Chapter 3871: Ascender Wu Yan

On Qinglian Peak, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan sat in a cyan stone pavilion, while Wang Mengbin and twelve others stood respectfully before them.

"The Immortal Armor Army is a secret of our clan. You are not to reveal this matter to outsiders; keep it confidential for as long as possible," Wang Changsheng instructed.

"Yes, Patriarch," Wang Mengbin and the others replied in unison.

"Considering our limited personnel, we will temporarily divide into three squads, each with four members," Wang Ruyan said. "Mengbin, Lihe, Xiulong, and Xiuling will form one squad, with Mengbin as captain. Yingjie, Huayue, Yangsheng, and Yushuang will form another squad, with Yingjie as captain. The remaining four, including Changxian, will form the third squad, with Changxian as captain. If all members of the Immortal Armor Army are deployed, Yingjie and Changxian must follow Mengbin's command."

If Wang Changsheng could refine more Chaos Armors and the Wang family acquired more True Immortals, they could select elites from the guard team to join the Immortal Armor Army, thus expanding its strength. According to Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan's vision, cultivators specializing in lightning, swords, sabers, and poisons should ideally be grouped into separate squads for better coordination. However, due to the limited number of Wang family members, this arrangement was temporary.

Major powers such as the Nine Immortals Sect, the Haoyue Alliance, and the Cangyun Palace all possessed Immortal Armor Armies, typically numbering between a dozen and several tens of members, primarily True Immortal cultivators. They owned a limited number of mid-grade Chaos Armors.

Powerful forces like the Cao family, however, commanded Immortal Army Legions. Their True Immortal-level Immortal Armor Army comprised hundreds of members, and they also had more than ten Golden Immortal-level Immortal Armor Army members.

There was a world of difference between an Immortal Armor Legion and an Immortal Armor Army; besides the numerical disparity, their power levels also represented a vast chasm.

The Heavenly Ghost Sect, Changyuan Clan, Zhang family, Xu family, and Xia family had also formed Immortal Armor Armies, but they only had three to five members, and their Chaos Armors were destroyed during conflicts.

It was only because Wang Changsheng could refine Chaos Armors, combined with captured ones, that the Wang family could possess twelve Immortal Armor Army members. Chaos Armors were not sold in the Tianchen Sea Domain; they were exclusively available on the Chaos Continent, mostly through bartering. It was very difficult to purchase them with Immortal Essence Stones.

"Yes, Patriarch," Wang Mengbin and the others affirmed.

Wang Changsheng gave a few more instructions before dismissing them.

"With twelve members in the Immortal Armor Army, Haoyang City's defensive strength has significantly increased," Wang Ruyan said with a smile. "However, Changxian and his squad members still need more training. Their coordination is good, and after some refinement, their strength will be even greater."

Elder clan members like Wang Mengbin had emerged from countless battles and bloodshed, while Changxian and his squad members had a much smoother growth, having experienced fewer hardships.

Wang Changsheng nodded. As he was about to speak, he took out a glimmering cyan formation plate, injected a spell, and Wang Yongqian's voice emerged: "Patriarch, a Witch Clan cultivator has ascended and landed on our family's Ascension Platform. Would you like to meet her?"

"A Witch Clan cultivator? Bring her over!" Wang Changsheng ordered.

Since the Wang family established the Ascension Platform, many clan members had ascended and landed there. The only non-Wang family members to do so were Yang Chunqiu and Yue Lei.

"A Witch Clan cultivator is quite rare," Wang Ruyan commented. "She could be good company for Cui Yao."

Cui Yao had already comprehended the Law of Curses. With Wang Chuanming and Wang Mengshan on missions, she was responsible for overseeing the Dark Hall's operations.

Soon after, Wang Yongqian entered with a graceful young woman in a purple dress. The young woman in purple had delicate features, skin as fair as snow, and a slightly pale and listless expression, indicating she was injured.

"This humble one, Wu Yan, greets Fellow Daoist Wang and Madam Wang," the young woman in purple bowed, her voice a little weak. To survive the Ninety-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, she had expended a significant amount of vital energy, but fortunately, she had successfully ascended to the Immortal Realm.

"From which realm did you ascend?" Wang Changsheng asked.

"The Cerulean Moon Realm! I am the first of my clan to ascend to the Immortal Realm," Wu Yan explained.

"Patriarch, I have already contacted our clan members in the lower realm and confirmed her identity," Wang Yongqian explained. "Her Witch Clan in the Cerulean Moon Realm is not strong and has always been dependent on the human race. Madam Wu is the first in her clan to ascend to the Immortal Realm."

After more than a hundred thousand years of development, the Wang family in the lower realms had grown powerful. They had established inter-realm communication arrays across multiple realms, facilitating convenient communication and familiarizing themselves with the conditions of various realms. The Wang family's trade caravans frequently traveled to the Cerulean Moon Realm.

As soon as Wu Yan ascended, Wang Yongqian received the news and immediately contacted clan members in the lower realm to investigate her background, quickly receiving a reply.

"Are you willing to join our Wang family?" Wang Changsheng asked, taking out a cyan lotus leaf as he spoke. "We will provide cultivation techniques and immortal cultivation resources, but you must swear an oath upon this cyan lotus that you will never betray our family, or you will suffer a backlash."

Wu Yan did not hesitate at all and immediately swore the oath. As a cultivator who had just ascended to the Immortal Realm, she had few choices; finding a place to settle was enough.

"Yongqian, take her down," Wang Changsheng instructed. "Arrange a good immortal's cave for her and assign her to the Dark Hall, under Cui Yao's leadership. Oh, and have her contact her clan members in the lower realm. We can support the Witch Clan in the Cerulean Moon Realm and have them work for us."

He valued the Witch Clan's curse abilities and insect-controlling techniques; the Dark Hall needed talents in these areas.

"It is an honor for our tribe to serve the Wang family," Wu Yan said shrewdly. For her original Witch Clan, this was a great opportunity. The Wang family in the lower realm possessed transcendent strength, incomparable to her own clan.

Wang Yongqian agreed and left with Wu Yan.

Wang Changsheng then went to Qingyun Valley, opened the restriction, and walked inside.

Before long, he stood before a three-zhang-tall tree whose main trunk was covered with mysterious, naturally formed patterns.

The Dao Soldier Tree was already over one hundred thousand years old. Wang Shen, Wang Qingbai, and other high-level spirit planters had been diligently caring for it, and the tree was growing quite well.

The Dao Soldier Tree had an extremely long growth cycle, so he couldn't use it yet. However, it was one of the family's foundational assets, which future generations would be able to utilize.

Wang Shen was cultivating cross-legged beneath the Dao Soldier Tree. As soon as Wang Changsheng entered, she ceased her cultivation. "Master, here are the growth changes of the Dao Soldier Tree," she said, producing a thick ledger and a small cyan mirror. The small cyan mirror recorded images, while the ledger contained written records.

Wang Changsheng reviewed the ledger and images, nodded, and then inquired about Wang Shen's cultivation progress. Wang Shen answered truthfully.

"Cultivate well and take good care of the Dao Soldier Tree," Wang Changsheng said. "If you need any resources, just inform Yongqian."

After speaking, Wang Changsheng left Qingyun Valley.

Returning to Qinglian Peak, Wang Changsheng summoned Wang Zongyun, Wang Jiye, and other immortal artifact refiners, inquiring about their cultivation and offering guidance on artifact refining techniques.

Wang Zongyun, Wang Jiye, and the other immortal artifact refiners eagerly posed questions, and Wang Changsheng patiently answered, which greatly benefited them.

More than half a day later, Wang Jiye, Wang Zongyun, and the others departed. Wang Changsheng then entered a secret chamber to meditate and recuperate.

Having just emerged from seclusion, he wouldn't enter seclusion again so soon. He planned to spend some time guiding the younger generation and selecting promising talents for focused cultivation.

With the growth of immortal artifact refiners like Wang Qingfeng, Wang Zongyun, and Wang Jiye, Wang Changsheng's burden had significantly lightened. Now, if any materials were needed, he could simply issue an order, and clan members would help collect them.

As the family expanded and grew stronger, talent became increasingly crucial.