Chapter 3990

Five hundred years had passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside Haoyang Hall, Haoyang City, Wang Ruyan sat in the main seat, listening to Wang Qingfeng's report.

"'Mother, there's an underground auction in Yunlang City,' Wang Qingfeng began. 'I heard they have defensive mid-grade immortal treasures.'"

After Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan had advanced to the Golden Immortal stage, the Wang family established a shop in Yunlang City, primarily to collect cultivation resources and gather intelligence.

"'An underground auction? When is it?' Wang Ruyan asked. Given that the origins of goods at such auctions were often dubious, essentially black market transactions, they had long ago issued instructions to closely monitor any news of them."

"'In a month, at the Cloud Dome Tower,' Wang Qingfeng replied. He added that he had already sent someone to process the Chaos Beast's corpse and deliver its core and hide to Wang Changsheng."

"'Is everything alright in the Tianchen Sea Region?' a resonant male voice interjected."

Just as he finished speaking, Wang Changsheng emerged from a side hall.

He had successfully crafted two sets of mid-grade Chaos Armor. It wasn't that he lacked the skill to create more, but rather that he had run out of Primal Stones. Mid-grade Chaos Armor required a significant amount of Primal Stones, which was one of the reasons for its scarcity. To his knowledge, the Cao family, the Sky-Singing Clan, the Yang family, Jiuyuan Palace, and the Five Immortal Sects jointly controlled a small Primal Stone mine. They typically reserved its output for their own use, rarely selling it on the open market. For factions such as the Nine Immortals Sect, Hundred Refinement Island, and the Radiant Moon Alliance, acquiring Primal Stones was not easy. Even if they managed to obtain them, crafting Chaos Armor remained a significant challenge. The Primal Stones the Wang family had accumulated over hundreds of thousands of years were only sufficient for Wang Changsheng to craft two pieces of mid-grade Chaos Armor. Any other immortal artificer would likely not have been able to produce even one.

"'Nothing to report, everything is fine,' Wang Qingfeng affirmed."

Wang Qingshan had already returned to Green Lotus Island, awaiting defensive treasures before he could enter secluded cultivation to attempt his breakthrough to the Golden Immortal stage.

"'Has Meng Bin emerged from seclusion yet? And is there any news of Fairy Mu?' Wang Changsheng inquired."

"'Meng Bin is still in seclusion,' Wang Qingfeng replied, shaking his head. 'We haven't been able to contact Fairy Mu for a very long time.' Mu Duoduo hadn't contacted any of the Wang family cultivators in years, and they were unsure if she was even alive."

Wang Qingfeng took out a red spell-disk, activated a magical incantation, and then his expression shifted to surprise.

"'Father,' Wang Qingfeng began, 'a True Immortal cultivator named Li Canghai has contacted our clan members. He claims to have valuable items for sale and hopes to speak with you or Mother in person.'"

"'Li Canghai? Where is he now?' Wang Changsheng questioned."

"'He's outside Haoyang City,' Wang Qingfeng replied. 'We didn't let him enter, and he's accompanied by seven other True Immortal cultivators.'"

"'Bring him in,' Wang Changsheng instructed. 'The others can wait outside.'"

Wang Qingfeng acknowledged the order and departed.

"'Relying only on Fairy Mu and our own clan members for cultivation resources is still insufficient,' Wang Ruyan mused. 'It might be wise to forge good relations with some demon-hunting teams.'"

Different factions employed various methods to gather cultivation resources, including exchanges, auctions, direct purchases, and treasure hunts.

Wang Changsheng nodded and took his seat at the head of the table.

Soon after, Wang Qingfeng returned, escorting Li Canghai into the hall.

"'Junior Li Canghai greets Senior Wang and Senior Wang Ruyan,' Li Canghai said, bowing respectfully, a hint of nervousness in his demeanor."

"'What valuable items do you wish to sell us that require a personal meeting?' Wang Changsheng asked."

"'Some Primal Stones,' Li Canghai replied respectfully, pulling out a golden storage bracelet. 'They are materials for crafting Chaos Armor.'"

Common items would not warrant a personal audience with Golden Immortal cultivators.

Wang Ruyan beckoned with one hand, and the storage bracelet flew into her palm. Her divine sense swept over it, and she looked surprised. 'Where did you acquire so many Primal Stones?' she asked. She then handed the bracelet to Wang Changsheng, whose divine sense also registered surprise.

These Primal Stones were indeed enough to craft two pieces of mid-grade Chaos Armor, which certainly justified a personal meeting.

"'These are what we've accumulated over many years,' Li Canghai explained. 'If Senior Wang does not object, please accept them.'"

"'We don't accept gifts without reason. What is it that you truly desire?' Wang Changsheng probed."

"'This junior seeks True Immortal-grade puppet beasts, which I am willing to purchase with Chaos Beast crystal cores,' Li Canghai stated."

"'True Immortal-grade puppet beasts?' Wang Changsheng echoed, sounding skeptical. 'Our Wang family isn't the only one selling True Immortal-grade puppet beasts on the Chaos Continent, are we? Speak frankly.'"

Li Canghai offered an awkward smile. 'This junior wishes to pledge allegiance to Senior Wang,' he admitted. 'I hope to be able to borrow your and the Wang family's name for a time. To be frank, Senior Wang, my enemies have taken refuge with the Beast Spirit Sect.'"

"'You're not planning to use our Wang family's name to murder people and seize their treasures, are you?' Wang Ruyan asked, a frown creasing her brow."

"'Senior Wang Ruyan, rest assured, absolutely not,' Li Canghai hastily replied. 'I swear by my inner demons. It would merely be to deter certain enemies. We would absolutely never use the Wang family's name to commit murder or plunder. If we were to do so, you could simply disavow any connection to us.'"

"'In other words, you want our authorization to invoke our name when facing your enemies, with the understanding that we are free to disavow you if needed,' Wang Changsheng clarified."

"'Precisely. Is that acceptable?' Li Canghai asked cautiously, not daring to make any excessive demands.

"'Very well,' Wang Changsheng conceded. 'However, let's be clear: if you use our family's name to indiscriminately kill and plunder, we will be the first to eliminate you. Naturally, if a demon-hunting team composed of True Immortal cultivators targets you, you may invoke our name.'"

"'Thank you, Senior Wang, for your generosity,' Li Canghai exclaimed, overjoyed and profusely grateful."

Wang Changsheng waved his hand, instructing Wang Qingfeng to escort Li Canghai away. The matter of selling True Immortal-grade puppets could be handled by Wang Qingfeng.

"'Wife,' Wang Changsheng said, 'let's make a trip to Yunlang City. I wonder if Celestial Venerable Xuanling is still there.' Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan then departed Haoyang City, teleporting first to Nine Immortals City, and then to Yunlang City."

Yunlang City remained as bustling as ever. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan arrived at the foot of a steep, towering peak. There, a stone monument, over ten zhang tall, stood, bearing the three golden characters 'Sky Star Peak' – Cao Yuanxing's abode.

Wang Ruyan sent a sound transmission talisman. Shortly after, a green cloud ladder descended from the mountain peak, coming to rest before them.

They stepped onto the green cloud ladder, which then carried them into a swirling sea of mist.

Emerging from the mist, they found themselves in a tranquil courtyard. Cao Yuanxing, Cao Jingxia, and a brawny elder in golden robes were seated in a stone pavilion, leisurely sipping tea and conversing.

The golden-robed elder's complexion was ruddy, and his aura was as vast as the boundless sea.

"'Fellow Daoist Ye, allow me to introduce you,' Cao Yuanxing said with a smile. 'These are the Green Lotus Immortal Couple.'"

"'I am Ye Shengfeng,' the golden-robed elder announced, cupping his fists, his voice resonating. 'Xuanji is a junior of mine.'"

"'So it is Fellow Daoist Ye,' Wang Changsheng replied with a smile. 'Is she also on the Chaos Continent?'"

"'Xuanji has already advanced to the Golden Immortal stage,' Ye Shengfeng explained. 'She is currently not on the Chaos Continent.'"

"'Fairy Ye has advanced to the Golden Immortal stage? Congratulations!' Wang Changsheng exclaimed. 'When will the Golden Immortal ceremony be held?'"

"'She doesn't plan to hold a Golden Immortal ceremony,' Ye Shengfeng stated. 'But if she does, you will be informed.'"

"'Fellow Daoist Wang, Madam Wang, please sit and chat,' Cao Yuanxing invited. The five of them then settled down to enjoy tea and conversation."

During their casual conversation, Wang Changsheng learned, to his pleasant surprise, that Ye Shengfeng was an Immortal Formation Master. He realized that if he could acquire seven-colored crystal cores, he could enlist Ye Shengfeng's help in setting up a formation to open his sixth aperture.

"'By the way, Fellow Daoist Wang, Madam Wang,' Cao Yuanxing casually asked, 'did you venture into the Hulan Mountain Range to hunt Chaos Beasts?'"

Wang Changsheng nodded. 'We killed a few Chaos Beasts and then returned,' he replied. 'We didn't dare to venture too deep into the Hulan Mountain Range; encountering a seven-colored Chaos Beast would spell trouble.'"