I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals 230

## Chapter 227: Premium Longevity Pill

Qing Sha Wan, inside the Xia Clan’s young master’s subworld.

“May I ask, Alchemist Wu, what is the reason for this trip?”

Xia Ming Qu, dressed in a dark blue brocade robe, had a face like jade and a graceful figure.

He was slightly surprised to learn of Lu Chang An’s intentions, but it was not entirely unexpected.

Lu Chang An had rarely left Autumn Wind Island in the two or three years since he had settled there, never once making a journey far away.

The spirit contract Lu Chang An had signed with the Five Blessings Trading House primarily concerned his duties as an alchemist and a twenty-year term. Aside from this, there were no limitations on his personal freedom.

Of course, a second-grade spirit contract had a powerful restraining force on a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and any violation would lead to significant backlash.

Moreover, the spirit contract was under the protection of the Trade League, bearing the cultivator’s mana imprint, and could be traced within a certain range.

“Wu has lived for over a hundred years and has been stuck in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment for many years. I can no longer delay. This trip is to seek the ‘Xuan Wu Dan’, a breakthrough pill for the late stage of Foundation Establishment, or the main ingredient for its refinement.”

Lu Chang An’s tone was serious as he explained his reason.

Upon hearing this, Xia Ming Qu remained silent for a few breaths, lacking a suitable excuse for refusal.

If it were ordinary resources, Xia Ming Qu could have taken care of it through the Trading House’s channels.

But breakthrough pills for the late stage of Foundation Establishment were strategic resources.

Even if the Five Blessings Trading House had them, they would be reserved for internal family use or traded for favors and significant benefits within the Trade League, not for an outsider like Lu Chang An.

“There will be an auction in ‘Cloud Smoke Immortal City’ in half a month, where a rare second-grade premium Longevity Pill will be sold. The Xuan Wu Dan should also be available there.”

Xia Ming Qu mused, “If Alchemist Wu is not in a hurry, you can come with me and my father at that time. It would be safer on the road.”

“The auction will be crowded with more monks than resources. Wu has other plans and cannot accompany you.”

Lu Chang An shook his head, declining the young master’s offer.

“Then, Wu Dao You, be careful on the road. This jade tube contains a complete map of the Jing Kingdom’s cultivation world.”

Xia Ming Qu no longer insisted and handed a jade tube to Lu Chang An.

“Thank you, Young Master.”

Lu Chang An understood the unspoken implication in Xia Ming Qu’s words.

Jing Kingdom was currently in a peaceful era. For a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the middle stage, as long as they had no significant enemies, their personal safety wouldn’t be a concern when traveling.

Lu Chang An couldn’t help but think about the current state of the Five Blessings Trading House. It was rumored to be under pressure from the New Moon Trading House.

A few months ago, he had heard from the medicine boy, Xia Jin Cheng, that one of the Five Blessings Trading House’s elders, from the Wu family, had been attacked while traveling alone. He had barely managed to escape with his life, sustaining serious injuries.

The Five Blessings Trading House suspected the New Moon Trading House was behind this, but they had no concrete evidence.

Xia Ming Qu’s proposal, apart from being concerned about Lu Chang An’s potential escape, also had some good intentions.

The young master personally escorted Lu Chang An out of his subworld and watched as he disappeared into the distance.

“Wu Fan is a new face in the Five Blessings Trading House, not a key figure, so he shouldn’t be a target for hostile forces.”

…

“Premium Longevity Pill?”

A moment later, Lu Chang An flew out of Qing Sha Wan, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.

He had spent many years in the Liang Kingdom cultivation world and had never encountered a second-grade premium Longevity Pill. It was only after coming to Jing Kingdom, three years ago, that he had stumbled upon one.

This didn’t necessarily mean that Liang Kingdom didn’t have premium Longevity Pills.

In the Liang Kingdom cultivation world, the sect forces held absolute dominance and monopolized many scarce resources.

Most premium Longevity Pills produced were consumed internally or offered to high-ranking figures.

The few premium Longevity Pills that made their way outside were fleeting opportunities. Lu Chang An had been confined to Wu Qi Shan for years, making it difficult to keep track of every immortal city and market.

The Jing Kingdom cultivation world was different.

Here, the Trade League held strong power, commerce was flourishing, and resources flowed freely, with numerous skilled artisans.

The monopoly of certain scarce resources was slightly better than in Liang Kingdom.

“Except for lacking Nascent Soul-level forces, Jing Kingdom’s top combat power is somewhat inferior, but the middle-level cultivators and forces are not weaker than the Liang Kingdom cultivation world.”

Although Lu Chang An hadn’t traveled much, through interactions and inquiries with Xia Clan cultivators, he had gained some understanding of the situation in Jing Kingdom.

Without the absolute rule of Nascent Soul-level forces, various factions maintained a relative balance, preventing resources from being excessively monopolized.

“Jing Kingdom doesn’t have Nascent Soul True Monarchs, but it can maintain its prosperity as a neutral country for so many years, unaffected by war.”

Lu Chang An had been puzzled before coming to Jing Kingdom.

This mainly stemmed from three reasons.

First, Jing Kingdom lacked fourth-grade spiritual veins, which held little attraction for Nascent Soul True Monarchs.

Second, it was due to its geographical location.

Jing Kingdom was nestled between the Chen Kingdom and the Liang Kingdom, bordering the Black Mist Mountain Range.

The cultivation forces of the Chen Kingdom and the Liang Kingdom were comparable, allowing Jing Kingdom to achieve a balance, drawing favor from both sides and maintaining neutrality.

Furthermore, the surrounding spiritless lands made it troublesome for the two neighboring countries to annex it. Even if they occupied the country, they wouldn’t be able to control it.

Third, there was a rumor.

It was said that Jing Kingdom had once produced a child of destiny who had traveled to the very heart of the Great Qing cultivation world and achieved Nascent Soul True Monarch status.

This Nascent Soul True Monarch, with unparalleled strength, joined an ancient Nascent Soul-level sect.

The neighboring cultivation countries were wary of this Nascent Soul True Monarch, making them even less inclined to interfere with Jing Kingdom.

Lu Chang An was half-believing this rumor.

Perhaps it was true, or maybe it was a publicity stunt by the Jing Kingdom Trade League.

…

Half a day later, Lu Chang An had flown beyond the Xia Clan’s territory.

Along the way, he secretly observed and confirmed that the Xia Clan hadn’t sent anyone to monitor him.

Lu Chang An’s perception of the Xia Clan had improved slightly.

Apart from the restrictions imposed by the second-grade spirit contract, Lu Chang An’s low-key and conscientious behavior over the past three years had earned him the initial trust of the Xia Clan.

As for the potential threat of hostile trade houses, Lu Chang An had been lucky enough to avoid any encounters.

Lu Chang An wasn’t too concerned about the potential threat of hostile trade houses.

Neither the Five Blessings Trading House nor the New Moon Trading House were top-tier trading houses within the Trade League.

Neither of these two trading houses had True Dan cultivators.

Their strongest presence was a False Dan cultivator.

A False Dan cultivator posed no real threat to Lu Chang An, whose body cultivation had reached the pre-third-grade level.

Not to mention, the False Dan cultivators of the two trading houses, as their highest deterrent, wouldn’t easily be deployed.

“Premium Longevity Pill? Cloud Smoke Immortal City… the closest immortal city to the Xia Clan.”

Lu Chang An muttered to himself, making sure no one was around, before controlling his遁光 (Dun Guang, literally “escape light,” a technique used by cultivators for fast travel) and landing in a small forest along the way.

A moment later.

A Foundation Establishment蓑衣老叟 (Suo Yi Lao Sou, a “straw raincoat old man” who’s likely an itinerant merchant or someone traveling anonymously) stood on a flying boat, emerging from the forest and heading towards Cloud Smoke Immortal City.

Actually, Lu Chang An’s original destination wasn’t Cloud Smoke Immortal City.

It was the Jing Kingdom’s first immortal city, where the Trade League’s headquarters was located.

To plan for the Earth Rock Rat’s core formation resources, the larger the immortal city, the greater the opportunities.

Upon hearing about the “Premium Longevity Pill”, Lu Chang An temporarily changed his plan and decided to visit Cloud Smoke Immortal City first.

Cloud Smoke Immortal City was also quite impressive in scale.

The Premium Longevity Pill was enough to attract some powerful veteran Foundation Establishment cultivators, even including some False Dan cultivators.

In the short term, the city would become a hot spot, drawing a considerable influx of people.

Naturally, the various trading houses within the city would bring out more high-level scarce goods to increase their popularity.

“Ordinary Longevity Pills, when taken at the same level, have an effect that cannot be stacked.”

“But Premium Longevity Pills are different! Even if you’ve previously taken a regular Longevity Pill of the same level, taking a Premium Longevity Pill will still provide a 20-30% longevity effect. Taking multiple ones simply has lower cost-effectiveness…”

Due to the unique nature of his cultivation method, Lu Chang An could stack the effects of ordinary Longevity Pills, albeit with a gradual decrease in effectiveness.

He was curious to see what effect a Premium Longevity Pill would have on him.

Longevity Pills could slightly enhance the power of his Everlasting Mana. He also needed to sacrifice his lifespan to cultivate the mysterious Xuan Mu Hu Luo (Xue Mu Hu Luo, literally “Mysterious Wood Gourd Vine”).

…

Three days later.

An immortal city shrouded in mist, reflected in Lu Chang An’s field of vision.

The entire city was built with grayish-white cloud-spotted rocks, giving the appearance of a crystal white jade embedded in a vast lake.

Cloud Smoke Immortal City belonged to the Trade League’s forces and was jointly controlled by several trading houses.

Jing Kingdom was in a peaceful era, with flourishing trade, and the control of entry and exit to the immortal city was not strict.

Lu Chang An, with his Foundation Establishment cultivator status, didn’t even face any checks or have to pay any entrance fees.

This relaxed policy applied primarily to cultivators who were not engaged in trade.

For cultivators engaged in trade, there were various regulations, such as tax payments, identity verification, and so on.

The auction was still more than ten days away, and the flow of people into Cloud Smoke Immortal City was increasing day by day.

Lu Chang An, a newcomer to the city, was unfamiliar with its environment and did not act rashly.

That day, he settled into a high-end inn in the city center called “Seek Immortal Residence.”

Seek Immortal Residence, although called an inn, was actually a luxurious mansion, with superior rooms offering private access and a small courtyard.

Lu Chang An was financially well-off and valued privacy, so he naturally chose a room with a courtyard, at a daily cost of sixty spirit stones.

On the desk in the room, besides common items like cleaning talismans, there was also a jade tube placed there.

“Cloud Smoke Immortal City Guide?”

Inside the jade tube, there was a record of Cloud Smoke Immortal City’s basic information, with brief introductions to major forces, shops, stalls, and auctions.

Even the various “immortal buildings” for seeking pleasure, the jade tube had information on those as well.

Moreover, Seek Immortal Residence, being a high-end inn, valued its guests’ privacy and collaborated with various immortal buildings, offering a delivery service.

There was also a picture book on the desk, depicting female cultivators with various beautiful appearances and temperaments.

“This service is quite thoughtful.”

Lu Chang An had to admit that the Jing Kingdom cultivation world had a more open atmosphere and the trading houses had a flexible business mindset.

The services Seek Immortal Residence provided didn’t stop there.

Superior rooms came with certain benefits.

For example, they offered free companions for guests.

That evening, Lu Chang An contacted the maid in charge of his room and booked a companion for the next day.

The “Cloud Smoke Immortal City Guide” only provided basic introductions. To understand the local conditions, he would need to interact with local cultivators.

Lu Chang An’s trip was not just about acquiring resources for the Earth Rock Rat’s core formation; he was in no rush.

“Over the past three years in Liang Kingdom, my puppet master skills have reached the pre-third-grade level in theoretical understanding. However, the corresponding puppet materials I have are almost depleted.”

Lu Chang An was confident that once he procured another batch of materials, he would be able to become a pre-third-grade puppet master.

Pre-third-grade puppets were equivalent to False Dan cultivators.

Once he successfully refined them, Lu Chang An’s self-defense abilities would be greatly enhanced.

If he could refine two or more pre-third-grade puppets, he would have the potential to directly confront a True Dan cultivator.

Compared to core formation resources, pre-third-grade puppet materials were less difficult to obtain.

…

The next morning.

Outside Lu Chang An’s courtyard room, a young couple stood waiting.

“A Feng, remember not to pry into guests’ privacy. If the shopkeeper finds out about this, you’ll be expelled from the city at the very least…”

One of them, a beautiful woman dressed in a white gown with exquisite makeup, cautioned in a hushed voice.

“Sister Ting, I know. The guest we met last time was from the Liang Kingdom’s trading house. It was my first time encountering someone like that, and I was curious, so I asked a few extra questions.”

The young man opposite her had sharp features, a straight nose, and thin lips.

He gave a wry smile, subconsciously touching his cheek. The bone there still ached faintly.

Fortunately, the Foundation Establishment cultivator from Liang Kingdom he had encountered had only slapped him across the face and hadn’t filed a complaint with Seek Immortal Residence.

“The senior has asked you both to go in.”

After waiting for half an hour, the maid in charge of the superior rooms led the woman in white and the young man into the courtyard room.

“Greetings, Senior.”

An old man, over sixty years old and thin in stature, sat at a stone table in the courtyard.

The old man’s cloudy eyes examined the two companions.

This was a free benefit for superior rooms, allowing guests to choose one companion.

If they served well, the guest in the superior room would casually give them a tip that would cover their income for a year or two.

The woman in white had an elegant and mature demeanor, graceful and natural.

The young man was hunched over, with a slightly awkward manner.

Lu Chang An’s gaze lingered for a moment on the woman in white.

He then glanced at the young man.

“Hm?”

Lu Chang An felt a strange sense of familiarity.

He was certain that he had never seen this young man’s face before in his memory.

This feeling of familiarity must have come from his aura.

“What are your names, you two youngsters?”

Lu Chang An said nonchalantly, secretly using his spiritual sense to investigate the young man.

He discovered that the young man had sustained a severe internal injury, leaving irreversible damage to his dantian and meridians, causing his cultivation to drop to the Qi Condensation stage.

Not only that, his spiritual root aptitude was actually an Earth Spiritual Root!

Lu Chang An’s mind flashed with an idea, immediately leading him to guess the young man’s identity.

“My humble self is Lu Shu Ting.”

“My junior is Wang Feng.”

The woman in white and the young man’s eyes revealed a glimmer of hope.

Lu Chang An pondered for a moment before nodding, “Little Wang, you’ll do! Accompany this old man around the city.”

No updates for number 9. I typed a few hundred characters, but my eyes are slightly blurry.

(End of Chapter)

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