Chapter 157: Seizing the Opportunity

After giving her instructions, Bai Ling Immortal went alone to confront the two Fake Dan cultivators.

"Fellow Daoist He, don't hold back this time. If you have any interest in that old bitch, we can capture her alive after seriously injuring her. Then you can enjoy her as you please," Xiang Jinglong reminded.

Earlier, the two had already fought Bai Ling Immortal once. He Yuanwu seemed to have hesitated due to old feelings, which had led to a prolonged battle and ultimately failing to catch up to Fu Dong and the others in time.

"Shut up! It's not what you think..." He Yuanwu's face showed displeasure, his emotional reaction faintly showed that he was on the verge of becoming angry out of shame.

"Hehehe, no harm done! Let's capture her first! As for that little bitch Fu Xuemei, she's probably the one who framed me. Let me handle her later," Xiang Jinglong chuckled darkly.

As they conversed, their bodies surged with Core power. They summoned their magical treasures and attacked Bai Ling Immortal from both sides.

Bai Ling Immortal wore a pair of spirit boots that flashed with white light beneath her feet, making her as elusive as a breeze. She tapped the space between her brows, and her eyes glowed with piercing light, her spiritual sense waves rising half a level.

Whoosh! Sizzle!

A semi-transparent sword magical treasure split into dozens of invisible sword shadows, darting unpredictably to strike at the weak spots of the two Fake Dan cultivators.

"The Shadow Splitting Sword! Enhanced to the eighth layer through a secret technique!"

He Yuanwu's heart tightened. He hadn't expected Bai Ling Immortal to unleash her trump card right from the start.

This sword technique, when enhanced to the eighth layer, corresponded to the mid-Core Formation stage. Bai Ling Immortal's use of a secret technique to amplify it would drain her mind and life force significantly, a hefty price to pay.

The attack surpassed the power of a Fake Dan cultivator, and its speed left the two wary and entangled, unable to gain the upper hand quickly.

He Yuanwu and Xiang Jinglong excelled in frontal combat, and both had cultivated body-refining techniques that reached the late Foundation Establishment stage, giving them strong defenses. However, their attack speed couldn't compare to Bai Ling Immortal.

Lan Chang'an glanced at the ongoing battle, estimating that Bai Ling Immortal wouldn't be able to hold out for long. Fu Xuemei's Core Formation would still take several days.

At this moment, with the Fake Dan Immortals fully engaged, no one was paying attention to him.

He had two choices.

The first was to seize the opportunity to escape, distancing himself from the situation and reaping the benefits as an outsider.

By a twist of fate, Lan Chang'an's urge to intervene had waned, but he wasn't so magnanimous as to help Fu Xuemei guard her Core Formation seclusion out of kindness.

The second option was to continue blending in with the Huanglong Mountain, playing along until the crucial moment to sow chaos, disrupt Fu Xuemei's Core Formation, and profit from the ensuing disorder.

Lan Chang'an thought for a moment and decided to act cautiously, avoiding any high-risk moves.

"Senior Brother Cheng."

Just as he was about to take action, a clear and gentle female voice echoed in his ear.

"Aunt Ling's secret technique won't last long. Take this talismanic treasure and use it when the time is right to assist her."

A talismanic treasure engraved with a violet pearl flew out from the stone hall and landed in Lan Chang'an's hand.

Lan Chang'an took a glance at it, this talismanic treasure's power exceeded the ordinary and could pose a threat to a Fake Dan cultivator.

Given her background as a genius with earth spiritual roots, Fu Xuemei naturally had exceptional life-saving methods.

She entrusted the talismanic treasure to Lan Chang'an because his late Foundation Establishment cultivation and strong spiritual sense allowed him to wield the talismanic treasure's full power.

"Little Dong, take these talismans and this superior-grade second-rank puppet, you'll use them for defense later."

Fu Xuemei then gave instructions to her brother through sound transmission. Another storage pouch flew out from the stone hall, providing him with the necessary defensive tools.

Among the talismans Fu Dong received, there were even two quasi-third-rank ones.

This action did not go unnoticed by the two Fake Dan cultivators attacking from afar.

He Yuanwu and Xiang Jinglong had actually considered splitting up, with one of them attacking the stone hall to disrupt Fu Xuemei's Core Formation. However, Bai Ling Immortal's sudden burst of strength was overwhelming, almost equivalent to an early-stage true Core Formation cultivator. A single Fake Dan couldn't withstand her assault alone and would easily be taken down alone.

"Junior Brother Cheng, the situation is beyond resistance. With the two of us Fake Dan Immortals here, it's impossible for Junior Sister to succeed in forming her core."

"The Master granted you an inferior-quality Crystal Condensation Pill. You've already risked your life once for Huanglong Mountain, making you even. Back then, the youngest sister denounced you, leading to your expulsion from the mountain, how heartless is that? Neither logic nor emotion justify making such meaningless sacrifices for you."

He Yuanwu tried to persuade Lan Chang'an, offering some benefits in return.

He and Junior Brother Cheng had been close in the past, but after the latter was expelled from the mountain, they lost contact for many years.

"Hmph! You think Little Cheng is like you, a backstabbing traitor?" Bai Ling Immortal snorted coldly, intensifying her attacks on He Yuanwu, preventing him from continuing his psychological manipulation.

"Indeed, Senior Brother He, your words ring true."

Lan Chang'an remained silent for two breaths before sighing lightly.

What?

Bai Ling Immortal and Fu Dong's expressions changed drastically.

Fu Xuemei, who was inside the stone hall behind them, felt her state of mind waver.

Even He Yuanwu seemed slightly taken aback.

"Junior Sister, my heart is weary, and I no longer wish to involve myself in the mountain's disputes."

Lan Chang'an expressed a hint of apology, put away the talismanic treasure, and stood up to leave the stone hall.

He Yuanwu's words had conveniently given him an excuse to back out openly.

This behavior, even if somewhat abnormal, didn't bother him.

Junior Brother Cheng had indeed shown genuine loyalty and affection toward his mountain, but those feelings were mixed with some selfishness. Without the Crystal Condensation Pill, this person wouldn't have been selfless and risked his life as a decoy. Thus, after obtaining the Crystal Condensation Pill, he felt it was no longer worthwhile to continue, and withdrawing was a natural choice.

"Brother Cheng!"

"Senior Brother Cheng..."

Fu Xuemei and Fu Dong wanted to stop him but found it hard to speak.

Junior Brother Cheng had already served as a decoy for Huanglong Mountain and had risked his life to save Fu Dong, fulfilling his duty to the utmost.

"Hahaha! Junior Brother Cheng has finally seen the light. What's there to linger for at Huanglong Mountain? After this, let's drink together, just the two of us."

He Yuanwu laughed heartily, fully supporting "Junior Brother Cheng's" decision as a fellow traitor of Huanglong Mountain.

Far from being suspicious, he understood his junior brother's mindset better than anyone else.

If he had been in his place, he would have defected long ago.

With "Junior Brother Cheng" giving up, Bai Ling Immortal's powerful attacks seemed to lose some of their sharpness.

"Brother He, your words are truly effective. You managed to turn a fellow disciple with just a few words."

Xiang Jinglong couldn't help but praise.

...

"Senior Brother, please wait."

Just as Lan Chang'an ascended into the air, a soft sigh reached his ears.

At this moment, Fu Xuemei, while forming her core, split her attention to use a secret technique for transmitting her voice, a method that the Fake Dan cultivators couldn't easily detect.

"What else does Junior Sister Fu have to say?" Lan Chang'an responded coldly.

"Senior Brother, you risked your life to save Little Dong, fulfilling your duty to the utmost. I have no right to ask for more. However, the situation is critical. I am at the pivotal moment of my Core Formation and cannot afford to stop."

"Though I cannot offer you any tangible benefits, I can make a promise."

"If you do your best to guard me, and if things become too dangerous, protect Little Dong and take him away... I will fulfill the request you made of me years ago."

"The request from years ago?"

Lan Chang'an didn't know the exact details.

He could only guess that Junior Brother Cheng had once liked Fu Xuemei and might have pursued her as a Dao companion.

He Yuanwu had mentioned earlier that Junior Sister Fu had exposed Junior Brother Cheng, leading to his expulsion from the sect.

Perhaps he'd done something unspeakable.

Fu Xuemei, though a genius with earth spiritual roots, was still a low-level cultivator when she first joined Huanglong Mountain. In the eyes of her senior brothers with high cultivation levels, she would have been a weak junior who needed protection.

"Junior Sister Fu, I'm old and my heart is tired, I've lost interest in the affairs of the past."

Lan Chang'an didn't know the exact details, but that didn't stop him from making a reasonable refusal.

After all, so many years had passed, and people's hearts could change.

The Hundred Illusions Mask didn't just alter his appearance and voice; it allowed him to perfectly simulate someone else's aura and mannerisms. Even if his cover was blown, it was just an alias, and it wouldn't cause much harm to Lan Chang'an.

"Senior Brother, you may ask for anything..."

"Junior Sister Fu, there's no need to say more! I've already saved your brother once. I don't want to risk my life again."

"Besides the Crystal Condensation Pill, you have nothing that can tempt me."

Lan Chang'an calmly tested her.

Fu Xuemei fell silent for a few moments before transmitting her voice again:

"The Crystal Condensation Pill is not up for negotiation."

"I've only just entered the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, and my foundation is slightly lacking. Without the Crystal Condensation Pill, there's a high chance of failure during Core Formation. The backlash would be severe, and even if I survived, I would likely be gravely injured. In that case, I wouldn't be able to protect myself, let alone my younger brother."

"She's not foolish," Lan Chang'an thought.

Fu Xuemei had a clear understanding of the situation. She wouldn't give in to threats and wouldn't agree to unreasonable demands.

"Senior Brother hadn't used the inferior Crystal Condensation Pill previously, would Junior Sister consider trading it?"

Lan Chang'an had a sudden idea and made the suggestion.

"Inferior Crystal Condensation Pill?"

Fu Xuemei fell silent again, this time for even longer.

...

Clang! Boom!

On the other side, the battle between the three Fake Dan cultivators grew more intense.

Bai Ling Immortal's forehead was beaded with sweat, her mental and physical energy draining rapidly. She was already struggling to keep the two Fake Dan cultivators at bay.

"Xuemei, I won't be able to hold out much longer. You need to prepare for the worst." Bai Ling Immortal transmitted her message.

Fu Xuemei took a deep breath, stabilizing the lake of mana that was boiling inside her body like magma.

"Senior Brother Cheng, please come inside so we can talk." She transmitted her voice to Lan Chang'an.

"Alright."

Lan Chang'an, without haste or expression, returned to the stone hall.

"Brother Cheng," Fu Dong wanted to say something, but after receiving Fu Xuemei's command, he didn't stop him.

...

Lan Chang'an entered the stone hall.

He saw Fu Xuemei sitting cross-legged, surrounded by a dense aura of spiritual light as she focused on forming her core.

This peerless beauty, who once resembled an orchid in a secluded valley, no longer appeared composed. Her black hair was slightly disheveled, and beads of sweat dotted her smooth forehead.

"Junior Sister Fu, have you made up your mind?" Lan Chang'an asked for confirmation.

"The seeds sown in the past... perhaps this calamity was destined for me."

Fu Xuemei's lips curved into a bitter smile, and her face took on a nostalgic expression, as if recalling a familiar scene.

Whoosh!

A crystalline pill marked with seven Dao patterns appeared in her palm.

"A genuine Crystal Condensation Pill."

Lan Chang'an suppressed his inner joy.

In his previous life, he didn't know how much he had paid to obtain this pill. The difficulty of acquiring a Crystal Condensation Pill far exceeded that of a Foundation Establishment Pill by tenfold. Involved in Core Formation and the quality of the resulting core, even the slightest risk was worth taking.

"Junior Sister has decided to exchange this standard Crystal Condensation Pill for Senior Brother Cheng's inferior Crystal Condensation Pill. I trust in Senior Brother's integrity."

The genuine Crystal Condensation Pill in Fu Xuemei's hand slowly floated towards Lan Chang'an.

"Just to be clear, I'm only a late Foundation Establishment cultivator and can only act within that level's limits."

Lan Chang'an took out the inferior Crystal Condensation Pill, assuming the role of a trader.

"I will help guard to the best of my ability. But if things go south, I'll at most try to do my best to take Fu Dong away."

Lan Chang'an made it clear that he would only exert the effort expected of a late Foundation Establishment cultivator and wouldn't risk his life. Although he wasn't afraid of Fake Dan Immortals and even had a trump card that could threaten them.

"So be it."

Fu Xuemei nodded. Hearing Lan Chang'an's honest words made her trust him even more.

If Senior Brother Cheng obtained a genuine Crystal Condensation Pill, there was more or less a glimmer of hope to end up with a True Core, at least a Gray Dan was not a delusion. But, If he were to fight to the death, even obtaining a superior Crystal Condensation Pill would be in vain.

Whoosh!

Lan Chang'an channeled his magic power, causing the bottle containing the inferior Crystal Condensation Pill to slowly float towards Fu Xuemei at a matching speed.

Throughout the process, he remained vigilant.

He was mainly wary of the Fake Dan Immortals outside. Fu Xuemei had most of her focus on maintaining her Core Formation, so she couldn't pull any tricks.

If Lan Chang'an had no scruples, he could easily pull a double-cross at this moment, and his chances of success would be quite high.

However, it's always wise to leave a way out. He couldn't be certain that Fu Xuemei didn't have some hidden trick up her sleeve.

Not to mention, the nearly condensed, viscous mana in Fu Xuemei's sea of mana could, in such close quarters, be a perfect self-destruct mechanism if things went south.

The exchange proceeded smoothly.

The two Crystal Condensation Pills of different qualities floated simultaneously into the hands of Lan Chang'an and Fu Xuemei.

Both kept their word.

"Thank you, Junior Sister, for this opportunity."

Lan Chang'an took the genuine Crystal Condensation Pill and sighed in relief, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders. All the grievances of the past seemed to vanish without a trace.

He bowed respectfully to Fu Xuemei.

Though it was just a transaction, at that moment, he had taken away one of Fu Xuemei's precious opportunities on the path of cultivation.

"Senior Brother Cheng, please me for not standing up to return the bow."

As the transaction concluded, Fu Xuemei felt a strange sense of ease, as if she had passed a trial in the depths of her heart.

"Senior Brother saved Little Dong's life and is now risking himself to guard me. This transaction is fair and just, with no grudges or debts between us." Her snow-white face, pure and free of any seductive charm, showed a relieved smile.

Her words implied that if she succeeded in forming her core, she would not blame Lan Chang'an for what had transpired.

"Then I wish Junior Sister success in Core Formation."

Lan Chang'an safely stored the Crystal Condensation Pill, smiling without taking Fu Xuemei's words entirely to heart.

He had his own judgment on this matter.

Based on his experience, if this event left a knot in Fu Xuemei's heart, her already slightly weaker foundation, combined with having only an inferior Crystal Condensation Pill and external influences, would likely lead to failure in her Core Formation. The higher the realm one aims to achieve, the more critical one's state of mind becomes.

For her to succeed, she would have to truly let go, without any lingering grudges. Only then would she have a chance at successful Core Formation.

Even if she succeeded, given all the various negative factors, the quality of her core would likely be subpar.

(End of chapter)