Chapter 708: Zhang Family's Plot

"I've been raising a Spirit-Devouring Worm, which has reached the mid-second tier. No matter how hard I try, it just can't advance to the high-second tier. Does anyone here have any suggestions?" A red-clad young man in his early twenties stood up, taking out a white jade box. Inside was a fist-sized beetle with a pair of snail-like antennae on its head, six small golden eyes, and rings of golden spiritual markings covering its body.

The Spirit-Devouring Worm is a spiritual insect listed on the Heavenly Creatures and Odd Worms Chart, ranking 129th. It is an auxiliary spiritual insect that typically absorbs the host's magic power and returns a portion of it when needed. Of course, there's a certain loss involved; the worm cannot return the exact amount it absorbs. Its main advantage is that it has no side effects.

While magic power recovery pills cannot be consumed excessively due to potential side effects, the Spirit-Devouring Worm has no such drawbacks.

The higher the Spirit-Devouring Worm's tier, the more magic power it can return to its host. It's said that possessing a third-tier Spirit-Devouring Worm is equivalent to having an endless supply of thousand-year spiritual essence.

Auxiliary spiritual insects are more difficult to advance than combat-oriented ones, but once they successfully evolve, their value far surpasses that of battle insects.

Wang Changsheng had raised a Soul-Devouring Golden Cicada for nearly a century, and despite it devouring many demonic beast souls, it still hadn't advanced to the third tier. This example clearly illustrates the difficulty in cultivating auxiliary spiritual insects.

"A Spirit-Devouring Worm! Advancing auxiliary spiritual insects is indeed difficult. You could try purchasing Spirit Nurturing Pills made by the Myriad Beasts Island. These pills are very helpful for the advancement of spiritual beasts and insects. However, Spirit Nurturing Pills are third-tier elixirs, quite expensive, and only available for sale on Myriad Beasts Island."

Myriad Beasts Island is one of the ten major sects in the South Sea, renowned for its skill in controlling spiritual beasts. It is a powerful sect, rumored to possess multiple fourth-tier spiritual beasts.

"Can spiritual insects truly advance by consuming large quantities of Spirit Nurturing Pills?"

Wang Qingling asked curiously. Wang Changsheng had previously asked her how his Soul-Devouring Golden Cicada could advance to the third tier, but she hadn't had any good suggestions. The cultivation world is vast, filled with countless strange birds and exotic beasts. Larger cultivation powers all have their own beast tamers, but no one can claim to have documented the habits and cultivation methods of all spiritual beasts, birds, and insects.

"I wouldn't say it's guaranteed, but it significantly increases the chances. Myriad Beasts Island has a ten-thousand-year legacy and possesses various spiritual items for cultivating spiritual beasts and insects. When it comes to the number of beast tamers, Myriad Beasts Island dares to claim second, and no other force dares to claim first."

Wang Qingling secretly noted this information. She could suggest to Wang Changsheng that they dispatch someone to purchase Spirit Nurturing Pills.

As a third-tier elixir, a single bottle of Spirit Nurturing Pills would cost at least tens of thousands of spirit stones. Only high-tier cultivators could afford such a price; low-tier cultivators simply don't have that kind of wealth. Moreover, no one knows how many pills a spiritual insect would need to consume to advance.

After a brief exchange, a young man in green robes stood up and said with a smile, "Many fellow cultivators have gathered today. How about we hold an exchange session while we're here?"

The young man in green was Zhang Guangfeng, an eighth-level Foundation Establishment cultivator and a core disciple of the Zhang family, known for taming numerous spiritual insects.

Zhang Guangfeng's proposal was met with approval from the others.

Unlike other exchange sessions, the items traded here were all related to spiritual beasts, insects, and birds.

"I'm offering a pair of Five-Colored Cloud Butterfly eggs, a bottle of Spirit Nurturing Water, and a box of Red Flame Algae, in exchange for spiritual insect eggs from the Heavenly Creatures and Odd Worms Chart or items of equivalent value."

The Five-Colored Cloud Butterfly ranks ninety-fifth on the Heavenly Creatures and Odd Worms Chart, a relatively high position. A third-tier Five-Colored Cloud Butterfly can cast illusions and possesses potent venom, but its cultivation difficulty is quite high.

Spirit Nurturing Water and Red Flame Algae offer some assistance in the advancement of spiritual beasts, but they require large quantities to be effective.

People stepped forward one after another to make exchanges; some succeeded, while others failed.

"I'm offering ten pairs of Golden-Spotted Flame Worm eggs and two Corrosive Bone Crocodile spiritual beast eggs, in exchange for spiritual insect eggs—common spiritual insects are not desired—or items of equivalent value."

Wang Qingling successfully traded for two Violet Lightning Mantis eggs. The Violet Lightning Mantis ranks seventy-third on the Heavenly Creatures and Odd Worms Chart and is a lightning-attribute spiritual insect.

She already possessed many spiritual beasts, so the Violet Lightning Mantis eggs could be handed over to the family in exchange for merit points.

Inside a magnificent hall, Zhang Zhiyang was speaking with Wang Qingshan.

Zhang Zhiyang's expression was solemn, and Wang Qingshan's brows were tightly furrowed.

"What? You want me to destroy the Purple Cloud Pavilion?"

"Exactly, Fellow Daoist Wang. We will send a Core Formation cultivator from the Thousand Puppets Sect to accompany you. Your family members whom you brought will stay with our Zhang family for now. After the mission is accomplished, our Zhang family will grant your Wang family an island with a third-tier spiritual vein for you to reside on. The greater your contribution, the better the island you will receive."

Zhang Wuchen used the occasion of his birthday celebration to mobilize a large number of personnel, primarily to deal with the Whale Gate Sect.

The Whale Gate Sect is one of the six major powers in the Red Moon Sea Region, boasting numerous masters. The Whale Gate Sect and the Zhang family have always been at odds, with ongoing private conflicts between them.

The Zhang family had allied with the Sea Mist Sect to collectively confront the Whale Gate Sect. Zhang Wuchen's birthday celebration was merely a convenient pretext for mobilizing forces, a detail Zhang Zhiyang had not disclosed to Wang Qingshan.

The Thousand Puppets Sect and the Wang family's territories were adjacent to the Purple Cloud Pavilion, making them the most suitable to jointly attack it. The Zhang family would also send personnel to accompany them and supervise the battle.

Wang Qingling and the others were essentially hostages. If the Wang family harbored any disloyalty, Wang Qingling and her companions would certainly perish.

The Zhang family was not interested in *how* the Wang family and the Thousand Puppets Sect would destroy the Purple Cloud Pavilion; they only cared about the outcome.

By leveraging the war, they aimed to firmly bind their affiliated forces to the Zhang family's war machine and control territory through these subordinate powers.

The Zhang family was not foolish. The Wang family had rented an island from the Thousand Puppets Sect, and a Core Formation cultivator emerged in less than ten years. The Zhang family could not possibly believe that the Wang family had no secrets. This conflict was a test; if the Wang family completed the mission flawlessly, the Zhang family would naturally not press further. However, if the Wang family failed to complete the mission, they would be forced to relocate.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, do I need to depart immediately?"

"That's right. The Ancestor's birthday is still a month away. You must destroy the Purple Cloud Pavilion within that month; it would be the best birthday gift. Once the Purple Cloud Pavilion is annihilated, its assets will belong to your Wang family and the Thousand Puppets Sect, while its territory will become ours. I will send you off on a Green Carp Beast. You must ensure the Purple Cloud Pavilion is eliminated before the Ancestor's birthday. Rest assured, our Zhang family will also participate in the battle. After all, the Purple Cloud Pavilion publicly has three Core Formation cultivators, but that might be a facade; they could potentially have five."

Wang Qingshan had no choice. At this point, how could he refuse?

"Very well! I am willing to go. I would like to invite a friend to assist me; I trust that's not a problem?"

Wang Qingshan was only at the first level of Core Formation, and going alone made him feel uneasy. Having Wang Changsheng accompany him would provide much more reassurance.

"That's no problem at all. We only care about the outcome, not the process. Say your goodbyes to your family members, and then we'll set off together!"

Wang Qingshan agreed. He took out his communication disk, cast a spell, and made a few gestures.

An hour later, two enormous green carp flew out from Green Carp Island, soaring towards the sky.