I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals 229

## Chapter 226: Three Years in Jing

Time flies, two or three years have passed.

Lu Changan, who had just arrived in Jing’s cultivation world, had been cultivating quietly and peacefully within the “Qing Sha Wan Xia Clan” of the Wu Fu Trading Company. Aside from his duty of alchemy, he rarely interacted with outsiders.

He stayed in his Qiu Feng Island dojo almost all the time, seldom venturing out.

Unbeknownst to him, the cultivators of the Xia clan had grown accustomed to this middle-aged Foundation Establishment alchemist from a neighboring country.

Compared to the first year or two, the Xia clan’s vigilance and supervision of Lu Changan had decreased significantly.

A few months ago, the Xia clan leadership invited Lu Changan to participate in their important clan discussions.

Lu Changan decisively refused, stating that it was irrelevant to his alchemical duties as stipulated in the spirit contract.

Lu Changan had come to Jing in search of a stable cultivation ground, aiming to peacefully transition to the peak of the late Foundation Establishment stage and seek to form his Golden Core.

He was not interested in the internal affairs of the Wu Fu Trading Company or the Xia clan.

Moreover, the invitation from the Xia clan leadership was likely just a test.

“Rise!”

On this day, in the alchemy room of his Qiu Feng Island mansion, Lu Changan manipulated his fingers, executing a furnace-opening technique.

*Buzz!*

The two-eared purple copper alchemy furnace, about a zhang high, shimmered with spirit patterns, radiating a scorching aura. The cauldron lid suddenly trembled and was gently pushed open by a wave of spiritual light.

Accompanied by a strong aroma of medicinal herbs, three crystal-clear, plump purple pills flew out of the heat wave and landed in Lu Changan’s palm.

Lu Changan examined the three pills in his hand. Two of them had four spirit patterns on their surface, indicating a second-order lower-grade pill quality.

The remaining one had three and a half spirit patterns, making it a substandard pill.

Of course, substandard pills were not entirely unusable. They just had weaker efficacy, more impurities, and might contain a certain degree of pill poison.

“Xiao Ming, take these three Tranquility Pills to the storage room.”

Lu Changan handed the pill bottle to a young man with a square face, fair complexion, and dressed as an apothecary.

Xia Mingcheng was one of the two apothecary boys assisting Lu Changan with alchemy.

Alchemy was not only a technical skill but also a continuous physical task.

Many high-quality pills could not be completed in three or five days.

Therefore, apothecary assistants were essential to every dedicated alchemist.

Only then could alchemists have time to cultivate and not be significantly delayed.

Lu Changan would entrust the stable middle steps of alchemically producing pills that weren’t too difficult or valuable to his apothecary boys, allowing him to save energy and allowing them to receive guidance and training.

“Yes, Master Wu.”

The apothecary boy Xia Mingcheng took the pills and retreated respectfully.

Although Xia Mingcheng was a nominal apothecary, he was actually a mid-level first-order alchemist, essentially half a disciple of Lu Changan.

In terms of alchemical talent, Xia Mingcheng surpassed Lu Changan.

“These past two or three years, the accumulated alchemy opportunities and experience have surpassed the twenty years of closed-door practice in my past.”

Lu Changan’s alchemy skills had improved significantly compared to before he came to Jing.

He had become a second-order alchemist many years ago.

However, due to his limited talent, his opportunities to practice were far less than those of dedicated alchemists. His alchemy skills remained stagnant for many years.

Upon arriving at the Xia family, Lu Changan had ample opportunities to practice, with materials provided by the Xia family or the Wu Fu Trading Company.

The variety of pills he produced also exceeded his past.

In such an environment, Lu Changan’s alchemy skills finally improved.

While advancing to mid-level second-order remained difficult, he could at least feel the progress in his skills.

Lu Changan mainly helped the Xia clan with their alchemy, with some alchemy tasks for the Wu Fu Trading Company.

Nominally, Lu Changan was a member of the Wu Fu Trading Company, as stipulated in the spirit contract.

However, he was essentially an external hired cultivator for the Xia clan.

After all, his cultivation needs, such as the dojo, spiritual rice rations, and alchemical compensation, were all provided by the Xia clan.

Moreover, three years ago on the Nine Sun Trading Company’s spirit ship, the Xia clan signed a spirit contract with Lu Changan, paying the Nine Sun Trading Company a sum of spirit stones.

This included the purchase of a second-order spirit contract, another expense.

“However, the alchemy materials provided by the Xia clan and the Wu Fu Trading Company are mostly common, less valuable varieties.”

Lu Changan had never refined Foundation Establishment pills, or second-order breakthrough pills.

Without the corresponding opportunities to practice, Lu Changan’s success rate and quality of producing these types of pills were difficult to guarantee.

The Wu Fu Trading Company had higher-ranking second-order upper-grade alchemists. Due to their old age and declining strength, they primarily focused on refining important pills.

Ordinary second-order pills were entrusted to Lu Changan or other family alchemists.

…

Lu Changan left the alchemy room and entered the quiet garden courtyard.

“Master Wu, this is intelligence that the young master recently gathered from the Commercial League.”

A clear, soft voice came.

Xia Wenyue, dressed in plain clothes, had just flown back to Qiu Feng Island. She bowed respectfully and handed Lu Changan a jade tube.

When he moved into Qiu Feng Island, Lu Changan had only requested two apothecary positions.

Xia Wenyue was the other apothecary.

She also doubled as a maid, taking care of worldly affairs on the island, including receiving guests and attending to various needs.

She had been sickly since childhood, possessing extensive knowledge of pharmacology. She pursued the path of a medicine master, similar to Ye Fei from Wu Qi Shan.

The path of medicine masters focused on pharmacology, encompassing medical and poisonous arts, but they also required basic alchemy skills, just not as specialized as alchemists.

“Hmm, go and rest for now.”

Lu Changan took the jade tube and glanced at the Xia family girl, whose jade-like face was pale and whose breathing was labored.

Even just flying a short distance within the clan had proven tiring for her.

In the two or three years that Lu Changan had been living on Qiu Feng Island, Xia Wenyue had always had a sickly pale complexion, with a faint mist hovering above her brow, giving her an air of worry.

Despite her frail physique, her appearance and temperament were exceptional in the Xia family.

In order to remain on Qiu Feng Island, Xia Wenyue willingly became a maid.

Besides assisting with alchemy, she also managed many things on the island, including serving tea, pouring water, and running errands.

Yet, this girl was sickly and lacked spiritual power, making it difficult for her to handle the workload.

Once, while working on the island, Xia Wenyue collapsed.

Lu Changan saw that she was diligent, hardworking, and her temperament was not troublesome, so he had a favorable impression of her.

During a casual conversation when he was in a good mood, Lu Changan kindly suggested:

“Xiao Yue, your body seems cold and weak, with some underlying illness. Wu has some knowledge of medicine and can take a look for you.”

Lu Changan’s suggestion was partly out of kindness and partly out of curiosity.

He had used his spiritual sense to probe her but couldn’t discern the reason for her illness.

He couldn’t help but wonder if she had a special constitution.

That would require physical contact, entering her body for a more thorough examination.

Unexpectedly, Lu Changan’s kindness was met with a refusal from the girl.

“Thank you, Master Wu, for your kindness. My weakness has been with me since birth. My mother, before her passing, consulted a third-order medicine master, but there was no cure. They could only use medicines to stabilize my Yin-Cold Qi, barely allowing me to maintain cultivation.”

“Over the years, Wenyue has been content, without harboring any further hopes.”

At that time, Xia Wenyue glanced at the middle-aged man with a round face, a yellow beard, and a slightly oily complexion, politely declining his kindness.

Lu Changan wouldn’t push his luck.

Even if he was curious and slightly suspicious, he didn’t mention the topic again.

He guessed that if he had been in his original appearance, the outcome might have been different.

Lu Changan’s disguise, using the Hundred Illusions Mask, inherited the appearance and temperament of another person. While not ugly or repulsive, it had a certain middle-aged man’s greasiness.

…

“In the Liang cultivation world, one-quarter of the spirit vein cultivation grounds have been conquered by the Jin Yang Sect’s forces? Now, more Liang cultivators are fleeing to the neutral Jing…”

Back in his room, Lu Changan checked the intelligence information in the jade tube.

Although he hadn’t ventured out much in the past two or three years while residing on Qiu Feng Island, he had kept abreast of the war in the Liang cultivation world.

The Jing Commercial League had extensive intelligence channels, and the Wu Fu Trading Company’s cultivators traveled to Liang a couple of times a year.

Lu Changan asked Xia Mingqu, the young master of the Xia clan, to bring back information about the war in the Liang cultivation world.

At the same time, he was eager to know if the news about the ancient relic had been leaked.

Since he couldn’t directly inquire, he found an excuse, saying that he was concerned about the situation around Huang Long Immortal City and asked the Wu Fu Trading Company to keep an eye out for him.

“There is still no news about the ancient relic. It can be confirmed that the news about the relic has not leaked on a large scale at least.”

“Master Shi became a third-order Formation Master. She has been safe for a few years now. Before she left the relic, she must have handled things properly and didn’t reveal the most crucial secrets…”

Lu Changan drew some basic conclusions.

The Xuan Mu Hu Luo vine he carried involved a significant opportunity for Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

If such a core secret were truly leaked, even the identity of a third-order Formation Master wouldn’t save Master Shi.

If it were just an ordinary cave or relic, Master Shi could cover it up by becoming a third-order Formation Master, her identity comparable to that of a True Core cultivator.

Currently, Master Shi was a major figure in the Liang cultivation world.

A year ago, intelligence brought back by the Wu Fu Trading Company briefly mentioned this newly promoted third-order Formation Master in the area around Huang Long Immortal City.

Worth mentioning, the Wu Fu Trading Company had some business dealings with the Beast Tamer Zhou family in Liang.

Some of the intelligence was provided by the Beast Tamer Zhou family’s cultivators.

“The Jin Yang Sect in Feng Kingdom hasn’t issued a bounty for the ‘Turtle Talisman Master’ yet. Could it be that the group led by Mu Jiu’an back then concealed this matter and didn’t attract the Jin Yang Sect’s attention?”

Lu Changan also paid attention to the other hidden danger.

He could only confirm that a small Turtle Talisman Master didn’t come to the attention of the Jin Yang Sect’s leadership.

If he were an important bounty target, he would be sought out across countries by a Nascent Soul-level sect.

“For now, these two hidden dangers don’t seem like a major problem.”

Lu Changan pondered:

“In the future, when either I or the Di Yan Rat successfully forms our Golden Core, we will have nothing to worry about. We won’t even need to conceal our identities and can normally cultivate in Jing under the name Lu Changan.”

After reviewing the intelligence, Lu Changan felt even more at ease.

In the three pieces of intelligence provided by the Wu Fu Trading Company, there was no mention of “Turtle Talisman Master.”

The title of Turtle Talisman Master was only known in the Liang cultivation world. Once it crossed cultivation countries, almost no one knew about this figure.

Unless it was someone like Huang Long Zhen Ren, who had a certain “legendary” status, even in neighboring countries, he would be known by some cultivators.

Or someone like Master Shi, a third-order Formation Master, would be noticed by Feng Kingdom’s high-level officials and the Jing Commercial League’s intelligence.

Lu Changan guessed that the Xia family cultivators must have investigated “Wu Fan’s” identity in the first two years.

The results of the investigation might have raised suspicions that Lu Changan was using an alias.

However, this was no longer important.

As long as Lu Changan had no ill intentions toward the Xia clan and continued diligently with alchemy, he would be fine. What kind of waves could a Foundation Establishment cultivator fleeing for refuge cause?

In the short term, Lu Changan was not concerned about his true identity being exposed.

Firstly, cross-national investigations were beyond the Wu Fu Trading Company’s limited influence.

There were many cultivators fleeing to Jing. In the chaotic context of war, a missing Foundation Establishment cultivator was nothing unusual.

Secondly, no one in the outside world knew that Lu Changan was a second-order alchemist.

Even if someone thought of the Turtle Talisman Master, the combination of second-order alchemist and Foundation Establishment cultivator’s cultivation could rule out Lu Changan.

Normally, it would be difficult for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to hide their cultivation level from the Xia clan’s False Core ancestor.

…

Night had fallen.

Lu Changan dismissed Xia Wenyue and went to the basement below the Qiu Feng Island mansion.

On Qiu Feng Island, the two apothecary boys lived in a building constructed on the outskirts.

Lu Changan’s mansion and the deep pool behind it were within the range of a semi-third-order formation.

Beneath the basement, there was a secret tunnel connecting it to the deep pool behind the mansion.

This tunnel was secretly dug by the Di Yan Rat during the first few months after Lu Changan arrived on Qiu Feng Island.

The Xuan Shui Gui normally resided in the deep pool at the other end of the tunnel. When no one was around, it would come up for air. If there were cultivators nearby, it would dive back into the depths.

Due to the cover of both overt and covert formations, the secret tunnel and the Xuan Shui Gui had not been discovered by the Xia clan cultivators.

Moreover, Lu Changan had instructed it to disguise itself as an ordinary spirit turtle.

*Squeek!*

A rat demon with mottled yellow fur pushed open the secret door of the tunnel and led the way for Lu Changan.

The mottled yellow rat demon, judging by its body and appearance, was a common variety called the “Huang Yan Rat.” It was a close relative of the Di Yan Rat.

This was the result of the Di Yan Rat cultivating the Yi Xing technique.

Due to their close bloodline, even beast tamers wouldn’t easily recognize it.

Normally, it disguised itself as a Huang Yan Rat, with mid-level second-order cultivation, residing in the Qiu Feng Island mansion, handling chores and guarding the place.

With the formations covering it, the Di Yan Rat would be fine as long as it didn’t go outside and run into Xia Hongyu, the Xia clan patriarch.

After a while.

Following the tunnel, Lu Changan reached the deep pool at the other end.

There was a formation in the deep pool, blocking the water flow, and a stone house hidden there.

*Splash!*

The Xuan Shui Gui carried Lu Changan and the rat demon, shielding them from the water flow, entering the hidden stone house at the bottom of the pool.

Inside the stone house, the ground was moist soil.

A large porcelain jar stood on the surface of the soil.

The porcelain jar was filled with five-colored soil, in which a withered section of the Xuan Mu Hu Luo vine was planted.

This was the Xuan Mu Hu Luo vine that Lu Changan brought back from the ancient relic.

A hole had been broken in the bottom of the jar; the five-element soil at the bottom of the jar was in contact with the soil at the bottom of the lake, connecting with the “earth energy,” no longer rootless.

While not truly rooted, it had a similar effect.

Lu Changan had chosen to let the Xuan Mu Hu Luo vine grow here for a few reasons.

Firstly, this deep pool connected to the earth veins, with active spiritual energy and abundant earth energy.

Secondly, it utilized the natural geography of the deep pool, combined with the semi-third-order formation’s covert formation and the isolated materials made from You Ying Stones, providing good concealment.

Thirdly, the Xuan Shui Gui lived in the deep pool and could look after it all year round.

When Lu Changan was busy, the Xuan Shui Gui would use its Cloud and Rain Technique to help water the Xuan Mu Hu Luo vine, maintaining its vitality.

The Xuan Shui Gui was very happy to do this job.

“Letting the Xuan Mu Hu Luo vine grow here is more hidden and difficult to find than carrying it with me.”

Based on his past life’s experiences, Lu Changan had repeatedly pondered the Xuan Mu Hu Luo vine, even doing some calculations.

As a result, he reached a conclusion.

The Xuan Mu Hu Luo vine had the ability to shield celestial secrets and calculations.

Of course, Lu Changan in his past life wasn’t proficient in calculations, only knowing the basics. The calculations performed with his Foundation Establishment cultivation level were very ineffective.

Lu Changan approached the withered vine and observed it for a while, shaking his head.

After the vine was connected to the earth energy in the pool, it didn’t show any significant signs of growth.

Since bringing the Xuan Mu Hu Luo vine out of the relic, Lu Changan could only maintain its vitality.

If he spent his lifespan to activate the Eternal Green Secret Technique, he could feel a slight increase in the Xuan Mu Hu Luo vine’s vitality.

Perhaps, by investing a large amount of lifespan, there was a possibility of reversing its growth.

However, how could Lu Changan bear to spend a large amount of lifespan gambling on an unknown outcome?

Even if he wanted to try a little, he had to at least become a True Core cultivator, with a significant increase in lifespan.

…

“Let’s go.”

Lu Changan waved his hand, putting the large porcelain jar containing the Xuan Mu Hu Luo vine and the five-element soil into his storage bag, temporarily cutting off its connection with the earth energy.

Next, he planned to go out and make arrangements for the Di Yan Rat to form its Golden Core.

Although it was hidden by placing the Xuan Mu Hu Luo vine here, he was still more at ease carrying it with him.

As long as there was five-element soil and the nourishment of the Eternal Green Technique, it could keep the vine from withering.

“Three years have passed, and I have gained the Xia family’s initial trust. I can’t delay any longer…”

Lu Changan patted the Di Yan Rat’s head.

Then, he returned to the surface of Qiu Feng Island mansion through the secret tunnel.

The next morning.

Lu Changan went to visit Xia Mingqu, the young master of the Xia clan, and stated his intention.

(End of Chapter)

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