Chapter 3371: Three Methods

Qinglian Peak on Qinglian Island.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan sat in a blue stone pavilion, listening to Wang Yihong's report.

"Several of our inland strongholds were attacked by the Spirit Fire and Yaksha tribes," Wang Yihong reported slowly. "The stronghold in the Tiankun Mountain Range was breached, and Yier and Zongyun sustained minor injuries. Zhenhai Palace reinforcements arrived quickly, recapturing the stronghold, and both tribes have now retreated."

Key Wang family strongholds were immediately reported upon attack. Zhenhai Palace and the Wang family swiftly dispatched reinforcements. They had long anticipated attacks from the Spirit Fire and Yaksha tribes, keeping a contingent of experts inland. Otherwise, over sixty or seventy Integration cultivators, not just forty, would have led the assault on the Silver Shark Tribe's territory.

"Has the Silver Shark Tribe made any unusual moves?" Wang Changsheng asked.

"None," Wang Yihong replied, a proud smile on his face. "After learning that the Ancestor severely injured Yan Zheng, the Silver Shark Tribe has been remarkably quiet, firmly defending their territory and refusing to sally forth." The news of Wang Changsheng's severe injury to Yan Zheng had spread across the Xuanyuan Continent, filling all Wang family members with pride.

"The Han family's cross-realm treasure ship hasn't departed yet, has it?" Wang Ruyan inquired.

"It's preparing to set sail," Wang Yihong confirmed. "Yongzhong and the others have already boarded and will help distribute invitations once they reach the Azure Glaze Sea." The Wang family was preparing to hold a Mahayana celebration. Invitations had already been sent to all major human factions on the Xuanyuan Continent, as well as to their allied races. The Wang family hadn't forgotten the Azure Glaze Sea; Wang Yongzhong and his group were about to return there and would deliver invitations to the region's prominent human powers.

"Have Yingjie and the others strengthen their vigilance, strictly guard against sneak attacks from foreign races, and carefully oversee the migration of cultivators from the mainland to develop the newly occupied islands," Wang Changsheng instructed. The human race had expanded its territory in the sea, seizing over fifty thousand islands. Such a vast area would require a large number of cultivators for development and garrisoning.

"Understood, Ancestor," Wang Yihong replied, bowing before departing.

"If not for the profoundness of the Nine Blazes Spirit-Splitting Art, and had my husband killed Yan Zheng, the human race's territory would have expanded even further," Wang Ruyan remarked with a smile.

Wang Changsheng nodded. "The Golden Cicada Escaping Its Shell technique is no less marvelous than the Nine Blazes Spirit-Splitting Art," he said. "However, after this battle, with no other Mahayana cultivators in the clan, I can't leave the Xuanyuan Continent. Otherwise, if Yan Zheng were to return for revenge, it would cause significant trouble."

Ultimately, the human race on Xuanyuan Continent had too few Mahayana cultivators. Heavenly River Sword Master's disciples had all perished under the Great Tribulation. If Wang Changsheng were to leave, the pressure on the human race would only intensify. If Heavenly River Sword Master wished to advance further, he would have to seek opportunities elsewhere, as he couldn't remain in seclusion on the Xuanyuan Continent indefinitely. Yan Zheng had suffered a great loss at Wang Changsheng's hands and would surely harbor resentment. If Wang Changsheng were not on Qinglian Island, Yan Zheng might attack Qinglian Island, perhaps even bringing Luo Xiao with him.

"Indeed!" Wang Ruyan mused. "I heard the Yaksha Tribe has produced a second Mahayana cultivator. This means the Spirit Fire, Yaksha, and Silver Shark tribes now possess a total of four Mahayana experts. Yan Que likely died during the Great Tribulation." She reasoned that Yan Que hadn't appeared for tens of thousands of years; he had been severely injured during the war to exterminate the Lizard Tribe and must have succumbed to the tribulation, otherwise he would have shown himself long ago.

Just as Wang Changsheng was about to speak, Wang Yihong entered. "Ancestor," he reported, "Senior Ye Yuhan has arrived."

"Please invite Fellow Daoist Ye in immediately," Wang Changsheng instructed.

Wang Yihong acknowledged and departed. A short while later, Ye Yuhan descended from the sky, landing before Wang Changsheng.

"Fellow Daoist Ye (Senior Ye)," Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan greeted him, quickly rising.

"Madam Wang, please don't be so formal," Ye Yuhan said with a gentle smile. "I'm about to leave the Xuanyuan Continent and simply came to bid you farewell." Chen Yueying had already given Ye Yuhan the Nine Splendor Stone in exchange for cultivation resources that would significantly boost her strength. Ye Yuhan had been astonished to obtain a Nine Splendor Stone from the Xuanyuan Continent, considering it an immense gain. He intended to send the stone back to his clan as quickly as possible so Ye Xuanfeng could refine it into a high-grade Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure. Before his departure, he had specifically come to see Wang Changsheng, acknowledging that Cheng Yao's divination on Wang Changsheng's behalf had drawn a lightning tribulation — an indeed terrifying feat.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, you're too kind. Please, have a seat," Wang Changsheng said, gesturing for Ye Yuhan to join them. The three sat in the stone pavilion, sipping tea and chatting. The Wang family possessed few rare items that could be exchanged with the Ye family for Mahayana cultivation resources, primarily the Profound Sky Immortal Vine and Profound Sky Blood Vine. Wang Changsheng was not yet considering exchanging these two Profound Sky Spirit Woods. While "Profound Sky Spirit Wood" and "Profound Sky Item" differed by only two characters, the latter's value far exceeded the former.

After a few pleasantries, Wang Changsheng steered the conversation to business. "Fellow Daoist Ye," he began, "I wonder how a seventh-tier spirit vein can be upgraded to an eighth-tier?" Having entered the Mahayana stage, Wang Changsheng needed to address the issue of spirit veins. Qinglian Island only possessed a seventh-tier spirit vein, which somewhat affected his cultivation speed. Heavenly River Sword Master's reluctance to stay long on the Xuanyuan Continent was also partly due to the spirit vein quality. Zhenhai Palace, Silver Shark Island, and the Wang family had all risen relatively late and naturally lacked eighth-tier spirit veins, which meant Mahayana cultivators' progress there was inherently slower.

"If Fellow Daoist Wang finds a Yuanji Stone, our Ye family can help set up a formation to upgrade the spirit vein," Ye Yuhan explained. The Yuanji Stone, one of the Ten Great Rare Stones, could improve the grade of a spirit vein, allowing a seventh-tier vein to advance to an eighth-tier. Besides the Yuanji Stone, several other rare materials were also required.

"Are there no other methods besides the Yuanji Stone?" Wang Changsheng pressed.

"If you possess a Nine-Yuan Profound Wood aged two to three hundred thousand years, arranging a Spirit Ascension Grand Formation could also upgrade a seventh-tier spirit vein to an eighth-tier," Ye Yuhan clarified. "A Nine-Yuan Profound Wood over a hundred thousand years old would, at most, only make a seventh-tier spirit vein's spiritual energy more abundant." Upgrading a spirit vein was no easy feat, especially elevating a seventh-tier to an eighth-tier. The difficulty was high, requiring the collection of a vast array of materials.

Ye Yuhan pondered for a moment, then took out a cyan jade slip and handed it to Wang Changsheng. "These are the materials needed to upgrade a spirit vein," he said. "You can have people keep an eye out for them. The most valuable are the Yuanji Stone and the Nine-Yuan Profound Wood aged two to three hundred thousand years. For the sake of Ancestor Xuanji, if you find these materials, we can help you upgrade your spirit vein." Both the Yuanji Stone and the two-to-three-hundred-thousand-year-old Nine-Yuan Profound Wood were extremely precious even to the Ye family. Chen Yueying also wished to upgrade her spirit vein, which the Ye family couldn't facilitate – or more accurately, they couldn't meet all of Chen Yueying's numerous demands.

Wang Changsheng accepted the jade slip, scanned it with his divine sense, and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

"Besides these two methods," Ye Yuhan continued slowly, "there's another way: refine a treasure with its own space that can serve as both a cultivation abode and a flying artifact. Ancestor Xuanji's Xuanji Palace is an example of this. However, refining such a treasure is quite difficult and requires many rare materials."

Wang Changsheng nodded. He could, in fact, cultivate within the Myriad Spirit Map, but given its rarity, he couldn't allow his clansmen frequent access. If Qinglian Island's spirit vein were upgraded to the eighth-tier, his entire clan would benefit.

After chatting for over half an hour, Ye Yuhan offered considerable advice, then bid them farewell and departed Qinglian Island, returning to the Northern Cold Ice Plain.