CHAPTER 446: SECLUDED CULTIVATION IN THE MOUNTAIN, JOURNEY TO THE CENTRAL REGION

A month later.

Lan Chang'an not only passed through the territory of the Seven Kingdoms Alliance but also left the surrounding demonic battlefield.

With the identity token of True Monarch Wang Feng, his passage through the Seven Kingdoms Alliance was smooth.

However, traversing the irradiated zone of the demonic battlefield was a bit more troublesome.

Fortunately, at a critical moment, Lan Chang'an stowed away his quasi-fourth-rank giant bird puppet and used the Black Wind Cloak to conceal his aura, avoiding detection by spiritual sense.

Though made of fifth-rank materials, the Black Wind Cloak wasn’t a true magical treasure, so it couldn’t conceal the large-sized bird puppet.

The cloak was mainly used for concealment and did not have the ability to render one invisible.

Its effects were best when the wearer was stationary or moving stealthily while suppressing their aura.

If engaged in battle or flying at high speed, the cloak couldn’t effectively hide the user’s presence.

“Fortunately, I didn’t end up like True Monarch Cyanwood back then, detected on the road by a Nascent Soul demonic cultivator and forced into battle. That resulted in his Evergreen Dao Fruit aure being exposed, and cost him a good opportunity.”

Lan Chang'an looked back toward the direction of the Seven Kingdoms Alliance and the demonic battlefield, muttering softly.

He then controlled the giant bird puppet beneath him, flying toward the eastern border of the Central Region.

The skeletal wings of this bird came from the fourth-rank Peng Bird of True Monarch Cyanwood. Its speed in flight rivaled that of a Nascent Soul early-stage cultivator.

Although the journey ahead was longer, now that he had left the demonic battlefield, he could afford to increase his speed.

...

Six months later.

Central Region of the Great Qing, Bishan Sect.

In the misty Spirit Cleansing Pool, a man in green robes sat cross-legged, circulating his cultivation. The aura of his evergreen wood-elemental spiritual power brought vitality to the surrounding flora.

The green-robed man had a broad forehead and an ordinary appearance, but a Nascent Soul-level wood attribute aura emanated from his body.

“Junior Brother Cyanwood, how goes the recovery of your spiritual power?”

In the forbidden area of the Bishan Sect, two Nascent Soul cultivators arrived one after another, riding beams of light.

The first was a straight-backed elder with silver hair, kindly eyes, and a gentle tone.

“Senior Brother Cyanwood.”

The other was a graceful woman in green, dignified and fragrant, her voice like the sound of a clear spring.

This Nascent Soul female cultivator looked at him with bright, concerned eyes. Her red lips trembled slightly, as if she had words she couldn't quite speak.

“Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother Chen, Junior Sister Tian.”

True Monarch Cyanwood quickly stood up and cupped his hands to the two of them.

“With the help of the sect’s Spirit Cleansing Pool, my cultivation has stabilized. However, to fully recover to my peak at the early Nascent Soul stage will still take a year or two of recuperation.”

Compared to his once calm and carefree demeanor, Cyanwood’s smile now seemed a bit forced, with a hint of bitterness.

“Senior Brother Cyanwood, back then after your Nascent Soul left the body and you reconstructed your physical body, why didn’t you return earlier? If you had, I could have helped take care of you and speed up your recovery…”

Junior Sister Tian gazed at him, her voice carrying a trace of grievance.

Without the protection of the sect, a solitary and heavily injured Nascent Soul reconstructing a body would face significant risks and potential accidents.

True Monarch Cyanwood gave a bitter smile and explained:

“Sigh, it’s not that I didn’t want to return sooner. At that time, I was gravely wounded by a soul-path treasure, on the verge of collapse, and had no strength to cross the vast distance back to Bishan Sect.”

“Fortunately, I had preserved a piece of rare Heaven and Earth spiritual wood that matched my wood-attribute Nascent Soul, suitable for reconstructing my body. That way, I didn’t have to possess another body, which avoided a lot of risk.”

Back when Cyanwood was cultivating the Yi-Wood Clone, he had saved a small piece of precious Yi Wood as a backup.

Heaven and Earth spirit treasures suitable for body reconstruction were exceedingly rare, almost extinct. Their value far surpassed the spirit items used to form a Nascent Soul.

True Monarch Cyanwood had used the longevity-consuming technique of the Evergreen Technique to cultivate enough high-grade Yi Wood.

“Senior Brother Cyanwood is blessed! Using a Heaven and Earth spirit treasure that matches your cultivation method to rebuild your body is far superior to soul possession and reconstruction, with fewer side effects and greater potential. In the future, you might even break through to the mid-Nascent Soul stage.”

Senior Brother Chen, the silver-haired man, laughed heartily, helping True Monarch Cyanwood shift the topic.

Why hadn’t Cyanwood returned earlier?

He likely didn’t fully trust the Bishan Sect.

That’s why, two years ago when he returned, he had only just reattained the Nascent Soul stage. Only then did he begin to use the sect’s spiritual resources to accelerate his recovery.

Junior Sister Tian understood this, which was why she seemed a bit resentful.

Years ago, during an expedition to a secret realm in the Central Region, Cyanwood had saved her life, which had left her with a favorable impression of him.

Cyanwood had a firm Dao heart and remained unshaken in the face of favor or disgrace.

After lying low for many years, he had made a stunning comeback during the Eastern Region’s demonic war, boosting the reputation of the Bishan Sect and making it one of the strongest cultivation sects outside the Ten Xuan Sects.

Having spent so much time with him in the sect, training, experiencing hardships, and discussing Dao, Junior Sister Tian gradually developed feelings for him.

Unfortunately, True Monarch Cyanwood, true to his Dao title, was like a block of wood, completely oblivious to romance.

He was wholly dedicated to cultivation, reclusive, and indifferent to matters of love.

Thus, Junior Sister Tian’s sincere affections went unreciprocated, her feelings unknowingly disregarded.

...

The three of them moved into the pavilion.

Senior Brother Chen and Junior Sister Tian asked for the full details.

“Junior Brother Cyanwood, more than ten years ago when you vanished, was it because you were injured by that newly risen giant of the Eastern Region, ‘Evergreen True Monarch’?”

“That's right. It was him!”

True Monarch Cyanwood took a deep breath, his gaze turning icy.

At the thought of Lan Changqing, the battle from back then made his expression darken with resentment rising in his heart.

Had it not been for the ambush by a Nascent Soul assassin from Unseen Gate at the critical moment, he wouldn’t have lost so miserably.

At the very least, he would have had a chance to recover his sword formation, magical treasures, the fourth-rank peng bird, and his Yi-Wood Clone. The loss wouldn’t have been so catastrophic.

After his Nascent Soul escaped a distance, he cast spells remotely to self-destruct the Yi-Wood Clone and the fourth-rank peng bird to avoid aiding the enemy.

Among them, the fourth-rank peng bird had its soul mysteriously destroyed before he could act, likely by that terrifying Barbed Arrow.

“So it really was Evergreen True Monarch!”

Senior Brother Chen seemed to be deep in thought.

The years when True Monarch Cyanwood had gone missing were exactly when Evergreen True Monarch’s fame shook the Eastern Region and spread throughout Great Qing.

Before, it was uncertain, but now it seemed likely that Junior Brother Cyanwood was indeed the rumored cultivator of the "Evergreen Technique."

“Next time you face him, Senior Brother Cyanwood, you must bring me along,”

Junior Sister Tian’s eyes glinted with a cold light.

Because she loved Cyanwood, she now bore resentment even toward the never-met Lan Changqing whom she had only heard about in rumors.

“Junior Sister, you must never act alone or recklessly attack Lan Changqing! That man’s divine powers are unfathomable, he is insidious and extremely vicious.”

True Monarch Cyanwood’s face changed, warning her immediately.

Seeing his serious expression, Junior Sister Tian smiled warmly:

“I’m not that foolish. If we really need to make a move, we three Brothers and Sisters will act together to make him pay a heavy price.”

“But is Evergreen True Monarch’s power really that formidable? Comparable to the leaders of the Demon Sects?”

“The rumors are not exaggerated in the slightest.”

True Monarch Cyanwood replied solemnly.

“However, if the three of us join forces, and we rely on the sect’s guardian treasure and fourth-rank formation, then no matter how powerful Lan Changqing is, he won’t be able to break through by force.”

Hearing this, Senior Brother Chen was stunned.

Junior Brother Cyanwood, whose strength rivaled mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, now only planned to defend passively, not even thinking of revenge.

After a moment of silence, Senior Brother Chen said in a low voice:

“Junior Brother Cyanwood, you must trust in Bishan Sect. We live and die together!”

“Thank you, Senior Brother Chen.”

True Monarch Cyanwood felt a rare warmth in his heart.

Faced with an overwhelmingly powerful enemy, the two Nascent Soul cultivators of the Bishan Sect, whether right or wrong, stood firmly by his side.

Back then, he had chosen to join the Bishan Sect primarily because of its fourth-rank spiritual vein and the need for a stable and abundant cultivation environment.

He had many secrets. Bishan Sect, being a righteous sect with decent strength but not as powerful as the Ten Sects of Xuan Gate, was a fitting choice.

Because of his many secrets and extreme caution, he had not asked for help from Bishan Sect’s Nascent Soul elders when fighting Lan Changqing.

“Senior Brother Chen, you’re on good terms with the master of Seven Stars Temple¹. Can you ask him to help me out just this once?”

After discussing for a while, True Monarch Cyanwood took the initiative to make the request.

“Master Mi holds a transcendent status. Ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators cannot move him. But if I shamelessly beg, I might be able to convince him to act once.”

Senior Brother Chen frowned slightly and asked:

“Junior Brother, are you still uneasy even while cultivating in the Bishan Sect? Even if Lan Changqing is powerful, would he really dare to act within the sphere of the Ten Sects of the Xuan Gate?”

The favor owed to Seven Stars Temple was a heavy one, something only to be used at the moment of life and death for the Bishan Sect.

“My instincts tell me that Lan Changqing will not let this go. His background is unfathomable, and his spiritual sense surpasses ordinary mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators. Once he completes refining the ‘Azure Profound Sword Formation’, he’ll be a massive threat.”

True Monarch Cyanwood revealed part of the truth.

Back during their battle, Lan Changqing’s terrifying spiritual sense, which had suddenly surged at a critical moment, had left a deep impression on him.

Lately, he had been feeling inexplicably uneasy.

Even while secluded within the sect, he couldn’t shake off a sense of insecurity.

True Monarch Cyanwood had repeatedly analyzed his past defeats, including the earlier ambush by the Demonic Sect and the joint pursuit, which had been full of danger.

In the end, he reached a conclusion, both of his catastrophic defeats were tied to the path of divination.

Behind Lan Changqing stood a fourth-rank divination grandmaster.

After the great loss in the Beast King Valley, this alliance was no longer a secret to the major forces in the cultivation world.

In the face of an ever-advancing Lan Changqing and the schemes of a fourth-rank divination grandmaster, True Monarch Cyanwood didn’t even feel safe hiding in the Bishan Sect.

Seven Stars Temple was a cultivation force renowned for celestial divination, with the oldest related inheritances in the Great Qing.

Even the Six Demonic Sects had not swept through the Eastern Region yet, thanks in part to Seven Stars Temple’s hidden influence behind the Ten Xuan Sects.

In the past, because of his secrets, Cyanwood had always avoided contacting Seven Stars Temple.

But now, the secrets of the “Evergreen Technique” were likely already known by the bigshots of the Ten Xuan Sects. To resolve this unprecedented crisis, True Monarch Cyanwood could no longer afford to be cautious on all fronts.

...

“Senior Brother Cyanwood, are you sure you want to use that favor…”

“I’m sure!”

Half an hour later, Senior Brother Chen and Junior Sister Tian left one after another.

Junior Sister Tian was the last to leave. A soft tenderness flickered in her eyes as she handed over a storage pouch:

“Senior Brother Cyanwood, in that battle years ago you lost your defensive treasures. Inside are two superior-grade magical treasures and a few fourth-rank wood-element materials. You can use them to refine new magical treasures.”

True Monarch Cyanwood received the pouch, and wanted to say something, but remained silent. He watched her graceful figure ride the wind and leave.

He then departed from the Spirit-Cleansing Pool and returned to his Greenwood Forest Cave Residence.

“The Way of Divination…”

Inside the cave, True Monarch Cyanwood pondered deeply but couldn’t find a way to break the deadlock.

The existence of a fourth-rank divination grandmaster meant there would always be an information gap between enemies.

He had a vague spiritual premonition that his Yi-Wood Clone’s body, though its vitality had been severed, had not been fully destroyed.

Using that shell as a medium, the fourth-rank diviner could track and predict him, always holding a decisive advantage.

Hiding in the Bishan Sect was still relatively safe. But once he left, the risks became unpredictable.

He regretted not having the determination to delve into divination back then.

One, he lacked the talent for it.

Two, most of his lifespan had been used to boost his combat power and cultivate spiritual plants and woods. He also had decent achievements in artifact refinement and formations.

As the saying goes, you gain some and lose some.

Had he put all his effort into the Divination Path, he wouldn’t have had the peak strength for that Evergreen Battle, nor all his many life-saving cards.

“If not absolutely necessary, who would willingly give up centuries of effort…”

True Monarch Cyanwood sighed deeply and laid out a time-worn yellowed map made from unknown beast hide.

The beast-hide map outlined the Great Qing and the general geography of more than a dozen surrounding regions, complete with routes and faction markings.

In the section for Great Qing, the Black Fog Mountain Range was clearly marked.

Only a few forces like Taiyue Sect, Nether Spring Sect, Profound Clarity Gate, and Beast King Valley were labeled on the map.

Even top cultivation sects of the Righteous and Demonic path were mostly unmarked let alone lesser Nascent Soul forces like the Righteous Dao Allianceor the Seven Kingdoms Alliance.

True Monarch Cyanwood’s finger slowly moved across the map, passing over two neighboring regions of Great Qing.

Though the map sections were not that different in size, there were vast stretches of wastelands and impassable terrain between them, making the journey incredibly long.

Eventually, True Monarch Cyanwood’s finger landed on a map section far larger than all the rest, towering above its neighbors.

It was labeled, “Heavenly River Province.”

This map section was several times larger than the Great Qing.

And on it, one could clearly see a massive “Sky-Penetrating River Domain” that ran through the entire vast province, splitting it in two.

...

Inside a forest two thousand li away from Bishan Sect.

A figure cloaked in a black robe and hood blended seamlessly into the shadows beneath the trees.

“True Monarch Cyanwood’s recovery is faster than anticipated. If he continues to turtle up like this, it could become quite a headache.”

Inside the black wind cloak, Lan Chang'an frowned slightly after a brief moment of divination.

A frontal assault was unrealistic.

Bishan Sect was a well-established cultivation sect with a complete fourth-rank protective formation, several Nascent Soul cultivators holding the fort, and tens of thousands of disciples. Even a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator would need support from their own sect or faction to mount an assault.

Moreover, Lan Chang'an only had one chance to strike.

Bishan Sect belonged to the Ten Xuan Sect alliance and was located in the very heart of the Central Region. The moment he made a move, regardless of success or failure, he would immediately incur the wrath of Great Qing’s most powerful cultivation alliance.

If his retreat was even slightly delayed, he risked being hunted down by the Nascent Soul bigwigs of the Ten Sects.

No matter how powerful his divine abilities were, in the Central Region, he was alone and outmatched.

Therefore, if he were to kill True Monarch Cyanwood, the best course would be an ambush when the latter was alone.

The second best option was infiltration and assassination, though that was a risky move with too many variables.

Even if successful, he might be entangled by Bishan Sect’s other two Nascent Soul elders. Combined with the fourth-rank grand formation, they could delay him long enough to complicate his escape.

“When dealing with longevity cultivators, one must not act rashly.”

Lan Chang'an sighed, a bit exasperated.

In the past, he had relied on "turtling up" himself, growing silently in the shadows until he could crush those so-called chosen ones and settle the score later.

Now that he possessed overwhelming strength, his enemy had turned into the one hiding, leaving him with no clear opportunity to strike.

After all, the Central Region was not his home turf.

Unlike the war-torn Eastern Region, the Central Region enjoyed relative peace and stability. Taking action here against a Nascent Soul-level “turtle cultivator” came at an immense price.

Even with his fourth-rank divination art, Lan Chang'an had to act cautiously in the Central Region, he couldn’t afford to use it recklessly.

The Ten Xuan Sects’ Seven Stars Temple was the founder of the divination path in Great Qing.

Rumor had it, the sect master of Seven Stars Temple had touched upon the realm of mid-fourth-rank divination. In terms of skill, heritage, and sacred divination artifacts, they surpassed both Lan Chang'an and Heavenly Master Zhong.

It was precisely for this reason that before setting out, Lan Chang'an had asked Fengyuan's master to assist him in secret.

All these considerations made his actions in the Central Region quite restricted.

...

Half a day later.

After completing his surveillance, Lan Chang'an returned to Emerald Water City, which was under the jurisdiction of the Bishan Sect.

This immortal city, built beside a lake, was one of Bishan Sect’s most prosperous holdings.

He had been in the Central Region for two to three months.

Earlier, he had used the Hundred Illusions Mask to alter his identity, taking up residence in Emerald Water City as a loose cultivator at the Fake Dan stage to gather intelligence.

His disguise was of a black-robed, hooded cultivator. Ordinary cultivators had no way of seeing through the illusions of the Black Wind Cloak.

He wasn’t certain whether the Black Wind Cloak could shield the sensing link between him and the Evergreen Dao Fruit, but wearing it certainly offered better security.

The Central Region was dotted with famous mountains and spiritual rivers. The natural energy here was far denser than in the Eastern Region, comparable to the Central Region of Great Yuan.

Due to the demon sealing land and the ancient battlefields ruins, Great Yuan’s Central Region had ironically become the worst place for cultivation, falling behind other regions.

Back at the inn.

Lan Chang'an sat in meditation, but he couldn’t cultivate.

To sever any resonance with the Evergreen Dao Fruit, he had sealed his own cultivation, suppressing even his Nascent Soul.

He could only make one move in the Central Region, and it didn’t necessarily have to be against True Monarch Cyanwood.

Engaging in combat with any cultivator would trigger a reaction from the Dao Fruit, alerting Cyanwood.

Fortunately, Lan Chang'an was also a body cultivator, had powerful puppets, talismans, and a fourth-rank spiritual pet, so he could handle most trouble without needing to unleash his power.

Inside his room.

Several mystical divination artifacts floated around him as he performed intricate calculations. Yet, no viable opportunity or breakthrough emerged.

“Turtle cultivators really are troublesome! If this drags on too long, I’ll waste precious years unable to cultivate…”

Lan Chang'an didn’t know how long he could keep this up.

The corpse-skin remnant of Cyanwood he had retrieved acted as a direct link for divination, allowing him to track his target continuously.

The problem was, Cyanwood wasn’t stepping out of his shell. With no option but to consider force or infiltration, there were no easy openings.

Still, as a fellow turtle cultivator, Lan Chang'an had plenty of patience.

He was waiting for a variable, a good opportunity.

...

In the blink of an eye, Lan Chang'an had already been in Great Qing Central Region for over half a year.

Just as he had expected, True Monarch Cyanwood had been in seclusion the entire time, never once stepping outside.

Even the other two Nascent Soul elders of the Bishan Sect remained within the sect grounds.

Only the Core Formation and Foundation Establishment disciples of the Bishan Sect moved in and out as usual, engaging in exchanges, social visits, and everyday sect affairs.

To avoid alerting the enemy, Lan Chang'an refrained from making a move against any of the Bishan Sect cultivators. He merely secretly extracted a few traces of their spiritual energy to prepare for potential future infiltration or disguise.

The city he had taken up residence in, Emerald Water City, had stationed Bishan Sect cultivators.

By using the Heavenly Demon Secret Art, Lan Chang'an could infiltrate their minds, provoke inner demons, and obtain useful information.

As far as he could tell, the Bishan Sect had no obvious weaknesses.

Its three Nascent Soul cultivators were on good terms with each other.

After demonstrating his strength during the Eastern Region’s Demonic War, True Monarch Cyanwood did not try to seize control of the sect. He showed no interest in internal power struggles and continued to respect the sect’s senior Nascent Soul elder.

There were no rumors of Cyanwood acting maliciously. On the contrary, he had a good reputation for eliminating demonic cultivators and rogue evildoers.

Public evaluations of him were largely positive, with no confirmed misconduct, and no skeletons in the closet.

He was a solitary man, with no wives, no concubines, no Dao companions. Not even a single female attendant in his cave-dwelling.

He had no known relatives or disciples.

Originally from a cultivation family, but after several hundred years, any ties of blood had long since faded.

“True Monarch Cyanwood… could he truly be a kind, law-abiding righteous cultivator?”

Lan Chang'an pondered silently.

Over a hundred years ago, when Lan Chang'an had shifted his battlefield to Great Yuan, Cyanwood had once joined the Righteous Dao Alliance, making significant contributions to the fight against the demonic path, helping to alleviate pressure on the righteous sects.

Zhang Tianfeng had even worked with him directly and described him in favorable terms, as a competent and reliable ally.

Back then, when Lan Chang'an was nowhere to be found, Cyanwood had not taken revenge on his old friends or juniors, had not lashed out indiscriminately, or killed innocents out of spite.

On this day.

Lan Chang'an received a piece of intel from the outside world, a long-awaited opportunity had finally arrived.

“Two years from now, the Central Region will host a grand auction held once every twenty years. The hosting merchant guild is rumored to be backed by the Ten Xuan Sects’ Taiyue Sect, so the event will be secure and reputable. Not only will Central Region cultivators attend, but high-level cultivators from across all regions of Great Qing are expected to come.”

After performing a brief divination on this news, Lan Chang'an was overjoyed.

At first glance, this event didn’t seem related to Bishan Sect or True Monarch Cyanwood.

But Lan Chang'an knew better.

Back in the Evergreen Battle, Cyanwood’s physical body had been destroyed. He hadn't even had time to retrieve his defensive treasures.

The Azure Profound Sword Formation, Thunderwood Stake, Dragon Scale Armor, and Profound Light Ancient Mirror, had all fallen into Lan Chang'an’s hands.

Even his soul-type magic weapon had been destroyed by the Barbed Arrow.

In short, Cyanwood had lost nearly all of his life-preserving and signature magical treasures.

“A cultivator who walks the path of survival, after losing his defensive treasures and trump cards, how could he possibly pass up a chance to rebuild?”

“This is the highest-level auction in all of Great Qing, offering peerless treasures, supreme materials, rare spiritual objects…”

Although Lan Chang'an had seized most of Cyanwood’s equipment and the formation, the storage ring had been taken away by his escaping Nascent Soul.

Thus, Cyanwood still had some financial resources and hidden reserves, enough to stage a comeback.

“Even if Cyanwood doesn’t show up himself, Bishan Sect will surely send someone powerful enough to represent the sect. This is a rare chance, a critical breakthrough point!”

Of course, Lan Chang'an himself was also quite interested in the Central Region’s grand auction.

His Profound Water Turtle had already reached the peak of third rank. But he lacked the resources for it to ascend to the fourth-rank Demon King stage.

Seeking out rare spiritual herbs and precious materials for the turtle’s breakthrough was another key objective in his journey to the Central Region.