Chapter 470: Soul-Devouring Golden Cicada

Wei State, Qinglian Mountain Villa.

Wang Changsheng sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. A black banner floated before him, its surface faintly showing intricate runes. A dazzling dark light enveloped the entire banner, emanating astonishing spiritual energy.

"Finally, it's a success."

Wang Changsheng let out a light breath, a hint of joy appearing on his face.

During his trip to the South Sea, he had obtained some Tier 3 demonic beast materials. After refining them into the Black Flood Dragon Banner, it successfully advanced to a proto-magic treasure.

Wang Changsheng hadn't held much hope, only intending to practice with the Black Flood Dragon Banner. He didn't expect it to successfully advance to a proto-magic treasure.

Of course, due to the limited amount of Tier 3 materials incorporated, the difficulty of this proto-magic treasure advancing to a full magic treasure was quite high. Even if it could advance, its quality wouldn't be particularly good.

Wang Changsheng didn't intend to refine it into a magic treasure anyway. The main reason was the poor materials used for the Black Flood Dragon Banner. In the past, with limited resources, he had to make do. Now, things were different. After the trip to the Golden Sun Sect ruins, the Wang family acquired a large sum of wealth. Under Wang Qingkai's management, the family had accumulated a significant amount of spirit stones over the years, and their lives were finally much more prosperous.

He put away the Black Flood Dragon Banner and stepped out.

He planned to visit the South Sea to bid for a water-attribute offensive magic treasure, preparing for his trip to the Celestial Wolf Secret Realm.

Wang Ruyan had not yet emerged from her seclusion and was still cultivating.

Wang Changsheng knew Wang Qingshan had gone to the Taiyi Immortal Gate to deliver something to Wang Mingren. By his reckoning, Wang Qingshan should have returned by now.

As he stepped out of his secluded cultivation chamber, a sound transmission talisman flew in.

He crushed the talisman, and Wang Qingshan's voice suddenly rang out, "Nephew congratulates Ninth Uncle on emerging from seclusion. I heard from Qingyuan that Ninth Uncle needed to see me. Nephew, along with Eighth Sister and Twelfth Brother, specifically came to pay our respects to Ninth Uncle."

Wang Changsheng smiled faintly, took out a sound transmission paper crane, whispered a few words into it, and tossed it forward.

With a clear cry, the paper crane spread its wings, rapidly grew in size, and flew outwards.

Outside the courtyard, Wang Qingshan, Wang Qingjun, and Wang Qingling were chatting. Wang Qingling was dressed like a young married woman and appeared somewhat nervous.

Wang Qingling was nearing sixty years old. She was the only daughter. Two years ago, arranged by Wang Changyi and his wife, she found a live-in son-in-law. He was from a cultivation family, had average aptitude, but was honest and dependable.

"Tenth Sister, why haven't you reached Foundation Establishment yet? I heard from Qingqi that you used all your merit points to exchange for spirit-feeding pills. No matter how good your spirit beasts or spirit birds are, they can't help you achieve Foundation Establishment!"

Wang Qingshan sighed and said earnestly.

Wang Qingling enjoyed raising spirit beasts, spirit birds, and spirit insects. The entire family knew this, but her excessive indulgence in this hobby had delayed her cultivation.

Wang Qingshan also didn't think highly of beast-taming. He believed raising spirit beasts was less promising than farming. Farming provided annual income, but raising spirit beasts required too much initial investment, and even if a spirit beast was painstakingly cultivated to a high rank, it could easily die.

During the trip to the Golden Sun Sect ruins, the Tier 2 low-grade Dual-Eyed Rat he had tamed had died in the mouth of a demonic beast. He had since raised another Tier 1 mid-grade Dual-Eyed Rat, and it was uncertain how much effort it would take to cultivate it to Tier 2.

"Seventh Brother, you shouldn't say that. When I see Ninth Uncle later, I'm sure to give him a big surprise."

Wang Qingling giggled and said nonchalantly, appearing very confident.

Hearing this, Wang Qingshan found it difficult to persuade her further and let out a soft sigh.

A large green paper crane flew out, and Wang Changsheng's voice suddenly sounded, "Qingshan, you may come in!"

The three, Wang Qingshan, followed the green paper crane. After passing through a long corridor and a garden, they arrived at a stone pavilion.

Wang Changsheng sat on a stone chair, his face alight with a warm smile.

"Qingling, I heard from Qingyuan that you're married now. This is Ninth Uncle's wedding gift to you."

Wang Changsheng raised a hand, and a palm-sized green wooden box flew out, landing steadily in Wang Qingling's hand.

Wang Qingling's face showed joy. She accepted the green wooden box and said with a smile, "Thank you for the wedding gift, Ninth Uncle. Ninth Uncle, your niece acquired a rare insect from the Heavenly and Earthly Rare Insect List, and specifically wishes to present it to you."

She took out a blue spirit beast pouch and handed it to Wang Changsheng with both hands.

"A rare insect?"

Wang Changsheng's interest was immediately piqued. He shook the opening of the spirit beast pouch downwards.

After a sweep of blue light, a massive golden cicada appeared on the stone table.

This cicada had two pairs of thin wings on its back, hundreds of tiny eyes on its head, and over a dozen black stripes on its abdomen.

"A Soul Devouring Golden Cicada! It ranks one hundred and thirty-fifth on the Heavenly and Earthly Rare Insect List. It can devour spirits and demonic souls, feeding back to its master to strengthen the master's divine sense. I spent nearly thirty years cultivating it to Tier 2 low-grade, and it hasn't recognized a master yet."

Wang Qingling said somewhat proudly. She usually enjoyed buying spirit beasts, spirit birds, and spirit insects. While hatched spirit beasts were fine, unhatched spirit beast eggs and insect eggs were easy to be deceived with. She had suffered countless losses, but she never tired of it. On one accidental occasion, by a stroke of luck, she bought a pair of insect eggs. After great effort, only one spirit insect hatched, and it was unexpectedly a Soul Devouring Golden Cicada.

The Soul Devouring Golden Cicada itself didn't possess much offensive power. It was an auxiliary spirit insect, capable of strengthening its master's divine sense by devouring spirits.

To cultivate this Soul Devouring Golden Cicada, Wang Qingling had practically sold everything she owned, reselling most of the spirit beasts and birds she had raised to the family and living frugally to cultivate a Tier 2 Soul Devouring Golden Cicada.

Wang Qingling knew that the stronger one's divine sense, the more puppet beasts one could control.

"Eighth Sister, you're quite brave! To dare to raise it to Tier 2 without it recognizing a master. Aren't you afraid it will harm you?"

Wang Qingshan said with a frown.

Wang Qingling gave a sweet smile and said, "No, it won't. Little Gold is very well-behaved. I've raised it since it was small, so whether it recognizes a master or not doesn't really matter. Besides, I only just cultivated it to Tier 2, and since Ninth Uncle happened to emerge from seclusion, I decided to give it to him."

"A Soul Devouring Golden Cicada!"

Wang Changsheng gazed at the large golden cicada with fervent eyes. Rare insects on the Heavenly and Earthly Rare Insect List were all exceptionally uncommon. Wang Ruyan had raised a pair of Azure-Eyed Frost Silkworms, but they ranked relatively lower.

With this Soul Devouring Golden Cicada, Wang Changsheng's divine sense could slowly grow, making both cultivating the *True Scripture of Kui Water* and engaging in combat much more convenient.

Wang Qingling spent nearly thirty years to cultivate this insect to Tier 2 low-grade. It was too time-consuming.

Wang Qingling also knew it was time-consuming, but a Tier 1 low-grade Soul Devouring Golden Cicada was simply incomparable to a Tier 2 low-grade one.

"Qingling, you've done very well. This Tier 2 low-grade Soul Devouring Golden Cicada will earn you thirty thousand merit points."

If it were any other Tier 2 spirit insect, it wouldn't be worth this many merit points.

Wang Qingling had invested a vast amount of energy and time into this Soul Devouring Golden Cicada, which was why Wang Changsheng exchanged so many merit points for it.

Wang Qingling gave a sweet smile and said gratefully, "Thank you, Ninth Uncle."

"It is right to be rewarded for contributing to the family. However, if you acquire any more rare insects or birds in the future, you can raise them yourself or hand them over to the family. Do not raise them on your own; it will delay your cultivation. The family currently has no Foundation Establishment Pills, so if you wish to reach Foundation Establishment, you will have to wait a while longer."

"Your niece understands. Your niece has waited many years already. Your niece can afford to wait."

Wang Changsheng nodded, put away the Soul Devouring Golden Cicada, and dismissed her.

"Qingshan, Qingjun, go back and pack your things. I plan to take you to the South Sea. The South Sea is rich in cultivation resources. By hunting demonic beasts there, you can obtain more cultivation resources. However, it will also be more dangerous. The situation in the South Sea is complex, with various factions and individuals mixed together. Are you willing to go?" Wang Changsheng said slowly, his tone stern.