Chapter 1980: Intercepting the Orcs

Four years flew by quickly.

The door to the artifact refining room suddenly opened, and Wang Changsheng stepped out, his eyes filled with joy.

He had spent five years refining a set of seven Ice Soul Extinction Needles. Each of the flying needles was a low-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure, and his supply of Heavenly Moon Cold Crystal was now depleted. The materials alone for the Ice Soul Extinction Needles had cost him over ten million spirit stones, but he had finally succeeded in refining them.

In addition to refining the Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure set, Wang Changsheng had also consumed the remaining Blood Dragon Rice, further enhancing his physical strength.

Wang Changsheng checked on his spirit insects and beasts, finding them still in slumber and not yet awake. This didn’t surprise him. Upon entering the courtyard, Wang Changsheng saw Wang Ruyan sitting in the stone pavilion, holding a pale blue communication disc with a solemn expression.

“Husband, Master-Uncle Cai wants us to go over,” Wang Ruyan informed Wang Changsheng. “It seems there’s a mission.”

“If that’s the case, let’s go!”

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan left their residence and headed to Tianhai Tower.

On the ninth floor of Tianhai Tower, Chen Xin and six other Soul Transformation cultivators stood neatly in respectful silence. Before them stood four Void Refining cultivators, including Cai Yunfeng and Li Yuqing. A soft shuffle of footsteps sounded, and Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan walked up. Li Yuqing’s gaze swept over them, landing on Wang Changsheng. She scrutinized him from head to toe. For some reason, Wang Changsheng felt as though he was being seen through.

“You must be Young Friend Wang! Your vital energy is vigorous; very good. Fellow Daoist Cai, your Zhenhai Palace truly produces an abundance of talent!” Li Yuqing praised, sighing with emotion.

“An abundance of talent?” Cai Yunfeng chuckled, his gaze falling on Li Yunfeng and Li Ruyue. “Immortal Li, your Li family disciples are no less impressive. Aren’t you afraid of accidents sending them out?”

Li Yuqing smiled faintly and said, “Jade is not a vessel until it is carved. This is a form of tempering. You and I both went through this; they must be put to the test.”

Wang Changsheng was utterly confused, but stood obediently. One after another, more Soul Transformation cultivators arrived and lined up. Half a quarter of an hour later, more than a dozen Soul Transformation cultivators were present on the ninth floor, all looking puzzled.

“We are about to undertake a very dangerous mission, and we need some assistance. You will accompany us,” Cai Yunfeng instructed.

“Yes, Master-Uncle Cai (Senior Cai),” Wang Changsheng and the others responded in unison, their expressions respectful.

After leaving the market, Cai Yunfeng conjured a Four-Direction Beast Carriage, and the cultivators boarded it one by one. He cast an incantation, and the Four-Direction Beast Carriage soared into the sky at great speed.

After flying for over a hundred miles, Cai Yunfeng finally revealed their mission. “A group of rogue cultivators has colluded with an alien race. They have obtained a very important treasure and are preparing to offer it to them. Our mission is to intercept them and retrieve the item.”

Cai Yunfeng’s expression was grim. Golden Toad Island was a convergence point for multiple races, a chaotic mix where spies were most rampant. Some human cultivators, either lured by immense wealth or coerced, would gather intelligence and cultivation resources for the alien races.

“A very important treasure?” Wang Changsheng’s eyes showed a hint of curiosity. For Cai Yunfeng to describe it as ‘very important,’ could it be a high-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure? Or perhaps a treasure that aids in surviving the Grand Heavenly Tribulation?

“Master-Uncle Cai, if that’s the case, why not stop them in the market? Wouldn’t preventing their departure be enough?” Lu Guanghong asked curiously.

“We previously signed an agreement with the alien races: Golden Toad Island is a place for trade. Regardless of any grievances, no fighting is allowed within the market. Outside the market, of course, that rule doesn’t apply. With a Void Refining stage alien accompanying them, they can leave the market alive. It is imperative that we intercept and kill them and retrieve the item before they escape back to their lair,” Cai Yunfeng explained, adding that if humanity unilaterally broke the agreement, the consequences would be severe—it wouldn’t be a matter of just a few Soul Transformation cultivators dying. The most crucial point was that while the treasure was highly sought after by Void Refining cultivators, it wasn’t particularly valuable to Integration stage cultivators. Otherwise, the Void Refining alien accompanying them wouldn’t even know how they died. In simple terms, the treasure wasn’t worth an Integration stage cultivator taking action.

“Fellow Daoist Cai, your artifact’s flying speed is too slow. Let’s use my spirit beast instead! My spirit beast has just awakened.” As Li Yuqing spoke, she flicked her wrist, and a blue light shot out. It was a massive beast over a hundred zhang long. Its head resembled a crocodile’s, its body was covered in blue scales, and it had two pairs of large dragon claws under its belly, a thick, long tail like a python’s, and two pairs of massive blue fleshy wings on its back. Judging by its aura, it was a fifth-rank high-grade Sky-flying Alligator Dragon.

The cultivators boarded the Sky-flying Alligator Dragon one by one. The beast let out a shrill, ear-piercing roar, and blinding blue light erupted from its body. The sea churned violently, parting to create a path. The Sky-flying Alligator Dragon’s escape speed was exceptionally fast. Proficient in water-element Dao techniques, it moved across the sea as if on flat ground, raising towering waves in its wake. Before long, they vanished into the vast ocean, as if they had never been there.

Over a million miles away, a red light streaked across the high sky with extreme speed. The red light was, in fact, a shimmering red scroll, depicting a massive red giant eagle. The eagle seemed alive, its wings continuously flapping. Seven men and two women stood upon it. Leading them were a bull-headed, human-bodied beastman and a golden-robed old man over seventy. The golden-robed elder held a golden snake staff taller than himself, his face ruddy and his gaze serious. All of them were Void Refining cultivators. A slightly hunched yellow-robed old man stood behind the golden-robed elder, looking nervous.

“Fellow Daoist Niu, are you sure someone will be there to meet us? You wouldn’t deceive this old man, would you?” The golden-robed elder asked with a frown, his face full of suspicion.

“Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Jin, I, Niu Bin, would not joke about something like this. They are already on their way. All we need to do is speed up. Once we reach our Beastman territory, we’ll be safe. At that time, I will honor my promise and certainly not mistreat you, Fellow Daoist Jin. Since we’re almost there, could you please hand over that treasure to me first?” The beastman’s gaze grew fervent toward the end of his speech.

“No. Once we arrive, this old man will naturally hand it over to your Beastman leadership. Fellow Daoist Niu, there’s no need to be impatient.” The golden-robed elder tactfully refused.

“Hmph, I’m afraid you won’t make it to the Beastman territory. Hand over that item, and you might live.” A cold, indifferent male voice suddenly rang out. No sooner had the voice faded than the seawater ahead churned violently, raising a colossal wave ten thousand zhang high, blotting out the sky and casting a vast shadow, its momentum immense.

Cai Yunfeng stood atop the giant wave, his expression cold, his face slightly pale, clearly having employed some high-level escape technique.

“Four Seas Spirit Transformation Technique! You are from Zhenhai Palace.” The golden-robed elder frowned. The Four Seas Spirit Transformation Technique was a unique secret art of Zhenhai Palace. A caster could escape anywhere from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of miles, the exact distance depending on the cultivator’s cultivation level and spiritual power.