Chapter 1535: Closed-Door Meditation

In a secret chamber on Green Lotus Peak, Wang Changsheng sat cross-legged on a meditation mat, his gaze fixed on a man-sized red cauldron. The cauldron had four legs and two handles, with a red lotus carved into its body. A pale blue flame burned beneath it.

Scattered around him were various crafting materials, mostly metallic ores.

After a while, Wang Changsheng changed his hand seals, and the blue flame transformed into a blue light that vanished into his sleeve. He then cast a spell into the red cauldron, and its lid flew off, landing on the ground.

Wang Changsheng stood up and quickly stepped towards the red cauldron. Inside, there was a pair of palm-sized golden wheels, their surfaces shimmering with runes.

The inner ring of each golden wheel was formed by four crescent-shaped petals, their edges incredibly sharp and gleaming with a chilling light.

These were the Golden Moon Wheels, Wang Changsheng's newly refined Natal Artifacts for Wang Qiuming. He had incorporated some magnetic stones into them, imbuing them with magnetic force to suppress other metal-element artifacts.

Wang Changsheng flicked his sleeve, stored the pair of Golden Moon Wheels, and strode out.

Leaving Green Lotus Peak, Wang Changsheng arrived at a towering, gleaming golden peak. The mountain was covered with numerous golden trees, their leaves shimmering with a radiant golden light. He sent out a communication talisman.

Not long after, Wang Qiuming emerged, clad in golden robes, his face rosy and beaming with a smile.

“Grandfather, your grandson greets you. Please come in,” Wang Qiuming said, bowing and gesturing for Wang Changsheng to enter his residence.

Wang Changsheng followed Wang Qiuming into a secluded courtyard. Inside, a golden fruit tree, over a hundred zhang tall, stood laden with a dozen gleaming golden fruits, emitting a rich fragrance.

Wang Qiuming brewed a pot of steaming spiritual tea and respectfully offered a cup to Wang Changsheng with both hands. “Grandfather, please have some tea,” he said reverently.

Wang Changsheng took the cup, sipped the tea, then retrieved the Golden Moon Wheels and handed them to Wang Qiuming. “Qiuming,” he said kindly, “these are the Golden Moon Wheels, your Natal Artifacts, which I’ve refined for you. I’ve incorporated a special magnetic ore into them, making them effective against metal-element artifacts. See if you like them.”

Wang Qiuming accepted the Golden Moon Wheels with both hands, his eyes gleaming with delight and excitement.

He tossed the Golden Moon Wheels forward, casting a spell into each. The two wheels began to spin rapidly, slicing through the air with loud whooshing sounds.

As they spun, the two Golden Moon Wheels hovered in mid-air like a pair of golden full moons.

Wang Qiuming summoned a gleaming green flying dagger. As the green dagger approached within ten zhang of a golden wheel, it instantly lost control and flew towards it.

With a clang of metal, the green dagger was absorbed by one of the golden wheels, shattering into pieces and turning into a pile of scrap metal.

Wang Qiuming gasped. The Golden Moon Wheels were this powerful after Wang Changsheng's re-refinement? No wonder so many high-level cultivators wanted to obtain special ores from the Buried Immortal Sea Region.

“Excellent, thank you, Grandfather,” Wang Qiuming said, storing the Golden Moon Wheels and bowing in gratitude again.

“You call me Grandfather; this is what I should do,” Wang Changsheng said with a solemn expression, cautioning him. “While the Golden Moon Wheels can suppress metal-element artifacts, it doesn't mean they are invincible. You mustn't underestimate your opponents.”

All things have a cycle of mutual generation and suppression; there are no invincible artifacts or cultivation techniques.

“Your grandson understands, Grandfather. I will engrave your teachings in my heart,” Wang Qiuming replied, fully agreeing and maintaining a respectful demeanor.

Wang Changsheng inquired about Wang Qiuming's daily cultivation routine, and Wang Qiuming answered truthfully.

“Qiuming, who do you plan to invite to your Nascent Soul Ceremony?” Wang Changsheng asked. Since Wang Qiuming had advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, Wang Changsheng intended to hold a grand celebration.

Wang Qiuming hesitated slightly before replying, “Grandfather, your grandson doesn't plan on a grand ceremony. It's enough for our clan members to know.”

He had always disliked such formalities. A Nascent Soul Ceremony would involve dealing with many Nascent Soul cultivators and exchanging countless pleasantries.

The clan had contributed significantly to Wang Qiuming's advancement to the Nascent Soul stage. Wherever he went, others would highly regard him simply because he was the grandson of the Green Lotus Immortals. There was nothing he could do; the Green Lotus Immortals were too renowned. Wang Qiuming had few opportunities to distinguish himself, and even when he achieved something, others considered it expected.

He wanted to enter secluded cultivation and prove himself through his own strength.

As a direct descendant of the Green Lotus Immortals, Wang Qiuming felt a sense of pride but also some distress. He didn't want to live his entire life under the shadow of his grandparents; he wanted to prove himself.

Wang Changsheng was a little surprised and asked curiously, “Not holding a Nascent Soul Ceremony? Why not?”

“Your grandson doesn't like grand affairs, so the Nascent Soul Ceremony can be skipped. Your grandson intends to enter secluded cultivation, as cultivation level is paramount.” Wang Qiuming's gaze was resolute; after advancing to the Nascent Soul stage, he intended to cultivate even harder.

Wang Changsheng was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered, a look of approval on his face. He encouraged him, saying, “It’s excellent that you think this way. Since your mind is made up, I will respect your wishes. Grandfather has always remembered what you said in your youth, and I believe you can certainly achieve it.”

After chatting for a while, Wang Changsheng returned to Green Lotus Peak. Wang Mengfen came to consult him about the selection of the Two Heroes.

The Wang family now had over thirty Core Formation cultivators. Being selected as one of the Two Heroes meant the privilege of prioritizing advancement to the Nascent Soul stage, a matter that could not be taken lightly.

“The positions will remain vacant for now. Whoever makes significant contributions to the family will be selected. Remember, fairness must be absolutely guaranteed,” Wang Changsheng stated in a stern tone, recalling the saying, 'People fear not scarcity, but inequality.' As the family grew larger, fairness became even more crucial. As the most senior member of the clan, Wang Changsheng had to set an example; if the beam above was not straight, the pillars below would lean awry.

If he showed favoritism, those below him would follow suit, and the family would fall into chaos.

The Two Heroes referred to male Core Formation cultivators. Purely based on cultivation, Wang Youwei was a suitable candidate.

He held Wang Youwei in high regard, but Wang Youwei had not yet made any significant contributions. If Wang Youwei were directly selected as one of the Two Heroes, it would not convince the masses and would warp the family's integrity.

The original selection criteria for the Two Heroes had always been based on contributions to the family; this rule could not be broken. If Wang Changsheng changed the rule today, future generations would follow suit and act arbitrarily.

Just as nations have national laws, families have family rules.

“Yes, Old Ancestor,” Wang Mengfen replied, breathing a sigh of relief. This was exactly what he wanted Wang Changsheng to say. If Wang Changsheng had designated Wang Youwei, he wouldn't have argued, but it would have made it difficult to manage the other clan members.

If the higher echelons showed favoritism, those at the bottom would lose hope and become unruly in their actions.

Wang Changsheng suddenly remembered something and added, “Yingjie is a good child. If there's an opportunity, let him undergo more trials.”

Wang Yingjie possessed a five-element spiritual root, making his chances of advancing to the Nascent Soul stage extremely low. Wang Changsheng intended to make Wang Yingjie an example to motivate other clan members.

“Yes, Old Ancestor.”

After a few more instructions, Wang Changsheng dismissed Wang Mengfen.

Returning to his underground chamber, Wang Changsheng closed his eyes to meditate and regulate his breath.

A quarter of an hour later, he opened his eyes, took out a palm-sized blue gourd, and cast a spell into it. A large quantity of bone-chilling blue liquid flew out, hovering in mid-air.

Wang Changsheng began cultivating the eleventh level of the 'True Scripture of Kui Water'. A large expanse of blue radiance emerged from his body as the blue liquid flew towards him, slowly seeping into his body through his pores. A bone-chilling coldness entered his body, causing him to shiver.

He planned to enter secluded cultivation, striving to advance to the late Nascent Soul stage.

The great calamity True Monarch Tianyue spoke of likely wasn't the Abyssal Spiders. A great calamity wouldn't be so easy to overcome.

If he could reach the late Nascent Soul stage before the great calamity arrived, it would be relatively easier for both Wang Changsheng and the Wang family to survive it.