I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals-Chapter 373: Aftermath of the Battle

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Chapter 373: Aftermath of the Battle

Zzt—Boom!

A thunderous streak of lightning shot across the sky, enveloping Lan Chang'an and Purple Mist Fairy.

Wrapped in arcing lightning and storm clouds, the two fled some distance away, temporarily escaping from danger.

The explosive speed of the fourth-rank Lightning Escape Talisman had forced Jiang Ziyan to tightly hold onto Lan Chang'an’s waist beforehand, ensuring they wouldn’t be separated during high-speed movement.

"A low-grade fourth-rank Lightning Escape Talisman should be enough to buy us some time. The other Nascent Soul True Monarchs from Great Yu Kigndom should be on their way."

Lan Chang'an quickly calculated their situation—the outcome was already clear.

Great Snake Mountain’s ambush was running out of time. With no window left for pursuit, this Nascent Soul Killing Tribulation crisis was essentially resolved.

Even though he radiated rage and unwillingness, Red Serpent True Monarch didn’t chase after them.

The speed of a fourth-rank escape talisman was equivalent to an early Nascent Soul cultivator’s full-power flight speed.

While Lightning Escape Talismans had an even greater initial burst of speed, they only created a temporary gap—they couldn’t easily outrun an opponent of the same rank over time.

If enough time passed and the talisman’s energy was exhausted, True Monarch Red Serpent could still catch up.

"Hmm?"

Lan Chang'an noticed something strange.

Though True Monarch Red Serpent and Pagoda Wanderer had given up on chasing them, their gazes were now locked onto the puppet army formation—they intended to seize it.

But they had made the wrong calculation.

At the moment, Lan Chang'an was fused with his second life, and his spiritual sense far surpassed that of an ordinary Core Formation cultivator, nearly reaching the Nascent Soul stage.

Within a range of dozens of li, he could still control the puppet army formation.

Since it was structured for positional warfare, its fully deployed defensive capabilities were equivalent to a complete Nascent Soul-level force—not something that could be taken down quickly.

"Senior Sister Jiang, focus on healing and purging the poison. I’ll guide the Lightning Escape Talisman."

With one hand supporting Purple Mist Fairy, Lan Chang'an took over the control of the escape talisman from her delicate jade fingers.

"Be careful, Junior Brother!"

Purple Mist Fairy’s starry eyes fluttered shut—she had been slightly worried at first.

But as soon as she saw Lan Chang'an easily take command of the fourth-rank Lightning Escape Talisman, she felt completely at ease, silently resting in his arms to focus on detoxifying and healing her wounds.

After taking over the Lightning Escape Talisman, Lan Chang'an stopped fleeing in a straight line.

Instead, he maneuvered in a circular flight path, maintaining a thirty-li distance, allowing him to continue remote-controlling the puppet army formation.

"How can this brat control his puppets from so far away?!"

True Monarch Red Serpent and Pagoda Wanderer exchanged looks of disbelief.

They had thought they could easily claim the puppet army formation, but instead, they were met with its full-powered defenses.

Unlike Purple Mist Fairy, who was physically injured and weakened, the puppet formation had no fear of poison and could maintain its combat capabilities for a long time.

Breaking through it would take considerable effort and time.

"Fellow Daoist Red Serpent, let’s retreat. Even if we try to forcefully destroy the puppet formation, as long as that Xiang Dalong can remotely control it, he could just make them self-destruct."

Pagoda Wanderer’s voice was calm, urging for retreat.

"Damn it!"

True Monarch Red Serpent’s rage burned even hotter—especially after recalling how his quasi-fourth-rank spirit beast had been slaughtered by Lan Chang'an.

Still, he was rational enough to realize that they had exceeded their planned time limit.

He gritted his teeth before finally choosing to retreat alongside Pagoda Wanderer.

"However…"

Flying high in the Nine Fiery Heavens, True Monarch Red Serpent’s expression suddenly twisted into a cruel grin.

"That Purple Mist Fairy has been poisoned by the Heavenly Centipede Nascent Soul Venom. Great Yu Kigndom doesn’t have an antidote for it."

"If she doesn’t get treated in time, the poison will damage her Nascent Soul essence, her strength will permanently decline, and her future cultivation will be severely crippled."

His aged, snake-patterned face revealed a sinister look of satisfaction.

Although their plan hadn’t gone perfectly, they had still achieved a fundamental victory.

If the Heavenly Centipede Nascent Soul Venom fully invaded Purple Mist Fairy’s Nascent Soul, its effects would be far worse than if she had simply abandoned her physical body and escaped with her Nascent Soul.

The only thing that was stuck in his throat was Xiang Dalong.

This mysterious Core Formation cultivator had hidden his abilities too deeply and dealing with him had made them suffer a bloody loss in this operation.

...

With the two Nascent Soul-level enemies retreating, Lan Chang'an commanded his puppet army formation to return. After confirming there were no traps or lingering threats, he stored them away.

"Senior Sister Jiang, how is your injury and the poison?"

Lan Chang'an asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.

Purple Mist Fairy’s starry eyes remained closed, her delicate brows slightly furrowed. On her exquisite, flawless face, a faint, barely visible blue centipede-like pattern shimmered subtly.

Her soft, elegant body rested against him, cold sweat beading on her forehead as she shivered uncontrollably.

Perhaps due to the chilling effect of the venom, she held onto him tightly, instinctively seeking warmth.

Lan Chang'an gently placed his palm against Jiang Ziyan’s back, channeling a basic healing technique of the Evergreen Technique to stabilize her internal injuries.

As long as he did not activate the lifespan-consuming secret spell of the Evergreen Technique, its healing properties were no different from other wood-element cultivation methods—though its efficacy was undeniably superior.

Strangely, Purple Mist Fairy’s body wasn’t cold at all.

Instead, there was a faint warm fragrance emanating from her.

Lan Chang'an could only theorize that the chilling sensation came from the Nascent Soul Venom itself, which attacked the spiritual soul rather than the physical body.

However, since the Nascent Soul was the core essence of a Nascent Soul cultivator, he didn’t dare recklessly probe further.

"Junior Brother Xiang, this time… it was all thanks to you."

Purple Mist Fairy’s soft, weak voice drifted into his ears, carrying a fragile beauty that stirred a sense of sympathy.

"I took a secret medicine earlier, so my life is not in immediate danger."

"However, my Nascent Soul spirit body is bound by the terrifying fourth-rank venom. I lack the strength to manage my physical injuries, and my mana is completely unstable…."

Hearing this, Lan Chang'an was slightly taken aback—Purple Mist Fairy was even weaker than he had expected.

Right now, even an ordinary cultivator could capture her with ease.

Luckily, she was in no immediate mortal danger.

"Fortunately, Junior Brother Xiang’s wood-element cultivation is very effective for healing."

"From now on, I will focus entirely on combating the venom in my Nascent Soul. My physical injuries… I leave them completely in your hands. Don’t concern yourself with etiquette."

After speaking, Purple Mist Fairy fell silent, her eyes closing gently as she entered a deep, meditative state, fully focusing on battling the venom within her Nascent Soul spirit.

The phrase "completely in your hands" made Lan Chang'an hesitate momentarily, but he soon set aside his concerns and began examining her condition thoroughly.

The shoulder wound was relatively easy to treat.

However, the second wound—the point of deepest venom infiltration—was on her thigh.

Lan Chang'an tore open a section of her torn silk palace skirt, revealing a perfectly smooth, snow-white thigh.

A deep, sinister gash marred her flesh, cutting dangerously close to the bone.

His expression turned serious as he gently supported her delicate, jade-like knee.

He had to remain extremely vigilant of the nascent soul poison infecting the wound!

To prevent accidental poisoning, Lan Chang'an shielded himself with mana, covered himself with detoxification talismans such as Poison Dispelling Talisman, to further reinforce his Evergreen Technique’s natural resistance to toxins.

Fortunately, it seemed the Heavenly Centipede Nascent Soul Venom had a time-limited potency.

Its residual traces outside the body had already weakened significantly, posing minimal risk.

Completely focused on healing, Lan Chang'an didn’t notice the subtle movements of Purple Mist Fairy’s eyelashes.

Her cheek, pressed against his chest, blushed faintly, concealed beneath Lan Chang'an’s robes.

In the dim glow of her partially opened eyes, a hint of deep violet starlight shimmered before fading away.

"I never expected that, in a life-or-death moment, the one I could trust most would be an outsider like Xiang Dalong."

"Even when I am ‘unconscious,’ leaving my body in his hands, he does not overstep or harbor any untoward thoughts."

Purple Mist Fairy felt a strange sense of relief.

She closed her starry eyes completely, allowing the power of her Yin-Yang Life and Death Pill to shield her Nascent Soul and gradually dissolve the venom.

The truth was, her condition wasn’t as dire as it seemed.

Since taking control of Yunxia Sect, Purple Mist Fairy had been highly cautious of Great Snake Mountain’s poisons.

After the death of her Dao companion in the Ancient Nether Hall, she had secretly purchased an extremely rare pill—the Yin-Yang Life and Death Pill—at a great cost to the sect’s resources.

This was the black and white antidote pills she had taken earlier.

This miracle pill not only prevented instant death, but also protected the Nascent Soul’s core, stabilized the balance of yin and yang, and helped weaken and gradually dissolve even the most insidious poisons.

Thus, Purple Mist Fairy was in no real danger, as long as she continued slowly purging the venom.

However, the Yin-Yang Life and Death Pill wasn’t a perfect antidote—completely removing the Heavenly Centipede Nascent Soul Venom would still require additional medicine tailored to counteract its effects.

Ultimately, Great Snake Mountain’s ambush had not gone as planned.

Lan Chang'an not daring to recklessly probe Purple Mist Fairy’s Nascent Soul, remained unaware that she wasn’t actually completely defenseless.

If he had harbored any ill intentions, Purple Mist Fairy could have instantly abandoned her physical body, escaping as a pure Nascent Soul spirit body.

Worse still, she could have self-destructed her current body—at such close range, the explosion would have been enough to kill even a Nascent Soul cultivator.

But Lan Chang'an had never entertained such thoughts.

He still had to count on the Yunxia Sect to continue to shield him from the wind and rain, and to borrow the fourth-rank spirit vein to form his Nascent Soul.

Moreover, his approach had always been cautious and measured—even when facing the weakest Nascent Soul elder, he would never let his guard down.

After bandaging her wounds, Lan Chang'an conducted a final inspection.

Her condition wasn’t as severe as expected—she was merely weakened from the combined effects of her injuries and Nascent Soul poison, and she needed to slowly recuperate.

Just then, from afar, a powerful Nascent Soul aura surged across the sky.

"The reinforcements have arrived."

Lan Chang'an sensed the mana fluctuations, confirming they belonged to allied Nascent Soul cultivators from Great Yu Kingdom—even more reassuring, he recognized a familiar presence among them.

Finally, he let out a breath of relief.

Closing his eyes, Lan Chang'an extended his spiritual sense, gazing toward the distant Great Snake Mountain and muttering:

"What a shame… Great Snake Mountain didn’t go all out. Still rather conservative."

...

Great Snake Mountain Territory.

For a thousand li, the ring-shaped mountains and deep valleys of Great Snake Mountain were perpetually shrouded in a gray, hazy mist.

A hundred li from the mountain gate.

Among the rolling hills, a fourth-rank puppet, resembling an iron-fanged corpse general clad in green armor, sat motionless in the tall grass, silently watching the mountain gate of Great Snake Mountain.

"Red Refinement True Monarch's aura remains. He hasn’t left with the Scarlet Abyss Serpent King."

Inside the core of the fourth-rank puppet, a low murmur escaped from Puppet Master Wei, as he transmitted this crucial intelligence to Lan Chang'an.

In recent years, in order to advance his puppet spirit to a true fourth-rank, Puppet Master Wei had been wandering the territories near Yunxia Sect, seeking insights and breakthroughs.

Several years ago, Lan Chang'an’s divination had hinted at potential danger, prompting him to increase his vigilance toward Great Snake Mountain.

As a precaution, he had instructed Puppet Master Wei to operate along the periphery of Great Snake Mountain’s domain, gathering intelligence without getting too close.

When Lan Chang'an was ambushed in Great Yu Kingdom, his first action was to immediately contact Puppet Master Wei, instructing him to act based on the situation.

Had Great Snake Mountain committed all their forces to the attack, even sending away their newly ascended Nascent Soul cultivator, Red Refinement True Monarch, their sect’s defenses would be left vulnerable.

At that moment, Puppet Master Wei could have launched an independent strike, infiltrating the sect using the special properties of the fourth-rank puppet to seize resources and unleash a brutal massacre.

If successful, not only could they plunder top resources for Nascent Soul formation and beast taming, but it could also serve as a strategic counterstrike, forcing the enemy to retreat to protect their home base.

Of course, this was only Lan Changan's backhanded, idle move.

Even in the direct confrontation, he still had cards left unplayed, such as the fourth life Nascent Soul descent, his quasi-fourth-rank exotic spirit puppet, and the Barbed Arrow.

But in the end, Great Snake Mountain played it safe.

Red Refinement True Monarch remained at the mountain gate, leaving no glaring weaknesses to exploit.

This caution wasn’t necessarily because of Lan Chang'an, but rather due to the inherent nature of demonic sects—they always had enemies lurking in the shadows, waiting for a moment of weakness.

Even among Great Snake Mountain’s own allies, trust was thin as paper.

...

At Yunxia Sect, the sect-protecting grand formation was fully activated, placing the entire sect on high alert.

Above the mountain gate, fierce winds howled, churning earthly fiendish energy, as a semi-demon rat-man hovered in midair.

Lord Earthrock, clad in a purple-red Daoist robe, stood guard, his somewhat plump face filled with wariness as he scanned the surroundings.

Earlier, he had received an urgent sect transmission, along with his master’s personal orders to not leave the sect.

Even knowing that his master was under attack, Lord Earthrock remained anxious yet restrained, resisting the urge to rush to his aid.

If not for Lan Chang'an’s explicit command, his instinct would have driven him to leave.

A hundred li away from the sect.

In the secluded mountain stream, a massive, crimson-black serpent tail briefly flickered into view.

Hidden deep within the rocky crevice, a thirty-zhang-long serpent lay coiled, its scales dark crimson and black, its head deep red, shaped like a massive egg.

Wherever it lay, the stream water turned blood-red, forming a lifeless, poisoned wasteland spanning several li.

A sinister, chilling glow flickered in its pupilless snake eyes—enough to make even a Nascent Soul cultivator tremble in fear.

"The window has passed… it seems the pressure over there wasn’t enough."

A low, guttural murmur escaped from Scarlet Abyss Serpent King, its forked tongue flicking out as it tasted the air.

With a swish, the giant serpent lifted its body, stirring the toxic waters, concealing itself as it silently withdrew from Yunxia Sect’s territory.

As it slithered away, its slitted eyes gleamed with greed and frustration, flickering toward the distant sect’s mountain gate.

Its hunger for Lord Earthrock remained unsatisfied.

The dense earthly fiendish aura surrounding the fourth-rank Rat King was an irresistible delicacy to it.

However, that cursed rat never left the sect’s defenses, denying it the ambush opportunity it craved.

For this operation, Scarlet Abyss Serpent King had even carried a specialized rodent-killing venom, meticulously prepared by Red Refinement True Monarch, ensuring a seven-out-of-ten chance of success had it been able to strike first.

But without an opening, there was no chance to strike.

...

At the mountain gate of Yunxia Sect, Lord Earthrock sensed something in the distance.

His sharp, rodent-like gaze followed the retreating figure of the Scarlet Abyss Serpent King, a deep unease settling in his chest.

Half an hour later.

From the far horizon, the aura of an approaching Nascent Soul cultivator could be felt, closing in rapidly.

"Master has returned!"

A flash of excitement crossed Lord Earthrock’s face as he immediately recognized Lan Chang'an’s presence.

Soon, a Nascent Soul cultivator, shielding a floating palace pavilion, arrived at Yunxia Sect’s mountain gates.

The escort was a middle-aged scholar, dressed in a dark blue silk robe, his features refined yet weathered, with silver-streaked temples, exuding an air of calm wisdom.

This was Xiao Weifeng, an ancestor of the prestigious Xiao Clan, one of Great Yu Kigndom’s four great noble families.

Coincidentally, he was also the ancestor of Xiao Qingshan, the steward of Lan Chang'an’s personal residence.

Due to this familial connection, Lan Chang'an had some dealings with the Xiao Clan, often exchanging rare materials with them.

Moreover, the Xiao Clan and Yunxia Sect maintained a mutually beneficial relationship.

From within the floating pavilion, a familiar gentle voice was heard:

"Many thanks for your escort, Fellow Daoist Xiao. I must now focus on healing and purging the venom, so I won’t be able to entertain you properly. Please forgive me."

It was Purple Mist Fairy, her voice still carrying traces of weakness, yet retaining its usual elegance and composure.

"Since Fellow Daoist Purple Mist Fairy is no longer in immediate danger, I shall take my leave."

Xiao Weifeng responded politely, his tone measured and courteous.

However, before departing, his gaze lingered on the floating pavilion, his expression unreadable.

Within the floating palace chamber, Lan Chang'an carefully helped Purple Mist Fairy onto a soft couch.

She still seemed cold and weak, yet her arms remained wrapped tightly around him as if instinctively drawing warmth from his presence.

When Xiao Weifeng arrived, Purple Mist Fairy had briefly awakened—just long enough to expressly entrust her care to Lan Chang'an, refusing to let Xiao Weifeng investigate her condition.

All throughout their return, she had exhibited unwavering trust in Lan Chang'an, relying on him completely.

"Junior Brother Xiang, for the next while, I must fully dedicate myself to battling the venom. I will be unconscious most of the time."

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"During this period, Senior Sister's physical body in reality will be left in your care."

Purple Mist Fairy lifted her gaze, took out the Supreme Elder’s token, and handed it to Lan Chang’an. Her breath was weak, yet she forced a faint smile.

"Senior Sister, you are a Nascent Soul True Monarch. Your physical body is precious—surely another female disciple would be more appropriate for such close care?"

Receiving the token, Lan Chang'an was still somewhat uncertain.

"Junior Brother Xiang's mana is superior in healing and nurturing to anyone in our sect. In the vast Yunxia Sect, I can only place my unconditional trust in you alone."

Jiang Ziyan’s soft, plaintive tone carried a hint of a young maiden’s plea.

Such reasoning left Lan Chang'an with little room to refuse.

Having endured life-and-death tribulations together, Purple Mist Fairy now trusted him more than anyone. And when it came to healing arts, even without utilizing the Evergreen secret spell, none in the sect could surpass him.

"If not for Junior Brother Xiang shielding me with his own body, this heavenly spiritual-root physique of mine would have been utterly destroyed. Such a great debt of gratitude, how could mere mortal conventions of propriety matter in comparison?"

With those words, Purple Mist Fairy closed her eyes, withdrawing her consciousness into her Nascent Soul to resist and neutralize the nascent soul poison.

Her tranquil, sleeping face took on a faint flush—perhaps from her stabilized condition, her complexion appearing all the more vivid and radiant.

Hearing this, Lan Chang'an seemed to grasp her intent. Letting go of his hesitation, he took control of the floating pavilion, piloting it into Yunxia Sect’s mountain gate.

...

Holding the Supreme Elder Token, Lan Chang'an had a brief discussion with Sect Master Xuefeng and Lord Earthrock before proceeding toward Zixia Peak, the fourth-rank spiritual mountain that served as Purple Mist Fairy’s personal cultivation ground.

As Lan Chang'an arrived with the floating palace, a tall, well-built Core Formation cultivator hurried forward, his expression filled with worry and urgency.

It was none other than Hu Ang, the personal disciple Purple Mist Fairy had exceptionally accepted years ago.

His Core quality reached Half-Step Golden Dan, marking him as a remarkably talented cultivator.

"Elder Xiang, how is Master’s condition?"

Hu Ang’s anxious voice rang out as he moved to rush into the pavilion, clearly intending to check on Purple Mist Fairy himself.

But before he could step inside—

Boom!

Lan Chang'an raised his hand, unleashing a controlled pulse of powerful Core Formation energy, forcefully repelling Hu Ang several steps backward.

"Elder Xiang, what is the meaning of this?"

Hu Ang’s expression darkened with frustration, though he quickly realized his overreaction.

After all, he was merely a disciple now.

No longer Purple Mist Fairy’s Dao companion, his status, cultivation, and influence were far beneath Xiang Dalong’s.

"The Supreme Elder has entrusted me with her care, no one else is permitted to approach."

Holding the Supreme Elder Token, Lan Chang'an spoke in a neutral, formal tone, leaving no room for argument as he guided the floating palace toward Zixia Peak’s main hall.

Just as Hu Ang prepared to protest further, a soft yet commanding voice drifted from within the pavilion:

"Elder Xiang, please carry me into the cultivation hall."

"Understood."

Lan Chang'an responded calmly, stepping forward.

By now, after hours of holding Purple Mist Fairy in his arms, he had already grown accustomed to the soft, supple sensation of her delicate body against his chest.

Lan Chang'an effortlessly lifted Purple Mist Fairy into his arms, supporting her entire body with ease.

In this position, her graceful figure was fully suspended before him, revealing her beautiful curves.

On one side, her long, silken black hair cascaded gently, partially covering her exquisite face, revealing glimpses of her smooth, snow-white jaw and slender neck.

On the other side, her damaged robes slipped slightly, exposing a long, flawless thigh, smooth as jade, slightly curled as her delicate purple embroidered shoe pointed downward.

"Elder Xiang, you—"

Hu Ang felt his heart tighten as if struck by lightning, his body frozen in shock.

But… what reason did he have to object?

Purple Mist Fairy herself had given the order.

Lan Chang'an was simply following instructions.

"Nephew Hu, is there something you wish to say?"

Lan Chang'an glanced back, his voice calm yet carrying a subtle undertone of amusement.

In Yunxia Sect, many male cultivators secretly admired Purple Mist Fairy, and it was no surprise that Hu Ang harbored similar feelings.

"I… I have some knowledge of medicine. Perhaps I could be of assistance…?"

Hu Ang desperately grasped for an excuse, trying to regain control of the situation.

The remnant soul of Yunlan True Monarch that had fused with him had once been a scholar of multiple disciplines, including medicine, artifact refining, and divination—though he had never mastered any of them.

Even so, he hoped that offering medical assistance would allow him to stay close to Purple Mist Fairy.

But before Lan Chang'an could respond, a chilling voice echoed from within the floating palace:

"There’s no need. Elder Xiang is proficient in healing arts, and his wood-element techniques are best suited for my recovery."

"Remain outside and guard the cultivation hall."

"Yes… Master."

Hu Ang bowed reluctantly, but his mind was a whirlwind of emotions.

Her tone had been uncharacteristically cold—as if blaming him for interfering.

Hu Ang could only force a smile, watching as the blue-robed, bald Elder Xiang carried his injured, disheveled master into the cultivation hall, her ripped robes still revealing glimpses of smooth, bare skin.

The image burned into his mind, leaving his heart in turmoil.

"For the sake of the sect’s future… for our alliance with Lord Earthrock… is Master truly willing to sacrifice herself to Xiang Dalong?"

A mix of anger and panic surged within Hu Ang.

But he didn’t dare act rashly.

His master was severely injured and poisoned, and the sect depended on Xiang Dalong and Lord Earthrock to maintain stability.

If he showed any hostility, and if Xiang Dalong wanted to kill himself, no one within the sect would be able to stop him.

The setting sun dipped below the horizon, and the curtain of night was about to descend.

Hu Ang paced anxiously, each passing moment stretching into an eternity.

Purple Mist Fairy’s last command had been clear—he was to remain outside and guard the hall.

But to him, it felt like he was simply locked out, exiled from her presence.