I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

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At that moment, everyone held their breath, eyes fixed on the slight crack that had appeared in the bronze door. Standing at the back of the group, Lan Chang'an faintly caught a whiff of a musty herbal scent.

“Could it be a storage room for medicinal herbs and pills?”

Hu Immortal's beard twitched slightly, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

It seemed likely that the six doors of this pavilion each led to different types of treasure vaults.

If the first vault they unlocked happened to be a medicinal vault, their luck was quite good.

“Little Friend Lan, please send one of your puppets in first,” Hu Immortal said after a brief exchange with Tan Immortal. Both suppressed their inner excitement and urgency.

In such critical moments, they knew better than to act recklessly.

“My scouting puppets have all been used up. The puppets I use from here on are more valuable, so about the potential losses…”

Lan Chang'an hesitated deliberately.

“Don’t worry! Any puppets lost in this exploration will be fully compensated by Tan Immortal and me. Moreover, if we do find a medicinal vault, you’ll be allowed to pick an extra item as compensation,” Hu Immortal promised generously.

“I hope the Immortals will honor their word,” Lan Chang'an nodded, then retrieved a late second-rank heavy-armored puppet and directed it toward the bronze door.

The puppet pushed open the door with great effort and stepped inside.

Its figure was quickly swallowed by the bright light inside, like that of a luminous pearl.

Due to the pavilion’s unique materials and its formation, the area was shielded from spiritual sense.

Even the Immortals couldn’t probe inside.

“It is indeed a medicinal vault,” Lan Chang'an confirmed. As a puppet master, he could receive basic feedback from his puppets, confirming some general details.

Not long after, the heavy-armored puppet returned, holding an empty medicine basket.

“Not bad.”

Tan Immortal’s eyes lit up, and in the blink of an eye, his body turned into a streak of light, darting into the vault.

“Tan Immortal!” Hu Immortal’s expression changed. He had planned to send a Foundation Establishment cultivator to scout the area first, but Tan Immortal had rushed in without warning.

Tan Immortal was the strongest of them all. If he got his hands on the most important opportunities first, the rest would be at a disadvantage.

However, Tan Immortal did not trigger any traps upon entering.

Seeing this, Hu Immortal hurried into the medicinal vault as well, followed closely by Lady Wei.

The high-nosed, peak Foundation Establishment youth, and the elderly mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, remained outside, keeping a close eye on Lan Chang'an and Fairy Shi.

Since entering the ruins, the two Immortals had not allowed Lan Chang'an or Fairy Shi to act alone.

After all, there were still unexplored dangers within the ruins. If the two acted independently, they might cause uncontrollable complications.

“Fellow Daoist Lan, aren’t you going to check it out?” Fairy Shi seemed tempted, noticing that Lan Chang'an remained motionless, standing idly by with a lazy expression.

“No rush. It won’t do any good to hurry,” Lan Chang'an chuckled.

Fairy Shi thought for a moment. If one didn’t have enough strength, even if they were the first to seize rare pills or herbs, they might not be able to hold onto them.

“Fellow Daoist Lan, the formation gate that opened this time is completely different from the one that Qi Immortal broke through all those years ago,” Fairy Shi transmitted her thoughts to him while the two Immortals were still searching the vault.

“Oh? You mean the gate Qi Immortal opened back then wasn’t one of these six?”

“Correct. Qi Immortal had discovered this ruin long before I did. He had explored it for some time and may have known key information that we don’t,” she nodded.

The two of them exchanged these thoughts only briefly.

Lan Chang'an stayed outside on guard, sending the Earth Burrowing Rat to accompany Fairy Shi into the vault.

The Earth Burrowing Rat’s keen sense of smell, combined with its bond with Lan Chang'an, allowed him to receive some information about the interior of the vault.

The vault's interior was much larger than it appeared from the outside.

It was divided into several sections, with hundreds of medicine cabinets stacked floor to ceiling, stretching dozens of zhang high.

However, over 90% of the cabinets were completely empty.

The two Immortals and Lady Wei found a few herbs and jars containing pills and potions.

But most of the herbs had long since withered or rotted.

Only a few herbs and pills, preserved by ancient restrictions, had survived relatively well, but their medicinal potency had significantly diminished.

“A Foundation Establishment Pill? Too bad its potency has mostly faded,” Lady Wei sighed, shaking her head as she held a jade bottle containing dimly colored pills.

Most of the pills in the vault were second-rank.

Occasionally, they found some third-rank herbs and pills.

This was more or less what Lan Chang'an had expected.

This ancient ruin, which served either as a sanctuary or a backup vault, had likely been abandoned long ago, lost to the annals of time.

Before its abandonment, the most valuable and portable treasures were probably taken by its original owners.

Even if there were still treasures hidden, they would likely be in more secretive locations, not out in the open in a vault that could be breached by a third-rank formation master like Hu Immortal.

...

After half a day of exploration, the disappointment on the two Immortals’ faces grew more apparent.

It wasn’t that they hadn’t gained anything.

The herbs and pills they found, despite their lost potency, were still valuable. Selling them could easily net tens of thousands of spirit stones.

But for a vault of this size, they had barely explored half of it.

However, this haul fell far short of the expectations of the two Immortals.

What they sought was an opportunity to help them advance from the Fake Dan stage.

In the world of cultivation, certain rare heavenly treasures or specially refined pills could help Fake Dan cultivators fully form their Cores.

Such treasures were incredibly rare in the current cultivation world, but they were somewhat easier to obtain in ancient times.

Given the current situation, it seemed unlikely that such valuable items existed in this abandoned medicinal vault.

“Thieving rat! Leave that demon core behind!”

Suddenly, a thunderous shout echoed from inside the vault.

Squeak squeak!

The Earth Burrowing Rat bolted out of the vault in a panic, clutching a dark purple, egg-sized orb in its mouth, roughly the size of a human fist.

“A third-rank demon core?”

Lan Chang'an's spiritual sense swept over it, immediately recognizing the object.

The demon core was covered in dust, making it difficult to discern its exact origin and quality for now.

Demonic beast cores were often used as materials in alchemy, so it wasn’t unusual to find one in a medicinal vault within ancient ruins.

“Little Friend Lan, have your spirit pet hand over the third-rank demon core,” Tan Immortal said sternly as he stepped out of the vault.

The Earth Burrowing Rat, trembling in fear, handed the core to Lan Chang'an before hiding behind him.

Lan Chang'an inspected the core, determining it belonged to a mid-to-late third-rank demonic beast.

Unfortunately, its demonic energy had significantly weakened, and it wasn’t an earth-attribute core.

“Little Friend Lan, that’s not something you should keep.”

Hu Immortal emerged from the vault, his face sullen, his tone displeased, likely frustrated by their overall lack of success.

“If I recall correctly, Hu Immortal, you promised to compensate me for any puppets I lost during this exploration, and you also said I could pick an extra item once inside the medicinal vault,” Lan Chang'an said calmly, holding the demon core.

Hu Immortal paused for a moment, then explained, “That’s a different matter! Once we’ve fully explored the ruins, we’ll settle everything together.”

“And why can’t I pick this as my item?”

Hu Immortal chuckled, “A third-rank demon core is certainly more valuable than just one item.”

“How about this: you and Tan Immortal can both have a share of the core. I’ll hold onto it for now,” he suggested.

“That works.”

After some thought, Lan Chang'an tossed the core to Hu Immortal.

The two Immortals were in a foul mood. If Lan Chang'an insisted on pushing the issue, it could lead to a premature conflict, which wouldn’t benefit his plans.

Hu Immortal caught the demon core, his expression brightening as he scanned it with his spiritual sense.

A high-quality demon core was a strategic resource in the cultivation world. It could be traded with Core Formation cultivators or sects for rare treasures needed to solidify one’s Core.

Squeak squeak!

The Earth Burrowing Rat nudged Lan Chang'an's clothes, looking a bit aggrieved.

Lan Chang'an patted its head, giving it a comforting look.

In truth, the demon core’s attribute wasn’t a perfect match for the Earth Burrowing Rat, so its benefit would’ve been limited.

The rat was just upset that its prize had been taken.

“Little Friend Lan, you may return to the vault and choose another item,” Hu Immortal said generously after putting away the demon core.

Lan Chang'an accepted the offer and returned to the vault with the Earth Burrowing Rat.

At this point, only about two-thirds of the vault had been explored.

Thanks to his spiritual sense, experience, and the Earth Burrowing Rat’s keen nose, Lan Chang'an had an advantage in finding valuable items that others might overlook.

...

Half an hour later, Lan Chang'an found a black medicine jar on the top shelf of the vault. After a brief inspection, he quietly stored it in his storage pouch.

The two Immortals noticed but didn’t think much of it.

To them, the potency of any pills or medicines in the vault had long since deteriorated.

Even if Lan Chang'an had found a rare third-rank treasure, its value would not be much.

...

By the end of the day, the vault had been fully explored.

Though it didn’t meet their initial expectations, the value of their findings was considerable enough to ease the moods of the two Immortals.

Lan Chang'an exchanged a meaningful glance with Fairy Shi.

Fairy Shi understood and took the initiative to discuss the next steps of breaking the formations with Hu Immortal.

“You're suggesting that there may be a hidden formation gate at the top of the pavilion?”

Hu Immortal looked up at the six-sided pavilion, where two rings of light hovered above, centered around a blue crystal orb radiating powerful spiritual energy.

“My guess is that the six formation gates we've seen so far, while impressive, only protect ordinary vaults. The real treasury is likely hidden elsewhere,” Fairy Shi explained logically.

“Six gates, linked together, yet no hidden gate has been found…” Hu Immortal frowned in thought.

“Huh! The center of the six gates should be where the core of the formation lies. The core must be well-concealed, shielded by the six gates. If there is a hidden gate, it would be…”

A sudden flash of insight crossed Hu Immortal’s mind. After a brief discussion with Fairy Shi, they reached a tentative conclusion.

Fairy Shi’s eyes gleamed with understanding.

“Everyone, step back,” Hu Immortal and Tan Immortal exchanged a few words before instructing the five Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Lan Chang'an exchanged a glance with Fairy Shi, then retreated a dozen zhang along with the others.

Up ahead, Hu Immortal retrieved an ancient, rusted bronze token from his storage pouch.

“Half a year ago, I found this under a corpse within the ruins. I never figured out its use—it's been completely unresponsive,” Hu Immortal murmured to himself, his expression solemn.

Holding the token in his hand, he glanced back at the Foundation Establishment cultivators, his face showing hesitation.

“If your guess is correct, this chance may only come once. We shouldn’t let others test it first,” Tan Immortal said through a spiritual transmission.

“If you're unwilling to take the risk, I can give it a try,” he offered boldly.

“You’re no formation master, Tan. Leave this to me.”

Hu Immortal sighed, finally making up his mind.

Tan Immortal smiled, making no further attempts to compete. He knew that such risks carried inherent dangers.

For Fake Dan cultivators, their path ahead was uncertain. If there was even a small chance of advancing further, many would willingly take the risk.

Hu Immortal held the bronze token, slipping it into his sleeve and secretly channeling his core energy into it.

The token remained unresponsive.

But Hu Immortal’s face suddenly brightened with excitement.

Through the token, he sensed the presence of a hidden seventh formation gate located at the center of the six-sided pavilion.

“One of the six outer gates has already been broken, making this the perfect entry point,” he thought.

After a long moment, Hu Immortal opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within.

Before Tan Immortal could ask, he stepped forward, summoning his restriction-breaking orb and sending it toward the already-broken gate above the bronze door.

The restriction-breaking orb transformed into a twisting beam of black and white light, weaving through the flaws in the formation. Waves of blue and red flames rippled from the impact.

Boom!

A massive hole was torn open in the formation above the pavilion.

Beyond the hole, a strange scene flickered like a mirage, casting a shadow in Hu Immortal’s eyes.

The chaotic light of the formation obscured the view, making it impossible for the cultivators behind him to see clearly.

“Could this be a small, artificially created space, serving as a hidden treasury within the ancient ruins?”

Lan Chang'an peered at the hole from a distance, unable to make out the details within. Still, he sensed traces of spatial overlap.

The atmosphere reminded him of when the Green Underworld Mysterious Realm had opened, though this was far weaker.

“Hu Immortal is truly a skilled third-rank formation master. His precision is leagues beyond that of Qi Immortal from years ago. He hit the mark with a single strike.”

Fairy Shi silently admired Hu Immortal’s expertise, committing the details to memory.

...

“Yin Yang Water… Superior Crystal Condensation Pills…”

Hu Immortal’s voice trembled with excitement as his face flickered in the shattered formation light, alternating between light and shadow.

Overcome with joy, he activated his protective barrier and, holding the bronze token, flew toward the gaping hole in the formation.

The token glowed faintly red.

The formation around Hu Immortal coalesced into a web of intertwined blue and white strands, forming a vortex that began to envelop him.

“Hu Immortal, watch out!”

Tan Immortal’s eyes widened as he immediately swung the golden rope weapon he had prepared.

Whoosh!

The golden rope shot forward like a serpent, coiling around Hu Immortal’s waist and yanking him back.

In a flash, Hu Immortal's small figure was pulled out of the vortex.

But Tan Immortal’s heart sank when he looked closely.

The golden rope, a supreme-grade magical weapon, had snapped into pieces.

And the Hu Immortal he had pulled back was nothing more than a charred corpse.

“Luckily, I reacted quickly. If I had been swallowed by that formation trap, there would’ve been no escape,” a hoarse voice said, filled with lingering fear.

Whoosh!

The charred corpse transformed into a blackened straw dummy, crumbling into dust.

The real Hu Immortal stood beneath the remains, his face pale.

“A life-saving substitute?”

Lan Chang'an’s eyes gleamed with interest. He had only seen such miraculous items twice in his past life in the Great Kun.

Of course, such life-saving tools often had limitations.

If not for Tan Immortal’s timely intervention, Hu Immortal might not have survived even with the dummy.

“Hu Immortal, what was that scene just now? Is there truly Yin Yang Water and superior Crystal Condensation Pills in there?”

Tan Immortal, his breath quickened, couldn’t help but ask.

“The hole I opened in the formation leads to an independent space. Inside, I saw the view of an ancient garden, with several stone platforms covered by light shields.”

“Light-shielded platforms?”

The gathered cultivators were instantly captivated.

“Each stone platform had a treasure floating above it, with its name and usage inscribed…”

Hu Immortal’s voice trailed off as Tan Immortal cast a sound-blocking spell, cutting off the rest of the conversation.

“Hu Immortal, judging by your earlier reaction, I suspect you were influenced by illusions,” Tan Immortal said bluntly.

“Illusions? If it were an illusion, I would have noticed after clearing my mind. But what I saw was perfectly real, with no flaws,” Hu Immortal insisted, shaking his head after swallowing a pill.

“Immortals.”

Outside the sound barrier, Lan Chang'an approached.

“What is it?” The two Immortals frowned, their conversation interrupted.

Lan Chang'an noticed their increasingly cold attitudes.

At this point in the exploration, he and Fairy Shi had almost exhausted their usefulness.

“Hu Immortal, just a friendly reminder: that token you used to sense the hidden formation gate…”

Lan Chang'an lowered his voice.

Though he spoke softly, the others could still hear him.

“The token? Oh no!”

Hu Immortal’s face paled as he instinctively checked his body, only to find the token missing.

“The token is gone?”

Everyone’s gaze turned toward the hole in the pavilion’s formation.

“Hu Immortal, you should rest. I’ll help you look for it,” Tan Immortal offered kindly.

Without waiting for a reply, he strode toward the formation gate.

Hu Immortal couldn’t sit still.

Ignoring his injuries, he hurried after Tan Immortal.

It was then that he sensed a faint ripple of spiritual energy. A chill ran down his spine.

Shh—

An invisible needle, carrying the sharpness of a near-magical treasure, pierced through Hu Immortal’s back and out his chest.

“Ugh…”

Hu Immortal’s body stiffened. He struggled to turn around, unbelief written all over his face.

...

(End of chapter)