“Oh, there are indeed quite a few Spirit Stones and Magical Artifacts here. It seems you’ve returned to your old trade, spying on people in the tavern and secretly passing on information, huh?”

Lin Chang’an’s sarcastic smile, but this mask artifact is not bad. Although it can’t compare to Yun Yao’s, it’s already upper grade.

“I also have to thank Fellow Daoist Qin for coming from afar to bring us some resources.”

Facing Lin Chang’an’s mocking words, Old Hu beside him laughed heartily and added:

“Indeed, Old Qin, you’re truly a friend, even bringing yourself over; it’s too generous a gift! Let Old Lin enjoy it alone.

As for me, Old Hu, I’ll just watch you feel upset.”

Lin Chang’an smiled and shook his head, then directly had the tavern staff call in the patrol to take away Qin Feng, who had long been on the Celestial Profound City’s bounty list.

He didn’t need to worry about the rest; the bounty from Celestial Profound City would naturally be delivered when the time came.

Although a Tier Three Elixir was impossible, being a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the value wouldn’t be poor at all.

…

The next day, Celestial Profound City delivered a generous bounty.

Lin Chang’an looked at the Spirit Stones and nodded with satisfaction.

“With this, the travel expenses to the Demon Beast Abyss are covered.”

The journey to the Demon Beast Abyss is not only long but also extremely dangerous, with sea beasts appearing on the vast Boundless Sea.

If he were a Core Formation Cultivator, it would be better, as escape light flight is generally unhindered.

But as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, even traveling with companions is risky.

“According to the gathered intelligence, there are regular flying boats from the Seven Kingdoms, which are merchant ships traveling to the Demon Beast Abyss and are quite safe.”

If he wanted to board a merchant ship, naturally, it required the corresponding amount of Spirit Stones.

“In the Immortal Cultivation Realm, too many unwilling cultivators spend heavily to board these merchant ships to the Demon Beast Abyss. These ships would not sacrifice their future routes for minor gains.

However, it’s best to first inquire about the situation Yun Yao previously mentioned at the Profound Sound Pavilion.”

Lin Chang’an pondered as his gaze flickered, considering the unfamiliar and perilous place he was heading to.

Staying at the Profound Sound Pavilion would at least offer some familiarity.

Moreover, with such a large sect, they would choose relatively stable places to settle.

“Relying solely on one’s analysis is too limited and not profound, but the Profound Sound Pavilion wouldn’t rashly endanger the entire sect.”

Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but smile. Not only he, but even Old Hu preferred to wait a while longer after hearing this news.

At least wait until the Profound Sound Pavilion had news.

…

Half a year later, news finally broke out that the Profound Sound Pavilion was preparing to withdraw from the Yue Kingdom.

Although there had been some baseless rumors before, most cultivators didn’t believe them.

But this time, the Profound Sound Pavilion confirmed it themselves.

Immediately, some powerful Core Formation families or medium-sized powers within the Seven Kingdoms saw an opportunity.

The limited resources of the Seven Kingdoms had been tightly monopolized.

Now that the Profound Sound Pavilion was withdrawing, a large amount of resources would be freed up, giving many Core Formation families and medium-sized powers hope.

It was an opportunity to settle in the Yue Kingdom and join forces with Celestial Profound City to establish a foothold and develop.

Perhaps they weren’t as powerful as the Profound Sound Pavilion, but they could join forces with three to five other powers to first occupy the Spirit Vein areas in the Yue Kingdom.

Soon, emissaries from many medium and large families in the Seven Kingdoms headed to the Profound Sound Pavilion.

However, these upper-level power struggles had no impact on Lin Chang’an.

At that time, he was gathering with a group of old friends at the Gathering Immortals Tower.

In a private room of the Gathering Immortals Tower.

“Congratulations, Brother Lin, on your progress in mana.”

“Brother Lin, we wish you everlasting in the Immortal Dao.”

Once again gathered, Lin Chang’an sat at the main seat, accompanied by Li Erniu, Shen Lie, Wei Buyi, and Lu Qingqing.

“Cheers!”

Facing everyone’s toasts, Lin Chang’an looked at the aging faces, feeling as if he had returned to the past, once again seeing the youthful faces of everyone.

“Come, Brother Lin, this is spirit wine I specially brought from the Cyan Bamboo Mountain Market. We had it once when Old Lu initiated us into the sect.”

As the Cyan Bamboo Spirit Wine went down his throat, it might not compare to the spirit wine they drank now, but everyone’s expression revealed complex emotions.

But still, it was Shen Lie who laughed heartily:

“Come, we should be happy for Brother Lin, who has gone the farthest among us back then.”

Facing everyone’s toasts, Lin Chang’an suppressed his complex emotions and returned the toast with a full smile.

“Come, let’s drink.”

As glasses clinked and passed around, under the influence of spirit wine, everyone’s eyes seemed to wander back to the past.

In their youth, each had beautiful hopes for the future, and none of the young faces admitted defeat.

But in a blink of an eye, they had all become a group of almost ninety-year-old elders.

This time, they didn’t discuss cultivation insights or their own paths but instead reminisced about their past.

As if the scenes from the past were just yesterday, yet today was already gone forever.

They had all grown old!

Due to their late-stage Qi Refining cultivator lifespans and various injuries from their youth, living to a hundred and twenty or thirty would consider long-lived.

Now, how many years do they have left to wait?

This departure might be a final farewell.

At the end, everyone drank till drunk.

Lin Chang’an sighed softly, sending messages to Li Yifan and Shen Fan to help their parents home.

Finally, only Lin Chang’an was left on the top floor of the Gathering Immortals Tower, sitting alone by the window, his back somewhat lonely.

“Yun Yao, since you’re here, come have a drink. This is spirit wine from Cyan Bamboo Mountain, hard to come by.”

A breeze swept by, and Yun Yao’s figure appeared beside the table.

She was dressed plainly, no longer wearing her mask, revealing her cool and heroic face.

“I don’t like drinking.”

Although stating her dislike, Yun Yao still picked up the glass and took a light sip, frowning immediately, then shook her head:

“Today’s wine is a bit bitter.”

Lin Chang’an sighed softly. It wasn’t the wine that was bitter, but the sentiment of watching old companions grow older, filling one’s heart with indescribable feelings.

Changing the taste of today’s wine.

“Since we embarked on this path, solitude was destined, and the higher one’s cultivation, the longer the lonely path becomes.”

“Still, we are fortunate.”

The two of them lifted their glasses, smiling at each other in respect.

After setting the glasses down, Yun Yao cast aside earlier thoughts.

Having come this far, their minds were exceedingly firm, despite their thousand emotions, not allowing them to impact their judgment.

“Brother Lin, the Profound Sound Pavilion is already preparing negotiations with several forces, but it’s clear Li Huo Palace and Divine Sword Sect offer the highest bids, fearing these medium powers…”

Listening to the latest intelligence from Yun Yao, Lin Chang’an pondered.

Actually, this was not a bad situation, for if the Four Great Influences continued fighting, it would be the greatest hardship for cultivators like them at the bottom.

“However, with the Profound Sound Pavilion entrenched for centuries, it won’t be easy to leave; after negotiations, it may still take a year or two.”

“We’ve come this far over the years; can’t we wait another year or two?”

Lin Chang’an smiled as Yun Yao nodded in agreement.

“The Profound Sound Pavilion suffered greatly and released a recruitment notice to hire skillful cultivators…”

To put it nicely, the Profound Sound Pavilion is withdrawing, but in truth, it’s retreating.

This act of recruiting various skillful cultivators as Honored Guest Elders is understandable to Lin Chang’an.

After all, relocating overseas to start anew requires a lot.

Similarly, not only in the Yue Kingdom but among the Seven Kingdoms, many seeking to avoid war or focusing solely on the Immortal Dao also wish to take advantage of this chance with the Profound Sound Pavilion.

“Yun Yao, and you?”

“Brother Lin, I can’t go for now, but I will need to when I seek Core Formation in the future.”

The Profound Yin Divine Sect’s roots lie in the Demon Beast Abyss, and Yun Yao will inevitably go.

The two exchanged glances, smiling knowingly.

Perhaps this perilous Demon Beast Abyss wasn’t as lonely as imagined.

With Yun Yao, Old Hu, and a pair of close friends.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep