I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 294: Puppet Clone

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In the alchemy room of the Treasure Pavilion, Granny Yun arrived upon hearing the news to assess the three Foundation Establishment Pills that Lan Chang'an had refined.

"These are all genuine Foundation Establishment Pills with very few impurities. Alchemist Xu's skill in pill refinement is extraordinary. I am impressed," Granny Yun praised with great approval.

The Yun siblings were overjoyed, their faces brimming with smiles.

Through a single alchemy session, both siblings had obtained Foundation Establishment Pills. This not only saved financial resources and time but also reduced significant risks.

"Alchemist Xu, this is your reward," Granny Yun said as she kept two of the pills and handed the remaining one to Lan Chang'an.

This was in accordance with their prior agreement.

If three Foundation Establishment Pills were successfully refined, Lan Chang'an would keep one as his compensation.

This session of pill refinement fostered mutual understanding between the two sides, laying the groundwork for trust.

Granny Yun had acknowledged Lan Chang'an's alchemy skills.

All three pills were of great quality, and his alchemy process was both fast and steady.

With such proficiency, he was at least a quasi-third rank alchemist.

Moreover, Alchemist Xu had claimed publicly that he could refine certain third-rank pills, although his success rate for such pills was not high.

In the first-floor reception hall of the Treasure Pavilion, Granny Yun personally prepared tea for Lan Chang'an, engaging in casual conversation for a while.

During this time, Granny Yun discreetly observed this “Mister Xu,” noting his appearance and demeanor. She confirmed that he bore no resemblance to anyone from her memories.

"Could it be some kind of elusive karmic tie from a past life?"

Granny Yun was uncertain, speculating quietly in her heart.

However, the notion of reincarnation or past lives was ultimately irrelevant. A new life was akin to a fresh start, even for close relatives. They could end up as strangers or even mortal enemies.

Thus, delving into one’s past life held little meaning.

Unless one could break through the mystery of the womb and awaken memories of the past life, such musings were futile.

Only those of great power, or cultivators who practiced techniques aligned with reincarnation, could achieve this.

Alchemist Xu, as a Fake Dan Immortal and a quasi-third rank alchemist, was at least 100-200 years old.

Granny Yun dismissed any connection to Master Lihuo, whose soul lamp had extinguished decades ago, indicating his fall. Their ages did not align in the slightest.

"This person is refined, gentle, and easy-going—indeed a pleasant individual who is naturally likable to most people," Granny Yun thought as she assessed him further.

As their conversation continued, Granny Yun found herself more and more at ease. Whether it was due to a karmic bond or simply natural affinity, she decided this was someone worth befriending.

Lan Chang'an, on the other hand, wasn’t inclined to delve into prolonged discussions with Granny Yun. However, her enthusiasm made it challenging for him to steer the conversation.

After much effort, he finally directed the discussion toward the main topic:

"Shopkeeper Yun, I heard from Yun Ling that if this pill refinement was successful, you would introduce me to a peaceful and independent third-rank spiritual vein site. Is that correct?"

Granny Yun was inexplicably a bit annoyed inwardly, seeing that Lan Chang'an didn't want to chat much with an old woman like herself.

She murmured, "Indeed, I will help introduce it. However, whether it works out depends on both your skills and character, Alchemist Xu."

"Your alchemy skills, I can vouch for. But ultimately, it will depend on the opinion of my old friend, who has full control over that spiritual vein site."

"Is the site located in the River Source Oasis? Which faction owns it?" Lan Chang'an asked.

"It is indeed in the River Source Oasis. That particular site does not belong to any faction, so you won't be required to pledge allegiance or face excessive restrictions. All that’s needed is for you to consistently fulfill some alchemy requests, train a few young assistants in herb processing, and help manage the medicinal herb garden..."

The conditions Granny Yun laid out intrigued Lan Chang'an.

He speculated that it must be a privately owned, small-scale third rank spiritual vein site.

Spiritual veins were categorized not only by rank but also by scale.

The higher the rank of a spiritual vein, the larger its scale typically was.

Even among third-rank spiritual veins, smaller ones existed, most of which were cultivated later in life, not innately formed.

For instance, the medium-to-large third-rank spiritual vein of Jin Yun Valley could simultaneously support the cultivation of seven or eight True Dan cultivators without issue.

"How long will it take to receive confirmation?" Lan Chang'an inquired.

His other two alternatives were not as favorable as this one.

"My old friend is expected to return to the River Source Oasis in about six months. If Immortal Xu doesn’t have a better option, you might as well wait," Granny Yun replied.

"Alright, I’ll wait six months," Lan Chang'an agreed.

He surmised that the six-month timeframe was merely a pretext.

During this period, Granny Yun and her old friend would likely investigate the background of “Alchemist Xu” and evaluate his character.

...

The next day.

Lan Chang'an rented a secluded courtyard in the market district for six months. It was more cost-effective than staying at an inn, and it offered greater privacy.

For the next six months, although there was no access to a third-rank spiritual vein, the second-rank spiritual vein provided basic support. To supplement it, Lan Chang'an could use spirit stones and medicinal pills.

However, relying too much on spirit stones and pills wasn’t a sustainable practice. Over time, it would reduce a cultivator’s ability to attune to the natural flow of the heavens and earth, limiting their potential.

Moreover, using pills and stones as a substitute was ten times more expensive than renting access to a proper spiritual vein.

During this half-year, Lan Chang'an focused on studying the "Record of Transformative Spirit Puppets" and Ada Wan’s insights on puppet craftsmanship, which greatly inspired his own techniques and creativity.

The human-faced serpent woman puppet he acquired was the culmination of Ada Wan’s lifelong research.

Even though this exotic spirit puppet was a half-finished product, about seventy percent complete, it provided Lan Chang'an with valuable insights. Its flaws, such as a lack of combat endurance and occasional malfunctions, limited its practical use.

Additionally, the independent consciousness infused into the puppet’s spirit resisted Lan Chang'an’s control, creating certain obstacles.

After all, the spirit within the puppet was once Ada Wan’s younger sister, whom he had loved deeply.

Fortunately, Lan Chang'an had no intention of using "her" in combat. She served purely as a research specimen.

By analyzing this exotic puppet, Lan Chang'an quickly gained an understanding of the spirit infusion techniques described in the "Record of Transformative Spirit Puppets."

In less than a month, he successfully learned the method.

This was due to his Nascent Soul Realm insights and powerful spiritual sense which allowed him to approach the level of a mid-grade third-rank puppet master.

Learning the spirit infusion technique, Lan Chang'an now needed experimental subjects.

The process required refining living souls, with intelligent human souls yielding the best results—though the method was undeniably cruel.

While Lan Chang'an was no saint, he wasn’t the type to senselessly kill innocent people without personal grievances or profit.

Instead, he sent his Earth Burrowing Rat into the desert to capture intelligent sand beasts. Using his Soul-Nurturing Bracelet, he extracted the souls of these beasts for experimentation.

He refined the sand beast souls, infusing them into discarded second-rank puppets.

During the refinement process, he erased unfavorable resisting consciousness and memories, leaving behind only clean, instinctual fragments of awareness.

"No need for formalities. What instructions does Shopkeeper Yun have for me?" Lan Chang'an said, waving his hand casually. His tone was gentle and composed.

Yun Ling appeared slightly nervous in front of the Fake Dan Immortal.

She glanced at the refined and elegant man but quickly lowered her head, avoiding direct eye contact.

"This is a token Granny Yun asked me to deliver to you," she said seriously, holding out a purple jade pendant with her delicate, jade-like fingers.

As he looked at her fair and slender hand up close, Lan Chang'an’s gaze turned thoughtful. With a slight surge of his Core energy, he drew the jade pendant into his hand.

The moment his spiritual sense made contact with it, a simple map emerged within the jade pendant, marking a location in the River Source Oasis.

While Lan Chang'an studied the jade pendant, Yun Ling’s cheeks flushed slightly.

Her nervousness stemmed from her hidden agenda—this visit carried a subtle test, one she suspected the elder before her might have already seen through.

In their previous three encounters, the sense of kinship and familiarity she felt with him had stirred her curiosity.

The first time they met during a trade in the market, Lan Chang'an had deliberately let her gain the upper hand, a gesture that felt unusual.

Her Granny had always warned her that there were no free benefits in this world, especially from men.

Granny Yun had once outlined a universal truth: regardless of whether they were young men, middle-aged, or elderly, all men shared an immutable fondness for young and beautiful women.

Lan Chang'an’s earlier actions inevitably led Yun Ling to wonder: Could this elder actually harbor some thoughts about her?

To test this, she decided that if Alchemist Xu took the opportunity to touch her hand while receiving the token, it would confirm her suspicions of his ill intentions—what her brother Yun Hao called "an old cow eating young grass."

Interestingly, Granny Yun had expressed some interest in Alchemist Xu and didn’t oppose Yun Ling’s willingness to explore such matters.

If Alchemist Xu turned out to be indecent, then even with the token in hand, his prospects of securing the spiritual vein site would be slim.

Of course, Yun Ling was willing to "sacrifice" a bit of her charm, especially since she found the refined and handsome elder rather appealing.

If he had been in his seventies or eighties with a decrepit appearance, she wouldn’t have entertained the idea.

Yun Ling was first nervously surprised, and then there was a faint hint of inexplicable loss.

"Alright, I understand now," Lan Chang'an said with a nod as he put away the purple jade pendant.

"If there’s nothing else, you can return," he added, dismissing her.

Yun Ling hesitated briefly but ultimately left.

As her figure was about to disappear through the courtyard gate, muffled sounds came from Lan Chang'an’s spirit beast pouch.

The Profound Water Turtle inside was protesting, eager to come out and play with Yun Ling.

"You lazy bastard, you want to rebel?" Lan Chang'an chided.

"You haven’t even learned a basic transformation technique, and you dare think about rekindling old ties?"

The turtle could only puff out bubbles, its eyes filled with pitiful grievance.

Unlike the diligent Earth Burrowing Rat, which had studied beast techniques and transformations during its time with the Beast Taming Zhou Family, the Profound Water Turtle was inherently lazy and lacked drive.

The Earth Burrowing Rat had long since mastered the transformation technique and several combat skills, even training itself in the beast-taming inheritance from Huang Lan Immortal’s spoils of war without urging from Lan Chang'an.

...

Lan Chang'an left the market district and followed the map within the jade pendant, heading to a forested area on the northwestern edge of the River Source Oasis.

As he neared the location, the jade pendant glowed with a purple crystalline light.

Buzz!

In the air around the forest, a faint white radiance flickered briefly, as if an invisible barrier had been triggered.

In an instant, a vast and ancient manor spanning dozens of acres appeared before Lan Chang'an’s eyes.

The manor had been concealed by a third-rank illusion array that distorted spiritual sense perception.

Additionally, a spatial compression technique made the expansive manor appear as though it occupied only a few acres within the oasis.

"A small, tucked-away haven," Lan Chang'an remarked as he observed the manor.

The outer gardens were filled with vibrant medicinal herbs and spiritual trees. Within, there were serene mountains, flowing waters, pavilions, and winding paths that exuded tranquility.

The small spiritual vein here emitted a pressure that barely reached the third rank, suggesting it had been artificially cultivated rather than naturally formed.

A voice called out from the manor.

"Alchemist Xu, I’ve been awaiting your arrival here at the Mountain-Water Manor."

Sitting cross-legged in front of a pavilion overlooking the water was a slightly overweight, middle-aged man in loose robes. He appeared to be in his fifties.

The man smiled warmly and waved his wide sleeve, deactivating the manor’s protective array and opening an invisible gate to invite Lan Chang'an inside.

Judging by the faint fluctuations of Core energy emanating from him, this mysterious man with the surname Duan was at least a True Dan cultivator—even more than just the early stage.

If it was an ordinary Fake Dan cultivator, they might not dare to rush in.

If he didn't dare to enter and squirmed, he would be looked down upon by the other party, and the introduction matter might end there.

"Eh? So it's this grandson," Lan Chang'an muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Though the elder’s appearance had changed, his aura could not be disguised.

This "Duan elder" was none other than his fourth life’s grandson.

"Apologies for the wait, Elder Duan," Lan Chang'an said after a brief pause, scanning the area to ensure it wasn’t completely isolated.

Taking a deep breath, he flew into the Mountain-Water Manor.

Elder Duan, stroking his beard with a smile, noticed Lan Chang'an’s cautious demeanor and nodded approvingly.

Over the past six months, he had investigated Alchemist Xu’s background. Rumor had it that the man had once been attacked and robbed near the Scorpion Desolate City, only to reappear in the River Source Oasis, seemingly destitute.

"Alchemist Xu, please sit. If you have any concerns, feel free to ask," Duan said as he gestured with his sleeve, conjuring a cushion for Lan Chang'an.

The two sat across from each other in the pavilion.

Lan Chang'an got straight to the point: "This third-rank spiritual vein seems newly cultivated. How many Immortals can it support?"

Elder Duan patiently explained, "This small spiritual vein is suitable for one True Dan cultivator, along with some Foundation Establishment and Qi-Refining juniors, without any strain."

"If two True Dan cultivators were to use it simultaneously, it would be a bit taxing. However, the manor also has a third-rank spirit gathering array. With enough spirit stone investment, it could support two to three True Dan cultivators for extended periods."

Lan Chang'an nodded. Small third-rank spiritual veins were typically personal cultivation sites, capable of supporting only one or two cultivators of similar rank.

Elder Duan continued, "Most of the time, I’m away traveling for business or other ventures. If you’re willing, Alchemist Xu, I’d like you to guard this place, tend to the spiritual trees and medicinal herbs, and occasionally refine some pills or train alchemy apprentices as compensation."

"Is Elder Duan really comfortable entrusting me alone with such a site?" Lan Chang'an asked curiously.

Small third-rank spiritual veins were rare and strategic resources in the River Source Oasis. Other factions might attempt to seize it to attract Core Formation experts, or If there was a highly skilled vein formation master, they could even merge it with their own third-rank spirit vein to strengthen its power.

A Fake Dan Immortal, guarding a newly cultivated small third-rank cultivation site, and tending to spiritual trees and herbs, sounded unreliable.