Chapter 3646: Second Great Catastrophe

In the Celestial Dome Realm, over a vast expanse of azure sea, a silver-glowing flying boat rapidly streaked across the sky.

Wang Chuanming, Wang Zongyun, Lin Yiyi, Lan Fukong, Liu Yao, and Wang Mengshan stood on the silver flying boat. Both Wang Chuanming and Liu Yao had advanced to the Mahayana stage, having secluded themselves in the Heavenly Rainbow Grotto-heaven to successfully achieve their breakthrough.

Liu Yao, Wang Mengshan, and Granny Tianxue had previously separated from Wang Chuanming's group of four. They triggered a restriction, which resulted in Granny Tianxue's demise. Wang Mengshan then protected Liu Yao, allowing her to focus on her breakthrough to the Mahayana stage without worry.

They had cultivated in seclusion in the Heavenly Rainbow Grotto-heaven for many years. After leaving, they learned that Wang Changsheng had visited Wanlong Continent in the Celestial Dome Realm and eradicated the Obscura Tribe.

They then departed from Wanlong Continent, intending to return to the Profound Sun Realm.

The major tribes of the Celestial Dome Realm—the 镗 Tribe, the Medicine Tribe, and the Obscura Tribe—had been successively destroyed. Along their journey, they encountered many other foreign tribes. However, these foreign tribes dared not provoke them. With Wang Changsheng, Ye Xuanji, and others having annihilated the Obscura Tribe, serving as a powerful deterrent, other Mahayana-stage foreign tribes did not dare easily attack human Mahayana cultivators.

"Someone's approaching," Liu Yao murmured.

Liu Yao frowned and performed a hand seal, causing the silver flying boat to halt.

A streak of light appeared in the distant sky. Before long, the light stopped, revealing the 'Nine Yuan' airship.

"Oh, it's the Nine Yuan," Wang Chuanming said with a slight surprise. He recognized the emblem of the Nine Yuan Merchant Guild.

Su Jianjia and dozens of other cultivators stood on the deck. Upon seeing Wang Chuanming and his companions, the 'Nine Yuan' stopped.

"I am Wang Chuanming of the Azure Lotus Wang family. May I ask for your name, fellow Daoist?" Wang Chuanming asked, cupping his fist. He added that traveling with cultivators from the Nine Yuan Merchant Guild would not only ensure safety but also save considerable time.

"The Azure Lotus Wang family? Are you members of the Wang family?" Su Jianjia asked, surprised, as she did not recognize Wang Chuanming.

"No, only the two of us are from the Azure Lotus Wang family," Wang Chuanming said, indicating himself and Wang Zongyun. "The others are from different factions." Su Jianjia courteously replied, "My name is Su Jianjia. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

"Fairy Su, we unexpectedly ended up stranded in the Celestial Dome Realm. May we request passage on the Nine Yuan to return to the Profound Sun Realm?" Liu Yao politely asked. She then recounted the full story of how they came to be stranded in the Celestial Dome Realm.

Wang Changsheng had previously mentioned this matter to Su Jianjia, so she did not refuse, agreeing to let Wang Chuanming and his companions board the airship. Qin Hao was also on board, so she wasn't concerned about Wang Chuanming and Liu Yao causing trouble.

"Many thanks, Fairy Su," Wang Chuanming expressed his gratitude.

"It's merely a small favor," Su Jianjia replied with a smile. "You are too polite, Fellow Daoist Wang. Perhaps you haven't heard, but not long ago, Master Taihao and I attended a Dao Discussion hosted by the Cao family. Fellow Daoist Wang defeated the Heavenly Fiend Demon Lord, who is one of the Ten Great Sacred Ancestors of the Demon Realm."

The Nine Yuan Merchant Guild had been seeking ways to strengthen their relationship with the Wang family, and Wang Chuanming's arrival presented a perfect opportunity.

Hearing this, Wang Chuanming and Wang Zongyun showed expressions of joy, while Liu Yao frowned but said nothing.

After a brief chat, Wang Chuanming and his companions entered their cabins to meditate and cultivate. Su Jianjia would notify them when the 'Nine Yuan' neared the Profound Sun Realm.

Time flew by; three hundred years had passed.

Profound Sun Realm, Profound Spirit Continent.

On Violet Crystal Island, Wang Changsheng stood atop a peak. A massive thundercloud hovered above the summit, flashing with lightning and rumbling with thunder as thick silver bolts struck down.

Wang Changsheng stood amidst an expanse of azure water. The water churned violently, raising colossal waves to meet the silver lightning bolts. With deafening roars, the thick silver lightning bolts were shattered by the massive waves.

As time passed, numerous lightning tribulations struck, all of which were repelled by Wang Changsheng's cultivation. After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the thundercloud was still several tens of feet in size, yet Wang Changsheng remained completely unharmed, shielded by the surrounding seawater.

Thanks to his abundant magical power and the complete mastery of his spiritual domain, Wang Changsheng found it much easier to pass the Grand Heavenly Tribulation. The thundercloud churned like boiling water, transforming into a colossal silver lightning dragon. Its body was enveloped in countless silver electric arcs, exuding an aura of world-destroying power.

The silver lightning dragon swooped down from high above, hurtling straight towards Wang Changsheng. Wang Changsheng flicked his right hand towards the silver lightning dragon. The surrounding seawater surged violently, forming a titanic blue palm that rose to meet the incoming beast.

The silver lightning dragon effortlessly tore the colossal palm to shreds and lunged at Wang Changsheng. Wang Changsheng performed a hand seal, and hundreds of thousands of blue water spears, each over a hundred feet long, instantly appeared, shooting straight towards the silver lightning dragon.

The dense blue water spears struck the silver lightning dragon repeatedly, leaving its body riddled with holes before it exploded into a dazzling ball of silver lightning that surged skyward.

After a moment, the lightning dissipated, revealing Wang Changsheng unharmed, enveloped in a thick blue water barrier.

During his first Grand Heavenly Tribulation, Wang Changsheng had not yet awakened his apertures. For this second Grand Heavenly Tribulation, having awakened two apertures and cultivated his spiritual domain to grand perfection, he passed it with great ease. Awakening his apertures enhanced his magical power, making tribulation passage significantly easier.

Wang Changsheng was filled with both surprise and joy, never having expected to pass the Grand Heavenly Tribulation with such ease now. With a thought, the blue water barrier and the azure seawater dissipated, vanishing without a trace.

Back on Azure Lotus Island, Wang Changsheng summoned Wang Chuanlin.

"Chuanlin, have you finished organizing the cultivation methods and scriptures I asked you to?" Wang Changsheng inquired. He had requested Wang Chuanlin to compile water-attribute cultivation methods and body-refining techniques as reference for deducing a new cultivation art. He now possessed the Myriad Spirit Dao Body and had several millennia of time remaining. While cultivating for a few thousand years might not be enough to advance to the Mahayana stage, it was sufficient to deduce new cultivation arts.

Even Foundation Establishment cultivators could deduce cultivation arts, but the resulting methods were typically of poor quality and carried a high risk of qi deviation. Generally, cultivators found it easier to deduce cultivation arts that matched the attributes of their current cultivation methods. For example, it would be very difficult for Wang Changsheng to deduce lightning-attribute or spirit-controlling cultivation arts, as he had no prior experience cultivating them. He was better suited for deducing body-refining or water-attribute methods.

"They are all organized, Ancestor," Wang Chuanlin replied.

Wang Chuanlin took out over a dozen jade slips of various colors and handed them to Wang Changsheng. These jade slips contained multiple cultivation arts, primarily body-refining techniques or water-attribute methods.

Wang Changsheng nodded, accepted the jade slips, and dismissed him. He entered a secret chamber, sat on a blue meditation cushion, placed a blue jade slip against his forehead, and immersed his divine sense within it.

The Wang family was flourishing. Wang Ruyi and Long Qingfeng had already traveled to the Azure Glaze Sea Region to take control of the Nine Dragon Palace. Most of the foreign Mahayana cultivators in the Azure Glaze Sea Region had perished. The surviving ones dared not oppose the Wang family; even Tong Shan, a late-Mahayana cultivator, had died at the hands of the Azure Lotus Immortals. Other foreign Mahayana cultivators were no match and behaved very cautiously, fearing they might provoke the Wang family and be eliminated by their Mahayana cultivators.

Wang Changsheng intended to study the divine abilities of these cultivation arts, combine them with his own cultivation insights, and deduce a new cultivation method to be passed down as the family's foundational art.