Xiang Yuntian had An Li bring up three thousand jars of fine wine. Without saying a word, he started drinking with Li An. It seemed as though something weighed heavily on Xiang Yuntian’s mind, as though three hundred years of suppression were finally being relieved. He was incredibly happy, drinking jar after jar without pause, letting the alcohol intoxicate him, without using spiritual power to dissolve even a trace of it.

Li An didn’t say much either, drinking alongside him!

"Three hundred years, three hundred years of bloody battles... those damn ghost things are truly a pain in the ass!"

With too much drink, and already drunk, many words began to spill out uncontrollably: "One Immortal of the Dao Sect disappeared, probably dead, and two others were severely injured, still not fully recovered, over ten Supreme have died, of the one hundred and eight Peak Masters, only forty-odd have survived... Old Gu, Old Gu is near death too, almost gone!"

"He blocked a strike from that ghost for me and ended up in a deathbed state..."

Xiang Yuntian’s eyes reddened, yet he laughed: "Sometimes I think, cultivating to become an Immortal, in the end if there’s no more you, and Old Gu is dead, what’s the meaning of becoming this damned Peak Master... Old Turtle, tell me, if after cultivating to become an Immortal only you are left, with all your best brothers dead, and not a friend remaining, wouldn’t that be so tragic, hahaha..."

"Luckily, your turtle fate really is tenacious, really hard, still alive, really good, really good... come, drink, and nourish the fish!"

The wine pots clinked, and Xiang Yuntian got roaringly drunk, ultimately collapsing on the wine table, snoring thunderously, yet still tightly holding Li An’s hand.

"Master hasn’t had a good sleep in so many years..."

An Li’s expression was slightly complex.

Li An was drunk too, yet remained clear-headed, saying: "Old Gu, Gu Canye... where is Gu Canye? Let me see him, let me go see him..."

An Li supported Li An, leading him into the densest area of Immortal Dao material on Heroic Sword Peak. Gu Canye was at the center of the array, appearing like a corpse, his skin already slightly decayed, his vitality extremely weak.

Indeed he was corroded by Anomalous Qi, caught in the throes of death.

A large amount of Immortal Dao material maintained his life, yet awakening him was difficult... like a vegetative state.

To save him, for Li An, it was truly simple, just directly absorbing the Anomalous Qi within him, then injecting the Life Seed’s life force would suffice...

But it couldn’t be done. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Li An couldn’t expose himself like that.

He could only use Xiang Yuntian, giving him some pills that contained life force and such, slowly strengthening his vitality, and naturally he would awaken.

Just that the Anomalous Qi within him... Li An thought there was no need to clear it away, as it might have another use in the future.

After visiting Gu Canye, Li An did not leave, but stayed to rest on Heroic Sword Peak.

Evergreen Peak... nominally speaking, he was now an Elder of Evergreen Peak, but what was the point of going back?

Besides, Song Qingsong wouldn’t want him to return.

Li An planned to cultivate right there on Heroic Sword Peak, to retreat in cultivation for a few hundred or thousand years!

This was Xiang Yuntian’s territory, and he felt the safest here.

Whoever dared to disturb him would probably have to deal with being hacked up by Xiang Yuntian first.

With three hundred years having passed and his cultivation stalled, although he was in no hurry to become an Immortal, he still needed to quickly advance...

Now in the Dao Sect, he was indeed far too far behind, let alone the Dao Level geniuses, even Song Qingsong had reached the Mahayana Stage...

Even juniors like An Li had reached Harmonization Dao.

He was still at the Refining Void stage!

The gap was too large.

Of course, this was only in Immortal Dao cultivation, but over those three hundred years, Li An’s gains on Giant Tomb Island were definitely no less than theirs.

In the path of the Mysterious, Li An was also equivalent to the Mahayana Stage, but if he truly transformed into a Mysterious life form, someone like Song Qingsong at the Mahayana Stage would be no different than slaughtering pigs and dogs for him.

Even a Mahayana Stage Mysterious Creature could battle Immortal Dao experts at the Tribulation Crossing Stage; this was common knowledge in the Spirit Realm!

Now back at the Dao Sect, with no lack of resources, Li An went straight into seclusion!

...

At this moment.

On Evil Suppression Peak.

"Brother Li, I wonder what matter is at hand?"

Song Qingsong came to attend the banquet, asking curiously.

Li Yunxiao smiled slightly and said: "There is indeed something, for which I wish to ask Junior Brother Song’s help."

"Do go ahead, Brother."

Li Yunxiao said: "Junior Brother Song should know, I’ve always been pursuing Shangguan Xiaoxiao, but this woman is exceedingly cautious, and for years there’s been no trace. However, Elder Li An and this woman once had a close acquaintance..."

"I’ve already spread the news of Elder Li An’s return, but if Elder Li An stays within the Dao Sect, she might not dare to appear... so, over at Evergreen Peak, is there any task that could send Elder Li An out?"

Song Qingsong understood; Li Yunxiao intended to use Li An as bait to catch the Shangguan Xiaoxiao fish...

His heart stirred: "This might need Brother Li’s assistance, if the sect assigns Evergreen Peak to go compete for Immortal Dao resources, then naturally I’ll have to ask Junior Brother Li An to lead the team..."

In three hundred years, the New Continent was filled with countless Immortal Dao opportunities; all the major powers were competing, and this task was a coveted one, which Evergreen Peak could only watch all along...

It was a plan to kill two birds with one stone: one to elevate Evergreen Peak’s status, and secondly, he remembered well what Su Yebai had said.

Within the Dao Sect, nothing could be done to Li An, but once outside, perhaps there would be room to maneuver.

Li Yunxiao raised his glass and laughed: "Of course, a pleasant cooperation."

Song Qingsong also laughed: "A pleasant cooperation."

"Li An is still on Heroic Sword Peak at the moment; once he returns to Evergreen Peak, we can act immediately!"

...