I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals
Chapter 454: Overseas Immortal Fate, Fourth-Rank Puppet Formation

Chapter 454: Overseas Immortal Fate, Fourth-Rank Puppet Formation

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"With those words from you, Dalong, I feel at ease."

Purple Mist True Monarch smiled enchantingly, beautiful beyond compare, and naturally leaned into Lan Chang'an's embrace.

Accompanied by Jiang Ziyan, Lan Chang'an arrived at the cultivation ground he once used at Yunxia Sect, Yunlan Peak.

Originally, Yunlan Peak was the cultivation ground of Purple Mist Fairy’s Dao companion, Yunlan True Monarch.

After the battle at Ancient Nether Hall, Yunlan True Monarch perished and his Dao was extinguished. Later, when Lan Chang'an advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, he remained here to cultivate.

"Greetings, True Monarch Xiang."

On Yunlan Peak, a haggard and downcast middle-aged gatekeeper cultivator lowered his head in salute, not daring to meet Lan Chang'an’s gaze.

"Ziyan was thoughtful, still keeping a cave dwelling for me. Even the gatekeepers are late-stage Core Formation cultivators."

Lan Chang'an looked around at the cultivation ground of Yunlan Peak, which had been preserved as before, and spoke with a half-smile.

"Dalong, that’s Hao'er!"

Jiang Ziyan lightly scolded him, giving him a sidelong glance.

This downtrodden and weary uncle was none other than Jiang Haoyuan, the once Immortal Golden Dan of Yunxia Sect.

He also bore the surname Jiang, Purple Mist Fairy’s elder brother’s only child. With excellent talent and a striking resemblance to Jiang Ziyan’s late elder brother, Purple Mist True Monarch adopted Jiang Haoyuan as her godson and final disciple.

"Oh, so it’s Hao’er."

Lan Chang'an pretended to realize it, though he had recognized him at first glance.

A hundred years ago, when he left the Yunxia Sect of the Great Yuan, he had divined that Jiang Haoyuan would face a calamity before reaching the Nascent Soul stage.

Lan Chang'an had informed Purple Mist Fairy, advising her to pay close attention at a certain point in time.

"Uncle Xiang, this disciple is incompetent and voluntarily chose to guard the mountain gate."

Jiang Haoyuan’s emotions were complex as he looked at the ageless, ever-young True Monarch Changqing.

Back then, when Xiang Dalong was still in the Core Formation stage, he crafted a personal guardian puppet for him hoping to win Fairy Purple Mist's favor.

"My cultivation ground doesn't need a late-stage Core Formation cultivator to guard it, wasted talent."

Lan Chang'an keenly detected a lingering scent of alcohol on the mountain.

He waved his hand, then led Purple Mist Fairy into the Yunlan Peak cave-dwelling, holding her in his arm.

Jiang Ziyan turned her head, glaring at Jiang Haoyuan with disapproval, signaling him to leave Yunlan Peak.

…

Inside Yunlan Peak Cave Dwelling.

Purple Mist Fairy half-sat, half-leaned on Lan Chang'an’s lap. The hem of her purple long dress naturally draped down, her graceful and curvaceous figure fully displayed before his eyes.

The two whispered to each other with intimacy.

"Man proposes, Heaven disposes. Timing and fate, so it goes."

Lan Chang'an sighed, surprised at how much the situation had changed over the past decades, not just for Yunxia Sect but also the surrounding region of the Great Yu Kingdom.

Even with his prior warning, Jiang Haoyuan had ultimately failed to escape his calamity and had been plotted against.

Jiang Haoyuan had reached the peak of late-stage Core Formation and had hope of forming a Nascent Soul. Unfortunately, during the preparation stage for the breakthrough, his Immortal Golden Dan became contaminated, its quality plummeting.

"Hao'er’s Nascent Soul resources had already been mostly prepared by the sect. He’s still young, I advised him to wait, not to rush. But alas, Haoyuan insisted on going out to temper himself. I couldn’t lock him up in the sect forever and repeat what happened to Junior nephew Yunqing, so I gave him that quasi-fourth-rank puppet for protection."

"Decades ago, Hao'er fell in love with a female Core Formation cultivator. Unexpectedly, she secretly poisoned him, contaminated his golden dan, and then disappeared without a trace."

Jiang Ziyan’s tone was tinged with helplessness.

In the past, Yunlan True Monarch’s disciple, Yunqing Immortal, perished in the Heart Demon tribulation due to a lack of worldly experience and mental preparedness.

Jiang Haoyuan’s insistence on going out to train, not wanting to rely solely on the sect and his master, came from a good intention.

Twenty years ago, unwilling to give up, Jiang Haoyuan attempted to form a Nascent Soul, but he failed even the first stage, "shattering the core to form the infant."

The backlash from his failure damaged his Dao foundation, and combined with the now-degraded quality of his Dan, he could no longer hope to reach the Nascent Soul stage in this lifetime.

From that point on, Jiang Haoyuan lost all motivation, drowned himself in wine and dreams, and completely gave up.

Purple Mist Fairy, tired of seeing him, banished him to guard Yunlan Peak.

If Jiang Haoyuan had heeded Xiang Dalong’s warnings, he might not have ended up in such a state.

But Lan Chang'an knew: had Jiang Haoyuan stayed within the sect, lacking the tempering of real experience, he would have had little chance of surviving the Heart Demon tribulation.

Failing the Heart Demon trial meant complete annihilation, in both body and soul.

Unless Jiang Haoyuan could endure solitude and wait a hundred years for the return of “True Monarch Xiang,” by then the troubles of Yunxia Sect might all be resolved.

But that was clearly too difficult for him. His cultivation technique was not one suited for longevity and life preservation.

And besides, who could guarantee that the long-absent True Monarch Xiang would ever return to Yunxia Sect?

…

Jiang Haoyuan’s dejection and despondency were merely a reflection of the difficulties currently facing the Yunxia Sect.

Purple Mist True Monarch suspected that the scheming from years ago, specifically the contamination of Jiang Haoyuan’s Golden Dan, was orchestrated by Great Snake Mountain.

In the decades immediately following Lan Chang'an’s disappearance, the two Nascent Soul cultivators of Great Snake Mountain still behaved themselves, maintaining peaceful coexistence while quietly developing their strength.

But as Lan Chang'an remained absent for too long, the Twin Dragons of the Central Region successively vanished without a trace, and their former influence gradually dissipated.

There were even minor rumors that the Twin Dragons of the Central Region had jointly ventured into the forbidden zone in the Central Region and were trapped within some perilous place.

Otherwise, it would be hard to explain why the Twin Dragons had vanished for so many years without a single trace.

Great Snake Mountain no longer chose to be patient.

At first, it began with probing actions, disciples clashing with those of the Yunxia Sect, followed by instigating disputes over contested territories.

After repeated tests confirmed that Xiang Dalong was truly no longer in Great Yuan, Great Snake Mountain became increasingly bold and reckless.

“Great Snake Mountain…”

“A hundred years ago, I slaughtered their strongest, the ‘Scarlet Abyss Serpent King.’ Seems like that lesson wasn’t harsh enough.”

Lan Chang'an still remembered that, during his final years before departing, the two True Monarchs of Great Snake Mountain were so terrified of the Twin Dragons’ reputation that they locked themselves inside their mountain gate, not daring to even step outside.

Who would have thought that a century later, Great Snake Mountain would become rampant again?

The once-renowned Twin Dragons of the Central Region had, in the end, become a thing of the past in Great Yuan, forgotten by most cultivators.

Of course, the reason Great Snake Mountain had grown so bold was also because they now had a powerful backer behind them.

True Monarch Netherwater of the Black Sea Sect had become an honored guest of Great Snake Mountain.

Being able to establish ties with one of the Sixteen Sea-Suppressing Sects was something many factions in the Central Region coveted.

“That year, True Monarch Netherwater came in person to exert pressure, and Great Snake Mountain relied on her influence to act like bullies. True Monarch Netherwater dropped hints, threatening me and trying to inquire about your whereabouts, Dalong. But I stood my ground unto death and did not reveal a single word.”

Purple Mist True Monarch’s gaze was bleak and resolute, carrying a spirit of one who would rather shatter like jade than survive as pottery.

“Very good.”

Lan Chang'an looked visibly approving.

In truth, Purple Mist Fairy had no idea where he had gone, only that he had returned to his homeland in the Outer Regions, so she couldn’t have provided any useful information anyway.

“Ziyan withstanding such pressure… that’s no easy feat. Was it the imperial family of Great Yu who helped you resolve the crisis afterward?”

Lan Chang'an’s gaze flickered as he speculated.

“That’s right. Dalong is as astute as ever.”

Purple Mist Fairy hesitated, then spoke honestly:

“It was the imperial family’s Tianyuan Sword Monarch. He advanced to the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm and forced True Monarch Netherwater to retreat.”

“Oh, Yu Yuanjin?”

Lan Chang'an reflected. As a cultivation sect in the Great Yu Kingdom, it was only natural that the Yunxia Sect would receive protection from the imperial family.

He was then surprised. “Fellow Daoist Yu has advanced to the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm? Then the Great Yu imperial family now openly has three Nascent Soul giants and has entered a golden age lasting thousands of years?”

For context, even the Nether Spring Sect, foremost of the Six Demonic Sects, only had three mid-stage Nascent Soul powerhouses.

Lan Chang'an’s relationship with the imperial family and Emperor Yu wasn’t great, but he had a fair personal friendship with Yu Yuanjin.

Years ago, when the Earth Burrowing Rat advanced to the fourth-rank Demon King, it was through a trade with Yu Yuanjin that Lan Chang'an acquired the Thunder-Dissolving Pearl.

Yu Yuanjin had once admired Purple Mist Fairy in his youth.

The imperial family had even tried to pressure them into a match, attempting to marry the then-widowed Purple Mist Fairy to Yu Yuanjin, thereby binding the Yunxia Sect to the imperial family through marriage.

Later, when Lan Chang'an ascended to the Nascent Soul stage and made his relationship with Purple Mist Fairy public, the whole matter was dropped.

“Hmm… Nowadays, the current Emperor Yu has the intention of raising an army. In recent years, he has been mobilizing massive supplies, and undercurrents are stirring. Rumor has it that Emperor Yu is a man of great talent and bold vision and is determined to subdue the northern Great Luo Kingdom.”

A hint of worry appeared between Jiang Ziyan’s brows.

“To subdue the Great Luo Kingdom? Easier said than done.”

Lan Chang'an shook his head with a light sigh. His return had come at a rather sensitive time, and the situation surrounding the Great Yu Kingdom appeared unstable.

The Great Luo Kingdom in the north had once been part of Great Yu’s territory before splitting away.

During Great Yu’s peak, the imperial family and the four major clans had migrated from the Jin Immortal Dynasty of Fenghua.

According to Jing Wufeng, the imperial Yu clan had once been hunted by the “False Heavenly Lord” of the Jin Immortal Dynasty.

At that time, the Great Yu imperial family possessed a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator who carved out new territory in the Central Region of Great Yuan, and the kingdom’s size and influence far surpassed its current state.

However after the Great Cultivator passed away, Great Yu’s national strength gradually declined, and they lost much of their land.

Not only did the Great Luo Kingdom break away, but some of the territory was also devoured during the chaos by “Yaqi Mountain,” a hostile demonic faction.

With Great Yu’s current strength, reclaiming the Great Luo Kingdom by force wouldn’t be too difficult.

However, Yaqi Mountain, which borders them, would never stand by and watch Great Yu unify and expand. They would definitely intervene.

...

“These years… have you tried breaking through to mid-stage Nascent Soul?”

Lan Chang'an recalled that, when he left, Jiang Ziyan was already at the peak of early Nascent Soul.

The two were of similar age, but Purple Mist Fairy had a Heavenly Spiritual Root, with no restrictions like the Evergreen Technique, so her cultivation progressed faster.

“I’ve tried! Perhaps I lack the foundation and fortune. When I attempted to break through, I faintly touched the boundary of mid-stage Nascent Soul but was always just a sliver away.”

Jiang Ziyan showed a trace of dissatisfaction when she brought this up.

Lan Chang'an pondered, doing a light calculation.

The heaven and earth environment in the Central Region of Great Yuan was similar to that of the Central Region of Great Qing, with a higher success rate of advancing to mid-stage Nascent Soul compared to the Righteous Dao Alliance side.

Upon his return, he noticed that the Yunxia Sect’s spiritual vein had faintly reached the threshold of mid-grade fourth-rank.

“If we obtain a high-quality breakthrough pill, my chances of advancing to mid-stage Nascent Soul are not small. Unfortunately, Great Snake Mountain has been secretly interfering over the years, and the imperial family would never trade such strategic resources with us.”

Jiang Ziyan’s tone revealed a sense of helplessness.

The imperial family wouldn’t stand by while the Yunxia Sect was threatened by outside forces, but neither would they want the sect to become too powerful, especially since Purple Mist Fairy had rejected a marriage alliance with them.

When Xiang Dalong was present, he could rival and contend with mid-stage Nascent Soul powerhouses.

If Jiang Ziyan also advanced to mid-stage while Lan Chang'an returned, there would be two mid-stage-level powers in a non-allied faction within their territory, a dangerous signal for the imperial family.

“Breakthrough pills… if you use them, don’t rely on them too much. Otherwise, you’ll basically cut off your path to late-stage Nascent Soul.”

Lan Chang'an cautioned.

“I know that well. I once had grand ambitions like Senior Brother Yunlan. But after remaining stuck at early-stage Nascent Soul for so many years, I no longer possess the pride I once did. At our level, the advantage of a Heavenly Spiritual Root has almost completely vanished.”

Purple Mist Fairy let out a faint sigh, gazing toward the eastern sea.

“Ever since the fall of ‘Tinghai Pavilion,’ Great Yuan’s fortune has been declining. In recent times, each era had no more than three Nascent Soul Great Cultivators at most, let alone any Deity Transformation Heavenly Lords.”

Hearing this, Lan Chang'an’s heart stirred.

When the Tinghai Pavilion Holy Land existed, it must have been the peak of Great Yuan’s cultivable era.

Could the fall in Great Yuan’s fortune be related to the departure of the Xuanmu Vine Gourd?

Lan Chang'an remembered that when he first obtained the vine, the gourd on it had already withered and was lifeless.

If a Xuantian Relic’s birth drew upon the fortune of an entire realm, then it made sense that its departure would significantly impact that realm.

“Ziyan, don’t give up so easily.”

Lan Chang'an saw that she had nearly abandoned hope of advancing to mid-stage Nascent Soul and offered a few words of comfort.

He thought silently: Now that the Yunxia Sect’s lucky star has returned, their fortune will stop declining and begin to recover.

At the same time, the Dragon Phoenix Dual Cauldron Technique would bring cultivation benefits.

If Lan Chang'an fused with his fourth life now, his soul neared the level of a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator, his dual cultivation partner through the Twin Cauldron Method would reap even greater gains.

No matter what, Lan Chang'an would urge Jiang Ziyan to attempt another breakthrough on an auspicious day when she is in peak condition.

The two, having talked at length, met eyes and fell into each other’s arms once more.

As the saying goes: after a long drought, a sweet rain is a blessing.

After a hundred years apart, the two were inseparable, sharing candlelit discussions day and night.

As the sun set and moon rose, seven days and seven nights passed.

Purple Mist Fairy returned to the cave residence, her face glowing red like morning clouds, her skin radiant and luminous, fully content.

…

Yunlan Peak Cave Dwelling.

Under the looming potential threat from Yan Donglai, Lan Chang'an found his mind and body finally at ease.

He had to admit, Purple Mist Fairy was far more gentle and attentive, knowing how to care for him far better than the aloof Fairy Xia. The experience was incomparable.

The day after Purple Mist Fairy’s departure, Elder Xiao Qingshan, a Core Formation cultivator, came to pay his respects and his visit was quickly granted.

"Greetings, True Monarch Xiang."

After a hundred years, Xiao Qingshan had changed little, appearing as a youth of about twenty or thirty, clad in a golden robe adorned with cloud patterns, handsome and dignified, exuding strong yang energy.

In the depths of his bearing, one could faintly perceive the shadow of his former life, Li Ergou, or Li Erqing.

“Qingshan, no need to be so formal.”

Lan Chang'an sat at the head of the hall, waving his hand with a smile.

“Lan... Lan big brother.”

Xiao Qingshan let out a small sigh of relief, stammering slightly.

After a hundred years, his former big brother from his past life hadn’t grown distant.

Back then, when Lan Chang'an left the Great Yuan, Xiao Qingshan had just recently formed his core. Seizing the opportunity, Lan used the power of reincarnation to awaken the memories of Xiao’s past life.

Xiao Qingshan’s case didn’t qualify as a great power reincarnated.

The awakening of his past self was more like a vivid dream, once awakened, his current life remained dominant.

Especially since he had succeeded in Core Formation, his accomplishments far surpassed that of his past life, Li Erqing.

In a way, the two weren’t exactly the same person, only sharing a sliver of the same soul origin.

Thus, while Xiao Qingshan felt a closeness to Lan Chang'an that exceeded the ordinary, and retained memories of past friendship, he wasn’t entirely the same as the original Li Erqing.

“Big Brother Lan, after a hundred years, I thought you might never return. Do you know how the descendants of my former life are doing now?”

Xiao Qingshan couldn’t help asking, he still cared deeply about the bloodline of his previous life.

“The Li Family of Snow Plum Mountain has had good fortune, they’ve become one of Liang Kingdom’s ten great cultivation families...”

“The Mu Family of Feiyue Lake, however, had no successors and has fallen into decline...”

Lan Chang'an recounted his observations from his return to the Liang Kingdom in Great Qing.

Xiao Qingshan listened attentively. Learning that the descendants of his past life had done well and that he had become the ancestral founder of the Li Clan brought him joy.

But the fall of the Mu Family left him melancholic and regretful.

Lan Chang'an had once promised that if he had the chance, he’d take Xiao Qingshan back to visit their homeland in the Liang Kingdom.

Unfortunately, with Yan Donglai now awakened and the thousand-year tribulation looming, Lan had been forced to destroy the teleportation array linking to Great Qing to prevent pursuit.

“Big Brother Lan, with your incredible power, if you could find me through reincarnation, do you think it’s possible to find that lifetime’s Young Marquis Lin Yi... and Fairy Zhao?”

Xiao Qingshan’s eyes lit up with hope.

In that life, the four of them had met at the bottom of the cultivation world, supporting one another through hardships, each eventually treading a different path of fate.

“Lin Yi... has lived through many reincarnations. He is now a mere mortal in some remote province, with no connection to the immortal path.”

Lan Chang'an spoke calmly.

Without stepping onto the path of cultivation, even reaching a high level in worldly arts wouldn't be enough to awaken past-life memories.

“As for Fairy Zhao...”

After unlocking the fifth imprint on the Nine Seal Stele, Lan’s ability had risen considerably. While still in Great Qing, he had attempted to trace Zhao Siyao’s next incarnation, but the sensing had been vague and unclear.

Now, in this distant coastal great province, hearing Xiao Qingshan mention her stirred something in his heart.

He quietly activated a wisp of reincarnation power from the Nine Seal Stele, trying to sense the reincarnation mark he had once placed on Zhao Siyao.

“Hm!”

Lan Chang'an’s expression shifted, his gaze drawn toward the extreme eastern edge of the Great Yuan, toward the endless ocean.

He silently calculated, confirming that Zhao Siyao’s new life had indeed begun, and she had already gained a fateful opportunity.

“Could it be... I’m destined to journey beyond the sea someday?”

Lan Chang'an had long understood that the Nine Seal Stele, a treasure of reincarnation, held mysterious powers that drew together karmic threads, greatly increasing the odds of reuniting with deeply bonded souls in future lives.

That was how he had encountered Guan Qiaozhi’s reincarnation, Yun Ling, and met Xiao Qingshan again here in Great Yuan.

After some thought, Lan realized the overseas regions might actually serve as a good refuge.

If he were Yan Donglai, scheming and long-lived, he would have refined his divination skills to their absolute peak.

But in the ocean realms, dominated by sea tribes and beast clans, the aura of human destiny was thin.

This would interfere with and diminish the accuracy of any divination efforts.

Moreover, there were rumors of disciples from the Evergreen Technique sect scattered across the overseas lands, perhaps he could use them to mislead the enemy.

Not to mention, deep within the sea realm existed a supreme power known as the Nine Dragons Hall, which presided over the fate of the outer seas.

It was said the Dragon King of the Nine Dragons Hall had reached the Deity Transformation stage and possessed true dragon bloodline, making him the most powerful being in the outer seas.

Lan Chang'an speculated that even a human Deity Transformation Heavenly Lord would struggle against this ancient dragon, certainly someone like Yan Donglai, who hadn’t even reached that stage, would be wary and avoid acting recklessly.

Xiao Qingshan stayed at Yunlan Peak’s cave dwelling for half a day and received guidance from Lan Chang'an on his cultivation path.

Perhaps it was a case of fortune rebounding from hardship, or his natural talent in the Yin-Yang side path showing itself but after forming his core, Xiao Qingshan still had considerable potential and had smoothly advanced to mid-stage Core Formation.

It seemed he had a real chance of reaching late-stage Core Formation in this lifetime, and shining brilliantly for a time.

...

Late at night.

Abyssal Forbidden Land, Great Snake Mountain.

Two demonic-path Nascent Soul cultivators sat in silence before a toxic pool, expressions dark and uncertain.

The memories surged back, of the fear once instilled by the Twin Dragons of the Central Region.

"After a hundred years, Xiang Dalong has actually returned to Yunxia Sect! Wasn’t that brat supposed to have died, trapped forever in that deadland of the Central Region?"

True Monarch Red Serpent wore a black cloak. Thin and withered, his sunken eyes flickered with gloom. Black serpent tattoos on his face pulsed as if alive, sinister and menacing.

"Senior Brother, for the past decades, we’ve allied with the Black Sea Sect’s True Monarch Netherwater to suppress Yunxia Sect. Now that Xiang Dalong’s back, I fear he’ll seek revenge."

True Monarch Red Refinement, appearing around fifty, had a face like smoldering charcoal and wore a dark red robe. Before him bubbled a cauldron of venom, filled with a variety of deadly creatures fighting one another.

At the thought of Xiang Dalong’s vengeance, True Monarch Red Serpent grew increasingly anxious and agitated.

Xiang Dalong had once retaliated against Great Snake Mountian by luring and slaying its strongest beast, the Scarlet Nether Serpent King.

Though some trickery had been involved at the time…

Later, even Emperor Yu himself intervened, yet Xiang Dalong withstood a blow from the Azure Dragon Sword without injury, causing a huge stir across the land.

From then on, Emperor Yu personally declared that Xiang Dalong’s strength was comparable to a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

“That scoundrel Xiang Dalong even has a fourth-rank demon king at his side. With Great Snake Mountian’s strength alone, we can’t compete. We must contact Netherwater of the Black Sea Sect immediately! Until reinforcements arrive, neither of us should go out alone.”

True Monarch Red Serpent made a quick decision and issued several orders.

"Send the word, the entire sect is on full alert!"

"All disciples must keep a low profile and must not provoke Yunxia Sect under any circumstances."

The two demonic True Monarchs feared not just Xiang Dalong, but the other half of the Twin Dragons, Jing Wufeng.

"Senior Brother, back then the Twin Dragons of the Central Region vanished together. But I suspect Jing Wufeng and Xiang Dalong were only temporary allies. They may not return at the same time."

True Monarch Red Refinement, lost in thought, offered a different perspective.

“Hm. There’s been no sign of Jing Wufeng recently. That possibility certainly exists.”

True Monarch Red Serpent nodded and mused, “If only Xiang Dalong returns, and we have the Black Sea Sect backing us, then he’s not so frightening.”

In their eyes, Jing Wufeng was the greater threat between the two.

Jing Wufeng’s space-type divine abilities were nearly impossible to defend against. And the pseudo-spiritual treasure he wielded, the Sky-Cleaving Axe, posed a deadly threat even to ordinary Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivators.

By contrast, Xiang Dalong excelled in defense and survival, but his offensive power was considered weaker.

“So many years have passed… will Netherwater still act decisively? If Xiang Dalong isn’t eliminated, Great Snake Mountian will never rise again.”

“She definitely will!”

True Monarch Red Serpent’s voice turned cold, laced with confidence:

“Netherwater has been fixated on Xiang Dalong and Jing Wufeng for decades. That alone proves there’s something deeper going on with those two. It’s not just about treasure or revenge, as she claims.”

...

Half a month later.

Lan Chang'an had resettled into Yunxia Sect, and his Xuanmu Vine Gourd had reconnected with the earth’s spiritual veins.

Lord Earthrock had appeared publicly again.

Profound Water Monarch, however, remained hidden for the time being, not making any public reappearance.

A hundred years had passed, and none of the cultivators in the Great Yuan region could begin to fathom how terrifyingly powerful Lan Chang'an had become.

Inside a secluded cultivation chamber.

“Old Wei, while I’m in closed-door cultivation, I’ll need you to travel around and gradually sell off the spiritual materials I collected in Great Qing over the past century. Focus on selling them bit by bit here in Great Yuan, and trade for treasures we actually need. Be sure to keep a low profile, conceal your identity, and don’t rush.”

Lan Chang'an instructed the green-armored puppet calmly.

The resource distributions between Great Yuan and Great Qing were vastly different. Certain herbs and materials could be worth several times or even ten times more in one region compared to the other.

Some rare items in Great Yuan were utterly commonplace in Great Qing.

Over the past century, Lan Chang'an had painstakingly gathered a large stockpile of arbitrageable materials in Great Qing.

“Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Lan. I’ve gotten quite skilled at this.”

The voice from within the green-armored puppet, animated by Puppet Master Wei, sounded casual and confident.

Standing behind the puppet were two fourth-rank humanoid puppets, one in white robes and the other in green.

These two high-level puppets had been forged after Lan Chang'an returned to Great Qing and killed several Nascent Soul-level foes during times of war, amassing vast materials.

Their humanoid forms were intentional, for the purpose of forming a coordinated fourth-rank puppet formation in the future.

As for the exotic peacock puppet, it was too unusual to be compatible with typical fourth-rank formations.

Eventually, a four-puppet array would require at least four fourth-rank constructs, with Wei’s puppet at the core, also serving as the controller.

This setup would lighten the burden on Lan Chang'an’s spiritual sense.

After all, he also had the Azure Profound Sword Formation, which was already a heavy strain on his mental energy.

In theory, if Lan Chang'an fully activated the sword formation, he wouldn’t be able to command the puppet army at the same time.