I am evergreen in the world of cultivating immortals

Chapter 496 The Tide Returns to the Azure Sea, A Fortuitous Circumstance

"Autumn swallows, how dare you—"

A powerful voice came from the main hall of the headquarters.

At the same time, the magical aura of the three Nascent Soul elders appeared in various halls of the main hall.

"I never expected that it was you, Alliance Leader Qiu, who was colluding with both insiders and outsiders."

The leader of the Left Alliance frowned deeply, his thick, purplish-black eyebrows furrowed in surprise.

The leader of this alliance exuded a magical pressure that resembled an ancient iceberg, with icy chill spreading for dozens of miles.

The two Nascent Soul elders beside Qiu Luoyan felt instinctively fearful and uneasy.

Among the three leaders, the Left Leader is the most powerful and has the most seniority, wielding great power within the alliance.

"So, among the three leaders, the one my teacher trusts the most is not me."

Suddenly, Qiu Luoyan realized something and gave a self-deprecating smile.

Previously, the elimination of Vice Leader Wan was quite unexpected for her.

The Grand Elder and the Left Alliance Leader joined forces to temporarily remove Alliance Leader Wan, who was detrimental to the stability of the alliance, from the core circle.

"Over the years, I have gradually come to realize that a mysterious force has infiltrated the Merchant Alliance, posing a significant threat. Some high-ranking members are suspected of being bribed, colluding with outsiders, causing the Merchant Alliance to suffer substantial losses..."

The elder's voice was low and his face showed bitterness.

On his deathbed, he orchestrated a power transition to lure out the culprits and purge the scourge from within the alliance.

Unexpectedly, a wild goose was shot down!
The biggest traitor was his trusted confidant whom he had personally promoted within the alliance.

Fortunately, the leader he trusted most was Zuo Tianxiong.

After the Grand Elder stepped down from his post.

The Left Alliance Leader holds the greatest power and interests within the alliance. His seniority, connections, and strength are second to none, making him the helmsman who controls the overall direction of the business alliance.

This old rival, on the contrary, considered the bigger picture.

Loyalty to the business alliance, or rather, loyalty to the power he wields and the enormous interests behind it.

Furthermore, the Left Alliance Leader still harbors ambitions to reach the late Nascent Soul stage, demonstrating a vision far surpassing that of the Ten Thousand Deputy Alliance Leaders.

The Left Alliance Leader also noticed the hidden dangers within the Merchant Alliance and cooperated with the Grand Elder to set up a scheme before his death.

……

"Hehehe...Teacher is indeed an old fox who has lived for thousands of years! Before his death, he worked hard for the Bihai Business Alliance and devoted himself to the inheritance of the Wei family."

The Autumn Alliance Leader's smile was alluring, yet held a hint of the uncanny.

"Unfortunately, the moment the Azure-Eyed Beast was summoned from the main headquarters, the outcome was already sealed!"

Upon hearing this, the poisoned elder, Wei Dongjun, felt a chill in his heart.

At this moment, they still do not understand why Alliance Leader Qiu would betray the Merchant Alliance.

Qiu Mengzhu alone couldn't have orchestrated such a grand scheme.

There are likely hidden mysterious figures outside, or the support of top forces in Tianxinghai.

at this time.

The sounds of a battle could be heard outside the main island, with screams growing louder as they approached.

"The insect demons have invaded the archipelago!"

"Run! Get to the main headquarters for help..."

Several powerful, evil Nascent Soul auras traversed the archipelago's waters, heading straight for the main island of the headquarters.

The merchant alliance cultivators they encountered on the road were mercilessly slaughtered.

Tens of thousands of golden flame insects ravaged the sea, gnawing and devouring the corpses of cultivators.

Two fourth-tier flying zombies darted through the sky, spewing purplish-gray corpse fire from their mouths.

If an ordinary cultivator gets even a trace of it, they will instantly turn into a pool of corpse water.

"The Insect Emperor's predictions are indeed correct; the main formation of the Azure Sea Merchant Alliance's headquarters has indeed been severely damaged!"

"Hehehe... With that great demon king transferred from the Merchant Alliance headquarters, the Insect Emperor is practically invincible in these archipelago!"

Two heretical Nascent Soul cultivators let out strange laughter and fawned over each other.

A swarm of insects, resembling golden clouds, surrounded a mysterious man in black robes wearing a bronze mask.

His hair was gray, and his eyes were like lightning, as if he were a ghost or a god.

The faint, elusive aura of malevolent magic seemed to emanate from the abyss, vast and unfathomable.

The bronze mask prevented divine sense from detecting it.

In the Heavenly Star Sea, no one knows the true appearance of the Insect Demon.

"With coordinated attacks from within and without, we will capture the main island!"

The insect demon's voice was hoarse and gloomy as it led a vast swarm of golden insects to the main island's formation.

Two heretical Nascent Soul cultivators and two fourth-tier flying zombies followed closely behind, charging towards the main island's grand formation.

Pfft...

The overwhelming swarm of golden flame insects clung to the weak points of the great formation, frantically devouring them.

The Golden Flame Insect is covered in golden flames, and its core is like a black bean with golden spots. It is impervious to blades and spears and has a strong immunity to various magical attacks.

Even when attacked by the array's restrictions, resulting in charred and dead bodies, and some being stunned, they were replenished by large swarms of golden flame insects.

This insect can quickly recover from injuries and increase its combat power by feeding on and absorbing the spiritual energy of the formation and the corpses of its own kind.

"Autumn Swallow, how dare you collude with the enemy insect demon from the outer seas!"

The Left Alliance Leader's expression was grim and quite unpleasant.

He didn't care about the Grand Elder, and took out a formation flag to stabilize the damaged island protection formation.

The insect demon is even more dangerous.

If they were to breach the main island, it would bring a devastating catastrophe.

The speed at which the Golden Flame Insect Swarm broke through the formation exceeded expectations.

Some of the larger Golden Flame Insects reached the fourth level. After devouring the corpses of their own kind, their aura surged, and their attacks became increasingly ferocious.

The light of the outer island's grand formation dimmed to the naked eye.

The archipelago headquarters at this moment.

Due to external crises and power struggles, a large number of high-ranking cultivators were transferred to other regions to guard posts.

The defensive strength of the main headquarters was thus greatly weakened.

……

"Leader Zuo, prioritize defending the great formation and blocking the insect demons."

The elder's gaze was gloomy as he took out a spirit contract jade tablet and quickly established communication.

Qiu Luoyan's beautiful eyes narrowed as she stared at the jade tablet in the Grand Elder's hand:

"Hand over the Great Demon King's life contract! Considering our past kindness, I promise to spare Wei Dongjun's life."

The Autumn Alliance Leader was not worried about the Grand Elder contacting the Azure-Eyed Beast.

The Azure-Eyed Beast went to a distant sea area and was restrained by a Grand Master of the Black Sea Merchant Alliance.

Even if we use a cross-sea formation, it will still take time to travel, and distant water cannot quench immediate thirst.

As Qiu Mengzhu spoke, he waved the array flag in his hand, opening the array portal to coordinate with the attack of the Insect Demon and others.

The two Nascent Soul elders who accompanied him attacked Wei Dongjun, who had mostly recovered from the poison.

"Stop the insect demon!"

The Left Alliance Leader led his men to the entrance of the formation, waving the formation flags and vying with the Autumn Alliance Leader for control of the formation.

Buzz! boom!
The Left Alliance Leader summoned a small ice crystal mountain, which swelled in the face of the cold wind and transformed into a massive ice mountain hundreds of feet tall, blocking the gap in the formation.

The icy winds spread for dozens of miles, freezing a large number of Golden Flame Insects.

Some insects lost their golden flames, froze to death, or went into hibernation.

The two heretical cultivators, along with the corpse fire of the fourth-order flying zombie, landed on the Xuanbing Mountain, and could not be conquered in a short time.

Looking at that towering, icy mountain.

The insect demon looked at it with disgust, and rode a magic ruler that broke through the barrier, which grew to be a hundred feet long. The ruler was covered with blue lightning patterns and cracked the surface of the array barrier.

The precious ruler is an ancient treasure, and it is also being struck on an iceberg.

The Xuanbing Mountain roared and exploded, breaking open a small portion of it, from which many frozen golden flame insects emerged.

"Alliance Leader Qiu, if we can't get the life contract, it doesn't matter if we destroy it."

The Insect Demon commanded in a cold voice.

Its body was covered with a layer of golden insect armor, which blocked the attacks within the great formation and the erosion of the Left Alliance Leader's Xuanbing Divine Power.

……

"Cough cough... Even if I have to give up my life and fortune, I will not let the life contract fall into your hands."

The elder's voice was weak as he put the life-binding jade token into his storage ring.

Its withered body rippled with the spiritual light of emerald water, temporarily suppressing the Heart-Slaying Poison and ignoring the attacks of ordinary Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

But at this time.

The illusory azure dragon surrounding Wei Dongjun dimmed and disappeared, broken by the magic weapons of the two Nascent Soul elders.

The pure white pearl in his mouth absorbed the poison of the Heart-Slaying Poison and turned into a pile of gray-black fragments, scattered on the ground.

The Grand Elder entrusted Wei Dongjun with his life-saving items, his robes and belongings in advance.

That top-tier poison-removing pearl neutralized most of his "Heart-Severing Poison," but the poison within his body was not eradicated, and the remaining Heart-Severing Poison was spreading and growing stronger.

hum!
Wei Dongjun then unleashed a mid-grade fourth-tier life-saving talisman, his entire body enveloped in a deep blue water shield, blocking the attacks of the two elders.

Having regained his magical powers, he summoned a gourd of emerald water.

Boom!

The Azure Water Gourd surged forth with torrent-like ripples of water, rushing towards the three leaders of the Autumn Alliance.

The two elders were forced back by the torrent of water, their blood and qi churning, and they hurriedly used their defensive magic treasures to resist.

The Autumn Alliance Leader was surrounded by azure clouds and ripples, and an invisible, cold autumn wind swirled around him, neutralizing the water dragon ripples.

The gourd in Wei Dongjun's hand seemed to contain the waters of the Three Rivers and Five Lakes, continuously unleashing a torrent that impacted the three leaders of the Autumn Alliance.

"The Wei family's secret treasure! As expected, the teacher passed it all on to you."

"Hehe, I bet the true Demon King's destiny contract is with Dongjun?"

The leader of the Autumn Alliance looked at Wei Dongjun with a smile and tentatively asked.

Based on her understanding of the Grand Elder, this is highly likely.

The jade pendant with the life contract I just saw was probably a fake.

Upon hearing this, the Grand Elder and Wei Dongjun exchanged a glance.

The grandfather and grandson were expressionless, revealing nothing, perhaps they were communicating in secret.

A chilling chirping sound rang out.

The Netherwind Swallow, with wingspan only a few feet, stirred up a large swath of gloomy, gray winds that enveloped the Grand Elder and Wei Dongjun.

The Nether Wind Swallow gradually became ethereal and illusory, transforming into a yin and yang state resembling a nascent spirit.

Although the Wei family grandfather and grandson had a protective shield of spiritual light, they could not completely block the erosion of the Yin and Nether Wind.

The Autumn Alliance Leader intensified his offensive, wielding nine autumn leaf-shaped magical artifacts that transformed into countless autumn leaf wind blades, each over ten feet long. The surrounding cave dwellings and buildings were sliced ​​into countless fragments, like tofu being cut.

The chilling atmosphere of autumn enveloped and sealed off the Wei family grandfather and grandson.

In addition, the outer layer of Yin-Yang winds provides a means to prevent the nascent soul from leaving the body, making it a life-or-death situation.

However, the Alliance Leader Qiu remained constantly vigilant against the Grand Elder's counterattack.

At his peak, this person was a top-tier mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, capable of even going toe-to-toe with great cultivators.

Therefore, she dared not push too hard, fearing a mutually destructive outcome.

They even deliberately delayed, allowing the "Heart-Severing Poison" to take further effect and kill the Grand Elder's lifespan.

At the same moment, the insect demons launched a fierce attack.

Under the attacks of the Insect Demon, the Evil Nascent Soul, and the Fourth-Order Flying Zombie, the Xuanbing Mountain was shattered into pieces.

More golden flame insects broke through the iceberg and adapted to the power of the mysterious ice.

Pfft...

The swarm of insects devoured the array frantically, and some golden flame insects even managed to squeeze into the array through cracks in the formation.

The island's protective formation is weakening and won't last much longer.

Once the Insect Demons and the Golden Flame Insect Swarm invade, no one in the entire archipelago will be able to stop them.

……

"Autumn Wild Goose! The jade token of destiny is indeed in my hands. If you have the ability, come and take it!"

Wei Dongjun took a deep breath, his eyes cold and filled with resentment and murderous intent.

Whoosh! Boom!
The Nascent Soul's magical power surged into the Azure Water Gourd, unleashing a beam of light from the water, briefly piercing through the Yin Wind overhead.

At the same time, he activated a mid-grade fourth-tier lightning escape talisman with his finger.

Sizzle! Boom!

With a thunderous roar, Wei Dongjun transformed into a bolt of lightning and fled towards the outside of the main island.

"Don't think about it!"

The Autumn Alliance Leader was prepared, and a silver needle flashed from his sleeve, predicting that it would strike Wei Dongjun, who had just activated the Thunder Escape Talisman.

puff!
Wei Dongjun's already dimmed water-like protective shield was pierced, and a silver needle-like magic weapon, as thin as a hair, pierced into his robe.

Fortunately, Wei Dongjun's inner layer of gold-threaded soft armor barely blocked the subsequent force of the silver needles.

However, the sharp autumn aura contained in the extremely fine silver needles penetrated his soft armor and injured his internal organs.

Wei Dongjun groaned, transforming into a figure of lightning, and spat out a mouthful of blood in mid-air.

The methods of the Autumn Alliance Leader are not limited to this.

The nine autumn leaf-shaped magical artifacts hovering around him each extended willow branches several dozen feet long from their stems, which flashed towards Wei Dongjun's body.

Several sturdy willow branches slapped against the air, vibrating eardrums and blocking Wei Dongjun's path above his head.

It was clear that Wei Dongjun was about to be blocked and entangled.

At the critical moment.

The Grand Elder suddenly made his move, and the azure light around his body surged several feet.

His withered old body stood upright, his eyes like torches.

Filled with the ethereal light of the clear water, his body swelled and grew, returning to the tall and upright stature of his youth.

Dry skin regains its fair and delicate appearance, and the wrinkled face reveals the sharp features of youth, making it handsome and extraordinary.

Lifespan and vital essence are rapidly burning.

The Grand Elder has recovered to his peak condition, with his magical power and spiritual pressure approaching that of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

He raised his hand, which was shimmering with blue waves.

His once white hair was now dyed jet black, fluttering in the wind.

Boom! Whoosh—

Giant waves surged into the sky from the sea surrounding the main island, as if worshipping the sea gods.

On the vast sea, billions of seawater are drawn together by a mysterious force, forming a huge, gentle whirlpool.

For tens of thousands of miles around, the sea surged and trembled rhythmically.

Endless water elemental power surged forth, converging towards the sonic overlord at the center of the whirlpool.

At this moment, the sound of the ocean waves enveloped the entire main island and spread to the surrounding islands and waters.

"The Song of the Returning Tide of the Azure Sea"

The cultivators on both sides present were shaken to their core, their qi and blood and magical power were in disarray, and their senses were overwhelmed by the magnificent sound waves.

The golden flame insect swarm that was devouring the large formation was shaken off in large swaths by a dizzying sensation.

The insect demon paused its attack, a look of apprehension flashing in its eyes.

The Grand Elder's deadly move was originally prepared for the "Insect Demon".

Fortunately, the Grand Elder, who had been poisoned by the deadly Heart-Severing Poison, could not sustain his killing move.

call!
The Grand Elder's shimmering palm made a sweeping motion, as if the power of waves from thousands of miles around converged into a single palm.

Bang!Bang!Bang!
Qiu Luoyan and the other two were sent flying backwards, as if swept away by the mighty force of the ocean tide.

Qiu Luoyan groaned, the blood spilling from the corner of her mouth making her lips appear even more vibrant.

The spiritual light of the two Nascent Soul elders vanished, their magical treasures fell to the ground, and the sound of bones shattering could be heard as they were sent flying hundreds of feet away.

"The Grand Elder rarely leaves his home; how could he have such hidden abilities?"

"He comprehended the sixth level of the 'Song of the Returning Tide of the Azure Sea' and even faintly touched the legendary seventh level of the true meaning of the Divine Transformation."

The pressure on the leader of the alliance was greatly reduced, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He was amazed and relieved.

……

Sizzle! Whoosh—

Lightning flashed across the clouds over the main island.

Just as the Grand Elder unleashed the "Song of the Returning Tide of the Azure Sea," which overwhelmed the entire process, Wei Dongjun seized the opportunity to escape the encirclement and death trap.

"grandfather……"

Wei Dongjun was overcome with grief, his eyes moist as he gazed at the main island of the headquarters, at the towering figure that commanded the sea tides.

Just one blow.

The elder's aura rapidly declined.

The swollen blue waters dimmed and disappeared, the hair turned white again, and many withered and scattered.

His facial skin withered again, covered with brownish-gray age spots. The elder's cloudy eyes were completely dull, yet he followed the scent and "watched" his grandson Wei Dongjun flee in the direction he had gone.

The life force of this physical body was completely extinguished; under the outbreak of the Heart-Severing Poison, it no longer had any chance of survival.

"pity."

The Grand Elder let out a final sigh.

If he hadn't been ambushed, the silver needle magic weapon would have pierced his heart, causing a fatal wound and triggering the Heart-Severing Poison...

At his peak, he could unleash a burst of energy for at least a dozen breaths.

At that time, we will teach the insect demon a lesson and also make the traitor despair.

Unexpectedly, the Insect Demon and Autumn Swallow were the first to launch an attack.

As a result, he could only barely unleash a single strike.

It remains to be seen whether Wei Dongjun, who has been poisoned, will be able to escape this calamity.

Can the Blue Ocean Business Alliance weather this crisis?
……

Whoosh!
An aged, dull, azure nascent soul detached from the Grand Elder's body.

He picked up a storage ring and fled in the opposite direction from Wei Dongjun.

The dark winds blowing overhead.

The aged nascent soul let out a muffled groan, its spiritual light dimmed, its escape speed sluggish, and its speed reduced by more than half.

The eerie winds of the underworld eroded the nascent soul's spirit body, causing large areas of its surface to corrode and peel off.

"Alliance Leader Qiu, which one should we pursue?"

The injured Nascent Soul elder beside him took a healing elixir and asked for instructions.

Wei Dongjun and the Grand Elder's Nascent Souls fled in opposite directions.

The Grand Elder's Nascent Soul was holding a storage ring, inside which was the life contract jade tablet he had just used.

"The Grand Elder's attack just now has exhausted his lifespan. His nascent soul is old and weak, and his spirit is depleted. Even if he escapes, he will not live for long."

Qiu Mengzhu remained calm and quickly analyzed the situation.

Based on her understanding of the Grand Elder and her intuition, she believed that the Great Demon King's life contract was most likely given to Wei Dongjun.

The nascent soul leaving the body and taking the storage ring was probably intended to make them split up to pursue, thus creating more opportunities for Wei Dongjun to survive.

"Ah Yan, go after that old bastard's Nascent Soul."

Alliance Leader Qiu was still worried, so he sent Mingfeng Yan, who was able to restrain the Nascent Soul Spirit, to pursue the Grand Elder.

Even though he clearly guessed the elder's intention, he dared not gamble.

What if the life contract is in that storage ring?

No one can be 100% certain.

Mingfengyan let out a cheerful chirp.

It transformed into a semi-ethereal, dark form and rapidly pursued the Grand Elder's nascent soul.

In this state, Mingfeng Yan is equivalent to a Nascent Soul spirit, and its escape speed exceeds the norm.

The Grand Elder's life force was exhausted, and his nascent soul was being eroded by the Nether Wind. He was tracked down and targeted by the Nether Wind Swallow, and could not escape his fate.

"Wei Dongjun's 'Heart-Severing Poison' has not yet been neutralized, and he cannot escape the Sunset Sea—quickly pursue him!"

Alliance Leader Qiu led two Nascent Soul elders in pursuit of Wei Dongjun's escape route.

She was 90% certain that the Great Demon King's life contract lay with Wei Dongjun.

……

The waters around the archipelago are turbulent.

A handsome man in white, riding a dark blue water tortoise, was heading towards the main island.

Hidden Mist Island is the most remote fourth-tier mid-grade training ground from the main island, tens of thousands of miles away.

Furthermore, guest elders are not allowed to enter the main island of the headquarters at will.

Therefore, Lu Chang'an arrived late after the dramatic change in the business alliance.

"The Song of the Returning Tide of the Azure Sea..."

Lu Chang'an stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the still turbulent waves, the rhythmic sound of the tide reaching his ears.

"The Song of the Returning Tide of the Azure Sea" is a top-tier overseas water-based technique, and mastering this skill requires not only water-based talent.

One must also be skilled in music, observe the tides and listen to the waves, and enter the Tao through music.

The sixth level, "The Song of the Returning Tide of the Azure Sea," normally corresponds to the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

At the height of his power, the Grand Elder reached this level, enabling him to contend with and exchange blows with great cultivators.

Whoops!

The Xuan Shui Turtle traverses the sea surface with a significant increase in speed, comparable to a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

They were now thousands of miles away from the main island.

Huh?
Lu Chang'an's powerful divine senses detected the abnormal fluctuations at the soul level.

A chilling aura, unsettling to the soul, accompanied by a sharp and cruel chirping of birds, came from the distant sky.

"The winds of the underworld? The birds of the underworld?"

"Big turtle, adjust your direction."

Lu Chang'an's heart stirred, and he unleashed his late-stage Nascent Soul divine sense, commanding the Xuan Shui Turtle to meet it.

……

A moment later, the sky darkened with clouds.

A gloomy, gray wind swept across an area of ​​several miles.

The Great Elder's aged nascent soul was growing weaker and weaker, being pulled by the dark winds behind him.

A sharp, excited chirping of sparrows came from behind me.

"A Nascent Soul spirit at its peak in the mid-stage, though extremely weakened, is a rare and highly nourishing tonic for the soul."

With wingspans of several feet, the seemingly small and cute Mingfeng Swallow reveals a longing and greed in its eyes.

Its tracking and locking onto the distant Nascent Soul has a playful, cat-and-mouse feel to it.

In a direct confrontation with a Nascent Soul cultivator of the same level, it might not necessarily gain the upper hand.

However, if it is a spiritual nascent soul that has lost its physical body, it is at the mercy of Ming Fengyan, like a meal on a plate.

"...Is it going to end soon?"

The old nascent soul, in its escape, gradually lost consciousness, sighing in despair.

He felt his limits; his nascent soul was on the verge of collapse and dissipation.

If it weren't for the desire to create a chance for his grandson, he might not have had such a strong will to persevere for so long.

We cannot allow ourselves to be devoured by the Dark Wind Swallow, thus increasing the enemy's strength.

The Grand Elder was prepared to self-destruct his Nascent Soul at any time, hoping to injure Ming Fengyan.

at this time.

A powerful aquatic spiritual force emanated from a fourth-tier water-type demon king ahead.

On the massive tortoise shell, a man in white stood, his aura of a Nascent Soul True Monarch faintly visible.

"A fourth-tier spirit turtle, could it be that..."

The elder guessed the visitor's identity and felt a sense of unease.

Could it be that Lu Keqing is coming towards us now to support the actions of the Insect Demon and the Autumn Alliance Leader?
If that's the case, the Azure Water Merchant Alliance is in grave danger!
Perhaps it was a stroke of luck that brought them back from rock bottom.

The worst-case scenario that the Grand Elder feared did not occur.

"What kind of monstrous beast dares to hunt down cultivators of our alliance!"

The white-clad man on the giant tortoise stood with his hands behind his back, his sleeves fluttering, and a clear, sharp shout came from behind him.

That rebuke sounded like the will of an ancient master.

Thunder roared through the clouds, and all spirits and gods in the universe were annihilated.

Instantly.

The gloomy, overcast wind in the sky vanished like smoke.

"Sir, spare my life——"

The Dark Wind Swallow felt a chill run through its body as it sensed a powerful divine consciousness that looked down upon the world, carrying the fury of thunder, pressing down on its weak bird body.

It froze in mid-air, trembling; even in the darkness, it was terrified.

"This divine sense..."

The Grand Elder's nascent soul immediately felt the cold, turbid energy dissipate, and his consciousness became clearer.

That late-stage Nascent Soul divine sense, through a sonic technique, dispersed the Yin and evil energy, but did not harm the Grand Elder's Nascent Soul in the slightest.

"There is actually a hidden Nascent Soul cultivator within our merchant alliance..."

After the initial shock, the Grand Elder was overjoyed, seeing a glimmer of hope in the darkness.

Judging from Lu Chang'an's actions, he is not in cahoots with the Insect Demon and the Autumn Alliance Leader.

With such overwhelming strength, if they had attacked together just now, the Grand Elder and Wei Dongjun would not have been able to escape and would have been wiped out in one fell swoop.

Soul-Splitting Thrust!
Lu Chang'an made a hand seal with one hand, his eyes flashing with a cold, eerie light, and terrifying spiritual fluctuations surged in the void.

An invisible, bluish-gray spike, like the fangs of a white bone from the deepest hell, pierced through the soul level and struck Mingfeng Yan, who was trying to escape.

A sharp, agonizing scream.

As Mingfengyan withdrew from its Yin-Yang state, its soul was torn apart by pain, and its consciousness was in complete chaos. Its swallow-like body plummeted toward the sea.

Poof!

Its body plunged into the sea, where the water was cool, and it had just regained consciousness.

The wings were grabbed tightly by a hand.

From a third-person perspective.

A series of illusory tree afterimages swept across the void, and a white-robed youth with flowing green light grabbed Mingfengyan's wings.

Before they could even struggle...

Ming Fengyan, whose soul was injured, was slapped and immediately vomited blood and fainted.

"Heh, a mere swallow, yet it dares to try to send a message to its master in front of me."

Lu Chang'an placed a restriction on the swallow, imprisoning its magical power, and then sealed it in a jade box, affixing a sealing talisman.

Mingfengyan truly lives up to its reputation as a member of the Yin-Yang race.

Despite enduring his Soul-Splitting Strike, which was at the level of a Grand Cultivator, his soul was only injured, showing no signs of collapse.

……

"Why is the Grand Elder so badly injured? What happened at the Merchant Alliance headquarters?"

Lu Chang'an looked at the weak, powerless, and still-shaken old Nascent Soul.

The Grand Elder composed himself and looked at the white-robed True Lord before him, who possessed a lofty and serene demeanor.

Amidst the rising and falling waves.

The man was gentle and refined, with deep and far-reaching eyes. His tied-up black hair was mixed with silver and white, and moved with the wind.

His demeanor was weathered and aged, as if he had experienced countless cycles of time.

“Lord Lu, this is our first meeting.”

The Grand Elder's Nascent Soul form gave a bitter smile.

Regret and guilt appeared on Yuan Ying's face.

When the power shifted at the main island headquarters, he was overly suspicious and prevented this guest advisor from interfering.

If they had listened to Wei Dongjun and the Jade-Eyed Beast's advice and chosen to trust Elder Lu, the outcome might have been very different.

"I was too suspicious before and misjudged Elder Lu..."

"Elder, there's no need to be offended. I'm just a newcomer, so it's normal that I don't have their trust yet."

"I only want a stable environment to cultivate quietly and discreetly, without any conflict with the world. I have no ambition or ulterior motives regarding the power of the Business Alliance."

Lu Chang'an had already realized that the Grand Elder's nascent soul was on the verge of collapse.

He kept it brief and spoke frankly to the Grand Elder.

"Elder, did you have any last wishes before you passed away?"

Lu Chang'an stretched out his palm and let the Great Elder's weak and dim nascent soul land on his palm.

The Evergreen Mantra was used to grant it a brief respite before it died.

The Grand Elder's complexion had improved considerably, and he vaguely sensed the deeper meaning in Lu Chang'an's words.

When he first met Lu Chang'an, they had no grudges against each other.

The other party has no obligation to help a dying person fulfill their last wishes.

"My wish is that Wei Dongjun can avert this calamity, that the Bihai Business Alliance can overcome this crisis, complete the power transition, and stabilize the overall situation."

The Grand Elder's nascent soul glowed red as he spoke his final vow.

Lu Chang'an's face twitched slightly:
This old fox, is he splitting one wish into several parts?
They had to save Wei Dongjun's life while also helping the business alliance weather the crisis.

Afterwards, a power transition must be completed to stabilize the core base.
"I am merely practicing divine sense techniques, not a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. The Grand Elder's wish is quite difficult to fulfill."

Lu Chang'an wore a wry smile.

In reality, the Grand Elder's wish was roughly in line with his expectations and was within a controllable range.

The details of his wish are all roughly in one direction, tied to the large ship of the business alliance.

It's much more reliable than the last wish of the True Lord of the Underworld.

"I, Lu, accept this wish, but the Grand Elder must also grant me a small request..."

Lu Chang'an communicated secretly via telepathy.

Several layers of barriers have been set up around it to prevent outsiders from investigating.

“No problem! My nascent soul has reached its limit. If it weren’t for Lord Lu’s life-saving intervention, it might have already dissipated and returned to the world.”

"Lu Zhenjun, please take it."

The Grand Elder had no complaints, and the aged Nascent Soul closed its eyes.

"Don't worry, Elder, I will clean up the mess at the Archipelago Headquarters for you."

Lu Chang'an smiled slightly and clasped his hands together.

The Grand Elder's Nascent Soul did not struggle; it was swept up by a force of rules and vanished without a trace.

……

Nine-Seal Stele, the fourth generation's framed seal.

The pale image of the purple-robed Taoist priest peeled away and disappeared, turning into a clump of shimmering, pure white crystalline particles.

At this moment, the divine power of the fourth incarnation of Master Li Huo has already possessed Lu Chang'an.

What is stripped away is the imprint of reincarnation and the fundamental particles of the soul.

"Go."

With a thought, Lu Chang'an invoked a trace of the power of his sixth reincarnation, allowing the soul of the Li Huo Shangren to return to the great cycle of heaven and earth.

After all, Master Li Huo has worked tirelessly for so long; perhaps we should let his soul return to the world.

The soul essence that was devoured and shattered by the Nine Seals Stele cannot trace back to this life, even if there is an afterlife.

Followed by.

Within the fourth frame, a majestic image of a man in a green robe dominating the waves of the sea is depicted.

"Peak of the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm, with a divine soul aura approaching the late-stage Nascent Soul realm!"

Lu Chang'an was overjoyed; the harvest exceeded his expectations.

However, at present, the fourth reincarnation of Elder Bihai has not yet been activated.

Once you fulfill your wish and resolve the karmic debt, you can transform it into a simulated reincarnation.

This is also why Lu Chang'an inquired about her wishes in advance.

At this moment, Lu Chang'an fully understood the opportunity to stay at the headquarters.

The fourth generation of the Nine Seal Stele, with a top-tier mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator like Elder Bihai taking over, is a rare and great opportunity.

That's all I've gained.

This dramatic turn of events at the Azure Sea Business Alliance made Lu Chang'an's trip worthwhile.

"Oh, there's also this storage ring?"

Lu Chang'an opened his palm, revealing a storage ring left behind by the Grand Elder's Nascent Soul.

Before his death, Elder Bihai did not give instructions on what to do with the storage ring.

Lu Chang'an tacitly accepted that this was a gift and compensation from the old man.

……

Time is of the essence.

Lu Chang'an didn't have time to take stock of his gains in his storage ring.

Flames soared into the sky from the direction of the main island.

The "Insect Demon" was extremely powerful, suppressing the Left Alliance Leader and others. A large number of golden flame insects poured into the formation, wreaking havoc and killing.

Outside the main island.

The three Nascent Soul cultivators of the Autumn Alliance are pursuing Wei Dongjun, whose "Heart-Severing Poison" has relapsed.

"Sigh, I have to step in and clean up this mess."

Lu Chang'an sighed, then transformed into a streak of azure light and sped across the sea and sky.

(End of this chapter)