I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals 246

## Chapter 243: A Step Further

Qing Sha Wan was thousands of miles away from a medium-sized market town built by the river, named “He Luo Fang Shi”. This market town was controlled by the Xin Yue Trading Company, a well-known company in the Jing Kingdom’s Business Alliance.

Several days later, in the highest pavilion of He Luo Fang Shi, several high-ranking members of Xin Yue Trading Company gathered, their faces filled with grave expressions. The silver-haired man sitting at the head, with eyes like a hawk, exuded a powerful aura, revealing himself to be a False-Dan True Cultivator.

“Fang Guest, do you have any insights into the death of Vice-President Kou Sen?”

The gazes of the high-ranking members fell upon a purple-faced man in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, who was deep in thought. It was Fang Zhong, who had crossed over to Jing Kingdom with Lu Chang An.

“President Le, I suspect Lu Chang An is involved in this matter!”

Fang Zhong’s words were shocking.

“Impossible! Just Lu Chang An alone wouldn’t be able to do it!”

“Kou Sen was at the peak of the late stage of Foundation Establishment, with exceptional combat strength and powerful tools like third-order Talismans. Even against a False-Dan True Cultivator, he could defend himself to some extent.”

“Even if a False-Dan True Cultivator wanted to kill Kou Sen, it would require a great deal of effort and would definitely cause a commotion. Lu Chang An, though possessing impressive strength, wouldn’t take such a risk, considering his nature as a ‘Turtle Talisman Master’, and fight a formidable opponent.”

The high-ranking members of the trading company shook their heads in unison.

“Fang Guest, what evidence do you have to suspect Lu Chang An?” The silver-haired man was surprised, his eyes flickering.

“Firstly, it’s my intuition.”

Fang Zhong paused, a sharp light flashing in his eyes. “Back then, on the cross-national spirit ship of Jiu Chen Trading Company, we were neighbors for two months, and he completely fooled us. This shows that Lu Chang An is hiding something.”

“Secondly, in the Xia Clan territory, besides Clan Chief Xia Hong Yu, only Lu Chang An has the strength to pose a threat to Vice-President Kou. Everyone else is no match for him.”

Hearing Fang Zhong’s reasoning, one or two of the high-ranking members of the trading company fell into contemplation, slightly swayed by his words. Perhaps Lu Chang An couldn’t do it alone, but if the Wu Fu Trading Company had other hidden hands, it was possible.

Just then, the silver-haired President sitting at the head took out a milky-white jade pendant that emitted a soft light, closed his eyes for a moment, then said, “News just came from the Xia Clan. During Kou Sen’s death, Lu Chang An didn’t leave Qing Sha Wan, as witnessed by many people. As of the time the intelligence was acquired, he had not left Qiu Feng Island.”

The silver-haired President’s cold gaze swept over Fang Zhong.

A high-ranking member of the trading company shook his head. “Fang Daoist, perhaps you have a grudge against Lu Chang An. Don’t let personal animosity cloud your judgment.”

“I… I don’t!”

Under the questioning gazes of everyone, Fang Zhong’s old face flushed red, but he had no way to refute. He gritted his teeth in secret, could it really be his own intuition?

Years ago, when Lu Chang An’s identity was revealed, Fang Zhong was shocked. He was from Liang Kingdom and had heard of Lu Chang An’s inspirational story of reaching the late stage of Foundation Establishment at an old age. Later, he meticulously investigated Lu Chang An’s information and increasingly felt that the other party was hiding something.

To say nothing of his talent and age, reaching the late stage of Foundation Establishment was unusual. To have been able to fool other Foundation Establishment cultivators of the same level, without revealing any clues during their two months together, was beyond human capability.

“Vice-President Kou’s death has deprived us of a significant advantage in terms of strength against the Wu Fu Trading Company.”

“In my opinion, we shouldn’t resort to any more underhanded schemes. We should increase our support for the Xin Clan, leverage our numerical advantage of False-Dan True Cultivators, and exert pressure from both inside and outside…”

Fang Zhong had no interest in the subsequent discussions among the high-ranking members. Although the intelligence from the trading company exonerated Lu Chang An of the murder charge, he still felt that the matter was somehow related to him.

Fang Zhong sighed in his heart, unfortunately, these people wouldn’t believe him.

…

Half a month later, in the medicine room of the mansion on Qiu Feng Island, Xia Wen Yue, dressed in a light blue cloud-patterned skirt, had a beautiful face, a slender waist, and her brows, which once held a hint of sadness, now displayed a faint glimmer of hope.

Today was the day Lu Chang An would help her with her warming therapy. The warm and refreshing sensation of his magical power, soothing and comfortable, gave her a feeling of indescribable harmony. This treatment had stabilized her condition, giving her hope of escaping the shackles of being a frail child.

After waiting for a while, Lu Chang An, clad in white, entered the medicine room.

“Mr. Lu.”

She lay quietly on the bed, her demeanor serene and gentle.

This time, Lu Chang An didn’t immediately begin the treatment.

“In previous treatments, I’ve removed the superficial cold poison from your body. Now, we need to eradicate the root cause of your illness. From now on, each time I treat you, I will expend my magical power and energy, which may even affect my cultivation and advancement.”

Lu Chang An spoke calmly.

“Mr. Lu, if you need me to do anything, I will do it without fail.”

They had previously made an agreement, and Xia Wen Yue was well aware that Lu Chang An wouldn’t help her without asking for something in return. If he truly offered his help without any expectations, she would become wary. Mr. Lu had once said that free things are often the most expensive.

“Mr. Lu, I don’t need you to be my servant and serve me for a lifetime. I only ask that you make a Soul Oath and agree to one request.”

Lu Chang An said with a faint smile.

Hearing this, a trace of surprise flashed in Xia Wen Yue’s eyes. To cure her illness, Mr. Lu might have to expend decades of effort, a significant cost. She had been prepared to dedicate herself to him, willing to serve him for a lifetime. After all, Mr. Lu was handsome and elegant, with an extraordinary aura, and she had no qualms about him.

“Mr. Lu, please tell me your request.” Xia Wen Yue stood up and sat upright.

“In the future, if you reach the mid to late stage of Core Formation and your unique ‘Tai Yin Jade Liquid’ is finally formed, you must give it to me.”

“Also, you must keep this agreement confidential and not disclose it to anyone.”

“Tai Yin Jade Liquid?”

Xia Wen Yue didn’t yet know the power of her innate Dao body.

Lu Chang An no longer withheld information and told Xia Wen Yue about the part of the “Cold Soul Jade Marrow” Dao body recorded in the ancient texts. To cultivate the “Tai Yin Jade Liquid”, she had to remain chaste until the mid to late stage of Core Formation, which required Xia Wen Yue’s cooperation.

Of course, for the time being, Lu Chang An didn’t tell her about the use of the Tai Yin Jade Liquid.

“This is not difficult. I am willing…”

Xia Wen Yue agreed without hesitation, not even bothering to inquire about the reasons.

“Not difficult?” Lu Chang An chuckled inwardly.

Even with her Earth Spirit Root, it would take Xia Wen Yue at least one hundred and fifty years to reach the mid to late stage of Core Formation. Even legendary immortals have seven emotions and six desires. Moreover, cultivators are essentially mortals, and suppressing their physiological needs throughout the long cultivation journey is not easy.

“I, Xia Wen Yue, hereby…”

Soon, Xia Wen Yue made the Soul Oath. Her brows relaxed, and she breathed a sigh of relief. This meant that Lu Chang An would cure her illness, and apart from what he had requested, he wouldn’t impose any restrictions on her life. This requirement and the cost were more lenient than she had expected.

The reason why Lu Chang An relaxed the conditions was, of course, after careful consideration.

…

A hundred and fifty years is a long time, with many potential variables. According to conventional thinking, Lu Chang An should take the “nurturing” route, carefully care for her, invest a lot of resources, and help her reach the mid to late stage of Core Formation.

Lu Chang An had already raised two spirit pets, his life wasn’t easy, and he didn’t want to take on another financial burden. Moreover, Xia Wen Yue’s appearance was stunning, her beauty was unparalleled, her innate Dao body was incredibly talented, she was truly a prodigy. As she grew, she would inevitably attract attention, bringing with her a lot of trouble. Lu Chang An didn’t want to be constantly cleaning up after her.

Even without the Tai Xuan Jade Liquid, he still had hope of reaching the Nascent Soul stage in this life.

“High investment, high risk, high variability, uncertain future benefits…”

As a result, Lu Chang An ultimately rejected the nurturing route. To follow this path, he would have to become Xia Wen Yue’s Dao partner. Otherwise, with her innate Dao body, her cultivation would surpass his in the mid to late stage of Core Formation, and her attitude would change. Not to mention, raising a beautiful fairy by his side for a hundred and fifty years, unable to touch her, wasn’t a pleasant experience.

“Today, I’ll casually sow a seed, adopting a ‘free-range’ approach, allowing her to experience and grow…”

Lu Chang An’s plan was to only help and guide Xia Wen Yue slightly in the early stages of her cultivation. This way, his investment would be relatively small. As long as she didn’t perish prematurely, she would at least reach the level of his previous life, and even faster. Even if she reneged on the agreement in the future, Lu Chang An wouldn’t mind negotiating or gaining a favor from a peak Core Formation cultivator.

The clause “this agreement must be kept confidential and not disclosed to anyone” included in the Soul Oath was to prevent certain variables and risks.

Half an hour later, Lu Chang An completed the warming and healing therapy for Xia Wen Yue. This time, he secretly used the Everlasting Green Secret Technique, consuming a small portion of his lifespan. To cure the root cause of her illness, it would consume only one or two months of his lifespan. Compared to his five hundred years, it was insignificant, even less than the cost of using certain Secret Techniques.

Like before, Lu Chang An would slowly heal Xia Wen Yue’s illness over a longer period of time. This way, it wouldn’t appear too conspicuous to outsiders.

“This warming and healing treatment, my body feels lighter.”

Xia Wen Yue noticed that this time, the treatment was unusual. Looking at the pale, sweating man in white, her eyes flickered, filled with gratitude.

Xia Wen Yue bit her lip and secretly made up her mind.

“You’ve reached the eighth level of Qi Refinement, which is impressive, and your health has improved significantly. However, the cultivation technique you are using doesn’t match your innate Dao body at all, it’s a waste of your potential.”

Before leaving, Lu Chang An took out a jade slip and handed it to Xia Wen Yue.

“From now on, you will cultivate this technique.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lu.”

Xia Wen Yue took the jade slip and placed it against her forehead. She discovered that it was a cold attribute cultivation technique called the “Icebound Ancient Scroll”, capable of reaching the late stage of Core Formation.

The “Icebound Ancient Scroll” was a cultivation technique that Lu Chang An had obtained in the Great Kun in his previous life. It was said to be from a destroyed Nascent Soul sect many years ago, and there was no dispute about its origins.

The technique was powerful, had high requirements for aptitude and talent, but it was incomplete. Lu Chang An’s spirit root attributes in his previous life were not compatible, and he only obtained it after reaching Core Formation, making it somewhat useless.

“The Great Kun of my previous life and the Great Qing of this life, though both located on the Heavenly Heng Continent, are an unknown distance apart.”

Lu Chang An wasn’t worried about this technique revealing any information.

…

A month later, in the skies above the mountainous region in the south of Jing Kingdom, a team of cultivators from the Business Alliance, riding in several flying carriages, were weaving through the clouds.

Large-scale material transport in the cultivation world still relied on caravans and cargo boxes, and bodyguards were essential. It was impossible to use a single cultivator carrying multiple storage bags to transport large quantities of goods.

This was because a cultivator’s storage bag was not a self-contained space. Ordinary storage bags didn’t have much space, only about the size of a normal room. Therefore, they were limited by volume and weight.

Especially weight.

Although the restrictions on storage bags significantly reduced the weight, cultivators couldn’t handle the weight if they were transporting a lot of goods.

For example, if a Foundation Establishment cultivator carried several storage bags filled with a million pounds of iron ore, even with the restrictions reducing the weight, he wouldn’t be able to fly.

Alternatively, it would significantly slow down their travel speed.

“True Cultivator Liu, there are unidentified cultivators ahead.”

A canyon came into view, and the caravan slowed its flight speed. Numerous bodyguards surrounded the caravan, forming a defensive formation.

“Humph! Such audacity, blatantly intercepting a caravan from the Xue Hu Trading Company.”

From the elegant carriage in the middle, an elderly man in a green robe coldly snorted, his muffled voice resonating through the sky.

The elderly man in the green robe was the False-Dan True Cultivator guarding the caravan for Xue Hu Trading Company.

In the clouds ahead, six or seven figures appeared, wearing bronze masks. Though outnumbered, their cultivation levels were all above the mid stage of Foundation Establishment, and the leader was also a False-Dan True Cultivator, emitting a False-Dan level spiritual pressure, matching their opponents.

True Cultivator Liu in the carriage had a bad feeling in his heart, a chill running down his spine, as if he was scanned by a powerful spiritual sense. Considering that the enemy was not at an advantage but was so brazenly intercepting them, True Cultivator Liu felt something was wrong.

Just as a fierce battle was about to unfold, the six or seven figures intercepting them seemed to receive an order and reluctantly retreated. It was all a bit strange and anticlimactic.

Below in the valley, hidden in the dense forest, stood a True-Dan female cultivator with long purple hair and a graceful figure, as beautiful as a solitary orchid, detached from the world.

She had been observing the caravan above, but suddenly her expression turned serious, and a bone-chilling cold swept through her feet. It was the aura of a True-Dan Great Demon, whose strength might even exceed hers.

“The Xue Hu Trading Company truly has the favor and protection of a third-order Great Demon.”

Fu Xue Mei remained expressionless, choosing to stay where she was without attacking.

The third-order Great Demon lurking underground was just observing her, keeping her in check. Due to the thick layers of rock separating them and the isolating power of the True-Dan Great Demon, her spiritual sense couldn’t penetrate to see its face.

After a long time, the Great Demon finally retreated.

“Old Huang of the Wan Shou Trading Company promised that if I acted, regardless of success or failure, I would receive clues to revive the ‘Earth Dragon Beast’.”

Fu Xue Mei breathed a sigh of relief.

According to the agreement, she wouldn’t engage in a life-or-death battle with a True-Dan cultivator, at most, she would only kill or seriously injure the leader of the False-Dan True Cultivator.

Fu Xue Mei hadn’t joined the Wan Shou Trading Company, but was only collaborating with them temporarily. They wanted her to join, but she had to revive the petrified Earth Dragon Beast. Sadly, even the Wan Shou Trading Company, known for their expertise in beast control in Jing Kingdom, was powerless in this regard.

Fortunately, the Wan Shou Trading Company’s “Huang Lang True Immortal” knew a way to revive the Earth Dragon Beast.

…

Hundreds of feet below the rock layers, a yellowish-brown aura enveloped a man and a rat.

The Earth Rock Rat in its complete form was six feet long and could be used as a makeshift mount. However, in terms of comfort, it was far inferior to the Xuan Shui Gui.

The rat was scurrying back and forth underground, which would have made an ordinary cultivator sick.

“The first promise to the Xue Hu Trading Company is easily fulfilled.”

“I didn’t expect that the True-Dan cultivator hired by the Wan Shou Trading Company was actually Fu Xue Mei…”

Lu Chang An was a little surprised but not entirely shocked.

Over the years, affected by the war, many cultivators from Liang Kingdom had migrated to Jing Kingdom. Among them were very few True-Dan cultivators, and Fu Xue Mei was one of them.

Back then, the collapse and disintegration of the Huang Long Mountain lineage was tacitly approved by the Li Huo Palace. Fu Xue Mei wouldn’t stay in Liang Kingdom and help her sect resist the invasion of the Jin Yang Zong’s forces.

Lu Chang An had heard whispers about this over the past decade and a half of cultivating in Jing Kingdom. It was rumored that several major trading companies had tried to recruit Fu Xue Mei, but none had succeeded.

Lu Chang An and Fu Xue Mei had settled their past grievances. He didn’t mind her appearance. With the war continuing, he might encounter more familiar cultivators from Liang Kingdom in the future.

After secretly escorting the Xue Hu Trading Company’s caravan to its destination, Lu Chang An set off on his return journey. On the way back, he passed through Yun Yan Immortal City and collected his reward for the third-order beast pill at the Xue Hu Trading Company’s headquarters.

…

Back on Qiu Feng Island, Lu Chang An devoted part of his attention to cultivating and guiding Xia Wen Yue’s cultivation.

Xia Wen Yue’s original introductory cultivation technique was attributeless, and she smoothly transitioned to the “Icebound Ancient Scroll”. After switching to the cold attribute technique, Xia Wen Yue’s cultivation speed increased dramatically.

Lu Chang An’s initial assessment was that she was faster than ordinary Earth Spirit Root cultivators. Not only that, the cold magical power and the power of the spells she cultivated were even stronger than described in the “Icebound Ancient Scroll”.

“As expected of an innate Dao body, a child of the Dao.”

Lu Chang An was inwardly envious, even feeling a bit sour. Her cultivation speed was fast, not to mention the added benefits of her magical powers, divine abilities, and Dao body, resulting in combat strength exceeding that of her peers.

It’s truly a case of comparing one’s misery to others’ happiness.

If Xia Wen Yue’s luck were better, her future achievements would be immeasurable.

One day, Lu Chang An might have to rely on her.

In a blink of an eye, one and a half years had passed. While Xia Wen Yue was making rapid progress, Lu Chang An wasn’t idle either.

After cultivating at the seventh level of Foundation Establishment for fifteen years, his cultivation finally advanced further.

(End of Chapter)

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