Sect Master Qu Yunjian was the last to bestow a gift. However, instead of offering any spirit stones, spiritual pills, or spiritual materials from his storage bag, he produced a formal decree.
This was the second ti Wang Yulou had seen a sect decree. Once, a single decree from the Red Lantern Illumination Sect had stripped away the major trading market he operated and given the Wang Clan a mountain of random treasures in return.
What would the decree from the Sect Master of Dripdrop Cave bring him?
Qu Yunjian scanned the room, cleared his throat, and began reading the contents of the decree aloud.
"Disciple of the Azurewater Palace, Wang Yulou..."
However, Cui Yanzong, who had slipped in among the guests to watch the ceremony, seized his chance. Hiding behind the crowd, he channeled his cultivation base and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"I wish to report a cri! Sect Master, I accuse Wang Yulou!"
Qu Yunjian frowned, his expression turning ugly. To cause a scene during the Sect Master’s speech—this man’s intentions were utterly malicious!
Wang Jingyi remained silent, rely offering a soft smile.
"Good, good, good. Fascinating. Truly fascinating, Hahaha."
Wang Rongjiang was the fastest to react. He had been presiding over the event in the courtyard just outside the grand hall. The mont Cui Yanzong spoke, this newly ascended Foundation Establishnt cultivator of the Wang Clan manifested a massive hand of green-gold spiritual energy, lunging directly toward the source of the noise.
"Who dares utter such reckless nonsense?" Zhuo Chi barked furiously.
He was the one who had introduced Yulou into Dripdrop Cave. In the shadow war to curry favor with the Wang Clan, the Zhuo family had just pulled half a step ahead of the Yuan Clan. If soone ruined Wang Yulou’s day, it would jeopardize the Zhuo family's standing.
Rather than dealing with a ss later, it was better to take a firm stance now to terrify any potential saboteurs. As for what to do if things truly went south...
They would cross that bridge when they got there!
Ultimately, with Wang Jingyi present, nothing catastrophic could happen to Wang Yulou. By extension, with Ancestor Yinsheng backing them, the Zhuo family was perfectly safe.
Yuan Daoshen did not express his stance imdiately. With a deep furrow in his brow, he stood up and walked toward the door, adopting the righteous guise of soone wanting to uphold justice for Wang Yulou. In truth, he had deeper motives.
That fool Zhuo Chi genuinely believed Wang Yulou was so kind of Foundation Establishnt seed. What Yuan Daoshen actually feared was the Mangxiang lineage attempting to usurp control, using Dripdrop Cave’s future Purple Palace plans to nurture one of their own.
Therefore, if the opportunity presented itself, he would strike without hesitation. Qu Yunjian was an ally of the Yuan Clan, and as the strongest Foundation Establishnt cultivator within Dripdrop Cave, Yuan Daoshen had no trouble suppressing Wang Jingyi if it ca to it.
As long as righteousness was on their side, eliminating a pawn of the Mangxiang lineage ahead of ti was entirely justified!
Would it breed enmity? The Wang Clan did not fear conflict, and the Yuan Clan feared it even less. When the rise or fall of a family hung in the balance, one could not afford to hesitate over re politics.
Yet, faster than Wang Rongjiang’s green-gold energy hand, and faster than the scheming Yuan Daoshen or anyone else, soone had already subdued Cui Yanzong. It was Lin Ying, who had been standing at the back of the crowd.
Having suffered a severe bout of traumatic flashbacks, she had been entirely unenthusiastic about Wang Yulou’s concubine-taking ceremony. Lacking Yuan Daoshen's overarching vision, Lin Ying's thought process was far simpler.
The mont Cui Yanzong started making a scene, she realized his accusation was utterly futile.
Why?
Because Wang Jingyi was here! With that powerful Core Disciple from the Red Lantern Illumination Sect present, even if Wang Yulou had bedded a literal demon sow and sired a whole litter, it wouldn't be considered a crisis—clearly, Lin Ying's trauma was running deep.
Without a second thought, she whipped out a mid-grade spiritual artifact, an Immortal-Binding Rope, effortlessly binding the Qi Gathering realm Cui Yanzong. By the ti Wang Rongjiang’s massive green-gold hand arrived, it grabbed the bound troublemaker out of the air.
The massive hand hoisted little Cui up, preparing to crush him to death on the spot. Interrupting a grand ceremony to file a complaint?
Who do you think you are? Who do you think Wang Yulou is?
"Stop!" Wang Jingyi ordered with a frown.
With so many eyes watching, killing him right now would cause unnecessary trouble!
Wang Rongjiang snorted coldly, tossing Cui Yanzong down in front of the main hall. The entire sequence occurred in the blink of an eye.
By the ti Cui Yanzong crashed to the floor, rolling around and wailing in agony, Wu Faxian, Fan Zhugao, and the others finally realized a massive storm had hit. Yulou remained completely composed, though a cold resolve hardened in his heart.
In the future, he needed to be more ruthless. Letting a hit list sit for too long only allowed liabilities to fester!
The longer the list, the better. And when he struck, it had to be a total purge. If you don't slaughter an enemy's household down to their chickens and dogs, are you just waiting thirty years for them to co back for revenge? This incident was a lesson!
Even so, Yulou did not panic. There was absolutely no evidence regarding the old man Cui's death. No matter how much Cui Yanzong slandered him, it would never alter the reality that the truth had already been digested multiple tis over by the beasts in Beautiful Water Lake!
"Junior Brother Qu, Senior Brother Yuan, how do you intend to handle this?"
Wang Jingyi leaned back in her chair, resting her head against her left hand on the armrest, looking quite vexed. Yuan Daoshen said nothing, but kicked Cui Yanzong viciously. In that exact instant, a covert divine sense transmission shot into the young man's mind.
'Accuse Wang Yulou! Bite him to death, and our Yuan Clan will ensure you walk out of here alive! Also, do not dare repeat a single word of what I told you previously, or even I won't be able to save you!'
Turning back into a master actor, Yuan Daoshen roared with righteous fury.
"You vile creature! What do you take the sect’s laws for? Disrupting young friend Yulou’s wedding day—just what are your malicious intentions?"
Wang Jingyi failed to notice anything amiss. After all, a seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator with deep cultivation and an exalted status like Yuan Daoshen had lived so long they were essentially like monsters—monsters of terrifying intellect.
Zhuo Chi, Lin Hengtai, and the rest of the crowd quickly chid in, instantly branding the disruptive Cui Yanzong as a treasonous insurgent. This display left Yuan Daoshen burning with anxiety.
The Wang Clan had rely dangled the promise of a future official Dao companion, yet it had turned this flock of fools completely brainless. He quickly delivered another hidden kick to Cui Yanzong, transmitting: 'Don't be afraid! That Wang family ancestor sitting over there is no match for . As long as you can firmly accuse Wang Yulou of violating sect laws, I can pull you out of this!'
"Treasonous! Utterly treasonous!" After finishing his kick, Yuan Daoshen quickly spat out his verbal rebuke.
Cui Yanzong had finally recovered from the shock of receiving a secret transmission from the head of Dripdrop Cave’s number one family. Bound by the Immortal-Binding Rope, his cultivation base was sealed, but he lacked any fear. Indeed, if even River Bend Fishing Port was full of factional warfare, how could the high-and-mighty ancestors possibly be a united front?
With Yuan Daoshen backing him, what did he have to fear?
"Ever since Wang Yulou arrived at River Bend—"
Cui Yanzong began to scream, but Wang Jingyi was no longer worried. Because the ga was already won.
She was entirely certain that with so many Foundation Establishnt peers giving them face, nothing would happen to Yulou. Whatever Cui Yanzong said would require a formal investigation later, and once investigated, wouldn't the truth be whatever they deed it to be?
How could it be clear? When you stand high, you see far and clear. With the majority of Dripdrop Cave's Foundation Establishnt cultivators standing together, what power in the sect could possibly override them? When the investigation happened, they could shape the narrative however they pleased!
Still, she couldn't just let him spout nonsense unchecked. If he actually blurted out specific details, it would tarnish Yulou's reputation.
The ancestor didn't lack faith in Yulou; she simply demanded absolute perfection. Should she drop a hint to Senior Brother Yuan to make this troublemaker shut up imdiately?
Just as Ancestor Jingyi was relying on Yuan Daoshen to help, a glimr of excitent flashed in Yuan Daoshen's eyes. A pawn of the Mangxiang lineage was about to be kicked out of the sect this easily. How could he not be thrilled?
Those minor Foundation Establishnt families weren't qualified to gamble for Dripdrop Cave’s future Purple Palace position anyway, so they could afford to blindly support the Wang Clan just to get a seat at the table.
But the Yuan Clan had a massive appetite. rely sharing a pie wouldn't satisfy their hunger, let alone quench their thirst! What the Yuan Clan demanded wasn't an alliance through marriage, but the future Purple Palace opportunity of Dripdrop Cave. Therefore, he was sorry, Yulou. That piece of Water Jade would have to serve as his compensation!
However, just as Cui Yanzong reached the critical point of his accusation, a figure suddenly bolted from the crowd of onlookers. It was none other than Zhang Xuewu, the Town Guardian Cultivator of River Bend Fishing Port.
"You miserable dog, how dare you slander Fellow Daoist Yulou? I'll beat you to death! I'll destroy you, you wretched bastard!"
Before Cui Yanzong could even begin his slander, Zhang Xuewu delivered a brutal kick square to his face, launching him several ters across the room. He smashed against the wall before slumping to the floor.
In truth, Yuan Daoshen had wanted to stop it—he desperately wanted to intercept him. However, Old Zhang didn't give him a fraction of a second. Taking large strides, he pinned Cui Yanzong down, ripped off his own freshly worn sock, and ramd it straight into the man's mouth.
"Go on, accuse him! Let's see you say another word!"
Old Zhang snarled, his tone vibrating with a bizarre surge of euphoria. At this mont, he felt like kneeling down and bowing to the Cui family ancestors. The old man's death had been spectacular, granting him the chance to earn Fellow Daoist Yulou's absolute trust. The young one was even better—absolutely magnificent, a godsend.
Though he struck viciously, roared righteously, and stuffed the sock with ruthless speed, Old Zhang’s heart was bursting with profound gratitude and relief. Yulou didn't share his ancestor's hesitation about exposing secret transmissions. He had explicitly ordered Zhang Xuewu to shut the man up to prevent any unforeseen accidents. Human hearts were unpredictable; if Cui Yanzong was being manipulated by soone else, it would turn ssy.
Having successfully gagged the whistleblower with his sock, Zhang Xuewu stood proud like a conquering general before dropping heavily to his knees before the hall.
"Sect Master, Elders! This man is the son of the forr Town Guardian Cultivator of River Bend Fishing Port, Cui Dingyi. Ever since Fellow Daoist Cui Dingyi mysteriously vanished, this boy lost his mind to madness. Out of respect for Cui Dingyi’s contributions to the fishing port, we chose not to report his insanity, hoping we could treat him first. We never anticipated he would cause such a massive disturbance today. It is entirely my fault for failing to supervise him properly. I beg the Sect Master for punishnt!"
He wasn't making an accusation; he was just a lunatic! If there was any bla, Zhang Xuewu would shoulder it all. It had absolutely nothing to do with Fellow Daoist Yulou—not a single shred, not a single hair!
Before Qu Yunjian could even formulate a response, Wang Jingyi spoke up to set the tone.
"A swift and decisive reaction. Excellent. Little Zhang, I see the potential in you to beco an inner disciple of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect."
She instantly offered Zhang Xuewu a massive reassurance! Do not fear; the Wang Clan never abandons its loyal hounds!
Wang Jingyi wasn't handing out empty titles. This man had clearly been brought under Yulou's wing to display such fanatical loyalty, and since Zhang Xuewu was already a Dripdrop Cave disciple, he fell safely within the broader Red Lantern system.
Transferring him laterally to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect as an outer disciple would be simple. Later, when his cultivation reached the late stages, they could find an opportunity to elevate him to the inner sect without spending a single spirit stone. At worst, they could just have him join Wang Jingyi's personal lineage—if that happened, Old Zhang’s reckless charge today had officially rewritten his destiny. He was rely a low-ranking disciple of the Clear Spring Palace anyway.
Since Wang Jingyi had defined the narrative, Qu Yunjian naturally wouldn't oppose her.
"Indeed. Dripdrop Cave possesses strict rules. If there was any genuine grievance, why not report it to the Grotto Heaven Patrol Team? To behave in such a manner on Yulou's wedding day can only be explained by madness. Little Zhang, take this rogue down. As for his punishnt, hand him over to the Grotto Heaven Patrol—"
Qu Yunjian's arrangent wasn't intended to spare Cui Yanzong, but to follow formal procedures to execute him legitimately. Everyone present understood this.
However, at that exact mont, Yuan Daoshen abruptly acted. The number one Foundation Establishnt cultivator of Dripdrop Cave gently channeled his cultivation base, sending a pale blue silk ribbon wrapping entirely around Cui Yanzong’s head. The spiritual artifact's power surged, and in an instant, Cui Yanzong’s soul shattered, leaving him thoroughly dead.
Earlier, he had wanted to save him because Cui Yanzong still possessed utility. But after Zhang Xuewu's decisive gagging, Yuan Daoshen had no choice but to silence him permanently!
"This madman disrupted Yulou's wedding. He deserved death. There is no need to trouble the law enforcent team!"
Yuan Daoshen was a disciple of Dripdrop Cave’s Purple Palace Master, the patriarch of the largest family, and the most formidable seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator in the sect. Executing a low-tier disciple of his own sect would never cause him any issues.
Only...
"Ah, I acted a bit too hastily. Little Ji, drag him away. Quickly, get him out of here!"
Standing within the crowd, Ji Yuan heard Yuan Daoshen's command and imdiately stepped forward to drag Cui Yanzong's corpse away. Though he wasn't Yuan Daoshen’s personal apprentice, he was still a mber of the Yuan Clan, and the clan patriarch's orders had to be obeyed blindly.
Yet Yulou imdiately sensed sothing wrong—Yuan Daoshen was rushing! What was he rushing for? What did the handling of Cui Yanzong have to do with him? Or was he simply overthinking things? Was this just Yuan Daoshen's way of currying favor and showing goodwill? Yulou couldn't wrap his head around it.
Regardless, with the madman dealt with, the ceremony proceeded smoothly. After surviving the sudden storm, Qu Yunjian looked back at the decree he had drafted and realized it was a bit lacking. Since Wang Yulou might have hidden liabilities, this was precisely the ti to increase their favors. After all, the resources belonged to the sect, and since the decree was perfectly lawful and justified, adding a few more rewards would raise no eyebrows.
"Disciple of the Azurewater Palace, Wang Yulou, since assuming the role of Town Guardian Cultivator of River Bend Fishing Port, has labored tirelessly day and night, raising the spiritual fish harvest from six to eight fish. He has dedicated his utmost to his duties, remaining loyal and honest to the sect, maintaining absolute solidarity with his peers, and cultivating with rigorous discipline. He is a shining beacon of the Azurewater Palace and an exemplary model for all disciples of Dripdrop Cave. He is hereby bestowed 800 rit points from the Azurewater Palace, 500 spirit stones, one top-grade spiritual artifact, five bottles of Qi Transformation Pills, two patches of Bone-Kitting Blood-Surgance Salve, two stalks of Dripdrop Grass, and two portions of Azure-Blood Toad marrow. Yulou, you must continue to advance with diligence and walk the righteous path. I look forward to the day I read your next decree, Hahaha."
Silence fell—an absolute, crushing silence. Even Wang Jingyi was stunned. All of this just for two extra spiritual fish? Junior Brother Qu, by giving such incredible face, how is our Wang Clan supposed to repay this favor?
Wu Faxian's teeth nearly shattered from sheer envy. Eight hundred rit points would take him twenty years of brutal labor to accumulate! Five hundred spirit stones equated to another hundred rit points. A top-grade spiritual artifact was easily worth five hundred rit points minimum. Five bottles of Qi Transformation Pills were worth four hundred spirit stones (prices had surged recently, mirroring artifacts), which added another eighty rit points. Two patches of Bone-Kitting Blood-Surgance Salve, at sixty points a patch, added one hundred and twenty points. Dripdrop Grass, at fifty points a stalk, added another hundred points. Azure-Blood Toad marrow, at eighty points a portion, added one hundred and sixty points. The total rewards granted to Wang Yulou approached nearly two thousand rit points, which translated to ten thousand spirit stones!
Ten thousand spirit stones. Wu Faxian felt a deep, venomous resentnt. He resented his parents for bringing him into this wretched, miserable world. A lifeti of agonizing struggle would barely allow him to crawl to the exact starting line Wang Yulou had been handed today. Ludicrous, tragic, pitiable—Wu Faxian almost pitied himself. Yet he knew that no matter how much he hated it, he had to maintain excellent relations with Wang Yulou. Because a Wang Yulou like this was already the most cultured and graceful noble clan descendant he had ever encountered.
Faced with Qu Yunjian’s extravagant rewards, Yulou’s first instinct was absolute vigilance. Was this a strategy to praise him to his death?
"Isn't this a bit too excessive, Yunjian? Yulou's achievents are modest; granting such vast rewards might be inappropriate. There is no need to give special treatnt for the sake of our Wang Clan. Since Yulou has joined Dripdrop Cave, he is a disciple of Dripdrop Cave."
Spurred by Yulou's secret transmission warning, Wang Jingyi also realized sothing was off, quickly intervening to halt Qu Yunjian’s inflated rewards. Lin Hengtai found it completely incomprehensible. A reward worth ten thousand spirit stones, and the Wang Clan is actually rejecting it because it's too much? Wu Huayan couldn't comprehend it either. Present rely to pass the ti, he had learned an imnse amount today, but he never expected Wang Jingyi to utter such words. Evidently, vast divides existed between Foundation Establishnt clans, and the gulf between individual Foundation Establishnt cultivators was wider still.
"No, no, no, Senior Sister Wang. Yulou has raised the spiritual fish yield of River Bend Fishing Port. Every single day, Dripdrop Cave gains an extra three spirit stones in pure profit. That is a thousand stones a year, and ten thousand stones over a century. If you ask , this reward is actually a bit ager. Even giving him ten thousand rit points wouldn't be excessive!" Qu Yunjian replied with absolute solemnity. He was a master of creative accounting.
How much was a single chicken worth? That was a classic trick. By Qu Yunjian's logic, every single living chicken possessed infinite economic value, and not even an Immortal Venerable could trade for it—pure nonsense. Yet, hearing it phrased that way, it carried a bizarre, warped logic that left the minds of the onlookers completely dazed.
Is this how you grand families justify carving up the wealth you squeeze from our bones? You aren't even trying to hide your greed anymore!
"In that case, we shall decline the spirit stones. I wonder what Senior Brother Daoshen thinks?"
Wang Jingyi turned to Yuan Daoshen, asking for his input. The two of them—one a Core Disciple of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect and a core mber of the Mangxiang lineage, representing the Wang Clan’s strongest Foundation Establishnt power; the other required no introduction. Their joint consensus would be the final ruling on Yulou’s rewards. Hearing this, Lin Ying's racing heart slowed slightly. The Wang Clan still possessed so modicum of sha. Indeed, with a reward pushing two thousand rit points, aren't you afraid of choking to death, Wang Yulou?
However, the mont Yuan Daoshen spoke, Lin Ying and the rest of the onlookers lost their minds entirely!
"It is a bit low. How about this? Since he is declining the spirit stones, we shall allow Yulou to personally select his reward artifact from the Azurewater Palace’s rit Hall catalog. That should serve as proper compensation."
To choose freely ant he would undoubtedly pick that crimson flying sword that had hung in the treasury for decades because no one could ever afford it—the ultimate top-grade spiritual artifact flying sword, valued at two thousand one hundred rit points. In essence, the Wang Clan ancestor had forfeited five hundred spirit stones in exchange for an extra two thousand one hundred rit points.
They deserve to burn in hell! These parasites! These absolute parasites!
Wang Jingyi glanced at Qu Yunjian, then at Yuan Daoshen, letting out a silent sigh in her heart. Yulou had officially been dragged into the internal strife of Dripdrop Cave. The Zhuo and Yuan families were locked in vicious conflict, which explained why Yuan Daoshen was going to such extre lengths to curry favor with the external Wang Clan. Her arrival today might not have been a blessing; she had inadvertently escalated the intensity of their struggle to recruit the Wang Clan to their respective sides. Short-term gains appeared brilliant, but cultivation was like a flowing river; what mattered was an endless, unstoppable torrent. With Yulou entangled in this ss, whether his future held fortune or ruin remained to be seen.
Ah, whatever. Pushing any further would only offend people.
"Yulou, hurry and thank Sect Master Qu and Elder Yuan!"
With Yuan Daoshen showing such imnse respect, Yulou finally cast aside his suspicions of the man. The Yuan Clan might have friction with the Zhuo family, but he wasn't a disciple or puppet of the Zhuos. At the very least, Elder Daoshen was an incredibly generous man.
---
Red silken curtains obscured Yulou’s vision. He reached out, parting the fabric. Sitting cross-legged upon the mattress, Little Fish was so nervous that fine beads of sweat coated her brow. Yulou produced a silk cloth, gently wiping them away for her. It was already late into the night; Bai Xiaoyu had been waiting for him for over four hours.
Leaving a girl to keep watch over an empty room on their first night wasn't due to a lack of tenderness on Yulou's part. It was entirely because that bastard Fan Zhugao had dragged him away to argue about the tedious details of the Exchange Gathering, dragging out the hours.
Facing the monuntal first milestone of his life, even soone as stoic as Yulou felt a surge of anticipation. He firmly believed that even a frail, ninety-year-old elder would burst with infinite vitality when presented with a maiden as exquisite as Little Fish. Therefore, anticipation itself could hardly be considered a flaw in his Dao heart. It definitely wasn't.
"Why are you sweating so much?"
Hearing such a mischievous question, a rare flash of utter embarrassnt flitted through Little Fish's eyes.
"I... I’m just a bit nervous," the girl stamred, her voice trembling slightly. The agonizing wait for the inevitable was always the most torturous process, a reality that not even cultivators could escape. Would Wang Yulou spend tonight with Qin Churan, or would he co to her? Though the question felt trivial, it had plagued Little Fish’s mind for hours, and given her proud nature, she found herself completely unable to ignore it.
"It’s fine, I’m nervous too. Slide back toward the headboard a bit, leave so room for ."
At Yulou's words, Bai Xiaoyu instantly sprang up from the mattress. Cultivators truly were built differently; with flawless physical control, she launched herself backward, landing precisely at the foot of the bed. The two of them sat like strangers sharing a tight carriage, first dividing their respective boundaries on the bed before plunging into a thick, awkward silence.
"If you're truly that anxious, we don't have to rush. We can put it off tonight, what do you think?"
Bai Xiaoyu was indeed terrified. She nodded instinctively, but another thought imdiately flared in her mind. Twirling the golden tassels of the red curtains with her fingers, Little Fish said dutifully,
"Then tonight, you should..."
Placing a finger gently against her lips, Yulou cut her off.
"Tonight, I am staying with you. There is no rush with Little Qin; we will wait until she hits a cultivation bottleneck. Besides, the dual cultivation thods require advance preparation and familiarity. Tonight would be far too rushed anyway!"
Little Fish nodded frantically in agreent. The concept of marriage was highly intriguing to her, and she was far from disliking Wang Yulou, but she genuinely required so ti to build up her ntal resolve.
"Then I shall rest first. I will sleep for exactly two hours before leaving to cultivate. Do not overthink things when I leave. Whenever ti permits, I will rotate between the two of you equally. I will never mistreat you, nor will I neglect Little Qin."
Having arrived in a cultivation world, there was no need to dance around the reality. Both Bai Xiaoyu and Qin Churan were his Dao companions and his vital pillars of support. Leaving either of them unmarried would be a massive mistake, so marrying both was the only logical choice. This strategy allowed Yulou to construct his foundational power base at maximum speed. His personal energy was finite; having two reliable, intimate companions would make managing his affairs vastly easier. Seeing Yulou lie down on the outer edge of the bed and instantly prepare to sleep, Bai Xiaoyu let out a massive sigh of relief.
Wonderful, he's falling right asleep. Perfect. She crept stealthily to her pillow, lowering herself down softly before turning her head to study the profile of her new husband.
Beyond the red curtains, nurous Ever-Bright Lamps burned fiercely—a detail specifically ordered by Ancestor Xianzhou. He had been terrified that Yulou wouldn't be able to see clearly, thereby sabotaging the important business. Honestly, such worries were utterly ridiculous; the ancestor simply had far too much free ti on his hands. Even for Little Fish, the bright illumination allowed her to count the individual hairs on Yulou's face in the dark.
'He always looks so stern normally, but he seems incredibly gentle when he's asleep. Is my husband actually a tender-hearted soul deep down?' As the thoughts spun through her mind, she reached out an arm, wanting to touch Yulou's cheek.
But just a finger’s width away from his skin, her hand froze. Right then, Yulou snapped his eyes open, locking his gaze with hers. Little Fish offered a profoundly awkward smile.
"I didn't touch you."
'You woke up on your own, I didn't touch you.'
Yulou blinked, his voice soft and soothing.
"Our marriage happened far too quickly. Even though mortals rely on parental commands and matchmakers to seal their unions, we are ultimately not mortals. Little Fish, if you find this difficult to adjust to, we can take things slow. If it truly doesn't work out..."
This ti, it was Little Fish who cut Yulou off.
"I can adjust!" the girl declared with fierce conviction, before her gaze drifted shyly away. "It's just... I'm not entirely adjusted yet."
'Adjusted, but not entirely adjusted.' Combined with the maiden's darting, starry eyes and her blushing, radiating face, the display was incomparably breathtaking. Yulou said nothing, simply pulling Little Fish close and tucking her securely beneath his blanket.
"No matter. You will adjust over ti. We will start by simply sleeping side-by-side... You don't snore, do you?"
Little Fish's heart had been lting from his tenderness, but Yulou’s sudden pivot left her so exasperated she delivered a sharp punch to his chest.
"You're the one who snores! Even if every single person in the world snores, it's impossible for to snore!"
"Why is that?"
"Because I am a fairy, hmph."
"If you're a fairy, then by sleeping with a fairy, wouldn't that make an Immortal Emperor? Hahaha."
"Enough, go to sleep. You still have to cultivate afterward."
"Mm, goodnight."
"What on earth is a goodnight?"
"Goodnight isn't an object; it's a hidden confession."
"What is a confession?"
"No more goodnights. I'm sleeping."
Wang Yulou fell silent. Long after, Bai Xiaoyu crawled out from his embrace, sitting up against the inner wall to continue observing her new groom, her eyes brimming with pure affection. How could she not love him? Yulou was her great hero. It was simply that many things required ti; she truly hadn't built up her psychological readiness yet.
---
Riding upon He Laosan, Wang Yulou took flight from the Golden Platform. The crisp morning breeze buffeted his robes. Having just concluded his morning cultivation, Yulou was currently at the absolute peak of his daily condition. The spiritual crane possessed an innate grace and agility, and the cultivator upon its back was strikingly handso and extraordinarily poised. As the pair glided through the clouds and waters of Dripdrop Cave Heaven, they ford a flawless portrait of an immortal taking a leisurely stroll.
However, Yulou harbored plenty of complaints regarding He Laosan.
"Wu Faxian’s Iron-Crowned Crane is a male. Can you stop trying to mount him?"
The re ntion of this matter filled Wang Yulou with intense irritation. Yesterday, during his conversation with Wu Faxian, Old Wu had proudly released his newly purchased spiritual crane for Yulou to inspect. Granted, while a Red-Crowned Crane like He Laosan was vastly superior to an Iron-Crowned Crane, a cultivator's spiritual crane was much like a man's prized carriage—you loved your own, but you couldn't help admiring soone else's occasionally; it didn't conflict.
Yet, while Yulou and Wu Faxian were busy comparing and analyzing the two birds, He Laosan had suddenly lost his mind and mounted the Iron-Crowned Crane right then and there. Yulou and Wu Faxian had desperately tried to intervene, but they feared that excessively violent movents would damage the delicate plumage of the spiritual birds. In the end, they were forced to watch He Laosan enthusiastically go to town right before their eyes. The incident had left Yulou burning with rage, prompting him to instantly lock He Laosan away inside his spirit beast bag.
"You absolute embarrassnt! You've completely ruined my reputation!"
Wang Yulou's curses were exceptionally harsh. Naturally, this fury carried absolutely zero correlation to the fact that He Laosan had successfully found release with a male crane, while he himself had spent the night holding a beauty without doing a single thing. Absolutely none.
"Honk honk honk, honk honk!" He Laosan squawked frantically, seemingly trying to explain himself, but Yulou couldn't understand a word and couldn't be bothered to listen. Mounting a female crane would be one thing, but mounting a male? Utterly preposterous! After leveling a series of severe threats at He Laosan, the man and crane finally arrived within the Azurewater Palace.
Stepping into the rit Hall, Yulou imdiately spotted Wu Faxian slacking off.
"Old Wu, I—"
But the mont he opened his mouth to greet him, Wu Faxian leaped up in terror, bounding backward several paces and instinctively clutching his spirit beast pouch. Wu Faxian glared at Yulou with intense vigilance and fury, his aning plain as day. 'Look, pal, your crane just got his fill yesterday, and he's already back for more today? Is that appropriate? That is completely inappropriate!'
"Relax. I already warned him that if he misbehaves again, I’m having him castrated." Yulou took a seat, casually pouring himself a cup of tea without standing on ceremony. The two had grown highly familiar with one another. "I ca here for two things today. First is to collect the Scarlet Dharma Sword. Is that fully settled?"
"Your clan's ancestor is truly terrifying. Since Elder Yuan spoke up and the Sect Master gave his consent, you can naturally take it—and you get to choose freely, no less. Speaking of which, that Scarlet Dharma Sword was actually forged by Elder Yuan several years ago. Given his ability to forge genuine spiritual artifacts, the top-grade spiritual artifact flying swords he refines are naturally extraordinary. From the base materials to the restrictions, you have no idea how many Azurewater Palace disciples drool over that Scarlet Dharma Sword, yet none of them could ever bear to exchange for it," Wu Faxian remarked with a sigh.
How could they possibly bear it? Any Azurewater Palace disciple possessing over two thousand rit points was typically preparing for their funeral or focusing entirely on breaking through to Foundation Establishnt. Why waste those precious points on an absurdly overpriced flying sword? Ten thousand five hundred spirit stones was enough to purchase half a Foundation Establishnt Pill! This price tag, while perhaps not completely unprecedented among spiritual artifacts, was definitely uniquely exorbitant.
"Forged by Elder Yuan? Are you referring to Elder Yuan Daoshen?"
Yulou recalled Yuan Daoshen ntioning his deep expertise in the artificing path, stating that Yulou could seek his guidance whenever necessary. While those words were clearly polite pleasantries, given the depth of the man's artificing attainnt, swallowing his pride to seek guidance would be well worth whatever price he had to pay. Furthermore, judging by Old Yuan’s warm attitude toward him, there was a genuine chance the man might actually teach him. 'Mm, I'll find an opportunity in the future.'
"Naturally, who else could it be? Every year during the seventh month, he fires up his furnace to refine spiritual artifacts, and the Foundation Establishnt cultivators of the sect practically line up to curry favor with him, all begging for a high-quality tool. The Yuan Clan is renowned for its mastery of the artificing path, and Elder Daoshen is the undisputed peak among them. It is precisely under his leadership that the Yuan Clan steadily transford into Dripdrop Cave’s premier Foundation Establishnt clan, seizing control of nurous critical positions within the sect." Yulou nodded in agreent.
Achieving a profound level in the artificing path could truly build a massive empire, which would in turn fuel one's own cultivation. However, the economic model of the Wunan Cultivation World was highly peculiar. Various insular factions maintained an absolute monopoly over high-grade spiritual resources, and crucially, they also monopolized the market itself. Without an open market, no matter how high his artificing skill climbed, the amount of spirit stones he could generate would always face a hard ceiling. Back then, despite Hongi’s artificing skills being high enough to forge spiritual artifacts with thirty-two layers of restrictions, hadn't he still been forced to travel to illicit marketplaces like Hidden Dragon Market to secure commissions?
The entire reason Yulou wanted to establish the Exchange Gathering within Dripdrop Cave was to bypass the rigid three-palace internal distribution network and carve out a market of his own, thereby allowing his artificing talents to generate real liquidity. Of course, the Azurewater Palace's rit Hall also accepted top-grade spiritual artifacts, but such transactions involved severe discounts—Qu Yunjian’s generous rewards to Yulou were precisely the surplus squeezed from internal price suppression and exploitation. Rather than letting the middleman take a massive cut, Yulou preferred to cultivate his own market to avoid being drained by interdiaries!
"Here is your Scarlet Dharma Sword. The two senior martial brothers guarding the treasury already guessed it would be you. You are currently a major celebrity within the Azurewater Palace—no, within all of Dripdrop Cave!"
Ignoring Wu Faxian's resentful grumbling, Yulou accepted the flying sword and began inspecting it with ticulous care. Grade-nine Cold Refined Iron had been purified via the Water Elent Essence Refinent thod into grade-eight Water-Purified Cold Refined Iron. This process retained the fundantal characteristics of Cold Refined Iron while elevating it to a grade-eight spiritual material, simultaneously imbuing it with both tal and water attributes. Hongi also knew this thod of refining raw materials, and Yulou had naturally mastered it, but they rarely utilized it under normal circumstances. Selling raw Cold Refined Iron on its own already brought an excellent price. Purifying it actually resulted in a net loss. It required a massive quantity of grade-nine Cold Refined Iron to extract a single block of grade-eight material, which ultimately only produced a single top-grade spiritual artifact—unless it was ant for vital components, no one would willingly destroy grade-eight materials.
In addition to the purified grade-eight iron, the Scarlet Dharma Sword had undergone Imbuing Nature utilizing the crown blood of a grade-eight Fla-Feather Rooster. The rooster possessed a fire attribute, aning the Imbuing Nature granted the sword a dual water-fire nature, which combined with the base tal nature of the Cold Refined Iron. By all accounts, this appeared to be an experintal piece or a practice project by Yuan Daoshen. The flying sword crafted by a Foundation Establishnt stage artificing master was exquisitely beautiful, leaving Yulou entirely transfixed. This beauty didn't stem rely from aesthetics, but from the breathtaking artistry of the artificing path woven into its fabric.
"Stop staring. You've been gawking at it for half an hour. Go back and study it later; let's talk about the second matter," Wu Faxian urged. Noticing that other disciples were already waiting in line behind him, Yulou recognized why Wu Faxian was rushing him and quickly spoke up.
"I wish to purchase a superior artifact refining furnace, but the options listed in the catalog are all sowhat lacking. Can you help contact a highly skilled artificer who specializes in building furnaces? I want to commission a custom one."
The furnace Yulou desired most was actually Hongi’s personal furnace. That piece had been custom-built specifically for Hongi by An Ning, the legendary cultivator who had co within a hair's breadth of achieving the Purple Palace realm. However, refining furnaces generally shared similar fraworks, and Hongi himself was a master of fire-based artificing. That furnace of his... it was truly a masterpiece. Presently, Hongi, Ningyao, and Yu'an had all departed for Hidden Dragon Abbey, but Yulou’s yearning for that furnace far eclipsed his longing for the three of them combined. To an artificer, a superior furnace was akin to a spouse; in the eyes of certain artifact refiners with multiple partners, their furnace held vastly more significance than any spouse ever could. Faced with Yulou's request, Wu Faxian sank into deep thought for a mont before offering,
"If you truly want to commission a custom refining furnace, I actually have a channel. Yulou, have you ever visited the Droplet Heaven Palace's rit Hall?"
The Droplet Heaven Palace's rit Hall, as the na implied, sat high upon Droplet Heaven, serving exclusively the two hundred plus Foundation Establishnt cultivators of Dripdrop Cave. Rumor had it that a single rit point there possessed the purchasing power of a hundred spirit stones.
"I haven't. Are we Qi Refining cultivators even permitted to ascend there?"
Wu Faxian winked, hinting broadly,
"Oh please, do you honestly think the disciples of the Splendid Pool Palace don't frequent my counter?"
Yulou nodded in instant comprehension. With deacons running black-market rit point exchanges, Splendid Pool Palace disciples could naturally enjoy the goods of the Azurewater Palace; it was simply a question of whether their wallets could survive the transaction.
"So I should ascend Droplet Heaven to find soone for a custom build?"
"No need. I happen to hold a copy of the Droplet Heaven Palace's rit Hall exchange catalog. Take a look; if anything catches your eye, I can bridge the connection for you. It's just that the price markup in spirit stones will be brutal. You must understand, not everyone is as forgiving of your spiritual crane as I am."
Though Wu Faxian's words were drenched in lingering resentnt, his business practices remained highly flexible. Yulou accepted the jade slip, channeling his spiritual perception to browse its contents.
Spiritual energy, spiritual charms, spiritual artifacts, spiritual pills, spiritual materials... spiritual resources, grade-nine spiritual resources?
'Grade-Nine Spiritual Resource—Bright-Yellow Mushroom Grotto.'
Price: 1,600 rit points. A single Droplet Heaven rit point equaled a hundred spirit stones, aning sixteen hundred points equated to a staggering one hundred and sixty thousand spirit stones...
Terrifying. Yet, staring at the words 'Grade-Nine Spiritual Resource,' Yulou found himself completely unable to look away. The Wang Clan presently possessed a re four grade-nine spiritual resources, and their sole grade-eight resource was Dumb Donkey Plain. Regardless of their exact rank, every single spiritual resource served as the bedrock of a family's survival. Wu Jingyan had relied entirely on the Wu Clan’s lone grade-nine resource, the Jagged Stone Well, utilizing the warti inflation generated by Wondrous Peak Mountain and the Valley Spirit Sect to slowly cultivate his way all the way to Foundation Establishnt.
The Bright-Yellow Mushroom Grotto yielded forty to fifty stalks of Bright-Yellow Mushrooms annually. These mushrooms possessed the unique capability to nourish the mind and temper divine sense, serving as core ingredients for refining soul-nurturing pills, such as...
Yulou furrowed his brow slightly. This grade-nine resource was actually quite niche, which likely explained why it had been tossed onto the rit Hall exchange list in the first place. To cultivators, divine sense was undeniably vital, playing a critical role during magical combat. However, the Wunan Cultivation World was governed by the Immortal Alliance, ensuring long-term stability. Consequently, rather than squandering precious ti and resources on tempering their divine sense, Wunan cultivators preferred to dump everything into raising their core cultivation base. Yulou only trained his divine sense extensively because it was a natural byproduct of his lineage tracing thod.
After ticulously reviewing the list of available resources within Droplet Heaven, Yulou shook his head. None of them were truly top-tier; each carried its own distinct set of liabilities. So were bound to fixed locations and couldn't be relocated, so offered low practical utility, so suffered from abysmal yields, and others required absurdly harsh conditions just to sustain their output. Ultimately, it was the exact sa reality he had always known—anything placed on a public shelf for anyone to buy would never be the finest rchandise. True treasures never entered public circulation.
After sifting through various exotic but ultimately unviable resources, Yulou finally arrived at the section dedicated to refining furnaces. Droplet Heaven wasn't filled exclusively with spiritual artifacts; it still contained a vast array of high-grade spiritual tools. Even though Wu Jingyan had achieved Foundation Establishnt long ago, hadn't he still been forced to make do with spiritual tools? Zhong Ningyao possessed a genuine spiritual artifact only because of An Ning’s extre favoritism toward her daughter, and An Ning had been a renowned Foundation Establishnt female cultivator whose fa once echoed across Wunan. Yulou possessed a spiritual artifact only due to the deep value Patriarch Wang Xianmao placed on him, and the Wang Clan was a veteran family that had birthed over twenty Foundation Establishnt cultivators throughout its history. Wang Rongjiang had secured a spiritual artifact imdiately upon his breakthrough only because he possessed a wood-tal spirit root; the Wang Clan’s Dumb Donkey Plain was planted with nurous spiritual artifact trees, allowing him to simply harvest a branch to yield a magnificent wood-elent spiritual artifact.
'Thirty-Six Layers of Restrictions—Dual-Polarity Pill and Artifact Furnace.'
Price: 120 rit points. The dual-polarity referred to water and fire. Through the assistance of thirty-six layers of restrictions, this furnace’s compatibility with water-fire dual artificing thods had reached the absolute peak possible for a spiritual tool. Dripdrop Cave was packed with water-attribute cultivators, but the limitations of water-based artificing were far too severe; while highly potent when applicable, it proved useless in the vast majority of standard scenarios. The Dual-Polarity Furnace perfectly resolved the dilemma faced by water-based artificers. A single furnace, backed by thirty-six layers of restrictions, could execute both the purifying wash-refinent thod and the standard fire-refinent thod with equal ease. The na also indicated its dual functionality; it could refine both spiritual pills and spiritual tools. The materials utilized in its construction were spectacular, packed with various grade-eight spiritual components, making it entirely worthy of its price tag of twelve thousand—no, thirteen thousand two hundred spirit stones. Yulou’s heart burned with desire, but he could only force his gaze downward.
'Just wait. I felt the exact sa way when I first saw the Scarlet Dharma Sword, and you will eventually fall into my hands as well!' Wang Yulou silently comforted himself with the lie.
'Thirty-Four Layers of Restrictions—Lotus-Stone Fire-Generating Furnace.'
Price: 103 rit points. Lotus-Stone was a grade-seven spiritual material... Fire-generating referred to the unique property of Lotus-Stone, which was riddled with countless microscopic pores. During the refining process, these pores accelerated the interaction between the internal spiritual fire and the external environnt, boosting the fire's raw intensity and better drawing out the innate spirituality of the raw materials.
'Can't afford it, skip!'
'Can't afford it, skip!'
'Twenty-Eight Layers of Restrictions—Yuan-Style Gilded Refining Furnace.'
Price: 47 rit points. The gilding was purely for aesthetic appeal; the true value lay in the na 'Yuan-Style.'
This furnace was the signature model produced by the Yuan Clan, also capable of handling both water and fire refining thods. It ca pre-engraved with twenty-eight common artificing restrictions, making it exceptionally smooth and intuitive for any artificer to operate. Because its price point was modest, it was actually available for purchase within the Azurewater Palace as well, retailing there for an even one thousand rit points. The profound beauty of an internal exploitation network was laid bare right here. The Yuan Clan likely preferred fools who didn't know any better to purchase it within Droplet Heaven, as that allowed them to harvest valuable Droplet Heaven rit points instead.
After surveying the vast selection of refining furnaces, Yulou unexpectedly altered his plans, choosing to directly purchase a Yuan-Style Gilded Refining Furnace from the Azurewater Palace catalog.
"Why did you end up choosing a Yuan Clan furnace after all that?" Wu Faxian asked, having fully expected Yulou to splurge on a luxury item from Droplet Heaven. That way, he could have thoroughly fleeced the wealthy noble to net himself a massive profit. Sadly, his hopes had been dashed.
"Elder Yuan’s artificing skills are profound, and the Yuan Clan’s refining furnaces enjoy an unblemished reputation. Purchasing one ensures excellent resale value even if I decide to upgrade in the future, Hahaha," Yulou offered a casual rationale. After ironing out a few remaining logistics regarding the preparation of the Exchange Gathering with Wu Faxian, he took his leave.
The Exchange Gathering involved a massive web of interests and represented Wang Yulou’s initial experint to forge his own independent market within Dripdrop Cave; every step had to be calculated with absolute precision. Following the dramatic events at River Bend Fishing Port yesterday, pushing the initiative forward would undoubtedly prove vastly simpler now. Out of the two hundred plus Foundation Establishnt cultivators within Dripdrop Cave, ten had personally attended Wang Yulou's wedding, including heavyweights like Yuan Daoshen of the Yuan Clan and Zhuo Chi of the Zhuo family. When a Wang Yulou of such standing stepped forward to help his fellow disciples freely exchange their cultivation insights, who would possibly dare to stand in his way?
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