Chapter 1712: Extinguishing the Spirit God Light

Taishang Immortal Gate, Ancestor Hall.

Zhang Zhanfeng stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the statue of the Four Seasons Sword Sovereign, the founding ancestor. His expression was somewhat complex. A familiar male voice suddenly rang out: "Disciple Wang Qingshan requests an audience with Sect Leader Martial Uncle."

"Qingshan, come in!" Zhang Zhanfeng turned around, a smile appearing on his face.

Both he and Wang Qingshan were Nascent Soul cultivators. However, Wang Qingshan's master, Carefree Sword Sovereign, was Zhang Zhanfeng's martial brother, so Wang Qingshan addressed Zhang Zhanfeng as Martial Uncle. Wang Qingshan strode in, his gaze resolute.

"Nephew Wang, what have you considered regarding the matter I discussed with you? The sect and your family are not in conflict. If your Wang family joins our Taishang Immortal Gate, you can continue your activities and develop in the South Sea." Zhang Zhanfeng's voice was full of temptation. The South Sea had suffered the heaviest losses in the recent great war, and the Taishang Immortal Gate's losses were also significant. The sect needed to absorb other forces to replenish and strengthen itself. He hoped the Wang family would integrate into the Taishang Immortal Gate, becoming an affiliated force that would serve the sect. The Wang family's losses were minimal, and they had nearly ten Nascent Soul cultivators. Their integration would be highly beneficial for the Taishang Immortal Gate.

Wang Qingshan looked troubled and tactfully replied, "Disciple appreciates Sect Leader Martial Uncle's kind offer. This is a very important matter that requires the decision of my Ninth Uncle and Ninth Aunt once they return. I cannot make this decision on my own." A direct refusal would seem too distant, and the war was not yet over; the Wang family still relied heavily on the Taishang Immortal Gate in many aspects. The Wang family could repay the favors owed to the Taishang Immortal Gate, but if they were to integrate, it would take less than a century for their clansmen to identify more with the Taishang Immortal Gate and for their sense of belonging to their own family to weaken. This was evident from the Wang family descendants who joined the Three Immortal Sect with Wang Huashan. Currently, whether in terms of resources or environment, the Wang family could not compare to the Taishang Immortal Gate.

Zhang Zhanfeng had anticipated this, but disappointment still flickered across his face upon hearing the reply. "Many high-level cultivators from the Tianlan Sect are still alive. You should cultivate with peace of mind here in the sect! If you had joined our sect, you might already be at the perfected Nascent Soul stage. What a pity," Zhang Zhanfeng said with a tone of regret. Given Wang Qingshan's displayed talent in the Sword Dao, he would undoubtedly have been a key cultivation target if he had joined the Taishang Immortal Gate. Meng Tianzheng and Han Tianxuan were the Taishang Immortal Gate's primary cultivation targets. Meng Tianzheng had established his foundation with Earth Fiend Qi and advanced to the Core Formation stage with Heavenly Gang Qi, while Han Tianxuan's Nascent Soul formation attracted auspicious phenomena. They were the future of the Taishang Immortal Gate. Meng Tianzheng was already at the perfected Nascent Soul stage and was in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Soul Transformation stage. Han Tianxuan had been cultivating in a secret realm, aiming for the perfected Nascent Soul stage.

"Yes, Sect Leader Martial Uncle," Wang Qingshan agreed, then turned and left.

No sooner had he left than Carefree Sword Sovereign emerged from a side room, his eyes filled with admiration. "I told you, that boy is as stubborn as a mule. The Wang family won't integrate into the Taishang Immortal Gate, and it might not even be a good thing if they did," Carefree Sword Sovereign said with a frown. The Wang family had too many Nascent Soul cultivators. If they joined the Taishang Immortal Gate, over time, they might become dominant. The sect emphasized balance, and any single force growing too powerful carried the risk of internal strife.

Zhang Zhanfeng sighed and said, "I understand your concerns. It's just that the current state of the Wang family reminds me of our founding ancestor. Our ancestor also caused auspicious phenomena, and ever since then, our Taishang Immortal Gate has seen a continuous emergence of various talents, constantly growing and strengthening."

"The Wang family's current situation does bear some resemblance to our sect's past, but it's only a resemblance. Our ancestor made a name for himself during the Immortal-Demon War, while the Green Lotus Immortal Couple went to the Tianlan Realm, and whether they can return is still uncertain," Carefree Sword Sovereign said dismissively. From what was currently known, cultivators from the East Wisteria Realm who traveled to the Tianlan Realm suffered heavy casualties, and few survived.

"That's true, they likely won't be coming back. We're apprehending Tianlan Sect cultivators everywhere, and the Tianlan Sect will be doing the same to cultivators from the East Wisteria Realm," Zhang Zhanfeng sighed. After chatting for a while, the two went about their respective duties.

In a valley surrounded by mountains on three sides, there was a quiet estate. Wang Qingshan was speaking with Su Bingbing and Ximen Feng. Su Bingbing had also advanced to the Nascent Soul stage. Her achievements largely depended on the help of the sect and her master. Having started cultivating at the Taishang Immortal Gate at a very young age, she had a strong sense of belonging to the sect. Over the years, Ximen Feng had accumulated many contribution points, all of which she exchanged for cultivation resources and sent back to the Wang family for Wang Changjie.

"Uncle and Aunt still haven't returned, I hope they're alright!" Su Bingbing said, her face filled with worry. She had a good relationship with Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan. While she got along reasonably well with the 'Qing' generation of the Wang family, her feelings towards other Wang family members were more general.

"Don't worry! Ninth Uncle and Ninth Aunt are quite strong and possess great fortune; they'll be fine," Wang Qingshan reassured her.

Ximen Feng nodded and smiled, "Indeed! I've checked the sect's records, and it's quite rare in the East Wisteria Realm for cultivation partners to simultaneously advance to the Nascent Soul stage."

"Qingshan, since you're here at the Taishang Immortal Gate, you should focus on cultivating with peace of mind! With your current cultivation level, if another major war breaks out, you won't be able to protect your family," Ximen Feng advised.

Wang Qingshan nodded. "I agree. If the family encounters any trouble while I'm in seclusion, please help them resolve it." Ximen Feng and Su Bingbing readily agreed, as it wouldn't be difficult for them. After chatting for a while, Ximen Feng and Su Bingbing bid farewell and left.

Wang Qingshan went to the basement. He sat cross-legged on a green meditation cushion. With a flick of his sleeve, nine Azure Glaze Swords and the Green Lotus Sword flew out, hovering above his head. Wang Qingshan performed a sword incantation, and the Green Lotus Sword emitted a dazzling green light, transforming into a green lotus that floated above his head. The nine Azure Glaze Swords spun rapidly around him. Soon, they too transformed into nine green lotuses, revolving around Wang Qingshan. Wang Qingshan closed his eyes, his aura merging with the Green Lotus Sword. As he breathed in and out, the green lotuses above his head slowly rotated, emitting resounding sword hums.

South Sea, Celestial Void Grotto-Heaven.

In a hidden underground cave, five cultivators, including Situ Mei, Jin Yun, and Liu Feng'er, wore expressions of utter terror. Outside the underground cavern, lay over a dozen corpses. These bodies appeared to have been cut by sharp weapons, reduced to small pieces. Their faces were contorted in horror, as if they had encountered something dreadful. They had accidentally triggered a powerful restriction. All other cultivators had died, and had they not escaped quickly, they would have perished as well.

"Fellow Daoist Situ, why didn't you mention the Spirit Exterminating Divine Light was here?" Jin Yun asked through gritted teeth. The Spirit Exterminating Divine Light was an incredibly potent restriction; even defensive spiritual treasures could not withstand it. Any creature or object touched by it would be dismembered.

"I didn't know either. To my knowledge, besides the Grand Elder of the Zhenhai Sect, very few cultivators have managed to reach this place in nearly ten millennia," Situ Mei replied, her voice tinged with panic. Had it not been for the intervention of two Soul Transformation cultivators, she too would have died beneath the Spirit Exterminating Divine Light.

"The deed is done; further discussion is pointless. The Spirit Exterminating Divine Light won't disappear anytime soon, so let's hide here for now," Liu Feng'er suggested. No one objected. They could only hide here. As for opening a spatial channel, they held little hope; simply escaping alive would be a blessing.