Longevity: Starting as a Sect Servant

"Whether it’s the Departed Land or the Saint Realm, the focus is on the Longevity Immortal Palace, where the secret of immortality is hidden."

This was the first piece of information Shangguan Shengxian told him!

Immortality!

Concerning immortality, Li An felt a chill in his heart, yet he was not too surprised. The Departed Land, the Saint Realm... the plot spans the thirty-three heavens, even the Celestial Monarch Eastern and other Daluo Golden Immortals couldn’t stop the mastermind behind it. The mastermind’s identity must be incredibly high! What could tempt such supreme beings, other than existing eternally between heaven and earth?

As his realm improved, Li An had long known that the limit of this world’s cultivators was "living as long as heaven itself," but heaven too would die.

An era has a era’s heavenly dao, an epoch has an epoch’s creation... but what happens when all creation is obliterated and heavenly dao collapses?

Among everything grown in this world, even an Immortal Venerable capable of matching heaven, would ultimately perish.

Immortality, eternal.

For those at the pinnacle of existence, this is the greatest temptation.

"What truly lies within the Longevity Immortal Palace, and who is orchestrating all this behind the scenes, she doesn’t know either."

"But according to her... I am the selected sacrifice by both the Departed Land and the Saint Realm..."

"Using me as the offering to open the two altars of life and death, only then can the Longevity Immortal Palace appear, allowing the mastermind to enter and obtain the immortal skill and this fortune..."

"The Heaven-Devouring Great Demon also has a backup plan within the Taiji Mountain’s secret realm..."

Li An pondered:

"The Heaven-Devouring Great Demon, in search of me, personally went to the Purple Cloud Province to wait patiently, but fearing he wouldn’t catch me, he left another plot within Taiji Mountain. Because he was certain that even if he didn’t catch me, I would eventually go to the Longevity Immortal Palace... that’s his final chance to snatch me from the Saint Realm and the Departed Land’s hands."

"What Shangguan Shengxian wants me to do is to willingly enter the Heaven-Devouring Great Demon’s plot... but before entering, I must prepare the Nine-Turn Immortal Pill; only with it can I outlast the Heaven-Devouring Great Demon."

"She will collaborate with me, helping me to reverse the situation and seize the Heaven-Devouring Great Demon’s life. After success, I can temporarily acquire his power and cultivation, while she gains freedom and the demon’s pot along with other treasures..."

Li An slowly processed the information Li Nianxue conveyed to him.

Carefully analyzing the pros and cons.

After much thought, he felt Shangguan Shengxian was likely trustworthy.

First, the conflict between Shangguan Shengxian and the Heaven-Devouring Great Demon is irreconcilable; if there were any leeway, she wouldn’t have helped Li An escape from the Heaven-Devouring Great Demon’s grasp last time.

Second, she doesn’t dare nor has the qualification to scheme against Li An.

Because, currently, Li An is being watched by beings of the Heaven-Devouring Great Demon’s magnitude. If Shangguan Shengxian plotted against him, she’d need to face the Saint Realm and the Departed Land directly; Shangguan Shengxian wouldn’t choose this.

If Shangguan Shengxian’s plan proceeds smoothly, after Li An gains the Heaven-Devouring Great Demon’s cultivation and power, he could precisely block other strong adversaries for her, allowing her to leave Taiji Mountain safely, inheriting all of the Heaven-Devouring Great Demon’s assets, gaining freedom.

Whether Li An can escape depends on his own fortune.

Shangguan Shengxian indeed knows how to scheme.

Moreover, such a scheme, even when Li An sees through it clearly, leaves him with no way to refuse.

Cooperation is the only option.

Upon deciding, Li An hesitated no longer.

However, according to Shangguan Shengxian, Li An must seize the opportunity to enter the Heaven-Devouring Great Demon’s plot before the life and death altars are consecrated, otherwise, once the sacrificial rite is complete, it’s beyond redemption.

Though the Heaven-Devouring Great Demon will also try to seize Li An then, with the mastermind of the Departed Land and the Saint Realm present, the Heaven-Devouring Great Demon’s success rate... is likely very low.

This poses quite the headache, and Shangguan Shengxian has no means of assistance.

He sighed inwardly; although he found this non-deadly path, navigating it is truly wrought with difficulties.

"Who exactly is behind Hongbo Fairy, and who follows the Departed Land..."

Turning back, he pondered this question as well; between him and the mastermind, only Hongbo Fairy stands like a thin veil...

...

A few months later.

The talents Yunxi, Ye Cauldron, and others from Dao Mountain emerged from seclusion.

Their Life Seeds hadn’t been reborn, but their Life Source Qi had reached a new peak.

Li An sensed slightly, discovering that now their vitality was even more vibrant than when they possessed Life Seeds!

This made him gasp in amazement. What kind of life-bounding pill did Hongbo Fairy give them?

"All orthodox Immortal Dao cultivators hidden in the world have been ordered to head to Taiji Mountain."

Hongbo Fairy convened the leaders of various forces within the Saint Realm, as well as Li An and others. Sitting at the head, she said calmly, "Now, even the Departed Land has discovered the changes in the Taiji Mountain secret realm, sending people to fiercely guard it. Therefore, we must pave a path for Li An and them to enter the secret realm."

She meticulously arranged the battle strategy, and everyone present bore a heavy expression.

This battle will be brutal!

The strength of the Saint Realm, compared to the strange forces of the Departed Land, is ultimately too frail, trying to tear a safe path through layered defenses to send Li An and others inside—how challenging is that?

"Do the two Celestial Monarchs Eastern and Ge plan to intervene?"

The Palace Master of Biluo Palace spoke.

Hongbo Fairy nodded, "Of course."

"All of you just do what you need to; as for what you’re worried about, Daluo has that covered."

Upon hearing this, everyone relaxed slightly; this gave them confidence.