Daily Divination From Market Rogue Cultivator To Immortal Venerable - Chapter 396

Chapter 396 Two Hundredth Birthday, Identity Revealed, Fifth-Order Reincarnation (Seeking Subscriptions)

The old tortoise is dead!

Li Chang’an was truly shocked.

This old tortoise had lived for over five thousand years, experiencing countless crises, and his survival skills far surpassed those of many Nascent Soul cultivators and fourth-order demon lords.

His temperament was similar to Li Chang’an and Lin Xuanyan. He

would never do anything without certainty.

After the death of the Crimson-Eyed Flood Dragon, he almost never left the Xuanwu Sect, spending his days under the protection of multiple mid-grade fourth-order arrays.

Logically speaking

, unless the Xuanwu Sect was breached,

the old tortoise could not possibly have died.

However, Li Chang’an had not learned of the Xuanwu Sect’s destruction.

If something happened to such a long-established sect, the news would surely spread rapidly throughout the entire cultivation world.

“Senior Tortoise, what happened?”

Li Chang’an asked, the image of the Holy Fire True Monarch flashing through his mind.

The Xuanwu Sect originally had two True Monarchs and two fourth-tier Demon Monarchs, but the Xuanwu True Monarch and the Purple-Gold Crimson-Eyed Flood Dragon both met with misfortune, and now the Old Tortoise has also met with misfortune, leaving only Holy Fire alive.

This matter is most likely related to him.

Sure enough.

The Old Tortoise sighed, “I trusted that kid Holy Fire too much; I never thought he would collude with the demonic path.”

“Indeed, it was True Monarch Holy Fire. I never thought that Senior would also die because of his scheme.”

“What nonsense are you talking about, kid? I’m not dead yet!”

“Hmm?”

Li Chang’an was surprised again.

His soul had left his body; how could he be considered not dead?

Could this Old Tortoise have some kind of talent for soul separation?

He heard the Old Tortoise say, “I am exceptionally gifted, born with two souls, one a tortoise soul and the other a snake soul. As long as one soul is in my body, the other soul can leave my body and roam freely.”

“So strange?”

Li Chang’an had read countless ancient books and was quite knowledgeable.

But this was the first time he had heard of such a talent.

“Senior, your soul has left your body, won’t you feel the call of the Cycle of Reincarnation?”

“Of course I will, but I can resist the call! If I can’t even resist the Cycle of Reincarnation, what use is my talent?”

The old tortoise spoke with an air of arrogance.

Li Chang’an asked him, “Senior, since you’re not dead, why do you meet me in your soul form? Are you perhaps seriously injured and unable to appear, healing somewhere?”

Hearing this ,

the old tortoise’s arrogance vanished, replaced by a look of frustration.

“Don’t mention it, my physical body couldn’t escape!”

He immediately recounted the details to Li Chang’an.

More than ten days ago,

the Holy Fire True Monarch suddenly found him, claiming to have obtained a treasure that could change the course of the war between good and evil.

Upon hearing of such a treasure, the old tortoise immediately became interested.

Although he adhered to the principle of “self-preservation” and didn’t want to get involved in the war between good and evil, he also didn’t want to see the righteous path defeated.

If the righteous path were to lose and the Xuanwu Sect were to be ruled by the demonic sect, he feared he wouldn’t fare well.

“I followed the Holy Flame to the back mountain of Xuanwu, hoping to see the treasure he spoke of. Little did I expect he’d laid countless traps there!”

The old tortoise’s face showed resentment as he spoke.

Originally, the fourth-tier grand formation of the Xuanwu Sect was personally controlled by the Xuanwu True Monarch.

After the Xuanwu True Monarch’s death

, control of the fourth-tier grand formation fell into the old tortoise’s hands.

However, the old tortoise didn’t want to get involved, and since the Holy Flame True Monarch was willing to take responsibility, he transferred control of the formation to him.

However,

these formations, which were supposed to protect him, became traps to defeat him!

Furthermore, near the traps, a fourth-tier demonic lord, who had been lurking in the shadows, was poised to strike.

The Holy Flame True Monarch and the demonic lord joined forces, catching the old tortoise completely off guard.

An ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator or demonic lord

would most likely have perished on the spot!

But the old tortoise possessed extraordinary survival skills, managing to withstand the Holy Fire True Monarch’s close-range sneak attack and subsequent attacks.

He sighed, “Although I survived, I am now suppressed by the Holy Fire and unable to leave the Xuanwu Sect. I had no choice but to use this talent of soul separation.”

“I see.”

Li Chang’an basically understood everything.

He asked, “Senior Tortoise, does the Holy Fire True Monarch know about your talent?”

“Of course not!”

The old tortoise shook his head.

The Holy Fire True Monarch and that fourth-tier demonic lord still believed he was in the Xuanwu Sect and were trying to completely suppress his true form.

He could temporarily hold out by hiding in his shell.

But this wasn’t a solution.

He was too passive.

Sooner or later, his defenses would be breached.

In other words, he wasn’t completely dead yet, but he was not far from death.

He was dying!

But he could still be saved.

If no one came to his rescue, he would soon suffer the same fate as the Xuanwu True Monarch and the Purple-Gold Crimson-Eyed Flood Dragon.

Mentioning that man and the dragon,

the old tortoise felt both anger and regret.

“Both of them died because of their trust in the Sacred Flame.”

After suppressing him, the Sacred Flame True Monarch no longer concealed anything, revealing his true nature and recounting how he had tricked and killed the Xuanwu True Monarch and the Crimson-Eyed Flood Dragon.

Years ago,

in the northern region of the Yuan Kingdom,

the Sacred Flame True Monarch and the Xuanwu True Monarch were patrolling the border, searching for demonic strongholds.

At the Sacred Flame’s suggestion, the two crossed the border and entered the Yan Kingdom, intending to kill some demonic cultivators near the border.

The Sacred Flame continuously guided the Xuanwu True Monarch, leading him to the area above the blood pool.

As the Xuanwu True Monarch carefully observed the blood pool

, the Sacred Flame suddenly attacked, launching a close-range sneak attack and instantly severely injuring the Xuanwu True Monarch.

After that,

he joined forces with more than ten fourth-tier Yellow Spring Blood Corpses to kill the severely injured Xuanwu True Monarch.

Because he had made preparations within the blood pool, Xuanwu Zhenjun’s nascent soul couldn’t escape and was instantly obliterated.

“With Xuanwu’s strength, if he suddenly encountered more than ten Yellow Spring Blood Corpses, even if he was outmatched, he could have escaped. How could he not even escape with his nascent soul?”

the old tortoise sighed deeply.

At the time, he and many other righteous nascent soul cultivators had their suspicions.

But Sheng Huo Zhenjun was a descendant of a Xuanwu Sect disciple, having grown up in the Xuanwu Sect and received numerous guidance and mentorships from Xuanwu Zhenjun during his development.

To him, Xuanwu Zhenjun was both a teacher and a friend.

Even if he were a beast, he shouldn’t have so cruelly killed Xuanwu Zhenjun. Moreover,   he was filled with grief at the time, swearing to the heavens to uncover the truth and avenge Xuanwu Zhenjun.

Therefore,   everyone stopped doubting.   Reaching the nascent soul realm meant standing at the pinnacle of the entire cultivation world; why betray the demonic path?   Even if they joined the demonic path, they wouldn’t gain much benefit.   But none of them expected this.   Three hundred years ago, when True Monarch Holy Flame was still a Qi Refining disciple, he had already betrayed the Demonic Path!   His talent for cultivation was indeed remarkable.   However, the Xuanwu Sect had a history of ten thousand years and countless disciples, so it was never short of geniuses.   Among these geniuses,   he was not the most outstanding one. In fact, he wasn’t   even   in the top ten!   In every sect competition, he would be defeated by stronger prodigies.   He was defeated time and time again, watching helplessly as the treasures he desired fell into the hands of others, and even the female cultivator he admired was snatched away by other prodigies. He spent his days in agony, almost developing a demonic aura.   It was then that he met the person who would change his life.   True Monarch Heavenly Netherworld!   ”Holy Flame said that he originally harbored hostility towards True Monarch Heavenly Netherworld and did not truly intend to betray the Demonic Path. He was merely feigning allegiance to trick True Monarch Heavenly Netherworld into giving him resources,”   the old tortoise slowly recounted.   He relayed True Monarch Holy Flame’s words to Li Chang’an so that Li Chang’an could understand this enemy.   Three hundred years ago.   An ordinary evening.   Saint Flame, with only Qi Refining cultivation, encountered Heavenly Nether True Monarch, already the Sect Master of the Nether Soul Sect.   Heavenly Nether True Monarch showed no airs of a Nascent Soul expert, his expression extremely gentle, and invited him to join the Demonic Path.   He promised Saint Flame that   once Saint Flame joined the Demonic Path, he would receive his personal guidance and countless resources.   Before long, Saint Flame would rise to the top within the sect, becoming the strongest prodigy and reclaiming everything he had lost!   Filled with resentment due to repeated failures, Saint Flame immediately accepted Heavenly Nether True Monarch’s invitation.   Of course,   at that time, his allegiance was feigned.   Heavenly Nether True Monarch hadn’t placed any restrictions on him, nor had he assigned anyone to monitor him, allowing him to grow freely.   In other words   , if he wished, he could betray the Demonic Path at any time, even betraying Heavenly Nether True Monarch’s information to the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Xuanwu Sect.   However, in later interactions, he gradually changed his mind.   Heavenly Nether True Monarch fulfilled all his promises.   With his help…   Saint Flame completed his transformation, standing out from numerous prodigies and winning first place in that year’s sect competition, standing at the pinnacle of his generation, receiving the spotlight from all!   At that time,   True Monarch Tianming stood among the crowd, a smile on his face, his eyes full of satisfaction, nodding slightly to him.   From that moment on, Saint Flame began to waver.   In the years that followed,   True Monarch Tianming remained patient and gentle, a mentor and father figure to him, guiding him through countless difficulties and personally leading him on the path to Nascent Soul formation.   On the day before Nascent Soul formation   , Saint Flame, worried about not being able to overcome his inner demon tribulation, confessed his past betrayal to True Monarch Tianming.   But True Monarch Tianming was not angry, remaining amiable, simply telling him to walk the path he wanted to walk.   Whether it was the righteous path or the demonic path, he could choose.   That conversation   allowed Saint Flame to resolve his inner conflict, successfully overcome his inner demon tribulation, and become a Nascent Soul cultivator!   ”Sacred Flame told me that without Tianming’s help, he might not even have reached the Golden Core stage, and sooner or later, he would have developed inner demons from countless failures. Therefore   , he decided to follow Tianming.” Li Chang’an listened thoughtfully.   Both the Cui family and Sacred Flame True Monarch were willing to follow Tianming.   Within the righteous path,   there were likely many more hidden followers.   ”Senior Turtle, could you ask Sacred Flame which other spies are within the righteous path?”   ”I already asked, but Sacred Flame doesn’t know either. He’s now confident of victory, and has even revealed the process of killing Xuanwu and the Crimson-Eyed Flood Dragon. There’s no need to hide anything anymore.”   The old tortoise indicated that Sacred Flame almost exclusively contacted Tianming True Monarch, had little contact with other demonic cultivators, and knew nothing about the other spies lurking within the righteous path.   This was why   the old tortoise had Lin Xuanyan accompany him to find Li Chang’an.   He suspected that there were demonic spies among the other seven Nascent Soul forces.   Seeking their help would likely be like walking into a trap.   ”That fourth-tier demonic lord, the ‘Six-Winged Water Serpent,’ managed to infiltrate my Xuanwu Sect without my noticing.” ”   Among the other Nascent Soul forces, even if there aren’t any Nascent Soul spies, there might be demonic Nascent Soul cultivators or demonic lords lurking within.”   The old tortoise was extremely cautious, distrusting no one.   Yet, he trusted Li Chang’an.   Simply because he   had felt a strong liking for Li Chang’an from the first moment he saw him, as if he were seeing another ancient tortoise that had lived for thousands of years.   After hearing his explanation, Li Chang’an looked helpless.   ”Senior, I only have Golden Core cultivation. Even if I wanted to help, I couldn’t. Perhaps I could contact Wang Yannian, the ancestor of the Wang family, for you?”   The Wang family had been wiped out twice by the demonic path, with countless members killed or wounded.   In Li Chang’an’s view,   the possibility of Wang Yannian betraying the demonic path was unlikely.   Beside him, Lin Xuanyan also didn’t understand.

“Old tortoise, if you want to be saved, you must enter the Xuanwu Sect and face the Holy Fire True Monarch and the Six-Winged Water Serpent. How could Fellow Daoist Li possibly do something so dangerous? Even if you wanted to, you wouldn’t be able to.”

The two of them, the tortoise and the human, were similar in character, rarely risking their lives.

Furthermore,

Li Chang’an’s cultivation was indeed insufficient.

How could a mere Golden Core cultivator defeat a Nascent Soul cultivator and a fourth-tier demon lord?

At this moment, the old tortoise suddenly transmitted its voice to Li Chang’an.

“Fellow Daoist Lin Fan, I know you are quite powerful. Please help me this once!”

Hearing this, Li Chang’an was immediately startled.

He had disguised himself very well; how could this old tortoise have seen through his identity?

Was it just a trick? Thinking of

this ,

he looked puzzled and replied to the old tortoise

, “Senior misunderstands. I am not Senior Lin Fan, but I know him and may have been tainted by his aura, causing you to misjudge.”

“Misunderstand?”

The old tortoise stared at Li Chang’an, looking him over and over.

After a long while…

He spoke again, “Fine, let’s assume you know him. Could you please ask Fellow Daoist Lin Fan for me? I’m willing to offer him a precious treasure!”

Hearing the word “precious treasure,” Li Chang’an’s heart stirred slightly.

“Senior Turtle, I’d like to ask on behalf of Senior Lin Fan, what kind of precious treasure is it?”

“Azure Jade and Elixir-Melting Water!”

The old turtle directly stated its terms.

In his pouch, there were quite a few Azure Jade and Elixir-Melting Water.

But now that he was suppressed, no matter how many treasures he had, they were useless.

Once he died,

these Nascent Soul treasures would fall into the hands of the Holy Fire True Monarch.

“If Fellow Daoist Lin Fan helps me, I’m willing to give him three portions of Azure Jade and Elixir-Melting Water to help his descendants form their Nascent Souls.”

The old turtle was very sincere, actually willing to give three portions.

He also said, “There is the aura of a turtle demon here. You should have raised a water-elemental turtle demon that is about to reach the peak of the third rank. In my pouch, there is a complete set of treasures needed for a turtle demon to advance to the fourth rank. If you help me, I can give it to you as well!”

Two conditions in a row.

One item is useful to Li Chang’an himself, while the other is helpful to the Xuan Shui Turtle.

Treasures for demonic beasts advancing to the fourth rank are extremely rare; Li Chang’an hasn’t found one yet, but the old turtle possesses a complete set!

The term “complete” refers to all treasures that aid in the three processes of “shattering the demonic core,” “crossing the heavenly tribulation,” and “crossing the inner demon tribulation.” It

even includes life-saving items after failing the tribulation!

With these treasures,

Li Chang’an can confidently let the Xuan Shui Turtle attempt to reach the fourth rank.

Once the Xuan Shui Turtle successfully advances and becomes a fourth-rank demon lord, Li Chang’an will have another fourth-rank trump card.

Furthermore,

he should be able to acquire a pseudo-infant cultivation level through his borrowed talent.

This cultivation level is different from the pseudo-infant cultivation level brought by the power of faith.

Although it’s also a temporary boost, it truly benefits him and might allow him to experience the process of shattering the core and forming the infant spirit ahead of time.

Moreover, the power of faith has a fatal flaw:

it requires a territory.

If the war between righteous and demonic forces is lost and demonic cultivators attack,

Li Chang’an will most likely have to leave Changqing Mountain, abandon the Fire Cloud Secret Realm, and relocate to a safer location.

“Once the demonic cultivators control the Fire Cloud Secret Realm, they will inevitably change the faith of the Fire Cloud beings, causing me to lose my Nascent Soul cultivation and fall back to Golden Core strength.”

Without the power of faith, Li Chang’an is utterly unable to directly contend with a Nascent Soul cultivator.

But the power of the Xuan Water Turtle is different.

Li Chang’an can carry the Xuan Water Turtle with him.

As long as the Xuan Water Turtle is safe, he can borrow its power at any time.

Thinking of this ,

Li Chang’an immediately summoned the Xuan Water Turtle, instructing him to meet the old tortoise.

He secretly transmitted his voice to the Xuan Water Turtle: “Little Black, this old tortoise has lived for over five thousand years; it’s a treasure trove. Behave well and try to extract as much knowledge and insight as possible from its head!”

“Yes!”

The Xuan Water Turtle, with its four short legs, trotted to the old tortoise’s demonic soul.

It adopted the demeanor of a dutiful junior and bowed to the old tortoise.

“Junior greets Senior.”

“Hmm.”

The old tortoise nodded slightly, sizing him up.

“Your accumulation is impressive, your foundation is profound, your potential remains undiminished, your bloodline is close to the Heavenly Grade, and your demon core is nearing immortality. If you have the treasures I’ve prepared, becoming a Demon Lord won’t be difficult.”

“Senior flatters me.”

The Xuan Shui Turtle blushed, its tone humble.

The old turtle replied, “To be honest, before I broke through to the fourth rank, my foundation was inferior to yours. It was only because the Xuanwu Sect faced a formidable enemy that I had to rush my breakthrough, resulting in some loss of potential.

To this day, I haven’t even crossed the threshold of the mid-fourth rank.” A hint of regret lingered in its voice.

Its bloodline was actually very strong.

As rumored, it possessed a trace of the Xuanwu Divine Beast bloodline, reaching the Heavenly Grade, comparable to a human cultivator with a Heavenly Spiritual Root.

Under normal circumstances, how could a Heavenly Grade bloodline demon beast that had lived for over five thousand years only be at the early fourth rank?

“Alright, from now on, you will follow me. I will teach you the path to becoming a Demon Lord.”

“Thank you, Senior!”

The Xuan Shui Turtle was overjoyed and repeatedly bowed in gratitude.

Li Chang’an was also delighted.

It seemed…

The old tortoise had high hopes for this junior, and regardless of whether Li Chang’an helped him or not, it would share its breakthrough insights with the Xuan Shui Turtle.

Both were tortoise-type demon beasts, and both were aquatic demon beasts.

The Xuan Shui Turtle was sure to gain a lot.

Li Chang’an thanked the Xuan Shui Turtle on its behalf, and then returned to the matter of the Xuanwu Sect.

“Senior Turtle, even if Senior Lin Fan agrees to help you, the chances of winning this battle are not high.”

“The Xuanwu Sect’s fourth-tier mid-grade grand formation is controlled by the Holy Fire True Monarch, and that fourth-tier demonic lord is helping him. Even a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator would find it difficult to gain an advantage against them, let alone a pseudo-Nascent Soul cultivator?”

Li Chang’an voiced his concerns.

The old tortoise offered him very good terms, but he was always cautious and wouldn’t be blinded by treasures.

He would never risk going to the Xuanwu Sect to rescue the old tortoise without absolute certainty.   The old tortoise had anticipated

this .   ”You don’t need to worry. Do you really think I’ve lived these past five thousand years for nothing?”   he told Li Chang’an, explaining that he possessed a talent called “Accumulated Water Forms a Deep Pool.”   This talent   had only one function: accumulating power.   For over five thousand years, he had been accumulating power almost every moment.   Although the power accumulated each day was only a meager amount, it had accumulated to an extremely terrifying level over time.   Once fully unleashed, it could briefly allow him to rival the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, or even approach the late-stage. The   reason he hadn’t used this talent before was because the attack by the Holy Flame True Monarch came too suddenly, and he wasn’t fully prepared.   ”If I used this talent, I could break the seal and compete with the Holy Flame for control of the sect’s grand formation.”   ”But that demonic lord is watching us like a hawk, and I don’t want to be distracted by dealing with him.”   The implication was that   Li Chang’an only needed to do one thing. The old   tortoise was there to hold off the six-winged water serpent, a fourth-tier early-stage demonic lord, for him.   ”That six-winged water serpent’s strength is roughly equivalent to a normal early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. With Fellow Daoist Lin Fan’s strength, even if you can’t kill it, holding it off shouldn’t be difficult; you only need to buy me half an hour.”   The old tortoise was confident.   As long as Li Chang’an held him off for half an hour, he could regain control of the sect’s grand formation and suppress the Holy Fire True Monarch.   Having said that, he looked at Li Chang’an.   ”Well? Do you think Fellow Daoist Lin Fan will agree?”   Hearing this, Li Chang’an pondered for a moment.   ”Senior Turtle, this matter is still somewhat risky.”   ”Riskful?”   The old tortoise’s eyes widened.   Li Chang’an nodded: “If the Holy Fire True Monarch and that demonic lord are hiding their trump cards, Senior Lin Fan might not return.”   ”Then what do you think we should do?”   The old tortoise was somewhat helpless.   He had once praised Li Chang’an’s composure.   But now it seemed that being too composure wasn’t good either; it wouldn’t help him at crucial moments.   Li Chang’an thought for a moment and asked, “Senior Turtle, do you know about the Beast Taming Wheel?”   The old tortoise replied, “Of course I know. It’s one of the treasures of the ancient Beast Taming Sect, capable of suppressing demonic beasts.”   ”This junior possesses a near-fourth-tier Beast Taming Wheel.”   As he spoke, a flash of spiritual light appeared in Li Chang’an’s hand, and the Beast Taming Wheel materialized.   He had obtained this item when he established his foundation.   Over the years,   this treasure had helped him considerably.   With it, he was virtually invincible against the third-tier demonic beasts in the Black Dragon Mountains, encountering almost no trouble.   However,   as his strength increased, the treasure’s usefulness diminished.   ”Senior, if we had a fourth-tier Beast Taming Wheel to assist us, our chances of winning this battle would be even greater,”   Li Chang’an said, expressing his thoughts.   With a fourth-tier Beast Taming Wheel, he could easily suppress that six-winged water serpent.   Unfortunately,   although he possessed fourth-tier weapon-refining skills, he didn’t know how to upgrade the Beast Taming Wheel’s rank.   After listening to him,   the old tortoise thought seriously for a moment.   ”Fourth-tier Beast Taming Wheels are unlikely to be found in any of the major sects, but I know of a place where a fragmented fifth-tier Beast Taming Wheel exists.”   ”Fifth-tier?”   Li Chang’an’s spirits lifted.   ”Please enlighten me, Senior.”   ”Within the secret realm of the Zixia Sect lies the ruins of an ancient Beast Taming Sect. Deep within those ruins lies a fragmented fifth-tier Beast Taming Wheel…”   the old tortoise slowly revealed.   Ten thousand years ago, the Zixia Sect discovered that fifth-tier Beast Taming Wheel.   Successive Nascent Soul True Monarchs of the Zixia Sect sought to subdue it, but the wheel’s spirit refused to acknowledge them.   Therefore,   ten thousand years later, the fifth-tier Beast Taming Wheel still stands in its original place.

Besides, a large number of low-level Beast Taming Wheels were also discovered deep within those ruins.

The old tortoise guessed that

the Zixia Sect must have obtained the forging method for Beast Taming Wheels.

“You have a good relationship with the Holy Maiden of the Zixia Sect. If you ask her, you should be able to get a forging method.”

“Alright, I’ll ask Zixi.”

Li Chang’an immediately took out his communication artifact and transmitted his voice to Zixi.

Not long after,

Zixi’s voice rang out.

“Fellow Daoist Li, you want the forging method for Beast Taming Wheels?”

“Yes.”

Li Chang’an spoke frankly.

“Holy Maiden, I heard from a friend that there are ancient Beast Taming Sect ruins in the Zixia Sect’s secret realm. After ten thousand years of exploration, they should have obtained the forging method, right?”

“Fellow Daoist Li, your friend is certainly well-informed.”

Zixi did not hide anything and told the truth.

The Zixia Sect had indeed obtained forging methods, but most of them were incomplete and could only forge low-level Beast Taming Wheels.

Over the past ten thousand years, the highest grade of Beast Taming Wheels replicated by the Zixia Sect was only third-tier high-grade.

“It’s not even as good as the one in Li Chang’an’s hand.

” Zi Xi said softly, “Fellow Daoist Li, if you want to obtain the fourth-order forging method, you can only go to the Beast Taming Sect ruins in person.”

Li Chang’an was surprised: “Holy Maiden, after ten thousand years, are there still unexplored parts of those ruins?”

“Yes, the core area of those ruins is controlled by the spirit of the fifth-order Beast Taming Wheel, and no one can enter.”

Zi Xi explained.

That spirit was extremely arrogant and looked down on people of later generations.

Even the exceptionally talented True Monarch Zixia was only worthy of being described as “mediocre talent” in front of that spirit.

They could understand this.

After all,

that spirit had once followed the Nascent Soul Heavenly Monarch.

If Li Chang’an wanted to obtain the fourth-order forging method, he had to gain the spirit’s favor.

But the possibility was extremely slim.

Even True Monarch Zixia couldn’t do it, how could he?

“Fellow Daoist Li, would you like to try?”

“Of course I will try!”

Li Chang’an immediately replied.

Just because the predecessors couldn’t do it didn’t mean he couldn’t.

Since there was a way, he would try it; if it didn’t work, he would consider other methods.

“Holy Maiden, I am not a disciple of the Zixia Sect. Can I enter the Zixia Sect’s secret realm?” “

Don’t worry, Fellow Daoist Li, my Zixia Sect is not like the Vermilion Bird Sect; we are not so petty.”

Zi Xi chuckled, her voice particularly melodious.

The story of Li Chang’an being harassed by the Vermilion Bird Sect years ago had already spread throughout the cultivation world.

From then on,

no matter which sect’s secret realm he wanted to enter, they would always tease him about the Vermilion Bird Sect.

“Fellow Daoist Li, I will tell you about this in detail at your birthday banquet tomorrow.”

“Alright, thank you, Holy Maiden.”

Li Chang’an felt slightly relieved and severed the connection.

Just then,

he suddenly sensed another Golden Core aura rapidly approaching Changqing Mountain.

“So late, who is coming?”

He looked towards the horizon with deep eyes.

A moment later,

Lin Xuanyan also sensed this aura.

He immediately spoke, “Fellow Daoist Li, no need to worry, it’s my sister, Lin Xuanpei.”

Not long after…

A female cultivator clad in emerald armor and carrying a spear landed in the courtyard of Changqing Mountain.

It was Lin Xuanpei, the younger sister of Lin Xuanyan and the Holy Maiden of the White

Tiger Sect! Because Lin Xuanyan spent most of his time within the sect,

the reputation of the entire younger generation of the White Tiger Sect was almost entirely built by his sister.

The siblings had completely opposite personalities: one cautious and steady, the other bold and warlike.

She concealed her aura and bowed respectfully.

“Fellow Daoist Li!”

“Fellow Daoist Lin.”

Li Chang’an returned the bow, inviting Lin Xuanpei to sit down.

After some conversation,

Li Chang’an learned that Lin Xuanpei hadn’t been in the White Tiger Sect before, but had been training in a secret realm.

Lin Xuanyan was worried that the Holy Flame True Monarch would harm her, so he summoned her to Changqing Mountain.

But she didn’t understand.

“Why Changqing Mountain?”

She glanced around, but didn’t see anything unusual.

“If the Holy Flame True Monarch descends, Changqing Mountain won’t be able to protect us. Could it be that Fellow Daoist Li is hiding his cultivation?”

“Fellow Daoist Lin overestimates me.”

Li Chang’an smiled, his aura still maintaining the early Golden Core stage.

Lin Xuanpei didn’t doubt this.

She knew Li Chang’an was just a rogue cultivator with poor talent and no predecessors to guide him; reaching the Golden Core stage was already quite difficult.

“Brother, Senior Turtle, staying at Changqing Mountain won’t help this matter; on the contrary, it might implicate Fellow Daoist Li. Why don’t you go to the Azure Dragon Sect and seek help from the Azure Dragon True Monarch?”

Hearing this, Lin Xuanyan shook his head slightly.

“Little sister, what if the Azure Dragon True Monarch is also a demonic spy? Wouldn’t we be walking into a trap?”

“How could the Azure Dragon True Monarch be a spy?”

“Before this matter, would you dare believe that the Holy Flame True Monarch was a demonic spy?”

“This…”

Lin Xuanpei was silent for a moment.

She had to admit that it seemed there wasn’t a single righteous sect in the two countries that could be trusted.

But staying here wasn’t a solution either; they couldn’t expect Li Chang’an to reclaim the Xuanwu Sect.

“Senior Turtle, just hold on for a few more years. Once I’m fully prepared, I’ll attempt to form the Nascent Soul stage. If I succeed, I’ll help you reclaim your physical body!”

“No need for that. The Nascent Soul stage can’t be rushed,”

the old turtle advised, telling her not to worry.

But Lin Xuanpei didn’t listen at all.

She went directly to Li Chang’an and asked for a secluded cave dwelling, plunging herself deep into it to cultivate and accumulate the foundation for her Nascent Soul stage.

“She’s anxious, lacks sufficient foundation, and doesn’t have enough treasures for tribulation. If she forms her Nascent Soul in this state, she’ll likely die.”

Li Chang’an immediately saw through Lin Xuanpei’s condition.

Compared to Lin Xuanyan, she was indeed too impatient. Of

course,

anyone else in this situation might be even more impatient.

Li Chang’an withdrew his gaze and continued discussing the Xuanwu Sect with the old tortoise.

“Senior Turtle, is that six-winged water serpent the one from the Yellow Springs Sect?”

“Yes, that’s it. Its strength is inferior to mine…”

The two discussed for a long time.

Before they knew it, dawn was breaking.

Li Chang’an had the old tortoise and Lin Xuanyan and his sister enter the depths of Changqing Mountain, using a fourth-order formation to conceal their aura.

Not long after,

a ray of dawn appeared on the horizon.

Xu Fugui, beaming and dressed festively, came down from the mountain to the top.

“Brother, everything needed for the birthday banquet is ready. Shall I start setting up now?”

“Alright, thank you for your hard work.”

“Hehe, not at all.”

Xu Fugui waved his hand, and countless spiritual dishes and wines flew out of his storage bag, filling the entire Changqing Mountain with fragrance.

Many Xu family members also busied themselves.

A moment later,

Changqing Mountain had transformed.

Everywhere was decorated with lanterns and colorful banners, creating a festive atmosphere.

Although Li Chang’an had said there was no need to prepare too much, the banquet was still set up from the mountaintop to the foot of the mountain.

“Haha, brother, back when we were struggling to seek immortality in the mortal world, did you ever imagine such glory today?”

Chu Daniu arrived on the mountain, smiling as he congratulated Li Chang’an.

Li Chang’an smiled in response.

“I occasionally thought about it.”

After a while,

Mu Qiuyan also arrived at Changqing Mountain to present Li Chang’an with a congratulatory gift.

She spoke softly to Li Chang’an, “Brother Li, my strength is low, and I can’t offer any particularly valuable treasures. I can only sew you a garment; please see if it fits.”

“Alright.”

Li Chang’an opened the gift box. Inside was a simple white robe, similar to what he usually wore.

He put it on and smiled, saying, “It fits perfectly. Qiu Yan, you’re so thoughtful.”

“I’m glad you like it, Brother Li.”

Mu Qiu Yan smiled gently and straightened Li Chang’an’s robe.

Li Chang’an noticed.

She was trying her best to conceal her aging appearance, making herself look younger.

During her years as a Tribulation Cultivator, she had repeatedly burned her lifespan to fight against the Qingyun Sect. Now, she was nearing her end and wouldn’t live to the normal Foundation Establishment age of 240.

Chu Daniu and Xu Fugui were somewhat better off, but they couldn’t hide their age either.

Among the old friends who had sought immortality together,

only Ye Hao and Su Yuyan, who had achieved the Golden Core stage, remained young.

After a while,

the six of them sat under a tree, chatting and laughing, reminiscing about their experiences seeking immortality in the mortal realm.

They all cherished this day, knowing that in a few more years, they might not be able to gather all six of them.

As they talked,

people from various factions arrived.

Almost half of the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment factions from the Southern Region were there.

Representatives from various Golden Core factions also came.

Changqing Mountain was packed with people, drums and music filled the air, every seat was taken, and the atmosphere was extremely enthusiastic.

Not long after,

a purple flying boat pierced the sky and stopped outside Changqing Mountain.

Zi Xi, Zi Yun, and others appeared, landing on the mountain and presenting their gifts.

Beside Zi Xi stood a graceful female cultivator.

She walked over with a smile, her voice clear and melodious: “Senior Li, do you still remember me?”

“Xianglan?”

Li Chang’an looked her over and recognized her familiar aura.

This woman was named Song Xianglan, a genius with an Earth Spirit Root. She should have joined the Qingyun Sect, but Zi Xi had taken her as a disciple.

Song Yu’er’s surname was “Song” because she had taken her advice.

“I knew it, Senior Li definitely hadn’t forgotten me.”

Song Xianglan’s pretty face was full of joy, her bright eyes curving into crescent shapes.

She presented her congratulatory gift and asked, “Senior, is Yu’er still there?”

“She’s cultivating in the back mountain. If you want to find her, go ahead.”

“Thank you, Senior.”

Song Xianglan immediately took her leave, her steps light as she ran towards the back mountain of Changqing.

Li Chang’an then invited Zi Xi and the others to sit in the front seats.

Seeing this scene,

the Golden Core forces from various factions in the Southern Region were somewhat envious.

Gu Qinghong sighed, “Fellow Daoist Li’s relationship with the Zixia Sect is truly extraordinary. Every banquet has someone from the Zixia Sect present.”

“Yes, if we could have such a relationship with the Zixia Sect, we wouldn’t need to worry about future generations.”

He Xiangfeng sighed softly.

Beside him, Xiong Yan nodded in agreement.

The three of them were also old, having reached the final stage of their lives.

Over the years, many old Golden Core cultivators had died in battle or passed away, and the number of young faces in various forces had increased.

As they were talking…

Another flying boat arrived.

This flying boat was bright yellow, flying with the flag of the Great Qi Immortal Dynasty.

Qi Yunjin, Qi Yao, and the others landed one after another, smiling as they congratulated Li Chang’an.

“Fellow Daoists, please take your seats!”

Li Chang’an smiled and led them to the front, arranging them next to the Zixia Sect members.

This scene surprised everyone even more.

They couldn’t understand when Li Chang’an had developed such a good relationship with the Great Qi Immortal Dynasty?

Even the Great Qi’s eldest princess had come in person!

The Zixia Sect members were also somewhat surprised.

Zi Xi and Qi Yunjin exchanged a glance, their eyes briefly meeting in mid-air before quickly looking away.

“Fellow Daoist Qi.”

“Fellow Daoist Zi.”

The two exchanged brief greetings before discussing the matters of the Northern Region’s demonic path.

After a while,

a crimson flying boat arrived from the horizon.

Mu Hongyu and her junior sister Ning Mengwei were on board.

“Fellow Daoist Li, congratulations!”

The two landed on Changqing Mountain and congratulated Li Chang’an.

Li Chang’an smiled and responded, leading them to the front seats, which were arranged on the side of the Great Qi Immortal Dynasty.

Thus,

three of the eight Nascent Soul forces from the two countries had arrived.

The numerous Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators below were shocked, their eyes wide with disbelief.

They had never seen such a scene before.

To them, even Golden Core forces were high and mighty, let alone Nascent Soul forces.

Gu Qinghong and the others were the same; they exchanged glances, their eyes filled with disbelief.

“Fellow Daoist Li is just a rogue Golden Core cultivator, why can three Nascent Soul forces offer him birthday wishes?”

Before they could figure it out,

another flying boat arrived!

A dragon-headed, azure-colored flying boat glided across the horizon and stopped beside the other three.

“Fellow Daoist Li, are we not too late?”

Zhuo Wanshuang asked with a smile aboard the flying boat.

Beside her were Chi Qingxuan and Chi Qingwu.

“It’s never too late!”

Li Chang’an smiled, accepted their gifts, and led them to the front.

Gu Qinghong and the others were already somewhat numb to the arrival of the Azure Dragon Sect cultivators.

Not only them,

but even Zi Xi couldn’t understand it.

In her view, Li Chang’an had been holed up on Changqing Mountain for years, hardly ever leaving; when had he developed a relationship with the Azure Dragon Sect?

She looked at Li Chang’an with a complicated expression, knowing that he was far more secretive than she had previously imagined.

From the beginning,

she hadn’t seen through Li Chang’an’s true strength.

Even now, she still couldn’t discern just how much ability Li Chang’an was hiding.

Zi Xi sighed, “Fellow Daoist Li, why do you hide so deeply?”

Li Chang’an smiled, “Holy Maiden, everyone has secrets, and I don’t know yours either.”

Hearing this, Zi Xi stopped dwelling on the matter and continued her conversation with the others.

They were all geniuses from their respective sects, so naturally they had plenty to talk about.

The people from the Azure Dragon Sect and the Great Qi were equally surprised by Li Chang’an’s connections, but they tacitly avoided discussing Li Chang’an himself, focusing instead on matters of the demonic path.

They all knew that Li Chang’an was always low-key and disliked revealing too much of his strength.

At this moment,

Jiang Muyu suddenly approached Li Chang’an.

“Young Master, my father said he will also be here.”

“Senior Jiang?”

This time it was Li Chang’an’s turn to be surprised.

It was just a birthday banquet, yet it had alarmed a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

“Isn’t Senior Jiang dealing with the Nascent Soul Old Demon in the Northern Region?”

“He said it wouldn’t take long, it would only take a day round trip, losing one of him wouldn’t matter.”

Hearing this, Li Chang’an immediately made some arrangements, making the scene more solemn, no longer as casual as before.

…

Meanwhile.

Yuan Kingdom, Xuanwu Sect.

Before a tortoise-shaped mountain,

a Golden Core elder held out a jade slip and said loudly, “Ancestor Turtle, this is the latest news about the war between good and evil. Please take a look.”

A moment later,

the old tortoise’s voice echoed through the mountain, accompanied by a trace of water-elemental demonic power.

“Alright, I understand. Go down.”

“Yes!”

Hearing his voice, the Golden Core elder felt much more at ease.

No matter how ferocious the demonic path was, as long as this ancestor who had lived for over five thousand years was still alive, the Xuanwu Sect would not fall.

Little did he know,

the one who answered him was not the old tortoise at all, but the six-winged water serpent!

He was also a water-elemental demonic beast with fourth-tier strength, capable of disguising himself as the old tortoise and easily deceiving these Golden Core cultivators. He didn’t even glance at

the news about the war between good and evil that the Golden Core elder had sent into the mountain

, and directly shattered it.

“Our demonic path will surely win this battle!”

“Indeed, we will surely win this battle!”

Beside him, a young man nodded slightly.

This man had bloodshot eyes, a fiery mark between his brows, and wore a fiery red robe. His Nascent Soul power surged around him.

It was none other than the Holy Fire True Monarch!

At this moment,

the two of them were working together to deal with the old tortoise, trying to pry open his shell.

“Old tortoise, give up, why struggle anymore?”

The Holy Fire True Monarch opened his mouth and exhaled a breath of crimson flames.

The flames roared, the firelight soared to the sky, burning everything around the old tortoise red-hot.

The six-winged water serpent unleashed a series of water-based demonic arts.

“Old tortoise, the righteous path has no chance of winning this battle, why are you so stubborn? My Demonic Sect is the true righteous path! Join my Demonic Sect, and I may spare your life.”

However,

no matter what they said,

the old tortoise remained completely silent.

He hid inside his shell, enduring the raging water and fire, remaining motionless even when bombarded by the array.

“How can this old thing’s tortoise shell be so hard? Even a mid-grade fourth-order grand formation can’t break it!”

“Keep attacking! This old thing has lived for over five thousand years, his accumulated power is immense, it’s normal that we can’t break it for now, I don’t believe he can hold out forever!”

The two continuously used various methods to suppress and seal the old tortoise.

Furthermore,

they continued to maintain the operation of the Xuanwu Sect.

In the eyes of the outside world, the Xuanwu Sect remained unchanged, nothing major had happened, and it remained one of the eight righteous Nascent Soul forces!

At this crucial moment in the war between good and evil, if the Xuanwu Sect were to suddenly rebel, it would certainly deal a fatal blow to the righteous path.

“The other holy sons and daughters within the sect are all under my control, only the Lin Xuanyan brother and sister have not returned.”

“Those two have an extremely good relationship with the old tortoise; they’ve probably already sensed something amiss.”

After some discussion,

True Monarch Holy Fire temporarily left.

He entered the sect’s main hall, summoned all the Golden Core cultivators, and announced in front of everyone,

“The Lin Xuanyan brother and sister are demonic spies; they have betrayed my Xuanwu Sect!”

“What?”

Everyone looked at each other, their faces filled with incomprehension.

With the siblings’ talent, as long as they cultivated diligently, they would surely obtain the sect’s Nascent Soul resources. Why would they betray the sect?

This simply didn’t make sense.

However,

it was True Monarch Holy Fire who announced this.

Since True Monarch Xuanwu’s incident, True Monarch Holy Fire had become the only human Nascent Soul cultivator in the Xuanwu Sect, practically wielding absolute power within the sect.

No one present dared to question him.

Saint Flame True Monarch’s expression was indifferent as his eyes swept over the crowd.

“Everyone, there’s no need to panic. I’ve already captured Lin Xuan Yan’s accomplices and ordered them to be interrogated. We’ll soon obtain the names of the remaining spies.” “

However, there’s still no news of Lin Xuan Yan. Everyone, tell me, where do you think he’s hiding?”

No one could answer this question immediately.

This was because Lin Xuan Yan usually stayed within the sect and had nowhere else he liked to go.

After a while

, a Golden Core elder mentioned, “Lin Xuan Yan once said that among his peers, only Li Chang’an truly understood him.”

“Li Chang’an? Which Li Chang’an?”

“The mountain lord of Changqing Mountain in the Southern Region of Zhao Kingdom, the rogue cultivator Li Chang’an.”

“Good, I understand.”

Saint Flame True Monarch waved his hand, tossing out a treasure as a reward.

A moment later,

the meeting ended.

Saint Flame True Monarch returned to the back mountain and instructed the Six-Winged Water Serpent.

“I’m leaving for a while. Don’t leave here. I suspect this old tortoise might be hiding something.”

With that, he took out a puppet and had it control the formation in his place.

This puppet was of the fourth-tier, low-grade level, comparable to an ordinary early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

The six-winged water serpent asked him, “Where are you going?”

“The Southern Region of Zhao!”

(End of Chapter)