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"Little thief! How dare you—"
Tan Immortal roared sternly, having his guard up against Lan Chang'an.
Lan Chang'an had previously used a needle-shaped talismanic treasure to kill Hu Immortal, its power rivaling that of a Fake Dan level. It was perfect for unexpected sneak attacks.
However, if used in direct confrontation or against a prepared target, its threat to a Fake Dan cultivator was not significant. Let alone someone as powerful as Tan Immortal, who was at the peak of Fake Dan.
As Tan Immortal flew towards the treasure vault space, he immediately activated a protective barrier around his body, wary of the needle-shaped talismanic treasure.
In his eyes, Lan Chang'an was a sinister schemer.
He was like a turtle shell—hard to crack, always launching sneak attacks when least expected.
Yet this time, Lan Chang'an's attack completely exceeded his expectations.
Like a wild beast, he charged head-on.
Whoosh!
A black shadow flashed across the field of vision. Lan Chang'an's speed was even faster than that of a Fake Dan cultivator. A fierce wind surged as his legs flickered with a blue glow.
His figure seemed to grow slightly taller, exuding the oppressive pressure of a ferocious beast's blood and Qi. In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of Tan Immortal.
"Your Excellency Tan Immortal, you are a Fake Dan Immortal, can you receive a strike from me?"
With a swift motion, Lan Chang'an wielded the black-gold scimitar that exuded magic treasure level spirituality as a melee weapon, and with the addition of Evergreen Mana under the weight of terrifying strength and speed, he slashed out with a sword that was as powerful as a thunderbolt.
In an instant, the dazzling crescent-shaped blade light filled Tan Immortal's pupils.
Boom! Crack!
The protective barrier, which he had confidently believed could withstand the talismanic treasure, trembled violently. The spiritual light rapidly dimmed before splitting open with a crack.
"You—"
Tan Immortal's face showed shock as the powerful impact churned his blood and Qi, sending him flying backward towards the ground.
"Terrifying!"
The two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators flying towards the formation gate couldn't help but feel their scalps tingle.
"A single strike pushed back a Fake Dan cultivator? Could Lan Chang'an be a genius of this era?"
The young man with a high nose bridge, at the peak of Foundation Establishment, broke out in cold sweat. He had dared to attack such a figure earlier.
Lady Wei, both astonished and secretly relieved, she was secretly glad that she had luckily avoided clashing with Lan Chang'an before.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators didn't dare linger. Without looking back, they seized the opportunity to fly through the rapidly closing formation gate.
Both hoped that Lan Chang'an and Tan Immortal would engage in a prolonged battle, buying them more time to take the treasure.
...
"Lan Chang'an, you've hidden so deeply. Who would have thought that a mere 'Turtle Talisman Master' could cultivate his body to the level of quasi-third-rank?"
Tan Immortal growled, blue light surging from his body like a torrent as his large figure suddenly froze in midair.
Buzz!
He spat out the black ruler magical treasure from his mouth, which rapidly expanded to over ten zhang in length, condensing vast blue radiance. The ruler came crashing down towards Lan Chang'an with the force of a thunderclap.
At the same time, Tan Immortal summoned a black iron shield, a supreme-grade magical weapon, to defend against any further sneak attacks from Lan Chang'an.
"Heh, without some means of self-preservation, how could I live up to the title of 'Turtle Talisman Master'?"
Lan Chang'an chuckled lightly.
Seeing the enormous magical treasure ruler crashing down, his legs stirred up a gust of wind, and his figure blurred like a phantom as he swiftly retreated.
While retreating, he swung his black-gold scimitar to meet the ruler head-on. However, after just one or two breaths, the scimitar dimmed and was forced to withdraw.
The difference between a magical treasure prototype and a genuine magical treasure, and between a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator and a Fake Dan cultivator, was not easily bridged.
Seizing the opportunity, Lan Chang'an retreated further out of the ruler’s range, using the ancient structures around him to constantly dodge and avoid battle.
If Tan Immortal had been an ordinary Fake Dan cultivator, Lan Chang'an wouldn't have minded relying on his body refinement and spell attainments to exchange a few more blows.
But this person was at the pinnacle of the Fake Dan realm. Engaging him head-on was unnecessary.
Most Fake Dan cultivators could only wield one magical treasure, but Tan Immortal could simultaneously control a supreme-grade magical weapon for defense.
"Lan Chang'an! Stop hiding like a coward! Weren’t you quite bold just now?"
"Do you dare to face me head-on?" Tan Immortal roared angrily as he chased after Lan Chang'an, wielding his magical treasure and magical weapon.
The embarrassing thing was—he couldn't catch up.
Lan Chang'an’s body refinement technique emphasized speed, and combined with his spell enhancement, he was just a bit faster than Tan Immortal.
In the air, Tan Immortal might still have a slim chance.
But near the ground, the complex ancient buildings formed natural barriers.
The materials used in these ancient ruins were extremely sturdy. Even a Immortal would struggle to casually destroy them.
"Tan Immortal, with your deep reserves of mana and your long-lasting energy as a Fake Dan Immortal, if you keep chasing me, you’ll eventually wear me out."
Lan Chang'an laughed mockingly.
Tan Immortal hesitated. That made sense.
But something felt off. There was no reason for Lan Chang'an to be so kind as to remind him that.
Suddenly.
As Tan Immortal was flying, he stumbled, feeling his blood and Qi stagnate, and his mana become sluggish.
"Not good! When did I get poisoned?"
A trace of greenish-black blood appeared on his forehead, and his breathing became hot and painful, with a faint ache in his chest.
"That third-rank poison from the medicine vault... I wonder how much of its potency has been lost, but it's finally taking effect."
Seeing this, Lan Chang'an sighed and shook his head.
If it hadn't been for the poisoning,
he wouldn’t have put on a show of "heroism," breaking through Tan Immortal's protective barrier with a direct strike.
It was during that brief close-range encounter that Lan Chang'an had secretly administered the poison.
Earlier, while selecting items in the medicine vault, he had acquired a black jar containing a colorless and odorless third-rank poison.
Though the potency of normal third-rank elixirs in the medicine vault had significantly diminished, Lan Chang'an had identified that the poison in this jar had retained more of its original potency compared to the other elixirs.
Over time, even poisons can degrade, resulting in unpredictable changes in toxicity.
Lan Chang'an could only speculate that it would be effective against a Fake Dan cultivator, to what extent, it needed to be proven in practice.
...
"Insidious little thief!"
Tan Immortal was livid. After confirming that he was poisoned, he suppressed his anger and refrained from pursuing Lan Chang'an further.
Earlier, when Lan Chang'an had charged at him head-on, he had thought they were going to have an honorable fight.
But just like with Hu Immortal, he had fallen into a trap again.
Whoosh!
Tan Immortal stepped on his escape light and turned to flee.
Silently circulating his mana, he tried to suppress the third-rank poison in his body.
"Something's wrong! The more I circulate my mana, the faster the poison spreads."
The greenish-black blood patterns on Tan Immortal's face expanded further.
He quickly realized that he had been afflicted with a slow-acting poison. Initially subtle, it lay dormant in his body.
"So much spiritual energy."
In the next moment, he found himself in a miniature secret space spanning about a li in radius. In the center was an ancient, desolate garden from ancient times.
At the heart of the garden stood a spiritual well, several zhang in width, from which clear spiritual springs bubbled forth.
Radiating outward from the well were numerous stone platforms, totaling more than eighty.
Some of the platforms were covered by transparent barriers, with various items floating inside.
There were three circles of platforms.
The innermost circle had only four platforms.
The second circle had sixteen platforms.
The third circle had sixty-four platforms.
However, most of the platforms were without barriers and were completely empty.
Among the four platforms in the innermost circle, only one had a barrier.
The second and third circles had about a dozen platforms with items still encased within barriers.
According to Fairy Shi, her token had only allowed her to take one item from the third circle.
"Xuanmu Vine... Yin Yang Water... Superior Crystal Condensation Pills... Demonizing Mirror..."
Each platform had a brief description of the item's name and its uses. Lan Chang'an quickly skimmed through, his eyes burning with desire.
Of the many treasures, what caught his attention the most were the "Yin Yang Water" and the "superior Crystal Condensation Pills," both located within the second circle.
The platforms in the third circle contained ordinary treasures, Core Formation items, jade slips, and other items.
Taking a deep breath, Lan Chang'an approached a platform in the second circle. The one containing the superior Crystal Condensation Pills. His gaze landed on the jade bottle floating within the barrier.
The superior pills inside were a luxury that Lan Chang'an could barely dream of even after three lifetimes.
Not far from the platform stood another barrier containing a crystal bottle, within which black-and-white liquid beads swirled—a rare treasure of the heavens and earth, the Yin Yang Water.
The Yin Yang Water could help a cultivator dissolve their Fake Dan or True Dan, returning their mana to the Foundation Establishment's liquid form.
This would allow for a second attempt at Core Formation, slightly improving the quality of the core.
"If I could obtain both the Yin Yang Water and the superior Crystal Condensation Pills, I’d have a real chance at forming the Immortal Golden Dan."
Lan Chang'an's breathing became heavier as he circulated his Evergreen Technique to calm his mind.
At such a critical juncture, he had to remain steady and not let his guard down.
Communicating with the token in his hand, he quickly received a simple message.
"You can take one item from the first circle."
"You can take two items from the second circle. And four items from the third..."
This was the method that Fairy Shi had figured out earlier.
To claim an item, one simply needed to touch the barrier with the token.
If the token wasn't compatible, the barrier would remain sealed, and the treasure would be inaccessible.
Anyone attempting to touch the barrier without a token would trigger the formation's attack.
The power of these formations was said to rival a Nascent Soul expert's strike.
According to Fairy Shi, the high-nosed youth at the peak of Foundation Establishment had been obliterated by the formation when he tried to take a treasure. Not even ashes remained of him.
Lan Chang'an didn't immediately claim a treasure. Instead, he scanned the miniature secret space and said lightly:
"Come out."
"Senior Lan! This junior meant no offense, please show mercy."
From behind an ancient tree a hundred zhang away, a long-haired, cold beauty dressed in a gauzy dress crawled out, appearing disheveled.
It was none other than Lady Wei, who had entered earlier.
"Why aren't you dead?" Lan Chang'an's tone was cold. He had little fondness for Wei, who practiced demonic cultivation.
"I... I can't get out! Without a token, I'm enduring immense pressure from this space. If I stay much longer, I'll explode."
Lady Wei's face flushed red, drenched in cold sweat as she lay on the ground, struggling even to breathe.
"Why are you calling me Senior Lan?" Lan Chang'an frowned, his face thoughtful.
"My master once mentioned you in passing. He told me that if I ever encountered you, I must show respect."
"Your master is Liang Shaotian?" Lan Chang'an's gaze sharpened. From her demonic cultivation, he could sense a similar aura, suggesting a shared lineage.
"Yes! Please... please show mercy, Senior... take me out of here. I’m willing to—"
Before she could finish, Lady Wei's eyes rolled back, and she fainted, blood trickling from her mouth and nose.
After a brief probe with his spiritual sense, Lan Chang'an approached.
After a moment's hesitation, he planted a restriction in her dantian.
Then, he took out the lowest quality second-rank protective talisman he had and slapped it on her face, conveniently covering her eyes.
"Let's see how your fate turns out."
Lan Chang'an then returned to the first circle of platforms.
...
The token's feedback indicated that Lan Chang'an could only take one item from the platforms in the first circle.
However, only one platform in the entire circle had an item protected by a barrier.
And that was the legendary heaven-and-earth spiritual item, the Xuanmu Vine.
Inside the barrier lay a withered, yellowed vine planted in dull five-colored soil.
A hole in the platform next to the soil was continuously spraying spiritual spring water, nourishing the vine, but it seemed like it could no longer revive it.
The Xuanmu Vine had only a small remaining sliver of green, less than one-tenth of its total size.
Lan Chang'an also noticed a small, shriveled gourd fruit attached to one of its withered branches.
As he examined the vine, Lan Chang'an couldn't help but recall a previous transaction with Daoist Tianshu, where he had burned his lifespan to help sustain the vitality of a peachwood branch.
There was a faint similarity in the aura between the two, though there were some differences.
According to Daoist Tianshu, that peachwood branch had been one of the materials used in crafting the "Nine-Five Supreme Treasure Dragon Artifacts," a treasured artifact of the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty in the Fenghua Continent.
"Xuanmu Vine, obtained from a mysterious ancient cave dwelling. Said to be a companion vine from the beginning of the world..."
"Failed in nurturing the Xuantian Gourd. Over 90% of its life force is gone. Survival after transplantation is unlikely."
The stone platform had a simple inscription carved into it.
"What is this 'Xuantian Gourd'?"
Even after three lifetimes of cultivation, Lan Chang'an had never heard of it.
"This withered Xuanmu Vine, even Tinghai Pavilion couldn’t save it. Though my Evergreen Technique is unique, reviving it as a wood-based magic treasure embryo would likely require an enormous price."
Based on the information from the jade slip, Lan Chang'an estimated that Tinghai Pavilion’s strength far exceeded that of any Nascent Soul-level force in the vicinity of the Liang Kingdom.
In fact, the jade slip had mentioned that there were more than three Nascent Soul True Monarchs within Tinghai Pavilion alone.
If such a behemoth couldn’t save the vine, Lan Chang'an didn’t want to take the risk.
"Forget it, not worth it."
Shaking his head, Lan Chang'an turned away and headed for the second circle of platforms.
Compared to the near-dead Xuanmu Vine, the Yin Yang Water and superior Crystal Condensation Pills were much safer bets.
(End of chapter)
Extra chap today, cause why not ;)