I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals
chapter-52

In the cultivation families, if someone reaches the Foundation Establishment stage, a "Foundation Establishment Ceremony" is often held to demonstrate the family's strength. However, in a sect, doing so would be inappropriate; the Foundation Establishment stage is at most considered a mid-level position.

A newly promoted Foundation Establishment cultivator celebrates on a smaller scale, inviting close friends within the sect, calling it a "small Foundation Establishment celebration."

A streak of light carried three people through the clouds, approaching the heart of the Jin Yun Valley, and landing halfway up a mountain.

"A second-grade high-quality spiritual vein environment." Lan Chang'an sensed the pure and dense spiritual energy, which was even better than the Moonheart Island where the Mu Family ancestor resided.

Zhao Siyao's small Foundation Establishment celebration was held in her cave dwelling.

The cave covered several acres, with a main hall towering five or six zhang high, and gardens, medicinal fields, clear pools, and quiet rooms spread throughout.

At this moment, the main hall gathered twenty or thirty cultivators, most of them from the Jin Yun Valley judging by their attire.

Upon entering,

Li Ergou turned pale, sweat beaded on his forehead, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

Just in the cave, there were six or seven Foundation Establishment cultivators!

Zhao Siyao personally welcomed the two, attracting curious and scrutinizing gazes from many cultivators.

Even though these Foundation Establishment cultivators did not deliberately exude their aura, the pressure of so many gazes was unbearable for an ordinary Qi-Refining stage cultivator.

Lan Chang'an deliberately increased his breathing, showing some nervousness and pressure.

Li Ergou was dumbfounded; it was rare for him to see a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and now so many appeared at once.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, Fellow Daoist Li, please take a seat. There's no need to be restrained; these are all my fellow sect members." Zhao Siyao said with a smile, easing their pressure.

"Sister Zhao, who are these guests?" a man in wide robes and at the Foundation Establishment Realm asked.

"Lan Chang'an, Li Erqing, cultivators from the Mu Family of Feiyue Lake, have been friends with me for many years. I received their help in reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm." Zhao Siyao introduced. After hearing Zhao Siyao's introduction, the interest of the sect cultivators waned instantly. Some had amused smiles on their lips.

Someone chuckled lightly, "Sister Zhao, even after advancing to Foundation Establishment, you remember your old friends, such purity and character are admirable."

Li Ergou was uncomfortable. Although it was praise, it didn't feel right. Those sect cultivators did not show any mockery or sarcasm. Yet Li Ergou inexplicably felt like he was being treated as a country bumpkin.

"Eat and drink well, this is not our world." Lan Chang'an's voice came through, his expression calm, taking a light sip of spiritual tea, with no intention of interacting with anyone.

Li Ergou felt much better after hearing this.

The cultivators attending Zhao Siyao's small celebration were at least inner disciples or Foundation Establishment seniors.

Such a circle was completely different from ordinary family cultivators. But as long as one didn't try to squeeze into this circle, then there was no need to be restrained as if walking on thin ice.

Lan Chang'an listened intently, gathering some information from the conversations of the sect's disciples.

In the cave, there was a plump female cultivator in a colorful dress, at the mid-Foundation Establishment Realm, highly respected by the other cultivators.

She was Zhao Siyao's senior sister, her specific name unknown. Everyone called her "Senior Sister Qiao."

Beside Sister Qiao sat a chubby male cultivator, squinting his small eyes, occasionally glancing at the elegant and cool Zhao Siyao, not daring to look directly at her.

The chubby male cultivator was named "Jiao Lechi," at the ninth layer of Qi-Refining, the grandson of Zhao Siyao's Fake-Dan master, and also taken into the sect.

When Lan Chang'an and Li Ergou first arrived, Jiao Lechi seemed interested.

The fat-headed Li Ergou was ignored by him but Lan Chang'an's appearance and temperament were not bad, earning a few more glances from the chubby male cultivator.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang is also here?"

A robust, slightly dark-skinned youth entered the cave, greeted cordially by many inner disciples. Even the Foundation Establishment cultivators nodded slightly.

It was Zhang Tieshan.

Two years ago, Lan Chang'an had a conversation with him in Lin Yi's tomb.

Zhang Tieshan's presence at the celebration surprised some cultivators, as he was not very familiar with Zhao Siyao before.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang."

Zhao Siyao stood up to return the greeting and, to take care of Lan Chang'an and Li Ergou, specifically arranged Zhang Tieshan to sit beside them.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, we haven't met in two years, and your cultivation has improved again." Zhang Tieshan said with a smile on his usually stern face.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang is too kind, it was just a stroke of luck."

After greeting each other, the two sat next to each other and started chatting.

Seeing this, some sect disciples looked surprised.

Zhang Tieshan was not an ordinary inner disciple; he was favored by an elder from an outer peak and now held a position in the Law Enforcement Hall.

Zhang Tieshan hated evil with a passion, was strong in combat, and there were a handful of the sect's most wanted criminals who had died at his hands.

"Brother Zhang, it seems you are injured?" Lan Chang'an noticed that Zhang Tieshan's spiritual energy was somewhat chaotic and his arm seemed stiff.

"I recently fought with a rather vicious rogue cultivator. That person had a flying eagle spirit beast that came and went as it pleased, I couldn't catch him." Zhang Tieshan didn't hide the truth and explained the situation.

"A flying eagle spirit beast? Could it be the Evil-faced Flying Eagle?" Lan Chang'an was moved.

Back then, Mu Xiuyun almost died at the hands of the Evil-faced Flying Eagle.

"That's right! This person's strength far surpasses ordinary ninth layer of Qi-Refining cultivators, cunning and adept at disguise. If he successfully reaches the Foundation Establishment Realm, he will be a great threat." Zhang Tieshan frowned deeply, not hiding the killing intent in his eyes.

He continued, "Two years ago, the evil cultivator responsible for Lin Yi's death was one of the Evil-faced Flying Eagle's subordinates."

Lan Chang'an was moved; no wonder those evil cultivators were so daring, ambushing sect disciples, they were backed by the Evil-faced Flying Eagle.

"I heard that Fellow Daoist Lan ranked third on the Illusion Heart Platform back then?" Zhang Tieshan asked curiously.

"That's right, but compared to Daoist Zhang's first place, it's not worth mentioning."

Lan Chang'an thought to himself, if he had solved the mystery of his awakening a moment earlier, the first place on the Illusion Heart Platform would have been his and Zhang Tieshan might not have achieved his current status.

"I see that Fellow Daoist Lan's magical power is pure, with solid foundations and a composed demeanor. The Jin Yun Valley missed out on a good talent." Zhang Tieshan said with appreciation, looking at Lan Chang'an with new respect.

"Daoist Zhang, please don't flatter me." Lan Chang'an's eyelid twitched; Zhang Tieshan's straightforwardness in saying such things, even in private conversation, was quite blunt.

The implication was that the sect had misjudged him.

Zhang Tieshan knew that Lan Chang'an was low-key and didn't like being in the spotlight, so he smiled and changed the subject.

During their conversation, Lan Chang'an learned that Zhang Tieshan came from a family of blacksmiths, had a good talent for refining, and was a first-rank superior-grade refiner, capable of crafting mid-grade magical weapons.

This made Lan Chang'an consider befriending Zhang Tieshan.

Halfway through the celebration, Zhang Tieshan took out a jade pendant and, after receiving some information, took his leave.

Not long after Zhang Tieshan left,

A ninth-level Qi-Refining chubby cultivator, with small squinting eyes and a smile, took his seat at Zhang Tieshan's small table.

It was Jiao Lechi, the grandson of the Fake-Dan master.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, you are one of Siyao's close friends, don't feel neglected. I, Jiao, will entertain you on behalf of my senior sister." Jiao Lechi was old-fashioned and took out a wine pot, beckoning for the waitress to pour the wine.

All three had their cups filled with spirit wine.

"Come! Let's drink together." Jiao Lechi drank boldly, downing his cup in one go.

Lan Chang'an didn't worry about being poisoned and drank it all. It was pure spirit wine, of considerable value, but with a strong kick. Li Ergou, who had never drunk such good wine, turned a bit flushed.

"Today is Senior Sister's small celebration, drink more." Jiao Lechi warmly encouraged drinking, always smiling, his small eyes almost closing.

Li Ergou couldn't handle his drink; with only mid stage Qi-Refining, a few cups and he was done.

Lan Chang'an's Evergreen mana could dissolve even the most potent toxins, let alone a bit of alcohol. But he still showed some signs of intoxication.

"Fellow Daoist Li, how did you become acquainted with Senior Sister Siyao?"

"When Senior Sister reached Foundation Establishment, you must have helped a lot, right? I am very curious..." Jiao Lechi subtly probed, especially targeting the Li Ergou who had low alcohol tolerance.

Li Ergou, though drunk, wasn't stupid.

Not daring to offend this sect scion, he answered ambiguously.

"Brother Jiao! Daoist Li can't handle his drink, let’s not force it." Zhao Siyao noticed and stopped it, giving Lan Chang'an an apologetic look.

Jiao Lechi smiled awkwardly and left.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao, the sect doesn't allow outsiders to stay overnight. So we will take out leave first." Lan Chang'an said after Li Ergou sobered up.

Zhao Siyao did not insist, seeing that the two were out of place here.

She sighed inwardly. No wonder the sect’s disciples were divided into distinct circles.

The Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators had their own circles, which were difficult for ordinary disciples to join. As for the ordinary cultivators outside the sect, they could forget about joining the circles of the sect’s disciples.

If Lan Chang'an and Li Ergou kept falling behind in cultivation, as time passed, they would inevitably drift away from her.

This wasn't up to her will.

…

At sunset, outside the Jin Yun Valley.

Lan Chang'an and Li Ergou left on a flying boat.

On the way, Li Ergou was unusually silent.

Lan Chang'an knew that this Foundation Establishment celebration had impacted Li Ergou's mind.

In the family, Li Ergou held a high position and lived comfortably.

Attending this sect celebration, almost no one paid attention to him.

Anyone here could destroy him with a snap of his fingers. The way those people looked at him was no different from looking at a stray dog.

"Come, big brother will take you somewhere."

Lan Chang'an saw that after Lin Yi's death and the Foundation Establishment celebration, Li Ergou's mindset had hit a low point.

He was about to leave the Mu Family, and he was afraid that it would further impact Li Ergou.

(End of chapter)