Chapter 1397: Response Strategy

In a secret chamber within the Purple Moon Courtyard on Cyan Lotus Peak, located on Cyan Lotus Island in the Five-Dragon Sea Domain, Wang Changsheng and Fairy Zi Yue sat facing each other. Between them floated a millstone-sized blue fireball, radiating an intimidating heat.

After a moment, Wang Changsheng and Fairy Zi Yue simultaneously performed a hand seal. Several spell incantations struck the blue fireball, causing it to suddenly emit a blinding blue light. The fireball dissipated, revealing two palm-sized blue jade bottles. The bottles, identical in size, shimmered with constant runes and exuded an astonishing spiritual energy fluctuation.

These were the One-Origin Water Controlling Bottles, artifacts adept in both offense and defense, jointly refined by Wang Changsheng and Fairy Zi Yue.

They had spent nearly ten years refining artifacts, creating the Azure Glaze Sword, the Sea-Calming Beads, and the One-Origin Water Controlling Bottles—all complete sets of artifacts. This was with both of them working together; if Wang Changsheng had worked alone, he wouldn't have been able to refine these three sets of artifacts in under twenty years.

“It’s finally done,” Wang Changsheng exhaled, smiling. “Junior Martial Sister Tian, now you have an extra layer of protection against enemies; you won't have to be so disheveled every time you face one.”

Fairy Zi Yue rarely made a move, but each time she did, she was injured by a powerful adversary. When True Monarch Huang Long attacked, she nearly perished. With the Spirit Treasure Fire Sparrow Fan and now the One-Origin Water Controlling Bottles—artifacts capable of both offense and defense—Fairy Zi Yue’s self-preservation would no longer be an issue.

Fairy Zi Yue’s face lit up with joy as she nodded. “This is largely thanks to Senior Martial Brother Wang’s help. If I had relied solely on myself, even if I could have refined them, it would have taken a considerable amount of time.” As a complete set, the One-Origin Water Controlling Bottles possessed considerable power.

Over the years, Fairy Zi Yue and Wang Changsheng had frequently collaborated on artifact refining, indirectly enhancing their synergy. Their refining techniques had also improved. However, to refine a Spirit Treasure, they still had a long way to go. Apart from anything else, just obtaining a blueprint was a challenge, let alone the materials required for Spirit Treasures. The Wang family’s power was steadily growing, and Wang Changsheng firmly believed that in due time, they would be able to personally refine Spirit Treasures.

“You help me, I help you, it's nothing, we should—”

Before Wang Changsheng could finish speaking, he frowned. He pulled a palm-sized cyan spell plate from his robes, on which a cyan lotus flower was carved. After injecting a spell incantation, Wang Ruyan’s urgent voice suddenly rang out: “Husband, the Zhenhai Sect ruins have been exposed!”

At these words, Wang Changsheng and Fairy Zi Yue’s expressions changed. Setting aside the Zhenhai Sect’s remaining cultivation techniques and treasures, they could not afford to lose the ruins for the sake of the Tier 5 spiritual vein alone.

Truth be told, Wang Changsheng had considered this issue long ago. Thousands of Wang family cultivators resided in the Zhenhai Sect ruins, which were large enough to sustain them. However, to improve their cultivation, they needed to purchase elixirs, formations, and talismans from the outside world. Over time, consistent contact with the outside would inevitably lead to discovery. Wang Tianqi managed the clan members within the ruins, preventing them from freely entering and exiting. This measure somewhat reduced the risk of exposure, but it was merely a reduction, not a guarantee against discovery.

Currently, Zhou Sihong was causing chaos in the South Sea, and the Ten Major Sects of the South Sea were preoccupied with apprehending him, likely leaving them no time for other matters. The immediate problem was that traveling from the Five-Dragon Sea Domain to the Myriad Ghosts Sea Domain would take at least half a year. During this period, there was no guarantee that high-level cultivators wouldn’t open the ruins, which would be an absolute disaster for the Wang clan members.

“Senior Martial Brother Wang,” Fairy Zi Yue mused briefly, offering her analysis. “Did your clan members leak the information, or did an enemy discover it by accident? For the other party to spread the news, I see a few possibilities. First, the cultivator who discovered the Zhenhai Sect ruins might have too low a cultivation level to open an entrance. However, they wouldn't need to spread the news; they could simply sell it to a major power for cultivation resources. My analysis suggests that the cultivator who discovered the ruins bears a grudge against your Wang family, or they sold the information to a power that has animosity towards your family. I lean towards the former; it’s highly probable it’s Huanglong Island.”

If the Wang family were to discover ruins occupied by a major power, they would never spread the news, as there would be no benefit and it would only bring trouble upon themselves, unless the Wang family held a grudge against that power and wished to see them suffer losses. The Wang family had few enemies in the South Sea cultivation world. Huanglong Island possessed both the strength and motive, making them highly suspect. Even if it wasn't Huanglong Island, it was certain that the enemy held a grudge against the Wang family, or the informant bore animosity towards them, which is why the news was disseminated.

The disadvantages of the Zhenhai Sect ruins being exposed were severe, but Wang Changsheng had long prepared for this day. Firstly, he had already instructed Ye Haitang to set up a grand formation, sealing off a portion of the Zhenhai Sect area and designating it as a forbidden zone. Wang Tianqi and Wang Rongmiao were stationed at the Zhenhai Sect ruins precisely to prevent clan members from carelessly trespassing and discovering the Tier 5 spiritual vein. Even if Wang family cultivators fell into enemy hands and couldn’t withstand torture, the enemy would at most learn that the ruins contained a Tier 4 spiritual vein and were quite large. As for the artifacts and refining materials within the ruins, neither Wang Tianqi nor Wang Rongmiao were aware of their existence; Wang Changsheng had never mentioned them, only instructing them not to approach a certain area.

Additionally, he had Wang Tianqi undertake a major renovation of the ruins: raising low earthen mounds and leveling the peaks of tall mountains. Even a former Zhenhai Sect disciple might not recognize the ruins as their former headquarters. Regarding the origin of the ruins, Wang Changsheng had specifically mixed in introductory cultivation methods from over a dozen different sects within the scripture repository to confuse onlookers. Even if the ruins couldn't be protected, he could still distance himself from them.

Currently, the advantages for the Wang family were that outsiders were unaware of the Tier 4 spiritual vein, did not know it was the Zhenhai Sect ruins, and had no idea what treasures were inside. Most importantly, the attention of the Ten Major Sects of the South Sea was focused on Zhou Sihong, leaving other matters temporarily set aside.

Wang Changsheng considered for a moment, then said, “Junior Martial Sister Tian, please come with me to the Myriad Ghosts Sea Domain! I hope they haven’t opened the ruins yet.” As long as the enemies hadn't entered the ruins, the Wang family could still safeguard them. He could claim it was a conspiracy orchestrated by Zhou Sihong or the demon race, deliberately inciting internal strife among human factions. How many people had actually entered the ruins? Without concrete evidence, it could all be dismissed as rumors. However, for a long time to come, clan members could not be allowed to enter or exit the ruins without permission, unless a fourth Nascent Soul cultivator emerged in the Wang family.

Their immediate priority was for Wang Changsheng and Fairy Zi Yue to reach the Myriad Ghosts Sea Domain as quickly as possible and stealthily infiltrate the Zhenhai Sect ruins. Once inside, Fairy Zi Yue would be able to personally control the formations. They had to hurry to the Myriad Ghosts Sea Domain and enter the ruins before they were breached.

“Let’s go immediately!” Fairy Zi Yue urged. “We cannot delay. The longer we procrastinate, the more troublesome it will become.” The entrance to the Zhenhai Sect ruins required a special token to open. Furthermore, the area where the ruins were located contained spatial fissures. Other high-level cultivators wouldn't risk venturing deep into the Myriad Ghosts Sea Domain based on an unverified rumor.

The Wang family must neither admit nor explicitly deny the rumors; they should act as if nothing happened, letting major issues become minor ones, and minor issues disappear entirely. Silence was the best response. If the Wang family immediately jumped out to deny it, they would only escalate the matter. If the Wang family disdained to refute it, it would naturally be seen as a rumor. Instead of the Wang family publicly refuting it, they could have forces they secretly controlled do so.

Wang Changsheng and Fairy Zi Yue hurriedly walked out. They briefly greeted Wang Ruyan, then used the Spirit Transformation Pearl to alter their appearances and conceal their aura, before leaving Cyan Lotus Island.