Chapter 118: Three Years

"No, I'm fine," Liu Qinger said as she walked in, carrying a food box. She set the food box down, then took a green storage bag from her sleeve and handed it to Wang Changsheng. "This is a small amount of spirit stones your mother saved," she said. "Don't think it's too little; Changyue is still young and won't spend many spirit stones. If you have time, come home often to visit. If not, sending a letter to let us know you're safe would also be good."

She seemed to remember something, her eyes narrowing slightly as she smiled and said, "You're not young anymore; it's time you started a family. If you meet a nice girl, bring her home for your mother to see; she'll help you vet her. Leyun is pregnant again, and Changhui's son, Qingqi, can already run."

"Your mother wants to hold a grandson," she added, "but there's no rush; what you like is most important."

Liu Qinger glared at Wang Mingyuan and frowned, "You say that as if you don't want grandchildren. What kind of smile did you have when you were holding Qingqi the other day? What's the point of holding someone else's grandchild? Your own grandchild is best. Changsheng has already reached Foundation Establishment, so starting a family won't affect his cultivation, and it can also bring new blood to the family."

Wang Changsheng gave an awkward smile and said, "I understand, Father, Mother. I'll keep that in mind. Please take care. I'm leaving now, and I'll send a letter back when I have time."

Over a month later, Wang Changsheng arrived at White Cloud Ridge.

Upon arriving at the Spirit Puppet Pavilion, Wang Changsheng briefly mentioned Wei Guozhi.

After listening, Wang Mingcai frowned deeply and comforted him, saying, "Changfeng has reached Foundation Establishment; that's good news. Changxue is a blessed person; nothing will happen to her. By the way, these are the materials sent by the Wang family. I've checked them; there are twenty portions in total. In addition, your father also sent ten portions of materials, making thirty in total."

For these twenty portions of materials, four low-grade second-tier puppet beasts must be delivered to the Wang family.

Wang Changsheng accepted the materials, chatted for a few moments, and then bid farewell.

To keep the secret of the underground cave, not only was a formation set up, but the cave entrance was also sealed with petrification magic. Furthermore, Spirit-Suppressing Powder was scattered on the cave floor, so that even if seeds fell there, they wouldn't sprout or grow.

Spirit-Suppressing Powder is a weed-killing powder. If scattered in soil, spirit grains and spirit herbs cannot grow.

Even if someone stumbled into this place by mistake, they wouldn't discover the underground cave.

The open space in the cave was divided into two sections, one for Wang Changsheng and one for Wang Mingjiang. Their activity area was very small, only about a *zhang* in width. All other areas were used to grow houttuynia cordata, with not an inch of space wasted.

A formation had already been set up in the spirit river, preventing snake catfish from coming ashore.

Wang Mingjiang saw Wang Changsheng and asked with concern, "Changsheng, why were you gone for so long? Is everything alright within the clan?"

Wang Changsheng didn't conceal anything and told Wang Mingjiang everything that had happened recently.

Upon learning of Wang Changxue's disappearance, Wang Mingjiang's brows furrowed deeply. But when he learned of Wang Changfeng's Foundation Establishment, his furrowed brows relaxed.

"I hope Changxue is alright," he said. "You and Changfeng have both reached Foundation Establishment; I need to work hard too."

Wang Changsheng smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, Second Elder Uncle said we should strive for the fourth Foundation Establishment cultivator to appear within thirty years."

After chatting for a while, they each went about their own business.

A partition on the open ground separated the two, with a side door for them to pass through.

Wang Changsheng meditated for a quarter of an hour, then took out a piece of hundred-year spirit wood and began carving a model.

Time flew by like a shuttle, and three years passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside the underground cave, Wang Changsheng sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his body enveloped in a dazzling blue light.

After a while, the blue light around Wang Changsheng's body dissipated. He opened his eyes, a faint smile on his face.

With the aid of spirit water, he had already cultivated to the second layer of Foundation Establishment. This cultivation speed was already very fast.

He spent ten hours each day refining second-tier puppet beasts, able to produce one low-grade second-tier puppet beast every four months. Initially, it took him five portions of materials to refine one such puppet beast. However, as he refined more, he could now produce one with just four portions of materials.

The Wang family gave him twenty portions of materials annually, and the clan gave him ten, totaling thirty portions a year, or ninety portions over three years. In these three years, he had refined a total of twenty-one low-grade second-tier puppet beasts. He sold twelve to the Wang family, with nine remaining.

Wang Yaozong took one, Wang Changfeng took one, and Wang Changsheng kept two for himself. The remaining five were transported to Ziyue Market and quickly sold.

Controlling puppet beasts required consuming divine sense. For second-tier puppet beasts, the divine sense of an ordinary Qi Refining stage cultivator would be exhausted in less than a quarter of an hour.

Wang Changsheng stood up. Through the gap in the side door, he saw Wang Mingjiang cultivating.

Benefiting from the abundant water spirit energy in the underground cave, Wang Mingjiang had already reached the eighth layer of Qi Refining.

Wang Changsheng didn't disturb Wang Mingjiang. He cast Earth Evasion Art and moved towards the surface.

After a short while, Wang Changsheng returned to the surface, appearing in a bamboo forest.

He didn't go to the market. He patted the spirit beast pouch at his waist, and the Two-Eyed Mouse crawled out.

The Two-Eyed Mouse was still a first-tier high-grade spirit beast. However, its body had become rounder, curling up like a meatball.

Wang Changsheng took out a palm-sized piece of fish meat and threw it to the ground.

The Two-Eyed Mouse jumped to the ground and quickly devoured the fish meat.

"Let's go. Lead me to spirit herbs."

The Two-Eyed Mouse sniffed a few times with its nose, then moved its limbs and quickly scurried towards the east. Wang Changsheng followed closely. Before long, the man and the mouse disappeared into the bamboo forest.

An hour later, Wang Changsheng appeared at the foot of a heavily vegetated peak. The Two-Eyed Mouse was perched on his shoulder, constantly squeaking.

Following his gaze, about a dozen *zhang* ahead, there was a two-*zhang*-wide cave entrance, with red demon bees flying in and out intermittently.

These red demon bees varied in size. The largest were as big as millstones, while the smallest were only palm-sized. They had two wings on their backs, were entirely red, and had a golden sting at their tails.

"Golden Thorn Fire Bees!" he murmured. "Perfect, I'll test the power of the Profound Ice Banner on you."

Wang Changsheng muttered to himself, a slight smile forming at the corner of his mouth.

He released the Giant Python Puppet and the Black Bear Puppet. He also took out a palm-sized white command flag. The flag was enveloped in a layer of blue light, with densely packed spirit runes covering its surface, emitting a strong spiritual energy fluctuation.

The Profound Ice Banner was primarily crafted from the hide of a second-tier high-grade Blue-Eyed Toad. It was refined using hundred-year spirit wood and several ice-attribute materials. It was a mid-grade magic tool, and the materials alone for its refinement cost over two thousand spirit stones.

Of course, Wang Changsheng failed four times before finally succeeding in refining it.

Wang Changsheng formed a hand seal. The Giant Python Puppet opened its gaping maw and spewed a thick stream of crimson flame, striking the cave entrance.

"Boom!"

With a loud bang, some Golden Thorn Fire Bees that touched the crimson flame instantly turned to ash.

The Two-Eyed Mouse seemed frightened and quickly scurried back into the spirit beast pouch. However, it poked its head out and stared at the cave entrance.

Wang Changsheng's action infuriated the Golden Thorn Fire Bees.

They flapped their wings and swarmed towards Wang Changsheng, numbering over a hundred.

Wang Changsheng smiled calmly. He gently shook the Profound Ice Banner in his hand, and it grew in the wind, transforming into a white command flag about a *zhang* in size. Wisps of cold air streamed from its surface.

He gripped the staff of the Profound Ice Banner with both hands and swayed it left and right, causing large amounts of white cold air to surge out. Simultaneously, a blue light illuminated his body, and a light blue energy barrier appeared close to him.