Chapter 1116: 皇甫叡

Wang Qingling shook her head. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Fellow Daoist Ouyang. Little White has fallen into a deep sleep and won't be waking up anytime soon."

Wang Qingshan had brought back a Blood Jiao Pill for Wang Qingling. After consuming it, the Icewind Jiao fell into a deep sleep. According to Wang Qingshan, the Blood Jiao Pill greatly benefits Jiao-dragons in their advancement. Naturally, Wang Qingling wouldn't disturb the Icewind Jiao while it was refining the pill's medicinal power.

"Fallen into a deep sleep? It will probably advance to a mid-tier third-rank once it awakens!" Ouyang Minglin said with an envious tone. Generally, when spirit beasts fall into a deep sleep, it's either due to severe injury, leaving them half-dead, or after consuming a spiritual item, where they refine its contained spiritual energy and then advance upon awakening.

Wang Qingling smiled. "Fellow Daoist Ouyang should understand that Jiao-dragons don't advance as easily as other spirit beasts. Everything has its pros and cons; Jiao-dragons possess great divine abilities, so their advancement difficulty is naturally higher than other spirit beasts."

The Icewind Jiao had been a third-rank beast for several decades, and Wang Qingling had high hopes for it. While it would be excellent if the Icewind Jiao could advance to mid-tier third-rank, Wang Qingling knew very well that a single Blood Jiao Pill wouldn't be enough for such an advancement. If Jiao-dragons were so easy to advance, major powers would have been mass-producing them long ago. There aren't many high-level cultivators who possess a third-rank Jiao-dragon as a spirit beast, and in the South Sea, only one high-level cultivator has a fourth-rank Jiao-dragon.

"That's true," Ouyang Minglin said with some regret. "I don't know how much effort and resources I poured into cultivating my Golden Crown Jiao to the third-rank. After it advanced, its progress became exceptionally slow. It's a pity this time; I had originally hoped to let my Golden Crown Jiao compete against your Icewind Jiao." The Ouyang family had also participated in the great war, but their high-ranking members had not sent Ouyang Minglin to the battlefield, instead keeping him within the clan for secluded cultivation. After the war, Fairy Bailing's reputation also greatly increased due to the Azure Lotus Immortals. Ouyang Minglin learned that Fairy Bailing had come with True Person Taihao to celebrate the birthday, and he took the initiative to visit, hoping to pit his Golden Crown Jiao against the Icewind Jiao.

"Fellow Daoist Ouyang, since we both cultivate Jiao-dragons, let's find a place to chat properly! We can exchange insights." Wang Qingling said enthusiastically. The Ouyang family cultivated many Tiger-Kirin Beasts. Both Tiger-Kirin Beasts and Kirin Tortoises possessed Kirin bloodlines, though the latter's was purer. If she could learn about the Tiger-Kirin Beast's habits and cultivation methods, it might benefit the cultivation of her Kirin Tortoise.

"Excellent! I was just thinking the same." Ouyang Minglin readily agreed. It was rare to meet a Core Formation cultivator with a shared hobby, so he naturally wanted to exchange ideas with Wang Qingling.

At Listening Rain Peak, within a secluded courtyard, Wang Changsheng was hosting Ouyang Hongsheng and Huangfu Rui. Wang Changsheng had been cultivating in his residence and hadn't expected them to visit.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, Rong'er is young and impetuous, and sometimes acts without thinking. I hope Fellow Daoist Wang will do this old man a favor and not hold it against him. I'll toast you with tea instead of wine." Huangfu Rui said courteously, picking up his teacup and draining it.

"Fellow Daoist Huangfu, you're too polite. Young people, after all, sometimes act without full consideration. It's understandable; as long as things are clarified." Wang Changsheng replied politely, but secretly wondered, "Why would Huangfu Rui specifically concern himself with this matter? Could Huangfu Rong's actions have been at Huangfu Rui's instruction?" Few people knew about Wang Qingling's conversation with Huangfu Rong, and the Wang family hadn't widely publicized it. How then did Huangfu Rui know? It made no sense for Huangfu Rong to have publicized it himself. Could it be that every action of a Core Formation cultivator in the Huangfu family had to be reported to the clan? The Huangfu family was full of experts; why would Huangfu Rui specifically pay attention to Huangfu Rong? Huangfu Rong, having been assigned to fight on the front lines, was certainly not a core clan member. For Huangfu Rui to lower himself and apologize to Wang Changsheng for a junior was highly abnormal. The Wang family had risen too recently and lacked the profound heritage of the Huangfu family. Huangfu Rui's action was truly strange.

"Haha, I've said it before, Fellow Daoist Wang is generous and wouldn't dwell on such a minor matter." Ouyang Hongsheng laughed heartily.

"Fellow Daoist Ouyang, there are quite a few fellow daoists who have come to celebrate your birthday this time! It truly makes this Wang envious. I wonder if I'll have so many Nascent Soul cultivators attending my 900th birthday." Wang Changsheng wanted to inquire about Ouyang Hongsheng's purpose in holding the birthday celebration but couldn't ask directly, so he found an indirect way to phrase it.

Ouyang Hongsheng, of course, understood Wang Changsheng's underlying meaning. Not just Wang Changsheng, but all the Nascent Soul cultivators who had come to his birthday wanted to know the reason. "For all of you to come and celebrate this old man's birthday, it truly honors me and the Ouyang family. To be honest, I invited so many fellow daoists here because I have an important matter to ask for your help with. I will explain the specifics in detail on the day of the birthday celebration. Fellow Daoist Wang, rest assured, our Ouyang family would never force anyone into a difficult position. In fact, this matter might even be an opportunity for you." Ouyang Hongsheng said meaningfully, deliberately keeping them in suspense.

Huangfu Rui's expression shifted, and he said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Wang, I heard that you and your wife ventured deep behind enemy lines and slew five Nascent Soul-stage foreign cultivators. Your combined strength must be considerable. This old man would like to spar with you. What do you say, Fellow Daoist Wang?"

"Spar?" Wang Changsheng narrowed his eyes, his expression a little strange. First, Huangfu Rui apologized and softened his stance, and now he was proposing a spar. Wang Changsheng wouldn't believe there was nothing fishy going on.

"Exactly. Three moves only, and we stop at the right moment. How about it?" Huangfu Rui showed an eager expression, looking like a martial arts fanatic.

"This one has only recently formed his Nascent Soul and doesn't consider himself a match for Fellow Daoist Huangfu. Let's forgo the spar!" Wang Changsheng couldn't figure out Huangfu Rui's intentions and politely declined.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, it's just three moves; a spar won't hurt. This old man can be the referee." Ouyang Hongsheng interjected, trying to persuade him.

"How about this, Fellow Daoist Wang!" Huangfu Rui flipped his palm, and with a flash of green light, a green porcelain bottle appeared in his hand. "If you can withstand three of this old man's moves, this bottle of diluted Heavenly Mulberry Divine Water will be yours."

"Let's forget about the spar! If either of us gets hurt, it would be difficult to handle the aftermath." Wang Changsheng still refused. The more Huangfu Rui urged him to spar, the more Wang Changsheng suspected something was amiss. Even diluted Heavenly Mulberry Divine Water was quite valuable. For Huangfu Rui to use such an item as a stake just to spar with Wang Changsheng was unusual. In terms of reputation, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan had already gained considerable fame by venturing deep behind enemy lines and slaying five Nascent Soul-stage foreign cultivators. He didn't want Huangfu Rui to know his divine abilities; the unknown was always the most formidable.

Huangfu Rui was somewhat disappointed but didn't press the matter.

Half an hour later, Wang Changsheng personally escorted Ouyang Hongsheng and Huangfu Rui out, returning to his residence only after they had departed. He called Wang Mengbin and asked, "Mengbin, where is Qingling?"

"Great-aunt was invited by Ouyang Minglin to the combat arena to watch beast battles. She hasn't returned yet."

"When Qingling returns, have her come to my residence immediately. I have something to ask her."

Wang Mengbin nodded. "Understood, Ancestor."