I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals 295

## Chapter 292: Scorpio Wasteland City

Lu Changan indeed didn’t make a move, only sending a voice transmission to remind them.

“Ah… wrong antidote?”

Miao Jing, with a stout build, flushed red. Only then did she realize she had messed up.

Earlier, Jiang Ruotong had been poisoned, feeling weak and losing consciousness. Miao Jing had helped her take the medicine.

In the desert, most poisonings are due to potent toxins. The Chifeng Detoxification Pill is a relatively universal remedy, and she had subconsciously used it.

“Senior, what medicine should we use now?”

Miao Jing opened her storage bag and asked via voice transmission.

“Hmm, let some of her blood out, and have her take the Lotus Qing Dan and Yi Yang Qi Xue Dan from your storage bag.”

Lu Changan thought for a moment and provided a solution.

After all, he had the experience and knowledge of a Nascent Soul old monster, and had also researched medicine himself. Ordinary third-rank doctors couldn’t compare to him.

“Yes, thank you Senior…”

Miao Jing quickly thanked him and followed Lu Changan’s instructions.

After the voice transmission guidance.

Lu Changan’s small sand beast carriage left this troublesome place.

One hundred breaths later.

Behind them in the desert, a true core-level spiritual power surged, accompanied by the sound of a golden iron-clad horse.

“Lu promises what he says. He said he wouldn’t make a move, and he wouldn’t.”

Lu Changan, sitting comfortably in the carriage, sipped his iced fruit wine.

The Xuan Shui Gui in his spirit pet pouch used ice-water magic to keep the carriage cool and comfortable.

The Di Yan Shu continued to scout ahead in the sand.

After traveling for dozens of miles.

The玄音阁’s medium-sized sand beast carriage quickly caught up.

“Jiang Ruotong of Xuan Yin Ge, thank you for your assistance earlier.”

A soft, clear voice came through.

From the medium-sized sand beast carriage, flew out a slender, graceful white-robed female cultivator, around twenty-three or four years old.

Jiang Ruotong’s clear face was as pale as snow, her complexion poor, the poison not yet healed. She came to thank him immediately.

She had just regained almost all her true core spiritual power, and after using her magical artifact, she scared off the sand bandits.

“Don’t misunderstand, Fellow Daoist Xu, I didn’t make a move.”

Lu Changan responded calmly.

His previous actions were merely a payback for a kindness.

He didn’t intend to use the “Liu Qingyan” identity again and get close to Xuan Yin Ge.

Firstly, he didn’t practice any musical arts techniques, and wasn’t familiar with the connections of those in Xuan Yin Ge, making it difficult to disguise himself.

Secondly, Xuan Yin Ge wasn’t an ideal target for him to rely on in Feng Yuan.

Not because of their strength.

Xuan Yin Ge was full of female cultivators. With their beauty, the benefits of the musical arts could easily attract envy and various troubles.

“Although Fellow Daoist didn’t make a move, your word is like gold, and you saved our lives. At least, it lets this little one know your name, so I can report it later.”

Jiang Ruotong flew to the front of the small sand beast carriage, graceful and elegant, bowing respectfully.

“This one is Xu Xuan, an insignificant person.”

Lu Changan pondered and used his previous life’s name.

In this unfamiliar Feng Yuan, the favor of Xuan Yin Ge’s true core elder might be useful in the future.

“So it’s Mr. Xu. Can you please come to 玄音阁’s sand beast carriage? Several of my sisters are willing to offer their humble musical skills, for Mr. Xu’s appreciation.”

Jiang Ruotong’s voice was gentle, inviting him.

“No need! Fellow Daoist Jiang should focus on eradicating the poison and regaining your full strength.”

Lu Changan responded.

“Mr. Xu is noble and pure, this little one admires you greatly.”

Jiang Ruotong’s eyes flickered, surprised.

In the outside world, male cultivators would admire and pursue 玄音阁’s female cultivators. Even if they couldn’t get them, they would still be eager to hear their profound music, which would help them break through their heart barriers.

She was the youngest female elder of 玄音阁. When she personally invited him, that Mr. Xu actually resisted the temptation of beauty and benefits, unmoved.

For a normal male cultivator, to not take advantage of the situation would be commendable.

This noble and mysterious cultivator couldn’t help but arouse Jiang Ruotong’s curiosity.

…

A few days later.

Lu Changan noticed that Xuan Yin Ge’s medium-sized sand beast carriage had been traveling alongside his.

At first, Lu Changan thought they were intentionally trying to do something to him.

After all, his appearance, physique, and wealth were impeccable. When traveling outside, he had to protect himself, and he couldn’t be careless with female cultivators.

Later, after a conversation, Lu Changan learned that 玄音阁 was on the same path as him.

Both parties were going to the nearest “Scorpio Wasteland City” to transfer, purchase supplies, and then go to their final destination.

After Jiang Ruotong had eradicated the poison, she extended an invitation again.

This time, Lu Changan agreed.

Considering that Xuan Yin Ge’s female cultivators weren’t good at fighting, these few female cultivators combined weren’t even a match for a small mouse.

Lu Changan just wanted to use this opportunity to learn about Feng Yuan’s situation and prepare for his future settlement.

The Fourth-life Li Huo Shang Ren had once come to Feng Yuan, but that was two hundred years ago. He needed to investigate the more detailed situation of this country himself.

玄音阁’s medium-sized sand beast carriage was much more spacious than Lu Changan’s. Inside, there were carpets and simple decorations.

About fifteen square meters, accommodating Lu Changan and five female cultivators without feeling crowded.

However, it was still a little cramped, with only a foot or two between them.

Lu Changan smelled the fragrant scents of different female cultivators. Even though most of it was perfume, it was made with natural, high-quality fragrant materials, refreshing and invigorating.

Except for Miao Jing, who had a true core cultivation level, the other four, including Jiang Ruotong, were all classic, slender beauties, fair-skinned, long-haired, and wearing flowing fairy robes.

Jiang Ruotong mainly talked and answered Lu Changan’s questions.

The other four played music, their elegant, ethereal tunes making the cramped space feel like they were amidst mountains, rivers, birdsong, and flowers.

In the hot desert, with beauty by his side and the cultivation of his spirit, Lu Changan felt comfortable and enjoyed this beauty.

What he pursued in his path was nothing more than immortality and true carefree joy.

“The other day, Mr. Xu used a few words to quickly suppress my poison. I dare ask, Mr. Xu, are you a pill master or a medicine master?”

Jiang Ruotong cut up some fruits and brought Lu Changan a cup of cool tea.

The “Mr. Xu” in front of him was about thirty or forty years old, wearing a blue robe, handsome and elegant, with refined speech.

On the surface, he seemed to have a true core cultivation level, but Jiang Ruotong believed that he was likely concealing his true cultivation.

Alone, crossing the Flying Sand Sky堑, calm and composed, at ease, an ordinary true core couldn’t do that. He was a hidden expert.

“Yes, Xu is a pill master.”

Lu Changan was polite and approachable, taking a sip of the third-rank spirit tea personally brewed by Jiang Xianzi.

As for the origin of Xu Xuan’s identity, Lu Changan claimed to be from the vast and abundant Feng Yuan, and had previously been a reclusive cultivator.

Due to the invasion of the devil path, he feared being conscripted to the frontlines, so he came to Feng Yuan to seek refuge.

In recent years, many cultivators have escaped from the Daoist League and migrated to Feng Yuan.

Jiang Ruotong was not surprised by this.

She brought up the topic of Feng Yuan and subtly tested him.

As a result, this elegant Mr. Xu was knowledgeable and wise, quoting scriptures and reciting classics, as familiar with Feng Yuan as one could be.

The Fourth-life Li Huo Shang Ren had launched an invasion of Feng Yuan, so he naturally knew enough about the country.

“Mr. Xu, are you a third-rank pill master?”

Miao Jing couldn’t help but speak, with hope in her eyes.

Since Lu Changan came in, she was no longer bare-chested and had changed into a long dress. Her sturdy body felt restricted.

“Almost.”

Lu Changan nodded, not denying it.

He was now a genuine third-rank pill master, and had never shown this skill in Liang.

With confirmation, Jiang Ruotong and the others’ eyes lit up, and their gazes towards Lu Changan changed.

It turned out that Feng Yuan was poor in resources, with limited herbs and plants, resulting in a severe shortage of high-rank pill masters.

Feng Yuan was rich in ore resources, so it didn’t lack weapon masters, and even had some puppet masters.

But high-level pill masters were scarce, their status high, even exceeding those in the Daoist League.

“This little one dares to invite Mr. Xu to become a guest elder of Xuan Yin Ge.”

Jiang Ruotong knew it was unlikely, but still tried her best.

When Xuan Yin Ge was attacked and its mountain gate destroyed, they suffered heavy losses, and only some elite cultivators migrated to Feng Yuan, making them extremely lacking in talent.

The sect’s former third-rank pill master was completely gone.

With the shortage of talent, and Feng Yuan’s harsh environment, it was incredibly difficult to cultivate a pill master of that level again.

Without a third-rank pill master, Xuan Yin Ge wouldn’t be able to sustain its development and produce true core cultivators.

Jiang Ruotong was the only true core cultivator born in Xuan Yin Ge after they migrated to Feng Yuan, and she consumed the sect’s previous foundation to do so.

“I heard that 玄音阁 doesn’t recruit male cultivators?”

Lu Changan looked puzzled.

Being invited by the all-female Xuan Yin Ge and offered an elder status was something many male cultivators could only dream of.

“That was the rule in the Liang world of cultivation…”

Jiang Ruotong looked bitter, explaining the reason.

Many years ago, Xuan Yin Ge had to break their rules to integrate into Feng Yuan’s native environment and avoid the scrutiny of various forces.

For some men with outstanding skills, or those who could help Xuan Yin Ge stabilize, they were granted guest elder status.

To tie these high-level talents down, Xuan Yin Ge even married their beautiful and talented female disciples to them.

Of course, these were exceptions.

For ordinary male cultivators, even if they were exceptionally talented, Xuan Yin Ge wouldn’t accept them.

“If Mr. Xu agrees, Ruotong can decide: all the female cultivators of Xuan Yin Ge, except for the Sect Master, can be chosen by Mr. Xu as dao companions or wives.”

Jiang Ruotong sat upright, her tone sincere, not like she was joking.

Lu Changan was secretly amazed. The once-high-ranking female cultivators of Xuan Yin Ge in Liang, all pure and spotless, were sought after, and indifferent to the male cultivators of other forces.

Now, to win over him, this third-rank pill master, they lowered their stance to this extent, opening their doors wide.

It was like a club selection in Earth, choosing whoever you like.

A fallen phoenix is not as good as a chicken, and this was the situation.

Hearing Jiang Ruotong’s “choose a dao companion”, the other four female cultivators blushed slightly.

They looked down shyly, their bright eyes fixated on the elegant Mr. Xu, their hearts already agreeing.

Even the stout Miao Jing, slightly embarrassed, stole glances at Mr. Xu with her peripheral vision.

“Xu has just arrived in Feng Yuan and cannot make a decision so easily.”

Lu Changan politely refused.

Jiang Ruotong sighed softly, not pressing further, only asking Lu Changan to consider it in the future.

The four female cultivators had disappointment in their eyes.

“By the way, who is the current Sect Master of Xuan Yin Ge…”

Lu Changan remembered the information he had.

Jiang Ruotong replied: “The Sect Master is this little one’s senior, 霓月 Zhen Ren. Mr. Xu may have heard of her.”

“So it’s the 霓月 Xianzi. Xu had heard of her beauty when he was in Feng Yuan.”

Lu Changan paid his respects.

More than a hundred years ago, when the Qingming Secret Realm opened, Lu Changan had caught a glimpse of the “霓月 Xianzi” who led the group.

At that time, 霓月 Xianzi was recognized as the first beauty of the Liang cultivation world.

Now, this 霓月 Xianzi had become the new head of Xuan Yin Ge.

…

Six days later.

The harsh winds and sand on the road gradually weakened.

Lu Changan’s small sand beast carriage occasionally passed by some barren oases, hills, and lakes.

He saw cultivators from Feng Yuan along the way.

Feng Yuan cultivators were mostly sturdy and had tanned skin.

The proportion of physical cultivation practitioners was far higher than in the Daoist League countries.

Lu Changan noticed that at least 40% of the cultivators either practiced physical cultivation as well or were purely physical cultivators.

This was related to Feng Yuan’s harsh environment. The resources suitable for physical cultivation were also relatively abundant in this country.

At this time, Lu Changan was approaching the border of Feng Yuan.

The closer and deeper he went into Feng Yuan, the more stable the climate in the Gobi became, even suitable for ordinary people to live.

Since ancient times, the heart of this flying sand desert, Feng Yuan, had a relatively stable and comfortable climate.

The snowy mountain holy land, the many aboriginal tribes that had built wasteland cities, oases, and spiritual lands over thousands of years, had gradually improved this desert area.

Inside the sand beast carriage, Lu Changan was digesting the useful information he had received from Jiang Ruotong.

In Feng Yuan, besides the eight major wasteland cities, there were also various large and small spiritual lands and oases.

The eight major wasteland cities belonged to the aboriginal tribes of Feng Yuan, and were dedicated to the snowy mountain holy land.

These cities occupied medium-sized and large spiritual veins and fertile land, and they were very prejudiced against cultivators from outside.

Cultivators from the outside of the desert were called “outer cultivators” and “foreign cultivators” by them.

Outer cultivators were not treated fairly in the eight major wasteland cities, and being bullied was considered a minor matter.

It was common for outer cultivators to be killed and robbed in the cities and surrounding areas by the aboriginal cultivators.

Foreign cultivators traveling for trade had to pay spirit stones in the cities and apply for temporary “residence permits.”

These residence permits were valid for a maximum of one year, and then they had to be reviewed and applied for again.

The rules of the wasteland cities were to protect those who had residence permits within the city.

However, this was only a principle of protection, at most they wouldn’t be openly killed.

Occasionally, a couple of outer cultivators died in the corners of the wasteland city, and it was mostly ignored.

Fortunately, the eight tribes represented by the wasteland cities were not the only force in Feng Yuan.

Over ten thousand years, a large number of external cultivation power groups had gathered in the southeast region of Feng Yuan, known as the “Outer Sect Alliance.”

These forces were initially formed by a few sects. Later, many cultivation families and merchant guilds joined, opening up various large and small spiritual land oases, and also building immortal cities.

The cultivators of the Outer Sect Alliance came from several countries of the Daoist League.

But many also came from the cultivation world on the other side of the Poison Gas Swamp, east of Liang.

That area was the territory of the Five Poison Sect and the Thousand Machine Sect, and they were equally full of strife and unrest.

There were even sects established by defectors and traitors from the Five Poison Sect and the Thousand Machine Sect in the Outer Sect Alliance.

It was easier to buy puppets and poisons there.

The tribes of the eight major wasteland cities naturally resented the Outer Sect Alliance, which was on their doorstep, and there was friction and conflict between them.

There had even been small-scale cultivation wars.

In the end, both sides negotiated and stopped fighting, exchanged trade, and coexisted around Feng Yuan.

There were two reasons for this outcome:

First, the tribes of the eight major wasteland cities had feuds with each other, and their internal conflicts were constant, preventing them from uniting as one.

Second, the celestial masters of the Snowy Mountain Holy Land did not protect the desert areas outside of the eight major wasteland cities, rarely stepping out of the mountain, transcending the world.

Moreover, the Outer Sect Alliance also had Nascent Soul-level backers, but this area had never nurtured a fourth-rank spiritual vein, and no Nascent Soul Zhen Jun had resided there.

“Stay in Scorpio Wasteland City for two years first, get familiar with the local environment, exchange resources…”

“Then go to the territory of the Outer Sect Alliance. Their cultivation trade is more developed, which is beneficial for collecting longevity pills and advancing to a higher level of puppetry…”

Lu Changan made a rough plan in his heart.

The Fourth-life Li Huo Shang Ren had arranged for some of his descendants in the medium-sized oases in the Outer Sect Alliance’s territory.

That area was relatively habitable, with relatively abundant spiritual energy in the plants, and it wasn’t eye-catching, making it suitable for low-key development.

Of course, that was just one of the places Lu Changan considered going.

…

Half a day later.

Lu Changan left the cramped sand beast carriage, flew with his escape light, and hurried through the sky.

The few female cultivators from Xuan Yin Ge were flying in a pavilion-shaped magical artifact.

As they were all going to Scorpio Wasteland City, Lu Changan was invited to enter 玄音阁’s pavilion-shaped magical artifact.

“Mr. Xu, it’s not easy for outer cultivators to apply for a residence permit in the wasteland cities, and they may be harassed. With Xuan Yin Ge’s recommendation, you can save yourself some trouble.”

Jiang Ruotong smiled.

Without a residence permit, it was like being an illegal alien in the surrounding area of the wasteland city, making it difficult to move around.

The appearance, skin color, and spiritual power of the “outer cultivators” were different from the aboriginal cultivators of the wasteland cities, making them easy to distinguish.

“Then I’ll trouble Fellow Daoist Jiang.”

Lu Changan bowed to express his thanks.

“Mr. Xu, you’re welcome.”

Jiang Ruotong’s eyebrows were like paintings, and she smiled gently.

Even if Lu Changan didn’t join Xuan Yin Ge, maintaining a good relationship would allow them to ask him for help with pill refining in the future.

Before sunset.

The pavilion magical artifact entered an oasis, hills, and lakes, surrounded by hills.

A huge, dark brown ancient city came into Lu Changan’s view.

This ancient city was larger than Huang Long Immortal City, and its ramparts and towers were shaped with sharp, aggressive corners.

At first glance, it looked like an ancient, giant black scorpion perched on the Gobi desert.

玄音阁’s pavilion magical artifact stopped outside the Black Scorpion Wasteland City.

After a short while.

A tanned armored man, standing on a black shell the size of a small boat, came to Jiang Ruotong with a friendly expression.

“Fellow Daoist Jiang, I’ve finally waited for your return. 夫塔 misses Xianzi’s heavenly voice…”

The armored man spoke in the common language of the cultivation world, but it was a little awkward, with a local accent.

Lu Changan scanned him with his spiritual sense and found that he was only at the ninth level of Qi Refinement, but his physical cultivation had reached the level of a quasi-third-rank.

This kind of situation was rarely seen in the Daoist League countries.

“Mr. Xu, this ‘夫塔’ is the deputy commander of the city patrol in Scorpio Wasteland City.”

Jiang Ruotong introduced them.

Seeing the elegant man in a blue robe, with fair skin, the city patrol deputy commander, 夫塔, had a hint of disgust in his eyes.

Pale skin and a refined temperament were synonymous with spinelessness and weakness in the wasteland tribes.

(End of Chapter)

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