The Golden Platform.
When he first arrived at Riverbend Fishing Village, Wang Yulou had rely intended to construct a high platform as a preliminary way to rally the people's hearts. By maintaining a physical height differential over a long period of cohabitation, he hoped to subtly instill a psychological and subconscious cue of authority, giving his status a symbolic boost.
Later, Old Cui had inadvertently beco the practical executor of the project. That old fellow was ruthless enough; the mont he was caught trying to over-inflate the project to cause trouble, he imdiately turned around and played the submissive grandson, spending a solid two months working tirelessly on civil engineering.
Furthermore, in a desperate bid to change his image in Fellow Daoist Yulou's mind, Cui Dingyi had spent a fortune to pave the entire platform with golden bricks.
The platform stood seventy feet high, built upon a foundation of stone blocks ten feet wide and four feet long. From afar, it looked like a mini-mountain rising straight out of the flat ground.
'You like being high up? Who could possibly stand higher than you!'
Cui Dingyi stood alongside his good son, Cui Yanzong, in front of the stone steps beneath the platform. Looking at the gold-paved brick walls, he grumbled in his heart.
Facing the two of them was Zhang Xuewu. However, Zhang Xuewu had no dao companion, let alone any children.
While waiting for Wang Yulou's arrival, the two of them had actually stood guard beneath the platform.
The utility of image cultivation manifested completely at this mont. For a young master of an immortal clan who was overbearing yet intelligent, and possessed formidable strength, no image could command more absolute submission from his subordinates than the one Wang Yulou cut right now.
Being overbearing allowed him to rapidly project an aggressive presence, while intelligent speech and thods neutralized the backlash of that aggression. Finally, backed by imnse strength and background, his subordinates naturally did not dare to disobey.
"Senior Cui, Senior Zhang, let us lead the others onto the platform now. Senior Wang will be arriving shortly."
Qin Churan jogged to the front of the platform and began organizing the upcoming ceremony.
"Churan, thank you for your hard work. I wonder how that residence will be moved onto the platform?"
Old Cui asked, feigning casual interest.
In truth, he had already inquired with fellow disciples he knew well. The spiritual wood residence Wang Yulou currently lived in was a special magical tool, sowhere between a magical artifact and a spiritual artifact.
Under normal circumstances, only a veteran Qi Refining cultivator could barely manipulate it. He was thoroughly looking forward to seeing Wang Yulou make a fool of himself shortly.
Deep cultivation among your clan elders does not equal deep cultivation of your own!
"I do not know. I still have to arrange the viewing ceremony for the villagers. I hope Senior Cui will forgive for taking my leave."
Qin Churan shot back at the ddleso Cui Dingyi, turning on her heel to lead two teams of martial artists to organize the mortals so they could kneel and express their gratitude for Fellow Daoist Yulou's benevolence.
"Father, she..." Cui Dingyi's good son, Cui Yanzong, wanted to gossip about how Qin Churan was far too sycophantic, but his old father whipped his head around and glared at him.
Good grief, the fury in that gaze was so intense it seed as though all the anger ant for Fellow Daoist Yulou had been transferred onto his son.
Fool, shut your mouth!
She is that man's dog right now. Can you or I afford to provoke her?
Of course, Cui Dingyi did not voice those words aloud—he couldn't. However, the minor interaction between father and son was fully witnessed by Zhang Xuewu, who stood opposite them.
"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Cui, co, let us ascend together."
Zhang Xuewu stopped eavesdropping and smilingly invited Old Cui, who had spent the last two months covered in mortar, to ascend the platform.
Seeing his father and Old Zhang head up, Cui Yanzong wanted to follow, but he was blocked by another Qi Drawing Layer Nine cultivator whom the Cui father-and-son duo used to suppress in the past.
One, two, three... Young Master Cui Yanzong, once the undisputed number one among the Qi Drawing realm in Riverbend Fishing Village, was actually pushed squarely into the middle of the ascending queue based on raw strength.
Hemd in from the front and back, Cui Yanzong seed to realize sothing. His face shifted between blue, white, and red, as colorful and chaotic as a dye house.
Walking at the front side-by-side with Zhang Xuewu, Cui Dingyi maintained a natural expression, though the hands he held behind his back clenched slightly tighter.
"Fellow Daoist Dingyi has not had it easy. Tsk tsk, these golden bricks... I heard others say that you personally forged them one by one using fire magic?"
Zhang Xuewu's words seed like casual chatter, but he was actually mocking Old Cui for how the mighty had fallen.
When Old Cui used to fight him before, he could occasionally suppress him by half a head or a full head. Now, despite holding the dignified status of a Town Guardian Cultivator, he had degenerated into a re foreman.
Little Old Cui, how laughable, how utterly laughable.
I, Zhang Xuewu, am still the clever one, knowing how to judge the situation. I hugged Fellow Daoist Yulou's thigh at the very first mont and have flattered my way to this day.
"It is only right, it is only right. Fellow Daoist Yulou constructed this high platform to ensure a tily response to demon beasts. It is a good thing, a montous event that benefits Riverbend Fishing Village.
As a poor kid who grew up eating fish in Riverbend Fishing Village, I naturally support it unconditionally. Being able to contribute my ager strength is exactly what I should do.
Let alone forging a golden coat for each brick one by one, I even wanted to do the brick-laying work myself. But ti waits for no man, so I could only do this much."
Hearing Cui Dingyi spout such roundabout nonsense, Zhang Xuewu held back with all his might. Ultimately, he refrained from rolling his eyes, choosing instead to remain silent.
When it ca to singing high praises, he could not hold a candle to Cui Dingyi. Old Cui had, after all, clawed his way up from the absolute bottom and was now over a hundred years old. He was a textbook example of a crafty old fox who refused to die.
The group ascended the golden platform and took their positions on the lower level of the front section.
The top of this golden platform was a wide expanse, but it was split into two tiers.
The upper tier was situated toward the back and was slightly larger; it was where Wang Yulou's residence would be placed.
The lower tier was adjacent to the stairs and situated toward the front, being slightly smaller than the platform reserved for the residence.
This staggered, two-tiered layout was also requested by Wang Yulou.
Architectural aesthetics itself could be viewed as an extension and expansion of ideological power, while the physical existence of the building was a real-world manifestation of that symbolic power.
The seventy-foot golden platform standing like a mini-mountain in Riverbend Fishing Village symbolized that Wang Yulou's power and status resided there.
By splitting the high platform into upper and lower tiers, when Wang Yulou's residence sat upon the upper tier and the other cultivators had to stand on the lower tier to pay respects, that sense of power and status was reinforced once again.
Cui Dingyi had initially been wary of Wang Yulou's demand to build a high platform, which was why he had tried to disrupt Wang Yulou's plans by over-executing the orders under the guise of loyalty.
However, his wariness stemd rely from past experience; it was implicit and lacked systemic structure, completely devoid of abstract theoretical guidance.
Consequently, it was only when he accompanied Zhang Xuewu and led the various Qi Drawing cultivators to stand properly atop the high platform that he realized the gravity of the situation from the tense and awestruck reactions of those cultivators.
But it was already too late.
"Fellow Daoists, Seniors, Senior Wang is ready on his end, and the mortals have mostly been arranged. We will begin the residence relocation ceremony shortly.
In a mont..."
Qin Churan swiftly ascended the high platform once more, instructing the Qi Drawing realm cultivators on what they were expected to do next.
However, after she finished her instructions, she suddenly walked over to Zhang Xuewu's side and respectfully directed a question to Cui Dingyi.
"Senior Cui, Senior Wang asked to inquire if this platform might suddenly collapse?"
Since when could a woman who rely gained Wang Yulou's favor through her looks disregard so blatantly?
Cui Dingyi's gaze blazed as he stared intently at the beautiful Qin Churan, answering deliberately word by word.
"It naturally will not collapse."
Seeing that the old fellow looked ready to explode, Zhang Xuewu wanted to smooth things over.
But Qin Churan beat him to the punch.
"That is excellent then. Today, Senior Fan Zhugao, the disciple of Elder Zhuo Chi, and Senior Wu Faxian, the deacon of the rit Hall, will both be coming to witness the ceremony. If anything goes wrong, Senior Wang will surely punish . Fortunately, Senior Cui is here.
Senior Wang said that with Senior Cui handling matters, his mind is at ease!"
Qin Churan's words were laced with thorns, neither soft nor hard, filling Cui Dingyi's heart with fury, yet forcing him to endure it with a smile.
Fan Zhugao was Zhuo Chi's disciple, representing Wang Yulou's backer within Dripdrop Cave—Zhuo Chi of the Zhuo Family.
Although Wu Faxian had no grand background, he was extrely smooth and versatile in handling matters, and he had currently secured the position of rit Hall Deacon.
Neither of these two was soone Cui Dingyi could afford to offend.
Qin Churan swiftly departed once more. Today, Yulou had entrusted the entire orchestration of the event to her. To her, this was both an affirmation and a trial, leaving her heart quite burdened.
Hexagonal and sharp, the young woman had executed her duties admirably. At the very least, she had handled this final grinding down of Cui Dingyi perfectly.
Indeed, by having Old Cui build the golden platform and the water sluice, Wang Yulou was practicing the principle of employing a person by exploiting their faults rather than their rits.
Now that the golden platform was complete and the water sluice had been finished long ago, the ti had naturally co to discard the tool once the job was done.
If Old Cui's matters were not handled thoroughly, Yulou's position as the leader of Riverbend Fishing Village would never be secure.
---
On the other side, at Yulou's residence.
Fan Zhugao and Wu Faxian had been seated for a long while. As juniors, they naturally did not recognize the legendary Wang Xianzhou, assuming he was rely Wang Rongzhou, a cultivator of diocre talent and ordinary cultivation.
Even so, their assessnt of Wang Yulou rose significantly.
This man was absolutely a core scion of the Anbei Kingdom Wang Clan; even coming to the sect's grotto-heaven to cultivate required bringing along a bodyguard and caretaker.
Seeing Qin Churan quietly enter the hall and nod toward him, Yulou smiled and spoke up, taking the initiative to end their idle chatter.
"Brother Zhugao, Brother Faxian, the ti is ripe.
I invited you over for this relocation precisely to borrow your magical power.
I hope my two older brothers will not take offense. After all, your little brother's cultivation base is currently low, and I simply cannot move it on my own."
Upon hearing Yulou's words, Wu Faxian feigned anger and said, "Eh? Yulou, what kind of talk is that? You and I are like brothers; old Wu should naturally help out!"
Fan Zhugao chuckled and shook his head, pointing a finger at Yulou.
"Indeed, Yulou, you are being far too polite."
Wang Yulou naturally offered a round of apologies before accompanying the two as they soared into midair.
The old caretaker, Wang Rongzhou, steered his battered flying boat, drifting inconspicuously to one side to watch the show.
Wang Xianzhou thought: Not bad, not bad. It is not without reason that you managed to break the deadlock so quickly after arriving.
"Father, look!"
Atop the golden platform, Cui Yanzong noticed the situation on the opposite bank of the river and tugged at his father's sleeve.
Cui Dingyi looked out into the distance, only to see three Qi Refining cultivators standing within two flying boats. Wu Faxian steered the vessel, while Fan Zhugao, who had snagged the job of handling the relocation, channeled his magical power from the boat.
Under the manipulation of his magical power, the massive spiritual wood residence actually began to shrink slowly, gradually reducing to a size of about ten feet square.
"Fellow Daoist Yulou, this is the absolute limit for your old brother. My master could shrink it to the size of a palm back in the day, but I naturally cannot achieve that." Fan Zhugao explained to Yulou with a bitter smile.
To one side, Wang Xianzhou nodded slightly. The cultivation bases of Dripdrop Cave's core disciples were decent; this Fan Zhugao possessed at least thirty to forty percent of the strength he had in his own youth.
Of course, this did not an three Fan Zhugaos could defeat Wang Xianzhou.
The gap in their strength was such that in a life-or-death battle where three fought one without fleeing, Wang Xianzhou could slaughter ten such groups before exhausting his strength.
The calculation of combat strength was incredibly complex; sotis a hair's breadth of difference separated life from death.
Standing together with Zhang Xuewu, Cui Dingyi watched the figures gradually flying closer from afar, his heart filled with a complex mixture of emotions.
Old Zhang was thinking that in the future, he might replace him.
Old Cui was plotting when Wang Yulou would finally pack up and leave Riverbend Fishing Village.
Why did such a monstrous existence have to waste ti in a place like Riverbend Fishing Village?
If your clan is so powerful, why didn't they arrange for you to enter Droplet Heaven or the Immortal Venerable's estate?
The answer was simple: because the positions in Droplet Heaven and the Immortal Venerable's estate were already occupied by mbers of Purple Palace clans.
"Immortals! Mother, look, there are so many immortals in the sky!"
A little girl wearing her hair in twin braids and dressed in red clothes snuggled in her mother's embrace, pointing at the cultivators in the sky and shouting loudly.
Fearing that the little girl's shouting would be far too discourteous, the mother yanked her ear and threatened in a low voice, "Quiet down! Those aren't immortals, those are man-eating ghosts!
If you scream too loudly, they'll co down and eat you up!"
She spoke as if warning about a wolf, but this ignorant mortal woman did not understand what divine sense was, let alone that an Immortal Venerable could constantly monitor everyone within the grotto-heaven. That was why she dared to utter such reckless nonsense.
Of course, neither Wang Yulou's group nor the Immortal Venerable would care about her words.
Ignorance was also a path to happiness, though this brand of happiness was sowhat fragile.
"Hmm? Yulou, what is the aning of this?"
Wu Faxian noticed the crowd gathered on the platform.
As an old-tir, he believed he understood the desire of these disciples from grand clans to build grand spectacles for amusent, so he did not think much of the golden platform itself.
Wasn't it just a mountain of gold?
He had seen far more bizarre spectacles!
But today, Wang Yulou had only ntioned moving houses; he hadn't ntioned that the move would involve such a grand display. Wu Faxian suspected he might have been used.
When he looked down at Riverbend Fishing Village and saw that the mortals had all gathered in the streets to wait, this sensation of being utilized grew even stronger. The gaze he directed toward Wang Yulou turned slightly peculiar.
Wang Yulou smiled faintly. 'Brother Faxian, I am a man who prefers to speak the truth, though I occasionally tell minor lies.'
However, since the man had already arrived, there was absolutely no possibility of him refusing Yulou's minor request for help.
"I am rely borrowing the prestige of my two older brothers. My cultivation base is low, and having just arrived at Riverbend Fishing Village, it is difficult to carry out my work."
Fan Zhugao's eyes flickered, and he spoke up.
"Look, Fellow Daoist Faxian, didn't I say Yulou wasn't simple? The youth of today grow stronger with each generation; we are truly getting old."
The night the iron crocodile dragon attacked White Mao Fishing Port, Ji Yuan, Lin Ying, and Wang Yulou—the three Azurewater Palace disciples—had all been present. Yet only Wang Yulou had reported to Zhuo Chi that the iron crocodile dragon might be soone's pet.
Although nothing concrete had co of this matter yet, the upper echelons were already locked in a fierce, chaotic struggle. One could say Yulou had handed them an excellent sword.
As Zhuo Chi's disciple, Fan Zhugao would naturally give Yulou face.
"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Zhugao speaks the truth. Should we stand by to back Yulou up shortly?"
Since Fan Zhugao was charging ahead and backed by the Zhuo family lineage, Wu Faxian would naturally grant this convenient favor.
"Yulou will rember the friendship of my two older brothers in his heart. We shall converse further over drinks later."
Fan Zhugao nodded, manipulating the residence that had shrunk to ten feet square to land squarely in the center of the golden platform.
Then, shifting his magical power once more, the spiritual wood residence rapidly expanded and grew, transforming back into a full-scale estate within monts.
The gazes of many cultivators witnessing this for the first ti instantly froze.
Cultivating immortality... could the Qi Drawing realm even be considered cultivating immortality? The growth of one's cultivation base could only rely on accumulating days, essentially wasting life away.
Only upon reaching the Qi Refining stage did one possess a hint of an immortal cultivator's style. With a re wave of his hand, Fan Zhugao could easily move a residence weighing thousands of kilograms, and the spiritual wood residence could shrink and grow in the blink of an eye.
One could say this was the scene closest to an immortal's thods that many Qi Drawing cultivators in Riverbend Fishing Village had ever witnessed in their entire lives.
The mortals observing the ceremony beneath the golden platform fell to their knees, chanting the honorable title of the Immortal Venerable—beginning their expressions of gratitude.
From this perspective, Yulou and the other cultivators of Dripdrop Cave were rely the tentacles through which the Immortal Venerable harvested gratitude from the mortals.
"Fellow Daoists, today the golden platform stands complete, and my residence has been relocated atop it.
Over the past two months, everyone has practiced the art of coordination, and the results are decent... Hmm, I plan to establish a rotation system.
In the future, the frequency of patrols outside Riverbend Fishing Village will decrease slightly. The personnel freed up will take turns guarding the golden platform.
By standing high and looking far, if any demon beasts launch an attack, they can notify in a tily manner.
What do you all think?"
Yulou stood at the entrance of his residence. Due to the height differential, he stood half a body higher than everyone else on the platform.
His gaze swept across Zhang Xuewu's face—submission.
It swept across Cui Dingyi's face—submission.
He looked toward the Qi Drawing cultivators; every single one of them lowered their heads—submission.
Finally, he looked toward those high-stage post-natal martial artists; they naturally submitted as well.
"Yulou's move is quite clever. By pulling people to his side, they will naturally grow closer to him over ti and distance themselves from those two."
To one side, Wu Faxian, who was floating in midair, critiqued.
"At such a young age, he already understands how to borrow prestige to awe others. His future is limitless." Fan Zhugao deeply agreed.
No one would look down on you for acting too eagerly to claim power. If such a person existed, they were either a fool or a hypocrite—there was no third possibility.
Wang Yulou appreciated Qin Churan's ambition, just as Zhou Yingxi appreciated his own ambition. People who wished to forge ahead would naturally gravitate toward one another.
However, regarding Fan Zhugao and Wu Faxian's evaluation, the elderly Wang Rongzhou thought to himself: 'Shallow, far too shallow.'
Decreasing the patrol frequency would actually increase the risk of each individual patrol.
If the patrol area was centered around Riverbend Village and divided into different ranges along the shore of Beautiful Water Lake, then the longer the patrol cycle, the higher the risk accumulated within a single unit of patrol area.
How did that saying go again?—'Grind them down; they will either die or surrender.'
Decreasing patrol frequency corresponded to ramping up the intensity of the grind—when Generalissimo Chiang sent regional armies to suppress the communists, he wasn't entirely trying to wipe out the communists; he was concurrently wiping out the regional warlords as well.
Establishing a rotation system for guarding the golden platform was a thod to gather the Qi Drawing cultivators around Fellow Daoist Yulou—creating a dynamic demon-defense support leadership group, with Fellow Daoist Yulou serving as the group leader, constantly borrowing Qi Drawing cultivators to rotate as group mbers.
With this combined strategy of suppression and enlistnt, Cui Dingyi's minor influence would sooner or later collapse entirely!
Without resorting to violence, without tearing away all pretenses, and without leaping outside the rules, Wang Yulou's series of counters left even Wang Xianzhou full of admiration.
Ancestor Xianzhou smiled faintly, looking expectantly at Yulou who stood before the crowd.
"No objections? Then we shall execute it this way..."
As Yulou spoke, just as he was about to conclude today's relocation ceremony, a person suddenly shouted at the top of their lungs.
"Ancestor Wang! Ancestor Wang! I want to report! I want to report!"
A sudden twist occurred!
Today's relocation ceremony was akin to inviting an old man to watch a musical performance. After testing Cui Dingyi's resolve several tis and confirming that Cui Dingyi could endure it, Yulou directly transmitted an order to Li Changming.
Tear it open—tear away the mask of that double-dealing hypocrite, the local parasite of Riverbend Fishing Village, that massive rat Cui Dingyi!
Facing Li Changming, who was throwing himself to the ground and knocking his head repeatedly, everyone in Riverbend Fishing Village except Qin Churan underwent a drastic change in expression.
Whose hands were completely clean?
If put on the scales, no one could bear the weight.
Before a Town Guardian Cultivator like Wang Yulou, who possessed impeccable lineage and imnse authority, whoever he wished to deal with would beco at on the chopping block!
Qin Churan did not panic because she had practically been molded into Wang Yulou's shape already, belonging firmly to Fellow Daoist Yulou's inner circle.
While the crowd was still paralyzed by fear and anxiety, Wang Yulou's face turned completely livid. He was the first to point at the prostrate Li Changming, barking out, "Restrain him for ! What an absolute disgrace!"
Several martial artists and Qi Drawing cultivators near Li Changming hurriedly hoisted him up.
Because Little Li was small of stature, his feet actually left the ground once he was lifted.
Seeing that the whistle-blower had been contained, Yulou looked toward Wu and Fan in the sky, saying, "Fellow Daoist Fan, Fellow Daoist Wu, a failure of discipline on my part. I have caused my two older brothers to witness a farce today. Co, let us enter the residence; a housewarming banquet has long been prepared, haha."
Seeing Yulou react in this manner, the various cultivators of Riverbend Fishing Village all caught on. Indeed, with outsiders present, this man nad Li shouting accusations wildly was a direct slap to Fellow Daoist Yulou's face.
This fool was far too stupid!
Fan Zhugao and Wu Faxian, who had not yet grasped the underlying plot, exchanged a glance. They naturally would not decline Yulou's invitation. The two landed on the ground, preparing to accompany Yulou inside.
Regrettably, no one noticed that Senior Wang Rongzhou, who stood nearby, was wearing a face full of smiles.
'Calculating every step is the only way to achieve every step. Yulou, oh Yulou, you certainly have a trick up your sleeve.'
Just as Yulou, Zhang, Cui, Fan, and Wu were about to leave, the hoisted Li Changming spoke up once more.
As his feet kicked wildly in the air in struggle, he bellowed with a raspy voice, "Ancestor Wang! Ancestor Wang! I want to report Cui Yanzong! I want to report Cui Yanzong!"
Wu Faxian blanked for a mont, then looked toward Yulou with a smile, beginning a voice transmission between the two.
'Yulou, a single al will not suffice for this.'
'Two als, that should be about enough.'
'You really have a knack for this. How do you intend to handle him?'
'Handle him? The man is a local tyrant. If I weren't left with no options, how could I have been backed into this corner?'
'Fine, I understand.'
Wu Faxian patted Yulou's shoulder, then glanced toward Cui Dingyi.
Wu Faxian also recognized this old fellow; he was quite an interesting character. Possessing a five-elent spirit root that he managed to cultivate from the post-natal to the pre-natal stage, he had actually forced his way to Qi Refining Level Three.
In the past, Old Cui had pulled plenty of strings, hoping to find himself a pathway into a faction.
Regrettably, his age was too high and his cultivation base too low; any faction with a modicum of influence was unwilling to take him in—he possessed no value to exploit.
What an old fox Cui Dingyi was; how could he possibly fail to see through Wang Yulou's purpose in inviting two late Qi Refining cultivators here?
Just a mont ago, he had put on a hypocritical show of wanting to suppress the matter, yet the mont he heard Cui Yanzong's na, he halted his footsteps once more.
'He is truly dark as pitch!'
'Truly dark as pitch!'
"Fellow Daoist Yulou, I..."
Cui Dingyi's beard trembled slightly as he attempted to explain.
Yulou dismissed it with a wave of his hand, saying solemnly, "I understand. This naless martial artist slanders Fellow Daoist Cui's son; I will definitely give you an explanation!"
Looking at the smiling Wu Faxian and the solemn Fan Zhugao behind Wang Yulou, Cui Dingyi felt his head spin slightly.
"I, I, Yu..."
"Old Cui, say no more. I understand. My two older brothers happen to be present today, so rest assured."
With that, Wang Yulou led Zhang Xuewu back across the threshold, returning outside the residence doors—holding court!
Watching the four depart, Cui Dingyi wanted to speak, but he did not know what to say.
Should he yield?
'I have already yielded!'
'I personally forged the golden bricks one by one to build this platform for you.'
'Wang Yulou, I only wish to send you away swiftly. Why are you still unwilling to let go?'
Zhang Xuewu turned his head, his gaze eting Old Cui's. He offered a smile that was entirely laced with mockery.
Being mocked by his old rival caused Cui Dingyi's heart to feel as if it were about to burst, his muscles and hair trembling in unison.
'Even a fool whose stupidity is written plainly on his face dares to mock . Is he worthy?'
'If my aptitude had been just a bit better, you, Zhang Xuewu, would be where I am today!'
"Release him. Let him state clearly what is going on and why he slanders Old Cui!"
Wang Yulou's very first command caused every cultivator of Riverbend Fishing Village present to realize that disaster had struck!
Many had already heard of or directly witnessed Yulou reprimanding Old Cui several tis before.
Now, the conflict between the two was on the verge of erupting completely.
Certain loyal dogs cultivated by Old Cui grew frantic in their hearts: 'Master Cui, they want to harm you! They want to harm you!'
"Ancestor Wang, Cui Yanzong has been privately purchasing spirit fish, bypassing our sect and bypassing you as well.
He told those fishern selling spirit fish that the sect is a demon's den that exploits its subjects ruthlessly, demanding every single fish be handed over only to exchange them for useless Clear Spring Palace rit points.
He claid that only his father, Cui Dingyi, is one of Riverbend Fishing Village's own, and that if anyone wishes to sell fish, they can find their family at any ti!"
Li Changming had spent two months gathering information, so he naturally possessed results. He had even heard these words directly from Cui Yanzong's mouth.
"You are spitting blood! You slander ! When have I ever bypassed the sect to privately purchase spirit fish!
Senior Wang, Yanzong begs you not to lightly believe this rebellious scoundrel who slanders the sect, and to restore our Cui family's innocence!"
Looking at the two unfamiliar Qi Refining cultivators, Cui Yanzong's legs felt entirely weak, but he knew he had to defend himself.
Even the densest fool understood that protecting his father was protecting himself.
At this mont, the burden of the two Cui family mbers and their thirteen relatives fell squarely upon Cui Yanzong's shoulders. He could not retreat; he had to hold the line and bear it!
"Innocence? Does your Cui family possess any innocence?
That brother-in-law you gained from marrying Sister San just entered the post-natal stage a few days ago.
Your second cousin once removed has also beco a post-natal martial artist.
As for those Qi Drawing cultivators of your Cui family, I need not say more.
Cui Yanzong, if it weren't for the sect's laws blocking the way, I reckon you would even arrange for your Cui family's dogs to beco patrol hounds for the team!"
Li Changming was cursing Cui Yanzong, but everyone knew exactly who he was targeting.
To beat a dog, one had to look at its master.
Beating the son was naturally beating the father.
Only Yulou found it sowhat difficult to keep a straight face.
If the Cui family's dogs were about to beco patrol hounds, didn't that make Cui Dingyi a local powerhouse akin to Chief Qi who matched heaven half a step at a ti?
Thinking carefully, it was roughly the sa. Old Cui hailed from the absolute bottom, forced by reality to choose the only path that could allow him to walk further, navigating his way to this day.
And then, he crossed paths with Wang Yulou.
'Then what do I count as?'
Wang Yulou did not dare to analyze it too closely—it was simply far too dark!
This was the Immortal Venerable's grotto-heaven; he, Wang Yulou, did not possess the courage to straighten his spine and act independently just yet.
With this thought in mind, Yulou made up his mind, turning to one side and gesturing with his hand, saying, "Alright, do not speak recklessly. Old Cui, co over. How do you believe this matter should be handled?"
'How this matter should be handled,' rather than 'how Li Changming should be handled'—this set the tone completely.
Yet Cui Dingyi did not know. Power and righteousness were grinding down upon him simultaneously, leaving him clueless as to what he could do to save himself.
Very few people could remain calm under the grinding wheels of destiny, and he was no exception.
While Old Cui hesitated, Wang Xianzhou transmitted a voice ssage to Yulou.
'Soone is coming. A female cultivator, rather beautiful, dressed in green. Do you know her?'
Wang Yulou arched his brow. Riverbend Fishing Village seed suspiciously rowdy today.
He spread his divine sense to investigate. Though he found no one, he clearly perceived the current expressions of the crowd.
Fan and Wu were the most composed. No matter how Wang Yulou handled it, the most troubleso outco would rely be executing an old Qi Refining cultivator who possessed no background.
If he chose to kill him directly or through the sect system, the two of them could even gain a convenient favor from it.
Zhang Xuewu and Qin Churan were solemn; during this final charge phase, they hoped no accidents would arise.
Old Cui was bewildered, left sowhat at a loss by the sudden crisis.
Li Changming and Cui Yanzong were trading barbs, shouting with great investnt, though they were insignificant—just as subordinates and investigators could never truly dictate the final outco.
Among the Qi Drawing cultivators, a few were furious, while others were terrified—these were Old Cui's n.
The vast majority, however, harbored a subtle, repressed expectation—when a whale falls, a myriad of things thrive. Once Old Cui's lineage collapsed, the positions of others could shift, and the unspoken shares of profit could increase slightly.
'So it is still nothing more than a tedious ga of power?'
Having lived two lives, Yulou felt for the first ti that cultivating immortality had beco entirely uninteresting.
Dancing within a cage, no matter how invested one was, there was no escape. Even becoming the disciple of a grand cultivator made one nothing more than a plaything.
However, he could not choose to love this cultivation world only when imnse power was bestowed upon him. At the very least, this place offered him the possibility of walking toward transcendence.
He raised his head, looking toward the Immortal Venerable's estate concealed amidst the clouds.
The Gathering Immantals Platform, the Immortal Alliance, the Ten Sects, Dripdrop Cave, the Anbei Kingdom Wang Clan... big fish eating little fish. Sigh...
He was attempting to beco a chess player, the chess player of Riverbend Fishing Village, but this was rely the beginning.
The path ahead remained incredibly long.
The Dao was obstructed and lengthy, a boundless sea of bitterness; on what day would he achieve grand freedom?
"Fellow Daoist Yulou, I..."
Cui Dingyi finally spoke up, but the sudden appearance of a green rainbow light in the sky drew everyone's attention, cutting his words short.
The newcor was Lin Ying, the guardian cultivator of Immortal Mushroom Cave. She had ignited her escape light to its maximum from far away so the people of Riverbend Fishing Village would notice—paying close attention to details of etiquette.
Evidently, she was a thoroughly clever woman.
"Hmm? What is going on here?"
At a distance of several hundred ters, Lin Ying reduced her speed.
She sat atop a massive mushroom, clad in a vibrant, light green magical robe with a floral wreath crowning her head. Her bare feet dangled in midair as she looked at the crowd with a face full of confusion.
'Fan Zhugao, he's Zhuo Chi's disciple, right?'
'Wu Faxian, that old rchant rogue who tricked into buying spiritual seeds that wouldn't sprout.'
'Who is that old Qi Refining cultivator? Forget it, he looks like he's about to die anyway; he's not important.'
'However, Wang Yulou, isn't this display a bit too exaggerated?'
'I thought building a silver tower in Immortal Mushroom Cave was luxurious enough, but you're playing with a mountain of gold?'
'Is the Anbei Kingdom Wang Clan truly that wealthy?'
Unaware that the golden platform before her eyes was rely paved with a layer of golden bricks, Lin Ying felt a deep wave of envy rise in her heart.
"Yulou is moving into his new residence. Well, Fellow Daoist Wu and I ca over to take a look." Fan Zhugao replied.
They were all mbers of prominent clans within Dripdrop Cave, so they naturally recognized one another.
Even Wu Faxian, who had sold the non-sprouting spiritual seeds, smiled and nodded toward Lin Ying. Who didn't enjoy looking at a beautiful woman?
However, Yulou was slightly taken aback.
The night the iron crocodile dragon attacked White Mao Fishing Port, he, Lin Ying, and Ji Yuan had fought side-by-side, but amidst the pitch-black night, he hadn't caught a clear glimpse of Lin Ying's appearance.
Now that the beauty stood before him, her appearance was stunning enough to catch Yulou off guard. One could say she was the most beautiful female cultivator Wang Yulou had encountered in over twenty years.
So of the Qi Drawing stage cultivators looking at Lin Ying were actually so captivated that they were reluctant to avert their eyes, even staring directly at her in an discourteous manner.
"Since Fellow Daoist Lin has arrived, why not wait until Yulou concludes the matters before us, and the few of us can sit down for a Dao discussion?" Yulou invited.
Upon hearing these words, Wang Xianzhou's near-dormant eyes suddenly lit up. He quietly sized up this newly arrived young woman once more.
'I didn't look closely just now, but looking again, she is quite excellent. Good for bearing children; having three in a single litter would pose no trouble at all. Good, good, good, even better than little Qin.'
Lin Ying nodded slightly, landing beside Fan Zhugao. While greeting Fan Zhugao, she transmitted her voice to Yulou.
'Yulou, what is the aning of this? The mortals outside are kneeling all over the ground. Is this a large-scale Immortal Venerable Ceremony?'
'Killing a dog? I am not entirely certain. It does no harm for those mortals to pay more respects to the Immortal Venerable.'
'Where is the dog?'
Wang Yulou looked toward Old Cui. Old Cui offered a sorrowful smile, asking, "Fellow Daoist Yulou, what do you wish for to do?"
Fan Zhugao, Wu Faxian, Lin Ying—not a single one of them was soone he could afford to offend, and he couldn't even find a way to ingratiate himself with them.
Yet now, all of these individuals stood firmly behind Wang Yulou.
Cui Dingyi had not accepted his fate, let alone conceded defeat.
How could he possibly accept his fate?
Old Cui was rely recognizing reality once again, exactly like his past self; nothing more.
To everyone's surprise, Wang Yulou actually sat directly upon the stone steps, and he even pulled Old Cui down to sit beside him.
The two sat shoulder-to-shoulder, one young, the other already boasting a head full of white hair.
From working with mortar day and night as a foreman, Old Cui hadn't even found the ti to dye his hair again.
Of course, he might have rely wished to use his haggard and exhausted state to display his loyalty to Fellow Daoist Yulou.
However, that loyalty was not absolute...
Yulou pointed toward the village beneath the high platform, saying, "Not long after I arrived at Riverbend Fishing Village, soone inford that there existed a Cui Family Gang here.
And you, Fellow Daoist Cui, he claid you were the leader of this Cui Family Gang, hahaha."
The Cui Family Gang?
Lin Ying looked toward Cui Dingyi, left sowhat speechless.
'A small pond breeds big waves; it truly is a small pond with big waves.'
'What capabilities does this old fellow possess to force Wang Yulou to invite Fan Zhugao to back him up?'
"There is no..." Old Cui wanted to explain, wanted to struggle.
"Hear out, Old Cui. I also hail from a clan, so I understand the difficulties you face as a patriarch.
A poor kid, after all, who finally managed to grow up; it is only right to give sothing back to the clan.
After all, you have also contributed so much to Riverbend Fishing Village... By the way, how old are you this year?"
Hearing Wang Yulou ntion 'poor kid,' Zhang Xuewu's expression turned incredibly unsightly.
'He isn't going to let him off the hook, is he?'
'Fellow Daoist Yulou, raising a tiger invites disaster!'
"One hundred and twelve years old, Fellow Daoist Yulou."
Cui Dingyi replied, tears streaming down his face.
One hundred and twelve years old, Qi Refining Level Three, a five-elent spirit root.
"To be able to stand before you all, I have walked an entire lifeti."
"Yet now, I am actually kicked aside like a stray dog."
"I have walked an entire lifeti."
"To ascend this golden platform, I have walked an entire lifeti!"
"Indeed, at such an advanced age, what is left to fight for?"
"In my view, Riverbend Fishing Village had no Cui Family Gang in the past, and it will have no Cui Family Gang in the future. Wouldn't you say so?"
Yulou turned his head, looking toward Cui Dingyi. Old Cui's beard was already soaked with mucus.
He trembled, faltered, and sobbed as he bellowed his answer back.
"There is no Cui Family Gang! Riverbend Fishing Village had no Cui Family Gang in the past, and it will have no Cui Family Gang in the future!"
At first, he was rely shouting, but later, he was roaring.
In the end, his voice suddenly cracked as if broken, dropping down into a raspy whisper.
Raising his head, gnashing his teeth, and standing up, Cui Dingyi made his choice before reality once again.
"Fellow Daoist Yulou, this rebellious son of mine is utterly abominable!"
Cui Dingyi arose, flipping his hand to summon his special crescent shovel magical artifact, delivering a swift slash directly toward Cui Yanzong's two legs.
This man was quite advanced in years, the roots of his beard and hair already turning white, yet at this mont, he resembled a bloodthirsty lion, severing his son's two legs directly.
Fan Zhugao closed his eyes, Wu Faxian remained silent, Zhang Xuewu was struck with horror, and Qin Churan trembled.
Lin Ying covered her mouth in shock, while the bored Wang Xianzhou focused his gaze for the first ti.
"Father, have you gone mad, ah... it hurts so much... Father, my legs, the pain..."
Cui Dingyi manipulated a magical rope to bind Cui Yanzong's mouth and body. Then, hoisting his son's two severed legs, he turned around to face Yulou, saying in agony, "Fellow Daoist Yulou, the losses he caused to the sect by secretly purchasing spirit fish over these years... I will do my utmost to compensate!"
Wang Yulou looked at him with a smile, refraining from answering imdiately.
'Ancestor, he absolutely cannot be left alive!'
'Indeed, that is exactly how it should be. By acting in this manner, we have beco mortal enemies with the Cui family. We must pull up the roots completely!'
'However, we can kill him later. Today is the ti to display benevolence and authority. If we are forced into this position, so be it.'
'This little thing is quite ruthless. Looking at him now, managing to rise from a mortal to the Qi Refining stage is sowhat interesting; there might be a massive issue behind him!'
Heaven could bear witness that Wang Yulou had been forced into a corner by Old Cui.
From the very beginning, Wang Yulou hadn't particularly wanted to kill Cui Dingyi—killing the local tyrant would make the work in Riverbend Fishing Village difficult to carry out.
The "No Cui Family Gang in the past, no Cui Family Gang in the future" agreent was actually quite decent. After all, they were fellow disciples.
But Old Cui was far too sinister—ruthless to himself, and even more ruthless to his son. This instead forced his father-and-son duo and the Cui family behind them completely onto a path of death.
The Anbei Kingdom Wang Clan generally avoided forming feuds with others, and during magical combat, they frequently turned on their heels and fled.
What point was there in forming feuds? It brought nothing but trouble!
Therefore, if a feud was ford, the Wang Clan would definitely resolve the trouble as swiftly as possible.
By acting in this manner, Old Cui had essentially earned his entire family lineage a spot on the extermination list.
"Look, everyone. Old Cui always says he is a poor kid who grew up in Riverbend Village, making it seem as if so Cui Family Gang existed here."
"But looking at him now, Old Cui still holds the grand vision and laws of the sect deep in his heart. He is not rely a child of Riverbend Village; he is also an excellent fellow disciple of Dripdrop Cave!"
'Ancestor, you should take Churan and Changming shortly to investigate where the mbers of the Cui family are and how many there are.'
'The Cui family has thrived here for many years, spreading their roots wide; we must be careful of them leaving hidden counters.'
"Churan, quickly take Yanzong to treat his wounds. Old Cui was simply far too muddled, sigh."
'A trivial matter. I have already investigated it clearly long ago. With handling matters, rest assured.'
"Dingyi thanks Fellow Daoist Yulou!"
'Ancestor, with you present, Yulou feels far more secure in his heart.'
"No, treating injuries and saving lives... problems must be resolved, and fellow disciples must be cherished. This is the teaching of the sect and the Immortal Venerable."
"You do not need to thank ; you need to thank the sect, thank the Immortal Venerable!"
'Haha, with a Qilin child of the Wang Clan like you around, my heart is also at ease.'
Watching Cui Yanzong being carried away, Cui Dingyi felt slightly more settled in his heart. He ignored Yulou's nonsense and extracted the core ssage.
"Dingyi understands. In the future, I will definitely follow Fellow Daoist Yulou's lead implicitly."
However, while he felt it was roughly sufficient, certain individuals felt it was not enough.
Li Changming knew he had already achieved rit, but at this mont, a sudden epiphany struck his mind.
With a thud, he fell to his knees on the ground, shouting loudly, "This disciple understands. In the future, I will definitely follow Ancestor Wang's lead implicitly!"
As if triggering a row of dominoes, Li Changming was the very first to fall—no, to kneel.
Following him, one figure after another knelt down.
"This disciple understands. In the future, I will definitely follow Senior Wang's lead implicitly..."
"This disciple understands..."
"This disciple..."
There existed a reality that could be easily accepted by the vast majority of people: absolute strength could not command absolute loyalty.
Humans were a fickle species; they were lazy, greedy, ignorant, and emotional. To too many individuals, too many things were far more vital and aningful than maintaining steadfast loyalty.
Therefore, the powerful demanded the result of loyalty rather than the form of loyalty. The form was rely a ans to achieve the result; the objective was the true core.
Mang Xiang was thus, Wang Xianmao was thus, and the high-and-mighty, unapproachable Immortal Venerable of Dripdrop Cave was also thus.
Yet the scene before his eyes was truly moving. Looking at those kneeling cultivators, Yulou sat for a long while, seemingly dazed, or perhaps rely savoring the mont.
He felt a certain entity begin to manifest from within his heart, no, from his soul, or perhaps from so other unseen place.
It appeared so suddenly, manifesting within his body, his consciousness, and his soul.
In short, it was naless, its origin unknown, yet it had appeared.
It was exquisite, truly exquisite—more exquisite than Zhou Yingxi's zither music, more exquisite than Lin Ying's beauty, more exquisite than far too many things.
Yulou imrsed himself within it for a few seconds. He surmised that it was power, it was status, yet it was not rely power and status.
It was also a dal proving that he was currently treading upon the path of ascension.
Wang Xianzhou wanted to remind Yulou: 'Child, this is rely a fraction of the illusory light you will encounter in your life. This illusory light is incredibly beautiful and intoxicating, but you should not beco addicted to it; there are far more vital matters requiring your attention.'
However, after so thought, he ultimately refrained from moving or transmitting his voice.
'Be happy, Yulou. Indulge in your happiness to your heart's content; you are about to grow up.'
After a long while, just as Lin Ying and Wu Faxian were beginning to feel amused, Yulou finally spoke.
"Li Changming, step forward. You possess great courage; you are a fine disciple."
"This low-grade magical artifact shall be awarded to you. Cultivate diligently and enter the Qi Drawing realm swiftly!"
Li Changming raised his head, looking at the magical artifact in Yulou's hand, blinking his eyes in utter disbelief.
Following that, this martial artist crawled on his knees to the front of Yulou, his hands trembling as he accepted the magical artifact.
"Thank you, Ancestor Wang. Changming..."
Yulou dismissed him with a wave of his hand, rising to his feet as he said, "Alright, rise, all of you. Carry out your duties diligently; I am not an ungrateful man."
Then, he flashed an apologetic smile toward Fan Zhugao, Lin Ying, and the others, saying, "Let us head inside. The troubleso matters have been resolved. Today, I have prepared grade-eight Miscanthus Crystal Wine. I wonder if my fellow daoists have ever sampled it before?"
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