I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals 317

## Chapter 313: Time, Place, and Advantage

The news of the truce in the invasion of the demonic path didn’t concern the Feng Yuan Kingdom, and most cultivators remained oblivious. Only a few high-ranking officials and cultivators from the Righteous Dao Alliance were aware of it.

In the blink of an eye, two years passed. Lu Chang An reached the age of 250. This marked a crucial point in his cultivation as a Core Formation stage cultivator.

If he could advance to the late Core Formation stage before the age of 250, it meant he had great potential and a chance to reach the Nascent Soul stage in the future. Reaching three hundred years old would be considered the peak of a Core Formation cultivator’s strength. After that, the odds of breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage would significantly decline after the age of 350.

On this day, in the Xuan Yin Pavilion, the chief guest elder’s cave. Lu Chang An’s fourth third-rank mid-grade puppet was completed. This puppet took the form of a land dragon beast, covered in scales and adept at fighting in deserts and forests.

“This should be enough for now.”

Lu Chang An decided to stop creating third-rank mid-grade puppets. The materials needed for that level were rare and difficult to obtain. He planned to focus his resources on mastering higher-level puppetry techniques.

Even so, Lu Chang An’s existing puppet lineup was terrifying, surpassing the imagination of any other puppet master of his level. He had four third-rank mid-grade puppets: the Black Owl Assassin, the Pink Butterfly Female Cultivator, the Black Eagle Puppet, and the Land Dragon Beast Puppet. The first two served as puppet avatars, meticulously crafted and reinforced using advanced simulation techniques.

As for third-rank low-grade puppets, he had more than ten. Among them, eight formed an archery puppet squad.

The resources needed to maintain such a formidable puppet army would be impossible to afford even for a wealthy Core Formation cultivator. Furthermore, controlling such a massive force was far beyond the mental capacity of a typical third-rank puppet master. However, Lu Chang An’s spiritual consciousness was extraordinary, allowing him to control his two strongest puppet avatars without the need for any mental strain.

With his puppet army complete, Lu Chang An took out his numerous divination artifacts. Since learning about the truce, he had increased the frequency of his divination, performing it every half month. This was possible because of his cultivation of the Everlasting Green Technique, which gave him boundless energy, a long lifespan, and the stamina to handle such intensive divination. Any other Core Formation stage divination practitioner would have been overwhelmed by the effort.

“It’s finally coming!”

After long hours of calculation and divination, Lu Chang An felt the presence of a silver ring and a feathery wing among the floating artifacts. Both were in a sealed state.

The ring was one of the Spirit-Controlling Rings worn by the Peacock Saintess on her ankle. The feather was one of the three great crown feathers plucked from the five-colored peacock.

While not divination artifacts themselves, these items could serve as intermediaries, enhancing the accuracy of his divinations. Although divination was a mysterious art, it wasn’t pure guesswork. It required real information and tangible intermediaries.

In Lu Chang An’s previous divinations, he had predicted a high probability of the Peacock Saintess visiting Feng Yuan Kingdom within three years of the truce. Now, after two years and a few months, she was clearly ready.

“From the divination, it seems the Peacock Saintess is coming prepared. However, her exact capabilities and the level of threat she poses remain unclear, hidden by fate.”

Lu Chang An opened his eyes and muttered. He needed the Peacock Saintess to come closer, perhaps even enter Feng Yuan Kingdom, to receive clearer divinations. The difficulty of divination depended heavily on spatial and temporal distances. For example, it would be thousands of times harder to predict an event a thousand years in the future or something beyond the human world.

Depending on the situation, Lu Chang An had different options.

First, if she decided to break the rules and bring Nascent Soul stage reinforcements, he would simply vanish without a fight. The Peacock Saintess was a “仙二代” (literally “immortal second generation”, meaning a descendant of someone powerful in the cultivation world), with her grandfather being a Nascent Soul stage elder of the Beast King Valley. However, it was highly unlikely that a Nascent Soul elder would intervene directly. Their involvement would raise concerns about the Peacock Saintess’s personal issues and might scare Lu Chang An.

The Beast King Valley had limited Nascent Soul stage elders, and even if one was dispatched, they would have to pass through the Righteous Dao Alliance’s territory to reach Feng Yuan Kingdom, making it easy to detect. Such actions would be considered a provocation and a breach of the newly signed truce agreement.

Secondly, without any Nascent Soul stage assistance, Lu Chang An would hold the upper hand and could act freely.

“Peacock Saintess, if you want to reclaim this ring and wash away your shame, let’s see how sincere you are.”

Lu Chang An chuckled softly, playing with the exquisite and smooth silver ring. If the Peacock Saintess still held the same strength as she had back then, he was confident he could defeat her. However, she had already reached the peak of Core Formation stage cultivation, and without becoming a Nascent Soul, her strength wouldn’t improve significantly.

…

On the border of the Feng Yuan Kingdom, three figures traversed the harsh and distant Flying Sand Precipice, approaching the ancient civilized country in the heart of the desert.

At one point, the three figures landed near the ground, transforming into two men and a woman, exuding an aura of mystery and deep power.

“Saintess, we’ll be entering the Feng Yuan Kingdom soon.”

A dry, low voice spoke, belonging to a young man in a black cloak with prominent cheekbones. Perched on his shoulder was a black crow, its eyes flickering with gray-black flames, radiating an ominous presence.

In the demonic path battlefield, the name “Black Crow True Immortal” was enough to strike fear into the hearts of many Righteous Dao Alliance Core Formation stage cultivators.

The central figure was a stunningly beautiful woman dressed in a colorful feather robe. Her eyes shone like bright moons, and every movement she made exuded elegance and extravagance. She floated in mid-air, her lotus-like feet, flawless and immaculate, untouched by the sand and wind. One of her crystal clear legs bore a golden ring.

If Lu Chang An were present, he would instantly recognize the image of the “Peacock Saintess,” unchanged from her former appearance.

“The rumors are true. The Feng Yuan Kingdom’s ‘Heavenly Master’ is said to have incredible divination abilities. I sense that this ancient land is protected by a vast web of destiny and fate. Any threat that enters this land might be detected by that supreme Heavenly Master…”

A white-haired, withered, hunched old man sat atop a camel sand beast. Despite being a Core Formation stage cultivator, he exuded an aura of gloom and decay. His cloudy eyes were like pools of stagnant water, devoid of any movement.

“Stone Elder, compared to our Beast King Valley’s Grand Elder, who is better at divination?”

Black Crow True Immortal’s eyes were sharp and cold, as if they belonged to a hawk. He was curious, but in his eyes, the Heavenly Master was merely a Nascent Soul stage cultivator from a remote region, insignificant in the face of the mighty Beast King Valley.

“In terms of divination alone, the Heavenly Master is superior.”

Stone Elder replied without hesitation. The path of divination was far more challenging than any other cultivation art. Even the Beast King Valley’s strongest Grand Elder, a mid-Nascent Soul stage cultivator, had only barely reached the fourth rank. The Feng Yuan Kingdom’s Heavenly Master, however, was a true fourth-rank divination master, having reached that level centuries ago.

Black Crow True Immortal snorted, swallowing his contemptuous words. He didn’t want to speak ill of the Heavenly Master, especially since they were about to enter Feng Yuan Kingdom. It would be unwise to provoke him.

Deep in Stone Elder’s eyes, a flicker of worry appeared. Most cultivators were unaware of the true power of a fourth-rank divination master. Even several Nascent Soul stage cultivators working together would pose no threat to him, and they might even be manipulated by him.

“Stone Elder, don’t worry.”

The Peacock Saintess nodded, acknowledging Stone Elder’s concerns. The only person they couldn’t afford to offend on this trip to Feng Yuan Kingdom was the Heavenly Master.

As they approached the Feng Yuan Kingdom border, a black dot representing a green oasis became visible in the distance.

Whoosh!

A raging wind whipped through the desert, swirling sand and dust. Despite the scorching heat, a shower of icy snowflakes appeared out of nowhere.

The sudden phenomenon caused the three figures to change expressions and halt their progress.

In an instant, the swirling sand and snowflakes solidified into a towering statue of a human Taoist dressed in a snow-white robe, his hands clasped behind his back.

The statue, despite being inanimate, stood with its back to them, seemingly merging with the surrounding desert, embodying the boundless power of nature.

“Heavenly Master!”

The Peacock Saintess and her companions felt a wave of shock wash over them, a suffocating pressure as if they were caught in a devastating sandstorm. The mere presence of this temporary statue, made of sand and ice, exerted a force comparable to a Nascent Soul stage cultivator standing before them.

“Little girl from the Beast King Valley, Feng Yuan Kingdom doesn’t prohibit your private visits. However, no Nascent Soul stage cultivator may step foot on this land without permission.”

The statue, with its pristine white robe, spoke in a cold, emotionless voice.

“I’ve heard of Feng Yuan Kingdom’s rules. We have no Nascent Soul stage cultivator among us.”

The Peacock Saintess elegantly bowed in greeting, her brilliant eyes shimmering with a calm smile, and a subtle hint of cunning.

“By the way, this is a message from my grandfather for the Heavenly Master.”

The Peacock Saintess remained respectful, presenting a feathered pen that fluttered towards the Heavenly Master’s statue.

The statue’s hand grasped the pen, listening to the voice of the Beast King Valley’s Nascent Soul stage elder, one of the leading figures in the Great Qing realm.

A few breaths later, the feather, a symbol of power and nobility, disintegrated in the statue’s hand.

“This Heavenly Master will not interfere in your matters. Take care of yourselves.”

After a brief pause, the Heavenly Master’s statue spoke again.

Crack!

The statue, formed from sand and ice, developed large cracks and began to crumble. The oppressive presence emanating from the supreme Heavenly Master vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

“Thank you, Heavenly Master.”

The Peacock Saintess’s heart leaped with joy. Her delicate fingers discreetly touched the heavy spirit pet pouch on her waist. As her grandfather had said, even the Feng Yuan Kingdom’s Heavenly Master would give the Beast King Valley some face. This was the awe-inspiring power of the Great Qing’s top-tier sects.

The crumbled Heavenly Master statue, its head falling to the sand, revealed a cracked, abstract face with a hint of coldness on its lips.

The Heavenly Master watched the three figures cross the border into the Feng Yuan Kingdom.

…

A few months later, the Peacock Saintess and her companions, disguised as merchants, arrived in the territory of the Outer Sect Alliance. A vast green oasis, filled with rivers, met their eyes.

“Saintess, we have ruled out the first two targets. ‘Xu Xuan,’ the Core Formation stage cultivator, must be Lu Chang An’s alias.”

Stone Elder sat atop his camel, his body frail and weak, his dry and dark face tinged with a hint of blue-black. He was nearing the end of his lifespan and had not expected to return alive from this mission. As long as he helped the Saintess locate their target, his descendants would receive the Beast King Valley’s blessing and legacy. Some of those promises had already been fulfilled before their departure.

After half a month, the Peacock Saintess and Black Crow True Immortal reunited outside the River Source Oasis, their faces somber.

“The Cloud Matriarch, Yun Hao, and others close to Xu-shi vanished a year ago…”

Black Crow True Immortal spoke in a low voice.

Stone Elder sat on his camel with his eyes closed. After a long divination session, he opened his eyes, bloodshot and heavy, and sighed.

“Saintess, since entering Feng Yuan Kingdom, my divination has encountered immense resistance. Either Lu Chang An is skilled in divination himself, or he has a powerful individual behind him. Every step we take has been anticipated by him.”

Stone Elder had found that any attempt to trace the Cloud Matriarch’s whereabouts was blocked by fate.

“That Turtle Rune Master was already skilled in runes and medicine. Could he be a divination expert as well?”

Black Crow True Immortal shook his head, unable to believe it. The Peacock Saintess had not revealed the true identity of Lu Chang An.

It wasn’t uncommon for high-level cultivators to partially regain memories from their previous lives after reincarnation or even possess new bodies through transmigration, leading to a wider range of skills. Even ancient, powerful sects in the Great Qing, including the Beast King Valley, had seen such occurrences. However, regardless of transmigration or reincarnation, it was extremely rare for someone to surpass the limits of their previous life.

“Could it be that the Snow Mountain Holy Land is protecting him?”

The Peacock Saintess suspected. Decades ago, when she first pursued Lu Chang An, he had acted as if he had a divination artifact protecting him. He hadn’t demonstrated the skills needed to counter Stone Elder’s abilities. Stone Elder’s divination abilities were top-notch among those below the fourth rank, unrivaled even among the Beast King Valley’s Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

“No, it’s not him. If the Heavenly Master were involved, I would have struggled from the start and wouldn’t have reached this point.”

Stone Elder believed the Heavenly Master’s promise.

Following the trail, the Peacock Saintess and her disguised merchants reached the Ancient Field Immortal City. The Xuan Yin Pavilion’s green oasis sect was situated between Ancient Field Immortal City and Longwind Immortal City.

“Saintess, I’ve reached my limit. I have one last divination left.”

Before entering Ancient Field Immortal City, Stone Elder’s voice was raspy, his face bloodless and withered, resembling a lifeless corpse.

“Stone Elder, discovering the identity and location of Lu Wu Gui has fulfilled our objective.”

The Peacock Saintess, with her stunning features and regal composure, bowed respectfully to Stone Elder.

Stone Elder closed his eyes, and the last vestiges of his life force and spiritual essence, like a flickering candle, rapidly burned away.

Woooom!

A wisp of ethereal flame engulfed the divination artifacts surrounding him, consuming them entirely.

For a brief moment, Stone Elder’s divination skill reached the fourth rank, allowing him a glimpse into the invisible web of destiny that governed the world and the mysterious river of time.

When he opened his eyes again, his pupils were black, and his sight was permanently gone. Such was the price of delving into the secrets of fate.

His lifespan had also reached its end.

“Saintess, this mission is fraught with uncertainty. Your chances of success are at best 50%.”

“Preserve your life… be careful… go back…”

Due to his dwindling lifespan, Stone Elder couldn’t reveal the full truth.

A charred and smoking corpse, exuding an ominous aura of death, was left behind.

Caw Caw!

Black Crow True Immortal’s crow, flapping its wings, tried to peck at the corpse.

Slap!

The Peacock Saintess raised her hand, unleashing a fan-shaped wave of three-colored phoenix light that knocked the crow to the ground.

“You scoundrel!”

Black Crow True Immortal scolded, kicking the crow as punishment. His crow spirit pet was a mystical creature imbued with bad luck, possessing an acute sense of misfortune and death. It could also curse its targets during battles, bringing them ill fortune.

“Uncertainty? Less than 50% chance of success? Was Stone Elder delirious in his final moments…?”

After reprimanding his pet, Black Crow True Immortal chuckled wryly. The Peacock Saintess was a top-tier Core Formation stage cultivator with Nascent Soul stage backup, and her spirit bird had also reached the late third-rank stage a year ago. With him as her assistant, and his crow’s curses, they would surely dominate this region. The only potential threat, the Heavenly Master, had promised not to interfere.

The Peacock Saintess furrowed her brow, pondering for a long time, still unable to grasp the situation. She had even more powerful secret weapons than Black Crow True Immortal imagined, enough to wipe out the top sects of the Outer Sect Alliance.

…

“Black Crow, go investigate Ancient Field Immortal City. I’ll check the surroundings.”

The Peacock Saintess instructed. Ancient Field Immortal City was a high-level immortal city on the way to the Grassland Oasis.

“Don’t worry, Saintess. Ancient Field Immortal City has its own intelligence network. The Xuan Yin Pavilion operates the Myriad Sounds Tower in the city. I’ll go pay them a visit and gather some information.”

Black Crow True Immortal chuckled. After enduring the desert’s dryness and monotony, he was looking forward to a little relaxation.

“Meet me tomorrow, five hundred miles outside Ancient Field Immortal City.”

The Peacock Saintess, bathed in a radiant aura of Core Formation stage power, soared into the Nine Pillars Heaven. Her eyes flashed with alternating shades of light and darkness as she allowed Black Crow True Immortal to gather information freely.

That night, disguised as a businessman, Black Crow True Immortal lounged in a room at the Myriad Sounds Tower, surrounded by two beautiful women.

“啧啧, in this godforsaken place, I finally found some high-class entertainment.”

The two beautiful music cultivators, dressed in elegant blue and white robes, radiated an ethereal grace, were in his arms, playing the flute and the xiao respectively. They were outer sect disciples of the Xuan Yin Pavilion, stunningly beautiful and as delicate as fairies.

Black Crow True Immortal paid them several times their usual fee to tolerate his close proximity and performance while indulging in some physical intimacy. However, that was the limit. The two music cultivators would not allow him to go any further.

“Hmph! What’s with this ‘no intimacy’ nonsense? Pretending to be pure while behaving like a prostitute.”

Black Crow True Immortal scoffed, secretly activating his “Bewitching Mind Technique.”

The two music cultivators’ eyes glazed over before softening with affection, involuntarily leaning into his embrace.

That night, Black Crow True Immortal not only enjoyed the services of two beautiful women but also managed to glean information about Xu Zhen Ren from them. Work and pleasure, all at once. After the fact, the two Xuan Yin Pavilion disciples had no memory of the encounter.

As dawn broke, Black Crow True Immortal got up and left the Myriad Sounds Tower. He remembered the Peacock Saintess’s instructions: meet her the next day, five hundred miles outside the city, to report his findings. She always met him outside oases or immortal cities, waiting for his return.

He reasoned that she didn’t want to go to a crowded and noisy place, fearing it might alert their target.

After killing Zhao Si Yao, Black Crow True Immortal noticed that the previously distant Peacock Saintess had become increasingly fond of him, even initiating contact a few times.

He had realized her intentions and had done her a favor by avenging her. This mission, with the Peacock Saintess taking him along, was a sign of trust.

…

As he left the Myriad Sounds Tower, Black Crow True Immortal noticed a graceful and alluring figure. Dressed in a pink skirt, she revealed only her profile, a fleeting glimpse of beauty that made Black Crow True Immortal’s heart skip a beat. Compared to the two music cultivators he had enjoyed the night before, she was in a league of her own.

The pink-clad beauty had just emerged from the Myriad Sounds Tower, radiating a False Core stage aura. She must be a higher-ranking female cultivator within the Tower.

Black Crow True Immortal couldn’t resist. Catching her would not only provide him with a beautiful woman to enjoy but also allow him to extract information from higher levels, a win-win situation.

The sky was barely dawn, with few people out and about. Maintaining a distance, Black Crow True Immortal trailed the stunning pink-clad beauty until they reached a deserted street.

Whoosh!

Black Crow True Immortal transformed into a wisp of black smoke, instantly closing the distance between them and striking the False Core stage beauty. At the same time, he unleashed a secret spiritual attack technique, hoping to catch her off guard.

Caw Caw!

Just before he attacked, his crow spirit pet let out a distressed cry.

“Damn it, I’ve alerted…”

Black Crow True Immortal’s mind raced, suddenly on high alert. His crow spirit pet had a keen sense and wouldn’t cry for no reason.

As if startled by the sound, the False Core stage beauty turned back and smiled, revealing a captivatingly beautiful snake-like face.

Black Crow True Immortal’s mind faltered, his vision bathed in a rosy hue. The exquisite beauty’s pink skirt slipped to the ground, her alluring eyes like silken threads, and her graceful body, completely bare, opened up to him.

“No good! An illusionary bewitching technique!”

Black Crow True Immortal bit his tongue, the pain forcing him to regain his senses. He could hear the crow’s cries faintly, and his earlier mental attack had vanished without a trace. The opponent’s bewitching technique was clearly at the pinnacle of third-rank level.

He managed to break free from the illusion, but his physical form was enveloped in a pink mist, his consciousness growing hazy.

“You bold wench!”

Black Crow True Immortal, his feet turning cold, roared, summoning a lamp-shaped artifact that burned with black flames. The demoness before him possessed spiritual power far exceeding his own; she must be a Core Formation stage cultivator. Fortunately, they were within a high-level city. As long as he created a commotion, he could escape danger.

“Am I beautiful?”

The pink-skirted beauty’s every smile and frown tugged at Black Crow True Immortal’s soul, requiring immense willpower to resist.

“Hiss! No good… poison!”

Black Crow True Immortal noticed something amiss in the air he was breathing. His Core Formation stage dantian felt uncomfortable.

Shhh!

A hidden arrow sliced through the air, piercing his chest from behind, drawing out a trail of venomous blood.

“There’s… an assassin…”

Black Crow True Immortal shivered, staring at the poison arrow lodged in his heart. A mysterious figure in a straw hat emerged from the shadows of a nearby wall.

Only then did he realize that his crow spirit pet had also been pierced by the same arrow in its abdomen and was already dead.

Third-rank mid-grade poison.

Third-rank pinnacle bewitching technique.

And the assassin’s ambush.

“Black Owl, your hidden poison and one-hit kill are impressive.”

The pink-skirted beauty smirked.

“Pink Butterfly Fairy, your illusory bewitching technique that blocked all senses is remarkable.”

The straw-hatted assassin’s voice was cold.

They exchanged glances before quickly erasing any evidence of their actions and cleaning up the scene. The hundred-foot area around them was cloaked in Pink Butterfly’s illusions, isolating them from the outside world.

However, the city’s formation would detect the commotion, so they needed to leave quickly.

…

Five hundred miles away from Ancient Field Immortal City, the moment Black Crow True Immortal died, the Peacock Saintess felt a connection, reaching out to grab a shattered spirit tablet.

“Lu Chang An, you finally couldn’t hold back and avenged Zhao Si Yao!”

She wasn’t angry but delighted, a cold smile spreading across her face.

Whoosh!

A beam of multicolored light, radiating the terrifying spiritual pressure of a Core Formation stage cultivator, surged towards Ancient Field Immortal City.

At the same time, a five-colored peacock descended from the Nine Pillars Heaven, its cold gaze fixed on the tiny immortal city below.

The Peacock Saintess had brought Black Crow True Immortal with her not as an ally but as bait.

If Lu Chang An had any respect for their two-hundred-year friendship, he would inevitably feel murderous intent upon seeing Black Crow True Immortal alone.

“To be able to kill Black Crow True Immortal so quickly, it would be difficult for a typical Core Formation stage cultivator. It must be Lu Chang An!”

The Peacock Saintess’s eyes flashed with a gleam of murderous intent.

However, as she flew towards the immortal city, something seemed wrong.

“There’s no commotion of a fight. Did Black Crow True Immortal not die outside the city?”

The Peacock Saintess had expected Lu Chang An to strike while Black Crow True Immortal was on his way out of the city.

But it was too quiet.

In the hundreds of miles she had traversed, there were no signs of a battle.

“Core Formation stage cultivator!”

The cultivators along her path nervously avoided her. A few high-level cultivators looked at her with bewildered expressions.

Sensing the overwhelming spiritual pressure of an approaching Core Formation stage cultivator, the Ancient Field Immortal City’s third-rank formation activated, triggering an alarm and releasing several wisps of True Core stage energy. A warning, laced with a hint of hostility, came from within:

“What are you doing, you demoness, invading my Ancient Field Immortal City?”

(End of Chapter)

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