I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

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Three figures emerged from the sandstorm, blocking Lan Chang'an’s path.

They were a towering man with black skin, clad in heavy armor, standing about eight feet tall, resembling an iron tower. A gaunt, lanky youth with a long braid, wearing a fur-lined cape, and a strikingly beautiful woman with a human face and a serpent’s tail—an exotic being of another race.

Thud!

A middle-aged man in green robes, scholarly in demeanor, wobbled unsteadily before collapsing onto the desert sands.

“Make it quick!”

Ada Wan, his dark-rimmed eyes brimming with malice, formed a hand seal and issued a command.

The black-skinned giant roared, his body expanding to a height of over fifteen feet. His entire physique became covered in crimson-black fur, while his hair stood up like steel needles.

A shadow flashed through the swirling sand. Within moments, the black-skinned giant closed the distance to Lan Chang'an, coming within several dozen zhang.

Boom!

A thunderous explosion echoed.

A massive charred crater, spanning five to six zhang, appeared in the area where Lan Chang'an had been standing, sending a storm of yellow sand flying into the air.

“Is it over already?”

Ada Wan seemed disinterested, disappointed by the seeming ease of the fight. A weak opponent meant low rewards.

But it was to be expected. After all, a mere Fake Dan cultivator, poisoned by a third-rank venom, was naturally no match for a body cultivator’s thunderous strike at the same level.

The black-skinned giant, a pure body cultivator, not only possessed unparalleled physical strength but also had unique body-refining abilities, making him a threat even to qi cultivators at mid-range.

The special abilities of body cultivators varied depending on their cultivation techniques.

In the Fengyuan Kingdom, there was once a quasi-fourth-rank body cultivator who unleashed a mighty shout, shattering the hearts of Core Formation cultivators several li away.

“Pure body cultivators are indeed extraordinary.”

Within the haze of sand, the figure of the middle-aged man in green flickered and blurred.

In an instant, he mysteriously appeared behind the black-skinned giant.

A fierce whistling sound tore through the air. A massive hand, adorned with golden patterns, struck horizontally toward the giant’s back.

“This speed... A third rank body-refiner!”

The black-skinned giant’s scalp tingled with dread. It was too late to dodge; he could only activate his defensive force to withstand the attack head-on.

The palm landed solidly.

Crack!

The heavy armor shattered, followed by a series of sickening cracks as bones snapped.

Veins bulged on the giant’s forehead as he spat out a mouthful of blood. His massive body was sent flying, crashing into the desert sands.

“A third rank body-refiner who’s also a qi cultivator?”

From a distance, Ada Wan’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, though he didn’t panic.

Meanwhile, an eerie female voice echoed.

A blurry, shifting silhouette appeared beside Lan Chang'an in a flash.

“Keke...”

The serpent-woman’s eyes glowed with a hazy light, creating a strange distortion in the space around Lan Chang'an. His movements slowed noticeably.

Snap!

Lan Chang'an raised an arm, colliding with the phantom-like tail that swept toward him. He felt a strange, slippery texture that seemed almost unreal.

The serpent-woman let out a muffled grunt as the force of the collision sent her flying. However, she appeared to suffer no serious injuries.

“This is... a third-rank puppet?”

Only now did Lan Chang'an realize that the serpent-woman wasn’t a living being but an incredibly lifelike puppet.

Her intelligence, presence, and even her skin were so convincing that they could easily be mistaken for the real thing.

The braided youth, it turned out, was a third-rank puppet master. The precision and craftsmanship of his puppets surpassed even Lan Chang'an’s own expertise.

The serpent-woman puppet’s combat power was on par with that of an early stage third rank great demon!

Coupled with the third-rank poison, this formidable lineup could easily overwhelm an ordinary Core Formation cultivator in the desert.

Unfortunately for them, they had encountered Lan Chang'an.

His Evergreen Technique’s poison dissolution abilities, the anti-debuff resistance of his Golden Luo Overlord Body, and his almost mid-third rank body cultivation rendered this lineup completely ineffective.

Lan Chang'an now understood why the earlier divination had shown a minor fortune.

“Help! Young Master Ada, save—”

The black-skinned body cultivator, still trapped in the desert sands, was suddenly engulfed by a massive swirling vortex of sand. His cries were abruptly cut off!

Lan Chang'an smiled faintly.

“So what if he’s a body cultivator with special abilities? Against absolute strength and a higher cultivation realm, resistance is futile.”

Body cultivation was arduous and resource-intensive, requiring both talent and resources. While their defense and survival capabilities were indeed impressive, they lacked significant advantages when facing qi cultivators of the same rank in open terrain.

“Earth element great demon...”

Ada Wan’s expression darkened. His pupils constricted in fear, his calm demeanor finally giving way to panic.

If Lan Chang'an were merely a third rank body-refiner or an early Core Formation cultivator, Ada Wan could rely on his numerical advantage to win.

But with the addition of a terrifying earth element demon beast—one that had already killed his strongest subordinate—this fight was now beyond his ability to handle.

“Esteemed Immortal Xu, please show mercy! My father is Ada Xi, the Deputy City Lord of Scorpion Desolate City...”

Sensing the dire situation, Ada Wan revealed his background and began retreating, controlling his puppets defensively.

To showcase his strength and deter Lan Chang'an, he summoned two quasi-third rank beast-shaped puppets, positioning them on either side for protection.

With this lineup, even a powerful Core Formation cultivator would struggle to kill him quickly, and the ensuing commotion would surely alert the nearby tribes.

But what happened next left Ada Wan utterly horrified.

Swish, swish, swish!

Lan Chang'an lightly raised his hand, summoning five leather-armored archer puppets before him.

Each bow radiated spiritual pressure, all at the Fake Dan level or higher.

Two of them were True Dan-level puppets, while the remaining three were Fake Dan-level!

“This, how is this possible! A third-rank rank body-refiner and a third-rank puppet master?”

Ada Wan’s voice trembled, his sunken eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.

A third rank body-refiner commanding an elite squad of high-grade puppets—this was a force meant for storming immortal sects and strongholds!

“Fire!”

With a wave of Lan Chang'an’s hand, the five archer puppets unleashed two volleys of arrows in quick succession.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The numerous arrows, glowing with spiritual energy, tore through the sandstorm, leaving streaks of radiant light in their wake.

“Spare me, senior! Have mercy!”

“Quick! Block them—”

Ada Wan screamed in despair. He ordered his puppets to shield him, activated his defensive magical treasure, and stuck protective talismans to his body.

Boom! Boom! Crack!

The first volley of arrows obliterated the quasi-third rank puppets, his defensive magical treasure, and the talismans protecting him.

The serpent-woman puppet, meanwhile, was ensnared by spiraling sand tendrils extending from the desert, unable to break free.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The second volley locked onto Ada Wan. His bloodshot eyes filled with rage and despair as he realized there was no escape.

Despite being a third-rank puppet master, Ada Wan was merely a Fake Dan qi cultivator.

To his utter disbelief, a third rank body-refiner had not only overpowered him but also launching a group beating. Nowhere in the vast Desolate City would he find anyone this shameless!

“Fu... Futah!?”

The face of the green-shirted man he was staring at in death blurred gradually, transforming into a familiar face...

Futah!!

Before his death, Ada Wan’s mind reeled with disbelief. Why had he tried to ambush Lan Chang'an?

The root cause was Futah, who had spread rumors in the city, claiming that Immortal Xu had brought a large supply of pills and spiritual herbs from the outside.

But the true reason was simple: Ada Wan, desperate for resources to craft his puppets and short of spirit stones, had targeted an outsider who seemed like easy prey.

It was merely tradition among the tribes of the Fengyuan Kingdom.

Swish, swish, swish—

Ada Wan’s body was riddled with arrows. His dying screams echoed far across the desert, which Lan Chang'an didn't isolate.

After Ada Wan’s death, the resistance of the serpent-woman puppet diminished significantly, though it still displayed a survival instinct.

Lan Chang'an couldn’t help but feel intrigued. Could Ada Wan have imbued this puppet with an independent personality?

Using his puppet-controlling technique and the assistance of the Earth Burrowing Rat, he restrained and sealed the puppet, storing it in his storage pouch.

In just a few breaths, Lan Chang'an swiftly erased the traces of battle, collected his spoils, and recovered the arrows.

“Let’s go!”

Changing his appearance to match Futah, Lan Chang'an headed toward the outskirts of Scorpion Desolate City’s territory.

As he flew away, he encountered some tribal cultivators who couldn’t avoid him in time and bowed respectfully.

“Ah! Vice Patrol Leader Futah?”

Although Lan Chang'an didn’t have Futah’s blood, he had previously interacted with him and gathered a strand of his aura.

Though this disguise wasn’t perfect, the sandstorm’s obscuration prevented anyone from noticing flaws.

Lan Chang'an knew Futah might not take the blame willingly, but since this man had orchestrated the events that led to Ada Wan’s ambush, he didn’t mind muddying the waters further.

Before leaving, he decided to create a bit more trouble for Futah—just for fun.

...

"Huh? Who’s calling me?"

Dozens of li away from the scene of the battle, Futah emerged stealthily from Scorpion Desolate City, glancing around in confusion, his expression filled with suspicion.

The voice seemed to be an illusion—he hadn’t actually heard anything.

As a vice patrol officer of the city, Futah had been aware of Ada Wan’s covert operation.

His original intention had been to use Ada Wan to probe Lan Chang'an’s strength. If the latter proved weak, Futah could achieve his goal of "borrowing a knife to kill someone" with minimal effort.

Driven by a sudden impulse, Futah had followed from afar, hoping to either enjoy the spectacle or pick up any spoils that remained after a potential mutual defeat between the two sides.

What he didn’t know was the extent of Ada Wan’s puppet master skills—or the mysterious strength of this so-called “Immortal Xu.” Perhaps, Futah thought, this could result in a mutually damaging outcome.

At a critical moment, if Futah lent Ada Wan a helping hand, he might win the favor of the powerful scion of a tribal noble family—an opportunity that would be great help to his future.

“Strange, the sound of fighting disappeared all of a sudden...”

After searching the area for a long time and finding nothing, Futah frowned, feeling that something was off.

On his way back to the city, the sound of something tearing through the air approached rapidly.

A familiar and oppressive aura caused Futah’s heart to skip a beat.

He wanted to hide, but the other party had already locked onto his presence with sharp senses.

“Futah, what are you sneaking around here for?”

From the clouds above, a thunderous voice filled with anger boomed—it was the Deputy City Lord.

“Ah! Futah greets the Deputy City Lord!”

Futah shivered, unsure of what was happening, and hurriedly bowed respectfully.

The speaker was Ada Xi, Ada Wan’s biological father, and a mid-third rank body cultivator.

That very night, word spread throughout Scorpion Desolate City: Ada Wan had been killed, and Vice Patrol Officer Futah had been thrown into the dungeon.

Among the populace, numerous rumors circulated, but one version gained widespread acceptance:

It was said that Futah had secretly manipulated Ada Wan into ambushing an outsider Immortal. Futah had planned to reap benefits after both sides were weakened and wounded.

...

Half a day later.

By this time, Lan Chang'an had already flown far beyond the influence of Scorpion Desolate City.

The further he went, the more barren the terrain became. Oases became increasingly scarce, and spiritual veins were practically nonexistent.

The civilization of Fengyuan Kingdom originated from the Ice and Snow Sacred Mountain, with major desolate cities acting as critical branches. But the farther one ventured from these cities, the harsher the environment became—desolate lands, resource-poor regions, and frequent natural disasters.

At this moment, Lan Chang'an had no idea what sort of fate he had inadvertently set in motion for Futah with his simple, crude frame-up.

Once beyond the city’s sphere of influence, Lan Chang'an made some rough calculations using divination techniques.

The result surprised him: Scorpion Desolate City’s leadership had neither pursued him nor issued a warrant for his arrest.

From Lan Chang'an’s perspective, Futah’s strength was insufficient to fully take the blame. But as long as Futah could serve as a distraction and absorb some of the backlash, the intended effect had been achieved.

On second thought, Lan Chang'an realized that Scorpion Desolate City lacked a valid pretext to openly pursue him.

For one thing, there was no proof tying Lan Chang'an to the death, especially since the most suspicious figure was already identified.

Secondly, even if the truth were uncovered—that Ada Wan had attempted to rob Lan Chang'an but was killed in self-defense—it would be considered his own fault. This would not stand on moral grounds.

If such news were made public, it would only bring shame to the Scorpion Tribe.

In the Fengyuan Kingdom, the tribes followed a philosophy of survival of the fittest. Weakness meant death, and plundering was a long-standing tradition.

Deaths caused by robberies or battles were so commonplace that the tribes rarely formed feuds over them.

Nonetheless, Lan Chang'an utilized the art of divination to obscure the situation further, complicating any attempts to trace him.

This concealment technique worked particularly well against diviners with inferior skills to his own.

In Fengyuan Kingdom, apart from the Heavenly Master of the Ice and Snow Sacred Mountain, most tribes lagged behind in the art of divination.

Lan Chang'an estimated that the strongest diviner in the Scorpion Tribe might not even have reached third rank.

Along the way, Lan Chang'an had already destroyed any suspicious items in Ada Wan’s storage pouch.

That night.

Lan Chang'an stopped to rest in a sand cave, taking the opportunity to sort through his spoils.

“No wonder he resorted to robbery,” he muttered.

Ada Wan was far poorer than Lan Chang'an had imagined. The spirit stones in his storage bag totaled only one to two thousand.

Most of Ada Wan’s wealth had clearly been spent on research and puppet-making.

In particular, the serpent-woman puppet stood out.

From Ada Wan’s jade slips and personal research notes, Lan Chang'an discovered some interesting information.

Ada Wan had obtained an ancient puppet-crafting technique known as the “Record of Transformative Spirit Puppets”.

This technique allowed for the infusion of puppets with independent intelligence and spirituality. However, it was insidious in nature, as it required the refinement of living souls.

The manual also contained theoretical designs for puppets that mimicked the forms and abilities of ancient true spirits. However, these designs remained speculative at best.

Even if only their forms were imitated, such “Exotic Spirit Puppets” would possess extraordinary powers and combat capabilities.

Exotic Spirit Puppets were costly to produce, requiring two to three times the resources of standard puppets of the same rank.

The serpent-woman was merely an incomplete prototype, riddled with flaws that prevented prolonged combat.

From the perspective of Lan Chang'an’s Nascent Soul-level insight, these puppet designs that sought to replicate the true spirit ancient divine beasts were nothing more than far-fetched fantasies.

Complete forms of true spirits had never been witnessed on the Heaven Honoured Continent. At most, records of them existed in ancient texts or could be observed in rare creatures carrying diluted traces of their bloodlines.

The Record of Transformative Spirit Puppets detailed six theoretical puppet designs mimicking ancient true spirits, including a Human-Faced Flood Dragon, a Five-Colored Peacock, and an Xuanmu Turtle.

The core materials required for crafting these puppets included critical parts from beasts with true spirit bloodlines.

Ada Wan, a genius with a touch of madness, had trusted these theoretical designs and spent years delving into their study.

He managed to acquire substitute materials, lowering the requirements to create a castrated, defective version.

To improve his chances of success, he had even refined the soul and consciousness of his half-sister into the puppet.

Ada Wan has falled in love with his sister, who was born with an inferior spiritual root. Before her lifespan reached its end, with her consent, he merged her soul with the culmination of his lifelong wisdom into one.

“There’s a fine line between genius and madness,” Lan Chang'an mused.

He couldn’t help but admit that Ada Wan’s puppet techniques surpassed his own in terms of innovation and depth of research.

Obtaining Ada Wan’s techniques and insights was Lan Chang'an’s greatest gain from this encounter.

The Record of Transformative Spirit Puppets had originally been acquired by Ada Wan after he killed a traitor from the Thousand Mechanisms Sect.

“The Thousand Mechanisms Sect... the holy land and originator of the puppet Dao in Great Qing...”

As a third rank puppet master himself, Lan Chang'an couldn’t help but feel a sense of yearning.

It was said that the Thousand Mechanisms Sect had the capability to craft fourth rank Nascent Soul-level puppets.

Everywhere else in the Great Qing, puppet techniques were capped below fourth rank.

The Thousand Mechanisms Sect was the only power with a complete fourth rank puppet inheritance—and the ability to actually produce them.

Lan Chang'an’s greatest talent in this life lay in puppetry, along with his superior spiritual sense.

Though the Record of Transformative Spirit Puppets was flawed, it had given him valuable inspiration.

“Could I temporarily infuse the soul shadows of my second and fourth lives into a high-tier puppet?”

“If I used a powerful puppet as a physical vessel, and my fourth life’s Nascent Soul cultivation successfully possessed it, what kind of power could I unleash...?”

...

Two months later.

Lan Chang'an traveled through the territories of two more desert tribes, crossing vast stretches of wilderness before finally reaching the Outer Sect Alliance in the southeastern region of Fengyuan Kingdom.

During the journey, he avoided entering other desolate cities. Instead, he traded at various oases and wetlands, selling unneeded items and replenishing supplies.

By doing so, his dwindling supply of spirit stones surged back to a respectable 150,000 to 160,000.

As he entered the Outer Sect Alliance's sphere of influence, the environment became noticeably more hospitable. Oases and habitable areas dotted the landscape, and spiritual veins were more abundant.

During his flight, he occasionally came across caravans of camels, sand beast carts, small to medium-sized spiritual ships, and even wandering merchants or loose cultivators.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Lan Chang'an could feel the vibrant atmosphere of free trade in the region.

Every oasis and market he visited greeted him with a stark contrast to the cold, guarded stares of the desolate cities. Here, cultivators often welcomed him warmly, exuding a sense of openness and hospitality.

The Outer Sect Alliance had no true natives. Instead, cultivators from all over Fengyuan Kingdom and beyond had settled here to build their lives.

Even some members of the desert tribes—due to various reasons—had migrated into the Alliance’s territory.

Sects, families, merchant guilds, and loose cultivators occupied oases of various sizes, alongside spiritual veins and immortal cities, creating a diverse and thriving community.

After flying for a few more days, a massive oasis, spanning several hundred li, came into view.

From above, Lan Chang'an could see towering mountains rising from the oasis, with a large river cutting through the forests and hills.

Even from a distance, he could sense the abundant spiritual energy emanating from a medium-to-large third-rank spiritual vein.

“This is the River Source Oasis. Rich in water resources, with vast forests and vibrant wood-attribute spiritual energy...”

This was one of the key locations Lan Chang'an had planned to visit—a suitable place for retreat and cultivation.

The information came from his fourth life Master Lihuo, who had identified it as a perfect refuge for healing and quiet cultivation.

The River Source Oasis had no dominant sects or major powers.

Its valuable resources were jointly controlled by several cultivator families and some powerful loose cultivators.

About a few thousand li away from the oasis stood a large immortal city under the control of the Mysterious Mechanism Tower, one of the giants of the Outer Sect Alliance.

The Mysterious Mechanism Tower was said to have been founded by defectors from the Thousand Mechanisms Sect, mainly dealing in the puppet-related side of the business.

Lan Chang'an’s main goal in Fengyuan Kingdom was to avoid trouble and cultivate in peace until he reached the mid-to-late Core Formation stage.

Immortal cities crowded with large factions and countless eyes weren’t suitable for his needs.

The River Source Oasis, with its vibrant wood-attribute spiritual energy and more subdued power struggles, was his ideal destination.

...

Half an hour later, Lan Chang'an arrived at a bustling market town on the eastern side of the River Source Oasis.

After gathering some information, he discovered that the oasis only offered second-rank superior-grade spiritual veins for lease to outsiders.

Lan Chang'an wasn’t in a hurry. With his refined skills and abilities, he was confident he’d find a way to affiliate himself with a power that controlled a third-rank spiritual vein.

Unconsciously, he wandered into a street of market stalls, taking the opportunity to survey local resource prices and gradually gather intelligence.

Just then, Lan Chang'an felt a faint sense of connection—a weak yet unmistakable resonance.

It was similar to when Li Erqing passed away and disappeared into the cycle of reincarnation. However, this connection was much weaker.

His gaze shifted, landing on a stall not far away.

The stall owner was a pair of siblings selling a variety of items: talismans, magical weapons, books, antiques—a little bit of everything.

The older brother, clad in a fitted outfit, appeared to be in his early twenties. He had rugged features, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, giving off a sincere and good-natured impression.

The younger sister, wearing a light blue pleated dress, looked about seventeen or eighteen years old. Her delicate complexion, rosy lips, and slender white wrists were adorned with a bracelet of bells.

Ding!

The bracelet emitted a crisp and melodious chime.

The girl’s heart lifted with joy, a smile blooming on her face as she glanced at the approaching middle-aged man in green robes.

“Senior, is there anything you need? This little girl can assist you with your selection,” she said warmly.

Every time her bracelet chimed, it seemed to bring her good luck—and more spirit stones.