Chapter 2774: Arranging the Clan Defense Formation

Xuanqing Valley is the largest market town under the Xuanqing Sect's jurisdiction. Integration-stage cultivators are stationed there year-round, its geographical location is excellent, and it sees a constant flow of merchants and travelers.

In the afternoon, the scorching sun blazed overhead.

Inside Xuanqing Valley, buildings clustered together, pavilions and towers stood in dense rows. The sounds of carriages and horses mingled with a river of people, creating a bustling and prosperous scene. Many Xuanqing Sect disciples could be seen moving about, and while some cultivators wore peculiar attire, passersby were accustomed to it.

In a secluded courtyard with green-tiled roofs, stood a two-story green pavilion and a green stone pavilion. Wang Chuanming sat in the stone pavilion, listening to a report from a middle-aged man with ordinary features. The middle-aged man was Wang Zhongchen, a late-stage Deity Transformation cultivator.

After Wang Chuanming took over as head of the Dark Hall, he immediately began investigating the assassination of the previous head. Following clues, he identified a suspect and tracked him to Xuanqing Valley.

"This person is very vigilant," Wang Zhongchen reported, "and he's quite close to Chen Yunqing, a disciple of True Monarch Qingyuan. We dare not follow too closely."

"True Monarch Qingyuan!" Wang Chuanming frowned. According to intelligence, the Xuanqing Sect had over thirty Integration-stage cultivators, with nine key individuals, known as the Nine Sons of Xuanqing, receiving special cultivation. True Monarch Qingyuan was one of them.

With the suspect hiding in Xuanqing Valley, they couldn't cause trouble there and were powerless to apprehend him.

"You personally keep an eye on him," Wang Chuanming instructed, "and don't alert him."

"Hall Head, are we just going to keep watching him?" Wang Zhongchen asked, a troubled expression on his face. "That's not a solution!" Among Dark Hall disciples, they addressed each other by their titles to avoid revealing their identities.

"Every person has weaknesses," Wang Chuanming said in a low voice. "Even if he doesn't have any, it doesn't mean those around him don't. We'll start with Chen Yunqing."

Wang Zhongchen's expression changed, and he cautiously asked, "Are we going to act against Chen Yunqing?"

Wang Chuanming rolled his eyes and retorted irritably, "Am I that foolish? To act against him on Xuanqing Sect's territory? Find out everything about Chen Yunqing: his preferences, who he has conflicts with, who he is on good terms with, and details about his relatives and friends. I want to know it all. Often, we don't need to act ourselves; we can use leverage. Use your brain more."

Any organization has internal competition; it's impossible for everyone to be harmonious. Since Chen Yunqing is a disciple of True Monarch Qingyuan, there must be individuals within the Xuanqing Sect who dislike him. Wang Chuanming wasn't planning to deal with Chen Yunqing; he merely wanted to distance Chen Yunqing from the suspect. If the suspect kept staying with Chen Yunqing, they would have no way to apprehend him.

Hearing this, Wang Zhongchen breathed a sigh of relief and repeatedly agreed. Wang Chuanming gave a few instructions, then dismissed Wang Zhongchen.

***

Guangyuan Peak, Guangyuan Sect.

In a vast estate, Wang Mengshan and Su Qingheng sat in a stone pavilion, sipping tea and chatting. Wang Mengshan had first sought help from his family to resolve the crisis. He then took two ten-thousand-year-old ice-attribute spirit herbs and went to Coldflame Sect to find Su Qingheng, ensuring the charade was complete. Since he had claimed to seek help from Coldflame Sect, he had to make the trip.

"The Wang family now has two Integration-stage cultivators," Su Qingheng said gravely, "no wonder the Qianyuan Gate dared to destroy the Sky Tiger Sect. But you don't need to worry. Xuanling Continent isn't solely controlled by the Wang family. If the Qianyuan Gate targets your Guangyuan Sect and the An family, you should retaliate fiercely." Su Qingheng said gravely; the topic clearly angered him.

The Qianyuan Gate, backed by the Wang family, had destroyed the Sky Tiger Sect, terrifying Wang Shan into seeking help from Coldflame Sect. Wang Shan's reaction was understandable; if even the more powerful True Lord Sky Tiger had been killed, what hope did Wang Shan have?

Wang Mengshan repeatedly agreed, then said with a smiling face, "Fellow Daoist Su, I heard your Coldflame Sect has gained another Integration-stage cultivator. Congratulations! With your aptitude, Fellow Daoist Su, it won't be long before you also reach the Integration stage."

"It's not easy to reach the Integration stage," Su Qingheng replied, "one needs to achieve unity of essence, qi, and spirit, and reach a state of balance. I'm still a long way from the Integration stage, but Senior Martial Sister Leng has a very high probability of reaching it." Su Qingheng's face beamed with pride.

"Senior Martial Sister Leng?" Wang Mengshan was slightly taken aback, as he wasn't familiar with the internal situation of Coldflame Sect.

"Senior Martial Sister Leng is one of our Coldflame Sect's key cultivation targets," Su Qingheng explained. "She reached the late-stage of the Void Refinement phase thousands of years ago. During the last racial war, she single-handedly killed two Void Refinement stage beastfolk."

Wang Mengshan remained secretly vigilant, yet his face showed a flattering expression as he complimented, "I believe Fellow Daoist Su will also reach the Integration stage; it's just a matter of time." As the saying goes, flattery always works. Hearing this, the smile on Su Qingheng's face deepened.

"Alright," Su Qingheng said, "I still need to return to the main hall to handle matters. You should heighten your vigilance and avoid proactively provoking the Wang family. The Wang family is currently at the height of its power; it's best to avoid their sharp edge for now."

After Su Qingheng finished speaking, he stood up and left, with Wang Mengshan personally seeing him off. Walking into a secret chamber, Wang Mengshan muttered to himself, "It seems I need to remind the family to be cautious of this Immortal Leng."

***

Thirty years passed, spring turning into autumn.

On Green Lotus Island, a towering peak ten thousand feet high rose in the center. At its foot stood a green stone tablet over ten feet tall, inscribed with the three golden characters "Seven Lotus Peak." A flight of green stone steps extended from the mountain's foot to its summit. The summit featured a vast bluestone square, where a green palace over twenty feet tall stood, its plaque bearing the three golden characters "Seven Lotus Hall."

The main hall's doors were open. Inside, Wang Changsheng and Xiao Wentian stood, the latter holding a light golden formation disc.

"Senior Martial Brother Xiao," Wang Changsheng said in a deep voice, "we can activate the formation now. I hope it succeeds this time." He had gathered his clansmen and, using Primordial Magnetic Divine Crystals as the main material, had refined a primordial magnetic treasure: the Primordial Magnetic Spirit Suppressing Peak, a mid-grade Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure. With the Primordial Magnetic Spirit Suppressing Peak as the core, and eight thirty-thousand-year-old Golden Magnetic Spirit Woods along with several thousand thousand-year-old Golden Magnetic Spirit Woods, they had set up the Primordial Magnetic Spirit Sealing Great Formation.

Xiao Wentian nodded and cast a hand seal onto the golden formation disc. Green Lotus Island shook slightly. Wang Changsheng flew out of Seven Lotus Hall and clearly saw a light golden light curtain enveloping the entire Green Lotus Island. Wang Changsheng flew towards the golden light curtain; there was nothing unusual.

The golden light curtain rippled, then dispersed and vanished. Wang Changsheng flew hundreds of miles from Green Lotus Island. The golden light curtain then reappeared, enveloping the entire Green Lotus Island once more. As Wang Changsheng flew back towards Green Lotus Island, a powerful gravitational force assailed him upon nearing within ten miles of the island. His body emitted "crackling" sounds from his bones, swelling by more than a full size, with veins bulging and limbs growing considerably thicker.

Wang Changsheng flew forward, but stopped after only three miles, his face flushed crimson. A powerful gravitational force pressed down on him, as if trying to crush his body. The golden light curtain dispersed, and the gravitational force vanished with it.

Wang Changsheng returned to Seven Lotus Hall, his face beaming with smiles.

"This is only part of the power of the Primordial Magnetic Spirit Sealing Great Formation," Xiao Wentian explained. "If Integration-stage cultivators wield it, three Integration-stage cultivators attacking it together would find it very difficult to break through. Even if a Void Refinement cultivator controls the formation, it can resist for a significant period."

Xiao Wentian handed the formation disc to Wang Changsheng, teaching him how to control the formation and explaining its various transformations.