I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals 329

## Chapter 325: Late Golden Core

Two years later.

Black Mist Mountain Range, amidst the mountain ranges hundreds of miles away from the ancient ruins.

Three streaks of light flew low, stealthily approaching under the cover of the dark mist of the night.

There were two men and one woman, all with cultivation above the mid-Golden Core stage, their aura radiating an exotic air different from Daqing.

“Found it, the Lingxu ancient pillar left by my Sea Listening Pavilion ancestor!”

The blue-robed youth in the middle, bearing injuries, as were his companions, now all had joyful expressions.

This man was at the late Golden Core stage, with sharp features, deep eyes, a hooked nose, and a pair of large ears growing from his temples, the outline far larger than ordinary people.

“Bang!”

The mountain was blasted apart by dan energy, revealing a section of a broken stone pillar, the patterns on it blurred and dull.

“Another sixty years later, the connection of this Lingxu ancient pillar would have completely disappeared. Even if we had traveled to Qingzhou with great difficulty, and couldn’t find the location of the shelter or the treasure vault left by the ancestor, it would have been in vain.”

The blue-robed youth said with relief, waving his hand to collect the broken pillar.

This was a rare material, a strategic resource.

The Lingxu ancient pillar, crafted from rare spatial materials, could sense directions across vast distances, and even transmit messages.

Only with the special tools and secret methods of the Sea Listening Pavilion could it be sensed within a certain range.

“Congratulations, Great Elder, for finding the ancestor’s legacy site in another province!”

The True Dan female cultivator beside him, wearing a feathered skirt, bowed and congratulated.

“Congratulations, Sea Slaughter True Monarch! Achieving a feat that remained incomplete for thousands of years!”

The last man, a dark-faced man, was clad in strange scales, crafted from the fish scales of some kind of sea monster.

The blue-robed youth, despite being at the same Golden Core stage, was revered as a senior by the two.

The three foreign cultivators, acting cautiously, soon found the location of the ancient ruins, hundreds of miles away.

Sea Slaughter True Monarch raised his hand, signaling the two to suppress their aura.

The large ears behind his temples twitched frequently, sensing the activity within the ancient ruins area.

His perception range, shockingly exceeded that of an ordinary Nascent Soul True Monarch!

“That ruins is controlled by a Nascent Soul sect, with a True Dan early stage cultivator stationed within.”

After probing, Sea Slaughter True Monarch’s face darkened, his eyes extremely gloomy.

The ancestral treasure vault, had been taken by someone before they could get there.

In this era of the Sea Listening Pavilion’s decline, he was the only one who had become a Nascent Soul True Monarch in thousands of years, and possessed a high level of proficiency in formations.

He had spent countless efforts and resources, barely repairing the hidden spatial node channel recorded by the ancestor. Cultivators below Nascent Soul could attempt to traverse it, but would face the risk of spatial distortion backlash.

They had paid a great price, finally finding the location of the ancestor’s treasure vault, only to end up empty-handed.

Sea Slaughter True Monarch’s veins bulged, as if he was about to spit blood.

“Great Elder, what should we do next?”

The feathered skirt female cultivator and the dark-skinned middle-aged man were cautious, not daring to breathe loudly.

“Investigate! Qingzhou’s cultivation civilization is far inferior to Great Abyss, a small local Nascent Soul sect is not enough to deter us.”

Sea Slaughter True Monarch suppressed his furious blood, his eyes cold as he stared at the array hall, the entrance to the ruins, on the swamp.

“We have no way back! The ‘Sixteen Sects of the Sea Border’ have discovered our identities as Sea Listening Pavilion inheritors, they are pursuing us relentlessly, with no room for compromise.”

On the other side of Great Abyss, there was no place for the Sea Listening Pavilion to survive. Even if they couldn’t retrieve the ancestral treasure vault, they could only settle in Qingzhou and establish a sect.

Due to being hunted and severely injured, Sea Slaughter True Monarch had no choice but to take a gamble, entering the ancient battlefield forbidden zone in the Great Abyss’s central region, choosing a path with unknown risks and rewards.

Whoosh!

Sea Slaughter True Monarch transformed into a dark blue stream of water, approaching the array hall built by the Jin Yang Sect.

“Who is there…”

The aged True Dan cultivator stationed there, just as he sensed something, his mind was struck, his body becoming numb.

In the next instant, he fainted.

Sea Slaughter True Monarch’s eyes narrowed, concealing the dark, illusory electricity within. His figure flashed, teleporting to the aged True Dan cultivator’s side.

He formed a claw with his single hand, pressing it onto the aged True Dan’s head, performing a soul search.

In the dead of night, the array hall and the entrance to the ruins had no other figures.

Sea Slaughter True Monarch and his three companions quickly took control of the ruins, isolating them from the outside world.

Half a day later.

Sea Slaughter True Monarch, based on the familiar, incomplete formations and architectural layouts, arrived at the center of the ruins, the location of the hexagonal palace building treasure vault in those days.

“Traces of the small space collapse!”

Sea Slaughter True Monarch sensed for a long time, his expression fluctuating between gloom and uncertainty.

An artificially opened small space secret realm, without continuous maintenance, would naturally gradually collapse.

He couldn’t determine whether this small space had collapsed naturally, or if it was caused by someone obtaining a precious opportunity and then artificially collapsing it.

In fact, when Lu Chang’an entered the hidden treasure secret realm back then, that small space was already close to collapse.

“I must find out! That unknown treasure, eight thousand years ago, could have alarmed a Nascent Soul Heavenly Monarch. Even if the space collapsed, it might still have left some fragments!”

Sea Slaughter True Monarch, through the ancestor’s notes, speculated that there was a supreme treasure in this shelter treasure vault.

Although he didn’t know what it was.

But back then, the Sea Listening Pavilion was being pursued by top-tier cultivators from the Misty Sect, the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty, and the Nine Dragon Hall of the Outer Sea. There was definitely a shocking secret involved.

Based on his perspective, a treasure that could move a Nascent Soul Heavenly Monarch, was very likely a powerful True Spirit Treasure!

…

One year later.

In the grassy oasis, Lu Chang’an, who had been in seclusion, reached the age of 303.

This day, a piece of intelligence from Liang Country left him with a sense of unease.

“The ancient ruins controlled by the Jin Yang Sect were attacked by mysterious cultivators, none survived.”

“Half a year later, Nightless Town was attacked, the third-order formation collapsed…”

“Liang Country’s number one loose cultivator, ‘Nightless True Monarch’ was seriously injured, his pet died, and several True Dan cultivators were killed. Luckily, a sect True Dan cultivator passed by and helped him escape.”

“The Jin Yang Sect identified the attackers as demonic cultists, disrupting the rearguard, and issued a wanted poster! However, the identity and whereabouts of the mysterious attacker remain unknown…”

Lu Chang’an sorted through and digested the intelligence details, pondered for a long time, and his expression gradually became serious.

He didn’t believe that the group of attackers were demonic cultists or spies.

Although demonic cultists disrupting the rearguard, wasn’t uncommon in the various regions of the Dao Protection Alliance.

“Ancient ruins… Jiang Yechen… Master Fairy?”

Lu Chang’an, putting together the pieces, roughly knew what had happened.

Master Fairy, was one of the earliest cultivators to enter the ancient ruins, long before Lu Chang’an. Later, she obtained a third-order formation inheritance.

And as a genius formation master, she had researched the ruins the most, assisting the sect in breaking formations and exploring.

In the eyes of the outside world, Master Fairy was the cultivator who understood the ruins best, the first to enter, and the one who enjoyed the most opportunities.

Unfortunately, Master Fairy had passed away seven years ago, having reached the end of her lifespan.

“Daoist Jiang, as Master Fairy’s partner for the last twenty years of her life, was caught in the crossfire.”

Lu Chang’an sighed, feeling a tinge of guilt.

Jiang Yechen had taken the blow for him!

The foreign cultivators, investigated the修士 who had the closest relationship with Master Fairy before her death.

Her partner, was naturally the first person of interest.

Moreover, Jiang Yechen had become Liang Country’s number one loose cultivator, which made him appear to have gained significant opportunities.

The foreign cultivators, seeking the ancient ruins, naturally targeted him first.

As for Lu Chang’an?

To the outside cultivators, he was at most Master Fairy’s early lover, how could his relationship compare to that of a partner?

“Alas, Liang Country’s number one loose cultivator, this kind of high-profile title is not good!”

Lu Chang’an felt both a sense of relief and regret, for firmly rejecting Jiang Yechen’s title offer back then.

He was far away in the Wind Yuan Country, disappeared from Liang Country. The mysterious attackers, even if they continued to target him, wouldn’t find him in the short term.

Then, Lu Chang’an, based on the available information, analyzed and deduced the attacker’s identity and strength.

To be able to break through Nightless Town’s third-order formation, severely injure Liang Country’s number one cultivator, and almost succeed, ordinary late Golden Core cultivators couldn’t do it.

Back then, Jiang Yechen and Lu Chang’an had sparred, he likely still held back some of his trump cards.

Jiang Yechen possessed a third-order soul path treasure, his sense of danger surpassed that of ordinary people, and he was in his own territory, with many people.

“At least there’s a top-tier late Golden Core cultivator! They could calmly leave afterwards, ignoring the Jin Yang Sect’s pursuit, their sensory abilities are likely no less than those of a Nascent Soul True Monarch, even stronger than the Peacock Saintess.”

Although this current strength assessment brought pressure to Lu Chang’an, it wasn’t a huge threat.

The fear was that their true strength was even greater than this.

As for the identity of the foreign cultivators, with enough clues and information, Lu Chang’an’s deduction still faced some resistance.

Lu Chang’an suspected that it involved a Nascent Soul True Monarch, or there was some Heavenly Secret concealing it.

“From Great Abyss, related to the Sea Listening Pavilion.”

Lu Chang’an, consuming a bit of his lifespan, deduced a more precise result.

Involving the Sea Listening Pavilion, Lu Chang’an’s heart sank.

If he didn’t capture and interrogate the attacker, Lu Chang’an wouldn’t be able to truly relax.

However, he was currently in the crucial period of cultivation, getting closer and closer to the late Golden Core stage…

Lu Chang’an didn’t know enough about the attacker’s strength, and he didn’t have absolute confidence in victory.

“Forget it for now! Daoist Jiang has been bearing the brunt for a few years.”

Lu Chang’an quickly made a decision.

“As long as I advance to the late Golden Core stage, my dan energy will double, my abilities will soar. By then, even if the attacker is a Nascent Soul True Monarch, I will have the means to contend with them, even threaten them.”

Lu Chang’an’s original plan was to leave Xuan Yin Pavilion after reaching the late Golden Core stage, the third-order medium spirit vein here was not enough to sustain his subsequent cultivation.

He was definitely going to return to the Dao Protection Alliance and seek opportunities to become a Nascent Soul, including Xia Wenyue’s Taiyin Jade Liquid.

Now, there was an additional task.

…

Four years later.

Lu Chang’an, at the age of 307, his dan energy steadily reached the peak of the mid-Golden Core stage.

From the mid-Golden Core stage to the peak of the mid-Golden Core stage, it took a full seventy years.

In terms of cultivation speed, it was considered average in the Golden Core stage.

Lu Chang’an’s biggest advantage was that he found it easier to break through bottlenecks.

Ordinary Golden Core cultivators, the hurdle of the late Golden Core stage, took many years to overcome. Being able to break through the bottleneck within ten years was already remarkable.

And most Golden Core cultivators, could never advance to the ranks of late Golden Core cultivators in their lifetime.

Therefore, the speed of cultivation at this time, wasn’t the deciding factor.

The key lay in the strength and potential after breaking through the realm.

This was the advantage of having high-quality dan formation.

If it was a low-quality dan, it would be almost impossible to advance to the ranks of late Golden Core cultivators, even with an Earth Spirit Root.

The impact of spirit root aptitude, mainly affected the early and middle stages.

After reaching the Golden Core stage, cultivators’ aptitude would be somewhat improved.

Whether good or bad, it wouldn’t affect the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement stages as much, it was just one of many factors.

This was why Lu Chang’an wasn’t surprised when Zhang Tieshan advanced to the late Golden Core stage.

Because, Zhang Tieshan was likely a high-quality dan, hiding his true dan formation quality, this was Lu Chang’an’s earlier speculation.

Half a month later.

Lu Chang’an attempted to break through to the late Golden Core stage, but failed.

The resistance at the late Golden Core stage was exceptionally tough!

Even those with an Immortal Golden Core or a Heavenly Spirit Root, couldn’t achieve it on the first try.

“Seems like I need to polish for a while.”

Lu Chang’an, with his experience from several lifetimes, was well aware of this.

From this, he deduced that the Everlasting Green Technique only laid a solid foundation, giving an advantage in breaking through, but couldn’t ignore the realm bottlenecks.

In the past, during Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment, he could ignore bottlenecks, because he had the experience and insights from his previous two lifetimes, combined with the Everlasting Green Technique’s solid foundation, both of which were combined to achieve such an effect.

Now, reaching the crucial point of the late Golden Core stage, approaching the last minor realm before the Nascent Soul stage, the benefits of past life experience and skills weren’t as effective as before.

“The bottleneck of the late Golden Core stage, has such resistance! Then the Nascent Soul tribulation, will be a hundred times more difficult. The foundation of the Everlasting Green Technique, its benefits for advancing to Nascent Soul, will probably be limited!”

The following year.

Lu Chang’an was not in a hurry, he patiently polished the bottleneck, loosening it appropriately, occasionally relaxing.

He sought out Fairy Neyue to drink tea and listen to music, going on shared dream journeys, replenishing his mental strength, maintaining a broad and pleasant state of mind.

Over the past few years, although Lu Chang’an hadn’t returned to Liang Country, he had kept abreast of information about the mysterious foreign cultivators.

He had gone to the desert border, using a puppet avatar to enter Liang Country and contact Xing Peng.

Lu Chang’an entrusted Xing Peng to use the power of the Between Heaven and Earth Sect to search for the whereabouts of the mysterious foreign cultivators.

According to Xing Peng’s report, the Between Heaven and Earth Sect had already noticed the existence of the mysterious foreign cultivators. The three of them seemed to have appeared out of thin air, leaving no trace. The sect had tracked them, but only obtained minimal clues.

Furthermore, several Between Heaven and Earth Sect spies, due to getting too close to the pursuit, had vanished without a trace.

“It’s no wonder they’re high-level cultivators from Great Abyss, the Between Heaven and Earth Sect, without using top-tier cultivators, still failed.”

Lu Chang’an felt a sense of alarm.

He was certain that the mysterious foreign cultivators possessed powerful sensory abilities, or anti-tracking techniques.

Fortunately, Daoist Jiang had taken on a lot of the firepower for him.

In recent years, due to the Jin Yang Sect’s pursuit and the Between Heaven and Earth Sect’s attention, the mysterious foreign cultivators had kept a low profile.

Lu Chang’an didn’t take this lightly, he had Xing Peng relay a message to Zhou Qingxuan, Li Congren, Zhao Tandan, and others, to be careful.

If the mysterious foreign cultivators investigated Lu Chang’an and couldn’t find him, they might try to find clues from his friends and juniors.

…

This day, the Chief Guest Elder’s cave mansion in Xuan Yin Pavilion was completely obscured by a fourth-order illusion formation.

Among the female cultivators in the pavilion, except for Fairy Neyue, no one else noticed.

After over a hundred years of gathering materials, Lu Chang’an finally repaired the incomplete illusion formation from those days, making it a complete fourth-order formation.

Even with the cover of the fourth-order illusion formation, the surrounding heaven and earth aura experienced abnormal fluctuations and gathered.

The Grassy Oasis area “happened” to experience a small-scale sandstorm.

The yellow sandstorm raged, dark clouds rolled, covering up the abnormal heaven and earth aura to the greatest extent.

Inside the cave mansion.

Within Lu Chang’an’s body, the Immortal Golden Core, resembling an oval fruit, rotated and trembled, its surface shimmering with golden patterns that were constantly renewed.

Every time his Everlasting Green dan energy completed a grand cycle, returning to the core of the Golden Core, its quality and quantity increased.

He was enveloped in a mass of verdant spiritual aura, the Immortal Golden Core, which had been compressed to the extreme, began to expand steadily.

Ten days later.

The Immortal Golden Core in Lu Chang’an’s body expanded to its limit, vibrating with a resounding boom, resonating with his mind.

His soul power, also increased in the process of realm advancement.

Buzz!

Inside the secluded room, verdant brilliance erupted, surging with the vibrant life force of evergreen trees. The fragrance of fruit trees, ethereal and dreamlike, exuded an endless allure, making people intoxicated and longing.

“308 years old, late Golden Core!”

The Immortal Golden Core within Lu Chang’an’s body, was like a small sun that never extinguished, containing terrifying explosive power.

His Golden Core energy, both quality and quantity doubled, and even surpassed that.

His divine consciousness, also greatly increased, surpassing even his previous life’s peak of late Golden Core!

From this moment on.

Lu Chang’an became a true late Golden Core cultivator, surpassing his second lifetime in all aspects!

“As expected of the Immortal Golden Core!”

The massive leap in strength, made Lu Chang’an feel excited, giving him more confidence in his future pursuit of becoming a Nascent Soul.

Just at this moment.

The Everlasting Green Golden Core hummed, resonating with his mind, generating a mysterious sense of connection from somewhere.

Lu Chang’an, having a sudden epiphany, looked towards the direction of Great Abyss’s central region.

At this time, he had a strange feeling, as if there was an important opportunity attracting him in that direction.

“It’s clearer!”

Lu Chang’an’s expression became serious, his dark, deep eyes flashed with a glimmer of sharpness.

Due to forming the Immortal Golden Core, he had obtained abstract information from the Golden Core Dao Rhyme back then, knowing that Everlasting Green Dao Fruits could devour each other.

Seventy years ago, when he advanced to the mid-Golden Core stage, Lu Chang’an had also felt a connection, but it wasn’t as clear, and he didn’t have that kind of sudden epiphany, that feeling of being attracted by fate.

“The higher the realm, the closer the cultivation levels, the easier it is to generate a connection.”

Lu Chang’an, using the abstract information fed back by the Golden Core Dao Rhyme from the two connections, made a new deduction.

The higher the realm, the stronger the connection, the wider the range.

And the devouring of Everlasting Green Dao Fruits, for cultivators with lower realms, the effect would be greatly reduced, the gap in life levels was too great, the lifespan extension was negligible.

When the cultivation levels were similar, the lifespan extension effect was better, the opportunity was greater, this formed the attraction of fate.

After a long time.

Lu Chang’an suppressed his Golden Core dan energy, and the distant feeling disappeared.

When breaking through a realm, the Everlasting Green Dao Fruit and dan energy were in a state of intense boiling and transformation, making it easier to generate a connection.

In a normal state, unless the distance was close, it wouldn’t be sensed.

…

Half a month later, Lu Chang’an emerged from seclusion.

Due to his worries, Lu Chang’an’s good mood after advancing to the late Golden Core stage, was somewhat affected.

Fortunately, he now had the ability to deal with Nascent Soul level threats.

The cultivators of the Everlasting Green Technique in the central region, were a concern for Lu Chang’an, but also a great opportunity.

Lu Chang’an guessed that their cultivation level was at least late Golden Core, possibly even early Nascent Soul.

A higher probability was unlikely, as they wouldn’t have generated that kind of sudden epiphany, a feeling of being attracted by fate.

If that “Ling Yu True Monarch,” the fated one, had that level of strength, he would have already come to Great Abyss’s eastern region.

In seventy years, he hadn’t come, he definitely didn’t have overwhelming strength.

“As a cultivator from the central region, coming to Great Abyss’s eastern region would be a long and risky journey. Especially with the six demonic sects holding territory here.”

Lu Chang’an could guess why that person hadn’t dared to come to the east in the past.

Strength was the primary reason.

Cultivators of the Everlasting Green Technique, were not outstanding in combat.

They had half as much lifespan as their peers, but cultivated slowly, their advantages were not that great.

They simply accumulated more and cultivated one or two additional skills.

Ordinary cultivators of the Everlasting Green Technique, couldn’t compare to sect prodigies like the Peacock Saintess.

They wouldn’t even be worthy of carrying her shoes!

Having a long lifespan was also a hidden danger.

Lu Chang’an estimated that the “fellow cultivator” in the central region, was likely a recluse cultivator.

Moreover, he most likely hadn’t formed a Golden Core, and didn’t know the secret that Everlasting Green Dao Fruits could be devoured to extend lifespan.

But this time was different.

They were at similar cultivation levels, and a connection was generated, attracting them by fate.

For this opportunity, he might have the idea of coming to the east.

“As a cultivator from the central region, in the case of demonic incursion into the eastern region, if he dares to come, he’s most likely a Nascent Soul cultivator, skilled in combat.”

In Lu Chang’an’s view, even an early Nascent Soul cultivator, entering an area invaded by demonic cultivators, would still face some risks.

If his luck was bad, and he was noticed by a demonic True Monarch and surrounded, he could be killed.

“If he doesn’t dare to come, then he’s likely a late Golden Core cultivator. Even if he’s an early Nascent Soul, but his combat skills are mediocre, and he lacks courage.”

Having analyzed the situation, Lu Chang’an had his plans.

If he came, Lu Chang’an would run.

If he didn’t dare to come?

Lu Chang’an would handle his business in the Dao Protection Alliance, bring his strength and skills to the peak, and then go to Great Abyss’s central region, to investigate the situation.

He understood the Everlasting Green Technique well enough, knowing himself and his enemy, he wasn’t that afraid.

It was the mysterious foreign cultivators from Great Abyss, whose background was unknown, that he had to be cautious about.

(End of chapter)

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