Fan Zhugao rode his flying boat, drifting leisurely through the air as he headed straight for River Bend Fishing Port.
Initially, Yulou's concubine-taking ceremony was not ant to be a grand affair. He had mainly invited the fellow disciples he knew within Dripdrop Cave just to make things a bit lively. After all, it was rely taking concubines.
Little Qin was strictly a capable subordinate who needed to be bound closer to his side, while Little White was tied to Yulou's further control over River Bend Fishing Port. It was only under these premises that the family ancestor's urging for marriage finally bore fruit.
The flying boat traveled slowly, mostly because Fan Zhugao was in no hurry. He was waiting to et up with Old Wu—Wu Faxian—so they could proceed together.
The reason was simple. Wang Yulou and Old Wu had set up a small venture called the Exchange Conference, which was essentially a mobile market. Fan Zhugao had a stake in it, and today he wanted to take the opportunity to discuss with Wu Faxian how to roll out their operations.
As a disciple of Elder Zhuo Chi of Dripdrop Cave, Fan Zhugao's daily life was naturally far better than the likes of Zhang Xuewu or Cui Dingyi.
However, a Foundation Establishnt cultivator never had just one disciple. Elder Zhuo Chi had three, and among them, one was a mber of the Zhuo clan, while another was a scion of a different Foundation Establishnt family.
As the only one from a humble, rogue background among the three disciples, Fan Zhugao was naturally treated differently on many occasions. Of course, as a filial disciple of Elder Zhuo Chi, Fan Zhugao did not dare to voice any complaints. After all, the master only leads the disciple to the door; the cultivation itself depends on the individual. Being able to take Elder Zhuo Chi as his master was already a massive blessing in itself.
Even so, when it ca to cultivation resources, Fan Zhugao had to find ways to fend for himself. Taking on sect missions and heading out was certainly a good thod, but the juiciest assignnts dispatched by Dripdrop Cave definitely had nothing to do with him, nor did the second-best ones. What remained for him were rely leftover scraps.
Tasks like demon hunting in the West Sea, managing the black sandstorms of the Eastern Desert, or reinforcing the frontline at Wondrous Peak Mountain...
Demon hunting in the West Sea carried a fifty-fifty chance between life and death. He could not go there; Fan Zhugao did not think his life was too long.
Going to the Eastern Desert to manage the black sandstorms yielded a higher survival rate, around seventy to eighty percent, but the Eastern Desert was twenty thousand miles away from Dripdrop Cave—Fan Zhugao would have to be insane to accept such a mission.
As for reinforcing the frontline at Wondrous Peak Mountain, with their status as Dripdrop Cave disciples, they would not actually be sent to the vanguard. However, the fighting there had already reached a fever pitch, even birthing over fifty new Foundation Establishnt cultivators through the crucible of war. Fan Zhugao wanted to reach Foundation Establishnt, but he did not want to risk his life.
Therefore, he could only take on so internal sect missions to barely scrape together an inco.
In any case, Dripdrop Cave produced one new Foundation Establishnt cultivator every year, a third of whom were cultivators from humble backgrounds. Fan Zhugao was still young, not even a hundred years old yet, and he had confidence in himself.
After receiving Yulou's invitation to join forces and start this venture, his confidence grew even stronger. However, the Exchange Conference involved complex dynamics, and he still needed to deliberate with Old Wu on the specifics of how to execute it.
From a great distance, Old Wu noticed Fan Zhugao's figure. He urged his mount to accelerate slightly and quickly caught up, as Fan Zhugao's speed was already slow to begin with.
"Old Wu, did you buy a new spiritual crane?" Fan Zhugao had long noticed the spiritual crane beneath Wu Faxian and asked with a hint of envy.
Just as there were disparities among cultivators, there were disparities among mounts. Those down on their luck rode horses every day or traveled on foot, while the more capable could ride birds and fly through the air.
Yet even among spiritual birds, there was a hierarchy. Rocs and eagles were the most overbearing, spiritual cranes were the most elegant, and exotic birds provided the greatest assistance in combat. Among them, the elegant spiritual crane was, in a sense, the absolute ceiling for spiritual birds accessible to Qi Refining cultivators.
Perhaps the direct lineage of so great clans could ride spiritual beasts with extraordinary natural talent for amusent from childhood, but such people were a minority after all.
For the majority of Qi Refining cultivators, buying a spiritual crane and riding it to fly a few laps in front of their peers was enough to make their lives feel complete. Everyone wanted to achieve immortality, but everyone also understood that their chances of doing so were practically nonexistent. Consequently, they needed to find value and a sense of achievent in other areas.
"Hahaha, I bought it from the Wang clan. Yulou even introduced . How is it? It doesn't look too shabby, right?" Wu Faxian brought his spiritual crane to a halt, flying side-by-side with Fan Zhugao.
"Old Wu, there is no point in being modest. It is far from shabby. I estimate it has reached the mid-tier of the Mixed Demon Realm?"
"Yeah, but this crane is just an Iron-Crowned Crane. It is a far cry from Yulou's Red-Dot Crane. At most, it can reach the high-tier of the Mixed Demon Realm; it will be very difficult to break through to the Small Demon Realm."
"I recall that Iron-Crowned Cranes can assist in magical combat?"
"Just three spells, not worth ntioning. Hahaha, not worth ntioning at all."
"How many spirit stones did it cost?" Fan Zhugao felt a bit restless watching this. The Tie family, as a vassal to the Wang clan, excelled at raising spiritual cranes. With Yulou's recomndation, if he contacted them to make a purchase, could he get a discount?
"One thousand two hundred. My advice is not to buy one. Aside from looking good, it isn't of much use."
"Old Wu, you really aren't treating like a friend now. Next ti before you say it isn't of much use, try not to smile so blatantly."
"Actually, if you do buy one, I recomnd getting an Iron-Crowned Crane as well. This spiritual crane is the least picky eater among all cranes. You only need to feed it so specially made food, and it doesn't consu a single spirit stone during its upkeep."
Buying a crane was not cheap, and raising one was even less so. An Iron-Crowned Crane not requiring spirit stones to maintain was practically equivalent to a small carriage that did not need fuel.
"We will see. Funds are tight right now. If that Exchange Conference we are setting up goes well, it wouldn't hurt to buy one."
Fan Zhugao's thoughts were simple. Wang Yulou had a spiritual crane to ride, which he could accept. But now, even a fellow like Wu Faxian was riding a crane. This was just...
"What is there to fear if funds are tight? You can collateralize a magical artifact. Collateralizing a low-grade magical artifact allows you to enjoy a buy-now-pay-later discount of one hundred and twenty spirit stones for the crane. Collateralizing a high-grade magical artifact grants a discount of at least eight hundred spirit stones. Moreover, it doesn't even matter whether you pay back this discounted sum or not. I managed to get this spiritual crane precisely by trading away that high-grade flying boat that went slightly awry during refining."
Fan Zhugao rolled his eyes and replied, "Do not use the words ant to fool outsiders to fool . Buy-now-pay-later is a routine used in the Exchange Conference targeted at other fellow disciples. Do you think I don't know what is going on?"
Wu Faxian, however, carried no psychological burden. In any case, even if Fan Zhugao bought one, he would not earn any spirit stones from it; at most, it would just add a bit of goodwill in the eyes of Fellow Daoist Yulou.
"Hahaha, Old Fan, you are letting your thoughts trap you. The flying speed of your flying boat is just average, and it even consus spiritual energy to activate. Leveraging your relationship with Fellow Daoist Yulou to trade with the Wang clan for a spiritual crane to ride, wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Fan Zhugao wanted a spiritual crane, but his pockets were empty, and he was unwilling to use the buy-now-pay-later option. He could only say sourly, "A spiritual crane is fine, but it is ultimately an external object. To reach Foundation Establishnt... hmm? That is..."
The two had already arrived outside River Bend Fishing Port by this ti, but Fan Zhugao suddenly noticed that his master, the grand elder Zhuo Chi, seed to have just landed directly onto that golden platform. Because Fan Zhugao was Zhuo Chi's disciple, he was able to catch a glimpse of Zhuo Chi's low-profile escaping light, whereas Wu Faxian had missed it entirely.
"What is it?"
"It is probably going to be very lively today. Co, let us get over there quickly." Fan Zhugao narrowed his eyes, realizing that Fellow Daoist Yulou's grand display would likely exceed his expectations.
"What is the rush? The concubine-taking ceremony doesn't start until evening. We have arrived just after noon, so we aren't late by any ans."
Glancing at Wu Faxian, Fan Zhugao thought to himself, 'You don't even have a Foundation Establishnt master, so what could you possibly understand?'
The two flew down onto the Demon-Controlling Platform, and a Qi Induction cultivator from River Bend Fishing Port stepped forward to receive them.
"Two seniors, this way please. It is still early; you may wait in the side parlor."
The side parlor? Wu Faxian felt a bit disgruntled internally. 'Yulou, it seems you don't hold this brother of yours in very high regard?'
Upon reaching the side parlor, a servant imdiately stepped forward to offer tea.
"Ancestor Wang has explicitly stated that both of you are his closest friends. Please do not offer any congratulatory gifts under any circumstances. Today is simply to invite you two seniors to enjoy the lively atmosphere."
After giving this reminder, the young Qi Induction cultivator who received them quickly took his leave, as he still had other guests to attend to.
Wu Faxian shook his head, leaning close to Fan Zhugao. He cleared his throat and asked, "How much are you giving?"
"I originally intended to give a few dozen spirit stones or a bottle of Qi Transformation Pills just as a token of my regards," Fan Zhugao muttered thoughtfully.
Truth be told, if Old Wu had not asked, he would have asked Old Wu himself.
"Ah?" Old Wu realized sothing was amiss.
Fan Zhugao did not answer. Pulling out several top-tier talismans that he had expended massive effort to refine from his storage bag, he stuffed them into a silver box. Only then did Fan Zhugao let out a long sigh.
"My master has also arrived. Fellow Daoist Yulou possesses imnse face."
Zhuo Chi's arrival ant that other figures would likely show up today as well, such as the Yuan clan, who stood in sharp opposition to the Zhuo family. Why did Wu Faxian want to establish good relations with Yulou? It was not because of the Exchange Conference; that venture was the effect, not the cause. A long ti ago, Wu Faxian had realized that Yulou was young and promising. More importantly, the Wang clan was a massive family outside of Dripdrop Cave. Of course, they could not compare to Purple Palace lineages like the Gu clan or the Ning clan. However, as the sole disciple of the Anbei Kingdom Wang clan within Dripdrop Cave, Yulou was still incredibly young. It would be very easy for him to rise within the sect in the future. Looking at it now, this future had arrived far sooner than Wu Faxian had ever anticipated.
No one had expected that Zhuo Chi would co to attend Yulou's concubine-taking ceremony, and that he would arrive so early. Even Wang Xianzhou, who had deliberately sought to portray Yulou as a prized asset awaiting the highest bidder, had not expected his strategy to yield results so quickly.
"Senior Sister Jingyi, you might not be aware, but my relationship with Yulou has always been excellent. In my eyes, his marriage is just as important as my own son's!" Old Zhuo certainly knew how to spin a tale. With Wang Jingyi's depth of experience, she was still left sowhat awkward by his words.
"Junior Brother Zhuo, it is rely a concubine-taking ceremony. There was truly no need for you to co in person. However, over these years, Yulou has been out here on his own. With you looking after him, we elders can put our minds at ease. Whether it is Xianmao or myself, we will keep this in mind."
Wang Jingyi was a disciple of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, and she had trained under a Purple Palace master. Furthermore, she possessed a divine ability within her cultivation, so she was fully entitled to address Zhuo Chi as a junior brother.
"It is only right, it is only right. It is just... Senior Sister, our family's Yulou is taking concubines this ti, not holding a grand wedding?"
'Our family's Yulou.'
Wang Xianzhou finally could not contain himself any longer, throwing a fierce roll of his eyes. 'He belongs to my family, he is a mber of our Wang family. What does he have to do with you or the Zhuo family? Furthermore, you talk about "our family's Yulou" and claim he is just like your own son, yet you didn't even know Yulou was rely taking concubines. Old man Zhuo, please show so sha, will you?'
Of course, Wang Xianzhou could only curse in his mind. One does not strike a smiling face. Elder Zhuo Chi's performance was staged for the Wang clan's benefit, so there was nothing fundantally wrong with it. It was purely because Ancestor Xianzhou doted on and valued Yulou so deeply that he felt a bit uncomfortable in his heart.
"Yes, Yulou is a Foundation Establishnt Seed of the Wang clan. Barring any accidents, he will certainly reach Foundation Establishnt in the future. If he were to have a grand wedding, he would need to find a prominent clan capable of pushing the chosen maiden to Foundation Establishnt as well. However, we do not understand the inner workings of Dripdrop Cave well, so we are temporarily taking two concubines for him first. As for who his formal dao companion will be, we will observe and decide when the opportunity arises in the future."
Wang Jingyi smiled as she delivered the true crux of the matter. 'Little Zhuo, Wang Yulou is the core figure of our Wang clan's next generation, destined for Foundation Establishnt. If you have intentions to introduce certain female cultivators from Dripdrop Cave to build a favorable relationship, that is fine—as long as that female cultivator's family can also guarantee to push her to Foundation Establishnt!'
Zhuo Chi had co today to stand against the Yuan clan and win over the Wang family, but he had never imagined that Wang Yulou's marriage would be arranged like this. This was evident from the fact that he did not even know whether it was a concubine ceremony or a grand wedding. Upon hearing Wang Jingyi's requirents, Zhuo Chi keenly realized that this opportunity was highly unusual.
According to what Fellow Daoist Yingxi had once said, in the future, even the chickens and dogs of the Mangxiang lineage would ascend along with Mangxiang when he attained the Dao. Possessing this level of insight was a fundantal quality for scions of great clans. Zhuo Chi thought to himself that if certain individuals could form a marriage alliance with the next generation's Foundation Establishnt cultivator of the Wang clan, wouldn't they also be able to piggyback on so of the karmic luck from the ancestor attaining the Golden Core realm?
To use a sharper analogy, if one viewed Mangxiang as a train bound for the future, this train was currently fully packed. The ancestor's favors had been distributed for multiple rounds; those who were supposed to board and those who were not had all gotten on. However, those who bought their favor tickets later to board the train often did not get good seats. The lucky ones might get a hard seat, while the unlucky could only stand. Those even further on the periphery could only inhale a few breaths of the train's exhaust, serving as the fuel and the price for the train's advancent.
Most of the families within Dripdrop Cave belonged to those who had bought a tiny bit of favor tickets but had completely failed to board the train. Because for the families within the sect, their horizons were high and their knowledge was vast, so they knew clearly in their hearts: boarding the train too late was virtually no different from not boarding at all.
Yet the Wang clan had been a vassal to the ancestor for many years. On this train, while one could not claim they owned an entire carriage—that was a privilege reserved for Xuanzhuan and Danri—they at least possessed several private compartnts! The newly issued favor tickets were illusions, but the Wang clan's compartnts were real! Wang Yulou's marriage alliance offered all families with the strength to purchase a ticket a chance to make a late boarding onto the train, an opportunity to truly sit behind Patriarch Mangxiang!
"Pushing to Foundation Establishnt... what is the aning of this?" Zhuo Chi actually understood, but he wanted to confirm the Wang clan's asking price.
Ancestor Jingyi pointed at Wang Rongjiang, who sat to the side listening to their conversation with a smile, and said, "This is Wang Rongjiang. He just achieved Foundation Establishnt last year. Junior Brother Zhuo, do you know how many tis he attempted it?"
Wang Rongjiang's smile vanished. Smile? There was absolutely no way to smile. At this mont, he felt like a joke.
Wang Xianzhou smiled.
"Twice?" Zhuo Chi asked.
"Three tis. Our Wang clan provided him with two and a half portions of Foundation Establishnt resources throughout his three attempts. Pushing to Foundation Establishnt refers to exactly this. Over the past thousand years, achieving Foundation Establishnt has beco simpler and simpler; it is nothing more than either relying on luck or piling up resources."
Zhuo Chi sucked in a breath of cold air. The Wang clan was truly ruthless, two and a half portions... The way he looked at Wang Rongjiang shifted instantly, as if he were looking at a rare giant panda.
"The family behind Yulou's future marriage alliance partner must also guarantee to provide at least two—no, one and a half portions of Foundation Establishnt resources when he makes his breakthrough. This is our baseline condition for selecting a dao companion for Yulou!"
Zhuo Chi did not suck in cold air this ti. Instead, he began calculating in his mind whether there were any suitable female cultivators within the Zhuo family. The situation was entirely clear. The Wang clan intended to choose one from among the various Foundation Establishnt families of Dripdrop Cave for a marriage alliance, but the requirents were high; it had to be a union of powers. If the Zhuo family had a suitable candidate, Zhuo Chi would naturally not sit by and watch this opportunity be snatched away by others.
Soon, Zhuo Chi ford a plan and spoke with a smile, "Senior Sister Jingyi, the matter of one and a half portions of Foundation Establishnt resources is not difficult. Our Zhuo family happens to have two female cultivators who are both very suitable..."
"Senior Sister Wang, Daoshen has taken the liberty to visit. I hope you will not take offense. Ever since we last t at Lotus Immortal City—Old Fifth Zhuo?" Yuan Daoshen cast a cold glance at Zhuo Chi, giving him absolutely no face. "Old Fifth, why didn't Brother Yinsheng co? Is your Zhuo family treating young friend Yulou's marriage with such negligence?"
As the patriarch of the Yuan clan and the strongest Foundation Establishnt cultivator within Dripdrop Cave, Yuan Daoshen's power allowed him to calmly address Wang Jingyi, a fellow disciple of a Purple Palace master, as senior sister. Facing Zhuo Chi, he felt even less pressure. However, his discourtesy did not an he was arrogant; it was rely to test the Wang family's attitude.
"Whether it is negligent or not is probably not for Elder Yuan to decide." Seeing Elder Yuan's posture, Zhuo Chi imdiately fired back.
Wang Rongjiang, who was unable to smile nearby, was alert and quickly spoke up to smooth things over. The group then continued chatting about Wang Yulou's marriage alliance. As for today's concubine-taking ceremony? Aside from Ancestor Xianzhou, nobody cared.
On the other side, inside Qin Churan's residence, Yulou pushed open the door to the bridal chamber. "Are you nervous?" the groom asked with a smile.
The guests were gradually arriving. As the protagonist of the day, Yulou, who was experiencing being a groom for the first ti, maintained a good mindset. He was only busy checking in on the two brides to confirm their condition.
The wedding procedures of the mortal world had nothing to do with cultivators. Wang Yulou's purpose in marrying these two maidens was partly to satisfy Ancestor Xianzhou's desire to see him wed. The ancestor was advanced in years and wanted to see Yulou sire offspring, so how could Yulou refuse? The other part was that both maidens were highly critical. Little Qin was an asset in his career, while Little Fish fell into the category of a reliable partner.
Though the Great Dao is walked alone, walking alone inevitably brings loneliness. Finding so beautiful companions to accompany oneself was only natural. Moreover, if Wang Yulou wanted to travel further, he could not restrict himself solely to the Wang clan's system. The family could help him a great deal, but what belonged to the family and what belonged to himself were ultimately two different matters. Close friends, dao companions, disciples, and the like were the foundation for a cultivator to construct their own faction. Marrying more reliable companions could vastly solidify Yulou's basic deck.
The grand aspiration of standing at the absolute peak required stepping on solid ground to climb. Of course, these companions were not Yulou's stepping stones; rather, they were assets he could rely on while scaling the mountain.
"I am not nervous, just a bit too happy. So happy that my heart feels empty, which is very strange," Little Qin, who was also marrying for the first ti, replied with a wry smile.
Wang Yulou sat by the round table in the bridal chamber, directly facing Little Qin from an angle. Facing the maiden's distress, Yulou thought for a mont and asked, "Do you know of the legendary most powerful technique of Great Skymount Mountain, the Skymount Solitary Sitting Technique?"
"An ancient thod?" Qin Churan did not know much about the Skymount Solitary Sitting Technique, but she knew of Great Skymount Mountain. This sect stood on equal footing with the Sky Serpent Sect, belonging to the 'Upper Three Sects' of Wunan.
"Correct. Although ancient thods have declined nowadays, there are still people practicing them because ancient thods are more profound in their techniques. The inheritance of the Skymount Solitary Sitting Technique was obtained by a Foundation Establishnt rogue cultivator a dozen years ago. He actually thought he had stumbled upon so incredible opportunity. As it turned out, after practicing it, he discovered that the Skymount Solitary Sitting Technique was a ntal art that cultivated the Dao heart. When he was captured by the people of the Immortal Alliance, he was still cursing Great Skymount Mountain for tricking him."
Wang Yulou recounted this hidden piece of news, and Little Qin listened with wide eyes. The most powerful technique of Great Skymount Mountain, one of the Upper Three Sects, actually cultivated the Dao heart. This was entirely unexpected.
"Since it cultivates the Dao heart, why could it beco the strongest technique?" the maiden asked in confusion.
"The origin of ancient thods lies in communing with Heaven and Earth. In the process of communing with Heaven and Earth, whether a cultivator's Dao heart is pure and resolute exerts a massive influence. The Skymount Solitary Sitting Technique can help Great Skymount Mountain cultivators progress faster. Your Dao heart has fallen into chaos, which is why you are easily swayed by your emotions. Companions and cultivation are rely parts of the journey. Viewing them as ordinary allows one to be more composed."
Yulou spoke eloquently, and Qin Churan listened intently. Yet, looking at the profile of the young man sitting opposite her, what Little Qin thought of was that, in reality, he rely viewed it as ordinary.
Water flows downward, but the human heart always wishes to climb higher and higher. Hence, the ancient thods that communed with Heaven and Earth were abandoned, and the new thods that devoured Heaven and Earth beca the mainstream for cultivators. Cultivators thought: 'We cultivators practice immortality; do we still need to cater to the whims of Heaven and Earth?' The respect shown to communing with Heaven and Earth during artifact refining, alchemy, array formation, breakthroughs, and cultivation was among the few traces left behind by the ancient thods.
"...Did you understand?" Yulou finished speaking, only to find the maiden sitting opposite him dazed, so he raised his voice slightly.
Qin Churan's eyes stirred slightly, and she countered with a question instead, "Senior Wang, after today, what should Churan call you?"
She was a clever maiden, well aware that she was different from Little Fish. Their talents were different, their relationship with Senior Wang was different, and their purposes in striving to approach Wang Yulou were different. One reaps what one sows. Qin Churan knew exactly what she would receive.
Therefore, she did not harbor too many extra expectations. If it were her, she would never dare to ask Wang Yulou for a Water Jade magical artifact. But she also possessed her own tiny, insignificant wish. 'Do not view it as ordinary, Senior Wang. Churan has given you everything, so please do not view it as ordinary.' And that casual question regarding the form of address was the greatest trial Qin Churan had plucked up the courage to make.
Yulou did not realize that Qin Churan was testing him, given that she was naturally clever and currently carried a great deal of caution and care. Every single look, shift of posture, strand of hair, and expression was filled with scrutiny!
"Then I must also ask, how do you want to call you?" he asked teasingly.
A casual test received a casual answer. Little Qin felt sowhat relieved but also a bit disappointed. However, she quickly realized that she was being overly sensitive. Thus, she poured a cup of tea for Yulou. After presenting the tea, she spoke, "I ask Senior Wang to continue calling Little Qin."
To be a qualified subordinate and a reliable asset was Little Qin's foundation for standing by Wang Yulou's side. She wished to step out, yet ultimately lacked the courage to do so. That was why her behavior showed back-and-forth vacillation and conflict. At this mont, she chose to remain within this comfort zone once more. 'Then continue calling Little Qin.'
"Ah, this... if I call you Little Qin, don't tell you are going to call Old Wang?" Yulou had actually rembered that Qin Churan was younger than himself, but his current age remained a secret, so he changed his wording to make a joke. Hearing him say this, Qin Churan burst into an elegant laugh.
He had beco the controller of River Bend Fishing Port at such a young age, and his appearance looked to be barely in his early twenties. No matter what, he had nothing to do with being an 'Old Wang.'
"Old Wang doesn't sound pleasant. Little Qin will call you Great King, how about that?" Little Qin was also a delightful person, directly allowing Yulou to experience the feeling of being a ruling monarch.
"Absolutely not, I cannot bear it, hahaha." This title was too grand, and Yulou waved his hands repeatedly in refusal.
"Then what should I call you? Big Brother Wang? Big Brother Yulou?"
Finally, he noticed that Little Qin seed to be speaking of more than just a re form of address. At this thought, Yulou quietly gazed at Little Qin. Under his gaze, Little Qin first lowered her head in a bit of shyness. But Yulou remained silent for a long ti, and she understood sothing. Instead, she raised her head again and said, "Senior Wang, Little Qin will keep to her station."
Yulou pulled her hand, drawing this maiden whose heart had fallen into chaos into his embrace. "You, oh you. You always think you are very clever, but in truth, you are occasionally rather foolish."
Little Qin rely held the man before her tightly in silence, uttering not a single word further.
"The best approach is to pretend you know nothing and carry yourself with the status of my wife. What kind of person you are depends not on a title, nor even on , but solely on yourself. Perhaps you believe your cultivation is insufficient or your talent is lacking, thereby generating various misgivings. But I do not care. Little Qin, it is not that I do not care about you, but rather that beneath , everyone is the sa."
This sentence was actually modified by Yulou. In reality, what he had wanted to say was: 'beneath , everyone is equal.'
Yulou possessed the confidence that there was no essential gap between himself and the most formidable heavenly geniuses of Heaven and Earth. Perhaps their starting points differed, but as they advanced further, those initial advantages would all be leveled out. At that ti, he would not yield to anyone!
"Senior Wang, you are very different right now compared to the past."
"Oh? In what way?"
"I cannot put it into words, but Little Qin feels that the current you is the true you."
Qin Churan knew she was losing her composure sowhat, but she simply could not control her heart. 'Then let lose composure just this once.'
"Yes, I have lost my composure." Yulou's response left Qin Churan sowhat startled. To genuinely be himself was actually viewed as a manifestation of losing composure by Wang Yulou.
"Little Qin, there are only two kinds of cultivators in this world: those who know how to disguise themselves, and those who do not. The forr rule over everything. For instance, those slightly formidable Foundation Establishnt cultivators will rarely speak much truth. Those Great Cultivators standing at the apex play with everyone in the palm of their hands, even possessing the capability to alter Heaven and Earth. If one wishes to travel further, one must conceal their true self well to await the opportune timing."
"Opportune timing, opportune timing... when is the opportune timing?" Qin Churan did not understand Wang Yulou, who hailed from a great family. She failed to comprehend him deeply, yet she wished to learn.
"Opportune timing is also an illusion, just as fate never favors those who need to be favored. Heavenly mandate treats the boundless living beings equally, from humans to beasts to demons. Opportune timing does not exist, much less can it be awaited. The opportune timing I speak of, the opportune timing our Wang clan speaks of, is our own opportune timing. To you, perhaps the mont I arrived at River Bend Fishing Port was where your opportune timing lay."
Gently caressing the back of the beautiful maiden in his arms, Yulou spoke a great deal. He wanted to make this maiden realize that she was no re vassal or plaything, but one of his most important allies, an existence he needed to marry to his side to put his mind at ease. But... Qin Churan had actually heard nothing at all. For the first ti in her twenty-plus years of life, she felt the warmth of an embrace. She imrsed herself within it, completely forgetting how she ought to disguise herself.
"Senior Sister Wang, what is Yulou's age?" Lin Hengtai's question was very intriguing. Upon hearing him ask this, both Yuan Daoshen and Zhuo Chi pricked up their ears as well. 'Good old Lin, I don't know if you are a blockhead or truly clever to actually ask directly.'
Wang Jingyi swept her eyes across the room, instantly reading the expressions of all the Foundation Establishnt cultivators present. She replied calmly, "Under fifty."
Because Lin Hengtai sat directly opposite, Zhuo Chi could even see his stiffened face that looked as if soone had pressed a pause button. Unable to hold it in for a mont, he nearly burst into laughter.
Cultivators with imnse potential like Wang Yulou would travel very far in the future. Their ages were matters that required confidentiality, as it would affect their safety during future magical combat with others. The ancient thods emphasizing the communion between man and nature had been abandoned, yet the communion itself still affected every cultivator. The higher the cultivation base, the greater the influence. If an opponent's birth date and ti were known, one could design ambushes during specific tis. Foundation Establishnt cultivators could already clearly perceive the fluctuations in their strength during different seasons and regions.
Therefore, no one thought there was anything amiss with Wang Jingyi's downplaying of Yulou's age.
"Hahaha, yes, yes. Hengtai was presumptuous." Lin Hengtai had brought embarrassnt upon himself and did not dare to voice any objection. After all, adding the two Foundation Establishnt cultivators of the Lin family together was still not enough to withstand three strikes from Wang Jingyi's sword.
If the two Foundation Establishnt cultivators of the Lin family stood in a single row, Ancestor Jingyi could resolve them with a single strike when she unleashed her sword. The further up one advanced in cultivation base, the vaster the gap in strength beca between cultivators. This disparity in strength reached its peak during the Foundation Establishnt stage.
The disparity in strength among Purple Palace cultivators was also vast, but Purple Palace cultivators could rely on ti to smooth out the differences. Purple Palace cultivators with slightly older seniority showed no distinct weakness or strength when fighting. Everyone was backed by the power of a grotto-heaven, and all five strands of their Dao foundations were fully ford. They were not lacking in the execution of various secret techniques, making it highly difficult to determine a victor. Precisely because of this, the Immortal Alliance ca into existence—stop fighting, let us harvest together.
"Fellow Daoists, the matter of Yulou's dao companion involves too many variables and cannot be settled in a short ti. Our Wang family's requirents are simple: she must be reasonably beautiful, quite clever, and finally, guarantee one and a half portions of Foundation Establishnt resources. Only in this manner can they form an immortal couple and walk the immortal path together for a long ti."
Wang Jingyi set the tone for Yulou's dao companion matter, then commanded Wang Rongjiang to go ahead and invite the guests into the courtyard to witness the ceremony. Wang Xianzhou belonged to the category of Yulou's Dao protector and needed to remain hidden. After Zhuo Chi arrived, he had concealed himself to the side—Zhuo Chi had arrived far too early.
—
In the side parlor, amid the chattering of nurous fellow disciples, Lin Ying closed her eyes with so irritation, attempting to quiet her mind. However, if a person could easily govern their own heart, why would Great Skymount Mountain still need the Skymount Solitary Sitting Technique? Whenever Lin Ying wished to quiet her mind, Yulou's face would suddenly manifest within her consciousness. Her desire to banish Yulou's face from her mind only intensified the interference of this obsession. Obsession was precisely like that; the more one cared, the fiercer the grip beca. In the end, she could only open her eyes in defeat, pretending as though nothing had happened.
When she learned that she might enter a marriage alliance with Wang Yulou, Lin Ying had been completely dumbfounded, only for the family ancestor to tell her that this opportunity was one in a thousand years. But it was not as if Lin Ying did not know Wang Yulou. The Immortal Mushroom Cave and River Bend Fishing Port were not far apart. Yulou, Lin Ying, and Ji Yuan frequently interacted. Though they were not bosom friends, they were quite familiar with one another. In Lin Ying's eyes, Wang Yulou was just a pretentious little old man, incredibly tedious every single day.
What annoyed her most was that every ti she thought of Wang Yulou, Lin Ying would recall the awkward scene in front of Azurewater Palace that day. Recalling that awkward scene caused Lin Ying to sink into a state of self-loathing irritation. In psychology, this was known as a traumatic flashback. Clearly, Wang Yulou had granted her an opportunity, enabling her to trade for the Water Jade, yet she had developed a traumatic flashback instead, even counting this trauma against Wang Yulou's na. How should one put it? It was understandable, yet no one could possibly respect it. Even Lin Ying herself understood that such a reason could not be voiced to anyone, which was why, under Lin Hengtai's forceful dragging, she had still co to the site of Yulou's concubine-taking ceremony.
"Young fellow Daoists, the ti is ripe. Please follow to the courtyard to witness the ceremony." Wang Rongjiang suddenly appeared, and the nurous Qi Refining cultivators in the side parlor rose one after another, following him out the door.
Lin Ying walked at the rear, shrinking into the furthest corner of the crowd after stepping outside. Looking at the densely packed crowd in the courtyard, Lin Ying held Wang Yulou in even lower regard in her heart. 'You hold a concubine-taking ceremony, and the result is calling us here to watch you and your two concubines put on a pretentious show. Who knows how many tis you have already rolled through the red bed curtains behind closed doors!'
However, when Wang Yulou erged leading the two maidens, Lin Ying was still startled by the Wang clan's sheer extravagance. Qin Churan and Bai Xiaoyu, two Qi Induction cultivators, were actually wearing robes that were mid-grade magical artifacts—Lin Ying's own best robe was rely a low-grade magical artifact. The two maidens were naturally beautiful to begin with, each striking in her own unique way. Now, with one dressed in brilliant red and the other in moon-white, standing together, they appeared as eye-catching as celestial maidens descending upon the mortal realm.
"Good, good, good. Junior Brother Yulou's blessings are truly profound..." Fan Zhugao was unfamiliar with both Little Qin and Little Fish, so he felt the greatest sigh of emotion, whereas Wu Faxian had long anticipated this. Little Fish belonged to the kind of maiden whom one could recognize with a single glance in a crowd; Wu Faxian had already experienced this before. Back then, when Bai Xiaoyu brought him to the villa to et Wang Yulou, she had suddenly leaped to the water's edge halfway through to catch a turtle... leaving a very deep impression on Wu Faxian.
'What is the procedure for this concubine-taking ceremony? Are we just going to stand here?' Wu Faxian transmitted his voice to ask Old Fan.
Old Fan glanced at him and transmitted his voice in response, 'What else do you think? Otherwise, do you want to go up there and accompany the groom to experience it?'
They had delivered so many congratulatory gifts, yet they did not even have a place to sit, forced to stand to the side and watch. To say Old Fan carried no grievances in his heart would be a lie.
"The newlyweds pay respects to the elders!" Wang Rongjiang called out in a formal tone, then used his spiritual power to throw open the slightly ajar doors of the main hall at the end of the front courtyard.
Within the hall sat Wang Yulou's elders. Glancing inside the doors, Fan Zhugao sucked in a breath of cold air, Wu Faxian bent his waist directly, and even Lin Ying in the corner revealed a look of astonishnt.
Inside the hall, whether sitting or standing, there were a total of thirteen Foundation Establishnt cultivators present! The figures from the various prominent Foundation Establishnt families of Dripdrop Cave had all arrived. Zhuo Chi of the Zhuo family, Yuan Daoshen of the Yuan family, and Sect Master Qu Yunjian—these three renowned Foundation Establishnt cultivators of Dripdrop Cave—sat in the upper seats. Wu Jinyan, as an Alliance Envoy and a close friend of the Wang family, sat on the right edge of the five primary seats.
In the absolute center position sat a female cultivator with a serene expression, who did not appear particularly unusual at a glance. In reality, Ancestor Jingyi was doing her utmost to restrain her outward-manifesting divine ability, purely to ensure that the two maidens could see her face clearly.
Yet what astonished Lin Ying the most was that aside from these five sitting Foundation Establishnt figures, the other Foundation Establishnt cultivators who had co to attend Yulou's concubine ceremony were all standing to one side—this included the Lin family's own ancestor, Lin Hengtai. Seating arrangents reflected power. Wang Jingyi could sit not rely because she was the leading figure of the Wang family, but because she held the highest status among everyone present. Yuan Daoshen and Zhuo Chi respectively represented the first and second largest Foundation Establishnt families within Dripdrop Cave, the sect master represented the dignity of Dripdrop Cave, and Wu Jinyan represented the extension of the Immortal Alliance's power within Dripdrop Cave. Before these five individuals, Lin Hengtai, whose strength was lacking and whose family was still weak, could naturally only stand, could he not?
Under Wang Rongjiang's direction, Yulou led the two maidens to bow three tis toward the five seniors. The ceremony was remarkably simple, yet Yulou felt a surge of emotion in his heart. Through the thod of marriage alliance, he had for the first ti obtained two distinct individuals of his own. They would beco his feelers, helping him manage his faction. If a cultivator wished to travel further, they could not fight a solitary battle. Under the system of the Immortal Alliance, managing one's basic deck well was of paramount importance. Mangxiang's attainnt of the Golden Core realm, with two Purple Palace figures running ragged to help issue favor tickets, causing everyone under the Red Lantern Illumination Sect to howl equally in pain, fully demonstrated the importance of operating one's own faction.
From his initial business trials at Clear Stream Market, to his restructuring and seizing of major power at River Bend Fishing Port, to his current marriage to two concubines to expand his influence, Yulou was constructing his own faction and stronghold step by step. Although it still appeared very small and insignificant at present, it marked an excellent beginning. The future would arrive very soon!
"Yulou, if I were to give you other items, you might not necessarily find a use for them. But you are an artificer, and I imagine you require spiritual materials. Accept this piece of seventh-grade positive-essence stone. I hope you can make daily progress and make use of this spiritual material at an early date." Wang Jingyi looked at Yulou with a smile, presenting him with a massive piece of positive-essence stone, causing all the Foundation Establishnt cultivators of Dripdrop Cave to look askance.
However, what truly caused them to look askance was just beginning.
"Yulou, entering Dripdrop Cave for three years, your cultivation base has risen by three layers. It is evident that you are exceptionally diligent in your cultivation. As an elder of the sect, seeing you allows to see the future prosperity of the lineage. Co, this piece of Water Jade is for you. I also happen to possess a superficial understanding of the artificing path. If you encounter anything you do not understand regarding the path of artifact refining, feel free to co and ask !" Yuan Daoshen presented a piece of Water Jade, and Yulou naturally accepted it with imnse joy.
It was rather strange to speak of it; Water Jade was clearly the most precious eighth-grade spiritual material within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's sphere of influence, yet Yulou currently held three pieces in his hands. One was traded for, one was dropped by the stone turtle—presented to him by Ancestor Xianzhou—and one was given by Yuan Daoshen. Dripdrop Cave Heaven was indeed a fine place, nurturing to both people and jade.
"Hahaha, Yulou, although this piece of Water Jade of mine is slightly larger than Elder Yuan's, you must rember—Elder Yuan regards you with equal importance. Wouldn't you say so, Elder Yuan?" Zhuo Chi produced a piece of Water Jade, holding it in his hand to display it to the surrounding crowd before handing it to Yulou. Thus, Yulou now possessed four pieces of Water Jade. He was considering that Little Fish's Water Jade magical artifact should be refined at an early date; he could even refine it himself. For no other reason than having four pieces of Water Jade in hand, he could afford the failures!
Of course, Yulou also noticed Yuan Daoshen's ash-pale face, but Wang Jingyi spoke up to diffuse the situation for him. "The gifts from the sect elders carry no hierarchy; they are all expectations and encouragent for you. Yulou, you must cultivate diligently and must not slacken!"
Fan Zhugao in the courtyard rely wished that his dear Master Zhuo would also expect and encourage him in such a manner. 'Master, I have followed you for so many years, executing your biddings day and night without rest... sigh.'
Wu Faxian did not harbor so many miscellaneous thoughts; he did not have a Foundation Establishnt master anyway. 'Old Fan, the matter of the Exchange Conference can absolutely succeed! Absolutely succeed!' Wu Faxian transmitted his voice.
'Shut your mouth! With so many Foundation Establishnt cultivators right in front of us, you are still transmitting your voice. Are you foolish?' Old Fan quickly warned. In truth, he was overthinking it. With Wang Jingyi and the others sitting there, even the Foundation Establishnt cultivators had to stand obediently with accommodating smiles; how could they have the audacity to sweep their divine sense around recklessly?
Lin Ying, on the other hand, thought of a certain matter. It seed, apparently, possibly, perhaps... regarding the matter of the dao companion, she had been overthinking things. A re concubine-taking ceremony had thirteen Foundation Establishnt figures backing it, with the two major families of the sect vying to win him over. A Wang Yulou like this was soone she currently could not quite match...
When Lin Hengtai presented a piece of ninth-grade spiritual material, Lin Ying's feeling beca even more pronounced. 'No, Ancestor, aren't we being a bit too stingy? Our Lin family also has two Foundation Establishnt figures; would it hurt to give him an eighth-grade spiritual material? Even if we don't have Water Jade, we could give sothing else! What does giving a piece of ninth-grade spiritual material count for?'
At this thought, Lin Ying lowered her head. The radiance surrounding Fellow Daoist Yulou was simply too blinding after all!
User Comments
0 comments from readers