Chapter 214: Monument of the Immortals, Three-Breath Golden Core Slayer!

A storm surged within Lu Yan’s heart, his eyes flashing with intense light as he urgently asked,
“Sister Ji, where did you hear that piece of news?”

Ji Xingyao was a little surprised by Lu Yan’s eagerness, but she still answered calmly,
“This is a legend recorded on the Monument of the Immortals outside the Foul Law Forbidden Zone. Anyone who enters the forbidden zone for a trial can see it.

To outsiders, it might sound like a wildly exaggerated myth. But those from sects and clans with long-standing legacies know that no matter how fantastical the Monument’s inscriptions seem, they are records of actual events.”

In an instant, Lu Yan’s chaotic thoughts became clear.

“The Taiyi Immortal slew the demonic forces of the outer path with a single sword strike, giving birth to the Foul Law Forbidden Zone.

Isn’t this exactly what happens when an Immortal confronts a version invasion? Cutting down the body of a Sole Existence that had invaded this world to stop a version update catastrophe?

The creation of the Foul Law Forbidden Zone must be a lingering remnant of version invasion, forcibly sealed within a specific domain by the Taiyi Immortal to minimize its impact on the Immortal Cultivation Version.”

Piecing together the myth with what he already knew, Lu Yan could feel a small corner of the vast iceberg that was the Immortal Cultivation Version slowly revealing itself.

The Sole Existence that had left behind this corpse might not be as terrifying as the one behind the Longevity Version, but this was still the Immortal Cultivation Version’s home turf.

If the Taiyi Immortal could sever the body of an invading Sole Existence, then he should be capable of countering the chaos caused by the Longevity Version—just as Zhaohuo Wang’s notes had implied.

After suffering through the torment of the Longevity Calamity across multiple versions, Lu Yan finally saw a glimmer of hope.

“However, the Taiyi Sect has always been shrouded in mystery. Its Thirteen Main Branches are passed down through single heirs, and the sect doesn’t even have a proper mountain gate. Outsiders only know of a few branch locations at best.

It’s no easy task for the average cultivator to even approach the Taiyi Sect, let alone seek the Taiyi Immortal’s aid.”

Seeing Lu Yan so excited, Ji Xingyao worried he might face disappointment from the Taiyi Sect and offered a word of caution.

But her concern was met not with frustration or despair—only joy.

“Many thanks for the information, Sister Ji!”

Lu Yan cupped his hands respectfully, his expression solemn. “To be honest, I’ve already joined the Taiyi Sect.”

Ji Xingyao’s expression shifted to one of realization. She nodded thoughtfully, then said seriously,
“In just three years, Junior Brother Lu, you’ve reached Foundation Establishment. I can even sense that your Dao Foundation is superior to mine—at least a Sixth-Layer Earth Dao Foundation.

To achieve so much in such a short time, besides your extraordinary talent, you must also be blessed with immense fortune. Joining the Taiyi Sect is only fitting.”

“The Taiyi Sect has countless branches, but the Thirteen Main Branches have endured since the sect’s founding. Their lineage traces directly back to the legendary Taiyi Immortal.

If Junior Brother Lu can establish a connection with one of the main branches, you will surely be able to uncover information related to the Taiyi Immortal.”

Ji Xingyao’s reminder made a particular figure immediately flash through Lu Yan’s mind.

Mu Chunqiu!

Mu Chunqiu was the head of one of the Taiyi Sect’s Thirteen Main Branches—a peerless prodigy who reached the Nascent Soul Realm before turning one hundred years old, and was even rumored to have glimpsed the Immortal Path and might ascend to the Divine Transformation Realm.

A person like that would certainly have the qualifications to interact with the Taiyi Immortal.

Back in the Cyber Version, Lu Yan had helped He Dongsheng escape a desperate situation. Mu Chunqiu, being He Dongsheng’s master, owed Lu Yan a favor and had allowed him to choose a treasure from his vault.

Lu Yan could use that connection to reach out to Mu Chunqiu and look for clues about the Taiyi Immortal.

Though he was still many realms removed from either Mu Chunqiu or the Taiyi Immortal, he now had a concrete goal—a sliver of hope.

“This time, I have six months in the Immortal Cultivation Version. I still have one Version Designation Token left. Worst case, I’ll use it to extend my stay in this version by another six months.

With one full year in this version, plus all my accumulated progress from previous versions, it’s not impossible to make contact with the Taiyi Immortal and resolve the Longevity Calamity.”

Now that he had what he came for, Lu Yan had no intention of lingering in the Clear Wutong Sect any longer.

Time was running out, and he had to race against it.

He glanced out at the transmission sword talismans hovering around Ji Xingyao’s spiritual peak, each radiating the aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator, and spoke calmly:

“Sister Ji, you just advanced to the Golden Core Realm. I imagine you still need to stabilize your cultivation and handle sect affairs. I won’t bother you any longer.”

Ji Xingyao hesitated, as though wanting to ask him to stay.

Lu Yan had helped her so much, yet she hadn’t repaid him in any meaningful way. That made her uncomfortable.

Lu Yan saw right through her and took the initiative to say,
“Sister Ji, your information has helped me immensely. And that item you gave me is far more valuable than it seems—I’m the one who owes you.”

He lifted the jade box that contained the finger of the Sole Existence. Even though it had been stripped of nearly all its immortal essence, its worth still far exceeded the Sun Stones he had used earlier.

But Ji Xingyao only frowned slightly and shook her head.

“No matter how precious a treasure is, it only has value in the hands of someone who understands it.

That severed finger was useless to me. Giving it to you was simply the right choice—it doesn’t count as repayment.”

After a moment of contemplation, Ji Xingyao said,

“I noticed you seem quite interested in the Clear Wutong Sect’s Scripture Repository. Once the True Inheritor Ceremony concludes, I’ll ask the sect for a Supreme Scripture Order. With it, you’ll be able to access any texts below the eighth level.”

Lu Yan’s eyes lit up. The first three levels of the repository had already provided him with immense knowledge.

If he could freely browse all texts beneath the eighth level, then combined with the ghost god computers, he could essentially copy the entire library. His knowledge base would expand dramatically.

And among those deeper texts, he might find the third- or fourth-grade formations and talisman arts he needed—or perhaps even other volumes of the Profound Yellow Dao Canon, or the Dao Virtue Sect’s ancient techniques.

As an outsider, the cost of accessing such texts would normally be astronomical. Ji Xingyao’s offer was extremely generous.

Lu Yan didn’t refuse and responded sincerely:

“Then I thank Sister Ji in advance.”

Seeing him accept, a genuine smile finally appeared on Ji Xingyao’s face.

Not lingering any longer, Lu Yan offered a few final words before leaving her spiritual peak. Su Yan, who had been waiting in the distance, immediately came up to greet him.

Lu Yan gave her a glance. Although this so-called influencer fairy had impure motives, she had been attentive and dutiful—ferrying him here, standing firm against the Xiao father and son duo.

With a wave of his hand, Lu Yan dropped thirty Sun Stones into her flying vessel and gave her one final instruction:

“If you run into trouble in the Clear Wutong Sect, just use my name and go find Sister Ji.”

With that, he abandoned the flying vessel and took to the skies, flying off in a streak of light along the same path he had come.

Su Yan received the Sun Stones in a daze, watching his figure vanish in the clouds.

Moments later, she turned to re-enter her flying vessel—only to discover that Ji Xingyao, now a freshly-advanced Golden Core cultivator, had somehow appeared inside.

Su Yan was instantly terrified, dropping to her knees in panic and bowing deeply.

“Su Yan greets Sister Ji!”

In the Clear Wutong Sect, only those who reached the Golden Core Realm could truly be called a True Inheritor.

The gap between her and Ji Xingyao was not just one of cultivation or status—years ago, Su Yan had even competed against her for that very title, turning the two into rivals.

Now that Ji Xingyao had risen to power, there was no telling if she might use the opportunity to settle old scores.

But Ji Xingyao didn’t even glance at her. She simply asked,

“Tell me everything about Junior Brother Lu. Leave nothing out.”

Su Yan obediently revealed everything she knew—how Lu Yan had dealt with the Xiao family, and how Elder Xiao was punished by True Lord Wu to seal the sea eye.

After hearing it all, Ji Xingyao remained silent for a long time.

She hadn’t expected that the young servant she had met in the bamboo market would grow into someone so powerful—untouchable even by Golden Core elders.

Then she gave Su Yan a meaningful look.

Although Ji Xingyao was cold by nature, she was no fool. She could clearly see what role Su Yan had played in all of this.

Still, her relationship with Lu Yan was that of a Dao companion, not a romantic partner. She would not interfere in his private affairs.

“If trouble finds you, come seek me.”

Leaving behind those words, Ji Xingyao flew away. The broken formation around her cave reignited, sword qi and mist cloaking the entire spiritual peak once more.

After leaving the Clear Wutong Blessed Land, Lu Yan made a stop at the sect’s market square, where he gathered information on Chu Zhuoqun’s branch of the Taiyi Sect.

As a Golden Core elder, Chu Zhuoqun’s whereabouts weren’t hard to discover.

He was a deacon of the Mang Mountain Branch, located far to the south in the Southern Wastelands. Lu Yan immediately set off in that direction.

To the world, Chu Zhuoqun might have seemed like just another branch elder. But Lu Yan knew otherwise.

In the Urban Version, Chu Zhuoqun had been close to Mu Chunqiu. Through him, Lu Yan could confirm Mu Chunqiu’s current location.

He flew openly and without concealment, crossing thousands of kilometers in a flash of light before finally reaching a vast barren plain.

During his flight, the thread of Heavenly Dao Merit tangled around Elder Xiao had been shifting constantly. But now it hovered right ahead—atop the clouds.

Elder Xiao was supposed to have gone to the Southern Sea. Clearly, he had refused his punishment.

But abandoning his duty meant betraying the Clear Wutong Sect—and being hunted by the entire sect.

Lu Yan didn’t know why Elder Xiao would make such a desperate move, but it was obvious he intended to kill the one who had brought about his downfall.

Lu Yan glanced at the clouds and smiled faintly.

“Just as I’d hoped.”

As his light pierced a thick cloud layer, a terrifying pressure locked down the area for miles.

No warning. No taunts. Just an immediate killing blow.

Elder Xiao and a female Golden Core cultivator struck like twin bolts of black lightning, bringing the full might of their cultivation down on Lu Yan.

Though both wore black robes and kept their faces hidden, Lu Yan easily recognized the woman—Elder Xiao’s Dao companion, Xie Nianzi, who had also been sentenced to suppress the sea eye.

Elder Xiao raised a hand, summoning a tempest of thunder that turned the sky into a hellscape of lightning serpents.

Xie Nianzi swept her arm, rousing the earth veins. Jagged stone spears erupted from the ground in hundreds, aiming straight for Lu Yan’s vitals.

Their dual assault was flawless—lightning above, stone spears below. Death loomed from all directions.

But then—something moved within Lu Yan’s body.

The Human Emperor Banner, which had been sealed within the mysterious Profound Female Gate, emerged in his hand. Black-gold fabric unfurled, and Heavenly Dao Merit began to swirl across its surface. The souls of tens of millions of zombies roared in silence.

He channeled his power—and the War Drum boomed.

Space shattered like glass.

Six hundred ghost generals charged forth on skeletal horses, followed by six thousand armored ghost soldiers surging from the void.

The formation they formed clashed head-on with the combined assault of thunder and stone.

One breath.
Before the two Golden Core elders could react, a stronger force surged from the banner.

Five ghost gods descended, towering shadows infused with boundless Human Emperor Qi, rising dozens of meters tall. Though only at early Golden Core stage, they borrowed the power of the banner far more efficiently than the ghost soldiers.

Even the divine arts of Elder Xiao and Xie Nianzi stuttered in mid-air.

“Netherworld Palace!”

Elder Xiao’s voice trembled with fear. He had heard of them—this terrifying organization that had slain dozens of Nascent Soul cultivators and demon kings.

He wasted no time.

All the lightning converged into his body. He activated a high-grade divine art: Becoming Lightning Itself.

But instead of fighting, he fled—riding that sea of lightning, desperately escaping the Human Emperor Banner’s range, completely abandoning Xie Nianzi.

The storm of lightning tore through the battle formation.

Two breaths.

But then the ghost generals changed formation—becoming a Ghost God Formation.

Six thousand ghost soldiers and six hundred ghost generals powered the array. The five ghost gods led it, concentrating all energy into the silver-robed one—Qiongyuan God.

His aura instantly surged to the peak of the Golden Core Realm.

His withered fingers spread wide, covering the sky. Space thickened. Even supreme escape arts couldn’t break free.

Reality began to collapse.

The entire battlefield fell into the god’s palm.

Five fingers closed.

Space shattered. The resulting void currents consumed both Golden Core elders entirely.

Three breaths—done!

(End of Chapter)