Chapter 2328: Talent Emerges

Xuanling Continent, Xuanguang Island.

Liu Qingyun sat cross-legged near the Flying Spirit Platform, hands forming seals, eyes closed, his body enveloped in a dazzling spiritual light.

After a moment, the Flying Spirit Platform began to shake violently, as if an earthquake was occurring.

A brilliant blue light beam shot into the sky. Before it could travel far, an aquamarine light curtain appeared out of thin air, blocking the blue light beam.

Liu Qingyun seemed to sense something; the spiritual light around his body dissipated, and he opened his eyes.

"Another person has ascended!"

Liu Qingyun was filled with both surprise and joy. Originally, guarding the Flying Spirit Platform was a leisurely duty, primarily because it offered ample time for cultivation. However, over the past ten thousand years, many individuals had ascended from the lower realms.

Each time a cultivator from the lower realms ascended to this Flying Spirit Platform, it was attributed to Liu Qingyun's efforts.

He quickly sent a message to the elder guarding Xuanguang Island and looked towards the Flying Spirit Platform.

A tall young man in a blue robe with resolute features stood on the Flying Spirit Platform, his eyes bright and piercing.

This was Wang Zonglang. After many years of arduous cultivation, he had finally reached the Mid-Stage Soul Transformation realm. With the aid of the Flying Spirit Grand Array, he had successfully ascended to the Xuanyang Realm.

Tracing his lineage, Wang Zonglang was a descendant of Wang Changhao.

"My name is Wang Zonglang. True Master Taihao is my ancestor. May I ask for your name, fellow Daoist?" Wang Zonglang bowed respectfully to Liu Qingyun and spoke politely.

"True Master Taihao! Are you a kinsman of Junior Brother Wang?" A gentle male voice rang out.

A dignified-looking old man in a green robe descended from the sky. The elder had a round face and large, bright eyes, exuding a powerful sense of pressure.

He had already been informed by his superiors that Wang Changsheng had established the Flying Spirit Grand Array in the lower realms, which could help cultivators at the Soul Transformation stage ascend.

"Indeed, greetings, Senior." Wang Zonglang nodded, his expression respectful.

"I understand. Here is a sea map to Qinglian Island. You may proceed on your own. Be extra careful on your journey, and if needed, you can mention Zhenhai Palace." The green-robed elder took out a blue jade slip and handed it to Wang Zonglang.

Wang Zonglang repeatedly expressed his gratitude, put away the blue jade slip, and transformed into a streak of blue light, departing.

"Another Soul Transformation cultivator has ascended. If this continues, the strength of our Ascension Faction will surely grow stronger." The green-robed elder muttered to himself, his expression somewhat excited.

Qinglian Island. On a steep peak, a large number of Ironwood trees grew, their ages ranging from hundreds to over a thousand years.

Ironwood was a common material used in crafting puppet beasts. Puppet beasts below the sixth rank could be crafted from Ironwood, in addition to using metal ores or demonic beast remains.

At the foot of the mountain stood a cyan stone monument over ten zhang tall, inscribed with the characters "Xuanji."

At the mountain's summit was an estate with blue brick walls and glazed tiles, featuring exotic flowers, rare plants, strange rock formations, and a five-story red pavilion.

The pavilion door suddenly opened, and a delicate-featured girl in a red dress emerged. The girl had a round face, large eyes, a pair of charming dimples, and a beauty mark on her forehead.

This was Wang Liangyan. She was currently at the Grand Perfection stage of the Nascent Soul realm, a Fourth-Rank Artifact Forger, and highly skilled in the art of puppetry.

Wang Mengbin consumed a Golden Amber Jade Ganoderma Pill and cohabited with Bai Yuqi, who subsequently gave birth to Wang Jiye.

Wang Jiye was a cultivator with a Heavenly Fire Spirit Root, currently at the Mid-Stage Soul Transformation realm. He was a Fifth-Rank Artifact Forger, and Wang Liangyan was his descendant.

She had been interested in the art of puppetry since childhood and possessed a very high level of skill in crafting puppets.

A brilliant red light burst forth from Wang Liangyan's body, transforming her into a dazzling streak of red light that shot through the air.

In less than fifteen minutes, Wang Liangyan appeared on a bluestone plaza spanning one hundred thousand mu. Over ten thousand cultivators had gathered there, including men, women, the elderly, and the young, with cultivation levels ranging from the Qi Refining stage to the Soul Transformation stage.

At the center of the plaza stood a colossal red tower over a thousand zhang tall, shimmering with spiritual light and flickering runes. The four large characters "Lihuo Demon Refining" were inscribed upon it, clearly indicating it was a low-grade Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure.

The Lihuo Demon Refining Pagoda was jointly crafted by Wang Qingfeng and Wang Jiye. It could conjure demonic beasts to attack challengers, ranging from a maximum of low-grade sixth-rank demonic beasts down to first-rank demonic beasts.

The Lihuo Demon Refining Pagoda served to temper the younger clan members and enhance their combat experience.

The Wang family held minor competitions every ten years and major competitions every hundred years. The higher the ranking, the more substantial the rewards.

Minor competitions were restricted to cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage, while major competitions allowed participation from cultivators at or above the Nascent Soul stage, offering very generous rewards.

Today was the day of the major competition, and most clan members were there to watch the spectacle. If a cultivator from their own lineage achieved a good ranking, it would bring some glory to their branch.

Wang Liangyan's gaze swept across the area, and she swiftly descended to the ground, landing beside two men and one woman. All three were Nascent Soul cultivators. The one with the highest cultivation was a refined-looking young man in a green robe, who had well-defined, fair features.

"Sister Liangyan, your cultivation has broken through! It seems you'll have no problem ranking in the top three in this major competition," the young man in the green robe said with a smile.

This was Wang Liangshu, a Late-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator, who practiced the Confucian cultivation method "Haoran Art."

After over a thousand years of development, the Wang family had amassed an increasingly diverse collection of cultivation methods. Clan members had many options to choose from, and their choice of cultivation method depended entirely on personal preference.

Some clan members who enjoyed alchemy practiced the "Heavenly Pill Grand Canon," while those who preferred artifact forging practiced the "Lihuo True Scripture." Those interested in beast controlling practiced the "Thousand Spirit Treasure Scroll."

"Top three? My goal is first place," Wang Liangyan said with a confident smile, her tone forceful and resolute.

"First place? My apologies, Aunt Liangyan, but first place is mine." A confident male voice suddenly rang out.

A nine-foot-tall young man in a red robe descended from the sky. He was broad-shouldered and powerfully built, with thick limbs, bulging veins, and eyes that faintly emitted a dazzling red light.

This was Wang Qinglong, a descendant of Wang Qingcheng. He cultivated both Dharma and Body, and was currently at the Grand Perfection stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

"That's not necessarily true; it could be mine." A somewhat lazy male voice suddenly sounded. As soon as the words fell, a portly young man in a yellow robe descended from the sky, causing the ground to shake slightly.

The yellow-robed young man had a round face, small eyes, layers of belly fat, and fair skin.

This was Wang Qinglei. He cultivated an earth-attribute technique and was currently at the Late-Stage Nascent Soul realm.

Wang Qinglei was a descendant of Wang Qingfeng. He did not understand artifact forging, alchemy, or array formations, nor was he interested in insect control, beast taming, or puppetry. However, he had extensive combat experience, and when not cultivating, he spent his time hunting demonic beasts.

Wang Liangyan, Wang Liangshu, Wang Qinglei, and Wang Qinglong were currently the most outstanding Nascent Soul cultivators in the Wang family, with a high probability of advancing to the Soul Transformation stage.

While it was impossible for every generation to be exceptional, having a few promising talents in each generation was enough to sustain the family.

"The Family Head is here!" Someone shouted. All the cultivators immediately stopped talking and looked up towards the sky.

Wang Qingcheng flew in from a distance and stopped above the bluestone plaza.

"Today is the day of the family's centennial major competition. Nascent Soul cultivators, please line up and enter the Lihuo Demon Refining Pagoda in order to clear the challenges. The first-place winner will receive a Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure." Wang Qingcheng's voice, though not loud, resonated across the entire plaza.