Immortal Road.

"Fellow Daoist Niu, what are your thoughts?"

As they were talking, the Holy Lord of Penglai noticed that the rhinoceros demon beside him was silent, and suddenly asked it a question.

The rhinoceros demon quickly stopped his sly actions and solemnly clasped his hands in response.

"It is entirely up to the Holy Lord's arrangement."

What I was really thinking was, "I'm perfectly fine now, ten thousand years from now, I'm free from all this shackles. Why should I just stick with you guys and sneak away?"
Putting aside the risks of smuggling, even if I successfully ascend, wouldn't I, a demon, be tied up and forced to work like a slave in your upper human realm?

You've got a good plan. Bringing laborers from the lower realm to the upper realm to continue using them is no different from trafficking livestock. Old Ox won't be your laborer!

Knowing that his future was uncertain if he followed the Holy Lord of Penglai, he was naturally unwilling. On the surface, he still pretended to be compliant, but in reality, he had long hoped to jump out of the fire pit.

The front line of the Luosong Mountains in the Great Song Dynasty.

"What? The Holy Lord of Penglai is fleeing?"

Lin Shanyuan received a message from an insider while his avatar was in a state of shock. He was surprised that the other party had such a backup plan, even managing to sneak into ascension!

The great demon Qu Gong was extremely anxious upon hearing this!
"Then what are we waiting for? Quickly send troops to the East China Sea and stop them! Hurry!"

"Don't worry, this isn't something they can accomplish just by wanting to."

Having witnessed the ascension of Layman Jinglian, Lin Shan knew how difficult ascension was. Whether it was sensing the opening of the gate of all wonders or establishing an ascension passage between the upper and lower realms, it was not something that could be accomplished overnight.

If we lead our own people to attack now, only a few avatars of those people are guarding the Penglai Holy Land. It would be better to alert them than to cause trouble.

Only when they are about to ascend will these people reveal themselves in their true forms!

Only then can I take action and wipe out the true forms of the Holy Lord of Penglai, Shui Lingchuan, and the White Whale Ancestor, thus completely eliminating any future troubles!

He looked down at the audience. In addition to the group sent by the Xun Gu Sect, there were also newly arrived allied forces from the Guigu Holy Land, Taixuan Holy Land, Yuhuo Holy Land, Tonghe Demon Clan, and the Luosong Demon Clan who had returned after escaping and lying in wait.
When the demon kings saw Chicken King and Peacock Queen again, their eyes turned red and they gritted their teeth, vowing to lead their troops to attack Penglai and avenge the Red Lotus Ancestor!

What happened to the Red Lotus Ancestor in the end?

Chicken Brother asked all the demon kings this question, but he didn't get the answer he wanted.

Because they were all unaware of the fate of the Red Lotus Ancestor, they would probably have to ask the Penglai Holy Lord and the other involved parties. However, everyone assumed in their hearts that the Ancestor had probably met with misfortune.

In addition, representatives from the human sects of the Great Song Dynasty, including Zixiao Sect, Qianyun Pavilion, and Yushou Valley, also came. The demon clans of the South China Sea Linyu Zhai, the Northern Plains Golden Horde, and the Yanyun Mountains also rushed to join them upon hearing the news, creating a scene reminiscent of tribute from all directions!

Who can't fight a battle when they have the upper hand?
It was the Zixiao Sect that took the lead, bringing all their people to register under Lin Fan's name.

So many years have passed, and the leaders of the Song Dynasty have changed hands twice. The old masters from the past have all passed away, and the new Grand Elder of the Zixiao Sect is still an acquaintance of Lin Shan from back then!

Lei Yuzi!
This female cultivator, who was in the late Nascent Soul stage, had been in the late Foundation Establishment stage when he attended the birthday banquet of Turtle Immortal on the East Coast during his Qi Refining stage. She had also protected Lin Fan and his companion throughout the event, so they had some connection.

Now, more than 300 years later, thanks to proper maintenance, she looks like a woman in her thirties or forties, charming and graceful, with a hint of the heroic spirit that she once possessed.

Lin Fan smiled and led her over to exchange pleasantries:

"Senior Sister Lei Yuzi, this is my cousin. We used to hang out with you back in the day!"

"What's with all this talk about being a 'gangster'? Just be mindful of your image."

Lei Yuzi spat, telling him not to speak recklessly, and bowed slightly to Lin Shan.

"Hehe, no need to stand on ceremony."

Lin Shan was surprised to find that the Zixiao Sect was much easier to approach than before, because the old relics had passed away one after another, and the newly appointed Nascent Soul elders were basically from the same generation as him.

Not only Lei Yuzi came on this trip, but also Lei Fengzi, Lei Yunzi, Lei Zhenzi, and many others whom they had met once before. There were even more people they had never met before!
It seems that after the Wan Hui Nian, not only are the major holy lands thriving, but the top sects outside are also flourishing and growing thanks to the great changes in the world. The Zi Xiao Sect alone has no less than ten Nascent Soul stage cultivators. Of course, Lin Fan should also have contributed to this.

When Lei Fengzi saw Lin Shan, he kept his head down the whole time and didn't dare to look at him. This was mainly because he had been unfairly blamed for the huge black pot that was thrown at him back in the Southern Xinjiang region!

Afterwards, he investigated the 'remnant of the evil cult' who had impersonated him multiple times, vowing to tear the kid to pieces once he found him. But when he actually found him, he was dumbfounded.

Now that the gap between the two is too large, he is afraid that Lin Shan will turn around and cause him trouble!

"Lei Fengzi, not bad, not bad at all. Your Daoist title is quite impressive; it's truly enviable!"

Lin Shan patted the boy on the shoulder and said something meaningful, with a faint smile on his lips, which made Lei Fengzi tremble involuntarily.

He quickly whispered with a smile:
"If you like this Taoist name, senior, I am willing to offer it to you!"

"Hey~ no need, I don't like using things that other people have used. You can keep it yourself."

Lin Shan said that, but then added something else for no apparent reason.

"There might be certain occasions in the future where it's not appropriate to reveal my identity. I'll borrow your name then, you don't mind, do you?"

"Uh, no problem, no problem!"

Lei Fengzi secretly groaned in his heart, "You're already at the Nascent Soul stage, and you still want to use me as a scapegoat? Can my little body handle it?"
He was thinking that he might have to change his Taoist name when he got back, otherwise this guy would kill him sooner or later!

As for Lei Yunzi and Lei Zhenzi, these two had been kind to him in the Bianliang Imperial Palace and the Yelang Ancient Tomb, respectively. Since they were old friends and it was rare to meet again, Lin Shan, as a senior, generously gave them some gifts in return. The two were clearly flattered.

Not only that, two people from Beast Taming Valley also took the initiative to strike up a conversation. It turned out that they were the Golden Ring Duo who had fought together against the Black Lotus Sect in the Southern Frontier!
Back then, they were all at the Golden Core stage, and they even helped Lin Shan teach him the art of controlling insects. At that time, they really thought he was Lei Fengzi, only to find out later that he was an imposter.

Upon seeing the real person, they immediately came over to strike up a conversation.

"Oh, it's the two of you."

Lin Shan still remembered it, which made the two of them extremely happy!

"Senior Lin still remembers us?"

One of the disciples from the Lin Yu Zhai sect of the South China Sea also stepped forward. It was none other than the former island master, Master Jing Lin, who had now become a Nascent Soul cultivator, though he was quite old and frail.

Lin Shan squinted and looked for a long time but couldn't recognize him. He did have some impression of the person, but his appearance had changed quite a bit.

Well, this has turned into a family reunion!
After all, he is a powerful Nascent Soul stage cultivator who has been making waves in this world recently. Who wouldn't want to come and get closer to him?
A cultivator named Gongsun Yu jumped out of Qianyun Pavilion, saying that he had connections with the Gongsun family and Linshan.

A dark blue fox demon suddenly appeared from the Yan Yun demon clan, claiming that he had met her once in the Yan Yun Mountains and Lin Mountain.
In the Golden Horde, there was a man named Yin Wuming who shamelessly claimed to have committed crimes.
Ok?
Wait a minute! Yin Wuming?
Lin Shan's face immediately turned cold. He turned to look at the boy, and his mind immediately flashed back to when he first joined the Black Lotus Sect with Yan Yuanchun. This Yin Wuming was still a protector of the Blood River Hall of the three major sects of the demonic path. When he was chasing Turtle Master and passing by the island behind, he was arrogant and domineering towards him!
Looking back now, I have a vivid memory of his imposing manner. His domineering presence made people dare not speak out, which scared me, a newbie who had just entered the Foundation Establishment stage, quite a bit!

How dare they run in front of me?
Yin Wuming suddenly felt a chill run through his body. When he saw Lin Shan staring at him with hostility, he was so frightened that his legs trembled and he knelt down on the spot, forgetting what he had done to offend the Nascent Soul stage expert.

"Master Lin, what's wrong?"

Upon seeing this, the Supreme Elder of the Taixuan Holy Land, Lord Shouzhuo, quickly came over to smooth things over, smiling and apologizing on behalf of Yin Wuming.

Lin Shan then remembered that Yin Wuming's Golden Horde had later become a subordinate of the Tai Xuan Holy Land!

I seem to still be in the State of Lu, and I killed his younger brother named Yin Wujiu?
These are all things from the past, and now that I think about it, they're not a big deal. After all, that old bastard Shouzhuo Shenjun is still an ally, so it's okay to give him face and spare that guy's life.

That's why they didn't pursue the matter further.

But at this point, he suddenly remembered something else.

Turning to the Zixiao Sect, he asked if there was any news about Ouyang Feng after all these years. Since breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, Ouyang Feng's "Wind and Thunder True Scripture" had not been upgraded, and he had been using the Nascent Soul stage star power technique "Red Sky Star Ash Scripture".

Now that most of the high-ranking members of the Zixiao Sect have gathered, we can inquire about the truth behind Ouyang Feng, the former disciple, and perhaps find clues about the Wind and Thunder Technique.

Lei Yuzi frowned, somewhat embarrassed, and said he didn't know, and that he might need to go back to the Zixiao Sect to check the records. Lei Zhenzi and Lei Yunzi also shook their heads.

But Lei Fengzi's eyes darted around unintentionally, which Lin Shan caught perfectly!

"Lei Fengzi, tell me."

"Huh? What did you say?"

Lei Fengzi stood there stammering, clearly flustered, but still trying to appear calm.

But Lin Fan, Lei Yuzi, and others nearby had already looked over and noticed his unusual behavior, urging him to tell them what he knew!

Left with no other choice, and under the pressure of the tense situation, Lei Fengzi reluctantly told the truth.

It turns out that the records within the Zixiao Sect regarding Ouyang Feng from a thousand years ago didn't contain much useful information. What he saw was not much different from what Lin Fan had seen and told Lin Shan.

However, as a new generation of genius with both wind and thunder spiritual roots, Lei Fengzi also set his sights on Ouyang Feng because of his cultivation techniques and supernatural abilities. He did not have Lin Shan's enhancement panel, so he could only try his best to find the wind and thunder inheritance he longed for by constantly investigating the details of that year!
Initially, he set his sights on the Fenglei Pavilion on the west coast.

They attacked five or six times in total. With Lin Shan's help, Feng Haochuan, the master of Fenglei Pavilion, also advanced to the Nascent Soul stage. At first, the two were evenly matched and neither could defeat the other.

However, Lei Fengzi, backed by the Zixiao Sect, grew faster. So every time his strength improved, he went to the Fenglei Pavilion and eventually defeated Feng Haochuan.

During this time, Feng Haochuan kept sending messages to the State of Lu for help, but the Xun Gu Sect was so troubled by internal and external problems that it had no time to care about such trivial matters.
Finally, with no other choice, Fenglei Pavilion nominally submitted to Zixiao Sect, where Lei Fengzi also found new clues.

The investigation lasted for a full century, following the map of the mainland and the timeline of the past, and finally it was discovered that everything had simply ended somewhere.

That is.
Spring and Autumn Sword Gate!

“A thousand years ago, the Holy Lord of Minghuang had a battle with Ouyang Feng. Since then, Ouyang Feng has never appeared in front of the world again, as if he has disappeared without a trace and vanished from the world.”

Lei Fengzi's throat tightened noticeably as he said this!
With his abilities, this is the limit of his investigation. He doesn't dare to continue investigating any further. Should he go and ask the Sword Master of Minghuang what happened back then?
If we really provoke the Spring and Autumn Sword Sect, wouldn't that be like inviting trouble?

Lin Shan nodded after listening.

"Alright, you don't need to worry about this. I'll send someone to ask Master Minghuang what happened."

You really want to know?
Lei Fengzi's eyes widened, never expecting that he himself would dare to do something that an outsider would do.

Lin Shan isn't afraid of offending anyone; what he fears is losing his trail.

Now that I know it's related to the Spring and Autumn Sword Sect from a thousand years ago, things are relatively easier. Anyway, the Spring and Autumn Sword Sect had caused me trouble before, and I've always been too lazy to deal with them.

However, since it involves cultivation techniques for the Nascent Soul stage, it can at least save more than a hundred points of Ancient Essence. We need to settle this score with them!
I believe that with the quick wit and adaptability of the Spring and Autumn Sword Sect, they won't miss such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to resolve the previous misunderstanding.

"Master, the Fallen Pine Demon Clan has made a new discovery in the Red Maple Forest!"

While they were talking, someone came in to report.

Chicken Brother hurriedly led the demons out, clearly concerned about the whereabouts of the Red Lotus Ancestor. Lin Shan and Lin Fan exchanged a glance and decided to take their people with them as well.

The Red Maple Forest, formerly the main base of the Red Lotus Ancestor, is now dilapidated and barren. Seventy percent of the forest was destroyed in that war, leaving only the outermost 30 percent to survive.

They discovered a deep abyss beneath the lake.

Below the abyss lies a corpse bound by iron chains, pierced through on three sides. It must have suffered immense pain in its lifetime. It is none other than the human form of the Red Lotus Ancestor!
Chicken Brother's eyes reddened, and he immediately flapped his wings and flew over, crying.

"Ancestor! Ancestor, you died such a terrible death!"

Seeing this, all the demons shed tears. They never expected that the Red Lotus Ancestor would die in the end. He had survived the cruel suppression of Cang Yan in the last Wan Hui year, but he could not withstand the harsh atrocities of the East Sea Allied Army in this Wan Hui year.

Even Lin Fan couldn't help but get furious when he saw it, and almost lost his mind and went to fight Penglai!
"Wait a minute!"

Lin Shan stepped forward, looked at the corpse impaled by three iron chains, and felt a slight sense of doubt.

Upon closer inspection, the corpse was indeed that of the Crimson Lotus Ancestor. It appeared to have been defeated and tortured to death. Both its appearance and aura were correct, but something felt off about it.

It gave him a strange sense of familiarity, as if it were both real and unreal.

Suddenly remembering something, he turned to Lin Fan and asked:

“Brother, do you still remember that time when Fairy Yunxi led us to the Luosong Mountains to rescue our ancestor?”

"Of course I remember, what's wrong?"

"Do you remember how we managed to bring the Red Lotus Ancestor out of the seal unharmed back then?"

Lin Fan was startled, his mind raced, and suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him, causing him to stop crying.

"Hiss~ Could it be... a substitute Gu?" (End of Chapter)