Chapter 3343: Millennium, Impact on Mahayana (Part 1)

On the Summit of the Green Lotus

A millennium had passed in the blink of an eye.

Within the Cangyuan Mountain Range, a manor spanned a hundred mu.

Wang Yulan sat in a blue stone pavilion, as three men and one woman stood before her. As the number of Void Refinement cultivators in the Wang family grew, so did their pool of skilled artisans. The four individuals were all sixth-rank talisman masters, and Wang Yulan was guiding them. Wang Yulan herself had also grown, beginning to teach the younger generation.

"Go back and practice diligently," she instructed. "For the next assessment, I expect all of you to be able to refine the Heavenly Thunder Transformation Talisman."

The Commerce Hall clan members were tasked with gathering cultivation resources from the Azure Glazed Sea, particularly the hides of sixth-rank Thunder Kun. These were then transported back to the Profound Spirit Continent and handed over to the family's sixth-rank talisman masters for the refining of Heavenly Thunder Transformation Talismans, a process Wang Yulan oversaw.

"Yes, Ancestor Yulan," the four replied, readily agreeing before bowing and retreating.

Wang Yulan took out a silver-glowing communication disk. After activating it with a spell, a respectful male voice echoed: "Ancestor Yulan, Senior Li from Zhenhai Palace is visiting and wishes to exchange knowledge on talisman crafting with you."

Currently, Zhenhai Palace's only seventh-rank talisman master was Li Yaoyao. She was stationed at a branch of Zhenhai Palace relatively close to the Cangyuan Mountain Range, and occasionally came to exchange talisman crafting techniques with Wang Yulan.

"Please bring Immortal Li to my residence," Wang Yulan instructed. "I will personally receive her."

"Yes, Ancestor Yulan," the voice replied.

Putting away the communication disk, Wang Yulan took out tea leaves and a tea set to make tea. Not long after, Li Yaoyao arrived. It wasn't Li Yaoyao's first visit, so she didn't stand on ceremony. She walked over, sat beside Wang Yulan, took the teacup Wang Yulan offered, and took a small sip. The two began to chat.

"Immortal Wang," Li Yaoyao asked, "has Senior Sister Wang not yet emerged from seclusion?"

"Not yet," Wang Yulan replied. "If our Ancestor emerges from seclusion, I will inform you..."

Wang Yulan hadn't finished speaking when she seemed to sense something and looked up towards the sky. Myriad colorful light points emerged in the void, stretching endlessly and enveloping the entire Cangyuan Mountain Range with an astonishing display.

"What is this?" Li Yaoyao was slightly stunned. Was someone attempting to break through to the Integration Stage? The commotion was immense! It didn't quite seem right; perhaps they were cultivating some secret technique that would cause such a phenomenon?

As if guided by an unseen force, these colorful light points converged, forming an enormous five-colored cloud that blotted out the sun, plunging the sky into darkness. The Wang family cultivators were greatly shocked; it was their first time encountering such a situation, and they didn't know what was happening.

"No one is to approach within a hundred li of Cangyuan Peak. Violators will be severely punished," a clear, cold female voice rang out, spreading throughout the entire Cangyuan Mountain Range.

Wang Ruyan, Wang Qingcheng, Wang Lihe, Wang Yingjie, and Liu Hongxue stood atop a high peak, their expressions solemn as they gazed towards Cangyuan Peak. Wang Changsheng was attempting to break through to the Mahayana Stage. This was merely the first trial; he had consumed the Nine-Bend Exquisite Fruit, which had summoned this phenomenon. The second trial would involve the integration of his Dharma Idol with his own body.

A blue light shot up from Cangyuan Peak, transforming into a hazy, black humanoid illusion, standing over ten zhang tall. As soon as the Dharma Idol appeared, strong winds rose and dark clouds gathered.

Wang Ruyan took out a blue communication disk and activated it with a spell. Wang Yulan's voice then came through: "Ancestor, Immortal Li from Zhenhai Palace is currently a guest in the Cangyuan Mountain Range. What should we do?"

"We have urgent matters to attend to," Wang Ruyan instructed. "It's inconvenient to host Junior Sister Li at this time. Please escort her away." Normally it would be fine, but with Wang Changsheng breaking through to the Mahayana Stage, it was better for Li Yaoyao, an outsider, to leave.

"Yes, Ancestor," Wang Yulan replied. She put away the communication disk and said with a face full of apology, "I'm truly sorry, Immortal Li."

"It's alright," Li Yaoyao replied. "I understand. Don't worry, I won't speak carelessly." Li Yaoyao saw Wang Yulan's worry and spoke discreetly. For Wang Yulan to be so nervous, a cultivator must surely be attempting to break through to the Mahayana Stage. Given the Wang family's numerous Integration Stage cultivators, it could only be Wang Changsheng or Wang Ruyan.

Wang Yulan nodded, breathed a sigh of relief, and personally escorted Li Yaoyao away. Wang Yingjie and Liu Hongxue dispersed the clan members in the Cangyuan Mountain Range to prevent the aftershocks of the Eight-Nine Thunder Tribulation from harming them. With Cangyuan Peak as the center, an area of a million li radius was blockaded by the Wang family. The outermost perimeter was led by Spirit Transformation cultivators, while Wang Ruyan and other Integration Stage cultivators guarded the final line of defense.

At Cangyuan Peak, on a bluestone plaza covering a thousand mu, Wang Changsheng sat cross-legged in a yellow formation, his eyes slightly closed, his hands forming seals. He took a deep breath, then formed a spell-seal. The five-colored cloud mass violently rolled, and pea-sized five-colored raindrops poured down, landing successively on the Dharma Idol. The Dharma Idol absorbed the five-colored raindrops, and its size slowly grew.

A moment later, Wang Changsheng opened his eyes. He executed a spell-seal, and the Dharma Idol opened its mouth, inhaling the five-colored spiritual clouds. The Dharma Idol's size rapidly swelled, and dazzling spiritual light continuously pulsed around its form. He continued to form seals with his ten fingers, and the Dharma Idol slowly integrated into his body, becoming one with him. Wang Changsheng's face turned beet red, veins protruded on his body, and he felt as if his body was about to burst.

After the time it takes to steep a cup of tea, the Dharma Idol completely merged with Wang Changsheng, his entire body radiating a dazzling spiritual light. Wang Changsheng's vision blurred, and he suddenly found himself in a secluded small courtyard with green tiles. Wang Mingyuan and Liu Qing'er were seated in a blue stone pavilion.

"Send Changsheng to Ping'an County to serve as a Heavenly Master?" Liu Qing'er complained. "Why him? Why not someone else?"

"Alas," Wang Mingyuan sighed, his face full of helplessness, "the family is currently undergoing reforms. As patriarch, I must lead by example. By sending Changsheng to Ping'an County to serve as a Heavenly Master, I can then more easily assign other juniors to tasks, thus conserving some resources."

"Green Lotus Mountain... Father, Mother," Wang Changsheng murmured to himself. He swept his divine sense over himself and found that he had returned to the appearance of a fourteen or fifteen-year-old. This was the third trial, the Inner Demon Trial.

"Father, Mother, please don't say any more," Wang Changsheng declared, his young face filled with seriousness. "Your son is willing to go to Ping'an County to serve as a Heavenly Master."

Wang Mingyuan breathed a sigh of relief and said with relief, "Son, once you are in Ping'an County, you must not neglect your cultivation."

"I understand, Father," Wang Changsheng replied, agreeing.

"Wait," Liu Qing'er sighed. "I'll make you some pastries to take along."

Wang Changsheng nodded and agreed.

Wang Ruyan and the other Integration Stage cultivators stood on the mountaintop, gazing intently towards Cangyuan Peak.

"The Ancestor's Dharma Idol has merged with his body," Wang Lihe said, his voice grave. "Once he overcomes the Inner Demon Trial, he will attract the Eight-Nine Thunder Tribulation."

Wang Ruyan nodded. Throughout history, many Integration Stage cultivators attempting to break through to the Mahayana Stage had fallen at the Inner Demon Trial. Wang Yingjie and Liu Hongxue also fixed their gazes on Cangyuan Peak. Observing Wang Changsheng's attempt to break through to the Mahayana Stage was a valuable opportunity for them, as they might gain crucial insights.