Chapter 2864: 曜日晶(今天没了)

"Fellow Daoist Long," Wang Changsheng warned with a solemn expression, "regarding our plan, I hope you won't reveal it to a third person. It's not that I don't trust your friend, but this matter is of great importance and requires utmost discretion."

Long Tianheng hadn't specified their exact plan earlier, so Wang Changsheng still felt the need to caution him, to prevent any leaks. A previously unknown Buddhist cultivator at the Integration Stage had suddenly appeared, offering help. Wang Changsheng naturally wouldn't take his word lightly; even with Long Tianheng's endorsement, he wouldn't easily put his trust in him.

Long Tianheng understood Wang Changsheng's meaning. "Fellow Daoist Wang, rest assured," he said, "I understand your concern. But please don't overthink it. Grandmaster Daren is an upright person. I've known him for nearly ten thousand years, and we've slain many evil cultivators together. He is trustworthy; you can inquire with Fairy Li and Madam Liao if you wish."

Wang Changsheng hadn't been in the Integration Stage for long and had primarily operated in the outer seas, so his knowledge of the mainland was limited. Grandmaster Daren had reached the Integration Stage over four thousand years before Wang Changsheng, so it was perfectly normal for Wang Changsheng not to know him.

"It's not that I don't trust him," Wang Changsheng stated earnestly, "but this matter is critical. It's better to be cautious."

Long Tianheng nodded, agreeing. After some casual conversation, Wang Changsheng bid farewell and departed.

Upon returning to his residence, Wang Changsheng called Wang Chan and Wang Chán. "Have you two found anything?" he asked. They were highly sensitive to soul-type materials and ghostly entities. Since the culprits were collecting the souls of Five-Yin Maidens, they might possess treasures like the Thousand Ghost Banner. Sending Wang Chan and Wang Chán to investigate might help locate the perpetrators.

"We've spent over half a month surveying and found more than ten evil cultivators," Wang Chan reported, producing over a dozen portraits and handing them to Wang Changsheng. "They likely have ghostly artifacts on them. Here are their portraits and locations."

Wang Changsheng opened the portraits, examined them one by one, and nodded inwardly. "Oh, by the way, master," Wang Chan remembered something and added, "we discovered a peculiar situation: a disciple from the Li family has a problem with his divine soul."

"A problem with his divine soul? You can detect issues with a cultivator's divine soul?" Wang Changsheng asked, surprised. If that were true, their innate abilities would be terrifyingly powerful. Simply meeting someone would allow them to detect problems with their divine soul.

"Not exactly," Wang Chan replied with a troubled expression. "It's just that this person's situation is special. We can't detect the divine souls of other cultivators, but this person's divine soul definitely has an issue. We just can't pinpoint it or how to describe it; it just feels very strange."

"What's this person's name?" Wang Changsheng pressed.

"Li Zonghai!" Wang Chan answered truthfully.

"Li Zonghai? Are you certain it's his divine soul that's problematic, and not that he possesses soul-related materials, or that his divine soul is simply injured?" Wang Changsheng frowned. Years ago, during the trip to the Mysterious Spirit Cave Abode, many cultivators from various forces entered to seek treasures, resulting in significant casualties. When a Li family disciple named Li Zonghai left the Mysterious Spirit Cave Abode, the Soul-Devouring Golden Cicada had warned Wang Changsheng. However, Wang Changsheng assumed Li Zonghai merely carried soul-type materials and didn't think much of it.

"We are a hundred percent certain his divine soul is problematic, not merely injured," Wang Chan affirmed. "We can't explain exactly why or how to describe it; it just feels very strange."

Wang Changsheng nodded, making a mental note of Li Zonghai's name. "Alright, you two have worked hard. Go get some rest!" Wang Changsheng waved his hand, dismissing them.

He took out his communication disk and instructed, "Chuanming, send someone to investigate a cultivator named Li Zonghai from the Li family. I want to know everything about him. Be careful not to alarm him."

"Understood, Patriarch," Wang Chuanming readily agreed. Putting away the communication disk, Wang Changsheng wore a thoughtful expression.

The day quickly ended, and with the auction concluded, Wang Moxin came to report to Wang Changsheng. "Patriarch," Wang Moxin said, producing a golden crystal and handing it to Wang Changsheng, "one of the bidders didn't have enough spirit stones, so they sold this Sun Radiance Crystal to us."

The golden crystal had irregular circular patterns on its surface. Wang Changsheng took the golden crystal with both hands; it was incredibly hot, as if he were holding a ball of raging fire. Sun Radiance Crystal is a seventh-tier refining material, typically used to forge fire-attribute Profound Spirit Treasures. The Lizard Race possesses a large Sun Radiance Crystal mine, which they have exploited for many years. They also have a prized ancestral treasure, the Sun Radiance Divine Mirror, crafted from a vast quantity of Sun Radiance Crystals.

Wang Changsheng nodded, put away the Sun Radiance Crystal, and dismissed him.

In a secret chamber, four men and one woman were discussing something, their expressions grim. "As expected, it's a trap," Fang Yu said gravely. "The Core Formation stage Five-Yin Maiden is always accompanied; she's never alone. I can't discern the cultivation of her companions, but they are at least Void Refinement stage."

Huang Xian said in a deep voice, "In contrast, the other two Five-Yin Maidens are more active. The tricky part is that the Void Refinement stage Five-Yin Maiden is with a Wang family disciple. And we failed when we tried to assassinate her last time. It's possible she's also bait. That leaves us with only the Soul Transformation stage Five-Yin Maiden."

"The Sect Master has already arrived in Qingjiao Valley and is urging us to collect the Five-Yin Maidens' souls as quickly as possible," Fang Yu said, a worried look on his face. "We must act soon. The Sect Master is ruthless, caring only about results, not the process."

"Then let's target the Soul Transformation stage Five-Yin Maiden!" Huang Xian said, his eyes burning with fervor towards the end. "But first, keep an eye on the Core Formation stage Five-Yin Maiden. If an opportunity arises, kill her in a secluded spot. Didn't the Sect Master say that obtaining one Five-Yin Maiden soul would be rewarded with two portions of Dharma Idol materials? If we get enough Five-Yin Maiden souls, we could even exchange them for treasures for tribulation transcendence."

They were rogue cultivators who had come this far not only through their own efforts but also with considerable help from the Sect Master. Fang Yu nodded, "Then let's proceed with that. The Void Refinement stage Five-Yin Maiden is likely also bait, so ignore her."

A month quickly passed. After the auction concluded, a large number of cultivators gradually departed Qingjiao Valley, returning to their respective homes.

Wang Shenfeng strolled leisurely down the street, accompanied by two men who walked beside her, chatting and laughing. Wang Shenfeng's expression was calm. These two were rogue cultivators at the Soul Transformation stage whom she had met at a gathering. They invited her to search for treasures with them. Naturally, she didn't trust them, but she agreed to follow them out of the market.

Outside the market, a stout, golden-robed man conjured a blue-glowing flying boat, and the three of them boarded one by one. "Let's go!" The golden-robed man made a hand seal, and the blue flying boat surged with spiritual light, soaring into the sky.

Less than an hour later, Huang Xian and a young woman in a golden dress also left the market. About half an hour after that, Fang Yu and his two companions followed suit, departing the market.