Chapter 1904: Li Yaoyao, Qian Dafu, Assume Their Posts

A month passed quickly, as seasons turned.

Within a sprawling estate, there was a tranquil courtyard with blue-tiled roofs and a bluestone pavilion. Wang Changsheng, Wang Ruyan, and over a dozen other Soul Transformation cultivators sat around a bluestone round table, drinking and chatting. Apart from Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan, the other cultivators present were either descendants or disciples of ascended cultivators.

Through Qin Ming’s introduction, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan met many Soul Transformation cultivators. Upon learning that Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan were ascended cultivators, they treated them with great courtesy. What surprised them was that Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan could ascend to the Spirit Realm during the early Soul Transformation stage. Chen Yueying had already instructed Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan not to reveal the details of their ascension to outsiders as a form of protection, so they naturally wouldn't spread this news around.

“Senior Martial Brother Qin, Senior Martial Sister Li, thank you for your care during this time,” Wang Changsheng said. “We’ve stayed at the main altar for quite some time now and plan to depart for Xuanling Island tomorrow to take up our posts. Tonight, we’re hosting a banquet for all of you.” Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan raised their wine cups and toasted all the cultivators. They would have liked to stay longer, but Fang Ming sent word, instructing them to proceed to Xuanling Island as soon as possible to assume their duties. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan naturally wouldn't defy the order. They also wanted to go to Xuanling Island to take up their posts, where they could peacefully modify their cultivation techniques.

“Junior Martial Brother Wang, Junior Martial Sister Wang, are you really leaving for your posts so soon? Why not stay a bit longer? Are those people from the Law Enforcement Hall rushing you?” a graceful young woman in a golden dress asked with a frown. The young woman had slender, arched eyebrows and glistening almond eyes, wearing no makeup. This was Li Yaoyao, a late Soul Transformation cultivator who was a fifth-tier talismansmith, skilled in the art of talismans. Li Yaoyao and Qin Ming were both core members of the Ascension Faction and among its leading figures.

“No, it’s not that,” Wang Changsheng explained with a smile. “Senior Martial Uncle Fang sent word that there’s been some trouble on Xuanling Island and asked us to proceed there as soon as possible to take up our posts. Otherwise, my wife would have liked to properly consult with Senior Martial Sister Wang about talisman techniques.” He had sought Qin Ming’s advice on artifact refinement, and Wang Ruyan had consulted Li Yaoyao on talisman crafting, both benefiting greatly.

“I see,” said a stout man in a yellow robe. “Xuanling Island is quite remote, but there's generally no danger there. My clan uncle is in the sea area where Xuanling Island is located. If you encounter any insurmountable trouble, you can seek him out. This is a token; he’ll understand when he sees it.” The stout man in yellow robes took out a pale green, four-cornered jade pendant with the character “Qian” engraved on it, which clearly signified something. The man was plump and fair-skinned, with a clean face and large ears. This was Qian Dafu, a mid Soul Transformation cultivator. His family’s ancestor was also an ascended cultivator. The Qian family was an affiliated cultivation family of Zhenhai Palace, possessing their own territory. Over ten Qian family cultivators had joined Zhenhai Palace, with cultivations ranging from Core Formation to Soul Transformation. Their overall strength was not significant, and the Qian family was far inferior to the Lin family, where Lin Youxin belonged.

Wang Changsheng expressed his thanks and accepted the four-cornered jade pendant. Having connections certainly smoothed the way.

Li Yaoyao flipped her delicate hand, and a spiritual light flashed, revealing two exquisite blue jade boxes. She handed the boxes to Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan, saying, “Junior Martial Brother Wang, these are two top-grade, fifth-tier Thousand Shadow Talismans, which are escape talismans. They are even faster than flying spirit treasures. Please take them! I hope you won’t have to use them.”

“Senior Martial Sister Li, this gift is too valuable; we cannot accept it,” Wang Ruyan tactfully declined, knowing that accepting such a valuable gift would mean owing a difficult-to-repay debt.

“Thousand Shadow Talismans!” Qian Dafu exclaimed with envy. “I never thought Senior Martial Sister Li could craft these talismans now. If fully activated, even ordinary sixth-tier demon beasts wouldn't be able to catch up.” Sixth-tier demon beasts corresponded to Void Refinement cultivators.

“What’s so strange about that?” another cultivator interjected. “Senior Martial Sister Li is Senior Martial Uncle Li’s most outstanding descendant. It’s estimated she’ll enter the Void Refinement stage in less than a century.”

“Exactly,” another added. “Junior Martial Brother Wang and Junior Martial Sister Wang are truly fortunate.” The other cultivators looked on with envy, as these were top-grade, fifth-tier escape talismans, worth over a million spirit stones.

“Enter the Void Refinement stage?” Li Yaoyao said with a smile. “Even if I do, Senior Martial Brother Qin will still be ahead of me. Junior Martial Brother Wang, Junior Martial Sister Wang, please take them! We’re all family here; there’s no need to be so polite.” While top-grade, fifth-tier escape talismans were precious to others, she could craft them herself, so giving Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan two Thousand Shadow Talismans was nothing to her. What she valued was Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan’s potential, and the two Thousand Shadow Talismans were merely an initial investment.

“In that case, we will accept them,” Wang Changsheng said, expressing his thanks. “Thank you, Senior Martial Sister Li.” Wang Changsheng accepted the two blue jade boxes.

“Come, let’s toast Junior Martial Brother Wang and Junior Martial Sister Wang,” Qin Ming said, standing up, “and wish them a smooth journey.” Everyone stood up, clinked their cups, and drained the spirit wine in their cups.

After a short while, Qin Ming and the others took their leave. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan quickly packed their belongings and left their residence.

They arrived at a steep, towering peak. At its foot stood a bluestone monument over ten zhang tall, engraved with the large characters “Cloud Sea Peak.” Cloud Sea Peak housed many external teleportation arrays. Xuanling Island was over 300 million li from Zhenhai Palace’s main altar. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan needed to teleport to a market city established by Zhenhai Palace, and then proceed to Xuanling Island.

A flight of bluestone steps wound from the base of the peak to its summit. At the summit stood a blue palace over a hundred zhang tall. Above its main gate, a blue plaque bore the three golden characters “Cloud Sea Hall.” Many cultivators were constantly entering and exiting.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan entered Cloud Sea Hall. After inquiring with a steward disciple, they arrived at the entrance of a stone chamber on the third floor. The chamber’s large door was engraved with the characters “Xuanling.” On both sides of the corridor were many similar stone chambers, all of uniform size, but with different characters inscribed on their stone doors.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan took out their identity tokens and pressed them onto the stone door. The stone door trembled slightly, and countless enigmatic blue runes lit up. The door then abruptly opened, revealing a stone chamber over a hundred zhang in size. Its stone walls were intricately carved with numerous profound formation patterns, emitting a strong restrictive fluctuation.

Embedded in the ceiling of the stone chamber was a pale blue crystal ball, the size of a watermelon. It exuded an overwhelming spiritual aura and was clearly a spirit treasure. In the center of the chamber was a teleportation array several hundred zhang in size. It had hundreds of uniformly sized indentations, each containing a high-grade spirit stone.

As soon as they stepped into the stone chamber, the blue crystal ball immediately flared brightly, releasing a sheet of blue light that descended and enveloped them. Cultivators entering and exiting the main altar were subject to strict scrutiny to prevent any non-human races from infiltrating. This was a sect rule, applied to everyone without exception.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan stepped onto the teleportation array. They infused spiritual power into their identity tokens, and a blue light shot out from each token, disappearing into the array. With a low humming sound, countless runes surged forth, enveloping their entire bodies. Blinding blue light emanated from the formation beneath their feet and engulfed their figures.

After a moment, the blue light dissipated, and Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan were gone.