Chapter 3283: Seven-Level Mirage Beast

True Monarch Sihai held a seven-sided silver formation disk in his hand, looking relaxed.

If it weren't for the Lightning Transformation Grand Formation, even if he survived the Fourth Great Heavenly Tribulation, he would have been severely injured. And besides the formation, if Wang Changsheng hadn't given him the Heavenly Soul Nether Lotus, he wouldn't have been able to recover his Integration Stage cultivation with only his remnant soul.

The biggest challenge in seizing a new body and cultivating again is repairing the soul. For cultivators above the Integration Stage, if their physical bodies are severely damaged and their Nascent Souls leave the body without a new host to seize, the Nascent Soul will gradually dissipate over time, followed by the soul itself. Even if one can seize a new body and cultivate again, if the soul cannot be restored, the original cultivation level cannot be recovered.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Wang," True Monarch Sihai said gratefully, handing the formation disk to Wang Changsheng.

"I helped you hoping you could help me. Come back to Green Lotus Island with me to cultivate!" Wang Changsheng said in a deep voice.

With the example of Hunyuanzi, Wang Changsheng did not fully trust True Monarch Sihai. He placed several restrictions on him, as it's always wise to be cautious. Furthermore, Wang Changsheng arranged for True Monarch Sihai to cultivate on Green Lotus Peak, under their close surveillance. With Wang Changsheng's strength, eliminating True Monarch Sihai would not be a difficult task.

True Monarch Sihai was also sensible, staying under Wang Changsheng's watchful eye and not wandering off. Wang Changsheng was like a second parent to him. Without Wang Changsheng's assistance, even if he had seized a new body, it would have been difficult to even recover his cultivation, let alone survive the Fourth Great Heavenly Tribulation.

They returned to Green Lotus Island, arriving back at Green Lotus Peak.

True Monarch Sihai entered a secluded small courtyard with blue tiles. Wang Changsheng took out a green communication disk, cast a spell into it, and said, "Moushan, is there still no news of the Underworld River Water?"

Wang Qingshan and the others had been gone for over five hundred years. By calculation, within a millennium, Wang Ruyan would undergo her Second Great Heavenly Tribulation. Once Wang Ruyan completed her heavenly tribulation, they could travel to Xuanguang Continent to search for the Underworld River Water.

Wang Changsheng, Wang Qingfeng, Wang Jiye, and Wang Zongque jointly refined seven-tier puppet beasts, successfully creating three in total. Including the one previously refined by Wang Changsheng and Wang Qingfeng, they now had a total of four seven-tier puppet beasts. Wang Qingshan and Wang Qingxiao went to Qianling Continent, taking one seven-tier puppet beast for unforeseen circumstances. Wang Changsheng personally carried the ancient giant refined into a seven-tier puppet beast, while the other two seven-tier puppets remained within the clan to strengthen the family's foundation.

Of course, they had also failed. Their Heavenly Soul Divine Crystals had run out. If they hadn't obtained a page from the Heavenly Void Jade Book detailing puppet beasts, coupled with their prior experience in refining many high-tier puppet beasts, they wouldn't have been able to create four seven-tier puppets. Besides the high difficulty of refining, the core material for seven-tier puppet beasts, Heavenly Soul Divine Crystal, is quite rare, which is one reason why seven-tier puppet beasts are so valuable. Wang Chan and Wang Can also went to the Myriad Spirit Abyss to eliminate ghosts and search for the Underworld River Water, but neither of them found it.

"No, I've already sent more people and told them to keep an eye out. If there's any news, I'll inform the Ancestor immediately," Wang Moushan reported truthfully.

"What about Yidao? Has he advanced to the mid-Integration Stage?" Wang Changsheng asked about Wang Yidao's situation.

"Not yet. Moxuan received news that a low-seven-tier Mirage Beast, said to possess Mirage Dragon bloodline and capable of summoning a Mirage Dragon apparition, appeared in the Barren Land. Yidao, Senior Duan, and Ancestor Qingcheng went to eliminate the mirage demon."

"A low-seven-tier Mirage Beast! That's quite rare." Wang Changsheng nodded.

He wasn't worried about their safety. With Wang Qingcheng and the other two working together, plus their treasures, even if they couldn't defeat it, they could still retreat safely.

After giving a few instructions, Wang Changsheng put away the communication disk. With no major issues currently, Wang Changsheng could cultivate in peace. Wang Changsheng sat down on a blue meditation mat and began to cultivate. Not long after, a layer of soft blue light appeared out of nowhere, enveloping his entire body.

Deep within the Barren Land lay a vast, boundless bamboo forest. A deafening boom echoed from deep within the bamboo forest, causing the ground to tremble slightly. An extremely strange dragon roar resounded, immediately followed by a massive surge of crimson fire rising into the sky. Soon after, a golden escape light flew out from deep within the bamboo forest.

As the golden escape light flew just over ten miles, its speed slowed, revealing a gigantic golden toad with three eyes. Its body was covered in blood, and there was a terrifying, continuously bleeding wound on its abdomen. The golden toad plummeted uncontrollably towards the ground, adhering firmly to it as if drawn by a magnet. Thick yellow earthen ropes emerged from the ground, coiling around the golden toad's body. The golden toad struggled fiercely, snapping the yellow earthen ropes.

A gleaming golden long sabre shot forth, tearing open the ground and creating a long crack. Before the golden toad could evade, it was pierced through by the golden long sabre, its body splitting in two. The moment a miniature toad left the main body, a yellow-glowing jade bottle appeared out of thin air and collected it.

Wang Yidao, Wang Qingcheng, and Duan Tongtian flew out from deep within the bamboo forest, landing beside the golden toad's corpse.

"It only has a trace of Mirage Dragon bloodline, yet its strength is greater than a mid-seven-tier demonic beast. Fortunately, we came prepared, or we would have been in trouble," Duan Tongtian exclaimed. "The Mirage Beast was merely low-seven-tier, yet the three of us almost let it escape in a three-on-one fight. If it had been an Integration Stage Mirage Dragon, it would probably be us who had to flee."

Wang Qingcheng quickly stepped forward and retrieved a pale golden demon core from the Mirage Beast's corpse. "We finally succeeded. Our trip wasn't in vain," Wang Qingcheng said, a joyous expression on his face.

Duan Tongtian put away the Mirage Beast's corpse and prepared to leave. Suddenly, a thunderous explosion echoed through the heavens and earth, and a massive golden flame appeared high in the sky, highly conspicuous.

"Someone is coming this way, and quickly," Wang Qingcheng said with a frown. His divine sense detected an Integration Stage cultivator approaching.

"Let's hide for a bit! See who it is. If they're unrelated, we'll ignore them," Duan Tongtian suggested.

Wang Qingcheng nodded, conjured a yellow-glowing banner, and cast a spell into it. The yellow banner spun, releasing a large swath of yellow mist that enveloped their figures. A gentle breeze blew, scattering the yellow mist, and they vanished.

After a while, a ball of golden fire light appeared in the void, transforming into a short, stout old man in a golden robe. His right arm was missing, and his body bore some flame-like spiritual patterns, clearly indicating he was from the Blazefire Clan. The golden-robed old man's eyes were filled with terror, as if he had encountered something dreadful.

"The Nine Blazes Spirit Splitting Art is indeed powerful, but you won't escape so easily." A cold and ruthless female voice rang out. As soon as the words fell, countless blue water vapor emerged, forming a graceful young woman in a blue dress, whose aura was even stronger than that of the golden-robed old man.

"Are you Spirit Race members betraying our Blazefire Clan?" The golden-robed old man asked with a grim face.

"If we kill you, who will know it was us? There are many powerful demonic beasts in the Barren Land; it's quite possible you'll die by their hands, or by the hands of human cultivators." A male voice filled with mockery sounded.

A yellow escape light flew from a distance. Not long after, the light stopped, revealing a handsome young man in a yellow shirt.