Chapter 2419: Preparing for a Rainy Day

In the Dongli Realm, the Wang family had narrowly escaped annihilation by the Nine Nether Sect. Fortunately, the Nine Nether Sect's cultivators had not paid close attention to the fates of Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan. Furthermore, due to the ongoing conflict between the Nine Nether Sect and the Sun Moon Palace, their experts did not extensively search for them in the South Sea Immortal Cultivation World, which allowed Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan to develop their strength.

However, circumstances are different now. The Wang family has established its reputation. Should a major power decide to eliminate them, cultivators at the Void Refinement stage, such as Wang Changsheng, would undoubtedly be their primary targets.

During Wang Changsheng's recent confrontation with the Deng family, Deng Debin immediately activated their clan's protective formation upon discovering that the soul lamps of several high-level cultivators had extinguished. He then dispatched elite young members to disperse and hide, demonstrating a keen sense of crisis awareness.

In the past, the family was too weak, with few formidable cultivators, rendering any such deployment ineffective. Now, however, the Wang family boasts numerous experts, and Wang Changsheng has acquired considerable wealth. He intends to establish a contingency plan.

"How many people should we select?" Wang Qingcheng pressed, "And to establish what kind of force?"

"We'll select five Nascent Soul cultivators and five Spirit Transformation cultivators," Wang Changsheng stated. "Choose clan members who are not widely known but are either relatively strong or possess a unique skill. They can establish their own families or sects, or even join other forces. The family will provide them with strong support. This is a long-term strategy: every few centuries, we will dispatch a group of clan members to establish themselves independently, whether on the mainland or in the Azure Glaze Sea Region."

Wang Changsheng's voice was solemn. Clan members with insufficient cultivation levels would, firstly, lack a strong enough sense of loyalty to the family, and secondly, would be unable to operate independently.

He was also preparing for potential future hardships, hoping that these dispatched clan members, sent to establish their own lineages, would ultimately never be needed.

"Understood, Father. I will personally select the individuals," Wang Qingcheng replied.

"You are already at the perfected Spirit Transformation stage," Wang Changsheng encouraged. "I hope that the next time I see you, you will have advanced to the Void Refinement stage."

Wang Changsheng, Wang Ruyan, Wang Qingshan, Wang Mengbin, and Wang Yingjie had all ascended from the lower realms. In contrast, Wang Qingcheng had grown up on the Profound Spirit Continent and possessed a Heavenly Spirit Root, giving him a relatively high chance of advancing to the Void Refinement stage.

Wang Qingcheng acknowledged his father's words and then turned to depart.

Upon reaching a vast lake, Wang Changsheng subtly flicked his wrist. A blue light shot out from his spirit beast bracelet, revealing the Qilin Tortoise.

For cautionary measures, he had brought the Qilin Tortoise with him on this excursion. The tortoise had indeed proven invaluable, as the power of its Divine Water Thunder was immense.

The Qilin Tortoise floated on the lake's surface, emitting a low roar and opening its cavernous mouth.

Wang Changsheng then conjured a palm-sized blue jade bottle. After imbuing it with a spell, the bottle instantly glowed with dazzling blue light and rapidly expanded in size. It then spewed out a blue mist, from which hundreds of emerald-green alligators flew out, plunging into the lake.

The Qilin Tortoise emitted an excited roar, and countless blue electric arcs erupted from its body, striking the alligators.

A chorus of screams soon followed. These Green Water Alligators, being at most Fifth Rank, were no match for the Qilin Tortoise and were quickly annihilated.

Wang Changsheng then arrived outside a narrow valley, which was filled with a dense yellow mist. Outside the valley stood a stone tablet, over ten zhang tall, on which the characters "Twin-Eyed Valley" were carved. This was the lair of the Twin-Eyed Rat.

Wang Changsheng produced a square yellow token. With a gentle flick, a yellow light shot from it, vanishing into the valley. The yellow mist inside the valley immediately churned violently, revealing a clear path, and he strode forward into it.

Inside the valley, numerous spiritual fruit trees grew, laden with abundant fruit that had not yet ripened.

Wang Changsheng took out an exquisite yellow jade box. Upon opening it, he revealed a yellow, spherical object the size of a pigeon's egg, adorned with golden spirit patterns and emitting a peculiar fragrance.

This was the inner core of a Sixth-Rank Mid-grade Spirit Devouring Rat. The Twin-Eyed Rat emerged from Wang Changsheng's embrace, spewed a hazy yellow glow that enveloped the core, and then swallowed it whole.

The Twin-Eyed Rat then hopped onto the ground, emitting excited squeaks.

It scurried wildly around the valley, and Wang Changsheng could sense its immense excitement.

After most of the day passed, the Twin-Eyed Rat fell into a deep slumber, refining the immense demonic power contained within the inner core.

It had consumed the inner cores of multiple high-rank demonic rats, and Wang Changsheng hoped it would finally advance to the Sixth Rank this time.

Returning to Green Lotus Peak, Wang Changsheng entered a secret chamber. He took out his artifact refining materials and began his work.

During his recent travels, he had acquired numerous Sixth-Rank artifact refining materials, which were now perfectly suited for this purpose.

Wang Changsheng tossed a yellow-glowing crystal into the air, then opened his mouth and exhaled Glazed Ice Flames, which enveloped the crystal.

In little over a thousand years, he would face the Great Heavenly Tribulation. He intended to refine several more defensive treasures, hoping they would help him safely navigate this ordeal.

Within a secluded manor, Wang Qingcheng sat in a stone pavilion. Before him stood a tall, slender young man in a yellow shirt, whose ordinary features made him blend unnoticed into any crowd.

This was Wang Mengshan, a descendant of Wang Qingcheng, currently at the late Nascent Soul stage. He possessed extensive combat experience and an unwavering devotion to the Dao. He had neither a Dao companion nor any siblings.

"These cultivation resources are for you," Wang Qingcheng said. "You are to travel to the mainland. You may establish your own force or join an existing one; the family will provide assistance. How far you progress will be entirely up to you."

He then took out a yellow storage ring and handed it to Wang Mengshan.

"Grand Ancestor, what is my mission?" Wang Mengshan asked, slightly taken aback.

"Your mission is to survive, cultivate diligently, and ideally establish your own path," Wang Qingcheng instructed. "From today onward, unless absolutely necessary, do not contact any other family members. For now, there is no specific task, and no one should know about your connection to the Wang family. Do you understand?"

He then handed Wang Mengshan a crescent-shaped jade pendant and continued, "If we need to activate you, either I will contact you personally or send someone else. The messenger will carry another jade pendant. When the two pendants are brought together, a green lotus pattern will appear."

"Yes, Grand Ancestor," Wang Mengshan replied, accepting the jade pendant and storage ring before turning to leave.

Wang Qingcheng sighed softly. He then produced a glowing spiritual disk, imbued it with a spell, and instructed, "Qiupu, have Tian Rui and Tian Tong come here. I have a mission for you both."

Establishing an independent lineage alone would be difficult; two individuals working together would find it much easier.

"Yes, Grand Ancestor," a respectful male voice replied from the communication disk.

Wang Qingcheng put away the communication disk and let out a long sigh, his expression solemn.

"Preparing for the worst," Wang Qingcheng murmured to himself, "I hope Father's contingency plan is never needed."

All major powers maintain backup plans, but immortal cultivation families possess greater cohesion, their bonds as strong as bone connected to sinew. In contrast, sect disciples, after a few generations, might lose the desire for vengeance, let alone the will to rebuild their sect.

Numerous sects and immortal cultivation families have vanished into the annals of history. While the rebuilding of sects is a rare occurrence, there are comparatively more instances of families being re-established.