I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals 197

## Chapter 196: Avian Plea for Help

“A burst of power from a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator!”

Lu Chang An opened his eyes, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.

Judging by the fluctuations in spiritual energy, the attacker was most likely Huang Long Zhen Ren.

From his previous understanding, Huang Long Zhen Ren only had one attack left, and his threat should not be significant.

However, the attack that just erupted in the distance was unexpected, far exceeding that of an ordinary mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, even approaching the level of a late-stage Core Formation.

Given Huang Long Zhen Ren’s fading state, even with potent pills and secret techniques, it shouldn’t be possible.

His body, with only a few days of life left, had no vital energy to be squeezed.

“Could it be that Huang Long Zhen Ren self-destructed his soul-bound treasure?”

Lu Chang An, a late-stage Core Formation cultivator in his previous life, had a sudden insight.

Huang Long Zhen Ren’s soul-bound treasure, the Huang Long Shan Seal, had been nurtured for hundreds of years. Even without the support of powerful spiritual energy, if it self-destructed, its power would be beyond the norm.

He waited for a moment.

Lu Chang An didn’t sense any fluctuations of spiritual energy at his level, like the fleeting splendor of a blooming flower.

He sighed deeply, feeling a pang of emotion.

The former number one Loose Cultivator of Liang Guo, a legendary Core Formation cultivator renowned for centuries, was finally falling into the abyss of time.

Not long ago, the aged man had shared tea and conversation with Lu Chang An, their interaction pleasant and harmonious.

Lu Chang An did not feel sadness or pity.

Because Huang Long Zhen Ren was a man of fortune, his brilliant life of hundreds of years was unattainable for 99.9% of cultivators.

He simply felt a sense of shared experience.

The level and status that Huang Long Zhen Ren had attained were similar to Lu Chang An’s previous life.

After hundreds of years, their lifespans reached their limit, and they were ultimately unable to touch the path of the Nascent Soul stage, a way to transcend the heavens.

…

“Lu Dao You, did you sense the commotion just now?”

Soon after, Shi Xian Zi, dressed in a plain white robe, visited Xiao Gui Feng.

“Mm.”

Lu Chang An nodded, briefly discussing the matter with Shi Man Rong.

Shi Man Rong surmised that the battle’s commotion was probably related to the Huang Long Shan lineage.

Recently, the surrounding area had only experienced major disturbances at Huang Long Shan.

Lu Chang An, privy to the truth, acknowledged this.

“The carriage that came to Xiao Gui Feng yesterday, was it from Huang Long Shan?”

Shi Xian Zi’s gaze was as calm as still water, her words tinged with a playful smile.

Both Fu Dong and Huang Long Zhen Ren had disguised themselves before coming, their appearances unremarkable to ordinary cultivators.

“Yes, they were originally looking for Ye Yao Shi. However, they had no choice but to rely on this half-baked me to help, making a desperate attempt…”

Lu Chang An briefly described the situation, concealing some of the truth.

After all, the matter wouldn’t stay hidden from those who were interested.

Fu Xue Mei’s injuries weren’t terminal, nor did they involve resuscitation. The extent of Lu Chang An’s contribution to her recovery was unknown to the outside world, except for those involved.

“Lu Dao You, are you interested in accompanying me to investigate?”

Shi Man Rong suggested.

Through their analysis, the two suspected that He Yuan Wu had joined forces with his cultivators, tracking the gravely injured and fleeing Fu Xue Mei, seeking to claim Huang Long Shan’s legacy.

The only spiritual energy fluctuations they sensed were at the True Core level, likely a result of a mutually destructive situation.

“If He Yuan Wu is dead or severely injured and escapes, we can rescue Ye Dao You.”

Shi Xian Zi added.

“Oh, I forgot about Ye Dao You! In that case, we definitely need to go.”

Lu Chang An stated seriously.

He judged that the True Core level spiritual energy fluctuations belonged to Huang Long Zhen Ren, who had perished.

Then, there would be no True Core-level combatants left on the scene.

The surviving False Core cultivators would either be dead or injured.

If the enemy had True Core-level power, they wouldn’t need to be so cautious; facing a heavily injured and unconscious Fu Xue Mei, they wouldn’t hesitate to strike.

Investigating this aftermath posed no risk to Lu Chang An, especially with Shi Xian Zi, a powerful ally, by his side.

The benefits, however, were numerous.

Firstly, they could fish in troubled waters, becoming scavengers.

Secondly, if they encountered He Yuan Wu, a potential threat, they could eliminate him.

Finally, they could rescue Ye Fei along the way.

“Considering Lu Dao You’s cautious nature, you are willing to risk yourself for Ye Yao Shi. It seems your friendship is quite deep?”

As the two flew away from Wu Qi Shan, Shi Xian Zi expressed her admiration, a playful curve forming at the corner of her lips.

Their private interaction was intimate, and their communication sometimes appeared more casual.

“My relationship with Shi Xian Zi runs even deeper. If one day, Shi Xian Zi encounters danger, Lu Mou would consider taking action.”

Lu Chang An replied in a serious tone.

“To have Lu Dao You consider even briefly, I am eternally grateful, overwhelmed with emotion.”

Shi Man Rong chuckled, her elegance tinged with a hint of charm.

…

The moon hung high, an hour before dawn.

Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong approached the scene of the incident.

Dust lingered in the air, yet to settle.

Upon closer inspection, an entire hill had been leveled to the ground, with a deep pit nearly a hundred zhang wide in the center, its edges scorched black.

The surrounding earth, as if subjected to a powerful aftershock, showed spiderweb-like cracks.

Due to the extensive destruction, there wasn’t much evidence of blood.

“As expected…”

Lu Chang An retrieved a palm-sized fragment of a treasure from the soil. It was dull yellow and lifeless, devoid of spiritual energy.

This fragment confirmed his suspicions.

He released his Earth Rock Rat, sending it into the rubble-filled earth to search for loot.

Huang Long Zhen Ren’s soul-bound treasure, despite its loss of spiritual energy, could be recycled and reused due to its high-grade material.

Some materials were universal, useful for Lu Chang An’s future cultivation of treasures.

Even if simply sold, it would attract the interest of Core Formation cultivators.

“Lu Dao You, look over here.”

Shi Man Rong used her spells to lift a large rock, revealing bloodstains on its back, along with a section of shattered, misshapen arm bone.

“The deceased was strong and had sturdy bones, demonstrating remarkable body refinement cultivation. Based on the residual spiritual energy in the blood, it appears to be a False Core cultivator.”

Lu Chang An drew a preliminary conclusion.

The two exchanged glances, suspecting the deceased to be He Yuan Wu, the traitor of Huang Long Shan.

The subsequent search confirmed their assumptions.

Near the arm bone, they found other scattered remains, a burst and shattered storage pouch, and a broken axe-shaped treasure.

Certain items, including the shattered axe-shaped treasure, could be linked to He Yuan Wu’s identity.

Unfortunately, the contents of the storage pouch had been destroyed, leaving only a few durable materials intact.

“One less problem to deal with.”

Lu Chang An chuckled.

He recalled Huang Long Zhen Ren’s words before his departure:

“…If the opportunity arises, perhaps I can eliminate a hidden threat for Wu Qi Shan.”

Huang Long Zhen Ren didn’t truly intend to help Wu Qi Shan solve its troubles.

Eliminating He Yuan Wu, the traitor, was likely his dying wish.

During the Huang Long Shan battle decades ago, He Yuan Wu’s betrayal had caused severe losses for Huang Long Shan.

With Huang Long Zhen Ren “gone,” Fu Xue Mei’s subsequent departure while gravely injured, He Yuan Wu had been more eager than the external enemies, attempting to completely eliminate them and seize the legacy.

“Only He Yuan Wu’s body.”

Lu Chang An scanned the surroundings with his spiritual sense, finding it somewhat unexpected.

Huang Long Zhen Ren had only one attack left, after which he would die.

His body was not here, perhaps taken by Fu Xue Mei and her brother.

But Lu Chang An didn’t believe that He Yuan Wu had acted alone.

Not to mention, just identifying the whereabouts of Huang Long’s trio would be difficult for He Yuan Wu.

Previously, Zhou Qing Xuan had visited Xiao Gui Feng, and Lu Chang An suspected that the Zhou family, known for their Beast Taming skills, might be cooperating with He Yuan Wu.

The Zhou family excelled in Beast Taming. If they possessed unique spirit beasts or insects that could track Huang Long’s three, it wouldn’t be unusual.

During the beast tide, when the Earth Dragon Beast was gravely injured, Huang Long Zhen Ren had offered a hefty reward to find skilled healers. Zhou Qing Xuan had been invited to treat the beast.

…

Swoosh! Swoosh!

The sound of tearing through the air, followed by the arrival of other Core Formation cultivators.

“Let’s go find Ye Dao You.”

Lu Chang An discussed with Shi Man Rong and chose not to linger.

As the first Core Formation cultivators to arrive, and with their knowledge of the situation, the two had boldly ventured close, effortlessly obtaining the most valuable items.

They left the remaining scrap metal for the other cultivators.

“Lu Dao You, looking at your expression, you seem to have leads on finding Ye Dao You.”

Shi Man Rong smiled softly, observing Lu Chang An’s calm demeanor.

“He Yuan Wu is lurking in the area, holding Ye Yao Shi hostage. He wouldn’t imprison him too far away.”

“Earlier, in He Yuan Wu’s burst storage pouch, there were remnants of Ye Dao You’s belongings. The Earth Rock Rat remembers their auras…”

Lu Chang An smiled.

The victim wasn’t far away, and with the means to track him, the difficulty was significantly reduced.

After half a day, from dawn to the verge of dusk, Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong pinpointed a desolate forest fifty to sixty li away.

A wooden hut hidden by dense foliage came into their view.

Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong didn’t rush into the hut.

They first scanned it with their spiritual senses, only detecting a simple formation. Perhaps due to long neglect and lack of spiritual energy maintenance, its power was weak.

Suddenly, Lu Chang An felt a sensation, lifting his gaze towards the sky.

A small black dot, obscured by cloud cover, flashed briefly.

“A second-order avian?”

Lu Chang An, with his sensitive senses, drew a conclusion from that fleeting glance, falling into thought.

Squeak!

The Earth Rock Rat climbed a tree and pried open the hut’s door.

Immediately, a faint musty odor wafted out.

“Ye Dao You!”

Inside the hut lay a short-haired youth, motionless.

Scattered around him were a few rotten fruits, and a blue centipede crawled near his sharp features.

If not for the presence of a life force, Lu Chang An would have mistaken him for a corpse.

“…”

Upon seeing Lu Chang An and the others, Ye Fei’s eyes struggled to turn, conveying surprise and a sense of relief.

“Ye Dao You is under a restriction, unable to move his body.”

Shi Man Rong stepped forward to take a look.

The restriction on Ye Fei had been placed by He Yuan Wu, a False Core cultivator. However, the restriction wasn’t complex, only exceeding the capabilities of Core Formation cultivators.

Shi Man Rong, a near-third-order Formation Master, could break it with a little time.

“Thank you, Shi Xian Zi. I’ll go keep watch outside.”

Lu Chang An exited the hut.

He had the Earth Rock Rat guard the entrance while he circled the area, searching for anything suspicious.

Then, Lu Chang An felt the sensation again, lifting his head to see the black dot gliding through the clouds in the sky.

“It’s the second-order avian from before.”

Lu Chang An didn’t give chase.

Human cultivators could hardly catch up to birds of the same level.

Whoosh!

A feather descended from the sky.

Lu Chang An caught the feather, with a sound transmission talisman attached to it.

“Lu Dao You, Huang Long Zhen Ren and He Yuan Wu perished together. This little girl managed to escape, but I am severely injured and require assistance.”

“Please come to the bamboo forest ten li north. This little girl has important intelligence to share.”

The 23rd update will be later than the previous two days.

(End of chapter)

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