Chapter 2853: The Great Battle Is About to Begin

"You also know Fellow Daoist Wang. Come with me to the reception hall to greet him!"

Long Tianheng brought Long Yunxin to the reception hall to wait for Wang Changsheng.

Before long, Wang Changsheng entered, accompanied by a graceful young woman in a purple dress.

"Long time no see, Fellow Daoist Long," Wang Changsheng said with a slight smile as he greeted him.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Wang Changsheng got to the point: "Fellow Daoist Long, I've encountered some trouble and need your Long family's assistance." He briefly recounted Wang Shenfeng's attack and the results of Wang Chuanming's investigation.

"Rogue cultivators are collecting the souls of Five-Yin Maidens? Could this be related to the Lizard Clan?" Long Tianheng's expression grew serious. Wang Changsheng's personal visit suggested he had some confidence in this assessment.

"Yes, but it's like searching for a needle in a haystack; finding the culprit won't be easy. I'd like to ask for your help, Fellow Daoist Long, to host a large-scale auction under your Long family's name. We'll invite Integration-stage cultivators. Firstly, this will allow us to exchange items and resources. Secondly, it will provide an opportunity to lure the culprits out so we can set a trap for them." Wang Changsheng laid out his entire plan, noting that facilitating the exchange of cultivation resources meant Long Tianheng shouldn't refuse.

"No problem. Your Wang family should also participate! Bring out some excellent items for exchange, such as sixth-tier puppet beasts or Heavenly Thunder Spirit Transformation Talismans. Only then will we attract other Integration-stage cultivators," Long Tianheng suggested.

Wang Changsheng nodded and said, "Of course. Let's make it grand; the more Integration-stage cultivators who attend the auction, the better."

"To entice Integration-stage cultivators to attend, we need to offer something truly tempting, such as a mid-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure," Long Tianheng said meaningfully. Since the Wang family could sell sixth-tier puppet beasts, crafting a mid-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure shouldn't be difficult for them.

"No problem, I can provide one or two mid-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasures. Your Long family should also bring out some good items," Wang Changsheng readily agreed.

"Naturally. Fellow Daoist Wang, you must be tired from your journey. Please stay with us in the Long family for a while. We can catch up properly while the younger generation handles the arrangements," Long Tianheng proposed.

Wang Changsheng agreed. At their level, they merely needed to give orders; there was no need to handle everything personally.

Thus, Wang Changsheng took up residence with the Long family.

Six months later, news of the Long family's grand auction quickly spread. The Wang family was also involved in planning the event. In addition to sixth-tier talismans, mid-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasures, and Heavenly Thunder Spirit Transformation Talismans, sixth-tier spirit beasts and spirit birds would also be offered. The auction was scheduled for ten years later.

In the Heavenly Lizard Mountain Range, within an expansive estate,

A burly old man in a golden robe was reporting to Yifeng. The old man's face and arms bore golden spirit patterns, and his physique was considerably larger than a human's. This was Di Xin, one of the high-ranking members of the Lizard Clan, an Integration-stage cultivator in the Mid-stage.

"We're still seven souls short of the Five-Yin Maidens, but we've collected quite a few souls in total. However, nine of our strongholds were attacked by unknown Integration-stage cultivators. It seems like a probing attack; they've truly lost their patience and are starting to act against our strongholds," Di Xin said with a frown. Centered around the Heavenly Lizard Mountain Range, seventy-two outlying strongholds formed a protective perimeter for the Lizard Clan. Any external enemy aiming to invade the Heavenly Lizard Mountain Range would first need to eliminate these seventy-two strongholds.

"Hmph, none of them want to be the first to charge in and benefit others; these are just probing attacks. Once we've gathered all eighty-one souls of the Five-Yin Maidens, along with the other souls, we can set up the grand formation. If they truly intend to annihilate our Lizard Clan, we won't make it easy for them either," Yifeng said, his face filled with killing intent. A thought struck him, and he urged, "Tell them to speed things up! Get those last seven Five-Yin Maiden souls as quickly as possible."

The human race has strong reproductive capabilities, and many individuals are born during Yin years, months, days, and hours. However, only females can be designated as Five-Yin Maidens. Some Five-Yin Maidens die prematurely before they can fully mature, while others are from powerful factions and are protected by experts wherever they go, making them difficult to acquire.

Di Xin nodded in agreement.

A flying boat, shimmering with blue light, swiftly glided across the sky. Dozens of cultivators, including Wang Yidao and Wang Yihong, stood aboard. Wang Yidao's expression was impassive, while Wang Yihong and the others looked joyful. Wang Yihong had also advanced to the Void Refinement stage. With both his parents and younger brother being Void Refinement cultivators, he didn't need to worry about cultivation resources; as long as he worked hard, reaching the Void Refinement stage was only a matter of time. The family had established several markets inland, and this trip was for them to take up their new posts. Wang Yidao had recently emerged from seclusion, and Wang Moshan wanted him to gain more experience rather than always staying on Green Lotus Island. Duan Tongtian accompanied Wang Yidao on his journey, though he had altered his appearance.

A deafening roar echoed across the sky, and a massive, conspicuous red fireball appeared in the distance.

Wang Yihong extended his divine sense and discovered several Void Refinement cultivators engaged in combat.

"Someone's fighting! Let's go take a look; it might be our in-laws or allies," Wang Yihong suggested. The others had no objections, while Wang Yidao remained silent.

Wang Yihong made a hand seal, and the blue flying boat glowed brighter as it sped towards the red fireball.

Within a mountain range stretching for tens of thousands of miles, thunderous explosions emanated from its depths, shaking the ground.

Du Xueyao was breathless, her eyes filled with terror. Many severed limbs and damaged treasures were scattered on the ground. She had already advanced to the Void Refinement stage, currently in the early stage. A white-haired old woman in a green robe stood nearby, a faint blue light screen enveloping both of them.

Opposite Du Xueyao stood a burly man with thick eyebrows in a red shirt and a corpulent man in a golden shirt, both with murderous expressions.

"Xueyao, hurry and go! I'll cover you!" the old woman in the green robe urged weakly.

"Fifth Aunt, I can't leave you behind," Du Xueyao said earnestly.

"Hmph, neither of you will escape; today is your doom," the burly man in the red shirt scoffed, his aura brimming with malice.

Just then, a blue streak of light flew in from a distance. The burly man in the red shirt and the man in the golden shirt exchanged glances, then, without a word, transformed into two streaks of light and fled into the air.

Before long, the blue light stopped, revealing a shimmering blue flying boat with Wang Yidao and the others standing aboard.

"Fellow Daoist Wang!" Du Xueyao exclaimed, her face lighting up with joy upon seeing Wang Yihong and Wang Yidao.

"Fairy Du, what happened here?" Wang Yihong asked, slightly startled and full of confusion.

"We were attacked by rogue cultivators on our way from the market. If you hadn't passed by, we might have been killed," Du Xueyao quickly explained. Her gaze fell on Wang Yidao, and she said with a smile, "Long time no see, Fellow Daoist Wang."

"Oh," Wang Yidao mumbled, appearing disinclined to interact with them, his expression dull.

"Fairy Du, allow us to give you a ride!" Wang Yihong offered.

Du Xueyao thanked him profusely, collected the bodies of her clansmen, and along with the old woman in the green robe, flew onto the blue flying boat.

Wang Yihong made a hand seal, and the blue flying boat glowed intensely as it soared high into the sky, gradually becoming a black speck before disappearing into the horizon.