Chapter 3602: Like Smoke Midterm

In a hidden realm, undulating mountain ranges stretched as far as the eye could see, brimming with spiritual energy.

Inside a secluded cave, Yin Qing sat cross-legged on a blue futon, her face pale and her body scorched black. This place was tens of trillions of miles away from the Xuanling Continent; even if the Wang family cultivators were in pursuit, they wouldn't be able to reach her anytime soon.

After leaving Silver Shark Island, she journeyed extensively and unexpectedly discovered an unknown hidden realm. It contained numerous high-grade spiritual herbs and fruits, which she consumed while cultivating in seclusion for many years, successfully advancing to the mid-Mahayana stage.

No sooner had she emerged from the hidden realm than she was surprised to find a Wang family outpost located near its entrance. Upon seeing her emerge, Yin Qing immediately eliminated the cultivators at the outpost and fled.

She hadn't fled far before Wang Mengbin caught up, injuring her with a remnant Heaven-tier treasure and a Soul Annihilation Divine Thunder.

Yin Qing could only resort to a Water Escape technique to flee through the seabed, thereby shaking off Wang Mengbin. This maneuver was only feasible at sea; on land, her escape would not have been so easy.

Her injuries were severe, particularly to her divine soul. She had no choice but to find a hidden realm for recuperation, planning to leave only once her condition improved.

A powerful divine sense swept over her, startling Yin Qing. This hidden realm was extremely secluded, so how did her enemies discover it? She would have detected any forceful attack on the realm's entrance, yet she hadn't noticed any abnormality!

"So you were hiding here!"

An incredibly cold male voice rang out.

No sooner had the voice faded than the sound of crashing waves erupted.

Yin Qing realized something; a brilliant blue light erupted from her body, transforming her into a mass of blue water vapor that vanished from the spot.

With a thunderous explosion, the cave where she had been hiding shattered, sending earth and rocks flying amidst billowing dust and smoke.

Wang Changsheng stood on the deck of the Azure Lotus, with Wang Huanyu, Wang Tunian, Wang Lin, and Wang Chan standing beside him.

Wang Tunian had tracked her all the way here using his sense of smell, and Wang Huanyu had used spatial divine abilities to bring Wang Changsheng directly inside.

Upon seeing Wang Changsheng, Yin Qing's face turned ashen. While she might have had a chance to escape from Wang Mengbin, facing Wang Changsheng meant she truly had no hope of fleeing.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, please don't kill me. I bear no deep-seated enmity toward your Wang family, and I am willing to acknowledge you as my master and serve you faithfully."

Yin Qing pleaded earnestly.

"First, withstand one of my attacks. I do not take in useless individuals."

Wang Changsheng unleashed a punch, shattering the void. Cracks spread in all directions, as if the very fabric of heaven and earth were on the verge of collapse.

A colossal fist, tens of thousands of feet in size, instantly appeared and hurtled directly towards her.

Even before the colossal fist reached her, an immense pressure surged forth, causing entire mountain peaks to explode and filling the air with dust.

Yin Qing was utterly shocked. She knew she couldn't possibly escape now and could only brace herself for the impact.

A dazzling silver light erupted from Yin Qing's body, transforming her into a colossal silver shark. The shark then unleashed a silver sound wave, which surged forward to meet the incoming attack.

The silver sound wave shattered instantly, like paper. The colossal fist then slammed into the silver shark, sending it flying backward, accompanied by a piercing female shriek.

A dazzling spiritual light flared from the silver shark's body, transforming it into a shimmering jade talisman, which then shattered into pieces.

Yin Qing reappeared in the void a thousand miles away. Before she could even steady herself, the colossal fist slammed into her once more.

"No..."

Yin Qing let out a piteous shriek as she was sent flying backward, her chest caved in, and all signs of life extinguished.

She couldn't even withstand a single blow from Wang Changsheng and was instantly annihilated.

No sooner had a miniature shark-shaped soul emerged from her body than it was enveloped by a black aura, drawn into Wang Chan's mouth, and vanished from sight.

A faint trace of divine consciousness flowed into Wang Changsheng's sea of consciousness. By devouring an enemy's vital spirit or nascent soul, Wang Chan could learn about their affairs, a process akin to a soul-searching technique.

"She did indeed eliminate the cultivators at that outpost. She killed our people, and yet she expected us to let her go."

Wang Chan's face was etched with sarcasm. If she truly harbored the sincerity to pledge allegiance to the Wang family, why would she have attacked their cultivators?

Wang Changsheng gestured with one hand, and a silver storage bracelet flew towards him, landing in his palm.

Without resorting to his remnant Heaven-tier treasure or spiritual domain, Wang Changsheng was able to defeat Yin Qing, who was also at the mid-Mahayana stage, with a single blow. Of course, Yin Qing was already injured and lacked any top-grade Heaven-reaching defensive spiritual treasures. A mid-Mahayana cultivator from a major clan, however, would surely have been able to withstand more than one of Wang Changsheng's attacks.

Ye Xuanji, relying on numerous treasures and collaborating with several other Mahayana cultivators, had managed to entangle Tong Shan, a late-Mahayana cultivator. Both Tong Shan and Ye Xuanji had opened their first spiritual aperture, but in terms of magical power, Tong Shan's was far more profound than Ye Xuanji's.

If Yin Qing had possessed as many treasures as Ye Xuanji, she naturally would have been able to withstand one of Wang Changsheng's attacks. However, she was not Ye Xuanji; if she had been, Wang Changsheng would have long since been killed by her and prevented from growing.

"Let's go! We're heading back."

Wang Changsheng formed a hand seal, and the Azure Lotus glowed with a dazzling azure light, then tore through the void and departed. He would dispatch cultivators to take over the hidden realm, leaving the remaining affairs for the younger generation to manage.

Wang Changsheng now possessed profound magical power, allowing him to pilot the Cross-Spirit Treasure Ship at high speed.

Three days later, he returned to Azure Lotus Island.

Upon returning to Azure Lotus Peak, Wang Changsheng saw Wang Ruyan and Wang Yulan conversing in a stone pavilion.

Wang Ruyan had already advanced to the mid-Mahayana stage, having recently emerged from seclusion.

She planned to teach Wang Yulan how to refine the Heaven-Earth Demon Suppressing Talisman. Once Wang Yulan could refine it independently, Wang Ruyan's burden would be significantly lightened.

"Yulan, you should go back for now! If you have any questions, come ask me later."

Wang Ruyan sent Wang Yulan back.

"Yes, Old Ancestor."

Wang Yulan rose and departed.

"Husband, I heard you went looking for Yin Qing. Did you find her?"

Wang Ruyan asked with a smile.

"Yes, I found her and eliminated her quite easily. My dear, these are the materials for opening your first spiritual aperture; please take them and proceed."

Wang Changsheng took out a blue storage bracelet and handed it to Wang Ruyan.

Wang Yidao and others had found some aperture-opening materials from the treasuries of the Golden Chi Clan and the Skyfire Palace, precisely enough for Wang Ruyan to open one aperture.

"Husband, please share your insights on opening a spiritual aperture."

Wang Ruyan humbly requested.

Wang Changsheng nodded and elaborated on his personal experience and insights regarding opening a spiritual aperture.

He took out a blue crystal ball, handed it to Wang Ruyan, and said, "I've recorded the process of opening the aperture; you can take it and watch."

Written records are static, and interpretations of text can vary among individuals, whereas visual recordings offer the most authentic representation.

Wang Ruyan took the blue crystal ball, nodded, and said, "That's wonderful! Once I open my spiritual aperture, our family's strength will increase even further."

"Indeed! Unfortunately, aperture-opening materials are truly rare. If every Mahayana cultivator in our clan could open an aperture, how wonderful that would be."

Wang Changsheng sighed, knowing full well that this was simply impossible. Not every Mahayana cultivator in major clans managed to open an aperture. Perhaps it could be achieved in the Immortal Realm, given its abundant cultivation resources, but it would be difficult in the lower realms where resources are relatively scarce.

After chatting for a while, they each entered a secluded chamber. Wang Changsheng went into secluded cultivation, while Wang Ruyan used the materials to open her spiritual aperture.