bookpower Chapter 320: Treasure Talisman
Chapter 320: Treasure Talisman
Some of the patreon members requested a higher tier so now its 50 chapters ahead over there :D /zilawere
The story will get heated soon, enjoy the chap!
In a guest room atop a mountain in Nightless Town, two guests from afar were staying—a man and a woman.
The man was a middle-aged cultivator dressed in the attire of a wealthy merchant. He had a round, fair face, a slightly plump figure, and a constant smile that gave him an air of friendliness.
This person was Song Xi, a cultivator at the late Foundation Establishment stage, the son of Shen Bixin.
“Grandfather, the one-year deadline has arrived. Do you think Evergreen Immortal will fail to show up?”
In the guest room, a young girl with hair like a waterfall, bright eyes, and white teeth sat beside him. She exuded a gentle and refined beauty but seemed rather anxious at the moment.
This was because her grandfather had planned to send her to the Immortal as a maidservant.
“It’s hard to say. Evergreen Immortal’s whereabouts are unpredictable, and even Jiang Immortal didn’t confirm that he would contact us. This is merely our assumption,” Song Xi replied, his thoughts unsettled.
Though he was over 120 years old and usually composed, even he felt a trace of unease and anxiety. After all, a single promise from that Immortal could determine his cultivation path for the rest of his life and even the rise or fall of his family.
Even a powerful late-stage Foundation Establishment ancestor, who commanded respect, could not help but feel a little anxious.
“I wonder if the descriptions in The Legend of Changqing are true or not...”
Shen Lian’er pursed her lips and stared blankly ahead, her thoughts wandering. As her mind drifted, a faint blush crept across her delicate face.
According to The Legend of Changqing, Immortal Lan was described as an extraordinary man with a refined and jade-like appearance—an unparalleled beauty rarely seen in the world!
Thus, when her grandfather mentioned offering her to the Immortal as a maidservant, Shen Lian’er did not reject the idea. On the contrary, she felt a subtle sense of anticipation.
For a young female cultivator like her, with average talent, this could very well be a chance to soar to greater heights, like a sparrow transforming into a phoenix.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a transmission talisman flew into the guest room, carrying a message.
“Evergreen Immortal has arrived!”
Upon receiving the message, Song Xi’s face lit up with joy, his expression brimming with excitement. His voice even trembled slightly as he spoke.
He had waited for over a hundred years for this moment!
“No need to personally welcome me, Fellow Daoist Jiang,” Lan Chang'an said after exchanging a few polite words with Jiang Yechen. Then, he made his way to the guest room where Song Xi and his granddaughter were staying.
“Greetings, Evergreen Immortal,” Song Xi and Shen Lian’er bowed respectfully as soon as Lan Chang'an entered.
“No need for such formalities. You are the descendants of an old acquaintance,” Lan Chang'an said with a casual wave of his hand, his tone calm and approachable. He then studied the two before him.
Song Xi, the middle-aged cultivator with a constant smile, bore some faint resemblance to the pale youth Shen Bixin had once introduced to Lan Chang'an at his Core Formation celebration all those years ago.
What surprised Lan Chang'an was that Song Xi had also cultivated a wood-element vitality technique. His physical condition was well-maintained, and it was evident that he had avoided most conflicts.
“This is my granddaughter, Shen Lian’er,” Song Xi introduced, gesturing to the long-haired girl beside him.
Shen Lian’er, a Qi-Refining cultivator, had facial features that somewhat resembled the Shen Bixin of the past, only her temperament fell a bit short.
Stealing a glance at Evergreen Immortal, Shen Lian’er’s heart raced as her face flushed red. She didn’t dare to look directly at him.
“Hmm.”
Lan Chang'an remained indifferent to their inner thoughts. He didn’t inquire much about the current state of the Shen family or the Song family. Instead, he directly took out a jade box and pushed it toward them with his spiritual power. ꞦANỘbĚṨ
“As per the agreement made between your mother and me back then, here is what I promised to deliver.”
Inside the jade box was a precious opportunity for Core Formation.
The box contained a slightly flawed Crystal Condensation Pill, whose effectiveness was only one or two levels below that of a standard product.
This was one of the three Crystal Condensation Pills that Lan Chang'an had successfully refined that year.
In addition, the box also contained a mid-to-high-grade Core Formation spirit item.
When Song Xi opened the box and saw its contents, his entire body trembled with joy. His long-cherished dream of attaining Core Formation was finally within reach.
Evergreen Immortal truly kept his promises and carried himself with integrity. The accounts in The Journeys of the Profound Turtle had not exaggerated his character!
“Thank you for your kindness, Immortal Lan. The Song family will remember this grace for generations to come!”
Overwhelmed with gratitude, Song Xi bowed deeply, tears streaming down his face.
To secure this opportunity, he had deliberately cultivated a life nurturing technique to extend his lifespan, avoided conflicts, and acted with extreme caution to preserve a solid foundation.
The cost of this approach, however, was that Song Xi’s combat strength had always been the weakest among those at his cultivation level.
Moreover, he lacked management skills, and after a century of ups and downs, he had lost the Shen family’s businesses and the remaining assets of the Song family.
In the Jing Kingdom, Song Xi had become the poorest late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
“The blessings of the deceased will run out eventually. Take care of yourself.”
With these final words, Lan Chang'an’s figure blurred and vanished from the room.
Song Xi stood in place for a moment, tightly clutching the jade box. After the initial wave of excitement subsided, his emotions gradually calmed.
To avoid unnecessary complications, he decided to request Jiang Yechen’s assistance so that he could cultivate to the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage and attempt Core Formation here in Nightless Town.
“Grandfather, aren’t you forgetting something?”
Shen Lian’er hesitated before speaking, her tone carrying a hint of grievance.
“Forget something? What do you mean?” Song Xi asked, carefully storing the jade box away as he raised an eyebrow.
“Didn’t you say you were going to offer me to Immortal as a maidservant...”
“Don’t overthink it! The Immortal I was referring to wasn’t Immortal Lan but someone else,” Song Xi said slowly.
“Huh...”
It was only then that Shen Lian’er realized her grandfather had never explicitly mentioned Immortal Lan’s name. She had simply assumed it on her own.
Song Xi glanced at her but refrained from saying too much, wary of being overheard by the cultivators on the mountain.
In truth, he had always intended to offer Shen Lian’er to Jiang Yechen as a maidservant.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have allowed her to adopt the Shen surname—it wasn’t just because she bore a resemblance to Shen Bixin.
Between Jiang Yechen and Lan Chang'an, Song Xi actually believed more in the former’s potential and influence, especially as the most prominent loose cultivator in the Liang Kingdom.
Song Xi also practiced a life-nurturing cultivation technique and was weak in fighting strength, he regretted this decision.
Being weak in combat makes it difficult to compete for opportunities and resources; without the gain of resources, one's combat abilities further deteriorate.
Although Lan Chang'an was a legendary Core Formation cultivator, Song Xi felt that Jiang Yechen had greater potential in both combat strength and future prospects.
Lan Chang'an's advantage mainly lay in his earth-grade Profound Water Turtle. He himself lacked outstanding battle achievements and was also older than Jiang Yechen.
Moreover, Jiang Yechen was known to be a sentimental man. Upon seeing a descendant who resembled Shen Bixin, he might feel nostalgic and take extra care of her.
In contrast, Lan Chang'an, a solitary figure who treated romantic matters lightly, would likely treat Shen Lian’er as just another maidservant, offering no special favors.
Xuan Yin Pavilion’s female cultivators, trained in the art of music, provided a unique benefit in this regard. Their musical performances could help cultivators replenish their mental strength and overcome inner barriers.
After listening to a tranquil melody performed by Fairy Ni Yue, Lan Chang'an’s mind felt clearer. Breaking the silence, he asked, “Has the war with the Beast King Valley started yet?”
The thirty-year truce agreement between Beast King Valley and the Righteous Dao Alliance had not only expired but had already been overdue for two years.
Yet, for the past two years, the war had not reignited.
“Not yet,” Fairy Ni Yue replied, shaking her head. “But Beast King Valley is already mobilizing their demonic armies. Even fourth-rank Demon Kings have begun to move...”
She glanced at Lan Chang'an and couldn’t shake the feeling that the man before her seemed to relish the idea of the demonic war escalating into utter chaos.
Thanks to Xuan Yin Pavilion’s Xuan Yin Halls, a well-established intelligence network had been built—not only in the Outer Sect Alliance but also extending to distant and remote places.
Through its friendly relations and mutual interests with the Ice and Snow Sacred Mountain, the Xuan Yin Hall had even started to establish a foothold in the tribal wasteland cities without interference from local forces.
Interestingly, this was not due to Lan Chang'an’s efforts.
Rather, it was because Fairy Qiu of Xuan Yin Pavilion seemed to have developed romantic feelings for the Heavenly Master of the Ice and Snow Sacred Mountain.
According to Fairy Ni Yue, Fairy Qiu, unable to contain her emotions, would secretly visit the Heavenly Master, and the two were even exchanging letters.
Fairy Ni Yue, guided by intuition and experience, did not hold much hope for this relationship but dared not interfere.
Fairy Ni Yue teasingly leaned against Lan Chang'an and smiled. “Darling Lan, are you so eager for the demonic war to begin? Could it be that you’re an undercover agent planted in the Eastern Domain of Great Qing by the Ten Sects of the Xuan Gate?”
Her tone was half-joking, but her body language was intimate, with her delicate figure nestled against his.
Lan Chang'an’s achievements as a loose cultivator were extraordinary—his strength unfathomable, capable of overshadowing even Core Formation Great Cultivators.
Fairy Ni Yue suspected that he might have some significant backing, possibly as part of the Xuan Gate’s plans.
“That's right!” Lan Chang'an’s eyes sharpened, and he spoke with conviction. “I am a reincarnated cultivator arranged by the Ten Sects of the Xuan Gate, tasked with stirring up chaos in the Eastern Domain of the Great Qing to prevent the Six Demonic Sect from recovering their strength in peace.”
Fairy Ni Yue was stunned, covering her mouth with her hand in disbelief. “You would share such a critical secret with me, Darling Lan?”
Her expression shifted to one of gentle adoration, her voice soft and probing as she leaned into him, her tone filled with reverence.
Lan Chang'an, secretly amused, continued to weave his tale without betraying his thoughts.
In truth, a chaotic demonic war would indeed benefit him.
Keeping Beast King Valley entangled in war, unable to trouble him, was only a secondary consideration.
Having cultivated at the mid-stage Core Formation realm for decades, Lan Chang'an was already nearing the threshold of late-stage Core Formation.
Once he reached late-stage Core Formation, his next goal would be to prepare for the opportunity to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm.
Lan Chang'an had always planned ahead for a rainy day.
With multiple lifetimes of experience and the vision of a Nascent Soul expert, Lan Chang'an was well aware that as a loose cultivator, there were almost no direct channels to advance to the Nascent Soul Realm in the Eastern Domain of the Great Qing.
Nascent Soul True Monarchs stood at the pinnacle of cultivation, dominating the fates of all living beings on the Heaven Honoured Continent.
However, the resources required to break through to the Nascent Soul stage—such as fourth-rank spiritual veins, Nascent Soul-forming spiritual items, and other necessary items—were tightly controlled by major sects.
In times of peace, aside from coveting Xia Wenyue’s Taiyin Jade Essence, Lan Chang'an had no other viable options to advance.
To ascend to the ranks of Nascent Soul True Monarchs, there must be a major upheaval in the existing order!
The demonic war offered precisely such an opportunity.
In the previous demonic war, no Nascent Soul sects on the Righteous Dao Alliance’s side were completely annihilated, mainly due to Lingyu True Monarch's intervention.
However, if the war grew more intense, the fall of Nascent Soul True Monarchs and the destruction of major sects would become commonplace.
At that time, Lan Chang'an, who had newly advanced to late-stage Core Formation Great Cultivator, would have the opportunity to fish in troubled waters and seize the resources needed for his breakthrough.
This wasn’t just an opportunity for Lan Chang'an.
It was also a once-in-a-millennium chance for mid-tier sects like Jin Yun Valley and Xuan Yin Pavilion to rise to a higher tier in the cultivation world’s hierarchy.
Years earlier, Lan Chang'an had already calculated that, at least in the Eastern Domain of the Great Qing, this was the best opportunity to carve out a path to Nascent Soul.
Relying solely on his own foundation, the advantages from his past lives, and the supplementary effects of the Taiyin Jade Essence, his chances of breaking through to Nascent Soul were only 70%.
For Lan Chang'an, such a low success rate was entirely unacceptable.
...
Two years later.
The demonic invasion war that Lan Chang'an had anticipated finally reignited.
After years of recovery, both sides had regained much of their strength, and the war began with a full-scale confrontation—including battles between Nascent Soul cultivators.
At the same time.
At the heart of Fengyuan Kingdom, atop the snow-covered sacred mountain, sat the Heavenly Master of Fengyuan.
Dressed in white heavenly robes, his silver-white hair and sharp features made him look like a living embodiment of wisdom and authority. He sat before a chessboard on the veranda of a simple hut.
This chessboard was no ordinary object—it was a divination artifact. Its grid seemed to weave the threads of fate itself, with the chess pieces intertwining in ever-changing patterns of destiny.
“The Ten Sects of the Xuan Gate have indeed meddled behind the scenes. However, the Six Demonic Sects are not without countermeasures. It is said that the mysterious ‘Unseen Gate Master’ may act. The Xuan Gate is too far apart; ultimately, they can’t directly intervene...”
The Heavenly Master’s silver brows furrowed, his expression somber.
During the previous demonic war thirty years ago, he had remained aloof, observing from the sidelines. He had detected traces of the Xuan Gate’s interference but calculated that the Eastern Domain of the Great Qing could withstand the conflict.
Now, however, the threads of fate were becoming increasingly complex. Leaders from both the Xuan Gate and the Demonic Dao had joined the fray, directly influencing the outcome.
Although his divination skills were unmatched in the Eastern Domain, if he added the Central Region, there was no lack of capable people who could match it.
“Hm? That enigmatic Turtle Immortal, the one I suspect to have Nascent Soul backing, could he really be a pawn planted by the Xuan Gate’s Ten Great Sects?”
The Heavenly Master performed another calculation, his expression shifting to one of intrigue.
A year or two ago, he had inadvertently detected a faint yet uncertain thread of fate suggesting that Lan Chang'an might be a secret agent of the Xuan Gate.
However, this conclusion was far from definitive.
It could have been an assumption someone else had made, or a deliberate misdirection from another faction’s schemes.
As someone who acted on knowing one's self and one's enemy, the Heavenly Master refrained from acting rashly against such individuals who couldn't be seen through—especially one like Lan Chang'an, who seemed to possess the assistance of a Nascent Soul-level entity.
The Fairy Qiu of the Xuan Yin Pavilion was actually a pawn he had laid down to understand Lan Chang'an's intentions and background through this women's information medium.
Over the years, he had determined that Lan Chang'an harbored no hostility and even shared interests that aligned with his own.
“It seems I should accelerate my plans and find an opportunity to talk with that kid,” the Heavenly Master muttered.
Leaving the Ice and Snow Sacred Mountain was inconvenient for him, especially within the borders of Fengyuan Kingdom. However, there were alternative methods of communication.
His deep black pupils, swirling with ink-like patterns, rotated slowly as a new plan formed in his mind.