Chapter 398: Revealing the Truth

Wang Mingren was utterly bewildered. Seeing Wang Changsheng's unusual caution, he frowned slightly but still followed him out of the guesthouse.

The three of them arrived at Taiyuan Market, entered a teahouse, and requested a private room.

Wang Ruyan activated the soundproof array within the private room. Wang Changsheng then took out his brush and ink, writing down the matter of Wang Mingjiang ambushing and killing disciples from the Taiyi Immortal Sect. Indeed, he wrote it, daring not speak it aloud.

The matter was too grave; he hadn't even dared to mention it in the guesthouse.

After reading Wang Changsheng's letter, Wang Mingren's heart sank. He asked nervously, "Changsheng, is this truly what happened?"

Wang Changsheng gave a wry smile and replied, "Uncle Mingren, if it weren't for this, I wouldn't have rushed to find you, nor would I be so eager to form my Core. I'm already at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment; I can earn spirit stones by crafting second-grade high-rank puppet beasts and high-rank magical artifacts. In fifty or sixty years, I could still accumulate hundreds of thousands of spirit stones. I'm young; I can afford to wait, but our family cannot. Once this matter comes to light, our family might be utterly destroyed, and you could even be implicated."

To be honest, if Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan focused solely on crafting artifacts and talismans, they could easily earn over ten thousand spirit stones a year, supporting themselves without difficulty.

Wang Changsheng had grown up within the family; his grandfather had died fighting invaders, and his father had toiled for the family his entire life. He simply couldn't abandon them.

His current achievements were inseparable from the family's nurturing. Among other things, he had greatly benefited from the 'Kuisui True Scripture,' an Earth-grade cultivation technique.

Wang Ruyan, who was still only at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment, served as an example of how beneficial the Earth-grade cultivation technique had been for him.

"Uncle Mingren," Wang Ruyan began, "my husband and I know this puts you in a difficult position. We wouldn't have come to you unless we were truly out of options. Please, Uncle Mingren, for the sake of the Wang family's ancestors, help my husband! Uncle Mingren, please rest assured that if my husband fails to form his Core and something goes wrong, I will sell everything I own, even starve myself, to repay this debt. I won't let you bear a huge debt. I can craft second-grade low to mid-rank talismans, and Qingqing can craft second-grade low-rank puppet beasts. My daughter and I can earn spirit stones to repay the debt, and I can even borrow from my maternal family. I absolutely won't let you shoulder a massive debt."

Wang Ruyan stood up, bowed deeply, and spoke earnestly.

Wang Changsheng also rose and bowed to Wang Mingren.

"This..."

Wang Mingren's expression was troubled. He had been reluctant to help before, fearing a huge debt that would impact his cultivation path. Now, if he didn't help, and Wang Mingjiang's ambush and killing of Taiyi Immortal Sect disciples were exposed, he might be implicated. The Taiyi Immortal Sect had many high-level cultivators, and he couldn't possibly know all their relatives and disciples. What if Wang Mingjiang had ambushed a descendant of a high-level cultivator?

Everyone has selfish motives. His earlier reluctance to help stemmed from concern for his own cultivation path. Now, however, it seemed that not helping would implicate him even more.

"You two, get up!" he said. "I'll go plead with my master again. How many people know about this matter?"

"Besides the three of us," Wang Changsheng replied, "there's also Uncle Mingjiang. He has already gone to Wu Country. I told him that if I don't contact him, he should never return to the family in his lifetime, to avoid implicating them."

Wang Mingren let out a long sigh of relief. He believed Wang Changsheng wasn't lying. Wang Changsheng was a puppet master and an artifact crafter, and Wang Ruyan was a talisman master. The couple, working diligently, could indeed accumulate hundreds of thousands of spirit stones in fifty or sixty years. As Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan were not yet a hundred years old, they could certainly afford to wait.

Wang Changsheng's urgent need to form his Core must stem from significant pressure. In Wei Country, with Guangdingren and Wang Huashan's patronage, Wang Changsheng shouldn't have been in such a rush to form his Core, unless the Wang family had provoked a power they shouldn't have, like the Taiyi Immortal Sect.

Wang Changsheng's explanation was perfectly logical and reasonable.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Uncle Mingren," Wang Changsheng said. "Oh, and this is the spirit of a third-tier demonic flood dragon. Please ask Senior Xu for help with it."

Wang Changsheng took out a spirit-collecting bottle. A hint of reluctance appeared in his eyes as he handed it to Wang Mingren.

The most valuable items he possessed were the natal scales and spirit of a third-tier demonic flood dragon. To form his Core, he had no choice but to offer the flood dragon's spirit.

A flicker of surprise passed through Wang Mingren's eyes. He accepted the spirit-collecting bottle and said, "Stay in the market, don't wander off, and wait for my news."

Wang Mingren turned and left. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan exchanged a look, feeling a great sense of relief.

"Husband," Wang Ruyan said, a hint of worry in her voice, "you don't think Uncle Mingren will report us, do you?"

Wang Ruyan spoke with a hint of nervousness, her eyes filled with worry.

Wang Changsheng thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Based on my understanding of Uncle Mingren, he won't," he said. "Besides, we haven't actually done anything. Ultimately, we are tied by blood, like sinews and bones. If we were to commit a crime, he would inevitably be affected, especially since he is only a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Wife, you are overthinking this."

"I hope I am just overthinking."

Wang Ruyan hadn't been guessing blindly; Wang Mingren truly did entertain the thought of upholding justice at the expense of his family.

He was now a disciple of the Taiyi Immortal Sect, had taken a Core Formation cultivator as his master, and was cultivating an Earth-grade technique. Innumerable people would envy his position. He was unwilling to abandon his current life for the sake of the family.

Everyone has selfish motives, but he quickly dismissed this thought.

Firstly, the Taiyi Immortal Sect had numerous disciples, and he couldn't be sure if the three dead female cultivators were relatives or disciples of high-level cultivators. If they were, even if he turned against his family for the greater good, it wouldn't necessarily guarantee his own safety. Secondly, several years had passed, and the sect still hadn't uncovered anything; perhaps some factor had misdirected the investigation, so there was no need for him to confess. Thirdly, he wouldn't have been able to enter the Taiyi Immortal Sect without Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan eliminating Chen Qingshu; he couldn't forget his roots. Fourthly, and most importantly, his surname was Wang. He hadn't been able to fulfill his filial duties by his parents' bedside; it was Wang Changsheng who had seen Wang Yaolong to his end, and Wang Changsheng and Wang Qingzhi had personally handled the funerals of Wang Yaolong and Ye Li. If he were to betray Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan to save himself, wouldn't he become someone disloyal, unfilial, unkind, and unrighteous?

Having thought this through, he no longer hesitated. He had to help them.

After returning to the sect, he found Xu Zihua.

"Master," Wang Mingren began, "when I was young, Changsheng personally taught me artifact crafting. Later, he personally escorted me to the Taiyi Immortal Sect. I was unable to fulfill my filial duties by my parents' bedside, and Changsheng and Qingzhi personally handled my parents' funerals. I owe the family too much, and I still wish to help them. Please, Master, grant me this favor."

Wang Mingren knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times to Xu Zihua.

"I, your master, will not help with this," Xu Zihua said coldly. "If you insist on helping him, then never again say you are my disciple. If you can't repay this debt, won't I have to clean up your mess?"

Xu Zihua spoke coldly. If Wang Mingren couldn't repay the spirit stones, he wouldn't be able to enter the secret realm, and Xu Zihua would not agree to that.

"Master, please help my relatives," Wang Mingren pleaded. "Ruyan is a second-tier talisman master, Qingqing is a second-tier puppet master, and Qingzhi is a second-tier spirit plant cultivator. Ruyan's maternal family has Core Formation cultivators; she can borrow from them. Oh, and Changxue is the wife of the Hundred Spirit Gate's sect master in Wei Country, and Junior Sister Su, Uncle Song's disciple, is Changsheng's niece. They can all contribute to repay this sum of spirit stones. Please, Master, help us. This spirit of a third-tier demonic flood dragon is a small token of Changsheng's sincerity. I hope Master will accept it."

Wang Mingren took out the spirit-collecting bottle and handed it to Xu Zihua with both hands.

"The spirit of a third-tier demonic flood dragon?"

Xu Zihua was somewhat tempted. He opened the porcelain bottle, and a miniature black flood dragon flew out.

The spirit-collecting bottle in his hand glowed brightly, emitting a large expanse of black ethereal light that enveloped the black flood dragon's body, pulling it back into the bottle.

Xu Zihua pondered for a while before speaking. "It is indeed the spirit of a third-tier demonic flood dragon," he said, "but unfortunately, it wasn't preserved properly, and much of its soul power has been lost. Given your filial piety, I, your master, can help with this. However, I have one condition: if he successfully forms his Core, I will need his help in the future, and he must not refuse. If he fails, the owed spirit stones must be repaid as soon as possible."

Wang Mingren let out a long sigh of relief and nodded in agreement. "No problem," he said. "Your disciple accepts on Changsheng's behalf."

As long as Wang Changsheng could successfully advance to the Core Formation stage, everything else would be manageable.

"You can go notify him now," Xu Zihua instructed. "Tell him to stay in the guesthouse tomorrow. I will take you to complete the necessary formalities. Outsiders applying to borrow the Haotian Mirror require multiple procedures."

"Yes, Master, your great kindness," Wang Mingren replied, "your disciple is eternally grateful."

Wang Mingren was overjoyed and agreed immediately.