I only want immortality.

"Only three people came?"

Outside Panlao Mountain, amidst a cluster of peaks.

Both Lu Mingchen and Yang Xingkong showed surprise in their eyes.

The two exchanged a glance, and Lu Mingchen asked in confusion:

"Could it be that you misjudged them?"

Yang Xingkong frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, then shook his head, his tone certain: "It should be a test; the main force should be in the shadows."

Lu Mingchen frowned slightly, about to say something, when a strange thought suddenly arose in his mind. He felt that he should not say anything more at the moment, but should instead keep a close eye on the changes in Panlao Mountain.

He said nothing more, but whispered:

"Let's take a look first."

On the other side.

Zhu Yu and Lan Jusuo both frowned, with Lan Jusuo showing hesitation:

"Only three people... Are there any others who haven't arrived yet?"

Zhu Yu pondered for a moment and said:

"Perhaps, it's quite a journey from Panlao Mountain to the Jiuyang Sect. We captured those markets last night, and they arrived immediately upon receiving the news. They should be here around this time at the earliest."

"Then, why don't we wait a little longer?"

"Then let's wait a little longer."

The two quickly reached an agreement.

They deliberately left Panlaoshan Marketplace open to lure the snakes out of their hole, both to finish the job in one fell swoop and to prevent these Song Dynasty cultivators from becoming desperate and destroying the spiritual cave.

Although cultivators specializing in Qi cultivation may not be able to do it, it is something that must be guarded against.

Of course, if these sects in the Song Kingdom truly shrink back and dare not fight with all their might, then they might as well just take this place; it would simply take a little longer and require more effort.

Having figured this out, the two calmed down and instructed their disciples to send messages within the sect to exchange information, in order to prevent being caught off guard by the Nine Yang Sect.

……

"It's Junior Nephew Lü!"

When the market keeper saw the three streaks of light flying towards him, he was initially disappointed, but when he saw the faces of the people who came, he was overjoyed.

Lü Kong was chosen by the sect as the future leader of the Nine Yang Sect to succeed Han Xianghe. Not to mention his own high level of Taoist skills, his personal presence alone made the attitude of the sect's cultivators clear.

I was greatly encouraged.

"Activate the grand formation!"

"Quick! Let them in!"

As soon as the formation was activated, before the three of them could even enter, the rogue cultivators inside, seizing the opportunity, squeezed out from the gaps in the formation like flies startled from a rotting corpse!

The ward master's expression changed slightly, and he shouted, "You are disobeying the imperial edict..."

call out!

But then Lü Kong, one of the three, straightened his face, pointed his finger, and a pure white sword aura shot out from his fingertip, like a bolt of lightning, streaking across the air.

In one breath, more than ten heads of rogue cultivators shot into the sky, their expressions still carrying the joy of escaping danger and the bewilderment of realizing the impending danger.

Blood and qi vanished like smoke, and all around was silent!

The other rogue cultivators were all horrified and stopped in front of the formation, not daring to move an inch.

Lü Kong's expression softened again. He looked around at everyone and spoke earnestly:

"I am Lü Kong of the Nine Yang Sect, the eldest disciple of the sect leader. Fellow cultivators, may I speak? With a formidable enemy at hand, we should not be divided among ourselves. We should unite and fight against the evil spirits. These people are spies from the Qinghe Demon Sect. They were just trying to spread the news of this place to the Qinghe Sect. How can I allow them to do so?"

"Gentlemen, is there anyone else who wishes to leave?"

He looked around and showed no trace of the ferocity and ruthlessness he had displayed when he had just killed more than ten people in one fell swoop.

The scattered cultivators looked at each other, but ultimately dared not test the law and retreated sheepishly.

He Riyuan and Wang Feng couldn't help but glance at him, but Lü Kong remained calm and walked in leisurely.

"Nephew Lü, what are the sect's current plans?"

After dismissing everyone, the market keeper hurriedly asked.

Lü Kong spoke gently:

"Uncle-Master, there's no need to worry. Now that Brother He, Brother Wang, and I have arrived, we will not allow Panlao Mountain to fall into the hands of the Qinghe Sect's demons. However, we should not underestimate them and must make careful preparations."

Upon hearing this, the market keeper was immediately relieved and asked, "Everything is ready. Is there anything else we need to prepare?"

Lü Kong pondered for a moment:

"Regarding the formation, the sect leader invited Master Canglang to personally set it up. I am not knowledgeable about formations, but I know that setting up a large formation requires a lot of resources. As for the market..."

Upon hearing the words "Master of Canglang," the market owner's eyes lit up, and he quickly said:

"We have everything, whether it's spirit ore or magical artifacts, except for treasures at the Foundation Establishment stage. We have everything else."

"That's enough. We just need to wait for Senior Li to arrive."

Lü Kong nodded.

"But we don't know when the people from the Qinghe Sect will arrive."

He Riyuan, from Baoxia Sect, looked towards the north of Panlao Mountain and suddenly spoke.

"They should have arrived already, and are probably waiting outside."

Lü Kong looked relaxed and smiled as he replied.

He Riyuan's expression hardened slightly: "If that's the case, the other party probably has much bigger plans."

"Who cares what their motives are? We'll just deal with whatever comes our way."

Wang Feng of the Chenjiang Sword Sect held his sword in his arms, his tone cold and hard.

He Riyuan was not angry when he heard this. He simply said, "According to the calculations in the hall today, if more people from the Qinghe Sect come to Panlaoshan Market, then our three sects can take a breather. Otherwise, we will all be in trouble."

"I do hope that more of them will come here, so that we can share the burden with the sect. However, if too many come, we won't be able to handle it, and it won't help at all."

Wang Feng didn't say much, only saying, "There are many people here, so let's see if my sword is sharp enough."

Upon hearing this, He Riyuan was speechless. That's just how stubborn swordsmen are; he couldn't stoop to their level.

Lü Kong smiled and changed the subject:

"Their absence now gives us the perfect opportunity to prepare. With Elder Li setting up an array to protect us, we will have no worries and can confidently defend ourselves with our swords."

He Riyuan nodded in agreement, and Wang Feng also agreed.

The three of them then waited patiently, hoping that someone from the Qinghe Sect would arrive or that Li Pinghe would arrive.

After waiting for half a day, neither Qinghe Sect nor Li Pinghe appeared.

"What happened?"

He Riyuan couldn't help but get up:

"The situation of the Qinghe Sect members is unclear, but didn't Senior Li accept Sect Leader Han's invitation to set up an array in Panlaoshan Market? Why hasn't he arrived yet?"

Lu Kong frowned and hesitated, saying, "Perhaps we've gone the wrong way?"

"this……"

He Riyuan disagreed: "I've heard that this venerable elder Li has traveled extensively throughout the Song Dynasty. Even if he is advanced in years, surely he wouldn't be unfamiliar with the roads?"

"Could it be... that you deliberately missed the deadline?"

He didn't say it directly, but both of them understood what he meant: why deliberately delay? It was because they were afraid.

Lu Kong was taken aback, instinctively feeling it was unlikely, but unable to articulate any other possibility, he could only say:

"It's unlikely; perhaps the preparation and setup of the formation takes time."

Wang Feng calmly replied, "Whether we have the Foundation Treasure in battle or not is irrelevant. We can just continue waiting for the Qinghe Sect."

Upon hearing this, He Riyuan was speechless and could only sigh softly, saying nothing more.

After waiting for some more time, the Qinghe Sect members still did not make any move, and Li Pinghe was still nowhere to be seen.

Now, even Lü Kong, who was originally certain, had some doubts. He had sparred with this senior once and knew that the other party was definitely not one of those old men who had weakened their magic power, but cultivation ability and courage and determination were not the same thing.

It is perfectly normal for someone to be diligent and courageous in their youth, like a god descended to earth, and to become timid and fearful in their old age, clinging to life and afraid of death.

It's hard to say whether this senior Mr. Li is not that kind of person.

He felt a slight disappointment, but he was not shaken by it. As a cultivator, the first thing to trust is one's own power. Without such courage, one could not have reached this level.

Moreover, what Wang Feng of the Chenjiang Sword Sect said earlier coincided with his own. This battle should be at the Dao Foundation level, which is completely different from the battles of the past. Li Canglang and other elders may have been extraordinary back then, but they may not be able to keep up with the changes of the world now.

"After all, Elder Li has never experienced the great changes that are happening now, so it is quite normal for him to desert his post."

He Riyuan calculated the time with his fingers and was already certain in his heart. He shook his head and said, "It's just that his escape might shake the morale of the troops... Never mind!"

"In the current cultivation world of the Song Kingdom, we still need to look to the younger generation. Brother Lü and Brother Wang, we should certainly not shirk our responsibilities!"

"It's time for the older generation to retire."

Wang Feng, holding his sword, nodded resolutely, deeply agreeing.

Upon hearing this, Lü Kong forced a smile.

Li Canglang was, after all, someone invited by the Nine Yang Sect to oversee the situation, and moreover, a symbol of the Nine Yang Sect. If he were to truly desert in the face of battle, they would also lose face greatly. They could only say:

"Perhaps the sect leader has assigned other matters, which is why he cannot come."

He Riyuan noticed Lü Kong's embarrassment and felt a little relieved. He smiled and nodded, gently placing the items down: "Never mind him, we must guard this place well today."

Lu Kong breathed a sigh of relief and forced a smile.

Just then, a black dot suddenly flew in from the west.

"Hmm? Could it be Senior Li?"

Lü Kong couldn't help but feel a little pleased.

He Riyuan's expression was slightly sluggish.

Wang Feng kept his eyes straight ahead, only glancing at it before turning his gaze back to his nose and his mind.

But as the black dot was magnified, only a figure was revealed, and the expressions of Lü and He changed again.

"The head of the External Affairs Hall of Chun Jun Sect? Why is he the only one who came?"

Lü Kong and He Riyuan were both accidents.

Chen Xufei approached the market, but no one stopped him until the market owner verified his identity and activated the formation.

"Chen Xu, why are you the only one here? Where is Senior Li?"

He Riyuan was the first to ask a question.

Chen Xu glanced at him, feeling slightly displeased. Although his cultivation was slightly inferior, his seniority was the same as that of Cui Minghao, the sect leader of Baoxia Sect. This tone made it seem as if he was the junior.

But he ignored them and looked directly at Lü Kong, saying:

"Nephew Lü, my master has learned that the Qinghe Sect has two Qi Refining Stage 10 cultivators, Zhu Yu and Lan Jusuo, each carrying a Foundation Dao Treasure, who are leading a group to lie in ambush here. I was specially sent here to set up an array to relieve your worries."

"Two foundational magic treasures?"

When Lü, He, and Wang heard the news, their expressions did not change much.

Both of these foundational treasures had been revealed before, and they had made preparations accordingly. However, with this new information, they were now more prepared.

Lü Kong pondered:

"It seems that the Qinghe Sect really wants to wipe us out in one fell swoop, and has actually deployed two Dao Foundation Magic Treasures here. In that case, the sect can breathe a sigh of relief, but we here are under much more pressure."

Wang Feng remained calm: "It's alright, I can break it."

Hearing this, He Riyuan felt powerless and didn't bother to argue with him. But then, as if remembering something, he looked at Chen Xu and questioned him:

"So, Master Chen is also skilled in formations?"

Chen Xu squinted at him, not quite understanding what the other person meant. After thinking for a moment, he said cautiously, "I know a little."

"Knowing even a little bit is probably not enough."

He Riyuan, however, seized the opportunity and said seriously:

"With a formidable enemy at hand, our lives are all in the hands of this great formation. Only with a master of formations in charge can we hope to achieve any effect. Although Hall Master Chen is willing to help, I'm afraid he won't be of much use... I wonder why Senior Li hasn't come? He is a master of formations. With him here, we can feel a little more at ease."

Although Chen Xu's cultivation was inferior, he was much older and, as the head of the External Affairs Hall, had experienced many trials. How could he not understand the difficulty in the situation? With just a thought, he guessed that the Baoxia Sect was unwilling to be second to anyone and wanted to compete with the Jiuyang Sect, so they deliberately brought up their senior uncle.

I couldn't help but sneer inwardly. Young people are inexperienced and always think that the older generation is insignificant and that they can be better than the older generation. But they don't know that the older generation also came from their youth. Although they are old now, they should not be looked down upon. After all, flowers don't stay red forever, and people don't stay young forever. There will always be successors to take over the country.

How could you possibly handle someone as rare as your senior master?

He then proudly declared:

"My array formation techniques were personally taught to me by my master. Although they are not even a fraction as good as his, they are still equivalent to ten Qi Refining Stage 10 masters! We will all witness their power in this great battle! Nephew He, there is no need to worry."

He Riyuan gave a cold laugh and said no more.

Lü Kong, however, held no hope. He assumed that Li Pinghe was afraid of difficulties and had sent Chen Xu as a pretext to make amends. He forced a smile and said:

"Master Chen, we are not questioning... In that case, we will trouble you to set up the formation, otherwise things may change."

Chen Xu cupped his hands in greeting and went straight down, but did not ask for the items for setting up the formation.

He then took out a compass, walked around the market, dropped off seven or eight ordinary-looking array flags, clapped his hands and that was it. His technique wasn't bad, but it was practically nonexistent.

This scene was witnessed by Lü Kong and He Riyuan. He Riyuan glanced at Lü Kong with a smile on his lips, which was not without a hint of teasing. Lü Kong, however, had a sullen face.

He could tolerate being fooled, but not in this way. Although he never really relied entirely on the formation to solve the problem, a large formation could at least withstand some of the power of a Dao Foundation magic treasure, and it might really save his life at a critical moment.

"It seems I really misjudged them."

"This Li Canglang is so unreliable. The older generation is truly..."

Lu Kong sighed inwardly. With a major battle imminent, he had no intention of causing trouble and could only force himself to endure it. Even when the market keeper came looking for him, he could only offer a few words of comfort.

A short while later, more than ten figures suddenly rose from the distant mountain peaks and landed outside the market formation in the blink of an eye.

It hangs high in the air, overlooking the market below.

Each of them exuded a powerful aura, like flames filling the sky; they were all extraordinary.

The two leaders were a stout man with a face like Maitreya Buddha, holding a triangular yellow flag, and a narrow-faced man with shrewd eyes, carrying a begging bowl.

The latter shouted loudly:

"The Qinghe Sect has arrived. Are you willing to submit to the market below?"

It was Zhu Yu and Lan Jusuo from the Qinghe Sect.

They waited for a long time, but only got a Chen Xu who was at the ninth level of Qi Refining. After that, there was no further movement. They couldn't wait any longer and finally decided to make their move at this moment.

In response to Lan Jusuo's questioning, a pure white sword aura suddenly shot out from within the formation.

Lan Jusuo's expression darkened, and he lifted the alms bowl in his hand.

The sword energy landed on it, but it vanished without a trace, like a mud ox sinking into the sea.

At the same time, three figures flew out from the great formation, accompanied by howling winds. They were Lü Kong of the Nine Yang Sect, He Riyuan of Baoxia Sect, and Wang Feng of Chenjiang Sword Sect.

Upon witnessing this scene, Lu Mingchen and Yang Xingkong were both watching intently from another mountain peak in the distance.

Yang Xingkong muttered to himself:

"This grand show is finally about to begin."