Chapter 1746: Liu Ruyi's Price

“Immortal Liu, long time no see.” Wang Changsheng cupped his hands and said politely.

Liu Ruyi’s expression was complicated. Honestly, she hadn’t expected Wang Changsheng to return alive, let alone to have advanced to the Soul Transformation stage. The last time they met, he was her junior; this time, they were equals.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, congratulations! After all these years, I didn’t expect you to have reached the Soul Transformation stage.” Liu Ruyi congratulated him with a smile. The moment she heard about Wang Changsheng’s breakthrough, she rushed over. She hoped the Wang family would stay and develop in the South Sea, strengthening its cultivation world. The inter-realm war had lasted for over a century, causing immense losses to the South Sea cultivation world. Many cultivation families were severely hit, their strength greatly diminished, and there were significant casualties among Nascent Soul cultivators. Once the Spirit-Extinguishing Qi in the Buried Immortals Sea dissipated, the war would resume. At that point, the South Sea would become the main battlefield, incurring even greater losses.

“It was merely luck. Immortal Liu, please come in; let’s talk inside.” Wang Changsheng gestured for her to enter, inviting Liu Ruyi into Green Lotus Island.

Soon after, they appeared in the council hall. As soon as they sat down, a young and beautiful maid in a green dress entered, carrying two cups of fragrant tea. After setting down the tea, the maid withdrew. Wang Changsheng and Liu Ruyi chatted casually while sipping their tea.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, what are your plans next?” Liu Ruyi brought up the main topic.

Wang Changsheng had already anticipated Liu Ruyi’s purpose. He said with a smile, “The war isn’t over yet. I plan to first gather my clan members and get through this great tribulation. Fellow Daoist Liu from Taiyi Immortal Sect said they are willing to offer the ‘Three Kingdoms’ territory for our Wang family’s development.” He had decided to develop in the South Sea, but since they had been ordered to fight in the Sky-Wave Realm and almost didn’t return, the South Sea cultivation world should provide substantial compensation.

“The ‘Three Kingdoms’ territory? Fellow Daoist Liu is too stingy. Fellow Daoist Wang, if you are willing to stay and develop in the South Sea, I can promise your Wang family seven hundred islands, five of which have fourth-order spirit veins. This is just the sincerity from our Ten Thousand Swords Sect. Fellow Daoist Sun and others will also offer some territory for your Wang family’s development, guaranteeing more than just the ‘Three Kingdoms’ territory.” Liu Ruyi’s tone was sincere.

Wang Changsheng’s expression remained unchanged. These were not tangible benefits. No matter how large the territory, the Wang family currently couldn’t defend it. All major forces were currently consolidating their personnel and strengthening their defenses.

“Your disruption in the Sky-Wave Realm this time was a great achievement. I will speak on your behalf and help you secure more benefits, at least three spirit treasures. Additionally, I will send people to help your Wang family set up a fifth-order formation, but you will need to gather the materials for it.” Liu Ruyi added.

After Wang Changsheng returned to the South Sea, he sent someone to inform the Ten Thousand Swords Sect of their return and their achievements. Wang Changsheng had destroyed the physical bodies of two Soul Transformation cultivators, which would take them at least several centuries to recover their cultivation. This indirectly reduced two Soul Transformation stage enemies. Based solely on this, offering Wang Changsheng three spirit treasures was not excessive. As for Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures, that was out of the question; Soul Transformation cultivators in the East篱 Realm did not each possess a Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure. The Sky-Wave Sect had so many Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures because they had integrated the resources of an entire realm to refine them.

“Setting up a fifth-order formation!” Wang Changsheng was somewhat tempted. He could produce a good amount of fourth-order materials, but he genuinely didn’t have many fifth-order formation materials. This was a matter of fundamental resources.

“Immortal Liu, this matter is significant; we need to consider it.” Wang Changsheng said politely. As the highest-cultivated cultivator in his family, he could make the decision directly. The reason he spoke this way was that the compensation offered by Liu Ruyi was still not enough.

“Of course, Fellow Daoist Wang, if you have any requests, please speak freely. I will do my best to fulfill them. If the South Sea cultivation world cannot provide it, then no other place will be able to either.” Liu Ruyi said proudly. The main reason she valued Wang Changsheng so highly was that he possessed a powerful weapon that even Soul Transformation cultivators couldn’t resist, as Fu Wen had personally stated.

Fu Wen had requested a favor and, in passing, mentioned that Wang Changsheng possessed a certain powerful weapon. This was implicitly approved by Wang Changsheng. Wang Changsheng had just entered the Soul Transformation stage and needed sufficiently powerful strength to earn the respect of other Soul Transformation cultivators. Destroying the physical bodies of two Soul Transformation cultivators was Wang Changsheng’s greatest achievement.

Wang Changsheng took out a blue jade slip, handed it to Liu Ruyi, and said, “I am very fond of artifact refining. If I could gather these materials, nothing would be better.” He wanted to upgrade his eighteen Sea-Stabilizing Beads into spirit treasures. This wasn’t about refining a single spirit treasure, but a set of them, requiring a vast amount of rare materials. Wang Changsheng knew well that he couldn’t collect all of them in the short term. What he currently had in abundance was time.

Liu Ruyi swept her divine sense over it, gasped, and frowned deeply.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, these materials are all incredibly rare. It will be too difficult to gather all of them. I can only try my best to find them.”

“Alright, I will await Immortal Liu’s good news.” Wang Changsheng agreed with a smile. Besides the materials for refining spirit treasures, there were also rare artifact-refining materials like Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Jade and Grand Yin Divine Crystals. Honestly, the materials he wanted to collect were enough to refine a Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure. He didn’t expect to gather all of them; getting half would be considered excellent.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, could you tell me about the situation in the Sky-Wave Realm? And your experiences there?” Liu Ruyi’s expression was serious.

Wang Changsheng briefly recounted their experiences in the Sky-Wave Realm. He spoke vaguely about sensitive details, not elaborating. He didn’t mention the Water of the Underworld Moon, which was a major weapon he currently possessed, and the less people knew about it, the better. Fu Wen had promised to keep it a secret for him. If other cultivators knew about the properties of the Water of the Underworld Moon, they could refine special magic treasures to resist it. Everything in the world has a counter. Wang Changsheng firmly believed that everything had a nemesis, and resources differed between realms.

“The Buried Devil Ice Plains, fifth-order demonic beasts... Fellow Daoist Wang truly has profound fortuitous encounters.” Liu Ruyi said with an envious tone.

“It’s nothing, just luck.” Wang Changsheng smiled faintly and replied humbly.

“Luck is also part of strength. Alright, let’s skip the pleasantries. I will contact Fellow Daoist Sun to discuss your rewards. I will do my best to secure more for you.” Liu Ruyi said meaningfully.

Wang Changsheng understood immediately. Cupping his hands, he said, “Then I shall trouble Immortal Liu. Our Wang family will always stand with your Ten Thousand Swords Sect, advancing and retreating together.” This was exactly what Liu Ruyi wanted to hear. A smile bloomed on her face as she stood up to take her leave.

After seeing Liu Ruyi off, Wang Changsheng went to the council hall and summoned Wang Mengfen and others for a meeting. With Wang Changsheng having advanced to the Soul Transformation stage, the Wang family head position had to be held by a Nascent Soul cultivator, as this was the family’s public face. Among the Wang family’s Nascent Soul cultivators, only Wang Qingling had experience managing the family, but she preferred to delegate heavily.