I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals 366

## Chapter 362: Stable and Improving

Lu Chang’an examined the portrait in the hand of the Purple Mist Fairy.

It depicted a handsome man, lifelike, wearing a tall crown and a loose robe, standing with his hands behind his back, radiating a sense of vastness and grandeur.

However, the spiritual light and aura emanating from the portrait had dimmed significantly.

Lu Chang’an couldn’t help but ponder, no wonder the Purple Mist True君 was so pessimistic.

This portrait was a higher-level “Fate Soul Painting” than the sect’s Soul Lamps.

It contained a fragment of a special, refined soul, not only able to sense the target’s life and death but also determine the state of their soul.

At this moment, the “Fate Soul Painting” was dimmed by half, indicating a very poor soul state.

“My senior brother’s soul is in such a state that even if he returns to the sect safely, it’s unlikely he can regain his former cultivation and power.”

“Moreover, Senior Brother is one of the possible clues to the whereabouts of the Spirit Treasure. The Great Yu Imperial Family, the Great Serpent Mountain and other factions don’t want to see a powerful Cloud Mist Sect, and likely won’t let him return safely.”

The Purple Mist True君 spoke in a subdued tone, stating the facts.

“Senior Brother Yun Lan is a blessed person, I believe he will eventually return to the sect.”

Lu Chang’an could only offer comfort, speaking auspicious words.

He wouldn’t volunteer to search for Senior Brother Yun Lan’s whereabouts.

It wasn’t that he had any ill will towards Yun Lan, but doing so was extremely risky.

Beyond just the clues to the Spirit Treasure, the Cloud Mist Sect’s enemies might have set ambushes, waiting for key members to fall into their trap.

The Purple Mist True君 was wise not to panic and hastily search for her partner’s whereabouts.

If she were to meet with misfortune, the Cloud Mist Sect’s lineage would be truly in danger.

Some days ago, the Purple Mist True君 dispatched elite sect members to search for Senior Brother Yun Lan’s whereabouts and to assist him in potentially taking over a new body.

After doing everything she could, the first thing the Purple Mist Fairy did was to stabilize the sect.

Among them, calming and winning over Elder Xiang and the Earth Rock Lord was a top priority.

As long as they remained loyal and supportive, the Cloud Mist Sect’s foundation wouldn’t face any major changes.

Earlier, the Purple Mist True君 changed her address, drawing closer the relationship, primarily due to this.

As for their friendship and mutual admiration, those were secondary factors.

The Purple Mist Fairy was a Heaven Spirit Root cultivator, achieving the distinguished status of a Nascent Soul female True君, and she was always reserved and subtle, never displaying familiarity with men.

Moreover, Elder Xiang was a subordinate of lower cultivation than her.

Lu Chang’an’s thoughts raced, knowing this peerlessly beautiful Purple Mist Fairy was anything but a pushover. She had simply been suppressed by her senior brother, with little say.

If this woman were to truly take charge of the Cloud Mist Sect, perhaps she would achieve great things.

“May your words come true. Senior Brother once said that our sect’s fortune is stable and improving, he wouldn’t be so unlucky.”

The Purple Mist True君’s expression softened slightly as she looked down at the picturesque mountain scenery outside the main peak’s subworld.

Fortune stable and improving?

Lu Chang’an looked at the Purple Mist True君’s exquisite side profile, a strange feeling arising in his heart.

The Dao of Fortune was elusive and unpredictable.

This type of fortune, belonging to the sect as a collective, was not something any individual could control.

The existence of the Mysterious Wood Gourd Vine slowly added and accumulated fortune to the sect, perhaps a thousandth of a percent increase for the collective, but negligible for individual cultivators.

Most cultivators, born, aged, sick, and died, natural disasters and human misfortunes, their paths in life remained as they were.

They weren’t “Sons of Fortune” who would enter Dragon’s Den and Tiger’s Lair, turning danger into good fortune, with endless opportunities.

“Senior Yu, did he mention any specific details about Senior Brother Yun Lan’s experience in the Ancient幽殿?”

Lu Chang’an voiced his curiosity.

Senior Brother Yun Lan had handled a fake Spirit Treasure, his physical body was destroyed, almost leading to his demise. Such a perilous experience naturally sparked Lu Chang’an’s interest.

Upon hearing this, the Purple Mist True君’s serene countenance revealed a hint of frost, her silver teeth slightly biting as she said:

“My senior brother’s misfortune wasn’t primarily due to the fake Spirit Treasure. At that time, several Nascent Soul powerhouses, including a Nascent Soul mid-stage giant, coerced him, and he wisely surrendered the fake Spirit Treasure, shifting the conflict.”

“The real reason is that my senior brother was ambushed in the Ancient幽殿!”

“Ambushed?”

Lu Chang’an’s face changed, appropriately showing surprise.

In fact, his previous calculations had already shown signs of this, just not precisely.

The Cloud Mist Sect had three Nascent Soul powerhouses before, if Senior Brother Yun Lan had made further progress, surrounding factions, be they hostile or neutral, likely wouldn’t have wanted to see it.

“Did Senior Yu reveal this information? Is it confirmed to be true?”

Lu Chang’an’s gaze flickered slightly.

The Purple Mist True君 understood the implication. The Great Yu Imperial Family didn’t want to see a powerful Cloud Mist Sect either, and they couldn’t fully trust information from them.

The Purple Mist True君 nodded, “I obtained secret intelligence about the Ancient幽殿 from other sources, which confirms what Yu Yuan Jin said. Moreover, Yu Yuan Jin always despises lies, he swore to me before that in the Ancient幽殿, the Imperial Family’s Nascent Soul cultivators didn’t make a move against my senior brother.”

Lu Chang’an nodded slightly, believing Yu Yuan Jin hadn’t lied.

However, in this world, there were ways to kill people and destroy families without even lifting a finger.

Not to mention, the art of divination had this ability.

“Also, Yu Yuan Jin presented evidence.”

The Purple Mist True君 took out a handkerchief, unfolded it, revealing a broken fragment of a needle-shaped artifact, with traces of poisonous blood on it.

“This is a remnant of my senior brother’s destroyed physical body. When the Great Yu Imperial Family’s Nascent Soul arrived to deal with the aftermath, they discovered the weapon evidence at the scene, and the blood matches.”

The Purple Mist True君 spoke with grief in her voice.

Lu Chang’an narrowed his eyes, examining the broken needle artifact. The scorpion-shaped markings on it seemed familiar.

His eyelids twitched, recalling something, his heart skipping a beat.

Years ago, he had traded a “玄心 Beast丹” with the Scarlet Snake True君 of Great Serpent Mountain, receiving not only purified dragon blood but also a venomous, ambushing scorpion-tailed needle artifact, a top-grade artifact.

This needle was originally obtained from the Heaven Luo Ancestor, but Lu Chang’an had a stronger nail-headed arrow, so he sold this one.

“This wicked ambushing artifact, combined with a powerful and mysterious fourth-order poison, was a significant factor in my senior brother’s serious injuries in battle, forcing him to abandon his physical body.”

“If I ever find the true culprit behind this artifact, I will make sure they meet their demise!”

A cold gleam flashed in the Purple Mist True君’s eyes, her cold voice revealing killing intent.

“Indeed, the culprit must not be spared!”

Lu Chang’an echoed.

He felt a pang of guilt, for if one were to trace the cause and effect, Senior Brother Yun Lan’s misfortune had been indirectly influenced by him.

Firstly, the ambushing artifact came from Lu Chang’an.

Secondly, the fortune boost from the Mysterious Wood Gourd Vine had caused Yun Lan to make a misjudgment.

Thirdly, the Earth Rock Rat’s advancement to a transformed demon king had made surrounding factions even more wary of the Cloud Mist Sect, not allowing Yun Lan to progress further.

“Fourth-order poison? Is it related to Great Serpent Mountain?”

Lu Chang’an probed.

Among the Cloud Mist Sect’s enemies, Great Serpent Mountain possessed the ability to concoct fourth-order poisons, capable of harming and threatening the Nascent Soul’s spiritual body.

“I also suspected Great Serpent Mountain, but I have no concrete evidence. The traces of poison on the weapon were too faint to determine the origin.”

“Besides, the Scarlet Snake True君 was also seriously injured in the Ancient幽殿, and there were witnesses to his absence.”

The Purple Mist True君 sighed softly, the matter involved Spirit Treasures and numerous Nascent Soul True君, so she dared not make rash judgments.

Lu Chang’an mused that leading the Cloud Mist Sect to suspect Great Serpent Mountain as the culprit was likely what the Great Yu Imperial Family wanted.

Even a secular emperor wouldn’t want his subordinates to become close, ideally maintaining a balanced opposition.

…

In the palace’s secret chamber, Lu Chang’an and the Purple Mist True君 had a long discussion, drawing closer their relationship.

The Earth Rock Rat mostly remained silent, listening attentively to Lu Chang’an.

“Purple Mist Senior Sister, rest assured, this one and the Earth Rock Lord will do our best to guard the sect and stabilize the situation.”

Before parting, Lu Chang’an and the Earth Rock Rat bowed, expressing their loyalty.

“Big Dragon, Earth Rock Lord, it’s fortunate that you are here to share the burden with Senior Sister.”

A rare smile graced the Purple Mist True君’s delicate face, shrouded in faint smoke.

With Elder Xiang and the Earth Rock Lord’s loyal support, the sect’s situation was no cause for concern.

Even if Senior Brother didn’t return, the Cloud Mist Sect’s position in the Great Yu cultivation world wouldn’t decline significantly.

After their secret meeting, the Purple Mist True君 quietly returned to her subworld on Purple Mist Peak.

The Earth Rock Rat’s palace cave was close to the two fourth-order Spirit Vein main peaks, making it convenient for visits.

In the subworld’s bedroom, the Purple Mist True君’s smile disappeared, and she sighed softly, feeling slightly disappointed.

Her nighttime visit and confidential discussions had achieved her basic objectives, but it wasn’t the ideal situation.

During their conversation, she had hinted that the personnel dispatched to search for her senior brother were insufficient and lacked ability.

However, Elder Xiang didn’t volunteer to search and assist Senior Brother Yun Lan, only promising to assist her and guard the sect.

“After all, he is a guest elder, not a direct descendant of the sect, it’s understandable.”

The Purple Mist True君 calmed her mind, realizing her expectations were too high.

Perhaps her charm wasn’t as great as she thought.

As a rare female Nascent Soul, young and peerlessly beautiful, in her past experiences, countless cultivators, from those who had just formed their Golden Core to Nascent Soul peers, had shown her special treatment, even offering their affections.

As for Big Dragon, the Purple Mist True君 had a strong influence on him, providing support over the years.

The Earth Rock Lord, using the fourth-order Spirit Vein, receiving the Transcendent Clarity Pills, and trading for the化雷珠, had all benefited from her assistance.

Precisely because she had invested so much, the Purple Mist True君’s expectations were high.

If one were to say that Elder Xiang was completely unmoved by her, the Purple Mist True君 occasionally noticed admiration in his gaze towards her.

A natural yearning for beauty, without any desire mixed in.

“This person has strong self-control, unaffected by temptation, his character is truly remarkable. It’s just a pity that he’s not a direct descendant of the sect, not one of our own.”

Despite not meeting her ideal expectations, the Purple Mist True君 had a greater appreciation for Elder Xiang’s steadfast Dao heart, unaffected by external influences.

…

A year later.

The Cloud Mist Sect’s dispatched cultivators had failed to find any trace of Senior Brother Yun Lan.

As rumors spread, both surrounding factions and cultivators within the Cloud Mist Sect grew pessimistic about Yun Lan’s fate.

Lu Chang’an estimated that Senior Brother Yun Lan wouldn’t be back anytime soon.

A weakened Nascent Soul or a remnant soul, even if it took over a suitable body, would need years of seclusion to recover.

Fortunately, the Cloud Mist Sect had a fourth-order sacred beast besides the Purple Mist True君, and the sect’s situation remained stable.

A few months ago, the Earth Rock Lord patrolled the Cloud Mist Sect’s territory, killing several hostile infiltrators, including a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.

The fourth-order sacred beast’s intervention, deterring the wicked, further stabilized the situation.

Regarding the subsequent impact of the Ancient幽殿, Senior Brother Yun Lan wasn’t the hottest topic, not even among the top five.

The various factions in the Central Domain were most concerned about the whereabouts of the fake Spirit Treasure.

If a fake Spirit Treasure fell into the hands of a giant like the Great Yu Imperial Family, it would be enough to alter the situation in the Great Abyss Central Domain.

What was rather strange was that the cultivators who emerged from the Ancient幽殿 had differing accounts about the fate of the fake Spirit Treasure, with no definitive answer.

The several Nascent Soul giants in the Central Domain, including Cloud Sky City, the Great Yu Nation, Eight-Forked Mountain, the Great Luo Nation, and other factions, were suspicious of each other, even deliberately blaming each other.

If any major faction obtained the fake Spirit Treasure, their surrounding enemies would likely prevent them from refining and controlling it.

Among individual cultivators, besides the few Nascent Soul mid-stage giants, the missing cultivators like Yun Lan, Nangong 休, and Jing Wu Feng were all suspect targets.

Lu Chang’an was also curious about who had obtained the fake Spirit Treasure.

He had attempted divination, using it as practice, but discovered a chaotic mess of heavenly secrets, making it impossible to decipher.

Apparently, numerous factions had attempted divination.

But involving the Ancient幽殿, the fake Spirit Treasure, and multiple Nascent Soul True君, the resistance to divination was unprecedented.

At the level of Spirit Treasures, they inherently possessed a degree of heavenly secret interference, just not as powerful as 玄天 objects.

“Where’s True君 Jing Tian, I wonder when he’ll come for his share.”

Lu Chang’an was patiently waiting for Jing Wu Feng to contact him.

However, in the past year, Jing Wu Feng had been absent, seemingly vanished from the world.

Lu Chang’an could understand, he had made a name for himself in the Ancient幽殿, achieving greater gains than many veteran Nascent Soul monsters, becoming famous throughout the Central Domain.

Additionally, he had offended enemies, attracting the attention of powerful factions, so he naturally needed to lay low.

If it were Lu Chang’an, he would at least hide for a decade, then assess the situation.

…

The waiting period seemed long.

Another two years passed, and Lu Chang’an reached the age of 353.

Still no news from Jing Wu Feng.

Lu Chang’an wasn’t worried, he silently improved his cultivation and skills, bolstering the foundation of his puppet army formation.

Over the past two years, he had attended large-scale auctions in the Great Yu Nation’s surrounding areas, using a hidden identity to bid on a third-order Longevity丹.

As his sixth third-order Longevity丹, its efficacy was further reduced, extending his lifespan by twenty years.

After deducting past divination expenses, Lu Chang’an’s total lifespan had still increased, reaching 1124 years.

That same year, the Cloud Mist Sect received good news.

A new Immortal Golden Core was born within the sect, named Jiang Hao Ran.

Lu Chang’an had interacted with this individual, he was the direct disciple of the Purple Mist True君, and he had once customized puppets for her.

Jiang Hao Ran possessed a Earth Spirit Root talent, he was a descendant of the Purple Mist True君’s brother, who had passed away. Because of his exceptional talent and resemblance to his uncle, the Purple Mist True君 had taken him as her adopted son and closed disciple.

This was the best news the Cloud Mist Sect had received since the misfortune of Senior Brother Yun Lan.

The Purple Mist True君 was overjoyed and held a grand Golden Core formation ceremony for Jiang Hao Ran, washing away the lingering gloom of the past few years.

For the first time in years, Lu Chang’an saw a genuine smile on the Purple Mist Fairy’s face, it was breathtakingly beautiful.

Due to Senior Brother Yun Lan’s absence, the Purple Mist True君 fully controlled the sect, and she exuded a more commanding aura, appearing like an untouchable empress in the eyes of her sect’s disciples.

However, in front of Lu Chang’an and the Earth Rock Lord, the Purple Mist True君 remained graceful and approachable, still the same ethereal Purple Mist Fairy.

As their relationship drew closer, Lu Chang’an learned more about the Purple Mist Fairy, discovering that her surname was also Jiang, and her real name was “姜梓妍.”

However, after becoming a high-level cultivator and experiencing a long lifespan, most people only knew her as the beautiful Purple Mist Fairy.

…

The following year, the Cloud Mist Sect seemed to have reversed its fortunes, welcoming another piece of good news.

Before Hu Zongzhu stepped down, the Cloud Mist Sect finally produced a Golden Core cultivator.

This Golden Core cultivator, named “Hua Du True君,” was a direct descendant of the Cloud Mist and Yun Lan True君’s master, but his talent wasn’t top-notch.

After the Purple Mist True君 took over, she took special care of him, granting him a breakthrough丹, and he unexpectedly managed to advance.

Ultimately, Hua Du True君 was considered a “connection” but he seized the opportunity.

The sect’s consecutive good news brought stable progress.

The Purple Mist Fairy was in high spirits, her snowy face blooming like a lotus, inviting Lu Chang’an and the Earth Rock Lord to enjoy the moon together.

Purple Mist Peak, the subworld’s courtyard.

The Purple Mist True君 sat lazily on the upper seat, her skirt slightly askew. Having just finished a jar of fourth-order Spirit Wine, her exquisite face had a faint blush.

Lu Chang’an and the Earth Rock Lord sat on the lower seats, admiring the moon, drinking, and accompanying the Purple Mist Fairy in her moments of loneliness and melancholy.

The Earth Rock Lord, in his demon rat humanoid form, was dressed in a purple-red robe, “gurgling” as he silently drank the Spirit Wine, with several empty jars at his feet.

The Earth Rock Lord didn’t participate in the conversation between the host and the Purple Mist Fairy, he simply drank quietly, having developed a fondness for high-quality spirits.

Lu Chang’an noticed that even though most of the conversations were between him and the Purple Mist Fairy, with the Earth Rock Lord just playing a background role, the Purple Mist True君 would always specifically invite the Earth Rock Lord to join them.

Lu Chang’an realized that the Purple Mist True君 was deliberately avoiding something.

This Purple Mist Fairy was very mindful of her reputation, virtuous and careful about her image.

Years ago, the Purple Mist Fairy’s relationship with Yun Lan True君 had fractured, and they had been separated for many years, never having any scandalous rumors.

On the contrary, Yun Lan True君 had some romantic gossip attached to him.

“Our sect’s fortune is indeed stable and improving, if Senior Brother had been cautious and stable in his management, why would this have happened…”

The Purple Mist True君, slightly tipsy, her eyes hazy, was drowning her sorrows in wine. After several years, her inner anguish hadn’t completely dissipated, she hadn’t given up on finding her senior brother.

Lu Chang’an mused, if Senior Brother Yun Lan hadn’t rushed ahead, with three Nascent Soul powerhouses in their sect, they could have achieved much.

Even a prosperous sect couldn’t withstand individual recklessness and constant risks.

The “Hear the Sea Pavilion” was a powerful maritime force in the past, even at its peak, their sect disciples couldn’t avoid normal casualties.

…

The Cloud Mist Sect’s recent good fortune seemed to have rubbed off on Lu Chang’an personally.

Five years after the Ancient幽殿 incident, Lu Chang’an finally received news from Jing Wu Feng.

He had appeared in the Central Domain’s Dan Dao Alliance territory, having already become a Nascent Soul True君, the news just reached the Great Yu Nation.

(End of Chapter)

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