Chapter 1851: Qianling Mountain Zhong Family

"Show me around Azure Dragon Valley properly, and you'll be well rewarded," Wang Mengbin instructed.

Li Xiao readily agreed, more than happy to oblige.

Li Xiao began leading Wang Mengbin on a leisurely stroll, providing detailed introductions to the features and merchandise of Azure Dragon Valley's various large shops.

As they turned a corner, three exceptionally beautiful female cultivators approached. Lower-level cultivators respectfully moved aside. Leading them was a round-faced maiden in a red dress with a trailing hem and a white belt tied at her waist. She had bright, large eyes, elegantly arched eyebrows, and skin as fair as snow, with her long dark hair casually draped over her shoulders. The spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from her indicated she was a Mid-Nascent Soul cultivator.

All three women had a mountain and river pattern on their sleeves, which seemed to signify something.

The maiden in red glanced at Wang Mengbin, a flicker of surprise in her beautiful eyes, but she said nothing and continued on her way.

Wang Mengbin possessed Late-Nascent Soul cultivation. Late-Nascent Soul cultivators were not common in the Azure World; they were considered high-tier combatants.

"Li Xiao, do you know where they come from?" Wang Mengbin asked curiously.

"To answer Senior Wang, these three seniors are from the Zhong Family of Thousand Spirits Mountain," replied Li Xiao, his face full of envy. "The senior in the red dress is known as Immortal Hongchen, Zhong Yunxiu. She is a leading figure in the Zhong family, which has a heritage of ten thousand years, profound foundations, and countless masters. It's said they have over ten Nascent Soul cultivators." He added, wishing he had been born into the Zhong family so he wouldn't have to wander around.

"The Zhong Family of Thousand Spirits Mountain!" Wang Mengbin nodded thoughtfully. The Zhong family's influence was considerable, with over ten Nascent Soul cultivators.

Half an hour later, Wang Mengbin and Li Xiao arrived at the entrance of a three-story, azure pavilion.

"Alright, you can go back now. If I need anything, I'll contact you," Wang Mengbin said, tossing Li Xiao a mid-grade spirit stone before walking inside.

He rented the pavilion and settled in.

Azure Dragon Valley was the largest market in the Azure World, with a large flow of people, making it convenient for gathering information. He planned to stay there for a while longer.

Li Xiao looked excited and readily agreed.

The pavilion's interior was elegantly furnished, with several landscape paintings adorning the walls. In a corner, there was a spiritual array roughly ten feet in size.

He flipped his hand, producing a square azure token. With a gentle shake, an azure light shot out and disappeared into the array.

The runes on the array's surface immediately lit up brightly, buzzing. An azure light curtain materialized out of thin air, adhering to the walls.

Wang Mengbin sat on a stool and took out the purchased jade slips containing ancient texts, examining them carefully.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Wang Mengbin removed the jade slip from his forehead, a thoughtful expression on his face.

According to the ancient texts, the Azure World had a history of over 200,000 years. Because it could connect to the Spirit Realm, high-level cultivators frequently arrived in the Azure World through various methods.

The famous True Monarch Dinglong of the Thousand Gourd World later also came to the Azure World, leaving behind a legend there.

Realm teleportation arrays were very special formations, specifically one-way teleportation arrays. They required certain rare materials for their construction, and once the power of these materials was exhausted, the teleportation array would become defunct.

When the four of them were together and teleported to the Azure World, Wang Mengbin did not remain with Cheng Zhenyu and the other two. Clearly, the realm teleportation array located at the bottom of the sea must have been a random teleportation. Perhaps Cheng Zhenyu and the others had gone to other realms, or they were in other parts of the Azure World.

Compared to a Sky-Piercing Spirit Treasure capable of breaking through realms, realm teleportation arrays were more dangerous. However, the former were extremely difficult to refine and were very rare.

To Wang Mengbin's knowledge, the East-Li Realm once possessed a Sky-Piercing Spirit Treasure that could traverse adjacent realms. However, that treasure was in the hands of the Four Seasons Sword Venerable. After the Sword Venerable's disappearance, the treasure also vanished. Since then, no second Sky-Piercing Spirit Treasure capable of breaking through realms had appeared in the East-Li Realm.

Wang Mengbin made a bold conjecture: True Monarch Dinglong, wishing to go to other realms but lacking a Sky-Piercing Spirit Treasure, found the method for constructing a realm teleportation array from ancient texts, built it at the bottom of the sea, and used it to teleport to the Azure World.

Unless he knew the relevant spatial nodes or the realm coordinates of the Thousand Gourd World and the East-Li Realm to construct a realm teleportation array to return, he would be unable to go back to either the Thousand Gourd World or the East-Li Realm.

"It seems returning to the East-Li Realm or the Thousand Gourd World will be very difficult, perhaps only achievable upon reaching the Soul Transformation stage," Wang Mengbin sighed, a wistful expression on his face. "I wonder how Ancestor and the others are doing."

In the Thousand Gourd World, the Bell Sound Mountain Range was located in its central region, stretching for a million miles and comprising tens of thousands of peaks of varying sizes. The spiritual energy here was sparse, and high-level cultivators rarely passed through.

Deep within the Bell Sound Mountain Range, in a narrow valley, the stone walls were covered with green moss, and hundreds of green vines climbed lushly over them. At the valley's end, a silver ribbon of water, over a thousand feet long, cascaded down a steep rock face into a vast, thousand-foot-wide pool, raising countless sprays of mist.

Over ten streaks of light flew in from a distance, landing in the valley.

As the light streaks receded, the figures of Cheng Xiaotian and his companions were revealed.

Bai Ling'er's divine sense spread out, meticulously scanning the entire valley. Finding no anomalies, her gaze settled on the waterfall at the far end.

Liu Yunfeng conjured three mist-shrouded formation flags. He cast a spell into each, and the flags' surfaces immediately glowed brightly, transforming into three blue lights that disappeared into the waterfall.

Soon, the waterfall parted, revealing an opening several feet wide.

Cheng Xiaotian gave a signal, and a robust, red-clad young man transformed into a red streak and flew into the cave.

After a moment, he flew out and nodded, "That's right, this is indeed the place."

"Let's go, let's see. Hopefully, we can get the Nine Yang Golden Glass Fruit," Cheng Xiaotian said, sweeping his sleeve and leaping inside.

Not long after, they appeared inside a cave about an acre in size. The cave was somewhat damp, and its stone walls were covered with green moss.

Cheng Xiaotian took out a pale azure jade plate. Runes flickered on its surface as he pressed it against the stone wall. The wall suddenly glowed with a dazzling blue light, and the entire cave shook violently, with countless碎 stones tumbling down from the walls.

Shortly after, a misty light curtain suddenly appeared on the stone wall. Through the curtain, a large number of exotic flowers and rare herbs could be seen.

Liu Yunfeng's expression was excited. Cheng Xiaotian's face, however, darkened. He looked behind him and shouted, "Who's following us? Get out!"

"Fellow Daoist Cheng, it's me," a steady male voice suddenly rang out. As soon as the words fell, Wang Qingshan, Immortal Ziyue, True Person Xuanling, and two other individuals entered. Wang Qingshan's expression was calm as usual.

"You betrayed us? You're a traitor?" A cold glint flashed in Cheng Xiaotian's eyes, his face filled with murderous intent.

Liu Yunfeng's face turned pale, and he quickly explained, "Senior, please spare my life. I haven't betrayed anyone; I don't even know them."

"Fellow Daoist Wang, we discovered this place first. Isn't what you're doing a bit excessive?" Bai Ling'er said, frowning.

"Just because you found it, it's yours?" Wang Qingshan calmly retorted. "Regarding merit, my Ninth Uncle and Ninth Aunt personally campaigned in the Thousand Gourd World. Did any Soul Transformation cultivators from your Eastern Barren Demon Race participate in that campaign?" He spoke calmly, knowing that the Nine Yang Golden Glass Fruit Tree was at stake and he would not back down.

The Eastern Barren Demon Race sending people to join the expedition to the Thousand Gourd World could be considered taking a great advantage. Other treasures aside, if the Demon Race acquired the Nine Yang Golden Glass Fruit Tree, which aided in achieving Soul Transformation, it would not be good for the human race of the Eastern Barrens.

Of course, there was no need to completely fall out over this.

"Hmph, do you really think we're afraid of you?" Cheng Xiaotian's face turned cold, and his hands suddenly transformed into furry wolf claws, ready to fight at a moment's notice.