Data cultivation, I observe immortality in the five elements

"Judging from Junior Sister Xiao's condition, she seems to be in some trouble. It must be because she has had some hardships these past few years."

"Has something major happened to your sect?" Luo Yan asked softly.

With his keen eyesight, he immediately saw through Xiao Runan's injuries and the remaining curse marks under her eyes.

It was an ominous aura; though not intense, it was still incredibly sharp and unpleasant in a place like the lower realm.

Without the intervention of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator proficient in this art, it would be difficult to eliminate.

"Senior Brother Luo, you may not know this, but in the many years since you left, countless great wars have broken out in the Cangwu Realm, and the whole world has been in complete chaos."

"At least a third of the major sects were destroyed in the war, and the remaining major sects are barely surviving and are not far from their demise."

"My Ziyun Sect also had its heritage destroyed in a great battle a few years ago."

The beautiful woman in the purple dress spoke, recounting her ordeal with a pitiful and alluring air that evoked sympathy.

Her injuries also stemmed from that war that destroyed the sect.

The beautiful woman in the purple dress was unwittingly tainted by some dark energy, which led to her being cursed, causing her to go blind and lose her life force.

It's easy to imagine how terrifying that curse must have been.

This is a war of annihilation. You either choose to submit and completely assimilate into those holy sects and ancient great sects.

Either it will be completely devoured, destroying its heritage.
There is no other choice.

Due to the ruthless actions of those top-tier forces, the cultivation world of Cangwu is now in complete chaos.

Everywhere you look, there is war. The Holy Sect and the ancient great sects are fighting tooth and nail over territory.

Countless lives were lost, and at least hundreds or thousands of major and minor sects were destroyed!
The destruction of the Ziyun Sect is a pity, but it is by no means the only one.

It was just one of many sects that were destroyed.
"The lower realm has fallen into chaos so quickly!"

Luo Yan sighed. Before ascending to the True Spirit Realm, he actually knew many secrets and understood that great changes would happen in the future.

A small realm will cross over and completely merge with Cangwu Star.

From then on, the two worlds were united, maximizing the potential of the new world, and the beings of the two worlds could exchange what they needed.

In response to this major change, as early as when Luo Yan was young, the Five Elements Temple joined forces with other southern forces to launch a proactive attack and wipe out a powerful force called the Taiqing Holy Sect.

All this is to gain more say in the upcoming war between the two worlds.

Now, two hundred years later, the time for the merging of the two realms is drawing near, and the war within the Cangwu Realm is intensifying, with more and more ancient religious forces getting involved.

If you don't strengthen yourself, you will be devoured by others; no power can avoid that.

Clearly, the Cangwu Realm has embarked on the process of unification by force.

At the very least, we must eliminate those weaker forces to prepare for the upcoming integration of the two realms.

The stronger one's own strength and the deeper the foundation of one's sect, the more confident one will be in deciding who will ultimately hold the power in the new world.

This is a matter of life and death for our sect. We either have to gradually erode the influence of other sects, or we have to wait for others to come knocking on our door.

There will be no third exception!
"Is there anything else important? Please tell me, Junior Sister Xiao."

Luo Yan sensed that Xiao Runan's aura was somewhat weak, and understood that although the curse had been lifted, the injury had already damaged her very foundation.

If this isn't resolved soon, I'm afraid my cultivation level will be difficult to improve in this lifetime.

Luo Yan spread his hands, directly capturing the starlight from the sky, which, under the transformation of the yin-yang cloud patterns, turned into clusters of vibrant, deep green light.

‘Wow! ’

Luo Yan flicked his finger, and the ball of light, brimming with life force, was sent into Xiao Runan's body.

Her hidden injuries were completely healed in less than two breaths thanks to such intense vitality.

"Senior Brother Luo, this..."

The beautiful woman in the purple dress stared wide-eyed, her pupils filled with shock. She had only inadvertently been tainted by that curse.

He was then tormented by this curse to the point of unbearable pain. First, he went blind, and then the life force in his body began to drain away at an accelerated rate.

It is believed that as time goes by, it will not be long before she is taken away by this terrifying curse.

A dignified Golden Core cultivator, whose lifespan can reach five hundred years, has now become a short-lived ghost. How ridiculous is this?

The woman in the purple dress knew very well that from the moment she was afflicted with this curse, her time was running out.

She could really die suddenly one day.
But now, the woman in the purple dress could feel all the hidden injuries in her body being healed in an instant.

The sheer vitality emanating from that place made her feel as if she had returned to ten years ago, to a time when her spirit was at its peak, brimming with power.

The woman in the purple dress was utterly shocked. The terrifying curse that had caused her so much distress, and which even the sect elders were helpless against, had actually been cured.

Simply appalling!
How powerful have these former prodigies become to possess such unfathomable strength?
The girl standing to the side was also extremely shocked, as she knew her mother's injuries all too well.

Not only did he cough up blood repeatedly, but black, bloody tears also frequently streamed from his eyes, dripping onto the ground and corroding shallow pits.
But this immortal uncle, with just a light touch of his finger, quietly healed all of his mother's injuries!
What kind of power must one possess to have such a heaven-defying and fate-altering means?
"Junior Sister Xiao, you don't need to be so polite. We've known each other for a while now, so this little favor is nothing."

Luo Yan chuckled. It was just a minor curse injury. With his current strength and skill, he didn't even need to steal the essence of the plants in the mountains and forests. The energy he obtained from heaven and earth was enough to remove it.

He could also sense that the old friend's hesitation to speak was mixed with an inquiry about his cultivation level.

But Luo Yan did not explain, because the gap between the two was simply too great, as if they were worlds apart.

Given this comparison, there's no point in saying it again.

After all, Luo Yan couldn't very well say something like, "You've cultivated for two hundred years and managed to break through to the Golden Core Realm; that's already quite an impressive talent."

In the Cangwu Realm, he can be considered a pillar of strength.

However, Luo Yan was once on the same starting point as the woman in the purple dress, and now he has even crossed four major realms to prove the Dao of the Refining Void Realm.
If such news were to be revealed, it would be truly shocking, and it would probably cause a huge upheaval throughout the entire lower realm!
This can no longer be considered human; calling it an immortal wouldn't be an exaggeration at all!

"I thank Senior Brother Luo for his help."

Xiao Runan's eyes were slightly red. She pulled her daughter along and made her kneel down to Luo Yan with great respect.

Because he saved her life, it was as if he had given her a second chance at life.

"Junior Sister Xiao, there's no need for such formalities!"

Luo Yan shook his head, his mind stirred slightly, and a powerful, invisible aura filled the air, preventing the mother and daughter from kneeling.

It was just a small favor, nothing to him.

After much persuasion from Luo Yan, the mother and daughter finally calmed down from their agitated state.

Next, Xiao Runan also told Luo Yan about the changes in the various forces in the Cangwu cultivation world.

The Central Plains were thrown into chaos, with the Black and White Academy, the War God Temple, and the Spirit Sword Mountain—three powerful sects—constantly encroaching on the surrounding areas. This led to the annihilation of countless major forces and the loss of their lineages.

After the original Taiqing Holy Sect was destroyed, it was occupied by the southern forces, who continued to expand outwards.

The Great Compassion Temple in the West and the Tianxin Sect in the East also unleashed boundless slaughter.
Luo Yan listened quietly, finally gaining a general understanding of the current power dynamics in the Cangwu Realm.

He glanced at the sky and knew it was almost time for him to leave.

Luo Yan's gaze swept across the room, devoid of any lust, yet it caused Xiao Runan to blush shyly.

The golden radiance emanating from the person she once admired was even more intense, so dazzling that she dared not meet his gaze.

Luo Yan's gaze swept past her and landed on the girl beside her.

"Ru'er, come here!"

Luo Yan waved, her eyes brimming with laughter.

The girl's eyes were wide open, and she wasn't afraid at all; she walked straight over.

“I have known Junior Sister Xiao for a while, and in terms of seniority, I can barely be considered your senior uncle. I should give you a gift when we meet.”

“The magic weapons and elixirs are all very good, but I think they are too limited. They can protect you for a while, but not for a lifetime.”

"Your talent is quite good. Even in the Upper Realm, you would be qualified to join a major sect. It's a bit of a pity that you're staying in this Lower Realm."

"Now that the passage between the two realms is severed, even I, your uncle, cannot send you to the upper realm."

"But I have a superior scripture with the wood element here, which can transform all things into spiritual energy and interpret the universe as the Great Dao. Paired with your acquired spiritual body, it would be a perfect match."

Luo Yan flicked his fingers, and countless profound runes burst forth in the void, stirring up a sky full of spiritual energy, reaching its zenith.

It's better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. As an elder, since he's met with this, he should show his appreciation.

'Om! '

Luo Yan flicked his fingers, and the scriptures condensed into a single point, then disappeared into the girl's brow.

“The future of this world will be greatly changed. Ru’er, you should devote yourself to cultivation and protect your mother.”

"After all, in this world, one's own strength is the foundation for survival!"

Luo Yan explained with a smile, and then his figure began to transform into a rain of light, gradually disappearing from the spot.

"Junior Sister Xiao, take care!" Luo Yan whispered.

"Senior Brother Luo!"

Xiao Runan shouted subconsciously, her expression excited and very reluctant.

But all that remained for her was a gentle smile, as captivating as it had been two hundred years ago.

"Uncle Immortal!"

The girl murmured, her eyes filled with curiosity that surpassed everything else: Could this really be her mother's old acquaintance?

How can we give her an ethereal, otherworldly feel, like a banished immortal?
"Mother, let's go back, Uncle Immortal has left."

The girl turned around and saw her mother's lost and forlorn expression, an expression she had never seen before.

"Senior Brother Luo, take care!"

"Your little sister will always pray for you and always bless you!"

Xiao Runan murmured, as fragments of past memories flooded into her mind.

Spirited and dashing, a refined gentleman.
That young man in a blue robe illuminated her entire life, and she could never forget him.
Xiao Runan's eyes were dull and lifeless, her mood was low, her red lips pressed against her pearly teeth, and her purple dress swayed in the wind.
The youthful, innocent admiration I once felt has vanished with the sound of the wind.

Luo Yan walked through the mountains and rivers, each step creating ripples, each breath covering hundreds of miles.

Since this is Zhongzhou, there must be a teleportation array for extremely long distances, making it convenient for him to return to the Southern Region.

He can finally go home to the place where he grew up.
However, there's no rush to go home yet. Luo Yan still has two very important places to visit: Lei Di Temple and the Life and Death Tower in Bei Liu City.

"Indeed, meeting with old friends with whom I had a past relationship and resolving the past can help my soul grow."

Luo Yan thought to himself that he could sense that his heart had gained a sense of 'satisfaction' after putting an end to that past memory.

This 'satisfaction' is an emotion, and also a memory; though intangible, it truly exists.

A complete past, with a beginning and an end, constitutes a cycle.

It is also a growth on a spiritual level!
Luo Yan was very fast. The mountains and rivers that used to take several months to fly over could now be reached in less than half a day.

This is an incredibly peaceful mountain forest, where the mountains are not majestic, the spiritual energy is not overwhelming, and there are no rare birds or exotic animals.

It looks like an ordinary mountain peak.

At the foot of the mountain, there is a set of bluestone steps leading to the top, but now it is covered by countless fallen leaves. If you don't look closely, you won't notice that there used to be a path leading up the mountain here.

It was as if no one had lived here for a long time.

Luo Yan stood on the cloud, his heart filled with complex emotions. With a single glance, he could see everything.

That familiar aura is gone.

The old man who once held him in such high regard was no longer there.

"Master, your disciple has returned."

Luo Yan descended from the clouds, the Daoist aura on his body dissipating, and walked step by step on the bluestone steps.

Memories of the past are like pages in a book, constantly being turned.

At this moment, a gentle breeze blows, and the decaying fallen leaves are swept up by the wind and swirled to both sides, revealing a series of mottled stone steps covered with moss.

The once-paved stone steps are now shrouded in an array, requiring Luo Yan to expend tremendous energy for every step forward.

But now, all the grandeur has been taken away by time, leaving only those steps of bluestone, seemingly telling the story of bygone years.

Luo Yan didn't climb the mountain quickly, but it didn't take long for him to reach the summit.

A Taoist temple with four or five courtyards, covering more than ten acres and featuring red walls and brown tiles, is now in ruins.

The outer perimeter of the stone wall is covered with weathered stone chips, scattered all over the ground, a mix of red and white.

The wooden plaque with the three ancient characters "Leidi Temple" carved on it had also fallen off halfway, hanging directly in front of it, making a creaking sound when the wind blew.

The once-former Thunder Emperor Temple is now completely deserted. (End of Chapter)