BXBX NOVEL Chapter 261: The Fastest and the Slowest
Beams of light streaked through the sky, flying boats, magical weapons, and spirit beast mounts whizzing by like shooting stars, their brilliance dazzling. One after another, guests arrived in quick succession, a spectacle of splendor.
Most of the guests who had come to offer their congratulations were in the Foundation Establishment stage, though occasionally, the aura of an Immortal could be sensed amidst the crowd.
The Core Formation ceremony was being held in a grand hall at the heart of Qingsha Bay.
The grand hall was divided into two sections: the main hall and the side hall.
The side hall was used to receive ordinary guests whose presence wasn’t closely connected to the celebrant.
The main hall, on the other hand, hosted those of higher status, most of whom were invited personally.
Lan Chang\'an sat high atop a white jade Dao platform at the head of the main hall, overlooking the proceedings.
Below him, rows of distinguished guest seats were arranged, each accommodating either a single individual or small groups of two or three.From time to time, the sound of congratulatory gifts being announced echoed through the hall:
“The Wu Family of Hengshan presents a 300-year-old Black Spirit Mushroom. Elder Wu Chen offers his regards!”
“The Snow Fox Merchant Association presents a set of third-rank talisman tools, including a brush, spirit ink, and an inkstone. Presented by Immortal Hanyu!”
“Tengxing Merchant Association presents a third-rank Bluewood branch. Offered by Shen Bixin!”
Lan Chang\'an didn’t recognize most of the cultivators offering gifts. However, whenever he heard a familiar name, he would pay a bit more attention.
Immortal Hanyu had arrived early, but her gift was formally presented today. As the representative of a prominent merchant guild, she was seated not far from Lan Chang\'an in a position of honor.
Shen Bixin was dressed in a flowing silk dress, her figure full and graceful, but her face showed the signs of aging, appearing to be in her forties or fifties, with visible wrinkles and dark spots.
She brought with her a pale and delicate young man who bowed deeply before the jade platform. The boy was only at the Qi-Refining stage and kept his head lowered, trembling slightly, not daring to look directly at the dignified “Evergreen Immortal” atop the platform.
“Immortal Lan,” Shen Bixin began with a respectful bow, “this humble one, Shen Bixin, and my son, Song Xi, offer our heartfelt congratulations. May Immortal Lan have a long life and an everlasting immortal path.”
Lan Chang\'an’s voice was warm and comforting, like a spring breeze, as he replied, “Fellow Daoist Shen, we have known each other for many years. There’s no need for such formality.”
He glanced briefly at the boy named Song Xi, a flicker of thought crossing his mind before arranging for Shen Bixin and her son to be seated next to Immortal Hanyu.
Though their conversation was brief, it was enough for the nearby guests to discern that Lan Chang\'an and Shen Bixin shared some past acquaintance.
As noon approached, the number of cultivators who had come to offer their congratulations swelled to several hundred.
Hmm?
Suddenly, Lan Chang\'an, who was sipping a toast from a Fake Dan Immortal, felt his gaze drawn toward the outskirts of Qingsha Bay.
A foreign True Dan aura was rapidly approaching.
Though it was also at the early Core Formation stage, this newcomer’s aura was far stronger than Lan Chang\'an’s.
...
Some dozens of li away from Qingsha Bay, a luxurious carriage with dragon-patterned carvings was gliding through the air. It was dark green in color, pulled by two spirit beasts with antlers resembling those of deer.
The carriage was semi-open, with only a canopy woven from the feathers of rare spiritual birds providing shade from above.
Seated at the rear of the carriage was a young man in a green jade robe, draped in a black cape. His aura exuded wealth and authority.
The coachman driving the carriage was an imposing, purple-faced man in the late Foundation Establishment stage.
“Young Master Ling, we’re almost at Qingsha Bay,” the coachman, Fang Zhong, said respectfully as he tightened the reins and slowed the carriage’s speed.
“Hehe, the renowned ‘Evergreen Immortal,’ the oldest loose cultivator in the Jing Kingdom to achieve Core Formation in the past few hundred years. I’m rather curious to see this figure for myself,” the young master said casually, his tone relaxed as if he were on a sightseeing trip.
“Young Master, you are the youngest Core Formation cultivator in the Jing Kingdom’s history. That Lan Chang\'an, who only managed to form his core at the age of over 170, is hardly worthy of comparison to you,” Fang Zhong flattered, a look of disdain crossing his face.
However, deep inside, Fang Zhong couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Over 170 years to form a core? He found it bitterly unfair.
Years ago, when Fang Zhong and Lan Chang\'an had been stowaways on the same cross-border spiritual ship, they had shared drinks and conversations as equals.
But after entering the Jing Kingdom, their paths diverged when they joined different chambers of commerce.
Who could have imagined that Lan Chang\'an would go on to form a core while Fang Zhong’s guild, the Xinyue Merchant Association, fell into decline within just a decade?
Now, Fang Zhong had been sold off to the Taifeng Merchant Association, one of the three great merchant guilds, and had become nothing more than a servant to this young master.
“Ling Feng, the young master of the Taifeng Merchant Association!”
“How could this proud son of heaven personally come to Qingsha Bay to congratulate him?”
The dragon-carved carriage made its ostentatious approach, drawing the attention of countless cultivators.
Many among the crowd recognized its owner.
“The young master of Taifeng Merchant Association, Ling Feng!”
A booming voice announced from afar, “Ling Feng, Young Master of Taifeng Merchant Association, presents two third-rank precious gems as a gift of congratulations!”
The announcement resounded clearly into the grand hall, and the news quickly reached Lan Chang\'an.
“Ling Feng, the Young Master of Taifeng Merchant Association?”
Whispers and gasps spread among the Xia Family and the gathered guests.
Lan Chang\'an frowned slightly and asked, “Was this person on the invitation list?”
Lan Chang\'an had heard of the reputation of the Taifeng Merchant Association. The current leader of the Merchant Alliance was a late-stage True Dan Great Cultivator from that guild.
"We didn’t invite the Taifeng Merchant Association. I don’t know why they’ve come."
Xia Mingqu was also puzzled.
Thinking of something, he added:
"Oh, right, Young Master Ling is the youngest cultivator in Jing Kingdom to advance to the True Dan stage in hundreds of years."
“How young?” Lan Chang\'an asked curiously.
“It is said that he formed his core in his eighties after building his foundation before the age of thirty. He’s only just over a hundred years old now.” Xia Mingqu transmitted his thoughts, his eyes showing envy.
That Young Master Ling\'s birth was too good!
The Taifeng Merchant Association is regarded as the top guild in the Merchant Alliance, unimaginably wealthy.
It’s rumored that the Crystal Condensation Pill used by Young Master Ling for his Core Formation was of the superior quality. He even used three types of superior spiritual items for Core Formation.
Otherwise, with his earth spiritual roots, it would have been impossible for him to advance so quickly.
"A True Dan cultivator this young?"
Lan Chang\'an was astonished. Even in his previous life, he had rarely heard of someone so young advancing to the True Dan stage.
Why had this unexpected guest come to his Core Formation celebration?
Could it be that he intends to bully an old man like me?
...
The visitor’s status was distinguished, so Lan Chang\'an personally stepped out of the main hall to greet him, meeting the esteemed Young Master Ling Feng.
"For someone like me, who has only formed my Core in old age, what virtue or ability do I possess to warrant Young Master Ling\'s honored presence?"
Seeing the white-clothed man who seemed to be eighteen years old, Young Master Ling froze slightly.
“Immortal Lan,” Ling Feng said with a hearty laugh, “you truly live up to your reputation as a master of life-nurturing techniques. You look much younger than I imagined!”
Lan Chang\'an smiled faintly, though inwardly he noted the curious gleam in Ling Feng’s eyes. It was the kind of gaze one might use to admire a rare treasure or an amusing mascot.
He had seen this sort of reaction before, a hundred years ago, when he had achieved Foundation Establishment at the ripe old age of seventy.
But just as he raised his hand to invite Ling Feng into the main hall, another Core Formation aura—far more domineering than Ling Feng’s—descended upon Qingsha Bay.
“This aura… it’s from a demonic cultivation technique!”
Ling Feng’s expression shifted, his previously casual demeanor replaced by sharp vigilance.
The newcomer’s aura was also at the early Core Formation stage, but their presence was even more overwhelming than Ling Feng’s.
One must know that Ling Feng\'s Core quality was already in the upper-tier of True Dan, the visitor\'s cultivation was either deeper than his, or the quality of the Core was higher.
A voice rang out, cold and commanding:
“Li Hai, eldest disciple of the Xuan Yin Sect Leader, offers his congratulations to Immortal Lan, presenting a Soul-Cleansing Pearl and a Bitter Clear Bamboo.”
A dense cloud of demonic energy surged forward, carrying a tall figure in black robes. His sharp shoulders and cold gaze sent waves of unease through the crowd.
“Li Hai! The first disciple of Liang Shaotian!”
The crowd in Qingsha Bay erupted in hushed whispers, their expressions turning grave.
Even the immortals felt a chill when their gazes met Li Hai’s cold eyes. For those below True Dan, meeting his gaze felt like being struck by lightning.
Patriarch Xia Hongyu\'s face paled. His family had definitely not invited any demonic sect cultivators to this Core Formation celebration.
"Li Hai is Liang Shaotian’s eldest disciple—why would he personally attend this Core Formation celebration?"
"Could it be that the Xia Family or Lan Chang\'an has some secret dealings with the demonic sect?"
Even now, though the Xuan Yin Sect had gained recognition from surrounding sects, most cultivators still chose to keep their distance out of caution.
Only Lan Chang\'an understood why Li Hai had come to offer his congratulations.
After advancing to True Dan, it was nearly impossible for Lan Chang\'an to avoid drawing Liang Shaotian’s attention.
"Liang Shaotian’s eldest disciple is already this powerful? At the peak of early True Dan and reportedly an earth spiritual root cultivator who has mastered the \'Black Dipper Demonic Flame.\'”
Lan Chang\'an silently assessed: Without using the trump cards from his past lives, he was absolutely no match for this person.
Due to the mediocre quality of his Core and being newly advanced to True Dan, Lan Chang\'an’s strength was relatively weak among those of the same rank.
Under normal circumstances, even in a direct contest of mana and magic treasures, Ling Feng could easily overpower him.
As for Li Hai, he could likely defeat Ling Feng with ease, comparable to an ordinary mid-stage True Dan cultivator.
After completing his evaluation, Lan Chang\'an suddenly froze. Had he just become a measuring unit for True Dan cultivators?
...
"To personally receive the esteemed disciple of Sect Master Liang, I, Lan, am truly overwhelmed."
"This Core Formation Ceremony was arranged without sending out invitation letters in advance; I hope the Sacred Sect can forgive this oversight."
Lan Chang\'an, accompanied by Patriarch Xia, personally stepped forward to welcome them.
"Fellow Daoist Lan, you are being too polite. It is I, Li Hai, who came uninvited, which may seem presumptuous," Li Hai replied, his aura overwhelming as he descended before Lan Chang\'an, though his tone was humble and courteous.
Young Master Ling recognized Li Hai.
Seeing this scene, his brows furrowed slightly, and a trace of astonishment appeared in his eyes.
From what he knew, Li Hai, as the eldest disciple of Liang Shaotian, often acted on behalf of the Xuan Yin Sect Master’s will.
It was extremely rare for Li Hai to visit other forces within Liang Kingdom.
Attending the Core Formation Ceremony of a lone Immortal was, in fact, unprecedented. Instead, many major factions of the Merchant Alliance actively sought to curry favor with the demonic sect.
Currently, Liang Shaotian was in secluded cultivation. If he successfully advanced to the late stage of Core Formation, he would become truly invincible in Jing Kingdom.
"The two Immortals, please this way."
Lan Chang\'an, Ling Feng, and Li Hai—the three Core Formation cultivators—entered the grand hall, surrounded by reverent gazes.
Outside the hall, Fang Zhong carefully tended to the carriage and waited outside as a servant.
"Core Formation cultivators..."
Staring at the backs of the three True Dan experts, Fang Zhong\'s heart was filled with bitterness.
Lan Chang\'an walked side by side with his master, the eldest disciple of the Demonic Sect, at a height he could never hope to reach in this lifetime.
...
Inside the main hall.
As the protagonist of the celebration, Lan Chang\'an still occupied the central seat of honor.
Ling Feng and Li Hai sat across from each other on either side of the front row, their positions mirroring their subtly tense relationship.
Lan Chang\'an vaguely sensed that Ling Feng and Li Hai did not get along. During the earlier introductions outside, their exchange was cold and detached.
"Fellow Daoist Li, it is unprecedented for the Xuan Yin Sect to attend the Core Formation Ceremony of another Immortal in Jing Kingdom. Your presence here today truly surprises me," Ling Feng spoke, voicing the question lingering in many minds.
Other factions might fear the Xuan Yin Demonic Sect, but the Taifeng Merchant Association did not.
Taifeng Merchant Association was the leading merchant guild within the Merchant Alliance, with abundant wealth and power, and maintained close ties with major factions in neighboring cultivation countries.
Moreover, the Taifeng Merchant Association had a legendary background.
There was a famous rumor in Jing Kingdom:
Many years ago, a son of luck had emerged in Jing Kingdom, traveling to the flourishing Central Region of Great Qing to achieve the rank of Nascent Soul True Monarch.
That son of luck reportedly joined an ancient, powerful Nascent Soul sect in the Central Region.
The fact that the Jing Kingdom was able to maintain its neutrality, aside from its geographic advantages and lack of fourth-rank spirit veins, was said to be related to this legend.
The Taifeng Merchant Association publicly claimed that this son of luck originated from a family under their banner.
Another major merchant faction, the Feiyan Merchant Association, also claimed to have a connection to this individual.
Whether these claims were true or mere propaganda was unclear.
Nonetheless, Jing Kingdom had maintained its neutrality for many years, surviving minor disasters without being annexed by its neighbors.
"Young Master Ling, curiosity can be dangerous," Li Hai’s piercing gaze locked onto Ling Feng, sending a chill through him.
After retracting his gaze, Li Hai added indifferently, "My master, upon hearing of Fellow Daoist Lan\'s remarkable achievement of forming a Core Formation Pill at an advanced age, as well as his noble character and esteemed reputation, sent me to extend congratulations."
"This is a step for my Sacred Sect to integrate into the orthodox cultivation world. With Fellow Daoist Lan’s magnanimous character, I trust he will not reject our goodwill."
Hearing Li Hai\'s explanation, everyone present seemed to grasp its deeper implications.
Although the Xuan Yin Sect had been legalized, lingering prejudices and tensions with the orthodox cultivation world persisted.
Lan Chang\'an\'s inspirational reputation as an elder achieving Core Formation late in life made him a hot topic in Jing Kingdom’s cultivation world.
As a kind and upright figure, he was likely chosen by the demonic sect as an ideal starting point to ease their way into the orthodox circles—a calculated move to test the waters.
Whether or not this was the true reason, no one could find another explanation.
After all, Lan Chang\'an was merely a loose cultivator at the Core Formation level. A colossal force like the demonic sect had no need to openly befriend him.
If they wanted to bribe him, it would’ve been done privately.
...
Li Hai only stayed for half an hour before departing.
During this time, he only toasted with Lan Chang\'an once and barely interacted with the other cultivators.
"This matter, there\'s something fishy."
Young Master Ling watched Li Hai’s departing figure, his gaze flickering.
He had dealt with Li Hai before and knew that both Li Hai and his master Liang Shaotian were extremely proud individuals.
Although Li Hai’s explanation earlier held no flaws on the surface, Ling Feng couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t so simple.
Subconsciously, Ling Feng developed a trace of interest in "Evergreen Immortal" Lan Chang\'an.
Earlier, Li Hai had only toasted Lan Chang\'an, ignoring all the other Core Formation cultivators, including Ling Feng himself.
For Ling Feng, attending this ceremony was more of a whim.
After all, the Taifeng Merchant Association didn’t need someone of his rank to attend such events.
With a flicker of thought, Ling Feng decided to test the waters.
"Fellow Daoist Lan, I believe you can tell that Li Hai and I are not aligned."
"This person once remarked that I rely too heavily on external resources, achieving the fastest cultivation speed in the Liang Kingdom in centuries, but with limited future potential."
"May I ask if Fellow Daoist Lan agrees with his assessment?"
Ling Feng smiled faintly, waiting to see how this amiable old man would handle this delicate question.
The hall fell silent for a moment.
Ling Feng and Lan Chang\'an were two extremes—the fastest and the slowest cultivators in Jing Kingdom to achieve Core Formation in centuries.
This question was sharp and implied an unavoidable choice:
Agree with Li Hai’s words, and Lan Chang\'an would align with the demonic sect.
Disagree, and he’d risk offending the demonic sect to favor the Merchant Alliance.
"In the cultivation world, there are geniuses who rise swiftly and those who achieve greatness later in life. Anything is possible."
"Whether Fellow Daoist Li’s words are correct or not will depend on who achieves greater success in the future," Lan Chang\'an replied, skillfully deflecting the question and throwing it back at Li Hai and Ling Feng.
Whoever had the greater strength would be proven right.
"Fellow Daoist Lan speaks wisely!"
Many guests applauded his response.
Ling Feng’s expression remained unreadable, and he had no rebuttal.
After all, the cultivation world respected strength above all else, and currently, he was no match for Li Hai.
Li Hai, with his earth spiritual root, had been trained by Liang Shaotian since an early age, making him a top-tier talent second only to Ling Feng in cultivation speed.
"The accomplished individuals that Immortal Lan speaks of, who achieve greatness later in life—could that perhaps be a reflection of your own aspirations?"
Ling Feng raised his cup in a toast, a faintly meaningful smile on his face.
"I don’t aspire to achieve greatness later in life," Lan Chang\'an replied calmly. "I only wish to live longer. That’s all."
Live longer?
Ling Feng chuckled lightly. That did align perfectly with Lan Chang\'an\'s nicknames, "Turtle Talisman Master" and "Evergreen Immortal."
Based on his past actions, what Lan Chang\'an said was clearly the plain truth.
Ling Feng finished his drink in one go.
After probing him, his interest in Lan Chang\'an greatly diminished.
Just a cautious old Turtle Immortal clinging to life.
...
Half an hour later, Ling Feng left Qingsha Bay in his luxurious carriage.
The unexpected presence of two prestigious guests, Ling Feng and Li Hai, had added to the renown of Lan Chang\'an\'s Core Formation celebration.
The reputation of his old age Core Formation would soon spread throughout Jing Kingdom\'s cultivation world.
Aside from Ling Feng and Li Hai, other True Dan cultivators also attended the celebration—such as Huang Lang Immortal from the Ten Thousand Beasts Merchant Association.
Lan Chang\'an couldn’t understand why Huang Lang Immortal, someone he had no prior dealings with, would personally come to Qingsha Bay.
"If Immortal Lan had formed his Core a few years earlier, you might have met an old acquaintance from Liang Kingdom," said Huang Lang Immortal, dressed in a fur-lined cloak, sitting in Ling Feng\'s previous seat. His bright eyes shone, and his face radiated a friendly smile.
"An old acquaintance from the Liang Kingdom?"
Lan Chang\'an thought of Fu Xuemei, someone he had confronted years ago while secretly protecting a caravan from the Snow Fox Merchant Association.
What kind of deal had Huang Lang Immortal and Fu Xuemei reached? Lan Chang\'an didn’t know. But from his words, it seemed Fu Xuemei might have left Jing Kingdom.
…
Before sunset, the cultivators who attended the Core Formation celebration gradually dispersed.
A few cultivators remained at Qingsha Bay with the Xia Family, seeking cooperation or hoping to privately meet Lan Chang\'an, the newly-advanced True Dan cultivator.
Lan Chang\'an, however, didn’t meet everyone. After carefully filtering them, he only received a few people—including Shen Bixin and her son.
Inside the study on Autumnwind Isle...
"Immortal Lan, you once promised a favor. You said your word would hold, and today, I have something to ask."
Shen Bixin pulled her son, Song Xi, along and both knelt down together.
"I hope that Immortal Lan will take my son as your disciple," Shen Bixin pleaded.
Hearing this, Lan Chang\'an remained silent for a few moments.
When Shen Bixin and her son came to congratulate him, he had already expected this request.
The favor owed from years ago, when Shen Bixin had gathered materials for him, was finally being cashed in—and the return she sought was immense.
"I will be leaving Jing Kingdom soon and will be wandering without a fixed home. I don’t have plans to take on a disciple," Lan Chang\'an said calmly. "However, if Fellow Daoist Shen insists, I can accept him as a nominal disciple, though I won’t have much time or energy to teach him."
"Alternatively," he added, "I can offer a second choice: If your son seeks me out in the future, before reaching Foundation Establishment or Core Formation, I will grant him a chance for advancement."
Shen Bixin deliberated for a moment before choosing the second option. After all, it was clear that Lan Chang\'an wasn’t particularly eager to take on a disciple.
"Xi’er, hurry and thank Immortal Lan," Shen Bixin said to her son.
"Thank you, Immortal Lan," Song Xi said, bowing deeply. Hearing about the opportunity for Core Formation advancement stirred something in his heart.
The towering status of a True Dan cultivator was something he had deeply felt today. Compared to becoming a nominal disciple, the second option seemed far more practical.
It won\'t be until many years later that Song Xi would realize what he had missed today.
Lan Chang\'an smiled warmly as he sent Shen Bixin and her son off.
He was a man of his word. Excluding cases of coercion, he always fulfilled promises made within his ability to keep.
If Shen Bixin had insisted, he would have accepted Song Xi as a disciple and upheld the basic duties of a teacher. However, just as he had anticipated, the mother and son were swayed by the second option.
...
Later that night, as the celebratory commotion in Qingsha Bay finally quieted, Lan Chang\'an retreated to his study.
In the shadows, a figure wearing a gray-white hooded robe appeared in the corner.
"Did you notice anyone suspicious at today’s ceremony?" Lan Chang\'an asked, hands clasped behind his back.
"There were a few, mostly insignificant ones. However, there is one individual you should pay close attention to."
"Oh? Who is it?"
"Huang Lang Immortal!"
Lan Chang\'an was not surprised. From the first time he met the other party under the mask of "Immortal Xiang," he had sensed something unusual about Huang Lang Immortal.
"What issue do you see with him?"
"Huang Lang Immortal practices a soul perception secret art that allows him to sense a target\'s emotional fluctuations and, in some cases, even probe their inner thoughts. This kind of spiritual technique originates from one of the Six Sacred Sects—the Beast King Valley," Xing Peng said cautiously.
"Beast King Valley? And the Ten Thousand Beasts Merchant Association? Could there be a connection between the two?"
"I do not have clearance to access higher-level intelligence, but based on scattered clues, I suspect that the Ten Thousand Beasts Merchant Association may have branched out from the Beast King Valley a long time ago," Xing Peng speculated.
Upon hearing this, Lan Chang\'an began to grasp the implications.
The Ten Thousand Beasts Merchant Association had likely been infiltrated or turned by the Unseen Sect—a notorious subsect of the Beast King Valley.
"Moreover, the Beast King Valley is very likely the main assault force preparing to invade the borders of Feng Kingdom and the surrounding regions."
Xing Peng threw out another shocking piece of information.
"The Beast King Valley as the main force? Does that mean the Six Demonic Sects have only sent a single branch to attack Feng Kingdom\'s surroundings?" Lan Chang\'an asked, realization dawning on him.
"One branch is enough," Xing Peng said after a pause, deciding to speak plainly.