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Three months later.
On Autumnwind Isle, in the underground chamber.
A rat puppet with dusky yellow fur, a sleek body, and about ten feet in length was finally assembled in front of Lan Chang’an.
After embedding several third-rank puppet crystals, Lan Chang’an activated his Puppet Control Technique.
The puppet's dull gray eyes lit up with a chilling red glow that sent shivers down the spine.
Swoosh!
The silver-gray claws flashed momentarily, tearing through the protective barriers within the chamber, leaving a deep, narrow fissure in their wake.
The afterimage of the rat puppet solidified, exuding an invisible pressure akin to that of a third-rank creature.
"My first third-rank puppet!"
A look of joy spread across Lan Chang’an's face as he confirmed the puppet was functioning stably.
After advancing to the True Dan stage, his spiritual sense and magical power had increased significantly. With an abundance of third-rank materials, he had successfully achieved the level of a third-rank puppet master.
However, this success came only after two failed attempts, which had cost him a significant amount of materials.
The reason he ultimately crafted a rat puppet was simple—his remaining materials were insufficient.
Creating heavy defense-type puppets required a large quantity of resources. Third-rank materials were both expensive and rare, and the ones he had painstakingly collected over the past twenty years were almost depleted.
The rat puppet, being smaller in size and more flexible, consumed fewer materials overall.
Lan Chang’an had modeled the puppet after the Earth Burrowing Rat, although its capabilities were greatly simplified.
"Burrow!"
At Lan Chang'ans command, the rat puppet dived into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Its burrowing technique left noticeable traces behind, lacking the seamless natural talent of a real Earth Burrowing Rat.
After a short while, the rat puppet hurriedly returned, looking disheveled and battered.
Squeak!
Hot on its trail, a real Earth Burrowing Rat of similar size chased after it, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"Alright, enough fooling around."
Lan Chang’an waved his hand, recalling the rat puppet.
The Earth Burrowing Rat hesitated, reluctant to part with its newfound playmate, but eventually withdrew its gaze.
"Master, can this puppet be my companion?"
The Earth Burrowing Rat spoke in a childish, human-like voice.
"Weren’t you just playing with that third-rank Bear Demon in the Black Fog Mountain Range? Half a year wasn’t enough for you?"
Lan Chang’an frowned.
As it turned out, during the six months he had spent searching for a body refinement technique, he had given the Earth Burrowing Rat a long vacation.
The Earth Burrowing Rat had ventured into the Black Fog Mountain Range, where it befriended the mid-third-rank Bear Demon it had met during its breakthrough. Over time, it also became acquainted with several other demonic beasts in the region.
The Earth Burrowing Rat shook its head, looking aggrieved. Half a year had passed, but it had yet to encounter another rat demon of its own level.
Rat-type demon beasts were relatively weak in the Black Fog Mountain Range, lingering at the bottom of the food chain. Very few ever grew strong enough to become Great Demons.
"Don’t worry. We’ll be returning to Liang Kingdom soon. You’ll see your old friends there."
Lan Chang’an comforted it briefly.
Hearing this, the Earth Burrowing Rat swallowed nervously, as if reminiscing about some wonderful experiences.
...
After sending the Earth Burrowing Rat away, Lan Chang’an proceeded to test the rat puppet’s overall capabilities.
Its strength was definitely no match for the Earth Burrowing Rat.
Even Lan Chang’an himself, relying solely on his magical power and magical treasures, wouldn’t be able to defeat the Earth Burrowing Rat, which had formed a Half-Step Golden Dan.
"Its defenses are relatively weak and can’t withstand more than a few strikes from a True Dan cultivator. Although it saved on materials, you get what you pay for."
"However, its offensive power rivals mine, and it’s quite nimble."
Overall, Lan Chang’an was satisfied with his first third-rank puppet, as it met his expectations.
At present, he wasn’t lacking in defensive options. Beyond his treasure talismans, he also had the Minor Teleportation Talisman he had acquired from Master Lihuo.
What he truly lacked was offensive firepower in normal circumstances. A nimble rat puppet could enhance his offensive, ambush, and assassination capabilities.
"Since I’m still in the Core Formation Realm, I should craft more puppet crystals as backup."
From his storage bag, Lan Chang’an retrieved a pile of spirit stones and began refining third-rank puppet crystals using his puppet techniques.
Puppet crystals were essential as the energy core for high-ranked puppets.
They were crafted by using spirit stones as the base material, consuming spiritual sense, and incorporating small amounts of soul-path materials.
Puppets embedded with third-rank crystals would gain rudimentary intelligence.
Even without their master’s direct control—or even in their master’s absence—they could carry out simple tasks such as guarding a cave, patrolling, or pursuing enemies.
Of course, this "intelligence" wasn’t comparable to that of a sentient being. It was more akin to the primitive AI on Earth before Lan Chang’an transmigrated.
For simple tasks, it was reliable, but for more complex missions, its performance became far less dependable.
"I’m running out of third-rank materials. I’ll have to slowly gather more in the future..."
After crafting a batch of puppet crystals, Lan Chang’an was mentally and spiritually exhausted.
Fortunately, his Evergreen Technique had exceptional recovery capabilities.
The next day, he completed his routine of nurturing treasure talismans and skipped his usual cultivation of the Evergreen Technique.
With the extra time, he focused on practicing the middle-of-the-road body refining technique, Hundred-Refinement Vajra Art.
Lan Chang’an had no intention of coveting Xiang Jinglong’s Earth Fiend Heaven-Supporting Art.
From what he had learned, the Earth Fiend Heaven-Supporting Art was a top-tier, primary body refining technique, reminiscent of the ancient Body Cultivation school.
Practicing it granted unique physical abilities and made the practitioner stronger than most cultivators of the same level.
However, when reaching the fourth rank, it was the same as advancing to the Nascent Soul Realm, and one would have to face a Heavenly Tribulation.
Lan Chang’an, as a cultivator of the longevity-focused school, valued living as long as possible. Why would he voluntarily subject himself to an additional Heavenly Tribulation?
Xiang Jinglong must have abandoned his Fake Dan cultivation and fully committed to the path of a body cultivator to pursue that technique.
Lan Chang’an, however, only sought to supplement his main path with body cultivation, not to attain unique physical abilities.
He simply wanted to strengthen his body and enhance his speed.
The Cloud Sand Body Refinement Manual and the Hundred-Refinement Vajra Art he practiced were, in essence, auxiliary techniques.
...
Half a month later, Lan Chang’an turned 172 years old.
That day, a surge of water and wood spiritual energy radiated from the deep pond behind his estate.
Sweeping it with his spiritual sense, Lan Chang’an nodded slightly.
The Profound Water Turtle had advanced, reaching the mid-second-rank.
Compared to the Earth Burrowing Rat, its progress was painfully slow, akin to a tortoise. But this was characteristic of Profound Water Turtles, a species known for their longevity.
In truth, the turtle’s current pace of advancement was already more than twice as fast as others of its kind.
If not for its slow speed, Lan Chang’an wouldn’t have been able to buy its sickly egg years ago for just a few hundred spirit stones.
"Counting up, this turtle is only 130 years old," Lan Chang’an mused.
Normally, it would take a Profound Water Turtle 200 years to reach second-rank.
Lan Chang'an's True Dan-level Evergreen mana had nurtured it, allowing it to absorb the essence of time itself.
The vast difference in cultivation levels meant the turtle would soon enter a rapid growth phase, with the potential to reach third-rank within decades.
Such a growth rate naturally appears extraordinary, but it is still slower than that of ordinary spiritual beasts.
For a high-level cultivator like Lan Chang’an, nurturing spirit beasts with unique methods was not a big deal.
Unless Lan Chang’an personally attained a upper-tier True Dan or a Golden Dan, it was unlikely to attract any unwanted attention.
Lan Chang’an had already made preparations for such scenarios.
While the quality of his Core Formation couldn’t be concealed during breakthroughs, there were plenty of methods to hide it afterward.
Only during intense combat would his true strength potentially be revealed.
It wasn’t that his movements had slowed significantly—rather, the massive hand above was far too fast, bearing down on him with suffocating pressure.
Crash!
Nie Yuan’s protective shield shattered instantly. His hastily summoned supreme-grade magical weapon dimmed and broke apart as it fell to the ground.
In the next instant, his world plunged into darkness.
...
"Nie Yuan... an inner disciple of the Flame Departing Palace, fallen to banditry to amass resources for Core Formation..."
"Hmm, his background isn’t bad."
Standing over the corpse, Lan Chang’an placed his hand on Nie Yuan’s head, extracting fragments of the dying man’s soul. From these fading memories, he pieced together a general understanding of Nie Yuan’s identity.
This man had committed countless atrocities in the border wastelands, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.
Lan Chang’an felt no remorse for killing him.
After finishing the soul-searching, Lan Chang’an collected Nie Yuan’s essence blood and the remnants of his soul's energy, sealing them in two separate vials.
With these, he could later use his Hundred Illusions Mask to perfectly mimic Nie Yuan’s identity, even down to his spiritual power aura.
"Bullying weaklings is still the easiest!"
Lan Chang’an chuckled lightly, waving his hand to clear the scene and erase all traces.
Throughout the entire process, his spiritual sense swept the surroundings to ensure there were no witnesses.
Nie Yuan was not the first late Foundation Establishment cultivator Lan Chang’an had killed on his journey.
“A few more identities for Core Formation won’t hurt.”
...
Flying another thousand or two li, a massive third-rank spirit ship appeared on the horizon.
Lan Chang’an found it somewhat familiar.
"Isn’t that a cross-border spirit ship from the Jiuchen Merchant Association?*"
After a moment of recollection, Lan Chang’an confirmed his suspicion.
Whether it was the exact same ship he had traveled on years ago remained uncertain, but the design and the guild’s banner matched.
He recalled his past experience vividly. Back then, he and others were crammed into the cargo hold below the deck, forced to pay exorbitant fees in spirit stones just to upgrade to a cramped guest room, all while being treated as goods to be transported.
...
On the spirit ship.
"A True Dan cultivator! Are they coming for us?"
The ship’s steward, along with hundreds of cultivators aboard, were overcome with anxiety.
True Dan cultivators usually traveled through the Ninefold Firmament, rarely interacting with merchant spirit ships. Yet the approaching True Dan cultivator was unmistakably heading straight for their vessel.
"Wait! That looks like... ‘Evergreen Immortal’!"
"‘Evergreen Immortal’? The one who...”
As the elegant and refined white-robed man came into view, several cultivators aboard the ship recognized him.
The steward, a gray-haired elder with Fake Dan cultivation, let out a sigh of relief.
Evergreen Immortal was a famous True Dan cultivator, known for his inspirational story and upright character. He was a model of virtue and far from the likes of a vicious rogue cultivator.
"I am Fei Tang, steward of the Jiuchen Merchant Association and person in charge of this vessel. Evergreen Immortal, it is an honor to have you here. How may we assist you?"
The elderly steward flew out to greet Lan Chang’an, bowing respectfully.
Lan Chang’an returned the gesture with equal politeness, smiling as he said:
"In my younger days, I was blessed by the Jiuchen Merchant Association’s ‘generosity.’ It allowed me to escape the chaos of the war-torn cultivation world and sneak into Jing Kingdom. By sheer luck, I eventually managed to form my Core.
"Seeing this spirit ship again stirs up old memories. I simply wish to rest aboard for half a day."
Hearing this, the cultivators aboard the spirit ship were enlightened.
So, Evergreen Immortal had such a difficult past! It added a touch of legend to his already admirable story.
Only Fei Tang, the steward, showed a subtle change in expression, faintly guessing at the hidden implications.
"Evergreen Immortal honors us with his presence. We happen to have a vacant vip cabin aboard. Please, come this way."
The guild staff and cultivators welcomed Lan Chang’an aboard with the utmost courtesy, escorting him to the finest accommodations on the uppermost deck.
While there hadn’t been any available vip rooms initially, they quickly vacated one to accommodate him.
...
In the premium suite.
"So, this is the vip cabin on a cross-country spirit ship? The very type of room that Young Master Wang once occupied?"
Lan Chang’an stood inside the luxurious suite, which spanned over a hundred square meters—a stark contrast to the cramped room he had once been forced to pay for.
The suite even came with personal attendants and maids to cater to his every need. The level of service matched that of a high-end inn in a major Immortal City.
...
Half a day later.
Lan Chang’an departed, heading toward the Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world under the watchful eyes of the ship’s cultivators.
"Evergreen Immortal’s character is exemplary. He stayed only as long as he promised and even paid for his stay."
"Such an open-hearted and humble person! He even nodded in acknowledgment when I greeted him from afar."
While waves of praise and admiration spread among the ship’s passengers, Fei Tang, the steward, wore a bitter smile.
During those few hours, the guild had pampered Evergreen Immortal to the fullest—rare spirit tea, exquisite food, fine wine, and even beautiful attendants to accompany him.
Moreover, Fei Tang had personally gifted him 10,000 spirit stones and a VIP token of the merchant guild.
Indeed, Evergreen Immortal had paid for the room, but it didn’t come close to the guild’s expenses.
...
One day later.
Lan Chang’an finally left the border wastelands.
The familiar aura of Liang Kingdom filled his senses, stirring a mix of nostalgia and calm.
Looking back on his journey, the trials and tribulations of the past seemed trivial in hindsight.
Even the unpleasant treatment aboard the Jiuchen Merchant Association’s spirit ship had once been etched in his memory, but now it was no more than a passing thought.
He wasn't a petty person. His time aboard the ship had been spent relaxing, and he didn't make things difficult for the Jiuchen Merchant Association.
...
Upon entering Liang Kingdom, Lan Chang’an slowed his pace, switching to riding his Profound Water Turtle to take in the changes across the land.
However, as he crossed the border, he sensed an unusual tension in the air.
The patrol teams of sect cultivators he encountered were filled with a murderous aura, their vigilance unnervingly high.
After verifying Lan Chang'ans identity and his True Dan cultivation, these patrol cultivators—initially shocked—quickly bowed respectfully and answered his inquiries.
"The Six Demonic Sects have massed their armies at the Yan Kingdom border..."
"The Endless Palace of Feng Kingdom, led by Chu Tianfeng, has called upon nearby sects to confront the demonic forces."
Lan Chang'an received a piece of shocking news, though he had long anticipated this day.
Currently, the Feng Kingdom and the demonic faction stand on the brink of war, tension so palpable it feels like drawn swords and notched arrows.
In addition:
From the reactions of the sect's patrolling cultivators, Lan Chang'an realized they were unaware of his breakthrough to Core Formation.
The upper echelons of Liang Kingdom surely knew of his advancement, but in the broader cultivation world, spanning across kingdoms, such news often lagged behind, especially among the lower ranks of common cultivators.
It is precisely this kind of information disparity that keeps ordinary cultivators forever trailing behind those at the top.
“The closest place to the border where I know someone is the Li Family of Snow Plum Mountain...”
Seated atop the broad back of the Profound Water Turtle, Lan Chang'an flew through the waves, heading in a certain direction.
The Li Family of Snow Plum Mountain was led by Li Congren, the most outstanding grandson of Li Erqing.
Thirty years ago, when Lan Chang'an fled to Jing Kingdom aboard an cross-border spirit ship, it was thanks to Li Congren's connections that the journey was made possible.
Phew not too late