Chapter 3699: Nangong Family

In the Qingmu Realm, at the Cao family residence, more than a dozen Mahayana cultivators—including Cao Yuzhen, Cao Tianhu, Ye Xuanji, Divine Monarch Xuanji, Cao Yufeng, Qian Hua, and Fairy Yuwei—were seated in a blue stone pavilion, engaged in a discussion.

Mahayana-stage diviners had attempted to locate Bi Yan and her companions. Cao Yuzhen led a team to the supposed location, but they did not find Bi Yan and her group. Instead, they discovered traces of other true spirits.

"Fairy Cao, you've divined so many times; can't you pinpoint their exact location?" Qian Hua asked with a frown.

"They are constantly moving and don't stay in one place. To pinpoint their exact location, it would be best to acquire some of their essence blood. Knowing their birth information would be even better," Cao Yufeng explained. She added that diviners are generally more skilled at foretelling fortune and misfortune, making it harder to locate people, especially since targets don't remain stationary.

"Birth information? They escaped from fragments of the Immortal Realm; who would know their birth information?" Divine Monarch Xuanji said, looking troubled. "And acquiring their essence blood isn't easy. So far, only two targets they've pursued have survived, and both escaped without us obtaining their essence blood."

Cao Yuzhen flipped her right hand, retrieved a pale golden magic disk, and inserted a magic incantation. Her face brightened with joy. "Fellow Daoist Nangong has found them and even engaged them in battle!"

The Cao family and the Nangong family had joined forces, gathering dozens of Mahayana-stage powerful cultivators to encircle and annihilate Bi Yan's group.

"Which realm are they in?" Ye Xuanji asked.

"Tianfeng Realm," Cao Yuzhen replied. "Strangely, the leader is gone; only seven of them remain. They attacked an ancestral land of the Huan race, killing seven Mahayana cultivators. When they left, they encountered Fellow Daoist Nangong and his group. Several true spirits had awakened their apertures. After a battle, Fellow Daoist Nangong's group lost four Mahayana cultivators, but they killed the Nine-Headed Bird true spirit and severely wounded the Black Tortoise."

"True spirits have awakened their apertures? How many Mahayana cultivators does Fellow Daoist Nangong's group have?" Divine Monarch Xuanji pressed.

"Seven Mahayana cultivators," Cao Yuzhen answered truthfully. "Fellow Daoist Nangong and his wife have both opened two apertures. Fellow Daoist Nangong possesses the Azure Dragon Physique, with a physical body comparable to a true dragon, allowing him to fight true spirits in close combat. His wife, Fairy Guanghan, possesses the Guanghan Physique. And Fellow Daoist Gou wounded the Nine-Headed Bird."

The Azure Dragon Physique is even more formidable than the Heavenly Fiend Physique. While the Heavenly Fiend Physique is a natural body cultivation physique whose physical body merely rivals true spirits, the physical bodies of true spirits also vary in strength. A true dragon is a top-tier true spirit, and its physical body ranks among the strongest of all true spirits.

This battle outcome was quite good. Over a thousand years ago, before the true spirits had awakened their apertures, fourteen Mahayana cultivators from the influential clans of the Yuzhi Realm joined forces against the true spirits and were all annihilated. Now, with a similar number of cultivators, their loss of three, along with killing one true spirit and severely wounding another, was quite impressive.

"Fellow Daoist Nangong and Fairy Guanghan both have two apertures open, Fellow Daoist Gou is a true spirit, and there are multiple other aperture awakeners, yet they still lost three cultivators?" Qian Hua said with a frown.

"The true spirits have awakened their apertures, and there's the Tiger-Phoenix Butterfly that controls spatial abilities," Cao Yuzhen explained. "The Ghost Dove is also extremely troublesome; without something to counter soul attacks, it's very difficult to defend against. Even Fellow Daoist Sun, who had opened two apertures, was killed by the Ghost Dove."

Items that counter soul attacks are valuable even for major clans. Even in the Immortal Realm, immortal artifacts and talismans that counter soul attacks are precious.

"Fellow Daoist Sun was killed? What a pity!" Fairy Yuwei said with a regretful tone. "His divine abilities were not weak; he could contend with true spirits without falling behind."

"Fellow Daoist Nangong's group managed to obtain the essence blood of several true spirits, making divination much more precise!" Cao Yufeng said excitedly.

"Fellow Daoist Nangong and his group are already on their way," Cao Yufeng said, full of confidence. "As long as we can find them, we will definitely be able to annihilate them!"

Cao Yuzhen and the others deeply agreed. As the saying goes, it's hard for one person to contend with many opponents; no matter how strong a true spirit is, it cannot withstand several times its number in enemies.

***

In the Xuanyang Realm, on Qinglian Island's Qinglian Peak, lay a tranquil manor adorned with climbing vines, green bamboo, and exotic garden stones. Wang Yongqian and Wang Chuanming were seated in a blue stone pavilion, engaged in a discussion.

"Mengshan has advanced to the Mahayana stage! That's wonderful!" Wang Yongqian said with a smile. Wang Xiuling and Wang Xiulong had also successively advanced to the Mahayana stage, but unfortunately, Wang Yihong had failed in his attempt.

Du Xueyao had already advanced to the Mahayana stage, thanks to the family acquiring a considerable number of Ephemeral Yuan Fruits. Some of the family's elites, who had cultivated to the Mid-Integration stage, directly advanced to the Late-Integration stage after consuming these fruits.

Wang Chuanming took out a pale golden communication disk, inserted a magic incantation, and his face lit up with joy. "Cui Yao has completely taken control of the Witch Race, and she can now cast their curses," he said with a smile.

Given the Wang family's current strength and status, Cui Yao and Wang Mengshan technically no longer needed to conceal their identities, yet they continued to do so.

When the Myriad Spirit Ruins opened, Integration stage cultivators from the Witch Race entered to seek treasures, and Cui Yao also went in. Wang Chuanming had arranged for an ancient cultivator's cave dwelling to be discovered specifically by Witch Race cultivators, allowing them to obtain spiritual items for advancing to the Mahayana stage.

Wang Chuanming sent someone to deliver a Qiankun Demon Suppressing Talisman and an eighth-tier Lightning Absorbing Orb to Cui Yao. Cui Yao successfully passed the inner demon trial and advanced to the Mahayana stage. Other Witch Race Integration stage cultivators, however, failed in their attempts to reach the Mahayana stage, succumbing to the inner demon trial.

The Nine Dragon Palace, in alliance with the Human Race and the Blue Carp Race, moved against the Witch Race. Witch Li died under the Great Heavenly Tribulation, and without Mahayana cultivators to defend them, the Witch Race couldn't withstand the assault, resulting in many elites being killed.

Cui Yao stepped forward to fight Long Qingfeng, resulting in a draw. The Witch Race ceded some territory to appease the conflict, and only then was the Witch Race saved from annihilation.

Cui Yao also gained the trust of the entire Witch Race and rightfully became their Grand Priestess.

"When the Myriad Spirit Ruins open next, have Cui Yao send more people in. Hopefully, they can find some immortal cultivation techniques," Wang Yongqian said with a smile. She reasoned that even if many Witch Race cultivators died collecting cultivation resources, the Wang family wouldn't feel regret, as they weren't their own people.

"I've already sent people to other realms to look for news of immortal cultivation techniques, hoping to collect a few more," Wang Chuanming said.

Wang Yongqian nodded. She took out a shimmering magic disk, inserted a magic incantation, and after a few gestures, an expression of surprise appeared on her face.

"What's wrong?" Wang Chuanming asked curiously.

"True Monarch Kuangchui has advanced to the Mahayana stage and is holding a celebration, inviting our Wang family to attend," Wang Yongqian said. She noted that True Monarch Kuangchui, also known as Lan Fukong, had entered the Immortal Realm fragments twice.

"He also advanced to the Mahayana stage? That's quite rare," Wang Chuanming said, somewhat surprised. He noted that Wang family cultivators attempting to reach the Mahayana stage had the aid of pills, talismans, formations, and treasures, making it considerably easier. Lan Fukong likely didn't have such advantages, so his ability to advance to the Mahayana stage was indeed rare.

"Indeed!" Wang Yongqian said. "Let Old Ancestor Lihe lead the team to attend True Monarch Kuangchui's Mahayana celebration!"

Wang Chuanming offered no opinion; this matter was not under his purview. He only needed to manage the Dark Hall properly.