Chapter 1532: Qinglian Creation Cauldron

Qinglian Island in the South Sea.

A secret chamber on Qinglian Peak.

Wang Changsheng sat cross-legged on a green meditation cushion, surrounded by various refining materials, bottles, and jars.

Limbs from several puppet beasts were scattered on the floor. In the bottom left corner of the stone chamber, a formation spanning over ten zhang glowed. The Azure Lotus Cauldron hovered above the formation, constantly drawing in wisps of spiritual energy. The blue lotus patterns on the cauldron gradually brightened.

In front of Wang Changsheng, a pale blue flame emanated a bone-chilling cold.

His gaze was fixed on the blue flame as he cast various incantations into it.

After a while, Wang Changsheng made a hand seal, and the blue flame transformed into a faint blue flame, vanishing into his mouth. In its place appeared a golden giant eagle, about a zhang in size. The eagle shimmered with golden light and a metallic luster, its surface covered in intricate, grain-sized runes.

Wang Changsheng's expression was tense. He flipped his hand, retrieved a black porcelain bottle, and cast an incantation. A miniature whale flew out. All the runes on the golden eagle puppet beast illuminated, and the miniature whale flew towards it.

Wang Changsheng held his breath, his eyes fixed on the golden eagle puppet beast. This was the final step: if the soul fusion succeeded, he would successfully refine a new fourth-tier puppet beast.

The miniature whale merged into the golden eagle puppet beast's head. The puppet's eyes emitted a golden light, and it spread its wings, soaring into the air.

Wang Changsheng was overjoyed, but his happiness was short-lived. The golden eagle puppet beast's head exploded, the runes on its body dimmed, and it fell to the ground.

“It failed,”

Wang Changsheng's smile instantly froze. He sighed softly, realizing why fourth-tier puppet beasts were so rare. Just because he had successfully refined one last time didn't mean every attempt would succeed. Each failure meant a ruined fourth-tier demon beast essence soul.

While the Wang family's treasury had plenty of millennium ironwood, they lacked fourth-tier demon beast essence souls. Obtaining one meant slaying a fourth-tier demon beast.

Wang Changsheng still possessed a fourth-tier demon beast essence soul – Ao Qing's soul. He intended to use it to refine a rare and powerful treasure, so naturally, he wouldn't use it for a fourth-tier puppet beast.

He collected the refining materials from the ground and walked towards the Azure Lotus Cauldron.

Strictly speaking, it was the Azure Lotus Creation Cauldron. Ximen Feng had gone to the Taiyi Immortal Sect's scripture repository and, after exhaustive research of relevant texts, finally uncovered the two missing characters in its name.

The name 'Azure Lotus Creation Cauldron' was inscribed with 'Azure Lotus' added later, while 'Creation' was written in Jin Ke script, an ancient script passed down from antiquity.

Judging by the Jin Ke script used for 'Creation,' the Azure Lotus Creation Cauldron was a treasure passed down from ancient times. Besides purifying refining materials, it likely possessed other functions, though Wang Changsheng had yet to fully grasp them.

Wang Changsheng had spent considerable time studying the Azure Lotus Creation Cauldron but hadn't yet deciphered much. Currently, he only knew it had the effect of purifying refining materials.

The Azure Lotus Creation Cauldron appeared to be a supplementary magical artifact, specifically for purifying refining materials. It was a pity it couldn't purify alchemy ingredients.

Artifacts crafted from materials purified by the Azure Lotus Creation Cauldron were one or two tenths more powerful. While the difference wasn't visible on the surface, it became apparent during combat. In his spare time, Wang Changsheng would refine a few such artifacts and place them in the family treasury, making them available only to clan members who had made significant contributions to the family.

Wang Changsheng cast an incantation onto the Azure Lotus Creation Cauldron. Its lid flew open, revealing a sparkling golden ore inside. The ore was entirely crystalline and floated in mid-air, while some grayish-white impurities settled at the bottom of the cauldron.

Wang Changsheng retrieved the golden ore. He had extracted this magnetic ore from the Buried Immortal Sea Region and planned to incorporate it into Wang Qiuming's natal artifact to enhance its power.

Just then, a sound transmission talisman flew in.

Wang Changsheng flicked two fingers, sending out a blue light that struck the talisman. The talisman spontaneously combusted, and Wang Mengfen's voice suddenly rang out: “Patriarch, Ji Yun and the others have returned, but Patriarch Qingshan has not. He went to the Taiyi Immortal Sect with Senior Liu from their sect.”

Wang Changsheng placed the ore back into the Azure Lotus Creation Cauldron, then took out his communication disk to contact Wang Mengfen. He instructed, “Mengfen, have Ji Yun and the others come to the assembly hall. I have some questions for them.”

“Understood, Patriarch.”

Wang Changsheng stepped out of the Azure Lotus Pavilion. The Lin Turtle was playing in the lake, chasing a school of spirit fish without using any spells. The spirit fish scattered, having learned their lesson not to attack the Lin Turtle. A treant climbed on a towering tree.

Wang Changsheng stamped his foot on the ground, transforming into a blue streak that shot through the air.

Soon after, Wang Changsheng appeared in the assembly hall, where Wang Jiyun, Wang Yingjie, Chen Xudong, and Wang Mengfen had been waiting for some time.

Upon seeing Wang Changsheng, the four of them quickly saluted.

“Dispense with the formalities,” Wang Changsheng said, settling into the main seat. “Jiyun, tell me about your journey to the Northern Border.”

Wang Jiyun acknowledged him and recounted their experiences in the Northern Border in detail. As he spoke of their battle with the Netherworld Spiders, a hint of fear involuntarily appeared in his eyes.

“Thanks to the three seniors' intervention, we managed to destroy that fifth-tier Netherworld Spider. Oh, and Patriarch, these are the fourth-tier demon beast essence souls that Patriarch Qingshan asked us to bring back, along with the silk and spider legs spewed by the mutated Netherworld Spiders, and other materials.”

Wang Jiyun took out a string of green storage bags and handed them to Wang Changsheng with both hands.

The trip hadn't been in vain; they had acquired a large batch of refining materials and over twenty fourth-tier demon beast essence souls. The cost, however, was the loss of eight third-tier puppet beasts and dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators from the clan.

Wang Changsheng took the storage pearl, and his divine sense swept over it. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. There was a considerable amount of refining material, enough to craft over a dozen sets of artifacts. Wang Qingshan deserved significant credit for them bringing back so many materials, and the others contributed as well.

Wang Changsheng handed the storage pearl to Wang Mengfen and instructed, “Mengfen, according to clan rules, convert these items into contribution points and distribute them among them. For the fallen clan members, ensure their kin receive a more substantial compensation.”

“Understood, Patriarch.”

Wang Mengfen assented without hesitation. He would register the items and then deposit them in the treasury. Nascent Soul cultivators could use them freely, while cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage would need to exchange them for contribution points.

Wang Changsheng looked at Wang Yingjie, a look of approval on his face. “Yingjie, you did very well. Knowing how difficult Netherworld Spiders are to deal with, you still bravely accompanied Qingshan to the Northern Border. Your courage is commendable.”

Wang Yingjie stepped forward and respectfully said, “Patriarch, you flatter me. This was merely my duty.”

“All three of you did exceptionally well, and all the clan members who accompanied Qingshan to the Northern Border are commendable. You've had a difficult journey. Now that you're back, get some good rest!”

After offering a few words of encouragement, Wang Changsheng left the assembly hall and returned to his residence.

About a quarter of an hour later, Wang Mengfen delivered the refining materials: silk spun by the fourth-tier Netherworld Spider, its legs, venom, and other items.

Wang Changsheng picked up a bundle of golden spider silk, gripped one end firmly with both hands, and pulled with all his might. The golden silk remained completely intact. He then tossed it into the air, took out his Grand Clarity Spirit-Slaying Blade, and swung it at the golden silk.

“Clang!”

A dull clang of metal on metal echoed, sparks flew, but the spider silk remained undamaged, save for a faint, almost invisible hack mark on its surface.