Chapter 4288: Thirty Thousand Years

A five-story azure pavilion, its main door tightly shut, bore a plaque inscribed with the three golden characters "Qingli Pavilion."

Inside the pavilion, Li Canghai sat on a chair, conversing with a golden-robed man of ordinary features who sat beside him.

“I’ve already reported it,” the golden-robed man said. “The family will certainly send people, and it’s possible the Hall Master will come personally.”

This was Wang Changxiao, at the early Golden Immortal stage, the Deputy Hall Master of the Dark Hall.

Li Canghai was also a Deputy Hall Master of the Dark Hall. With the support of the Wang family, the Li family now had six Golden Immortal cultivators and was developing well. Li Canghai was utterly devoted to serving the Wang family. He also wanted to find the remnants of the Murong family and eradicate them. On one fortuitous occasion, he discovered two Murong family disciples who typically operated under altered appearances. Li Canghai did not act rashly but immediately reported his findings.

“I just don’t know if Immortal Luo Shui is in the Seven Stars Sea Domain,” Li Canghai said, his voice filled with killing intent.

“We’ll only know once we capture those two Golden Immortal cultivators and search their souls,” Wang Changxiao replied.

“We’ve waited for so many years, a little more time won’t hurt. Calculating the time, they should be arriving soon,” Li Canghai said.

Wang Changxiao took out a shimmering golden Dharma Plate. After he cast a spell into it, a majestic male voice sounded, “Changxiao, we’ve arrived at Seven Stars Market. Where are you?”

“Hall Master, we are at Qingli Pavilion. Where are you? We will come to pick you up,” Wang Changxiao asked. He hadn’t expected Wang Chuanming to arrive so quickly, indicating Wang Chuanming also placed great importance on the matter.

“No need, we’re almost there. Open the door!” Wang Chuanming instructed.

Wang Changxiao agreed, put away the Dharma Plate, and opened the door. He saw an ordinary-looking golden-robed youth and a plainly beautiful woman in a green dress standing at the entrance. He invited them inside. The features of both blurred, then restored to their true appearances: Wang Chuanming and Cui Yao. They had traveled using a sea domain teleportation array, arriving as quickly as possible.

“Hall Master, you’ve finally arrived. Here is the information on those two Golden Immortals.” Li Canghai took out two golden jade slips and handed them to Wang Chuanming and Cui Yao.

Wang Chuanming and Cui Yao scanned them with their divine sense and nodded.

“These are their portraits,” Wang Changxiao said, taking out two portraits for Wang Chuanming and Cui Yao to examine.

“Fellow Daoist Li, please describe your experiences in the Seven Stars Sea Domain and how you discovered their identities. The more detailed, the better,” Wang Chuanming instructed, noting that they had already familiarized themselves with the major forces in the Seven Stars Sea Domain on their way there.

Li Canghai nodded and began recounting his experiences in the Seven Stars Sea Domain and how he found the Murong family cultivators. Wang Chuanming interjected with questions, asking in great detail. He didn't miss any information about which cultivators Li Canghai had befriended or where they were active.

“Chen Xing, Liu Chen—they changed their names and altered their appearances. Just as expected,” Cui Yao remarked.

While Li Canghai was out on an errand, he encountered several Golden Immortal cultivators in a battle. Using the Red Lotus Pearl to investigate, he discovered that two of them were Murong family disciples. The Red Lotus Pearl was a mid-grade immortal artifact, specially refined by the Divine Arms Hall for the Dark Hall to locate Murong family remnants. According to Wang Chuanming's analysis, the Murong family remnants must have altered their appearances, as ordinary transformation techniques could not hide from the Red Lotus Pearl. Only Deputy Hall Masters and Hall Masters of the Dark Hall possessed Red Lotus Pearls, which was how Li Canghai was able to uncover the true identities of the two Golden Immortal cultivators.

“Now that we know their identities, it will be easier. First, we need to understand their patterns of activity, then devise a way to capture them outside the market,” Wang Chuanming said gravely.

“With just the four of us, isn't that a bit few?” Li Canghai asked.

“Four people are enough,” Wang Chuanming said confidently. “Don't forget how our family rose to prominence. We brought three Golden Immortal-stage puppet beasts and one Golden Immortal-stage bean soldier. As long as we don't encounter a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, there shouldn't be any problem.” He and Cui Yao were both at the mid-Golden Immortal stage, while the two Murong family cultivators were only at the early Golden Immortal stage, making their capture seem manageable.

“We’ll follow the Hall Master’s lead; success is surely guaranteed,” Wang Changxiao said with a smile.

“That's true, but for safety's sake, we should still formulate multiple plans. If something goes wrong, we won't lose the lead,” Wang Chuanming said earnestly. This was their closest opportunity to capture Murong cultivators, so they could not afford to be careless.

The four of them—Wang Chuanming, Wang Changxiao, Li Canghai, and Cui Yao—discussed how to capture the two Golden Immortals, exchanging ideas, identifying omissions, and refining the plan as much as possible.

***

Time flew by, and thirty thousand years passed.

Chaos Continent, Green Lotus City.

The streets were lined with shops, and the sounds of bustling crowds filled the air.

In a quiet manor, Wang Qiuting and more than a dozen other Golden Immortal cultivators gathered in an azure stone pavilion, sipping tea and chatting.

“Immortal Wang, is Immortal Monarch Taihao not holding a celebration?” Sun Yan asked. He had first befriended a Chu family Golden Immortal, then, through the Chu family Golden Immortal's introduction, met a Wang family Golden Immortal, finally managing to befriend Wang Qiuting. Wang Changsheng had advanced to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal stage tens of thousands of years ago, but the Wang family seemed to have no intention of holding a celebration.

“Not yet. The Old Ancestor might be planning to hold it later,” Wang Qiuting replied, looking puzzled. “Fellow Daoist Sun, why are you so concerned about this?”

“I’ve long heard of Immortal Monarch Taihao’s great name, and this old man wishes to see his true appearance. I presume Senior Wang will only be seen at a celebration,” Sun Yan explained. After Nangong Yueshuo's celebration ended, Wang Changsheng rarely appeared. Not to mention outsiders, even members of the Wang family found it difficult to see him.

“Indeed! If Senior Wang holds a celebration, I wonder if he will share his insights on comprehending the Law of Soul,” said a graceful young woman in a purple dress. This was Chu Yubing, a late Golden Immortal stage cultivator.

“We don’t have cultivation methods for the soul, so even if Senior Wang shares his insights, it won't be of much help to us. This old man simply respects Senior Wang and wishes to see his true appearance,” Sun Yan said, his face filled with longing.

“If the Old Ancestor holds a celebration, you will have a chance to see him,” Wang Qiuting said with a smile.

After chatting for more than half an hour, Chu Yubing and others gradually departed, but Sun Yan remained.

“Immortal Wang, I have something good I’d like you to examine,” Sun Yan said.

“What is it? Fellow Daoist Sun, please show it to me,” Wang Qiuting replied.

Sun Yan took out a golden casket, its surface intricately carved with beautiful patterns.

“This is a Heavenly Secret Casket!” Wang Qiuting exclaimed, surprise in her eyes.

“Immortal Wang, you have sharp eyes; it is indeed a Heavenly Secret Casket,” Sun Yan said. “However, it has a soul restriction that I cannot undo. I originally wanted to present it to Senior Wang, but I don't know when he will emerge from seclusion. So, I would like to trade this Heavenly Secret Casket for some cultivation resources with you.”

“Exchange for cultivation resources? What do you want in return? Tell me,” Wang Qiuting asked.

“Two-Form Golden Amber Pills! How about that?” Sun Yan proposed.

Wang Qiuting furrowed her brow and shook her head. “I'm sorry, but that won't do. Who knows what's inside? How can I be sure it’s not just junk?”

“I obtained it from an ancient cultivator's cave dwelling; there are definitely good things inside,” Sun Yan asserted confidently.