Chapter 1210: Leaving

At the exit of the secret realm, Miao Yulang led a team of cultivators guarding the entrance. Their expressions were solemn. Several Core Formation cultivators were gathered together, their expressions varying, enveloped by a light blue energy barrier.

Several Core Formation cultivators from the Miao family had entered the secret realm, and not long ago, the soul lamps of two of their Core Formation family members had extinguished.

The void suddenly rippled and twisted, and a short, stout middle-aged man appeared. He was Wang Qingshan, who had altered his appearance.

His expression was panicked, as if he had encountered something terrifying.

The moment he appeared, the Miao family cultivators immediately surrounded him.

"Senior Miao, what is the meaning of this?" Wang Qingshan asked with a frown. After shaking off Zhou Yujiao, he had immediately used his Body-Sword Fusion secret art to escape.

"Young friend, we are acting on the imperial family's orders," Miao Yulang said with a cold expression. "All cultivators who entered the secret realm to seek treasures are not permitted to leave without permission."

A forbidden area was right at the doorstep of the Miao family. It would be a lie to say Miao Yulang didn't desire the rare treasures within it. He didn't dare forcibly detain all cultivators leaving the secret realm, but detaining them in the name of the imperial family was a different matter. Even if the imperial family investigated, Miao Yulang could claim it was to prevent demonic creatures from possessing cultivators.

"The imperial family? Not permitted to leave without permission?" Wang Qingshan frowned. With a Nascent Soul cultivator present, he dared not escape.

"Don't worry. If the imperial family allows you to leave, I won't stop you," Miao Yulang asked in a deep voice, his gaze dark. "Before the imperial family members emerge, just stay here quietly. By the way, what happened in the forbidden area? Why are you so frightened?"

"There are demonic creatures inside. They aren't dead and have killed several Nascent Soul cultivators." Wang Qingshan's face showed an expression of fear. These words were, of course, a lie; he hadn't seen any demonic creatures kill anyone. He had simply fabricated it because he was eager to leave.

"Demonic creatures causing chaos? They said the same thing," Miao Yulang said. "Describe the appearance of the demonic creatures and the circumstances under which you encountered them in detail." Wang Qingshan's expression was calm, and he recited the story he had already prepared.

"How interesting. The demonic creatures you mentioned are humanoid, but the ones they described are bizarre-looking. It seems there are quite a few demonic creatures! You all stay over there for now!" Miao Yulang said in a deep voice, pointing at several Core Formation cultivators not far away.

Several Core Formation cultivators had emerged, all claiming to have encountered demonic creatures. However, their descriptions of the creatures varied. Someone was definitely lying, perhaps everyone. Miao Yulang couldn't possibly kill every cultivator who entered and exited the secret realm; if he did, the Miao family would be close to extinction. The best solution was to confine them and, once the imperial family members emerged, hand them over for judgment. There would be some benefit to be gained; these cultivators would surely have to surrender some items before the Miao family and the imperial family would release them.

Wang Qingshan frowned. It seemed the others weren't foolish either. They had likely gained advantages and were preparing to leave the secret realm, but unexpectedly found themselves blocked at the entrance. Either they attempted to escape, with a high chance of death, or they obediently allowed themselves to be imprisoned.

Just then, a huge red mushroom cloud rose from deep within the White Birch Mountain Range, with flames reaching for the sky. Miao Yulang's pupils contracted. He seemed to sense something, and took out a palm-sized white jade plate. After casting a spell into it, an anxious male voice suddenly resounded: "This is bad, Ancestor! A Nascent Soul cultivator suddenly appeared in our family and is now slaughtering everyone! Please come back quickly—ah!"

Clearly audible were the screams of men, women, old, and young.

"Let's go! Return immediately. Forget about them," Miao Yulang said. He waved his hand, transformed into a white streak of light, and sped towards his family's residence.

Something had happened to his family, and he had no time to waste here. His biggest concern was that demonic creatures had appeared in the Miao family. It was impossible for a Nascent Soul cultivator to appear silently in the Miao family's main base after thousands of years of the family's meticulous operation. A forbidden area was right at the Miao family's doorstep, and it was highly probable that the intruders were demonic creatures. This was what Miao Yulang feared most.

The moment the Miao family cultivators left, Wang Qingshan and the others flew off in different directions.

In less than a quarter of an hour, Wang Qingshan disappeared into the horizon.

A month later, a terrifying piece of news emerged in the Great Yan Dynasty: a Nascent Soul stage demonic creature had broken free from its seal and was harming cultivators everywhere. The Great Yan imperial family immediately mobilized masters to encircle and suppress it.

South Sea, Five-Dragon Sea Domain. Azure Lotus Island, a certain secret chamber. Wang Changsheng sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. A pile of materials was scattered around him, and a ball of blue flame, about ten feet in size, floated before him, emitting terrifying high temperatures.

After a while, Wang Changsheng withdrew his spell. The blue flame, like boiling water, violently churned. It then transformed into a blue light and flew back into his sleeve, disappearing. A palm-sized silver disk appeared, its surface covered with arcane silver runes, with faint silver electric arcs flickering.

Wang Changsheng cast a spell into it. The silver disk lit up with countless silver runes. After a clap of thunder, a silver lightning bolt as thick as an adult's arm shot out, striking towards Wang Changsheng.

Wang Changsheng clapped his right hand towards the void in front of him. A blue hand several feet in size flashed forth. The silver lightning bolt collided with the blue hand, and both dissipated, vanishing without a trace. This magic treasure, the Demon Slaying Disk, was refined using thousand-year-old Thunder Apricot Spirit Wood as its primary material. It was a lightning-attribute magic treasure that Wang Changsheng could use.

Magic treasures have no usage restrictions; it's just a matter of how much power can be unleashed. Cultivators whose spiritual root attributes match the treasure's element can use the corresponding magic treasure to unleash its maximum power, while cultivators whose spiritual roots do not match simply cannot unleash its full power.

Wang Changsheng beckoned with one hand. The Demon Slaying Disk flew towards him and landed in his hand. He put away the Demon Slaying Disk and the materials on the ground, then stood up and walked out.

Wang Ruyan and Ye Haitang were chatting in the stone pavilion. Ye Haitang's aura had grown significantly stronger. Due to cultivating a Ghost Dao cultivation method, she exuded a unique temperament, giving people a feeling of "do not approach."

Wang Changsheng carefully examined Ye Haitang and frowned. Ye Haitang was cultivating a Heavenly-grade cultivation method, and even Buddhist spiritual treasures were somewhat unable to suppress the Yin energy on her body. Once her cultivation became higher, it was likely that even Buddhist spiritual treasures would be unable to suppress her aura.

Ye Haitang had now cultivated to the sixth layer of the Core Formation stage. This was thanks to Wang Changsheng acquiring the inner core of a fourth-tier Yin beast, which Wang Qingqi refined into Yellow Springs Pills to assist Ye Haitang's cultivation. The Yellow Springs Pills refined from the inner core of a fourth-tier Yin beast had a better effect.

"Uncle, you've emerged from seclusion," Ye Haitang said, beaming with joy. After her parents left, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan were the kindest to her.

"Haitang, you've come at a good time. I'm preparing to go to the Myriad Ghosts Sea Domain; why don't you come with me?" Wang Changsheng said. "Once your cultivation rises higher, I fear even Buddhist spiritual treasures won't be able to suppress your aura." Ghost cultivators had always been ostracized by other cultivators, who generally believed them to be bloodthirsty. Especially after the Myriad Ghosts Sect colluded with demonic tribes to harm cultivators in the Eastern Net Realm, the situation for ghost cultivators became even more difficult.

Ye Haitang nodded: "Alright. I've also prepared some methods over the years that should prove useful."

"Husband, I've refined two Core Formation stage talisman soldiers. Take them with you!" Wang Ruyan advised with some apprehension, taking out two talisman soldiers and handing them to Wang Changsheng. "I hope they can help you. Both of you must be very careful, and if it's too difficult, don't force it."

Wang Changsheng accepted the talisman soldiers, gave a few words of instruction, then left Azure Lotus Island with Ye Haitang, heading towards the Myriad Ghosts Sea Domain.