I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

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A few days later...

In the sky above the valley basin where the steel fortress was located, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth grew agitated, starting to converge in large quantities.

Dark clouds rolled across the surrounding area, while a heavy demonic aura condensed.

An intense wave of demonic energy emanated from the cultivation hall, causing all the beasts in the nearby Black Fog Mountain Range to tremble in fear and retreat in all directions.

"It’s begun."

In one of the side halls, Huxiao Immortal and Hanyu Immortal sat across from each other, their expressions calm.

"Judging by the phenomenon, that Fellow Daoist’s demonic beast must be an earth-elemental beast with a superior bloodline," Huxiao Immortal commented nonchalantly, lounging back in his beast-skin chair.

"Hanyu Immortal, you’ve been so secretive about this person. For a moment, I thought it might be a beast with an earth-grade bloodline."

Not long ago, Huxiao Immortal’s own tiger demon, which had a superior bloodline, had failed its core formation attempt.

Unfortunately, luck hadn’t been on his side. The demon hadn’t even formed a Fake Dan, and the violent effects of the Sha Yuan Pill had caused it to suffer a backlash, resulting in a drop in its cultivation.

"As long as the opportunity is right, even a demonic beast with a superior bloodline has a chance of becoming a third-rank Great Demon," Hanyu Immortal responded coldly, catching the hint of mockery in his words.

"At least this Fellow Daoist has a Sha Yuan Pill. From the aura of his demonic beast, it’s clear that its foundation is solid. Forming a Fake Dan shouldn’t be a problem."

At this, Huxiao Immortal’s face stiffened, his mood darkening.

Hanyu Immortal was clearly taking a jab at him. Her unspoken meaning was that Huxiao Immortal’s failure had been due to his impatience, rushing the cultivation of his demonic beast and leaving its foundation too weak.

Huxiao Immortal’s expression turned grim as he coldly snorted and extended his spiritual sense toward the cultivation hall.

A flicker of astonishment crossed his eyes, and he said angrily, "That Fellow Daoist has set up so many defenses? Does he doubt our integrity?"

He discovered that the cultivation hall was surrounded by multiple layers of restrictions, completely blocking any attempts to probe it.

Not only that, but a large puppet stood guard at the entrance, holding a shield. Judging by the materials used, it was a quasi-third-rank puppet.

Such defensive measures would be difficult for even two Fake Dan cultivators to break through, let alone interfere with the core formation.

Hanyu Immortal smiled faintly. "A little extra caution never hurts. Fellow Daoist Xiang is simply taking precautions against any potential troublemakers. Huxiao Immortal, surely you don’t mind?"

"Of course not! But that person’s behavior is far too secretive. No name, no Daoist title—it's suspicious!" Huxiao Immortal’s eyes flashed with irritation.

"Our Snow Fox Merchant Association guarantees his identity and respects his privacy. Your guild has also allowed cultivators with unknown identities to help their demonic beasts form cores," Hanyu Immortal countered.

Her presence here was to keep an eye on Huxiao Immortal, ensuring that he didn’t try to pull any tricks that might disrupt Xiang Immortal’s demonic beast’s core formation.

Such situations had occurred in the past. Without concrete evidence, the Snow Fox Merchant Association, being the weaker party, would be left with little recourse even if they suffered a hidden loss.

...

Another four or five days passed.

The core formation phenomenon in the sky continued to intensify.

Whoosh!

Above the cultivation hall, a swirling mass of yellow clouds appeared, forming a vortex with a radius of more than one li, exuding powerful spiritual pressure, and the yellow cloud vortex continued to expand.

"Not bad, its momentum is strong," Huxiao Immortal remarked as he sipped his tea, his eyes narrowing slightly.

At this point, the core formation phenomenon generated by the unknown demonic beast had already surpassed that of his own tiger demon.

As long as the situation remained stable, forming a Fake Dan would be easy.

Moreover, the phenomenon was growing steadily, without any signs of instability.

Seeing this, Huxiao Immortal couldn’t help but feel a bit sour.

However, the situation quickly exceeded the expectations of both Huxiao Immortal and Hanyu Immortal.

"It’s still increasing?" Huxiao Immortal’s face grew darker.

On the tenth day of the Earth Burrowing Rat’s seclusion, the yellow cloud vortex in the sky suddenly surged, expanding at an even faster rate.

It wasn’t until the vortex reached a radius of two li that its growth finally slowed.

At the center of the yellow cloud vortex, the overwhelming pressure of demonic energy was beginning to exceed the threshold of a quasi-third-rank demonic beast.

"A True Dan might be possible!"

Hanyu Immortal and Huxiao Immortal were both shocked.

Hanyu Immortal, however, felt more excitement than surprise.

If Lan Chang'an’s demonic beast could form a True Dan, the favor he owed her would become even more valuable.

"Could that demonic beast be hiding its true potential? Perhaps it has an earth-grade bloodline or has been supplemented by a superior core-forming spiritual object?"

Huxiao Immortal felt more uncomfortable than swallowing a fly. Thinking back to his own demonic beast’s failed core formation, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy.

Hanyu Immortal’s ice-blue eyes sparkled with wonder as she thought to herself, "Xiang Immortal’s demonic beast just consumed a Sha Yuan Pill. Despite the pill’s violent effects, the core formation process remains orderly, and its control is far superior to that of Huxiao Immortal’s tiger demon."

This showed that Xiang Immortal’s demonic beast had a solid foundation and deep reserves.

This wasn’t something that could be achieved with just a single superior core-forming spiritual object.

After all, most common core-forming spiritual objects only improved the quality of the core and had little effect on whether the core formation succeeded.

"If the Snow Fox Merchant Association gains an ally with a True Dan-level demonic beast, it would be greatly detrimental to my family," Huxiao Immortal thought grimly.

Seeing the stable and steadily growing core formation phenomenon in the sky, Huxiao Immortal couldn’t sit still.

He pulled out a jade pendant and sent a message.

At the same time, Hanyu Immortal also sent a discreet message to the upper echelons of the Snow Fox Merchant Association.

The birth of a third-rank Great Demon would undoubtedly alert the True Dan Ancestors of the merchant guild.

...

Inside the cultivation hall.

Lan Chang'an sat a few zhang behind the Earth Burrowing Rat, maintaining a watchful guard.

A violent wave of demonic power now surrounded the Earth Burrowing Rat, making it impossible to get close. Its aura was so intense that it could injure any ordinary Fake Dan cultivator.

The terrifying pressure of the demonic energy made even Lan Chang'an, its master, feel uneasy and suppressed.

If not for the fact that his body refinement technique had reached a quasi-third-rank level and his spiritual sense was unusually strong, he wouldn’t have been able to withstand being near the Earth Burrowing Rat during this process, let alone protect it.

"The Five Elements Earth truly lives up to its name as the Universal Soil Source! Not only does it act as a core-forming spiritual object, increasing the Earth Burrowing Rat’s foundation, but it also stabilizes the core formation process!"

Lan Chang'an relaxed, smiling.

This added stability meant that the risks of core formation were significantly reduced.

In this way, the intense effects of the Sha Yuan Pill became a benefit for the Earth Burrowing Rat, allowing it to maximize the pill’s potential.

Thanks to this increased stability, Lan Chang'an’s task of protecting the Earth Burrowing Rat was far easier than expected, requiring little intervention.

"Its demonic energy is crystallizing! The quality of the core depends on this final step," Lan Chang'an observed.

Inside the Earth Burrowing Rat’s body, its liquid demonic energy was beginning to solidify into tiny, grain-like crystals, resembling drops of mercury, forming like bamboo shoots after a rainstorm.

These tiny crystals of demonic energy constantly gathered at the center, where under the immense spiritual pressure and the force of its bloodline, they compressed and condensed further.

An emerging yellow core was gradually taking shape.

With his experience from his past life’s core formation, Lan Chang'an had thoroughly studied the process in theory. He carefully instructed the Earth Burrowing Rat to use the Five Elements Earth and the Xuanyuan Crystal at the appropriate times.

The emerging core had already taken on the characteristics of a True Dan. After refining the two core-forming spiritual objects, its aura surged dramatically.

The surface of the emerging core began to glow with five-colored flames and a yellowish halo.

"It’s stabilizing at the low tier of True Dan!"

"It’s reaching mid-tier True Dan... surpassing mid-tier True Dan... nearing upper-tier True Dan!"

As Lan Chang'an observed, the quality of the emergent core rapidly and steadily improved.

When it surpassed mid-tier True Dan, the quality of the Earth Burrowing Rat’s core had already exceeded Lan Chang'an’s from his past life!

For the first time in a long while, Lan Chang'an felt a surge of excitement.

Although it wasn’t his own core formation, his spiritual pet had surpassed his past self in this life—a form of victory in its own right.

The quality of the core would affect the future potential of the demonic beast and also influence its overall strength.

For example, if two cultivators with the same aptitude and cultivation techniques formed cores, the one with an upper-tier True Dan would possess slightly stronger magical power than the one with a low-tier or mid-tier core.

Though the difference might not seem vast, in critical moments, it could make all the difference.

...

"This kind of core formation phenomenon, could it be that it's going to form an upper-tier True Dan?"

Back in the side hall, Hanyu Immortal and Huxiao Immortal were unable to hide their shock.

In the sky, the yellow cloud vortex had expanded to a radius of three to four li, its swirling colors glowing with five-colored light.

The demonic power emanating from the cultivation hall was already at the level of a third-rank Great Demon.

Huxiao Immortal, aside from his jealousy, began to feel anxious.

"It’s already in the final stage of core formation..."

Huxiao Immortal knew that unless something interfered, a third-rank Great Demon, comparable to a True Dan stage cultivator, was about to be born.

In the cultivation world of Jing Kingdom, True Dan stage cultivators or third-rank Great Demons were considered high-level forces, capable of exerting a considerable deterrent for the major factions.

Even more terrifying was the fact that this unknown demonic beast was likely about to form an upper-tier True Dan.

This meant that in the future, the probability of advancing to the late third rank, comparable to a late Core Formation human great cultivator, would be relatively high.

There was even a faint possibility that it could one day ascend to the level of a Fourth-rank Demon King, capable of challenging Nascent Soul True Monarchs.

Such was the advantage of forming an upper-tier True Dan.

If the core quality were mid-tier or low, the door to becoming a Nascent Soul True Monarch—or in this case, a Fourth-rank Demon King—would essentially be closed.

"What should I do? That bitch Hanyu Immortal is watching me, and there’s also that mysterious Fake Dan cultivator guarding the process, not to mention the quasi-third-rank puppet..."

Huxiao Immortal felt powerless.

Even though he considered himself strong, he knew he had no chance in a three-on-one situation.

This secret base in the Black Fog Mountain Range was guarded by a Fake Dan cultivator from one of the two merchant guilds at all times, along with several Foundation Establishment cultivators.

With Hanyu Immortal monitoring him closely, it would be difficult to pull any underhanded tricks.

Huxiao Immortal didn’t want to take the risk—the chances of success were too low.

But moments ago, the patriarch of the Ten Thousand Beasts Merchant Association had sent him a message, ordering him to sabotage the core formation, even if it meant openly breaking ties with the Snow Fox Merchant Association.

Roar!

From deep within the Black Fog Mountain Range came a terrifying beastly roar, interrupting Huxiao Immortal’s thoughts.

"A third-rank Great Demon! Has it been drawn here by the powerful core formation phenomenon?"

Huxiao Immortal felt a surge of hope as he sensed the approaching demonic aura of the third-rank beast.

Though this secret base was controlled by two merchant guilds, it was still located within the Black Fog Mountain Range.

With such a powerful core formation phenomenon, even a third-rank Great Demon hundreds or even thousands of li away could sense it from afar.

"A mid-stage third-rank Great Demon?"

Inside the cultivation hall, Lan Chang'an’s brow furrowed, his expression turning serious.

This spiritual vein site was guarded by a Fake Dan cultivator and protected by a third-rank grand formation, making it more than capable of withstanding an attack from an ordinary third-rank Great Demon.

At the very least, it would hold out long enough for reinforcements to arrive.

However, with the Earth Burrowing Rat in the midst of its core formation, drawing in an immense amount of spiritual energy from the heavens and earth, the power of the third-rank grand formation had noticeably weakened.

...

Roar!

A massive third-rank bear demon approached the valley where the steel fortress was located, but it slowed its pace as it neared.

From five or six li away, the bear demon cautiously observed the area.

Perhaps due to some form of wariness or uncertainty about the situation, it hesitated and didn’t make any further moves.

"The power of the third-rank formation has been reduced by more than half. If that bear demon launches an attack, the consequences will be disastrous."

Huxiao Immortal’s expression turned grim as he took out a formation flag and began walking toward the entrance of the side hall.

"What are you doing?"

Hanyu Immortal snapped, blocking his path.

"Obviously, I’m going to reinforce the third-rank formation. Do you want us to just sit here and wait for the bear demon to attack and put us all in danger?" Huxiao Immortal retorted righteously.

He wasn’t entirely posturing.

Facing the prying eyes of a mid-third rank Great Demon, his heart did panic for the sake of his little life.

"This..." Hanyu Immortal hesitated.

Reinforcing the third-rank formation would require drawing more spiritual energy, which could affect the Earth Burrowing Rat’s core formation process by reducing the amount of spiritual pressure available.

"Rest assured, Hanyu Immortal. I’ll only strengthen the formation slightly. It might reduce the core’s quality a bit, but it’s better than all of us losing our lives," Huxiao Immortal argued, his logic seemingly sound.

In the face of a life-threatening crisis, sacrificing a small amount of one person’s gains to protect the group’s safety seemed like the obvious choice.

Hanyu Immortal fell silent, unable to find a rebuttal.

Huxiao Immortal smirked inwardly, a cunning glint flashing in his eyes. He sidestepped Hanyu Immortal, holding the formation flag as he walked toward the entrance.

"Hmph! If I’m going to do this, I’ll do it thoroughly!" Huxiao Immortal thought to himself.

He planned to manipulate the third-rank formation to its maximum power, cutting off the spiritual energy supply to the spiritual vein.

At the same time, he intended to secretly disable the Spirit Gathering Formation within the cultivation hall.

That way, at the critical moment of core formation, the demonic beast would suffer a massive drop in spiritual pressure, triggering a backlash!

...

Just as Huxiao Immortal stepped outside, ready to execute his plan...

Suddenly, his entire body turned cold, as if he had stepped off a cliff into a bottomless abyss.

The night sky above was pitch black, and below him was an endless chasm, as if he were falling into hell itself.

"No!"

Huxiao Immortal’s mind filled with terror. He bit his tongue hard, trying to shake himself awake.

Crack!

A sharp, cracking sound echoed from within Huxiao Immortal’s chest.

When he finally broke free from the third-rank illusion and his consciousness returned to reality, he realized he had lost control of his body.

To be precise, his body had already stopped breathing.

"Huxiao Immortal, so you finally couldn’t resist making a move?"

A straw-robed old man stood before him, his tone calm as he shattered all the organs in Huxiao Immortal’s chest with a single strike.

"You... you all..."

Huxiao Immortal’s words were barely coherent as blood streamed from his seven orifices. He collapsed to the ground, dead.

In his final moments, Huxiao Immortal finally understood—Lan Chang'an had been prepared for him all along.

As long as he dared to make a move to stop the core formation, Lan Chang'an would unleash a decisive, ruthless strike.

"Xiang Immortal, you directly killed him?"

Hanyu Immortal’s face turned slightly pale.

She had discussed with Lan Chang'an beforehand that they would work together to stop Huxiao Immortal if he tried to interfere.

Never would she have expected that when Lan Chang'an finally acted, he would simply kill Huxiao Immortal outright.

This was a veteran Fake Dan cultivator, and even two cultivators of the same level might not have been able to take him down.

"It’s no big deal. If this brings you trouble, Xiang Immortal will owe you an extra favor," Lan Chang'an said generously.

"Very well. When Xiang Immortal reaches great heights in the future, don't forget today's promise," Hanyu Immortal said, her cold, snowy face showing a rare smile.

"I keep my word," Lan Chang'an replied firmly.

Hearing this, Hanyu Immortal felt reassured.

She glanced toward the valley, where the third-rank bear demon still lingered, her expression filled with concern.

"Xiang Immortal, what if that bear demon attacks?"

"Rest assured, Hanyu Immortal. I still have a trump card up my sleeve. Even if that bear demon comes charging in, with you and me working together and the weakened third-rank formation, we can hold out until the core formation is complete."

Lan Chang'an spoke confidently.

"A trump card?"

Hanyu Immortal thought about his background and felt a sense of security wash over her.

She couldn’t help but grow a bit more curious about Xiang Immortal, even feeling a hint of admiration for him.

"I don’t think that bear demon has malicious intent," Lan Chang'an said thoughtfully as he gazed toward the valley where the bear demon lurked.

...

For the next half day, the bear demon continued to pace outside the valley but made no further moves.

Then, at a certain moment...

The massive cloud vortex above the cultivation hall began to dissipate.

Waves of golden light radiated from the sky, swirling above the hall, accompanied by faint echoes of Daoist chants that descended within.

Lan Chang'an sensed that the Earth Burrowing Rat’s core formation process was nearing completion. There was something different about this compared to his own core formation or even Fu Xuemei’s in the past.

He hadn’t been able to focus his attention on it before due to the potential threat from the bear demon outside.

Boom!

As the core formation phenomenon receded, a surge of True Dan-level demonic energy erupted from within the hall.

In an instant, demonic energy shot skyward, causing the wind and clouds to churn, and all nearby beasts fled in terror.

"The demonic aura has pierced the heavens—this is the aura of a Great Demon!"

Lan Chang'an stroked his beard with a satisfied smile, his heart finally at ease.

The Earth Burrowing Rat had just advanced to the third rank, yet its demonic power rivaled that of a seasoned Great Demon.

With such an intense core formation phenomenon and the overwhelming power it exuded, it had undoubtedly formed an upper-tier True Dan.

At this point, even if the bear demon outside attacked, it no longer posed a real threat.