Chapter 3696

At the Cao Family's estate in the Seven Stars Mountain Range, within the Azurewood Realm, a quiet manor hosted a gathering. Cao Yuzhen, Xun Tian, Cao Yufeng, Divine Monarch Xuanji, a blue-dressed young woman with picturesque features, and a burly young man in a yellow shirt were seated in a green stone pavilion, deep in discussion.

“Why are the divination results different? Is she in the Celestial River Realm or the White Cloud Realm?” the blue-dressed young woman asked with a frown. This was Fairy Yuwei, the foremost Mahayana cultivator in the Ziwei Realm, who was at the Mahayana Mid-stage and had opened two apertures.

Cao Yufeng and two diviners had simultaneously performed divinations to track Bi Yan and her group. The results differed: Cao Yufeng's divination indicated the Celestial River Realm, while Divine Monarch Xuanji's pointed to the White Cloud Realm.

“Let's investigate the White Cloud Realm first, then the Celestial River Realm,” Gou Tian suggested. The Cao family had offered a lotus seed from the Golden Thunder Lotus as compensation; otherwise, he wouldn't have come.

“With Fellow Daoist Gou and Fellow Daoist Qian, along with other fellow daoists, eliminating those True Spirits shouldn't be an issue. Once the others arrive, we will immediately head to the White Cloud Realm.” Cao Yuzhen was full of confidence. To deal with Bi Yan and her group, the Cao family had invited two True Spirits and several Mahayana cultivators who had opened two apertures.

“Madam Cao, I've heard that the Azure Lotus Immortal Couple possess extraordinary strength. Will they be joining the battle?” the young man in the yellow shirt asked. This was Qian Hua, a Mahayana Mid-stage cultivator and a humanoid True Spirit.

“I've already sent someone to invite them. They should participate!” Cao Yuzhen didn't make a definitive statement. She hoped Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan would join. Aside from their two opened apertures, their Mahayana Late-stage bean soldier would also be a significant asset.

The Wang family was incredibly wealthy, making it difficult to persuade the Azure Lotus Immortal Couple to take action. Defensive incomplete Xuantian treasures or Xuantian treasures were also precious to the Cao family, not so abundant that they could be given away casually to outsiders.

“If they participate, our chances will be much greater,” Gou Tian said with a smile. He hadn't fought Wang Changsheng himself, but Cao Yuzhen had highly praised the Azure Lotus Immortal Couple, saying they possessed vast divine abilities. To earn such high praise from Cao Yuzhen, their strength must indeed be formidable.

“Indeed! Even Tong Shan fell to them. So many years have passed; perhaps they've even opened a third aperture.” Divine Monarch Xuanji's face was filled with envy. He could never have imagined that Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan would grow to such a level in just over 20,000 years.

“Opening a third aperture is hardly easy. Even Mahayana cultivators from super-large clans find it difficult, as many of the necessary materials come from the Immortal Realm,” Fairy Yuwei sighed.

“Indeed! Mahayana cultivators who have opened three apertures are exceedingly rare in the East Profound Continent Realm Cluster. Each of them is a formidable power. As far as I know, over 200,000 years ago, Fairy Yuexi single-handedly fought two Mahayana cultivators who had opened two apertures, and neither was her match. She successfully ascended to the Immortal Realm, and who knows what cultivation realm she has reached there now,” Qian Hua remarked.

“Those True Spirits have slain over a hundred Mahayana cultivators; they must have obtained the aperture-opening secret technique. My current worry is that they have already opened their apertures. Any living being can open an aperture, and after a True Spirit opens an aperture, their strength becomes even greater.” Cao Yuzhen's expression turned solemn.

Eliminating a True Spirit in a one-on-one battle is quite difficult, and if a True Spirit opens an aperture, it becomes even harder.

“Aperture-opening secret techniques all originate from the Immortal Realm. It's already impressive to find the materials to open even the first aperture; opening two is far from easy,” Fairy Yuwei analyzed.

“Even a True Spirit with one opened aperture is difficult to deal with. Don't forget, that Bi Fang is at the Mahayana Late-stage. I've already contacted the Nangong family and requested their assistance to ensure everything goes smoothly,” Cao Yuzhen said.

The Nangong family, like the Cao family, was a super-large clan, boasting an abundance of experts.

“If the Nangong family dispatches experts to participate, our chances will increase even further.” Divine Monarch Xuanji's face showed delight.

Cao Yuzhen took out a pale golden Dharma plate, infused it with a spell, and her face fell. “The Shi family's ancestral land has been breached. All fourteen Mahayana cultivators were killed; not a single one survived.”

Cao Yuzhen's brows furrowed deeply. This made Bi Yan and her group even more difficult to deal with.

“It seems we need to summon more strong cultivators. Unless they are eliminated, the cultivation world will never know peace.” Cao Yufeng's expression was solemn. As long as Bi Yan and her group remained, they couldn't cultivate in peace.

Cao Yuzhen nodded and said, “I will immediately contact Fellow Daoist Nangong and ask them to send people over as soon as possible. Fellow Daoist Gou, you three should go rest for now.” Gou Tian and the other two agreed, then rose and departed.

***

On a desolate island, approximately a hundred miles in circumference, in the Jade Ganoderma Realm, Wu Feng and six other cultivators stood atop a high peak, gazing at Bi Yan in the sky.

Bi Yan's face was slightly pale. Not far in the void, a shimmering nine-colored cloud ladder, the Ascension Stairway, materialized.

They had annihilated several major forces and acquired numerous treasures, including an eighth-tier Thunder-Absorbing Pearl, eighth-tier talismans, and defensive incomplete Xuantian treasures.

Using the eighth-tier Seven Stars Heavenly Thunder Formation and the incomplete Xuantian treasure, the Golden Might Pearl, Bi Yan had successfully overcome the Nine-Nine Thunder Tribulation and was now ready to ascend to the Immortal Realm.

The Shi family had just finished refining a defensive incomplete Xuantian treasure, the Golden Might Pearl, when Bi Yan and her group attacked, eliminating the Shi family's Mahayana cultivators and seizing the Golden Might Pearl.

“Che Huang, Wu Feng, Die Wei, I will go first. You should find a place to cultivate in seclusion for a while, weather this storm, and then deal with those major forces after opening your apertures. I hope we can meet again in the Immortal Realm,” Bi Yan said.

“Sister Bi, please rest assured! We will soon reunite with you,” a burly young man in a red shirt said with a smile. This was Che Huang, a Mahayana Mid-stage cultivator whose true form was a True Spirit Nine-Headed Bird.

Bi Yan nodded, then stepped towards the Ascension Stairway, disappearing at its end and vanishing into the void. The Ascension Stairway then faded away.

“Sister Bi's method is feasible! I hope we can also ascend to the Immortal Realm,” Che Huang said, his face showing a look of longing.

“At worst, we'll just eliminate a few more major forces. Perhaps we'll even acquire another defensive incomplete Xuantian treasure,” a young man in a black shirt said. This was Xiao Xiu, a Mahayana Mid-stage cultivator whose true form was a True Spirit Seven-Headed Owl.

“Let's find a place to hide for a while and open our apertures before anything else. There are many powerful cultivators in the East Profound Continent Realm Cluster,” a tall, slender old man in black robes suggested. This was Xuan Feng, a Mahayana Mid-stage cultivator whose true form was a True Spirit Profound Mystic Turtle.

His physical body was powerful; after advancing to the Mahayana Late-stage, he was fully confident he could overcome the Nine-Nine Thunder Tribulation. He had been forced to join this group; disobedience meant death.

“As long as we don't provoke the super-large clans, there shouldn't be any major problems,” a simple-looking burly man in a blue shirt said. This was Niu Miao, a Mahayana Mid-stage cultivator whose true form was a True Spirit Prisoner Ox.

His physical body was also powerful, and he too was confident he could overcome the Nine-Nine Thunder Tribulation. However, he had been discovered by Bi Yan and her group and forced to join their ranks.

Niu Miao and Xuan Feng had been cultivating peacefully in their caves when Bi Yan and her group found them, easily defeated them, and offered two choices: join them or die.

They chose to live and joined the small group.

They only wanted to cultivate steadily to the Mahayana Late-stage, overcome the Nine-Nine Thunder Tribulation, and ascend to the Immortal Realm, without going on a killing spree. Unable to escape, they could only obey.

“Hmph, what if they are super-large clans? How many can stand against Die Wei and me?” a slender young man in a black shirt snorted, his face full of pride. This was Jiu Wuying, a Mahayana Mid-stage cultivator whose true form was a True Spirit Ghost Dove.

“We've obtained quite a few aperture-opening materials. Let's open our apertures first!” Che Huang said in a deep voice.