Chapter 1471: Four-Star Puppet Beast

Qinglian Peak, Qinglian Pavilion.

The door to the secret chamber suddenly opened, and a hearty laugh filled the air. Wang Changsheng emerged from the chamber, his face alight with joy. After three unsuccessful attempts, he finally managed to refine a low-grade fourth-tier puppet beast. This success was largely due to Ye Haitang and others, who had acquired a significant amount of millennium ironwood from the Immortal Ruins.

Fourth-tier puppet beasts require millennium ironwood and a fourth-tier demon beast spirit as their primary components, along with various other materials. While other ingredients are relatively straightforward to acquire, obtaining millennium ironwood and, especially, fourth-tier demon beast spirits is challenging. The demon beast spirit, in particular, is lost if the soul-melding process fails. Furthermore, the inclusion of other materials significantly increases the cost and complexity of refining a fourth-tier puppet beast, contributing to their scarcity.

Wang Changsheng successfully refined one low-grade fourth-tier puppet beast. While he still possessed a considerable amount of millennium ironwood, only Ao Qing's spirit remained intact; all other fourth-tier demon beast spirits had been ruined. Once a puppet beast is refined, the demon beast spirit must be integrated into it, forming a complete whole for the process to be deemed successful. This stage is also the most challenging; Wang Changsheng experienced three failures, two of which happened during this crucial integration step. His success in refining a fourth-tier puppet beast was not only due to the materials acquired by Ye Haitang and others but also significantly linked to his improved artifact-refining skills. After being trapped in the Buried Immortal Sea for over forty years, Wang Changsheng dedicated himself to artifact refining, studying the techniques of the Spirit Realm. This concentrated effort dramatically elevated his proficiency. After three failures, Wang Changsheng finally managed to refine the fourth-tier puppet beast. The materials he had wasted could have been used to craft two complete sets of magical treasures.

The Wang family currently possessed fifty-two high-grade spirit stones, most of which came from Ao Qing. This fourth-tier puppet beast was a significant trump card that Wang Changsheng would not use lightly. Ao Qing's spirit was too valuable for Wang Changsheng to use in refining a low-grade fourth-tier puppet beast. To continue refining more fourth-tier puppet beasts, he would need to gather additional materials and, critically, more fourth-tier demon beast spirits.

Wang Changsheng was already very pleased with his success in refining a single fourth-tier puppet beast. He couldn't help but recall Fairy Ziyue, reflecting that without her guidance, it would have taken him considerably longer to reach this level. He wondered about her current well-being. After Wang Qingling's Nascent Soul formation ceremony, Wang Changsheng planned to travel to the Myriad Ghost Sea to visit Fairy Ziyue.

As he stepped out of his residence, he heard a joyful flute melody. Wang Ruyan stood in the stone pavilion, holding the Pure Dust Bamboo. A lively flute tune emanated from it, seemingly conveying joyous news. Listening to the melody, Wang Changsheng felt his spirit uplifted. Soon after, the flute melody grew rapid, and Wang Changsheng's breathing became heavy. His vision blurred, and he suddenly found himself on a desolate plain. Millions of soldiers clashed in battle, their shouts, the clang of swords, and the pounding of drums intertwining. He felt a surge of violent killing intent flood his mind, and his eyes slowly turned crimson, as if he were on the verge of losing control.

Shortly after, the low notes became more melodic, instilling a sense of melancholy. The environment shifted again, and Wang Changsheng suddenly found himself in a fragrant valley alive with birdsong. Lush exotic flowers and rare plants adorned the valley, their abundant petals scattered across the ground, releasing a rich floral scent. A group of young, beautiful female cultivators abruptly appeared in the valley. Varying in build, from slender to plump, they displayed diverse expressions: some were shy, others bold and passionate, and some purely endearing. The sheer veils they wore barely concealed their graceful figures, inspiring countless fantasies in any man who saw them.

Wang Changsheng smiled faintly and murmured to himself, "An illusion! It seems the power of the Pure Dust Bamboo surpasses my expectations." The female cultivators danced sensually around Wang Changsheng, either flirting with their eyes or teasing with their bodies, yet Wang Changsheng remained unfazed. The flute melody changed once more, the surroundings shifted, and Wang Changsheng returned to reality.

Wang Ruyan had already put away the Pure Dust Bamboo, her face alight with joy. Wang Changsheng, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator with exceptionally powerful divine sense, was nonetheless caught off guard. When Wang Ruyan used the Pure Dust Bamboo to cast an illusion, he easily fell into the trance, a testament to its power, considering even other Nascent Soul cultivators would struggle. With Wang Changsheng possessing eighteen Sea-Stabilizing Pearls and Wang Ruyan holding the Pure Dust Bamboo, their combined strength should be sufficient to contend with late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

"My dear," Wang Changsheng said with a smile, "if we had acquired the Six Roots of Purity Bamboo sooner, we wouldn't have had to flee in disarray over a hundred years ago." He was referring to the time they were injured by the vice-sect master of the Nine Nether Sect. Back then, they were merely early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, and had they possessed the Pure Dust Bamboo, they would not have been forced to flee.

Wang Ruyan nodded in agreement. "Indeed! Times have changed. If we were to encounter Lei Yiming again, he might no longer be our match. However, facing Shangguan Wei would be a different story." The Wang family had been gathering intelligence on the Nine Nether Sect for years. Shangguan Wei was known for her decisive and ruthless actions; she either held back completely or struck without mercy. Since achieving the Nascent Soul stage, Shangguan Wei had never suffered a defeat, at least publicly, no Nascent Soul cultivator had managed to overpower her.

Wang Changsheng nodded. With one fourth-tier puppet beast now refined, he mused that if he possessed three, they might stand a chance against Shangguan Wei. With his current divine sense, controlling three fourth-tier puppet beasts would be quite strenuous. However, Wang Yingjie had acquired the complete *Nine Revolutions God Forging Art*, and the Wang family had spent years collecting specific demon beast core essences to refine God-Forging Pills, which were now assisting Wang Changsheng in his cultivation of the *Nine Revolutions God Forging Art*. He simply needed time. In due course, it wouldn't be too late to confront Shangguan Wei once he could control four or five fourth-tier puppet beasts.

External Incarnations, fourth-tier puppet beasts, the *Nine Revolutions God Forging Art*, Dragon Origin Spirit Liquid, Dragon Scale Fruits, and other valuable items had all been acquired with the help of clan members. This exemplified the advantages of a strong family. Wang Changsheng had initially invested immense effort and time into developing the clan, and as it prospered, clan members reciprocated, creating a virtuous cycle. This principle applied not only to families but also to cultivation sects: an individual's capacity to gather materials was limited, but the power of a collective was boundless. This is why most rogue cultivators, upon reaching higher cultivation stages, choose to establish their own sects or schools. Huang Fugui, of course, was a rare exception; no other cultivator had enjoyed such extraordinary luck.

To be frank, Wang Changsheng had never expected Huang Fugui to reach the Nascent Soul stage, nor had he anticipated Huang Fugui's ability to track Zhou Sihong. As Fairy Cai Lian described it, Huang Fugui was blessed with immense fortune. Huang Fugui had obtained a significant amount of cultivation resources from the Ten Great Sects of the South Sea. He was currently cultivating on Golden Lotus Island, stating that once he emerged from seclusion, he would seek out Wang Changsheng in the Buried Immortal Sea. Guang Dongren allowed Huang Fugui to cultivate freely on Golden Lotus Island, without interference.

"By the way, my dear, has Tianwen returned?"

Wang Tianwen served as the Deputy Commander in the Myriad Immortals Bureau of the Great Yan Dynasty, a position with considerable authority. He had now reached the eighth layer of the Core Formation stage. Over the years, he had helped the family resolve numerous issues, and the clan had dispatched members to assist him with his duties. Wang Tianwen had thus become the crucial link between the Great Yan Imperial Family and the Wang family.

"No," she replied. "There's been an internal issue within the Great Qin Dynasty, and the Great Yan Dynasty appears poised to act against it. The balance in the Central Plains has already been disrupted. Oh, and one more thing: the Seven Absolutes Sect has a new sect master. It seems something has happened to the Seven Absolute Blade Emperor."

The Great Qin Dynasty, illegitimate in its origins and supported by demonic cultivators, was already ostracized by the other four dynasties. With internal problems now emerging in Great Qin, the other four dynasties naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity. However, what was most notable was the Seven Absolutes Sect's selection of a new sect master, which prompted Zhou Yunxiao to cause a significant disturbance there. As long as Soul Transformation cultivators did not intervene, the Seven Absolute Blade Emperor was widely considered the foremost master in the Central Plains cultivation world. The Seven Absolutes Sect electing a new sect master strongly implied his demise. However, Zhou Yunxiao refused to accept that anything had happened to the Seven Absolute Blade Emperor, which led him to cause a significant disturbance at the Seven Absolutes Sect.