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But now, this peace seemed to be on the brink of being shattered.

In the southern part of Liang, three kingdoms were at war. The Yan and Chen Kingdoms had joined forces to invade the Feng Kingdom.

The Endless Sect of Yan had produced a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, and there was also an experienced early-Nascent Soul cultivator stationed to guard their homeland.

Feng had originally boasted three Nascent Soul-level forces, but one of its True Monarchs from the Blood Sword Valley had his body destroyed by Chu Tianfeng, forcing his Nascent Soul to flee.

Even when Feng\'s most powerful sect, the Golden Sun Sect, had two of their Nascent Soul True Monarchs join forces against Chu Tianfeng, they still found themselves at a disadvantage.

If the war were to escalate, it would be difficult for Liang Kingdom to remain unaffected.

Lan Chang\'an recalled the auction two years ago, where Qingzhu Sect had unusually sold third-rank spiritual bamboo, which was indeed out of the ordinary.

...

Over the next six months, the prices of talismans and their raw materials quietly began to rise. More cultivators came to Wuqi Mountain to purchase talismans, pills, and formations than before.

This increase in demand had little to do with the war in the neighboring countries, as the conflict had yet to spill over into the Liang Kingdom.

Soon after, news arrived.

The situation around Huanglong Immortal City had grown tense. Conflicts between Huanglong Mountain, the Mo Family, the Hengchuan Merchant Association, and several other major forces had escalated, leading to small-scale clashes.

"Huanglong Immortal City is in chaos as well?"

Lan Chang\'an pondered deeply.

From a rational perspective, he did not wish for the surrounding situation to become turbulent. But when he thought of the grudge of having his path obstructed years ago, this was a rare opportunity that might not come again for centuries.

If he delayed any longer and allowed Fu Xuemei to successfully form her core, it would be nearly impossible to have another chance like this for the next hundred, perhaps even several hundred years.

The more chaotic the situation, the easier it would be to fish in troubled waters. Many ordinary cultivators without strong backgrounds had seized their chance to rise to prominence in times of chaos, achieving great reversals in their lives.

After a moment of thought, Lan Chang\'an wrote a letter to Zheng Centipede.

The Zheng Family\'s Apricot Villa was closer to Huanglong Immortal City, making it easier to gather information.

...

More than half a month later, Zheng Centipede hurriedly visited Little Turtle Peak, looking worse for wear.

This time, Zheng Centipede was not alone; he had brought along a refined and handsome young man.

"Fellow Daoist Zheng, are you injured?"

Inside the cave, Lan Chang\'an looked at the black-skinned old man, whose aura was chaotic and who appeared more haggard and aged than before.

"I was ambushed by a bastard some time ago and got injured. But I\'ve mostly recovered now, so it\'s not a big issue," Zheng Centipede explained, showing a trace of fatigue on his face.

However, Lan Chang\'an sensed that Zheng Centipede\'s lifespan had been slightly reduced from its normal trajectory, indicating that the injury he had suffered was not minor and had somewhat affected both his foundation and longevity.

Given his age, it was unlikely that Zheng Centipede would reach the mid-Foundation Establishment stage in his lifetime.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, this is the new talent of the Zheng Family, Zheng Sheng. His aptitude is decent, and he has some knowledge of talismans," Zheng Centipede introduced the scholarly, handsome young man beside him.

"Junior Zheng Sheng pays respects to Master Lan."

The young man respectfully bowed in greeting.

"Mm." Lan Chang\'an glanced at Zheng Sheng. With an eighth-layer Qi-Refining cultivation, his potential was comparable to that of Mu Congren and Mu Bingyun.

Zheng Centipede had likely brought Zheng Sheng to make a good impression, and after a few casual exchanges, he sent the young man away.

Lan Chang\'an could easily tell that Zheng Sheng was a future Foundation Establishment candidate that the Zheng Family intended to cultivate, otherwise he would not have been personally introduced.

"The situation in Huanglong Immortal City is indeed perilous..." Zheng Centipede got to the point, his tone heavy.

If a major disturbance broke out in Huanglong Immortal City, his Apricot Villa could be affected, so naturally, he kept a close eye on developments.

"According to some rumors, Huanglong Mountain acquired the primary ingredient for the \'Crystal Condensation Pill\' half a year ago, and they have also gathered most of the auxiliary ingredients."

"Around the same time, conflicts between forces led by the Mo Family and Hengchuan Merchant Association and Huanglong Mountain began to escalate, involving old grudges, current tensions, and interests."

"Huanglong Mountain was mainly on the defensive, but when it came to the safety of their core members and fundamental interests, they did not yield an inch. Several skirmishes have already occurred, including clashes involving several Fake-Dan Immortals."

"Huanglong Immortal\'s eldest disciple, Ji Yifeng, was seriously injured in one such battle."

...

In terms of intelligence, Zheng Centipede might not be as well-informed as the Tian Zhi Pavilion, but the Zheng Family was closer to Huanglong Immortal City and had relatively reliable sources.

Lan Chang\'an could not always run to Liaoyuan Immortal City’s "Tian Zhi Pavilion" to gather information.

The background of Tian Zhi Pavilion was mysterious and their abilities were unpredictable, making it unsuitable for too much interaction.

"Ji Yifeng, as Huanglong Immortal\'s eldest disciple, is also getting on in years," Lan Chang\'an remarked.

"He\'s about three hundred years old," Zheng Centipede added.

The lifespan of a Fake-Dan Immortal theoretically exceeds that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator by a hundred years.

Without realizing it, the once prosperous Huanglong Mountain had entered its twilight years, with its pillars nearing the end of their lives, painting a picture reminiscent of a sunset.

He Yuanwu was barely in his prime.

Fu Xuemei was at a critical juncture in her quest to form her core.

"If it\'s just minor chaos, our Wuqi Mountain can still make a tidy profit. Let\'s hope nothing major happens," Lan Chang\'an said in a neutral tone.

There was no need for Lan Chang\'an to be discreet when inquiring about Huanglong Mountain\'s situation from Zheng Centipede, as he had a legitimate interest in the matter.

Just as during the beast tide, he had seized the opportunity to make money. The instability in Huanglong Immortal City would lead to a similar scenario where the prices of war supplies would rise.

It was predictable that various forces, both large and small, and notable figures would all be paying close attention to the situation.

"I, too, hope there won’t be any major disturbances," Zheng Centipede sighed, speaking from the heart.

Over the years, the Zheng Family had finally established a foothold and was on an upward trajectory.

The two then discussed other topics. The Zheng Family\'s current focus was on obtaining a genuine Foundation Establishment Pill, and they were in the process of gathering materials.

During this period, Zheng Centipede purchased some second-rank talismans from Lan Chang\'an.

Due to the rising prices of talismans, Lan Chang\'an had implemented a limit on purchases for the time being.

He also sold Zheng Centipede a discarded second-rank low-grade puppet, which was of inferior quality.

"Hmm? I haven\'t seen Fellow Daoist Chen recently," Lan Chang\'an said with a smile.

Without this person\'s constant harassment, Wuqi Mountain had been much more peaceful. He and Fairy Shi occasionally conversed, drank tea, and enjoyed a harmonious and pleasant atmosphere.

"Haha, Fellow Daoist Chen has been living like an honored guest in the Zheng Family, and he\'s been reluctant to leave for years. There\'s not much I can do about it," Zheng Centipede grinned.

"Alas, this person has become so indulgent that his cultivation has regressed, falling back to the Qi-Refining stage," Lan Chang\'an mused.

In his heart, he understood the situation.

Most of the remaining members of the Chen Family had either left or scattered ten years ago. Once a prominent family with a legacy spanning centuries, the Iron Apricot Chen Family had faded into obscurity.

Given Zheng Centipede\'s ruthless nature, he would undoubtedly squeeze the last bit of value from Chen Sheng, leaving no future troubles behind.

...

Time passed.

Four or five months went by.

Lan Chang\'an continued to monitor the situation in Huanglong Immortal City.

The conflicts between Huanglong Mountain and the Mo Family, as well as the Hengchuan Merchant Association, continued to escalate, much like the rising prices of talismans.

The Mo Family was one of the seven great cultivation families, having produced True-Dan cultivators and holding unprecedented power.

Hengchuan Merchant Association was backed by the Liuyun Sect, with influence primarily in the northern regions of the Liang Kingdom.

Years ago, the Hengchuan Merchant Association had attempted to expand into the central regions of the Liang Kingdom.

Their first step was to establish a stronghold on the other side of the Black Fog Mountain Range, in Huanglong Immortal City. This effort led to a dispute with Huanglong Mountain, which ended in failure.

At the time, several large merchant associations supported Huanglong Mountain, preventing the Hengchuan Merchant Association from succeeding.

Now, Huanglong Mountain\'s strength had greatly diminished, and the forces that once supported it either remained silent or watched from the shadows.

Two months ago, another major incident occurred at Huanglong Mountain.

The third-rank alchemist that Huanglong Mountain had employed for years was poached by the "Flame Departing Hall" of Liaoyuan Immortal City.

This was a significant blow to Huanglong Mountain.

Their plan to refine the "Crystal Condensation Pill" was hindered, for one thing.

Moreover, the force behind Flame Departing Hall was the Flame Departing Palace, which primarily managed the palace\'s industries.

Flame Departing Palace held an exalted position in the Liang Kingdom and typically did not intervene in the disputes of local powers.

Flame Departing Hall\'s actions are essentially opportunistic, like looting a burning house, which led other factions to draw certain conclusions.

For example, rumors spread that "Flame Departing Palace doesn\'t favor Huanglong Mountain."

This situation put Huanglong Mountain in a difficult position.

"The time is approaching, but it\'s not yet the ideal moment," Lan Chang\'an thought to himself as he continued to observe the situation, planning to personally visit Huanglong Immortal City at some point.

Aside from obstructing Fu Xuemei\'s core formation, Huanglong Mountain, now beset by dangers, still possessed a complete opportunity for Core Formation.

Lan Chang\'an had remained in seclusion because Huanglong Immortal, the leader of Huanglong Mountain, had yet to reveal his strength. Although Huanglong Immortal\'s power had undoubtedly waned, it was still unclear just how much he had declined.

Only after confirming that Huanglong Mountain\'s main pillar was too occupied to interfere would Lan Chang\'an consider taking action from the shadows.

A few days later, a noble female cultivator arrived from afar, bringing the latest news.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, your elegance remains undiminished. I apologize for the disturbance, but I need to impose on you this time," said a serene and beautiful woman with fair skin, dressed in a green silk robe, as she gracefully descended before Little Turtle Peak.

"Miss Shen, please come in."

Lan Chang\'an recognized the visitor as Shen Bixin, the eldest daughter of the Tengxing Merchant Association.

Two years ago, when Lan Chang\'an had gone to Liaoyuan Immortal City to purchase resources, the VIP token from the Tengxing Merchant Association had been of some help.

Lan Chang\'an noticed that Shen Bixin had not come alone this time. She had just entered the late-stage Foundation Establishment and there was another late Foundation Establishment cultivator in the vicinity who was secretly protecting her.

This protector was not her lover, Jiang Yechen, but another late-stage cultivator who had reached the peak.

This did not surprise Lan Chang\'an.

The instability around Huanglong Immortal City and the possibility of further escalation were now widely acknowledged by the various powers.

...