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Firstly, it\'s not uncommon for false intelligence to circulate during wartime, including deliberate misinformation and manipulation of public opinion.

Secondly, there were several oddities in the report.

Why would the Flame Departing Palace abandon their stronghold? Why would their Supreme Elder agree to a duel with Golden Sun Sect’s Nascent Soul True Monarch? As an experienced Nascent Soul, why would the Master Lihuo suffer such a humiliating defeat?

From what Lan Chang\'an knew, Golden Sun Sect’s Six Sun True Monarch had only reached the Nascent Soul Realm within the last two hundred years—his experience and foundation were no match for the elder Master Lihuo.

If the Six Sun True Monarch was indeed so powerful, the Golden Sun Sect wouldn’t have suffered a defeat at the hands of Chu Tianfeng from the Yan Kingdom years ago, when their two Nascent Soul elders were beaten by Chu Tianfeng alone, forcing them to sign a relocation treaty to move north.

To verify the report, Lan Chang\'an visited the residence of Young Master Xia.

Since Young Master Xia’s promotion to late Foundation Establishment, his status within the clan had risen, and he had begun to take on family and business responsibilities. He still respected Lan Chang\'an as a clan guest, and there was no animosity between them despite the incident with Yu Qin.

...

"The report should be true," Young Master Xia said gravely. "Recently, the prices of many war-related supplies have dropped sharply, and this trend actually began over a year ago."

Lan Chang\'an, who had previously profited from the war, understood the significance of this. Merchant guilds are highly sensitive to price fluctuations, and analyzing economic patterns suggested that the Liang Kingdom war had indeed ended.

The downward trend in the price of war supplies for the past year or so indicated that the upper echelons of both the Liang and Feng Kingdoms had already foreseen this outcome.

Lan Chang\'an thought of Wang Feng, who, three years ago, had been certain the war would end soon, and had thus changed his plans to return to Liang Kingdom.

“By the way, I heard a rumor from the upper levels of the Merchant Alliance. It’s said that Chu Tianfeng of Yan Kingdom was dissatisfied with the pace of Golden Sun Sect’s northern migration and wanted the war to end as soon as possible, so he applied pressure,” Young Master Xia added.

"This might explain why the two sects decided on a final battle, with Master Lihuo agreeing to the duel."

Though only a rumor, it clarified some of Lan Chang\'an’s questions about the report.

Had Flame Departing Palace chosen to hold its ground, Golden Sun Sect’s forces wouldn’t have been able to end the war so quickly.

After all, Golden Sun Sect had only sent one Nascent Soul True Monarch to the frontlines, while an older, more experienced Nascent Soul elder remained behind at their headquarters as a deterrent, in case Chu Tianfeng went back on his word.

Years ago, the Nascent Soul True Monarchs from Feng, Yan, and Chen Kingdoms had reached a secret truce, even forming a fourth-rank soul contract to enforce it.

“Chu Tianfeng is the only mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator among the neighboring cultivation nations, a truly formidable presence.”

“If he wanted to end the war, Flame Departing Palace had no choice but to face Golden Sun Sect. Had Master Lihuo won the duel, it would have been beneficial for his sect. Unfortunately, he lost…”

Lan Chang\'an could roughly guess the situation now.

"Talisman Master Lan, there’s no need to worry too much about your friends in Liang Kingdom. Golden Sun Sect has been fairly lenient towards those who surrender, whether they’re sects or independent cultivators, and rarely causes indiscriminate slaughter." ŕ

Young Master Xia tried to comfort him.

He knew that the Liang Kingdom was Lan Chang\'an’s homeland, where he had cultivated for over a hundred years.

Seeing one’s homeland conquered was never a pleasant feeling for any cultivator.

"Let’s hope so."

But Lan Chang\'an wasn’t overly concerned.

The Mu Family at Feiyue Lake, for instance, had quickly surrendered when the Golden Sun Sect attacked, largely due to Mu Jiuan’s connections. With Mu Jiuan—a member of Golden Sun Sect—as a liaison, figures like Li Erqing and Mu Bingyun would likely receive decent treatment after surrendering.

As for Jin Yun Valley, it had already surrendered years ago and received preferential treatment.

Zhao Siyao, who had achieved the rank of Fake Dan, was considered a high-ranking member of the sect with a life expectancy exceeding three hundred years.

Golden Sun Sect’s restraint from large-scale slaughter and plundering made sense.

First, it reduced their casualties.

Second, the Golden Sun Sect’s goal was to establish a lasting presence in the Liang Kingdom cultivation world, not merely plunder and retreat.

This was fundamentally different from how Liang Kingdom’s sects had invaded Feng Kingdom in the past, pursuing short-term gain.

...

After bidding farewell to Young Master Xia and returning to Autumnwind Isle, Lan Chang\'an felt his plans for the future becoming clearer.

“Golden Sun Sect’s northward migration and the stabilization of Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world will take many years.”

Lan Chang\'an knew that the war had only just ended, and the Liang Kingdom was still in turmoil; it wasn’t yet the right time to return.

Until he reached the Core Formation Realm, Jing Kingdom remained the most peaceful and stable region around.

In another ten or twenty years, after reaching Core Formation, he could consider a return to the Liang Kingdom.

As for the Liang Kingdom changing owners? Lan Chang\'an, who had lived multiple lifetimes, had no sentimental attachment to any particular regime.

Flame Departing Palace was merely the ruling class, not the embodiment of the Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world.

It was like the distinction between the imperial court and the nation.

Criticizing a corrupt court didn’t mean one was disloyal to the country.

Flame Departing Palace’s governance had a mixed reputation at best.

From what Lan Chang\'an knew, figures like Song Wenshu had colluded with bandits, and the Night Fishermanman was a former Flame Departing Palace disciple, expelled but still the grandson of an elder.

The destruction of the Huanglong Mountain was another example, with Flame Departing Palace seizing their assets to offset war losses.

There was also the case of Liang Shaotian, framed for assaulting a female disciple of Xuan Yin Pavilion, a crime actually committed by a Flame Departing Palace inner disciple.

Or the case of Xiang Jinglong, wrongfully pursued by Flame Departing Palace.

The hatred that the Xuan Yin Demonic Sect, led by Liang Shaotian, held toward the sects of the Liang Kingdom, especially Flame Departing Palace, had deep roots in these past grievances.

...

Three days later.

In Cloudsmoke Immortal City, at the Xunxian Residence.

Lan Chang\'an, as agreed, conducted the third annual treatment session for Wang Feng.

Performing a treatment once a year, while conveniently using the trip to purchase supplies, was hardly a burden for him.

This time, he planned to subtly probe Wang Feng for inside information on the Liang Kingdom war.

"With the aid of third-rank spiritual herbs, your healing has progressed well. You may be fully healed in three more years and regain the cultivation speed of your earth-grade spiritual root…" Lan Chang\'an said after taking Wang Feng’s pulse, smiling slightly.

He was naturally pleased that the treatment was progressing faster, as it meant he would soon receive the remaining portion of his payment.

“Talisman Master Lan, could you treat me a few more times this year and speed up my recovery?” Wang Feng asked urgently during this meeting.

Surprised, Lan Chang\'an shook his head. "Each treatment consumes my vital energy and places a burden on my body."

“I’ll compensate you for the loss with third-rank elixirs and minerals, if that would suffice.”

“Please, Talisman Master Lan!” Wang Feng pleaded earnestly, bowing deeply.

Lan Chang\'an realized that Wang Feng was indeed desperate, wanting his body healed in the shortest possible time.

What had changed to make him so urgent?

A few ideas flashed through Lan Chang\'an’s mind, but he couldn’t be certain.

"Ordinary third-rank elixirs and minerals don’t hold much value for me. I’m not young anymore, and delaying my own cultivation would make reaching Core Formation impossible."

Lan Chang\'an rejected the request without hesitation.

His current pace of treatment was already comparable to that of a third-rank medicinal master or celebrity doctor; he couldn’t go any faster without drawing suspicion.

Wang Feng was a true disciple of Flame Departing Palace, and behind him was a late-stage Core Formation Elder. Using the Evergreen Technique too openly might expose its secrets.

Despite its defeat, Flame Departing Palace hadn’t been destroyed entirely.

Completely wiping them out would be extremely difficult, and Golden Sun Sect was unlikely to pay such a high price.

Therefore, some of Flame Departing Palace’s core members would likely have fought their way out.

Given the strength of Elder Wang, it was highly probable that he had managed to escape.

With his earth-grade spiritual root grandson in Jing Kingdom, Elder Wang might even be on his way here now.

Thus, Lan Chang\'an couldn’t afford to reveal the secrets of his Evergreen Technique, even if it meant losing out on the remaining half of his payment.

The half piece of Tong Ghost Bamboo he had received could suffice.

“Talisman Master Lan, I know this request puts you in a difficult position. Name your price, and I’ll see if I can meet it,” Wang Feng said, unwilling to give up.

“If you can provide a Crystal Condensation Pill or a Seven-Heart Mystic Moonflower, I might consider it,” Lan Chang’an replied, intentionally setting a high price to test him.

Wang Feng hesitated, then shook his head with a wry smile. "When I came to Jing Kingdom, I was only at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, far from reaching Core Formation, so my grandfather didn’t provide me with any Core Formation resources."

The room fell silent as Lan Chang\'an resumed his treatment of Wang Feng.

In truth, if Wang Feng could have provided a Crystal Condensation Pill or a Seven-Heart Mystic Moonflower, Lan Chang\'an might have accepted some risk.

Everyone was happy to do things with low risks and high returns, but it was rarely encountered.

Although Flame Departing Palace had suffered a crushing defeat, it was not a complete annihilation. Their remnants had scattered in various directions, making it hard for any single group to be targeted.

Even injured late-stage Core Formation cultivators would need to keep a low profile, especially if they had fled to Jing Kingdom. Waging war to settle an uncertain score was unlikely.

Moreover, Lan Chang\'an now had many trump cards, including the protection of a True Dan Great Demon, and had long since become more than just a loose cultivator walking on thin ice at the bottom of the cultivation world.

...

Two hours later.

As Lan Chang\'an left the guest room, Wang Feng watched his retreating figure with clenched fists and a dark look in his eyes.

"The Supreme Elder’s Nascent Soul is severely damaged and might not last another sixty years. They urgently need to cultivate a successor."

"Among the Flame Departing Palace disciples who managed to escape, very few true disciples survived. With my talent and my grandfather’s support, I have a strong chance of receiving the sect’s Core Formation resources."

"The Supreme Elder will personally inspect the candidates for flaws. If he finds even a hint of damage in my foundation, my standing will be jeopardized."

Wang Feng was worried that his lingering injury would leave an impression of a flawed foundation in the Supreme Elder’s mind.

The so-called Core Formation candidates were Flame Departing Palace’s potential Nascent Soul successors.

After their crushing defeat, the higher-ranking disciples, Nascent Soul Seeds, and mid-stage Core Formation cultivators had been specifically targeted for elimination, leaving few remaining. More than half of the true disciples have been eliminated.

This was a rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Whoever formed an Immortal Golden Dan first would receive the Nascent Soul resources Flame Departing Palace had preserved, along with priority access to future opportunities.

This was a path leading directly to the heavens!

...

At the northern border of Jing Kingdom, near the Black Fog Mountain Range.

The sky was dark with thunderclouds as lightning flashed and roared.

Boom! Boom!

Powerful waves of Core Formation energy clashed, creating devastating shockwaves that flattened nearby mountains.

"Liang Shaotian! How dare you—"

"A mere mid-stage Core Formation demon spawn dares to ambush Flame Departing Palace’s cultivators?"

In the center of the valley, Flame Departing Palace’s temporary third-rank formation enclosed a vast red shield of flames that emitted a constant crackling as sparks flew.

Floating above the shield were members of the Xuan Yin Demonic Sect, with at least three Core Formation cultivators and several Fake Dan experts among them.

Leading the group was a man with long black hair and a wicked aura, clad in black robes with cloud patterns, his sword-like eyebrows and sharp nose giving him a cold, sinister look.

His piercing dark eyes seemed to hold ten thousand years of ice, enough to chill anyone who met his gaze.

"Elder Wang, so you’re one of Flame Departing Palace’s cowards who only dares hide behind a formation."

"Care to step out and face me in a real fight?"

Standing atop dark clouds, Liang Shaotian’s entire figure was surrounded by twisted, chilling flames that glinted with ghostly light.

Anything touched by these demonic flames would dim, leaving black scorch marks, and they even tore through the formation’s barrier with ease.

"A lowly vulture taking advantage of others’ misfortune! If I were at my peak, you wouldn’t dare speak so boldly!"

Elder Wang’s face was grim as he brandished a fan-shaped magic treasure, summoning swirling gusts of violet-blue wind. The winds were strong enough to lift boulders, but their main purpose was to fend off the deadly Black Dipper Demonic Flame that Liang Shaotian wielded.

"Black Dipper Demonic Flame, one of the top ten demonic flames of the Great Qing... He\'s actually mastered it to the minor achievement stage. We can’t withstand it head-on!"

Inside the formation, Elder Wang was joined by two other Core Formation cultivators and five Fake Dan experts from Flame Departing Palace, each pouring their strength into sustaining the formation and repelling the assault of the Xuan Yin Demonic Sect cultivators.

Meanwhile, deeper within the valley, a dozen Flame Departing Palace Foundation Establishment disciples huddled together, their faces ashen. In their midst sat an elderly man in a purple robe, his face gaunt and wrinkled, appearing on the verge of collapse. This was none other than Master Lihuo, the highest-ranking elder of the Flame Departing Palace—an old Nascent Soul cultivator who had been severely injured during his recent duel with the Six Sun True Monarch from the Golden Sun Sect.

“Supreme Elder! You’re awake!” one of the disciples exclaimed, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and hope.

Master Lihuo’s lifeless eyes blinked slowly open. He took in the sight of the battlefield, his expression hardening as he saw the demonic flames that licked at the edges of the formation.

"Quick, dodge!"

Liang Shaotian sensed a sudden danger, his pitch-black pupils flashing with a sharp glint. Black flames erupted around him, leaving afterimages that constantly shifted as he dashed through the air.

"Heretic of the Demonic Sect!"

A cold, elderly snort sounded, and it was as if thunder echoed across the heavens.

Three dark red arcs of light, as thin as fingers, descended like divine retribution, slithering like snakes as they pursued the shifting afterimages.

Liang Shaotian’s magical power surged wildly, and his secret technique pushed his speed beyond that of a typical late-stage Core Formation cultivator. He barely managed to evade one of the arcs.

Whoosh! Boom!

In the distance, a mountain over a hundred zhang tall was struck by a missed arc of dark red light. It erupted in a fiery blaze, shattering like a watermelon split open.

Two arcs of dark red light remained.

One struck Liang Shaotian directly.

The other grazed his shoulder, instantly reducing a nearby Demonic Sect Fake Dan cultivator to ashes.

"A Nascent Soul True Monarch!"

"Terrifying! I nearly died of fright..."

Only a few zhang away, a burly man with bronze skin—Xiang Jinglong—stood trembling, his face pale.

A casual attack from a Nascent Soul True Monarch could potentially be resisted by a late-stage Core Formation expert, but a typical early-stage Core Formation or Fake Dan cultivator would perish on contact.

Boom!

Liang Shaotian, cloaked in dark flames, was sent flying backward, clutching a mottled black ancient shield. His body crashed into a mountain, embedding itself within the rock.

The demonic flames and Core power around his shoulder dissipated, leaving a dark red hole that smoldered with black smoke.

"Black Dipper Demon Flame! The Ancient Shield of the Demon Abyss! This son has extraordinary fortune; he must have inherited the legacy of the Xuan Yin Demonic Sect."

The purple-robed Daoist, having completed his attack, wore a grave expression. Clutching his chest, he coughed lightly, his internal energy in disarray.

"Haha! Sect Leader Liang\'s intel was indeed accurate. \'Master Lihuo\' is gravely injured, with only a fraction of his strength remaining, and he cannot sustain prolonged battle."

A hearty laugh echoed from the forested mountains in the direction of the Black Fog Mountain Range.

Swish, swish, swish!

A broad, portly middle-aged man clad in a gold-embroidered robe approached, leading a group of cultivators.

His aura was as vast as a mountain torrent, striking fear into the hearts of ordinary cultivators—a clear indication of a late-stage Core Formation great cultivator.

"Vice-Alliance Leader Duan, I led the charge to test his strength, and you finally decided to show yourself," Liang Shaotian sneered, his tone dripping with mockery.

The rotund middle-aged man, a late-stage Core Formation cultivator, was the Vice Alliance Leader of the Jing Kingdom’s Merchant Alliance and the patriarch of the Jiuchen Merchant Association.

"Haha! I, Duan, merely follow Sect Master Liang’s lead. Once we seize the treasures of Flame Departing Palace, we\'ll split the gains fifty-fifty," the portly man said, his eyes narrowing.

Although Liang Shaotian’s cultivation was inferior to his, his strength was one step better.

Just moments ago, Liang had employed a secret technique and relied on the Black Dipper Demonic Flame and the ancient defensive magic treasure to withstand a blow from the injured Nascent Soul expert, sustaining only minor injuries.

Such prowess left Vice-Alliance Leader Duan feeling inadequate.

"Don’t give that old fellow a chance to recover—kill him!"

The forces of the Xuan Yin Demonic Sect and Vice-Alliance Leader Duan’s group converged, forming a combined force of six Core Formation cultivators and over a dozen Fake Dan disciples.

Liang Shaotian and Vice-Alliance Leader Duan together matched or even exceeded the power of two late-stage Core Formation masters.

Boom!

The temporary third-rank formation of the Flame Departing Palace crumbled in an instant.

With his Nascent Soul injured, Master Lihuo could no longer maintain his attacks and was pinned down by Liang Shaotian and the others.

Elder Wang, who was also gravely injured, had his strength reduced to the mid-Core Formation stage. Leading the remaining wounded disciples of Flame Departing Palace, he struggled to resist, heavily outnumbered and disadvantaged.

"Fulin! Lead the disciples to retreat. I will unleash a secret art shortly, igniting my latent power to take down a few of them..."

Master Lihuo’s voice rang in Elder Wang’s ears.

A few breaths later.

Master Lihuo’s entire body ignited with a layer of translucent purple flames. His previously withered skin became fair and plump, a flush of red coloring his face.

In an instant, his power surged, doubling in strength. Controlling a red leaf magic treasure, he summoned a cloud of flames spanning over a li, resembling a mountain of fire pressing down on the disciples of the Xuan Yin Demonic Sect and the Merchant Alliance.

At the forefront, Liang Shaotian and Vice-Alliance Leader Duan’s hair and robes were charred and smoking, leaving them in a pitiful state.

"Quick! Set up the formation!"

The demonic sect disciples behind Liang Shaotian produced formation plates, flags, and special talismans, swiftly arranging an ancient grand formation.

Whoosh! Crash!

A cold, dense black liquid surged from all directions, forming a boundless Black Water Formation that covered several hundred zhang and pulsed endlessly.

"The Black Yin Heavy Water Formation!"

Master Lihuo’s face paled in shock as the massive cloud of flame was eroded and neutralized by the abyssal black water.

He had hoped to use his secret technique to kill a few cultivators, only to find his flame arts countered by the demonic formation of the Xuan Yin Demonic Sect.

"Sect Master Liang, only you could have pulled this off!"

Vice-Alliance Leader Duan wiped a cold sweat from his brow. Without such a formation, at least half of the cultivators present would have perished.

"Hmph."

Liang Shaotian’s expression remained impassive. He stood with his hands behind his back, his long hair flowing freely, as if everything were under his control.

He couldn’t help but recall a mysterious figure who claimed to hail from one of the Six Sects of the Devil\'s Path, the Gate of Endless Darkness, who had provided him with extraordinarily detailed intelligence.

Liang Shaotian, who held grudges deeply, would never let such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip by.

Even if he knew he was being used, even if a Nascent Soul True Monarch was a daunting opponent, he was determined to strike a fatal blow!

…

Half an hour later.

A streak of purple light darted through the clouds.

Inside the light, Master Lihuo’s body had withered, his skin wrinkled and sagging with age.

Cough, cough…

Suddenly, the purple light dimmed. Master Lihuo’s vision went black as his body plummeted downward.

With the resilience of a Nascent Soul True Monarch’s body, he wouldn’t be shattered to pieces, but he would surely be left in a humiliating state.

"Fellow Daoist Lihuo, I’ve finally found you."

A calm male voice sounded in his ear.

Master Lihuo’s vision cleared, and he found himself seated atop a flat mountain peak.

To be precise, a segment of the peak had been sheared off by some unknown force, leaving a smooth surface.

Standing before him was a tall, imposing man with shoulders as sharp as blades, dressed in a cloud-patterned robe with silver trim.

Master Lihuo’s heart sank. The light, air, and even the mountain breeze seemed to orbit this man as their center.

Master Lihuo’s beard trembled as he spat out angrily:

"Chu Tianfeng, you went back on your word!"

"We agreed to a one-on-one duel. Who was it that ambushed me from the shadows? Without that sneak attack, I would never have lost so miserably!"