any investigation or interrogation, he, a major suspect, was just removed from any charges?

Perhaps they didn’t care about the truth at all.

...

After a busy half day, Qi Feng presented a beautifully arranged fruit platter to Lan Rou, complimenting her as he did so.

"Sister Lan, why are the Foundation Establishment cultivators from Jin Yun Valley so polite to Grandfather Lan?"

Qi Feng dared not ask Lan Chang'an directly, so he turned to Lan Rou instead.

"Inspector Liu has a favor to ask of the master," Lan Rou replied leisurely, eating her spiritual fruit.

"Two months ago, Inspector Liu requested that the master craft some quasi-third-rank talismans for the sect’s tasks, but the master refused, claiming it was beyond his ability and didn’t give him any face."

"And he didn’t bear a grudge for that?"

"Master’s close friend, ‘Tianfeng Immortal,’ is an elder of Jin Yun Valley’s outer sect and the Vice Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall. Inspector Liu can't even wait to flatter him, how would he dare to be angry?"

"Jin Yun Valley Elder?"

Qi Feng’s mind reeled. His non-blood-related ancestor had such powerful connections!

As evening approached.

Two Foundation Establishment cultivators, one man and one woman, flew from the neighboring peaks toward Little Turtle Peak.

These two cultivators, with their extraordinary presence and faint spiritual pressure, clearly surpassed Senior Liu from earlier.

Especially the Foundation Establishment female cultivator, who wore a flowing silver-blue gown. Tall and graceful, she exuded elegance and tranquility, her beauty refined and serene.

Qi Feng was stunned by her. As a loose cultivator, he had never seen a Foundation Establishment female cultivator with such bearing.

"Fairy Shi and Herbalist Ye are here," Lan Rou said as she tidied her appearance and hurried forward to welcome them.

Even Lan Chang'an emerged from his cave mansion to greet them.

"Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Lan for advancing to the late stage of Foundation Establishment," Fairy Shi and Ye Fei said in unison, coming to offer their congratulations.

Earlier, when Lan Chang'an had just broken through and needed time to stabilize his cultivation, they hadn’t come immediately.

Ye Fei, in particular, had mixed feelings—surprised, and envious.

No matter one’s age, taking this crucial step meant Lan Chang'an had surpassed most Foundation Establishment cultivators.

For over half of Foundation Establishment cultivators, advancing to the late stage was something they could never achieve in their lifetime.

Fairy Shi, however, smiled knowingly. As someone who had once fought alongside Lan Chang'an as his partner, she understood him well and was not surprised.

To break through to the late stage at one hundred and forty years old was indeed rare.

But Lan Chang'an had always cultivated at a steady pace, one step at a time, without showing any extraordinary talent.

Years ago, he had requested materials from Huanglong Mountain to refine breakthrough pills for the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

With ample resources, solid foundations, a strong mentality, and the aid of the breakthrough pill... all these factors contributed to Lan Chang'an’s breakthrough, which stood up to scrutiny.

At most, outsiders might speculate that he had encountered some fortuitous opportunities, but nothing too outrageous.

After all, which Foundation Establishment cultivator didn’t need a bit of luck to reach the late stage?

Now, with Lan Chang'an’s protective abilities greatly enhanced and strong connections to sect elders, he no longer needed to hide the Profound Water Turtle’s second-rank cultivation.

...

Inside the cave mansion, Lan Chang'an hosted a banquet to celebrate, offering second-rank spirit wine to entertain the two peak masters.

After a few rounds of drinks...

Ye Fei’s face flushed as he let out a burp and asked,

"With Fellow Daoist Lan’s skill in crafting talismans, why not make more high-quality talismans and strive to earn war merits to exchange for rare resources?"

"It’s not worth it," Lan Chang'an replied, shaking his head. "To earn war merits, I’d have to exceed the basic task quota, and the talismans would need to meet certain grade requirements. Right now, I’m not lacking spirit stones or cultivation resources."

"Besides, at my age, I’ve given up on forming a core. There’s no point in working myself to the bone."

During the war, the sects of the Liang Kingdom had opened up war merit exchanges for both cultivators who went to the frontlines and those tasked with logistics and crafting.

However, the exchange system was quite cunning.

Cultivators fighting on the front lines earned far more war merits, and it was relatively easier to accumulate them.

However, such cultivators were also more likely to die in battle, never living to enjoy the rewards.

For artisans and craftsmen who provided logistical support, the merit exchange ratios were much lower, and there were strict requirements on the quality of the items they provided.

If Lan Chang'an could consistently produce quasi-third-rank talismans, he could amass significant military merits, possibly even enough to exchange for most of the rare materials needed for a Crystal Condensation Pill.

But having lived several lifetimes, Lan Chang'an knew the danger of being too capable.

If he performed too well, he might find himself burdened with additional responsibilities and greater expectations.

Thus, Lan Chang'an chose to lie low and play the role of a slacker.

He only completed the basic tasks assigned to him, with no ambition to earn war merits.

He had no use for a small amount of war merit.

Too much, however, would draw unwanted attention from the sect’s leadership, making it harder for him to leave quietly if he ever needed to.

"Given up on forming a core?"

Fairy Shi smiled subtly, as if there were more to her words.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, you’re the very embodiment of a late bloomer in Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world. You still have a hundred years of life left. If you encounter a great opportunity, who’s to say you can’t break through another major barrier?"

The theoretical maximum lifespan of a Foundation Establishment cultivator could reach two hundred and forty years.

However, nine out of ten Foundation Establishment cultivators, assuming they didn’t die prematurely, only lived to around two hundred.

Over the course of one or two centuries, most cultivators experienced ups and downs, moments of great joy and sorrow, and various unexpected events.

In addition to fighting, even small oversights in cultivation techniques would all affect life expectancy.

"Thank you for your kind words, Fairy Shi. If I can achieve Fake Dan in this lifetime, that would already be a blessing from eight lifetimes," Lan Chang'an replied with a smile, understanding the hidden meaning behind her words.

The so-called "great opportunity" she referred to was the ancient ruin in the Black Fog Mountain Range.

According to their prior agreement, now that Lan Chang'an had advanced to the late stage of Foundation Establishment, the timeline for exploring the ruins was drawing nearer.

Ye Fei chimed in, "Fellow Daoist Lan, with your strength and perseverance, and with a hundred years of time, there should be some hope of achieving Fake Dan."

...

Later that night.

Lan Chang'an personally saw off the two peak masters from the cave mansion.

Fairy Shi stayed behind to have a private conversation with him.

"I haven’t seen your Earth Burrowing Rat around recently," Fairy Shi remarked, her clear eyes scanning the mountain in surprise.

In the past, whenever she visited Little Turtle Peak, even if the Earth Burrowing Rat didn’t show itself, she could always sense its presence watching from the shadows.

"A few months ago, the Earth Burrowing Rat was taken by Miss Zhou to the Zhou Family to undergo the 'Blood Spirit Pool' baptism. It should be returning soon," Lan Chang'an explained.

After much deliberation, Lan Chang'an had decided to give the Blood Spirit Pool spot to the Earth Burrowing Rat.

The Blood Spirit Pool could significantly increase the cultivation and improve the physique of spiritual beasts, as well as slightly enhance their bloodline.

The Profound Water Turtle’s bloodline was already high-end, so the improvement in bloodline would have been negligible and not worth the investment.

As for boosting its cultivation level, the Profound Water Turtle didn’t need the extra help.

It had long been piggybacking on Lan Chang'an’s cultivation of the Evergreen Technique, and its progress was already swift.

Recently, Zhou Qingxuan had written back, saying that the Earth Burrowing Rat was enjoying its time at the Zhou Family, with plenty of companions, so it hadn’t returned immediately.

Lan Chang'an wasn’t worried about the rat encountering any danger.

As long as he stayed safe and avoided crossing paths with the Zhou Family, Zhou Qingxuan wouldn’t dare play any tricks.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, now that you’ve just advanced to the late stage of Foundation Establishment, it would be wise to spend a year or two stabilizing your cultivation and preparing more techniques," Fairy Shi suggested through voice transmission.

"During this time, I’ll contact Jiang Yechen and negotiate with him."

"Oh? Which approach do you plan to take?"

The two strategies Lan Chang'an had previously suggested were merely from the perspective of an observer.

The actual approach they took, including whether or not to resort to force, was ultimately up to Fairy Shi.

"I am prepared to be polite first and try not to make a move," Fairy Shi pondered aloud. "However, Jiang Yechen recently returned to his family and is facing some difficulties. Reaching him might not be easy."

"The Jiang Family... one of the Seven Great Families?"

Lan Chang'an thought for a moment, recalling the Jiang Family’s location on the Liang Kingdom map. He had a rough idea of the trouble Jiang Yechen was facing.

(End of chapter)