Chapter 1542: Wang Mengbin Attacks the Nascent Soul

A tranquil courtyard with blue tiles featured a cobblestone path that divided the yard in half, with spiritual fields on either side. These fields were planted with numerous tall, blue spiritual flowers, each standing over a person's height. Their petals had black patterns along the edges, and their stems were black.

Wang Qingqi and Ye Haitang strolled along the path, chatting as they walked.

"Cousin Haitang," Wang Qingqi said, pointing at the sea of flowers in the spiritual fields with a smile, "I've planted several acres of Jade Ink Flowers. Once I get a fourth-tier Yin Beast demonic core, I'll be able to refine the Yellow Springs Elixir."

The Yellow Springs Elixir used a Yin Beast's inner core as its primary ingredient, supplemented by various other elixirs. Wang Changsheng had specifically instructed Wang Qingqi to do his best to help Ye Haitang refine the Yellow Springs Elixir, and Wang Qingqi naturally wouldn't refuse.

Ye Haitang was skilled in array formations. She had helped Wang Qingqi set up multiple arrays for his cultivation of spiritual herbs and for teaching alchemy to their clan members. Additionally, Ye Haitang assisted in arranging Spirit Gathering Arrays to accelerate Wang Qingqi's cultivation speed. However, Wang Qingqi knew his limits and spent most of his time researching ancient elixir formulas.

"I'm sorry to trouble you, Cousin Qingqi," Ye Haitang said apologetically. "It seems I always have to ask for your help refining the Yellow Springs Elixir."

Wang Qingqi waved his hand. "We're family; there's no need to be so polite. By the way, the family managed to obtain a piece of the Golden Flame Stone you mentioned last time. Is the Seven-Star Golden Flame Array you talked about really as powerful as you described?"

For modern elixir formulas, substituting a few auxiliary ingredients might take more time but is usually manageable. Ancient formulas, however, were much more troublesome. Many spiritual herbs required for them had become extinct, making the research for new formulas not only time and energy-consuming but also a drain on vast amounts of cultivation resources.

Ye Haitang could set up arrays that slightly improved the success rate of alchemy. Even a half-percent increase could save a significant amount of spirit stones.

"Of course it can," Ye Haitang said confidently. "The prerequisite for increasing the elixir success rate is that you are already capable of refining that specific elixir. If you can't refine it, then this array formation is useless. If it didn't require Golden Flame Stone to set up, I would have already done it for you." The Golden Flame Stone emitted stable flames, making it suitable for setting up alchemy-assisting arrays.

Wang Qingqi was overjoyed. "Excellent! You set up the array, and I'll refine the elixirs for you."

Ye Haitang smiled and nodded in agreement. Suddenly remembering something, she asked curiously, "By the way, Cousin Qingqi, has Cousin Qingqing still not come out of seclusion?"

Ye Haitang had entered seclusion around the same time as Wang Qingqing. Over fifty years had passed, and Ye Haitang had already emerged, so why hadn't Wang Qingqing?

"No, not yet," Wang Qingqi said with some uncertainty. "Perhaps Sister Eight will take a bit longer." Cultivators breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage had no fixed time; some attracted heavenly tribulations in just over ten years, while others might take over a hundred years.

"Oh, and Fairy Cai Lian..."

Before Ye Haitang could finish her sentence, a massive roar echoed from high above. The previously clear sky suddenly became overcast with dense clouds, and fierce winds swept through.

A colossal silver lightning bolt ripped across the sky, visible for a thousand miles around.

Suddenly, a vast amount of five-colored spiritual light emerged in the void, dense and numerous, like a meteor shower.

"A Nascent Soul phenomenon? Could it be the thunder tribulation Cousin Qingqing attracted?" Ye Haitang exclaimed in surprise. Calculating the time, Wang Qingqing and others had been in seclusion for over fifty years. Currently, only Wang Qingqing, Wang Mengbin, and Wang Qingjun had not emerged. The Nascent Soul phenomenon must have been caused by one of these three.

Wang Qingqi immediately soared into the sky. He spotted a massive thundercloud in the southeast, filled with lightning and thunder. Disappointed, he shook his head and said, "It's not Sister Eight; it's Mengbin. Huaxuan has already failed. I wonder if Mengbin will succeed."

Wang Qingqi frowned, a worried expression on his face.

The Wang family had two cultivators with rare spiritual roots. Previously, the Wang family and the Tang family almost came to blows over Wang Huaxuan. After Wang Huaxuan was brought to the South Sea, he received dedicated guidance in cultivation. Wang Qingqing refined protective artifacts for him, Wang Ruyan crafted protective talismans, and Wang Qingqi made elixirs for him. He was truly showered with immense favoritism.

Wang Huaxuan did not disappoint; after advancing to the Core Formation stage, he contributed significantly to the family. Unfortunately, he was unable to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, his path ending at Core Formation.

Wang Mengbin had cultivated for a longer period than Wang Huaxuan. By the time Wang Huaxuan arrived in the South Sea, Wang Mengbin had already entered the Core Formation stage.

In a valley surrounded by mountains on three sides, there was a blue-tiled courtyard spanning ten acres. Garden corridors, pavilions, and towers were abundant. In the center of the courtyard grew a thirty-zhang tall Thunder Apricot Spiritual Fruit Tree. Silver electric arcs shimmered on its thick trunk. A thousand-zhang wide thundercloud appeared high in the sky, with silver lightning bolts writhing wildly and continuous rumbling, creating an intense sense of oppression.

Near the Thunder Apricot Spiritual Fruit Tree stood a three-story silver pavilion. In its basement, Wang Mengbin sat cross-legged on a blue futon, his eyes closed. Before him was a pale silver incense burner, holding a half-burnt stick of Three-Essence Spirit Stabilizing Incense.

Wang Mengbin's face was contorted in pain, and he was drenched in sweat.

A quarter of an hour later, as the Three-Essence Spirit Stabilizing Incense burned out, Wang Mengbin opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing within them. He let out a long sigh of relief, realizing his clothes were soaked with sweat.

"Thanks to the Three-Essence Spirit Stabilizing Incense brought back by Ancestor Ximen," Wang Mengbin murmured to himself, "otherwise, this attempt would have been perilous."

He mused to himself. Born on Spirit Peach Mountain, Wang Mengbin had a happy childhood. He followed his family to develop in the South Sea and didn't endure many hardships before reaching the Core Formation stage. After forming his core, a major war erupted in the South Sea. Wang Mengbin, Wang Qingling, and Wang Qiuming represented the Wang family in the conflict, narrowly escaping death at the hands of the demon race several times.

After the war, the Wang family acquired a large number of islands, allowing Wang Mengbin to cultivate peacefully on Silver Serpent Island. Later, he ventured into the Immortal Suppressing Pagoda but became stuck at a bottleneck. He then accompanied Wang Qingshan to the Northern Frontier for experience, engaging with talented disciples from various major cultivation sects. This recent experience, which helped him overcome his bottleneck, had enriched his wisdom and strengthened his Dao heart.

Boom!

A deafening roar filled his ears. The basement shattered, and a massive silver lightning bolt descended from the sky, striking towards Wang Mengbin.

Wang Mengbin quickly formed a hand seal, and countless silver electric arcs surged from his body, forming a shimmering silver armor that protected him completely.

The silver lightning struck the silver armor, instantly exploding into a dazzling expanse of silver thunder light that enveloped Wang Mengbin.

The rumbling continued as the thundercloud violently churned, and massive silver lightning bolts repeatedly descended, striking the secret chamber where Wang Mengbin was located.

Wang Mengbin attracting the Nascent Soul phenomenon naturally could not be hidden from Wang Changsheng.

On a verdant mountain peak over a thousand zhang tall, Wang Changsheng, Wang Qingling, and Ye Haitang stood at the summit, gazing at the courtyard engulfed in silver thunder light.

"Huaxuan failed, but Mengbin should succeed, right? He has more experience." Wang Qingling said softly, a hint of worry in her eyes.