I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

"Hmm."

Lan Chang'an noticed Guan Qiaozhi's resentful gaze. Feeling good today, he didn't mind having an extra dinner.

Guan Qiaozhi was obedient and considerate, hardworking, and never complained.

If he let her stay alone in an empty room all the time, it would be a disservice to the dying wish of Master Guan.

Having received his permission, the young girl wrapped in a single layer of white silk gently led the man several decades older than herself into the bathroom.

......

The next morning.

On the messy bed, Lan Chang'an felt refreshed, with a lingering fragrance beside the pillow.

Although Guan Qiaozhi was not a stunning beauty, her voice was soft, her body tender, pure yet charming, with a unique flavor.

"Senior Brother Lan, this is the nourishing soup I made." Guan Qiaozhi, now in a blue long dress, looked bright and graceful, though her legs were slightly stiff.

"I don't need to nourish myself." Lan Chang'an glanced at it. The soup had ingredients that boosted yang energy, so he raised his hand to refuse.

Throughout his long years of cultivation, Lan Chang'an had maintained a regimen of abstinence and self-restraint. When he occasionally had physiological needs, they could easily be dispelled with cultivation.

However, this method of self-restraint was ultimately inferior. Occasionally indulging in one’s natural desires was also in accordance with the way of heaven and human nature.

Everything had its limits. Whether it was overindulgence or excessive restraint, neither was good for the body and mind.

......

A few days later.

Lan Chang'an disguised himself as an elderly man in his seventies to attend a small auction in the inner city of Huanglong.

This auction did not have any cultivators above the late Foundation Establishment Realm.

Lan Chang'an's Evergreen Technique concealed his aura, so he was not afraid of being noticed. He successfully bid for a first-rank Life Extension Pill at the auction.

After returning.

Lan Chang'an entered a secret room and took the newly purchased first-rank Life Extension Pill.

"Extended lifespan by six years."

Lan Chang'an opened his eyes. The effect of the third Life Extension Pill was within his expectations.

"With the addition of three Life Extension Pills, my lifespan has finally exceeded two hundred!" Lan Chang'an's heart was filled with emotions.

A two-hundred-year lifespan was close to the theoretical limit of two hundred and forty years for the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Normally, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, if not falling midway, could live to around two hundred years.

......

With no worries about lifespan and cultivation at the ninth layer of Qi-Refining. Lan Chang'an's next focus was naturally the Foundation Establishment Pill.

He no longer hoped for a three-hundred-year-old Xuanling Fruit. He could always rely on crowd-funding to get the pill concocted.

If lucky, and he ran into a cultivator like Young Master Zhou again, Lan Chang'an would provide more material shares than the Evil-faced Flying Eagle back then, and could at least secure the second priority for the pill.

If Alchemist Hua performed normally, two Foundation Establishment Pills could be produced.

When crowdfunding for a pill, Lan Chang'an had a fifty percent chance of getting a genuine Foundation Establishment Pill.

One day.

Lan Chang'an revisited Du Wei's house to inquire about any new developments.

"Brother Lan, over the years, many cultivators have sought my master's help to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill. Currently, there is still a shortage of 'Xuanling Fruit' and 'Illusory Heart Grass' and other rare materials. Other than that, we’re pretty much set."

Having known each other for over a decade, they had long since stopped being formal with each other. Du Wei always informed him of any new news in a timely manner.

"By the way, there is news of Xuanling Fruit in Huanglong Immortal City." Du Wei suddenly thought of something and said.

"Oh, there is a clue about Xuanling Fruit?"

Lan Chang'an showed interest.

"Last time, I heard from a senior of the Alchemy Alliance that the final disciple of Huanglong Immortal, Fu Xuemei, obtained a Xuanling Fruit of decent age."

"Fu Xuemei?"

Having been in Huanglong Immortal City for so many years, Lan Chang'an had heard of this name.

Fu Xuemei, with an Earth spiritual root aptitude, was taken in as the final disciple by Immortal Huanglong many years ago and is highly regarded by him.¹

She was a big figure that Lan Chang'an could not currently touch.

"Fu Xuemei is a Foundation Establishment cultivator. The Xuanling Fruit seems to be of little use to her?" Lan Chang'an asked in confusion.

As an earth spirit root, even if Fu Xuemei were only in the ninth level of Qi Condensation, she would have a fifty percent chance of reaching Foundation Establishment.

If she were a heavenly spirit root, she would have few bottlenecks to overcome on her way to Core Formation.

“Heh heh. This has to do with Fu Xuemei’s personal affairs. If it weren’t for our long friendship, I wouldn’t tell you about this so easily.” Du Wei lowered his voice and spoke in a very suggestive tone.

“Of course Fu Xuemei doesn’t need a Xuanling Fruit.”

“But her brother, with his inferior spiritual root, failed in his attempt to breakthrough even with the Foundation Establishment Pill. Fu Xuemei refused to give up and is working on a second one!”

Inferior spiritual root?

Forcing an attempt at the Foundation Establishment stage?

If it didn’t work the first time, why try again?

Even after two lifetimes of experience, Lan Chang'an was still shocked by this news.

“Fu Xuemei has invested so many resources into helping her brother that it’s affected her cultivation progress. Otherwise, she would have reached mid-Foundation Establishment years ago.”

Du Wei sighed. “What a devoted sister.”

Lan Chang'an remained unmoved. According to the way men thought on Earth, a woman like Fu Xuemei was not someone you wanted to marry.

“The dry ones die of drought, and the flooded ones die of waterlogging.”

After getting all the information he needed, Lan Chang'an returned to Water Moon Residence.

The Xuanling Fruit he had been searching for for so many years had been used by Fu Xuemei to feed her useless younger brother.

He had no desire whatsoever to take the Xuanling Fruit from her hands.

In another seven or eight years, if nothing else worked, he would consider using a different method to concoct the Foundation Establishment Pill without using Xuanling Fruit.

Lan Chang'an had asked Du Wei about it before. Alchemist Hua’s method was quite common in the Huanglong Immortal City.

Two months later, Du Wei suddenly contacted Lan Chang'an to discuss the matter.

“You’re saying that Fu Xuemei wants to find someone to cooperate with her in concocting Foundation Establishment Pills? She’ll provide the Xuanling Fruit, and the other party will provide the other ingredients. Then, after the pills are finished being concocted, they’ll be split evenly between the two parties?”

Lan Chang'an was shocked by this news. What a coincidence! It was as if it had been tailor-made for him!

“I heard that Fu Xuemei is currently broke because she’s been helping her younger brother with his cultivation. That’s why she’s looking for someone to cooperate with.” Du Wei explained further.

Lan Chang'an shrugged. “Brother Du, you don’t think I can gather all the other ingredients, do you?”

“Ha ha! Of course not!”

“What I’m saying is, if Brother Lan has already gathered quite a few of the ingredients, you can find someone to cooperate with and quickly gather the rest of the ingredients. Then, you can go find Fu Xuemei and work with her.”

“Then, not only will you have a chance to get some Foundation Establishment Pills, but you'll also be able to get on good terms with Huanglong Immortal's final disciple.”

Du Wei smiled as he gave his advice.

Lan Chang'an understood. Alchemist Hua wanted to curry favor with Fu Xuemei. After all, they didn’t need to provide any of the ingredients themselves. They only needed to act as a bridge and would be able to sell a favor.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Brother Du!”

Lan Chang'an thought for a moment before making his decision.

“I’ve only gathered about half of the ingredients. Plus, I heard that Fu Xuemei is very aloof and difficult to deal with. I think I’ll pass on this matter!” Lan Chang'an’s refusal caught Du Wei by surprise.

He stared at Lan Chang'an for a moment but didn’t try to change his mind. If Lan Chang'an wasn’t interested, he could always find other cultivators who wanted to concoct Foundation Establishment Pills and act as a bridge between them and Fu Xuemei.

Of course, Lan Chang'an had his reasons for refusing.

If Fu Xuemei were an ordinary Foundation Establishment expert, like Zhao Siyao, he would have been more than happy to cooperate.

However, Fu Xuemei was an earth spirit root genius and a final disciple valued by the Huanglong Immortal.

The difference in status between the two of them was like the difference between heaven and earth. When the difference between two parties was too great, any so-called cooperation would be completely one-sided.

Lan Chang'an didn’t like the idea of losing control and being at the mercy of someone else.

He would rather pass up an opportunity to get Foundation Establishment Pills.

Fu Xuemei had many powerful friends and was far too high above Lan Chang'an. He had no desire to associate with her.

(End of Chapter)

Footnotes:

1. The term "关门弟子" (guānmén dìzǐ) translates to "final disciple" or "closed-door disciple." It refers to the last disciple accepted by a master before retiring from teaching, often indicating a special status and a closer relationship with the master. ↩