Chapter 962: Offering

“Merit? What merit?” Wang Changsheng frowned, slightly startled. He knew there were major movements in the cultivation worlds of the Eastern Wilderness and the South Sea, but he didn't know what they were.

“We plan to develop the Eastern Wilderness more deeply. The territory our human race occupies is less than one-fifth of the Eastern Wilderness’s total area. The demon race only knows destruction and doesn’t understand production. Whenever the world changes drastically, the demon race causes chaos. Instead of internal strife, it’s better to join forces against the demon race. This time, we must seize at least half of the demon race’s territory,” Meng Tianzheng said in a deep voice, his expression somewhat excited.

Back then, Sword Venerable Four Seasons single-handedly ventured into the demon race’s heartland, slaying multiple Nascent Soul stage demon cultivators, thus establishing the Taiyi Immortal Sect’s dominance in the Eastern Wilderness. All high-level cultivators of the Taiyi Immortal Sect regarded Sword Venerable Four Seasons as their goal. This time is an excellent opportunity to achieve immortal merit.

“Indeed! Every time there’s chaos among humans, there’s a shadow of the demon race. Changsheng, this is an opportunity to achieve immortal merit, and also a great chance for our Wang family to grow strong. Don’t miss it.” Wang Mingren echoed, looking a bit excited. Meng Tianzheng and Han Tianxuan, two of the Taiyi Five Prodigies, had successively formed their Nascent Souls, leaving two vacant spots among the Taiyi Five Prodigies. If Wang Mingren could achieve great merit in this war, he would have a chance to be selected as one of the Taiyi Five Prodigies.

He knew his limits; he could handle one Core Formation cultivator without issue, but two would be challenging, and if he encountered three, he would have no choice but to flee.

Wang Changsheng was somewhat moved, but the matter was too significant for him to make a hasty decision.

“Fellow Daoist Meng, how is Qingshan? How is he doing now?” Wang Changsheng remembered Wang Qingshan and asked with concern.

Wang Qingshan had pre-paid contribution points to exchange for the Three-Element Spirit Stabilizing Incense to help Wang Changsheng form his Nascent Soul, so he would definitely participate in this war.

“Nephew Wang is still in seclusion, cultivating on Sword Peak. It’s been thirteen years. If the war starts, he will certainly participate; he pre-paid a large sum of contribution points.” Meng Tianzheng said earnestly. He had come to the Scarlet Moon Sea with a mission. If Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan, both Nascent Soul cultivators, were to participate in the war, the Taiyi Immortal Sect could gain more benefits.

Hearing this, Wang Changsheng showed a hesitant expression.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, if you wish to remain and develop in the South Sea, we won’t force you. If you return to participate in the war and achieve great merit, we can allocate territory for your family’s development. If you don’t want territory, it can also be converted into contribution points to exchange for various cultivation resources, including Nascent Soul formation spiritual items. Nephew Wang Qingshan is merely an external affairs elder; our Taiyi Immortal Sect wouldn’t give him Nascent Soul formation spiritual items. However, if Nephew Wang Mingren achieves great merit, he could receive such items.”

“Return immediately? We are currently unavailable.” Wang Changsheng said with a frown. He planned to re-temper his magic treasures and refine them into water-attribute artifacts. A set of magic treasures would require a large amount of materials, which were certainly available at the ruins of the Zhenhai Sect.

Refining magic treasures would take a considerable amount of time, and locating the Zhenhai Sect ruins would also require a lot of time.

“Not immediately, no. How about five years from now? During this period, you can cultivate with peace of mind, and our Taiyi Immortal Sect will take good care of your clansmen in the Eastern Wilderness.”

“Alright, five years it is. However, we have one condition: you must protect our clansmen. What happened last time must never happen again.” Wang Changsheng agreed. Firstly, if they had a large territory for development, the family’s income would increase, and its strength would grow. Secondly, the Wang family’s foundation was too shallow, making it difficult to acquire Nascent Soul formation spiritual items. Thirdly, Wang Qingshan had pre-paid a large sum of contribution points, so he would definitely participate in the war, and Wang Changsheng was worried about him. Fourthly, and most importantly, he wanted to strengthen the family’s relationship with the Taiyi Immortal Sect. If the Nine Underworld Sect tried to act against the Wang family, the Taiyi Immortal Sect would not permit it, as it would involve a matter of face.

“No problem, you can rest assured about that. Our Taiyi Immortal Sect is confident in protecting them. Our Taiyi Immortal Sect would like to invite you to be enshrined elders. We will provide you with a sum of cultivation resources annually, and if we request your assistance, additional compensation will be given. What do you think?” The Taiyi Immortal Sect intended to tie Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan to their war chariot. Before this, they had already appointed Wang Qingshan as an external affairs elder, but it now seemed that Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan had greater potential, though their reputations had not been prominent before.

“No problem.” Wang Changsheng wanted precisely those words from Meng Tianzheng. If they were employed as enshrined elders by the Taiyi Immortal Sect, it would be impossible for the Nine Underworld Sect to act against the Wang family, as the Taiyi Immortal Sect would not stand idly by. Otherwise, how would other affiliated forces dare to serve the Taiyi Immortal Sect with full dedication?

“Alright, you two haven’t seen each other in years, so have a chat. I’ll go talk to Fellow Daoist Li of the Myriad Sword Sect about something.” Meng Tianzheng found an excuse and left.

“Changsheng, this is a token of our sincerity, congratulating you on forming your Nascent Soul. It includes an auxiliary spiritual technique and a method for refining a flying magic treasure.” Wang Mingren subtly gestured to Ximen Feng, who took out a red jade box and handed it to Wang Changsheng.

“Auxiliary spiritual technique? Flying magic treasure? Don’t tell me it’s the Void-Dwelling Spirit Evasion Art and the Green Lotus Throne flying magic treasure!” Wang Changsheng took the red jade box and said casually.

Wang Mingren was startled and asked, “How did you know?”

Wang Changsheng chuckled slightly and said, “Our clansmen in the Northern Frontier bought it from a Core Formation cultivator named Huang Fugui. Knowing Huang Fugui, if he didn’t make multiple copies to sell, he wouldn’t be Huang Fugui.”

Ximen Feng smiled wryly and explained, “We bought it from him too. That fellow actually dared to trick us. Senior Wang, we were unaware of this beforehand; we didn’t intend to mislead you.”

Wang Changsheng waved his hand and said, “I’m not blaming you. Huang Fugui didn’t know that shop was opened by our family. If Huang Fugui gets his hands on cultivation techniques or ancient texts, he’ll definitely sell them everywhere. It wouldn’t surprise me if he sold them throughout the Northern Frontier cultivation world, let alone to you.”

Wang Changsheng had interacted with Huang Fugui a few times and had witnessed what shamelessness truly meant. Huang Fugui was a classic example of someone who prioritized money over dignity. To peddle his junk, he not only lowered himself to set up a stall but also fabricated lies, claiming broken magic treasures were items used by Nascent Soul Perfected Immortals, selling them at high prices to low-level cultivators.

Wang Mingren breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, “That guy truly is an eccentric. He once had a grudge with a Core Formation stage three cultivator, and when they met in the wilderness, the other person hadn’t even run yet, but he fled first.”

“Since you’ve rarely come, please stay a few more days on Silver Serpent Island. It’s getting late, so I won’t disturb your rest.”

Wang Mingren and Ximen Feng naturally did not refuse and personally saw Wang Changsheng off.

“My dear Wang, your nephew doesn’t seem particularly close to you.” Ximen Feng said with doubt. As far as she knew, Wang Mingren had followed Wang Changsheng to learn artifact refining in his youth, and later Wang Changsheng sent Wang Mingren to the Taiyi Immortal Sect. Logically, their relationship should be very good, but from their recent conversation, she felt that the relationship between Wang Changsheng and Wang Mingren wasn’t particularly close.

Wang Mingren gave a bitter smile and said, “After I joined the Taiyi Immortal Sect, I had less contact with the family. But it’s alright; since we’ve rarely come, let’s stay a few more days and get closer to our clansmen. Feng’er, I plan to become cultivation partners with you on Silver Serpent Island and have Changsheng and the others bear witness. What do you think?” Chen Haibin had formed his Nascent Soul just a year ago, so Wang Mingren absolutely needed to improve his relationship with the family.

“I’ll listen to you. That’s a good idea; let them bear witness for us.” Ximen Feng nodded and leaned into Wang Mingren’s embrace.