I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals 373

## Chapter 369: The Fairy’s Reward

Two days later, at the Teng Ling Mine Field.

Lu Chang An, who was “recovering from his injuries” in the Hidden Bamboo Pavilion, received a piece of earth-shattering news from the outside world.

Hu Ang and Jade Plum True Immortal, who hadn’t yet left, all gathered at the Hidden Bamboo Pavilion.

“The Ye family’s spirit ship was destroyed… Elder Ye Xiang is dead? What happened? Is the news confirmed?”

Lu Chang An’s face was shocked, and he stared at Xiu Yu True Immortal, who had finished her report.

“This servant has repeatedly confirmed, the intelligence is reliable.”

Xiu Yu True Immortal had just calmed down. Her face was flushed, and her tone was slightly excited.

She then recounted the details of the intelligence.

“The five-colored peacock with a heavenly bloodline, it’s suspected to have reached the fourth stage? Is it a coincidence, or did the Ye family offend someone?”

Lu Chang An muttered to himself in doubt, falling into a brief contemplation.

Hu Ang paid attention to Lu Chang An’s expression and shook his head secretly, denying unrealistic assumptions.

“If Xiang Da Long still raised a five-colored peacock with a heavenly bloodline, after decades of cultivation in the Cloud Mist Sect, it’s impossible for there to be no signs.”

When he first received the news, Hu Ang had many suspicious targets.

Mainly, it was forces around the Great Yu Kingdom that were skilled in beast control.

Great Snake Mountain? This force cultivated spirit pets mainly with snakes, insects, and beasts, with fewer birds, unless it was a secret weapon.

It’s unlikely that Great Snake Mountain would help the Cloud Mist Sect deal with the Ye family.

The neighboring Baqi Mountain and the two forces of the Great Luo Kingdom, both had powerful beast control forces, but they hadn’t heard of a fourth-stage five-colored peacock.

“Whatever, it’s good news for us.”

“It involves a fourth-stage five-colored peacock, a terrifying legendary creature. We must be extremely cautious. If we delve too deeply, we might invite disaster.”

Lu Chang An’s tone was cautious, and he finally set the tone for the matter, gaining the agreement of the three True Immortals present.

“Elder Xiang, that mysterious five-colored peacock, its enemy or friend is uncertain. It might not have left the surrounding area. Should the Teng Ling Mine Field increase its defenses?”

Xiu Yu True Immortal knew some details of the peacock disaster and felt an unknown fear in her heart.

“It’s meaningless.”

Lu Chang An shook his head: “However, I speculate that the five-colored peacock has alarmed the Great Yu Kingdom’s Nascent Soul. It shouldn’t dare to act again.”

“Elder Xiang makes a valid point.”

Hu Ang and Jade Plum True Immortal agreed with Lu Chang An’s speculation.

Having said that.

On the same day, Hu Ang and Jade Plum True Immortal, the two Nascent Soul cultivators who came to assist, promptly returned to the sect.

The Cloud Mist Sect had a fourth-stage formation and a fourth-stage holy beast guarding the mountain gate. It was not afraid of the five-colored peacock attacking.

…

“The special nature of the spirit peacock puppet, the levels of those cultivators at the scene, they couldn’t see through its truth.”

After seeing off the True Immortals, Lu Chang An’s lips curled up in a smile.

The framework of the spirit peacock was originally based on the five-colored peacock of the Peacock Saintess. He later added many fourth-stage precious materials.

Those survivors dared not look directly at it, and their divine consciousness couldn’t probe the truth.

The place where the five-colored peacock attacked was at the outer edge of the Ye family’s territory, and the Ye family controlled a large part of Liang Guo (梁国, a Chinese state, a cultural reference to a fictional country).

One of the Ye family’s True Immortals had gone to negotiate with the imperial family, and only one Nascent Soul remained in the clan. It’s impossible to chase after the peacock without any cost.

Most likely, they didn’t have the guts.

If the five-colored peacock reached the fourth stage, ordinary Nascent Soul early stage cultivators wouldn’t be able to defeat it.

Lu Chang An dared to make a move based on his judgment of the situation.

In the evening.

Lu Chang An closed his eyes and got in touch with the “spirit peacock” that was hidden thousands of miles away.

Before this action, Lu Chang An had his second-life soul shadow fuse with the spirit peacock, acting as a puppet clone.

This kind of puppet clone was Lu Chang An’s unique method, difficult for others to imagine.

The spirit peacock clone, hiding in the deep valleys of the mountains and wilderness, had already sorted out its harvest and destroyed suspicious items.

One of the storage bags came from a strange-faced man, a third-stage middle-grade puppet master.

The strange-faced man’s previous three-wolf puppets were all in the storage bag, basically intact. In addition, there were two other third-stage puppets.

Just the spoils of third-stage puppets, there were five of them, showing that the strange-faced man was somewhat well-connected, or had extraordinary opportunities.

Lu Chang An was quite interested in the puppet combined attack technique he mastered.

“Found it.”

Through the puppet clone, Lu Chang An checked a jade slip. It recorded the “Combined Attack Puppet Manual,” a legacy secret technique of puppetry.

Even if there wasn’t a jade slip legacy in the storage bag, Lu Chang An had a backup. When he killed the strange-faced man, he had the spirit peacock capture the strange-faced man’s residual soul.

“Interesting. This combined attack method seems to have borrowed from the combined attack principle of human cultivators’ similar origin techniques.”

After a preliminary understanding, Lu Chang An found it interesting.

However, he also discovered the limitations of the puppet combined attack method.

Firstly, the material source is demanding. It must be a set of puppets, with the same materials or similar origins.

Similar to a set of identical parent and child magic treasures, it’s hard to come by.

Secondly, it puts a heavy burden on the divine consciousness, requiring exquisite puppet control skills.

In crude terms, the micro-control requirements are extremely high.

With the strange-faced man’s level, controlling a set of puppets, one third-stage middle-grade and two third-stage lower-grade, in a combined attack, already reached his limit.

“Huh! This puppet combined attack legacy seems to have come from ‘Da Kun’.”

From the records in the jade slip, Lu Chang An discovered some clues, reaching a conclusion.

The jade slip legacy didn’t explicitly state it, but it had indirect descriptions.

Furthermore, the words in the legacy had dialect characteristics of Da Kun (大坤, a Chinese term for a region, a cultural reference to a fictional region).

The cultivation world has always had a common language, but the language is subdivided in different regions, inevitably incorporating local elements.

Because Lu Chang An’s second life was born in a cultivation family in Da Kun, so he could perceive it keenly.

“Well, Da Kun is near Da Yuan. Over tens of thousands of years, there has been mutual access to legacy resources. It’s not surprising.”

Lu Chang An thought about the relevant map information in the memory of “Shā Hǎi True Immortal (刹海真君, a fictional character)” and soon understood.

Reaching Nascent Soul or above, crossing different states is no secret.

If the states are not too far apart, and the danger level is generally low, Nascent Soul early stage cultivators can cross it.

The Kunzhou (坤州, a Chinese term for a region, a cultural reference to a fictional region) of his previous life, to Lu Chang An, had two ties.

One was the Xu family of his previous life, whether it still exists or not.

Another was the “Ancient Wood Everlasting Technique (古木长青功, a fictional cultivation technique).” He obtained it from a mysterious cave in Da Kun in his previous life. Lu Chang An only got half of it.

After he cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage, he didn’t have the subsequent techniques.

…

Lu Chang An also opened Elder Ye’s storage bag and found some small surprises.

“Tsk tsk, the Ye family’s previous plunder of the precious ore at the Teng Ling Mine Field, the most precious part, basically fell into this person’s hands.”

Lu Chang An gained another pile of precious third-stage ores.

Besides the ores, Lu Chang An could recycle the materials from the two True Dan cultivators’ magic treasures as a third-stage high-grade artifact refiner.

Lu Chang An happily accepted this “loot,” and the deployment of the puppet army formation could be significantly advanced.

“It’s still comfortable to bully the weak, killing and stealing treasures for fast accumulation.”

Lu Chang An was satisfied with the results of the spirit peacock’s attack this time.

Of course, this kind of behavior can only be done occasionally, as a natural gain.

The target of the attack was also an enemy force, so there was no psychological burden.

…

Great Yu Imperial City, the Cloud Mist Sect’s residence.

In the picturesque pavilions and waterside terraces, two beautiful figures, one purple and one red, with long skirts trailing the ground, elegant and ethereal, stood side by side.

“Zi Yan, you and Yuan Jin are a perfect match, you both appreciate each other. If you can achieve a happy marriage, it will be very beneficial, both for the Cloud Mist Sect and your own cultivation.”

The red-clothed female cultivator beside Zi Xia True Immortal was called “Red Sleeve True Immortal (红袖真君, a fictional character).” She was about twenty-four or five years old, with a face like a jade plate, clear and dignified. Her words and actions revealed the noble air of a superior.

“Master Yun Lan has only passed away for a few years. The culprit still hasn’t been found. How can Zi Yan…”

Zi Xia True Immortal sighed softly, declining.

“Don’t use Yun Lan as a shield. Your relationship with him has broken down, there is no real lover’s affection, and I know this well.”

“Listen to your sister’s advice. Yu Yuan Jin is the best among the current Nascent Soul of the imperial family. After a few hundred years, when the older generation retires, he will likely become the leader of the Great Yu imperial family.”

“If you two become a couple, the imperial family will naturally take care of the Cloud Mist Sect in the future. In a few days, the negotiation with the Ye family, I will be the mediator. I will not let you suffer any disadvantage.”

Red Sleeve True Immortal gave many hints in her words.

Facing this kind and amiable royal female Nascent Soul, Zi Xia Fairy was secretly wary and responded cautiously.

Red Sleeve True Immortal, according to blood relations, was the current Yu Emperor’s cousin. She has always been the Yu Emperor’s trusted confidant and the royal steward.

If it was for her own selfish desires, Zi Xia True Immortal knew that Yu Yuan Jin was a good choice as a lover.

With Yu Yuan Jin’s excellence, if they were to be a couple, they might be able to jointly control the Great Yu Kingdom in the future.

Getting the imperial family’s treasured resources, their chances of advancing to Nascent Soul middle stage would also be higher than those of ordinary forces.

However, the dowry behind this was the Cloud Mist Sect.

姜梓妍 (Jiang Zi Yan, Zi Xia Fairy’s real name), who grew up in the Cloud Mist Sect, didn’t want her sect’s traditions to be lost and swallowed by the imperial family.

Reviving and protecting the sect was her and Master’s shared goal.

They had made vows before the Master’s passing and in front of the previous Master’s ancestral tablets.

“The Yu Emperor promised that the imperial family would not interfere in the Cloud Mist Sect’s affairs, maintaining its independence…”

Red Sleeve True Immortal smiled faintly. She obviously knew Zi Xia True Immortal’s concerns.

While they were talking, Zi Xia True Immortal’s gaze shifted. She reached out and took a message talisman that flew from afar.

Unless it was urgent or important intelligence, cultivators at the residence would never disturb two True Immortals.

Huh?

Zi Xia True Immortal received the content of the message talisman with her divine consciousness. After a brief moment of astonishment, her star-like eyes flickered with an unusual brilliance, and her lips slightly pursed.

The exciting news from the Teng Ling Mine Field made her passive situation before the negotiations disappear without a trace, giving her an unexpected bargaining chip.

Otherwise, she would have rejected the royal family’s matchmaking, and the subsequent negotiations and coordination would definitely not have received any “favorable treatment.”

And the Ye family, one of the four great families, had always had marriages with the Great Yu imperial family.

Within the permissible rules, the imperial family’s inclination would significantly affect the distribution of resource benefits.

“Sister Yan has ‘Xiang Da Long’ as a lucky star, really enviable.”

Red Sleeve True Immortal sighed softly. She touched the jade bracelet on her wrist, which was lightly trembling, and also received intelligence from the imperial family.

The Iron Clan chief, “Iron Dan Xin,” supported by the Ye family, was killed by Elder Xiang. The Ye family’s camp lost the battle and withdrew, the situation was settled.

Then, the strange “peacock disaster” made the Ye family even worse, almost losing any chance of turning the situation around.

“Elder Xiang is indeed a lucky star for our sect.”

Zi Xia True Immortal smiled happily, thinking that in the past few decades since Xiang Da Long joined, the Cloud Mist Sect had good fortune.

Besides the lover’s death on an adventure, a Nascent Soul cultivator was born in the sect. One immortal True Dan, one semi-True Dan.

The sect also gave birth to a fourth-stage holy beast, barely making up for the top combat power lost due to the lover’s death.

This time, the victory secured by Elder Xiang gave her the absolute initiative in the upcoming negotiations.

…

The news from the Teng Ling Mine Field made Red Sleeve True Immortal lose her mood to “matchmake” there. She soon bid farewell and left.

Watching her retreating figure, Zi Xia True Immortal stood there, lost in thought for a long time.

She didn’t know what she was thinking, but her joyful mood was slightly diluted.

“The Cloud Mist Sect only has me as a female Nascent Soul. As long as I am still single, and no other Nascent Soul is born in the sect’s tradition, the Great Yu imperial family will probably not easily give up their intention to matchmake.”

Jiang Zi Yan’s eyes revealed worry. Ever since taking charge of the sect, she felt a little uneasy in her heart.

Although the sect has a fourth-stage holy beast, acting as a Nascent Soul combat power, it was ultimately an outsider, and its sense of belonging to the Cloud Mist Sect was far less than her and Master Yun Lan.

After Elder Xiang was transferred to the mine field, Zi Xia True Immortal had interacted with Di Yan Jun (地岩君, a fictional character, meaning Earth Rock Lord). The latter didn’t have any dependence on her, lacking respect and obedience.

Di Yan Jun was only loyal to Elder Xiang, like father and daughter. It was difficult to develop a relationship with her.

In this unsettling situation, she also faced the Great Yu imperial family’s covetousness.

Zi Xia True Immortal suspected that the Ye family’s actions in this competition for the mine field might be instigated by the imperial family behind the scenes, in order to force her to comply.

The royal family wanted to matchmake Xiang Da Long and the Zhi Wei Princess, and she had noticed it.

In the battle at the mine field, Xiang Da Long repelled the Sky Sword Pavilion heir, Ye Fan Chen, making him even more dazzling. Coupled with his fourth-stage spirit pet, he would inevitably be poached by major forces in the Middle Domain.

The bottom line is, Xiang Da Long was a guest elder who joined the Cloud Mist Sect midway, there was a “seam” to exploit.

Zi Xia Fairy actually knew that there was a near-perfect solution to the current situation.

If she married Xiang Da Long, these problems would be solved.

At that time, Xiang Da Long and Di Yan Jun would become her own, truly bound to the Cloud Mist Sect, and there would be no need to worry about being poached.

After becoming a couple, the Great Yu imperial family wouldn’t matchmake her with Yu Yuan Jin again, and the Cloud Mist Sect would have one less important vulnerability.

She always admired Xiang Da Long’s personality, talent, and abilities. She just didn’t have that kind of love for him.

Nothing is perfect. This slight deficiency didn’t matter much.

However, as a Nascent Soul True Immortal, the Zi Xia Fairy, famous throughout the Middle Domain, couldn’t bring herself to express this intention to a low-level cultivator.

What if Xiang Da Long rejected her? How awkward would it be to get along with him afterward?

Therefore, this matter could only be realized if Xiang Da Long took the initiative to pursue her or confess his feelings.

…

Half a month later.

Lu Chang An was still recovering from his injuries at the mine field. He hadn’t left the Hidden Bamboo Pavilion for a step.

A few days ago, he was wary of the Ye family’s Nascent Soul patriarch stationed at the Ye family territory. He investigated the “five-colored peacock”’s whereabouts, and found this place, so he hadn’t brought the spirit peacock back yet.

Fortunately, the Ye family’s Nascent Soul patriarch only symbolically searched within the Ye family’s territory for a few days, without a substantial breakthrough, and eventually gave up.

This outcome was within Lu Chang An’s expectations.

The spirit ship of the Golden Cloud Valley faced a disaster, losing two True Dan cultivators. Among them, the strange-faced man was a guest elder.

Actually, the Ye family only lost one True Dan mid-stage cultivator and a bunch of lower-level cultivators.

For a force like Golden Cloud Valley, it was a serious blow.

For a force with the scale of the Ye family, it was not an unbearable heavy loss.

If they fought against a mysterious fourth-stage heavenly bloodline peacock for this, it would be a loss.

Even if the two Ye family’s Nascent Soul joined forces, they wouldn’t be able to deal with a genuine fourth-stage heavenly bloodline five-colored peacock. Just in terms of speed, they couldn’t catch up.

Various forces had their own general speculations about the strange appearance of the five-colored peacock.

Either it was the Cloud Mist Sect’s hidden trump card.

Or a fourth-stage spirit bird passing by, taking a bite to eat, a coincidence.

The latter’s recognition rate was higher.

Because Da Yuan was near the sea. Sometimes, great demons would come ashore to commit crimes, capturing and devouring some bipedal beasts.

This situation was more common near coastal areas and islands.

Confirming that the Ye family wouldn’t pursue it further, Lu Chang An quietly went out, bringing the spirit peacock and the spoils of war back together.

…

Two months later.

The mediation result between the Cloud Mist Sect and the Ye family, under the imperial family’s mediation, came.

The Teng Ling Mine Field belonged to the Cloud Mist Sect. The Ye family suffered heavy losses, not getting the industry benefits they had expected.

On this day, Lu Chang An, who was comprehending the puppet combined attack legacy, suddenly sensed a huge Nascent Soul aura, directly approaching the Teng Ling Mine Field.

Soon, a cloud of light, a遁光 (Dun Guang, a term for a flight technique in cultivation, meaning a flight path like a ray of light), descended from the sky onto the mine field.

“Greetings, Supreme Elder!”

Under the shroud of misty light, Zi Xia Fairy’s dreamlike and graceful figure landed in the center of the bamboo forest at the mine field.

Lu Chang An and Xiu Yu True Immortal stepped forward to pay their respects, welcoming Zi Xia True Immortal.

“The performance of the Teng Ling Mine Field in the previous battle is commendable. This True Immortal has just returned from negotiations with the imperial family, and I’m here to take a look.”

After a little praise, Zi Xia True Immortal dismissed everyone and had a private conversation with Lu Chang An.

Inside the Hidden Bamboo Pavilion.

“Sister Jiang was able to suppress the Ye family and win in the negotiations with the imperial family. Congratulations.”

Lu Chang An invited Zi Xia Fairy to take the upper seat and prepared to serve tea.

“Brother Xiang is the true hero.”

Zi Xia True Immortal smiled, stopping Lu Chang An’s action.

She took out fourth-stage spirit tea, got up gracefully, like a noble lady, and personally brewed tea for Lu Chang An.

Washing her hands, boiling the water, sealing the pot, smelling the aroma… The entire process was elegant and natural, pleasing to the eye.

“Brother Xiang, please have some tea.”

After a while, Jiang Zi Yan offered a cup of clear tea, her crimson lips slightly parted, blowing away the scalding heat, making her bright smile tinged with the redness of dawn.

This posture made Lu Chang An stunned.

Zi Xia Fairy was stunningly beautiful today, beyond ordinary.

Like a fairy who walked out of a painting, her hair was neatly tied up, her neck was slender and delicate, her eyes were like stars, and she wore a purple trailing fairy dress. The ribbons wrapped around her, with a faint fragrance.

The incomparably beautiful female True Immortal, seemingly unattainable, yet her actions in serving tea, unexpectedly had a down-to-earth closeness.

There was a faint hint of expectation amidst her gentleness and reserve.

“Good tea!”

Lu Chang An took the teacup. He could smell the fragrance, not just the tea fragrance, but also the quiet and lasting fragrance of Zi Xia Fairy. He took a sip and felt a sense of ethereal dreaminess.

“If Brother Xiang likes it, you can come to my cave to have some often.”

Zi Xia Fairy smiled sweetly. She raised her sleeve and poured more tea for Lu Chang An.

Lu Chang An was flattered. He thought to himself, what kind of magic potion was this female True Immortal selling today?

This kind of contrasting and subtle beauty from an upper realm Nascent Soul Fairy made even him, with his experience and composure, barely able to hold on.

Fortunately, after serving tea, Zi Xia True Immortal returned to the upper seat, regaining her usual dignified posture. She asked about the details of the battle at the mine field.

Zi Xia Fairy didn’t doubt Lu Chang An about the five-colored peacock matter.

After praising him again, Zi Xia True Immortal’s eyebrows relaxed, her mood was very good. She made a promise of reward:

“Brother Xiang has made great contributions at the Teng Ling Mine Field. Whatever reward you want, just speak up. As long as this sister can do it, I will grant it to you!”

(End of chapter)

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