Chapter 1386: The Order of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect

In the Sea of Ten Thousand Ghosts, at the Zhenhai Sect Ruins.

Wang Tianqi stood atop a towering emerald green mountain peak, gazing at a massive thundercloud high in the sky.

Thick silver lightning bolts descended from the sky, striking a valley filled with exotic flowers and rare plants. A silver lightning curtain enveloped the valley, accompanied by continuous roars and flashing light.

Over the years, the Wang family has continuously relocated personnel to the Zhenhai Sect Ruins. Currently, the ruins house 2,135 cultivators: five Core Formation cultivators, 225 Foundation Establishment cultivators, and 3,572 mortals.

The Zhenhai Sect Ruins now serve as a production base for cultivation resources, growing spirit herbs, raising spirit fish, and forging weapons and puppet beasts. The island is vast, and accommodating over 5,000 people is not an issue. The problem, however, is the rapid reproduction rate of the mortals.

Most of the spirit fields are used for cultivating spirit herbs, with only a small portion dedicated to spirit grains. The island has no surplus land. Mortals mainly consume low-grade spirit grains. However, mortals have limited tasks. Although the island's buildings have been renovated, mortals can only perform tasks within their capabilities. Even so, many mortals are idle. When they are not busy, they procreate, and the number of mortals is increasing daily.

They are all descendants of the island's cultivators. Because they consume low-grade spirit grains three times a day, their health is good, and their reproduction rate is very fast.

According to Wang Tianqi's estimation, the mortal population could exceed 10,000 within a century. These mortals are all descendants of the island's cultivators; some individual cultivators have over thirty grandchildren. The large number of mortals intermingling with cultivators has led some cultivators to neglect their training and spend their days frequenting mortal residences.

Wang Tianqi severely punished over a dozen individuals, which finally curbed this unhealthy trend. While there is a clear distinction between immortals and mortals, visiting one's descendants is a natural human sentiment. Wang Tianqi could not prevent cultivators from seeing their kin; she could only regulate the frequency of their visits.

She sent Wang Yingjie to report to the family and request that these mortals be sent away. However, after several years, the family had not responded. Wang Tianqi had been staying at the Zhenhai Sect Ruins and was unaware that because Zhou Sihong had obtained an All-Encompassing Spiritual Treasure, all sea regions were under martial law. Transporting mortals away at this time would not be a wise move.

After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the thundercloud dispersed. Wang Tianqi transformed into a blue streak of light and flew towards the valley.

The valley was in disarray, with all the exotic flowers and rare plants that grew there completely gone. A green light shot out from a patch of crumbling ruins, revealing a graceful young girl in a green dress. Her face was pale, and a powerful spiritual pressure emanated from her, indicating she was clearly a Core Formation cultivator.

This was Wang Maoqing, one of the Eighteen Elites.

The Zhenhai Sect Ruins served as a second base for the Wang family, establishing its own talent cultivation mechanism.

"Your granddaughter greets Ancestor."

Wang Maoqing bowed, her expression somewhat excited.

She was among the first group of Wang family members to cultivate in the Zhenhai Sect Ruins. Her first attempt at Core Formation had failed; this was her second attempt to reach the Core Formation stage.

"Congratulations! Maoqing, you've advanced to the Core Formation stage."

Wang Tianqi praised, her face beaming with joy.

"Thanks to Ancestor's encouragement and the family's nurturing, otherwise, your granddaughter would not have been able to reach the Core Formation stage."

Wang Maoqing showed a grateful expression. She seemed to recall something, hesitated for a moment, then said: "Ancestor, your granddaughter plans to return to the family for a visit. I've been here for nearly a century and wish to go back to Green Lotus Island to see my parents."

She was only twenty when she first arrived at the Zhenhai Sect Ruins. Having been away from home for nearly a century, she deeply missed her parents, siblings, and Green Lotus Island.

"You should first enter seclusion to recuperate! Without Ancestor's command, we are not allowed to leave this place without permission. Something might have happened outside; Yingjie has not returned."

Wang Tianqi instructed in an unquestionable tone, her expression grave.

"Yes, Ancestor," Wang Maoqing repeatedly agreed.

Rumble!

A deafening thunderclap suddenly rang out, and a massive thundercloud abruptly appeared over a certain part of the island.

"Oh, it's from the direction of Dragon Descent Valley. Is another python transforming into a flood dragon? I wonder if it will succeed this time."

Wang Tianqi glanced in the direction of the thundercloud and said with some excitement.

Wang Qingling had copied a secret technique for cultivating flood dragons and sent it to the Zhenhai Sect Ruins for Wang Tianqi to cultivate them. Previously, five python spirit beasts had attracted lightning tribulations, all ending in failure. This was now the sixth python attempting to transform into a flood dragon.

"You should rest well! I'll go to Dragon Descent Valley to check it out."

Wang Tianqi instructed, then transformed into a blue streak of light and headed straight for the location of the thundercloud.

In the Five Dragons Sea Region, on Green Lotus Island, in the Council Hall.

Wang Ruyan sat in the main seat, her slender brows furrowed. Dai Ren and a refined middle-aged scholar sat beside her.

Since the Wang family pledged allegiance to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, the sect had not yet assigned them any tasks. Dai Ren's visit this time was by order of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect's sect master, instructing the Wang family to dispatch a team of cultivators to assist Dai Ren and other high-level cultivators in apprehending Zhou Sihong.

"Fellow Daoist Dai, are you certain Zhou Sihong is in the Five Dragons Sea Region? He possesses an All-Encompassing Spiritual Treasure, and with his late Nascent Soul cultivation, confronting him would be courting death."

Wang Ruyan's face showed a difficult expression. If it hadn't been Dai Ren personally visiting, she would have directly refused if it were other Nascent Soul cultivators.

Zhou Sihong had gone on a rampage in the Central Plains cultivation world, with over a dozen Nascent Soul cultivators dying by his hand. Zhou Sihong had been missing for nearly a century, and now not only did he possess late Nascent Soul cultivation, but he also had an All-Encompassing Spiritual Treasure.

Even late Nascent Soul cultivators couldn't unleash the full power of an All-Encompassing Spiritual Treasure. However, even wielding only a portion of its power, other Nascent Soul cultivators would be unable to withstand it.

That day, even with Li Tianyang and Ao Qing's combined efforts, they only managed to severely wound Zhou Sihong. Instead, Zhou Sihong killed several Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Zhou Sihong was struck by Fellow Daoist Li's Heavenly Stellar Finger. It would be good if he could even display half of his strength. This expedition involves ten Nascent Soul cultivators working together, and it concerns the safety of the South Sea human race. We hope that you and your husband will participate. This matter will also be beneficial for your Wang family."

Dai Ren's tone was sincere. The Green Lotus Immortals were relatively powerful Nascent Soul cultivators in the Five Dragons Sea Region. If they both participated in apprehending Zhou Sihong, their chances of success would be much greater.

"My husband occasionally gains insights during his cultivation and is currently in seclusion, so he may not be able to go. Qingshan is also out on a task. How about this: I will accompany Fellow Daoist Dai on this trip! However, Fellow Daoist Dai, are you certain Zhou Sihong is in the Five Dragons Sea Region? In recent years, our cultivators have sent many people to search for him without success."

Wang Changsheng was refining artifacts with Immortal Purple Moon, so Wang Ruyan naturally wouldn't disturb him. One shouldn't put all their eggs in one basket; it would be bad if something went wrong if they both went. A lean camel is still bigger than a horse—even severely wounded, Zhou Sihong would still be more than they could handle, especially since he possessed an All-Encompassing Spiritual Treasure!

Ever since Zhou Sihong appeared in the Five Dragons Sea Region, both human and demon races had dispatched large numbers of personnel to apprehend him, but they had yet to discover his whereabouts.