Chapter 612: Nephew Ye Haitang

"I am Wang Changsheng, Fairy Zhang. We met at an exchange fair before; you even traded Heavenly Spirit Water with me!" Wang Changsheng cupped his fist at Zhang Zhiqin and said with a smile.

"So it's Fellow Daoist Wang. Fellow Daoist Wang, these are fugitives we're apprehending. They possess items we need. We hope Fellow Daoist Wang can hand over the contents of his storage pouch to us. Here are three low-grade first-tier magic treasures as a token of our appreciation." Zhang Zhiqin took out three green flying daggers and said politely.

Wang Changsheng naturally wouldn't agree. The few magic treasures on the red-robed Taoist were negligible; the key was that this person had mastered a spirit art, specifically a sword-based one. Sword-based spirit arts are quite powerful, and Wang Changsheng couldn't possibly hand over the spirit art to Zhang Zhiqin. His assistance to the Twin Azure Carps earlier was mainly to establish good relations, not to curry favor with them in every situation.

"Fairy Zhang, what item are you referring to? We'll search for it, and if we find it, we'll certainly give it to you." Wang Ruyan smiled sweetly and spoke. It was impossible to take away a spirit art with just a few words. Had it not been for a mid-grade first-tier defensive magic treasure, Wang Ruyan might not have been able to withstand the red-robed Taoist's attack.

Zhang Zhiqin and Zhang Zhiwu exchanged glances. They wanted that spirit art, but it seemed Wang Changsheng and his wife had no intention of handing it over. Wang Changsheng was not weak. If they were to fight the couple over this, the outcome would be uncertain.

"We want that fellow's corpse and that spirit art. You can make a copy, and these three flying daggers will be your reward. It's better to have one more friend than one more enemy. What do you say, Fellow Daoist Wang?" Zhang Zhiqin said with a slight smile, the underlying threat in her words clearly evident. The value of an offensive spirit art far surpassed that of a first-tier magic treasure. Spirit arts could be passed down, while magic treasures were gone once destroyed.

"Forget the flying daggers. I want third-tier Heavenly Spirit Water. I need third-tier Heavenly Spirit Water for artifact refining." Wang Changsheng pondered for a moment and changed his condition. He had originally wanted both the flying daggers and the Heavenly Spirit Water, but then Zhang Zhiqin might not agree.

Zhang Zhiwu was somewhat surprised and asked politely, "What? Is Fellow Daoist Wang a third-tier artifact refiner?" The Zhang family had risen too quickly and lacked sufficient foundation; artifact refining was their weakness.

"Precisely." Wang Changsheng openly admitted it. Only he and Wang Ruyan knew if he was truly a third-tier artifact refiner. He could tell that Zhang Zhiwu's attitude had improved.

"We don't have third-tier Heavenly Spirit Water on us. Why don't you come back to Azure Carp Island with us? Our Zhang family never mistreats friends." Wang Changsheng naturally wouldn't agree. Since there was no Heavenly Spirit Water, three green flying daggers were also good, as Wang Ruyan happened to lack magic treasures.

Wang Ruyan carefully inspected the red-robed Taoist's corpse. After confirming nothing was left behind, she handed the corpse to Zhang Zhiqin and also gave her a copied version of the spirit art.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, if you have time another day, you are absolutely welcome to visit our Azure Carp Island as our guest." After saying this, Zhang Zhiqin and Zhang Zhiwu flew away along the path they had come from.

"Husband, do you think they were truly chasing an evil cultivator?" Wang Ruyan looked at the departing figures of Zhang Zhiqin and Zhang Zhiwu and asked curiously.

"Hard to say. Who can truly distinguish right from wrong? Let's not dwell on it. Let's head back quickly! We don't want someone else to lease a good island." Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan transformed into two streaks of light and flew towards the sky.

***

**Eastern Wasteland, Wei State.**

At Crimson Leaf Ridge, Wang Changyue lay on the bed, her face pale and drenched in sweat. Ye Lin sat by the bed, holding a baby girl in his arms, his eyes filled with doting affection.

"My dear, you've worked hard." Ye Lin tightly grasped Wang Changyue's hand, saying with tenderness.

Wang Changyue showed a contented smile and said, "Husband, have you thought of a name?"

"Let's call her Ye Hongdou! Don't you love red bean paste cakes the most?"

Wang Changyue's cheeks flushed, and she said with mock indignation, "How can you give a child such a name? I think Ye Haitang would be better! Didn't you say your former residence had many begonia flowers?"

Ye Lin smiled faintly and said, "Alright, I'll go with your suggestion. She'll be Ye Haitang. The next child will be Ye Hongdou."

"I wonder if this child has spiritual roots. I hope she has triple spiritual roots."

"Don't worry! I possess the Golden Moon Spirit Eyes. Even if this child's aptitude is poor, it won't be a false spiritual root. I will teach her everything I've learned in my life, and she will surely go further than us," Ye Lin said confidently.

Wang Changyue nodded with a smile, her gaze filled with loving tenderness as she looked at the baby girl.

***

**Azure Lotus Villa, Council Hall.**

Wang Qingkai was listening to the reports of eight elders, joy evident on everyone's faces.

"Patriarch, our clan currently has one thousand two hundred and thirty-seven cultivators: two Core Formation cultivators, fifty-two Foundation Establishment cultivators, one thousand one hundred and eighty-three Qi Refining cultivators, and one million eight hundred seventy-nine thousand two hundred seventy-eight mortals. This year, two mortals with spiritual roots were born."

With Wang Ruyan reaching Core Formation and Wang Qingshan being taken as a registered disciple by Sword Venerable Xiaoyao of Taiyi Immortal Sect, Wang Qingkai was free to nurture the clan members, making many friends and few enemies. Since Wang Qingqi could refine Foundation Establishment Pills, the Wang family no longer needed to be controlled by the Five Sects of Wei State. Wang Qingkai selected a group of talented clan members, gave them Foundation Establishment Pills, and most of them successfully established their foundations. The Wang family's territory was expanding, and they needed sufficient military strength to guard it.

Wang Qingkai continuously collected specialties from the Monster Suppressing State, transported them back to Wei State for sale, bringing significant profits to the family every year. To protect this trade route, the Wang family dispatched ten Foundation Establishment cultivators to escort the goods.

"Patriarch, the family currently has thirty-two shops: eleven in Wei State, three in Chu State, four in Han State, and fourteen in the Monster Suppressing State. The most profitable are the material shops, followed by formation shops, and the least profitable are the rice shops. This year's harvest was excellent, and the price of spirit rice is lower than in previous years." One elder after another stood up to report, smiles beaming on everyone's faces. The stronger the family grew, the more they benefited.

"Patriarch, the family's income this year is one hundred seventy-eight thousand six hundred forty-three spirit stones, with expenditures of one hundred thirty-four thousand five hundred thirty-two spirit stones. The annual profit from material shops accounts for one-third of the total income. Regarding expenditures, clan members' expenses account for fifty percent, and the cost of acquiring materials accounts for thirty-five percent."

Wang Qingjun dispatched people to acquire specialties from the Monster Suppressing State, such as spirit grains, spirit beasts, ores, and spirit medicines, transported them back to the family, and resold them for a large sum of spirit stones. They only needed to visit more places, build good relations with other forces, acquire local specialties, and then transport them back to Wei State for sale. Trade caravans were the most profitable, but they required strong military escorts for the goods. The Seven Great Immortal Sects operated similarly, sending people far to the South Sea, Northern Frontier, and Central Plains to acquire local specialties, transport them back, and sell them for huge sums of spirit stones.

The Wang family's development was booming, and all clan members were delighted.