I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

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Lan Chang'an knew Li Erqing well. Their deep bond allowed him to perform an exceptionally accurate and relatively easy divination this time.

The art of divination required clues and a foundation to base calculations on. If one attempted to divine purely out of thin air, the difficulty would increase dramatically, and the accuracy would suffer.

Certain treasures or high-realm cultivators, through their mastery of concealing techniques, could obscure heavenly secrets, further reducing the success rate of divination.

If one recklessly probed the heavenly secrets surrounding a powerful figure, it might even provoke a backlash, shortening one's lifespan.

"Everyone has their fate. For Erqing to live out his full lifespan, spreading his lineage with children and grandchildren in abundance, is no small fortune," Lan Chang'an murmured.

Though saddened by the news of his friend's impending death, he wasn’t overwhelmed by grief or regret.

Li Erqing had risen from the life of a humble farmer and a lowly son-in-law to become the Foundation Establishment patriarch of a cultivation family.

He had enjoyed wealth, success, and the fulfillment of seeing his descendants grow into accomplished individuals.

Among the four young cultivators from Hengshui Mansion years ago, Li Erqing had undoubtedly led the most complete and satisfying life.

The young marquis, Lin Yi, had perished midway through his cultivation journey.

As for Zhao Siyao and Lan Chang'an, neither could guarantee they would live to their natural ends in this lifetime.

Zhao Siyao's role in defending against the demonic invasion came with immense risk.

Meanwhile, Lan Chang'an's cultivation in the Evergreen Technique carried hidden dangers that were likely tied to the plans of the legendary Great Cultivator Yan Donglai.

Additionally, the path to achieving Nascent Soul and later Deity Transformation stages was a treacherous one.

Even though Lan Chang'an had been steadily building his foundation, critical resources such as fourth-rank spirit veins would still need to be fought for in the future.

Even someone as careful as him could face calamity and fall midway.

A few days later.

As a junior, Zhao Tan'er set off ahead of Lan Chang'an and Zhao Siyao to visit Li Erqing at Feiyue Lake.

As the oldest Foundation Establishment patriarch of Feiyue Lake, Li Erqing’s impending death was a significant matter that would impact both internal affairs and external perceptions.

The arrival of a Core Formation elder from the sect would serve as a deterrent to any schemers within or outside Feiyue Lake.

...

Two months later.

At Jin Yun Valley, the skies above Yunlai Peak churned with wind and clouds as a massive surge of spiritual energy gathered.

For a radius of one to two hundred li, the spiritual energy in the heavens and earth grew restless, and an invisible pressure weighed heavily on the disciples within the valley.

At the center of the vortex of spiritual energy, a brilliant cloud of multicolored light slowly began to take shape.

"Someone's breaking through to Core Formation!"

"It seems there's a trace of demonic beast energy in this. Whose spiritual pet could it be?"

"Recently, only Elder Evergreen's Profound Water Turtle was preparing for Core Formation."

"If that turtle becomes a third-rank Profound Water Turtle, wouldn’t it solidify Elder Evergreen's title as the Turtle Immortal..."

The Core Formation phenomenon on Yunlai Peak sparked much discussion among the disciples.

A few days later.

The multicolored cloud of spiritual energy in the sky continued to expand at a leisurely pace, gradually reaching a radius of two li.

"As expected of an earth-grade bloodline. Achieving an upper-tier Core seems inevitable," someone remarked, watching the ongoing phenomenon.

Indeed, for spiritual pets with earth-grade bloodlines, achieving an upper-tier Core was almost guaranteed if sufficient Core Formation resources were provided.

A full month passed.

The cloud of spiritual energy had slowly expanded to a radius of four li.

"So lazy in daily life, and even in forming a Core it's so slow!"

Sipping cold tea in the pavilion outside his cave dwelling, Lan Chang'an sighed as he gazed at the phenomenon in the sky.

He had never witnessed a Core Formation process that progressed so sluggishly.

"Exactly! Such a waste of the master's time," piped up the Earth Burrowing Rat, no larger than a puppy, lying at Lan Chang'an's feet. Its voice was youthful as it stared toward the Profound Water Turtle's closed-door cultivation chamber with a look of shared indignation.

"Little Mouse, what kind of Core do you think the Profound Water Turtle will form?" Lan Chang'an asked absentmindedly.

"The big turtle’s pretty dumb. Unlike me, it doesn’t have superior Core Formation items on hand," the Earth Burrowing Rat replied with a thoughtful look, as if giving a serious analysis.

"It only has the Crystal Condensation Pill you gave it, but the Five Element Earth's attribute clashes with its water and wood attributes, so its effectiveness is poor. Achieving an upper-tier True Dan is almost the limit of the big turtle."

"Hmm. Among us, the Profound Water Turtle indeed has the worst Core Formation conditions," Lan Chang'an mused, nodding slightly.

He hadn’t gone out of his way to find top-tier Core Formation items for the Profound Water Turtle.

Those superior Core Formation items were even rarer than the Crystal Condensation Pill. Lan Chang'an had simply issued a task in the sect to procure an ordinary Wwater-attribute Core Formation item and left it at that.

His lack of effort stemmed from a concern that the Profound Water Turtle might form a Core of excessively high quality.

If it accidentally achieved an Immortal Golden Dan, it would attract unwanted attention and bring trouble.

As a long-lived species, the Profound Water Turtle wouldn’t draw much interest at lower realms.

However, if it achieved a Golden Dan, its vast potential and longevity would make it a natural candidate to become a sect-guarding holy beast.

It would take at least a late Core Formation-stage cultivator to be worthy of commanding such a spiritual pet.

Lan Chang'an himself had already taken considerable risks in concealing his identity when forming his own Immortal Golden Dan in Wangyue Immortal City. He certainly didn’t have the means to obscure the Profound Water Turtle’s existence as well.

Another ten days passed.

The multicolored cloud of spiritual energy above Yunlai Peak expanded to a radius of four and a half li before finally stabilizing.

"That’s a relief..."

Lan Chang'an sighed in relief. With its poor Core Formation conditions, the Profound Water Turtle had come dangerously close to forming a Golden Dan.

He had anticipated that the Xuanmu Vine Gourd might introduce some unpredictable variables, but the lackluster performance of the Profound Water Turtle's Core Formation item, coupled with Five Element Earth's attribute incompatibility, had ultimately kept it from achieving a Golden Dan.

A few days later.

The vortex of spiritual energy gradually dissipated, and the skies above Yunlai Peak became serene once more.

Surrounding the cave-dwelling, rays of multicolored light and clouds of auspicious energy lingered in the air as faint echoes of heavenly music sounded.

The Profound Water Turtle’s final Core Formation phenomenon didn’t match the grandeur of Lan Chang'an’s Immortal Golden Dan breakthrough, but it surpassed that of the Earth Burrowing Rat back in the day.

"A Half-Step Golden Dan, still acceptable."

Lan Chang'an exhaled lightly, using his spiritual sense to peer into the Profound Water Turtle’s closed cultivation chamber.

Within the Profound Water Turtle's body, a jade-green Core glimmered, adorned with golden crystalline patterns that covered over three-quarters of its surface. The Core exuded a profound and mysterious Dao aura.

Lan Chang'an realized that the Profound Water Turtle had come precariously close to forming a three-quarters Golden Dan, narrowly avoiding the achievement of an Immortal Golden Dan.

This result was likely the best-case scenario Lan Chang'an could have hoped for.

Thanks to his Nascent Soul-stage insight, he knew that for a spiritual beast, achieving a Half-Step Golden Dan or even a true Golden Dan made little difference when facing the final Heart Demon Tribulation during the Nascent Soul tribulation.

As a long-lived species with solid foundations and exceptional defenses, the Profound Water Turtle would find it relatively easy to break through to higher realms and endure the heavenly tribulations preceding the Heart Demon Tribulation.

For the Profound Water Turtle, forming a Half-Step Golden Dan instead of a true Golden Dan would have minimal impact on its future ability to assume human form.

...

The Profound Water Turtle's advancement to a Half-Step Golden Dan caused quite a stir throughout Jin Yun Valley.

Lan Chang'an, however, opted not to hold a grand Core Formation ceremony. After all, more than half of the sect’s cultivators were stationed on the frontlines of the demonic invasion.

Even so, many upper-level members of the sect—Fake Dan and higher cultivators—came to offer their congratulations.

Left with no choice, Lan Chang'an hosted a modest celebratory banquet to entertain the familiar cultivators who came to pay their respects.

"Congratulations, Immortal Lan, on successfully raising a third-rank Profound Water Turtle. Truly enviable!"

"This old man came specifically to marvel at the fortune of the ‘Turtle Immortal,’" quipped Morning Pill Immortal, the sect’s alchemy elder, as he stroked his beard with a chuckle. Stepping forward, he reached out to touch the turtle’s shell.

Having advanced to Core Formation, the Profound Water Turtle had grown even larger, with a shell now spanning over four zhang (roughly 13 meters) in width.

The turtle, being gentle and docile by nature, showed no displeasure even as the other cultivators came forward to stroke its shell one by one.

"Haha! Let me bask in the Turtle Immortal's luck!"

Following Morning Pill Immortal's lead, the other guests took turns mimicking him, laughing as they interacted with the enormous turtle.

Zhao Siyao and her disciple Zhao Tan'er were currently stationed on the frontlines, otherwise Zhao Tan'er would undoubtedly have been the first to pester and play with the Profound Water Turtle.

Zhang Tieshan and the Jin Yun Valley sect master were also away on the battlefield, leaving the Grand Elder to oversee the sect while recovering from injuries.

In order to minimize casualties, the sect regularly rotated its cultivators, especially high-ranking ones, to and from the frontlines.

The Grand Elder himself made an exception by attending the banquet in person.

As a cultivator of the longevity Dao, the Grand Elder still appeared youthful and energetic despite his white hair. Standing at five feet tall and dressed in simple robes, he looked virtually unchanged from twenty years prior, except for a faint weariness on his face.

"Immortal Lan, with this Profound Water Turtle, our sect will have another guardian beast for Jin Yun Valley. The turtle is eligible to receive an elder’s stipend from the sect," the Grand Elder said with bright eyes, his admiration and fondness for the turtle clearly visible.

With its earth-grade bloodline and near-2,000-year lifespan, the Profound Water Turtle was a powerful asset, particularly suited for guarding the sect’s mountain gates.

During the banquet, the Grand Elder even broke tradition to showcase his culinary skills, preparing several Cloud Crane Chickens, which were eagerly devoured by the guests.

He personally selected the plumpest chicken and fed it to the Profound Water Turtle.

In the nearby mountain cave, the Earth Burrowing Rat poked its small head out, staring enviously at the Profound Water Turtle as it enjoyed its feast.

Drooling and wide-eyed, the rat glanced at the scene, feeling a twinge of jealousy.

Its master had instructed it to stay out of sight during the banquet, so as not to draw unnecessary attention.

With a conflicted expression, the rat hesitated briefly before retreating into the shadows of the cave.

After the banquet, the Grand Elder stayed behind to speak privately with Lan Chang'an.

"If Immortal Lan remains in Jin Yun Valley, the Profound Water Turtle can continue to receive elder-level treatment, with the sect covering its cultivation resources," the Grand Elder suggested, clearly hoping to tie both Lan Chang'an and the Profound Water Turtle more firmly to the sect.

A third-rank Profound Water Turtle could live for nearly 2,000 years! Even if it failed to reach the fourth rank and transform into a humanoid form, it could still protect the sect for an incredibly long time.

"I have around a hundred years left in my lifespan," the Grand Elder said solemnly. "Eventually, Jin Yun Valley will rely on Tieshan, Xuanxiao, and Immortal Lan to carry it forward..."

Lan Chang'an could sense the sincerity in the Grand Elder's words.

"The future is uncertain," Lan Chang'an replied tactfully, "but as long as I remain in Jin Yun Valley, the Profound Water Turtle will be here to guard it as well."

He added with a smile, "Moreover, the Profound Water Turtle has been raised by me since it hatched, over 150 years ago. It has always been by my side, and it wouldn't adapt to anyone else."

Hearing this, the Grand Elder nodded in understanding.

Such spiritual beasts, raised from infancy and bonded over decades, often demonstrated unmatched loyalty—sometimes even surpassing that of disciples or offspring.

For any outside force to convince the Profound Water Turtle to guard their sect without Lan Chang'an’s involvement would be a near impossibility.

Of course, there were countless methods of control and enslavement in the cultivation world.

However, such forceful measures often backfired. Even if successful, a spiritual beast coerced into service could rebel at any moment, creating hidden dangers that outweighed the benefits.

...

Half a year later, Lan Chang'an was nearly 196 years old.

Lan Chang'an’s Profound Water Turtle's advancement to the third rank caused little commotion beyond Jin Yun Valley.

The demonic invasion remained the focus of the era, overshadowing all other events.

One day, Lan Chang'an received a letter from the Mu Family of Feiyue Lake.

Li Erqing’s life was nearing its end. His life lamp was almost extinguished.

Lan Chang'an left Yunlai Peak, riding atop the Profound Water Turtle and meeting up with Zhao Siyao and Zhao Tan'er.

Thanks to Lan Chang'an’s prior divination, the Zhao duo had adjusted their rotation schedule on the frontlines to ensure they could attend.

Zhang Tieshan also instructed his disciples to represent him at Li Erqing's funeral.

Lan Chang'an and the Zhao master-disciple pair set off early to see Li Erqing one last time.

Splash!

The Profound Water Turtle, now over four zhang wide, carried the three Core Formation cultivators on its back as it flew through the skies, trailing surging blue waves of water light.

In the eyes of outsiders, Lan Chang'an hadn't stepped out of Jin Yun Valley for nearly twenty years.

"Tsk, tsk. The Turtle Immortal is finally willing to leave the Jin Yun Valley mountain gate!"

"With a third-rank Profound Water Turtle as his bodyguard, his defensive capabilities have greatly increased. Add in the two female Core Formation cultivators accompanying him, and it’s no wonder he’s no longer worried about that bounty on his head."

Some of Jin Yun Valley’s mid- to high-level cultivators watched the trio’s departure with great interest.

Seated comfortably in the middle of the Profound Water Turtle's broad back, Lan Chang'an was flanked by Zhao Siyao on his left and Zhao Tan'er on his right, both seated about a meter away.

From a distance, the scene of one man and two women riding the giant turtle looked intimate, as though they were huddled together.

"Evergreen Immortal is truly blessed. Could it be that he’s taken the Zhao master-disciple pair as his Dao companions and now has two female Core Formation partners?"

"That’s fate for you! With a third-rank Profound Water Turtle and his rising status, even the Grand Elder is eager to win his favor."

"Indeed. Just based on the face value of that Profound Water Turtle, any Core Formation female cultivator would gladly become his Dao companion. Lan Chang'an might very well be the next Huanglong Immortal!"

Amidst a mix of admiration, envy, and jealousy, the massive Profound Water Turtle vanished into the clouds, carrying its three passengers toward Feiyue Lake.

(End of chapter)

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