Chapter 3250: Seven Calabash Hermit Brings News

On Qinglian Island, within a sprawling estate, Wang Qingshan and Wang Qingcheng were seated in a green stone pavilion, while Wang Moshan reported to them.

The Wang family had obtained the Profound Heavenly Blood Vine. Fewer than five people knew about this matter, and the fewer who knew, the better. Wang Pinfeng had sent the Profound Heavenly Blood Vine back to the Wang family, personally handing it over to Wang Mengbin. Considering the existence of spatial storms, they did not bring the Profound Heavenly Blood Vine to this realm. It was better to be safe than sorry; if the vine were destroyed, the loss would be immense, a burden the Wang family could not bear.

The Wang family's Soul Transformation cultivators fought fiercely with the Demon Race, losing seven Soul Transformation cultivators. The losses were significant; facing late-stage Soul Transformation demons carrying six-tier talismans, they were simply no match. If not for their fifth-tier puppet beasts, their losses would have been even greater. They captured a demon alive, performed soul-searching on it, obtained some intelligence on the Demon Race, and then withdrew from the Blood Cloud Realm.

The Radiance of Sun and Moon

The outside world would not suspect the Wang family, primarily because the Wang family did not know when the Demon Race would attack the Bloodshadow Clan's stronghold. Even if they knew, it would be impossible for them to send only one Soul Transformation cultivator to infiltrate the Blood Cloud Mountain Range, unless the Demon Race told the Wang family all their plans and cooperated with the Wang family's Soul Transformation cultivators, which was absurd. On the surface, the Wang family cooperated with the Zhenhai Palace cultivators to invade the Blood Cloud Realm. Unexpectedly, the Demon Race got there first and seized the Profound Heavenly Blood Vine. Even if the Wang family received no credit, they had certainly put in effort. How could the Heavenly Demon Palace possibly tell the Wang family their complete plans and cooperate with them, essentially doing work for others? Not to mention the Wang family, even the Zhenhai Palace didn't have that much influence.

To be cautious, Wang Mengbin did not tell anyone else about the existence of the Profound Heavenly Blood Vine. Furthermore, he personally destroyed a batch of family records, erasing all mentions of Haitang from the family's historical texts. For the next thousand years, no one would be permitted to consult related records. If the Zhenhai Palace learned of the Wang family's connection with Ye Haitang, at most, they would issue a reprimand. Ye Haitang could not represent the Wang family, and there was no direct conflict between the Demon Realm and the Xuanyang Realm, so the Zhenhai Palace would not go so far as to annihilate the Wang family over this matter. Which cultivation family doesn't have a few bad apples? At most, Ye Haitang would be considered a stain on the Wang family's reputation.

However, if the Bloodshadow Clan knew of the Wang family's connection with Ye Haitang, they would absolutely destroy the Wang family. The Bloodshadow Clan had spent tens of thousands of years and immense human and material resources cultivating the Profound Heavenly Blood Vine, only for it to be snatched away by the Wang family in the end. The Bloodshadow Clan would surely seek revenge. This operation also demonstrated Ye Haitang's significant usefulness. In the future, if there were any valuable items in the lower realms, or if any troubles arose that made it inconvenient for the Wang family to act, they would contact Ye Haitang and have her send demons to handle it. For this reason, Wang Mengbin raised Ye Haitang's security level. Haitang Hall was renamed Yutang Hall. No elders from the lower realms were permitted to enter Yutang Hall; only a few family members who knew Ye Haitang, such as Wang Mengbin, could send their soul avatars to the lower realms to contact her.

"'Let's discuss it after father and mother return!' Wang Qingcheng said with a smile. 'This time, not only did we obtain the Profound Heavenly Blood Vine, but we can also gain control over several more realms.'"

After the Demon Race retreated, the Wang family cooperated with the Zhenhai Palace to launch a major offensive against the realms occupied by the Bloodshadow Clan. It was unclear whether they lacked boundary-breaking stones or if the Bloodshadow Clan on Xuanguang Continent were angered by the ineffectiveness of their lower-realm kin, as they sent no one to the lower realms for support. It was only a matter of time before the Wang family conquered the realms controlled by the Bloodshadow Clan. By then, it would be easy to claim a share and gain control of several more realms. The Zhenhai Palace had a different objective, but unfortunately, they were unsuccessful. As a result, the Wang family came to control thirteen lower realms. Through this battle, a group of experts also honed their skills, gaining significant experience in life-and-death combat.

Wang Qingshan nodded and said, "'Pinzhen made the ultimate sacrifice. From among his descendants, select twenty individuals for intensive cultivation, prioritizing their advancement to the Void Refinement stage.' He added, 'If Wang Pinzhen had not sacrificed himself, the news of the Wang family obtaining the Profound Heavenly Blood Vine would have leaked, causing trouble.'"

"'Mengbin has publicly stated that Pinzhen ascended to the Xuanyang Realm,' Wang Qingcheng instructed. 'In the future, when lower-realm family members ascend to the Xuanyang Realm and ask about Pinzhen, Moshan, come up with a suitable excuse to put them off, making them believe that Pinzhen died while carrying out a mission after his ascension to the Xuanyang Realm.'"

Wang Moshan nodded in agreement.

Wang Moshan took out a blue glowing magic disk, activated a spell formula on it, and looked somewhat surprised.

"'What's wrong?'" Wang Qingcheng asked.

"'Loose Cultivator Seven Calabash has arrived,' Wang Moshan said with a frown, 'saying he has important matters to discuss with the Ancestor. However, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan have gone to the Azure Glaze Sea to acquire the Qiankun Glazed Stone and cannot appear.'"

"'I will receive him!' Wang Qingcheng instructed. 'He can tell me the same thing. Please invite him to the reception hall.'"

Wang Moshan acknowledged, activated another spell formula, and gestured.

Wang Qingcheng arrived at the reception hall and waited quietly. After a while, Loose Cultivator Seven Calabash walked in, his face slightly pale, and he appeared to be injured.

"'Fellow Daoist Jiang,' Wang Qingcheng said sincerely, 'my father and mother are in secluded cultivation. If there's anything, you can tell me just the same.'"

"'My friend and I went to the Barren Lands to hunt demonic beasts,' Loose Cultivator Seven Calabash slowly explained, 'and unexpectedly discovered a seventh-tier Soul Devouring Beast. However, my friend was killed, and I alone cannot defeat this demon. I specifically came to inform your Wang family, as your father showed great kindness to me.'" Loose Cultivator Seven Calabash further explained that they had encountered a seventh-tier venomous insect, and his friend had perished. Loose Cultivator Seven Calabash managed to escape quickly, avoiding death, and unexpectedly discovered the seventh-tier Soul Devouring Beast. He was injured, and alone, he lacked the confidence to subdue the Soul Devouring Beast. So he simply left and came to notify the Wang family. The Wang family had been searching for a seventh-tier Soul Devouring Beast, as its hide was the main material for refining Lightning Transformation Talismans.

"'A seventh-tier Soul Devouring Beast?'" Wang Qingcheng's heart stirred.

Loose Cultivator Seven Calabash took out a light green jade slip, tossed it to Wang Qingcheng, and said, "'This is the location where I found the Soul Devouring Beast. I don't know where its lair is, so if you want to find it, you'll need to put in more effort.'"

"'Many thanks, Fellow Daoist Jiang,' Wang Qingcheng said politely. 'What would you like in return?'" Such matters were tricky to handle. If they arrived at the destination and failed to find the Soul Devouring Beast after a long search, it would be a wasted trip, and such situations were not uncommon.

"'Let's talk about it after you've captured the Soul Devouring Beast,' Loose Cultivator Seven Calabash said earnestly. 'What if you arrive too late and someone else has already killed it? That wouldn't be good.'" Putting himself in their shoes, since Wang Changsheng had not murdered him for a mid-grade Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure of the defensive type, he wouldn't make an exorbitant demand. He trusted the Wang family and would discuss the reward after Wang Qingcheng and the others found the Soul Devouring Beast.

"'Fellow Daoist Jiang, you trust us so much?'" Wang Qingcheng said with a light chuckle.

"'The Wang family has a reputation,' Loose Cultivator Seven Calabash replied. 'I, Jiang, trust your Wang family. I will stay in Tianhai Market for a while. Notify me once you succeed. If you don't succeed, there's no need to contact me; I would feel bad accepting a reward if you made a wasted trip.'" After Loose Cultivator Seven Calabash finished speaking, he turned and left.

Wang Qingshan walked in, a thoughtful expression on his face. "'A seventh-tier Soul Devouring Beast? That's quite rare,' he mused. 'Seventh Brother, you stay on Qinglian Island. Yidao and I can go on this trip ourselves.'"

Wang Qingcheng volunteered. Wang Mengbin's soul avatar had not yet returned, so his main body could not go to the Barren Lands. Wang Qingshan was powerful, and it was better for him to remain on Qinglian Island. In land-based combat, Wang Qingcheng could leverage a significant advantage.

"'Alright!' Wang Qingshan suggested. 'Be extra careful. Call upon Fellow Daoist Duan as well, to be safer.'"

Wang Qingcheng nodded in agreement. He called Wang Yidao, and they left Qinglian Island, first heading to the Cangyuan Mountain Range to pick up Duan Tongtian, and then proceeding to the Barren Lands.