I am evergreen in the world of cultivating immortals

Chapter 494 The Climate Has Set, the Insect Demon Reappears
Half an hour later.

Lu Chang'an and Wei Dongjun reached a transaction agreement.

Apart from the Dragon Essence Pill and the Dragon Blood Essence, the remaining materials from the Black Dragon's corpse were packaged and traded to Wei Dongjun.

Several of these mid-stage fourth-tier treasures will greatly improve the material preparation for future attempts to become a mid-stage fourth-tier puppeteer.

Lu Chang'an knew he had gotten a good deal and owed the other party a favor.

But he had no choice but to accept it.

Selling through other channels yields far lower valuations than Wei Dongjun's, and the tradable materials are of significantly lower quality.

After the deal is done.

Lu Chang'an and Wei Dongjun had a very pleasant conversation, which subtly deepened their relationship.

Intentionally or unintentionally, the conversation turned to the seventeen top powers in Tianxinghai, including Tianwai Island.

The Blue Ocean Business Alliance and Tianwai Island have a good relationship and close trade cooperation.

As a sacred place for independent cultivators, Tianwai Island attracts a large number of independent cultivators from the surrounding seas. Major merchant alliances are happy to maintain good relations with this force and engage in trade.

The Azure Sea Business Alliance even established an important branch on Tianwai Island.

Not only that.

Several bigwigs in the business alliance also have a good relationship with Changqing Immortal Doctor.

To be precise, Immortal Physician Changqing has a wide network of connections, and many influential figures in Tianxinghai owe her favors.

According to Wei Dongjun, the great demon king of this alliance, "Azure-Eyed Beast," nearly perished in a life-or-death battle during the mid-stage of the fourth tier.

Fortunately, the Immortal Physician Changqing intervened and miraculously cured the Azure-Eyed Beast, saving its life and preserving its Dao foundation.

The business alliance raised funds to express their gratitude to Physician Changqing, thus incurring a debt of gratitude.

After all, Lingchun Zhenjun consumed a small amount of his lifespan when he treated her.

Therefore, the Azure-Eyed Beast is quite close to the Evergreen Immortal Doctor and feels grateful for him.

After advancing to the late stage of the fourth rank, the Azure-Eyed Beast personally visited again to express its gratitude to True Monarch Lingchun for saving it back then.

……

As night fell, Wei Dongjun was seen off.

Lu Chang'an sighed inwardly, thinking how long-lived the Immortal Physician Changqing must have lived and how extensive his connections were in Tianxing Sea.

Miraculous Healer, Compassionate Guanyin, Holy Fairy, Goddess Descending to Earth...

In some places, temples dedicated to her goddess have even been built, where she is worshipped by a large number of mortals and some low-ranking monks.

Wei Dongjun had only met Lingchun Zhenjun once, but he spoke highly of him.

Although not as exaggerated as rumored, his medical skills are said to be extraordinary, and his heart is exceptionally kind, beyond the mortal realm.

Before coming to Tianxinghai.

Lu Chang'an had rationally analyzed the situation and concluded that this woman was most likely an Evergreen Demonic Cultivator.

Now I can't help but feel a little shaken.

Could this woman be like him, neutral and law-abiding, a breath of fresh air in the dark era of cultivation?
Lu Chang'an shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

He had a long period of cultivation in the Heavenly Star Sea, so he had plenty of time to test himself.

The battle against the dragon must have alarmed the Immortal Physician Changqing, and sooner or later there will be an opportunity for them to come into contact.

Lu Chang'an got up and went through the underground tunnel to reach the underground palace between Yunhai Mansion and Qingshuang Pool.

"Owner."

Lord Xuan Shui stood guard in front of the Xuan Teng.

Upon seeing Lu Chang'an approach, the tortoise darted over and rubbed against his trouser leg, revealing its eagerness to please him.

To this day, there is no sign that Lord Xuan Shui has taken human form.

"Stop shouting, the Dragon Essence Pill is yours."

Lu Chang'an, annoyed, took out the dragon essence pill from the black dragon.

"Thank you, Master."

Overjoyed, Lord Xuan Shui opened his mouth and swallowed the Dragon Essence Pill.

"This pill possesses abundant spiritual energy; slowly refine and absorb it..."

Lu Chang'an gave instructions.

The Dragon Essence Pill of a True Spirit Descendant is far more valuable than the Essence Pill of a Demon King of the same rank.

The Ink Dragon remained at the peak of the early stage of the fourth rank for many years, and its Dragon Essence Pill was not much worse than a mid-grade fourth-rank pill.

This Dragon Essence Pill is of the water element, making it more compatible with Xuan Shui Jun, allowing for maximum absorption and refinement.

If Xuan Shuijun can refine this pill, his foundation will greatly increase, and his cultivation and magical power will leap forward dramatically.

The chances of reaching the mid-stage of the fourth tier in the future are also higher.

……

a few days later.

Lu Chang'an used up his huge amount of Merchant Alliance contribution points to exchange for valuable resources at the headquarters.

In order not to alert the bigwigs of the business alliance, he exchanged the items in batches and slowly.

The puppet army is all humanoid, and most of the materials used for puppet making are the same as those used for magic weapons, so there is no need to worry about revealing the identity of a puppet making master.

From the perspective of the business alliance, Lu Chang'an may be preparing to create a powerful magic weapon.

In addition to contribution points redemption, trading is also very convenient.

The Sunset Islands are home to numerous merchant families under the Merchant Alliance, as well as a fourth-tier immortal city.

As a guest elder of the business alliance, Lu Chang'an can enjoy certain discounts when purchasing and trading resources in its affiliated shops.

Some strategic resources also saw a relaxation of transaction restrictions on him.

These are the benefits of joining the business alliance.

If one is a true independent cultivator, it would take a lot of time and energy just to collect various rare materials.

Lu Chang'an has stockpiled some supplies in Dayuan and Daqing, which are scarce in the sea area, allowing him to profit from the price difference in trade.

After a series of transactions and purchases.

Lu Chang'an not only didn't suffer a major loss, but his net worth actually increased slightly.

……

Through contribution points exchange and trade within the merchant alliance, Lu Chang'an refined and strengthened his puppets of intermediate grade four and below, easily making up for the material shortage.

The materials for crafting and upgrading fourth-tier mid-grade puppets have also been mostly resolved.

After Lu Chang'an killed the Ink Dragon, he became quite prominent within the alliance.

Taking this opportunity, he planned to go into seclusion to cultivate and upgrade his fourth-order puppet array.

Before going into seclusion, Lu Chang'an gave Zhao Shiyao guidance in her cultivation and bestowed upon her the inheritance of water-based techniques.

Zhao Shiyao enjoys the same treatment as a Nascent Soul seed from a major sect, with top-tier elixirs, miraculous medicines, and rare items to aid her cultivation.

It has reached the stage of Core Formation.

The quality of the pill has the greatest impact on cultivation speed and advancement potential.

Zhao Shiyao has formed a half-step Golden Core, which qualifies her to become a Nascent Soul seed in some major powers.

Hidden Mist Island Dojo.

A sign reading "Closed to Guests" was erected, blocking all kinds of social gatherings within the alliance.

During Lu Chang'an's seclusion, he did not restrict Zhao Shiyao's freedom.

She was allowed to return to her parents' home and move around within the archipelago waters.

……

Four or five years have passed.

The limelight surrounding Lu Chang'an's slaying of the black dragon has faded.

There wasn't much discussion about it on Bihai Business Alliance and Tianxinghai.

It's simply that, according to intelligence from various forces, the Azure Sea Merchant Alliance has gained a relatively strong mid-stage Nascent Soul guest elder.

In the Tianxing Sea, the proportion of mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators is higher, so it doesn't necessarily draw the attention of various factions.

The Tianxinghai Sea is vast and boundless, and every year some major events occur there, generating new buzz.

For example, the Blue Ocean Business Alliance has recently clashed with its old rival, the Black Ocean Business Alliance, over industrial interests.

The high-level cultivators from both sides fought at sea, and each side lost cultivators and ships.

Meanwhile, the "Insect Demon" has reappeared in the Tianxing Sea, reportedly killing a Nascent Soul cultivator from one of the Seven Great Sea Sects.

That year, Lu Chang'an was 650 years old.

Yunhai Mansion, inside a secret room.

"Finally finished."

Lu Chang'an breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the four newly renovated and refined fourth-order humanoid puppets in front of him.

Wei Kui Shi stood aside, observing with a smile.

The four humanoid puppets retain their original white, green, blue, and black robes. They are lined with sophisticated armor, and the materials and components have been comprehensively reinforced.

Even among low-grade fourth-tier puppets, it would be considered a top-quality piece.

Aside from not being true fourth-tier puppets, they are almost equivalent to peak early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

Back in the day, if Wang Feng and Yin Yuanhai of Daqing were to fight head-on, they would most likely not be a match for one of the fourth-tier puppets.

However, the world of cultivation is constantly evolving.

Lu Chang'an has been constantly improving, while other cultivators cannot possibly stand still.

So many years have passed, and those who were once only at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm should now be considered veteran Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, would you like to test the strength of the puppet array?"

Wei Kui Shi said with some expectation.

He personally handled the tedious and monotonous manual work of crafting and upgrading the puppets.

The fourth-order puppet array embodies Wei Puppet Master's hard work and dedication.

"No need."

Lu Chang'an thought of the commotion caused by the fourth-order puppet array back then, and decided to give up.

When the fourth-order puppet array is fully activated, its power is comparable to that of a Nascent Soul cultivator. The array restrictions of Hidden Mist Island may not be able to completely conceal it.

If even the slightest trace of their aura were to leak out, it would likely be sensed by the great demon king, the Azure-Eyed Beast.

There's no need to worry about the stability of the puppet formation.

Because the structure of the puppet array remained unchanged; only the quality of the four puppets was improved, allowing them to withstand greater power.

All four puppets were tested individually, and there were no problems.

Back then, when facing the powerful cultivator Zhenhai, Lu Chang'an's fourth-order puppet array could only passively defend, lacking offensive capabilities.

Now, the quality of the puppet formation has been comprehensively enhanced, and its offensive capabilities have been improved.

Lu Chang'an estimated that in positional warfare, the fourth-order puppet array would pose some threat to great cultivators.

We must not underestimate the attacks of the puppet array; we will need to expend more mana to defend against them.

At this point.

At this stage, the fourth-order puppet formation has been upgraded to its maximum.

Unless Lu Chang'an advances to the fourth-tier mid-grade puppeteer, he will not be able to achieve a qualitative leap.

It should be noted that some of the materials used in the fourth-order puppet array have reached the mid-grade fourth-order level.

In particular, the commander puppet of the Wei puppet master, as the hub of the puppet formation, has had most of its materials refined or replaced with mid-grade fourth-tier materials.

However, due to a lack of puppet-making skills, it was impossible to upgrade the core component, the puppet's "energy level," to the mid-grade fourth rank.

This also means that the fourth-tier puppet array's defense is significantly stronger than its attack.

“Master Wei, it’s probably not easy for the two of us to advance to the fourth-tier mid-grade puppet master level by working in isolation.”

Lu Chang'an put away the puppet array and discussed it with Wei the Puppet Master.

He plans to visit Xian Gong Island.

This island is a sacred place for the mechanical puppetry of the Tianxing Sea.

Head to this island.

One way is to exchange some rare puppet materials to prepare for creating a mid-grade fourth-tier puppet.

Secondly, it provides an opportunity to exchange ideas with master puppet makers and improve puppet-making skills.

……

After Lu Chang'an left the pass.

First, they assessed Zhao Shiyao's cultivation progress and answered her questions about water-based cultivation techniques.

With the insights and experiences of his two "good teachers," True Lord of the Sea of ​​Chaos and True Lord of the Underworld, Lu Chang'an could easily grasp them.

For a Nascent Soul seed like Zhao Shiyao, enjoying top-tier cultivation resources, it's normal to reach the peak of the late Core Formation stage within a hundred years.

Afterwards, Lu Chang'an visited Wei Dongjun's residence as a courtesy exchange.

After informing Wei Dongjun.

He then used the excuse of "traveling" to leave and depart from the waters of the Luoxia Islands.

As a guest elder, Lu Chang'an has a high degree of freedom within the Business Alliance.

Having successfully completed the challenging mission of dealing with the Ink Dragon, Lu Chang'an could have enjoyed at least thirty years of leisure.

He is only obligated to return to defend the Alliance headquarters if it faces a crisis.

……

Two months later.

Tianxinghai, Xiangong Island.

Eight gigantic, hundred-foot-long puppet arms of flesh and blood patrolled and guarded the mechanical ancient city at the center of the island.

Each of the puppet's massive fleshy arms seemed to possess sentience, with its embedded purplish-black eyes darting around, scanning the unfamiliar cultivators entering and leaving Immortal Craft Island.

It exudes a sense of oppression that makes ordinary cultivators' scalps tingle, no less than the scrutinizing gaze of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

On the day.

A blood-red old monster swept in from afar and landed on Immortal Craft Island.

The old monster in the blood-red robe exuded a bloodthirsty aura, clearly a heretical cultivator.

Whoosh!Whoosh!
Two gigantic, hundred-foot-long puppet arms of flesh and blood flashed through the air like lightning, arriving atop the blood-robed old monster's head, their purple eyes gleaming.

"This fellow Daoist looks unfamiliar."

A hoarse voice came from one of the puppet's massive fleshy arms.

"I am a fellow traveler."

The old monster in the blood-red robe sneered, and with his hands he activated the Puppet Technique. An invisible wave of energy was transmitted, neutralizing the powerful aura of the two giant puppet arms above his head.

"Respected fourth-tier puppeteer, Immortal Craftsman Island welcomes you."

The voice from the puppet's massive fleshy arm suddenly changed its tone, becoming gentle yet respectful.

Immortal Craft Island is an alliance of overseas puppet mechanics.

In this community, skills are a symbol of status.

Immortal Craft Island also actively recruits mechanical puppeteers, trading with like-minded people from all over the sea and exchanging and discussing their skills.

Therefore, when the Blood-Robed Old Monster displayed his fourth-tier puppeteer skills, Immortal Crafts Island welcomed him in without any further interference.

An elegant and beautiful woman in palace attire emerged from the mechanical ancient city to greet this distinguished guest.

Lu Chang'an glanced over and confirmed that the woman in palace attire was a lifelike puppet.

It is difficult for cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage to distinguish between the real and the fake.

Within the ancient mechanical city, there are numerous puppet mechanics, and most of the traded goods are related to this art.

Many puppeteers came to Immortal Craft Island to further their studies and improve their puppetry skills.

"Senior, if you wish to trade puppets or related materials, you can do so directly with the Heavenly Craft Pavilion. We are honest and fair to all."

"If you wish to meet any puppet master, I can make an introduction and contact them by sending a message."

The puppet woman in palace attire has lively and expressive eyes.

"Oh, I wonder which of these puppet masters are free?"

Lu Chang'an first inquired about it.

It is said that Immortal Craft Island possesses a legacy of late-stage fourth-tier puppets.

The most skilled puppeteer on the island today, though not yet at the fourth-tier superior level, has already touched that threshold.

After a moment's consideration, he chose the elder of Immortal Craft Island, the puppet-making master "Iron Skeleton Master".

This puppet master happened to have some free time.

The puppet woman in palace attire made a message, and the other party readily accepted the visit.

……

Three days later.

Inside the Iron Skeleton Lord's government building.

Lu Chang'an, in his blood-robed form, was exchanging ideas with a burly, strange old man wrapped in gold and iron, who was half human and half machine.

The burly, strange old man's limbs and parts of his body had been replaced by metal machinery.

Only a few key parts of the flesh and blood belonging to human cultivators remain, such as the heart and head.

Its mechanical body parts are as strong as those of a mid-stage fourth-tier demon king.

"Fellow Daoist Wei's puppetry skills have brought many new ideas and insights, making me regret not having met him sooner."

After three days and three nights of discussion and debate, Tie Hai Gong still seemed reluctant to part.

When this Nascent Soul cultivator surnamed Wei came to visit, Tie Haigong initially didn't take him seriously.

Tie Haigong's puppet-making skills are on par with those of a mid-level fourth-tier puppeteer. He once created a flawed mid-level fourth-tier beast-shaped puppet.

Later, this puppet collapsed and was destroyed in the great battle, proving that it could not withstand high-intensity combat.

Although this puppeteer, Wei, was not as skilled as Tie Haigong in puppet-making, he immediately displayed a true fourth-tier puppet upon meeting him. Tie Haigong was moved, and his arrogance vanished.

A true fourth-order puppet can give birth to a puppet spirit that is comparable to a Nascent Soul spirit body, completely comparable to a Nascent Soul cultivator of the same level.

Even with advanced puppet spirit cultivation techniques, true fourth-tier puppets are difficult to create stably in the puppet world.

It requires opportunity and good fortune; it can only be encountered by chance.

Tie Hai Gong took it very seriously and shared his puppet-making experience with Wei Kui Shi.

I hope to gain inspiration from the other party in the cultivation of puppet spirits.

During this process, Lu Chang'an also took out the puppet-refining inheritance from the Tianheng Continent and verified it with Tie Haigong.

Apart from the most core "Thousand Machines Divine Technique", there is no need to hide any other puppetry skills.

The collision of puppetry techniques from the mainland and the sea inspired a great deal of creativity on both sides.

"I have benefited greatly from the three days of instruction and will need to digest the information properly when I get back."

Lu Chang'an then took his leave.

While the two were exchanging ideas, Wei Kui Shi stood aside and listened.

This is equivalent to getting twice the inspiration.

In addition, he also traded with Iron Skeleton Lord for some of the materials he needed for refining puppets.

Although both of them wanted to create a mid-grade fourth-tier puppet, one was humanoid and the other was beast-shaped, so they had some complementarity in terms of materials.

"Fellow Daoist Wei, please slow down."

Lord Tiehai treated Lu Chang'an with great respect and personally escorted him out of the Mechanical Ancient City.

Both parties agreed to discuss the matter every few years.

It’s incredible to say.

Until their parting, Tie Hai Gong never asked Lu Chang'an about his specific background or which faction he belonged to.

They didn't care about the blood-robed old monster's obvious evil aura.

Lu Chang'an was speechless; the explanation he had prepared for the identity of the Blood Path Old Monster in the early Nascent Soul stage was completely useless.

……

half a month later.

Lu Chang'an returned to the Sunset Islands under his original identity.

Hidden Mist Island, inside the cave.

Lu Chang'an and Wei Kuishi went into seclusion together to absorb and digest the inspiration and gains from their trip to Immortal Craft Island.

After digesting the inspiration.

Lu Chang'an then discussed the matter with Wei Kuishi.

Unconsciously, his thinking on advancing to the fourth-tier mid-grade puppeteer became clearer and more defined than ever before.

"We've almost gathered all the materials, but it's only enough for one attempt at most."

Lu Chang'an's gaze was calm, and he had no intention of making a move in the short term.

Even the more skilled puppet maker, Tie Haigong, failed to truly succeed in crafting a mid-grade fourth-tier puppet back then.

He plans to explore and inspire others over the next few decades to improve his puppet-making skills.

Prepare more materials, ideally enough to withstand material losses from failures, thus increasing the margin for error.

……

Time flies.

Nearly thirteen years have passed.

On Hidden Mist Island, Lu Chang'an and Zhao Shiyao spent a peaceful period of cultivation together.

He spends most of his time in seclusion cultivating or improving his various cultivation techniques.

Therefore, there were no unexpected complications or enemies.

The secret chamber of Yunhai Mansion.

The four Azure Swords, with their flowing wood grain, exude vitality and emit sharp, silky sword energy.

"It's done."

Lu Chang'an felt as if he were bathed in a spring breeze, and put away the several fourth-grade high-quality Qingxuan swords.

All sixteen Azure Profound Swords have been nurtured and upgraded to the fourth-tier superior grade!

The power of the fully formed sword formation will reach an even higher level.

That was the perfect sword formation that Aoki Shinjun had once dreamed of.

The Azure Wood Sword Formation is a powerful offensive technique that aligns with wood-based martial arts.

The defining characteristic of this sword formation is its continuous attack.

While its maximum power is not as high as the [Sky-Splitting Axe], its attack frequency is much higher.

A continuous, high-frequency attack can be extremely painful once you get caught in it.

Ordinary defensive magical artifacts would soon be destroyed by the sword formation.

more importantly.

Lu Chang'an's powerful divine sense and evergreen magic power can maintain the sword formation for a long time, which is enough to threaten Nascent Soul cultivators.

In contrast, the [Sky-Splitting Axe] consumes too much mana, making it impossible to unleash multiple bursts consecutively during combat.

If Lu Chang'an activates the [Sky-Splitting Axe] more than twice in a row, he might not be able to keep up, and his mana recovery might not be able to keep up.

Unlike Jing Wufeng back then, he possessed the Millennium Spirit Milk, which allowed him to quickly restore a large amount of magical power.

"There are still five years until we enter the period of spiritual treasure tribulation."

Lu Chang'an calculated the time.

After the spirit of the artifact is born, the control over the artifact becomes more refined, and the consumption of magical power can be reduced.

At that time, the spirit treasure will be more spiritual and may even be able to automatically lock onto enemies to a certain extent.

"After cultivating for over ninety years, nearly a hundred years, in the mid-Nascent Soul stage, the shortcomings of those years have finally been made up for."

Lu Chang'an looked back on those days and smiled knowingly.

Now at the age of 663, he has finally reached the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm and his potential has been realized!
If he were to encounter a Nascent Soul cultivator again, he would have far more means of threatening them than just barely managing to protect himself.

Only when the fight is evenly matched can one be considered truly on par with a great cultivator!

All that talk of maneuvering and resisting is actually just passively taking hits; all they can do is defend themselves.

……

Several days later, Lu Chang'an emerged from seclusion again.

At the mid-Nascent Soul stage, his supernatural powers, magical treasures, sword formations, puppet formations, and other fields were elevated to their peak.

Currently, we are in a bottleneck period.

Why not relax and spend some time with Fairy Zhao, receiving guidance on her cultivation?

Zhao Shiyao would occasionally play music for him.

Over the years since settling on Hidden Mist Island, Zhao Shiyao has discovered her strengths in various skills.

That is the way of the zither.

Lu Chang'an still remembers that in her previous life, Fairy Zhao was trapped in the False Core stage, and in the decades that followed, she fell in love with the seven-stringed zither.

Although she didn't possess the superb skills of the Fairy of Xuanyin Pavilion, she had still reached a certain level of proficiency.

In this life, Zhao Shiyao picked up the seven-stringed zither again and quickly regained her previous life's level of skill.

The ethereal, tranquil, and slightly melancholic familiar zither music briefly distracted Lu Chang'an.

He realized that Zhao Shiyao had awakened more fragments of her past life memories.

"If Shiyao can cultivate her skills in the art of playing the zither, it will be of some help in breaking through to a higher level in the future."

Lu Chang'an passed on a copy of the Xuan Yin Pavilion's musical heritage and many ancient musical scores to Zhao Shiyao.

If one day in the future, Zhao Shiyao's musical skills can reach the level of the Fairy Ni Yue back then, and she can cultivate to the Nascent Soul stage.

Therefore, it may benefit Lu Chang'an's future advancement.

The Xuan Yin Pavilion possesses a magical musical ability called "Divine Dream of a Thousand Years".

The fairy's early dream kiss once transported Lu Chang'an into a dreamlike scene resembling reincarnation.

At that time, Lu Chang'an's state of mind and understanding of the Great Dao were slightly enhanced.

Unfortunately, Fairy Ni Yue missed the opportunity to advance to the Nascent Soul stage due to her age.

Otherwise, the "Divine Dream of a Thousand Years" activated by the Nascent Soul stage music could slightly promote the breakthrough of bottlenecks within the Nascent Soul stage.

……

After spending half a month in tender companionship with Fairy Zhao.

Lu Chang'an's attention was drawn to the situation of the Bihai Business Alliance.

A tense atmosphere permeated the headquarters of the business alliance.

The main island, outer island, and fourth-tier immortal city are all on high alert.

The main island, in particular, is under the strictest defense.

Guest elders are not allowed to enter without permission.

The main island's fourth-tier superior array has been further activated, greatly increasing its defensive capabilities.

Unless absolutely necessary, high-ranking cultivators of the Merchant Alliance are not permitted to enter or leave the archipelago waters at will.

As a fourth-order diviner, Lu Chang'an sensed a certain omen.

"Is the power transition within the Business Alliance finally about to begin?"

Lu Chang'an pondered to himself.

In recent years, rumors have circulated both inside and outside the business alliance that the Grand Elder's lifespan is nearing its end and he will not live for more than two years.

The Grand Elder planned to pass on the spirit contract jade tablet of the Azure-Eyed Beast to his grandson, Wei Dongjun.

This matter has drawn strong opposition from the Chamber of Commerce Elders.

The Left Alliance Leader and the Wan Deputy Alliance Leader, together with most of the elders, opposed this matter.

Without the support of a family or other elders, Qiu, the leader of the alliance, appears to be weak and isolated.

The Grand Elder did not make a public statement and remained silent.

Those with keen insight have already noticed that a storm of power struggle is brewing within the vast Bihai Business Alliance.

The high level of alert at the headquarters of the business alliance is for the sake of a stable power transition.

At the same time, guard against external hostile forces interfering in the internal affairs of the Blue Ocean Business Alliance.

……

House seemingly endless rain.

Before the Grand Elder's lifespan was about to end, the hostile force "Black Sea Merchant Alliance" began to take a series of actions.

Many of the businesses under the Blue Ocean Business Alliance have been suppressed and annexed by the Black Ocean Business Alliance.

In just a few months, several spirit islands and markets were lost. Many affiliated families and merchant guilds chose to join the Black Sea Merchant Alliance.

The Black Sea Merchant Alliance has a complex background and close business ties with "Abyss City." Some of the merchant families within the alliance were founded by disciples of the Seven Seas Sect.

If it were just overt methods, that would be fine.

The merchant ships, island markets, and maritime cities of the Azure Sea Merchant Alliance have recently been plundered by powerful pirates.

The supplies were looted, and the number of casualties among the alliance's cultivators was considerable.

The pirates who launched the raid included the plundering ship "Whale Skeleton Giant Ship," one of the Ten Great Sea Robbers.

That Sea Calamity King was ranked among the top three, a top existence in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

Unfortunately, at this critical juncture, the merchant alliance was frequently raided and plundered on the islands, which was like adding insult to injury.

The Azure Sea Merchant Alliance suspects that hostile forces have hired pirates to raid the repair shop.

However, there is no conclusive evidence.

Furthermore, the Four Seas Merchant Alliance has done such despicable things as secretly colluding with pirates to rob cultivators.

There was another thing that alarmed the senior management of the business alliance.

The "Insect Demon" that reappeared in Tianxinghai recently destroyed a remote spirit island belonging to a merchant guild under the Merchant Alliance.

That spirit island was devoured by a swarm of golden insects, leaving it barren and its spiritual veins destroyed, with not a single creature alive.

This is suspected to be the second time the "Insect Demon" has made a move since its reappearance.

The last time was when they killed a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Seven Seas Sect.

The business alliance's top leaders hope this is just a coincidence.

If the infamous "Insect Demon" were to take advantage of the Azure Sea Merchant Alliance's misfortune, then we would be in serious trouble.

……

Hidden Mist Island, Cloud Sea Prefecture.

Amidst the turbulent external world, Lu Chang'an remained calm and composed.

On the cliff behind the cave, Lu Chang'an stood with his hands behind his back, the sound of waves crashing in his ears.

In the past few days, a large number of retainers from nearby islands have been transferred to assist in defense and garrison duties.

Many people applied voluntarily, not wanting to be drawn into the impending storm of business alliance conflict.

Some of the high-ranking cultivators and Nascent Soul elders from the alliance's direct lineage were also transferred to other large island branches of the Azure Sea Merchant Alliance.

Some high-level cultivators were also passively transferred to the outside world to assist in the defense.

These high-level cultivators may not be trusted by the main headquarters, and there are concerns that their presence there could become a variable.

Lu Chang'an is currently on leave and can refuse to be transferred.

However, many of the retainers who were also in a period of downtime either voluntarily or cooperatively transferred away from the Merchant Alliance headquarters.

Wei Dongjun came down to Lu Chang'an privately once, hinting that Lu Chang'an should stay at the headquarters of the Luoxia Islands.

Lu Chang'an smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

Wei Dongjun is only at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, not a top figure in the Business Alliance.

Whether Lu Chang'an is transferred or not is not up to Wei Dongjun.

Zhao Shiyao also noticed the tense situation at the headquarters of the Business Alliance.

She couldn't help but worry and inquired about Lu Chang'an's future.

If Lu Chang'an goes out to guard the area, Fairy Zhao is willing to accompany him.

"To go or to stay?"

Lu Chang'an did not give a definite answer.

privately.

He consulted the oracle to see which option would be more beneficial to him.

The divination result surprised him slightly.

Soon, Lu Chang'an showed a thoughtful expression.

……

a few days later.

Soon, the headquarters received news about Lu Chang'an's future.

The elders of the General Affairs Hall proposed that, given the external crisis facing the Merchant Alliance, they hoped that Guest Elder Lu could step in to assist in dealing with the [Whale Skeleton Giant Ship], one of the ten great plundering ships.

Lu Chang'an ignored it, pretending not to hear it.

According to regulations, he is currently on leave and is not obligated to accept tasks assigned by the headquarters.

Therefore, the Chamber of Commerce headquarters only made a proposal, not an order to deploy troops.

Most of the other retainers, upon hearing this suggestion, would be wise enough to promptly transfer to other positions, where they could receive even greater compensation for their contributions.

Lu Chang'an, however, planned to stay at the headquarters, amidst the storm.

Three more days passed.

Seeing that Lu Chang'an ignored the suggestion from the Elder of General Affairs, the Merchant Alliance sent a high-ranking figure to the mansion to act as an advocate.

The main hall of Yunhai Mansion.

"Elder Lu, our alliance has only recently returned to the main headquarters, and today we are finally able to meet the master who slew the Ink Dragon."

A middle-aged man with a large belly, round face, and plump body, wearing a loose sharkskin robe, said with a smile.

This is Vice Alliance Leader Wan.

The only vice leader that Lu Chang'an had not met before.

With his large pregnant belly, Vice Alliance Leader Wan looked like a kind and amiable wealthy businessman, seemingly harmless.

Lu Chang'an sensed that this person possessed profound magical power, no less than that of the Beast King Valley Elder, the leader of the Great Green Demon Sect.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lu Chang'an asked directly:

"Has Alliance Leader Wan come to request that I, Lu, be sent out on duty to deal with the infamous [Whale Skeleton Giant Ship]?"

Vice Alliance Leader Wan smiled wryly, "It's truly a last resort. This was an unexpected emergency, requiring Elder Lu to go out on duty. There's no need to fight the Sea King to the death; just contain and defend him to minimize the losses to the Merchant Alliance's industries. Afterwards, this operation will result in double the contribution and generous compensation."

"Is this the intention of the two alliance leaders?"

"No! This is a resolution of the Elders' Council, and the Grand Elder also agrees with it."

The deputy leader of the alliance raised his eyelids slightly and said calmly.

This statement seemed to be the final word.

Great elder?
Lu Chang'an was somewhat surprised.

He has been a member of the Bihai Business Alliance for many years.

He has made contributions, keeps a low profile, and does not participate in internal alliance struggles.

The only Nascent Soul cultivator with whom he had a good relationship and frequent interactions was Wei Dongjun, the Grand Elder's grandson.

Even after all this, you still can't gain their trust?

Before his lifespan was about to end, the Grand Elder remained wary of Lu Chang'an and wanted to remove this variable from the Merchant Alliance headquarters.

(End of this chapter)