I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals
chapter-51

Three days later, Lan Chang'an emerged from his seclusion.

At Feiyue Manor, many family members came to congratulate him, even bringing gifts.

"Big brother, congratulations!"

The first to arrive was Li Ergou from next door, accompanied by his two wives and several children.

"Congratulations, Uncle Lan. Your magical power has grown by leaps and bounds." The adults and children congratulated him together, making it a lively scene.

Lan Chang'an could see that Li Ergou felt a bit disappointed.

After all, a few years ago, Li Ergou had advanced significantly by receiving generous rewards and breakthrough pills for having children, once surpassing Lan Chang'an by a significant margin. But now, Lan Chang'an had reached the seventh layer of Qi-Refining first.

Of course, Li Ergou was genuinely happy for him.

Lan Chang'an hadn't married or had children, and with his superior aptitude, his dedicated cultivation to reach this point was understandable.

"Talisman Master Lan, this is a letter from your spirit pigeon." While the two were talking, a family messenger brought a letter. The letter bore the familiar symbol of Jin Yun Valley.

Lan Chang'an opened the letter, and a smile gradually appeared on his face.

"Big brother, what's the news?" Li Ergou guessed.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao has successfully established her foundation! She invites us to Jin Yun Valley for a small celebration." Lan Chang'an's tone was filled with satisfaction.

"Foundation Establishment!"

Despite his expectations, Li Ergou couldn't help but be amazed and took a deep breath.

This was a level he didn't dare to dream of, a status reserved for the ancestors of the family.

In terms of status, Zhao Siyao surpassed even the Foundation Establishment ancestors of the Mu Family.

...

From the direction of Feiyue Lake, there was a sound of the air breaking accompanied by the spiritual pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"Greetings, Ancestor."

"Greetings, Family Head."

"Greetings, Elder."

Three figures, two men and one woman, landed in Lan Chang'an's courtyard, and the surrounding Mu Family cultivators bowed.

The visitors were Mu Renlong, Mu Maode, and Mu Xiuyun. One was at Foundation Establishment, and two were at the ninth layer of Qi-Refining. Such a scene was rare at Feiyue Manor.

"Lan Chang'an, very good. You have successfully advanced to the late stage of Qi-Refining without using breakthrough pills."

Mu Renlong, in a black robe, looked at him with a piercing gaze, exuding a powerful aura.

"It was just a stroke of luck," Lan Chang'an said modestly.

He had progressed steadily, breaking through small realms without the aid of breakthrough pills, which was quite normal. Being at the seventh layer of Qi-Refining at forty-five wasn't something to brag about.

"Lan Chang'an, this is our gift to you." Mu Maode, expressionless, handed over a storage bag.

"Chang'an, congratulations." Mu Xiuyun, in a long green dress, elegant and serene, softly spoke. Then she fell silent, standing quietly aside.

Today's grand scene suggested that Mu Xiuyun had likely revealed the possibility of Lan Chang'an leaving the family.

This was understandable. Although Mu Xiuyun had feelings for Lan Chang'an, her loyalty ultimately lay with her family. She also wanted to keep Lan Chang'an.

"Lan Chang'an, let's go inside and talk." Mu Renlong spoke, leading the way into the house.

Lan Chang'an glanced at Mu Xiuyun and then calmly followed, closing the door behind him.

With the restriction set by the Foundation Establishment cultivator, no one knew what the two discussed.

During this time, Mu Xiuyun bit her lip, her eyes filled with both hope and worry. Mu Maode's face was gloomy, and he said nothing.

A moment later.

Mu Renlong and Lan Chang'an emerged one after the other.

"Let's go." Mu Renlong, expressionless and without explanation, left with Mu Maode and Mu Xiuyun.

Mu Xiuyun hesitated, her delicate face paling slightly, as she climbed onto the flying boat in a daze.

The wind howled.

She watched the white-clad man shrink smaller and smaller in the courtyard. Finally, as if making a decision, her eyes brightened with determination, her hair half-covering her face, she gave Lan Chang'an one last look.

...

Seeing Mu Xiuyun's final gaze, Lan Chang'an instead developed a trace of appreciation. He sensed Mu Xiuyun's firm Dao heart.

In the world of cultivation, the path of cultivation was fundamental.

Everything else was transient, either fleeting clouds or passing travelers. A qualified female cultivator would never be obsessed with love. Letting go of a relationship might be painful, but it wasn't difficult.

"Big brother, what did the ancestor discuss with you?" Li Ergou couldn't help but ask.

He speculated that with Lan Chang'an's current cultivation and talisman skills, the Mu Family would offer generous terms to retain him.

Apart from the first two or three years when he had just joined the Mu Family, Lan Chang'an had always had a cooperative relationship with the family.

For over twenty years, he had crafted countless talismans for the Mu Family, generating immense benefits and potential value.

Although he had also reaped considerable profits during this period, it was his talisman skills that earned him these gains.

Overall, even if Lan Chang'an ended the cooperation, he wouldn't owe the Mu Family anything.

The Mu Family understood this well. Unless the Mu Family was a family that favored the Devil's Path, there was no reason to forcefully retain him.

Even a superior-grade talisman master didn't hold strategic value to warrant restrictive measures. Moreover, the Mu Family didn't lack talisman talent; what they truly needed were experienced alchemists.

Mu Renlong offered Lan Chang'an two conditions.

First, become a family elder, with treatment only slightly inferior to the previous Master Ge.

Second, marry into the family and wed the eldest daughter, becoming part of the Mu Family.

Mu Renlong, domineering by nature, exerted subtle pressure but didn't truly force him. Even if he had, Lan Chang'an wasn't afraid now.

Lan Chang'an took out Zhao Siyao's letter and politely stated that he would attend his friend's "Foundation Establishment Celebration" and consider the offer afterward.

Upon learning that Lan Chang'an had a good relationship with a sect Foundation Establishment cultivator, Mu Renlong's tone softened considerably and he praised him.

Mu Renlong expressed that if Lan Chang'an ever wanted to return, the Mu Family would always welcome him.

Lan Chang'an expressed his gratitude for the Mu Family's past support and promised to remember this favor. Thus, the two sides amicably ended their cooperation.

...

The next day.

Lan Chang'an and Li Ergou left Feiyue Manor to attend Zhao Siyao's Foundation Establishment Celebration.

Upon learning of this, the Mu Family elders specially prepared a gift for Li Ergou. Otherwise, with Li Ergou's financial resources, he wouldn't have been able to present anything substantial.

After leaving the Mu Family's territory.

Lan Chang'an no longer kept a low profile and took out the flying boat he had seized years ago as spoils of war.

"Let's go!"

Lan Chang'an and Li Ergou boarded the flying boat and headed for Jin Yun Valley.

The Zheng Family from back then no longer existed in the vicinity, and with Lan Chang'an's current cultivation and strength, using a flying boat was nothing significant.

Li Ergou assumed that Lan Chang'an had bought it himself and didn't ask further.

"Big brother Lan, now that Zhao Siyao has successfully established her foundation and you've advanced to the late stage of Qi-Refining, I wonder how long I'll have to endure at the sixth layer of Qi-Refining."

On the way, Li Ergou was downcast.

"Adjust your mindset and go out to experience the world." Lan Chang'an smiled at him. Sometimes, once a cultivator developed a mental barrier, the bottleneck would only get deeper and deeper.

"Ever since I changed my name, my cultivation and everything else have been going downhill." Li Ergou sighed. Before he changed his name to Li Changqing, he thrived in the Mu Family, even obtaining breakthrough pills.

Since advancing to the fourth layer of Qi-Refining, he proudly changed his name, but then he broke his leg on the front line, and his cultivation progress slowed down.

In recent years, his children had caused him much worry, and his relationships with his wives and concubines were on the cold side.

"Big brother, should I change my name back?" Li Ergou asked abruptly.

In the cultivation world, there was no such thing as superstition.

Concepts like feng shui, luck, and fate have existed since ancient times, and even some great cultivators believed in them.

"What name do you want to use?"

"I don't want to go back to Ergou; it sounds too bad. Big brother, can you give me a name?" Li Ergou pleaded.

Lan Chang'an pondered and said, "Changqing(Evergreen) is a name that your aptitude and fate may not be able to handle."

He had inquired: the last Core Formation cultivator in the Liang Kingdom with the Dao name Evergreen only lived for more than two hundred years before dying.

"Why not call yourself Li Erqing?"

"Li Erqing? Good, good! I like that name." Li Ergou's face shook with joy, finding it very suitable as it combined his previous names.

"From now on, I'll be called Li Erqing." Li Ergou made a hasty decision just like that.

...

Ten days later.

The flying boat landed in front of Jin Yun Valley's mountain gate.

Lan Chang'an presented his token, asking the gatekeeper disciple to pass it on.

Half an hour later.

A light of cloud and mist flew out from the mountain gate, accompanied by the spiritual pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"Senior Zhao!"

The gatekeeper disciple quickly bowed, glad that he hadn't made things difficult just now.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, Fellow Daoist Li." A beautiful female cultivator in a flowing fairy dress, Zhao Siyao, descended in front of Lan Chang'an and Li Ergou.

After establishing her foundation, Zhao Siyao exuded an extraordinary aura, her beauty captivating.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao."

Lan Chang'an and Li Ergou cupped their hands in greeting.

Zhao Siyao waved her hand, letting the two step onto her cloud light and enter Jin Yun Valley.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao, congratulations on your Foundation Establishment. This is our congratulatory gift." Lan Chang'an and Li Ergou handed over gift boxes.

Zhao Siyao accepted the gifts with a bitter smile, looking at Lan Chang'an:

"Back then, when I became a core disciple and went to the Black Fog Mountain Range for training, Fellow Daoist Lan helped me a lot. This time, I wanted to surprise you, but I didn't expect Fellow Daoist Lan to have already advanced to the late stage of Qi-Refining."

"Surprise? Could it be the breakthrough pill?"

"It is precisely this item."

Zhao Siyao took out a jade bottle containing the breakthrough pill for the late stage of Qi-Refining.

"Today, this Bottleneck-Breaking Pill will be a return gift to Changqing. I'll find something suitable for you next time." She then handed the jade bottle to Li Ergou.

Back then, when Zhao Siyao was competing for the core disciple position, Li Ergou had helped with tasks in the mortal world, contributing as well.

Li Ergou accepted the breakthrough pill with immense joy:

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Zhao! By the way, I'm not called Changqing anymore; I'm called Li Erqing!"

(End of chapter)