Immortal Road.

"Oh~ You two have secrets?"

Lin Shan was immediately amused when he saw these two unlucky jinxes. Ever since they met him, the forces they followed had basically all collapsed, and they were either on the run or on their way to escape.

Now I've finally joined forces with the people on Xiongshan Mountain. They're a bunch of scoundrels who've screwed each other over!
Dai Budong and Zhu Duiyou responded respectfully:
"During our escape, we discovered a secluded cemetery. Strangely, it didn't contain human remains; instead, the tombstones were inscribed with the names of deities. I suspect it might be an ancient site, but because of our limited strength, we dared not enter and simply noted it down."

"Ancient ruins?"

Lin Shan initially didn't think much of it, but upon hearing this, he became slightly interested. Then, as if remembering something, he asked them where the location was.

"In the western part of the continent, in the country of Lai, there is a lotus pond."

The location was somewhat unfamiliar, yet it also seemed vaguely familiar.

Lin Shan closed his eyes and thought for a while, then suddenly remembered that this was the Black Lotus Sect's former temporary headquarters that You Meiji had told him about back in the Kaiyuan Realm of the mainland.

Later, they moved to Heishuiya in the southwest and began a battle of factions with Layman Jinglian!
When he went to Kaiyuan Realm to buy intelligence, he also checked the whereabouts of his archaeological expert, Kejizi. At that time, he was certain that the last time Kejizi sent him a message, the coordinates were in the Lotus Pond of Lai Kingdom!
Later, it was said that he reappeared in the Yin Feng Demon Cave in the southwest of the mainland, and finally made a fleeting appearance in the words of the Green Lotus Fairy. However, even after the Blackwater Cliff was breached and the Green Lotus Fairy was killed, the boy was never seen again.

Now that Dai Budong and Zhu Duiyou had mentioned it, he suddenly remembered everything!
Since Fairy Qinglian used the thorny thorn to strike her, it means that this person must be in her hands. If she can't find him alive or dead, then he has likely been moved beforehand!
Why relocate? Where to relocate? What is the purpose?
He suddenly realized that he had oversimplified the problem.

The Azure Lotus Fairy must have come down to the mortal realm with some mission. It's impossible that she would simply be collecting incense offerings for thousands of days just to revive someone. Does that make sense?

The fact that the Upper Realm went so far as to send patrolling immortal envoys to obstruct the enemy, even at the cost of the entire realm's strength, must have a deeper meaning. It is likely that there is a game and consideration behind the scenes involving many powerful figures!

The Black Lotus Cult may just be a front, and spreading cult propaganda may simply be a smokescreen. The real truth may be hidden in some unknown place.

He had previously fallen into a cognitive trap, projecting his own perspective onto the situation, thinking that the Azure Lotus Fairy was resurrected to collect incense offerings and the Pure Lotus Hermit was suppressing bandits. But now, looking at the situation from a broader perspective, he suddenly realized that the entire drama of this encirclement and suppression was still shrouded in mystery!
"There must be a core point of contention between the two sides."

Lin Shan suddenly realized this and couldn't sit still any longer!
If that's the case, then this matter isn't over yet. If the great sect behind the Azure Lotus Fairy fails to achieve its goal, it's very likely they won't give up easily and will continue to send down reincarnations of other fairies like the Yellow Lotus Fairy and the Green Lotus Fairy.
The Heavenly Court, upon discovering this, will not stand idly by either, and new patrolling celestial envoys will descend to the mortal realm to obstruct it!

"The Harpthorn Tree, the Lai Kingdom, the Lotus Pond, the Secluded Cemetery, and the Ancient Ruins"

As he muttered to himself, he suddenly shuddered, realizing that he had probably only now come into contact with the true core secrets of this world!
Could it be that the reason why celestial nobles descend to the mortal realm is also because of this?
"Master Lin, Master Lin?"

Seeing that he hadn't returned for a long time and was standing there in a daze, the three people from Xiongshan couldn't help but call out softly.

"Don't scream!"

Lin Shan closed his eyes, quietly sorting out his thoughts and considering what he should do next.

Without a doubt, we should proceed step by step to pacify the East Sea, eradicate the Penglai Holy Land, and then go to the outer world to find the Xiaojian Sect and rescue Sword Saint Ma Yuanjue.

However, since it concerns the secrets left behind by Kejizi and Qinglian Fairy, it cannot be left unaddressed.

We must find out the truth before we ascend!
Just thinking about how ancient this matter is, how wide-ranging its involvement, and how significant its impact, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, as if something was amiss.

Especially after having just killed two reincarnated immortals with his own hands, even though there was nothing in the mortal realm that could threaten him anymore, his unease grew stronger!
His desire to stay away from the outside world grew stronger day by day, which is why he only sent his avatars to fight against Penglai this time.

He currently has enough cultivation resources for the Nascent Soul stage, enough for him to cultivate in seclusion until the late Nascent Soul stage. There is no need to go out and take risks before his cultivation can advance to the next level!

After much deliberation, he suppressed his inner impulse and calmed his turbulent emotions.

"Alright, you three can go down now. I'll talk to him about Qianbu later."

Master Xiongshan quickly thanked him again. Seeing that Lin Shan was unwilling to talk any more, he could only leave the back mountain with his two subordinates and was escorted out of the mountain gate by the sect elders.

After leaving the Xun Gu Sect and going far away.

The three of them turned to look at the thriving sect, bustling and prosperous, and couldn't help but sigh.

"Master, didn't you want to ask your master, the Pure Lotus Hermit, how the final battle in the heavens went? Why didn't you ask?"

Dai Budong and Zhu Duiyou looked puzzled. The number of Nascent Soul stage cultivators they could contact was very limited. Otherwise, if they could find a big shot from the Immortal Envoy camp, they wouldn't have come to Lin Shan.

After all, this person is rumored to be a key member of the Black Lotus faction who once supported them!

Of course, now that the battle between the factions is over, the two True Immortals have disappeared, and the Nascent Soul stage cultivators who participated in the battle have basically been wiped out. Very few people know the inside story and the outcome. They can only try their luck and ask whoever they can.

"No need. My master hasn't contacted me in so long, he's probably forgotten me long ago. There's no need to flaunt his name. Let him remain a memory in my heart."

The monk from Xiongshan was incredibly saddened at that moment, and turned away dejectedly.

Dai Budong and Zhu Duiyou exchanged a glance, finding it hard to understand this guy's thinking. However, it was their family matter after all, and they didn't need to interfere.

"Do we really want to reconcile with Qianbu?"

"if not?"

To be honest, the reason the three of them gathered together was simply because they had a grudge against Qianbu. But now they were almost driven to the brink of despair. Putting revenge aside, they were lucky to survive!

The monk from Xiongshan was disheartened and had lost the heroic spirit he once had after repeated defeats.

Looking at the vast landscape with no place to stand, I couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions as I recalled the past.

"After so many years of wandering and hardship, I am now old and have no achievements to speak of, no land to stand on, only flesh growing on my thighs."

"Sir, can someone like me truly achieve great things?"

In this situation, even the strategists Dai Budong and Zhu Duiyou, who prided themselves on their great wisdom and strategic acumen, fell silent upon hearing this.

They witnessed firsthand that the people of Xiongshan had extraordinary perseverance. A cockroach that can't be killed can get up a million times, but it couldn't stop the five servants of the Qianbu family from having a good adoptive father to support them!

"Alright, next I plan to take the brothers of the Backing Mountain Gang out to sea to explore the outside world, so that we can break through to the Nascent Soul stage as soon as possible, escape the chessboard, and become a true player who controls destiny."

The monk from Xiongshan decided to go to sea and stay away from the troubles on the mainland.

Upon hearing this, Dai Budong and Zhu Duiyou immediately pledged their loyalty. "We are willing to follow the leader to the death, without any disloyalty, and we would gladly die for him!"

The East Sea, the sacred land of Penglai.

This overseas fairy island was once the most powerful holy land in this world, the winner of every Wanhui year, the leader standing at the peak of hegemony, and the chess player who manipulated the winds and clouds of the continent!

But now the sky is overcast and gloomy, and the atmosphere is deathly still.

Inside, disciples and elders alike were filled with apprehension as they hurried past, all preparing for the impending war.

Previously, under the leadership of the Holy Lord, the Holy Land gathered 70% of its manpower to join forces with the Sea Clan army in a distant expedition to the State of Lu, which ended in a disastrous defeat. Only a few high-ranking officials escaped back. The rest either died in battle or were captured. Those who survived were said to have been sold into slavery in various parts of the continent, and their fates were extremely tragic. This story had already spread like wildfire throughout the cultivation world!
Those who remain here are inevitably worried about the future. If the Xun Gu Sect attacks and the mountain gate is breached, will they follow the same old pattern and sell them all to various slave markets?
Thinking about the tragic fate they could foresee in the future, it would be a miracle if these disciples weren't panicking!
However, many disciples were determined to die for their homeland and resolutely resist all foreign enemies.

Little did they know that atop the mountain, the higher-ups were discussing something else entirely.
"Elder Shui, is the sea eye setup complete?"

"It's almost time. As long as someone can open the Gate of All Wonders, we can use the guiding light projected by the ancestors of the upper realm to sneak away and ascend to heaven, escaping this quagmire of the lower realm as soon as possible."

"Good, good! Fortunately, our ancestor didn't abandon us, otherwise we would have really been driven to desperation and would have had to fly out into the void with our entire sect!"

"Since ancient times, the void world has been extremely dangerous. Wandering in it is a matter of life and death. It is better to take advantage of our cultivation while we still have the chance to ascend."

"Yes, it's the only option we have."

While the Holy Lord of Penglai and Shui Lingchuan were conversing, there were two other people nearby.

The White Whale Ancestor and the Rhinoceros Demon!

The thing they were discussing now was not how to resist the retaliation of the Seeking Ancient Sect, but how to ascend and escape as soon as possible!

The four of them all share the characteristic that their cultivation level is at the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm, giving them the qualification to attempt ascension.

"Gentlemen, once the Sea Eye establishes a stable passage to the Upper Realm, the four of us will immediately go and begin our ascension. Whoever can open the gate to ascension will enter. Let's go together!"

First of all, ascension is a technical process. It requires abandoning the perception of this world and establishing a connection with the vast universe in the darkness, entering a state of resonance, in order to open the portal to the ascension path, which is the gate to all wonders.

Reaching the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm is merely a ticket; success is not guaranteed. That's why they devised a plan for the four of them to team up, with whoever succeeds joining them!
If four primordial spirits were to unite in the later stages, they should theoretically be able to run rampant in the lower realm.

But after witnessing the strange and evil domain of the Ancient Seeking Cult Leader, none of them dared to continue opposing Lin Shan!

After all, two fists can't fight four hands. The more they fight, the more they have. Dozens of Nascent Soul stage puppets are piled up there. Even if you send an immortal reincarnated, you can only watch helplessly!
Left with no other choice, they contacted their backers in the upper realm and obtained the approval of the Penglai Patriarch, who allowed them to abandon their lineage in the lower realm and ascend to immortality first to save their lives.

The most crucial point involved is that it's similar to smuggling people in through back channels!
The Azure Lotus Fairy once promised that the Lotus Sect of the Pure Cold Immortal Realm had a method to grant free passage to those ascending from the lower realms. Shui Bingyue, for example, once used the Ice Soul Inheritance to ascend through the Frozen Ice Pavilion's passageway.

The extent of Penglai's power in the Upper Realm is unknown, but the fact that it was able to open a back door suggests that it's doing quite well.

The people in the lower realm were overjoyed upon hearing the news, seeing it as a lifeline!
What puzzled the White Whale Ancestor was why he didn't invite the other Nascent Soul stage sea creatures from the East China Sea as well.

"Holy Lord, although those fellow Daoists don't have the cultivation level to summon the Gate of Myriad Wonders like we do, they are still at the Nascent Soul stage. If we ascend together, we can have someone to look after us when we get to the Upper Realm, right?"

The Holy Lord of Penglai sighed.

"Fellow Daoist White Whale, you may not know this, but if you could do me a favor, I, the Holy Lord, would be happy to do you a favor and take everyone with me to ascend to the Immortal Realm. Why should I keep it all to myself?"

"Is it because they're afraid of the news leaking?"

"No, it's actually because of the limited number of participants!"

"Limited number of participants? What does that mean?"

This is the first time that the White Whale Ancestor has ever heard of a limit on the number of people who can ascend to immortality!

The Holy Lord of Penglai shook his head with a wry smile, indicating that this was also the first time he had heard of such a thing. In all the years that had passed in this world, there had never been a case of a large number of Nascent Soul stage cultivators ascending to immortality, so there were no relevant records.

However, this time, the Patriarch of Penglai in the Upper Realm specifically instructed that since going through the back door is essentially smuggling, in order to avoid the Heavenly Court's Golden Palace Observatory's celestial sphere, the number of people must be strictly limited to four or less!

"The Celestial Armillary Sphere is an ancient legendary celestial artifact that can sweep across the heavens and monitor all realms! In particular, the ascension passages of each realm are key targets for monitoring, and it's not so easy to sneak across!"

"Once discovered, the armillary sphere will lock onto the target, and the report will be sent to the Observatory. The orbits of the stars will be adjusted to refract stellar energy, and the starlight will be enough to blast the stowaways to smithereens halfway across the way!"

"We can't take that risk, so to be on the safe side, let's have four late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators ascend. Those burdensome ones can't even open the Gate of Myriad Wonders; they deserve to stay in the lower realm and wait to die."

To put it bluntly, those who are not at the late stage of the Primordial Spirit realm have no value and are therefore naturally discarded.

After the Holy Lord of Penglai explained, the White Whale Ancestor roughly understood why the Golden Palace targeted illegal ascension and only allowed ascension through legitimate channels.

That's because of monopoly!
One aspect is the monopoly on talent, and another is the practice of profiting from it.

Just think about how much profit a single Ascension Platform can rake in from all the heavens and myriad realms every year.

If we allow illegal immigration to run rampant, wouldn't that be equivalent to tax evasion, smuggling, and black market operations? Which government could tolerate that?
Therefore, we must investigate thoroughly and prevent this from happening again!

Of course, if you only do it once in a while, a small theft, breaking it down into smaller parts, sometimes Jinque might just turn a blind eye and not bother to care.

After all, mobilizing the celestial sphere and gathering the power of the stars to kill stowaways remotely would consume so much manpower and resources, and it's not worth it to kill a few small fry.

In this regard, how to maintain a critical point? According to the lessons learned from the great sects of the upper realm, it is safer not to have more than four people ascending at a time.

"I see!"

The White Whale Ancestor, having learned his lesson, no longer concerned himself with the matter.

Little did it know that the rhinoceros demon nearby had secretly memorized all of this while listening, and then inadvertently passed it on. (End of Chapter)